A boating accident on Lake Palestine in Smith County nearly ended in tragedy for two families. Now, almost 40 years later, they’re finally learning the story of the man who rescued them and saved eight lives. Decades ago, Becky and Rodney Owens, their kids, and family friends were enjoying an afternoon of boating while visiting…
Tag: East Texas
Wine-making family weathers seasons of change by relying on prayer
Kiepersol Estates Winery is marking 20 years in East Texas. Their journey from South Africa has become a testament to the power of prayer. The homegrown business has weathered everything from weather extremes to the loss of its founder. But there’s now a sense of peace at the vineyards in Bullard, according to proprietor Marnelle…
German journalist embedded in KLTV newsroom as part of international exchange
As the main anchor of Germany’s international broadcaster, Sarah Kelly is the face of Deutsche Welle’s coverage of the world’s biggest stories. Over the last decade, her personal and professional travels have taken her from the World Economic Forum to the G-20 summit, though, a three-week whirlwind tour of the U.S., including a week in…
Good Samaritan couple survives roadside crash
After a violent roadside crash, an East Texas couple is dedicating their lives to restoring others’ relationships with God. Late on May 19, Jerry and Sheri Beeson pulled off Interstate 20 at the Farm-to-Market Road 31 overpass west of Marshall. They were trying to help a man who had wrecked his Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier…
Celebrating a trailblazer among women in broadcasting
Many broadcasters spend their careers moving from city to city, hopping among newsrooms until they find the perfect fit. Very few people can say they’ve worked in any industry for nearly 50 years, let alone spending 44 years in one company. Veteran journalist Joan Hallmark is celebrating an extraordinary tenure with the KLTV and KTRE…
KLTV newsroom hosts German journalist in Trans-Atlantic exchange
As so-called ‘cord cutting’ and mobile technology trends drive the ways consumers connect with news and information, journalists are constantly adapting to the needs of their audiences. For more than two decades, an exchange program for American and German broadcasters has been building bridges of understanding — both personally and professionally. More than 1,200 American…
Commander’s widow shares journey of faith on 15th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy
This month marks 15 years since the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart over East Texas. The widow of the Columbia’s commander is sharing how that tragedy turned into a test of faith for her family. While enduring the loss of a spouse wasn’t easy, Evelyn Husband-Thompson says she has been able to find healing comfort…
German journalist visits East Texas through RIAS exchange, spends week in KLTV newsroom
Only a week after returning from my fellowship in Europe, I had a unique chance to continue my trans-Atlantic learning exchange by hosting a German RIAS fellow in East Texas. Charlotte Potts, a presenter for ZDF and political correspondent for Deutsche Welle, is no stranger to the U.S., having lived in Washington, DC for seven…
WATCH: Light ’em up! 40th annual Great Texas Balloon Race
Founded in 1978, the Great Texas Balloon Race has become one of the premiere ballooning events in the world. Click here to watch highlights.
Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry uses ministry to reach others battling addiction
After a very public fall from grace, a Major League Baseball legend, has dedicated his life to preaching the Gospel and sharing a message of redemption. Darryl Strawberry became one of the biggest stars in baseball in the 1980s and 1990s, until his career was derailed by drugs. Drafted by the New York Mets, Strawberry…
WATCH: Finding signs of hope buried in Tornado debris
More than 40 volunteers showed up to help a Henderson County family search through what remains of their home, which was destroyed Saturday by a violent tornado.
WATCH: Judging the Official Texas Gumbo Cook-off
For the last few years, I’ve had the great privilege of being invited to judge the Official Texas Gumbo Cook-off. Click here to check out what goes into the competition!
WATCH: Riding atop a fire engine in Longview’s Christmas Parade
One of my favorite community events in all of East Texas is the annual Longview Christmas Parade. Click here to watch.
WATCH: Flying around storms over northeast Texas
Click here to watch a time-lapse of my flights into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Tyler Pound Regional Airport.
