Amarillo Texas Local News - March 21, 2026
City Council approves Ten Commandments monument; local couple indicted on child abuse charges with bonds totaling $8.8M; Texas joins lawsuit against Roblox over child safety.
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (media.transistor.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Amarillo Texas Local News
Breaking news:
The Amarillo City Council has approved a resolution authorizing the acceptance of donations for the construction and placement of a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of City Hall. The city has retained First Liberty Institute to represent the city for free in case of any legal challenges [4].
In a major local crime development, Zackery Dondlinger of Happy, Texas and Madison Paige Jones, a former substitute teacher for Midlothian ISD, have been indicted on multiple counts of sexual abuse of a child. Dondlinger's bond increased from $200,000 to $5,000,000, while Jones' bond increased from $90,000 to $3,840,000. Both remain in custody at Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Ellis County [3].
Amarillo child safety experts are warning parents about online predators as Texas has become the third state to sue Roblox, claiming children have been exposed to sexually explicit content, exploitation, and grooming on the platform [5].
Weather:
There are currently 11 weather alerts in effect for the Amarillo area. Residents are advised to stay updated on changing conditions through local weather services [5].
Events:
Laurel Sebastian, audio operator and film connoisseur, joined 'Today in Amarillo' to discuss the 98th Academy Award winners. The segment aired on local morning programming [2].
local business:
No specific local business openings, closings, or promotional events were reported in this news cycle.
school:
Amarillo-area TTUHSC medical students participated in Match Day, a significant milestone where medical students learn where they will complete their residency training [5].
High School Soccer Playoffs are underway with the Bi-District Round. Local scores and results are being tracked by area news outlets [5].
The Roundup:
A group of Tennessee teenagers is suing Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI, claiming one of its image-generation tools created sexually explicit images of them as minors. This case could set important precedents for AI developer liability [1].
The Trump administration has issued a legislative framework for a single national policy on artificial intelligence that would limit state power over AI regulation [6]. Additionally, federal prosecutors are working to disrupt an Iran-linked cyber network, seizing four websites tied to Iran that were used to launch cyberattacks [7].
In a feel-good story from Ohio, a courageous 9-year-old boy performed the Heimlich maneuver to save his 5-year-old cousin from choking, demonstrating quick thinking and bravery [8].