By Kathy Thomson Tickets are on sale for Albany Mainstreet Playhouse’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and the first of three performances will be this Saturday evening following the lighted Christmas parade.

By Kathy Thomson This Saturday, Nov. 30, the Albany Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a Christmas season kick-off event with a host of activities scheduled to take place in the downtown area throughout the day.

By Melinda L. Lucas Shackelford County worked through a long agenda Monday morning, accepting a bid to repair a bridge in Precinct 2, adopting a Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution, and approving the 2018 audit.

By Melinda L. Lucas The Chamber of Commerce will not hold a weekly luncheon on Friday, Nov. 29 because of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones. Also, the Shackelford County Library will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov.

By Melinda L. Lucas Longtime puppeteers Dan Peeler and Charlie Rose will present an assortment of Christmas classics performed by puppets on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 3 and 4.  This is the 34th year that the duo will perform at the Old Jail Art Center during the holiday season.

By Kathy Thomson The local Toys for Tots annual fund drive is underway, and members of Albany High School’s National Honor Society joined coordinator Marine SSgt. Doug Beaty to prepare and serve the annual fundraising luncheon on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Youth Center.

By Kathy Thomson The Aztec Theater was the vehicle and local musicians and singers provided all the power needed to take ticket holders on a nostalgic musical road trip last Saturday evening.

By Melinda L. Lucas The deadline for this year’s Albany Ministerial Alliance Christmas basket program is just a little over a week away, with applications due on Friday, Dec. 6. Forms for Albany and Moran families are available at participating churches and at ResourceCare.

By Kathy Thomson The fifth grade class from Nancy Smith Elementary School attended Camp Grady Spruce, an outdoor educational camp on Possum Kingdom Lake, last week.

By Kathy Thomson The Albany student council will host a blood drive at the secondary campus next Monday, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. “The blood drive is open to everyone,” said advisor Donnie Lucas.