Hidden among the pines, The Blue Hole is preserved as a Texas treasure
Nestled in the Angelina National Forest in Deep East Texas, 36 miles southeast of Lufkin, is one of the hidden jewels of Texas. The Blue Hole, as it’s known, is a brilliant blue-green-colored lake surrounded by the craggy white sandstone cliffs of a former rock quarry. First opened in the late 1800s, rock was removed…
WATCH: Kayaking at Tyler State Park
Click here to watch a quick 360 degree view of the 64-acre spring-fed lake at Tyler State Park.
WATCH: Inside Tyler’s Cotton Belt Depot Museum
Click here to learn more about the thousands of model trains and East Texas railroad artifacts housed inside the Cotton Belt Depot Museum.
WATCH: Walk through America’s largest rose garden
Click here to take a tour of the largest rose garden in America, the Tyler Rose Garden. Fragrant roses aren’t the only flowers currently in bloom.
WATCH: Spring blooms in the 57th annual Tyler Azalea Trail
Click here to watch a tour of the 57th annual Tyler, Texas Azalea and Spring Flower Trails, which draws more than 100,000 visitors to the city each year.
WATCH: World War II era Consolidated B-24 Liberator flies over Tyler
Click here to watch a World War II era Consolidated B-24 Liberator fly over The Cascades Country Club in Tyler, Texas, on approach to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.
New spacecraft named after astronaut killed in E. Texas space shuttle tragedy
The next cargo spacecraft to launch to the International Space Station will bear the name of an American astronaut killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy over East Texas. An Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft bearing the name S.S. Rick Husband will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 22. Husband served as commander of…
Where to find the best gumbo in Texas
Texas is proud of its culinary heritage — a figurative and literal melting pot of cultures and signature dishes known the world over. Drawing discerning foodies from around the world, the Lone Star State is no longer catering only to those with a taste for barbecue. Kitchens are serving up creations by world-renowned chefs and…
East Texas Symphony presents ‘Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant’
Have you ever heard of a “Zipperpotamus,” a “Panthermometer,” or a “Pop-Up Toadster?” These imaginative animals come to life illustrated in the children’s book, “Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant” were brought to life in the East Texas Symphony’s Family Concert on Saturday, February 27. I had the great privilege of serving as narrator for the poetry,…
Remembering a pioneer in East Texas television history
This week, we learned of the passing of KLTV’s first chief engineer, Hudson Collins, who lived a long life of 94 years. While I never had the opportunity to meet him, I’m fascinated by many of the details of his pioneering career. An engineer is an important position in any television station, but he holds…
WATCH: Spectacular sunrise takeoff from Tyler Pounds Regional Airport
Click here to watch a time-lapse of push back, taxiing, and takeoff from my sunrise flight from Tyler to Houston, Texas.
WATCH: Helicopter tour over Tyler, Texas
Click here to get a view of Tyler, Texas during my ride-along with Air One, ETMC’s air ambulance service, which celebrates 30 years of operation in 2015.
Pastor’s spiritual walk leads him from orphanage to Capitol Hill
As a coach, pastor, and foster parent, Reverend Jerome R. Milton has touched the lives of hundreds of East Texans. On December 12, 2012, his devotion to spreading the word of God earned him an invitation to lead the U.S. House of Representatives in prayer as guest chaplain. After an introduction by East Texas congressman…
Actor Kirk Cameron shares his spiritual walk from atheist to evangelist
Actor Kirk Cameron became a pop culture idol as the star of the 1980s hit TV comedy ‘Growing Pains.’ Raised in a family without God, he found his faith while portraying teenager Mike Seaver on the ABC sitcom. Now, as one of the most prominent Christian voices in Hollywood, Cameron is inspiring others by sharing…
Advice from a 105-year-old with no intent of slowing down
What a privilege and honor it was Wednesday morning to visit with Tyler resident Earline Andrews on her 105 birthday. She happens to be the oldest living graduate of my alma mater, Northwestern State University! I don’t think she could have been more delighted when we arrived with a beautiful bouquet of flowers on behalf…
WATCH: Helicopter drops golf balls for charity tournament
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.
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: 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…
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…
