The City of Amarillo will be conducting emergency repairs on a water main along Bell Street beginning Wednesday evening. To ensure the safety of workers and residents and to allow uninterrupted access to the repair site, multiple southbound lanes located along Bell Street will be temporarily closed. Repairs will begin at 8 p.m. and are scheduled to end Thursday at 8 a.m. The closure is necessary to address a critical main break which could impact water service in the area if not repaired. The city is working to complete repairs as quickly and safely as possible. Impacted businesses have been notified and barricades have been placed in the area to inform the public.

So a dog walks into a Starbucks … No, this is not the beginning of a corny joke but rather a theme for “Doggy Day Out” – a new and unique opportunity for residents and shelter dogs at Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare (AAMW). Doggie Day Out is a volunteer program that allows residents to take a shelter dog out for a day of fun, which might include a trip to the park, shopping for pet food or even a coffee run to Starbucks. “We went to Starbucks, but that was more for me,” Amarillo native and Doggy Day Out volunteer Josselyn Reid said with a laugh. “We also went to Wendy’s for lunch – a chicken nugget.” “We went to the park, took a long hike and yes, we went to Starbucks,” said Amarillo native and Doggy Day Out volunteer Alyssa Watson. Reid spent the day with Ran Ran, a Cowboy Corgi. Watson spent the day with Black Bear, a retriever/collie mixed breed. In addition to having a great day with new friends, the best news for Ran Ran and Black Bear is they both have new homes. Black Bear was adopted and Ran Ran went to rescue. “Ran Ran was the smallest dog at the shelter,” said Reid, an AAMW volunteer since childhood. “He was a sweet little dude. I loved him. He took a nap on the couch at home. He was a napper.” Reid has four cats at home but no dogs due to lack of a backyard fence. “Doggy Day Out helps me because I may not be as obnoxious to my husband about wanting a dog,” Reid said with a laugh. “My cats are my children, but dogs have a different vibe. The Doggy Day Out program is nostalgic for me.” Watson and Black Bear also

Monday will be a historic day for health care as the City of Amarillo will open its Women’s Health Clinic at Amarillo Public Health (APH), 850 Martin Road. “Amarillo Public Health is extremely grateful for our city council who recognized the need for improved health care for women not only in Amarillo, but for the entire Amarillo area,” said APH Director Casie Stoughton. “The new Women’s Health Clinic will greatly expand treatment and health care resources for women in our community, and we are excited to open this new clinic. It will really be a historic day.” The city council approved $1.39 million for the Women’s Health Clinic. The clinic will provide an array of health care services for women, including: The Women’s Health Clinic will be open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call the Public Health Department at 806-378-6300.

In 2024, animal control officers with the City of Amarillo (COA) Animal Management and Welfare Department (AAMW) responded to 16,730 calls for service from Amarillo residents. In terms of basic math, this equates to more than 45 calls a day in the span of a year to AAMW officers – ranging from stray dogs to wild animals to animal welfare checks. All the more reason to recognize Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, which runs through Saturday. “AAMW officers have a lot of responsibility as far as ensuring public safety and the safety of animals in our community,” said COA Deputy City Manager and Public Safety Director Andrew Freeman. “Being a first responder to the array of calls AAMW receives on a daily basis is only part of the job, though. AAMW officers are committed to returning lost pets to their owners or finding homes for pets at the shelter as soon as possible.” From January 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024, AAMW officers responded to 16,730 calls. The largest number of calls were for strays (4,684).  AAMW officers also returned 903 animals to their owners at the AAMW shelter and another 377 in the field. Animal adoption is also a priority for AAMW officers. A total of 1,377 dogs and 1,102 cats were adopted from AAMW in 2024. That’s 3,759 animals that were either returned to their owners or adopted from AAMWlast year. “Being an AAMW officer is a calling,” said AAMW Director Victoria Medley. “AAMW officers are dedicated to serving the public by protecting not only our residents, but also the animals that call Amarillo home.” For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov. ###