1996: Not a good year

1996: Not a good year

The Odessa High Bronchos ended a losing season with a 4-6 record with a final loss to Abilene Cooper 42-28.

Around town, Reggie Yearwood, 67, was elected sheriff in November, defeating four-term incumbent Bob Brookshire. Yearwood, a Democrat, became the first black sheriff of Ector County, receiving 53 percent of the vote. Brookshire's campaign was dogged by controversy over his dismissal of Sheriff's Capt. Eldon Blount, after Blount challenged his boss in the Republican Primary election. Blount sued Ector County and the sheriff's department and won a $381,214 judgment in December.

    After a state investigation revealed that the executive director of the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission had spent tax money at topless bars, a subsequent investigation by the Odessa American found that more than $26,000 had been spent on food and alcohol over the previous four years. Executive Director Ernie Crawford explained that the spending was on behalf of the Permian Basin. He added: "I can't say every bit of (the spending) was good for the region, but some of it was." He later apologized for what he characterized as "bad judgment" and repaid the $700 topless tab. A Midland County grand jury looked into the spending, but found no basis for an indictment. The planning commission board later prohibited its members from using taxpayer money for alcohol and personal entertainment.

    Cheerleader controversy: Callie Smartt, an Andrews High School student with cerebral palsy who lost her spot on the cheerleading squad because of her illness, became world news after the Odessa American told her story. Smart, 15, had been an honorary member of the freshman squad. However, as a sophomore with the junior varsity, the motorized wheelchair in which she was confined posed a safety problem to herself and others, school officials decided. Her role as an honorary squad member was sharply restricted as a result. The story attracted the interest of the Justice Department, which wanted to see if the decision violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The story was reported in the London Times, on the front page of the Washington Post, in People magazine and by television and radio networks. The following January the school district allowed Callie to try out for the varsity squad, but she decided instead to become a member of the school pep squad.

Click here for 1996 Season Statistics

Click here for 1996 Individual Statistics