Click here to watch a medical helicopter dropping hundreds of golf balls at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler as part of a charity golf tournament.
Author: Lane Luckie
Lane Luckie is an award-winning journalist based in Texas. A news anchor, reporter and producer, he is also an avid photographer and traveler. His journalistic interests include government, aviation, spaceflight, religion, and higher education. Luckie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern State University.
Reporter’s Notes: Hurricane Katrina, 10 years later
Hurricane Katrina — perhaps the two most infamous words in Louisiana’s infamous history. The storm rained down so much devastation and sorrow on the Bayou State, yet somehow seemed to bring out the best in us. Now a decade after the fierce hurricane came ashore, the recovery process is far from over. Parts of New…
Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting in East Texas
Happy birthday KTRE! This weekend our station, serving Deep East Texas, celebrated 60 years of broadcasting excellence and service to the community. Hundreds of East Texans, local and state dignitaries, along with KTRE staffers, both past and present, gathered at the studios north of Lufkin for a Texas-sized celebration. A few families even camped out in…
WATCH: Rangers celebrate win with fireworks
Click here to watch the fireworks display following the Texas Rangers’ August 28, 2015 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.
WATCH: Cedric Takes a Tumble
Click the video below to watch a clip from GMET, where you should expect the unexpected.
Emotional ESPN film profiles heroic death, legacy of NFL great Joe Delaney
This month, the heroic story of NFL legend Joe Delaney will be shared with millions of people around the world in ESPN’s latest ’30 For 30′ film. Wednesday night, I got the chance to attend an advance screening of ‘Delaney,’ the short film profiling the life and legacy of the Kansas City Chiefs running back who died…
WATCH: Kayaking the Lower Mountain Fork River, Oklahoma
Click here to watch highlights from my kayaking trek along the Lower Mountain Fork River near Broken Bow, Oklahoma.
WATCH: Balloon glow at the Great Texas Balloon Race
Click here for highlights from the annual balloon glow at the Great Texas Balloon Race in Longview, Texas.
Wildly popular ‘The Art of the Brick’ exhibit opens at Tyler Museum of Art
Thousands of people are expected to wind their way through an exhibition featuring thousands of LEGO bricks arranged into 25 large-scale sculptures at the Tyler Museum of Art. The Art of the Brick, a global-touring exhibit by Nathan Sawaya, is being hosted at the museum on the campus of Tyler Junior College through September 13….
Ministers patrolling E. Texas streets through community policing program
Rockie Simpler is not a peace officer, but a man of the cloth. Still, his ministry puts him alongside Mount Pleasant police officers — armed only with the word of God. “This patrol car is my church,” Simpler said. “I use it as a tool to go out and help people with the Lord. I…
WATCH: Fourth of July fireworks display in Natchitoches, LA
Click here for highlights of the Fourth of July fireworks display in Natchitoches, Louisiana along Cane River Lake.
Shuttle Columbia debris collected in E. Texas goes on public display for first time
A new exhibit at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida memorializes the Space Shuttle Columbia, which broke apart over East Texas in 2003. The 2,000 square foot exhibit, housed at the Space Center’s visitor complex, features the personal effects of crew members and recovered shuttle hardware from both the ill-fated Columbia tragedy and the 1986…
WATCH: Nighttime images in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota
Click here to watch some of my favorite nighttime images from my travels in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota in June 2015.
WATCH: Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Click here to watch a slideshow of images taken in Badlands National Park, South Dakota.
WATCH: Large hail pounds northwest Nebraska
Click here to watch my report on severe-warned storms that dropped large hail on northwest Nebraska, near the town of Crawford.
WATCH: Aurora dances in the night sky
Click here to watch images of the Northern Lights, as viewed from Crook County, Wyoming, near the town of Sundance on June 23, 2015.
