Members of the Albany Masonic Lodge visited Nancy Smith Elementary School on Friday, Oct. 31, to deliver toothbrush kits and share a lesson on oral health with students. With many children dressed in their Halloween costumes, it proved to be a fitting day to learn about taking care of teeth before an evening filled with candy.

As part of the visit, school nurse Heather Nitschke spoke with first-grade students about the importance of brushing and demonstrated proper techniques to help keep their smiles healthy.

Excitement is growing for this weekend’s Fall Fest, an annual fundraiser sponsored by the Albany PTO. Fall Fest is set for Saturday, Nov. 8, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Nancy Smith Elementary School, featuring game booths, Bingo, a cake walk, face painting, food and drinks, and a few new attractions.

A “Glow in the Dark” Silent Disco – new this year – will take place in the gym from 5 to 7 p.m., with 10-minute sessions starting every 15 minutes.

When Madison Jones stepped to the starting line of the New York City Marathon on Nov. 2, she wasn’t sure her goal was possible. She had trained for five months in the Texas summer heat, but the thought of running 26.2 miles in under four hours — something she had never attempted — still felt uncertain.

Jones, a 2014 graduate of Albany High School now living in Austin, powered across the finish line in 3:58:28 — a strong result in one of the toughest and most iconic races in the world.

It’s time to break out the recipe cards and family secrets — The Albany News is cooking up this year’s Holiday Recipe section and we need your help to make it delicious. From cherished family desserts passed down through generations to new dishes you’ve perfected for the holiday table, every recipe tells a story. We want to celebrate those stories and the cooks behind them.

This year’s recipes will appear in the regular newspaper instead of in a separate section.