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Rural Texas towns report cyberattacks that caused one water system to overflow

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Rural Texas towns report cyberattacks that caused one water system to overflow

A hack that caused a small Texas town’s water system to overflow in January has been linked to a shadowy Russian hacktivist group, the latest case of a U.S. public utility becoming a target of foreign cyberattacks.

The attack was one of three on small towns in the rural Texas Panhandle. Local officials said the public was not put in any danger and the attempts were reported to federal authorities.

TEXAS FARMING CRISIS LOOMS AS US, MEXICO SPAR OVER LONG-STANDING WATER TREATY

“There were 37,000 attempts in four days to log into our firewall,” said Mike Cypert, city manager of Hale Center, which is home to about 2,000 residents. The attempted hack failed as the city “unplugged” the system and operated it manually, he added.

A hack that caused a small Texas town’s water system to overflow in January has been linked to a shadowy Russian hacktivist group. (Reuters)

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In Muleshoe, about 60 miles to the west and with a population of about 5,000, hackers caused the water system to overflow before it was shut down and taken over manually by officials, city manager Ramon Sanchez told CNN. He did not immediately respond to phone calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.

“The incident was quickly addressed and resolved,” Sanchez said in a statement, according to KAMC-TV. “The city’s water disinfectant system was not affected, and the public water system nor the public was in any danger.”

At least one of the attacks was linked this week by Mandiant, a U.S. cybersecurity firm, to a shadowy Russian hacktivist group that it said could be working with or part of a Russian military hacking unit.

The group, calling itself CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn, claimed responsibility for January attacks on water facilities in the United States and Poland that got little attention at the time.

Cybersecurity researchers say CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn was among groups suspected of Russian government ties that engaged last year in low-complexity attacks against Ukraine and its allies, including denial-of-service data barrages that temporarily knock websites offline.

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Sometimes such groups claim responsibility for attacks that were actually carried out by Kremlin military intelligence hackers, Microsoft reported in December.

Cypert, the Hale Center city manager, said he has turned information over to FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

The FBI declined to comment, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a branch of DHS, referred questions to the cities that were targeted.

In Lockney, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Hale Center and home to around 1,500 people, cyberattackers were thwarted before they could access that town’s water system, city manager Buster Poling said.

“It didn’t cause any problems except being a nuisance,” Poling said.

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Last year CISA put out an advisory following November hacks on U.S. water facilities attributed to Iranian state groups who said they were targeting facilities using Israeli equipment.

Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger said in December that attacks by Iranian hackers — as well as a separate spate of ransomware attacks on the health care industry — should be seen as a call to action by utilities and industry to tighten cybersecurity.

In March, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan and Jake Sullivan, assistant to the president for National Security Affairs, sent a letter to the nation’s governors asking them to take steps to protect the water supply, including assessing cybersecurity and planning for a cyberattack.

“Drinking water and wastewater systems are an attractive target for cyberattacks because they are a lifeline critical infrastructure sector but often lack the resources and technical capacity to adopt rigorous cybersecurity practices,” Regan and Sullivan wrote.

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Brother killed after teen becomes ‘enraged’ over video game, stabs sibling: police

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Brother killed after teen becomes ‘enraged’ over video game, stabs sibling: police

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An Oklahoma teenager is behind bars after allegedly calling 911 to tell authorities he stabbed his brother to death after becoming “enraged” over a video game. 

Oklahoma City police were called to the scene of a domestic stabbing at Southeast 44th Street and Bryant Avenue around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to FOX 8. 

When they arrived, officers learned two brothers, 19-year-old William Spencer and 25-year-old Nicholas Spencer, were reportedly playing video games when William Spencer became angry and allegedly stabbed his brother. 

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William Spencer, 19, is charged with first-degree murder in the alleged killing of his brother in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.  (Oklahoma County Detention Center)

“The calling person called in and said they had just stabbed their brother, officers got here and found a male with serious stab wounds,” Oklahoma City Police Master Sgt. Rob Robertson said, according to FOX 8.

