A roundup of news from across the Texas Panhandle includes a planned water outage, wildfire mitigation work and developments involving a former law enforcement officer. Also making news, BNSF has demolished a longtime Amarillo yard tower as railroad operations shift to a newer facility.
Turkey to Shut Off Water for Tower Repairs
The City of Turkey will shut off water service citywide Thursday night while crews make major repairs to the community’s water tower. Officials said the water will be turned off at 10 p.m. so crews can drain the system and begin work. Water service is expected to remain off until at least Friday morning, although the city has not announced a specific completion time. Officials said customers will be notified when service is restored and instructions related to a boil water notice will also be released. Residents are being asked to stay away from the water tower while repairs are underway.
Amarillo Fire Department to Begin Work at 9th Street Trails
The Amarillo Fire Department’s Wildland Team will begin a mitigation project Monday, Aug. 24, at the 9th Street Trails. AFD said the project is intended to create defensible space to reduce potential wildfire impacts while improving the appearance of the area. Twenty-four personnel are assigned to the project and are expected to work approximately three eight-hour days. Crews will reduce combustible vegetation and other fuels within a 66-foot-wide area near businesses along the eastern boundary of the city-owned property. The project is expected to be completed by Friday.
Former Randall County Deputy Gets Probation in DWI Case
Former Randall County sheriff’s deputy Logan Landrum pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and received probation. Landrum entered the plea March 30, with County Court at Law Judge Matthew Martindale imposing a 180-day sentence that was suspended in favor of probation. The Randall County Sheriff’s Office fired Landrum in September 2025 following his Aug. 13 DWI arrest in Amarillo. Police said Landrum was stopped after allegedly driving 78 mph in a 45 mph zone and failed field-sobriety and breath tests. Landrum previously received a two-day suspension from the Amarillo Police Department in June 2022 following an alcohol-related incident while attending a work conference in South Padre Island. He resigned from APD six days after that suspension.
BNSF Demolishes Old Amarillo Yard Tower
The old BNSF yard tower in Amarillo has been demolished as the railroad shifts employees and operations into a new facility on Lincoln Street. The demolition drew attention on social media and prompted concerns about the future of other pieces of Amarillo’s railway infrastructure. BNSF said its new 15,000-square-foot building, completed in June, replaced several facilities that had reached the end of their operational lifespans and now houses transportation, engineering and mechanical employees. “The new building consolidates employees from three separate facilities into one single location, creating operational efficiencies and supporting more streamlined coordination across our teams,” BNSF said in a statement. The company said centralized monitoring of yard cameras from the new facility reduced the need for legacy infrastructure such as the tower. BNSF said the new building also includes updated fire monitoring, HVAC, insulation and lighting systems, along with ADA-accessible accommodations.
