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Discover Odessa earns four Destination Texas Awards, including two first-place honors
Discover Odessa is honored to bring home four Destination Texas Awards following the 2026 Destinations Texas Annual Conference in Plano. The team earned recognition across digital innovation, sports promotion, meetings and conventions, and leisure tourism for its work to tell Ode...
News
EPA seeks more public comments as it struggles to devise water rule that limits scope on wetlands
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking additional public comments as it tries to redefine the scope of the nation’s bedrock clean water law to significantly limit the wetlands it covers. The request, announced Friday, comes nearly a year after the agency...
safety
Wreath laying ceremony honors fallen officers
The Odessa Police Department will hold a wreath laying ceremony on Tuesday, September 8, at sunrise (approximately 7:29 a.m.), to pay tribute to Fallen Corporals Arlie Jones and Scott Gardner, who died in the line of duty on September 8, 2007. The public is invited to attend the ...
News
Energy industry needs to do more to boost image
The political headwinds buffeting the energy industry are countered to an extent by the industry’s efforts to tell its story, but getting the message across to the American general public is a formidable task. The Texas Oil & Gas and Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners a...
safety
Man accuses wife of attacking him
An Odessa woman was arrested Wednesday morning after her husband of 28 years told sheriff’s deputies she attacked him. According to an Ector County Sheriff’s Office report, deputies were dispatched to a disturbance on South Westcliff Road around 8 a.m. Wednesday and when they arr...
safety
Man facing sexual assault charge
An Odessa man was arrested last week on a warrant issued in June after a girl told authorities she woke up to him sexually assaulting her. According to an Ector County Sheriff’s Office report released Thursday, the child’s mother told deputies on June 14 that her daughter told he...
business
Maria Bartiromo out at Fox News after more than a decade; no reason specified
Fox News Media has parted ways with politically influential financial journalist Maria Bartiromo after more than a decade, the company announced Thursday hours after Fox Business Network aired the final episode of the show that bears her name. The company did not specify the reas...
parks
The gunman in a deadly Minneapolis shooting had left a long trail of warning signs
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man who carried out Wednesday's deadly shooting in a Minneapolis apartment building had threatened his neighbors, repeatedly showed off his pistol and warned he was planning to shoot people, according to building residents, court documents and law enforceme...
News
ICE officer charged with lying about shooting turns himself in to feds, AP source says
WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer charged with lying to investigators about the events leading up to the shooting of a Venezuelan man during the Minneapolis immigration crackdown turned himself in Thursday to federal authorities, a person famili...
safety
Teenager arrested and 5 others sought in deadly July 4 fire in Washington state
EAST WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) — An 18-year-old in Washington state has been arrested for the investigation of manslaughter and arson in connection with a deadly July 4 fire, a county sheriff said Thursday. The teen from Kent was among a group of people setting off illegal fireworks ...
government
Trump again appeals to Supreme Court on mail-voting restrictions with midterm elections looming
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST, MICHAEL CASEY and NICHOLAS RICCARDI The Associated Press BOSTON The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject an order by a federal judge that halts it from implementing a new rule regulating mail ballots, hours after being unable t...
safety
OPD investigating credit card abuse
The Odessa Police Department is searching for a man suspected of using a stolen credit card. According to an OPD news release, a man used the victim’s credit card information to make approximately $4,000 worth of fraudulent purchases at the Verizon located at 4041 E. 42nd St. Any...
business
Tech stocks lead a rally on Wall Street as bond yields ease some more
By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer Stocks on Wall Street closed higher Thursday as a recent run-up in bond yields eased further and big technology companies rallied, helping the market recoup its losses from earlier in the week. The S&P 500 rose 1.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Avera...
