On the Line

In the 100th episode of "On the Line," host Karl Richter speaks with Texarkana, Arkansas, Mayor Allen Brown as he explains the November 2025 city bond issue election meant to fund street and drainage improvements. At the 51:30 mark, horror author Robert E. Stahl talks about his journey as an author and his debut collection of short stories, "Show Me Where It Hurts."

Dr. Laura Sikes returns to discuss what a typical Texarkana family would have eaten each day around the turn of the 20th century. Where did their food come from? How was it preserved and prepared? Dr. Sikes answers those questions and many more. Get ready to get hungry! LINKS Email Karl Email Laura

U.S. House Rep. Nathaniel Moran (TX-1) sat down with Karl on Monday, April 21, 2025, for his second "On the Line" interview. Topics included the economy and tariffs, separation of government powers, tax policy, and more, including some questions raised by Texarkana Gazette readers.

Mallory Wyatt talked with DeKalb (Texas) High School's Talisha Ingram, who recently won her second consecutive state powerlifting championship. Ingram and her coach Troy Zeringue about her preparation, her attitude and what's next in her athletic career.

If you like "On the Line," give this a listen. It's the latest episode of our new podcast "150 Years of the Texarkana Gazette." Karl Richter and Dr. Laura Sikes, history professor at" TAMU-Texarkana, chat about the Gazette's February history special section. It's filled with news stories that happened in Februaries over the course of the Gazette's 150 years.

UPDATE: Randy Sams' annual dueling pianos fundraiser is April 24, 2025. __ Karl spoke with Jennifer Lacefield, executive director of Texarkana's Randy Sams Outreach Shelter, about what the shelter does, who the local homeless population is and what they need, and what we all can do to help. LINKS Randy Sams website Randy Sams Facebook page

In this two-part episode, Karl first speaks with Redwater, Texas' own Hailey Wright, who is appearing on NBC singing competition show "The Voice." Then Arkansas State Historian David Ware and Katie Adkins, project director/archivist of the Arkansas Digital Newspaper Project, tell Karl about the history and preservation of Arkansas newspapers. LINKS "The Voice" Chronicling America - Library of Congress newspaper archive Email Karl Richter

Karl talked with Dr. Laura Sikes about railroads' importance in the founding and early development of Texarkana. OTHER LOCAL HISTORY EPISODES The Caddo Nation, Part 1 The Caddo Nation, Part 2 The Great Red River Raft LINKS Email Karl Email Laura The Texarkana Gazette Community Journalism Project The Gazette at 150 Podcast: 150 Years of the Texarkana Gazette Texas State Railroad (Palestine-Rusk round trip)

Olivia Poulton, executive director of Texarkana Public Library, and Mallory Wyatt, member of the TPL Centennial Committee, talk about celebrating the 100th anniversary of the library's founding in 1925. Fun monthly events through the year will lead to a black tie gala, and there's a lot more. They and Karl also discuss the various — and sometimes surprising — services the library offers the community. LINKS Texarkana Public Library website Texarkana Public Library Facebook page

The year’s first episode looks back at 2024 and forward to 2025. Gazette GM and Editor James Bright explained the new Texarkana Gazette Community Journalism Project and its goal: to raise $150,000 in honor of the Gazette’s 150th anniversary in 2025. Proceeds will be used for the sole purpose of supporting professional local news reporting.   In part two, host and producer Karl Richter takes listeners through a review of 2024’s “On the Line” interviews, introducing a clip from each.

Karl got some cooking advice from Cory House, executive chef of the Texas High School Culinary Arts Academy. From his preferred turkey roasting method to making the perfect mac and cheese, House shared tips meant to reduce the stress that can come with one of the biggest meals of the year.

Karl talked with Norm Lewis, the acclaimed singer and actor who will perform his solo show "Blockbuster Broadway" with the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra at the Perot Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. LINKS Norm Lewis official website The Perot Theatre Texarkana Symphony Orchestra

Larry Viezel has been passionate about “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” for three decades and is president of the Official Fan Club. In 2022, he and Karl talked about the show's history, cast, music and what's made it so special to generations of fans. Texarkana's Perot Theatre will present “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. LINKS Tickets: "Rocky Horror" at the Perot "The Rocky Horror Treasury: A Tribute to the Ultimate Cult Classic"

