🌱 TTUHSC Exec. Vice President Dies + Ken Paxton Impeachment Vote

Hello again, everybody! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Odessa-Midland Patch newsletter. Come along to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Couple of thunderstorms. High: 85 Low: 61.
• Tuesday: Breezy in the morning. High: 86 Low: 62.

From our sponsor:

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

1. Dr. Steven L. Berk, the executive vice president and School of Medicine Dean at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) in Odessa, sadly passed away on May 27. With a career spanning 17 years at TTUHSC, Dr. Berk served as the dean of the medical school, made significant contributions as a faculty member, and held prestigious positions, such as the Mirick-Myers Endowed Chair in Geriatric Medicine. Recognized for his dedication to students, advocacy for diversity in medicine, and commitment to addressing rural health needs, Dr. Berk's legacy is deeply appreciated by TTUHSC President Lori Rice-Spearman. (NewsWest 9)
2. Midland and Odessa Texas House representatives voted contradictorily on the impeachment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton. State Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, voted against the adoption of impeachment articles, with Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, voting in favor. As a whole, the state House approved the resolution by a vote of 121-23, temporarily removing Paxton from office due to allegations of professional misconduct including bribery and abuse of his office. (Midland Reporter-Telegram)
3. The Texas Legislature chose not to allocate any funds to directly address the lack of air conditioning in dangerously hot prisons, despite having an extra $32.7 billion available for the state's budget. While the final budget proposal included a late add-on of $85.7 million for additional deferred maintenance projects at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, it is uncertain whether this funding will be used for installing air conditioning. The decision has disappointed prison rights advocates who had hoped for a budget of $545 million to cool Texas prisons and address the risks posed by extreme heat to prisoners and staff. (Odessa American)

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Today and tomorrow in Odessa-Midland:

Monday, May 29

• Memorial Day Party! At Crunch Fitness (5:00 PM)
• 12x12 Palm Painting At Wine And Canvas (6:00 PM)

Tuesday, May 30

• Live Music With Al Haney At Venezia Restaurant (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• A local man, Victor Anaya, is in stage five kidney failure and is on dialysis and has recently received a donor and is looking for help funding the transplant. If you would like to help with his transplant, click here. (City of Odessa, Texas via Facebook)
• Ms. Hale at Texas Leadership Charter Academy is looking for 25 new Chromebooks for her students. The fundraising project will run through Aug. 23 and is still in need of approximately $7,229. You can find out more about how to help at the link. (Midland Reporter-Telegram)
• This past Friday, May 26, Midland Independent School District (ISD) Police Chief Arthur Barclay submitted his resignation. According to the district, "Midland ISD accepted the resignation of Chief Arthur Barclay, effective immediately. While we appreciate his service to the district the last four plus years; it is in the best interest of the district to reevaluate the leadership of the Midland ISD Police Department." (Midland Reporter-Telegram)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday! 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.