A Tornado Watch is in effect until 4 AM Tuesday for the Concho Valley and Permian Basin.
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsAbilene City Council Place 5 race heads to runoff after no candidate secures majorityby Will Jensen
Texas — The race for Place 5 on the Abilene City Council is headed for a runoff
No candidate got fifty percent of the vote
RELATED | RESULTS: May 3 City and School Elections
Kyle McAlister got 2,591 votes, Miguel Espinoza got 2,237 votes and Cynthia Alvidrez received 377 votes.
That means McAlister and Espinoza will face off in a runoff set for June 7th.
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsAbilene City Council to discuss lowering speed limit near Wylie West Elementary Thursdayby Brenna Gibbons
Texas — Abilene City Council will be meeting on Thursday to discuss several items
One of the items on the agenda is holding a discussion
"Motor Vehicles and Traffic," of the Abilene Municipal code
They will be talking about making a school zone over by Wylie West Elementary and decreasing the speed limit to 20 miles per hour in that residential area
(This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)
An Abilene City Council member is headed for a runoff to hang onto his seat while another incumbent defeated his challenger
unofficial final election results from Taylor County show
Election returns are considered unofficial until canvassed
A $20 million bond measure to improve Abilene Regional Airport won enough voters to pass — 52.16%
Place 5 incumbent Kyle McAlister snagged nearly 50% of the vote but not quite at 49.78%
He is expected to face off with Miguel Espinoza
who was second in line for votes with 42.98% in the three-way race
A candidate must garner 50% of the vote plus one vote to win
Cynthia Alvidrez carved out 7.24% of the vote in the race
Place 6 incumbent Travis Craver's 64.2% beat challenger Tammy Fogle's 35.88% in Saturday's election
allowing him to hang onto his seat for another term
Check back with www.reporternews.com for updated election results
Here are the unofficial early voting results for City Council candidates:
Here are the early voting results for the airport bond measure:
About the airport bond measureAbilene officials estimate the bond issue approved by voters Saturday
will bring a hike to tax bills of about $13.43 for every $100 of assessed value
The $20 million bond issue is to help pay for a terminal expansion, including a larger boarding area with seating increased from 60 to 200, new restrooms and other amenities, as well as modernized security, fire suppression, HVAC and other systems, according to iflyabi.com/abinext
Federal grants up to $50 million will also help pay for the capital improvement project
Abilene man indicted after alleged street-racing fatality
WASP museum marks 20th anniversary in Sweetwater with reunion, fly-in and Fifi
Trish Choate is the executive editor for the Abilene Reporter-News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Wichita Falls Times Record News. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here
In a weekend defined by timely power, gritty pitching, and a flair for the dramatic, Indiana Baseball put together one of its most complete series performances of the season, sweeping Abilene Christian on the road.
The Hoosiers claimed wins of 8–4, 14–5, and 7–6 across three days in Texas, showcasing depth up and down the lineup while leaning on both veterans and emerging freshmen to get the job done.
The series opened with a milestone victory for head coach Jeff Mercer, who notched his 200th win at the helm of the program Friday night. It closed with a comeback thriller on Sunday afternoon, headlined by sophomore catcher T.J. Schuyler’s late-game heroics. In between, Indiana’s offense exploded for 14 runs in Saturday’s rout, with the top of the order combining for 16 hits in a statement performance.
The sweep marks Indiana’s third of the season and gives the Hoosiers momentum heading into finals week and a key rivalry series against Purdue at home next weekend.
On a warm Friday night in West Texas, Indiana took care of business early and never let up, powering its way to an 8–4 victory over Abilene Christian.
With the win, Mercer notched his 200th career victory at the helm of the Hoosiers, becoming just the fourth coach in program history to reach the milestone.
The Hoosiers came out swinging, plating four of their eight runs with two outs and showcasing the kind of offensive balance that’s become a staple under Mercer.
Redshirt senior Jake Stadler and freshman Hogan Denny each launched two-run home runs, while fellow freshman Jake Hanley came through with a clutch two-out, two-run double to break things open.
All told, seven different Hoosiers recorded a hit, and IU capitalized on eight free passes from the Wildcats’ pitching staff.
On the mound, senior lefty Ryan Kraft delivered his best outing of the season, tossing six innings with seven strikeouts — tying his career high — while allowing just a pair of runs on two swings.
