Local news

Our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on the unveiling of Lubbock's new public splash pads Monday, offering a new way for residents to beat the heat this summer without operating public pools.

The city of Lubbock published its 2023 Water Quality Report. Our reporter, Bishop Van Buren, explains that the report could be especially relevant for residents with immune system deficiencies. And Texas Public Radio’s Pablo De La Rosa has more as the U.S. Congress moves closer to withholding funds from Mexico in a dispute over water on the Rio Grande.

Texas has lost more rural hospitals than any other state in recent years, and many counties lack adequate primary care services. In response to the challenges faced by rural communities and disaster-stricken areas, mobile health clinics are rolling out to provide vital medical services where they're needed most. These clinics could help residents of the Big Country and beyond.

The week of Lubbock's biggest summer outdoor holiday, the City Health Department announced that mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been confirmed in Lubbock County. And KERA’s Pablo Arauz Peña reports travel numbers are projected to exceed last summer's record as officials at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport expect more travelers than ever for the Independence Day holiday.

The ad-hoc committee formed to address the debate over who is responsible for the costs and maintenance of private sewer lateral lines in public streets and alleys is close to reaching a recommendation aimed at splitting costs between the city and the residents. This middle ground is intended to lower homeowners' costs and alleviate manpower strain on an underfunded public works department by placing the work on a list of registered private plumbers.

The construction begins after lawmakers have allocated $2.5 billion to modernize and increase access to inpatient psychiatric care in Texas.

Lubbock’s annual Pride Festival featured an exhibit called Redesigning Resistance: Works on LGBTQ Rights in Lubbock. Our reporter Samantha Larned was there and has more. And KERA's Caroline Love reports the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a North Texas man's challenge to a domestic violence gun law.

The Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking public comment on the Draft 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program, through July 18, 2024. LMPO's executive director David Jones says the organization is looking for feedback on transit services, the street network, and the public process itself. More information and the link for online comment can be found at www.lubbockmpo.org.

The Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking public comment ahead of the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program.

The voter-approved ordinance allows the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The attorney general argued that violates Texas law.