The pattern of traffic on Georgia Street will temporarily change beginning Tuesday (November 11) as part of the Georgia Street Reconstruction Project. Two-way traffic will be maintained. Traffic will be shifted to temporary asphalt paving west of the existing roadway from Stardust Lane to the north side of Farmers Avenue. The closure and detour are expected to remain for approximately 11 months, weather permitting. These parts of the project are Phase 1B and Phase 5A, which include installing a storm drain and the permanent concrete pavement on the east side of Georgia Street. The project began in June. Final project completion is scheduled for November 2028. The detour is designed to divert traffic around the construction zone while minimizing disruption to the public. Motorists are urged to follow all posted traffic signs and use caution in the area.

As cold weather approaches, the City of Amarillo (COA) and community partners are working together to ensure individuals experiencing homelessness have access to safe shelter, warm spaces during the day, transportation and support services. Here is information on shelter operations within the city: Daytime warming centers The PARC, 413 S.W. Sixth Ave. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guyon Saunders Resource Center, 200 S. Tyler St. 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Faith City Mission Day Room, 600 N. Tyler St. 5:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Amarillo Public Library – Downtown, 413 S.E. Fourth Ave. Regular library hours. (All APL locations are closed on city holidays). Nighttime shelters Transformation Park Safe Space, 1501 S.W. Fifth Ave. Open 24 hours a day. Capacity: 75 individuals. Salvation Army, 400 S. Harrison St. 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on nights below 32 degrees. Faith City Mission, 600 N. Tyler St. Evening shelter opens at 6 p.m. Code Blue Warming Station, 207 N. Tyler St.7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Activated at 18 degrees wind chill or below. To receive alerts, text (806) 414-2243. Transportation When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, Amarillo City Transit (ACT) provides free transportation from the nearest bus stop to shelters between 6:20 a.m. and 6:25 p.m. If the wind chill reaches 18 degrees or below, additional support is activated: The City of Amarillo’s Coming Home Program will conduct outreach from 6 p.m. to midnight. Outreach teams will check on individuals outdoors, provide cold-weather supplies and transport individuals to shelters or warming stations. Individuals needing assistance can call or text the Coming Home Team at (806) 690-5477. In addition, shelters report ongoing needs for blankets, gloves, socks and cold-weather gear. Those wishing to donate can contact Transformation Park, Salvation Army, Faith City Mission or the Coming Home Program

Calli, the 15-year-old calico cat, is in for a surprise. No longer will Calli have the run of the house during the day while her owner, Rosemary Robinson, is at work as a Covert/Tactical Operations Administrative Specialist with the Amarillo Police Department. For the first time in more than a half-century, Robinson can be at home during the day. Robinson is wrapping up a remarkable career with the City of Amarillo (COA) as she officially retires Nov. 12 after 52 years of service to the citizens of Amarillo. She holds the record for most years of service as a city employee in Amarillo history. “This will take some getting used to,” said Robinson, who turned 74 on October 25. “I know Calli will be wondering why I am still at home and why am I not leaving.” Robinson was 21 years old when she started working for the city on Feb. 12, 1973. The McLean native was fresh out of West Texas A&M (then West Texas State) and was just hoping to do well enough that she survived her probationary period and became an official city employee. “I guess I accomplished that,” Robinson said with a laugh. To put her longevity with the city in perspective – Robinson has worked with seven police chiefs and 12 mayors. Richard Nixon was President of the United States when she began her career with the city. “Retirement will be bittersweet,” Robinson said. “The key for me was that I really enjoyed my job for most of those years. The best thing about the job was not knowing what would happen when you walked in the door. Every day was different, and I like that.” Robinson will miss the relationships of the past 50 years. “All the admins are pretty close. We work together

In recognition of Veterans Day (Tuesday, November 11) the City of Amarillo (COA) will implement the following holiday service schedule: Residential Collection: Tuesday routes will be serviced on Wednesday (November 12). Commercial Collection: All routes will be serviced on Monday (November 10) and Wednesday (November 12). Curbside Collection: No curbside collection service will be available Tuesday. Brush Sites/Landfill: The City of Amarillo landfill and brush sites will be closed Tuesday. The city wishes to thank all have served in the U.S. military – and for their patriotism, service and sacrifice.