Kraft, who didn’t walk a single batter, also moved into the program’s top 20 in career strikeouts. Graduate right-hander Cole Gilley was equally efficient, recording a three-inning save with four strikeouts and just one hit allowed.
Indiana’s offense left no doubt on Saturday afternoon, pounding out 17 hits and running wild on the basepaths in a dominant 14–5 win over Abilene Christian. The victory clinched the series for the Hoosiers.
From the jump, Indiana’s top six hitters went to work, combining to go 16-for-30 at the plate with 11 RBIs. Four different Hoosiers — Will Moore, Devin Taylor, Hogan Denny, and Korbyn Dickerson — turned in three-hit performances, marking the first time since early March that IU had four players notch three hits in a game.
The bats wasted no time, posting a two-run first inning and blowing things wide open with a seven-run outburst in the fifth.
That fifth inning featured back-to-back home runs from Dickerson and freshman Jake Hanley, whose power surge continues to be a major storyline late in the season.
Dickerson’s homer was part of a four-RBI day that pushed him to 70 RBIs on the year — making him just the sixth Hoosier to reach that mark and the first since Alex Dickerson in 2010. With 18 home runs and 70 hits now on the season, the redshirt sophomore is writing his own chapter in the Indiana record books.
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Despite some defensive miscues that extended his outing
right-hander Ben Grable battled through 4.2 innings and allowed just three earned runs
He handed things off to lefty Grant Holderfield
who locked down the final 13 outs to earn the save
the Indiana staff racked up 11 strikeouts while walking just three
The sophomore catcher came through in the biggest moments of the series finale
powering Indiana to a gritty 7–6 win over Abilene Christian
With the Hoosiers trailing multiple times throughout the afternoon
it was Schuyler who sparked the comeback—and finished it
His two-run homer in the sixth inning cut into a three-run deficit
and his ninth-inning RBI single proved to be the game-winner as IU completed its first road sweep of the season
Schuyler was the only Hoosier with a multi-hit game
but his contributions went far beyond the batter’s box
guided five different pitchers through nine tense innings
and turned in one of his most complete performances of the year
In a weekend dominated by offense and firepower
Sunday was about grit — and Schuyler set the tone on both sides of the ball
Joey Brenczewski added to the drama in the seventh inning
three-run bomb into right field to give Indiana its first lead of the day
who also hit a pinch-hit three-run shot back in February against UNLV
The long ball helped Indiana overcome a 5–3 deficit and flipped the momentum in a game that had swung back and forth all afternoon
but sophomore Jackson Yarberry steadied the ship in crunch time
After issuing a bases-loaded walk in the eighth
Yarberry dug deep and retired the heart of Abilene Christian’s order to escape the jam
He followed that up with a flawless ninth inning to earn his first win in an IU uniform
The Hoosiers trailed or were tied in the sixth
and ninth innings — but found a way to win
It marks the Hoosiers’ third series sweep of 2024
joining earlier clean slates against Ohio State and Michigan State
Indiana now gets a break during finals week before hosting rival Purdue next weekend at Bart Kaufman Field
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Freshman infielder Hogan Denny, having just connected on an RBI single, stepped up and blasted a two-run home run over the wall in right field, putting Indiana baseball up 4-1 in the top of the third inning.
Denny’s play was a major factor in the Hoosiers’ win over Abilene Christian on Saturday at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark in the second game of the teams’ three-game weekend set.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Korbyn Dickerson put Indiana’s first run on the board in the top of the first inning, when he hit an RBI single into right-center field.
Denny then hit an RBI single to put the Hoosiers up 2-0. Following Wildcats’ junior infielder Nick Arias’s RBI that cut Indiana’s lead in half in the bottom of the second inning, Denny launched the two-run homer to bump the Hoosiers’ lead up to three runs.
Dickerson hit a home run of his own in the top of the fifth inning, bringing in three of his four RBIs on the day.
Freshman infielder Jake Hanley launched a home run into right field later in the frame, and Indiana found itself with an 11-2 lead.
Abilene Christian didn’t put much of a dent in the Hoosiers’ advantage, and Dickerson finished off the scoring by bringing in another run via a wild pitch. The score put the final touches on a 14-5 victory for Indiana.
