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One of the more unique and high-flying events in the Amarillo area is set to return as Pirates of the Canyon returns for a three-day event October 23-25.  The festival, organized by the City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), Pirates of the Canyon and Palo Duro Canyon State Park, takes place in two locations – Palo Duro Canyon and John Stiff Memorial Park. The highlight features hot-air balloon liftoffs (weather permitting).  “This is a truly special event that the City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department is excited to help bring back again this year,” said PARD Special Events and Recreation Supervisor Kelsey Sargent. “The hot-air balloons make this a memorable event for all ages and the entire community.”  Here is the three-day schedule of events:  Friday, October 23: Cameras in the Canyon. Palo Duro Canyon – General admission fees apply to non-media. Press and media are invited to take pictures and interview organizers. Please present press badge at the park gate. 6 a.m. – Gates open. 7 a.m. – Balloons launch.  Saturday, October 24: Pirates in the Park. John Stiff Memorial Park – free admission. 5 a.m. – Parking lots open. 7 a.m. – Balloons launch. 8 a.m. – Morning Fun Run/5K. 4:30 p.m. – Food trucks, games, and vendors. 6 p.m. – Trick-or-Treat from hot air balloons. 7 p.m. – The Balloon Glow.  Sunday, October 25: Pirates of the Canyon. Palo Duro Canyon. Entry is one can of food per car. 6 a.m. – Gates open. 7 a.m. – Balloons launch.  For more information, go to: www.amarilloparks.org/programs-events/capture-the-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. 

Amarillo City Council on Tuesday accepted the resignation of City Manager Grayson Path in accordance with Section 9.A.d. of his employment agreement with the City of Amarillo. The council voted 4-1 to accept Path’s resignation during its regular meeting. The resignation is effective Tuesday (September 22). Path has served as Amarillo city manager since 2024, when he was selected by thecouncil following a nationwide search. As city manager, Path has overseen the day-to-day operations of the municipal organization under the policy direction of the council. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the City of Amarillo and its residents as city manager. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the governing body, dedicated city employees, community partners and residents who care deeply about Amarillo’s future,” Path said. “I am proud of the work accomplished during my tenure and of the relationships formed along the way.  “Amarillo is a strong community with a capable and committed city organization, and I have great confidence in its continued ability to serve residents well and build on the important work underway. I wish the governing body, city employees and the citizens of Amarillo continued success and all the best in the years ahead.” As part of Tuesday’s action, council designated Deputy City Manager and Chief Operating Officer Andrew Freeman as acting city manager for a period of up to 60 days. Freeman has been with the City of Amarillo since 2017 and was promoted to deputy city manager in 2023. He previously served as interim city manager from September 2023 to March 2024. During the 60-day period, the city will work with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to identify an experienced municipal administrator to serve as interim city manager while council determines the process for selecting Amarillo’s next city manager. Additional information regarding the interim city manager selection and council’s process for selecting a permanent city manager will be provided as those decisions are made.

 The Amarillo Civic Center Complex has announced the official renaming of the box office hallway near Entrance 1 as Artisan Commons at Civic Center, marking a renewed commitment to celebrating community heritage, cultural impact and local creativity.  The Artisan Commons at Civic Center will serve as a welcoming, art-forward corridor connecting guests to events, exhibitions and community gatherings throughout the Civic Center.  As part of the renaming, the Civic Center will debut a curated display of artwork from Amarillo-area artists, provided in partnership with Arts in the Sunset. This installation will be featured along the length of Artisan Commons at Civic Center, offering visitors an immersive look at the region’s artistic talent and strengthening the hall’s role as a cultural showcase.  “Renaming this hallway and filling it with local artwork reflects Amarillo’s dedication to honoring our past while uplifting the voices shaping our future,” said Amarillo Civic Center General Manager Christopher Post. A public dedication ceremony will be held on October 7 at 2 p.m. inside the Civic Center near the box office at Entrance 1. The event will include remarks from city leaders, a ribbon-cutting, an unveiling of new signage and a viewing of the Arts in the Sunset collection.  The Amarillo Civic Center Complex continues to serve as a central hub for conventions, entertainment and community events. The renaming of Artisan Commons at Civic Center and the introduction of local artwork represents the next chapter in the facility’s evolution as Amarillo invests in modernization, expanded programming and deeper community engagement.  For more information about the dedication ceremony or upcoming events at the Amarillo Civic Center, please contact Christopher Post at 806-378-9480 or by email at Christopher.Post@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.

 An unauthorized discharge of approximately 200,000 gallons of untreated wastewater has been contained at Lift Station 40 located at 7100 Cliffside Road.  Wastewater did not reach any natural waterways.  The discharge began on Sunday (September 20) at 12:30 p.m. and was contained at 3:15 p.m. The cause of the discharge was a pump malfunction causing the lift station to overflow from the manhole. Remediation and disinfection of land surface areas is complete.  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has been notified of the spill. Repair and remediation efforts have been completed by City of Amarillo Wastewater Collections personnel.  For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov. 

John Baines tells a story that symbolizes Repair Cafe and its unique mission. At a recent Repair Cafe event at the Warford Activity Center (WAC), two small girls brought in their bicycles with flat tires. “They pushed their bikes to Warford,” said Baines, 77, a U.S. Army veteran and retired registered nurse for more than 40 years, including at Northwest Texas Healthcare System. “No one knew how or was willing to fix them for them.” A Repair Cafe volunteer stepped up and patched the tires and repaired the bike chains. And the girls were on their way. “The girls were so excited when they got to ride their bikes home,” Baines said. “They were tickled to death. They had not been able to ride their bikes for months.” This is what makes Repair Cafe special for the Amarillo community. Baines is one of more than 20 volunteers for Repair Cafe, a free semiannual event by the City of Amarillo (COA) Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) where volunteers help residents repair/fix broken items such as lamps, bicycles, clothing, etc. Repair Cafe returns Saturday at the WAC from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Many of the volunteers are active in the 50 and Better programs provided by the WAC. Myrl Betts is another volunteer and most likely one of the first faces you see when you enter the WAC for Repair Cafe. She is more or less the official greeter for Repair Cafe.  “People come in for repairs that they probably would not have been able to pay someone to do,” said Betts, who is 84 years young with two grown sons, five grandchildren and five great-granchildren. “Just seeing the joy on their faces when they leave with their items repaired is really special.” Betts, who retired from Pantex three times (they kept asking her to come back, Betts said with a laugh) and IBM once, serves the