By Melinda L. Lucas

There are still spots available for both the Head Start and Pre-K programs offered at Nancy Smith Elementary School.

New and returning Head Start families need to pick up applications at the Nancy Smith Elementary School front office. 

Required documents for Head Start are income verification (tax return or pay stubs), birth certificate, immunization records, insurance card, CHIPS or Medicaid information, Social Security card, and proof of residency (parent’s driver’s license or identification card).

By Sidney Bartee

Members of the Ragin’ Red Band are hosting a Community Night in a little over a week to which everyone in the community is invited.

The event is scheduled for the last night of summer band practice on Monday, Aug. 16, starting at 8:00 p.m. at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

The Albany High School musicians will perform what they have been working on during summer rehearsals, including playing and marching the opening of their show, warm-ups and drills, playing some of the other show music, and stand tunes.

By Sidney Bartee

The Albany Chamber of Commerce annual garage sale will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said participants can register to get on the map between Aug. 17 and Sept. 3.

To be registered, included on the map, and receive a sign will cost $10.

“Signs will not need to be returned anymore,” Jones said. “The signs will be metal or plastic, but you cannot use them every year, as they will include your map number.”

By Sam Waller

For the past two decades, ResourceCare’s Adopt-a-Buddy program has helped make sure in-need students in Shackelford County are supplied with the school supplies they are required to have for the start of a new school year.

This year’s supply packages will be distributed from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12 at the Albany Youth Center, according to ResourceCare case manager Makenzie Marshall.

While ResourceCare has this year’s supplies ready for distribution, Marshall said the program will continue to accept contributions.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The News has hired veteran sportswriter Sam Waller as a staff member effective with this week’s edition.

Waller, 57, brings a wealth of reporting experience along with his 32-year newspaper career.

“We are really excited that Sam was available and the circumstances were right to allow us to have him join our staff,” editor Melinda Lucas said. “We were looking for a part-time writer to replace someone who left in June, and Sam was looking for a part-time position.”

By Sidney Bartee

Several members of Albany FFA have been attending multiple cattle prospect shows across the state during the summer, with their efforts paying off with some top spots and awards.

The prospect shows are held to prepare beef projects for major shows held in the fall and winter.

The most recent show was the Show Steer Nationals in Abilene, with more than 800 steer projects entered from all over the United States.

By Sidney Bartee

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, Aug. 11, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Travis Gardenhire. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

All the gold will definitely not be in California come Oct. 9.

A big chunk of it will be at the Friends of Fort Griffin Gala at Collins Creek Ranch when Larry, Steve & Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers present a special performance as the highlight of the annual fundraising event that benefits the historical site.

Susan Waller, event coordinator for the Friends of Fort Griffin, confirmed that the Gatlins have been booked for the Oct. 9 event.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Online registration is continuing for both school campuses this week with a number of students still not signed up to the upcoming school year.

At the end of the first of two in-person registration sessions held Monday and Tuesday, almost 70 percent of secondary students had registered, while the elementary numbers were just over half.

“It seems to be going well at our campus,” secondary principal Glen Hill said on Tuesday. “We have had several new students come in and things were really busy on Monday.”

By Sidney Bartee

An Albany blood drive is set for today, Aug. 5.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center will park the bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The blood center offers COVID-19 antibody testing at no charge to those who successfully donate.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.

The Kiwanis Club blood drives are scheduled roughly every eight weeks throughout the year.