There are certain places in Amarillo that feel like more than just a restaurant—they feel like part of the fabric of growing up here. Sharky's Burrito Company is one of those places.

I this episode, we sit down with Brent Epps, the longtime owner of Sharky's, to talk about the restaurant's 20+ year run and the life he's built in the food industry. Brent didn't just land here—he came up through some of Amarillo's most beloved spots, learning the business from the ground up and carrying those lessons with him.

But what stands out most about Brent isn't just the longevity or the success—it's the way he shows up for people. Over the years, Sharky's has been a first job for countless young people in Amarillo, and Brent has played a quiet but meaningful role in shaping those early work experiences. He leads with care, consistency, and a genuine investment in others.

We talk about the evolution of the restaurant, what it takes to stay relevant for decades, and why creating a place people feel connected to matters.

This is a conversation about food, yes—but more than that, it's about community, mentorship, and doing things the right way for a long time.

Amarillo City Councilman David Prescott is a business owner, doctoral candidate, and someone who brings both expertise and candor to public service.

David owns Talon LPE, an environmental cleanup company that operates across several states, and that real-world experience shapes how he thinks about the city's biggest challenges. But as he shares in this conversation, serving on council has come with its share of new challenges to address.

We talk honestly about what that's looked like — the pressure, the criticism, and the reality of making decisions when there isn't an easy answer. David doesn't shy away from the harder parts of the job, including how certain votes have played out and what it's like to navigate those moments publicly.

Our conversation also turns to some of the biggest issues facing Amarillo right now, from long-term water concerns to the ongoing discussion around the Fermi data center, and what it will take for the city to build something sustainable and lasting.

David has a way of making complex topics feel approachable without oversimplifying them. He's thoughtful, direct, and willing to say what he actually thinks — even when it's uncomfortable. And somewhere in the middle of all that, he's also pretty funny.

This is a conversation about leadership, responsibility, and what it really takes to move a city forward.

This week on Hey Amarillo, we sit down with Dr. Gabe Hanson for a conversation that truly spans two worlds.

Gabe is an emergency room physician — and he was also the guitarist for the super successful Texas country band, the Josh Abbott Band. We talk about what it's like to be part of a band just as it's really taking off, the decision to step away at the height of momentum, and the very real, very human experience of working on the front lines of emergency medicine.

Gabe is funny, deeply honest, and refreshingly self-aware about both what he loves and what challenges him. His convictions are strong, his perspective is grounded, and this conversation moves easily between music, medicine, purpose, and what it means to choose a life that aligns with who you really are.

A conversation with Scott Houdashell, the inventor of the Eggmazing Egg Decorator and, with Curtis McGill, the owner of the toy and game company Hey Buddy Hey Pal. A former Farmers Insurance agent, Houdashell had always worked with his hands, and in 2015 came up with an idea for decorating Easter eggs without the messy dyes. What began with a hot glue stick, a spoon and an electric screwdriver soon turned into several makeshift prototypes before the final product took shape. The rest is history. Houdashell tells host Jason Boyett about his pre-Easter Bunny career, how he endured the product development process, getting on Shark Tank, and how his company is giving back to Make-a-Wish North Texas through MyTrueWish.org. This episode is sponsored by La-Z-Boy Furniture Stores, Pinnacle by Rockrose and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Darlene Martin, a retired Amarillo ISD first-grade teacher, reading instructor, community volunteer and the founder of Westminster Presbyterian Church's Bear PAWS program, which serves students at Austin Middle School. Martin shares with host Jason Boyett about her teaching career and more than 20 years of service as a local hospice volunteer. Born with mild hemiplegia cerebral palsy—which restricts muscle movement on one side of her body—Martin also details the many ways the Turn Center impacted her over the course of her life and why Amarillo is such a significant part of her story. This episode is sponsored by Amarillo Habitat for Humanity, Blue Handle Publishing and Pinnacle by Rockrose.

