Public Safety

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.

After recent reports of sexual assaults involving rideshare drivers near campus, Texas Tech University is warning students to be cautious. Our new student reporter Mia Shephard has reminders for those using the services. Students can use Raider Ride from 6 p.m. to 2:45 a.m. on the TechRide app and report crimes and suspicious activity to Texas Tech Police at 806-742-3931. As of September 1, hundreds of new Texas laws are now in effect. Houston Public Media’s Matt Harab reports this includes legislation to make it illegal to sell lab-procured meat.

House Bill 35 goes into effect on Sept. 1, creating a new program that aims to connect firefighters and EMS workers across Texas with peer-to-peer mental health support.

The first State Flood Plan, published last year, identified $54 billion in flood mitigation, warning and data needs. The state has awarded around $660 million since the plan was published, with a special legislative session coming.

For years, employees say, they've had to do more with less. But the ability to fill in the gaps became strained to the breaking point when the Trump administration began pushing new staffing cuts.

Severe weather has gripped Texas this year — from tornadoes tearing through the South Plains to wildfires in the Panhandle and, most recently, deadly floods in the Hill Country. In Lubbock, where the city’s outdoor siren system was activated for the first time earlier this summer, emergency officials emphasize that layered alerts and personal preparedness remain essential to staying safe.

Lubbock Representative and House Speaker Dustin Burrows says lawmakers are already talking about emergency response ahead of the special session later this month. A bill to offer grants for emergency communications failed to pass during the regular session. To honor those who have died in the central Texas floods, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered flags at state offices to be lowered to half-staff.

A GOP state lawmaker who represents Kerr County says he likely would vote differently now on House Bill 13, which would have established a grant program for counties to build new emergency communication infrastructure.