By Lynsi Musselman Old Jail Art Center’s virtual camps started this week, with another workshop scheduled for next week. OJAC education director Erin Whitmore said the Cultural Connections Camp had a great enrollment with several campers from out-of-town and around the state.

Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales taxes on August 7-9, the state’s annual tax holiday.  School supply items and clothing make up the list of exempt items, which until four years ago had been limited to clothing and backpacks. Online shopping is also covered.

By Lynsi Musselman Keeping healthy during the school year is not a new concern for families but with COVID-19 worries, precautions are being taken even more seriously than usual.

By Lynsi Musselman New students at Albany High School and Albany Junior High school, including all incoming seventh graders, are urged to register online for a time slot to come to campus for a personal face-to-face orientation.

By Lynsi Musselman Ragin’ Red Band members and the new Albany band director William Vaughn met this week to begin summer practices. Vaughn said practice will take place mainly in the band hall starting at 5:00 p.m. each night until Aug. 14.

By Lynsi Musselman Shackelford County residents are reminded to pick up the August distribution of the commodity food program. Dates to receive the commodities are Thursday, Aug. 6 and Friday, Aug. 7, with no restrictions. On Thursday, Aug.

By Lynsi Musselman With school starting soon, local churches are getting back to Sunday school and other regular church activities suspended during the summer break and COVID-19 restrictions. Albany United  Methodist Church Adult and children Sunday school classes got back underway last Sunday.

By Lynsi Musselman While it may seem like spring break never ended, the first day of the 2020-2021 school year is approaching for Shackelford County students, and new school supplies are in demand.

By Lynsi Musselman The Albany Chamber of Commerce annual garage sale will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12. Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said participants can register to get on the map between Aug. 24 and Sept. 1.

Agricultural producers can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provides direct payments to offset impacts from the coronavirus pandemic.