KELI From Inkwell, this is the Amarillo News Drop. I'm Keli, with Hast.
HAST A Randall County Grand Jury has indicted two men on solicitation of prostitution charges. David Ritchie, 42, and Jorge Lopez-Najera, 24, were indicted Wednesday. They're the first of eight arrested during a prostitution sting in June to face formal charges. Both are out on bond.
KELI The simple read on that is a sting worked. The structural fact underneath is that it took more than two months for a grand jury to move on any of the eight arrested. We'll see if the remaining six face indictments in the coming weeks, and whether the timeline tells us anything about how the county prioritizes these cases versus others.
HAST The Amarillo City Council held a second budget workshop Thursday and will meet again this morning at eight. City Manager Grayson Path said the focus was laying out supplemental requests and one-time community improvement proposals. Councilmembers Don Tipps and David Prescott had to step away Thursday. Prescott called in by video while traveling.
KELI Governor Abbott wants a closed primary for Texas Republicans, saying the state needs to be prepared to succeed. That's a party-structure move that could narrow who gets to vote in Republican contests statewide. No timeline yet on how that reaches the legislature.
HAST As of next Wednesday, August 19th, the Texas Veterans Commission will no longer station a representative at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center in Amarillo. Phone appointments are still available through TVC, and face-to-face appointments can be scheduled in Borger and Lubbock, about an hour away each direction.
KELI The Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare shelter is over capacity again this summer and is asking the community to adopt. Kennels are stretched, and they're hoping to ease the pressure through the rest of the heat months.
HAST Before we close, a history note. In 2007, the Kahtaniya bombings killed at least 500 people in Iraq.
KELI That's the Amarillo News Drop. Full script and sources at inkwell.wiki/news/amarillo.
KELI Before we close, something lighter from Inkwell. There's a piece asking what the Beatles songbook keeps reaching for — a world set right, meaning that holds — without pretending the band were secret prophets.
HAST An honest look, and an open door. At inkwell dot wiki, slash beatles.
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