Local fifth and sixth graders who signed up for local youth basketball teams have started practicing in preparation for the first tournament of the season on Jan. 12.

Contributions are needed for the Shackelford County Youth Livestock show, with the annual show set to be held over a three-day period Jan. 31-Feb. 2, less than one month away.  Donations of $12,600 were deposited in the bank as of Wednesday morning, according to Molly Cauble.

With several donations coming in on the final day of 2018, including one large $5,000 contribution and $1,000 on Wednesday, the Albany Chest is just under its $42,000 goal.

With only about $500 added to the Albany Chest goal during Christmas week, the 2018 campaign is still short more than $9,000. Board members are hoping that enough additional donations will come in before the official close of the drive on Dec. 31 to enable them to reach the $42,000 goal.

The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $47,741 from the state this December. The amount is up 34.52 percent from the $35,488 payment received in December of 2017.

Donations are being rounded up for funding the 2019 Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Show, set for Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 at the local show barn. “The stock show is the largest single extracurricular event our youth participate in,” said association president Bronco Askew.

Even with this week’s rainfall, local emergency responders remind county residents to make sure that any fireworks used in the celebration of the New Year’s Eve holiday are handled safely and legally.

Albany High senior Xavier Carrillo has completed the requirements to achieve his Eagle Scout award and the Life Scout plans to have his court of honor ceremony this winter.

Several Nancy Smith Elementary School students and teams placed at the district A+Academics University Interscholastic League contest held on Wednesday, Dec. 12 in Hawley.  Schools competing at the District 8-2A UIL meet were Albany, Cross Plains, Haskell, Hawley, Roscoe, and Stamford.

With the help of 30 to 35 local volunteers, members of the Albany Ministerial Alliance distributed almost all of the 82 requested Christmas baskets on Sunday, Dec. 16. Last week, Nancy Smith Elementary School sixth grade students divided the canned goods and other staples into the bags.