Texarkana Gazette
President flexes executive power with unprecedented flouting of court rulings
When a federal judge shot down a Trump administration policy of holding immigrants without bond last December, it seemed like a serious blow to the president’s mass deportation effort. Instead, a top Justice Department official insisted the ruling...
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Hope High School student is Arkansas recipient of national leadership award
HOPE, Ark. — A Hope High School student has been awarded the Billy Michal Student Leadership Award presented by the National Association of Student Councils. Jair Arroyo, a 17-year-old junior, is the Arkansas recipient of the award, which is presented...
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Sling Fit awarded $10,000 first prize at annual Pitch It Texarkana
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Entrepreneurs from across the region took the stage Thursday at Crossties Event Venue to present their business ideas at the fifth annual Pitch It Texarkana competition. Hosted by The Assembly Line, the competition brought together...
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Remembering Graycen
Flowers decorate a table at a memorial for Graycen Vargo on Thursday evening at Texas A&M University-texarkana. Vargo collapsed while competing April 24 at the Red River Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Xavier University in New...
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Employees claim wages not coming as they should
TEXARKANA, Texas — Magnolia Assisted Living and Memory Care employees protested outside the facility Wednesday morning over what they say are inconsistencies in their paychecks. Over the past few months, nine employees have resigned and two more have...
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Annual Hawkins, Wilbur awardees honored
TEXARKANA, Texas — Leadership Texarkana honored several community leaders Tuesday during its annual Lunch with Leaders, including presenting its top distinction, the Idalee Hawkins Leader of the Year Award, to Eric Cain. The Hawkins Award, given...
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Saving lives
TEXARKANA, Texas — An effort to combat opioid overdoses in the area is under way with the installation of free naloxone vending machines. A naloxone machine has been installed in the lobby at Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter in Texarkana and at East...
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Two bodies discovered after Queen City fire
QUEEN CITY, Texas — Two people were found dead after an early-morning fire at a truck stop on U.S. Highway 59. Approximately 5 a.m. Sunday, Cass County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a fire at Punj Truck Stop and Indian Restaurant in the 22200 block...
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Strike King tournament crowns champion
Rickey Morris, of Calera, Okla., hugs his family after winning the $100,000 first prize at the National Professional Fishing League’s Strike King Stop 2 tournament Saturday on Millwood Lake in Ashdown, Ark. Morris totaled 48 pounds over three days of...
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Trump dispatches Witkoff and Kushner for new talks with Iran
ISLAMABAD — President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan to meet with Iran’s foreign minister, the White House said Friday, as officials in the South Asian nation pushed to revive ceasefire talks between the...
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Pro anglers descend on Millwood Lake
Trucks and boat trailers fill the Yarborough Landing parking, above, on Day 1 of the National Professional Fishing League’s Strike King NPFL Stop 2 tournament Thursday at Millwood Lake. The tournament has attracted nearly 120 professional bass anglers...
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Iran fires on three ships in Strait of Hormuz as U.S. maintains blockade, diplomacy stalls
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them on Wednesday, intensifying its assault on shipping in the key waterway. The attacks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire...
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Food truck sells traditional Salvadorian food
TEXARKANA, Texas — La Unica Pupuseria offers traditional and non-traditional Salvadorian pupusas. The food truck, La Unica Pupuseria, which translates to The Only Pupuseria, has been open for more than three years now and is owned by Yesenia Salas,...
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Patterson Place expected to open in June
Patterson Place, which will serve as a commercial/ short-term rental space, should open by the end of June, owner Dr. Kevin Hayes said. The Beauty BAR txk will expand into an adjacent, first-floor commercial space, according to Hayes. Two other...
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President threatens to blockade Strait after Iran talks fail
ISLAMABAD — President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after historic U.s.-iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement or next...
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Waggin’ Wiener Run benefits Texarkana Animal League
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Dachshunds and their fellow small-breed competitors made for a doggone good time Saturday at the Waggin’ Wiener Run, drawing hundreds for an afternoon of lighthearted competition and community fundraising. Held at Hopkins Icehouse,...
