Local News

Several Democratic candidates for local, state, and federal offices kicked off their West Texas campaign trail in Lubbock on Saturday with a roundtable, a rally, and a protest. A recurring topic of these separate events – data centers.

After 20 years as AT&T Stadium and nearly 80 years bearing the name of former university president Clifford Jones, Texas Tech Athletics has announced that the Red Raiders will now play from “Galaxy Stadium.” The 15-year naming rights deal between Texas Tech and data center developer Galaxy is just the latest in a push from university leadership to join in on high-tech research, large-scale data, and AI.

Lake Meredith, near Amarillo, was recently designated as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. The mussels have been spreading across Texas for more than 15 years and Lake Meredith is the north-most body of water in the state to be infected. TPWD says the mussels have the potential to damage treatment equipment in what is a municipal water source for the region, but water officials with the lake say they're prepared.

Cody Campbell, a major Texas Tech booster and GOP megadonor, has vocally defended Brendan Sorsby’s right to play amid a legal battle stemming from his betting scandal.

City officials are asking residents in Canyon to limit “nonessential” water usage, making it the latest Texas Panhandle city to enact drought condition, ahead of what experts worry will be a dry and dangerous month for the region. Construction has begun on Lubbock Lake Landmark's Wildflower Trail, which was damaged by vandalism last year. Our Riley Wilson reports the Landmark is seeking $35,000 in donations to help with the repairs. You can donate to the fundraiser here or in person at 2401 Landmark Dr.

Texas Tech Physicians and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company have reached a new agreement, which is retroactive to April 1 — when the previous agreement expired. Patients with questions about care they received while the contract was expired are encouraged to visit the Texas Tech Physicians website or call (806) 743-2898. The U.S. Senate’s Agriculture committee is scheduled to meet this morning to discuss its version of the U.S. Farm Bill. Harvest Public Media’s Emma George-Griffin reports the current version of the bill includes cuts that could affect funding for more than 50,000 farmers.

August is traditionally a hot, dry month in Texas, which can lead to high fire danger. KTTZ’s Charley Maranville reports the state is finding ways to prepare for the month ahead. You can find wildfire preparedness tips here. A coalition of environmental groups says raising public awareness of prairies could help spur conservation efforts. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on how prairies serve the people who live by them.