Feed:Big Country News http://www.ktxs.com/-/14769454/15277710/-/fj6yf0/-/index.html KTXS recent articles. en-US © 2012 KTXS. Home Home en-US © 2012 KTXS. Ranger Hill accident halts I-20 traffic for hours http://www.ktxs.com/news/ranger-hill-accident-halts-i20-traffic-for-hours/-/14769632/20300510/-/c5p22v/-/index.html An accident on Ranger Hill backed up both east and west bound traffic on Interstate 20 Friday night. Sat, 25 May 2013 03:46:00 GMT 20300510 2013-05-25T03:46:00Z National Weather Service confirms tornado hit Rotan http://www.ktxs.com/news/national-weather-service-confirms-tornado-hit-rotan/-/14769632/20297626/-/ya4oll/-/index.html Thursday's severe weather produced an EF 0 tornado in Rotan. Sat, 25 May 2013 01:16:28 GMT 20297626 2013-05-25T01:16:28Z Big Country educators disappointed about CSCOPE lessons ending for Texas Schools http://www.ktxs.com/news/big-country-educators-disappointed-about-cscope-lessons-ending-for-texas-schools/-/14769632/20298670/-/7rambg/-/index.html School districts were dealt a blow from Texas lawmakers. Sat, 25 May 2013 01:15:24 GMT 20298670 2013-05-25T01:15:24Z Storms with high winds, hail rake the Big Country http://www.ktxs.com/news/storms-with-high-winds-and-hail-rake-the-big-country/-/14769632/20284904/-/wli78a/-/index.html Storms Thursday afternoon and evening brought  high winds that ripped off roofs, downed trees and power lines, and flooded parts of the Big Country. Fri, 24 May 2013 19:58:03 GMT 20284904 2013-05-24T19:58:03Z Brownwood Fire Department's service dog is fire marshal's partner for life http://www.ktxs.com/news/brownwood-fire-departments-service-dog-is-fire-marshals-partner-for-life/-/14769632/20281736/-/nivhb2z/-/index.html Nika is a trained arson K-9 working alongside Brownwood Fire Marshal Buddy Preston. The two have been partners since 2011. Fri, 24 May 2013 02:14:50 GMT 20281736 2013-05-24T02:14:50Z Abilene leaders begin planning for Cline Shale Oil Play boom http://www.ktxs.com/news/abilene-leaders-begin-planning-for-cline-shale-oil-play-boom/-/14769632/20275844/-/qr7e7k/-/index.html Inside a conference room at McMurry University on Thursday sat dozens of Abilene's leaders who are coming together to form the Cline Shale Consortium. Thu, 23 May 2013 23:14:12 GMT 20275844 2013-05-23T23:14:12Z Teacher Tribute: Blackwell ISD teacher who took in student honored http://www.ktxs.com/news/teacher-tribute-blackwell-isd-teacher-who-took-in-student-honored/-/14769632/20281708/-/klj881z/-/index.html Lori Griffin, a family and consumer sciences teacher in the Blackwell Independent School District, is this week’s Teacher Tribute award winner. Thu, 23 May 2013 23:09:25 GMT 20281708 2013-05-23T23:09:25Z SPECIAL REPORT: Abilene police say synthetic drug use 'rampant' in Abilene http://www.ktxs.com/news/abilene-police-synthetic-drug-use-rampant-in-abilene/-/14769632/20260906/-/afb4m2/-/index.html The Big Country is in the midst of what some people are calling a synthetic drug epidemic. While Abilene police are being proactive, they're calling on the entire community to help put an end to the issue. Thu, 23 May 2013 20:27:17 GMT 20260906 2013-05-23T20:27:17Z Get severe weather alerts through Big Country 'Code RED' systems http://www.ktxs.com/news/get-severe-weather-alerts-through-the-code-red-system/-/14769632/20232456/-/jph0rs/-/index.html Code RED allows the city of Abilene and the city of Brownwood to contact people directly with severe weather messages and warnings.  Click here for links to the system sign up in both cities. Thu, 23 May 2013 14:38:47 GMT 20232456 2013-05-23T14:38:47Z Aspermont High School serves as a tornado shelter for city http://www.ktxs.com/news/aspermont-high-school-is-a-tornado-shelter-for-the-city/-/14769632/20261562/-/o5oy67/-/index.html The tornado in Oklahoma has people across the Big Country talking about school safety. Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:25 GMT 20261562 2013-05-23T14:36:25Z