By Sidney Bartee Pick-up dates for the August distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, Aug. 5 and Friday, Aug. 6.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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