Back to School Fair is Aug. 7 The Dickinson County Back to School Fair will be from 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Abilene Community Center, 1020 N.W. Eighth. This is the sixth year for the information fair and school supply giveaway. Families can free school supplies and ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:15:43 GMT Wylie 'thrilled' with top rating from TEA ... only the second year for the overall score to be "exemplary." The school district of about 3,200 students in south Abilene doesn't have to meet quite as many academic indicators as large school districts such as Abilene ISD. For instance, certain ... Publ.Date : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:00:00 GMT Burns' open letter about AISD rating Abilene Independent School District Superintendent Heath Burns has released the following letter: Dear parents, colleagues, and community partners: This is a critical time in the history and progress of Abilene ISD. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:50:46 GMT Minister's family calls him 'great example' ... aired into the 21st century. Family members of Dr. Elbert G. Peak were hard put to tell stories about the longtime Abilene minister, who died Sunday. "There's too many to be recounted," said Kory Robinson, Peak's oldest grandson. But he did recall ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:31:15 GMT Police and fire blotter 7/30/2010 ... to exceed $250,000 because the aggregate weight was more than 400 grams. Incident reports released Thursday by the Abilene Police Department: n Burglary, 1200 block of Plum Street, Tuesday Known suspect took several items from a home being remodeled ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:12:23 GMT Officially unacceptable: AISD to appeal 2010 rating Even in the final moments before academic ratings became official Thursday, Abilene Independent School District Superintendent Heath Burns said he was working to convince top state education officials that Abilene ISD is not "academically unacceptable." Despite his attempts, the official "unacceptable" rating stands. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:59:06 GMT AISD completion rate breakdown ... ust have a 75 percent completion rate. All students 86.3 Black 86.7 Hispanic 74.1 White 92.3 Low-income 81.4 Source: Abilene ISD AISD gets official 'unacceptable' rating, will appeal Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:04:07 GMT Venue board debates funding After much discussion and debate, the board of the Abilene-Taylor County Events Venue District passed its agenda items, but indicated a desire for changes to the board and in how its funds are distributed. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:03:17 GMT Last day to sign up for 'Idol' tryout Warm up your vocal cords, and you might want to do it quickly. Today is the last day to sign up to audition for the regional competition of "American Idol." Local Fox affiliate KXVA is the host of KXVA Big Country Idol on Saturday afternoon at the Mall of Abilene, giving Abilene area folks the opportunity to move to the front of the line for the ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:01:37 GMT Pooches try to run circles around city workers The selected dogs at the Abilene Animal Shelter didn't care very much for the action they were put through Thursday morning. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:02:32 GMT Abilene Police replacing pepper-spray cans The Abilene Police Department, which recently purchased 53 Tasers, is replacing some of its pepper spray to ensure there are no repeats of a June episode of the popular TV show "Mythbusters." In the show titled "Fireball Stun Gun MiniMyth," a dummy labeled "Perp" is doused with pepper spray and shot in the torso with a Taser-like stun gun on the ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:08:02 GMT Local Church Notes ... AND FRIENDS DAY King Solomon Baptist Church, 1050 Minda St., will host a Family and Friends Day at 3 p.m. Sunday. ABILENE TORAH GROUP International author and lecturer Avi ben Mordechai of the Millennium 7000 Ministries will speak from 7 to 9 p.m. ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:07:31 GMT Area Church Notes ... will be free, but an offering will be taken. Send news of your religious organization or group to Religion Editor, Abilene Reporter-News, P.O. Box 30, Abilene, 79604; fax it to 670-5242; or e-mail it to woodwardj@reporternews.com Deadline is noon ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:06:22 GMT McMurry's Grant gets taste of NFL camp ... these guys and work with them is a privilege and an honor." Grant also has served as defensive coordinator for the Abilene Ruff Riders arena football team. McMurry head coach Hal Mumme said he expects the experience to be a positive one for Grant. ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:05:51 GMT Man gets 8 years in robbery of 82-year old Robert Boots Jones, 20, of Abilene was sentenced to eight years in prison for aggravated robbery after his trial ended Thursday in 104th District Court. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:01:44 GMT Alan Miner Alan Miner is a 16-year resident of Ruidoso. Born and raised in Carlsbad, he at-tended school at McMurry College in Abilene, Texas, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts specializing in ceramics under Georgia Holland. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:44:50 GMT Back to School Fair is Aug. 7 The Dickinson County Back to School Fair will be from 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Abilene Community Center, 1020 N.W. Eighth. This is the sixth year for the information fair and school supply giveaway. Families can free school supplies and ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:10:05 GMT Calendar of Events 7/30/2010 ... Center, Tom Roberts Conference Center. n Blood drive, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., H-E-B, 1345 Barrow St. n Rotary Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. 325-675-8555. Horse show The 2010 Texas State 4-H Horse Show continues at ... Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:18:28 GMT Around the Big Country Auditions: Auditions for the country gospel musical "Smoke on the Mountain" will be held at 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday at Abilene Community Theatre at 801 S. Mockingbird Blvd. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:17:07 GMT AISD gets official 'unacceptable' rating The Abilene Independent School District has officially received an "academically unacceptable" rating from the Texas Education Agency due to poor completion rates for the 2010-2011 school year. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:17:03 GMT