News
Rockets lock up Amen Thompson with a reported 5-year, $208M extension through 2032
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON The Houston Rockets signed Amen Thompson to a contract extension, the team announced Thursday. The Rockets didn’t release terms of the deal, but multiple reports said it was a five-year, $208 million extension that would keep him in Hous...
safety
Budget, tax rate increase on City agenda
The Odessa City Council will consider accepting a 5-acre parcel of land from P Bar Parks Bell Ranch for a new fire station during its regular meeting on Tuesday. According to materials provided to the council, the Bell family’s donation would allow the city to build a new station...
Local
DAILY OIL PRICE: September 3, 2026
Crude Oil: 91.30 (+0.29). Nymex MTD AVG: 90.8433. Natural Gas: 2.913 (-0.043). Gasoline: 3.1349 (+0.0311). Spreads: October/November (+3.27) November/December (+3.24). Plains WTI Posting: 87.78 (+0.29). The post DAILY OIL PRICE: September 3, 2026 appeared first on Odessa American...
News
GUEST VIEW: Public information, free speech rights go hand in hand
By Kelley Shannon It takes time and energy to keep a close watch on our government, but it’s our right as citizens. Really, it’s a duty. Transparency laws along with liberties granted by the U.S. Constitution help us do the job. Access to public information and free speech go han...
government
Midland native serves aboard Navy warship built to honor Sept. 11 victims
By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist John Osborne, Navy Office of Community Outreach NORFOLK, VA. In the days following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, the nation vowed to never forget. Now, 25 years later, memorials to the victims of those at...
News
AP Exclusive: Hundreds of thousands of eligible kids are waiting for childcare assistance
By MORIAH BALINGIT and LAUREN COFFEY The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS There’s the mother of two who needs a full-time job to keep up with the bills, but can’t afford full-time childcare. There’s the medical technician who stopped buying groceries and turned to food banks so she ...
News
Report finds holes and delays in how Secret Service updates its protection policy
By JESSE BEDAYN The Associated Press The U.S. Secret Service dealt with several drone-related incidents without adjusting its protection policies or documenting why it didn’t, according to a government report released Thursday. That information may have helped illustrate the emer...
Local
Food drive set
The World Mission Society Church of God will have a food drive from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. The drop-off location is Crisis Center of West Texas, 910 S. Grant Ave., No. B, Odessa. The goal is 3,200 pounds of food. Perishable and non-perishable items will be accepted....
News
Hikers describe intense rain and wind before floodwaters ravage Grand Canyon
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN The Associated Press Like clockwork, clouds build up in the afternoon, the wind starts to swirl and the skies darken. Then the rain comes. Sometimes it is just a few drops. But on this August afternoon, the monsoon kicked into high gear, setting its sights ...
schools
Comptroller requests doubling Texas school voucher program to $2 billion
Students pledge allegiance during ‘Parent Empowerment Night’ at San Antonio Christian School in San Antonio. Credit: Scott Stephen Ball for The Texas Tribune By Jaden Edison, The Texas Tribune Texas’ chief financial officer requested that lawmakers double the amount of money avai...
schools
Trump administration pushes to remove tax exemption for private colleges with DEI policies
By COLLIN BINKLEY The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that would strip private schools and colleges of their tax-exempt status if they provide targeted help to students based on their race, a significant escalation in the White House’s...
News
Billionaire Leon Black skips Epstein deposition and sues House panel over subpoenas
By JOEY CAPPELLETTI The Associated Press WASHINGTON Billionaire investor Leon Black refused to appear for a sworn deposition before Congress on Thursday and instead sued the House Oversight Committee, asking a federal court to block subpoenas issued as part of its investigation i...
safety
Violent repeat offender from Dallas named September’s Featured Fugitive
AUSTIN Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Anthony Dewayne Oliver, a violent repeat offender with a lengthy criminal history, is this month’s Featured Fugitive. The reward for information leading to his arrest is increased to $4,000 during September if the tip is received this month. A...
