http://www.cbs7.com Your Eye on West Texas en-us Copyright 2013 CBS 7. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC News 20 llanmon@cbs7.com
May 23, 2013

Midland/ Odessa - The dangerous trend on the roads has West Texas officials on high alert. Which urged mayors of both Midland and Odessa to host a press conference on how to make our community and roads safer.

"This is not a city issues, this is now a county issue, this is a regional issue that will require regional solutions," said Midland Public Information Officer Sarah Higgins.

Officials are saying those solutions are in the public's hands. At the news conference, both mayors say the issues on our streets can't be fixed until those behind the wheel drive cautiously.

"If we have an unlimited budget, you are still going to have people doing the irresponsible things, so that's the one thing that really will work is if we can't decide that we are going to slow down and be better drivers, I mean it's really simple at the end of the day," said Midland Mayor Wes Perry.

But of course officials admit there is big job ahead of them, due to the traffic increase our roads simply were just not ready for the traffic.

"As city leaders we are looking at different options to bring extra money to work on some of our streets," said Odessa Mayor David Turner.

The city does have a few plans to help eliminate some of the wrecks, like putting cameras in at red lights, but the resounding answer from all officials was simply just to slow down, put down the phone and watch where you're going.
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44834 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news Matt Rist
CBS 7 News
mrist@cbs7.com
May 23, 2013

MONAHANS-Life for one nine-year-old girl in Monahans has never been easy. A rare condition had her fighting for life before birth and bound to a wheelchair for life.

Now it's even harder at school, where construction has left her without a handicap ramp to get to and from the gym. The school says it's not up to ADA regulations, but there are no plans to fix it right now.

This is what has hope's parents so angry -- plywood boards placed over dirt in lieu of a concrete sidewalk at Tatom Elementary. The concrete path has been blocked off for nearly two months while the school expands--it's a route that students cross everyday to get to the gym.

"These look like some old boards they found somewhere in the school system, said Angel Santiago, father of the disabled student in Monahans. "They threw them on the ground and that was it."

We asked the superintendent if he knew about the concerns. He said he thought they were resolved with the boards. We asked him if the pathway was ADA compliant.

"The plywood sidewalk is not compliant," said Superintendent of The Monahans-Wickett-Pyote Independent School District Keith Richardson. "It is a temporary sidewalk to deal with the construction."

We did some digging and spoke with another former student with disabilities who graduated from Monahans High. He said there are many areas throughout the school system that are not ADA accessible.

"It's sad to see that the grocery store is more accessible to me than the schools are," said Izak Arreguy, who graduated from Monahans High in 2000. "I don't think they think about it, unless they are in our shoes they don't think about it."

Richardson told us that they only put up the temporary sidewalk after complaints from parents. We asked if they plan to make upgrades to the plywood sidewalk.

"With how we saw the wheelchairs rolled across the plywood we saw that for only 3 or so weeks of school at that time that this would be a viable solution," Richardson said.

The concrete sidewalk should be open again by the first of the school year. a fix hope's parents say make it hard to give her the chance to be just like everyone else.

"I want her to be able to say daddy I got to go to gym today..I got to do PE Today," Santiago said.

The ADA says even during construction, schools must provide adequate means to disabled students to move around campus.
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44833 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news 5/23/13

There is a tornado warning in effect for Brewster, Jeff Davis, & Pecos counties until 7:30pm. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for West Texas until 10:00pm. There will be a chance of thunderstorms to continue throughout the early morning hours Friday, then again in the afternoon and evening.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44832 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news Robert Guaderrama
rguaderrama@cbs7.com
May 23, 2013

COLORADO SPRINGS, TX - A new hotel is being welcomed to the MCM Family of Hotels. The Hotel Elegante is now open in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The top-of-the-line hotel was formerly a Crowne Plaza. It features 500 rooms, a restaurant, bar, meeting space and a beautiful pool. The hotel chain President invites West Texans to visit.

"We see a lot of vacationing there, it's pretty and nice, so many things to do up there," said Ed Lasater, President, The MCM Family of Hotels.

