Amarillo area community news includes dance classes, Beerology tickets

Gov. Abbott appoints 9 to Texas Juvenile Justice Board including Canyon officer

Gov. Greg Abbott recently appointed Joe Barton, Ph.D., Stephanie House, and Scott Matthew to the Texas Juvenile Justice Board for terms set to expire on Feb. 1, 2025. Additionally, Abbott appointed William “Will” Durham, Luis Leija, and Manny Ramirez for terms set to expire on Feb. 1, 2027 and appointed Edeska Barnes, Jerry Bullard, and Cyndi Wheless for terms set to expire on Feb. 1, 2029.

Barton, of Canyon, is a licensed professional counselor and the chief juvenile probation officer for Randall County, according to a news release from the governor's office. Barton is also a member of the Panhandle Area Juvenile Probation Officer Association and the West Texas Chief’s Association. He is a former member of the Texas Counseling Association, National Board for Certified Counselors, and Texas Family Code Chapter 55 Revisions Advisory Council Subcommittee. Additionally, he is a volunteer member for the Canyon Independent School District (ISD) Advisory Committee and treasurer for the Canyon High School Choir Booster Board. Barton received a Master of Arts in Psychology from West Texas A&M University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from Walden University.

The board is charged with developing and implementing rules to govern the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, its executive director and staff, and to establish the mission and set goals for the Department that emphasize keeping youth in home communities while balancing rehabilitative needs with public safety, according to the release.

City adjusts hours, services for New Year's holiday

The city of Amarillo will be following this holiday schedule for New Year’s this week.

City Hall will be closed on Monday, Jan. 1.

The holiday service schedule for the Solid Waste Department is as follows:

For New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, the residential and poly cart Monday routes will be collected Tuesday, Jan. 2. Tuesday routes will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 3. Thursday and Friday routes will be collected on a normal schedule.

Commercial routes will not be available Monday, Jan. 1. Monday and Tuesday routes will be collected Tuesday, Jan. 2. Wednesday through Saturday routes will be collected on a normal schedule. The city landfill and brush sites will be closed Monday, Jan. 1.

Amarillo City Transit (ACT) will be closed on New Year's, Monday, Jan. 1. ACT can be reached at (806) 378-3095.

Amarillo Public Library locations will be closed beginning Sunday, Dec. 31 through Monday, Jan. 1 for the New Year’s holiday.

Ross Rogers and Comanche Trail Golf Complexes will be open, weather permitting.

For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov .

Meals in a SNAP! Workshop teaches women about healthy cooking on a budget

The Lucille and Leo Caiafa, Jr. Center for Advancement has partnered with the High Plains Food Bank to offer a Meals in a SNAP! Workshop at 2308 SW 7th St. in Amarillo on Saturday, Jan. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon. Announced by Sharing Hope Ministry, this workshop is free and open to any woman in the community.

Brittani Hinders, HPFB Nutrition Educator, will teach how to prepare nutritious and delicious food for families without breaking the bank. She will have a food demonstration and hands-on activity. SNAP cookbooks will be available to all attendees along with information on applying for SNAP benefits for those who qualify.

Deadline to register is Jan. 3, and space is limited. The workshop is open to women only. For more information, contact Kim Lester at 806-358-7803 or email cfa@sharinghopeministry.org .

Spring classes begin Jan. 8 at Impact Expressions

Spring classes at Impact Expressions School of the Arts (IE), offering a variety of dance classes and a course in musical theater for young people, begin Jan. 8, 2024.

Online registration for the Christian dance studio, now in its 10th season, will end Jan. 14. Interested parties can sign up online or by emailing impactexpressions@gmail.com or IEmarkleber@gmail.com.

Classes for ages 2-18 along with an exercise class for adults will meet at the studio, 6461 S. Western in Amarillo. Classes include ballet, pre-pointe, pointe, tap, musical theater, hip hop, modern and contemporary dance.

“We’re excited about the diversity of our spring offerings and the strength of our faculty,” explained Mark Leber, who joined IE last fall as director, in a studio announcement. He and his wife, Karrina, who oversee IE’s operations, have performed with Ballet Magnificat and taught at Christ in the Arts Dance Studio in Lubbock and at the DOXA dance school in Amarillo.

IE faculty include Cynthia McCormack, ballet 1-2, tap 1-3 and musical theater 2-3; Paisley Condra, pre-wee ballet and pre-k ballet; Samantha Wilhelm, modern dance; Karrina Leber, ballet, pre-pointe, and ballet pointe; Mark Leber, ballet 3, hip hop and contemporary ballet; and Rachel Butts, rest, stretch and strengthen class for adults.

The musical theater class will show students how to interpret music and create characters for later use onstage, different ways of moving and “help students laugh, learn and think outside the box,” explained McCormack.

For more information, contact Mark Leber, IE director, at 301-704-2005.

City of Amarillo seeking volunteers for next PIT count in January

The next Point-in-Time (PIT) count is happening in Amarillo soon, and the city is seeking more volunteers. On Friday, Jan. 26, they will be recording a 24-hour snapshot of individuals experiencing homelessness to assess the impact of HUD programs and policies.

Those interested can sign up online at https://bit.ly/49RiJpN .

Tickets on sale for Beerology: Science on Tap at DHDC

Beerology is back: Join the Don Harrington Discovery Center (DHDC) for craft beer, science, and lots of fun on Friday, March 1, from 7 to 10 p.m.

With plenty of pints to go around, guests will sip suds and learn about the science behind beer with Budweiser Distributing Company, pub-inspired food to snack on, and other beer-related crafts and activities.

Early Bird tickets are now on sale at DHDC.org and will only be available until Jan. 19. Early bird pricing is $35 a ticket for DHDC members and $45 a ticket for non-members. VIP tickets are available for $80 that will include a separate VIP area with a private bar and food area.

Guests can expect the fun at DHDC to include plenty of craft beer; grown-up beer-themed games with lots of prizes; beer puppeteer, corn hole, and a beer stein-hoisting competition; local brewers and well-known brands, including Budweiser Distributing Company and more.

Ticket holders must be 21 or older, and IDs will be checked at the door. For more information and ticket sales, visit www.DHDC.org.

Beerology is presented by Budweiser Distributing Company. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Director of Development Kirk Daniels at kdaniels@dhdc.org.

Follow DHDC on Facebook and Instagram for more information on their AfterDark Events.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo area Our Town briefs for Dec. 31, 2023