News
Man sentenced to 20 years over a ‘Texas Killing Fields’ case, decades after dozens of bodies found
By JAMIE STENGLE The Associated Press A man convicted over a “Texas Killing Fields” death was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday in a rare trial related to the bodies of dozens of women found near Houston beginning in the 1970s. James Dolphs Elmore Jr. was given the maximum...
schools
Pfluger invites high school students to apply for Congressional Youth Advisory Council
WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) on Thursday announced the relaunch of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council (CYAC) for high school juniors and seniors in the 11th Congressional District of Texas. This esteemed program offers a unique opportunity for passion...
government
Abbott announces $1.7 million in grants to West Texas veteran service organizations
AUSTIN Governor Greg Abbott today announced $1,700,000 in Funds for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) grants have been awarded to six organizations in the West Texas region as part of the Texas Veterans Commission’s (TVC) Grants Across Texas Tour. Administered by TVC, the funding will p...
News
ICE officer charged with lying to investigators in the shooting of Venezuelan man, AP source says
By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER The Associated Press WASHINGTON Federal prosecutors have charged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with lying to investigators about the events leading up to the shooting of a Venezuelan man during the Minneapolis immigration crackdown ear...
parks
Boaters, waterfowl hunters urged to ‘clean, drain and dry’ on Labor Day weekend, teal season opener
AUSTIN As Texans gear up for Labor Day weekend and the kickoff of teal season on Sept. 19, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) reminds boaters, paddlers and waterfowl hunters to do their part in protecting Texas lakes from aquatic invasive species. “While we want every...
business
American energy security tied to mineral security
Getting the necessary minerals to power the industries related to the U.S. oil and natural gas business is a job private enterprise can do much better than the federal government, although governmental support is required. Odessa oilman Kirk Edwards and Waco economist Ray Perryma...
Local
Permian Basin Habitat for Humanity dedicates 218th house in program’s history
MIDLAND On Thursday, August 27, Permian Basin Habitat for Humanity (PBHFH) dedicated its 218th house, located in the 700 block of N. Benton St., to the Hendrix family. The home was funded by Permian Resources. Permian Resources employees spent a full week volunteering on the work...
News
Nearly half of Americans plan fall travel, and small towns are winning them over
Americans aren’t picking the same fall trips this year, and small towns are the reason why. Photo credit: Ephraim, xoMe Studio By Jennifer Allen Fall might be the smartest time of year to travel, and not just because of the foliage. The crowds thin, the pace slows and small towns...
schools
Texas A&M System considers removing courses on LGBTQ, ethnic studies and climate change from core offerings
Students walk through a tunnel under Wellborn Road on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station on Nov. 13, 2025. Credit: Cassie Stricker for The Texas Tribune By Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune Students at 11 Texas A&M University System schools may soon have fewer cla...
News
Many Americans don’t know Labor Day’s date or purpose
Talker News | Talker A third of Americans don’t know when Labor Day falls this year — or what the holiday actually commemorates, according to new research . The survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that only 66% of respondents were able to correctly point out that Labor Day is obse...
schools
Literacy Coalition to donate books to Harmony Science Academy-Midland Students
MIDLAND The Literacy Coalition of the Permian Basin will visit Harmony Science Academy-Midland Friday, Sept. 4, to deliver and donate brand-new books directly to local students, bolstering literacy resources across the region. The post Literacy Coalition to donate books to Harmon...
government
With voters squeezed by high costs, Texas candidates race to claim affordability mantle
By Joshua Fechter, Paul Cobler, Dan Keemahill, Terri Langford and Kayla Guo, The Texas Tribune Editor’s note: Are you struggling with higher costs? If so, we want to hear from you. Fill out this form to share how rising costs have affected you. In a state once considered one of t...
News
Arch Manning and No. 5 Texas open against Texas State as Longhorns eye return to playoffs
By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas Arch Manning and No. 5 Texas start the season against Pac-12 newcomer and neighbor Texas State insisting their eyes are firmly focused on the Bobcats. The Longhorns could be forgiven if their gaze wanders past Saturday to the Week 2 m...
