A conversation with Tate Atkinson, one-half of the husband-wife duo behind Free Cheese Prints , a custom screen printing shop in Amarillo. Known for their Amarillo-focused souvenir t-shirts and constant presence at local popups and community markets, Free Cheese has an intense loyal following and a compelling origin story. Atkinson shares with host Jason Boyett about his creative approach, how sobriety helped focus and grow his business, why he and his wife, Reesa, are so passionate about gettin...
Apr 08, 2024•42 min•Season 8Ep. 15
A conversation with Micha Boyett, Jason's youngest sister and the author of the new book Blessed Are the Rest of Us . 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 The Lucky Few 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 commu...
Apr 01, 2024•58 min•Season 8Ep. 14
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 Brick & Elm , 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 helpin...
Mar 25, 2024•44 min•Season 8Ep. 13
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 ...
Mar 18, 2024•45 min•Season 8Ep. 12
A conversation with Scott Houdashell, the inventor of the Eggmazing Egg Decorator 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...
Mar 11, 2024•52 min•Season 8Ep. 11
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...
Mar 04, 2024•45 min•Season 8Ep. 10
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 ...
Feb 26, 2024•45 min•Season 8Ep. 9
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 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 paren...
Feb 19, 2024•47 min•Season 8Ep. 8
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...
Feb 12, 2024•52 min•Season 8Ep. 7
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 , 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 a...
Feb 05, 2024•56 min•Season 8Ep. 6
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 ...
Jan 29, 2024•37 min•Season 8Ep. 5
A conversation with Joseph Peterson, an Edward Jones Financial Advisor 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...
Jan 22, 2024•47 min•Season 8Ep. 4
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...
Jan 15, 2024•51 min•Season 8Ep. 3
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...
Jan 08, 2024•48 min•Season 8Ep. 2
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...
Jan 01, 2024•50 min•Season 8Ep. 1
A conversation with State Representative Walter Thomas "Four" Price IV , 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 ...
Dec 22, 2023•52 min•Season 7Ep. 51
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 , a nonprofit Amarillo clinic that provides free healthcare for thousands of uninsured and underserved patients every year. Dr. Keister shares w...
Dec 18, 2023•56 min•Season 7Ep. 50
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 i...
Dec 11, 2023•44 min•Season 7Ep. 49
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 ...
Dec 04, 2023•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 48
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 aesthetic...
Nov 28, 2023•48 min•Season 7Ep. 47
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 chari...
Nov 20, 2023•37 min•Season 7Ep. 46
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 i...
Nov 13, 2023•38 min•Season 7Ep. 45
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 ca...
Nov 06, 2023•53 min•Season 7Ep. 44
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 bus...
Oct 31, 2023•51 min•Season 7Ep. 43
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 th...
Oct 23, 2023•55 min•Season 7Ep. 42
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...
Oct 16, 2023•39 min•Season 7Ep. 41
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...
Oct 09, 2023•50 min•Season 7Ep. 40
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 ...
Oct 02, 2023•49 min•Season 7Ep. 39
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 ho...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 38
A conversation with Jentry Williams, the owner and founder of Re-Form Physical Therapy Clinic and Wellness Center . 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 ...
Sep 18, 2023•48 min•Season 7Ep. 37
