Independent News Drop

KELI From Inkwell, this is the Amarillo News Drop. I'm Keli, with Hast.

HAST Texas employers added over 150,000 nonfarm jobs in the past twelve months — that's an annual growth rate of 1.1%, according to Governor Abbott's office. The state outpaced the national average by 0.8 percentage points. But here's what that headline won't tell you: Texas job growth has slowed from prior years, and most of those new positions are in lower-wage service and energy sectors. The counter-read is simple — state officials will frame this as a win, and it is numerically. What matters for Panhandle workers is whether those jobs in your neighborhood actually pay enough to cover rent and groceries. Watch the Amarillo labor report this week to see if local hiring mirrors the state's slower pace.

HAST Different scale, but serious. Survivors of Patrick Farmer are speaking publicly about decades of child sexual abuse. The Amarillo Tribune's investigation details abuse that began in 1992 at the Amarillo Town Club and continued through the 2000s. Farmer was a prolific predator with access to pools and youth spaces. Multiple survivors came forward after the statute of limitations expired on some charges, leaving their cases closed. The Texas Attorney General's office and Amarillo police did not respond to Tribune requests about whether they reopened any investigation. If you or someone you know experienced abuse, Family Support Services operates a 24-hour line at 806-374-5433.

KELI On the road — TxDOT is warning drivers this week about major traffic changes on I-40 and I-27. Both directions of I-40 at Nelson Street are down to two lanes for bridge maintenance expected to run through early next year. Meanwhile, I-27 between Bell and Washington will see various lane closures in both directions for patching operations. Energy sector traffic is heavy in the region, so TxDOT is also urging drivers to give large trucks plenty of space and avoid blind spots.

KELI President Trump is scheduled to visit Lubbock next week as part of a swing through Texas during early voting. That's about 120 miles south of here — likely to draw Panhandle voters and press attention.

HAST At the Capitol, Ken Paxton's U.S. Senate campaign has drawn a major funding surge. The world's wealthiest man, Elon Musk, is the donor behind a massive cash infusion to the Senate GOP's main outside group, which has since flooded the airwaves with ads boosting Paxton's bid. That's a continuation of a story we've tracked — Musk's financial intervention in Texas politics and the Paxton race.

HAST One date marker. On this day in 2012, a bomb explosion in Lebanon killed eight people and injured 110 more.

KELI That's the Amarillo News Drop. Full script and sources at inkwell.wiki/news/amarillo.

KELI Before we close, a word from Inkwell. Over at Gil's Intelligent Version there's a piece on what the original words of scripture actually say about the Trinity — before any translation decided for us.

HAST Six words, examined in Hebrew and Greek. It's at inkwell dot wiki, slash trinity.