WATCH: Time-lapse of flight descent into Charlotte, North Carolina
Click here to watch a short time-lapse of the descent of my flight from Houston, Texas to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Theology on Tap serves up Bible study with a twist
A Christian men’s group in Tyler is reaching out the faithful in an unlikely way, through Bible study with a twist. Theology on Tap provides fellowship and conversations about faith and spirituality in a casual setting. Rev. Justin Braun, a priest with the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, helped start the group in 2012. “We’re East…
The magical musings of illusionist Penn Jillette
Magician Penn Jillette and partner Teller have been entertaining audiences for decades. Their magic, illusions, music, comedy, and myth busting are known around the world. According to their website, the duo have produced “sold out runs on Broadway, world tours, Emmy-winning TV specials, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and hundreds of outrageous…
Jimmy Kimmel Live returns to Texas for South By Southwest
Austin’s iconic South by Southwest festival has gone from an eclectic festival featuring arts and entertainment to a showcase of innovation and ideas. Techies, foodies, and celebrities have also found a home at SXSW, including late-night TV comedian Jimmy Kimmel. This year, the funnyman brought Jimmy Kimmel Live back to Austin for a week of shows,…
WATCH: Light snow coats downtown Tyler streets
Click the video below to look at the tiny flakes of snow accumulating in downtown Tyler.
WATCH: Snow blankets downtown Tyler, Texas
Click here to watch my tour of the snowfall in downtown Tyler, Texas.
Recipe: Great Grandma Abby’s homemade buttermilk biscuits
After an overwhelming number of requests on Facebook, I wanted to share my great-grandmother Abby’s recipe for homemade buttermilk biscuits. I hope you enjoy! Ingredients: (Makes 16) 4 cups self-rising flour, sifted, plus more if needed 2 cups buttermilk 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup lard, shortening 1/4 cup butter Directions: Preheat the oven to 475…
WATCH: Orion spacecraft’s first test flight
Click here for my live coverage of the test flight of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, launching atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket.
Texas DMV rejects hundreds of ‘indecent, vulgar’ personalized license plates
Picking a personalized Texas license plate isn’t a free-for-all. The Department of Motor Vehicles uses very specific criteria for reviewing vanity plate requests, resulting in more than 1,600 rejected requests. Car enthusiasts at Saturday’s ‘Classic Cars & Art in the Park’ in Mineola are very familiar with the application process. Dozens of hot rods, rat…
Volunteering: A chance to repay your ‘debt’
I believe one person truly can make a difference in the life of another and I hope to never ignore that calling. It’s quite humbling to think of the special individuals spent countless hours mentoring me — many of whom continue to do so. Counting myself among the extremely fortunate, I’m pursuing my “dream profession” as…
WATCH: Exploring the Canadian Rockies
Click here for highlights of my trip to Alberta, Canada.
Inspirational ‘Chef Jeff’ taping national TV show in E. Texas
A celebrity chef is visiting kitchens across East Texas this week, tasting the comfort foods that stir-up smiles. Chef Jeff Henderson is taping a new syndicated TV show, ‘Flip My Food,’ which promises to take favorite family recipes and make them better, with fewer calories. Henderson’s rise to the top took a different path than…
An honor to be named to Pi Kappa Phi’s ‘Thirty Under 30’ list
I am so very honored to have been selected for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity’s inaugural ‘Thirty Under 30’ list, among a truly impressive group of young professionals. I’ve served as a volunteer for the organization since 2008, hoping to mentor emerging leaders during their collegiate experience. As a student, I was exposed to countless opportunities for leadership development and owe debt of…
NASA unveils flashy, futuristic new look for spacesuit prototype
NASA is ready to unveil the design of their next-generation spacesuit prototype. Wednesday, the space agency will reveal the winner of a contest on their website put the decision to a public vote. The futuristic Z-2 suit will make future missions possible to asteroids or the surface of other planets. Some of the improvements under…
Dallas Cowboys great Drew Pearson recalls his ‘Hail Mary’ catch
The number 88 on a Dallas Cowboys jersey seems to signify greatness. Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, and Dez Bryant have worn the number — earning star status on the team and in the league. Pearson, celebrated as one of the all-time greatest wide receivers, he now hosts his own radio show. While he focuses on…
WATCH: Storm chase leads to tornado-ravaged town
Click here to watch raw video of my storm chase through Hopkins County.
WATCH: Tornado destroys N. Hopkins Fire House
Click here to watch my tour of the tornado destruction at the North Hopkins Volunteer Fire Department’s station number 3 on April 3, 2014.
WATCH: Tornado destroys Hopkins Co. homes, businesses
Click here to watch my interview with a Hopkins County, Texas resident who survived a tornado destroying his home and business.
Tornado flattens Hopkins Co. homes, businesses; fire station destroyed
The National Weather Service is expected to survey a nearly five-mile wide debris field to determine if a tornado is responsible for extensive damage in Hopkins County on Thursday, April 3, 2014. A trained storm spotter reported a possible tornado that touched down around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday in the community of Birthright, north of Sulphur…
