This close to the Christmas holidays, with Albany in the midst of a strong run in the 2-A state football playoffs, multiple early dismissals due to holidays and football games, and this week’s playoff game located over three hours away on a Thursday evening, Nancy Smith Elementary School principal...

The junior high and elementary University Interscholastic League district meet originally planned for Thursday, Dec. 13 in Hawley was rescheduled to eliminate a conflict with the state semifinal football game between Albany and Gruver in Plainview that same day.

Several Nancy Smith Elementary School sixth graders and Albany Junior High students placed in the middle school division of the University Interscholastic League speaking events meet held last Thursday, Dec. 6 in Hawley.

Albany Independent School District will break for the Christmas holidays at noon next Friday, Dec. 21, and early releases on both Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 19 and 20 should help everyone survive the five-day-long week and make it to the anticipated vacation.

Closet Angels will be closed over the Christmas holidays so that volunteers can take a break and spend time with their families, according to director Lori Reames. “If the school is closed, we close as well, so that volunteers can spend time with their kids and grandkids,” said Reames.

The popular annual Mr. Christmas Tree pageant will take place at The Feed Store next Monday evening, Dec. 17, at 7:00 p.m. “The four contestants will have a chance to put up signs and do a little decorating on Sunday after we deliver the Christmas Baskets,” said Feed Store director Tisha Wilkins.

Make-your-own spice sets, fragrant candles, and customized Christmas decorations are among the various choices available for patrons to create at the Old Jail Art Center’s Make & Take holiday gift workshop this year. The come and go workshops are open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Because of the busy holiday schedule, the Shackelford County Resource Center does not host a senior luncheon in December.  The next senior luncheon will be held on Friday, Jan. 18 at the Youth Center beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Because Christmas falls on Tuesday this year, Republic Services, trash pickup contractor for the City of Albany, will run on a slightly different schedule for the week of Christmas. Residential trash containers and business and industrial containers normally picked up on Tuesday, Dec.

The Oil Belt District banquet and district talent contest were held last Monday, Dec. 3 at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene and local FFA members were in attendance.