Hub City BBQ Cookoff

Watch this 2 minute video about the Hub City BBQ Cookoff in Lubbock, Texas by clicking HERE or on the photo above.

Fun beats costs

Glenda Davis of Plainview, left, receives a $5.00 cheeseburger order at the Finney New Jerusalem Baptist Church food stand Wednesday afternoon at the South Plains Fair. Adam McDonald of Lubbock thinks its great he and his wife could get good food at the fair without paying the parking and entrance fees. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
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As with most other things these days, you may have to dig a little deeper into your wallet for a family visit to the Panhandle-South Plains Fair.

Parking is $3 and admission is $7; double that if you bring your wife. Don't forget the kids - children under the age of 13 have a $2 admission fee.

Still, a sampling of Wednesday's fairgoers revealed that most feel the event is worth the price because it only comes around once a year... (Continue reading the related article: Some Lubbock fairgoers say fun outweighs cost of visit & view more photos)
Carlos Garza and his wife Maria retreive some of their tickets so their children Maddox, 4, Angelina, 6, and Analise, 2, could ride the merry-go-round Wednesday afternoon at the South Plains Fair in Lubbock. The Garza family spent $40 on ride tickets for their entire family. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Six-year-old Angelina Garza, of Lubbock, smiles at her father Carlos as she circles the merry-go-round at the South Plains Fair Wednesday afternoon. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

First day of fall

Texas Tech students Jennifer Tubbs, left, and Bobby Gray, pick apples Sunday afternoon at the Apple Butter Festival in Idalou. Apples are one of many fruits and vegetables harvested in the fall. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Texas Tech over UMass 56-14

Along w/ game photos our paper gives us a full page for additional "sights and sounds". Saturday's theme for that page was the band.

Tough first quarter for Tramain Swindall who had one fumble that was recovered for an easy touchdown and a second fumble on the 1-yard line. It made for a closer than should've been first quarter, but the Tech offense then got in its groove and buried UMass by 42 points.

Fiestas Del Llano - Lubbock style

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Sunday was a day of food, music and cars Chicano-style at the Fiestas Del Llano Festival at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

The event featured a lineup of musicians and activities for patrons of all ages, drawing a crowd of hundreds to celebrate Mexico's independence from Spain more than 180 years ago. "The music's pretty good. Some of it's really good," said Rosa Rocha of Slaton. "There's a lot of good food."

Though she came to the event to see Mexican dancers, Rocha said she also enjoyed the chance to meet old friends. (Continue reading the related article: Fiestas Del Llano features food, slick cars, music)

Texas Tech over Southern Methodist 43-7

Fans walk along Jones AT&T Stadium where few signs of flooding remain prior to Saturday's game against SMU in Lubbock. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Big 12 Conference play looms for Texas Tech in three weeks.

No matter what the scoreboard said Saturday night, Tech coach Mike Leach says the Red Raiders aren't ready for it. Not his marquee players anyway.

Safety Daniel Charbonnet's school-record three interceptions marked another timely performance by the defense as No. 12 Tech torched Southern Methodist 43-7 Saturday night at Jones AT&T Stadium. SMU needed a late touchdown to avoid its first shutout since 2004.
Tech (3-0) rolled up 693 yards, in part with a strong rushing game led by Baron Batch and Shannon Woods. (Continue reading the related article: Red Raiders pick off five passes in rout of SMU)

Game on! Firefighters help drain gallons of water at Jones field

Mike Black looks over a flooded Jones AT&T Stadium on Friday where local fire fighters were pumping water from the field in preparation for Saturday's game against SMU. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
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Relentless rains turned Texas Tech's field of dreams into a quagmire of water overnight Thursday, but city and university leaders said today's game will go on.

City firefighters sucked approximately 300,000 gallons of water from the Jones AT&T Stadium into the city's drainage system, as Tech employees scrambled to repair a flooded drainage system that usually keeps the playing surface dry.

They were Friday's winners - allowing tonight's game with Southern Methodist University at 6 p.m. to proceed as planned, officials said. (Continue reading the related article: Game on! Firefighters help drain gallons of water at Jones field)

Record rains send water throughout Lubbock

Even when the rain stopped, the emergency didn't.

Overfilling playa lakes continued rising Friday, threatening homes and keeping streets flooded hours after the city was pounded with 7.8 inches of rain - the biggest single day of rain in recorded Lubbock history.

The rain was dumped onto the area Thursday and Friday sent the city into emergency mode, doubling the number of police officers on the streets.
About 200 drivers were stuck on flooded streets and there were more than 60 auto accidents, said officials. (Continue reading the related article: Record rains send water all over Lubbock)

Grand Prix award winner Whitney Jensen

Utah native Whitney Jensen recently won the top honor at the biannual Varna International Ballet Competition in Bulgaria, one of the dance world's oldest and most prestigious contests. The Grand Prix has been awarded five times since the competition began in 1964; sixteen-year-old Whitney is the youngest dancer and first American to win the award. -- Wednesday, August 13, 2008. Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Deseret News
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The Varna International Ballet Competition in Bulgaria has only given out four Special Distinction Grand Prix awards in its 44-year history.
Those winners are Vladimir Vasiliev, Rolondo Sarabia, Ivan Vasilev and Whitney Jensen.

Out of all those, Jensen is the only female and the only dancer from the United States to be awarded that honor, which was presented to her last month.

Jensen was also the sole recipient of the Ballet International Award, for highest achievement in ballet classics.

In addition, Jensen, 16, who resides and trains in New York, was born and raised in Park City. (Continue reading the related article: Utah ballet prodigy is first American to win global honor)

Cougars open with win over Northern Iowa 47-17

The following players are featured in the above photos: Max Hall, Harvey Unga, Reed White, Michael Reed, David Tafuna, Scott Johnson, Jarred Herring, Uni Huygens, James Ruffin, Russell Tialavea, Corey Lewis, Scott Johnson, Jan Jorgensen, Pat Grace, Brett Denney, Corey Lewis, Bryan Kariya
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PROVO — Well into the fourth quarter Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium, No. 16 BYU was nursing a tenuous 10-point lead against Northern Iowa.
Not exactly what the Cougars had in mind when they declared 2008 the "Quest for Perfection."

Yes, it was a far-from-perfect season-opener, but BYU exploded for a pair of touchdowns in the span of about 90 seconds in the fourth quarter to secure a 41-17 triumph Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. (Continue reading related article: BYU football: It's not perfect, but Cougars open with win)