By Kathy Thomson

The annual Toys for Tots fundraising luncheon will be held at the Youth Center on Sunday, Nov. 24, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

Marine SSgt. Doug Beaty coordinates the local Toys for Tots campaign, and he will cook brisket and other meats for the free-will donation barbecue meal. Albany High School National Honor Society members will serve the meal and provide sides and desserts.

The Toys for Tots program provides Christmas gifts for Albany children ages zero to 11.

By Kathy Thomson

Four Shackelford County 4-H members are competing in the District 7 Food Show on Thursday, Nov. 21 in the Big Country Hall located at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.

Competing in the event this year are Albany elementary students Charli Trail and Emma Belle Smith, as well as Johnnie and Ellis Hise from Moran. 

Fourth grader Charli Trail will prepare Easy Chicken Paella for the Junior Main Dish division. 

By Kathy Thomson

Theater art students from Albany Junior High School will present Jerome McDonough’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in the district one-act play competition taking place in the Albany High School auditorium Thursday, Nov. 14.

The public is welcome to attend the UIL one-act play competition, but guests are only allowed to enter and exit the auditorium between performances, not during a play.

“The one-act plays will start at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday and will have a rolling start,” said director Melanie Turner. 

By Kathy Thomson

The Albany Chapter of the National Honor Society will induct 16 new members this Sunday.

A recognition ceremony for the new members will be held on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3:00 p.m. at the Albany High School auditorium.

A reception in the --school library for honor society members and their families and guests will follow the ceremony.

By Kathy Thomson

Grandparents Week is scheduled to take place at Nancy Smith Elementary School next Monday through Friday, Nov. 18-22.

“All grandparents are invited to attend lunch with their grandchildren,” said principal John Gallagher.

Students are encouraged to invite other relatives, neighbors, friends from church, etc. if they don’t have grandparents or if their grandparents don’t live nearby.

Debbe Hudman (l) and Liz Green (r) prepare one of dozens of to-go containers that left the kitchen of Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church during last Saturday’s annual bazaar. The traditional turkey dinner was served, and crafts and baked goods were also popular items. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

Scrimmage action for the Lady Lions basketball team started this week, with the regular season set to start next week, pitting the JV girls against Graham on Nov. 12 and the varsity against Newcastle Nov. 16.

On the boys side, action will be limited due to the football playoffs, but a team combined with some JV and a few varsity players will open the season at the Woodson Tournament scheduled to start Nov. 22.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany junior high football teams split games with Haskell last Thursday in a pair of low-scoring contests.

The Cubs will finish out the season at home on Thursday (today) with the seventh grade hosting a rematch with Haskell starting at 4:00 p.m. The eighth graders will take the field at about 5:15 p.m. against a combined Hamlin junior high team. The JV Lions will face the Hamlin JV at about 6:30 p.m. in their season finale.

The seventh grade Cubs edged out Haskell 14-8, scoring twice late in the game to seal the win.

By Kathy Thomson

The Moran Bulldogs lost their final home game to Loraine 54-6 on Friday, Nov. 1 falling to 4-5 on the season and 0-2 in district with one game remaining.

“After seeing the opening kickoff go back for a touchdown, it only got worse for us,” said head coach John Hughes. 

Four sacks by Loraine held the ’Dawgs to 34 yards on the ground and 35 yards passing.

Meanwhile, Loraine racked up 117 rushing and 127 in the air. The visitors also intercepted the football twice for 29 yards and a touchdown. 

By Kathy Thomson

Moran alumus and current Hardin-Simmons University senior Sydney TenCate recently won gold at the American Southwest Conference 2019 Cross Country Championships, breaking an HSU women’s 6K record that she set just last month and earning a spot for her and her team at the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional Championships in Memphis, Tennessee on Nov. 16.