Denny had another strong performance, going 3 for 4 with the home run, three RBIs and two runs.
Dickerson added to his outstanding season with three hits, three runs and led the Hoosiers with four RBIs.
Indiana will look to secure the series sweep when they face the Wildcats again at 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark.
The Daily Rundown is published Monday through Friday and gives you a quick look at the day's top stories.
Friday's weekly recap will let you catch up on the most important and most popular stories of the week.
Find out what the IDS is saying about IU basketball. The Monday edition, distributed during the IU basketball season, includes links to articles, columns, podcasts and more.
Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall.
Taylor County sees quiet election day with just 8% of voters casting ballotsby Tori Garcia
Only about 8% of registered voters participated in the 2025 Joint City and School General and Special Elections
Out of more than 73,000 registered voters in Taylor County, just under 6,000 showed up for the local election this weekend.
That’s a turnout rate of only about 8%, a quiet showing for races that shape the local city and school policies.
“I don’t think people take local elections as seriously as they do presidential elections," said Sadie Spitzer, an Abilene resident.
For some voters, the issue wasn’t lack of interest , it was a lack of time or awareness.
“I don’t even know what was on the ballots or anything, so like I said, I’m pretty busy," said Allen Everson, an Abilene resident. "I guess more advertisement, because I didn’t really know anything about it."
Abilene residents said better outreach might help, but ultimately, Spitzer said voters have to want to show up.
“I don’t know what the answer to that is because you can’t offer prizes or anything," Spitzer said. "They have just want to have some control of how the election turns out.”
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsVolunteers at B.O.B.S. offer meals and hope to Abilene's homeless and underprivilegedby Tori Garcia
Texas — Before most of Abilene even wakes up
folks are already lining up outside Breakfast on Beech Street
The organization helps both families and individuals—working poor
“A lot of people know the homeless crowd in Abilene is pretty significant
and that’s just one thing we can do to help them survive on a daily basis," said Joe Hawkins
Five local churches work together to keep B.O.B.S
“We all try to come here and sit down with them and talk to them and just hear their life stories and stuff like that
"Some of them have some really interesting stories
they serve more than 1,400 breakfasts and hand out over 2,000 sandwiches
because we’re so consistent everyday," Hawkins said
Got some great people on the board that look after everything
You can already make an early donation to the B.O.B.S or other non-profits using this link. The Abilene Gives event is on May 6th from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is powered by the Community Foundation of Abilene and its donors.
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsAbilene United Supermarkets donate 4,800 pounds of applesby Shelby Byrd
ABILENE, Texas — United Supermarkets and Market Street are donating almost 5,000 pounds of apples to the Food Bank of West Central Texas this week.
Across Texas and New Mexico, United stores will donate more than 50,000 pounds of apples to various food banks.
The donations are through the Take a Bite Out of Hunger program, which aims to help feed underserved communities.
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsAbilene Zoo's bison herd grows with birth of healthy calfby Felicity Neptune
Texas — The Abilene Zoo added a female bison calf to its herd
RELATED | American bison return to Abilene Zoo after 14-year absence
and already exploring the habitat," the zoo announced
A name for the calf has not been announced but visitors can already see her on exhibit
by Brenna Gibbons
ABILENE, Texas — The Grace Museum is opening the Spark Science Center within Abilene Heritage Square
RELATED | Abilene Heritage Square nears completion, transforming into multipurpose complex
This will be a place for people to view interactive exhibits that have a STEAM focus
"It’s an interactive center that will cover all sciences including engineering
both indoors and outdoors," Director of Spark Science Center for the Grace Museum
The Science Center will be focused around science
"We are really hoping to bring the sciences to families
to really people of all ages to explore," Hammack said
"Just to kind of bring that curiosity alive."
Hammack told us that she has a lot of hope for what people will take from the science center once it is open
that they’ll support the interactives that we will have here," she said
"And just have a hands-on experience with science."
Hammack told us that the community has already helped out so much with building this center
"This project is so community based," she said
"Many people already has given their time
The Spark Science Center at Abilene Heritage Square will be participating in Abilene Gives on Tuesday
The Grace Museum's Spark Science Center is anticipated to open in April of next year at the Abilene Heritage Square.