The official grand opening is set for mid-August.
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44830 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news
About 44 seconds into the recording Galvan is asked "do you sell drugs" to which he replies, "I don't sell drugs ... You know ... I ... Sometimes I do use ... you know ... I like ... If I'm at a party or ... you know ... or maybe at a concert."

You can read the Odessa American article and hear the audio at the link below.

http://bit.ly/12zaaab]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44829 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news 5/23/13

ODESSA - On Tuesday afternoon, ECISD police arrested a 19-year-old former student after he drover into the parking lot after school dismissal and pointed a gun at three students.

ECISD officers at the school responded immediately and arrested the man on a Class A Misdemeanor chare of Deadly Conduct. The suspect, Jesus Yanez, graduated from Permian last year and police believe he knew at least one of the three students he confronted.

After conducting interviews, ECISD police arrested the suspect again on Wednesday for three counts of Aggravated Assault, a second degree felony.

For more information about this release, please call ECISD Communications at 432-456-9013.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44828 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news News Staff

GREENWOOD, TX - One woman is taken to the hospital after a morning wreck. According to DPS, it happened on F.M. 307 at around 7 am. A woman driving a red Tahoe was traveling eastbound when a tanker truck in front of her went to make a right turn, that's when she attempted to pass the 18-wheeler and collided with it. The SUV ended up stuck under the tanker.

The woman was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. Her two children who were in the SUV at the time of the wreck went to the hospital with their mother.
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44827 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news
DATE: May 23, 2013
TYPE OF INCIDENT: Fatality Accident
DATE/TIME OCCURRED: May 22, 2013, at approximately 2111 hours
LOCATION: 4600 block North Dixie

The Odessa Police Department and Fire Rescue responded to a major crash in the 4600 block of North Dixie.
Investigators on the scene discovered that the driver of a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle evaded an Ector County deputy, who was attempting to make a traffic stop.
The driver, identified as Levi Decker, 30 years of age of Odessa, refused to stop and was pursued by the deputy southbound on Dixie.
Decker failed to control speed and lost control of his motorcycle in the 4600 block of North Dixie.
Decker struck a pole and was ejected from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene by the Medical Examiner's Office.
Decker was not wearing a helmet.

Next of kin has been notified. After further investigation, no charges will be filed.
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44826 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS 7 News
mrist@cbs7.com
May 23, 2013

MIDLAND/ODESSA-County Judge Mike Bradford says a new House Bill slated to give more than $55 million to oil and gas counties was amended to exclude that funding. That bill was House Bill 1025.

Bradford says that funding will go to the state TXDOT program instead.

"The good news is that Midland county has already committed $3 million this year above the normal budget for road funding," Bradford said.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44825 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS 7 News
mrist@cbs7.com
May 23, 2013

KERMIT-Sheriff George Keely is holding special training throughout this week for Sheriff's Deputies in Winkler County.

It's focused on preparing them for active shooter scenarios. Keely says they will be practicing how to use "all their physical and mental skills" to work with hostage situations.

"These trainings are designed to help in active shooter situations," Keely said. "They must use every skill they have as officers and their conditioning to be successful."]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44824 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news May 23, 2013

Midland - A registered sex offender is behind bars after he was caught masturbating in public at Midland Park Mall.

29-year-old Donnie Dewayne Foy is charged with indecent exposure. According to court documents, Midland Police were called out to the Midland Mall after a boy reported Foy masturbating in the bathroom and looking over the stalls.

Foy is a registered sex offender in Louisiana. Midland Police ask if there are any other victims to call Crimestoppers at 694-TIPS]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44823 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS 7 News
jsamp@cbs7.com
May 22, 2013
      
Midland, TX - A Hunt for Heros parade meant to honor those who have served our country was interrupted with a train crash killing four veterans and injuring 16 others in November 2012.

The National Transportation Safety Board released documents Wednesday that have never been shown to the public until now.

CBS 7 combed through the Pages of documents that gave witness statements of the two train conductors and two drivers pulling the float carrying the veterans and their wives.
 
