The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 49, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 9, 1996 Page: 1 of 36
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Thursday, Man 9, 1996, Albany, Tews 76430
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Elections yield new city, hospital officials
Shackelford County voters
headed to the polls this past
Saturday, May 4, naming several
new officials to the Albany city
council and the hospital's board
of trustees.
Topping the polls in the Al-
bany city election, local residents
Mike Cotter, Ronnie Kitchens
and Richard Wilson werejiamed
as the new councilmen, while
Harold Cox claimed the most
votes for mayor
Vote tallies in the Albany city
race were as follows: Mayor—
Harold Cox (175), Don Skiles
(116), arid Monte Wainscott (22);
city council—Mike Cotter (214),
Ronnie Kitchens (199), Richard
Wilson (153), Robert Willen
(139), Mike Magoto (127), and
Tommy Sullivan (67).
In an election to fill four seats
on the hospital board, Saturday's
canvassed results showed Bob
Tidwell with 196 votes, John
Ayers with 176, Melanie
McCarthy with 168, Alma Neese
with 145,andMike Parsons with
139. Several write-ins were in-
cluded in the statistics, but none
received more than two votes.
A request for a recount in the
hospital election was reportedly
being prepared on Tuesday;
however, hospital officials had
not received any of the necessary
paperwork to order the re-
Low voter turnout
surprises hospital officials
counting of the votes.
Hospital officials were also
checking with state election of-
ficers about a possible violation
of the Election Code, but they
preferred not to comment on the
rnatter until more information
is available.
Neither the recount nor the
investigation of possible proce-
dure violations is being pursued
by incumbent board member
Mike Parsons, who was defeated
in the election.
A total of 328 voters partici-
pated in the Albany city elec-
tions, up dramatically from last
year. Only 237 citizens voted in
the county-wide hospital elec-
tions, down slightly from last
year's totals.
New Terms
In accordance with the new
election procedures as defined
in Senate Bill 680, several local
candidates were named to posi-
tions without the election pro-
cess this year.
The Moran and Albany school
boards, along with the Moran
city council, all made, official
declarations in open meetings
last month cancelling their re-
spective elections, since none of
the candidates in any of the races
faced any opposition ait the polls.
By cancelling the elections
through official declarations,
candidates are therefore named
to the positions they had sought
to fill. The unopposed candidates
in the 1996 races will be named
to their new terms in separate
meetings later this month.
Incumbents Rob Londerholm
and Don Fitzgibbons will renew
their three-year terms in an
upcoming meeting of the Albany
school board. Jackie Martin,
Kevin Trainham and Karen
Holland will also begin their new
terms on the Moran ISD board
of trustees.
On the Moran city council,
Steve Waller and Cookie Con-
nally will renew their seats later
this month. In addition to the
renewal of the t wo terms, a third
person will be nominated to fill
the open seat currently held by
Councilman Tom Siewert, since
no one filed for his seat and he
did not seek re-election.
A sample of the real thing...
ft
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*. * *'
i \ jar ■ .
ik.
Campfire crooning,
pioneer patron
A talented cast of cowboys (top
photo), pioneer women, children
and saloon girls entertained a large
crowd of Association members
with a brisk Fandangle Sampler Fri-
day night and then joined host Watt
Matthews (lower photo, Ij for the
traditional private performance
Saturday night-. Matthews visited
with guests before the show, then
made a brief appearance during the
finale. The annual Sampler gives
Fandangle members a glimpse of
the full-length summer, including
a preview of some authentic- look-
ing prairie fires. [Staff Photos]
Local blood donations needed
Local residents can help re-
plenish the dwindling supply of
blood in the Meek Community
Blood Bank if they respond to
the Albany Kiwanis Club's bi-
annual blood drive today
(Thursday) at the Albany
Church of Christ from 1:00 to
6:00 p.m.
The Meek Community Bloiod
Bank's mobile unit will be lo-
cated on the parking lot of the
Albany Church of Christ, and
local residents are encouraged
to stop by and donate "the gift of
life."
The area-wide blood bank
provides blood and blood prod-
ucts for almost all of the Big
Country hospitals, including the
Shackelford County Hospital
District.
In recent months, supplies of
some blood types at the facility,
especially "O" negative and "A"
negative, have been critically low
and several special calls for do-
nors have been issued.
"When local residents need
blood, whether they are in the
local hospital or in Abilene, it
comes from the Shackelford
County account at the blood
bank," explained Dr. J.E.
Mikeska, blood drive coordina-
tor.
"Whenever anyone in the
county, including Moran and
Hamby residents, needs blood,
it is debited from our account at
the blood bank."
