By JIM NICHOLS He was a contract worker for a company that was installing new water meters throughout the city. Working in our front yard on a near 100-degree day, he used an assortment of wrenches, other tools, and impressive physical strength to remove our current meter from under the ground and replace it with a newer electronic one. He
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury He was not gigantic in physical stature, but in his no-nonsense approach to government, he stood tall, this proud Texas governor who was the first West Texan to hold the office. His name was Preston Smith, who died 18 years ago at age 91. Though he maintained a tie-always-straight appearance, the only thing keeping him
Read moreA Juneteenth celebration will be held Friday through Sunday at the Abilene Convention Center and in Stevenson Park. All events are free. Friday’s activities begin with a fish fry at 6 p.m., a DJ, and kick ball. Taste of Soul will perform from 6 to 8 p.m., followed by Basic Truth 8-9 p.m. The band, “Soulful Sounds” will be in
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Dr. Phil Christopher, senior pastor of First Baptist Church since 1995, announced his retirement Sunday, June 13, during the morning worship service. His retirement is effective Sept. 26 of this year. The following letter was posted after the service. Some things don’t change…. An article about First Baptist Abilene in the 1954 Abilene Reporter News was titled “An evangelistic, progressive, and pioneering
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON Of all the stories around the sinking of the Titanic, the co-owner of Macy’s, Isidor and Ida Straus, stands out as one of a couple’s love and commitment. It’s a scene depicted in various ways in every movie and book centered on the tragedy. On April 18, 1912, a story came out of New York, “Mr. and
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Fifth-grade violinists from Grandview Elementary School are accustomed to taking Branson, Missouri, by storm, but this year they wowed audiences despite the “double whammy” of rainstorms and a pandemic. Founder-director Vicki Nichols, who has taken the Zebra Strings to Branson for 15 consecutive years on a chartered bus, opted out last spring when COVID-19 dangers
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS I am a baseball fan. I liked playing it when I was young and have followed any major league team close to where I lived and could get on the radio. That would include the Kansas City Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, and now the Texas Rangers. There are certain lyrical
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By WES CRAWFORD The headline of a March 2021 issue of The Washington Post grabbed the attention of many American Christian leaders by reporting that church membership in the United States dipped below 50 percent for the first time in this nation’s history. To put that statistic into perspective, the number of Americans claiming membership in a church, synagogue, or
Read moreKristy McDonoughChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints On Saturday, June 5, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were busy working to help people in Hamlin whose homes were damaged by flooding. Heavy rains caused creeks to overflow and sent muddy water into citizen’s homes, ruining walls, floors, and furnishings. Over 50 church members, many with large
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Spirit Of Abilene 