🌱 Man Arrested On Theft Suspicion + Team Hires Former Odessa Coach

Hello all. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right with a quick review of everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Hot; breezy in the morning. High: 101 Low: 71.
• Saturday: Hot with plenty of sun. High: 101 Low: 69.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories today in Odessa-Midland:

1. Juan Carlos Carrillo of Odessa was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of property theft after a stolen tractor loader and heavy equipment trailer were found on his property. The Ector County Sheriff's Office was alerted of a theft on Tuesday around 11:00 a.m. and later found the items on Carrillo's property on Donald Circle. Carrillo was arrested on Tuesday and is being held on a $50,000 bond. Carrillo is charged with a second-degree felony and, if found guilty, could be sentenced to two to 20 years. (Odessa American)
2. The Stephen F. Austin softball team has brought an iconic Odessa figure into their locker room with the hiring of former Odessa College Head Coach Jeff Jackson to take over the program. Coach Richie Bruister announced his retirement after the previous softball season, and the Lumberjacks athletic department launched a nationwide search for who would fill those shoes. Coach Jackson saw a lot of success in his six years at Odessa College last season finishing with a 54-6 record and a second straight year in the 2023 NJCAA DI Softball World Series Semi-finals, and this is following a historic season for the team the year before where they finished third in the tournament. (ksfa860.com)
3. It took a bit more than 40 years to reach the finish line, but 61-year-old Teresa Ramirez of Midland was able to celebrate at last after she earned her high school diploma earlier this week. As a teenager, Ramirez was on track to finish high school but she was unable to finish her final year. She gained inspiration to finish the job after seeing another woman in her 60s finish her degree. With the help of MISD employee Amber Day, Ramirez was able to get into Midland's Prevention Dropout Intervention Program and complete the necessary classwork to graduate. Ramirez was able to reach this milestone along side her grandson, who also graduated. (KMID - Local 2 News)

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Today and tomorrow in Odessa-Midland:

Friday, June 9

• Soul Doodles: Intuitive Art By Jewel At Earth, Body, & Soul (9:00 AM)
• Paul Wall & Big Pokey At The Ector Theatre (7:30 PM)
• June 9th Barefoot Nation At City Nights Midland (8:00 PM)

Saturday, June 10

• Hot Dog Run 5K/1 Mile + Pet Costume Competition At Midland College (7:30 AM)
• Family Fun Day At 1915 E. Scharbauer Dr., Midland, TX (12:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Odessa Police Department is reminding the city that June is National Adopt-A-Cat Month and you should take advantage of Odessa Animal Service's special offer. For a reduced fee of just $27, you can adopt a cat or kitten, and the fee covers essential services like shots, medication, and a microchip plan. Visit the website and see who the newest member of your family might be. (Odessa Police Department via Facebook)
• If you are looking for a new career and have ever had an interest in working with the police now is your chance. The Midland Police Department's Telephone Response Unit is hiring multiple people to join their team. You can apply for a position by clicking here. (Midland Police Department via Facebook)
• A heads-up for those in the Midland community, new summer meal sites have been added, and some lunch times have changed. You can follow the link provided and find a schedule for which schools in the Midland Independent School District will be providing meals. (Midland ISD via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you soon.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.