Meek representatives en-
couraged those who can't donate
on May 9 to come by the blood
bank at 1150 North 18th street
in Abilene anytime. Donations
there will also be credited to the
Shackelford County account.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m- Monday through Friday,
except on Thursday when they
are 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
"Of the general population,
only three to five percent ever
Grigsby places second at state
Albany High School senior
Michele Grigsby placed second
in headline writing at .the UIL
State Academic Meet last Fri-
day, continuing to hit high notes
as she winds up her high school
career. f
Grigsby was named last week
New city
By Bobby Horecka
Thi Albany city council met
this past Monday; swearing in
new council members and ap-
proving an updated resolution
to a new recreational facility.
Shortly after the meeting
opened, thetabulationsfrom this
past Saturday's polling were
reviewfed. Councilman Ken
Thompson made the motion to
accept the tabulations as they
stood and the council unani-
as valedictorian of the 1996 se-
nior class and she has also
qualified for state level compe-
tition in the vocal UIL solo and
ensemble contest later this
month.
She won third place in head-
line writing during Region I
mously agreed. »
Following the acceptance of
the election results, a brief
swearing-in ceremony was held
for Mayor Harold Cox and
Councilmen Mike Cotter and
Ronnie Kitchens. The third new
councilman, Richard Wilson,
was not present for the cer-
emony.
The new resolution for the
construction of a new municipal
swimming pool bathhouse was
competitiori to advance to state.
The academic, state finalist
was accompanied to Austin by
the local journalism event
sponsor, Winifred Waller, who
complimented Grigsby on her
dedication.
"Michele has entered UIL
sworn in
then reviewed and unanimously
approved by the council. Total
project cost is expected to be in
the ballpark of $61,000. State
grants are expected to cover a
healthy portion of this sum.
Before the meeting came to a
close, plaques were awarded to
Councilmen Danny Neff, Bob
Davis and Bill Farmer for their
faithful service as Albany coun-
cilmen and mayor pro-tem.
events all four years in high
school, and has advanced to re-
gional the past three years in
more than one event," said
Waller.
This was the first year she
qualified for state, which was a
dream come true for both of us.
We're all very proud of her."
The top three students from
Region I won first, second and
third in headline writing at state,
with Grigsby trading places with
the second place winner at re-
gional.
"Our region has always been
extremely strong in journalism
and writing events," commented
Waller, "and it has been difficult
to get past that point, let alone
place at state."
She added that the possibility
of a student advancing to the
state level is .017648 percent.
Any student who qualifies for
state in a UIL academic event is
eligible to apply for a UIL
scholarship.
give blood," said Marshall
Anderson, Donor Center Super-
visor, "but 70 percent of the
population will need donated
blood during their lifetime."
Of that 70 percent of the
population who receives blood,
the Meek Blood Center reported
that 19 percent of the recipients
are being treated for cancer, 17
percent for heart disease, 16
percent for gastrointestinal dis-
eases, 13 percent for injuries and
10 percent for bone and joint
disease.
"Please consider giving
blood. To ensure the
success of the drive,
your support is needed."
Six percent of all the blood
used goes to treat anemics and
hemophiliacs; another six' per-
cent are liver and kidney pa-
tients. Four percent of the blood
is used for obstetric procedures
and two percent for premature
babies.
Donating is Safe
Mikeska emphasized that
there is no possible way to con-
tract AIDS by donating blood,
which seems to continue to be a
public concern and has appar-
ently been a factor in the reduc-
tion of blood donations over the
past few years.
"There is absolutely no way of
contracting the HIV virus by
donating blood," he continued.
"In fact, there is little chance of
getting AIDS from receiving
blood products anymore because
of current screening procedures
and safety precautions "
The blood center needs 100
units of blood each day to meet
the needs of the 16 area medical
facilities that it serves They rely
on the generosity of community-
minded volunteer donors from
businesses, churches, schools
and organizations to keep their
blood supply plentiful.
During the last few years,
Shackelford County residents
have given as much as 35 units
during a Kiwanis Club blood
drive, a figure they hope to top
in today's blood drive.
45-Minute Process
The donation process takes
about 45 minutes, according to
information provided by the
blood bank.
First, a blood center staff
person will ask some questions
about the donor's health history
and take a blood pressure read-
ing.pulse and temperature,
along with a finger puncture to
obtain blood for a hemoglobin
determination.
Then the donor lies in a spe-
cial chair while the blood is
taken. This takes less than 10
minutes. Finally, the donor is
asked to relax for about 10
minutes in the refreshment area
before returning to normal ac-
tivity.
Donor Requirements
According to Mikeska, there
are now only a few prerequisites
for donating blood.
Anyone up to age 70 may do-
nate and those 71 and above
may do so with a doctor's per-
mission in the form of a note.
On theother end, donors must
be at least 17 years old and weigh
at least, 100 pounds.
There are only a few pre-
scription medications that will
disqualify a donor, and in fact,
recent changes allow even more
people to donate than ever be-
fore.
The following medications
and treatments are not causes for
deferment as thev have been in
(See Blood drive, pg. 8-A)
State winner Michele Grigsby and sponsor Winifred Waller
J
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Lucas, Donnie A. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 49, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 9, 1996, newspaper, May 9, 1996; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth412679/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.