All of the drivers say for the most part it happened so fast. Dale Hayden the driver of the float that was hit by a train tells investigators "I looked in the mirror and just saw everybody started to jump off and then bam."
 
Hayden also says that it looked to him like the train was not moving and he saw the lights ,but said it didn't register.
 
His partner James Atchinson (aka Jimbo) the driver of the float in front of him states the only time he stopped was when he heard screams and saw the trailers swinging around. He says that he did not see the crossing lights nor hear the train horn. 
 
Hayden tells investigators Atchinson has a train horn as well and was using it during the parade. So if he heard the Union Pacific's train horn he wouldn't have been able to differentiate the two.
 
Both drivers of the floats say they were not using their phones at the time, their windows were down and had adequate sleep before the parade.
 
From the other end, the two train conductors  say they saw the first float cross the track, then the second. One conductor says they were too far back to notice that there were people on the floats at first.
 
The conductors pulled the emergency breaks, but could not remember when exactly. Then they say all they could do was brace themselves and call 911.
One conductor recalls a man and his wife holding hands before the train hit.
 
Hayden says he could also see the arm of the railroad crossing touching part of the trailer or the one of flag poles.

These documents also show both conductors' cell phone records.  the phones were off and stored at the time of the crash. They too say they got adequate sleep before their trip and were also in good health at the time.
 
the NTSB investigators stressed to their interviews that they were not pointing fingers but wanted to get rid of all factors that would contribute to the crash as they figure out what happened.

"I want to know how it happened," Atchinson said.

Link to NTSB website: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/2012/midland_tx/midland_tx.html]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44822 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news Matt Rist
CBS 7 News
mrist@Cbs7.com
May 22, 2013

Odessa-It's a touchy subject for any parent, how should schools handle discipline? A new report shows removals and expulsions are down across ECISD campuses. But one new trustee says it's actually a bad thing.

The total number of students removed from general classes in ECISD is the lowest it's been in three years. The board heard the news in a presentation last night, but one board member says it's not a good thing and discipline in ECISD needs a new direction.

"I believe the district is headed in the wrong direction," said new Board of Trustees Member Doyle Woodall. "We need to be making safe campuses. If you get rid of the bad elements on campus, you get a safe healthy environment."

Last night's presentation fits in to a larger effort by ECISD to streamline discipline, making punishments more equitable and ensuring that removals from school are a last resort unless it's a very serious violation.

"You never want to give up on one student," said H.T. Sanchez, interim superintendent. "You continue to try to whisper in their ear and appeal to their better sense that there are still avenues available to them."

Woodall says the answer is not to be too lenient, but to take disruptive students out of the classroom...placing them into an expanded alternative center.

"You either expel them, send them home and let their mom and dad figure it out or add on to the alternative center," said Woodall.

Meanwhile...Sanchez says part of the reason why removals are down is because of a more personal approach to solving student issues.

"You have to ask yourself why are they tapping on their desk and try to find out the root cause," said Sanchez. "Are they coming from a broken home? Are they coming from a home where the only meals they get are at school?"

Many students who are placed in the alternative center end up dropping out of school altogether, limiting their chances for success in the future. It's a loss for the student and the community as a whole.

The district is also piloting a program that allows teachers to make rules that govern all classrooms--as opposed to each teacher regulating his or her own domain.
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44821 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS 7 News
mrist@cbs7.com
May 22, 2013

PERMIAN BASIN-Officials from the City of Midland, Odessa and both Ector and Midland county will meet tomorrow in a joint press conference.

Officials say the conference will focus on traffic safety over Memorial Day weekend.

"Public officials from Midland and Odessa will hold a press conference tomorrow to discuss traffic safety in advance of Memorial Day Weekend," according to the release.

The meeting will be held at the UTPB CEED Building Auditorium at 1400 North FM 1788 at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44820 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS 7 News
mrist@cbs7.com
May 22, 2013

ANDREWS COUNTY-The Andrews County Commissioners Court voted Monday to allow the airport to seek bids on a project to expand its fuel tanks.

Airport Manager Robert Vargas says the upgrades are a long time coming and will allow them to better serve clients they have turned away from fueling.

