1999: An even year at OHS
1999: An even year at OHS
The Odessa High Bronchos went 5-5 in 1999.
In other news, A worldwide glut of petroleum sent crude oil prices to historic lows in January, with prices ranging between $9 and $12 a barrel. Permian Basin producers organized a rally in Austin and began lobbying lawmakers for relief, but the dismal prices led to a string of workforce reductions, layoffs and mergers that had a profound impact on the local economy. By spring, prices had begun to rebound, but retail sales and the jobless rate did not begin to show much improvement until the last quarter of the year.
In April, Panda Energy International Inc. of Dallas and Public Service Electric and Gas (PSEG) announced Odessa would be the site of a $300 million natural gas-powered electrical generating plant. Construction on the project, one of the largest in the area in decades, is scheduled to begin early next year. The plant is expected to produce more than 600 temporary construction jobs and more than 40 permanent jobs.
In June, Cynthia Jolynn Graves was found guilty of negligent injury to a child and sentenced to four years probation in connection with the 1995 death of her 2-year-old son, Bradon. A week earlier Graves' boyfriend, Carlos Cain Hinojos, was sentenced to 10 years for not seeking prompt medical attention for the youngster, who died of "blunt force trauma" after being brought to the hospital by Hinojos. Medical examiners testified that the boy's body had bruises ranging from one to five days old.