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…
Tag: Texas
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.
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…
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: Aerial survey of the East Texas ice storm
Click here to get an aerial tour of the East Texas ice storm’s impact on Smith County.
WATCH: Making snow for Holiday in the Park
Click here to see how they make snow for Holiday in the Park when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.
Next-gen NASA spacecraft to visit E. Texas on cross-country road trip
A test version of the Orion capsule left NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia early Thursday on the bed of an 18-wheeler, headed for California. The four-week road trip will make stops in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before an early January arrival in San Diego, California. A map showing the convoy’s…
Oscar-winning composer Will Jennings inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
Will Jennings, a native of Kilgore, Texas, is the newest member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. I met Jennings earlier this year, learning of his storied career and roots planted firmly in East Texas. In the late 1970s he wrote Barry Manilow’s hit, ‘Looks Like We Made It,’ and teamed with…
‘Name the Shuttle’ contest gives Texans chance to name space history icon
Texans now have the opportunity to name a high-fidelity replica of a NASA Space Shuttle, the centerpiece of a new attraction set to open in Houston. In early 2015, Space Center Houston will unveil an exhibit featuring the Shuttle replica seated atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, the Boeing 747 jumbo jet that ferried…
WATCH: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin speaks at CR Smith Museum
Click here to watch a portion of moon-walking astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s lecture at the CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.
Meeting moon-walking astronaut Buzz Aldrin
As a life-long space enthusiast, meeting astronaut Buzz Aldrin was a great honor for me. He gave a lecture and signed copies of his new book, “Mission to Mars,” at the American Airlines CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth on June 22, 2013.
WATCH: West Texas storm chase
Click here to watch our storm chase in the Texas panhandle.
Up close: West Texas storm chase intercepts tornado
Chasing funnel clouds through the rolling hills of Rusk County to being pummeled with hail on the interstate in Harrison County, the KLTV Mobile StormTracker vehicle has already been put through the gauntlet. Wanting to test some modifications to the camera system on the chase vehicle, Meteorologist Grant Dade and I set out to track…
Tonight Show ties to East Texas
This weekend I had the great pleasure of attending a performance by Doc Severinsen, the longtime bandleader of NBC’s Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The East Texas Symphony Orchestra brought him to Caldwell Auditorium for a concert with his band, The San Miguel Five. They were phenomenal! As a fellow trumpeter, hearing his high notes…
Texas lands massive piece of Space Shuttle history
Space Center Houston is adding a “jumbo” piece of space history to its already impressive fleet of retired spacecraft and aerospace vehicles. Thursday, NASA announced the transfer of ownership of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, to the official visitor’s center of the Johnson Space Center. The SCA, one of two modified Boeing 747 jumbo…
WATCH: Aerial view of ice storm from Chopper 7
Click here for an aerial view of the East Texas ice storm from KLTV’s Chopper 7.
WATCH: East Texans mark 10 years since Shuttle Columbia tragedy
Click here for my coverage of the 10th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy and recovery effort.
10 years after Shuttle Columbia tragedy, E. Texas museum preserves crew’s legacy
10 years have passed since East Texas was thrust into the national spotlight after Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart on re-entry over the Piney Woods. Obviously, it’s an emotional time for the families of the seven brave astronauts, but the small town of Hemphill is reflecting on their very deep and personal connection to the tragedy….
WATCH: My night with blues legend BB King
Click here for my interview with Blues legend BB King.
Legendary musician B.B. King sings the blues for East Texas audience
It’s not every day one of the most prolific musicians of the modern era performs in East Texas. Living legend B.B. King performed Thursday night in front of a crowd of hundreds at Tyler’s Caldwell Auditorium. Fans were treated to a trip through decades of musical magic from the moment the 87-year-old strapped on his…
E. Texas priest awaits ordination as bishop of Tyler diocese
In the two months since the announcement that Pope Benedict XVI had chosen a local priest to become the fourth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, Reverend Monsignor Joseph E. Strickland has kept a whirlwind schedule. Through his blog, “Run Father Run,” Bishop-elect Strickland has provided an inside look at his latest spiritual journey…
WATCH: Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final ferried flight
Click here for my coverage of the final ferried flight of Shuttle Endeavour from Florida to California.
KTRE newscast featured in MSNBC coverage of rare East Texas earthquake
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow featured a clip from KTRE’s newscast in her coverage of the May 2012 earthquake in Shelby County, Texas. Click here to watch.
Houston’s new space shuttle replica arrives by sea
After its hopes of landing a retired Space Shuttle were scrapped, Houston is now home to the next-closest thing — a full-size replica. Friday marked the end to an 8-day voyage across the Gulf of Mexico for the orbiter mock-up that had previously welcomed visitors to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Hundreds crowded along the…
WATCH: Power line wildfire spreads through Jasper County
Click the video below to watch my report on the ‘Power line’ wildfire spreading through Jasper County. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of KTRE/KLTV-TV or Raycom Media. They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2011 Lane Luckie
Why I’m ‘Proud of East Texas’
“Family first:” it may sound like a simple enough philosophy, but I’m certain this is a shared lifestyle for most East Texans. One of the things I love most about East Texas is the values-driven, family-centered lifestyle. My parents and relatives have shown me how these relationships can be a blessing throughout life. I think…
Larger than life: Remembering Congressman Charlie Wilson
The outpouring of comments, calls, and e-mails made it quite apparent that most every East Texan had at least some memory of Charlie Wilson’s influence. Following his death from cardiac arrest on February 10, 2010, everyone I came in contact with had an opinion of some sort. Many recalled the first time they met Wilson….
Judging the Southern Hushpuppy Championships
Nothing showcases ‘East Texas’ heritage like the people, food, and fanfare of the Texas State Forest Festival. First held as a county fair in 1938, the annual carnival and celebration of forestry activities has been held in Lufkin in its form since 1984. On Saturday, September 19, 2009, I had the privilege of taking part…
Oldest town in Texas celebrates diverse heritage
Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas, is quite proud of its rich heritage. Having worked for the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Natchitoches, Louisiana, I have a special interest in history and cultural studies. Through Nacogdoches’ architecture, people, food, and in the city’s general way of life it’s easy to see the many different influences. Sacred Heart…
Taking a walk on Lufkin’s wild side
Lions and tigers and bears, hippos and snakes; the Ellen Trout Zoo has them all. The zoo appears to be an East Texas hidden treasure. It is heralded as one of the best small city zoos in the United States, home to 800 wild and exotic animals from around the world. Endangered species are protected here and…
Caring. Committed. Proud of East Texas.
Caring. Committed. Proud… not your usual “Action News” or “On Your Side” marketing slogan. I’ve recently made a move to KTRE-TV in Lufkin/Nacogdoches, Texas to be the 6 and 10 p.m. anchor and executive producer. The slogan, which represents this station’s commitment to meaningful news coverage is known throughout the region. Over the years I’ve had the fortune of…
Standing eye-to-eye with Hurricane Ike
Gusts of wind topping 100 miles per hour, 20 foot storm surge, hazardous airborne debris; you couldn’t ask for a more hazardous work environment. Who would be crazy enough to voluntarily brave the elements? I’ve always thought it irresponsible and somewhat sensationalist for TV journalists to stand out in the middle of a hurricane, all for a…
Lane Luckie 