Lane Luckie

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…

Hitting close to home: Riding out Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles

Learning my Dad was okay after riding out Hurricane Laura in my hometown of Lake Charles, Louisiana was an answered prayer. Cell service is nearly non-existing in some places right now, so he was able to turn on the mobile wifi hotspot in his truck long enough to share why he’ll never do this again….

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.

East Texas NASA facility to play key role in football stadium-sized balloon mission to study stars

One of NASA’s next missions to study the origins of stars will feature a record-breaking telescope hoisted by a football stadium-sized balloon and the space agency is relying on an East Texas facility to make sure it gets off the ground. The Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths, or ASTHROS, is…

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 and…

Exploring a personal connection at the National World War II Museum

On this Pearl Harbor Day, I’m surrounded by history at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. This world-class museum is sure to provide a moving experience, whether it’s a first-time visit or especially if you have the honor of accompanying a veteran. Located on a six-acre campus in downtown, the museum…

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…

WATCH: Misconceptions, misinformation have led to ‘romanticization’ of Berlin Wall

Click here to watch Lane Luckie explain misconceptions and common questions about the Berlin Wall.

Art installation sends ‘wishes’ fluttering over post-Wall Berlin

Freely moving in the wind, independent, yet seemingly in harmony, 30-thousand ribbons dance in front of the Brandenburg Gate, Germany’s most visible symbol of unity. The vision of American artist Patrick Shearn and his studio Poetic Kinetics, a massive public art display drapes the setting for one of Germany’s biggest celebrations in years — the…

WATCH: Covering the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

Click this video to learn more about the dark history of post-World War II divided Germany.

International broadcaster exchange brings German journalist to KLTV/KTRE newsroom

An international exchange program is bringing another journalist from Germany to work side-by-side with the largest news organization in East Texas, KLTV and KTRE. Andreas Mitzkus will spend the next week shadowing and learning from producers, anchors, reporters, photographers, digital content producers, and news managers in the KLTV and KTRE newsroom. Mitzkus is a producer…

WATCH: Fall colors in bloom at America’s largest rose garden

Click here to take a tour of the eye-popping colorful blooms at the Tyler Rose Garden.

Retired NASA astronaut reflects on two Shuttle missions, future of human spaceflight

Two visits to low Earth orbit have forever changed the outlook on life for former NASA astronaut Byron Lichtenberg. Even though he’s now retired form the space agency’s astronaut corps, he’s still using those experiences to inspire the next generation of aerospace professionals. As a professor at LeTourneau University, he’s currently working with students to…

Frenchie’s Italian Cuisine: A slice of American space program history

As the more than one million visitors pass through the gates of Space Center Houston at NASA’s Johnson Space Center each year, few are aware they’re missing out on an essential stop that’s not on the tour. Three-quarters of a mile away, in a nondescript strip mall in Clear Lake City, Texas, the story of…