Click here to watch my reports from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Category: Lane’s Topics
These posts are general interest topics that I address.
Hemphill museum to commemorate 18th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy
The Hemphill museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Space Shuttle Columbia will host its annual memorial service on Monday, the 18th anniversary of the tragedy that trust East Texas into international headlines. On the morning of February 1, 2003, the orbiter broke apart in the skies over East Texas, just minutes before Columbia’s…
WATCH: Fireworks illuminate sky at Natchitoches Festival of Lights
Click here to watch highlights from a world-class fireworks display at the Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights.
Talking Politics: Analyzing Texas election outcomes with international journalists
With Texas’ historic voter turnout during an unprecedented pandemic, the 2020 general election will likely be studied for years. President Donald Trump garnered roughly 600 thousand more votes in the Lone Star State than Democratic challenger Joe Biden, upending pundits’ predictions that Texas would turn “blue.” Democrats did make in-roads, expanding their reach in the…
WATCH: Hiking to one of the most spectacular views in Arkansas
Click here to experience one of the most scenic hikes in the Natural State — the trail to Hawksbill Crag.
WATCH: Autumn adventure at Paige Falls along the Buffalo National River
Click here to see the beauty of Paige Falls in northern Arkansas.
WATCH: Celebrating Autumn in the Arboretum
With the changing of seasons, Fall colors come alive at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Click here to take a tour.
Greta Van Susteren discusses first presidential debate of 2020
Greta weighs in on the first presidential debate of 2020, which was certainly unlike any other.
NASA closer to locating small leak in International Space Station after months-long search
NASA has isolated a persistent air leak in the International Space Station to the main work area of the Zvezda Service Module, the space agency announced Tuesday. For months, the Expedition 63 crew and ground teams have been analyzing data to locate the precise source of an increased air leak at the orbiting complex. Monday…
Astronauts emerge from shelter after ‘avoidance maneuver’ successful
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have emerged from their ‘safe haven’ after taking shelter inside their Soyuz spacecraft as an unknown piece of space debris approached the orbiting outpost. According to NASA, the object was expected to pass within .8 of a mile of the space station Tuesday afternoon. Around 4:19 p.m., the Russian…
Spacecraft to be named for astronaut who died in 2003 space shuttle tragedy
A spacecraft set to launch later this month will be named for a pioneer astronaut who died in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy in East Texas. Northrop Grumman announced its un-crewed NG-14 Cygnus spacecraft will be named for Kalpana Chawla, a NASA astronaut assigned to Shuttle Columbia’s ill-fated final mission. “It is the company’s…
Remembering General Erbon Wise, an extraordinary life of service
I was so very sad to hear of the passing of General Erbon Wise this week, just two days shy of his 100th birthday. I always looked forward to visiting with him every Fall in Natchitoches during our NSU Alumni Association/Foundation board luncheon. My college career was possible, in large part due to his generosity,…
WATCH: Hong Kong is home to the world’s fanciest McDonalds
Click here to see what’s on the menu at the fast-food chain’s concept store.
WATCH: Monahans Sandhills, a Texas-sized natural sandbox
Click here to look around dune field with some dunes as tall as 50 feet!
Big Bend Ranch: Where solitude meets adventure
Spectacular scenery and unmatched adventure await visitors to Big Bend Ranch State Park. The 300,000-plus-acre park in Presidio and Brewster counties is the largest in Texas. The West Texas desert landscape’s geological features and recreational opportunities draw outdoors enthusiasts from around the country. One of the easiest ways to take-in the vastness of the state…
Big Bend National Park, a Texas treasure and one of the most remote destinations in the U.S.
A jewel in the desert, Big Bend National Park is a bucket list destination tucked away in a remote corner of south Texas. Hours from the nearest major airport, its location restricts the park to only the most dedicated of travelers. As one of the least-visited national parks, last year they counted just more than…
The ‘world’s smallest Target store’ is actually a pop-up art display in West Texas
Blink and you’ll miss it. Situated on a remote stretch of U.S. Highway 90 in West Texas, the so-called ‘Tiny Target’ or ‘World’s Smallest Target Store’ has become a pilgrimage destination for curiosity seekers and art enthusiasts alike. Big Bend Country is known for its dark skies and wide open spaces, but it’s drawing more…
WATCH: A mineral masterpiece, millions of years in the making
Click here to journey below the surface into Sonora Caverns.
