Local Government

After seven years, the Lubbock County Expo Center is expected to present a plan to its oversight board Thursday in hopes of being approved by commissioners later this month. The proposal keeps the project in North Lubbock, but includes a voter-approved bond to meet necessary funding.

With a team of six, the City of Lubbock Cemetery maintains approximately 65,000 graves and is digging new ones every week. Arranging burials, finding plots, and dealing with the unexpected, the cemetery staff are caring for the families and the places they lay their loved ones to rest.

After cooler temperatures arrived this week, post-cold front conditions are now driving elevated fire danger across parts of West Texas. Our Bishop Van Buren reports the Texas A&M Forest Service has responded to over 130 wildfire incidents this October. Lubbock’s city council has voted to repeal a recent ordinance update that would’ve required permits, annual fees, and false call fines for owners of alarm systems that alert the police electronically.

Shortly after the updated false alarm ordinance took effect on Oct. 1, concerns from the public began to circulate. Lubbock police say similar ordinances are used in other Texas cities, but whether the systems have reduced the problem of false alarms for those cities remains unclear. Now, the council is repealing the ordinance, with apologies for the procedure that many felt was not transparent.

As Governor Greg Abbott threatens to withhold TxDOT funding over political road markings, our Bishop Van Buren reports a crosswalk in Lubbock honoring Buddy Holly may be at risk. Seven years after voters approved taxpayer funding for an expo center in North Lubbock, county commissioners are considering alternative approaches to get the project started.

The City of Lubbock implemented a crackdown on "nuisance" calls to the police department at the beginning of the month. The False Alarm Ordinance introduces a $50 permitting fee for Lubbock alarm owners. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is developing the state’s application for a federal rural health funding program. With more than half of rural hospitals in Texas at risk of shutting down, KERA’s Abigail Ruhman reports health leaders say the state should utilize potential new funding to prevent further closures.

Incumbent Lubbock County Judge Curtis Parrish announced his intention to run for re-election in 2026. Our reporter Sean Ryan reports on his priorities and recent accomplishments. The Lubbock Police Department is asking the public to be mindful of what’s being posted online, after a recent shooting at a party in southwest Lubbock spouted unverified information being shared on social media.

Monday is the deadline to register to vote for the November 4th election, which will feature 17 constitutional amendments at the top of the ballot. Our Bishop Van Buren reports that applications must be signed and mailed by Monday or delivered in person to the Lubbock County Elections Office at 1308 Crickets Avenue. Lubbock Animal Services has received several recent reports of scammers pretending to be LAS employees. The city shared ways folks can identify a scam.

The group Dignity for District 2 has suspended its petition to recall Lubbock Councilman Gordon Harris. Students at colleges and universities have settled back into the school year and our Sean Ryan reports that enrollment has increased at all three of Lubbock’s largest higher education institutions. Starting this week, Lubbock ISD will be holding a series of town hall meetings in each of the board of trustees' voting districts to discuss potential changes. Community members are also encouraged to complete a survey to provide feedback to the district. Click here for a schedule of upcoming the meetings, their locations, and a link to the survey.

Lubbock’s city council heard a presentation this week analyzing zoning across the city. Our reporter Samantha Larned has more on a 2026 project to address some of the inconsistencies between property zoning and land use. Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp devastated by July 4th flooding by the Guadalupe River, plans to partially re-open next year. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro reports that will come with new regulations and training required by the state.