History

Today is Indigenous Peoples Day, recognized by the state of Texas in 2021. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren spoke to a West Texas Native American who has fought to celebrate that heritage in Lubbock. Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to toughen enforcement against vape and smoke shops that sell hemp products to minors.

Sonny Curtis, former member of The Crickets and writer of hits like “I Fought the Law” and “Love Is All Around," died on Sept. 19. Born in Meadow, Texas and cutting his teeth playing stages around Lubbock before making it big, Sonny Curtis is remembered as a mentor, role model, and friend by many in the community.

The event traces its roots to the early 1990s.

Meadow-born singer-songwriter, hall of famer, and former member of the Crickets, Sonny Curtis died after a sudden illness last weekend at 88 years old. Some of his most recognizable songs include I Fought the Law, More Than I Can Say, and the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Love is All Around. Our reporter Samantha Larned has more on Curtis’ life and legacy.

First opened in 1928, the Wallace Theater in downtown Levelland closed in the 1980s. Now, after years of restoration, it is reopening its doors to teach the next generation of musicians and thespians.

In a new oral history, photographer Pat Blashill traces the music, art and culture that shook Austin in the late 1970s through the mid-80s.

Lubbock Lake Landmark is a snapshot of the land before settlement, preserving archeological evidence of early-human life and the natural history of the region’s plants and animals. Through its discoveries, education, and conservation, staff with the Landmark have reintroduced native wildlife driven out of the area, and continue to explore possibilities for the land and for those who love it.

The Midland school district rebranded Robert E. Lee High as Legacy High in 2020, part of a nationwide trend to distance public places from the Confederacy.

The footprints were created some 115 million years ago, when what is now a Central Texas suburb was a beach on the Western Interior Seaway.

The Lubbock Lake Landmark is offering free public tours and activities from 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday through Saturday, as part of its “Archaeology in Action” event. KTTZ's Bishop Van Buren reports the event will also feature a children’s excavation area, demonstrations and storytelling. The Lubbock Garden and Arts Center’s 55th annual Fall Festival is coming up in September, and organizers are encouraging vendors and entertainers to register for spaces and performances. To register or find out more, visit ci.lubbock.tx.us/departments/garden-arts-center.