The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 3, 2006 Page: 1 of 16
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Albany ambassadors
The cast and crew of AMP's acclaimed
musical Always. . Patsy Cline were awarded
plaques and certificates for serving as
Albany ambassadors to the Big Country.
See story, pg. 2B
The
I
Back-to-School
.' - r
School supply lists, teacher assignments
and special meetings make up this year's
Back-To-School section, as the start of ;•
the 2006-2007 school year approaches.
See special section, pgs. 1B-4B
Albany News
"Oldest journalistic Venture West of the Brazos"
Thursday, August 3, 2006, Albany, Texas 76430
16 Pages in 2 Sections
Volume Number 131 Number 10 Price 75<l
County tax base jumps by $54
By Melinda L. Lucas
County-wide property values
have catapulted upward by a
whopping $53 million, Shackel-
ford County commissioners
learned during their regular
meeting on Monday, July 31.
County Treasurer Sherry
Enloe reported that the prelimi-
nary tax values for 2006 are
again significantly higher than
last year's figures, due mostly to
the continuing rise in oil and gas
valuations. Last year's increase
was about $15 million.
Initial numbers provided by
Shackelford County Chief Ap-
praiser Teresa Peacock show
that county-wide property val-
ues should be up by almost $54
million, once several formal pro-
tests from local taxpayers have
been settled. It could be a record
increase for the county tax base
in one year's time, Peacock said,
although the valuations are ex-
pected to double next year when
the wind farm project is com-
plete.
"Without a doubt, the values
are going to be up," said Enloe,
"so the effective tax rate itself
will drop." The effective tax rate
is the rate needed to raise the
same amount of tax revenue as
the 2005 rate.
Enloe added that insurance
rates are increasing only a small
amount, although utilities and
fuel costs are up substantially,
and will need to be increased
considerably in the 2007 bud-
get.
Commissioner Stan West sug-
gested that the commissioners
consider setting the tax rate
higher than the usual three per-
cent over the effective rate.
"The rate will still be quite a
bit lower than last year's rate,
and maybe we can give our em-
ployees decent enough salaries
that they won't qualify for food
stamps," commented West. "If
we can get the salaries up
enough, our people will be more
apt to stay with us.
"We should look at the num-
bers and maybe push the limits
a little."
There was no action or dis-
cussion on the values, but the
commissioners are scheduled to
begin budget talks on August 7.
Other Business
• Enloe reported that the
Shackelford County Rural Fire
Department has qualified to re-
ceive grant money for a new
$150,000 fire truck. Private do-
nations will pay for the local
share.
• Road and bridge fees of $ 10
were approved, the same amount
that has been part of the local
licensing fee for several years.
• The commissioners set a
date of February 26, 2007 for a
public meeting concerning the
county road map project. The
date is required as the next step
in the lengthy process of adopt-
ing an official county road map.
• The county treasurer re-
ported that the county has re-
ceived 90 percent of its projected
revenue for the year and has
spent 80 percent of the antici-
pated expenses. The county's fis-
cal year ends September 1.
S chool days
fast approaching
Teachers to start next week
With the first day of school
rapidly approaching, Albany
school officials are gearing up
for a week of workdays and
in-service, as well as finaliz-
ing schedules and teaching
assignments.
Classes for local students
will begin on Monday, Au-
gust 14, with faculty mem-
bers officially starting on the
previous Monday, August 7.
Many teachers, however, will
be working in their classrooms
during much of the next two
weeks.
Local administrators re-
minded parents that any stu-
dents who aren't registered
at their scheduled times
should be enrolled before
classes begin if at all possible.
Secondary Registration
Students entering eighth
through 12th grades should
be reporting to the high school
for registration this week, but
those who miss their sched-
uled times because of vaca-
tion or other reasons should
call or go by AHS/AJHS Prin-
cipal Tommy Terrell's office as
soon as possible.
The remaining scheduled reg-
istration times include:
• Eighth graders - 9:00 a.m.
- 12:00 noon Thursday, August
3;
• Seventh graders - 1:00 -
3:00 p.m. Thursday, August 3;
• New students - 9:00 a.m. -
12:00 noon and 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Friday, August 5.
Freshmen and sophomores
registered on Wednesday, and
juniors and seniors on Tuesday.
Any new secondary students
who haven't yet registered
should bring their immuniza-
tion records, social security
cards, birth certificates and, if
possible, their high school tran-
scripts or report cards from last
year.
Mr. Terrell added that stu-
dents or parents need to check
and update all emergency num-
bers on the student records as
they register.
To make other arrangements
(See Registration, pg. 8A)
Donnie Lucas / Albany News
Junior high
math teacher
Lisa Palmore
sorts through a
collection of
framed motiva-
tional posters
before hanging
them in her
classroom.
Most local
teachers have
spent toe pn
campus getting
ready for the
2006-2007
school year.