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsAbilene police investigate deadly crash on I-20 involving 70-year-old man from California by Felicity Neptune
A 70-year-old man from California died in a fiery crash in Abilene over the weekend
Texas — A 70-year-old man from California died in a fiery crash in Abilene over the weekend
Police said he was driving a Nissan Kicks and headed east on I-20 near mile marker 292 when he left the roadway and hit a tree before catching on fire
Multiple people witnesses the crash and managed to pull him out of the vehicle and attempt to save him
Abilene Fire Department crews also attempted life-saving measures
The developer of the first Stargate data center in Abilene
could get an 85% tax break on billions of dollars worth of property
according to a new tax abatement agreement obtained by Business Insider through a public records request
which is widely assumed to be Stargate's first site
Crusoe has registered two more data center buildings with a state agency on the site
No tenant is listed for one of those buildings; Oracle is listed as the tenant for the other
Crusoe has agreed to build six new data centers
each with a minimum square footage of 100,000
These will join the two it is already constructing for Oracle
A local news outlet first reported the abatement after the Abilene City Council approved it in February
naming the site's landowner Lancium as the tax break recipient
The abatement requires Crusoe and Lancium to create 357 new full-time jobs with minimum salaries of $57,600
The does not specify what kind of jobs need to be created
though the hiring timeframe indicates that construction jobs will likely count toward the quota
Critics of tax abatements for data centers have said that they don't create enough jobs to justify the tax breaks
Proponents like to point out that the sites can employ thousands of skilled laborers during the construction period
Property tax abatements are common financial incentives used by local governments to encourage companies to operate in their cities and towns
Specific property tax breaks for data centers vary widely depending on locality
home to the world's largest concentration of data centers
does not abate property taxes for data centers
data centers have been granted 100% property tax abatements
Oracle executive chairman and CTO Larry Ellison has said the first Stargate data center is in Abilene
though scant details have emerged about the massive AI infrastructure initiative since Trump's announcement
In February, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar wrote in a LinkedIn post that the company was evaluating additional locations in Texas
Crusoe entered into a $3.4 billion joint venture with private credit company Blue Owl
JP Morgan has lent $2.3 billion in construction financing to the project
and the Development Corporation of Abilene did not respond to requests for comment from BI
by Tori Garcia
Texas — Many people in Abilene are concerned with the timeliness of CityLink and the paratransit service
the city said they’re aware of the concerns are not ignoring the problem
A recent network disruption from a cyber incident put a spotlight on the challenges already facing Abilene’s Citylink system
which helps residents with disabilities get around town
“Our paratransit service is what was really impacted because we have a reservation system that staff has to get into and see where the reservations are," said Don Green
"We weren’t able to do that on Saturday.”
the CityLink team worked from home and used personal laptops and wi-fi to get the system back online
But technical issues aren’t the only problem
the city said the paratransit side is running with just three drivers
And while fixed-route buses remain more stable
“We’re asking for patience as we try to work through the challenges of a network disruption first and foremost
with not having enough drivers to serve all of our clients," Green said
"It's something we are very aware of and trying to work through
we’re trying to get new drivers and train new drivers
but we are getting difficulty with people to apply.”
Green said he has been working with the management company that runs CityLink for months to explore ways to improve the situation
“We’re looking at if we’re competitive with our wages for the drivers themselves," Green said
"We have commercial drivers and we have those that are not CDL
so we’re looking at the pay for both those positions--how we work that
and how do we budget that because it will cause an increase to our operation:
If you’re interested in applying to become a CityLink or paratransit van driver, visit the city of Abilene's website.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 10 AM Tuesday for most of our area.
