Lane Luckie

Longview High School choir embarks on trip to perform at D-Day observance in France

The Longview High School Lobo Choir is setting out on a trip of a lifetime after being invited to perform at the 80th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. On Monday, the group of 28 students and seven chaperones, led by director Melody McMullen, left Longview High School on a charter bus…

Texas Association of Broadcasters honors Lane Luckie’s anchoring, producing, special reports

KLTV journalist Lane Luckie’s special series ‘Germany In Focus’ was again honored by the Texas Association of Broadcasters, alongside an award for the station’s morning newscast. His live reporting from Germany last Fall was recognized as the winner of the Multimedia/ Digital Storytelling category the TV (Medium Markets) division for the 2024 Texas Broadcast News…

WATCH: Sailing on Charleston Harbor

Click here to enjoy a sailing tour of one of America’s most historic cities.

WATCH: Solar eclipse brings totality to Tyler, Texas

Click here to watch as Tyler, Texas experienced totality during the 2024 solar eclipse.

German journalist learns about local journalism from East Texas’ largest news organization

After spending three weeks in the U.S., a broadcast journalist from Germany says his experience in East Texas will impact his reporting once he returns home. In late March, Raphael Jung, a news editor for the ARD network in Berlin, participated in an exchange program for broadcasters through the RIAS Berlin Commission. RIAS, an acronym…

Looking back: A teen reporter on Capitol Hill

An unexpected flood of memories recently reminded me of one of the most formative experiences of my adolescence. I pulled a scrapbook and photos out of a storage closet after realizing it’s been 20 years since I attended Presidential Classroom in Washington, D.C. Flipping through my workbook, hand-written notes, and photographs provided a rush of…

Honoring the legacy of KLTV’s first newsman

95 years ago today, legendary KLTV 7 personality “Kip” Kippenbrock was born in Austin, Texas. He passed away in 2010, but is still beloved in East Texas. I am astonished by the impact he made during his tenure at KLTV. When I talk to long-time viewers around East Texas, they are all too eager to…

WATCH: Walking in an inflatable Winter Wonderland

Click here to watch this yard come alive with Holiday inflatables.

Marking 15 years at Your East Texas News Leader

Today marks 15 years since I first arrived at KLTV, KTRE! It’s a great reminder of how blessed I am to pursue my passion in life here in East Texas. From the Berlin Wall to the Great Wall of China, it’s been a privilege to take you around the world to show you how the…

International partnership brings more prominent journalists from Germany to KLTV newsroom

Two nationally-known journalists from Germany are learning about American broadcasters by spending a week embedded in the KLTV newsroom. Aline Abboud, a presenter for ARD network’s flagship ‘Tagesthemen’ broadcast, and Clara Pfeffer, a political correspondent for the RTL and ntv networks, are both fellows of the RIAS Berlin Commission, a bi-national exchange program for journalists…

For Hollywood star Sean Astin, mental health advocacy is personal

Really impressed by actor Sean Astin! Got to spend some time with him Friday while serving as master of ceremonies for Mosaic Counseling Centers of East Texas’ ‘Peace of Mind’ Luncheon. From the adventurous Mikey Walsh in ‘The Goonies’ to the determined Rudy and the steadfast Samwise Gamgee in the epic ‘Lord of the Rings’…

WATCH: Germany In Focus coverage from Cologne & Munich, Germany

Click here to watch my special reports from Germany this Fall.

WATCH: Zugspitze, the top of Germany

Here’s a look at how to get to the Zugspitze summit in the Alps.

Texas orders review of efforts to educate K-12 students about atrocities of Holocaust

A newly-enacted Texas law calls for a survey of the state’s 1,200 public school districts to review efforts to better educate students about genocide and the Holocaust. On September 1, HB 3466 took effect, directing the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC) to review school districts’ implementation of requirements related to observances of…

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs central to NFL strategy to tackle football frenzy in Germany

In Texas, football has long reigned king. But interest in Europe is exploding right now and the NFL is paying attention. A sign of the league’s commitment to expand its fan base globally, five regular season games will be played abroad this Fall – three in London, United Kingdom and two in Frankfurt, Germany. One…

Kilgore planning own festival as Munich, Germany celebrates 188th Oktoberfest

Record crowds are expected to celebrate the 188th Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany this month, marking the massive festival’s second year since back-to-back cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than six million visitors each year make the celebration of Bavarian tradition the largest festival in the world. Record crowds are expected to celebrate the 188th Oktoberfest…

Diedrich A.W. Rulfs: the German immigrant who became Nacogdoches’ master architect

Few names are as widely known in Nacogdoches as Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, or Thomas J. Rusk. But there’s one lesser-known figure whose lasting impact is plainly visible in every corner of the city – Deidrich Anton Wilhelm Rulfs. “As far as local history is concerned, belongs even higher than these people,” said Nacogdoches…

WATCH: The beauty of the Cologne Cathedral

Click here to listen to the beautiful choir during the Introductory Rites of Sunday Mass at the Cologne Cathedral.