"We've got a jet fuel tank that's undersized," Vargas said. "Everytime we need fuel, we have to share it with neighboring airports."

Vargas said the upgrades will increase their capacity to at least 12,000 gallons.

Vargas said this should specifically allow the county airport to sell fuel to client WCS, which frequently uses a large aircraft for service out to the new waste center in Andrews.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44819 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS7.com
May 22, 2103

Big Spring know just how busy restaurants in the city can get and that means more sales tax revenue for the Big Spring.

"For the month of April, it's the biggest I've ever seen," said Terry Wegman the executive director of the Economic Development Corporation.

Sales tax revenue is up ten percent from last April and up 23 percent for this year to date. Mayor Larry McLellan says the new revenue needs to used to fix infrastructure and hire more city employees.

"I certainly believe the money's there," he said.

McLellan says the money needs to be used to ensure public works such as trash pick up is done on time and fix water lines.

"With that trend we project that we will be two million over the projected sales tax revenue and we should use that for water line replacement," he said.

The mayor said he plans to begin planning the replacement of water lines after the runoff of the district five city council seat on June 8th.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44818 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news Robert Guaderrama
rguaderrama@cbs7.com
May 22, 2013

ODESSA, TX - Attention area actors! You can have the chance to play a role in a movie being filmed in Odessa. Filmmaker Billy "Bloody Bill" Pon is holding an open casting call for his new project, the feature length horror/thriller, entitled "Circus of the Dead."

The casting call will be held this Saturday, May 25 from 2 to 6 pm at the
CBS 7 studios in Odessa. Actors and actresses ages 16 through 80 are welcomed to attend. The film begins production this summer
]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44817 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news 5/22/13

MIDLAND - The Midland Fire Department is adding an ambulance at Station 5 and momentarily keeping Engine 5 in service while gearing up for continued education efforts toward a future with a more dynamic and dependable emergency response for Midlanders.

Engine 5 had been removed from the station located at 2200 W. Golf Course Road last year as part of a pilot program called Squad 51, which is a new, smaller response unit in the form of a retro-fitted pick-up truck with emergency response and medical equipment. Instead of taking a fire engine out of its station for support on an ambulance call, the Fire Department sent the smaller squad, which increased engine reliability across the City. The Department saw a 30-second improvement in response times across all stations.

Fire Chief Robert Isbell has chosen to revisit the project with public education and town hall-style meetings in the near future to outline the benefits of changing deployments in Midland fire stations. In the mean time, Midlanders can expect to see other initiatives that continue on a path of life-saving innovation.

"The public's safety is our main priority, and any perception of not feeling safe needs to be addressed," Isbell said.

The Squad 51 efforts came as a response to increasing calls for emergency medical services. The Fire Department estimates that it will answer almost 20 percent more calls this year than in 2012. Of last year's calls, less than 4 percent were actual fires, including structure and grass fires, and almost 80 percent were for emergency medical services. Station 5's heavy rescue truck will be moved to the Central Fire Station and an ambulance will be moved into Station 5 to continue providing even better emergency medical response.

"This scenario will give us the necessary coverage of emergency medical services while maintaining the heavy rescue capability on motor vehicle and industrial accidents," Isbell said.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44816 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44815 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news CBS7 News
5/22/13

UPDATE
---

Luke Towner was found safe and police say they have a suspect in custody.

---

AMBER ALERT - Harris County Sheriff's Office has issued an Amber Alert for 18-month-old Luke Towner, last seen at the Crown Plaza Hotel on Hwy 59 in the Houston area on May 20th.

The baby is a white male, approx. 2 ft. tall and weights 26 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes.

The suspect is biological father Cody Towner, 5'11" 140 lb. white male with brown hair and brown eyes, who assaulted the mother and took the child, threatening both his and the child's life. He is suspected to be driving a tan 1998 Ford F150 with TX plates 57RDX7.
Anyone with info can call the Harris County Sheriff's office at 713-967-5890:]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44814 Fri, 24 May 2013 03:45:59 UTC news