With a newly added football field and Albany Lion players and spectators, a large lighted Christmas village will be open to the public for viewing all day Thursday and Friday throughout the workday and also from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Students receive certificates at meeting Trustees for the Albany Independent School District heard updates on issues ranging from last week’s school lockdown and legislative concerns to the elementary library reveal and student success in a number of areas. At the beginning of Monday night’s regular session, 10 Nancy Smith Elementary School students were presented with certificates and introduced to the school board in recognition of their recent first place finishes in UIL academic competition.

Albany students and staffstartedtheChristmas break on Wednesday at noon with an early release. The holiday break will continue until Monday Jan.

TheAlbanyPTOofficers held a reveal reception at the Nancy Smith Elementary library Monday to show school board members, administrators, and other guests the murals that were commissioned to cover the walls inside the newly renovated facility. The paintings of the 18 murals are of scenes or title art from classic children’s books spanning a variety of age groups.

Albany Ministerial Alliance organizers were pleased with the first year of a big change in the way their Christmas gifts are distributed. The Alliance transitioned from the traditional food basket given in years past to a more personal approach, asking that applicants attend services in participating churches the first Sunday in December, then return the next week to pick up their gifts.

written by local pastors Several years ago a disc jockey in Davenport, Iowa, with the interesting name, Jack Daniels, decided to give a Christmas gift to his listeners. In a three hour period Jack played one Christmas song 27 times in succession.

Christmas Eve falls on Sunday this year, and several local churches are celebrating the birth of Christ with special observances, some during their morning services and others that evening. Schedules for other churchesinthecommunity were not available.

Longtime Albany resident and businessman Jim Robertson, now living in Plano with his wife Josie, was recognized by theAlbany Masonic Lodge last week with a 60-year service award. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, Dec.

Thegravesofmorethan 600 veterans were decorated by family members and other volunteers at the Albany Cemetery last Saturday during the annual Wreaths Across America Day program. More than 50 volunteers and several family members of veterans fanned out across the cemetery to place fresh green wreaths with red bows on the graves of all identified veterans.

Three Albany homes were declared the winners of the Albany Chamber of Commerce Christmas decorating contest, with each receiving Albany Bucks for their efforts. The Bryce and Tiffany Dye home at 12 Griffin Circle was picked by the judges as the first place winner,receivinganaward of $100 in Albany Bucks.