Reporter-News Archives

May 31 -- Last runoff effects still evident in city government: The effects of the last Abilene City Council runoff may still be rippling 11 years later.

May 31 -- Election more matter of style than substance: Saturday's scuffle for a City Council seat will be a showdown of styles instead of substance.

May 31 -- Teens taking to the coffee habit: If coffee is truly the "wine of the 1990s," then someone better lower the drinking age.

May 31 -- Storm runoff puts Ivie at 90 percent: BIG SPRING -- Runoff from this week's storm in the San Angelo area pushed Lake O.H. Ivie to 90 percent of capacity -- a welcome abundance of water in arid West Texas.

May 31 -- Gramm proposal fails to draw enough criticism for pollster: An audience at Hardin-Simmons University was too positive Saturday about Sen. Phil Gramm's plan to save Social Security to suit a Washington pollster's purpose.

May 31 -- One person killed, several injured in rollover after family leaves Abilene: RANGER -- A 30-year-old Richardson woman was killed and seven other family members, including four young children, were injured about 1:30 p.m. Saturday when their van overturned on Interstate 20 south of Ranger.

May 30 -- Grass fire claims elderly woman's life: LAWN -- A grass fire flaring from sparks spewed out of a pickup's catalytic converter claimed the life of an elderly Abilene woman during a drive around the family farm near Lawn on Friday afternoon.

May 30 -- Century reading first of the year: It's hot! For the first time this year, the thermometer hit the century mark Friday after several days of coming real close.

May 30 -- Area News Roundup: Military exercises at Camp Bowie ... Park to be named for teacher ... Certificates of obligation authorized ... Coleman commissioners vote against burn ban ... Dispatcher remains in critical condition ... Eastland chamber hires director ... Expanded calling sought for Roscoe ... Son charged with stabbing father ... Sweetwater man critical after hailstorm wreck ... Highway accident victim stable

May 30 -- Indecency nets 16-year sentence for Abilene man: An Abilene man who pleaded guilty to fondling three teen-age girls in 1996 plied them with alcohol and marijuana before the abuse, the victims said Friday at his sentencing hearing.

May 30 -- Grant well timed, sheriff says: ROBY -- A $118,584 justice grant has been made to the Fisher County Sheriff's Department, which Sheriff Gene Pack says comes at a welcome time.

May 30 -- Stephens County Farm Bureau rejects TFB endorsement of Sharp: BRECKENRIDGE -- When the board of directors of the Stephens County Farm Bureau met last week, members chose not to accept the Texas Farm Bureau's endorsement of State Comptroller John Sharp for Texas Lieutenant Governor.

May 30 -- McMurry project reaping science dividends: Inclusion in Project Kaleidoscope has McMurry University math and science students looking into a brightly colored future.

May 30 -- Teen suspected in father's death returning to Abilene: A 16-year-old implicated in his father's death is headed back to Abilene to face a solicitation of murder charge.

May 30 -- Regional prison warehouses planned for Snyder: AUSTIN -- Texas prison officials are expanding plans for a regional warehouse in Snyder that will store everything from peanut butter to mattresses to farm equipment for West and North Texas prisons.

May 30 -- Wylie graduates 158: As the A's of the alphabet filed into the Wylie High School gym beneath the 40-foot image of a romping yellow bulldog, the W's in Wylie's class of 1998 needed only a few words to explain what it meant to be graduating.

May 29 -- Adult education graduates to receive diplomas: One group of graduates perhaps overlooked in the stream of high school graduations occurring around the area is the class graduating tonight after finishing their coursework at Abilene's Adult Learning Center.

May 29 -- Council candidate accuses opponent of spreading rumor: Denying charges he's a deadbeat dad who paid $20,000 in back child support a month before filing for the Abilene City Council, Versie Brown on Thursday accused his opponent's campaign of spreading the allegation.

May 29 -- Area News Roundup: Brown County gets $66,000 justice grant ... Sexual law passes first reading ... Motel robbery suspect charged ... Bruchmiller bids farewell to clerk's post ... Clyde murder suspect jailed again ... Recycled tires ignite at Stamford plant ... Zephyr man charged in wife's murder ... Motel robbery suspect charged

May 29 -- Twelve suspects arrested in drug sweep: A dozen suspected cocaine dealers were arrested Thursday in Abilene's largest drug sweep in several years, the result of a six-month investigation.

May 29 -- Mayor issues call for Father's Day breakfast: Calling all fathers, Mayor Gary McCaleb announced Thursday that the City of Abilene will sponsor a Father's Day breakfast for all fathers and their children again this year.

May 29 -- Students invade frontier fort: One hundred and forty-four years after it was first abandoned as utterly unfit for man or beast, Fort Phantom Hill is once again teeming with life.

May 29 -- Valedictorian to speech and run: Terrance Hines won't have much time to savor his graduation from Wylie High School tonight.

May 29 -- Teen detained for alleged role in father's murder: A 16-year-old whose father was shot to death in an Abilene home burglary two months ago is now in custody for his alleged part in the murder, a friend of his family confirmed Thursday.

May 29 -- Teen's death ruled homicide: A 16-year-old's death over the weekend has been confirmed by a medical examiner as caused by strangulation and has been ruled a homicide, Detective Van Holdbrook said.

May 29 -- 100 bed treatment center to open in Sweetwater: SWEETWATER -- A 100-bed transitional treatment center for drug offenders will open in Sweetwater by the end of the summer, creating up to 30 new jobs.

May 28 -- Did somebody say McBabies?: Abilene's Teenie Beanie Babies buying binge has exhausted the five local McDonald's of their 46,000-strong supply.

May 28 -- High-profile murder trial postponed: The capital murder trial of an Oklahoma teen accused of taking part in the killing of a Waurika High School cheerleader has been postponed because of recent national attention on the case.

May 28 -- Unique Noah Project program will have doctors prescribing lawyer: With the ever-simmering professional rivalry between doctors and lawyers, the last thing you might expect is for a physician to prescribe an attorney for what ails you.

May 28 -- Child stable after nearly drowning: A 19-month-old child was in stable condition at a local hospital after nearly drowning in an inflatable pool in north Abilene on Wednesday evening, police said.

May 28 -- Prairie Dogs hoping '98 a successful year: The Abilene Prairie Dogs have adopted the slogan of "Bust the Gate in '98."

May 28 -- Red Cross relief team speeds to Veribest: Red Cross relief workers from Abilene are in Veribest, where a Tuesday night storm destroyed two homes and damaged 40 to 50 others.

May 28 -- Postal worker shot at by burglar: A gunman who rammed a stolen pickup through a downtown hardware store's front doors and stole several rifles, fired two rounds at a contract postal worker early Wednesday morning.

May 28 -- Teen Mom Camp provides fun and education: SWEETWATER -- For nine years, groups of up to 20 teen-age mothers have been coming to a week-long Teen Mom Camp in the serene, natural setting of Camp Booth Oaks south of Sweetwater.

May 28 -- Twins from Trent getting jump on their peers: TRENT -- Only two months after earning their driver's licenses, the O'Connor twins are ready to go their separate ways -- to different universities, that is.

