Newscast

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.

Residents of the New Mexico village of Ruidoso along the Texas-New Mexico Border, about four hours due west of Lubbock, have been ordered to evacuate their homes after two active fires have threatened the community. And KTEP’s Angela Kocherga has details after a state judge heard arguments from the Texas Attorney General office about its attempt to close a Catholic nonprofit that provides temporary shelter for migrants in El Paso.

Lubbock’s first mayoral election runoff ends Saturday in a clear victory for District 3's former city council representative, Mark McBrayer, and Gordon Harris wins the race for District 2’s city council seat. And KERA's Toluwani Osibamowo reports the Texas Supreme Court will not weigh a Denton divorce case that questions whether IVF embryos are legally property or human children.

Tomorrow, Lubbock will celebrate “Juneteenth,” a federal holiday marking the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas and the end of slavery after the American Civil War, with a parade and festival in Mackenzie Park. And Texas Public Radio's Camille Phillips has more on a Texas high school student invited to compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Track and Field team.

Lubbock residents gathered before the city council for a silent rainbow sit-in for the second year in a row on Tuesday. Our reporter Samantha Larned has more on local efforts pushing the city of Lubbock to declare June as Pride Month. And KERA's Paul DeBenedetto reports Texas successfully blocked the Biden administration from expanding sex discrimination protections to LGBTQ students.

Lubbock’s city council gave final approval to the zoning change on Tuesday that greenlights a 7-story student housing project in the historic South Overton neighborhood. The project has been a source of tension between residents, developers, and city leaders since it was introduced last year.

Community leaders, educators and members of tribal nations are calling on the Texas State Board of Education to include the renewal of an American Indian/Native Studies course on the Board’s agenda this Friday. If the course is not renewed before it expires, educators say it will indefinitely delay its availability moving forward.

KERA's Nathan Collins reports on members of the Dallas City Council pushing to decriminalize low level marijuana possession within the city. And after recent news of a stock exchange coming to Dallas, The Texas Standard's Sean Saldana spoke with a University of Texas San Antonio professor who said it has already raised $120 million.

Some back-and-forth amendments to an ordinance from the city council going back to October of last year led many to speak out in surprise over reports of high costs when responsibility for repairs changed from city crews to city-approved private contractors without their knowledge. Now, Committee chair Jeff Reese says he doesn’t want to make that mistake with their new recommendations.

Last week, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against a group of women seeking clarifications on the state’s prohibition on abortions. Texas Public Radio’s Kayla Padilla reports that Catholics for Choice denounces this ruling. And TPR's Pablo De La Rosa has more on the World Health Organization confirming the first fatal case of bird flu in Mexico.