Host Karl Richter talks with Texarkana, Arkansas, City Manager Jay Ellington about his career, learning about the city and his three-point plan for making it better.
Texarkana native Chris LeGrand created Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show more than 20 years ago. The show has grown into a full-time business for LeGrand, who portrays Stones frontman Mick Jagger. A performance Friday, June 17, at Texarkana's Perot Theatre is one of hundreds Satisfaction will stage this year. He and host Karl Richter talked about how Satisfaction got started, how the group keeps its tribute authentic, life on tour and more. ...
Ina McDowell is in the forefront of efforts to bring Texarkana's long-neglected downtown back to thriving life. As executive director of Main Street Texarkana, she works to keep downtown rooted in its past as it progresses into a new future. She and host Karl Richter talked about the downtown renaissance currently underway — as exemplified by the renovation of the Hotel Grim and other major projects — what Main Street does to help accelerate the process, and what you can do to get involved. ...
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 ...