Game Recap: Baseball | 5/4/2025 4:45:00 PM | Valerie Rudd
TX—The ACU Wildcats battled hard but ultimately dropped game three to Indiana with a final score of 7-6 this afternoon at Bullock Brothers Ballpark
The non-conference matchup was a back-and-forth affair
with both teams trading runs throughout the contest
The Wildcats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning
The Wildcats answered right back in the bottom of the sixth
scoring two runs and keeping the Hoosiers behind 5-3
The Hoosiers tied the game in the top of the seventh with three runs. ACU added back a run in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded, Benjamin Greer lured a walk to score Holden Rook
The Wildcats were unable to fend off the Hoosiers
Offensively, Abilene Christian and Indiana both tallied eight hits apiece. Zandt Payne led the Wildcats with three hits and two RBIs
Schuyler contributed two hits and two RBIs for Indiana
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Game Recap: Baseball | 5/3/2025 8:10:00 PM | Valerie Rudd
ABILENE – The Wildcats dropped game two of their weekend series against Indiana on Saturday afternoon at Bullock Brothers Ballpark
as the Hoosiers used a series of big innings to secure a 14-5 win and even the three-game set
The Wildcats saw early trouble from Indiana
Despite a mid-game spark from the ACU offense
Indiana's 17-hit performance proved too much to overcome
ACU put up a three-run rally in the fifth to close the gap to 11-5
but the Hoosiers responded with insurance runs in the following two frames
Game three of the series is set for Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m
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Game Recap: Softball | 5/3/2025 3:28:00 PM | Evan Nemec
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Match Recap: Men's Tennis | 5/3/2025 12:43:00 AM | Luke White
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Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsCyber attacks are not just happening in Abilene but across Texasby Jackson Burlison
The City of Abilene suffered a cyber attack a few weeks ago
The attack affected many aspects of communication
but this is not the only city in Texas to have experienced this
This affected many aspects of communication
but this is not the only city in Texas that has experienced this
Mindy Patterson
When the attack occurred, the city cited Texas Government Code Section 552.2325
which states that the Public Information Act may be suspended for governmental bodies impacted by the catastrophe
The city took precautionary measures to ensure nothing else happened after the initial attack
"It is still an ongoing investigation
What I will tell you is that the entire city of Abilene IT was completely shutdown the IT did a great job of shutting everything down but
we shut everything down and we are slowly bringing all of those back up
but we are getting everything back up as part of that
It is still an ongoing investigation."
People may wonder how long it will take to resume normal operations
the city still has a few hurdles regarding its day-to-day operations
You saw our printers and copiers out in the hall
Computers are slowly getting added back to some departments' transit
which is doubled because we don’t have drivers
The investigation into the motive of the attack is still ongoing
investigating to determine how and why this happened
Even though all the systems are slow for the moment
there are still positives to take from this
if there is a beauty to it with a cyber incident
you have all new things to be able to block it
basically we will have a brand new computer system as part of this."
they are not online-friendly at the moment
8at4Abilene Christian
200 as Indiana Head Coach5/2/2025 11:00:00 PM | Baseball
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Baseball Central: Abilene Christian5/1/2025 11:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game Recap: Baseball | 5/2/2025 9:58:00 PM | Valerie Rudd
ABILENE — ACU came up short in Friday night action at Bullock Brothers Ballpark
falling 8–4 to the visiting Indiana Hoosiers
battled throughout the night but couldn't overcome a big sixth inning from the Hoosiers
swiping their 100th stolen base of the season — a mark that highlights the program's aggressive baserunning all year long
Zandt Payne continued his impressive stretch at the plate
including a steal of second base in the first inning — the program's 100th of the year
Payne advanced to third on a throwing error
but ACU could not capitalize in the opening frame
ACU returns to the diamond Saturday looking to even the series in game two against Indiana
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Texas — The City of Abilene is gearing up for the 10th annual Cinco de Mayo parade on Monday
They say it'll be a great opportunity to celebrate culture
Editor's note: This story contains information about a possible suicide
If you or anyone you know could be struggling with suicidal thoughts
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night or chat online; The Veterans Crisis Line and Military Crisis Line
press 1; or the Crisis Text Line provides free confidential support 24 hours a day
seven days a week via text message to people in crisis when they text "HELLO" to 741741
Abilene police are investigating the death of a 39-year-old woman who was struck Tuesday morning by a westbound train in the 3300 block of North First Street
Police identified Nicole Moncrief of Abilene as the victim later Tuesday
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation
Preliminary information indicates she got out of her vehicle and approached the tracks when she was struck by an oncoming train
She was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision
"At about 10:30 (a.m.) we had a call of somebody that got hit by a train," said Rick Tomlin
public information coordinator for the Abilene Police Department
A white compact SUV parked in the small lot belonging to a business located beside the tracks at the nearby Willis Street intersection was reported to have been driven by the woman
the westbound train was still stopped on the tracks but was cleared by 1 p.m
The Willis Street and Pioneer Drive crossings were both blocked
but drivers were able to still cross at Shelton Street
The Leggett Drive crossing remains closed due to construction
Tomlin said this was the third train fatality in the last two months
Having three in such a short period of time is very concerning," he said
of Levelland was killed April 15 while walking along train tracks in Abilene
Police believe he was unaware of the train's approach because he was wearing headphones
an unidentified man was found dead near the tracks
Investigators believe he had been struck by a train as well
The tracks physically divide the city in half
separating the two central traffic arteries of North First and South First streets
"Authorities remind the public to stay vigilant and avoid walking along train tracks for safety reasons," police said in a media release earlier in April
"Walking on the train tracks is prohibited and dangerous."
