The KTTZ News Team

The Federal Aviation Administration has selected Angelo State University as the first school in Texas to join a national initiative to recruit more air traffic controllers. Texas Public Radio’s Kory Cook reports the agreement comes as the FAA works to address staffing shortages across the country. Excavators have a long history of damaging natural gas pipelines in Texas. KERA analysis has found that more than 4,800 pipeline strikes have been reported so far this year.

The Texas Tech softball team is playing the opening game of the Women’s College World Series tonight at 7 p.m. against the University of Texas. In last year’s run, the University of Texas was able to take the series with a decisive win in game three. The Texas Department of Public Safety has stopped offering Commercial Driver's License knowledge tests in Spanish. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro explains that and other changes that went into effect Monday.

A judge heard from attorneys representing the NCAA and Texas Tech University quarterback Brendan Sorsby yesterday in a temporary injunction hearing for Sorsby’s ineligibility lawsuit. The player was declared ineligible to play indefinitely after it was announced at the end of April that Sorsby was seeking treatment for gambling addiction. The judge did not make a public decision in Monday’s hearing. If the ineligibility stands, Sorsby could still enter the NFL supplemental draft and potentially become the first player chosen from there since 2019.

The West Texas Veterans State Cemetery is open for burial services starting today. KTTZ’s Riley Wilson reports Burials may take place Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, with the main office being open from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. A pre-registration packet with more information can be found here. An environmental group wants the federal government to consider the health impacts of legal nitrate contamination in public drinking water. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen has more on the report finding nearly one-fifth of Americans rely on community water supplies that showed elevated nitrate in recent years.

Texas Tech University quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been declared permanently ineligible to play by the NCAA. Our Samantha Larned reports that the university has announced its intentions to appeal the decision. This Saturday, a memorial will be held for longtime Lubbock radio host Chad Hasty at 2 p.m. at The Message, 5502 Auburn Street. According to his obituary, rather than flowers, folks can make contributions to the Chad Hasty Free Market Institute Scholarship Fund or the Texas Girls and Boys Ranch. Click here to find out how.

Lubbock Public Libraries’ annual summer reading program begins Monday. Our Samantha Larned reports there are challenges and events for children and adults alike. The Patterson Branch is also hosting a ‘Summer Reading Kick-Off Party’ tomorrow at 1836 Parkway Drive from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

More than 24,000 Lubbock County voters cast ballots in Texas' joint primary runoffs between early voting and Election Day yesterday. Our Samantha reports on local results. Meanwhile at the state level, Vikki Goodwin won the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor, Nathan Johnson and Mayes Middleton will go onto compete for Texas Attorney General in November, and current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won his race for U.S. Senator.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Election Day in the Texas primary runoffs. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider reminds voters for in which party primaries they can cast ballots. With shorter, more mild winters, tick season is getting longer. Emergency room visits for tick bites were the highest in April than they’ve been in nearly a decade. Harvest Public Media’s Jess Savage reports on how to protect yourself from tick-borne diseases.

On Friday, The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel event intended to get communities involved in conversations about data centers. West Texas is a popular place for data center proposals, but many in the region have reservations about water and energy use, return on investment, and environmental impact. Our Samantha Larned reports on what panelists had to say about the viability of these projects.

A team of researchers at Texas Tech University was awarded an approximately $4.5 million grant to develop semiconductors to be used in harsh environments. According to the university, the research from the College of Engineering aims to increase development for high-power electronics, such as broadband amplification and light detection. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Meta and WhatsApp. As The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports, he’s accusing the companies of misleading users about how private their messages really are.