By Melinda L. Lucas

A one-year contract extension was approved for principals Glen Hill at Albany Junior/Senior High School and John Gallagher at Nancy Smith Elementary School, along with similar offers for district business manager Angelyn Faith and director of student services Leigh Lowe, following a closed session at the end of Monday’s regular school board meeting, postponed a full week because of the weather.

Five percent raises were approved in the same motion, which was made by Kelly Head and seconded by Ginny Ivy.

By Sandy Morris

After a week of record-breaking winter weather like most Shackelford County residents have never experienced before, the sun finally made an appearance last Friday, and by Saturday afternoon, the only snow left was in shadow or what had been pushed into piles.

While the City of Albany received its fair share of freezing temperatures, snow, and ice, all city and county officials agree that everyone involved came together and made the best of a bad situation. 

Water Supply

By Sandy Morris

After months of planning, the Albany Chamber will host the Hereford Ball celebration on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Whitney Theater, 100 years after the original ball in 1921.

Albany Chamber of Commerce director Mary Beth Jones said the dress-up ball is a celebration of Shackelford County’s ranches and history and that tickets were quickly purchased, making this a sold-out event. 

“We had to work around COVID and keeping attendees socially distanced,” said Jones. “Ideally, we would like to be able to host more guests.”

By Sandy Morris

The annual Fandangle Sampler is moving back to Reynolds Bend on the Lambshead Ranch after an absence of more than 20 years. 

According to artistic director Lorna Ayers, the Fort Griffin Fandangle Association board has set the date for the sampler on Saturday, April 17.

“Everyone is so excited to go back to Reynolds Bend for the sampler,” said Ayers. “It is a perfect location with a wide open patch of land, just like a mini-stage. There is plenty of room to perform and to have the horses and wagons.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Close to 93 percent of the 2020 tax levy had been collected as of Jan. 31, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder at the Shackelford County Central Appraisal District (CAD) office, with eligible payments coming in for another week or so at the beginning of February.

Official CAD reports show that $8,515,099 of the $9,193,065 total levy, or 92.63 percent, had come in as of last week.

By Sandy Morris

The Old Jail Art Center  will open two new exhibitions to the public starting Saturday, Feb. 27 and running through Saturday, May 22.

No public opening is planned because of COVID precautions and limited hours of operation. 

The public is invited to visit the OJAC and view the new exhibitions from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 

Penumbra

By Sandy Morris

The cast and crew of Albany High School’s One Act Play will give a public performance of The Love of Oranges at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1 at the Albany High School auditorium. 

By Sandy Morris

Albany High School UIL students are making up for lost time due to last week’s winter weather and school closure and working to submit their entries to the Holliday High School virtual academic meet. 

Originally, all entries were to be received last week but the wide-spread frigid weather pushed back the submission deadline to midnight on Thursday, Feb. 25. 

AHS academic director Rick Davis said that sponsors were working with schedules to get all entries submitted. 

By Sandy Morris

The Albany Band Boosters will hold a garage sale and bake sale at Friendship Baptist Church from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27.

All money raised will go towards junior high and high school band trips, as well as improvements to the elementary band hall.

Band Booster member Kelli Kreitler said donations of items for the garage sale are welcome from the public. 

Christi Chapman (r) helps members of her class at Stepping Stones Christian School as they work to decorate their Valentine bags earlier this month. The private preschool is back in session after being out for more than a week due to bad weather.