Views From The 4th Estate

Bundle up and be one of the first to see the city’s new 30-foot Christmas tree. The Christmas Night Lights Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Saturday in downtown Midland.
The parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. near the intersection of Illinois and Main. It will travel west on Illinois, south on “A” Street, and east on Wall Street to Midland Center.
The tree lighting and visits with Santa will take place after the parade, at approximately 8 p.m. in Centennial Plaza.
Following the tree lighting, residents are invited to stay for a movie in the park.  The movie “Elf” will be played on a large blow up screen in Centennial Plaza.
There will be fun for everyone and hot chocolate donated by the Reporter-Telegram. The public is encouraged to attend this free event.

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Source: City of Midland

Public opening of Christmas at the Mansion
When: 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23
Where: Museum of the Southwest, 1705 W. Missouri Ave.
Info: Free. Christmas decorations, Santa Claus, entertainment, the “Southwest Express” model train and refreshments.

Christmas at the Mansion regular hours (Nov. 24-Dec. 30)
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 2-5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Museum of the Southwest, Southwest Express, Children’s Museum
1705 W. Missouri Ave.
Suggested Donation: $3 for adults, $1 for children
Info: Christmas at the Mansion is the Museum of the Southwest’s annual holiday extravaganza with “Southwest Express” train exhibit, carolers and beautiful decorations.

We are blogging about it at Newsroom Stew @mywestexas.com. Here is the link.

Strap on your shoulder pads and take the field for the latest installment of Basin PBS’ Proud Heritage Series, “Home Field Advantage,” starring former Kansas City Chief EJ Holub, Doc Dodson, Mary Nell Johnson, announcer Barry Sykes, John Wilkins plus OHS’ Derrick Teegarden and all your favorite players, the band, fans and proud grandmas.
Football fans are invited to Basin PBS’ Live Sneak Peek event at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Midland’s historic Yucca Theatre, 208 North Colorado. The event is free, but seating is limited. Please RSVP at info@basinpbs.org or 563-5728.
Each year Basin PBS profiles the unique stories of our West Texas family and preserves our heritage in high definition for future generations. This year, “Home Field Advantage” places fans right in the action with the blood, sweat and passion that make this all-American game part of our West Texas heritage.
The Proud Heritage Series is a fundraising tool of the Basin’s community owned and operated public television station. Donations to the series and the station support the nonprofit educational services of Basin PBS. Make a secure online donation at http://www.basinpbs.org/support.php.

Life Center Fabulous Fall Fundraiser
When: 6:30-8:45 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 5
Where: Midland Center
Entertainment: Christian comedians Kerri Pomarolli and Ron McGehee
For more information: Call 683-6072

Annual Gem & Mineral Show, presented by the Midland Gem and Mineral Society
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
Where: Midland Center
For more information: call 694-2142.

Christmas Open House
When: 2-4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8
Where: Scarborough/Linebery House, 802 S. Main St..
Information: Only time each year the house is open to the public at no cost.

Here’s an option for looking for somewhere to spend Halloween.

Check out this and other options in the Reporter-Telegram’s Entertainment publication, “Pulse”

What: Halloween Howl, including showing of “Rocky Horror Picture Show”
When: 11 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: Yucca Theatre
Tickets: $20 floor, $10 balcony, $5 gallery (18-and-over only). Special $30 price for “Dracula” and Halloween Howl
For more information: Call MCT box office at 570-4111

The Midland Downtown Farmers’ Market will host the first annual MDFM Local Author Day on Oct. 24 showcasing the talents of the following listed local authors. Their works range from fiction to non-fiction, cookbooks, health and wellness, and poetry.

The purpose of this event is to help offer exposure and visibility to the natural culture and talent that thrives in our community. Each of the authors will sign as well as sell the individual titles. Participating authors include Mary Lou Midkiff,  Patrick Dearen, Kat Copeland, Robyn Conley, Annette Presley, Ricë Freeman-Zachery, Cece Brune, Dan Venzke and Georgia Temple. Hours: 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.Location: 501 W. Texas Ave. Under the green, corner of Texas and Marienfeld. For more information: Please contact Matt, 695-4114.

Mayor Wes Perry said Tuesday the downtown area has made a turnaround in the past five years and by 2014 may see significant further development, including a new office building.

In an interview at the opening of Williams Plaza at the Fasken Center downtown, Perry said he has become involved in an East Coast-based oil shale development project and is undecided about seeking a second, three-year term next year.

“When the national economy went down and the local economy dropped a little bit, I was convinced  downtown was going to slow down and stop or maybe even back up,” he said. “But that hasn’t happened. It has continued to go.

“Financially, downtown is 80 percent higher than it was five years ago. What I think is more significant is that people are doing some things. It takes a huge commitment. You’re seeing people put money back into their downtown and that starts to feed on itself.

“Clayton Williams has invested quite a bit in this building here. It’s hard to get outside money and he has done so much for Midland.”

Here is the entire story.

If this becomes a reality, watch out.

Here is a link to the post I had at Newsroom Stew.

We have talked about the need for a theater downtown before. And, yes, we still believe this would be a big piece of the puzzle as far as bringing nightlife to downtown.

At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the courtyard of Fasken Center will be dedicated to the Williams Family for their past and continued stewardship of downtown.
The event will commemorate a landscape and hardscape upgrade that signals what Williams feels is a continued bright future for downtown and the businesses located there.
Clayton W. Williams Jr., and ClayDesta Corp., owners of the 500 W. Texas buildings, have carried on the Fasken Center’s name in honor of Murray Fasken, the Fasken family and their contributions to the Permian Basin’s heritage.