DRB MEDIA Communications

10/07/2025

09/07/2025

This morning, OPD and OFR have responded to 12 high water rescue calls and several assist motorist calls. At this time, please avoid the following locations and use alternative routes: 8th & Tom Green, 2nd & West County Road, 2nd, and Kelly Ave., the 500 block of W. 42nd, and Dixie and 42nd.

Please allow plenty of time to travel to and from your destination. Reduce your speed and maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front that will allow enough time to stop your vehicle in case of an emergency. Roads are expected to remain slick for the rest of the morning.

09/07/2025

The Keep Odessa Beautiful Facility is closed until further notice due to flooding. We’ll keep you updated.

Jurassic Jungle Sprayground is also closed today because of flooding issues. We do expect it back open tomorrow.

09/07/2025

ECISD seeks community input on name, mascot for new middle school
What's in a name? Everything, really. The right name invokes pride, strength, resilience - it creates an identity.
We would like your thoughts and opinions on what should be the name and the mascot for the new middle
school being built as part of Bond 2023. Here are the links to the surveys in English and Spanish. It can also be
found on the ECISD homepage.
ECISD New MS Name and Mascot Survey
ECISD New MS Name and Mascot Survey (en Espanol)
The committee that will recommend the new middle school's name and mascot held a kickoff meeting on
Thursday, June 25. That committee includes District Continuous Improvement Team members, Education
Foundation nominees, and ECISD Board of Trustees nominations.
At the meeting, the committee learned about the school board policy that outlines the naming of schools, what
schools could be named after, and how this committee would ultimately select a recommendation to take to the
ECISD Board of Trustees. The committee also reviewed the architect's renderings of the new campus, looked at
the location of the new school (South Tripp Avenue), and saw the school colors: Shamrock Green, African Grey,
and Incredible White.
Committee members expressed their enthusiasm for being a part of this important process and their excitement
in getting feedback from the community from the survey they helped design. This survey will be available for two
weeks - through July 22. We ask Ector County residents to take the survey, then share it widely with family and
friends. Committee members will discuss recommendations submitted before ultimately taking a recommendation
to the board in August.
We are grateful for those helping us with this important step in the school's history

09/07/2025

New United Supermarkets coming to Seminole, Texas

SEMINOLE, Texas — The United Family is officially announcing its plans to build a new United Supermarkets location and United Express convenience store/fuel station in Seminole, with construction slated to begin in late spring of 2026. This new store location will replace the existing United Supermarkets location already in town. Information regarding an official groundbreaking ceremony will be shared in the future.
Sidney Hopper, president of The United Family, said the company is thrilled to be bringing a new and updated store to a community where it has been established for years.
“Seminole is a great community, and we can’t wait to bring them a brand-new United Supermarkets location,” Hopper said. “I know our team has been honored to serve Seminole over the years, but this new store will allow us to do it at an even higher level. We look forward to sharing more news about the store as soon as we can!”
Located at the southeast corner of Hobbs Highway and 21st Street, the new 49,000 sq. ft. location will be built from the ground up and have top-notch guest service. The United Family and development partner Graco Real Estate extend sincere appreciation to the City of Seminole for its vital partnership.
“It’s an honor for us to partner with The United Family in bringing a brand new full-service grocery store and convenience store/fuel station to the Seminole community,” said Gary Andrews, Vice-President of GRACO Real Estate Development, Inc.
The new United Supermarkets will feature services that have become mainstays of all next-generation United Family locations including, a full-service pharmacy with drive-through, Streetside grocery pick-up and delivery, fresh in-store bakery, full-service floral with delivery, expansive beer and wine selection, a full-service meat market, and more.
Seminole guests will experience expanded services in this new location such as a full-service deli with fresh, hot foods, ReadyMeals and a dining area; including new items across the departments. Perhaps best of all, with the addition of the United Express, guests can redeem rewards points on fuel for up to a $1 off per gallon. A final list of features will be announced at the future groundbreaking.

08/07/2025

Odessa Police Department/July 8, 2025-We are deeply saddened to share with our community that Odessa Police Officer Bailey Martin has been found and, tragically, is deceased. Positive identification and notification of next of kin were completed last night. Bailey is currently at a facility in Travis County. A representative from the Odessa Police Department is on-site, working diligently to have Bailey released to his family and brought back to Odessa. Honor Guard members and officers who were close to Bailey will stand watch over the casket until he is released and will then es**rt him home.

We kindly ask that you respect the family's privacy during this difficult time, as they have not only lost Bailey but also several other family members. Our prayers go out to them and to everyone affected by this devastating natural disaster. At this time, all OPD officers are wearing mourning bands over their badges and all flags in front of OPD have been lowered to half-staff. The Odessa Police Department would like to encourage the citizens of Odessa to replace their porch lights with blue bulbs for the rest of the week in remembrance of Bailey.

