Author Archives: Libby Hernandez

Shop for Opp!

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On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Greater Texarkana Young Professionals and Opportunities Inc. came together to share their Holiday cheer for Shop for Opp.

According to the Opportunities Inc. Facebook page their mission “is to provide developmental and support services which assist individuals in attaining a full life in the community.” A recent A&M Texarkana grad student, Rebekah Drennon is the Director of Development for Opportunities Inc. She has provided and organized for GTYP to adopt two families who can not afford Christmas gifts this year.

GTYP members met the families at Pecan Point at 5:30 p.m. From there the members and family will do their shopping. The cost was covered by each member bringing a suggested amount of $10-$20. Rebekah provided a list on the Facebook event page for the members to properly prepare for efficient shopping. Once the shopping was complete everyone met at Pecan Point for dinner and networking.

This event was a great example of Texarkana locals coming together to spread the Holiday cheer for the community. For more information visit the GTYP or Opportunities Inc. Facebook pages.

Color Me Calm

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On November 13th the student couseling services teamed up with Color Hype for a mental health awareness & suicide prevention event. The event was promoted through word of mouth as well as flyers posted throughout the school. All students were welcome to join. 

For the students who attended, there were tables set up with ink, alcohol, and ceramic tiles. Students walking by were welcomed to join in and permission slips were available for students who missed a portion or all of their classes during the event. 

Color Hype representatives were available at all tables giving instructions on how to do the ink art. Practice pieces of paper were offered and once the student felt comfortable with the technique there were encouraged to begin on the ceramic tiles. 

The entire process was a great time for students to take a moment out of their day. Chelsey Rogers stated her view on the activity itself to be “fun mediums where you don’t have to think about it.” There seems to be something therapeutic about taking time out of your day to put attention on being creative. 

For future events visit the TAMUT website to see a full schedule of all campus events.

“We’re All in This Together”

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On Thursday, November, 7th, 2019 a group of artists of all types will be gathering at the newly opened coffee shop, Brewsters on the Boulevard. It will be a time for local artists to hang out, grab a coffee, and enjoy other local artist’s work. 

Let us be honest. We all loved High School Musical. The music, the dancing, the friendships. Imagine that in theory, you could live out your own musical. That is to say, meet and be a part of a community that supports you and your occasional musical outbursts. 

This gathering was inspired by a recent documentary done by a Texarkana native. In the documentary, OffCentered, the goal was to shed light on the LBTQIA community and minorities within our own community. The videographer, Cesar Jaralillo, was inspired to make this project more tangible. For those highlighted in the documentary and those alike to gather in a safe space. A place where they are understood and seen. With some collaboration the project, Altogether, was formed. The name was inspired by the desire to unify and to remind those involved that we are all in this together. 

The event will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a live performance by, Shane Chestnutt. All are welcomed to join.

“Hey Now, This is What Dreams Are Made Of”

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Do you remember what you would imagine for your life in your 20s? You would be a cool cat with a real job. Maybe you were a server on skates at Sonic or traveling Europe in your dreams. Who really didn’t want a job in which you could roller skate all day? Maybe those were just my dreams. The real question is, “Are you living your dreams?”

Give yourself a second and think to yourself what you truly pictured for yourself in your 20s. Now ask yourself why you haven’t accomplished the goals. It’s understandable that maybe costs are too tight, or the dream may seem extreme and scary at this point. 

Spring 2019 I walked the halls of A&M Texarkana when a TV screen suddenly caught my attention. It read something along the lines of “Study abroad in Paris.” In that moment all of my daydreaming of being like Rory from Gilmore Girls flashed before my eyes. I made a choice in that moment to do whatever it took to spend time in Europe all by myself. I picked up a couple of extra shifts and I went for it. In the blink of an eye I was living out my Lizzy McGuire moment in Paris, France for four weeks. 

Here are some tips and tricks I learned over the few months before my lone excursion across the pond:

  • Accountability partners are everything. Once you let someone, or a few people, of your dreams and goals you will feel more responsibility to accomplish it. 
  • Organization is key. Trust me, I am not a professional organizer by any means, but I do know how to write out a checklist. Give yourself some deadlines and do them.
  • No excuses. The morning of my flight, I experienced a heavy anxiety. I felt like I couldn’t actually be capable of traveling the world by myself, but I did it anyway. I pushed through my fears and conquered them. Remind yourself, “I can do it.”

You are the only one capable of fulfilling your dreams. Go out and live them.

Brewster’s Begins on the Boulevard

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Exciting developments are happening in the Texarkana area. On October 15th a new coffee shop, Brewster’s on the Blvd (BB), located on Texas Boulevard, will host its grand opening. There will be giveaways, live music, and Kicker 102.5 will be broadcasting live. 

BB has been in the works for several months. City Church of Texarkana in recent years purchased the Texas plaza. From the beginning, their goal has been to create a space for the community to gather. A coffee shop was the obvious answer for them. They will offer artisan coffee carefully picked by the owners. They will also offer a venue for artists to play music as well as offer a private room available to rent for meetings or parties. 

