Independent News Drop

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

HAST Water first. The City of Amarillo triggered Stage 1 drought restrictions on August 17th after its emergency reservoir — 500 million gallons from the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority — dropped below 60 percent capacity. That's the threshold that activates voluntary cutbacks. Assistant City Manager Donny Hooper said during a Monday press conference that the reservoir sits at that line now, which means the city is one system failure or one dry month away from mandatory rationing. The broader question — and this is the counter-read — is whether Amarillo's leadership is naming Fermi America, the data center under construction north of the city, as a material water user in their drought planning. They're not. The Tribune asked directly. Fermi hasn't opened yet, but once it does, it will consume millions of gallons annually for cooling. The city's water math doesn't appear to account for that load in their modeling. Watch for the next city council briefing on whether they've modeled Fermi's draw into the stage-2 trigger points. If they haven't, that's a structural gap in their planning.

KELI Wider water trouble. Quanah and parts of Hardeman, Donley, and Childress counties are reporting discoloration in tap water supplied by the Greenbelt Municipal and Industrial Water Authority. City officials posted a notice Wednesday morning saying they're aware of the concerns. No word yet on the cause or timeline for resolution. That's the second water story in the Panhandle this week, and it underscores how thin the margin is up here.

HAST On the state level. Ted Cruz said during a podcast conversation this week that it's no secret he wants to be president. During the same sit-down, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick speculated that Governor Greg Abbott also has White House ambitions. Both are holding offices now, and both would have to manage state business while positioning for a 2028 or 2032 run. No immediate threat to their current roles, but the conversation puts a marker down on where the state's top tier sees its future.

KELI A federal judge in Texas ruled this week that drag performances for children cannot be prohibited outright under free-speech law. The decision came in a challenge to state restrictions. State senators are now considering whether to revisit the statute or draft new language that could survive court review. That's still in motion.

HAST Transmission buildout records released this week show that the statewide power grid expansion — billions in infrastructure across Texas — has primarily benefited wind and solar operators, routing their generation to distant markets and grid operators. That's the stated goal of the build, but the records show the outcome is now measurable and clear.

KELI One date marker. On this day in 1955, the first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published in Great Britain.

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

KELI Before we close, a word from Inkwell. Gil's Intelligent Version has a new companion piece on how the Latter-day Saints read the Trinity — three distinct beings, one in purpose, rather than three persons of one substance.

HAST It's an evenhanded look at the same question, decided the other way. At inkwell dot wiki, slash godhead.