More: Police: He was wearing headphones before train's approach
More: UPDATED: City cites cyberattack in catastrophe notice
Game Recap: Softball | 4/29/2025 6:55:00 PM | Evan Nemec
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Texas — An Abilene woman has been identified after being hit and killed by a train
Abilene police said 39-year-old Nicole Moncrief was pronounced dead at the scene
RELATED | Abilene Police investigating death of man found near train tracks
It happened near North 1st and Willis Streets at about 10:30 a.m
This is the third deadly incident involving a train in about a month
RELATED | Police identify Levelland man killed by train in Abilene accident Tuesday afternoon
Police said this incident is still under investigation
Game Recap: Softball | 5/2/2025 6:50:00 PM | Braden Dohrmann
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the city of Abilene tapped into a measure allowing it to suspend its requirement to provide public information under state law
And federal authorities are investigating the cyber attack on city government — an attack discovered April 18
The city is cooperating with federal authorities and still responding to the ongoing incident
The city of Abilene filed a catastrophe notice dated April 22 to suspend Public Information Act requirements for the local government
according to a Texas Attorney General's Office database
A government body dealing with a catastrophe — fire, flood, tornado, epidemic, power failure, interruption of communication facilities, a riot, an enemy attack and other such situations — can file the notice to temporarily suspend the requirements for the law that allows citizens access to government records, according to state law
The catastrophe notice submitted to the AG covers April 22 through Monday
Abilene City Attorney Stanley Smith is listed as the contact
State law allows a governmental entity to extend the initial suspension period — which is seven days in a row — if the entity determines the catastrophe is still impacting it
Only one extension of seven days in a row is allowed for the same catastrophe
city officials said they look forward to communicating more information about the cyber incident when they are able to do so
All city departments are operating and providing services to the public
city officials said in a release dated Friday and modified Monday
"We understand there may be delays in reaching some personnel
and we appreciate the community’s patience as we work to respond as soon as possible," city officials said
A city official declined to respond to emailed questions from the Reporter-News on Monday
including whether the incident is a cyber attack and what actions the city has taken to restore services and secure information
"Unfortunately we are still unable to comment beyond what is posted on our website," Mari Cockrell
city of Abilene communications and marketing director
Check back with www.reporternews.com for more on this developing story
City officials said they are providing updates on the city website at abilenetx.gov:
What we know about the cyber attackOn April 18
the city received reports of unresponsive services in its internal network and immediately began carrying out an incident response plan
city officials said in an April 21 media release
and the city's IT Department worked around the clock
"Anyone who has experienced a cyber incident knows it is a time-intensive process," officials said in the media release
we will learn more about the scope of the incident and will communicate additional details as our investigation progresses."
More: Abilene Christian University named Military Friendly School
More: Thousands turn out to see 'tutu hip' goat at HSU Western Heritage Day
Trish Choate is the executive editor for the Abilene Reporter-News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Wichita Falls Times Record News. Contact Trish with news tips and information at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here
The city of Abilene Environmental Health Division regularly monitors restaurants and food establishments for compliance with state food safety requirements
Frequent inspections are essential in preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses through contamination and improper handling
mobile food units and school and daycare establishments inspected the week of April 7-13 are listed below
an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in its most recent inspection
An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall
follow-up inspections may not be included here
Last week's inspections: Mystery foods and greasy vents: Abilene's weekly restaurant inspections
Inspection Comments: "The Commissary and the Life of Pie Bistro are combined from now on."
