Mold Remediation in Abilene, TX

ABILENE, Texas — During a media briefing Monday morning, the City of Abilene announced they will no longer add fluoride in the water.

City Manager Robert Hanna said they will immediately stop adding fluoride in the water as an abundance of caution.

RELATED | Federal judge rules that fluoride may pose risks to children's IQ

The decision was made based on a recent federal court ruling in California that may result in changes to the Environmental Protection Agency’srecommendations regarding fluoride levels in drinking water.

The court ruling was based on findings from theNational Toxicology Program's "systematic review of the published scientific literature on the association between fluoride exposure and neurodevelopment and cognition."

National Toxicology Program monograph on the state of the science concerning fluoride exposure and neurodevelopment and cognition: a systematic review. (National Toxicology Program, 2024)Click here to view the PDF file.

In a press release, the city stated it follows federal standards and theAmerican Dental Association’s recommendation of maintaining fluoride levels at 0.7 parts per million. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention water fluoridation keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities by about 25 percent.

Out of an abundance of caution, the City said it is pausing fluoridation because of the potential changes to the EPA's regulations of fluoride levels or introduction of warning labels.

Carol Crockett agrees with the city's decision.

"I know a lot of people don't drink tap water," Crockett said. "They buy a lot of their water. The young are the future. They're dealing with a lot of things now as it is. I think it's a great idea to be focused on the young children."

Mayor Weldon Hurt and City Manager Robert Hanna discussed these changes over the weekend and agreed a temporary suspension would do no harm and provide an opportunity for the City Council to provide further direction in light of recent court rulings regarding fluoride.

Abilene City Council will discuss the matter again at its regular meeting Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers on the second floor of Abilene City Hall.

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KTXS is following this story and will update this article as we receive more information.

Abilene Christian University is going nuclear.

The small college in Texas has received the green light by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to build the first research nuclear reactor in almost 40 years. Officials say it will be used to research and develop smaller-scale nuclear reactors throughout the state.

To give a sense of scale, the reactor that will be on campus will generate enough energy to power just 250 homes (versus 100,000 for a typical nuclear power plant). The school will need to get additional federal approval to fuel the facility with uranium after it is constructed.

Unlike normal reactors, which use water to cool the reactor, the school plans to use molten salt, which can reach higher temperatures. (That heat can then be converted to electricity.) It’s the first liquid salt reactor licensed by the NRC, a method the school says is safer, more efficient, and more cost-competitive than the ones used by traditional nuclear facilities. The school is working with Natura Resources, a local nuclear power company, on the reactor.

“If we’re going to meet the growing energy needs, not only in the State of Texas but in our country and the world at large, we must begin deploying advanced nuclear reactors,” Douglass Robison, Natura Resources founder and president, said in a statement. “[This reactor] will not only demonstrate successful licensure of a liquid-fueled molten salt reactor but will provide operational data that will allow us to safely and efficiently design and deploy our commercial systems.”

The college says its completed an environmental review of the construction plan in March and found “no significant impact.” The NRC completed its own reviews as well.

Nuclear power plants have been in the news more lately as power demands skyrocket, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that the owners of approximately one-third of the country’s nuclear power plants are talking with data center and AI companies. Last year, the five-year forecast from Grid Strategies projected growth of 2.6%. That number has since nearly doubled to 4.7%—and planners expect peak demand to grow by 38 gigawatts. In real-world terms, that’s sufficient to power 12.7 million homes.

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(TNS) — Federal nuclear power regulators have given the go-ahead for the first research nuclear reactor in more than 40 years, and it’s here in Texas.

Abilene Christian University will be home to the advanced nuclear reactor, which the university’s NEXT Lab and Abilene-based nuclear company Natura Resources will build on campus. The permit is a milestone in the research and development of smaller-scale nuclear reactors in Texas and could become the state’s first new nuclear reactor since the Comanche Peak power plant’s second unit was licensed to operate in 1993.

The NEXT Lab reactor could generate enough energy to power the equivalent of only about 250 homes. However, it will create a testing ground for a type of reactor that its developers believe can be scaled to larger utility-scale reactors.

It will be housed in the university’s Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center, which was completed in August 2023.

“With the NRC’s issuance of the construction permit, we are one step closer to making that a reality. The performance-driven approach of Natura Resources to advanced reactor deployment has quickly moved them from a relative unknown to a leader in the upstart advanced reactor industry,” said Phil Schubert, university president.

Federal inspectors will monitor the construction of the reactor, which will not produce electricity until ACU obtains additional federal approval to fuel the reactor with uranium.

“This is the first research reactor project we’ve approved for construction in decades, and the staff successfully worked with ACU to resolve several technical issues with this novel design,” Andrea Veil, director of the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, said in a news release.