A conversation with Britten Ratcliff, a Tascosa High School senior. Host Jason Boyett starts this interview by explaining that he is typically uninterested in interviewing high school students for the show, but Ratcliff changed his mind about that rule. A member of the FirstBank Southwest Banking Advisory Council and founder of The Neighborhood, a Tascosa student group, Ratcliff shares with Boyett about what it's like to be a teenager in Amarillo, what the city needs to consider related to its younger population, and why he decided to take classes at AmTech Career Academy. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental, SKP Creative, and Pinnacle by Rockrose.

A conversation with Robert Altman, who is retired from two prominent local careers, first as a manager at the women's clothing store Kline's of Amarillo and then as an assistant scout executive with the Golden Spread Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Altman, whose family owned and operated multiple Kline's locations in the city until the 1990s—including along Polk Street and at Western Plaza—reflects on how retailing changed over the years. He also shares with host Jason Boyett how his parents arrived in the area, describes the glory years of Western Plaza, and explains why Scouting remains so prominent within the Panhandle. This episode is sponsored by Pest Tex Pest Control and Storybridge.

A conversation with Sonja Gross, a Public Involvement Specialist with the Texas Department of Transportation and a former Public Information Officer for TXDOT. Gross arrived in Amarillo from Georgia around 20 years ago, and embarked on a communications career that took her from the local newspaper to the City of Amarillo to her current position with TXDOT. She shares with host Jason Boyett about road construction, the city's eternal Loop project, how to handle complaints from grumpy citizens and why, even as a transplant, she feels at home in Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Mark D. Williams, an Amarillo educator and author who has fly fished all over the world, written a variety of fishing and travel books, been published in dozens of national magazines, and taught for nearly 30 years at North Heights Alternative School. He's also an entrepreneur, consultant and public speaker. In this episode, Williams shares with host Jason Boyett about the recent—and very public—cancer journey that forced him to retire from teaching, how he became a sports and fly fishing writer, and why Amarillo ended up being the perfect location for his diverse career. This episode is sponsored by La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

A conversation with Kori Cooper Clements, a speech pathologist with Canyon ISD and a local volleyball legend. Kori was inducted into the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame last year with her father, former WTAMU basketball coach Rick Cooper—making them the first father-daughter duo to be inducted. One of the best players to ever come from this area, Clements spent one season as the Amarillo High School volleyball coach in 2018 before resigning due to issues related to athletes' playing time and the resulting fallout. (It was a big, local controversy at the time.) More than five years later, she shares with host Jason Boyett about her volleyball career, her resignation in early 2019, and what she's been doing since. This episode is sponsored by Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.

A conversation with Joseph Peterson, an Edward Jones Financial Advisor serving Amarillo, and the city's 2023 Black Man of the Year. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Peterson moved with his family to Amarillo when he was a child. He played football for WTAMU before opening his office in Amarillo. Since then, he's built a reputation for community involvement, from membership in 101 Elite Men to service on municipal boards to volunteerism for the United Way of Amarillo & Canyon and other nonprofits. Peterson shares with host Jason Boyett about his career path, why he chose to live and work in Amarillo, and why civic engagement is so important to him. This episode is sponsored by Jimmy John's and SKP Creative.

A conversation with Diane Dick, a legendary model and agent who opened the Diane Dick International Modeling and Talent Agency in Amarillo more than 50 years ago. Her agency currently places local models in films, magazines and runways all over the United States and around the world. Now 80, she shares with host Jason Boyett the details of how her own career began, how the world of modeling has changed since she got her start in the 1960s, and why agencies and retailers from as far away as China are interested in models from the Texas Panhandle. This episode is sponsored by Storybridge and Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Andrew Hay, Executive Director of the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle, which provides oversight for Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation. Before taking the reigns of the CFTP and PPHM, Hay served as executive director of the Amarillo Symphony and has a background in theology and seminary administration. Hay shares with host Jason Boyett about the journey that took him from growing up in the Denver area to doctorate studies at St. Andrews University in Scotland to the opportunity to lead Texas' largest history museum into its second century. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd.

This episode, we're joined by Bethany Fields, a local pastel artist who truly sees beauty in everything around her.

