National News

Who cut the cheese?

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit fell in November to its lowest level in four years, an encouraging sign for economic growth. Gains in energy production and stronger sales of American-made airplanes, autos and machinery lifted exports to an all-time high.

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (AP) — A television station reports that a former eastern Ohio high school football player has been released from a juvenile detention center less than a year after his conviction for raping a 16-year-old girl following an alcohol-fueled party.

According to ABC News, three sets of New Year's twins were born in different years -- one twin born at the tail end of 2013 and the other at the beginning of 2014. What's even more special about this rarity is that one set of those twins was born right here in Abilene. To top it all off, the Abilene twins and mother made national news, including ABC and NBC.

2013 was chock-full of criminal masterminds (read morons). That's right, last year we were graciously introduced to a mom who let her toddler hit the bong, the poopy-pants shop lifter, a cold-hearted nun-robbing thief and so much more. And thanks to our good friend the Internet, no dumb deed goes unnoticed.

FRUITA, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado teacher is facing charges after he was accused of asking students to send him topless photos of themselves.

HOUSTON (AP) — Former first lady Barbara Bush remains in a Houston hospital for treatment of a respiratory-related condition.

Well, so much for that. Following A&E's controversial move to "ban" 'Duck Dynasty' patriarch Phil Robertson from future filming after his comments on homosexuality in a recent GQ interview, and the resulting media circus, the cable network has officially reneged on its decision to bar the reality star from the highly-rated series.

Police in Connecticut have released thousands of pages of documents from the investigation into the school massacre in Newtown. They provide the most detailed picture yet of the rampage and of the 20-year-old gunman's fascination with guns and violence.

A Filer police officer who returned to the scene of a DUI arrest to look for cash the suspect believed she dropped during her field sobriety tests ended up arresting her passenger for DUI.