This episode is the third in our new local history series featuring Dr. Laura Sikes, assistant professor of history and director of the Red River Center for Regional History and Culture at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Laura continues the series with the history of the Great Raft, a miles-long logjam that blocked travel and shipping via the Red River for centuries. LINKS Source — "No Hope! The Story of the Great Red River Raft," by Mitchel Whitington Send Karl an email Send Dr. Sikes an email 

Texarkana Gazette Sports Director Jason Hopkins and reporter Austin Litterell talk about the 2024 edition of "The Audible," our comprehensive local and regional high school football preview magazine. Follow "On the Line" with your favorite podcast app Listen to previous episodes of "On the Line" and other Starbear Studio podcasts

In January 2024, Dr. Jenny McCormack Walker became executive director of Literacy Texas, a nonprofit that supports adult education efforts statewide. She previously was executive director of the Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties in Texarkana, Texas. She and Karl talked about her new role, the upcoming annual Literacy Texas conference, and her views of the adult education landscape across the state. LINKS Literacy Texas Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties

Texarkana native Matt Solomon became the Texas side's Historic Preservation Officer in January 2024, and he wasted no time getting to work compiling a survey of the city's historic markers. He and Karl talked about his plans to replace and reinstall some local markers, as well as people and places worthy of future markers. They also spoke about Texarkana, Texas, City Hall, and preparations to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its official opening in 2025.

Second-term Arkansas-side Mayor Allen Brown and Karl talk about a variety of topics including economic development, hiring for key city government positions and street repair.

This episode is the second in our new local history series featuring Dr. Laura Sikes, assistant professor of history and director of the Red River Center for Regional History and Culture at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Laura starts the series with the history of the Texarkana region’s original residents, the Caddo Nation. LINKS Source — “Caddo Indians: Where We Come From,” by Cecile Elkins Carter Caddo Indian Pottery Collection at Northeast Texas Community College Caddo Mounds State Historic Site Send Karl an email Send Dr. Sikes an email 

This episode is the first in our new local history series featuring Dr. Laura Sikes, assistant professor of history and director of the Red River Center for Regional History and Culture at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Laura starts the series with the history of the Texarkana region’s original residents, the Caddo Nation. LINKS Source — “Caddo Indians: Where We Come From,” by Cecile Elkins Carter Caddo Indian Pottery Collection at Northeast Texas Community College Caddo Mounds State Historic Site Send Karl an email Send Dr. Sikes an email 

The Gazette's Mallory Wyatt spoke with Lloyd Jackson, the recently hired superintendent of Texarkana Arkansas School District. Jackson talked about his background, his educational philosophy and his plans for the district.

On the Line's new local history series begins May 10, 2024. Dr. Laura Sikes, assistant professor of history and director of the Red River Center for Regional History and Culture at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, will join Karl to discuss the story of our city and region.

Gazette reporter Mallory Wyatt joined Karl to talk with Scott Dikkers, a comedy writer and comedy writing teacher best know as a co-founder and longtime editor of the satirical newspaper The Onion. He was in town to speak at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, where the interview took place. Scott talked about his background and career, as well as his perspective on comedy in a time when daily life can be all too serious, whether there's anything out of bounds to joke about, how to be funnier and a lot more. LINKS scottdikkers.com How to Write Funny website - Scott's resources for aspiring comedy writers How to Write Funny podcast

Thanks to the movie “The Legend of Boggy Creek,” the Fouke Monster is one of the most famous creatures ever to strike a chord in popular culture. That’s why the annual Fouke Monster Festival remains a tradition in Southwest Arkansas. This year, it’s April 26 and 27. The festival wouldn’t be the same without Lyle Blackburn, the researcher and documentary filmmaker who literally wrote the books — plural — on the monster. Lyle joined Karl from his home in Fort Worth to provide a little Fouke Monster 101 and talk about the sasquatch phenomenon in general. LINKS Lyle Blackburn's website 2024 Fouke Monster Festival

Students can visit our planetary neighborhood this month — without even leaving the Perot Theatre. “Janet’s Planet: A Tour of the Solar System” is a show with a purpose, to encourage children to engage with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) subjects. Longtime science educator Janet Ivey-Duensing, the show’s creator and host, knows how to make the process a blast. She and Karl also talked about how to prepare for the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse and what to expect when it happens. The show is just one part of the Janet’s Planet brand, which also includes online programming, a podcast and summer camps. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Ivey-Duensing has won multiple awards and honors for her work, most recently the American Astronomical Society’s Sally Ride Excellence in Education Award.