By Melinda L. Lucas School safety and security was the topic of a fairly lengthy discussion during the Albany ISD board of trustees’ meeting on Monday, Dec. 16.

By Kathy Thomson Christmas is less than a week away, and as they have for the past 11 years, volunteers from Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will make sure that no one in Albany misses out on the chance to enjoy a holiday meal on Christmas Day.

By Kathy Thomson This Sunday afternoon, members of the Albany Ministerial Alliance along with volunteers from the community, will deliver the Alliance’s annual Christmas baskets to those in Albany and Moran who have requested home delivery of the food boxes, and those who wish to help spread some...

With no Albany News scheduled for publication next week, readers and advertisers are reminded that all ads and news articles should be submitted the following week by Monday, Dec. 30 at 12:00 noon for the Jan. 2 issue of the paper.

By Melinda L. Lucas Republic Services, trash pickup contractor for the City of Albany, will run on slightly different schedules for the next two weeks. Residential trash containers and business and industrial containers normally picked up on Wednesday, Dec. 25 will change to Thursday, Dec. 26.

By Kathy Thomson Christmas is less than a week away, and with the help of generous donors, several local organizations are working to help make sure that everyone in Shackelford County has a Merry Christmas.

By Melinda L. Lucas Students at the Albany Independent School District will be released for the day at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19, and will break for the Christmas holidays at noon this Friday, Dec. 20. The district will be closed for the winter break from Monday, Dec. 23 through Friday, Jan.

By Kathy Thomson Several students and teams from Nancy Smith Elementary School and Albany Junior High placed at the district A+Academics University Interscholastic League meets held during December.  Writing exams were taken at the regular campuses.

By Melinda L. Lucas One major change is being publicized this week about Christmas events being conducted by local congregations during the week leading up to Christmas.

The Hendrick Regional Blood Center bloodmobile will be at First Baptist Church on the first Thursday of the new year, Jan. 2, from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.  Hendrick Regional Blood Center supplies all of the blood and blood products used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.