May 28 -- Storm pounds area near San Angelo: VERIBEST -- Residents on Wednesday started tallying their financial losses and counting their blessings that no lives were lost when two tornadoes, large hail and heavy rains hit their small community and the surrounding area Tuesday night.

May 28 -- Area News Roundup: City manager's pact renewed ... Early City Council invites Ranger College to conduct classes ... Suspect arrested in Hermleigh holdup ... Merkel trustees approve $120,000 in projects ... Arnold takes heat at city meeting

May 28 -- TSTC dean picked to head Minnesota college: SWEETWATER -- Dr. Robert Musgrove, dean of instruction at Texas State Technical College-Sweetwater, has resigned, effective July 1, to become a college president.

May 27 -- Area News Roundup: Brownwood bomber pleads on sex charge ... Coleman robbery investigated ... Escapee gets 50 years ... Lightning causes tank to explode ... Escapee gets 50 years

May 27 -- Winds topple Ranger derrick: RANGER -- High winds or a possible tornado late Monday night toppled one of Eastland County's most visible commemorative objects -- a replica of the old wooden derrick at the McCleskey No. 1 oil well gusher site.

May 27 -- Coverage irks Eastland commissioner: EASTLAND -- An Eastland County commissioner expressed displeasure Tuesday with newspaper coverage of attempts to halt the proposed expansion of the county jail to 96 beds.

May 27 -- Jones County 911 moving to courthouse basement: ANSON -- By still more 3-2 votes, Jones County commissioners rejected a proposal to move the county's 911 emergency system to Stamford and decided to place it in the courthouse basement here.

May 27 -- MHMR board votes to take over responsibility for Shackelford County: Abilene Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation Center's board of trustees voted Tuesday to take over responsibility for Shackelford County under the state's MHMR system.

May 27 -- Judge denies bond reduction for suspect linked to slaying: A judge Tuesday refused to lower bond for an Abilene teen charged in connection with a deadly February burglary that left a 46-year-old father slain.

May 27 -- Abilene region mostly dry with haze relief days away: A dab of rain late Monday night and early Tuesday lifted some spirits but Abilene remains far short of average rainfall.

May 27 -- Gunman in Ranger bank robbery sentenced to 8 years: A Houston man who admitted robbing a Ranger bank at gunpoint was sentenced Friday to more than eight years in federal prison for the holdup.

May 27 -- Rotan graduation a family affair: ROTAN -- The Martinez Family Reunion will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the Rotan High School auditorium.

May 27 -- Bomb threat perilous to elderly patients: HASKELL -- A bomb threat at a Haskell nursing home caused a potentially dangerous evacuation for some of the home's frailer patients during a late Monday night storm.

May 27 -- Handgun sales are in sharp decline in U.S.: At The Shootin' Shop in Abilene, the heart of gun-slinging West Texas, handgun sales never really recovered from a 1995 slump.

May 27 -- Students create a garden spot in Hawley: HAWLEY -- Students at Hawley Elementary School, grades K-6, have been getting down in the dirt and doing it with enthusiasm, all for the sake of their new school garden.

May 27 -- Shackelford leads area counties in youth-DWI rate: Seven Abilene area counties ranked in the top 20 in Texas in youth-DWI arrests, according to The Associated Press.

May 27 -- Highway-widening project expected to be approved: AUSTIN -- A $69 million project to widen the highway from Abilene to Wichita Falls is expected to be approved this week as part of a plan to reduce highway congestion statewide.

May 26 -- Memorial Day service remembers cost of freedom: Surrounded by American flags unfurled at half mast, a crowd gathered at Elmwood Memorial Park in Abilene Monday to honor those who gave their lives serving their country.

May 26 -- Big Spring records first murder in almost two years: BIG SPRING - A Big Spring man is accused of strangling his girlfriend, then hiding her body in a garage, authorities said.

May 26 -- Our Slice of Texas: Buckaroo Band wins national competition, etc.

May 26 -- Area Briefs: Diarrheal disease cases reported in Big Spring ... Ranger man accidentally shoots himself ... Fire destroys Eastland home ... Coleman man sent to prison for sexual assault

May 25 -- Abilene records third murder of the year: The common-law husband of a teen-age girl apparently confessed to strangling her to death late Saturday night, according to a complaint filed by Abilene police.

May 25 -- Critical Incident Stress team helps others cope: The death of 2-year-old Shyanna Steele on Feb. 18, 1997, hit close to home for Clyde firefighters. But Clyde's emergency workers weren't left on their own to deal with the impact of the traumatic incident. Members of the peer-based Big Country Critical Incident Stress Management team conducted a "debriefing" session for them.

May 25 -- Anson man seriously hurt in alcohol-related wreck: An Anson man was seriously injured when an apparently intoxicated driver ran a stop light on South First early Sunday morning and two vehicles collided.

May 25 -- Prairie Dog debate is hardly underground: To hear veteran animal-catcher Chester Antilley, the once populous prairie dog may soon become so rare that city folks will automatically lump it in with the disappearing horny toad and fabled jackalope.

May 25 -- Our Slice of Texas: Goree veteran E.B. Hosea retires, etc.

May 24 -- Friends mourn death of Ballinger man after accident: BALLINGER -- As family members of a Ballinger man killed on the job prepare for his funeral in Mexico, friends and fellow workers of Rolando Ruiz await word of what more they can do to help a young family cope with the loss of a husband and a father.

May 24 -- Ranger band director going to Albany: ALBANY -- School trustees have unanimously approved the hiring of John Stockdale as band director, Albany Superintendent John Trice said Friday.

May 24 -- A warm hearted knitter for the cause of warm feet (Ken Ellsworth): SWEETWATER -- Last year, Mae Neill knitted 200 warm, brightly colored booties in infant and small children's sizes and gave them away.

May 24 -- Sexual harassment still a hazy issue: At first, the 22-year-old found her supervisor's attention relatively harmless and had little trouble overlooking his subtle remarks and flirtations. Sexual harassment through the eyes of the law

May 24 -- Abilene's largest employers see rise in harassment complaints: Sexual harassment complaints at three of Abilene's largest employers are up modestly because of the government's ever-expanding definition of inappropriate behavior, company officials say.

May 24 -- Condemned child killer asks federal court to overturn his conviction: An Anson man sentenced to die in 1989 for the rape and murder of a 7-year-old Merkel girl is asking a federal court to overturn his capital murder conviction.

May 24 -- AHS class of '98 graduates: Heads held high, the Abilene High School Class of 1998 marched across the commencement stage and headed out into the world to make their mark Friday night.

May 24 -- Abilene ISD outlines priorities: The Abilene school board decided to emphasize school safety, math initiatives and evaluation of programs and facilities as the district moves into the 21st century.

May 24 -- Wylie student interprets gold in UIL poetry contest: Reciting poetry has become a natural talent for a Wylie High School student more accustomed to showing farm animals.

May 23 -- Drought ruins prisoners' plans for growing vegetables for the Food Bank: Drought-like conditions have reduced the much-expected crop of vegetables planted by Robertson Unit inmates for the Food Bank of Abilene to little nubs.

