A citizen-led watchdog organization dubbed the ‘Odessa Accountability Project’ says they discovered a Twitter account that is believed to belong to a local newspaper reporter, and that the account shows multiple past tweets of a controversial nature. The Accountability Project pointed to the Twitter account @fmloco65, which appears to be an old account belonging to […]
Posted inUncategorized
State Funding to Expand Odessa’s Schlemeyer Airport Leads to Unanswered Questions
A rider amendment in the state transportation budget to provide $15 million in funding to expand the runways at the Ector County ‘Schlemeyer’ Airport in Odessa has generated a mystery regarding who wanted the funding, and what prompted the Texas Legislature to pass it. Transportation funding experts say the amendment will ‘cannibalize’ the funding for […]
Posted inLocal
Odessa Mayor to Hold Town Hall
Odessa Mayor Javier Joven is planning to hold a town hall today, to update citizens on issued facing the city as well as provide an opportunity for citizens to give feedback to their city’s representative. An event posted on Joven’s campaign Facebook page details that the town hall will be held today, Monday, June 14, […]
Posted inLocal
Opinion: Odessa Voters Should Have the Right to Consider Major Public Debt Issues
A quick review of the numbers, and one will realize that local government debt in Texas is a silent crisis in the waiting – with staggering numbers continuously amassing unchecked, unchallenged, and unnoticed. Odessa is no exception. A study conducted in 2020 by the Texas Public Policy Foundation found that the principal debt owed by local governments was […]
Posted inLocal
Pro-Debt Councilmembers Plot to Censure Mayor Joven
Several Odessa City Councilmembers who are planning to circumvent the voters by issuing $95 million in taxpayer-backed debt have announced their intention to consider censuring Mayor Javier Joven after the mayor came out strongly against the debt issuance this past week. The censure is being spearheaded by Councilman Steve Thompson, who has claimed the censure […]
Posted inLocal
Odessa City Manager Plan will Circumvent Voters with $95 Million Debt Issuance
A proposal by Odessa City Manager Michael Marrero’s office to circumvent Odessan’s right to vote on major public funding projects by exploiting a loophole in state law is moving forward, with the first public hearing on the debt issuance set for this Tuesday. The certificates of obligation totaling $95 million will be the second debt […]
Posted inState
DPS Report Reveals Staffer in Landgraf’s Office Made False Accusations
Investigators with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) have released their report finding an allegation of date rape that led to a lobbyist’s reputation being ruined was false – and that the staffer who lied to law enforcement and made up the story did so to cover up her sexual affair with another legislative staffer. […]
Posted inLocal
Odessa Economic Development Official Raises Open Meetings Act Concern
During the May meeting of the Odessa Economic Development Corporation (ODC), one of the most recent appointees to the board of directors that governs the city tax corporation raised concerns that a subcommittee that is heavily involved in reviewing public funding proposals may be operating illegally in violation of the Open Meetings Act (OMA). Odessa […]
Posted inOdessa City Council
Poll: Odessa Water Infrastructure Should Be Priority Over New Animal Shelter.
The results of a telephone phone conducted by Odessa Headlines over the weekend are in, with 75.4% of the 378 (or 285) registered Odessa voters polled responding that they would prefer the Odessa City Council prioritize critical water infrastructure spending versus using debt to build a new multi-million-dollar animal shelter. The Odessa City Council is set to […]
Posted inTexas Legislature
Landgraf ‘Intended to Vote No’ After Voting to Establish Islamic Holiday in Texas
A bill that cleared the Texas House of Representatives last week to establish an Islamic holiday had a Republican lawmaker from Odessa writing that he actually meant to vote “no” after voting for the bill during final passage in the House chamber. The bill, HB 1231 by State Rep. Joe Moody (D-El Paso) would establish […]