Bethany shares how creativity has been a constant thread throughout her life — from photography, to scrapbooking, to pastel painting — and how she has a unique gift for turning hobbies into meaningful work. Our conversation explores what it looks like to follow curiosity, trust your instincts, and allow creativity to evolve.

Bethany is incredibly talented, soft-spoken, and kind, and this episode is a quiet reminder of the value of noticing beauty, making art for the joy of it, and letting passion guide your path.

A conversation with Katharyn Wiegand, the President and CEO at the Mary E. Bivins Foundation. A product of the Texas Panhandle, Wiegand has spent the past few decades in leadership roles in the nonprofit world, including 15 years with Opportunity Plan and another 12 years with the Amarillo Area Foundation. At the Bivins Foundation since 2018, she helps lead the organization in serving older adults and helping fund the education of Christian ministers. In this episode, she shares with host Jason Boyett about her career, the Bivins family's local legacy, and her 12-plus years on the Canyon ISD Board of Trustees. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

A conversation with State Representative Walter Thomas "Four" Price IV, who has decided not to run again after he completes his 7th term representing Texas House District 87, which includes Potter County. Price is from Amarillo and has been instrumental in creating significant legislation related to telemedicine, telehealth, mental health and more. A former practicing attorney and current Trust Officer with Amarillo National Bank, Price shares with host Jason Boyett about his legal career, his path into state politics, and the characteristics he hopes his eventual successor will bring to the task of representing Panhandle people. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd and Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.

A conversation with Dr. Alan Keister, an internal medicine specialist and partner at Amarillo Medical Specialists. An Amarillo native, he had the opportunity to take over a large practice in Tennessee after completing his residency, but chose to return to his hometown. In addition to his work as a physician, Keister is also the founder of Heal the City, a nonprofit Amarillo clinic that provides free healthcare for thousands of uninsured and underserved patients every year. Dr. Keister shares with host Jason Boyett about why he came back to build his career, the personal and professional benefits of practicing medicine in Amarillo, and how Heal the City got started. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Becky Murphy, a social worker with Amarillo ISD who assists families in transition and students who qualify as homeless. Before finishing her education and receiving a Master of Social Work degree, Murphy spent 16 years employed at Dillard's. In this episode, she tells host Jason Boyett about how she grew up in poverty, endured periods of homelessness as a child, and adopted and raised her nieces and nephews after a crisis situation. They also discuss the impact of her time in the retail world and how the personal challenges she has overcome continue to impact her work today. This episode is sponsored by Storybridge and Attorney Dean Boyd.

A conversation with John Harris, the Chief Meteorologist for KAMR Local 4 News and Fox 14 News. John is an Amarillo native who almost went into a business and marketing career, and then after being captured by meteorology, figured he'd land at the National Weather Service. But he soon found himself on TV—first at KFDA Newschannel 10 and now at KAMR Local 4 News. He tells host Jason Boyett how he first became fascinated by weather, why he loves doing what he does, why wind is such a big part of the local climate, and whether the El Niño pattern will bring the Panhandle a wet and stormy winter and spring. (Short answer: looks like it). This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing.

A conversation with Matthew Rosas, the fashion designer behind the brand Momentum of Roses and the collaborative fashion show "Beauty from Afar" on December 2. A former basketball coach and teacher at Holy Cross Catholic Academy, Rosas has shifted to upcycling thrifted clothing and fabrics to create his unique streetwear style. He shares with host Jason Boyett about growing up within the Catholic school system, how designing basketball uniforms at Holy Cross introduced him to clothing aesthetics, and why he views fashion as the next frontier within Amarillo's creative scene. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd and PestTex Pest Control.