May 23 -- Ex-chief returns to Roscoe post: ROSCOE - Former police chief Heath Tibbets was hired Thursday night on a part-time basis for 60 days, City Administrator Jerry Watts said Friday.

May 23 -- Dyess funding included in House approval: The House of Representatives on Friday approved legislation for Department of Defense funding, including two projects at Dyess Air Force Base.

May 23 -- Accused Subway shop robber indicted: A Roby man accused of holding up an Abilene Subway sandwich shop last month was indicted for aggravated robbery Thursday.

May 23 -- Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing program now fully accredited: The Family Nurse Practitioner program at the Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing is now fully accredited by the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas.

May 23 -- Worker crushed to death: BALLINGER - The mood was somber Friday at Mueller Pipe & Supply after a worker was fatally crushed Thursday by a 7,000-pound steel construction rafter.

May 23 -- Hold-up of pizza delivery driver nets 10-year sentence for Abilene man: An Abilene man who used a baseball bat to hold up a pizza delivery driver was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday.

May 23 -- House of Yahweh member makes appearance in federal court: A House of Yahweh member wanted in Missouri made an initial appearance in Abilene federal court Friday accompanied by Yisrayl Hawkins, the religious sect's leader.

May 22 -- Hockey's official in Abilene; team has a name: Abilene's new hockey team has a name - the Abilene Aviators. Western Professional Hockey League officials and team owner Scooter Murray unveiled the team name and introduced the Aviators' new coach and general manager Thursday at a press conference at the Taylor County Coliseum.

May 22 -- Abilene TAAS scores increase: Abilene students' scores on the exit-level TAAS rose for the fourth straight year. District officials announced Thursday that 92 percent of Abilene's 10th-graders passed both the reading and writing sections of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills in April, and 73 percent passed the mathematics portion.

May 22 -- TIF board hears downtown Abilene still needs a few pieces of the puzzle: Downtown Abilene still needs five major pieces - a cinema, a public market, apartments, a hotel and more office space - to be a magnet for business and people, an urban planner told city leaders Thursday.

May 22 -- Cooper High School graduates 467: As the warm scent of rodeo wafted across the parking lot, the families and friends of 467 Cooper High School seniors made their way into the Taylor County Coliseum at 8 p.m. Thursday.

May 22 -- Charges against Billie Sol Estes thrown out: BROWNWOOD - A tax evasion indictment that could have sent former West Texas promoter Billie Sol Estes back to prison for life has been dismissed here.

May 22 -- New AHS senior fit right in her first (and last) year: Janna Brown plunged right into her senior year at Abilene High School, strange as it may have seemed - to her. She made one of the most challenging adjustments a student may be called on to make: enrolling in a new school for her 12th and final year of public school.

May 22 -- Baird surprised by Clyde water sales: BAIRD - Baird City Council members voiced surprise and disapproval Tuesday upon learning Clyde will sell water from a portion of the Abilene-to-Baird water line.

May 22 -- 140-pound marijuana bust made at Colorado City: COLORAD0 CITY - Agents made a 140-pound marijuana bust Thursday afternoon on Interstate 20 at Colorado City.

May 22 -- Council ends tax abatement for Independent Grocers: The Abilene City Council killed the remaining four years of a tax abatement Thursday for a wholesale grocer who failed to meet its end of the bargain.

May 22 -- Capital murder trial for deadly Coleman fire postponed: The capital murder trial of one of two men accused of killing a mother and her two children in a 1996 Coleman house fire was postponed Thursday.

May 22 -- Husband of possible murder victim arrested: BROWNWOOD - The husband of Beverly Rose Blatt, 22, whose body authorities believe they found Wednesday, is in jail in Hidalgo County.

May 22 -- ACU grads headed to medical schools: Health professional schools in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Iowa and Virginia accepted 22 Abilene Christian University students into their programs.

May 21 -- Three charged in backhoe vandalism: ALBANY -- Three Albany teen-agers were arrested Tuesday and charged with criminal mischief in connection with a January incident in which a five-ton backhoe-loader was driven into Lake McCarty.

May 21 -- Abilene Clean and Proud hires new director: Though perhaps a little green, Holly Haley has been hired as Abilene Clean and Proud's next director.

May 21 -- CAP school marks milestone: VALERA -- CAP High School reaches two milestones tonight when it graduates 39 students -- its largest class ever -- on its 10th anniversary.

May 21 -- Dyess general to speak at F-4 dedication: BIG SPRING -- Brig. Gen. Michael McMahan of Dyess Air Force Base will be the guest speaker Memorial Day for the dedication of an F-4 Phantom at Big Spring's Vietnam Memorial.

May 21 -- Attorney withdraws from capital murder case: A judge Wednesday granted local attorney Quanah Parker's request to withdraw from the capital murder case facing a 22-year-old Abilene man accused in a deadly burglary.

May 21 -- West Texas Rehab board hears positive report: The grand opening June 1 of a new campus in Ozona is just one more bit of good news coming out of the West Texas Rehabilitation Center.

May 21 -- Area News Roundup: Baird trustees re-elect Brock ... Car wash to benefit critical patient ... Utility plans outlined ... Delinquent lots awarded ... Cross Plains couple killed near Ranger ... Body believed to be that of missing woman

May 21 -- Baird golfer dies after accident: BAIRD -- A key member of Baird High School's state championship girls golf team died Wednesday from head injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident near her home Tuesday night.

May 21 -- Three of Cooper's top grads have colonels for fathers: Three of the seven students awarded marquee roles in tonight's Cooper High School commencement happen to have Air Force lieutenant colonels for dads.

May 21 -- Big Country schools' joy tempered by sorrow: The last week of school is usually a time of joyful celebration tempered only by final exams and by commencement speakers' solemn challenges to "get ready to face the real world."

May 21 -- Abilenians find little disruption from satellite glitch: Abilenians prefer their pagers analog rather than digital.

May 21 -- Coalition to 'hang tough' against F&H: KNOX CITY -- The Santa Fe Railway Coalition vowed Wednesday night to "hang tough" in its easement fight against the Graham owners of a 156-mile rail right-of-way across North Texas.

May 21 -- Standoff ends peacefully: A nine-hour standoff ended peacefully Wednesday evening when Stephenville kidnapping suspect Eddie Dale Underwood surrendered to Abilene tactical officers.

May 20 -- Search for airport manager narrows to four candidates: City officials have slimmed their search for a new airport manager to the final four.

May 20 -- Dyess officer returns to take over 7th Operations Group: A familiar face took command this week of Dyess Air Force Base's 7th Operations Group, lauded by the base commander as the most vital B-1B bomber group in the Air Force.

May 20 -- Local hospitals would treat patients left outside doors: Hospitals emergency rooms routinely give their immediate attention to anyone seriously sick or injured who arrives by ambulance or under his own power. The death of a 15-year-old boy left untreated outside of a Chicago hospital begs another question.

