Latest news with #CraigStoker
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Coming Soon: SeeClickFix Odessa City App
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The City of Odessa is launching a new app called SeeClickFix, where Odessans will now be able to report potholes, animal attacks, illegal dumping, and much more. All you have to do is take a picture of the problem, write a short description, and send it to them. 'It assigns you a ticket number. You could follow that wherever it goes,' Craig Stoker at-large said. 'So, if it comes in and it needs to go to solid waste trash needs to be picked up. You are going to be able to follow that ticket. You will see that it went to solid waste. You are going to see that they sent out a truck. You are going to see that it got picked up.' There will be multiple types of issues that people can report and let the city know of. Stoker said they would try to fix the problems as soon as possible. 'I want to be able to use this tool as both the recording tool and the accountability tool,' Stoker said. 'Why did it take X amount of time to get this done hey you great job you got that done in an hour and a half.' The City of Midland has been using the app for quite some time and said it's been a success. 'Looking at Midland. Looking at the way they SeeClickFix. Looking at the way they use their back end of reporting to make their departments better, to improve their customer service,' Stoker said. 'Those are the things that I've been watching and learning from and really wanting to use over here.' Those who don't want to download the app can still go to the City's website or call them. You can talk to the new Chatbot where you can ask any questions or it will direct you to where you need to go. Both Android users and Apple users can download the app. Also, city officials are hoping to have the app launched by the end of the month. We will keep you updated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bag by bag, Noel Elementary students help keep Odessa clean
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Applause and cheers filled the cafeteria at Noel Elementary on Friday as students gathered to celebrate a project that turned classroom lessons into real-world action. Over the past month, students collected more than 15,000 plastic bags as part of the H-E-B Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge, a regional competition designed to promote environmental responsibility among young students. Odessa Mayor Cal Hendrick and City Council Member Craig Stoker joined school staff and H-E-B representatives for the celebration, recognizing the students for their efforts to help keep Odessa beautiful. 'This is incredible. Over 15,000 plastic bags gathered by these students alone,' Mayor Hendrick told the crowd. 'It just shows that when a group of people comes together with a common goal, they can make a real difference.' The challenge encouraged schools across the Permian Basin to collect plastic bags from their homes, neighborhoods, and communities. At Noel Elementary, the project quickly turned into a friendly competition between classrooms. Principal Jennie Chavez said the excitement grew week after week as students counted and submitted their bags, eager to see which class would come out on top. 'They would count the bags every Friday, and the excitement just built from there,' Chavez said. 'It wasn't just about winning. They got their families involved, their friends, and learned why recycling matters for their community and the environment.' This year's top collectors included a first-grade class in first place, a fifth-grade class in second, and a kindergarten class in third. Jessica Gonzales with H-E-B Public Affairs said the challenge was about more than just collecting bags. It was an opportunity to teach students about sustainability and how their actions can have a positive impact on their community. 'We want these students to feel empowered, to know they're capable of making a difference,' Gonzales said. 'This challenge helps them understand what it means to care for their environment, not just for today, but for the future.' All of the plastic bags collected will be sent to local recycling partners and repurposed into new products. Some will even be used in H-E-B's Field and Future brand, which focuses on environmentally friendly materials. As a thank you, every student at Noel Elementary received a reusable shopping bag from H-E-B to encourage them to continue sustainable habits at home. City Council Member Craig Stoker said the recycling challenge was a perfect example of how community pride starts with small actions. 'You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem,' Stoker said. 'And what these students have done proves they're part of the solution. It's inspiring to see our youngest residents leading the way.' Mayor Hendrick said he hopes the students at Noel Elementary inspire other schools in Odessa to take part in future cleanup efforts. 'When our schools, churches, and businesses all come together, that's when real change happens,' Hendrick said. 'That is how we keep Odessa beautiful.' The celebration also served as a lead-in to the H-E-B Community Cleanup event scheduled for Saturday, April 12, beginning at noon at the West University H-E-B store. 'It's about pride in our home,' Hendrick said. 'And these kids just reminded us all what it looks like to take pride in where we live.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
This bill could help food truck vendors statewide, here's how:
TEXAS (KMID/KPEJ)- The 89th Texas Legislative session is fully underway as the Texas House and Senate continue to decide what new laws will go into effect. Of the more than 6,000 bills that have been introduced this session so far, House Bill 2683 is the only one that will help the fast-growing food truck industry. 'What this does is it provides freedom for food truck operators in terms of the permitting process, especially in a place like ours here in the Permian Basin where you have multiple cities and multiple counties that a food truck may serve,' said state representative Brooks Landgraf. 'Rather than forcing those operators to get different permits in each jurisdiction that they're in, what if we just had one statewide permit that would allow them to operate legally and in compliance with certain health and safety regulations.' We recently sat down with Odessa city councilman, Craig Stoker. Who touched on the city's impact on local food truck vendors. Stoker Q&A What are the current city ordinances the city has in effect for food truck vendors? 'So right now, looking at the city ordinances, you've got about three different iterations that have been put together that are about three, five, and seven years old. And so what we're doing is looking at those and trying to decide, what role does the city have in enforcing any of it? What role does the county play? And what role should we play? So we are currently working with the fire marshal's office to make sure that what we're writing into the ordinance follows the international fire codes that the fire department follows.' What are your thoughts on House Bill 2683? 'It just makes sense… I've been in talks with some of the leaders in Midland about how we even come up with a Midland-Odessa super permit where if you're good in Midland, you're good in Odessa. I think that it gets the city out of the way of these small businesses and lets them operate.' What is the city doing to help out local food truck vendors? 'We will be hosting a town hall for the food truck owners. It'll come to council, so there'll be plenty of opportunity for feedback from the community.' WATCH: HB 2683 and it's impact on local food truck vendors Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
