Environment

Lubbock set a record for the day’s snowfall this weekend with more than three inches of snow accumulating in the city, and more than 10 inches in some places across the south plains. And Texas Public Radio's Camille Phillips explains a new report on Texas community college students struggling to transfer to four-year schools.

Lubbock Compact is accepting applications to host air quality monitors as part of its study investigating the relationship between industrial activity, air quality and public health. And Texas Public Radio’s Paul Flahive has more on a new filing about the constitutionality of solitary confinement.

An industrial zoning proposal in southwest Lubbock brought complaints from a crowd of citizens over impacts on their health, property values and quality of life, but controversial zoning in Lubbock is almost as old as the city itself. Some are still trying to turn the conversation to environmental justice.

Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick has more as back-to-back drought years have left hay supplies tight for Texas ranchers. The Texas Standard's Shelly Brisbin reports a plan to overhaul the way the Census Bureau counts people with disabilities received so much pushback that the agency is rethinking the way some questions will be asked.

With the new year well under way, our reporter Samantha Larned has more from a doctor with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center with advice on maintaining fitness-oriented resolutions. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro reports that Texas was awarded $100 million in federal grants to continue building electric vehicle charging networks.

ERCOT has issued a weather watch for early next week as meteorologists monitor the possibility of our coldest temperatures so far this winter, with lows for Lubbock forecasted in the single digits. And as COVID-19 cases increase nationally after the winter holidays, KERA’s Elena Rivera reports on how doctors are talking to their patients about health risks like long COVID.

Texas Public Radio’s Gaige Davila reports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to weigh in on expanding two national wildlife refuges in Texas. KERA’s Bill Zeeble has more as North Texas school boards voted to let chaplains volunteer in district schools, but not serve as counselors.

The committee chair Thomas Parker defined amortization as "a legal tool available to a municipality in order to terminate the use of a nonconforming land-use.” Parker said it is the role of the committee to determine if the city needs that tool.

The last week in October is International Bat Week. Our reporter Samantha Larned has more on bats migrating through West Texas in search of warmer climates, and what you can do to help these creatures essential to our ecosystem.

With temperatures dropping, bats will be leaving the state in search of warmer climates. Bats are crucial to the ecosystem, contributing the equivalent of $1.4 billion in insect control to Texas agriculture, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.