A conversation with Stephanie Goins, the annual giving officer for the Amarillo Area Foundation and the city's recently named Black Woman of the Year. Goins, who grew up in Midland and spent time in the Metroplex before moving to Amarillo, shares with host Jason Boyett about how she discovered her niche in the nonprofit world, and why the generosity of local residents stands out from other communities in the state. She also discusses the impact and focus of The Panhandle Gives, the annual charitable giving campaign currently underway through November 28. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

A conversation with Jeff Renteria, the community organizer behind the annual Barrio Bash back-to-school event and the 2023 recent recipient of the "Heart of the Barrio" award at Amarillo's Hispanic Heritage luncheon. Renteria comes from a family that originally arrived in Amarillo as railroad workers, and tells host Jason Boyett about his upbringing in the historic Barrio neighborhood, his family's masonry business, and how the Barrio Bash grew out of a casual neighborhood horseshoe tournament into a major community celebration. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd and SKP Creative.

A conversation with Amy Hart, which is the on-air name of Amarillo radio personality Amy Presley. A local radio mainstay, Hart is Amarillo College's Audio Media Coordinator and the Music Director for FM90 KACV-FM, the long-running radio station at AC. She's also the co-producer of a new Texas Panhandle-focused true crime podcast series about the missing persons case of Dorien Thomas. Dorien grew up in Amarillo's North Heights neighborhood but disappeared in 1998, when he was 9 years old. The case remains unsolved. Hart shares with host Jason Boyett about her radio career, her new podcast, and what she learned digging into facts of Dorien's disappearance. This episode is sponsored by Storybridge and Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Karen Roberts, the owner/operator of Get Fit, Amarillo's only specialty running store. A former teacher and coach, Roberts found her way into entrepreneurship after moving back to Amarillo from the Metroplex area—and after discovering her passion for distance running as an adult. Roberts is not just a 5K enthusiast or marathoner. She runs ultramarathons. In this episode, she shares with host Jason Boyett about her education career, her path into owning a successful small business, and what it takes to complete 50-mile or 100-mile endurance races. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd.

This week on Hey Amarillo, I'm joined by America Adame, Executive Director of the Wesley Community Center in Amarillo's El Barrio neighborhood.

The Wesley provides an incredible range of services that support families and strengthen community, and America stepped into leadership just over a year ago with clarity, confidence, and vision. In our conversation, she shares how she imagined the leader she wanted to become — and then took the steps to make that future real.

America also speaks with remarkable courage about her own journey through a very difficult season of life, and how her two young daughters motivate her to model what female excellence, resilience, and leadership can look like. This is a conversation about vision, service, and choosing to lead with purpose — even when the path hasn't been easy.

A conversation with Dr. Eddy Sauer, a long-time Amarillo dentist at Shemen Dental and a member of the Amarillo City Council (Place 3) from 2017 to 2023. Sauer grew up in Amarillo and established his practice in the late 1980s, and says his time on the City Council completely changed how he views the city. He shares with host Jason Boyett about a devastating personal tragedy, details how his Council role introduced him to the complexities of city government, and explains why Amarillo may be on the cusp of dramatic growth. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing and Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Dora Meroney, the owner of Texas Ivy Antiques on Historic Sixth Street in Amarillo. She's also a member of the nonprofit Historic Sixth on Route 66 Association. Born and raised in Amarillo, Dora left the area for several years as a young adult before returning in the late 1990s. She's been a fixture on Sixth ever since because of her shop. She shares with host Jason Boyett about the world of antiques and collectibles, the international visitors who visit her shop on a weekly basis, and how the community came together to help her out after a fire at Texas Ivy in 2022. This episode is sponsored by La-Z-Boy of Amarillo and Attorney Dean Boyd.

A conversation with Rev. Margie McNeir, an 83-year-old minister in the United Methodist Church, the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination. McNeir moved to Amarillo after retiring from a ministry career in the Metroplex. Over the past few years, she's had a front-row seat to theological disputes within the UMC denomination related to homosexuality and same-sex marriage. When every local UMC-aligned church decided to depart from the denomination, Amarillo would have been the largest city in the nation without a UMC church. So McNeir led a group to charter the new Amarillo United Methodist Church, which now meets on the Bell Street campus of St. Luke Presbyterian. This episode is sponsored by PestTex Pest Control and Storybridge.