Molten salt will be used to cool the reactor, which can reach extreme temperatures. Heat radiates through the molten salt that can then be used to create electricity.

While this method of cooling has existed for more than 50 years, it is not widely used. Legacy reactors generally rely on water to cool fuel rods.

According to Natura Resources, molten salt creates an additional level of safety. Because the salt vaporizes at temperatures far above the operating temperature of the proposed reactor, the molten salt remains at a much lower pressure than typical reactors. And any loss of containment would be stopped by the salt solidifying and trapping uranium.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given initial construction approval to one other molten-salt reactor, a Kairos Power facility in Albuquerque, N.M. ACU’s reactor will use liquid fuel — uranium dissolved in molten salt — compared to the Kairos’ planned use of solid uranium.

ACU is not the first Texas college with a nuclear facility. The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M have on-campus nuclear reactors. Earlier this year, Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp announced an effort to bring reactors to the system’s technology satellite campus in Bryan.

Douglass Robison, founder and president of Natura Resources, said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the “gold standard of licensing of nuclear reactors” and proves that larger, industrial-scale molten-salt reactors can be licensed in the U.S. Natura Resources hopes to scale the technology to 100-megawatt reactors, which could power about 25,000 homes.

“If we’re going to meet the growing energy needs, not only in the state of Texas but in our country and the world at large, we must begin deploying advanced nuclear reactors,” Robinson said in a news release.

The announcement of a new nuclear power reactor, even on a research scale, comes as the state’s political leadership has shown an increased appetite for the power source. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state energy regulators to create a task force to examine the future of nuclear energy in Texas, including how to streamline a federal permitting process that can take years. Robison was named as a member of the task force.

Nuclear power emits virtually no carbon-based greenhouse gases, which are the leading cause of climate change.

Energy expert Doug Lewin cautioned that Texans should not be prepared to see a proliferation of new nuclear generation on the grid. It is costly and time-consuming to build.

“It’s really important for folks to understand that if nuclear is going to scale in the state, it’s a 2030s thing, not a 2020s thing like this is a one-megawatt reactor,” he said.

Dow Chemical and X-Energy are developing an advanced nuclear reactor at Dow’s Seadrift plant about 80 miles southwest of Houston on the Texas coast. The Department of Energy selected the project for up to $50 million in federal funding in 2023. It has yet to get a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Reporting for this story was supported by the MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship.

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Fall is in the air, and there's lots to do in the Big Country.

Whether you are looking for a Halloween trunk or treat or a laidback beer and wine festival, Abilene is sure to strike your fancy.

Throughout the month

Signature Cocktail Showdown, hosted by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, is happening until Oct. 31 at various locations in Abilene. Help crown the "Downtown Abilene Signature Cocktail Champion."

Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest at the Abilene Public Library South Branch will be held Oct. 1-26. Submissions will be displayed the last week of October. Categories for ages 0-6, 7-12, 13-17, 18+ and team/group entries.

Pleasant Harvest Pumpkin Patch open to the public weekends Oct. 5-Nov. 2. Pick your own pumpkin and enjoy fun games and activities. Entry fee for ages 5+ is $6 each. No reservations required.

Thursday Night Dances at the Rose Park Senior Center, 2625 S. Seventh St. Open 7-9 p.m. every Thursday. Entry is $5 per person. For more info, call 325-734-5300.

Boo at the Zoo will be held the last three weekends in October at the Abilene Zoo, 2070 Zoo Lane. Enjoy fall fun activities like the creepy creatures live show, hay maze, pumpkin country and so much more. Ticket prices vary.

Anti-spooky events

SunnHaus Oktoberfest 2024 with SunnHaus Brewing, 344 Clark Road, Oct. 5 starting at 11 a.m. Come out to enjoy live music, games and craft beer.

Oktoberfest benefiting the Hope Haven of Abilene. Oct. 5 from 5-10 p.m. at Lime Rock Amphitheater, 12584 U.S. Highway 277 S. in Tuscola.

Abilene Community Band Fall Concert at the Historic Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St., on Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Free admission for all attendees.

"Rafael Lopez: Un Proceso Hermoso" Exhibit Opening at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, 102 Cedar St., is open to the public on Oct. 10 at 5:30 p.m.

Business Mercado 2024: Me Encantan los Ochentas-I Love the 80s! is happening Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Hosted by the Abilene Chamber Hispanic Business Council to showcase business products and services with the intent of building the bridge with the Hispanic consumer.

Oktoberfest with Grain Theory, 202 Pine St., Oct. 12 from 5-10 p.m. Free entry. Family-friendly event with live music, food, outdoor activities and brews.

Breast Cancer Bunco at the Rose Park Senior Center, 2625 S. Seventh St., on Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. Participants must wear pink to play.

