The 2021 AMA Kicker Arenacross event is being hosted at the Mallet Event Center with events scheduled Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, Heat Races will begin at 1:00 pm followed by the Pro Practice at 4:00 pm. The Main Race for Classes with eight or less riders will begin at 4:30 pm and the Main Races begin at 7:00 pm. Doors to the Mallet will open at 6:30 pm for the Main Races.
On Saturday, Doors open at 9:00 am for participants and practice will begin at 10:15 am. The Pro Practice will begin at 4:00 pm with the Main Races to begin at 7:00 pm.
The Texas Department of Public Safety Special Agents along with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team executed a search warrant at a Levelland residence Thursday morning and arrested two people on various charges.
According to Sgt. Johnny Bures with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Special Agents executed a search warrant at the residence located at 419 Hicks Place in Levelland around 8:15 am Thursday morning. At the time of the search warrant, there were two subjects located inside the residence.
Following a search of the residence, DPS located 44.5 grams of Methamphetamines, a shotgun, a controlled substance, marijuana, and items belonging to an individual out of Lubbock.
John Anthony Cirilo, 34 was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in a drug free zone, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a felon and Fraudulent Possession of Identifying Information. Cassion Dlain Zuniga, 31 was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Both remain in the Hockley County Jail.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has released information on new cases of COVID-19 in Hockley County and several new recoveries.
According to the latest report, Hockley County has two new cases along with 5 new probable cases, one new death and 49 new recoveries.
Based on the new information, Hockley County has a total of 1,815 cases with 1,769 recoveries and 89 deaths and 207 probable cases, leaving 164 active cases. The hospitalization rate for Trauma Service Area B is down below 20% at 18.69%.
The South Plains College Board of Regents held a regular meeting on Thursday afternoon.
The regents heard reports from the Vice President of Academic Affairs on the Workforce Education and Community Training courses the college offered in 2019-2020. It was noted that enrollment was down approximately 2.7 % from the last fiscal year, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The truck driving school however, reported an increase of 20%. It was also reported that South Plains College has received approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to be a computer based training site and to proctor the state exam on the college campus. Computer testing had not been a possibility in the past, however with the college getting this approval applicants for certain state licenses will be able to take the exam here.
The Vice President for Student Affairs reported the Title IX report to regent in compliance with state law. He also presented the enrollment report as it stands now compared to this time last year. Currently the college is down 2.5% on unduplicated numbers across all campuses. It was noted that face to face instructional enrollment numbers are down substantially, however, enrollment for internet courses is up. President Dr. Robin Satterwhite noted that at a recent state meeting, other college administrators was noting their enrollment down as much as 20%. Regents also received the housing occupancy report, indicating that the resident halls are at 58% occupancy.
Regents also received a construction update. Construction continues on Phase 1 and 2 of the Science Building on the Levelland campus. They are expecting completion in May or June of 2021 and be ready for classes in the Fall of 2021. The Lubbock Downtown campus asbestos abatement is underway and they plan to begin construction in April of 2021 and be ready for a grand opening of the building in August of 2022.
Hockley County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were notified of a Felony Warrant from Lamb County for a Whitharral man. Deputies located the wanted subject at a residence in the 3600 Block of North Alamo Road, just outside of Whitharral and made the arrest on Tuesday.
Todd Rutledge, 59 was arrested on a charge of Indecency of a child by sexual contact out of Lamb County. According to jail reports he was released from the Hockley County Jail on a bond of $25,000.
Rutledge has been a teacher and coach in Littlefield, Levelland, Whitharral, Lazbuddie, and Petersburg since 2000.
Texas Department of Public Safety Special Agents made an arrest for online solicitation of a minor on Monday.
Ropes ISD issued a statement Wednesday stating, they were made aware of an arrest involving a Ropes ISD employee. They went on to say, that to their knowledge, no Ropes ISD students were victims of the alleged conduct. The district has placed the employee on administrative leave pending further investigation by the district into the alleged misconduct. The district has also reported the matter to state licensing authorities and while it conducts its own investigation, the district plans to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to the fullest extent permitted by law.
According to a DPS report, the individual identified as William Simonton, 26 was arrested at a Lubbock apartment complex Monday afternoon. Reports state he was chatting with an agent posing as a minor and agreed to meet them. When Simonton arrived at the apartment he was arrested and charged with Online Solicitation of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Acts. He was released from the Lubbock County Jail on bond, Tuesday.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has updated COVID-19 numbers for Hockley County.
They have confirmed 8 new cases from this past weekend with 8 additional recoveries.
Based on the new information, Hockley County has a total of 1,813 cases with 202 probable cases, 88 deaths and 1,720 recoveries leaving 207 active cases. The hospitalization rate has dropped slightly to 19.8% as of Sunday night.
Levelland Police Department continues to investigate damage to three vehicles at Hockley County School Employee Credit Union.
According to reports from the police, a representative with the credit union told police that they were scheduled to re-possess three vehicles and the owner was given the opportunity to drop them off or have them towed. The report indicates the owner dropped off the three vehicles including a 2015 Dodge pick-up, a 2017 GMC Denali and a Dodge Charger.
The report stated that the pickup had two tires missing from the back and rims to the pickup had lug nuts missing and were old and rusted. It was also noted the rims on the GMC Denali were not the original and the Dodge Charger was sitting on rims with no lug nuts.
Levelland police Criminal Investigation Division continues their investigation.
Police also investigated criminal mischief to vehicles in the 200 block of Cactus Drive. Police reports indicate that someone broke the back window of a 1999 Dodge pickup. Damage was reported at approximately $275. Police continues their investigation.