City Church also searched far and wide for the perfect person to lead the ship on this exciting new adventure. Chuck Taramona recently managed a coffee shop in Mount Pleasant and has had many years of experience under her belt. She is excited and ready for the new opportunities it will bring to our community.

Make sure to attend the grand opening Tuesday, October 15th. The event will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. For more info, follow their Facebook page.

Trio of Tastes Downtown

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Looking for a tasty night on the town? How about three in one?

On October 17, 2019 the Greater Texarkana Young Professionals will be hosting their annual Taste of Downtown at three different locations beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. The point of this event is to encourage the growth of the downtown area as well as support local businesses. 

From 6-7 p.m. people will begin at Verona Restaurant to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and enjoy a glass of one of the wine specials. The next tasting will be held at Hopkins Icehouse from 7-8 p.m. Hopkins will serve classic American appetizers and your choice of their beer or cocktail specials. Last, but certainly not least, 8-9 p.m. Pecan Point will be giving chef-inspired small plates along with a pint of a craft beer special or Pecan’s signature sangria special. 

All of the food is covered by one ticket price, but participants will be responsible for purchasing their own beverages. Organizers encourage bringing cash so the process will be quick and smooth. The cost for the ticket will be $38 as the early bird special, or $40 the day of. Chamber of Commerce members also receive a discounted price.

The Greater Texarkana Young Professionals is a committee of Texarkana’s Chamber of Commerce. Their goal is to band together young professionals in the local community to network and to encourage fellowship with each other. For info on upcoming events, click here.

Let the Good Times Roll

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In recent months Texarkana, Arkansas city officials have voted on putting an entertainment district in a 14-block area of downtown. The timing of a state law allowing open container and the recent push for renewing downtown could not be more perfect.

The entertainment district will allow for adult beverages to be consumed outside of a business as well as allow for roads to be closed for events. 

The Arkansas state legislature approved bill 492. A bill that encourages hospitality and tourism. It will cause growth and support to already established local businesses. This boost will make an impact on not only the downtown area, but our city as a whole.

Before this will come into effect, four workshops and a hearing were necessary to cover details and concerns. One concern that was addressed was one of how trash would be handled. Public works agreed to handle the trash and cleanliness of ther area. Another concern was what the beverage containers would be and red solo cups were agreed upon.

In less than thirty days the entertainment district will be allowed. Open containers will be allowed 11 a.m. – 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday. 

 

Bright Lights, Two Cities

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Sparkling lights, thrilling rides, and deep fried Oreos. Texarkana’s annual Four States Fair and Rodeo is back in town September 13-22. Once a year our small city hosts a fair and rodeo for Texarkana and the surrounding areas. 

The fair has a lot of events to offer, like the Demolition Derby, a rodeo, and a place for Future Farmers of America students to show their animals. The rodeo also encourages people from surrounding areas to be involved. For example, Allison Gill is from Fouke, AR and goes to school in Magnolia at Southern Arkansas University. In recent years she has participated in the Miss Four States Fair and Rodeo. Allison enjoys being a part of this for the opportunities it presents to her to get to serve and know Texarkana better.

Many local businesses and restaurants come together to serve and share, giving everyone an opportunity to get to know their town better.

You do not necessarily have to go just to ride a ride, but maybe go to support our community by coming together simply to indulge in tasty treats and stop by the booths put on by local organizations. 

Growing up, my family’s routine was to avoid the fair all week until the very end due to the costs. We would buy tickets for the rodeo and we would gain free entry into the fair once the rodeo was over. If we were really lucky, I could convince a friend to take us during the week.

As for costs, the fair offers multiple chances for cheaper alternatives, such as a weekly pass and family fun day. All details on prices and dates can be found right here.

 

Twenty Two and Stuck in Texarkana

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For twenty two years I have daily heard the phrase, “There is nothing to do in Texarkana.” This statement could not be further from the truth. Let me tell you why.

I have recently made it my mission to find something to do in Texarkana, and what I have found is golden. Last week my brother and I decided to take a stroll through downtown Texarkana. We saw three new murals done by Texarkana residents, walked through an art gallery, and had the opportunity to tour the Landmark building with the owner himself, another Texarkana native. I realized in this moment the only reason people believe there is nothing to do in Texarkana is because they do not do anything.

Within just this past week I was involved in a dodgeball tournament that raised donations for local charities, I have taken a hike through Bringle Lake, I have played shuffleboard at Hopkins, and I plan on attending the wine festival for a second time this Saturday. This just happens to be one week of Texarkana events, but imagine there is a whole year of events going on. With groups like GoTXK, Greater Texarkana Young Professionals, and so many more, there is an endless amount of things to do in Texarkana. It only takes you going out and doing them.

I had the privilege of living on both sides of the line and I can truly say that Texarkana is actually twice as nice.

Photos by Libby Hernandez