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‘Site-neutral billing’
Patients receiving care at some Trinity Clinics in Texarkana are balking at unexpected hospital facility bills following their treatment. Texarkana resident and Medicare recipient Ronnie Voltz went to an outpatient Trinity Clinic for carpal tunnel...
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State of The Cities
NASH, Texas — The city’s newest gathering place welcomed municipal and business leaders Wednesday to review accomplishments over the past two years and outline plans for economic growth. The annual State of the Cities conference, organized by...
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Many in region struggle with math
TEXARKANA — Many adults in Bowie County, Texas, and Miller County, Arkansas, struggle with math, according to the local Literacy Council. About 40% of the counties’ populations struggle with using, talking about and interpreting mathematical concepts...
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Risky rescue of downed crew relied on dozens of aircraft and subterfuge
WASHINGTON — The United States relied on dozens of aircraft, hundreds of personnel, secret CIA technology and a dose of subterfuge to rescue a two-man fighter jet crew downed deep inside Iran, a risky mission that President Donald Trump and his top...
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President Trump issues a fiery new threat against Iran
TEHRAN, Iran — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday made expletive-laden new threats to escalate strikes on Iran and its infrastructure if it doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz by his deadline, after American forces rescued an aviator whose Iran-downed...
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EYES ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Zander Ames peers through a custom fidget spinner at his home Monday in Texarkana, Texas. Ames created the gadget on his 3D printer. He and friends Davis Meador, Davis Early and Coleman Craig have formed Build Bros TXK, a burgeoning 3D printing business.
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LIGHTS UP ,LET’S GO
Tex Owens takes in the scenes as he, father Alan, mother Bethanie and older brother Tuff stand in line to enter the 81st Four States Fair on opening day Friday in Texarkana, Ark. Unlimited ride bands for Friday through Sunday, April 5, are available...
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Over the moon
Tyson Marshall, from left, Julian Ozuna and Nathan Hernandez huddle around their laptop as they prepare their VEX GO wheeled robot for a lunar obstacle course as part of the Gifted and Talented Academy’s Artemis project Thursday at Westlawn Elementary...
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Astronauts bound for moon on NASA’S first lunar voyage in decades
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts embarked on a high-stakes flight around the moon Wednesday, humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than half a century and the thrilling leadoff in NASA’S push toward a landing in two years. Carrying three...
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Photography project coming to Texarkana
TEXARKANA — A photographer is on a cross-country journey to document the lives of everyday working Americans will stop in Texarkana. Aaron Patton’s trip is a nonprofit project aimed at capturing the nation’s identity. Patton is a professional...
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TC, TAMUT, RRAD share $5M grant
TEXARKANA, Texas — Texarkana College’s Board of Trustees heard a presentation on Monday regarding a large grant the college is receiving along with other local partners. TC, Texas A&M University-texarkana and Red River Army Depot are receiving funds...
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Fair brings in new company to amp up experience
TEXARKANA, Ark. — The 81st Four States Fair & Rodeo will be a novel carnival experience, organizers say. The Lights Up, Let's Go show opens Friday at Four States Fairgrounds, 3700 E. 50th St., with a new partner for the midway, North American Midway...
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No Kings Rally held downtown
TEXARKANA — Arklatex United organized a No Kings Rally downtown Saturday near the Confederate Mothers Monument. “We’ve had a couple of No Kings protests here in Texarkana that have been successful. We keep gathering newer and newer people, new faces,...
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L-E hosts district tennis meet
Liberty-eylau’s Emily Garrett lines up for a forehand as she and teammate Kadence Perry take on the Atlanta team of Colt Engle and Adrianna Davis in the mixed doubles final of the Region II District 14-3A tennis meet Friday at Liberty-eylau High School...
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Energyx touts lithium tech at local plant
BOWIE COUNTY, Texas — Energy Exploration Technologies Inc., known as Energyx, on Thursday unveiled its lithium extraction demonstration plant at Texamericas Center. The event marked the public debut of the company’s “Project Lonestar” site, where...
