Lubbock’s new power monopoly proposed city leaders have them end the year with a slight loss in a budget that included streetlights and salary increases but not the rate hike officials expect. Lubbock Power & Light was at no real financial risk under the budget its board approved Thursday, and still held tens of millions of dollars in cash. The Lubbock City Council, which will give final approval to the budget, could pull the city-owned utility back into the black by rejecting 3 percent across-the-board pay increases the board proposed for most utility employees.

Even underground water can't escape the ravages of West Texas wildfires. Fire damage has crimped one of Lubbock's key summer water supplies, officials warned Thursday, leaving the city with enough water for customers but vulnerable if any other unexpected outages occur. "It's not nearly as bad as it could be," Water Utilities Director Aubrey Spear said. "We're going to recover pretty quickly."

The region's water regulators expect a much quieter reception Monday to rules governing the lifeblood of the region's cities, energy and business. Directors of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 will consider passing sweeping rules in mid-July after the two public hearings Monday. Directors will attempt to balance the life of the Ogallala aquifer and the region's economy dependent on that water source. Manager Jim Conkwright does not expect big turnouts on Monday.

A former city health insurance administrator has asked yet another court to block the release of an audit of their services for city employees. The companies, now known as Health-Smart, asked a Travis County state district court judge to issue a temporary restraining order against the city's release of an audit under the state open records law because the companies consider the audit misleading and potentially damaging to their business. The hearing is set for today.