DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS(010322)-SHERIFF DAVID CRINER-MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NOVEMBER 2021 UPDATE
Midland County/Midland, Texas/January 3, 2022-SHERIFF DAVID CRINER-MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NOVEMBER 2021 UPDATE
DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS
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Midland County/Midland, Texas/January 3, 2022-SHERIFF DAVID CRINER-MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NOVEMBER 2021 UPDATE
MIDLAND, TEXAS/NOVEMBER 24, 2021-THE MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE PARTICIPATED WITH THE MIDLAND SOUP KITCHEN MINISTRY TO HELP SERVE A SPECIAL THANKSGIVING LUNCH TO THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SINGLES AND FAMILIES ENJOYED A TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING MEAL.
(NANCY IVY, MANAGER/OWNER-MIDLAND SOUP KITCHEN)
DURING THIS SPECIAL THANKSGIVING LUNCH, MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID CRINER, DETECTIVES, INVESTIGATORS STAFF AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS DONATED THEIR TIME TO SERVE AND
HELP BRING JOY TO THOSE THAT CAME TO THE SPECIAL
LUNCH.
(SHERIFF DAVID CRINER, MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE)
THE MIDLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE GAVE PRESENTS TO CHILDREN THAT ATTENDED THE EVENT WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND RECEIVED OTHER GOODIES.
FOR DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS, DANNY BARRERA.
Called the Pioneer Pathway, students will attend class online and in-person
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy announced its new Pioneer Pathway, a degree plan that will allow students to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree using hybrid learning strategies. This will be the first pharmacy program in Texas to allow students the flexibility to complete a majority of their Pharm.D. from anywhere in the nation.
“Institutions adopting forward-thinking ways to train professionals beyond the classroom is becoming increasingly more common, even in the most distinguished fields,” Grace Kuo, Pharm.D., dean of the TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, said. “We recognize that the landscape of education is evolving, and as a leader in pharmacy education, it is our duty to adapt in order to improve the services we offer.”
The new TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy Pioneer Pathway will live within the existing Pharm.D. program and maintain the quality and rigor of the school’s on-campus pathways. A taskforce made up of faculty and staff members within the school focused the design of the pathway on faculty instruction, digital learning technology, student engagement and support complemented by hands-on immersions and structured flexibility.
“We are excited to add the new pathway because, in addition to driving innovation and enhancement of our existing pathways, it extends our reach to a broader audience, including those who may have previously had limited options for pharmacy education,” Krystal Haase, Pharm.D., TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy regional dean Pioneer Pathway taskforce chair, said. “We pride ourselves on the high quality of our program and graduates and, for that reason, this pathway will maintain the same curriculum and learning outcomes as existing on-campus pathways.
Morris retires from Midland College Board of Trustees
Paul L. Morris, Midland College (MC) Board of Trustees, Place 4, announced his retirement from the Board effective May 7, 2024. Mr. Morris has served as a member of the Board of Trustees since January 2016.
“It is with great pleasure that I have served on the MC Board of Trustees for over eight years,” Morris said. “I have enjoyed working with my fellow trustees and MC Presidents Steve Thomas and Damon Kennedy. I wish the College continued success. With Dr. Kennedy’s leadership and the sound guidance from my colleagues on the Board, I know that Midland College will thrive and continue to be a cornerstone in the growth of the Midland community.”
Morris, his wife Dee and their family, arrived in Midland during the boom of 1981 when he became president and CEO of Banner Energy, Inc. In 1988, he transitioned to manager of Oil and Gas at Wagner and Brown, Ltd and then was promoted to CEO in 1994. In 2013, Mr. Morris launched Elk River Resources with partner Ed Jones. He served as chairman and CEO of Elk River until he stepped down in 2019 to become a senior advisor to the board.
During Morris’ tenure as a member of the MC Board of Trustees, the College observed several instructional milestones, including leadership in the statewide Pathways student success program, establishment of the College & Career Academies and launch of the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Midland College, just to name a few. Midland College also underwent several capital improvements and new construction that include the Cowden Dining Hall, the Midland College Pre-K Academy and renovation of the Jack E. Brown Conference Hall.
“Paul has been a tremendous leader on the Midland College Board of Trustees,” MC President Dr. Damon Kennedy said. “As I transitioned into the role of College President, I have appreciated his counsel and calm demeanor. During the eight years that Paul has served Midland College, he has been enthusiastic about the implementation of programs and services and has demonstrated extreme dedication to the work that we are doing for higher education and community outreach in Midland. I extend my deepest gratitude and thanks to Paul.”
“Midlanders should recognize and applaud the tremendous contributions Paul Morris has made to the advancement of MC during his years as a member of the Board of Trustees,” Chair of the MC Board of Trustees, Steve Kiser noted. “Paul has been a terrific trustee. His wonderful leadership, wisdom and vision have helped guide this College for years. He will be greatly missed.”
The Board will appoint someone at its May 21 regular monthly meeting to fulfill Morris’ term on the Board through December 31, 2024.
May 9, 2024 — Midland ISD will face a financial transition for the 2024-25 fiscal year, because of the expiration of the Formula Transition Grant (FTG). This will result in a reduction of approximately $40 million for the district.
