By Melinda L. Lucas

Pick-up dates for the August distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, Aug. 4 and Friday, Aug. 5.

On Thursday Aug. 4, certified elgible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Certified eligible Albany families for the August food distribution program can pick up their commodity food on Friday Aug. 5 at the back door of the Justice of the Peace office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Members of the Ragin’ Red Band will perform for the first time this season at the Ice Cream Supper set for Monday, Aug. 8 at the Bank Park.

Director William Vaughan said that the band will play the Alma Mater and the Fight Song at the event, which is slated to start at 6:30 p.m.

Immediately following the Ice Cream Supper, all band members will return to the band hall to change into their uniforms for group and individual pictures.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Parents who are interested in having a child participate in either the Head Start or the Pre-K Program should attend one of the two remaining in-person registration days to determine if they qualify.

There are still spots available for both the Head-Start and Pre-K programs offered at Nancy Smith Elementary School.

“We would rather have those parents come during the in-person registration days, but if they can’t do that, they can come to the grade school during regular office hours,” principal John Gallagher said.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany ISD teachers and support staff will start the school year on Tuesday, Aug. 9 with staff meetings and training.

The secondary teachers and staff, which includes personnel assigned to grades 7-12, will meet at at the Feed Store from 8:30 a.m. until noon, while the elementary staff will gather at the cafeteria on the Nancy Smith Ele­mentary campus during the same time period.

All AISD employees will then meet at 12:00 noon at the elementary cafeteria for a staff luncheon provided by the district.

By Sam Waller

Members of the Methodist church in Albany voted overwhelmingly last week to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church.

Lance Thomas, president of the church’s board of trustees, said 32 church members voted Tuesday, July 26, with 94 percent favoring disaffiliation.

“This process has been going on for about 20 years, but in the last two or three general conferences, it’s kind of come to a head,” Thomas said. “It’s about how people see the Word of God."

By Sam Waller

Rev. Bob Heidecker has assumed the duties as pastor of Albany Methodist Church, taking over for Tim Trimble.

Heidecker, who has spent 43 years in the ministry, comes to Albany from Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church in Amarillo. His first sermon in Albany was Sunday, July 3.

“I’d been praying about some place to be minister of a church and also be closer to family,” Heidecker said. “Albany is about four hours closer to our children.”

By Sam Waller

The Feed Store is gearing up for another school year with several programs returning to the schedule.

“We’re still finalizing some plans,” Feed Store director Tisha Wilkins said. “We are working on kicking off our Tuesday lunches again that first Tuesday of the school year (Aug. 23).”

Also back will be the Fifth Quarter youth gatherings following home football games. That program is being tweaked just a bit this year, Wilkins said.

By Sam Waller

Two prayer initiatives have begun in advance of the new school year.

Albany PTO president Malarie Sutton started 33 Days of Prayer for Albany in mid-July with each day dedicated to praying for a different group – students, faculty and staff – within the school district.

“We would love everyone to join us in prayer and continue to pray all throughout the school year,” Sutton posted on Facebook.

Sutton said in her post that she borrowed the idea from Jim Ned schools.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Meet the Teacher will be held at both Nancy Smith Elementary School and the junior/senior high campus on Monday, Aug. 15.

Students entering K-3 will be able to find out their teacher for the coming school year from 5:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., followed by students entering grades 4-6 at 5:30 p.m.

Students and parents are urged to meet with teachers at the secondary campus at 6:00 p.m., followed by an orientation meeting for all grade levels at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

By Sam Waller

Moran faculty and staff have spent this week conducting inservice programs in preparation for the upcoming school year.

Inservice began Monday, Aug. 1 and will conclude Friday, Aug. 5.

The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 8 at Moran, which is employing a four-day class week this year.

Superintendent Dr. John Denson said inservice has dealt with a number of issues facing schools.