Community

This weekend, Lubbock Animal Services is offering free adoptions with their Clear the Shelter event. Our Gabrielle De La Cruz reports the event aims to open up shelter space for more animals still waiting on the streets. The event will run between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Lubbock Animal Shelter at 3323 Southeast Loop 289. A San Antonio Zoo program to help breed and release Texas Horned Lizards in the wild is showing some success, using science to unlock the secrets that will ensure a healthier future for Horned Lizards.

Lubbock Animal Services is hosting its annual Clear the Shelter Day on Saturday, August 22. Along with free adoptions and vaccinations, the event will have family-friendly activities and food vendors. And with limited space and new intakes every day, LAS is hoping the adoption push will help create space for more animals.

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.

After 23 years of serving the people of Lubbock County, Roxzine Stinson is retiring at the end of July. She sat down with the KTTZ news team to reflect on her time as elections administrator, the challenges and rewards of the position, and some of her most memorable moments in office.

Tomorrow is election day in Lubbock’s District 4 city council special election runoff between candidates Tim Green and Gary Boren. Saturday is also Lubbock Public Library's Back-to-School Bash at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. You can find more information and register by the end of the day for a free CitiBus pass to the event here. Meanwhile, in Austin, a planned system of ultra-high-voltage transmission lines that would move electricity across Texas faced strong opposition at the state capitol this week. As KUT's Mose Buchele reports, rural landowners and opponents of renewable energy are asking lawmakers to put the brakes on the project.

The HEARD Coalition is a local advocacy group that provides substance response and prevention resources for young people in the community. Our Samantha Larned reports that to help with its response, the group – along with other prevention groups – are seeking public response on mental health, substance use, and health access challenges. You can find a link to the survey here. The US will resume imports of Mexican cattle on August 24th, easing a yearlong trade disruption that tightened livestock supplies and pushed costs higher across the beef industry. Reporter Stephania Corpi has more on how this news is bringing relief to Mexican Ranchers and US feedlots.

Just a stone's throw away from Leftwich Park, a colorful collection of rocks offers a space for neighbors to connect, participate, and enjoy the beauty of nature.

The 2025 study from Social Connection in America found that 63% of participants reported never taking action with their neighbors. Here in Lubbock, our Riley Wilson reports on a little rock library intended to spark community engagement and appreciation of nature.

As members of the data center and energy industries gathered in Austin this week to discuss the growing infrastructure needs of large-scale data centers in Texas, Democratic candidates who have spoken against data centers will be kicking off a West Texas tour from Lubbock this weekend. Gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, Lieutenant Governor candidate Vikki Goodwin, and others will be at The Garden at 1801 Buddy Holly Avenue in Lubbock on Saturday from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Our Riley Wilson reports that Lubbock Lake Landmark is kicking off its annual Archaeology Days today, with activities planned through Saturday. Tours of the excavation site and laboratory will be at 9:30 and 11 a.m. each day. The Landmark is located at 2401 Landmark Dr.

The City of Lubbock Public Libraries are accepting school supply donations ahead of the annual Back-2-School Bash through July 23. Our Samantha Larned reports on how folks can contribute. You can find the online registry and a list of drop-off locations here. Intense flash flooding over the weekend, killed one person in San Antonio. Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick reports more flooding is expected this week for a large portion of the state.