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Ector County Felony Dispositions & Indictments: August 28, 2026
The following is a list of recent first and second-degree felony dispositions from the Ector County District Clerk’s Office. Samuel Bewley . Sexual assault of a child. Three counts. Dismissed. Sexual assault of a child. Guilty plea. 10 years deferred adjudication. 600 hours of co...
News
ELAM: Oil is quiet on the eastern front
The last couple of weeks this column suggested the recent high of $90 and low of $70 would average the oil price around $80. In the last five trading days West Texas Intermediate (WTIC) has fallen from $86 to $80 and as I write Friday back to $82.59. Doomsday predictions of $150 ...
News
Trump visits Texas to fundraise for Ken Paxton’s Senate bid
U.S. President Donald Trump waves to supporters after disembarking Air Force One at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston on Aug. 27, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper By Stephen Simpson and Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune HOUSTON With early voting less than two month...
business
Judge says Pentagon’s measures against Anthropic were ‘illegal and baseless’
By KAITLYN HUAMANI AP Technology Writer A federal judge has ruled in favor of artificial intelligence company Anthropic in its legal battle against the Pentagon after the government labeled the company as a supply chain risk earlier this year. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin issued ...
business
Fed Chair Warsh signals rate hikes may be needed with US inflation stubbornly elevated
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Friday that inflation is still too high and suggested the central bank may have to raise interest rates in the coming months to bring it down, a clearer signal than he had sent...
News
STOSSEL: Ditching net zero
By John Stossel What a difference a few years make. Not long ago, politicians said climate change was going to kill us, so we must move to “net zero” emissions. This is theoretically possible. Since vegetation removes carbon, we could get to net zero by burning fewer fossil fuels...
schools
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: OHS wins season opener against MX Prep
By the time the first quarter ended, the game was already out of reach and the Odessa High football team was well on its way to ending its losing streak. The Bronchos won their first game on the field since Sept. 19, 2024 with a dominating 51-14 win against MX Prep (Mexico City) ...
Local
PHOTO GALLERY: MX Prep at Odessa High
The Odessa High football team defeated MX Prep 51-14 Thursday at Ratliff Stadium. #tdi_4 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://www.oaoa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/IMG_8196-copy-160x120.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_4 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: ur...
News
Defense rests on day 9 of Tupac murder trial; closing arguments Monday
Thursday was day 9 of the trial of Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, accused of orchestrating the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas in 1996.
Local
Y’all come! Basin clergywomen invite Midland-Odessa to a Dolly Parton celebration
MIDLAND Grab your rhinestones, dust off your boots, and get ready to sing, because some Permian Basin clergywomen are throwing a celebration fit for the Queen of Country herself, Dolly Parton. Join them on Sunday, August 30, from 6-7 p.m. at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church Parish H...
safety
Sexual assault suspect now facing charges in second case
A 17-year-old Odessan accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in February is now accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. According to an Odessa Police Department report, the younger girl told authorities on Feb. 9 that Jessie McCafferty, a friend, sexually as...
safety
Man arrested on federal drug charges in Midland
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) - A man was arrested by the TAG Center - Permian in Midland for federal and drug-related charges on Wednesday. TAG Center members conducted a traffic stop on Joseph Patterson in the 5000 block of State Highway 349 in Midland County. Patterson was arrest...
business
Celebrate National Burger Day at BJ's Drive Inn in Odessa
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- August 27th marks national burger day and across the Permian Basin there are a ton of options to choose from. However, from those options, BJ's Drive Inn sticks out due to their unique menu. The business has been open for over fifty years, and while the...
safety
Former delivery truck brings sober ride messages to Odessa
As Texans gather with friends and family to celebrate Labor Day and the end of summer, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is reminding motorists to always drive sober. Sadly, Texas saw a significant spike in crash fatalities that were drug- or alcohol-related over las...
safety
Gang member arrested in connection with hit-and-run in Midland
MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas (KOSA) - Members of the Texas Anti-Gang Center – Permian Basin arrested Luis Greenhalgh on Wednesday after finding his connection to a hit-and-run earlier that day. The release said Greenhalgh, who authorities described as a documented gang member, was invol...
