The KTTZ News Team

Cities are growing, and wildlife is moving in right alongside people. From bats and raccoons to coyotes and pigeons, animals are adapting to urban life in new ways. Texas Public Radio’s Tim Gutierrez spoke to one author who says cities may be among the most important ecosystems in the country.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott was in Lubbock yesterday, calling on the state legislature to instate stricter punishments for educators who have inappropriate relationships with students. Our Samantha Larned reports he used a Lubbock County cases as an example for the mandatory minimum sentence he would like to see for such cases. And over at Citizens Tower yesterday, Lubbock's city council approved a maximum property tax rate ahead of budget proposals.

Yesterday, Lubbock County commissioners approved a broad resolution requiring large-scale industrial developers to answer questions from the county about things like water, electricity, noise and light pollution. Under Texas law, counties do not have the authority to approve or deny industrial developments in unincorporated areas. This brought pushback from some commissioners, who argued the resolution is “unenforceable.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of a new wound spray to help ranchers protect livestock from New World screwworm. Texas Public Radio’s Yvette Benavides reports on CLiK Extra. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller thanked the FDA for the approval, but expressed frustration over the U.S. Department of Agriculture's continued reliance on sterile flies.

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.

A state ban on most forms of THC went into effect on Friday and Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider reports it's already becoming an issue in Texas' U.S. Senate race. Yesterday, Lubbock ISD announced a partnership with Texas Tech K-12 to create a new online program called Lubbock ISD Virtual Education, or LIVE. Applications are open now and will close on Aug. 10. You can find more information and apply at LubbockISD.org/LIVE.

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.

This weekend, Tim Green was elected as the new representative for Lubbock City Council District 4 in the special runoff race to replace outgoing representative Brayden Rose. Doctors and public health officials are urging parents to check that their children's vaccinations are up to date ahead of the new school year. KERA's Abigail Ruhman reports measles cases nationwide have reached their highest point in 30 years.