Updated at 9:19 PM CDT on Saturday, October 18, 2025
Midland YMCA Opens New Location on Northwest Side of City
The Northwest side of Midland now has their own YMCA.
This facility is a great place to work out for the community. In addition, it has also allowed them to increase a service greatly needed in the area.
It is the second YMCA in Midland, the first being located Downtown on Big Spring Street.
“We are so excited to be able to open this finally,” said Ryan Hritz, the Director of Health and Wellness at the Northwest YMCA.
Due to the growing rate of the Northside, the second facility was built on 5549 Avalon Drive.
“The Northwest side, the north part of town, our membership is just growing and growing, Young families are growing out here,” Hritz said.
The YMCA has also partnered with Midland ISD to expand their childcare services for a growing number of young families in the area from 400 to 1200 children, with another 120 being a part of their infant to preschool programs.
U.S. Sen. Cruz Calls for Study on Nuclear Fuel Recycling
Today, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced The Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act of 2025. The bill requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to carry out a study analyzing the costs, benefits, and risks of recycling the nation’s spent nuclear fuel, especially as compared to interim storage solutions.
Sen. Cruz said, “Spent nuclear fuel has the potential to dramatically increase America’s energy, economic, and national security. Domestic recycling can reduce the space we need for spent nuclear fuel, enhance energy independence, reduce our dependence on imports, and broaden the supply of rare elements and isotopes used in medicine and advanced technologies. Recycling solutions will also reduce the burden on individual states from nuclear waste accumulation, and accelerate progress on nuclear energy, which is our nation’s cleanest baseload energy source. I’m proud to work with Sen. Heinrich on this legislation and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill.”
The bill is supported by Curio, Oklo, and the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Ed McGinnis, CEO of Curio said, “We appreciate Senators Cruz and Heinrich for their bipartisan leadership in keeping nuclear waste recycling on the national agenda. What we call ‘waste’ is, in fact, a valuable energy resource that can help strengthen America’s energy security, reduce long-term environmental burdens, and support advanced nuclear technologies. Thoughtful, science-driven approaches to recycling spent fuel are critical to unlocking that potential and ensuring the U.S. remains at the forefront of nuclear innovation.”
Jacob DeWitte, Co-Founder and CEO of Oklo said, “Oklo greatly appreciates Congress’s leadership in advancing commercial recycling of used nuclear fuel. The proposed legislation reflects growing recognition of fuel recycling as a strategic pathway to strengthen U.S. energy security and enhance domestic supply chains. Oklo is continuing to advance its own recycling initiatives, including plans for a commercial fuel recycling facility aimed at turning waste into a reliable domestic fuel source for its Aurora powerhouses.”
Doug True, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer of Nuclear Energy Institute said, “The U.S. nuclear industry supports efforts by Congress to advance used nuclear fuel recycling for its potential to enhance the sustainability and economics of existing and advanced reactors, to improve U.S. energy security, and to convert used fuel into waste forms that can be more easily disposed of in a permanent geologic repository.”
The DOE study would evaluate the historical and current challenges to recycling in the United States, identify barriers to the development of new recycling projects, and include policy recommendations to address the remaining challenges to recycling spent nuclear fuel. Sen. Cruz first introduced this legislation in 2024 during the 118th Congress.
State Department Warns Hamas May Soon Violate Ceasefire Agreement
The U.S. State Department said that Hamas may violate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that was brokered by President Donald J. Trump last week if they attack the civilian population in Gaza.
The State Department noted videos posted online showing the militants carrying out public executions in various parts of Gaza. Hamas leaders also said that it will continue to retain a security presence in Gaza in violation of the agreement.
A key official said that the group’s actions directly threaten the ceasefire agreement and that, if further violations occur, then the Israeli military could resume operations against the terrorist group in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Forces have pulled back from the front lines in Gaza to allow for humanitarian aid and recovery efforts in Gaza.
Trina’s Kitchen: Pumpkin Stuffed Pasta Shells for Fall Dinners
Ingredients
6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 12 jumbo pasta shells)
1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese, part skim
3/4 cup pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)
2 tablespoons basil
1/4 teaspoon sage, dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup spaghetti sauce (low sodium)
Directions
Wash hands with soap and water.
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and place each on a baking sheet to cool.
In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, spices, and all but 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Reserve the 1 tablespoon cheese for topping.
Spread pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that holds all the shells in a single layer. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of pumpkin mixture and place shells close together on top of the sauce.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 15 minutes more.
News Video
Eight Bit News visited the Tom Green County Library’s North Angelo Branch on Saturday. Here is our report on that visit.
