Lubbock’s 2024 news year in review

In 2024, the United States elected its next president, Texas experienced the largest wildfire in state history, and university students and staff across the country questioned limitations of free speech and protected protest. Lubbock has played a part and seen the consequences of each of these events and many more.

As the year comes to an end, our news team collected Lubbock’s top stories from 2024 to look back on all that the city and region have been through in the past twelve months.

Here is your Lubbock news year in review:

Lubbock’s growing pains have been felt in a number of controversies in and around the city this year, including the public reaction to the approval of a new solid waste transfer facility in the southwest part of the city.

In February, the Smokehouse Creek Fire began burning in the panhandle and became the largest recorded wildfire in Texas history. The fire sparked conversations of increased oversight and Texas lawmakers rallied to determine what accountability measures and regulations should be put in place.

Lubbock’s 2024 municipal election saw record-high early voter turnout, with ballot items like electing a new mayor, the replacement of four city council positions, and the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana. The Prop A decriminalization of mairjuana possession did not pass. The races for mayor and District 2 council member went into runoff elections, eventually going to Mark McBrayer and Gordon Harris, respectively.

Texas Tech University was one of many universities which saw student demonstrations and even staff suspensions over the Israel-Hamas war.

Another area where the City of Lubbock was forced to make a choice based on its population and growth was in the council’s approval of a new high-rise student housing development in South Overton.

The City of Lubbock faced backlash from residents after changing responsibility over sewer lines in the public right-of-way. The decision was overturned and a citizen’s committee was formed to investigate and make recommendations on repairs and responsibility. The final decision from the city council was for property owners to pay a flat rate of $1,000 for repairs – as handled by the city’s Public Works Department – with the city paying the rest.

This summer, Lubbock’s city council shocked many residents when it voted to cut funding for the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts’ First Friday Art Trail. The decision was based on what was considered an “appropriate” use of city money. Council members cited queer art displays and political messaging on the trail as pushing an agenda. Artists and Art Trail supporters across the city spoke against the defunding and argued that much of what was said at the council meeting was misleading and not based on facts. The council revisited its decision and after more than 50 public comments – most of which were about the Art Trail, others concerning the new road bond and renewing the lease of the Godeke Public Library – opted to grant funding only for the monthly events’ security.

Ballots across Lubbock for the November 5th election saw not only a presidential race, but other highly-contested items such as statewide and national representatives, a county commissioner’s seat, public school district funding, the annexation of a neighborhood into the city, and the Prop A road bond.

Flatland Cavalry, a band that began in Lubbock, returned to the city after the release of a new single by the same name. The band played two shows at Buddy Holly Hall and sat down for an interview to reminisce about where it started and how that has affected their sound and ethos.

Toward the end of the year – after weeks of conversation, recommendations, and board meetings – Lubbock Independent School District announced the consolidation and closure of several of its campuses. This decision came after LISD was one of many Texas public school districts to declare a deficit budget for the 2024-2025 school year.

In addition to 2024’s top headlines, we also wanted to take the opportunity to recognize the local occasions and community members – teachers, artists, representatives, farmers, researchers, workers, advocates, and students – that contributed to the year in Lubbock and beyond.

Thank you for listening! Tune in for more from our team in 2025.