The KTTZ News Team

Three people are confirmed dead from flash floods in Ruidoso, New Mexico on Tuesday afternoon. Our reporter Sean Ryan says the region is preparing for the potential of more flooding and thunderstorms this weekend. As part of the special legislative session, Texas' governor Greg Abbott has directed lawmakers to come up with a replacement to the STAAR test. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider report it’s an open question how well that will address the problems critics have with the way standardized tests are used in Texas.

Lubbock Representative and House Speaker Dustin Burrows says lawmakers are already talking about emergency response ahead of the special session later this month. A bill to offer grants for emergency communications failed to pass during the regular session. To honor those who have died in the central Texas floods, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered flags at state offices to be lowered to half-staff.

Officials in Kerrville are asking people to limit travel as search and recovery efforts continue following deadly flooding. KERA's Marcheta Fornoff reports members of Fort Worth country singer Pat Green’s family are among those unaccounted for following the floods. Gaines County, where the West Texas measles outbreak was first identified, is no longer a designated outbreak county, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Our Samantha Larned says Lamar County is the only remaining outbreak area.

A 17-year-old was shot and killed by a Lubbock police officer early Saturday morning, after LPD reports the teenager opened fire on a crowd of around 100 people. KTTZ's Sean Ryan says five others were also injured in the chaos. And following the flood disaster in Kerr County that left dozens killed or missing, statewide emergency response will now be a priority for the upcoming special legislative session.

Vetted ways that those in Lubbock can help flood victims in Kerrville, Texas.

Two new Texas laws aimed at cracking down on puppy mills and roadside pet sales will go into effect this fall. As The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports, animal welfare advocates say the changes could help curb unethical breeding — and save lives. Researchers are testing whether solar panels can be installed on farmland without removing crops or livestock from production. Harvest Public Media contributor Alexandrea Ladiski reports the study explores whether this system can support both agriculture and clean energy.

Last week's officer involved shooting on Texas Tech campus has been ruled as justified and officers have been cleared to return to duty. Colleges across the country can now make direct payments to their student-athletes, with a maximum allowance of $20.5 million per year. The outdoors are calling for a day at the lake or a night under the fireworks, but with that and the recent rain comes one issue: mosquitoes. Our Olivia O'Rand has more on how to protect yourself against the pesky insects.

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July — and few things are more iconic to this holiday than fireworks. But in Lubbock, it’s important to remember they’re illegal within city limits. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren spoke with Lubbock Police Department and has more. In 2024, Attorney General Ken Paxton pursued a lawsuit over the State Fair of Texas' gun ban. KERA's Toluwani Osibamowo reports the case was dismissed and the fair says it plans to keep its policy in place.

A Lubbock man was named alongside more than 300 others in what officials are calling the largest health care fraud takedown in Justice Department history. Our Brad Burt reports he was alleged to have submitted an estimated $19 million in false claims. With the past few days of rain saturating the ground, 4th on Broadway’s evening events will be moved from Mackenzie Park to the South Plains Fairground. Also due to the holiday, city offices will be closed and LHUCA's First Friday Art Trail will instead be on Thursday.

The Texas Supreme Court says plaintiffs who sued utility companies over blackouts during the deadly 2021 winter freeze can move forward with their lawsuits. But KERA's Toluwani Osibamowo reports they'll have a much narrower legal path to do so. The Texas Legislature is going into a special session, focused on regulating the sale of hemp-derived THC products. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton reports on the possible impact.