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Morriss robotics teams prepare for national, world-level competitions
TEXARKANA, Texas — Two robotics teams from Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics and Engineering Elementary School are preparing for further competitions. Girl Greatness 2.0 and Mystery Cowboys have been continuously tinkering with their technological...
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‘Sightseeing with Sandy’
DALLAS — What began as a storytelling journey shared between a mother and daughter has grown into an interactive experience designed to bring families together. Local authors and Texarkana natives Shambrekia Wise and her daughter, Sandiya Badmus,...
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Group’s tea parties support nonprofits
TEXARKANA, Texas — A group of local women is transforming fellowship into philanthropy to support nonprofits across the Texarkana area. Women of Texarkana Tea Party, founded by Katina Levingston, is a community-driven organization that brings women...
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MAN ON THE STREET
TEXARKANA — Gasoline prices have soared since the start of the Iran war Feb. 28. On Sunday, the nationwide average price of gas reached $3.94, up more than a dollar from just a month earlier, according to an Associated Press report. The average price...
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Randy Sams annual 2 Pianos fundraiser will benefit local homeless
TEXARKANA, Texas — Randy Sams Outreach Shelter is gearing up to host its ‘2 Pianos Downtown’ fundraiser, an event that supports services for people experiencing homelessness. “2 Pianos Downtown,” the largest annual fundraiser for the organization,...
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Hoop Hereos claim the state basketball title at Special Olympics tourney
BENTON, Ark. — The Hoop Heroes are bringing home a state title. The Texarkana Resources for the Disabled basketball team won the Special Olympics state championship on Friday. In the semifinals, the team defeated the CB Kings, 33-32, to advance to...
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Liberty-eylau ISD announces five teachers of the year
TEXARKANA, Texas — Liberty-eylau Independent School District surprised five teachers on Wednesday afternoon by announcing them as teachers of the year. Each teacher received a bouquet and a certificate to commemorate the honor. The teachers of the...
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Texarkana rallies for Hoop Heroes
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Texarkana Resources for the Disabled honored its Hoop Heroes basketball team Wednesday with a parade celebrating the athletes’ advancement to the Special Olympics state competition. Community members lined East 19th Street to cheer...
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FLOWER POWER
WASHINGTON, Ark. — Thousands of blooming jonquils, historic building tours and live entertainment will welcome visitors to the 58th annual Jonquil Festival this weekend at Historic Washington State Park. The two-day festival, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5...
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War rages on multiple fronts as Israeli attacks in Lebanon grow
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The war in the Middle East raged on multiple fronts Monday, as the U.S. and Israel pummeled military targets in Iran's capital, Israel stepped up its campaign against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Iran retaliated with a drone...
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‘Rescuing’ baby animals can do more harm than good
TEXARKANA — Spring and early summer are the most common time for wild animals to be born. Game wardens and wildlife rescues also start receiving a lot of calls from well-meaning people who have found a baby animal in the wild and want to “rescue”...
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Iran war enters third week
Plumes of smoke rise Saturday after debris from an intercepted Iranian drone struck an oil facility, according to authorities, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Iran urged people Saturday to evacuate the Middle East’s busiest port and two others in...
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Texarkana Regional Airport opens relief area for service animals
Oakley, center, and Astrid take in the sights in the newly opened service animal relief area Friday at Texarkana Regional Airport. The dogs were there with paw pal Bones and a crew from Muttworks in the Barklatex to test out the room, which is on the...
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Iran’s supreme leader resolves to keep fighting in first public remarks
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s secretive new leader issued his first public statements Thursday, resolving to keep fighting, promising more pain for Gulf Arab states and threatening to open “other fronts” in a war that has already disrupted world...
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Pentagon tells Congress first week of Iran war cost $11.3B
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran fired on commercial ships Wednesday and targeted Dubai International Airport, escalating a campaign of bottling up the oil-rich Persian Gulf as global energy concerns mounted and American and Israeli airstrikes...
