Plano Podcast

It’s been 20 years since Plano, Texas was gripped in a heroin crisis.

Go behind the headlines to hear the story from the remarkable team who worked to save lives and shut down a major drug operation in the city. The painful lessons remain relevant for the nation and local community today.

In Plano, the holidays get hilarious with Theatre Britain's annual panto production. This episode opens the curtain to a raucous family holiday treat. The Plano theater company’s production has all the traditional elements – a fractured fairy tale that features the dame who's actually a guy, a ghostly cameo, and lots of audience participation. We go behind the scenes to hear from the director and meet some of the actors, plus, an extensive wrap-up with performing arts critic Mark Lowry of TheaterJones, who weighs in on growing diversity of theater and arts productions in Plano.

Haunted Plano is a glimpse into Plano's history, full of stories with a ghostly flavor. Not for the faint of heart, hear the tales of the past including the Zodiac Rider, the Muncey Massacre and Ellen Henry- a woman from Hunter Farrell's past.

Traffic. It's what's up in Plano and all of Collin County, TX. Are we destined for California-style gridlock? Collin County Commissioner Duncan Webb shares his vision and challenges on the plan to ease gridlock as we take a journey together into the year 2040. We wrap with a special Route 380 road trip to meet with Mayor John-Mark Caldwell and City Manager Derek Borg of Princeton, TX. Our conversation is where the rubber meets the road.

Plano's own Lawrence Mann shares his remarkable story that led to a lifetime dedicated to giving youth the skills for success- well beyond the basketball court. Through his Top Achievers Program and Foundation, work as a Plano ISD At-Risk Specialist, and his Man-Up/Young Women Incorporated programs his impact is far-reaching and deeply felt by his students. Meet Coach Mann, two of his three sons, and hear the tale of an extraordinary leader, character and mentor who has never taken his eye off the ball.

Meet the three selected winners from our Storytellers / Writers call for entry. One student, one published author, and one blogger are featured, each reading their unique interpretation of Dog Days. A creative breath of cool air on a hot summer day, from some of the best Plano independent voices.

Is Plano a suburb of Dallas, or a city in its own right? Dallas Morning News columnist says that Plano remains Dallas' little brother, but Mayor Harry LaRosiliere counters with his own vision of "Plano 3.0." We look at the word "suburb," and all of its baggage, and how the question gets at the heart of how Plano defines itself going forward.

With the advent of "business casual," fewer and fewer men are wearing tailored suits in Plano. But we found a few who continue to rock the suit with style. Find out how the trend toward casual has changed the way men shop in Plano, and meet our Aces of Suits.

Nobody's better equipped to talk about the future of the arts in Plano than David Downs. He's a member of Plano City Council, and an accomplished photographer. David talks about the vision for the downtown arts district in Plano and how fostering a "creative class" within the community makes Plano a more attractive destination for employers.

As the owner of a Plano karate studio, Diana Reeve likes to say that she teaches courage for a living. She called on every ounce of her own courage when she learned that her longtime boyfriend had knowingly given her HIV — along with dozens of other women. Reeve shares her incredible tale of banding together with other women, taking the boyfriend to court, and winning.