The Big Cheese Mac & Cheese Cookoff on Oct. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Admission is $30 for adults and $10 for kids aged 15 and under.

Shift Sector - Airstrip Attack on Oct. 19-20. Come out and enjoy high-octave automotive racing at the Abilene Regional Airport, 1941 Navajo Circle. Ticket prices vary.

West Texas Wine Festival on Oct. 19 from 1-6 p.m. at Frontier Texas, 625 N. First St. Ticket prices vary. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Whitney Herrington at whitney@frontiertexas.com.

Celebrate the Arts in Abilene Luncheon on Oct. 23 at 11:45 a.m. at Abilene Christian University's Hunter Welcome Center, 1949 ACU Drive. Tickets are $37.50 or $300 for a table of eight.

Tricks and Treats

Lone Star Outpost Fall Festival & Vendor Market on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 4415 Loop 322 in Abilene.

Inspired Goods Craft and Vendor Market at 201 Mesquite Event Center, 201 Mesquite St., on Oct. 11 from 5-9 p.m. and Oct. 12 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Shop with over 60 vendors, youth vendors and food trucks. Free admission.

Paramount Film Series: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St., showing Oct. 11-12 7:30 p.m. Closed captioning showing scheduled for Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, military and children.

Play Faire Park Zombie Crawl on Oct. 12 at Play Faire Park, 2300 N. Second St.

Grill, Chill & Pumpkin Thrill on Oct. 12 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. hosted by G5 Beverage Barn and Potosi Chill, 2237 FM Road 1750. Celebrate the fall season with food, pumpkins and homemade goodies.

Trivia Night: Spooky Movies on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. at the APL South Branch, 4310 Buffalo Gap Road. Play as a team or individual and test your knowledge.

Trunk or Treat at the YMCA of Abilene, 3125 S. 32nd St., on Oct. 18 from 6-8 p.m. There will be bounce houses, music and lots of candy. Free to the public.

Swenson House Boo Bash at The Swenson House, 1726 Swenson St., on Oct. 19 from 7-11 p.m. Members tickets are $67, and regular tickets are $80.

Autumn Market & Brunch at the Peacock Patio, 536 Hickory St., on Oct. 19 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Dia de los Muertos Family Festival on Oct. 24 from 5-8 p.m. at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. An event full of cultural festivities to celebrate history and tradition. Free admission.

Trunk or Treat with Express ER Abilene, 4157 Buffalo Gap Road, on Oct. 25 from 5-7 p.m.

Haunted Abilene at The Swenson House, 1726 Swenson St., on Oct. 25-26. Enjoy a haunted house, food trucks and craft vendors. Free admission for children ages 5 and under.

Trunk or Treat at the Abilene Farmers Market on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to noon. Market is located at North First Street and Mesquite Street across from Frontier Texas.

Trick or Treat Through the City at Imagination City, 1401 S. Danville Drive, on Oct. 26 from 1-4 p.m.

Eighth Annual Harvest Fest: Beetlejuice Edition with the Abilene Association of Realtors, 626 S. Pioneer Drive, on Oct. 26 from 4-6 p.m. Enjoy the Beetlejuice-themed festival with bounce houses, games for all ages, candy and more. All proceeds benefit Walk with Pride.

Paramount Film Series: "Hocus Pocus" at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St., on Oct. 30-31. Movie starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, military and children.

Get Crafty

Art Smarts: Polka Dot Pumpkins at the APL Main Branch, 202 Cedar St., on Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m. For tweens and teens.

Crafty DIY: Fall Wreaths at APL Main Branch, 202 Cedar St., on Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. Event for adults.

Terrific Tots: Monster Puppets at APL Main Branch, 202 Cedar St., on Oct. 9 at 11:30 a.m. Event for children ages 4 and under.

Creative Club: Spiders! Happening at the APL Main Branch, 202 Cedar St., on Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. Event for children.

Bad Art Night for Adults on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. at the APL Mockingbird Branch, 1326 Mockingbird Lane.

Crafty U: Macrame Rope Ghosts at the APL South Branch, 4310 Buffalo Gap Road, on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. For teens and adults.

Grace Studio: Autumn Felt Wreath at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St., on Oct. 17 from 6-8 p.m. A $30 payment is needed for the class and supplies. Grace Members get $5 off.

Art Smarts: Self Portraits at APL Mockingbird Branch, 1326 Mockingbird Lane, on Oct. 22 at 2:30 p.m. Event for tweens and teens.

Pom-Pom Bats Workshop at the APL Main Branch, 202 Cedar St., on Oct. 23 at 3:30 p.m. For teens and adults.

Sugar Skulls Workshop at the APL Mockingbird Branch, 1326 Mockingbird Lane, on Oct. 26 at 2:30 p.m.

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