Amarillo Texas Local News - February 24, 2026

Amarillo Texas Local News Breaking news:STRUCTURE FIRE SOUTH OF AMARILLO: Randall County Fire Department responded to a grass fire in the 100 block of Loma Linda around 2:22 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24. One outbuilding was lost and a home was damaged before crews brought the fire under control by 3:30 p.m. Residents were asked to avoid the area while responders remained on scene [1].NORTH HEIGHTS LINEN SERVICE SOLD: North Heights Linen Service, LLC has been sold to Canadian company Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service. According to a press release from the board of directors, all current staff will be retained in the transition [2][3].CITY COUNCIL APPROVES BUS SHELTERS: The Amarillo City Council approved the purchase of four bus shelters for the North Heights neighborhood in a 4-0 vote on February 24. The $61,000 purchase will be funded through Neighborhood Planning Initiative Funds and will include solar-powered lights and benches [4].Weather:Amarillo is experiencing one of the warmest winters on record, with record heat baking the High Plains region [5]. Red flag warnings persist across the area, indicating continued elevated fire danger. Fire crews continue to patrol the Canadian Bridge Wildfire burn area as these dangerous fire weather conditions remain in effect [5]. Residents are urged to avoid outdoor burning and exercise extreme caution with any activities that could spark fires during these conditions.Events:RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS WORKSHOP: "Beyond the Falling STAAR: A Workshop on How Schools are Graded" will be held Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Amarillo Area Foundation, located at 919 S Polk St. Refreshments will be served at 6 p.m. RSVP is available online [2].TRANSIT PLAN FEEDBACK MEETINGS: The City of Amarillo's Transit Department is soliciting feedback for its newest coordinated transit plan. Two stakeholder meetings are scheduled: February 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and February 26 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Transfer Station at 509 S Bowie St [2].TEXAS ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL: Preparations are underway for the Texas Route 66 Festival celebrating the centennial, featuring international caravans and a 400-foot mural based on local stories coming to Amarillo [2].local business:BSA HOSPITAL NEW EQUIPMENT: BSA Hospital unveiled a new PET/CT scanner for its main hospital on Monday. The new scanner combines metabolic imaging with detailed anatomical imaging, allowing doctors to more accurately detect, diagnose and monitor conditions like cancer and heart disease [2].NORTH HEIGHTS LINEN SERVICE TRANSITION: The sale of North Heights Linen Service to Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service marks a significant business transition in the community, with the Canadian company committing to retain all current employees [2][3].school:AMARILLO COLLEGE AUDIT FINDINGS: The Amarillo College Board of Regents Chair addressed findings of an independent forensic audit that was prompted by dwindling reserves. The college's business VP has resigned amid the financial audit [2][6].WTAMU SPRING CAREER EXPO: West Texas A&M University hosted its annual spring Career and Internship Expo, connecting students with employment opportunities [4]. Additionally, WTAMU has opened its newly remodeled Geneva Schaeffer Education Building [2].AMARILLO ISD HEALTH SUCCESS: Tobacco use has dropped by nearly 50% among Amarillo ISD students, marking a significant public health achievement for the district [6].The Roundup:ARSON CONFIRMED IN WILDHORSE FIRE: The Texas A&M Forest Service has confirmed arson as the cause of the 'Wildhorse' fire that burned 60 acres in north Amarillo. The fire, which started around 12:40 p.m. on February 9 in the wooded area that used to be Amarillo Lake, threatened 10 structures with two houses in the 1300 block of NW 9th catching fire. Amarillo ISD evacuated North Heights Alternative School as a precaution [7].'MOTHER OF NORTH HEIGHTS' HONORED: Edna Neal, known as the "Mother of North Heights," was recognized for her dedication to serving others in the community. She received a $300 gift from Carpet Tech through the Pay It Forward program to continue her service to the neighborhood [8].AVIAN FLU TESTING: Hundreds of birds picked up in Amarillo are being tested for Avian flu as authorities monitor the situation [2].Referenceshttps://www.myhighplains.com/news/local-news/crews-work-structure-fire-south-of-amarillo-tuesday/https://amarillotribune.org/2026/02/24/in-brief-feb-24-2026/https://amarillotribune.org/2026/02/24/north-heights-linen-service-sold-to-ecotex-healthcare-laundry-services/https://www.myhighplains....