On the Line

The unsolved murders of young Karen and Gordon Alexander have haunted Texarkana for more than 40 years. In April 1981, Karen, 14, and Gordon, 13, were found brutally stabbed to death in their Arkansas-side home. Infamous serial killer Henry Lee Lucas later claimed to be the murderer, but his confession was found to be false. The case went cold, but interest has recently increased, in large part because of a Facebook group focused on finding justice for Karen and Gordon. That new spotlight on the case attracted the attention of this episode's guest. Texarkana native Cheryl Hester is an expert in the emerging science of forensic genealogy. Karl and Cheryl talked about what that means and how her skills just might lead to a breakthrough in the Alexander case. LINK: AdvanceDNA ...

In May, Texarkana native Jrmar “JJ” Jefferson won the Democratic nomination to represent Texas' 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. With about 12 weeks until voting begins, we offered Jefferson the opportunity to share his story and views. As you'll hear, he had a lot to say. ...

In this episode recorded in January, Texarkana Gazette reporter Andrew Bell joined host Karl Richter to interview Christa Henry, boys' soccer coach at Texarkana's Pleasant Grove High School. As you'll hear, there's no limit to her passion for the game. She talked about the career path that led her to Texarkana, her plans to build a championship team and what it's like to be a woman coaching a boys sport. ...

Between high gas prices, global supply chain problems and a new headline about electric vehicles practically every day, many people are thinking about what they drive. It's the perfect time to check in with Bill Owney, who writes the Gazette's weekly “Test Drive” car review column. Bill and host Karl Richter talked about the current car market, the future of EVs, how to cut your fuel bill, the new vehicles he loves and a lot more. ...

Recently hired Arkansas High School athletic director and head football coach Trey Outlaw brings a track record of success to his new position. As you'll hear, he has worked with many of the winningest football coaches and programs in Arkansas. Guest host Andrew Bell talked with Outlaw about his goals for the Razorbacks, the team culture he aims to establish, the coming season's roster and a lot more. ...

Here's a taste of "Tune In Texarkana," a new podcast from the Gazette's Starbear Studio focused on local musicians. From Episode 1, BIG$ NovaGawd performs "You Vogue, I Meditate." The podcast's monthly episodes will feature host Erin DeBlanc interviewing artists across the spectrum of the Texarkana music scene, and each will include performances recorded live. "My vision for the podcast is to be able to give local artists a platform to share their music with a large audience. There are many talented musicians in Texarkana that many of us are unaware of, and having this podcast, thanks to the Texarkana Gazette, enables them to share their creativity and hard work with more people than they would entertain at a local venue," DeBlanc said. To listen to "Tune In Texarkana," search for and follow the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also listen at tuneintxk.castos.com or texarkanagazette.com/podcast. ...