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, certified eligible 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. 6 at the back door of the Justice of the Peace office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School volleyball players, cheerleaders, and football participants will have team and individual photos taken over the next couple of weeks.

The AHS volleyball teams, who start practice this coming Monday, are scheduled Thursday afternoon, Aug. 5 at 5:00 p.m. in the main gym.

Members of the Albany varsity and junior varsity football teams will be in full pads on Friday, Aug. 6 for photos to be taken at Robert Nail Stadium.

The Lions and their coaches will gather at 1:30 p.m. after the morning practice.

By Sidney Bartee

The annual Back to School Bash at Closet Angels is scheduled for today, July 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Multiple drawings will be held during the two-hour event.

Families that would like to enter any drawings can sign up at the front desk, but they do not have to be present to win any prizes.

Applications for school supplies through the Resource Center will also be available.

First Financial Bank is providing hot dogs and gift cards, and Bethel Assembly will give Walmart gift cards for school supplies.

By Sidney Bartee

This year’s state sales tax holiday is set for Friday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 8.

The law exempts sales tax on qualified items – such as clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks – priced below $100, saving shoppers about eight dollars on every $100 they spend.

Because of the ­COVID-19 pandemic, cloth and disposable masks are now listed as a clothing item, making them exempt from sales tax on the weekend.

By Sidney Bartee

Tuesday, Aug. 3 is the deadline for parents to register their children for the annual Adopt-A-Buddy school supply program sponsored by Resource Care.

Applications are available for pickup at the front desks of the Resource Center and Closet Angels.

Forms should be returned to Resource Care by the end of the workday on Tuesday.

The Adopt-A-Buddy program benefits not just elementary students, but junior high and high school ages can also qualify.

By Sidney Bartee

Summer rehearsals for all band members began on Monday, July 25 with no practices scheduled for Fridays.

On Monday, Aug. 2, percussionists will not have separate practice, but will join the rest of the band from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday night practices are from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. so students can attend church.

Students will continue to rehearse, splitting their time between inside and outside practice, until Monday, Aug. 16.

By Sidney Bartee

ResourceCare Day Camp officially ends tomorrow, averaging 86 campers a day.

The Day Camp has been held annually since 1998, when 15 kids participated in the program to provide students with a safe place, food, activities, and experiences during part of their summer vacation.

This year, the camp started on Monday, July 12, and it will continue from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. through tomorrow, July 30.

Drop-off is between 8:20 and 8:45 each morning at the youth center.

By Sidney Bartee

Students who are a part of 4-H have attended camps and other events throughout the summer.

“Several kids attended a variety of camps throughout June and July,” volunteer leader Kristie Smith said.

Students from Albany attended three camps in July, the first of which was a fishing camp that students attended June 16-18.

The second was the Outdoor Adventure Camp from July 7 through July 9.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County elected officials continued to work on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, spending a good part of Monday afternoon going through the line items prepared by county treasurer Tammy Brown.

During the three-hour session that morning, the commissioners and other officers watched a demonstration of new voting machines, voted to change copier providers, and finalized the verbiage to advertise for bids to repair a bridge on CR 179 (Caldwell Lane).

Voting Machines

By Sidney Bartee

A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany next Thursday, Aug. 5.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center offers ­COVID-19 antibody testing at no charge for donors who successfully donate.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.