Amarillo’s 75-year nonpartisan voting advocacy group, the League of Women Voters of Amarillo, invites residents to their annual celebration potluck on Saturday, June 6 at 9:30 a.m.
Known as their annual meeting, the League will welcome a new slate of board members, vote on pending League business, and enjoy a presentation by WTAMU Professor of History, Dr. Wade Shaffer.
“You don’t have to be an existing member of the League to join us. This event is for EVERYONE in our community who wants to see democracy strengthened,” said current President Kimberly Anderson. “We are proudly nonpartisan, simply trying to get people to the polls with good information about who’s running, what they believe in, and how that might align with a voter’s personal views. The League doesn’t care HOW you vote; we just want you TO VOTE!”
The group will gather at the Amarillo Area Foundation (919 S. Polk St.) at 9:30 a.m. for breakfast and fellowship; the presentation begins at 10 a.m.
“In advance of the 2026 November midterm elections, we hope to have a big turnout at our annual meeting,” Anderson said. “It’s so important to remember that the citizens run things in the US! So if you’d like to learn how to register voters, work the polls, collect candidate information for our nonpartisan voters guides and candidate forums, or just delivery guides to the local libraries and coffee shops — we want to meet you. Saturday will be a lot of fun, so come on out, Amarillo.”
Dr. Shaffer joined the WT faculty in 1994 as assistant professor of history after earning his B.A. and M.A. in history from the University of Texas at Arlington and his Ph.D. in history from the College of William and Mary. He has served as head of the Department of History, Political Science and Criminal Justice (now the Department of History); Associate Dean of the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities; Associate Provost; and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
He teaches courses in 19th century American history, African-American history, and graduate seminars, and his research includes studies of 19th century southern newspapers and their role in shaping political affairs in the South and the nation.
For more information, contact Jenny Inzerillo, LWV of Amarillo’s Publicity Chair, at jennyinzerillo@gmail.com.
Other community news
Steel ‘n Time Auto Club of Amarillo announced a Together We Rebuild Community Car Show, to be held 2-6 p.m. Sunday, June 7 at Arts in the Sunset as the community comes together to support families impacted by the recent fires in Potter and Randall counties. The event will also include a contest, raffle prizes, 50/50 drawings and food trucks. Fundraising activities will benefit local families rebuilding after the fires, and all types of vehicles are welcome. Bring your spare change and coin jars, as every donation helps. Friends, coworkers, business, club members, or family are invited to join together and create a themed basket to be raffled off during the event. The basket with the most raffle tickets wins $200 plus bragging rights; some fun theme ideas include BBQ, Coffee Lovers, Sports Fan, Spa Day, Movie Night, Kids Fun and Pet Lovers — or anything creative you can dream up. Sign up is due before June 1, with baskets brought to the show by 2 p.m., with a team name and a short description of your basket. To sign up for the basket contest, contact Judy Miller at 806-673-9429.
The community is collecting donations to support families who have lost their homes and belongings due to the devastating wildfire. They are looking for, in particular: toiletries and hygiene products; undergarments; baby supplies (diapers, wipes, formula); pet food and supplies; cleaning supplies; gift cards (gas, grocery, Walmart, etc.); paper goods and makeup. No donation is too small, but they have plenty of clothes, appliances, and water already. The drop-off location is at 101 W Mobley Rd. in the River Road High School Gym, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 30. Contact Maddie Spruill at 806-340-3995 for more.
This week’s Furry Friend is Felipe. “Felipe is a new one at our shelter. Felipe is just a pup, and is good with other dogs. A friendly guy for sure. He is ready to go home with someone right now. He is neutered and up to date on everything. Come meet Felipe.” APSCA adoptions can be made at the shelter, 11901 S. Coulter, noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call 806-622-0555, or visit www.amarillospcashelter.com or www.adoptapet.com.
Three student-athletes from the Angelo State University Rodeo Team including Sam Lewis, a border and homeland security major from Amarillo, have qualified to compete in upcoming national finals events following strong individual performances during the team’s 2025-26 season in the Lone Star Region on the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) circuit. Lewis will compete in tie-down roping at the 2026 College National Finals Rodeo June 14-20 in Casper, Wyoming. See more details at angelo.edu/news.
Amarillo Little Theatre is going to host a special event, “From ALT to NYC: an Evening with Tevae Shoels,” June 12 at the Allen Shankles Mainstage. This special one-night-only concert celebrates the ALT Academy alum whose journey has carried him all the way to Broadway. Many in the audience will remember Shoels from memorable ALT performances, including Chad in “High School Musical,” Beast in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” and Seaweed in “Hairspray.” After graduating from the ALT Academy in 2017, he continued his artistic training and performance career all the way to New York City, where he is now based. The concert will also feature performances by ALT’s Academy Show Stoppers show choir and a few special guest appearances. Tickets are $30-$50, and the general public may purchase tickets online or at the ALT Box Office beginning Monday, June 1. Look for more on this in a separate story.
