The plans, which are required by the federal government to access certain grants after a natural disaster, are laborious to assemble — especially for rural counties.

Officials are worried that there’s arsenic in some of the estimated 13,500 private water wells in Ector and Midland counties.

A new operator was assigned to fix the well in Midland County, which is still not compliant with state standards.

The West Texas ethos of low taxes and small government has been hard for school leaders to overcome. Voters have rejected bond issues in Midland and Odessa during the last decade.

Like many regions in Texas, the county jails and hospitals have been at capacity with people needing mental health help. Local leaders hope a new 200-bed facility will alleviate pressure.

West Texas residents are organizing over their love — or concern — for books. Meanwhile, from Lubbock to Midland and Odessa, librarians are trying to reaffirm libraries’ role as community hubs.

Sensitive touch screens aren’t always user friendly and make it easy for voters to accidentally select the wrong candidate. Voters should carefully review their ballots before submitting them.

A West Texas man has been acquitted of murder in the 2019 fatal shooting of a police officer who was shot while checking a security alarm at the man's home.

Clinton Young was convicted in a 2001 Midland County murder in which he insists he was framed. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said he was denied the right to a fair trial and an impartial judge.

In a story published May 22, 2021, The Associated Press reported that Vector Fleet Management submitted fraudulent invoices to Midland County.