The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 129, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 25, 2004 Page: 1 of 14
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Halfway to the goal
4
Albany Chest directors
watch as contributions
pass the halfway point
toward the record goal.
See story, pg. 2A
The
Moving on up!
Sli
&
*
The Albapy lions will **,
a familiar face when they
meet Windthorst in the
regional playoff Friday.
See story, pg. IB
Albany News*
"Oldest Journalistic Venture West of the Brazos
//
Thursday, November 25, 2004, Albany, Texas 76430
14 Paces in 2 Sections
Volume Number 129 Number 26 Price 75c
Grant received for second fire truck
The City of Albany may be
the proud owner of two brand
new firetrucks before the end of
the year, with the- announce-
ment of a second major grant
last Wednesday.'
According to local Fire Chief
Jeff Webb, the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency
(FEMA) has awarded a $1(52,000
grant to the Albany. Volunteer
Fire Department as part of the.
Assistance to Firefighters Grant
program. The funds, together
with a 10 percent match from
the city, will be used topurchase
a pumper-tanker truck.
The Albany VFD received a
similar grant for $108,001) last
month from the Texas Forest
Service, also for a pumper-
tanker.
The city's "newest" truck was
purchased in 1984 and is cur-
rently 20 years old. A.vintage
1956 pumper is also utilized
when needed, but both vehicles
have been out of commission fre-
quently during recent ,years
The Forest Service truck has
already been ordered, with city
foot ingabout $25,000 of the cost,
including the 10 percent match
and several options ordered b\
AVFI) personnel.
Webb expects delivery of the
first truck on December 10.
He and other local firemen
will view a demo for the FEMA
funds within the next two weeks,
and if the demo meets their ex-
pectations, that truck may pos-
sibly lie in house by the end of
the year.
The fire chief expects the cost -
of the second truck to be just
under $181,300, including the
city's $16,200 match and about
$3,100 in options that will also .
be financed by the city.
The two trucks will be simi-
lar, although the FEMA truck
will be a four-door vehicle with a
slightls larger tank and a more
powerful pump, said Webb.
Obviously, the addition of the
two new fire trucks will greatly •
improve the local tire depart-
ment's ability tofight fires. How-
ever, the department has been
able tn purcha-u' mils a fesy of
the items on a priority needs list
compiled bv the 'department a
year ago n -Vr about half of the
volunteer fir ■men resigned, cit-
ing unsa'.V t quipnient and a dis-
regard fiir tlieir efforts by the
citv council
Webb stated that some hoses
will be included on the FEMA
truck, although it will be about
half of what the department needs.
Also, only two of eight "air
packs" have been purchased in
the past year, and so far, there is
no.new bunker gear.
Webb is currently working on
a grant from the Texas Commis-
sion on Fire Protect ion that could
pay up to 100' percent of the
costs for eight air packs.
The FEMA grant, though the
Assist.iiitv 1.1 Eirefig.htei • (Irant-
Program,' aw ards one-year grants
direct Is to fire departments to
support the nation's firefighters
and the services they provide.
For the 2004 program, $750 mil-
lion was appropriated to give
direct assistance to firefighters.
The programs aim to improve
the effectiveness of firefighting
operations, firefighter health
and safety programs, new fire
apparatus, and to establish or
expand fire prevention programs
throughout the nation.
The Department of Homeland
Security's Office for Domestic
Preparedness administers the
program, in cooperation with the
U.S. Fire Administration.
Fancy feathered fowl
> - ,
P-k ' i. R«UV B- V ;•<■<»' •
Luke Little (1) and Ashlee Sherrin (r) pose in traditional Pilgrim headgear, backed by a rather
colorful thanksgiving turkey, Each feather was individually designed and constructed by.
local kindergartners; using materials that range from macaroni to feathers and fancy beads.
Thanksgiving meal draws interest
Dozens ot Shackelford ('ounty
residents are expected tp: eat
turkey and dressing at a special
Thank-u is.ing i >,iv 111iicheon be
ing prepared:this \seek by the ,
Community Resource Center
The meal sviiTbe -ers cd from
11:00 a.hi to 2:00 pin at the
Alban\ Youth Center on Thurs-
day, Novcmtu r 25, and is open
to'every one
"Anyone who won't have a
Thanksgiv ing meal otherw isV,.
o r \\ ho doesn' t Waili to eat alone,
or who just ; wants to. be with .
other families on Thanksgiving
• Din is invited." saldCRC direc-
tor.Susan Juries
i'he CRC staff prepared the
food on Wednesday. and meni-
' be.rs of Jones' family;,'a long with
other volunteers,, plan- to serve'
the traditional meal the next
day.
Jones said Monday that there
had been quite a bit of response
to-last week's initial invitation.
"You'd be surprised at how many
people has e to eat bs themselves
on holidays," she commented.
There base also been several
who have s olunteered' to help
prepare, serve or pay foi; the
food
The Resource Center is still
accepting donations to defray the
expenses, said the director
Also, those who plan to eat
with the group can bring pies or
other desserts on Thursday it
they ss ish.
The Thanksgiving meals will
also be delivered, to those al
ready on the regular Yittles by
Vehicle list, as well as any home
bound Albany residents who
might need a Thanksgiving din-
ner.