May 20 -- Project recycles Superfund site into roads: COLORADO CITY -- Cleaning up the No. 1 Superfund pollution site in Texas, the former Col-Tex Refinery on the west edge of town, has proven to be a drawn out, sticky business.

May 20 -- Commission suggests Social Security reforms: WASHINGTON -- A high-profile commission recommended Tuesday creating individual investment accounts and delaying full retirement benefits until age 70 as part of a comprehensive reform of the Social Security system.

May 20 -- Jewelry store robbery suspect in custody in California: SWEETWATER -- The professed ringleader in a series of jewelry store robberies covering four states, including one in Sweetwater last month, is in custody in Ventura, Calif.

May 20 -- Funding sought for restoration of Elks Building: The hunt is on for dollars to restore downtown's historic Elks Building.

May 20 -- Boards seek moving of business to improve city's look: The boards of the DCOA and the TIF district double-teamed Tuesday to pluck an eyesore from downtown's eastern entryway.

May 20 -- Area News Roundup: Brown County commissioners seek grant ... Stolen car found in Lake Phantom ... School vandal sent to TYC ... Squiers elected Eastland mayor ... Gardner heads Eula ISD board ... Suspected arsonist arrested in Haskell ... Jones County judge orders burn ban ... Stephenville girl still missing ... Stamford teacher receives environmental award

May 20 -- Izzard proposes veterans health plan: Congressional candidate Rudy Izzard unveiled a plan Tuesday he said could "make a vast improvement nationwide" in the military veterans health care system.

May 20 -- Deputy succeeds Bruchmiller as clerk: BALLINGER -- Elesa Ocker was named Tuesday as Runnels County clerk, succeeding her boss, Linda Bruchmiller, who has announced plans to retire May 31.

May 19 -- Environmental experts clear air on relief from haze: AUSTIN - Soot and smoke in Texas skies from fires burning in Mexico and Central America should clear this week, environmental officials said Monday.

May 19 -- Former members of City Council endorse Enriquez: Four former members of the Abilene City Council endorsed Billy Enriquez for the body's vacant seat Monday, calling him an energetic and independent servant.

May 19 -- Abilene City Council to kill grocers tax abatement: The Abilene City Council is expected to terminate the final four years of a tax abatement for a wholesale grocer who failed to create promised jobs and sold the company unannounced.

May 19 -- Forest Service visiting to heighten awareness of wildfires: The Texas Forest Service has dispatched its Southwest Fire Prevention Team to Abilene to raise public awareness of the heightened risk of wildfires.

May 19 -- Rollins seeks restraining order against jail expansion: EASTLAND - Bill Rollins of Ranger filed a motion Monday in 91st District Court, seeking a restraining order to foil plans for a $2.4 million county jail expansion to 96 beds.

May 19 -- Miss Teen Texas America talks to classes here: Miss Teen Texas America delivered a motivational message to children at Allie Ward Elementary in a unique manner Monday - ventriloquism.

May 19 -- San Angelo high school heavily damaged by fire: SAN ANGELO - San Angelo Fire Department Battalion Chief Ricky J. Long smelled something amiss at his alma mater Sunday, and probably saved four lives in the process.

May 19 -- Brownwood deaths probably murder-suicide: BROWNWOOD - A Brown County man with a history of mental problems shot his estranged wife to death before taking his own life Saturday at Lake Brownwood, officials said Monday.

May 19 -- Sweetwater athlete drowns in Snyder: SNYDER - The body of a 17-year-old Sweetwater High School sports star was recovered from Towle Park Pond Sunday, eight hours after friends said he attempted to swim across the closed pond.

May 19 -- Boy accidentally killed by his twin brother: ROBERT LEE - Family members, friends and classmates will gather today to remember a 14-year-old boy who was accidentally shot by his twin brother Sunday. Investigators said Casey Eubanks was fatally injured at his home while several children were playing with a pistol they believed was unloaded.

May 19 -- Family of owls fascinates courthouse staff, visitors: ANSON - A pair of young owls and their mother have captured the attention of Jones County. The horned owl family was discovered several weeks ago, nesting on the third floor balcony outside the Jones County Courthouse.

May 18 -- Area News Roundup: Train hits area man ... Merkel graduate dies from head injury complications ... Lake Brownwood couple found dead

May 18 -- Booms turn out to be demolition training: Those sonic booms you may have thought you heard Sunday were actually a more down-to-earth military sound: demolition training.

May 18 -- Dyess' 'giant voice' newest thing under the sun: Situated unobtrusively atop slender poles and square solar panels, Dyess Air Force Base's newest improvement has quieted some alarms while sounding others.

May 18 -- Auto event may become another racing venue for Abilene: Some novices performed extremely well at Abilene's Sunburn Solo II ShootOut Sunday, not the least Abilene itself.

May 17 -- Woman on probation for arson conviction suspect in new blaze: A convicted arsonist is suspected in one of two suspicious early Saturday morning blazes.

May 17 -- Hunter honored for education service: State Rep. Bob Hunter recently received a top honor for his education service from the the Association of Texas Professional Educators.

May 17 -- Low-income apartments draw Fairway fire: The unsigned fax weaves a nasty tale of dirty deals, political arm-twisting, criminal conspiracies and class struggles.

May 17 -- Privacy on Internet a growing concern: At its heart, protecting yourself on the Internet is like protecting yourself anywhere.

May 17 -- Tracking yourself on the 'Net: The mission was simple: Find yourself.

May 17 -- Knowledge of numbers pays off for Abilene High trio: The award-winning accounting firm of Barnett, Richardson and Tepe has balanced the books for the final time at Abilene High School.

May 17 -- Truck accident kills Big Spring man: SNYDER -- A 32-year-old Big Spring man driving a semi-tractor trailer rig died Friday when the truck overturned 15 miles north of Snyder.

May 17 -- Truck accident kills Big Spring man: SNYDER -- A 32-year-old Big Spring man driving a semi-tractor trailer rig died Friday when the truck overturned 15 miles north of Snyder.

May 17 -- Woman airlifted after fall in Merkel: MERKEL -- A Merkel woman remained hospitalized Saturday night after she fell out the back of a pickup while riding in downtown Merkel.

May 16 -- Abilene Ag Marketing Club formed to give farmers an edge: With prices for many ag commodities as low as they've been in years, farmers need all the help they can get in marketing their products.

May 16 -- Area News Roundup: Clyde brothers indicted for murder ... $10,000 state penalty levied against Brownwood doctor ... Development corporation to promote new homes

May 16 -- Haze not a health threat for Abilene area, officials say: AUSTIN -- The thick haze of soot and smoke blanketing much of Texas is not a health threat for Abilene residents, although it is for residents along the coast, state environmental officials said Thursday.

May 16 -- More charges may forthcoming following crash: BALLINGER -- Additional charges may be filed resulting from a DWI accident that killed a star high school athlete during spring break.

May 16 -- New department to go after neglectful landlords: BROWNWOOD -- If Brownwood city officials have their way, owners of vacant and deteriorating buildings, especially in the downtown area, will have to bring up their properties to code or be penalized.