As Texas debates high-speed rail projects, Germany looks to triple rail network

It could be years before either of the two proposed high-speed rail projects connecting Texas’ largest cities becomes a reality. But Germany, seen as a model in the industry, is exploring a growth plan that would triple its rail network. This Summer, Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced a goal of connecting two-thirds of Europeans by high-speed…

Bishop of Tyler points to exodus in German church in warnings ahead of Vatican conference

In a recent pastoral letter to the approximately 120 thousand Catholics in East Texas, Bishop Joseph Strickland warns of an “evil and false message that has invaded the Church.” The August 22 letter reiterates what the Bishop of Tyler refers to as ‘basic truths that have always been understood by the Church” and says they…

Georgia sea turtle hospital rehabs threatened species, returns ‘patients’ to ocean

Seemingly ancient relics of massive trees create a maze in the sands of Driftwood Beach, an iconic destination on Georgia’s Jekyll Island. The petrified forest on the beach draws thousands of tourists to south Georgia’s Golden Isles each year. But the 10 miles of shoreline are also a favorite nesting spot for threatened sea turtles….

WATCH: British colonial fate decided at Fort Frederica

Fort Frederica, on Saint Simons Island, Georgia, was established in 1736 to defend the British colony against Spanish attack from Florida. Click here to take a tour.

East Texas pastor guided spiritual healing after America’s first mass shooting in a church

As gun violence in America has many churches taking a closer look at security plans, one East Texas pastor has a unique perspective on the matter. Brother Norman Crisp’s congregation at First Baptist Church in Daingerfield knows tragedy firsthand. On June 22, 1980, a gunman opened fire there, ultimately killing 5 people and wounding 10…

WATCH: Zion National Park, a wondrous sanctuary in southwest Utah

Click here to take a video tour of Zion National Park’s natural beauty.

WATCH: The glorious Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

Click here to be amazed by the grandeur of one of America’s natural wonders.

Spanning eight decades of history, Hoover Dam remains a modern marvel

Spanning the border of Nevada and Arizona, Hoover Dam was completed in 1935. It regulates river flow, provides flood control and provides water storage supplying water to portions of California, Nevada, Arizona and Mexico. It can produce some of the largest quantities of electricity in the U.S., generating about four billion kilowatt-hours of energy annually….

German journalist learns about local journalism in U.S. through partnership with KLTV

An exchange program for American and German journalists is building bridges of understanding through the field of broadcasting. A news presenter for a regional public TV network in eastern Germany just spent a week embedded in the KLTV newsroom, the largest news organization in East Texas. Janett Eger, a journalist with Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), presents…

McClung family moving to Poland to pursue ministry as YWAM missionaries

An East Texas family is preparing to embark on a long-term mission to serve others in the region from a newly-established ministry base in southern Poland. This week marks one year since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The anniversary highlights an ongoing humanitarian crisis across central Europe. In early May, the McClung family…

Reflecting on 20 years since the Shuttle Columbia tragedy

East Texas will never forget February 1, 2003. 20 years ago, a national tragedy unfolded in our backyard and East Texas showed the world what it means to help neighbors in need. East Texas has vowed to never forget the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107 crew. They’ll never forget the 25,000+ volunteers who came from around…

Tyler Sister Cities Organization fundraising second round of humanitarian relief for Ukrainian refugees

The Tyler Sister Cities Organization is raising funds to send more humanitarian relief to thousands of Ukrainian refugees in its sister city of Jelenia Góra, Poland. Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, millions of refugees have fled across the border into Poland. Tyler’s longtime sister city of Jelenia Góra, located…

Tyler Fire Chief sends customized ‘Ben Franklin’ style fire helmet to Polish counterpart

An early Christmas gift just arrived at the main fire station in Tyler’s sister city in Poland. The commander of the fire brigade in Jelenia Góra recently unboxed a customized American-style fire helmet, a symbol of gratitude from Tyler Fire Chief David Coble. In late September, Coble was part of a small group of representatives…

Space Station device monitored lightning in East Texas during last week’s tornadic storms

As powerful storms produced tornadoes in East Texas last week, a special device was tracking lightning data from the International Space Station, flying 250 miles overhead. On Tuesday, December 13, a National Weather Service survey determined an EF2 tornado with peak winds of 115 mph touched down in northern Panola County around 3:30 p.m., traveling…

For centuries, the Sallier Oak has symbolized survival in southwest Louisiana

In Southwest Louisiana, the names Audrey, Rita, Laura, and Delta are notorious — the powerful Hurricanes that wrought devastation and erased livelihoods for so many. But there’s one name associated with resilience in the face of Mother Nature’s fury: Sallier. The stately Sallier Oak, an enormous live oak tree named after one of Lake Charles’…

Preserving a piece of cultural history

What a great honor to have my photo of the 1803 Pacale-Roque House in Natchitoches, Louisiana featured in the Winter issue of 64 Parishes Magazine! The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities put together a nice feature on the restoration and relocation of this architectural and cultural treasure. Built by a man of color who purchased…

WATCH: Poland’s Valley of Palaces and Gardens

Click the video below for a brief tour of several castles in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of Poland.