News

AMARILLO – The City of Amarillo (COA) has released a holiday schedule for the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Day. COA wishes the Amarillo community a happy holiday season. For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov ###

A starting point to help those in Amarillo experiencing homelessness begins now. The Point in Time Count (PIT) is led by the City of Amarillo (COA) Community Development Department and the Amarillo Continuum of Care. PIT is a volunteer effort consisting of individuals going throughout the city during a 24-hour period to count the homeless population and conduct a survey. The PIT Count is scheduled for January 31. “The PIT Count is vital in providing an accurate representation of not only the number of unhoused individuals and families in Amarillo, but also helps determine the needs and resources necessary to provide aid to our unhoused neighbors,” said COA Grant Monitor for Community Development Angela Snow. “The success of the PIT Count depends on volunteers – and we greatly appreciate how Amarillo responds when helping the homeless community.” The PIT Count is conducted by volunteers from local non-profit organizations and the community. Training sessions are available at the Simms Building, 808 S. Buchanan. Online signup for the PIT Count is available at: amarillopard.typeform.com/to/c53FmeaQ The PIT Count helps provide agencies with valuable information to help address the needs of the homeless population, in addition to funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For more information on how to help or volunteer for the PIT Count, contact Snow at (806) 378-6285 or at angela.snow@amarillo.gov Also for more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov ###

AMARILLO – The City of Amarillo’s Southeast Park will be closed Tuesday (December 17) for a cooperative research project by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas A&M-Kingsville. TPWD will be conducting a research project of Cackling Canada geese. The research project includes a tracking study. Geese will be fitted with a solar-powered tracking device that will allow researchers to study migratory patterns, habitat environments and behavior of the geese for up to three years. A similar research project was conducted in Amarillo this past February. Similar research projects have been conducted in Lubbock and surrounding states such as Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. Southeast Park will be closed to the public from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday. For more information contact Kevin Kraai of the TPWD at Kevin.Kraai@tpwd.texas.gov Also for more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov. ###

AMARILLO – As temperatures drop this winter, the City of Amarillo (COA) wants to ensure that everyone has access to safe shelter and resources during cold weather. To help those in need, several local organizations are offering day and night shelter options, free transportation and updates on cold weather alerts. Day Shelters: The PARC: Open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 413 S.W. Sixth Ave. Guyon Saunders Resource Center: Open Sunday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 200 S. Tyler St. (Closed Saturdays). Amarillo Downtown Public Library: 413 S.E. Fourth Ave. (Closed on COA holidays). Hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Faith City Mission: Day Room from 5:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. 600 N. Tyler St. Night Shelters: The Salvation Army: Open from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on cold weather nights (32 degrees or lower), 400 S. Harrison St. Faith City Mission: Evening shelter opens at 6 p.m., 600 N. Tyler St. Code Blue Warming Station: Activated when temperatures drop to 18 degrees wind chill or below. Open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., 207 N. Tyler St. To receive alerts, text “CODEBLUE” to 888777. When temperatures fall below 38 degrees, Amarillo City Transit will provide free transportation to shelters from the nearest bus stop between 6:20 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. For assistance outside these hours (or for those who cannot reach a bus stop) text (806) 414-2243. For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov. ###

Working at the Amarillo Zoo and caring for its wild residents requires a variety of special skills, including the ability to put a coat on a donkey. “This is just a part of the winterization process at the Amarillo Zoo,” Amarillo Zoo Curator Berkeley Hilliard said with a laugh. As winter progresses in Amarillo and it becomes colder, Amarillo Zoo staff winterize the zoo in many different ways to ensure the comfort and safety of the animals. “We definitely keep an eye on the weather on a day-to-day basis,” Hilliard said. “If it is going to be cold, we put up slide covers at enclosure entrances to prevent drafts and we check all heaters and heat lamps. We also put down hay and shavings to prevent the animals from being on a cold floor.” “It is all part of the winterization process.” The zoo also operates according to the outside temperature and the needs of individual animals: “We will close the zoo at this point so the animals can stay inside,” Hilliard said. “This also helps our zookeepers.” If the animals are inside for an extended period of time due to cold temperatures, they are provided with activities to keep them busy. “For example, we offer them balls with food hidden inside – things like that – to keep them active and busy,” Hilliard said. “We want to make sure when they are inside they still have the ability to be active.” There are residents of the Amarillo Zoo that love the cold weather. “We have a lot of native species that can handle temperatures from zero degrees to 112 degrees,” Hilliard said. “Our bison and elk love the cold weather.” The zoo’s black bears (Mesa, Oyster and Truffles) sometimes opt to sleep out winter. “Our black bears will sometimes