We were paying $1.73 this time last year for gas in Midland/Odessa, of course we were in the middle of a pandemic also, this year gas is almost $3.00 a gallon.
Labor Market in Midland/Odessa Coming Back From Pandemic
The labor market in Midland and Odessa is slowing coming back from the pandemic and the oil market crash.
According to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, the Texas Workforce Commission reports that April unemployment in Midland and Martin counties fell from 7.6% to 6.8% which is better numbers from April 2020 when Midland was at 10.2%.
Odessa s unemployment went from 10.9% down to 9.9% in April and was also much better than April 2020 when unemployment was at 13.5%.
Willie Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Workforce Commission s Workforce Solutions Permian Basin said the region is not close to full employment but we are on the right path to it.
Gratitude Square in Front of the Midland County Annex Hopes to be Completed by This Summer
If you were wondering like me what was being put in front of the Midland County Annex where the old service station used to be, it will be a veterans memorial.
According to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, the project was approved in February 2018 and was scheduled to be completed and opened in six months, but that did not happen thanks to unforeseen setbacks and a pandemic.
But now the project is getting a good shot in the arm toward completion after Midland County Commissioners Court approved $70,000 to complete the site with paving, fencing, and other work needed.