🌱 Odessa High School Fire Extinguished + Army Vet Arrested Going AWOL

Hello, everybody! I'm here right on time with your fresh copy of the Odessa-Midland Patch newsletter, full of all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Breezy in the morning. High: 51 Low: 36.
• Saturday: Cloudy and cold. High: 47 Low: 30.

Business owners and marketers in Odessa-Midland: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

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

1. Texas legislature and state lawmakers are currently struggling to find a balance between parental rights and preserving a child's privacy as they try to avoid another mass shooting like last year at Uvalde Elementary School. The current battle is focused on improving mental health care for students and preventing a grudge from becoming a tragedy while determining when it's okay to give parents information that a child may have shared in confidential settings. Midland State Senator Kevin Sparks said he believes that schools should notify parents if they believe a child is a threat as they deserve to know what is happening with their child and can serve as a deterrent to prevent violence. (KEYE TV CBS Austin)
2. Crews responded Tuesday night to a call reporting that the roof of a field house at Odessa High School caught fire. Several calls were made to the police department from locals who noticed the fire, which helped the damage stay at a minimum and kept anyone from being injured. The fire is still currently under investigation, but it is believed that the fire was accidental. (NewsWest9.com)
3. An Army vet was arrested in Ector County after going AWOL and going on a high-speed chase on Mar. 14. Calel George was listed as AWOL on the morning of Mar. 14 and engaged in a police chase with the Ector County Sheriff's Office around 8:00 a.m. The chase started in Ward County and ended in Ector County with the suspect allegedly driving at speeds of over 100 MPH on I-20. George is currently on U.S. military hold and faces charges of evading arrest and detainment of vehicle. (KOSA)

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Today and tomorrow in Odessa-Midland:

Friday, March 17

• Renaissance Week: Watch Shrek At Library At The Plaza (1:30 PM)
• RPG 123! At Library At The Plaza (4:30 PM)

Saturday, March 18

• Youth Crafting Hour: Perler Beads At Centennial Library (11:00 AM)
• Monster Truck Wars At Midland County Horseshoe Arena (1:00 PM)
• Free Wrestling At City Nights (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Strategic lighting around your home can work as a deterrent to your home being a target for burglary. Midland police provided a few tips to protect your home, including installing motion sensor lights and keeping doorways well-lit. (Midland Police Department via Facebook)
• Join the City of Odessa at the Keep Odessa Beautiful Education Fair on Mar. 25. This fair will provide education on what you can do in your daily life to care for your area and keep the city looking clean and green. (City of Odessa via Facebook)
• Show your support for the Odessa Police Department at the 2023 Bustin for Badges Clay Shoot May 3-5. This will be the 10th annual event taking place at Windwalker Farms and benefits local law enforcement by paying for much-needed equipment. (Odessa Police Department via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you back in your inbox soon with another update.

— 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.