ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) - More than 300 welding jobs are open in the Abilene area, creating a need for qualified employees. 

Texas State Technical College Breckenridge offers a three-semester welding class that certifies graduates to fill these in-demand jobs. 

Stephen Hope, a TSTC Welding Technology instructor in Breckenridge, said students typically have jobs when they graduate.

"There are so many welding jobs available right now that they can't fill a lot of their positions," he said.

Federal experts project the welding industry will only continue to grow in the coming years, growing to nearly 427,000 jobs. 

For more information on TSTC's welding program, visit tstc.edu.

 Work Again West Texas, a program inspired by other cities to help homeless people get a hand up and not a hand out.

"They are successfully providing jobs but what really appealed to me is they are not only providing jobs and day labor it's much more than that they seem to be having some good suitability. Neighbors who genuinely want to work and then are transitioning into other jobs," said Megan Dobbs, chair, Work Again West Texas Advisory Board.

The program hoping to start here in Abilene in the fall, picking up five people a day, twice a week for $26.09 a day in pay.

"Goodwill's responsibility will be insuring they have the proper identification in order to go out and work to take them to the work site and help over see that and then bring them back to our career center so that they can access resources and ensure they get paid for that day," said Kevin Bradford, President & CEO, Goodwill. 

They say this insures the neighbors by getting them a job while also cleaning the community and inspiring new careers.

"The city allowing us to go into neighborhoods and allies to clean up really shows their commitment to helping our neighbors find satiability," said Bradford.

The employers need them too.

"Who need more people in those kind of entry level beginning jobs and we really think that the people who really work hard in this program could easily transition into full time work in our city," said Dobbs.

The City of Abilene is considering enacting an ordinance that would allow dogs on certain restaurant patios.

Right now, dogs are banned from all food establishments under the Texas Food Establishment Rules.

Abilene has adopted the blanket ban, per TFER, but City officials recently learned they can grant variances to certain businesses to allow dogs on their patios.

These businesses must have an outdoor patio with a separate entrance that would keep dogs from going inside the food establishment, as the dogs will never be allowed inside restaurants or playground areas.

Businesses must also display signs that read, "DOG FRIENDLY PATIO: DOG ACCESS TO OUTDOOR PATIO ONLY", and "to report a dog incident, please contact Abilene Animal Services".

In the coming weeks, city council members will decide on enacting an ordinance that would enable them to grant variances to allow dogs on restaurant patios in Abilene.

If the ordinance is enacted, businesses wishing to allow dogs on their patios will have to apply for a variance with the City. 

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAN) — A baby girl is doing well after being born in a very unlikely place: the bathroom of a Chick-Fil-A in San Antonio.

Robert Griffin posted the story on Facebook, saying he and his wife Maggie were meeting a friend at Chick-Fil-A Tuesday so they could drop off their daughters before they headed to the hospital. By that time, Maggie had started going into labor, and really had to use the restroom. 

Although the restaurant was closed, staff let her inside.

"I loaded the kids into our friends car, kissed them goodnight, and went in to find Maggie," Robert wrote. "The manager said 'she’s in the restroom and she’s screaming'. So there we were.....my wife and I in a tiny stall in the bathroom."

Robert told his wife "sweetie, we are gonna have to do this right here, right now," and told the manager to call 911 and get him some towels. As their little girl began to arrive, he saw the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around her neck. He carefully unwrapped it.

"With two more strong pushes, and using my shirt for a towel, out came Gracelyn Mae Violet Griffin," Robert wrote. He had been speaking to first responders on the phone during the birth, and paramedics arrived to check out mom and baby. 

He says while the situation wasn't ideal, it all worked out. Robert even says her birth certificate says "Born in Chick-Fil-A" on it. According to KSAT, the company has promised her free Chick-Fil-A for life and the franchise owners are already helping plan her first birthday.

"I thinks it’s pretty ironic that a proud conservative, Christian family would have a baby in a Chick-Fil-A, and wrapped in a Trump 2020 T-shirt! BOOM," Robert added at the end of his post.

ABILENE, Texas (PRESS RELEASE) - Dr. Robert Tucker, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and President Eric Bruntmyer are proud to announce the hiring of a new Director of Bands for Hardin-Simmons University.

