By Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell SAN BERNARDINO - Closing the achievement gap and lowering the dropout rates among students in San Bernardino County are two of the biggest educational challenges facing the county, said new county Superintendent of Schools Gary Thomas on Wednesday.

By Joe Nelson County schools have shown the biggest gains this year in state standardized test scores since reporting began in 1999, but a substantial number of them are failing to make adequate yearly progress mandated by the federal government.

Last month, astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) witnessed a beautiful display of noctilucent or "night-shining" clouds.

By Michael A. Lindenberger and Brandon Formby, The Dallas Morning News Jan. 23--Higher construction costs won't keep DART from building its rail lines to Irving and Rowlett on time, agency officials said Tuesday.

By Michael A. Lindenberger, The Dallas Morning News Jan. 9--The Irving and Rowlett rail projects should be delivered intact and on time, DART officials said at a meeting Tuesday.