Good morning, Amarillo.

The 55+ Club of Amarillo has received $350,000 in challenge grants from High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation and Amarillo Area Foundation for its Thrive after 55 on Route 66 Capital Campaign.

The funds will renovate its 6th Avenue site into a senior activities center with weekday programs.

The Route 66 Centennial Caravan left Amarillo yesterday to tour the eastern Texas Panhandle in vintage cars.

The group will leave Shamrock today and travel through Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri before arriving in Chicago on Thursday, June 25 for a Steak Challenge.

Amarillo is set for a busy weekend with events (Miss Rodeo Texas Pageant downtown from June 16-20, a Count Basie Orchestra concert at the Globe-News Center on Saturday, and Juneteenth parades and festivals starting June 19) to offer fun for families and community members.

Ponto Gaucho, a new Brazilian steakhouse taking over the former House Divided space, will host an Amarillo Chamber ribbon cutting Monday, June 29 at 4:00 p.m. and open Tuesday, June 30 at 11:30 a.m., serving premium steaks (plus lamb, chicken, and pork) with kids under five eating free.

The Texas Education Agency released STAAR results showing that Amarillo ISD high schoolers outperformed the state in algebra, biology, and U.S. history, while Canyon ISD students exceeded state averages in most tests and grades 3-8 met or surpassed expectations (HB 1481).

A local video posted May 27 compares Amarillo parks then and now, showing green spaces turn brown from water shortages.

Residents are shocked by the change and hope for swift action before summer when kids + outdoor play is at stake.

Amarillo Economic Development Corporation voted on Tuesday to amend its agreement with Sharpened Iron Studios by extending the performance period to 2028 (including a $500,000 promissory note with 8% interest and semi-annual progress reports).

The board will now present the amendment to City Council for approval.

Coffee Memorial Blood Center is facing an emergency blood shortage and requests donations of all blood types, particularly O-negative and B-negative.

Hospitals may delay procedures if supplies run low, so donors are encouraged to call or walk in to help + support local care.

Amarillo welcomes Baby Cactus RV Park at 2301 E I-40 (near Cracker Barrel and Spark Hilton) as construction is set to begin this month with a planned finish in June 2027, and the park will open in late September or early October.

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby—after battling an NCAA eligibility ruling—has left the team to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, and Tech will forgo recouping any NIL payments already issued.

Props N Pistons Car Show & Fly In

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Tradewind Airport — $25 Pre-Registration — Celebrate cars and aircraft for a good cause in Amarillo.

Family Fun Night at the Amarillo Sod Poodles Game

6-10 p.m. — Hodgetown Stadium — $11+ — Attend a family-friendly evening of baseball, food, and fun with the Amarillo Sod Poodles.

USPA Tested and Open 2026 West Texas Classic

9 a.m. — The Gym @ Contagion Athletics — Registration required — Watch top lifters compete in both tested and non-tested divisions at this powerlifting event.