Blank Spaces Murals unveiled "66 Stories from Route 66," a 400-foot interactive mural at the Painted Gulch underpass in Amarillo, on June 12, 2026, as part of the Route 66 Centennial celebration. Project Director Shanda O'Neill led an effort rooted entirely in community storytelling: youth journalists interviewed 66 local residents whose lives were shaped by the Mother Road, and each of those 66 stories is now accessible via QR code linked to National Geographic's "2,892 Miles to Go" partnership. PBS filmed all 66 interviews, preserving them as a documentary record. The underpass itself sits between downtown and Historic Sixth Street, placing the mural at the heart of Amarillo's most Route 66-connected corridor. Former astronaut Paul Lockhart and civic representatives from Amarillo National Bank and Visit Amarillo were at the unveiling. Head out to the Painted Gulch underpass and scan the stories that built the Yellow City's stretch of the Mother Road.

The Amarillo Area Foundation has received a $250,000 grant from Texas Mutual Insurance Company and Texicare to address metabolic disease, obesity, and food insecurity across the Texas Panhandle. Five Amarillo-area nonprofits will go through LEAD 'EM, a year-long leadership and capacity-building program run by Texas A&M University's Bush School. The grant is part of a broader $1 million statewide Texas Mutual investment in community health. AAF President and CEO Keralee Clay has described the funding as arriving at a critical time, given the provider shortages and long travel distances that define rural healthcare access across the 26 Panhandle counties. This is a real investment in the people and organizations who already live here and know this region best. Find out more about the Amarillo Area Foundation and what this grant means for high-plains families.

Amarillo College celebrated the 75th anniversary of its Vocational Nursing program in May 2026, sending more than 1,400 spring graduates into the world at pinning ceremonies held at The Church at Quail Creek. The program has been training nurses for communities across the Texas Panhandle since 1951, and program director Aaron Gann has described the milestone as a reflection of faculty dedication and lasting patient impact. This year's ceremonies featured two firsts worth noting: Racheal Garcia delivered the student commencement address, and Mallory Moore made history as the first student-athlete in Amarillo College history chosen for that honor. In a region where rural healthcare depends on a steady pipeline of qualified nurses, 75 years of graduates is not just a milestone to celebrate but a foundation the Panhandle relies on. Sign up for program updates and follow future graduation events at the Amarillo College website.