Government

ECISD superintendent Hector Mendez, left, and Texas State Teachers Association local representative Chuck Isner both spoke at Tuesday night's meeting.

ECISD still needs work

Mendez points out how few take SAT, ACT

BY CAYLOR BALLINGER

At least 70 people attended Tuesday night’s standing-room only board meeting, but no one argued that the Ector County Independent School District is where it needs to be — including the top administrator. Superintendent Hector Mendez...... Full story

[AP] Economy better, but state budget still short

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN The Texas economy is coming back, but the state budget is still in trouble, top budget experts told lawmakers Tuesday. John O'Brien, director of the Legislative Budget Board, said the Legislature did not appropriate enough money to cover...... Full story

County groups meet to talk trash

Groups looking to keep Ector clean

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

It seems everyone is talking trash in Ector County. Ted Yelley, investigator with the county’s environmental enforcement agency, County Attorney Cindy Weir-Nutter, County Attorney investigator Rickey George and Clean Up West Odessa member...... Full story

Voter registration delayed

ODESSA AMERICAN

Redistricting litigation has delayed the mailing of new voter registration certificates and as a result election administrators are unable to finalize electoral precincts. Voter registration cards that expired Dec. 31, 2011, are still valid however,...... Full story

Sara Ward, a precinct captain for Ron Paul, had her photo taken by Rick Stodieck, left, a Paul delegate elected at his caucus in Richfield earlier in the evening, while their candidate addresses the crowd Tuesday Feb. 7, 2012.

[AP] Paul looks for delegates, respect in caucus states

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON Ron Paul may not win the Republican nomination for president — he has yet to win a single state — but his strategy of trying to amass delegates in caucus states could land him a prominent role at the party's national...... Full story

Lizard conservation plan approved

BY GABRIELLA LOPEZ

While it still needs to be signed, the Texas Conservation Plan for the dunes sagebrush lizard has been approved and is in its final stages, U.S. Fish and Wildlife representative Tom Buckley said. Conservation plans allow landowners to work with the...... Full story

Landowners marketing water

BY LYXAN TOLEDANES

The scattered rains and uncommon snow that have passed through the Permian Basin this winter have done little to improve water levels at the Colorado River Municipal Water District’s surface water sources.The CRMWD is in the process of...... Full story

VIP Services conducts vocational assessments Friday in the Rotary Room of the Ector County Library. The room is scheduled to recieve a new look funded by donations from the family of Louis Rochester. This will be the first remodel since the room was constructed in 1981.

Library room to get update

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

After almost a year on the shelf, a scheduled update for one of the rooms at the Ector County Public Library is set to soon get started.After Ector County Commissioners received almost $25,000 in total donations from the family of the late...... Full story

Senior Center to apply for grant for upgrades

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

Hoping to make some needed upgrades, Donna Greaves, the director of the Salvador M. Guerrero Southside Senior Center, is taking the first steps in applying for money for the building. In need of new tile in some of the rooms, Greaves said the 900...... Full story

President's Day closings

ODESSA AMERICAN

City of Odessa offices will be closed Monday in observance of President's Day. Ector County, including the Ector County Sheriff's Office, will also be closed as well. @OAgovernment... Full story

Odessa Mayor Larry Melton elaborates Thursday on the announcement that the city will tighten its water restrictions following the cut in its allotment by the Colorado River Municipal Water District. The new restrictions will take affect April 1.

More water restrictions to begin March 1

BY LYXAN TOLEDANES

It’s going to be a long, dry summer ahead for residents as City of Odessa officials on Thursday announced tougher water restrictions to meet the Colorado River Municipal Water District’s reduced water deliveries. The new set of water...... Full story

Fundraiser to bring President Reagan’s son

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

Ector County, already Republican-dominated, is about to get a darker shade of red Saturday. Michael Reagan, son of 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan, is scheduled to speak 7 p.m. Saturday at the MCM Grandé Hotel Fun Dome at the Ector County...... Full story

David Richmond, left, and Nick Jakunik of Basset Construction fit an insulated concrete frame piece into a gap Tuesday during construction of a house on the 900 block Corpus Circle.The houses are being developed for low-to-moderate income families. Family's that qualify will be able to receive down-payment and closing cost from the City of Odessa.

More affordable homes being built

BY LYXAN TOLEDANES

While Odessa’s population continues to grow, places to live in town aren’t just hard to find – they come with a steep price, too. To offset the increasing price of renting apartments and buying homes, Odessa Affordable Housing and...... Full story

[NR] Midland to perform maintenance on tank

NEWS RELEASE

MIDLAND The City of Midland will be performing maintenance on the Shell Elevated Storage Tank. This tank is located near the intersection of Midland Drive and Andrews Highway. It is a 1 million gallon tank and was built in the early...... Full story

[MM] Candidate arrested with $1M in car trunk

BY JARED JANES AND JARED TAYLOR

VICTORIA A former state trooper who was seeking election to the Precinct 1 constable’s seat was arrested Monday on money laundering charges after law enforcement officers found more than $1 million packed inside suitcases stored in his...... Full story