May 16 -- 104 pounds of marijuana found in cars on I-20: Drug agents made a 61-pound marijuana bust Friday afternoon at Colorado City after stopping an eastbound car on Interstate 20.

May 16 -- Abilene residents remember Sinatra's style: What Frank Sinatra fans in Abilene seemed to enjoy most about the late singer was how he did songs his way.

May 16 -- Arsonist ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution: An Abilene man who admitted setting six West Texas convenience stores ablaze last year must pay more than $1 million in restitution, a federal judge ordered Friday.

May 16 -- Dyess advocates stress need for added missions and support: Adding new missions at Dyess Air Force Base and fully supporting its current operations will be vital to ensuring the base's long-term viability, Abilene leaders told members of the Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission on Thursday.

May 16 -- May 29 set as deadline to register for June safety camp: Eight counties held a final planting meeting in Abilene on Friday for the Progressive Farmer Safety Day Camp and set a May 29 deadline for registration.

May 16 -- TAAS score prevents senior from graduating: Sandra Thompson attended the Abilene High senior picnic on Friday afternoon at the Abilene State Park.

May 16 -- Youth sent to TYC for Ballinger fire: BALLINGER -- A teen-ager has pleaded guilty to starting a Feb. 18 fire that destroyed the Dollar General Store in Ballinger.

May 16 -- Abilene man home after long recovery: Jason Stewart was greeted Friday with balloons, ribbons, friends and family during a coming home party at his Abilene residence.

May 15 -- Area News Roundup: Rescue personnel credited with saving life ... Principals come and go in Hamlin ... Winters school board elects new president ... Wreck victim remains critical ... Marijuana found in gas tank

May 15 -- Haze causing more talk than trouble locally: Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer have come early to Abilene and the Big Country.

May 15 -- DPS terms fire truck fatality no-fault: COLORADO CITY -- The circumstances that caused the accidental vehicle death of 50-year Colorado City volunteer firefighter Pat McKinney, 72, last week have been termed "no fault," although a second vehicle is now known to have been involved, according to James Bobo, second assistant fire chief.

May 15 -- Videotape submitted in lawsuit over Robertson inmate's death: A family suing six Robertson Unit officers and the unit's former warden for the 1996 death of inmate Gary Crenshaw has submitted a videotape to bolster its claims they should be liable.

May 15 -- Third meeting set on easement fees: KNOX CITY -- A third go-round is scheduled next week in a continuing wrangle over increased easement fees along 156 miles of abandoned Santa Fe railroad right-of-way.

May 15 -- Probation violations lead to 15-year prison term for Abilene man: An Abilene man who pleaded guilty to sexual assault two months ago for his relationship with a 15-year-old girl was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison for the crime after violating the terms of his probation.

May 15 -- Abilene man sees Indian action as attempt at deterrence: An Abilene man who devoted a career to bolstering U.S. nuclear deterrence doesn't fault India for seeking the same for its people, he told a talk radio audience on Thursday.

May 15 -- Former NFL ref shares philosophy with top grads: Ex-NFL referee Red Cashion told Abilene's best and brightest graduating seniors his formula from sorting out professionals from everyone else. Abilene high schools' top grads

May 14 -- Anson students win problem solving competition: ANSON -- Gifted seventh-graders at Anson Middle School recently traveled to Austin to accept an award for being named state champions in a practical problem solving competition against other gifted seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade students.

May 14 -- Former insurance agency owner pleads not guilty to bank fraud: The former owner of an Abilene insurance agency pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges he defrauded a local bank out of $1.4 million.

May 14 -- Coleman police dispatcher clinging to life: COLEMAN -- Her back broken and her spinal cord severed, a part-time Coleman police dispatcher clung to life in a San Angelo hospital Wednesday while investigators traced a warning call that could have prevented her injuries and the deaths of two friends.

May 14 -- City council candidates disagree on need for bond election: The run-off candidates for the Abilene City Council are clashing over the need for a bond election to gird the city's infrastructure, with Versie Brown backing the proposal and Billy Enriquez dismissing it.

May 14 -- 66 pounds of marijuana seized at C-City: COLORADO CITY -- Sixty-six pounds of marijuana was seized and seven West Texans arrested early Wednesday when police pulled over a three-car convoy on Interstate 20 at Colorado City.

May 14 -- Doctor prescribes humor for healthy life: A laugh a day may well keep the doctor away, Clare Buie Chaney told more than 500 people Wednesday at the Women and Heart Disease Luncheon.

May 14 -- Illinois murder suspect to be extradited from Abilene: An Abilene man wanted in Illinois on a 10-year-old murder charge will be extradited from Texas to stand trial for the crime, a judge ruled Wednesday.

May 14 -- Burn ban set in Mitchell County: COLORADO CITY -- Mitchell County commissioners instituted a countywide burn ban Monday, due to dry conditions, effective immediately.

May 14 -- Historical marker to mark Mulberry Canyon: To hear local historians, Mulberry Canyon has long needed a succinct, straightforward historical marker, if only to set the record straight.

May 14 -- Property crime increase sparks jump in '97 crime rate: An increase in property crimes -- burglary, auto theft and theft -- fueled a 7.2 percent jump in Abilene's overall 1997 crime rate, bucking a statewide trend.

May 14 -- Area residents to join nation in watching final 'Seinfeld': Jerry and the crew are "Sein"-ing off tonight.

May 13 -- Two executives appointed to AIC board: Two businesspeople accepted appointments to the Abilene Improvement Corp. board Tuesday.

May 13 -- Taylor County commissioners reinstate burn ban: Taylor County commissioners reinstated a ban on open burning Tuesday, a move sparked by arid conditions and the rising threat of wildfires.

May 13 -- Strategic Military Planning Commission to meet in Abilene: The Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and meeting in Abilene on Friday.

May 13 -- Area News Roundup: House fire extinguishes itself ... Erwin fills Ranger vacancy ... Runnels approves 911 budget ... School campaigning investigated ... Council fracas flares in Dublin ... Coleman accident injures five ... Couple given probation in injury to child case

May 13 -- County Commissioner meetings: Runnels County ... Nolan County ... Mitchell County ... Coleman County ... Callahan County

May 13 -- Cross Plains man charged with assault: CROSS PLAINS -- A young Cross Plains man recently fined in connection with a drinking party that lawmen claim sparked the December arson of Cross Plains High School was arrested Sunday for assaulting a school board member.

May 13 -- Crime Stoppers names board member of year: William L. Page of Abilene has been named Crime Stoppers Board Member of the Year by the State Crime Stoppers Advisory Council.

May 13 -- DHR secretary assumes top job: Barbara Evans just became living proof that secretaries really can run the office.

May 13 -- Snyder resident dies in auto accident: SNYDER -- A college student on Tuesday became the fourth Snyder resident to die as result of motor vehicle accidents in three days.

May 13 -- Couple died of natural causes, autopsy shows: The elderly couple whose bodies were found on a Buffalo Gap ranch Sunday died of natural causes after apparently becoming lost and disoriented, an Abilene police detective said Tuesday.

