Public Safety

Texas officials say at least 12 people have died over the course of the winter storm that brought freezing temperatures and icy conditions across the state this week. As The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports, around half of the victims were children. Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the March 3 primary election. Our Michelle Waida reports you can find registration information, including status and applications, at votelubbock.gov. Applications can be delivered to the Lubbock County Elections Office at 1308 Crickets Avenue.

Lubbock County, the South Plains and Texas Panhandle were included in a disaster declaration for more than 130 Texas counties ahead of Winter Storm Fern. Here are best practices for staying safe at home and on the road.

Freezing rain, sleet and snow are expected to hit a large portion of Texas beginning Friday.

Lubbock ISD’s Board of Trustees is meeting Thursday night to discuss a proposed plan that would give Lubbock ISD standards to determine which area schools will be considered for consolidation or closure in the future. The board will meet at the LISD Administration Building tonight at 5 p.m. With Lubbock expecting extreme cold this weekend, including potential freezing rain, snow, and ice, our reporter Michelle Waida has tips from the Department of Public Safety on how to stay safe on the road.

Hundreds of newly published text messages add more detail to the devastating timeline of the deadly July 4 Texas floods.

Police chases can be deadly. Minnesota has more safeguards in place than Texas, including a statewide pursuit policy and enhanced training. Does that make a difference?

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.

A sinkhole near Paducah has closed County Road 485 to 489 in Cottle County, and TxDOT warns it’s nearly 70 feet deep and still growing. Today is the final day to register to vote ahead of Texas’ November election, the Texas Newsroom's Lucio Vasquez reports it will feature 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution. Also, a new report ranks Texas second in the nation for book bans in public schools.

Last week, Texas Tech University's system chancellor Tedd Mitchell sent a memorandum on the universities' compliance with state and federal orders regarding discussions of sex and gender. Our Samantha Larned reached out to the chancellor’s office and has more. After identifying several rabid bats in the area, the City of Lubbock is reminding residents not to handle wildlife and what to do if you or a pet have a potential rabies exposure.

The CDC’s immunization advisory committee has ended its recommendation of the combined MMRV vaccine for children under four, a change local health officials say will affect vaccine access after a West Texas measles outbreak that caused two child deaths. Meanwhile, TxDOT is hosting car seat checkup events in Lubbock tomorrow and Saturday to help parents ensure proper fit.