A conversation with Tac Buchanan, the Amarillo/Lubbock Regional Coordinator for the ministry Bridges to Life. (Trigger warning: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence.) Buchanan grew up in Amarillo and has lived a life scarred by personal tragedy, including a deadly car accident when he was in high school, a lengthy struggle with addiction, and eventually the murder of his wife. In fact, Buchanan's story of redemption begins after he ends up in prison. He tells host Jason Boyett how he walked through a lifetime of tragedy, learned to forgive, and found a career in which where telling his story changes lives. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental, Attorney Dean Boyd, and Leslie Massey/Farmers Insurance.

A conversation with Melanie Corpstein, an Amarillo native and the founder and president of the Adorable Originals clothing company and Adorable Girls dolls. Based in Arizona over the past three decades, Corpstein designed children's clothing and dolls, selling them wholesale to stores around the world. She retired right before the pandemic and returned to Amarillo, where a new career has begun taking shape. In this episode, she tells host Jason Boyett how her successful career came about, and how her Amarillo upbringing shaped almost every aspect of it. This episode is sponsored by U.S. Cleaners, Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast, and Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Jentry Williams, the owner and founder of Re-Form Physical Therapy Clinic and Wellness Center. Williams is a native of Spearman, and started her clinic in Amarillo after graduating from Texas Tech. Initially she only intended Re-Form to offer physical therapy and Pilates classes, with Williams as the sole employee. Today she has more than a dozen employees and offers massage therapy, personal training and even medical-grade aesthetics treatments. She tells host Jason Boyett how her clients and employees helped expand her vision as an entrepreneur, and why the loyal, pragmatic mindset of Amarillo people continues to inspire her work. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing and Attorney Dean Boyd.

A conversation with Brady Ragland, Chief Executive Officer of the Amarillo Tri-State Exposition, Fair & Rodeo. A Lubbock native, Ragland grew up showing livestock in the 4-H program before getting into amateur stock and cattle judging at Texas Tech. The connections he made in those worlds led to ag-related work in San Antonio and Alabama before he landed at the Tri-State Expo. With the Fair opening this weekend for its 100th year, Ragland tells host Jason Boyett how his career path brought him to Amarillo, why the tangible sights and sounds of the Fair remain special in a tech-obsessed world, and how he and his team planned for this Centennial year. This episode is sponsored by Storybridge and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

A conversation with Nate Green, who owns and operates Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast with his wife, Liz. This historic property, located south of Amarillo in the Village of Palisades, is a wedding venue and boutique hotel, and Nate and Liz both have hospitality backgrounds. Before coming to this area, he worked in restaurants at a ski resort in Colorado and served as a diesel mechanic and snow-maker. He explains to host Jason Boyett how his career journey led him to the Panhandle, what makes Starlight special, and why he feels a deep connection to Texas and the western mystique. This episode is sponsored by Leslie Massey/Farmer's Insurance and Attorney Dean Boyd.

A conversation with George Jackson, who has just begun his second year as music director of the Amarillo Symphony, guiding the organization during its 100th anniversary season. He's a resident of London, but travels all over Europe to work with symphony orchestras from Paris to Zurich, which has helped shape his perspective on the international reputation of both the Amarillo Symphony and its venue, the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. Jackson shares with host Jason Boyett about his garage-band background as a guitarist and drummer, how he found his way into conducting, and why Amarillo is such a special place for the arts. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Chad Conner, the executive director of Acts Community. For the past few years, Chad has managed this growing Christian organization, which includes a resource center in San Jacinto and a new downtown community center. Prior to that, this Amarillo native lived in Las Vegas, where he played poker professionally. And during the pandemic, he and his wife, Joy—known together as the Connersseurs—launched an extremely popular Youtube channel dedicated to Indian food and travel. With host Jason Boyett, Chad details each of these elements of his story and explains how they continue to inform his local nonprofit work. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd, US Cleaners, and Wieck Realty.

This week on Hey Amarillo, we sit down with Paul Borchardt, who, until very recently, ran one of Amarillo's most beloved and historic landmarks: Wonderland Amusement Park.

