Shoppers trying to dodge big crowds and sales taxes might have had their best luck Friday morning. Lubbock residents trickled in to the South Plains Mall, and managers reported business as usual at big-box retail outlets around the city as the state’s sales tax holiday kicked off. “It’ll be busy this afternoon, but tomorrow’s going be the day that people can come from around the region,” South Plains Mall spokeswoman Beth Bridges said Friday.

Drought has scorched Texas farmers and ranchers for a record $5.2 billion in estimated lost income so far this year. The Texas Agrilife Extension Service estimated cotton losses had already hit $1.8 billion and ranching losses $2.1 billion as high commodity prices and withering conditions combined for the state’s most costly year since 2006. Economists were still calculating the ripple effect for communities like Lubbock, where ginners and other support businesses would be hit by a small crop.

Lubbock softened food regulations Thursday over the strong objections of the councilman who proposed changing them. The City Council voted 5-1, with Central Lubbock Councilman Todd Klein opposed, to allow residents to serve food they prepare at home to the general public, as long as the meals meet basic safety standards. South Lubbock Councilman Paul Beane was absent.

Lubbock’s power utility wants you to give less than a dollar a month to help out families in need. Just a pittance of the 100,000 meters Lubbock Power & Light meters participate in the utility’s Project Helping Hands program. The project allows customers to either pledge some money monthly or to contribute the difference between their real electricity bill and the nearest dollar to a fund for low-income families. If a bill costs $90.20, a customer would pay $91 and contribute the 80-cent difference to the fund.