WATCH: Hiking in Palo Duro Canyon, Texas
Click here to join our recent hike in the country’s second largest canyon!
German lawmaker calls lockdowns, communication ’secrets to success’ in pandemic response
As Texas enters the next phase of re-opening its economy, a German lawmaker is sharing insight into his country’s strategy for emerging from lockdown, while managing the spread of COVID-19.
WATCH: International Space Station spotted over East Texas
The ISS, which travels 17,500 miles per hour, circles the Earth every 90 minutes. Click here to watch a flyover!
NASA shifts space agency to telework after workers test positive for COVID-19
NASA’s administrator has ordered the space agency’s employees and contractors to telework after a limited number of workers tested positive for COVID-19. “Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities,”…
Cloistered Dominican nuns mark 75 years of prayer in East Texas
The Monastery of the Infant Jesus is celebrating 75 years since its founding in East Texas. Located on Lotus Lane in north Lufkin, the community of nearly two dozen cloistered Dominican nuns are devoted to praying for the needs of the world around them. “I wanted to be hidden so that God could be the…
My Instagram Top 10: Back in Berlin
History, both triumphant and tragic, comes alive in Berlin, Germany. Click here to see some of my favorite sites.
Meet the Class: NASA’s newest astronauts could be assigned to Moon, Mars missions
NASA welcomed a new class of astronauts to its active roster Friday, marking the first time the space agency has held a public graduation ceremony. The class, selected in 2017, includes 11 NASA astronauts and two from the Canadian Space Agency. They join a corps of 35 others who are now eligible for assignment on…
My Instagram Top 10: Christmastime in the Crescent City
The Big Easy’s intoxicating spirit is unlike few places in America. Click here to see some of my favorite stops in New Orleans.
Thousands of stunning holiday decorations transform historic hotel lobby into ‘Waldorf Wonderland’
It’s not Christmastime in New Orleans until the lights shimmer in the iconic Roosevelt Hotel. In a tradition dating back to the 1930s, the historic hotel’s block long lobby is transformed into the Waldorf Wonderland, an elegant display of holiday decorations that draw crowds of visitors from around the world. Colors of white, red, gold…
World’s largest airport chaplaincy provides peace in busy DFW Airport
At the start of the holiday travel season, countless East Texans will be among the passengers navigating crowds at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Despite the airport being one of the busiest places on Earth, people are finding their faith inside one of the five DFW Airport interfaith chapels. “You don’t ever know how travel is…
Oklahoma boasts ‘tallest hill’ in the world
Poteau, Oklahoma claims to be home to the tallest hill in the world. Located on the far eastern side of the state, the elevation of Cavanal Hill’s summit is 1,999 feet. According to the local chamber of commerce, geographical features 2,000 feet or higher are typically classified as mountains. Whatever you want to call it,…
WATCH: Fireworks over Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate
Click here to watch the fireworks celebration on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Thousands gather at Germany’s Brandenburg Gate to celebrate anniversary of Berlin Wall falling
On the historic night of November 9, 1989, East and West Germans danced together on top of the Berlin Wall. Hours earlier, anyone crossing the border would have been shot by GDR state security. 30 years later, a crowd of 100 thousand returned to Berlin’s historic Brandenburg Gate, which was once surrounded by the wall,…
WATCH: Historic 3D video projected on Berlin buildings
Click here to watch scenes of 1989 projected on buildings to bring history alive.
Fmr. Ambassador reflects on George HW Bush’s role in German reunification
As the world marks 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former diplomat is reflecting on his tenure as the first U.S. ambassador to Germany following reunification. Robert M. Kimmitt held the post from 1991 to 1993, though his ties to Europe predate his birth. Like 20 percent of Americans, Kimmitt traces…
Historical group explores, documents Cold War stories from Berlin’s underground
Escaping the surveillance and oppression of the East German government during the Cold War often came at great risk. The impressively complex and often dangerous acts of desperation are highlighted in a series of tours organized by a group of Berliners who work to explore and preserve the history of the city’s underground. The Berliner…
Understanding the Wall: How the Berlin Wall divided a nation
Three decades after the so-called ‘Peaceful Revolution’ toppled the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, people are celebrating the anniversary of its climax — the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. More time has passed since the Wall came down than the nearly three decades it stood, but painful memories associated with…
