Brad Burt

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.

Lubbock ISD’s school library advisory council first met in November to review books flagged as potentially inappropriate to be on the shelves, in compliance with state law. Lubbock-area state senator Charles Perry helped author the bill which established these councils, but at a recent board of trustees meeting, he joined a group of community members saying the district's process is flawed.

Lubbock city leaders are asking for citizens’ opinions ahead of a public meeting to discuss the subject of large-scale data centers. Over the next week, the City is taking an online survey to gauge public opinion on large-scale data centers before the meeting. You can find a link to fill out the survey here.

Governor Abbott has declared a state of emergency over the New World Screwworm and its potential impact on the U.S. livestock industry, as state experts are calling on all Texans to help monitor for the flies. Meanwhile, West Texas ranchers are not panicking, taking the news as another part of an already difficult job.

Following last week’s primary runoff election, Congressman Jodey Arrington spoke to KTTZ about the Republican nominee for his seat, issues facing the region, and his expectations for the party and the state headed into the general election in November.

Public transportation and electric vehicles aren’t always viable options for rural Americans looking to decrease their spending at the gas pump. West Texas has historically had some of the lowest gas prices in the state, but families are also feeling the pressure. With summer travel building demand, experts worry that serious relief will not be evident for quite some time.

Students and faculty held a mock-funeral outside of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents meeting on May 7 to protest recent action from system administration regarding the course content review process and systematic “phase out” of programs centered on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Election Day for Lubbock County’s municipal and school elections took place May 2. The City of Lubbock had four positions on the ballot and three of those representatives remain unchanged, including Lubbock’s mayor.

Abbott toured the Automotive Technology and Welding Facility on the South Plains College campus in Levelland, a specialized center where students can earn technical certifications that the governor hopes will address a shortage of skilled labor in the state.