NEW MEXICO MAN ALLEGEDLY KILLS MOTHER, STORES DISMEMBERED REMAINS IN HOME FREEZER FOR WEEKS: REPORT

The Oklahoma County Detention Center is pictured in Oklahoma City on Oct. 3, 2023.  (Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman via USA Today)

Paramedics transported Nicholas Spencer to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

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“Very tragic story,” Master Sgt. Gary Knight said during a news conference, according to Law & Crime. “Two brothers who were playing video games. One became enraged over the game, got mad at the other and simply stabbed him to death.”

SPORTS REPORTER’S 3-YEAR-OLD OPENED DOOR FOR GRANDPA WHO THEN FOUND COUPLE DEAD IN HOME: REPORT

Authorities with the Oklahoma City Police Department reportedly responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic stabbing incident in an Oklahoma City suburb on Sunday, January 18, 2026. (iStock)

Immediately following the incident, William Spencer “stayed at the scene,” and was later “taken into custody, interviewed and then also booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center,” Knight reportedly said. 

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William Spencer allegedly admitted to his role in the killing and was transported to the Oklahoma County Jail and booked on a charge of first-degree murder, Law & Crime reported. He remains in custody on $10 million bond. 

The Oklahoma City Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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Houston school district trying to woo parents while losing students amid school choice competition

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Houston school district trying to woo parents while losing students amid school choice competition

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Houston Independent School District (HISD) has to win back parents as more appear to be turning away from large urban school districts across the country.

“If you’ve been looking at the national statistics, a lot of places have experienced enrollment loss. In Houston, right after COVID, this district lost 15,000 kids that didn’t come back,” HISD Superintendent Mike Miles told Fox News Digital.

“A lot of districts lost a lot of kids, and they never came back,” Miles added.

HISD presides over 274 schools and 184,109 students. Historically the largest school district in Texas, despite some fluctuations in recent years after COVID, the district touted academic progress across all grades and subjects and “more than doubled the number of A and B rated schools in just two years.”

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ARIZONA SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKES HUGE BLOW TO ENROLLMENT AS PARENTS CHOOSE OTHER OPTIONS

HISD reported a significant drop last week. Houston Public Media obtained a document from the district confirming that their enrollment declined more significantly last year than officials expected. (Houston Independent School District)

“Additionally, the District is retaining its best and most effective teachers. Last year, more than 84% of teachers rated Proficient I or above and 89% of teachers rated Exemplary I returned for the 2025-2026 school year,” a district spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

However, despite its success, the rise of school choice policies has forced public school districts to compete. Charter schools have intensified that competition because they aren’t regulated the same way as traditional public schools. Most states restrict parents to schools within their ZIP code or district, but charter schools give families alternatives. Additionally, more parents are choosing to homeschool their children since the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re looking forward to capturing some of the kids who may have gone to charter schools and getting them back,” Miles told Fox News Digital. “I think we’re getting to a point where we will be competing well with any other school, charter, voucher, virtual, private, and that’s we’re trying to do,” he added.

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HISD reported a significant drop last week. Houston Public Media obtained a document from the district confirming that their enrollment declined more significantly last year than officials expected. Houston Independent School District lost 8,300 students this year, totaling more than 16,000 students leaving the state’s largest school district over the past two years, according to the Houston Chronicle.

TRUMP ADMIN TO MAKE HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN CHARTER SCHOOLS AMID NATIONWIDE DECLINE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

HISD presides over 274 schools and 184,109 students. Historically the largest school district in Texas, despite some fluctuations in recent years after COVID, the district touted academic progress across all grades and subjects and “more than doubled the number of A and B rated schools in just two years.” (Houston Independent School District)

“What we do know aligns with larger national and statewide patterns. Large urban non-charter districts across Texas are experiencing enrollment drops, while suburban and rural districts are seeing increases,” a district spokesperson told Fox News Digital

School districts across the country — especially in urban areas — have experienced enrollment declines. Texas is among several states enacting universal school choice legislation in response to parents seeking alternatives to traditional public schools. The state created an Education Savings Account program with an initial $1 billion investment.

