September 14th, 2026

The City of Childress, about two hours northeast of Lubbock, issued a local disaster declaration on Friday due to the impact of extreme heat and drought conditions on the municipal water system. Meanwhile, the Texas Department of State Health Services is asking lawmakers for millions of dollars to support local health departments and disaster relief. KERA’s Abigail Ruhman reports Texas doesn’t have a dedicated fund to cover the costs of public health disaster response.