On the Line Starbear Studio

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.
 

Now on the sideline of the Republican presidential primary race, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson told Karl he will continue supporting his former opponent Nikki Haley in hopes that this year's GOP National Convention will nominate someone other than Donald Trump.
Hutchinson expressed his views on the primary and the former president, as well as several other issues such as Arkansas' recently enacted LEARNS education reform law, conflicts between federal and state government border security efforts, and coming economic development in Arkansas, including lithium production.