News
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL: UTPB ready for new season with new head coach
UTPB volleyball enters the 2026 season with a new head coach but with plenty of returning talent from last year. Head coach Melissa Avila is hopeful that will make this transition a lot easier as the Falcons prepare for their season-opening weekend. UTPB begins its new season at ...
News
Abbott rings Closing Bell at grand opening of NYSE Texas HQ
DALLAS Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday rang the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in celebration of the grand opening of the headquarters of NYSE Texas. “Texas has now been home to the most capital of any state in the United States of America, and it just makes ...
schools
Kevin Jennings unexpectedly got to stay home, QB now in final season at SMU as Heisman hopeful
By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer DALLAS Kevin Jennings wasn’t even one of the players that coach Rhett Lashlee went to recruit at a local high school playoff game right after being hired by SMU. The dynamic quarterback, who happened to be playing for the other team that Decemb...
business
Tech stocks lead Wall Street after Nvidia, Salesforce and others say AI is creating big growth
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK Technology stocks led Wall Street on Thursday after Nvidia, Salesforce and others reported even fatter profits for the spring than analysts expected. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% and pulled closer to its all-time high set earlier this month. The ...
Local
DAILY OIL PRICE: August 27, 2026
Crude Oil: 83.53 (+1.30). Nymex MTD AVG: 82.4800. Natural Gas: 2.907 (+0.065). Gasoline: 3.3842 (+0.0641). Spreads: October/November (+1.56) November/December (+1.86). Plains WTI Posting: 80.01 (+1.30). The post DAILY OIL PRICE: August 27, 2026 appeared first on Odessa American ....
News
After years of hardship, Texas agriculture faces a new threat
By Jayme Lozano Carver, The Texas Tribune LUBBOCK Cheyenne Buerger can look outside the window of his Stamford home and see a cherished commodity in Texas: thousands of acres of farmland. His family farmed the land for more than a century, and Buerger is the fourth generation to ...
schools
TSTC instructors, high school athletic trainers offer critical heat safety guidance
WACO As students return to Texas classrooms and athletic fields, many are facing their share of 100 degree days. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has indicated temperatures will stay in the upper 90s and lower 100s through the next week, with the heat index continuing t...
schools
Nearly 120 adults register for Literacy Coalition-operated English program
MIDLAND The Literacy Coalition of the Permian Basin (LCPB) is partnering with Midland College Cogdell Learning Center to provide evening English for Career Success courses, commonly known as English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Last year, the program began with 30 students...
News
TEXAS VIEW: Data center moratoriums could hurt local regions; solutions should be sought
Just a few months ago, Gov. Greg Abbott and other state officials celebrated Texas as a primary location for new computer data centers. This month, however, the governor ordered a pause on data center development, after valid concerns arose about the ability of our state’s infras...
safety
Ross Fire grows to one of the largest wildfires on record in North Texas
The Ross fire started in Palo Pinto County on Aug. 24, 2026 and has since grown to more than 80,000 acres across Palo Pinto and Jack counties. Credit: A. Turner/Texas A&M AgriLife By Alejandra Martinez, The Texas Tribune FORT WORTH The Ross Fire has grown into one of the largest ...
News
US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say
By EMMA BURROWS and BEN FINLEY The Associated Press WASHINGTON The U.S. military is experiencing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe largely driven by President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, a U.S. defense official in Europe and a NATO official...
