Latest local news, weather and high school sports from Amarillo

Tuesday, March 15, 2011  State Leaders have decided to tap into the Rainy Day Fund to help close out the budget shortfall.

Thursday, January 20, 2011  The proposed two-year state budget, would close several community colleges including Frank Phillips in Borger and Perryton. Students and faculty are up in arms over the news.

Monday, January 10, 2011  Texas lawmakers will have $72.2 billion for general purpose spending over the next two years, a $7.8 billion drop from the last state budget, according to figures released Monday by state Comptroller Susan Combs.

Monday, January 10, 2011  State facing $15 billion budget shortfall

Tuesday, August 17, 2010  Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Tom Suehs has asked for more than 1,500 new eligibility workers to deal with anticipated higher demand for food stamps.

Friday, May 14, 2010  The revelation this week from Austin that the state is looking at a 18 billion dollar shortfall is once again raising the qustion of legalized gambling as a revenue generator.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010  Republican Speaker Joe Straus is telling House budget writers they'll have to handle a state shortfall of at least $11 billion without new taxes.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010  A budget writer says Texas sales tax receipts in April rose by 1.4 percent over the same month last year.

Monday, April 19, 2010  Amarillo school board members have started their annual budget process. They held their first of several work sessions to finalize the budget and look down the road at future years.

Thursday, February 18, 2010  We continue our week-long coverage of the race to replace David Swinford as district 87 state representative. The topic this time is the state budget. Texas is expected to have a shortfall in the billions of dollars.