i love how the bare bones of the American Southwest tell stories if you pay attention— these few dozen acres of arroyo-cut sandstone in the Texas panhandle whisper someday, tens of thousands of years from now, we'll grow up to be a beautiful many-armed canyon
This was a forgotten post. Back in August, I sprained my ankle bad enough to be on crutches and in a brace. Two weeks later, we went to visit friends in Amarillo for a trip we had already planned. Thankfully I was off the crutches but I was still in a brace and hobbling around at a slow place.
Originally, I had wanted to go hiking in Palo Duro Canyon but that wasn’t going to happen. Instead we…
It is time for me to lament the sorry state of three newspapers where I worked full time as a print journalist.
Two of them are still in “business,” but barely so; the third one — the first newspaper that hired me as a young sportswriter — is gone, kaput, history.
I started work at the Oregon City, Ore. Enterprise-Courier in the spring of 1977. My first job was a temporary gig; it became…
Texas declared natural disaster, wildfires out of control
The US state of Texas issued a disaster declaration on Tuesday as widespread wildfires continued to spiral out of control, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Four fires in the northern region called the Texas Panhandle broke out on Monday and have already consumed 240,000 acres, according to state forestry officials. The largest fire was 0% contained as of Tuesday evening.
The rapid spread of the wildfires was reportedly caused by gusty winds of 40 to 60 mph (64 to 96 kph) and dry, unseasonably warm weather conditions.
5,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes, with further evacuation orders expected as the wildfires continue to spread. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties in the panhandle.
AMARILLO — My drive to Amarillo filled me with some concern that I would enter a cloud of smoke as I entered the Texas Panhandle.
Glory be! I didn’t see any smoke. Those fires that ravaged this region I used to call home appear to have been quelled. At least from my vantage point along U.S. Highway 287 as I entered the city on its eastern side.
The fire brought enormous devastation to the…
Yep!!! Couldn't remember if it had been posted before or not, lol. Can definitely attest to New Mexico hating Texas, personally 😅 Our drivers are not good and the Panhandle/northern part of West Texas does not... well, I'll just say they don't always put our best foot forward, and leave it at that.
Please send your prayers to our brothers and sisters in the Texas Panhandle. The fire has only gotten worse, and there have been at least two deaths so far. Not even counting all the property damage and loss of animals. We are in desperate need of support.