Local news

Floydada is celebrating its pumpkin pride this weekend with the 38th annual Punkin’ Days. Along with the usual festivities, the city has more on the line this year, with two towns competing for the title of "pumpkin capital."

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.

This semester, enrollment has increased at Lubbock’s three largest higher education institutions, Texas Tech University, Lubbock Christian University and South Plains College. West Texas A&M's enrollment also increased.

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.

With National Suicide Prevention Week coming to a close, two local experts share their thoughts on common myths surrounding suicide, warning signs, and practical steps for helping those who may be struggling.

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.

A coalition of citizens and organizers from Lubbock's District 2 has suspended a petition to recall councilman Gordon Harris. Hoping for accountability and transparency, the group says it will “let anticipated decisions from the Texas Ethics Commission on numerous violations work its will.”

Texas Tech University’s Goin’ Band from Raiderland launched its centennial celebration with Alumni Band Day at the Red Raiders’ season opener. The weekend was filled with events for returning members, but a highly anticipated halftime performance — uniting the current band with more than a thousand alumni musicians — was ultimately washed out by rain.

Following the distribution of new funds from the state, Lubbock ISD’s Board of Trustees approved new items in its budget for this school year. Teachers and paraprofessionals will be receiving a pay increase, though as financial struggles persist, trustees expect further campus consolidations in the future.

Texas is home to approximately 1,200 species of bee and about 25% of them are specialized bees, meaning they only pollinate specific plants. The bristly nama may not be a familiar name for those on the South Plains, but the plant and its purple flowers are all over Lubbock and its bees are hard at work to keep the ecosystem alive.