Good morning, Amarillo.

A new 77,000 square foot building called The Loft opened downtown to provide middle and high school students a space to play, learn, and gather.

First Baptist Church built the project for $41 million through fundraising & donations by church members.

The High Plains Food Bank will launch a $250 thousand fundraising campaign to cover food shortfalls caused by USDA cuts that cancelled 13 truckloads of food—forcing the bank, which now serves over 13,000 households monthly, to work with local donors to boost donations for its 120 partner agencies through September.

Amarillo's High Plains Food Bank faced a major setback when the USDA cut $500 million from TEFAP, canceling 13 truckloads of food that could feed 200,000 people for a year.

The food bank, which gets 23% of its supply from the program, is launching a fundraiser to fill the gap—hoping that other channels will help secure enough food for local families.

The High Plains Food Bank reported that the USDA’s cancellation of a one-time federal food shipment has left a gap of 250,000 pounds and the organization started a $250,000 fundraising campaign to support 29 counties (Texas Panhandle) amid a stalled Farm Bill in Congress.

The announcement was made April 22 as rising local need forces the food bank to seek community help.

International Aerospace Coatings in Amarillo announced plans to expand its facility with a new $28 million hangar at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.

The project will add around 70 jobs and boost the company’s aircraft painting capacity—construction will begin in July and finish late next year.

The Randall County Commissioners Court will meet Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in the courtroom at 501 16th Street in Canyon to discuss tax refund errors, bids for sealcoat work, audio/visual equipment purchases, a memorandum between fire departments, and meeting requests from county staff. Public comments are welcome during the session — residents may speak during the allotted time —.

Early voting opens today and will run through April 29th in Amarillo and Canyon — both Potter and Randall counties offer five voting locations.

Voters must bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, Texas personal ID card, or other state-issued identification.

Today at 6:00 p.m. in Virgil Patterson Auditorium, Amarillo League of Women Voters and Elevate Amarillo are hosting a candidate forum where the candidates for the Amarillo College board of regents and Amarillo ISD board of trustees answer public questions ahead of May 3 elections — the event is open for all residents.

Amarillo Public Health and Initium Health launched a public survey today to ask residents about their health and access to care — the survey takes 15 minutes and offers a drawing for two tickets to see the Marshall Tucker Band live at the Amarillo Civic Center on August 3.

Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference 2025

All day — Amarillo Civic Center Complex — Contact for pricing — Participate in faith-building activities and workshops for youth in the diocese.

The Imagined Forest

1:30-3:30 p.m. — Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts — Ticket prices vary — Experience a concert featuring virtuoso pianist Marc-André Hamelin alongside the enchanting 'The Imagined Forest' by Grace-Evangeline Mason.

Docker and Kubernetes Administration Training Class

5-9 p.m. — Logistics Training Center, Amarillo, TX — $2490 — Dive into hands-on DevOps training with Docker and Kubernetes in this expert-led course.

Hope and Healing Half Marathon

7 a.m. — Amarillo National Bank — Registration fee required — Run through historic neighborhoods while supporting mental health initiatives.

Battle of the Bites

6-8 p.m. — John Stiff Memorial Park — Free entry — A vibrant food truck showdown to savor the local flavors of Amarillo.

Autocross #2 2025

8:30 a.m. — Westgate Mall — $35 SCCA Members, $45 Non-members — Test your skills at the thrilling Autocross #2 event and learn the course firsthand while helping set up.

Freedom From Tobacco May Class

6:00-8:30 p.m. — AmTech Career Academy — Free entry — Participate in a comprehensive two-session course to kickstart your journey to quitting tobacco with professional guidance.

Bliss Horizon Live Featuring Straight Tequila Night

6-7:30 p.m. — The Bliss Venue — GA & VIP packages available — Experience the original tribute to '90s Country music in Amarillo with high-energy renditions of your favorite classics.