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The legislation introduces new competition into the education landscape, giving parents options outside the neighborhood school their child is zoned for — posing challenges for districts struggling to retain students.

HISD told Fox News Digital that “there is no single cause for enrollment decline.” Miles echoed that point, citing multiple issues driving the drop, including challenges facing large metropolitan areas — rising housing costs, poverty, and declining birth rates.

NATION’S REPORT CARD GIVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS A FAILING GRADE. PARENTS ARE DEMANDING BETTER

“The biggest loss in enrollment was pre-K, first and second grade. And you already know that in the United States, but also in Texas and in Houston, demographics are changing. In other words, we don’t have as many kids born here. That’s one, so the birth rate has declined, and you can see that in our earlier grades having an impact,” Miles said.

“Houston is one of the poorest cities in the nation,” he continued. “The poverty rate is high and people move because of changes in the market. People who have fewer resources often are more impacted by increases in inflation or just property … What’s different in Houston is that we are now experiencing such good academic growth.”

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Teachers unions often criticize school choice policies, saying they siphon per-pupil funding from traditional public schools by allowing parents to opt out of their neighborhood campuses. Critics argue that money taken away from those schools could instead be used to raise teacher pay, improve facilities and recruit more educators.

Houston skyline. (iStock)

The Trump administration has made strides in expanding school choice nationwide. Among them is instituting a federal tax credit scholarship, giving individuals across the country an opportunity to support school choice programs within their states, circumventing anti-school choice measures.

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Former Uvalde school officer says he doesn’t regret actions after not guilty verdict

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Former Uvalde school officer says he doesn’t regret actions after not guilty verdict

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A former Uvalde school police officer is speaking out after he was acquitted on all counts nearly four years after the shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead.

Adrian Gonzales, who was charged with 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment tied to the shooting, said in his first interview since the acquittal that he has no regrets about the actions he took on May 24, 2022.

The jury deliberated for just seven hours before returning the verdict. Gonzales did not take the stand during the trial, while his attorneys brought up two witnesses.

JURY REACHES VERDICT IN TRIAL OF EX-UVALDE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICER ACCUSED OF FAILING TO CONFRONT GUNMAN

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Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales leaves the courtroom during a break at the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)

An investigation found that it took 77 minutes from the time authorities arrived at the scene until the tactical team breached a classroom and killed the shooter. Police faced criticism over their response in the years since the shooting.

“You can sit here and tell me all you want about what I would have done, or what you would have done. Until you’re in that mix, you can’t tell me anything,” Gonzales told ABC News.

Gonzales was the first on the scene at Robb Elementary School when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos carried out his deadly attack. The former school police officer told ABC News that he did not see Ramos and that he retreated from inside the school building because of an order from his commanding officer.

“I did the best that I could with the information I was getting,” he said, adding, “I don’t regret it, because I took an order from my chief at that time.”

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Attorney Nico LaHood makes opening arguments during a trial for former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)

UVALDE TRIAL HALTED AFTER KEY WITNESS CHANGES TESTIMONY

While he stands behind the actions he took during the shooting, Gonzales told ABC News that he understands that the victims’ families were frustrated with the verdict. He also said that he prays for the victims, their families and the community.

The 52-year-old former officer told ABC News that he believes he was selectively prosecuted, while others who arrived at the scene did not have their actions scrutinized.

“When the videos started playing, I realized that they handpicked me,” he told ABC News. “They had an excuse for everybody else. They did this, they did that, you know, but I had to do this, I had to do that.”

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Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, right, and his attorney Nico LaHood, left, arrive in the courtroom at the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)

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After the verdict, Gonzales thanked God, his family, his legal team and the jury.

“First things first, I want to start by thanking God for this,” Gonzales said. “My family, my wife, and these guys right here. He put them in my path, you know? And I’m just thankful for that. Thank you to the jury for considering all the evidence and making their verdict.”

Former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo was also criminally charged in relation to the 2022 shooting. He was charged with endangerment or abandonment of a child and has pleaded not guilty. A date for Arredondo’s trial has not yet been set.

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The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.

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