News from February 2024
Study: Midland ranks near bottom in U.S. for remote workers
By Midland Times Report | Feb 16, 2024
Midland ranked 327th of 344 cities across the nation for people working from home, according to SmartAsset.com.
Midland ISD 2023 Bond updates: Architectural and surveying firm approved
By DaLeesa Brown | Feb 16, 2024
As the Midland Independent School District (MISD) gears up for the bond issue in March 2024, strides have been made in advancing the projects outlined in Bond 2023.
OPINION: Nurturing young minds: Striking a balance in our public libraries
By Michele Allen | Feb 16, 2024
Concerns have emerged within our community regarding the accessibility of sexually explicit content in the children's section of our local library.
Midland Centennial Library encourages fitness with ‘Exercise like an Animal’ initiative
By DaLeesa Brown | Feb 16, 2024
On Feb. 15, the Midland Centennial Library took a different approach to promote physical activity among children with an initiative titled "Exercise like an Animal." The event, held in the library's activity room, aimed to make exercise enjoyable for children of all ages.
Meet CEO and founder of Tenacious Woman Ministries Misty Knight
By DaLeesa Brown | Feb 16, 2024
Misty Knight, the CEO and founder of Tenacious Woman Ministries (TWM) based in Midland, Texas, is supporting and empowering women across the Permian Basin.
West Texas Speech Pathologist: ‘Sometimes they’re born premature, so they’re having trouble with suction and milk intake'
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
Speech Pathologist Tanya Lujan describes the different services a speech pathologist might provide for a newborn concerning mouth and tongue movements.
Operation Lone Star Boosts Support For Deployed Texas National Guard Soldiers
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are working together in Operation Lone Star to secure the border and combat transnational criminal activity. According to Governor Abbott, this multi-agency effort has resulted in significant achievements, including over 500,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 39,500 criminal arrests, with over 35,600 felony charges. In the battle against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 467 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this mission.In response...
Midland County Commissioners Court met Jan. 22
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Feb 16, 2024
Midland County Commissioners Court met Monday, Jan. 22
City of Midland City Council met Jan. 23
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Feb 16, 2024
City of Midland City Council met Tuesday, Jan. 23
City of Midland Planning and Zoning Commission will meet Feb. 20
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Feb 16, 2024
City of Midland Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 20
Midland Development Corporation Board of Directors met Jan. 22
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Feb 16, 2024
Midland Development Corporation Board of Directors met Monday, Jan. 22
Midland Development Corporation Board of Directors met Jan. 8
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Feb 16, 2024
Midland Development Corporation Board of Directors met Monday, Jan. 8
Midland Development Corporation Board of Directors met Feb. 12
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Feb 16, 2024
Midland Development Corporation Board of Directors met Monday, Feb. 12
Governor Abbott Appoints Four Members to Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Kevin Koch, David Volleman, John Votava, and Coleman Locke to the Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council for terms set to expire at the pleasure of the Governor. Additionally, the Governor named Kevin Koch as chair of the Council. The Council is tasked with developing a State Food System Security Plan that provides for the orderly development and management of food system security throughout the state and ensures that food is available at a reasonable cost, accounts for times of severe drought and natural disasters, and...
Sen. Cruz Joins Updated Bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act That Protects Children, Privacy
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, along with Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn, has introduced the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, a legislation aimed at protecting children and their privacy online. The bill has gained significant support with a total of 62 senators now co-sponsoring it. Sen. Cruz emphasized the importance of the legislation, stating, “Big Tech companies have failed to keep abhorrent and harmful content away from young users... The Kids Online Safety Act is a serious and meaningful step toward empowering parents and protecting our kids from toxic content,...
Governor Abbott Appoints Marialyn Barnard to 73rd District Court
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Marialyn Barnard to the 73rd Judicial District Court in Bexar County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2024, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified.Marialyn Barnard of San Antonio is a consulting attorney for small businesses and probate and is the former Bexar County Commissioner for Precinct 3. Previously, she served on the Fourth Court of Appeals for 10 years.According to the press release from the Office of the Texas Governor, Barnard is a member of various legal associations, including the State Bar of...
Investigation underway for suspicious packages in Odessa
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
The Odessa Police Department’s Explosive Devices Unit is currently investigating a report of suspicious packages that were delivered to the 300 block of North Jackson. As a precautionary measure, nearby businesses have been evacuated while the authorities assess the situation.The Odessa Police Department has stated that there are currently no known threats associated with the suspicious packages. However, the Explosive Devices Unit is on the scene to ensure public safety and to conduct a thorough investigation.In a statement, the department emphasized the importance of...
Governor Abbott Expands Border Security Operations In Eagle Pass
By Midland Times | Feb 16, 2024
Governor Greg Abbott has announced the expansion of border security operations in Eagle Pass, Texas, with the construction of a new Forward Operating Base to house Texas National Guard soldiers responding to the border crisis initiated by President Joe Biden.During a press conference in Eagle Pass, Governor Abbott emphasized the importance of enhancing border security capabilities, stating, "Texas is expanding our border security capabilities by building a new Texas Military Department base camp to increase and improve border security operations in this area."Joining...
Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge awards 5 Midland businesses $500,000
By Midland Times Report | Feb 15, 2024
After six months of competition, 5 local businesses were awarded prize money for their businesses.
Study: Midland ranks near bottom in U.S. for remote workers
By Midland Times | Feb 15, 2024
According to a study conducted by SmartAsset.com, Midland, Texas has ranked near the bottom among 344 cities across the nation for people working from home. The study revealed that only 5.5% of workers in Midland are working remotely, which is significantly lower than the national average of 15.7%. In fact, Midland ranked second to last in West Texas in terms of remote work.Odessa, another city in West Texas, also fared poorly in the rankings, with only 3.8% of its workers working remotely. This placed Odessa second from the bottom across the entire country. The study...