Austin Burnett

Sports Director

Odessa

As a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University Austin Burnett learned how to cover a variety of stress-filled sporting events. As the Sports Director at CBS 7, Austin #localizes sports at all costs and loves giving athletes and coaches a platform to tell their stories.

Education

Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU, Sports Journalism, 2019

Local

Midland Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy offers free training to local law enforcement officers

Updated: Jul. 6, 2020 at 1:24 AM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Midland BJJ offers free training to law enforcement officers every day to teach them how to defend themselves in a physical altercation.

Sports

MLB cancels Midland RockHounds season due to COVID-19

Updated: Jul. 2, 2020 at 2:44 PM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Major League Baseball cancels Midland RockHounds 2020 season

News

Midland High alum Daviin Davis lives out his dream to play professional basketball

Updated: Jun. 28, 2020 at 12:41 AM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Midland High Alum Daviin Davis plays professional basketball overseas to fulfill lifelong dream.

State

Texas hits 5,000 new virus cases for first time

Updated: Jun. 23, 2020 at 1:58 PM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas has surpassed 5,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time.

News

District 2 Representative John Norman and City of Midland Mayor Patrick Payton at Juneteenth...

Midland celebrates Juneteenth

Updated: Jun. 22, 2020 at 1:49 AM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Midland residents celebrate Juneteenth.

Sports

Chase Shores commits to play baseball at Oklahoma State University

Lee junior Chase Shores commits to Oklahoma State University to play baseball

Updated: Jun. 19, 2020 at 7:44 PM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Chase Shores is a junior at Lee High School who plays baseball for the Lee Rebels and is now committed to play for Oklahoma State University after tweeting video of himself throwing bullpen.

Sports

Oklahoma State University baseball staff offers Chase Shores scholarship

Lee junior Chase Shores commits to Oklahoma State University

Updated: Jun. 19, 2020 at 6:33 PM CDT

By Austin Burnett

Oklahoma State offers Lee baseball player scholarship after posting pitching video on Twitter

Sports

Live broadcasts allowed for 2020 Texas high school football season

UIL lifts broadcast ban for 2020 high school football season

Updated: Jun. 18, 2020 at 5:35 PM CDT

By Austin Burnett

The University Interscholastic League announced today that they will allow live broadcasts during high school football games this fall.

Latest News

Local

Running 4 Heroes presents check to Midland Police officer

Updated: 6 hours ago

By Shane Battis

The nonprofit gave $10,000 to a Midland Police officer who was hurt in a wreck last year.

Local

Fat Head Meats swaps canned food for brisket to benefit Jesus House Odessa

Updated: 6 hours ago

By Shane Battis

The food truck is helping refill the nonprofit's shelves after the winter storm froze Jesus House's food stores.

Local

Griddy banned from Texas power market after failing to make payments, customers moved to other providers

Updated: 16 hours ago

By Joshua Skinner

The Texas electricity provider has been criticized for saddling some customers with sky-high electricity bills.

Local

MCH to host its last drive thru vaccination clinic this Sunday

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 7:55 PM CST

By Shane Battis

After Sunday, anyone who needs their first dose of the vaccine will have to go to MCH clinics to get the shot.

Local

Burn ban issued for Midland County

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 5:14 PM CST

The Midland County Commissioner’s Court voted to enact a burn ban which will run from Saturday, February 27 through Sunday, March 28.

Latest News

Local

Midland County asking residents to report storm damage

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 3:21 PM CST

Midland County is asking residents to report damage or loss due to the recent winter storm to the Texas Department of Emergency Management.

Local

Running 4 Heroes to present check to Midland police officer

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 2:34 PM CST

Running 4 Heroes Inc., a non-profit that raises funds for injured first responders, is heading to West Texas.

News

COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS: Ector Co. 16,302 (322 deaths), Midland Co. - 16,521 (238 deaths)

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 2:18 PM CST

By CBS7 News Staff

We’ve put together the latest COVID-19 numbers from across West Texas here.

Local

Gov. Greg Abbott weighing end to mask order, other statewide coronavirus rules, says announcement coming “pretty soon”

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 11:45 AM CST

By Patrick Svitek

Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that Texas is looking at when it will be able to lift all statewide orders related to the coronavirus pandemic and that an announcement is forthcoming.

Local

Ector and Howard added to FEMA’s list of counties for disaster assistance

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 10:15 AM CST

Two West Texas counties have now been added to a list of Texas counties receiving assistance from FEMA.

Local

Plumber shortage and supply chain issues are delaying storm recovery efforts in Texas

Updated: Feb. 26, 2021 at 9:56 AM CST

Plenty of Texans want to hire plumbers in the wake of February’s crippling winter storm. But part of the problem is that too few Texans want to be plumbers.