By Kathy Thomson

The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $41,174 from the state this March. The amount is down 40.94 percent from the $69,720 payment received in March of 2019.

Payments to date for the 2020 year to the city of Albany are $127,219, down by 26.31 percent from the comparable time last year, when payments of $172,649 had been made.

The city of Moran will receive a net payment of $1,794 this period, for a 43.88 percent increase from the $1,247 received in March 2019.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County followed the City of Albany in declaring a local “state of disaster due to a public health emergency” when county judge Robert Skelton signed documentation last Thursday, March 26.

The City of Moran is required to follow the county-wide guidelines, but Moran city council members are also reportedly poised to file a similar ordinance.

By Donnie A. Lucas

With the announcement made Tuesday that schools across Texas will remain closed until Monday, May 4, local parents and students will continue to receive assignments online or through packets of printed materials.

Both the elementary and secondary campuses have been providing instruction since schools were first shut down three weeks ago, and that will continue until classes resume.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The staff at the Old Jail Art Center say that they are “physical distancing,” not “social distancing” as they continue working to serve area residents during COVID-19 constraints.

The museum is currently closed to the public, with all group gatherings cancelled or on hold.

“We hope to stay connected through a variety of take-home and at-home programs for all ages,” said Erin Whitmore, education director at the museum.

@Home Survival Kits

By Melinda L. Lucas

Several more Albany offices and businesses have locked their doors in the last week, including the walk-in lobby at one local bank, limiting access to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

There are also a few more event cancellations on the growing list below.

The News has not been notified about any other interruptions in the schedule but will include those when reported.

CLOSED UNTIL 

FURTHER NOTICE

•Albany Pet Hospital

•Old Jail Art Center

By Kathy Thomson

Social distancing, team sports cancelled, and the reality of the “new norm” continuing for at least one more month has most parents trying to figure out how to keep their children from going stir crazy and looking for ways to make the best of a stressful situation.

One delightful activity for Albany children was Sunday’s “Bear Hunt.”

First Baptist member Sherry Viertel borrowed the idea and brought it to Albany.

By Kathy Thomson

COVID-19 is not only threatening the life and health of individuals, the social distancing necessary to “flatten the curve” is harming the financial liquidity of individuals and businesses, so residents are encouraged to do their shopping and dining in Albany to help local enterprises and their employees survive.

By Donnie A. Lucas

With almost three weeks of doing school work at home due to school closures prompted by the novel coronavirus outbreak, parents have mixed reactions to supervising the completion of assignments sent home by teachers during the shutdown.

Local students have not been in the classroom since being released for spring break on March 6 due to a statewide shuttering of all schools by  Texas governor Greg Abbott. The closure initially was set through tomorrow, April 3, but was extended on Tuesday by the governor until May 4. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

The meal pickup times are changing as of today (Thursday) for Albany ISD students, according to AISD cafeteria manager Debra Boyett.

Parents should bring their children to pick up breakfast between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. each weekday morning, while lunches can be picked up in the Nancy Smith Elementary School circle drive between 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

By Kathy Thomson

Like many schools, businesses, and other organizations, Closet Angels and Neighbors In Need have closed because of the -COVID-19 crisis in order to protect their volunteers as well as the general public, and everyone is asked to refrain from dropping off any donations until the pandemic is over and the non-profits are reopened.