🌱 New City Manager + New Odessa High Basketball Coach

Hello all. I'm here with your Monday edition of the Odessa-Midland Patch newsletter, filled with all the local information you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Sunny, windy and hot. High: 104 Low: 76.
• Thursday: Sunny, windy and hot. High: 102 Low: 76.

From our sponsor:

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

1. John Beckmeyer was unanimously picked to be Odessa's new City Manager. The Odessa City Council chose Beckmeyer to replace Michael Marerro, who was let go in December. Beckmeyer beat out two other finalists for the role. He has been the executive director of the Republican Party of Texas since 2021. (Odessa American)
2. The Odessa High School Bronchos have announced that assistant coach Jermil Lewis has been promoted to head basketball coach. Lewis, who has been an assistant coach for Bronchos basketball for five years, replaces Neal Welch who left to be the head coach at Weatherford. Lewis played basketball for Odessa High, graduating in 2005. He takes over a squad that won over 20 games and made it to the state playoffs last season. (Odessa American)
3. The heatwave continues in the Midland and Odessa area as high temperatures continue to be in the triple digits. Tuesday will be the 13th day with temperatures over 100 degrees. The record for 100-degree days in a row is 14 and that is likely to be broken this week. The heatwave is supposed to break as we get into the Fourth of July weekend. (NewsWest 9)

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Today and tomorrow in Odessa-Midland:

Wednesday, June 28

• Storytime + Block Architecture At Ector County Library (10:00 AM)
• Library Lunches At Midland County Public Library (12:00 PM)

Thursday, June 29

• Chevron STEAM At Midland County Public Library (11:00 AM)
• Drawing: Friends Together At Ector County Library (4:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The City of Midland wants residents to know that the cooling center at Martin Luther King Community Center in Midland will be open until Saturday. Stop by to stay cool and take a break from the excessive heat. (City of Midland - Public Information via Facebook)
• 13-year-old Alaina Gonzalez was the Gold Medal champion at the American Grappling Federation World Championship in Fort Worth. Gonzalez attends seventh grade at Wilson and Young Middle School. She trains at Ruffhouse MMA and beat out competitors from across the globe to win the Gold Medal. (City of Odessa, Texas via Facebook)
• Midland County Libraries will be holding a DIY Tile Coasters crafting session on Thursday, Jun. 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Centennial Library. Create unique coasters with your own personal touch that make a great gift. Materials and supplies will be provided. (Midland County Public Libraries via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! 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.