Hey Amarillo
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348 episodes
A conversation with Micha Boyett, Jason's youngest sister and the author of the new book . Micha is a poet, writer, pastor and podcaster whose work includes advocacy for individuals with Down syndrome. She's the cohost of the popular podcast and will be preaching in Amarillo at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Sunday, May 5. She and host Jason Boyett discuss Micha's upbringing in Amarillo, her son Ace and the family's connection to the Down syndrome community, and how Amarillo continues to inform her life and writing—even though she no longer lives here. This episode is sponsored by Pinnacle by Rockrose https://www.pinnaclebyrockrose.com/, Shemen Dental and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.
A conversation with Isaiah Flores, a 2023 Caprock graduate who is currently completing his first year as a student at Harvard University. As profiled in the July/August 2023 issue of , Flores is one of two Caprock students accepted last year into Harvard’s freshman class. Home for Spring Break, Flores sat down with host Jason Boyett for a conversation about his upbringing in Amarillo public schools, what his first year had been like at Harvard, and how leaving Amarillo was helping him better understand and appreciate his hometown. This episode is sponsored by the Amarillo College Creative Mind Lecture Series featuring George Saunders https://pages.e2ma.net/pages/1788381/41571, Pinnacle by Rockrose, Storybridge and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.
A conversation with Gina Woodward, the Regional Director of America's SBDC at WTAMU. Gina is a Canyon resident who grew up here and has earned multiple degrees from WT. At the SBDC, she helps clients in the top 25 counties of the Texas Panhandle start and expand small businesses. She shares with host Jason Boyett about the no-cost, one-on-one consulting offered by the SBDC, as well as the low-cost training and research available to clients. Gina also details how the diverse and energetic local business community continues to inspire her. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty https://www.wieckrealty.com/, Pinnacle by Rockrose and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.
A conversation with Scott Houdashell, the inventor of the Eggmazing Egg Decorator https://amzn.to/3v8gOxq 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 https://www.amarillohabitat.org/, 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 https://shemendental.com/, SKP Creative, and Pinnacle by Rockrose https://www.pinnaclebyrockrose.com/.
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 https://goldenspread.org/ 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 https://amzn.to/3SwKDzt, 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 https://www.edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/joseph-b-peterson 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 https://www.jimmyjohns.com/locations#/79109 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 https://www.storybridgeama.org/ 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.
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 /wieckrealty.com and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.
A conversation with State Representative Walter Thomas "Four" Price IV https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=87, 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 SKP Creative and Shemen Dental https://shemendental.com/.
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 https://www.healthecityamarillo.com/, 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 https://www.skpcreative.com/ 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 https://deanboyd.com/.
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 https://deanboyd.com/ 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 https://www.thepanhandlegives.org/, the annual charitable giving campaign currently underway through November 23. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty https://www.wieckrealty.com/ 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 https://deanboyd.com/ 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 https://www.kacvfm.org/, 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 https://shemendental.com/.
A conversation with Karen Roberts, the owner/operator of Get Fit https://mygetfitplace.com/, 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 https://deanboyd.com/.
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 Maroney, 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 http://www.amarilloumc.org/, which now meets on the Bell Street campus of St. Luke Presbyterian. This episode is sponsored by PestTex Pest Control https://www.facebook.com/pesttex806 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 https://shemendental.com/, 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 https://www.uscleanersamarillo.com/, 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 https://www.re-formpt.com/. 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 https://bluehandlepublishing.com/ and Attorney Dean Boyd.
A conversation with Brady Ragland, Chief Executive Officer of the Amarillo Tri-State Exposition, Fair & Rodeo https://www.tristatefair.com/. 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 https://www.storybridgeama.org/ and La-Z-Boy of Amarillo.