News
Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in the United States
By MICHELLE L. PRICE The Associated Press WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Thursday he is renaming Lake Ontario to be known as “Lake America” in the United States as he escalates his trade war with Canada. The Republican president signed an executive order directing the Int...
government
Texas should establish three-year bachelor’s degree options, Gov. Greg Abbott says
The Academic Building on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station on Nov. 12, 2025. Credit: Cassie Stricker for The Texas Tribune By Megan Menchaca, The Texas Tribune Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on Wednesday to work on pathway...
News
Prosecutors in Clancy case say America’s medical system is ‘not on trial here’
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial in Plymouth, Massachusetts, are hearing closing arguments Wednesday, before deciding whether the former labor and delivery nurse is criminally responsible for killing her three children in 2023. While both sides agr...
News
Mortgage rates rise, bringing the average rate on a 30-year home loan to where it was 4 weeks ago
Mortgage rates ticked higher this week, nudging the average long-term U.S. home loan rate closer to its recent high for the year. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate edged up to 6.66% from 6.65% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the ave...
business
Chain restaurants shrink, but copycat recipes keep the classics alive
By Jessica Haggard 2026 has been an unusually turbulent year for chain restaurants. Outback Steakhouse has closed locations, Smokey Bones shut down entirely in April and Del Taco continues to reduce its footprint. The result is an unpredictable restaurant landscape where familiar...
library
Time limits and a midnight cutoff: Meta’s new rules for kids go further, but critics say not enough
By BARBARA ORTUTAY and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS The Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. Kids under 18 will soon see a host of changes to their Instagram and Facebook experiences thanks to a historic $18 billion settlement Meta Platforms reached Wednesday with 48 U.S. states. Besides ...
News
QB Marcel Reed’s offseason bonding push as No. 8 Texas A&M eyes more wins
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer COLLEGE STATION, Texas Marcel Reed takes his role as a Texas A&M captain very seriously and believes building relationships off the field will pay dividends on it. The senior quarterback says he can name every teammate he’s had in four years wit...
News
Bush Family Home to commemorate 25th anniversary of 9/11
MIDLAND The Bush Family Home State Historic Site is hosting a solemn commemoration to honor the lives lost during the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in a ceremony at 10 a.m. on Sept. 11 near the flagpole at the site, 1412 W. Ohio St. All are invited to join this time of remembrance an...
News
ICE officer charged in Minneapolis shooting released in Texas after immediate extradition rejected
By MICHAEL GONZALEZ and VALERIE GONZALEZ The Associated Press BROWNSVILLE, Texas An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer charged with shooting a man and lying about it during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis was released from a Texas jail Thursday, after a judge re...
schools
ECISD College, Career, and Military Readiness hits 95%
In Ector County Independent School District, preparing students for success after graduation is not left to chance. Through intentional planning, strategic partnerships, and expanded opportunities, the district helps students graduate ready to thrive in college, careers, military...
safety
Ratko Mladic, ex-Bosnian Serb warlord who oversaw atrocities, dies as a prisoner at 84
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Ratko Mladic, the bullish Bosnian Serb general whose forces besieged the Bosnian capital for several years in the 1990s and carried out the worst massacre in Europe since World War II, died Thursday while serving a life sentence for his crimes, U.N. offici...
News
Jury weighs whether Lindsay Clancy is criminally responsible for killing her children
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial began deliberating a verdict Thursday, tasked with deciding whether she was in control of herself when she killed her three children, or had lost her grip on reality due to mental illness. In her closing argument, a...
News
Catastrophic floods kill over 390 in Nepal and Tibet, with more than 1,400 missing
DEVIGHAT, Nepal (AP) — Rescue teams and military helicopters searched Thursday for hundreds of missing people along the mountainous Nepal-China border, where a deadly torrent of water and mud several stories high swept through communities a day earlier following a glacier collaps...
schools
Former security guard sentenced to 32 years in prison
A school security guard accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl was sentenced to 32 years in prison last week after entering a plea agreement. According to Ector County District Court records, Maurice Devante McCoy, 32, pleaded guilty Aug. 20 to seven coun...
