The Ledger is Lubbock Lights’ daily digest of the news that matters to Lubbock and the South Plains — our reporting first, then short summaries of stories reported by other newsrooms, each linked to its source. How we build it →
The Ledger
Daily digest straight from the source
Sunday, September 6, 2026
Today’s lead
Smoke and flames at the airport Tuesday and Wednesday will be a training exercise
Preston Smith International Airport will hold aircraft-rescue live-fire training Tuesday and Wednesday, September 8 and 9, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with smoke and flames visible from surrounding neighborhoods. Airport Operations announced the exercise Saturday; residents with concerns can call the airport at (806) 775-2044.
More Local
Police seek driver who fled back-to-back I-27 crashes that injured three
Lubbock police said Saturday they are still seeking a driver who fled back-to-back crashes near 34th Street and Interstate 27 late Thursday night. A third vehicle hit two cars from an earlier collision, plus a bystander who had stopped to help. Three people were injured, one seriously.
Hammond returns as No. 12 Red Raiders open with a 33-10 win over ACU
Will Hammond threw for 298 yards and a touchdown on 26 completions in his return from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season, as No. 12 Texas Tech beat Abilene Christian 33-10 Saturday night at Galaxy Stadium. Stone Harrington kicked four field goals; Tech visits Oregon State September 12.
Sources Texas Tech Athletics · FOX 34
State
Trump super PAC drops $10 million into the Paxton-Talarico Senate race
Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. committed $10 million to the Texas Senate race Saturday, with $5 million promoting Republican Ken Paxton and $5 million attacking Democrat James Talarico. Talarico has raised $72 million to Paxton's $16.8 million, and polls show the race neck-and-neck.
Advanced GraphixTrump moves to opening night as the RNC brings its midterm convention to Dallas
President Trump said Saturday he will keynote opening night of the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas, September 9 and 10, with Vice President JD Vance headlining night two. Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are among Texas speakers at the party's largest convention in a decade.
U.S. & World
U.S. strikes three Iranian oil tankers after missile attacks on Navy warships
The U.S. military struck three Iranian oil tankers Saturday after Iran fired ballistic missiles at Navy warships, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said. Two tankers were disabled near Kharg Island and Jask; a third was destroyed in the Gulf of Oman. No U.S. personnel were injured.
Witkoff and Kushner open Moscow talks as Zelenskyy proposes an air truce
White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow Saturday to restart Russia-Ukraine peace talks and travel on to Kyiv Sunday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed pausing aerial attacks during the visit; Russia launched 167 drones overnight and has not answered the proposal.
Kennedy Center closes after part of the Grand Foyer ceiling falls
Part of the Kennedy Center's Grand Foyer ceiling collapsed during Friday evening's rainstorm, officials said Saturday; no one was hurt and the building is closed. Spokeswoman Roma Daravi blamed decades of deferred maintenance. The center's board voted in August to close for two years of $250 million renovations.
UN adopts the Equal Earth projection as its preferred world map, 164-1
The UN General Assembly voted 164-1 Saturday to make the Equal Earth projection, which shows continents at their true relative sizes, its preferred world map, with the United States casting the only no vote and calling the change 'a radical ideological project.' The resolution binds no country or mapmaker.
Sources Fox News
Two Greek air force pilots die in an F-4 crash at the Athens air show
Two Hellenic Air Force pilots were killed Saturday when their F-4 Phantom crashed during a low-altitude pass at the Athens Flying Week air show at Tanagra Air Base in Greece. No spectators were hurt. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis mourned the pilots, and remaining show events were canceled.
Mullin Hoard & Brown, LLP