By Sandy Morris After much discussion and research, Albany city officials have finalized plans to use the remaining funds of the CARES Act allocation, with $100 grocery gift cards to be distributed to local residents and city employees on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Republic Services, Albany’s trash pickup contractor, will run on a slightly different schedule for the week of Thanksgiving. Residential trash containers and business and industrial containers normally picked up on Thursday will change to Friday this week.

By Sandy Morris While the days of poring over a catalog of Christmas toys are long gone, children are still making lists for Santa. The Albany News will be printing Santa letters and holiday essays in the Christmas issue to be published on Thursday, Dec. 24.

By Sandy Morris The Chamber of Commerce will not hold a weekly luncheon on Friday, Nov. 27 because of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones. Also, the Shackelford County Library will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27 due to the holiday.

By Sandy Morris Seven local 4-H members competed at the District 7 Food Show on Thursday, Nov. 19 in the Big Country Hall located at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.

By Sandy Morris National Wreaths Across America Day 2020 has been scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19 and local residents are working to arrange a ceremony to honor service members buried in the Albany Cemetery.

By Sandy Morris The fifth grade class from Nancy Smith Elementary School attended Camp Grady Spruce, an outdoor educational camp on Possum Kingdom Lake, last week.

By Sandy Morris Albany High School FFA members competed in the Big Country District Leadership Development Events (LDE) on Monday, Nov. 14 in Cisco. A total of 20 schools, including the Albany FFA teams, participated in the contest, which is held in the fall.

By Sandy Morris Albany High School’s annual Winter Formal, normally held in January, has been moved up to Saturday, Dec. 12 starting at 8:00 p.m. at the Whitney Theatre. The Winter Formal is sponsored each year by members of the Albany High School student council.

By Sandy Morris Friendship Baptist Church members held their fifth annual Harvest Acres on Saturday, Nov. 21.  “The frozen casseroles were the first thing to fly out the door” said pastor Paul Johnston. “We also quickly sold out of our soups, stew, and pulled pork.”