Sen. Hutchison
plans 1 -hour visit
to Albany Aug. 10
U.S. Senator Kay
Bailey Hutchison will
make an appearance
in Albany next Thurs-
day morning, August
10, at the Shackelford
County Courthouse's
second floor court-
room, where she will
speak with constitu-
ents and local friends
for about an hour.
The popular Texas
senator will give a
brief talk beginning at
8:00 a.m., then answer
questions and visit,
U.S. SENATOR
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
Donnie Lucas / Albany News
Albany's new assistant principal Andy Wilson (I) and secretary Jennifer
Corbin (c) help junior Brandon Roysdon make a change in his schedule
earlier this week. Wilson officially began his local duties on August 1.
according to Robert Echols, who helped arrange
her visit.
The public is invited to attend.
Hutchison's office contacted Echols last week
to inform him of the visit.
"I've been trying to get Sen. Hutchison to
come back to Albany since about 2001, and she
finally said yes," said Echols. "She likes Albany
and wants to say hello to everybody here."
Kay Bailey Hutchison last visited Albany
during a campaign stop in 1993.
She was first elected to the United States
Senate in 1993 during a special election, making
her the first woman elected to represent Texas
in the U.S. Senate. She was reelected a year
later for a full six-year term. In 2000, more than
four million Texans voted for her reelection to a
second term. At the time, no candidate in Texas
history had ever captured more votes.
Currently, she is the fifth highest ranking
Republican senator and is vice chairman of the
Senate Republican Conference.
Coffee and pastries will be served in the
courtroom.
Lights to burn bright in fight against cancer
Relay For Life
set this Friday
The lights of Robert Nail Me-
morial Stadium will burn all
night this Friday, August 4 as
local walkers and runners stage
a 12-hour fundraiser to help fight
cancer.
As of press time, Relay For
Life co-chair Cindy Parsons was
hopeful that the participants
would bring in enough funding
to surpass the $25,000 goal.
"We won't have all the figures
in for several days after the Re-
lay, but it looks promising," said
Parsons. Last year, the Relay
raised about $25,000 to be used
in the search for a cancer cure
and I think we'll get there again
thi^ year."
Eleven teams are expected for
the event.
Relay Schedule
The Relay will begin with a
meal fundraiser starting at 5:30
p.m. at the stadium concession
stand. The hot dog and chopped
brisket sandwiches, along with
a drink and chips, will be served
for $5 each as long as they last,
and local residents are encour-
aged to plan their evening meal
at the stadium.
"This is a way that everyone
can help," commented Parsons.
"Even if you aren't on a team,
you can stop by, eat with us, and
maybe stay for awhile to encour-
age local cancer survivors in
their lap around the field."
The opening ceremony will
follow at 7:00 p.m.
Several high school students
will sing the National Anthem
while local Boy Scouts conduct
the flag ceremony. Tina Craw-
ford of Denton will serve as
speaker for the opening cer-
emony. After her talk, all cancer
survivors who are present at the
stadium will be invited to par-
ticipate in the "Survivors Lap."
Cancer survivors are encour-
aged to come to the stadium and
watch the ceremony, even if they
can not or choose not to partici-
pate in the survivors' lap. "You
don't have to walk; just come
and be part of the celebration,"
said Parsons.
Regular Relay events will con-
tinue after that, with team mem-
bers alternating in their walk
around the course until 7:00 a.m.
in the next morning, "unless
there is another cricket inva-
sion," said Parsons.
Last year's event was cut
short by an early season influx
of crickets drawn to the stadium
lights.
At dusk on Friday, around
9:30 p.m., a luminaria service
will be held. Candles will be
placed in paper bags anchored
with sand all around the field,
bearing the names of cancer sur-
vivors, patients and victims.
The ceremony is intended to
honor cancer survivors and to
remember those who have lost
the battle against cancer. The
luminaria candles line the field
and are left burning throughout
the remainder of the relay to
remind participants why they
are there.
ACS volunteers will continue
to sell the luminarias during the
Relay.
'The luminaria ceremony is
very moving and is always one
of the highlights of the Relay,"
said Parsons.
To be honored during the
evening are the individual win-
ners of the Chain of Hope fund-
raiser held at Nancy Smith El-
ementary School in the spring.
The winning students included
Matthew Mitchell, Emmy Shir-
ley, Keleey Bernstein, Toby Nail,
Kaylynn Voyles, Lori Davis,
Hagen Price, Kaylee Waters,
(See Relay For Life, pg. 8A)
Donnie Lucas / Albany News
Relay For Life volunteers (l-r) Mary Boren, Ruth Roysdon,
Rosie Lockhart and Ashley Parsons work on their car entry'
"Tow Mater," for the Race to Recovery that will be during
Friday night's Relay For Life events at the football stadium!
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Lucas, Melinda L. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 3, 2006, newspaper, August 3, 2006; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth414066/m1/1/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.