Families are invited to experience the sounds, flavors, crafts, and games of Dia de los Muertos, a popular Mexican holiday where family and friends gather to pray for and remember deceased loved ones, at the Old Jail Art Center’s free family festival this Saturday, Nov. 3, from noon to 3:00 p.m.

Hundreds of costumed children traded in tickets to play games and try to win prizes at the Albany Parent-Teacher Organization’s annual Fall Fest held at Nancy Smith Elementary School last Saturday. “It ended up going smoothly,” said co-organizer Malarie Sutton.

Pick-up dates for the November distribution of the commodity food program are Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Thursday, Nov. 1, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

It’s time to fall back! Daylight Savings Time comes to an end on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2:00 a.m. Clocks should be set back an hour at that time. Most of the United States reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

The 2018 “Red Ribbon Week” campaign wrapped up last Friday, and organizers were pleased with the participation. “Red Ribbon Week went very well, with lots of participation,” said Albany secondary school counselor Dee Dee Waggoner.  Red Ribbon Week in Albany began locally on Monday, Oct. 22.

The annual Albany Chest campaign is underway, and fundraising letters were mailed in October to past contributors.

Princeton University research oceanographer Dr. Robert Key, a 1965 graduate of Albany High and son of former local physician Luther Key, spoke to current students at the secondary school while he was in town to attend his 50th high school class reunion last month.

Members of the Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church have held their annual church bazaar for over a century, and plans are underway for this year’s event, which will be held at the church on Saturday, Nov. 10. The youth room doors will open to the public at 10:00 a.m.

The Albany Ministerial Alliance is accepting applications from Shackelford County residents who wish to be included in the annual Christmas basket drive.

Numbers for this year’s “Running Man” were down from last year’s 237, and the 2016 all-time high of 303 participants, and organizers are pleased with the decrease.  “We are trying to limit it almost exclusively to Albany students and alumni,” said Feed Store executive director Tisha Wilkins.