Local
8/26/2026: 7-day forecast, could a chance of rain cool off the Basin?
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – (8/26/2026) Here’s your 7-Day Forecast from Chief Forecaster Horace Brown. “The weather pattern is starting to work in our favor a little bit as the big heat dome shifts farther west.” That’s your 7-day Forecast! Staying on top of your weather forecast...
safety
High speed chase ends in arrest on kidnapping charges
A 41-year-old Odessa man who led police officers on a high speed chase through Odessa late Monday night is facing two counts of kidnapping and several other charges, according to the Odessa Police Department. Shortly before 11 p.m. Monday, dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call and th...
safety
Mom accused of leaving daughter with suspected rapist
An Odessa mom accused of failing to report the sexual assault of her child was arrested last week. According to an Ector County Sheriff’s Department report released Wednesday, a woman told deputies on Aug. 8 that she’d learned her niece had been sexually assaulted around 3 p.m. t...
News
NFL ends the Pro Bowl game, but players will still be honored as Pro Bowlers
The Associated Press ATLANTA The Pro Bowl is no more, the NFL announced Wednesday, ending an exhibition of the league’s top players that was held in some form almost every year since 1951. The game wasn’t played in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that was the only paus...
News
2026 Shooters that SHARE Benefit Clay Shoot raises over $150,000 for local special needs community
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News
Prosecutors rest in Tupac Shakur murder trial, putting Duane Davis’ defense up next
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. and JESSICA HILL The Associated Press LAS VEGAS Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday in the murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis after calling 24 witnesses in the nearly 30-year-old killing of Tupac Shakur. Their final witness presented jurors with cli...
News
FDA approves landmark pancreatic cancer drug that’s shown to improve survival
By MATTHEW PERRONE and LAURAN NEERGAARD The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a groundbreaking new drug for advanced pancreatic cancer, offering U.S. patients a more effective treatment against one of the deadliest types of cancer....
News
OPD investigating cosmetics theft
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schools
Odessa College invites community to 30 for 30 Fitness Challenge Kickoff
The countdown is on! Odessa College invites students, employees and community members to get ready to build a healthy habit and join the 2026 30 for 30 Fitness Challenge. Everyone is invited to the 30 for 30 Kickoff at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the newly enhanced Odessa Colleg...
News
A new Texas law declaws neighborhood groups that oppose housing projects
The South Austin Christian Church near South Congress Avenue in Austin on Monday, Aug. 24, 2026. Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune By Joshua Fechter, The Texas Tribune When a shrinking church proposed to turn its property in a wealthy South Austin neighborhood into homes ...
News
DPS operation targets organized oilfield theft enterprise, millions of dollars in assets seized
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business
Wall Street holds mostly steady following the latest update on inflation
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK The U.S. stock market drifted through a quiet day of trading Wednesday after a report said inflation was a touch worse last month than economists expected. Yields in the bond market, home to some of Wall Street’s biggest recent worries, ed...
schools
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Suel one of the few returning weapons on offense for the Falcons
While it’s no surprise that UTPB football has very few returning players from last year, the Falcons do bring back one crucial weapon at wide receiver as Traylen Suel gets ready for his final collegiate season. The Falcons’ dynamic pass-catcher is back after setting a school reco...
News
Army plans to build nuclear microreactors at five bases as US seeks to ramp up nuclear power
By JENNIFER McDERMOTT and MATTHEW DALY The Associated Press WASHINGTON The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that it plans to add nuclear microreactors at five military bases from New York to Texas as a reliable source of energy independent of the commercial electric grid. The announ...
government
SULLUM: Brendan Carr’s vendetta against ABC conflates the ‘public interest’ with Trump’s personal grievances
Last April, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it was reviewing the broadcast licenses held by ABC’s eight network-owned TV stations years before they were scheduled for renewal. The FCC had not conducted an early review of any broadcast license in more than hal...