On the Line

Texarkana Gazette reporter Andrew Bell joined host Karl Richter to interview Christa Henry, boys' soccer coach at Texarkana's Pleasant Grove High School.

As you'll hear, there's no limit to her passion for the game. She talked about the career path that led her to Texarkana, her plans to build a championship team and what it's like to be a woman coaching a boys sport.

Recently hired Arkansas High School athletic director and head football coach Trey Outlaw brings a track record of success to his new position.

As you'll hear, he has worked with many of the winningest football coaches and programs in Arkansas.

Guest host Andrew Bell talked with Outlaw about his goals for the Razorbacks, the team culture he aims to establish, the coming season's roster and a lot more.

Here's a taste of "Tune In Texarkana," a new podcast from the Gazette's Starbear Studio focused on local musicians. From Episode 1, BIG$ NovaGawd performs "You Vogue, I Meditate."

The podcast's monthly episodes will feature host Erin DeBlanc interviewing artists across the spectrum of the Texarkana music scene, and each will include performances recorded live.

"My vision for the podcast is to be able to give local artists a platform to share their music with a large audience. There are many talented musicians in Texarkana that many of us are unaware of, and having this podcast, thanks to the Texarkana Gazette, enables them to share their creativity and hard work with more people than they would entertain at a local venue," DeBlanc said.

To listen to "Tune In Texarkana," search for and follow the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also listen at tuneintxk.castos.com or texarkanagazette.com/podcast.

Texarkana native Chris LeGrand created Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show more than 20 years ago.

The show has grown into a full-time business for LeGrand, who portrays Stones frontman Mick Jagger. A performance Friday, June 17, at Texarkana's Perot Theatre is one of hundreds Satisfaction will stage this year.

He and host Karl Richter talked about how Satisfaction got started, how the group keeps its tribute authentic, life on tour and more.

After last week's mass shooting of elementary school students in Uvalde, Texas, we wanted to talk with someone familiar with childhood trauma who could speak to what the survivors in Uvalde are going through.

Cindy Thomas is a licensed professional counselor who has specialized in working with children for more than 20 years. She currently works for a local school district, and as you will hear, she has a keen understanding of how trauma affects children and how to help them.

LOCAL RESOURCES:

COUNSELING SERVICES

Behavioral Medicine Center

1902 Galleria Oaks Dr

Texarkana, TX 75503

903-614-3800

 

Betty J Feir PC & Associates

5501 Medical Parkway

Texarkana, TX 75503

903-793-8588

 

Community Healthcore

1911 Galleria Oaks Drive

Texarkana, TX 75503

1-800-4-INTAKE

903-792-0308

 

CASA of NE Texas

1201 Main St

Texarkana, TX 75501

903-792-1030

 

Texarkana Children’s Advocacy Center

1203 Main St

Texarkana, TX 75501

903-792-2215

 

Chenal Counseling

1305 Arkansas Blvd., Suite

Texarkana, AR 71854

870-340-2636

 

Genesis Primecare

Tammy Crawford

4323 Jefferson Ave

Texarkana, AR 71854

870-773-0700

 

Elizabeth McCauley

4140 McKnight Road

Texarkana, TX 75503

903-824-5548

 

Olive Tree Counseling

3930 Galleria Oaks Dr

Texarkana, TX 75503

903-336-3484

 

Serendipity Wellness Center

Robert Strayhan, MD

1732 Galleria Oaks Dr

Texarkana, TX 75503

903-764-1636

 

Southwest Arkansas Counseling

Dorcas I Adepoju, MD

2904 Arkansas Blvd

Texarkana, AR 71854

870-773-4655

Texarkana native Catt Dahman is a creative force of nature, with more than 60 novels to her name. She works mostly in the horror genre, and that passion has led her to a new endeavor: movies.

In the tradition of filmmakers such as Roger Corman and our own Charles B. Pierce, Catt is busy writing, producing and directing horror movies that have much bigger stories than budgets.

The latest is a modern, fictional take on Texarkana's Phantom Killer called “Sundown.”

She and host Karl Richter talked about the movie, her path to becoming a director and her other endeavors, including advocating for prison reform.

LINKS

Ren Says Films

Catt Dahman official website

On the Line on Twitter

As executive director and CEO of TexAmericas Center, Scott Norton oversees one of the Texarkana region's most important economic assets.

That proved true in January, when the Gazette broke the news that an ammunition plant employing 400 people will soon begin operations at the Center.

It was the perfect opportunity to catch up with Scott about some recent developments at TexAmericas Center, and what the future holds there.

This episode first aired Jan. 25, 2022.

When Houston-area technology professional Benny Prince began researching his Ark-La-Tex roots, he had no idea he would meet a character literally larger than life.

James Wesley “Big Jim” Patterson, Prince’s great uncle, stood out in the family story as much as his reported 8 foot, 4 inch height stood out among residents of Bloomburg, Texas, where he died on Halloween 1920.

A trove of heirloom documents, including rare vintage photos, told Prince the tale of Patterson’s life as a circus sideshow performer, businessman and member of a family that played an important role in the history of Cass County.

Now Prince is working on a book about Big Jim and hopes someone out there can tell him even more about the giant billed by Sells Brothers Circus as “The World’s Tallest Man.”

This episode was first released Sept. 26, 2021.

LINKS

Kickstarter: "Out of the Borderlands into the Big Top," by Benny E. Prince

Email Benny Prince

In recent weeks, Christina Tutt has been one of the most vocal advocates raising concerns about the Texarkana, Arkansas, Animal Care and Adoption Center.

For this episode, she and host Karl Richter talked about the Board of Directors' response; her organization, Texarkana Animal Coalition Team; the state of dog and cat care in the Twin Cities; what she has observed at the animal shelter; and what people can do to help.

LINKS

Texarkana Animal Coalition Team (TACT), Facebook

Texarkana Animal League

Ark La Tex Animal Clinic

Animal Protection League

Fix TXK, Facebook

Thanks to three prominent exhibitions in the past nine years, sculptor George Tobolowsky has become synonymous with public art in Texarkana.

You've probably seen at least one of his pieces, metal sculptures made of objects found in scrap yards and industrial sites.

This week, he installed four new sculptures in Texarkana for an exhibition called “Bending the Rules 3.”

While he was in town, he stopped by the studio to talk about his work, his process and his relationship with the Twin Cities.

LINK

Related Texarkana Gazette story with photos