The year 2020 is one that will be memorable for a myriad of reasons. There have been a wide range of stories that have surfaced over the course of the last 12 months for the Amarillo area, and here are some that were among the most notable.
First cases of COVID-19 in the Texas Panhandle
Officials with the city of Amarillo confirmed the first two COVID-19 cases in the Texas Panhandle during a news conference in mid-March. This came after two adult patients tested positive for COVID-19 the evening of March 18 after traveling outside the Amarillo area.
During the news conference, city officials issued the first disaster declaration related to COVID-19 and increased the COVID-19 status level chart to Level Orange from Level Yellow. The next day, the city of Canyon followed the city of Amarillo s lead, also issuing a disaster declaration related to COVID-19.