To report a food establishment that is not following safe food-handling practices, call Environmental Health at 325-437-4590 to initiate a complaint
Be prepared to provide specific details about the name and address of the facility
the date and time the unsafe practice was observed and the exact practice in question
Military Family of the Year named at 60th annual World's Largest BBQ
DPS: First a street race, then a deadly highway crash
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The Texas "born and breaded" chicken franchise is aiming to complete it's state expansion with locations in these five West Texas cities
and a group of partners purchased the company with the hope of franchising it across Texas and the U.S
Reed and COO Samir Wattar want to close out the Lone Star State by adding locations in West Texas
"We have most of the state of Texas sold right now
"We're trying to build a brand that has been around for over 30 years now
Layne's Chicken has these West Texas cities circled:
but we've got to find the right partner," Reed said
"We've got to find somebody that believes in the brand and is local to those communities."
Franchising opportunity: Midwest pizza franchise wants to come to rural Texas. Here's why, how to get involved
Reed described that chicken restaurants need to be broken down into different categories
Layne's Chicken falls under the chicken tender category
so it's extremely high quality and we have extremely high marination standards," Reed said
"We also don't put food under heat lamps or anything like that
We cook our food to order and we serve it extremely fast."
Amarillo: Layne’s Chicken Tenders looking for Amarillo spot and local owner to roost
Layne's also offers sauces made by hand in the restaurant every day
Anybody that's a Cane's fan usually falls in love with us so quickly."
Layne's menu includes wraps and sandwiches
This sandwich was previously on the secret menu
"That is what I always order when I go there."
Featured artist: Lubbock artist shares how she pairs Ecuador, Puerto Rico animals with heritage
Potential Layne's Chicken franchisees need to have experience running restaurants
a good work ethic and wants to grow the Layne's Chicken brand
A franchisee will receive help every step of the way
from choosing a location to training and post-opening
"We believe in supporting our franchisees," Reed said
"They can expect an inordinate amount of support
they can expect to serve good food and be part of an iconic Texas brand
People can begin the process at layneschickenfranchising.com
Alana Edgin writes about business for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Contact her via email at aedgin@lubbockonline.com
Texas — An Abilene man charged with murder has been indicted
Abilene police said Antonio Pena gave fentanyl to Michael Henderson who later died after taking the drug
RELATED | Abilene man charged with murder after fentanyl death
In January of last year, a Taylor County Constable was serving an eviction notice when she found Henderson's body.
An autopsy showed Henderson died from meth and fentanyl toxicity.
Scattered thundershowers will bring locally heavy rainfall. Flood Watch areas north of I-20 into Tuesday.
Local ForecastSend KTXS Weather PicsCity of Abilene suffers cyber attackby KTXS Staff
Texas — A weekend cyber attack on City of Abilene computer servers take some online services offline
officials received reports of unresponsive servers within city internal networks
The city says after disconnecting affected and critical assets an investigation was launched to determine the nature and scope of the attack
Emergency services are up and running and no unidentified financial activity has been found
The city says no past due accounts will be shut off and payments can still be made by cash and check in person
The city says the investigation is ongoing
Texas — An Abilene man has been indicted for allegedly causing the death of another man
and Braydon Shockley were racing motorcycles down Pine Street last year at speeds well in excess of other traffic
RELATED | One person dead, two injured after three-motorcycle crash in Abilene
Police said Winfield and Shockley were comparing the speeds and power of their motorcycles when they crashed
Officials said Shockley left the road and crashed into a street sign causing his death
Winfield was arrested in January and charged with Racing on Highway Causing Death
Texas — Abilene Christian University has been recognized as a Military Friendly School for the 2025-26 academic year
This prestigious designation will be featured in the May and October issues of G.I
The Military Friendly School designation is awarded by Viqtory
The company connects the military community with employment
RELATED | Abilene Christian University hosts annual Undergraduate Research Festival
The selection process involves a comprehensive evaluation of institutions based on their performance in several categories
These criteria are assessed for all students
with a particular focus on student veterans
vice president of enrollment and student life at Abilene Christian University
emphasized the institution's commitment to supporting all students
particularly those who have served in the military
"Creating a supportive learning environment for all students is important to us
and that means honoring the men and women who have sacrificed to serve our country," said Long
"We want each student to find academic resources
advising and support to fit their unique needs and background."
