Views From The 4th Estate

36th Annual Spiritual Explosion
When: Aug. 11-14,  7:30 p.m.
Where: Midland Center (104 W. Wall)
Guest Speakers: the Rev. J. L’Keith Jones, Albuquerque, N.M.,  Evangelist Robert Booker, San Diego, Calif., the Rev. Timothy Cox (Atlanta, Ga., the Rev. Kurt Thompson, Houston.
Musical Presentations by: Pervis Evans, Carolyn Nelson, The Spiritualettes, Russell White, Eartha Demerson, The Mount Rose Full Gospel Baptist Church Adult Choir and others.

Lonestar Music Fest
When: Aug. 28
Where: Centennial Plaza and the green, downtown
Tickets: Through July 31 $20. Cavenders and Twisted Soulz Clothing Store.
Info: two stages, 14 bands. Go to www.TheLineStarMusicFest.com

… And it needs our help

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Mini golf venue struggles for summer profits amidst heat, rain

By Kathleen Thurber

Reporter-Telegram

As the sun continued shining and temperatures climbed past 90 degrees one recent afternoon, the putters at Green Acres still were neatly lined up on the front counter waiting to be selected.

Having re-opened after being closed because of rain for more than a week, manager of the retro-style miniature golf course Rudy Ramos said — save the Saturday crowds — things still are moving slowly.

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Here is the rest of the story

Midland Chamber: The Tall City Blues Fest scheduled for July 30-31 has been cancelled. Kind of seems like we should have expected this. It has not been a good year, bringing or keeping things downtown.

By Kathleen Thurber/Reporter-Telegram

The first residence at The Lofts on Main is set to open this month after it receives finishing touches in the coming weeks to the walls, floors and ceilings.

The completion date comes more than a year after owner Josh Hopkins had initially hoped to have the three-unit loft project on Main Street and Illinois Avenue completed.

But, he said, after getting in the building and realizing the full extent of complications both with its 1909 structure and with the process of getting accurate bids and then re-doing it from the ground up, he’s found it’s taking more time and money to finish than he anticipated.

“We had challenges from the beginning just because it’s so new to the area,” Hopkins said.

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For the rest of the story go here

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http://www.mywesttexas.com/business/article_4faaee23-e9a9-5644-8ead-2faf9eb76a33.html

Tall City Blues Fest, a multi-day blues music festival featuring award-winning blues music, will take place in Centennial Plaza on July 30-31.
Friday will feature three or four musicians, and Saturday features 12-14 musicians. Both days will feature continuous live music alternating between two stages.
Confirmed entertainers include Bobby Rush, Carolyn Wonderland, Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Bigtimers, Ruben V, E-Flat Porch Band, John Lisi & Delta Funk, Diddley Squat, Voodoo Blue, Buck Rhinestone, Burt Herrin Band and One Night Stand Blues Band. Other entertainers are still being confirmed.
Weekend festival passes are $40 and can be bought online at www.tallcitybluesfest.com. Juke Joint passes also are available for sale for an additional $10, which grants free admission to participating nightlife/live music establishments within walking distance of the Festival.
Other activities include a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament and sponsor party on Friday night. The festival also is expecting to confirm a Shrimp & Crawfish Boil for either Friday or Saturday and a Blues Jam on Aug 1.
For more info on Tall City Blues Fest, go to www.tallcitybluesfest.com or call Lisa Grissom, Festival Producer at 432-262-0034.

Friday, July 30
Gates open at 4 p.m., first performance 5 p.m.
Main stage closes 10 p.m., Gates close 11 p.m.

Saturday, July 31
Gates open at 9 a.m., First Performance 10 a.m.
Main stage closes 11 p.m., Gates close midnight

Just got done working on the Fourth of July weekend edition of the Pulse, our entertainment guide.
Working on it, I kept thinking how sad it was this community has all but left downtown for many of its big celebrations.
One example happened with the Mex-Tex Family Festival a few weeks ago.
Another will take place on the Fourth of July weekend when the fireworks celebration moves to the sports complex.
Don’t get me wrong the sports complex is great, but if people were serious about returning downtown to a place where Midland gathers on its biggest weekends, we would be finding a way to return these events downtown. Sadly even the MDC couldn’t make a downtown Fourth of July event happen.
We made a few positive steps recently when it came to downtown but it seems like when it mattered most, this community turned its back on downtown in favor of the sports complex. Kind of a shame.

MIDLAND MAYOR TO HONOR WORLD’S YOUNGEST KING

On Wednesday, June 23, Midland Mayor, Wes Perry, will honor King Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of the Toro Kingdom of Uganda, East Africa, at City Hall in the City Council Chambers, at 4:30 p.m.
King Oyo will be visiting Midland for a cultural exchange and visit with friends June 22 through July 9. King Oyo and Queen Mother Best Kemigisa plan to talk with city leaders, businessmen and churches.
At the infant age of three-and-half years old, King Oyo earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest reigning monarch when his father suddenly died, giving him the throne.
On April 16, 2010 King Oyo turned 18 and now may rule the Kingdom of over 2-million subjects without regents. President Yoweri Musevini of Uganda was one of his closets regents and a good friend.
Gloria Youngblood, coordinator and host to the King says, “My husband and I have lived in Midland for 24 years and for the past 12 years we have traveled to Uganda to do mission work on our vacations. In 2004, we met King Oyo and his mother Queen Mother Best and became friends. We also recently returned from his 15th coronation in Fort Portal Uganda in April.”
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Source: City of Midland

According to the state comptroller’s website, the Hilton collected more in “total reciepts” during the month of April than any hotel in Midland or Odessa.
However, according to the site, the $453,686 is down compared to the $573,479 in April 2009 and $666,322 in April 2010.

Top hotel collections in April in Midland-Odessa
Hilton Midland Plaza $453,686
MCM Fundome (O) $451,461
MCM Elegante (O) $329,733
Residence Inn $270,080
Holiday Inn Express $228,762

If you were interested in buying one of the homes at “The Lofts on Main,” it will cost you.
A 2-bed, 2.5 or 3.5 bath home downtown is being advertised at $364,000 to $395,500.
The three-level homes range from 2,080 to 2,260 square feet. That could be as much as $174 per square foot. The listing belongs to Chris Beckett…, according to information at “The Lofts on Main” site (Illinois and Main).

We are hoping for success with this venture, but man, that’s a lot of money.

Starting Monday, food vendors will be open for business at Centennial Plaza in downtown Midland.
The community is encouraged to come out and grab a bite to eat while enjoying the newly renovated Centennial Plaza. The plaza, according to the city, is the perfect downtown hub to meet with friends and co-workers while grabbing something for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
A new city ordinance allows up to three vendors to vend at Centennial Plaza Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Vendors will need proper food licensees and permits and should contact the City of Midland at 685-7100 for more information.