One Year Ago: The Day A Crackhead Vandalized A Beloved Lubbock Radio Station

Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

Yes, it's been a year since we here at the Townsquare Media Broadcast Complex And House Of Pancakes were shocked to discover that there is no safe haven in the City of Lubbock, and nowhere that crime will not touch.

Get our free mobile app

It started so innocently, when one of our co-workers complained that the truck that is emblazoned with the logo of 94.5 FMX (a moderately successful local rock and roll station), was sounding quite "loud", in their words, and that they didn't feel safe driving it.  I decided at that stage, to head out to our heavily patrolled parking structure (citation needed) to investigate for myself.  My first thought was, in the spirit of rock and roll "If it's too loud, you're too old." Turns out though, that yeah...it sounded really freaking LOUD. I also noticed a very hot sensation as I stepped out which felt like exhaust. I shut off the motor, and looked under the truck, only to discover that something was, ahem, MISSING.

That helpful diagram shows where the catalytic converter used to be. We'd been hit by thieving crackheads! They had used a saw to cut the catalytic converter clean off in the dead of night.  We then decided to check the rest of our radio fleet, to find that they had also claimed the catalytic converter of the vehicle used by 790 KFYO (another local radio station). This would be one of the rare moments in history that FMX and KFYO have anything in common.

Eventually, yes...we got the vehicles fixed, and parked in a more secure location (Come at us now, Smokey McMethhead!), but when this came up in our memories today, it was another reminder that no, we don't live in the safest city in America. That honor goes to Odessa (fact check needed).

Happy Anniversary, Crackheads.