07/07/2025

Drive by Shootings
Odessa Police have made two arrests in connection to two drive by shootings that occurred this past weekend. 18-year-old Javen Salas and a 16-year-old male have both been charged with four counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon “Felony 2”, Deadly Conduct “Felony 3”, and Discharge of a Firearm in Municipality “Misdemeanor A”.

On 7-5-25 at approximately 3:03am, OPD responded to the 1100 block of E. 44th St. in reference to a drive by shooting. Investigation revealed that approximately a dozen rounds had been fired at a residence. While investigating the call, officers heard several more shots being fired just north of Sherwood Park.

Investigation revealed that an occupied vehicle had been shot at multiple times. An OPD officer located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle at 52nd and Dawn. A traffic stop was conducted on a white BMW and the occupants were identified as Salas and a 16-year-old male. Officers located a rifle inside of the listed vehicle.

Salas was interviewed under Miranda and admitted that they were driving around and shooting off the rifle. Based on the facts and circumstances presented during the investigation, both subjects were charged and arrested accordingly. There were no reports of any injuries, and the investigation is ongoing.

07/07/2025

West Texas Food Bank Partners with Department of Public Safety and San Antonio Food Bank for Texas Hill Country Flood Relief

ODESSA, TEXAS (July 7, 2025) – Odessa, TX — In response to the catastrophic flooding impacting the Texas Hill Country, the West Texas Food Bank (WTXFB) is joining forces with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) to provide urgent disaster relief.

As a trained disaster response organization, the West Texas Food Bank stands ready to deliver critical commodities to the affected areas. This collaborative effort ensures that resources are deployed quickly and efficiently to meet the immediate needs of those impacted.

“We are grateful for the leadership of DPS and the support of the San Antonio Food Bank in coordinating this large-scale response,” said Libby Stephens, CEO of the West Texas Food Bank. “Our team is prepared to drive in with much-needed supplies, and we know our West Texas community will answer the call to help.”

Current items requested include:

· Baby wipes

· Diapers

· Formula

· Granola bars

· Water

· Sports drinks

· Bug spray

· Camping food

· Beef jerky

· Women's hygiene products

· Shelf stable food - no cooking (think SPAM)

· Shovels

· Bleach

· Trash Bags

Donation Drop-Off Locations:

· Odessa: 411 S. Pagewood Ave.

· Midland: 1601 Westcliff Dr.

In addition to accepting donations at both WTXFB locations, items may also be dropped off at locations listed on an updated commodities list available through WTXFB’s communication channels.

The Food Bank will continue to assess needs and provide timely updates to the public as the situation evolves.

To donate or learn more about how to support the relief efforts, please follow the West Texas Food Bank on social media.

07/07/2025

Historic collaboration brings shipping container-based health care
clinic to Jeff Davis County
Texas A&M Health and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center unlock
unprecedented health care access for underserved rural community
FORT DAVIS, Texas—Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health), Texas Tech
University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), along with local leadership and other collaborators, will join
with the student-led organization, Texas A&M BUILD, to dedicate a new, innovative medical care facility
for a West Texas rural community: a 40-foot, retro-fitted shipping container. A ceremony featuring a
ribbon cutting and keynote remarks from university and local leaders will unveil the new facility in Fort
Davis, Texas, on Friday, July 11 at 2:00 p.m. The clinic will be dedicated in honor of Airman 1st Class
James "Adam" Lassiter '08, who died in 2012 while on active duty with the U.S. Air Force.
The clinic will be equipped with telehealth and tele-counseling capabilities, offering convenient access to
health care provided by both universities’ health science centers. Licensed professionals from the Texas
A&M Health Telehealth Institute will provide tele-counseling services, while TTUHSC family medicine
doctors and medical residents based at Texas Tech Physicians in Odessa will provide telemedicine
services.

07/07/2025

Two more MFD members traveling to help in Kerrville

The Midland Fire Department is sending another two members to help with the aftermath of the flooding in the Hill Country.
Odessa Fire Rescue is sending a type-1 team to Kerrville, like the Midland Fire Department did on Saturday. Midland Fire Department officials stated that MFD is sending personnel with that crew.

07/07/2025

Midland College Partners with West Texas Food Bank to Serve as Donation Hub for Hill Country Flood Supplies

Midland College is partnering with the West Texas Food Bank to support those affected by the recent devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country.

We are collecting essential supplies and monetary donations this week. Items will be delivered early next week to assist with recovery efforts.

How You Can Help: Donate Supplies

We are accepting the following essential items (please, no clothing at this time):

Baby wipes

Diapers

Formula

Granola bars

Water & sports drinks

Bug spray

Shelf-stable food (no cooking required – think SPAM!)

Beef jerky

Camping food

Women’s hygiene products

Drop-off Location & Times

Donations can be dropped off at Door 1 of the Al G. Langford Chaparral Center

Monday, July 7– Thursday, July 10

7:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Monetary Donations

We are also accepting cash or checks made payable to West Texas Food Bank.

Please write “Hill Country Disaster Relief” in the memo line.

Checks can be dropped off at:

Pevehouse Administration Building, Room 136

Thank you for your generosity and support!