Council to formulate priorities list
Bs Melinda L. I ,ucns
Albans vits council ineinbeis<
discussed the ideas of formulat-
ing a budget priorities plan and
reviessed the status of several
grants duriiig a regular meeting
on Wednesday, November 17
City Manager Bobby Russell
distributed a simple question-
naire to gis t' the councihnen "a
head start ' on the 200,">-2006
budget and determine the areas
that they and other Albany resi-
dents consider to be priorities
Council members ss ill till out
the questionnaire and evaluate
the results at a later.date
"This ss ish list we're develop-
ing could be t he bus is of a good
five-year plan, not just for next
s ear's budget.com men tedcoun-
cilman Don Koch
Grants Status
Russell reported that a FE MA
grant to, purchase a new fife
truck was' expected to be -ap-
proved, I'he Albans grant was
actually decided earlier that
same day. but councilmen
'.svereii't ass are of the announce -
ment until Thursday. "
The cits . manager informed
the council that he had receis ed
the layout plan for improve-
ments at the local airport, also
being financed through a grant
and private funds
Pipe has been purchased to
replace ssater lines in Rose Ad-
dition, a project that the council
hopes will not only improve ser-
vice, but help in obtaining a
$275,000 grant that ss ill put in
'new sewer lines in the same sec-
tor. Kussell expects svork to be
gin on the water litre project as
soon as the sveather permits. '
Cemetery Fence >
Council members, discussed
various opt ions for replacing the
wooden fence,oil the west side of
the cemeters.
Russell reported that the tievs
ssarden at the Walker-Sayle
I'nit in Breckenridge has agreed
to provide clients to build the
fence, and a local "benefactor"
has offered to pay for the mate-
rials if the fence is constructed
of six-foot cedar posts.
Councilman Jim Nobles was
asked to supervise the project
and the council approved a mo-
tion to accept the offer of mate-
(See City council; pg. 2A) ■
Roanoke man killed Sunday
in 2-car head-on collision
Local officials recorded Shack-
elford County's first traffic fa-
tality of 2004 early Sunday
evening when a 57-year-old
Roanoke man ss as. pronounced
dead after a head-on collision 19
miles svest of Albanv on Hssv.
180,
DPS Trooper Brian Wag-
goner, ss'ho' investigated the ac-
cident, reported Monday that
Thomas Laney died instantly
svhen the 1964 Volkswagen
Beetle he w as driving hit a 1992
Jeep driven by 17-year-old
Michael Robert Petty II, a former
Albany student who now lives in
Tuscola.
Laney, who worked in Las
Cruces, New Mexico, was ap-
parently on his way home to
spend the holidays with his fam-
ily in Roanoke, Texas. He was
east bound on the Albany-Anson
highway just inside the Shack-
elford County line. The victim
was pronounced dead at the
scene by Shackelford County
Judge Ross Montgomery.
Petty suffered a broken left
foot and several facial lacera-
tions, according to Waggoner.
He was scheduled to undergo
surgery on his foot Mondas af-
ternoon at Hendrick Medical
Center.
The trooper stated ax pres.-
time that his investigation had
not yet ascertained which ve-
hicle had crossed the center
stripe to cause the accident, but
light rains and wet roadss ays
could have been a factor. Wag-
goner added that there svas fog
on other parts of the highway,
although it was relatively clear
where the accident occurred.
Waggoner related that both
drivers were alone in their ve-
hicles and both Were believed to
be wearing seat belts
Although"there were no svit-
nesses to the accident, two other
travelers in separate vehicles
came upon the sce«e within min-
utes The first 9-1-1 call svas '
• (See Fatality, pg, 2A)
i
Headed for regional
Lions to face familiar foe at Friday night playoff
. A Thursday night "tailgate
party" and community pep rails
is being planned by the Ath-
letic Booster Club this ss eek for
the Albany Lions, ssho will be
playing Wiudthoi >t Friday in a
regional football playoff
The Trojans are the defend-
ing state champions and are a
familiar foe, as the Lions have
battled the Class A poss erhouse
several times over the past
three years
Parents, students and Lion
fans are asked to gather at the
Bank Park tonight . Thursday >
at 6:30 p.m. Sausage ss raps will
be provided for an , informal
"tailgate party," although par-
ticipants are asked to bring
their own soft drinks or water
Booster Club members will
conduct a short pep rally to
kick off the traditional'"beat-
ing of the drum" a: .'.00 p.m..
sshichss il.1 continue until.pep rally
time on Friday
A combination pep rally send-
off ss ill be held Friday in the park-
ing lot next tQ the AHS Activity
Center, starting at 1:00 p m
Kickoff is .7:30 p.m. in Memo-
rial Stadium in Wichita Falls.
Tickets will be sold at a cost of
$7 for adults and $4 for students
Albany will occupy the visitors
side of \he stadium
Playoff t-shirts will be sold at
both pep rallies at $15 for short-
sleeved and $20 for long-sleeved,
and are also available by calling
Melissa Williams at 762-3287..
All Lion fans are urged to meet
at Memorial Stadium Friday night
for the Thanksgiving sseekend
playoff. For those who are unable
to make the trip, the game will be
broadcast live on KRVP
Do.NN'fc CvCAS / News
Several varsity moms "shake, rattle and roll" their bear-
ing-filled air tanks during the lions' area victory against
Rankin last Friday night in Stoeetwater.
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Lucas, Melinda L. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 129, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 25, 2004, newspaper, November 25, 2004; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth414399/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.