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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

Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (RHAIA) will host a TSA PreCheck® enrollment event in collaboration with IDEMIA, a TSA PreCheck authorized enrollment provider. Travelers will be able to enroll at RHAIA from January 7-10 from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The program is open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents. The enrollment process is quick, convenient and even faster when the application is completed online beforehand. The in-person enrollment requires that applicants provide proof of identity, proof of citizenship, fingerprints and a photo .  IDEMIA offers TSA PreCheck enrollment for $78 and if approved, travelers get a five-year membership with the program. Following the in-person enrollment appointment, most applicants receive their Known Traveler Number (KTN) in about three to five days. The KTN number must be added to flight reservations to enjoy TSA PreCheck benefits.  TSA PreCheck was created in December 2011 as a way to provide low-risk travelers with a smoother experience through airport security. It is a great option for travelers looking to save time.  Enrolled members do not need to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts, or light jackets. They also access TSA PreCheck dedicated screening lanes at over 200 participating U.S. airports nationwide. If you are unable to make the RHAIA enrollment event, but are still interested in enrolling in TSA PreCheck, please complete the application online and schedule an appointment at one of our 550+ enrollment centers nationwide. For more information, go to: tsaenrollmentbyidemia.tsa.dhs.gov/ ###

The City of Amarillo’s award-winning municipal golf complexes, Ross Rogers and Comanche Trail, are providing the unique pass. Comanche Trail includes the Arrowhead and Tomahawk courses. Ross Rogers includes the Mustang and Wild Horse courses.

AMARILLO –  Amarillo City Council has approved one of the more significant investments in women’s health in city history. Councilmembers unanimously approved $1.4 million for a women’s health clinic at Amarillo Public Health (APH), located at 850 Martin Road. The new clinic will greatly expand the array of health services APH provides to women in the Amarillo and surrounding communities. “We are so appreciative of our city council for funding this program,” said APH Director Casie Stoughton. “We know there is a huge need for these services. There are only about five counties in the Texas Panhandle that are considered full access for maternal care and most counties in the Texas Panhandle have no access or very little access. “This clinic helps meet critical needs in our community.” The new women’s health clinic is scheduled to open midway through 2025. Some of the services provided include: In addition, the new clinic will provide “pre prenatal care,” which includes STD testing, drug screening, mental health and domestic violence programs and Medicaid navigation. “We are so excited to be able to provide this new clinic,” Stoughton said. “The hope is as more women are able to take better care of themselves that we will have healthier babies, healthier families and an overall healthier community.” ###

AMARILLO –  The City of Amarillo will implement the following service schedule for the Thanksgiving holiday: The Thanksgiving schedule for Solid Waste (trash pickup): Residential customers: Thursday routes will be collected on Wednesday (Nov. 27).  Friday routes will be collected on their normal schedule. Commercial customers: Thursday routes will be serviced Friday (Nov. 29). Friday routes will operate on a normal schedule. Curbside collection: No curbside collection will be available Thanksgiving Day. Curbside service will resume Friday (Nov. 29). Brush sites will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. The city landfill will be closed Thanksgiving Day and will reopen Friday (November 29).