The Albany schools will celebrate the Easter holiday with a 3:00 p.m. dismissal today, a district holiday on Friday, and a student holiday on Monday. Younger students at Nancy Smith Elementary School had Easter egg hunts planned today.

Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian holiday that celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and many churches hold special services on that Sunday and during Holy Week, the days leading up to His crucifixion.

Children from Stepping Stones Christian School, Mother’s Day Out, First Love Day Care, Lakey’s Day Care, and Nancy Smith Elementary School’s Head Start and Pre-K classes paraded up the sidewalks of downtown Albany last Friday morning, April 12, to conclude an annual week-long celebration.

Six Albany basketball players have been named to positions on the All-Big Country Basketball teams for Class 2A, along with a local coach being recognized as Coach of the Year.

The newest employee at the Shackelford County sheriff’s office is only two years old, but the energetic youngster comes highly trained and is a specialist at narcotics detection. Joey was brought on board to replace Spyngo, the recently retired 11 year-old narcotic detection canine.

Resignations were accepted, contracts renewed, and a teacher hired at Monday’s AISD board meeting.

Around 100 classic cars and trucks are anticipated to be in the downtown area this Saturday, April 20 for the 13th annual Albany Classic Car Show, and spectators are encouraged to walk among the entrees, visit the auto museum, eat a meal or two from vendors, and see if their picks are also selected...

Albany High School junior Addison Asher will advance in three events to the University Interscholastic League state academic meet to be held at the University of Texas Campus in Austin on Friday, May 3.

The Albany Chamber of Commerce sponsored Wild West Day is expected to start with a bang at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 27, according to Chamber director Lisa Barton. “Folks need to try and be there right at the start,” said Barton. “The bank robbery will only happen once!”

Early voting for the May 4 local elections will begin next Monday, April 22 and run through Tuesday, April 30, with two Albany city council positions and two Albany ISD seats to be decided by voters. A third AISD seat is uncontested, along with the Albany mayor’s post.