South Plains Fair set to Open With Cautionary Changes Amid Pandemic

By Emma Sipple, Elysiana Granado, Megan Zapalac, Sabrina Hoover, Shelbie Rhodes & Adán Rubio Despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing multiple event cancellations, Sept. 25 will mark the opening of one event Lubbock locals have anticipated: the Panhandle South Plains Fair. Along with the food, rides and other attractions attendees have grown to love at the […]

Reduce, reuse, reload: As Texas Tech Recycling Plant ceases operations, new solutions emerge

By Reece Nations LUBBOCK – Once a bustling hub of activity committed to sustainability practices, Texas Tech’s on-campus center for recycling is now indefinitely closed. When the recycling plant shuttered its operations over the summer as a cost-cutting procedure, many patrons assumed it would only be temporary. Sean Duggan, managing director of University Student Housing, said […]

Lubbock couple forced into mandatory quarantine rely on faith, community for strength

By Reece Nations, Managing Editor All it took was a single phone call for husband and wife Lea Fulton and Heather Savonne to have their lives upended by the coronavirus pandemic. When Lubbock Health Department officials reached out to them on March 19, they were informed they may have been exposed to COVID-19 days earlier.  The possibility of the virus’ transmission to them stemmed from a visit Savonne made to the home of another […]

2020 Election Analysis: polls preview candidates’ potential paths to presidency

By Reece Nations, Managing Editor   Click the map to create your own at 270toWin.com   Despite initially being competitive, the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination is securely within the grasp of former Vice President Joe Biden. Incumbent President Donald Trump will face off against Biden in November after experiencing no real primary threat within the ranks of the Republican Party.  In the United States, a presidential candidate needs […]

Animal adoptions, fostering see increase during pandemic

By Hannah Holtz While stay-at-home orders have been mandated due to the spread of COVID-19, many people have turned to adopting or fostering animals during their time at home. Lubbock Animal Shelter has seen a record number of adoptions in the last month, with fewer than 100 animals left in the shelter by the second […]

Managing relationships a troublesome task in quarantine

By Elizabeth Herbert Managing relationships presents newfound difficulties due to the societal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kelsey Lueck, program manager for violence prevention and peer educator advisor for Texas Tech University’s Risk Intervention and Safety Education Office, said one may want to use self-isolation as an opportunity to work on communication through means such […]

Womble Basketball Center construction continues despite student complaints

By Donovan Young Construction on the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center is underway and expected to wrap up sometime in 2020. Despite private funding being used to finance the facility’s construction, some still question how the building was prioritized. Dustin Womble, Texas Tech alumnus and founder of Incode, Inc., gave a large sum of money […]

Gateway game plan: city officials tout success of street projects fund

By Reece Nations, Managing Editor Surrounded by what was once innocuous farmland, Lubbock’s Milwaukee Avenue is now a bastion of local commerce. Development in this region was spurred by the Gateway Street Projects Fund, which was first implemented by the Lubbock City Council in February 2004.  The fund, conceived by former council member Tom Martin, designated around 40 percent of franchise fees collected from utility companies to use public right-of-way to develop roads […]

Lubbock police announce arrests in connection to weekend double homicide

Lubbock Police announced three arrests were made in a double homicide case that occurred on April 4. Mia Altamirano, 17, and Michael Bean, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene and two other victims sustained life-threatening injuries. Ricky Clardy Jr., 20, and Malachi Gibson, 18, are alleged by police to have approached the front door […]

Crafting Canine Companions: Training service dogs requires patience, discipline

By Eleanor Guinan  Service dog trainers are responsible for making sure the dogs they train are able to help disabled people with certain tasks. Richard Kelley, owner of The Disciplined Dog and service dog trainer, said service dogs need to start their training around 10-16 weeks old.  “It helps develop the right attitude in the dog,” Kelley said. “Ten to […]