By Sidney Bartee Members of the Ragin’ Red Band are hosting a Community Night in a little over a week to which everyone in the community is invited. The event is scheduled for the last night of summer band practice on Monday, Aug. 16, starting at 8:00 p.m. at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

By Melinda L. Lucas There are still spots available for both the Head Start and Pre-K programs offered at Nancy Smith Elementary School. New and returning Head Start families need to pick up applications at the Nancy Smith Elementary School front office.

By Sidney Bartee The annual orientation for new students and incoming seventh graders will occur on the same day as the secondary campus’ “Meet the Teacher” and open house. The open house day is scheduled for Aug. 16, with a time to be determined.

By Sidney Bartee The Albany ISD teachers, staff, and school board will attend a district luncheon on Tuesday, Aug. 10 at 12:00 p.m. in the Nancy Smith cafeteria. In the morning, staff members will go to their separate campuses before meeting together at noon for the meal.

By Sam Waller The Feed Store has planned a pair of ongoing programs for local youth to begin with the start of the new school year. Feed Store executive director Tisha Wilkins said the Tuesday lunch program for high school juniors and seniors will commence on Aug.

By Brad McBee A while back I was shooting at a gun range just outside of Albany when I came across a Killdeer.  Killdeers are  robin size, large plover, brownish, with white bellies and black stripes on their heads, necks, and breasts. The name comes from a call that sounds like “kill-deer,”

For six years now, Big Country Electric Cooperative (BCEC) members’ Operation Round Up change contributions have helped families and service organizations locally.

By Sidney Bartee & Melinda L. Lucas A new AgriLife Extension Agent for Shackelford was selected by county commissioners during a special meeting last Wednesday morning, July 28.

By Sidney Bartee Pick-up dates for the August distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, Aug. 5 and Friday, Aug. 6. On Thursday Aug. 5, Moran recipients should pick up their commodities at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

By Sam Waller It’s said that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. After a season of dealing with the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Albany Lions began preseason practices Monday under cool, cloudy conditions.