May 13 -- Governor's wife helps Girl Scouts celebrate anniversary: For one-time Girl Scout Laura Bush, a 1990s merit badge is worth a thousand or more words.

May 12 -- P&Z commission being affected by absent members: Only three of the commission's seven members were present recently for a meeting. The absence of a four-man quorum forced the meeting's cancellation.

May 12 -- Judge Warnick has presided over 500 trials in 22 years: J.Q. Warnick has been through trying times. And most of them, he's presided over. A U.S. magistrate judge, Warnick conducted the 500th jury trial of his 22-year career on the bench Monday in Abilene federal court.

May 12 -- Abilenians see postage increase as predictable, regrettable: The news of a postal rate increase brought a brief smile to Kathy Willis' face. "I just finished mailing 400 wedding invitations," the Abilene mother of a July bride said Monday. "Guess I saved about four bucks by doing it now. I'm one of those annoying glass-is-half-full people." Several others interviewed at the Abilene post office Monday had a different view. They saw the increase as a predictable and regrettable nuisance.

May 12 -- Waldrop kidnapper gets 25 years in prison: A parolee who abducted and robbed the wife of a prominent Abilene merchant was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday, 5-1/2 years after he committed the crime.

May 12 -- Overflow crowd greets Bush: COMANCHE - A standing-room-only crowd enthusiastically welcomed Gov. George W. Bush on Monday at the Community Center in Comanche.

May 12 -- Drive-in owner plans to rebuild: RULE - Two years ago this spring, Allene Whorton told a reporter her Tower Drive-In would open "if we just don't get rain and blown away." But last Friday night that's just what happened.

May 12 -- Free bus rides highlight Try Transit Week: A range of events, including free bus rides, will highlight public transportation this week. Today, two local transit officials will continue their annual Try Transit Week rivalry.

May 12 -- Wylie ISD board goes with Dr Pepper, Pepsi over Coca-Cola: Dr Pepper - Pepsi Cola will be the drink of Wylie's next generation starting next school year. The Wylie school board agreed Monday to offer Dr Pepper - Pepsi Cola products exclusively on its campuses for the next 10 years. In return, the school will receive funds to help build a proposed all-purpose facility on the high school campus.

May 12 -- Jones County commissioners no closer to solving 911, jail issues: ANSON - Three more hours of wrangling by Jones County commissioners Monday yielded no final decision - just a couple more split votes - on the ongoing problems of 911 communications and jail standards requirements.

May 12 -- Anson bus barn firm ruled arson: ALBANY - The April 28 fire that destroyed the Albany school district's bus barn and five vehicles was deliberately set, State Fire Marshal Donald Turk said Monday.

May 12 -- TYC to expand Bronte facility: BRONTE - The Texas Youth Commission will nearly double the size of the Coke County Juvenile Facility here, creating approximately 30 jobs in the process.

May 11 -- Missing couple found dead: BUFFALO GAP - An elderly retired Abilene physician and his wife apparently wandered from their abandoned car before dying in a remote area near Buffalo Gap.

May 11 -- Triple fatality near Roscoe: ROSCOE - Three Snyder women died, and one was injured in a one-car rollover early Sunday west of here.

May 11 -- Couple bumped by pursuing vehicle: A parking lot car chase left a couple with minor knee injuries and a motorist facing potential felony aggravated assault charges.

May 11 -- Our Slice of Texas: Moving Vietnam Wall coming to region, etc.

May 10 -- Awards announced at ACU graduation: Several awards were announced Saturday during commencement exercises at Abilene Christian University.

May 10 -- ACU to offer distance-learning degree in library science: Now, when teachers ask Eileen Dunne that question they frequently ask, she'll have an answer.

May 10 -- Graduates hear words of encouragement at ceremonies: A graduation speaker at Hardin-Simmons University had special words Saturday for students leaving with more questions than answers, those who "feel dumb as a stump."

May 10 -- Traveling Texas courthouse to courthouse (Ken Ellsworth): SWEETWATER -- Two years ago during the summer of 1996, Bill and Willadean Brock of Sweetwater started on a journey with a goal in mind.

May 10 -- Special recognitions given at HSU commencement: Four students and two faculty members received special recognition in graduation ceremonies Saturday at Hardin-Simmons University.

May 10 -- Longtime business seeking a buyer: Walk into the Superette grocery store on Ambler and behold a sight not seen since the waning days of the Soviet Union.

May 10 -- Clyde murder suspect released: BAIRD -- One of the two Clyde brothers charged with the murder of Clyde businessman Ted Saunders was released from Callahan County Jail Saturday.

May 9 -- University graduation lists: ACU ... Hardin-Simmons ... McMurry

May 9 -- Gifted students make history: Some gifted Abilene students are making history by becoming the first fifth-graders in the state to compile information for five Texas Historical Markers.

May 9 -- William Bennett to speak in Abilene: Dr. William J. Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education and author of The Book of Virtues will speak in Abilene next fall.

May 9 -- Border Patrol busy with illegal alien flow: By train, bus and car, illegal aliens are crossing the Rio Grande in large numbers and this spring the traffic appears heavier than usual.

May 9 -- ACU to provide videoconference facilities for Mothers Day chats: Families of troops deployed to Bosnia will be able to talk with them via videoconference Sunday.

May 9 -- Saunders grand jury expected in 'a few weeks': BAIRD -- Two Clyde brothers charged with murder in the 1997 shooting of shop owner Ted Saunders remained in jail Friday in lieu of $50,000 bond each.

May 9 -- Area News Roundup: Brady pair held in drug case ... Second election ordered in Coahoma ISD ... Coleman City Council makes airport agreement ... Jail petition seeks public vote

May 9 -- Fraser says West Texas' biggest battles will be over water: Electric utilities deregulation and water management were at the top of State Sen. Troy Fraser's talk to the Abilene Rotary Club on Friday.

May 9 -- Howard Payne vows to oppose Ranger classes at Early: EARLY -- Howard Payne University will oppose Ranger College's plans to locate a campus in the city of Early, according to Dr. Robert Bicknell, vice president for academic affairs at HPU.

May 9 -- Couple's disappearance has family, friends baffled: One week ago, prominent retired Abilene Dr. Edward Martin and his wife Elsie disappeared, leaving friends and family members stumped about what happened.

May 9 -- McMurry announces academic award winners: Four McMurry University seniors have been named to receive the school's top honors.

May 9 -- Area churches participate in Noah Project's Rose Reflections on Mother's Day: For the fourth year, 16 area churches will participate in Noah Project's Rose Reflections on Mother's Day.

May 9 -- Fen-Phen suit filed: SWEETWATER -- Longtime Sweetwater resident Archie Burrough is among five people who filed suit here Friday against the makers and distributors of the diet drugs Fen-Phen.

May 9 -- Poet comes by nickname honestly: There's a good reason Frank Morris is called "Two Jump."

May 8 -- New dean appointed for ACU graduate school: Dr. Angela Brenton will become dean of the graduate school and assistant provost for research and service at Abilene Christian University on Aug. 1.

