Holiday Season Kick Off Santa Landing at Music City Mall
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All!
DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All!
Odessa, Texas/November 20, 2023-This past Saturday Music City Mall kicked off the Holiday Season. Hundreds of people came out to the annual Santa Claus Landing. Even though Santa arrived by land via Odessa Fire Rescue, families and children were excited to see Santa Claus.
(Visitors to Santa Claus Landing Event, Music City Mall, 4101 E. 42nd St./Odessa, Texas)
This year’s festivities offered free activities and entertainment for the entire family.
This is DRB Media Communications Digital News.
Odessa, Texas/December 5, 2022-Downtown Odessa, Inc. hosted LETTERS TO SANTA a free event this past Saturday. Families with their children came to the Copper-Rose Building for this free event.
(Casey Hallmark, Executive Director, Downtown Odessa-Odessa, Texas)
Owners of the Copper-Rose Building celebrated their second year being part of the Odessa community by making available a historic venue for events this Christmas season.
(Beverly Hearn, Owner-Copper-Rose Building, Downtown Odessa)
Downtown Odessa, Inc. Celebrated the 27th annual Parade of lights on Saturday, December 3rd. Over 126 organizations registered for the parade with over 300 vehicle interties.
Awards were given out in several categories: individual Family, school, nonprofit/community Organizations and commercial business for creative floats.
Individual Family
1st – Old Guy’s Car Club
School
1st – OHS Football
2nd – OHS Baseball
3rd – OHS Cheer
Nonprofit/Community Organization
1st – Odessa Lightning
2nd – City of Odessa
3rd – OCTech Spirit Club
Commercial Business
1st – American Eagle
2nd – Diamond Mobile Homes
3rd – Uno Hot Shot Services Corporation
For DRB Media Communications Digital News, Danny Barrera
Santa Claus visited sixty-eight 3 and 4 year-olds at the Pre-K Academy classrooms at Midland College. Students dressed up in their PJ’s for the special visit.
(Lori smith-Principal-Pre-K Academy at Midland College)
Santa’s visit give these young students an opportunity to ask Santa questions or tell Santa what they want for Christmas.
(Lori smith-Principal-Pre-K Academy at Midland College)
(Zaxton KIng and A’Meri Rose O’Neal-Students/Pre-K Academy at Midland College)
Children asked for a wide variety of Christmas presents from the traditional to non-traditional.
(Santa Claus-Visits Pre-K Academy at Midland College
(Zaxton KIng and A’Meri Rose O’Neal-Students/Pre-K Academy at Midland College)
The Pre-K students had a wonderful time visiting with Santa. Children made hot chocolate and watched the Grinch movie.
For DRB Media Communications Digital News, Danny Barrera.
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reminds Texans that changes to the state’s Vehicle Safety Inspection Program are now in effect. These changes—which took effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and eliminate many vehicle safety inspections—are due to House Bill 3297. The bill was passed by the 88th Legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2023, abolishing the Vehicle Safety Inspection Program for non-commercial vehicles.
As a reminder, as of Jan. 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles no longer need a vehicle safety inspection prior to registration. All non-commercial vehicles in the state are still subject to a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee per HB 3297. The inspection program replacement fee will be paid when you register your vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
New vehicles (those of the current or preceding model year on the date of purchase) purchased in Texas that have not been previously registered in Texas or another state are required to pay an initial inspection program replacement fee of $16.75 to cover two years.
Please note the inspection program replacement fee is not an increase in the cost of your vehicle registration. As its name suggests, this fee simply replaces the revenue source for state programs and operations—like the construction and expansion of state highways—once supported by vehicle safety inspections.
Vehicles Registered in Emissions Counties
It is important to note that emissions tests are different than vehicle safety inspections. While comprehensive vehicle safety inspections are eliminated for all non-commercial vehicles, Texans whose vehicles are registered in emissions counties are still required to have emissions tests. The price of vehicle emissions tests varies by vehicle and county. Vehicles exempt from emissions inspections, including electric-only vehicles, continue to be exempt.
Emissions tests are required in major metropolitan areas, including Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties; Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall and Tarrant counties; Travis and Williamson counties; and El Paso County. Bexar County will be added to the list of counties requiring emissions tests in 2026.
Commercial Vehicles
All commercial vehicles in all counties are still required to obtain a passing vehicle safety inspection. Because they still need to pay for a safety inspection, commercial vehicles are exempt from the inspection program replacement fee.
Remember, all vehicles still need to be registered; the registration process continues to be managed by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Even though vehicle safety inspections have been eliminated for most vehicles, the department reminds Texans to regularly service their vehicles to keep themselves and other motorists safe on the road. Regular maintenance ensures the proper operation of your vehicle’s headlights, taillights, horn, mirrors, windshield wipers, tires and other critical functions. Driving a vehicle without many of these properly working safety features is against the law and puts everyone at risk.
Last month, DPS launched a public safety announcement (PSA) video reviewing changes to vehicle inspections.
TxDPS/Reeves County/January 20, 2025/FATAL CRASH IN REEVE COUNTY-On Friday, January 17th, at 1:00pm, a fatal crash occurred at US 285 at Mile Marker 364 in Reeves County. Due to a sandstorm that caused limited visibility which resulted in a multi-car pileup crash.
A 2011 Toyota Tundra operated by Greg Edward Sanchez, a 41 year-of-age male of Monahan, Texas was traveling southbound when the vehicle struck the rear of the trailer of 2003 Peterbilt operated by Carlos Alberto Ressio-Rodriguez, a 36 years-of-age male of Pecos, Texas.
Greg Edward Sanchez, the driver of the 2011 Toyota Tundra was pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
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