The FTG was established by the state legislature in 2019, and aimed to ensure all Texas school districts received a minimum 3% increase in per-student funding amidst property tax reform. MISD was the single largest beneficiary of the grant and utilized the funds to bolster the budget over the past five years.
A recent survey by the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) showed more than half of districts statewide anticipate a deficit budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The basic allotment has remained the same since 2019, while inflation has grown approximately 20% across the state. This, combined with underfunded state mandates, has left many districts facing a budget shortfall.
MISD is dealing with the same financial challenges, while also losing out on the Formula Transition Grant. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, MISD’s total state and local revenue per average daily attendance (ADA) will drop by roughly $1,600 per average daily attendance of students from the current year. This will decrease the district’s funding rate per ADA to just above the 2018-19 school year, before the pandemic. Since the 2020-21 school year, MISD and other districts across the nation have been faced with chronic absenteeism, which directly affects student achievement and funding for Texas school districts based on the state funding formula. MISD is currently working to emphasize the importance of attendance district-wide. Good attendance increases student achievement while also keeping local dollars within Midland instead of being redistributed to the state through recapture.
The Board of Trustees and administration have anticipated these changes over the past few years and have built up a sufficient fund balance assigned for this transition. Additionally, the district is and will continue to review all programs for efficiency and effectiveness while still providing quality experiences for students and staff.
According to board policy CE (LOCAL), the district is required to keep a minimum of three months worth of operating expenses in the general fund balance. The district currently has approximately six months of operating expenses in fund balance and is projected to have approximately five months of operating expenses in fund balance at the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year.
“Despite the impending loss of funding, Midland ISD remains financially sound,” said Chief Financial Officer Tucker Durham. “As a result of the Board of Trustees’ foresight, the district strategically set aside funds to transition away from the additional funding to ensure continuity in delivering quality education to our students.”
As the district navigates this transition, it remains committed to advocating for adequate funding at the local, state, and federal levels.
“Moving forward, we will continue to monitor our budget monthly, consider all available funding sources and efficiencies, collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the continued success of our students, and finally work with our elected officials to ask that they prioritize funding for all public schools and Midland ISD,” said Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Howard.
Taxpayers can feel confident that the overall tax rate will be proposed to remain flat for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The state school finance system caps the maximum M&O tax rate a school district is able to adopt, without voter approval. Annually, the Board of Trustees is required to adopt a budget followed by a tax rate; however, the district does not set appraised values.
The district will provide its fourth detailed overview of the budget preparation during its monthly report at the upcoming board meeting on May 14.
MIDLAND, TX – Family Promise, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless
families achieve sustainable independence, has received a generous donation of $5,000 from
Odessa College (OC) Students in Philanthropy. This significant contribution will provide crucial
support for covering sports registration fees and equipment costs for children enrolled in the
Family Promise program.
For many homeless families, the financial burden of sports registration and equipment fees is
prohibitive, preventing their children from participating in extracurricular activities. With this
significant donation, Family Promise will be able to alleviate this financial strain and ensure that
children in their program can engage in sports activities.
The check presentation ceremony took place on Friday, May 3rd, where Tom Miller, Executive
Director of Family Promise, warmly welcomed the students from OC Students in Philanthropy.
Following the presentation, Miller provided the students with a guided tour, offering them
insight into the organization’s mission and the impact of their contribution
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second
leading cause of death for people ages 12 to 24, with incidents increasing 52% between
2000 and 2021. The National Institutes of Health also stated that among young adults,
more than 40% of those aged 18 to 25 with mental illnesses do not have access to mental
health care.
To help address these issues, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
(TTUHSC) will collaborate with the Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative to present
the Texas Higher Education Suicide Prevention Spring Summit 8 a.m. to noon May 14.
The free event will be virtual.
“The goal of this summit is for college campus administrators from across Texas to develop relationships to help navigate implementing mental health services and other supports for students experiencing mental health challenges during their college careers,” Nancy Treviño, Ph.D., TTUHSC Department of Psychiatry and director of the Texas Tech Mental Health Institute, said.
Presentations will include:
§ “Eight Dimensions of Wellness,” Logan Winkleman, Ph.D., TTUHSC School of Health Professions director of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
§ “Higher Education Policy/Panel Discussion,” Hannah Vasquez, Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative Policy Fellow; Alan Korinek, Ph.D., and Kristie Collins from Program of Assistance for Students and Employee Assistance Program
§ “Intervention Approaches in Higher Education,” David B. Goldston, Ph.D., child and family psychologist, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Services and professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke Health
“Although they are not the target audience, college students and parents also may attend the summit,” Treviño said. “Our hope is this summit will provide a better understanding of policies and resources college campuses are required to offer.”
Co-chairs for the event are Treviño and Terri McBryde, higher education lead for the Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative.
The event is sponsored by the Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative, Texas Health & Human Services Commission Gulf Coast Center, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Resilient Youth, Safer Environment Grant.
To register, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kdumppzstG9dhXQ-MTi0FPIfW7W9LQILI#/registration.
Odessa, Texas/May 9, 2024-Morning Small vehicle crash into mega electrical structure causing major damage at Dixie Blvd. & 8th Street.
The incident is under investigation
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