Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 9th of October.
Good morning, Amarillo.
🏘️ Community
At the Hope and Healing Place’s annual Big Cheese mac and cheese competition held Tuesday, Oct.
7 at the Rex Baxter Building, teams served samples as local judges selected winners. Boys Ranch High School won three awards—People’s Choice, Top High School, and overall Big Cheese—highlighting strong local support.
ATMOS Energy provided a $10,000 donation to the Maverick Boys & Girls Club of Amarillo and became the title sponsor for the Club's Turkey Day Celebration—its team joined the Bus Buddies Program today to greet youth after school.
Josh Wilson and Janele Nemeth discussed the Cottonwood Faire—set for this Saturday in Thompson Park—on KGNC NewsDay Amarillo.
Residents gathered at Pleasant Valley Methodist Church on Oct.
7 to oppose an Xcel Energy solar farm planned too close to homes and Rolling Hills Elementary — they voiced concerns over safety, property values, flooding and environmental impact. Organizers will meet on Oct. 20 to coordinate comments while Xcel said it will review the feedback before starting construction in April 2027 with operations set for October 2028.
Amarillo residents Devlon Jones and Vonda Fields Grantham are named the 2025 Black Man and Black Woman of the Year by Gateway to Success—an honor marking their leadership, service, and creativity in our community.
The free celebration will be held on Nov. 29 at In This Moment event center at 707 S. Polk St.
The Historic Amarillo Building at 301 South Polk marks its 100th anniversary today—its celebration at nine on the Polk Street Sidewalk features coffee, snacks, and a Centennial Flag unveiling.
💼 Business
Rumors have swirled about the Western Dunkin’ being closed in Amarillo—an employee said the store is temporarily closed due to staffing issues and will reopen soon with drive-thru service until the lobby is restaffed.
🎭 Culture
West Texas A&M University’s Harrington String Quartet will open its three-concert season on November 7 at 7:30 p.m. at The Church in Austin Park+ the season introduces a new Dorothy and Don Patterson professorship from a $125,000 gift by an Amarillo couple and will feature works by Caroline Shaw, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Beethoven with additional concerts on February 20 and April 10.
🎓 Education
Goodwill and Google are offering free AI training in Amarillo at the Goodwill Career Center—over 120 residents have already enrolled and will learn basic AI skills to boost their careers until February.
🌲 Environment
The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts Amarillo may see its first snow from October 14—20 as fall brings cooler temperatures.
Residents are advised to prepare their homes for winter by checking heating systems and insulating pipes.
🏈 Sports
On October 7, youth players and coaches broke ground on the long-awaited Rockrose Sports Complex in Amarillo to give local sports a modern venue.
The project is expected to boost business by attracting out-of-town teams—drawing more visitors to hotels and restaurants—and mark a major milestone for the city's sports scene.
🎉 Amarillo Events
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Cottonwood Faire
10 AM – 6 PM — Thompson Memorial Park — Enjoy a variety of entertainment and food — Experience medieval combat, interact with characters, and relish festival fare at Amarillo's Renaissance faire.
Neon Slugfest - Calling All Slug Bugs Car Show
Get ready to glow at NEON SLUGFEST: Our 12th Annual Car Show happening Saturday, October 18th at Street Volkswagen! Live music, food trucks, prizes, face painting & more. It's free to register at streetvw.com
Autocross Event #5
8:30 a.m. — Westgate Mall — $35 SCCA Members, $45 Non-members — Experience the thrill of racing while helping set up the course at this exciting autocross event.
Motown: Back in the Day, Here to Stay
7-10:30 p.m. — The Bliss Venue — Tickets available — Experience a soul-stirring celebration of Motown music with electrifying performances from premier R&B groups.
VMware vSphere 8.0 Skill Up Training Class
Mon-Fri, Oct 27-31 — Amarillo College — $2400 — Enhance your VMware skills with this hands-on training course.
RED HAT ENTERPRISE LINUX SYSTEMS ADMIN I Training
November 3-7 — Amarillo College — $2250 — Comprehensive training course for aspiring Linux system administrators.
Hiring Red, White & You Job Fair
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Workforce Solutions Panhandle Child Care Services — Free entry — A job fair supporting veterans and the general public with multiple employer opportunities.
🏠 Amarillo Real Estate
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💼 Amarillo Job Board
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📣 Amarillo Announcements
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