View Our Latest Issue Below!
Mayor Bob Bruggeman of Texarkana, Texas, received several phone calls from sports writers across the country in 2013. They wanted to know how he felt as mayor about Texarkanans Michael Wacha and Will Middlebrooks opposing each other in the World Series. Bob was quick to note that he had umpired many of the now-pro players’ high school games. That information changed the angle of their stories.
Jamie Simmons, who has been a public historian and museum director for more than three decades, entered into her career by accident.
The Texarkana Museum of Regional History was, in fact, looking for a paid intern. Jamie, who double majored in history and art, jumped at the chance. “That was my entry to the Texarkana Museums System,” she said, “and I didn’t leave for 30 years.”
Mary Adele Philips is part of a lineage of nurses: “five generations past and yet growing,” she said, explaining that her great-great-grandmother, great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and aunt all worked in nursing. “There is no doubt in my mind that our family has been anointed and appointed to be God’s caretakers,” she said. “This call runs as deep as my family heritage and is woven into the very essence of who I am.”
Through journalism, reporters can tell local stories that may not be told otherwise. Whether the story is a sports team going the extra mile or a local criminal case finding closure years later, it can bring insight that may not have been known before. For the past two years, Beth Spicer has been publishing stories like this through sports photography with TXK Sports and news stories with RazorbackTV.
At an age when most athletes have long since hung up their shoes, Ken Endris of Hooks, Texas, is still lacing his up tight. At 75, he’s not just running: he’s competing. Ken sets the example for anyone who has ever been told that they’re too old to chase their passions.
Maureen Noe, along with her dog Dani, have redefined the expression “work like a dog.” The two have qualified to compete at the prestigious WUSV World Championship Universal dog trial and show, which showcases the best German Shepherds from around the world. It is set to occur in Hanau, Germany, from July 4th to 6th.
On Christmas Eve in 1874, the first Catholic Mass was celebrated in Texarkana by missionary priest Father Theodore Buffard, who traveled to Northeast Texas on horseback from Galveston. He arrived with a mission which continues today, a century and a half later. Parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church have been excitedly preparing for their 150th anniversary, with plans spread out over the weekend of July 4th.
Holland “Holly” Gerrald was two-thirds up Argentina’s Aconcagua—the highest mountain in the Americas—when her fingers went numb. The wind blasted her face with frozen air as she moved higher into thinner oxygen and deeper into self-doubt. Around her, climbers pressed on through the ice-crusted void, heads down, one step at a time. She had trained for this; she had visualized it. But the mountain wasn’t interested in her plans, and neither was her body.
When it comes to sports, Lucas Wacha has earned his stripes. Raised in Texarkana in a sports-loving family, he played baseball, basketball, and football in youth programs offered by American Legion, Boys and Girls Club, Dixie Baseball, and PGYA. Lucas honed his athletic skills playing football and baseball at Pleasant Grove High School. As a member of PG’s state-winning baseball teams, he was awarded district and all-state Most Valuable Player twice.
When Amy married James “Hooch” McDonald, she never imagined the storm they’d face trying to grow their family—nor how sharing their story would lead them to their greatest blessing.
“We tried multiple months of [fertility medication], plus bloodwork,” Amy said. “We still weren’t getting pregnant.” Further testing revealed IVF was their best option, so Amy began treatment with a reproductive endocrinologist. After weeks of medicine and monitoring, in December 2018, her doctor was able to retrieve 13 mature eggs; eight were fertilized, and three developed into high-quality embryos. The couple’s first fresh embryo transfer was unsuccessful. A frozen transfer in March 2019 also ended in heartbreak. Only one embryo remained.
As the proverb says, it takes a village to raise a child. Sean Foreback, a recent graduate of Texas A&M–Texarkana, is especially aware of this. His village includes blood relations, chosen family, nonprofit workers, corporate executives, and teachers, all of whom played important roles in his development.
The sense of smell is intricately connected to our memories, perhaps more than any other sense. For Rev. Jaimie Alexander, the senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in downtown Texarkana, the smell of a pie baking whisks him back to his childhood, a time he fondly remembers watching his grandmother create the most delicious pies imaginable.
Texarkana’s own Katelyn Dobbins Clayton has garnered quite a bit of attention online for her pictures of 2024 solar eclipse.
Two Texarkana ISD educators have earned National Board Certification. Morriss Elementary School second grade teacher Lisa McCloskey and Texas Middle School Assistant Principal Ashleigh Bridges join the over 130,000 teachers across the United States who are Board-certified.
The James Black School of Bladesmithing and Historic Trades will hold a hunting knife course from January 19 through January 22 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System is proud to announce the certification of its cardiac rehabilitation program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
Texas A&M University-Texarkana has announced a new partnership with TexAmericas Center (TAC) that will allow center employees as well as employees of tenant businesses to receive discounted tuition towards classes at the university.
Texas Statewide Network of Assessment Professionals (TSNAP) selected TISD District Testing Coordinator Sherry Nelson as TSNAP DTC of the Year.
The University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana honored graduating students from the Nursing Assistant (CNA) Program with a special pinning ceremony on Monday, December 11, at 4:30 p.m. in the Texarkana Campus Center commons area.
December 8th, 2023, marks the 150th anniversary of the sale of the first Texarkana city lots. This milestone “birthday” deserves a celebration, and to that end, volunteers from the twin cities have been anticipating and planning a huge event for years.
The 10th Farmers Bank & Trust LIVE UNITED BOWL game will be played Saturday, December 2nd at Texarkana Arkansas School District’s Razorback Stadium with a noon kick-off.
Arkansas High School Razorback EAST has been awarded a $30,000 grant to establish an on-campus food pantry, providing crucial support to students and the local community.
The Texarkana Home Builders Association presented the 2023 Texarkana Home & Garden Show on March 25th.
Molly Minter enjoys a night of gourmet cuisine at Dannie's Cafe located in Shover Springs, AR