The Albert Lea Tribune is rolling out another new technology feature, but this time, it is for your cell phones.

Readers can be the first to know the news through text messages, and they can select which categories of news of they want.

The Tribune is calling the program Text Alerts. It is active and ready. Readers can sign up for it by clicking on the advertisement on the right side of AlbertLeaTribune.com or by clicking here. It leads to a page that lets them pick which categories you want.

If users want to know when their school will close will close, that’s an option.

“Imagine if you are a student,” said Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer. “You won’t even have to roll out of bed or turn the radio on. You can just peek at your cell phone and go back to sleep.”

If you want breaking news, you can select that. If you want sports scores for Lake Mills High School, there is an option for that. If you want reminders straight from the Albert Lea city government, it’s there. If you want severe weather alerts for Faribault County, it’s there, too. You also can sign up for mobile coupons.

Schmeltzer said the service especially will be important for Amber Alerts, helping to find missing children.

He said many newspapers give their readers alerts via e-mail messages. However, that doesn’t do much good unless the people are in front of a computer. Giving people the news on their cell phone is telling them news the moment news happens.

“The Tribune is ahead of the curve on this technology,” Schmeltzer said. “In fact, you could call this post-Web technology.”

Still, there is an button that lets users have the alerts sent via e-mail and text or via e-mail altogether and not text, he said.

The Tribune employs a communication service called TextCaster. Users will need to provide a username and password as they sign up.

There are some common practices for users of Text Alerts.

For instance, don’t sign up for severe weather alerts in all the counties available because when a storm moves through, you will get an alert for each and every county. Just pick the one or two counties you are in the most.

Feel free to be selective. Too many categories can overwhelm, and, of course, you can always go back and add or subtract categories. Pick the ones you want the most.

Don’t expect to get the in-depth news — users will need to go to the Tribune’s print and online versions for that — but expect brevity.

Here are examples:

House burning on Pearl Street. Total loss. No injuries. Visit www.albertleatribune.com for details.

Wind Advisory of Freeborn from 10:00 AM Wed until 8:00 WED (EDT).

Due to severe weather Lakeview Elementary will dismiss at 11:45 am.

Albert Lea wrestlers knock off Cambridge-Isanti 30-21. Advance to finals to face Apple Valley.

Mention Albert Lea Tribune and get 1 free coffee at Barney Bagels. Good thru 6-31-09.

Community reminder: 4-H Horse Show is Fri Sat Sun at fairgrounds.

Schmeltzer said the Tribune realizes users aren’t signing up to get loaded with text messages. He said the messages are sent only for the content users request.

For instance, only people wanting breaking news will get it, and breaking news will not be for minor or usual happenings. There might not be breaking news for days in a row, then suddenly a few in one hectic day.

Most text messages will be sent only between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Emergency information that threatens well-being is sent as warranted.