Chad Johnson
Hey Amarillo
Chad Johnson is the new reverend at Amarillo United Methodist Church. We talk about what it’s like to step into a new community and a new role at the same time. Chad shares his early impressions of Amarillo, how those first expectations compare to the reality of living here, and what has stood out to him as he gets to know the city. We also spend time talking about his path to becoming a pastor, a journey he describes with a great deal of joy, honesty, and thoughtfulness. Our conversation explores the role of the church today, the broader societal trends shaping faith communities, and the...
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Clara Sneed
Hey Amarillo
This week on Hey Amarillo, I talk with author Clara Sneed about a wild chapter of Amarillo history that sounds almost too dramatic to be true. Clara wrote a book about a bitter feud between two Amarillo families in the early 1900s. What began with relationships and eventually spiraled into affairs, accusations, violence, and murder. Along the way, the story touches on questions of justice, the role of women at the time, and how a rapidly growing Panhandle town handled conflict when emotions — and reputations — were on the line. What makes the story even more compelling is that Clara...
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Dr. Benton Allen
Hey Amarillo
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Sonja Clark
Hey Amarillo
This week on Hey Amarillo, I sit down with Sonja Clark, site leader at Bell Helicopter’s Amarillo facility. Sonja oversees a large workforce responsible for developing and building some of the military’s most critical frontline aircraft — work that requires precision, trust, and extraordinary leadership. We talk about what it means to carry that kind of responsibility, and how pride in the work translates into pride in community. Sonja shares the impact of Bell’s history in Amarillo, the weight of leading at that scale, and the importance of the mission behind the machines. We also...
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Seth Wieck
Hey Amarillo
What happens to a place when its stories aren’t told? This week on Hey Amarillo!, I sit down with local poet Seth Wieck, whose work captures the beauty, tension, and quiet power of life in the Texas Panhandle. Seth grew up on his family’s farm in Umbarger — land his family worked for three generations. He shares what it meant to be shaped by that place and why he ultimately chose not to continue farming as the changing economics of agriculture reshaped life on the High Plains. For Seth, poetry isn’t just art — it’s preservation. It’s a way to hold onto memory, to honor legacy,...
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Don Rhode
Hey Amarillo
What does it really take to deliver excellence — over and over again? This week on Hey Amarillo, I sit down with Don Rhode, a seasoned restaurant leader who has built his career around creating exceptional guest experiences. Don currently serves as General Manager at one of Amarillo’s consistently top-rated fine dining establishments, Cask & Cork, as well as the newer breakfast and brunch favorite, OVR EZE. Before Amarillo, Don honed his craft in major food cities like Chicago and Austin — places where the bar is high and the standards are relentless. In this conversation, we talk...
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Nick Gerlich
Hey Amarillo
This week on Hey Amarillo, we’re joined by Dr. Nick Gerlich — longtime marketing professor at West Texas A&M University, writer, and passionate chronicler of regional travel and Route 66. Nick shares his journey through academia, what it’s like teaching marketing in a constantly evolving digital landscape, and how he works to keep students grounded in both fundamentals and emerging trends. We also hit the open road, talking Route 66 — its beginnings, heyday, decline, and the very real possibility of a rebirth as America’s Mother Road. Smart, curious, and endlessly adventurous,...
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Adrian Meander
Hey Amarillo
This week on Hey Amarillo, we sit down with Adrian Meander, a powerful example of what it looks like to grow where you’re planted. Adrian is Amarillo through and through. He grew up here, chose to stay, raised his family here, and built a career rooted in service. He started at Amarillo National Bank as a bank teller and has worked his way up to Vice President—proof that steady work, integrity, and commitment still matter. Beyond his professional path, Adrian quietly invests his time and energy into our community, with a special focus on North Amarillo and reinvesting in a part of our...
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Gabe Hanson
Hey Amarillo
This week on Hey Amarillo, we sit down with Dr. Gabe Hanson for a conversation that truly spans two worlds. Gabe is an emergency room physician — and he was also the guitarist for the super successful Texas country band, the Josh Abbott Band. We talk about what it’s like to be part of a band just as it’s really taking off, the decision to step away at the height of momentum, and the very real, very human experience of working on the front lines of emergency medicine. Gabe is funny, deeply honest, and refreshingly self-aware about both what he loves and what challenges him. His...
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Bethany Fields
Hey Amarillo
This episode, we're joined by Bethany Fields, a local pastel artist who truly sees beauty in everything around her. Bethany shares how creativity has been a constant thread throughout her life — from photography, to scrapbooking, to pastel painting — and how she has a unique gift for turning hobbies into meaningful work. Our conversation explores what it looks like to follow curiosity, trust your instincts, and allow creativity to evolve. Bethany is incredibly talented, soft-spoken, and kind, and this episode is a quiet reminder of the value of noticing beauty, making art for the joy...
info_outlineThis week on Hey Amarillo, we sit down with Paul Borchardt, who, until very recently, ran one of Amarillo’s most beloved and historic landmarks: Wonderland Amusement Park.
Paul’s story starts far from the Texas Panhandle — growing up on a farm in Iowa, serving in the Navy, falling in love, and eventually finding his way to Amarillo, where he joined his wife’s family in running an amusement park that has become part of the fabric of this community. For decades, Paul and his family poured their energy, care, and dedication into Wonderland, creating a place that generations of families return to summer after summer.
In this conversation, Paul reflects with pride and genuine enjoyment on the years spent keeping Wonderland going — and on what it feels like to step away after 70 years of family stewardship. He’s sweet, funny, practical, and deeply appreciative of the people who loved the park as much as he did.
This episode is about legacy, community, and what it means to take care of something that belongs to more than just one family.