Local News

Lubbock ISD and Texas Tech K-12 have launched a new virtual education program, intended to reach more families and provide resources for student success. Applications are open through August 10.

Lubbock’s District 4 has a new city council representative in Tim Green after this weekend’s runoff election. Green’s term will last until 2028.

In a city council meeting this week, recent fears of data center development met with generational frustrations over industrial zoning in north and east Lubbock, leading to threats of recalls for city leaders in a meeting where many who spoke out felt ignored.

After 23 years of serving the people of Lubbock County, Roxzine Stinson is retiring at the end of July. She sat down with the KTTZ news team to reflect on her time as elections administrator, the challenges and rewards of the position, and some of her most memorable moments in office.

Texas lawmakers say they may have to reign in the police use of some popular surveillance tools, such as drones and automatic license plate readers, during next year’s legislative session. This week, the U.S. started accepting cattle from Mexico again after a lengthy hold on cattle imports, mostly due to the presence of New World Screwworm. Harvest Public Media’s Michael Marks reports it’s a relief for American businesses like feedlots and meatpackers.

Lubbock’s city council voted unanimously this week to accept a petition from citizens calling for an 18-month pause on large-scale data centers in the city. This vote does not enact the moratorium; the council will hold a public hearing on the petition on September 8. If the council rejects the petition at the hearing, organizers can choose to put it on the ballot in a general election. The city secretary pointed out that because the deadline for November’s general election has passed, it would not be up for a vote until May of next year.

Texas Tech University started its first day of school on Monday, announcing a record-breaking enrollment of over 45,000 students. Our Charley Maranville reports that the number of first-year students has increased by more than 39% since 2024. A federal judge has once again struck down a Texas law aimed at restricting drag performances. The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez says U.S. District Judge David Hittner found the law so broad and vague that it violates the First Amendment.