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Local winterguard teams perform at Four States competition
TEXARKANA, Texas — Six local teams as well as several regional teams performed at the Four States Performing Arts Association Winterguard Competition on Saturday. The junior varsity and varsity teams for Arkansas High School, Pleasant Grove High...
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Local foundation awards nearly $8K in teacher grants
TEXARKANA, Texas — The Liberty-eylau Independent School District Education Foundation awarded nearly $8,000 in teacher grants Monday for projects ranging from phonics programs to adaptive learning tools for students receiving in-home...
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Texas judge orders Camp Mystic to preserve grounds hit by deadly flood
AUSTIN — A Texas judge on Wednesday ordered Camp Mystic to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the grounds hit by last year’s catastrophic floods that swept away and killed 25 girls and two counselors. The order follows a lawsuit by the family...
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‘Made for more’
TEXARKANA, Texas — Texas A&M University-texarkana softball player Lauren Cox remains in the classroom and on the field as she undergoes treatment for a rare type of ovarian cancer. During her sophomore wife, Heather, who is TAMUT’S year, 20-year-old...
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Service celebrates Jesse Jackson’s legacy
Former President Barack Obama speaks Friday during the Public Homegoing Service for the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the House of Hope in Chicago. From former presidents to an NBA Hall of Famer to prominent pastors, stories of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s...
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Education Foundation distributes nearly $107K in grants to PG educators
TEXARKANA, Texas — Several teachers at Pleasant Grove Independent School received grants Thursday from the district’s Education Foundation. The foundation distributed over $106,000 to 16 teachers and administrators. Education Foundation members,...
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Main Street delivers loan, grants
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Two downtown businesses and the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday got no-interest loans and incentive grants from local nonprofit Main Street Texarkana. Southern Grace Baby Boutique, GQ Look and the auditorium received a...
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PGISD honors teachers of the year
TEXARKANA, Texas — A select few teachers across Pleasant Grove Independent School District were surprised in the middle of the day with a big announcement. Four teachers were voted as their campus’ teacher of the year by their peers, according to...
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Abbott stumps at local restaurant
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas speaks during a campaign event for Chris Spencer at Texas Chuck Wagon restaurant on Wednesday in Nash, Texas. Spencer, a Republican, is campaigning for District 1 in the Texas House of Representatives. Abbott, who is seeking a...
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State of the Union
President Donald Trump arrives before delivering the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
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For Northeast blizzard, everything was just right to roll up a monster snowfall
WASHINGTON — The nor’easter smacking much of the Northeast with nearly 3 feet of snow in places is as classic and powerful a blizzard as you can get, the strongest in a decade and up there with the most intense in history, meteorologists said. The...
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Thousands cast ballots in first week of early voting
More than 6,200 ballots were tallied in Miller and Bowie counties in the first week of early voting in the March 3 primary elections. Bowie County, Texas, posted the higher number, with 5.86% of its 60,472 registered voters casting ballots from...
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Sharks in action at state swim meet
Texas High School senior Fernando Olalde powers through the water as he swims the third leg in the 200-yard freestyle final consolation final at the UIL Class 5A Swimming and Diving state meet on Saturday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center...
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Tigersharks to swim in three races on final day of state meet
AUSTIN — Texas High School advanced in three races after preliminary competition Friday in the UIL Class 5A Swim and Dive State Meet at the University of Texas. The Tigersharks will compete in the consolation finals of 200-yard medley relay, 200...
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Authorities ‘not ruling anything out’ in disappearance of Louisiana man
TEXARKANA, Ark. — A Louisiana family suspects foul play in the disappearance of their brother. Johnny Hamilton, 73, was last seen Jan. 5 at his home in Rodessa, Louisiana. Hamilton’s 2001 red Chevrolet Silverado was discovered Wednesday in Nix Creek...
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Local Amazon facility hosts ribbon-cutting, tour
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Various leaders and officials celebrated the recent opening of Amazon’s local “last-mile” distribution center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. Amazon and the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce organized the invitation-only...
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