News
A pair of spacecraft draw closer to Mercury after nearly decade-long voyage
By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Two Mercury-bound spacecraft left their mother ship behind on Thursday and headed down the home stretch of their nearly decade-long voyage to the solar system’s smallest and closest-to-the-sun planet. The linked European and...
parks
Across US history, the AP has watched, chronicled and helped people understand a complex world
NEW YORK (AP) — Precisely 180 years ago, a handful of New York news executives looking to save money on coverage had an idea. Today, it is called The Associated Press. Five newspaper publishers in New York City agreed in 1846 to pool resources in order to speed the delivery of ne...
News
Bush Family Home Children’s Health Fair coming up
The Bush Family Home State Historic Site is holding their annual Children’s Health Fair, in honor of Robin Bush on Saturday, September 13, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. They have arranged activities that promote fun, active lifestyles to not only encourage a healthy lifestyle, but also a...
News
Gloria Steinem, a potent voice of US feminism and co-founder of Ms. Magazine, dies at 92
By JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer NEW YORK Gloria Steinem, the celebrated author and activist who became one of the most visible symbols and potent voices of the U.S. women’s movement and a fierce advocate for feminist causes for over six decades, has died. She was 92. With he...
library
High IQ Society holds public program
MIDLAND Permian Basin Mensa, the High IQ Society, invites the public to attend “Good For You! Proper Nutrition Gives You All the Right Tools for Total Body Health,” on Saturday, September 19, at 3 p.m. The presentation will be held at the Midland County Downtown Public Library, 3...
Local
WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER: UTPB improves to 2-0
Courtesy Photo By Ricky Baptist, UTPB Sports Information Director The second match of the season for The University of Texas Permian Basin women’s soccer team resulted in a slow start for the Falcons and a low-scoring affair, but in the end, UTPB came out on top Tuesday by a scor...
News
SULLUM: Trump’s White House ballroom is a monument to his lawlessness
After President Theodore Roosevelt began building the East Wing of the White House in 1902, he thanked Congress for approving the project and appropriating the necessary funds. When President Donald Trump demolished the East Wing last fall, by contrast, he acted without permissio...
News
Texas oil and gas production statistics for June 2026
AUSTIN Statewide and county crude oil and natural gas production for June 2026 reported in the tables below came from 157,460 oil wells and 82,409 gas wells. The RRC reports that preliminary total Texas reported production for June 2026 was approximately 120 million barrels of cr...
News
Will Federal Reserve hike rates later this month? Waller muddies the outlook
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller said Thursday that an inflation report next week will largely determine whether he supports an interest rate hike later this month or not. The government will release August inflation figures Sept. 11, and if that repo...
News
The Latest: ICE officer federally charged with lying about Minneapolis shooting, AP source says
Federal prosecutors have charged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with lying to investigators about the events leading up to the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man during the Minneapolis immigration crackdown earlier this year, according to a person familiar ...
safety
Permian Basin association calls for public support to help ‘Sponsor a Fire Truck’
MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - The Permian Basin Petroleum Association calls to support “Sponsor a Fire Truck.” The Midland Fire Department’s ongoing effort to transition away from firefighting foam containing PFAS, most commonly know as “forever chemicals”. Through its “ Sponsor a Fire...
safety
2 people killed and suspect is dead in downtown Minneapolis shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gunfire could be heard throughout a downtown Minneapolis apartment building as police responded to an active shooting Wednesday that left three people dead, including the suspect, and five others wounded, authorities said. The five wounded by gunfire included t...
News
Cassandra Wilson, the 2-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, dies at 70
NEW YORK (AP) — Cassandra Wilson, the two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer has died. She was 70. Dubbed America's best singer by Time magazine in 2001, Wilson was best known for her genre-bending voice, which expanded the boundaries of traditional bl...