Hey Amarillo

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.

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.