The Lucille and Leo Caiafa, Jr. Center for Advancement invites women of all ages to a free, hands-on automotive workshop, Powder Puff Mechanics, 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 13. Whether you are a young driver, a senior trying to understand your vehicle’s maintenance for the first time or somewhere in between, this class will give you the skills and confidence you need to stay safe on the road. The workshop will take place at 2308 SW 7th St., and admission is free and open to all women in the community. Participants are encouraged to bring their own vehicles for hands-on practice. The event, which also will include complimentary refreshments, giveaways and door prizes, is limited to the first 50 registrants. Registration deadline is June 7. Secure your spot by calling 806-358-7803, emailing cfa@sharinghopeministry.org, or signing up online at https://form.jotform.com/241794282022151 .
The Thoma Foundation is proud to introduce the newest recipients of the Thoma Scholarship, an award recognizing exceptional students from rural communities across Northwest Oklahoma, West Texas, and Eastern New Mexico. The 2026-27 Texas Tech University Thoma Scholars include Jaslene Baca, Spearman High School; Brandis Beavers, Dalhart High School; Jentri Birkenfeld, Nazareth High School; Shelby Britten, Claude High School; Kristopher Gorecki, Miami High School; Maddison Irvin, Canyon High School; Zariyah Johnson, Tascosa High School; Millie McAnear, Clarendon High School; Thomas Phan, Highland Park High School; Tatum Pigg, Fort Elliott High School; Aaron Rosales, Friona High School; Jackson Sinclair, Panhandle High School; Wyatt Terrell, Follett High School; and Jace Wilburn, Tascosa High School.
The 2026-27 Oklahoma State University Thoma Scholars include Spencer Acker, Nazareth High School; Nayla Banuelos, Booker Junior High-High School; Briseyda Cantu, Memphis High School; Sam DeSantiago, Perryton High School; Bruno Ibarra, Lazbuddie School; Caylee Morris, Amarillo High School; Karen Murguia, Caprock High School; Macy Parks, West Texas High School; and Allison Wade, Canyon High School.
Transformation Park has been awarded a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to launch its new Justice Access & Court Navigation Program, an initiative designed to help individuals experiencing homelessness overcome legal barriers that often prevent long-term stability and housing success. The new program will provide non representational legal navigation services, court compliance support, transportation coordination, and access to court-recognized community service opportunities for residents of Transformation Park and individuals accessing services through The HUB.
Amarillo VA Health Care System (AVAHCS) received a five-star rating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ annual Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating report. This is an improvement from last year’s rating of a four-star. CMS’ Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings are based on five categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, and timely and effective care. “Receiving a five-star rating from CMS is a reflection of the dedication our entire team brings to caring for Veterans every day,” said Dr. Rodney S. Gonzalez, director of AVAHCS. “This rating underscores our commitment to delivering safe, timely and high-quality care, and we are proud to contribute to VA’s continued nationwide excellence.” Nationwide, 78% of VA hospitals that received a rating received an Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating of four or five stars in 2026.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in Amarillo said, in coordination with the City of Canyon, beginning Monday, June 1, contractor STX Civil is scheduled to begin construction on pedestrian safety upgrades in multiple areas of Canyon. The project consists of ADA upgrades in two areas of Canyon and will be completed in two different phases. Phase One involves construction of sidewalks and shared-use paths in the area of 8th Street from 4th Avenue to 9th Avenue and along 9th Avenue from 8th Street to 10th Street. This phase is expected to be complete by August 7, prior to the start of the Canyon ISD school year. Phase two involves just north of Spur TX 48 (Russell Long Boulevard) to the US 60/87 split, with the construction of a continuous shared-use path, retaining wall, and signage installations. The $3.2 million project is expected to be completed by spring 2027.
Dunkin’ is bringing purpose to pouring iced coffee with the return of Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day on Wednesday, May 27. For one day only, guests can support a greater cause with their coffee order, as $1 from every iced coffee and cold brew sold at participating locations nationwide will be donated to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation.
Passing the Peace Torch said as part of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run (peacerun.org), the peace torch relay was in Amarillo on Friday, May 22, and runners went from The Cactus Cove Inn and Suites to the Amarillo Botanical Gardens. The international team from seven different countries are on a 4-month journey through all 50 states in honor of the 250th Anniversary of America.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: League of Women Voters of Amarillo invites public to annual meeting
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
