Moran students are expecting a visit from Santa Claus this Friday, Dec. 14, but locals have already given his elves a little help. “All of the Angels have been picked off of the Angel Tree,” said administrative assistant Jeannie TenCate.  All Angel Tree gifts should be returned by Dec.

Certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their December commodity food this Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Delivery to Moran, originally scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 6, was postponed due to wet weather.

Farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers in Texas have new online options to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

The Albany Nativity, a play written by Robert Nail and traditionally performed biennially by local citizens during the Christmas season, will be presented free of charge at the Aztec Theater at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 15.

The Christmas season is in full swing at the Old Jail Art Center, and special activities for December include the free holiday marionette shows that were offered earlier this week, and a low cost gift making workshop next week.

The Albany Lions are playing Hamlin in the quarter-finals of the UIL 2-A division II football playoffs in Shotwell Stadium in Abilene this Thursday, Dec. 6, and the Athletic Booster Club invites local fans to participate in the send-off on Thursday afternoon.

Readers of The Albany News will receive the print edition of the weekly paper on Friday mornings until further notice as work continues to restore the press at the Abilene Reporter-News after a fire three weeks ago.

The next regular test of the local emergency siren is scheduled for 12:00 noon, on Wednesday, Dec. 12, depending on the weather.  The regular trial is scheduled for the second Wednesday of every month, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable.

Table-top Christmas trees sporting bright ornaments greeted parishioners in seven local churches this past Sunday, and between them, the seven trees included the anonymous wish lists of each of the 36 teens enrolled in the Ministerial Alliance’s new “Believe Trees” program.

The local Toys for Tots program is still accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys and monetary donations at various donations sites around Albany, but according to ResourceCare case worker Makenzie Marshall right now the greater need is for people to adopt the seniors in the Vittles by Vehicle...