Paul's story starts far from the Texas Panhandle — growing up on a farm in Iowa, serving in the Navy, falling in love, and eventually finding his way to Amarillo, where he joined his wife's family in running an amusement park that has become part of the fabric of this community. For decades, Paul and his family poured their energy, care, and dedication into Wonderland, creating a place that generations of families return to summer after summer.

In this conversation, Paul reflects with pride and genuine enjoyment on the years spent keeping Wonderland going — and on what it feels like to step away after 70 years of family stewardship. He's sweet, funny, practical, and deeply appreciative of the people who loved the park as much as he did.

This episode is about legacy, community, and what it means to take care of something that belongs to more than just one family.

A conversation with Dr. Carolina Perez, a surgical podiatrist with the Amarillo Veterans Healthcare System. Dr. Perez is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and served for several years as a combat medic—including during wartime operations in Iraq—before attending medical school and completing her residency. A native of Colombia, she immigrated to the United States as a child and lived in Florida, Kentucky, and New York City before coming to Amarillo. She tells host Jason Boyett about her intentional decision to move here, as Perez and her husband decided they wanted their children to be from somewhere—and that "somewhere" was Texas. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing, Storybridge, and Farmers agent Leslie Massey.

A conversation with Patrick Swindell, one of those guests whose identity isn't easily contained within a single career description. He's a longtime local bankruptcy attorney. He's a prominent jazz musician and the leader of the Esquire Jazz Band. He launched and owned the Esquire Jazz Club on Polk Street before closing it pre-pandemic. He was one of the founders of Ascension Academy and is still chair of that prep school's board of directors. In this episode, Swindell explains these elements of his work and interests, and why Amarillo is a place that allows so many diverse personal passions to flourish. This episode is sponsored by Attorney Dean Boyd and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

Dr. Shane Harper is the surgical ICU director for Northwest Texas Healthcare System and a professor in the Surgery Department at Texas Tech Physicians. He's also the founding editor-in-chief of the West Texas Journal of Medicine, a new publication that distributes original medical and health sciences research. In this episode, Harper shares with host Jason Boyett about the lifestyle impact of being a critical care specialist, why he decided to launch an independent medical journal, and the distinct ways his work in Amarillo differs from other places he's lived around the country. This episode is sponsored by Starlight Canyon and Reviews by SKP Creative.

A conversation with Alyssa Heck Lewis, owner of Hudson House, a senior living community in Canyon and the recent recipient of the Woman-Owned Business of the Year for the West Texas region of the national U.S. Small Business Administration Awards. Lewis bought Hudson House in 2020, during the pandemic, after stints in banking and healthcare administration. She tells host Jason Boyett about the role Hudson House plays for Canyon and surrounding communities, the challenges of serving her residents during the pandemic, and how the local business ecosystem has contributed to her success. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental and US Cleaners.

A conversation with Norbert Chirase, PhD, a former scientist and nutritionist with WTAMU and the founder of GTX Organics and GTX Technologies. Based in Amarillo, Chirase is an expert on humic and fulvic acids and holds multiple patents on applications for human health, agriculture and animal nutrition. GTX manufactures multiple products here in Amarillo—including alkaline "black water"—and exports them all over the world. Chirase tells host Jason Boyett about growing up in Ghana, coming to the United States as an exchange student, and how he transitioned his career focus beyond cattle and soil health to human health. This episode is sponsored by PestTex Pest Control and Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Lindsey Lane, one of Amarillo's most in-demand country singers and all-around performers. Originally from Lubbock, Lindsey arrived in this area to pursue an education degree from WTAMU, then taught 3rd-grade math for several years before pursuing music full-time. She shares with host Jason Boyett how she grew up learning the craft from her father, how she decided the time was right to go all-in on her dreams, and offers an expert perspective on the local music scene—including how she and her band keep their audience engaged. This episode is sponsored by Storybridge.

A conversation with Sherman Bass, the new film commissioner with the Amarillo Film Office and the former general manager of the Amarillo Civic Center. An Amarillo native with a background in acting, Bass worked for the Civic Center across two different stints before a brief retirement last year. In that previous job, he oversaw every detail of the Civic Center—which makes him an expert on the needs and challenges related to the current complex. Regarding his new role, Bass explains to host Jason Boyett how he has begun selling Amarillo as a prime location for film and television production. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing.