May 8 -- Area News Roundup: Alcohol charges filed in football player's death ... Ballinger school board re-elects president ... 10 years imposed in rape case ... Brush fire consumes more than 10,000 acres ... Rabid skunk reported ... Six cases of hepatitis A diagnosed ... Black takes City Council seat ... Winters selects new band director ... Breckenridge to increase water, sewer rates

May 8 -- Bonds set at $50,000 in Saunders murder case: BAIRD -- Bonds of $50,000 each were set Thursday for two brothers charged with murder in the 1997 shooting death of Clyde businessman Ted Saunders.

May 8 -- Ranger college plans courses at Early: EARLY -- If all goes as planned, Ranger College will begin offering college courses in Early soon.

May 8 -- Jail escape is stopped after high speed chase: A Taylor County Jail inmate's high-speed dash for freedom was foiled Thursday morning, thanks to three truckers who helped a convoy of lawmen stop the escaped convict on Interstate 20 between Putnam and Baird.

May 8 -- Local universities to hold commencement ceremonies Saturday: Saturday is commencement day for all three of Abilene's universities.

May 8 -- Homebuilding planned in Anson: ANSON -- The Industrial Development Corp. of Anson will sponsor construction of a home in the new Cannon Estates Addition, aimed at promoting town growth.

May 8 -- HSU grad follows in parents', grandparents' footsteps: Lu Amy Sloan needn't be intimidated by all the footsteps she's following.

May 8 -- Abilene woman seeks $1.5 million for termination: An Abilene woman alleging she was wrongfully fired after being injured on the job is suing her former employer for more than $1.5 million.

May 8 -- Abilenians gather to observe National Day of Prayer: Some lifted hands, some held hands, some folded hands in prayerful fashion.

May 8 -- Two ranches to cut a new trail for Western Heritage Classic: Some ranches have made many journeys to the annual Western Heritage Classic.

May 8 -- Roby ISD hires new superintendent: ROBY -- When it came to hiring a new superintendent, the Roby school board went with a known quantity.

May 8 -- A sign of the times for truants?: SWEETWATER -- The father of a Sweetwater High School student who had to wear a sign in public as punishment for skipping classes hopes the idea catches on.

May 8 -- Elderly couple disappears; relatives, police concerned: The apparent disappearance of an elderly Abilene doctor and his wife, an Alzheimer's disease patient, has relatives and police worried about their welfare.

May 8 -- WTRC rededicates, renames pediatrics wing: One hundred people crowded into the Billy Mac Wing of the rehab center Thursday morning and left the Billy Mac Pediatrics Wing a half-hour later.

May 8 -- Cooper physics students survey Abilene's road dips: Add Abilene streets to the list of things that go bump in the night.

May 7 -- Area News Roundup: Coleman County seeking advice from taxpayers ... Hospital designated to receive grant ... Family Services program contracts approved ... New mayor, council members sworn in ... Breckenridge school board officers selected

May 7 -- Firefighter death a tragedy for Colorado City: COLORADO CITY -- Flags hung at half-staff Wednesday at the Colorado City Fire Department and City Hall and heads hung a bit lower, too, following the death Tuesday of the department's oldest and most respected volunteer firefighter, Pat McKinney.

May 7 -- Local IRS office kicks-off new problem-solving program: The Abilene office of the Internal Revenue Service will hold its first "1st Thursday" today, a new program designed to head off taxpayer troubles before they become critical.

May 7 -- Road to diploma long but enjoyable: After 11 years of Air Force life, five base assignments, three colleges and six years of working all day and going to school at night, Angela Bennett finally had time to watch a movie with her husband.

May 7 -- Perry reveals platform for Texas schools: Rick Perry can't be accused of setting his sights for Texas public schools too low.

May 7 -- Residents learn right-of-way options: KNOX CITY -- Residents on the right-of-way of the former Santa Fe Railway listened to their options Wednesday night concerning steep lease and buyout prices.

May 7 -- School district to honor longtime educator: A man of few words and subdued facial expressions, James Stovall might surprise you with a passion that has driven him to 40 years of helping and harnessing schoolchildren.

May 7 -- Women gather to learn about technology's benefits: SWEETWATER -- More than 250 area women participated in the third annual Women's Conference held Wednesday at Texas State Technical College.

May 7 -- Rule, Snyder students seek repeat as state champions: AUSTIN -- Twelve months of waiting are about to come to an end for students of Rule and Snyder high schools.

May 7 -- Kidnapping may have involved drug debt: STEPHENVILLE -- The kidnapping of a Stephenville woman, who was released Tuesday afternoon, may have involved an unpaid drug debt, said Erath County District Attorney John Terrill.

May 6 -- Remarkable cousins to receive diplomas: One is a pioneer, the other a testament to enduring spirit.

May 6 -- Crash victims remain in hospital: BALLINGER -- Four victims of a two-vehicle collision that killed two near here Sunday night remained hospitalized Tuesday at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo.

May 6 -- Clint Black concert canceled: The Clint Black concert scheduled May 15 for the Taylor County Coliseum was canceled Tuesday.

May 6 -- Couple charged with endangering child: BROWNWOOD -- A Brownwood couple arrested Saturday for drug possession was also charged with endangering a child, a four-month-old baby.

May 6 -- Bush to visit Comanche: COMANCHE -- Gov. George W. Bush will make local history when he attends a community reception at the Comanche Community Center at 3 p.m. Monday.

May 6 -- County hires help to recover federal funds: Taylor County commissioners on Tuesday hired a Dallas firm that vows to recoup federal funds owed the county.

May 6 -- Cisco group takes note of Home Education Week: CISCO -- This week has been declared Home Education Week in Texas by Gov. George W. Bush, and a Cisco group of home-schooled students has been marking the occasion in style.

May 6 -- School board elects new president: Abilene's new school board elected John Stearns its new president Tuesday night, succeeding retiring board member Betty Davis.

May 6 -- Colorado City firefighter dies in accident: COLORADO CITY -- A veteran Colorado City firefighter died Tuesday afternoon when a fire truck overturned on Interstate 20 while en route to a grass fire in town.

May 5 -- Video casinos could soon be raided across the state: AUSTIN - Law enforcement officials vowed Monday to raid stores across Texas that allow video slot machines known as eight-liners despite bickering over whether the casino style games are illegal.

May 5 -- Military bases could be in for another round of closings: WASHINGTON - The fate of efforts to mothball more military bases rests in the hands of a Senate committee, which is scheduled to decide this week whether another politically unpopular round of closings is needed.

May 5 -- Councilman just thought he was out of a job: No one can say Ray Ferguson isn't willing to work overtime on the Abilene City Council. With no successor elected Saturday to fill his Place 5 seat, the councilman's second three-year term will be extended another month until the voters select a replacement in a June 6 run-off.

May 5 -- Cooper's valedictorian, salutatorian and Top 25 announced: Writer Top Cooper High School graduates Tyler Willis and Amy Dickinson blazed no new trails to superlative academic success during their four years in high school.

May 5 -- Council to get "bump report' Thursday: The Abilene City Council may be in for a bumpy ride Thursday. Cooper High physics students will brief the council on its months-long survey of the worst bumps in city streets.