The Military Friendly Schools list is compiled annually through extensive research using public data from over 8,800 schools nationwide
It also incorporates input from student veterans and responses to a proprietary survey from participating institutions
and weighting are developed with the help of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers
RELATED | ACU adds three new members to its Board of Trustees
national director of military partnerships for Military Friendly
highlighted the importance of the designation process
"Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process," said Lopez
"Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community
This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently."
ACU will officially begin the 2025-2026 school year with their new designation August 26
Reporters and photographers from USA TODAY Network Texas newsrooms are joining together to cover this week's UIL State Track & Field Meet
focusing on the more than 600 athletes from the Abilene
San Angelo and Wichita Falls areas who qualified for the this week
Classes 3A and 4A are scheduled for Thursday with Classes 5A
2A and wheelchair competitions slated for Friday
The meet wraps up Saturday with Class 6A and Class 1A
Below you will find the time and event (and state seed in parentheses) of each athlete from schools located in the USA TODAY Network Texas coverage areas
More: How to watch the 2025 UIL State Track & Field Meet
Follow these X accounts for updates on all of these athletes over the next few days
Jonathan Hull: @Hull_TRNNaomi Skinner: @Naomi_TRNAngela Piazza: @angelalpiazzaQuinton Martinez: @qmartinezRandall Sweet: @RandallSweet5Stephen Garcia: @byStephenGarciaBret Bloomquist: @Bretbloomquist
Thursday: 3,200 meter runs & Field Events9 a.m
3A Girls 400 Relay – Wall (8); Jim Ned (9)
3A Boys 400 Relay – Wall (7); Comanche (8)
4A Boys 400 Relay – Randall (4); Estacado (8)
3A Girls 800 Relay – Holliday (1); Shallowater (6); Orange Grove (9)
4A Boys 800 Relay – Dumas (7); Stephenville (9)
3A Girls 1,600 Relay – Holliday (1); Wall (3); Shallowater (5)
3A Boys 1,600 Relay – Wall (1); Holliday (6); Vernon (8)
4A Girls 1,600 Relay – Canyon (1); Brownwood (5)
4A Boys 1,600 Relay – Dumas (4); Canyon (5)
Friday: 3,200-meter run & Field Events9 a.m
2A Girls 400 Relay – Panhandle (1); New Home (4); Bangs (6); Cisco (9)
2A Boys 400 Relay – Reagan County (1); Ropes (5); Refugio (6)
Girls Wheelchair 100 Meters – Lillian Fought
2A Girls 800 Relay – Refugio (1); Panhandle (3); New Home (6); Cisco (8); Bangs (9)
2A Boys 800 Relay – Reagan County (1); Wellington (2)
5A Girls 800 Relay – Chapin (7); Amarillo (9)
Girls Wheelchair 400 Meters – Lillian Fought
Boys Wheelchair 400 Meters – Kohen Grantom
2A Girls 1,600 Relay – Panhandle (1); Cisco (3); Refugio (8)
2A Boys 1,600 Relay – Hawley (1); Wellington (4); Mason (5); Junction (7); Panhandle (9)
1A Girls 3,200 meters – Isabella Billingsley
6A Boys 3,200 meters – Aidan (Danny) Torres
1A Girls 400 Relay – Gordon (1); Water Valley (2); Klondike (3); Rotan (4); Kress (5); Cross Plains (6); Saint Jo (9)
1A Boys 400 Relay – Strawn (1); Jayton (2); Iredell (3); Klondike (5); Hamlin (6); Valley (8)
1A Girls 800 Meters – Isabella Billingsley
1A Girls 800 Relay – Water Valley (1); Eula (2); Klondike (3); Gordon (4); Borden Co
1A Boys 800 Relay – Gordon (1); Jayton (2); Klondike (3); Richland Springs (4); Cross Plains (7); Saint Jo (8); Spur (9)
1A Girls 1,600 Meters – Isabella Billingsley
6A Boys 1,600 Meters – Aidan (Danny) Torres
1A Girls 1,600 Relay – Gordon (1); Eula (2); Klondike (3); Jayton (4); Borden Co
1A Boys 1,600 Relay – Gordon (1); Jayton (2); Cross Plains (3); Booker (4); Motley Co