A conversation with Kathy Lopez, the entrepreneur and owner of Little Bee's Playhouse, a child-focused play and party venue in Wolflin Square. Lopez was a WT grad who went on to work in the corporate event world of the Metroplex, traveling internationally as a specialist in hospitality, marketing and event management. Then she returned to Amarillo. Lopez explains to host Jason Boyett how that move—with young children in tow—inspired her to build a career that was flexible enough to involve her kids. Little Bee's is the result, and its success has put it on the cusp of expanding beyond the city. This episode is sponsored by La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

A conversation with Matt Morgan, the interim director of Outdoor Amarillo and a longtime local volunteer, board member and nonprofit advocate. Morgan walks host Jason Boyett through his diverse career, which includes everything from marketing to human resources, personnel, grant management and more— including his current work with the International Sustainable Energy Foundation. He also shares about the goals and origin of Outdoor Amarillo, an Amarillo nonprofit dedicated to growing community and culture by improving public parks. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative.

A conversation with Andrew Brandt, a local novelist and one of the owners of Phone Medic, a smartphone and computer repair business with locations in Amarillo, Canyon and Lubbock. With host Jason Boyett, Brandt shares about these two divergent career paths. In one, he grew a computer repair hobby into a multi-location business—including a new Phone Medic site in Lubbock—by dreaming big and partnering with the right people. In the other, this author of books like Mixtape for the End of the World and Picture Unavailable drew from a childhood love of reading and a dedication to telling stories. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty and Shemen Dental.

This week on Hey Amarillo, we're joined by Laurie Higgins-Kerley, founder of Dove Creek Equine Rescue and Led by Horses, for one of the most moving conversations I've ever had about grief.

Laurie began this work after the loss of her husband, during a season when she herself was searching for healing. Through her horses, she experienced a kind of quiet, steady restoration—and eventually felt called to create spaces where others could experience that same healing presence.

Our conversation explores grief honestly and tenderly. It doesn't shy away from how painful loss can be, but it also reveals how beauty, connection, and even hope can exist alongside it. Laurie shares how horses help people process emotions without words, how healing doesn't follow a straight line, and why holding space for grief is one of the most meaningful things we can do for one another.

This episode is difficult in places—but it is also deeply beautiful. If you've experienced loss, love someone who has, or simply want to understand grief with more compassion, this conversation will stay with you.

A conversation with Amelia Balderrama, the President and CEO of iDocket, a software company specializing in products for local governments, including statewide case management software used by cities and counties within the Texas judicial system—and potentially beyond. She shares with host Jason Boyett the company's origin story in Amarillo and how it now serves local courts, sheriff's offices and public entities across the state. She also details why Amarillo is the ideal place to operate her business, and why this area may soon become a tech hub. This episode is sponsored by the Texas Route 66 Festival and Storybridge.

A conversation with Mark Zimmerman, the former Missions and Campus Development Pastor at Hillside Christian Church and the new Executive Director of Transformation Park. A unique public-private partnership designed to address homelessness in Amarillo, Transformation Park serves as a collaboration between the City of Amarillo, local churches and businesses. In this episode, Zimmerman explains the concept to host Jason Boyett, highlighting its drop-in shelter, day room, pallet-home cabin community and more. He also explains his move to Amarillo two decades ago—and why he and his wife decided to stay. This episode is sponsored by the Texas Route 66 Festival, Jimmy John's and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.

In this special live show recording, host Jason Boyett takes a seat on the other side of the host microphone as he is interviewed by former Amarillo mayor Ginger Nelson at Arts in the Sunset. (Don't miss last week's episode for Jason's in-depth interview of the mayor.) In front of an audience, Nelson asks Jason about entrepreneurship, how he would describe the current moment in Amarillo, and—not a joke—to share his thoughts about the meaning of life. This concludes a two-week celebration of 300 episodes of Hey Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by the Texas Route 66 Festival and SKP Creative.