By Lynsi Musselman The countdown to the first day of school has started, and AISD officials urge parents to register students online by the deadline on Saturday, Aug. 1. Albany Independent School District director of student services Leigh Lowe said only about 180 students are registered.

By Lynsi Musselman School is starting in three weeks with extra first-day-of-school challenges and a focus on health. Precautions are being implemented to protect students, teachers, and staff from illness.

By Melinda L. Lucas Band members from eighth through 12th grade will starting meeting for practice next Monday evening, Aug. 3 at 5:00 p.m., according to new band director Will Vaughn. The musicians will not be able to march until Sept.

By Lynsi Musselman Old Jail Art Center patrons are slowly getting back to visiting the museum in person, but the staff still has many virtual opportunities available for those who like to visit from home.

By Lynsi Musselman Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced that the state sales tax revenue for Texas totaled $2.67 billion in June, 6.5 percent less than in June 2019. The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $36,935 from the state this July. The amount is up 7.

By Lynsi Musselman Albany band director William Vaughn is hard at work preparing the band hall for students to start practice on Monday, Aug. 3 through Friday, Aug. 7, and the week of  Monday, Aug. 10 through Friday, Aug. 14, starting at 5:00 p.m. in the band hall.

By Lynsi Musselman “Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar” and other cheers will be heard  from Albany Bank Park when the Albany Cubs Cheer Camp 2020 gets underway next week. Camp will be held Monday, July 27 through Wednesday, July 29, 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.

By Lynsi Musselman Salt Creek Veterinary Hospital recently purchased Albany Pet Hospital, and the staff has already started tending to both large and small animals in town. Dr. Keelan Lewis purchased the practice, and Dr. Brittany Berry will head up the veterinary hospital in Albany.

By Lynsi Musselman ResourceCare’s Summer Day Camp 2020 is coming to a close on Friday. The community-wide three-week camp started on Monday, July 6 and has had to jump several hurdles this year with -COVID-19 and the excessively hot temperatures.

By Lynsi Musselman Good & Tasty Bakes, a company dedicated to helping people have their sweets and eat them too, is putting Moran on the map. The endeavor was created by mother and daughter duo Joey Weir of Moran and Lauren Jo Gandillon, formerly of Albany,.