This is the Panhandle

Julian Kitten is the Director of Community Development for the City of Amarillo. She sat down with us to talk about homelessness in Amarillo and the City's new pilot program called Coming Home, a housing first model. Kitten's passion for the homeless and her commitment to ensuring that the city receives all the funding possible gives the listener a sense that Amarillo's homelessness issues can be eradicated.

More about Housing First:

Housing First is not Housing Only, it is a treatment program that has a housing component. Our rate of Chronic Homelessness is 34% (264 people) and that is a crisis - but solvable. NWTHS reported $8.3 million spent on visits to the emergency room by homeless individuals. We can dramatically reduce this by providing housing and supportive services that reduce the need for crisis services

We have many great homeless services providers who are doing and have done great things for years - this is another tool for the homeless population who have failed in other services.

Contacting Juliana

Phone: 806.378.3023

Email: [email protected]

This is the season finale of "This is the Panhandle" and we have two guests this week. Earlier this year, there was news about the development of a hospital laundry service being built in the North Heights neighborhood on the former Inn of Amarillo lot, just off Amarillo Boulevard. We speak with two people working with this local, grassroots group to ensure this project comes to fruition.

Puff Niegos is a community volunteer, serving on several boards in the community and works in the family business. Puff's vision is to see economic growth in all parts of Amarillo. She works tirelessly for the good of our community and region.

Bowden Jones is an Executive Vice President at FirstBank Southwest and is a product of the North Heights neighborhood. His passion to see this project to completion is personal as he has many family members who live and work in this historic neighborhood.

The second season is planned for late October. Subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode.

Nestled in the square, just off highway 287 in Claude, is a little coffee shop called The Burrow. This week we sit down with co-owner Leslie Burton and talk to her about why she and her business partner, Tessa Morrow, decided to make this space special while adding to the quality of life in Claude.

Leslie explains their philosophy and motto: Be Kind, why they are investing in their community, and the strategy behind this bold move. Listen and subscribe today!

More about The Burrow:

Instagram: @the Burrow116

Facebook: CLICK HERE

This week we sit down with Pampa Superintendent and Region 16 Superintendent of the Year, Tanya Larkin. She has been a lifelong resident of the Panhandle and has been in education for more than two decades.

Tanya talks about Pampa ISD's innovative approach to teacher recruitment to create a competitive advantage, which is important in a time when there is a shortage of teachers. Her dedication to education is palatable. Listen and subscribe.

More on Pampa ISD:

Web: CLICK HERE

Twitter: @Pampaisd

Twitter: @PampaSchools

Facebook: CLICK HERE

All social Networks: #PampaProud

This week we sit down with Sridevi "Shree" Veeramachaneni, the Executive Director of Panhandle Behavioral Health Alliance. PBHA is working to enhance access to mental healthcare, as well as to mitigate the stigmas associated with mental health.

Shree moved to this country as an immigrant and has lived in the Amarillo area with her husband for more than 20 years, where they have raised their two daughters.

Learn more about PBHA and the work they are doing in the Texas Panhandle.

Contacting PBHA and Shree:

Email: CLICK HERE

Web: CLICK HERE

Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Chancellor of the Texas Tech System and President of the Health Sciences Center, talks with us about the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center and the newly approved Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo.

TTUHSC has been serving the needs of Panhandle for over two decades. The future TTU Veterinary School is slated to be built and open classes in 2021.

More about TTUHSC: CLICK HERE

More about the TTU Vet School: CLICK HERE

Dr. Walter Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University, sits down with us this week to talk about what the WT is doing to make students and our region successful. WTAMU was founded in 1910 and continues to be a phenomenal institution based in Canyon Texas.

Learn what's next for WTAMU, and how the university faculty and staff are innovating programs to impact our region.

More about WTAMU:

Web: CLICK HERE

Phone: 806-651-0000

This week we sit down with Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College. Dr. Lowery-Hart explains how AC has changed the way it meets the needs of its students.

AC's innovative approach has garnered national attention for the college. Dr. Lowery-Hart shares how the plan came to be, and how students have responded.

For more information about Amarillo College:

Web: CLICK HERE

Phone: 806.371.5000

This episode we sit down with Dr. Robert Riza, President of Clarendon College. Clarendon College in Clarendon TX has been meeting the needs of students in the eastern part of the Texas Panhandle since 1927. Creating diverse and innovative programs and highly competitive sports programs in Clarendon, Pampa, Childress, and Amarillo are the hallmarks of this institution.

Dr. Riza shares details of new initiatives the college has been working on and will be delivering this Fall.

More on Clarendon College:

Website: CLICK HERE

Phone: (806) 874-3571 (Clarendon)

[vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_link_target="_self" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/1" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_link_target="_self" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/1" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column_text]Dr. Jud Hicks has been at Frank Phillips College for well over a decade and President of the institution since 2011. Frank Phillips college has campuses in Borger, Dalhart, Hereford, Dumas, and Perryton, and provides education to the northernmost parts of Texas.

Hicks and his faculty and staff work diligently to ensure student success. FPC partners with the other higher education institutions in the Panhandle to create the quality workforce needed to meet the demands of the Texas Panhandle.

More about Frank Phillips College:

Website: CLICK HERE

Phone: (806) 457-4200 (Borger)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]