May 5 -- AISD board to seat new members tonight: The Abilene school board will renew itself and reorganize tonight with the addition of three elected rookies.

May 5 -- Property appraisals due, but few shocks in store: This year it will be easier than ever for Taylor County taxpayers to protest their property appraisals. The irony is fewer people will need to.

May 5 -- Man pleads guilty to arson for setting fire to his own home: A 29-year-old man who set fire to his Abilene home on Christmas Eve pleaded guilty to arson Monday.

May 5 -- Polo on the Prairie draws 1,800 supporters: ALBANY - Polo on the Prairie officials have called the 12th annual event a success.

May 5 -- Two killed, five hurt in Ballinger wreck: BALLINGER - Two members of a Coleman family were killed and five other people were injured near here Sunday night in a head-on collision allegedly involving two drunken drivers.

May 5 -- Jones County settles sexual harassment suit: Jones County has settled a federal lawsuit filed by a former jail administrator who accused the sheriff's department of sexual harassment, age discrimination and retaliation.

May 5 -- Principal, assistant sit on roof because students avoided TV: Bassetti Elementary School students raised the roof on their pledges to abstain from television, and that was enough to send their principals through the roof.

May 4 -- Local tourism industry thriving, statistics show: AUSTIN - Dyess Air Force Base, the Grace Museum and Buffalo Gap Historical Village are among the attractions that draw millions of visitors and millions of dollars to Abilene each year. In 1996, tourists spent $111 million in Taylor County, up from 1990's $91 million, statistics show.

May 4 -- Cooper teacher receives Monarch Haven Award: As a schoolteacher required to speak daily in front of his class, Gary Musgrave years ago learned to deal with butterflies in the stomach. As a biologist, he's also used to dealing with butterflies in the open.

May 4 -- Albany man killed in tractor-trailer accident: ALBANY - A 53-year-old Albany man died late Saturday night when his vehicle collided with the rear of a stopped tractor-trailer near Hamby.

May 4 -- Don't mow or pick those bluebonnets yet: Please don't pick the bluebonnets - at least, don't get greedy. It's still two months before the Texas Department of Transportation recommends mowing bluebonnets, the better to let them re-seed themselves on hillsides and in meadows, highway medians and borrow ditches where the seas of blue delight the eye every mid-spring.

May 4 -- Our Slice of Texas: Lake Brownwood gets ambulance, etc.

May 3 -- Brown, Enriquez in runoff, Alexander re-elected: The Rev. Versie Brown and Billy Enriquez will race again in a June runoff for the Abilene City Council, having separated themselves from a four-man field Saturday for the Place 5 northside seat.

May 3 -- Area voters approves bonds, oust some incumbents: Big Country voters were in a spending mood Saturday, approving bond issues in Comanche County, Stephenville and Jayton, and raising the sales tax in Gorman and Tye.

May 3 -- Christensen, Batts win Abilene ISD slots; Benham cruises to Wylie win: Lora Lynn Christensen won a tight one over Charlie Wolfe while Yvonne Batts ran away from the field in Abilene's two contested school board races Saturday.

May 3 -- Improving self-image helped turn the tide for area teens: As an eighth-grader, Monica Rodriguez of Colorado City attempted suicide.

May 3 -- Former longtime Abilene High ag teacher honored by ACU: Agricultural leader Bill Scott of Abilene was honored by Abilene Christian University in banquet ceremonies Friday night at Briarstone Manor.

May 3 -- Murder charges filed in Clyde man's mysterious death: CLYDE -- Two Clyde brothers were arrested overnight Friday and charged with murder in the mysterious shooting death of Clyde businessman Ted Saunders nearly 13 months ago.

May 3 -- New deputy sheriff is nothing to bark at: The Taylor County Sheriff's Office unleashed its newest crime-fighting weapon Friday and fortunately for taxpayers, "Deputy Dan" would rather accept food than money for a job well done.

May 2 -- Local universities look for ways to enhance academic standing: The professors were abuzz over Sarah Martin's research on linear regression -- that's something to do with math and statistics.

May 2 -- Fire officials finish preliminary investigation of Albany fire: ALBANY -- Fire officials have completed the first phase of their investigation into the fire that destroyed the school bus barn, four buses and a school car late Tuesday night, but have not indicated a cause for the fire.

May 2 -- State Supreme Court justice calls for continued judicial reform: Six years after bringing down a jurist he dubbed more politician than judge, Texas Supreme Court Justice Craig Enoch on Friday said state judicial reform must continue.

May 2 -- Area News Roundup: Voters return to polls ... Staircase work proceeding at museum ... Shooting blamed on road rage

May 1 -- School board election determines winners without run-offs: There'll be no run-off for runners-up in Saturday's Abilene school board elections, no matter how tight the finish.

May 1 -- Puckett to be honored by ACU journalism group: Abilene Reporter-News publisher Frank Puckett and seven Abilene Christian University students were inducted Thursday into the journalism and mass communication national honor society Kappa Tau Alpha.

May 1 -- After 50 years, Stevens to give final lecture today: The president of the university calls him "Mr. All-Around ACU," which is a high enough honor in itself.

May 1 -- Area News Roundup: Sexual assault at HPU under investigation ... New Mexico man in stable condition after wreck ... Flaw discovered at Coleman County jail ... Housing authority hires new director

May 1 -- City Council election fails to draw voter interest: Saturday's election might cynically be dubbed the "Seinfeld vote" -- an election about nothing.

May 1 -- Officials seek cause of bus barn fire: ALBANY -- While investigators were looking for missing gas caps and other clues to what caused the Albany school district's bus barn and five vehicles to burn late Wednesday, Superintendent John Trice was looking for a brake pedal.

May 1 -- Cooper Crest editor wins Hanks scholarship: A Cooper High senior and co-editor of the Cooper Crest won the Bernard Hanks Journalism Scholarship on Thursday.

May 1 -- Mark Lund murder suspects enter not guilty pleas: Four of the six suspects charged in connection with the murder of a 46-year-old Abilene man made appearances in court Thursday for arraignment with all entering not guilty pleas.

May 1 -- Munday chamber hands out annual awards: MUNDAY -- The Munday Chamber and Agriculture honored an ageless, unsung hero and a "tireless" worker for the city at the annual appreciation banquet Thursday.

May 1 -- Day of awareness set for debillitating disease: Sweetwater resident Tony Lara's battle began one Sunday morning in October 1986, when he awoke with a slight touch of numbness in his hands.

May 1 -- Jury finds man guilty of indecency: It took an Abilene jury less than an hour Thursday to find an area man guilty of indecency with a child for molesting his girlfriend's 12-year-old niece two years ago.

May 1 -- Robertson Unit guard indicted on bribery charges: A former Robertson Unit guard who was named Southern Correctional Line Officer of the Year in 1997 was indicted on bribery charges by a Jones County grand jury.

May 1 -- Man arrested after a short manhunt: PUTNAM -- A Tennessee man was jailed late Wednesday and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle after he abandoned the vehicle and eludedofficers on foot for 90 minutes.