Mr. Bill Harden, an HSU alumnus, has accepted the position of Director of Bands. "Bill comes to us with many years of successful experience as a Texas band director," says Dr. Robert Tucker. "He is also an outstanding musician and a Hardin-Simmons alum. We are excited for his leadership with the Cowboy Band and the Concert Band." 

Mr. Harden has a great deal of experience as a band director, he has been the Band Director at Odessa HS since 1998. He has also been a bassoonist with the Midland Odessa Symphony Orchestra since 1988. He received his bachelor's from HSU in 1986, and a master's of music from the University of Cincinnati in 1988. 

"I am very excited to be coming back to where I learned to be a music educator," says Mr. Harden. "My experiences at HSU, especially with the Cowboy Band, have helped to make me the person I am today. I'm excited to meet the young men and women who make up the World Famous Cowboy Band of today!"

The administration is committed to the legacy and the Cowboy Band, explains President Bruntmyer.

"Recently I was honored to play the maracas and cymbals with the World Famous Cowboy Band. They have so much fun playing great music and sharing their personalities during their performances.

Because of this, I want every band kid to come to Hardin-Simmons to experience the Cowboy Band!

But, these experiences are only made possible by great leadership. During the past 95 years we have been blessed with so many wonderful directors and I look forward to welcoming Billy Harden back to campus this fall as he leads the band." 

The HSU Cowboy Band Foundation is also excited to welcome Mr. Harden, "The Cowboy Band Foundation looks forward to a continued positive relationship with Hardin-Simmons and the HSU School of Music," says Mr. Jay Lester, 2nd Vice Chair of the HSU Cowboy Band Foundation.

"We are excited to welcome Bill Harden, a Cowboy Band graduate from 1986. He has already started planning for the future by setting some goals for the band, including travel, recruitment and retention of members, and a positive relationship with the band foundation. The future looks bright for the Cowboy Band!" 

Mr. Harden is currently out of the country, but will begin his work at HSU in early August. 

This article is a press release from Hardin-Simmons University

A Taylor County Sheriff's deputy kidney donation surgery went very well, and now he's in recovery! 

CID Sgt. Jay Jones is becoming a hero in a new way by donating a kidney to Clayton Bolt of Abilene.

The Sheriff's Office said no one in Bolt's family was a match. Jones' wife is friends with Bolt's sister and when Bolt heard of the situation, he volunteered to donate his kidney should he be a match.

Fast forward through a bunch of tests and it was determined Jones was a match.

"You spend your entire career serving, then you really get a chance to serve," Jones said.

Scientists have developed a test that can determine if a child has autism by looking at their baby teeth. 

The research takes a closer look at how children metabolize metals, which is critical to neurodevelopment in early life.

As a child grows, a new layer of tooth is formed every day based on the chemicals circulating in that child's body, similar to growth rings on a tree. So, these scientists looked at a study of baby teeth in Sweden involving 200 twins. Those researchers used a laser to test whether zinc-copper cycles were different in those with autism and they were. The study was then done again in the U.S. and U.K. 
    
From that data, the scientists developed an algorithm that is 90 percent accurate in distinguishing between teeth of children with autism and without. The authors published their findings in the journal Science Advances. 

Currently, a biochemical test does not exist for autism. Doctors diagnose the disorder using clinical assessments and observations. But since children lose their teeth too late for this test to be helpful, experts say this is just one step toward an end goal. 

"They're hoping that future work would look at developing some type of prenatal or blood assay to be able to essentially look at, ok, we can expect possibly autism from this test," Dr. LaQuia Vinson, Riley Hospital for Children pediatric dentist, said. 

If parents can find out earlier their child may have autism, doctors can begin intervention and know sooner about any medical conditions commonly associated with autism. 

Teeth actually begin to form as early as four weeks in utero, so dentists and doctors say they can be a very good indicator of a child's health history. 

There are some developmental and behavioral warning signs for autism parents can look out for, according to HelpGuide.org. 

Your baby or toddler doesn't:

• Make eye contact, such as looking at you when being fed or smiling when being smiled at
• Respond to his or her name, or to the sound of a familiar voice
• Follow objects visually or follow your gesture when you point things out
• Point or wave goodbye, or use other gestures to communicate
• Make noises to get your attention
• Initiate or respond to cuddling or reach out to be picked up
• Imitate your movements and facial expressions
• Play with other people or share interest and enjoyment
• Notice or care if you hurt yourself or experience discomfort