Mason Higginbotham is turning a childhood necessity into an avenue for students to explore their creativity.

“I grew up with a very poor family where I had to sew my own toys … I built an Iron Man suit out of scraps that had a working light bulb for the arch reactor,” Mason said. 

“I’ve always wanted … to give kids opportunities because I believe there should be a third place where kids can go to learn skills. And not all of them want to be in theater, but they want to learn how to 3-D print; they want to learn how to code; they want to learn how to make things.”

Mason, a 24-year-old Master’s of Arts in Theater student, is in his third year of teaching theater arts at New Boston High School. 

He first began his journey into theater as a high school student at Texas High. He said it was a way of following in his brother’s footsteps and meet girls.

“…I was like, ‘That sounds interesting.’ And, you know, I was a high school boy and there were girls in theater … I can do the tech stuff, I can build stuff, do all the manly stuff,” he said.

His first year, he worked in the technical and production sides of his high school theater program before trying out and winning a leading role in the high school musical. He continued to learn and grow in theater arts throughout high school and into college, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Theater with a minor in Film Studies from the University of Central Arkansas.

While Mason enjoys teaching at the high school level, his ultimate goal is to open a business where he can create a makers’ space for anyone interested in exploring creativity, no matter their economic status.

“I want anyone to have the opportunity to do things they can’t afford … I don’t want there to be barriers for a kid to want to be able to be creative,” he said.

After moving from Louisiana to Texas after Hurricane Katrina, Brandi Brown’s father fell in love with Church on The Rock. Now, 19 years later, Brandi runs the Church’s social media page while attending TAMUT. 

“When I was a young adult, I just went and did my own. I was in the streets living life like consequences didn’t exist. Then one day I looked at my daughter and asked myself, “Am I living a lifestyle she would be proud of?” Brown said after talking about how long she has been attending church. 

After shifting her life to better focus on becoming a role model to her daughter, Brandi attended school at Texarkana College and graduating with a degree in Behavioral Science she decided to attend A&M. After losing her job and having to take a break from school Brandi found interest in graphic design  and enrolled to get her degree in Mass Communications. Brandi does the sound for Church on The Rock, while also helping with the youth ministry online learning courses. She is also getting ready to take on the role as a leader for the Young Adult Small Group at the church. 

Brandi has hopes of someday moving to Austin Texas where she feels she will be around the influences she needs to move further in her career. Brandi said “Ultimately, at the end of it all, I want to create my own  bible based curriculum for homeschooling, and churches that have co-ops with homeschooling.”

Recent world tensions have trickled into a main focus of young social media users and some of our beloved brands have taken a side that many do not stand for. The conflict going on in the Gaza Strip has been going on since October of this year and sadly doesn’t show a stopping point anytime soon. The tensions started when Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, led surprise attacks on multiple locations in Israel including a music festival, towns, and even a military base. Since this, Israel has vowed to put an end to Hamas and will do anything necessary to reach this goal. Here is where the issue lies, they are using many tactics that some would feel unethical and very drastic. Israel has besieged Gaza and since launched a ground invasion and since there has been a back-and-forth bloodbath from both sides.

What has really taken the internet by storm was the lawsuit that Starbucks issued against one of its own workers unions. Starbucks Workers United shared a post on their social media depicting their support for the Palestinians during this tough time and Starbucks struck back with a lawsuit claiming that the group cannot use their name and a logo resembling their own. The union returned with a comment claiming that Starbucks is against Palestinian support. This caused outrage on both sides and in such has stirred up the younger adult online community, the majority of Starbucks customers.

Many college students and other young adults across social media have spoken out about their position against Israel and its inhumane use of military force and even calling the ground invasion and other attacks “genocide” of Palestinian people. The lawsuit and all the drama around Starbucks and other brands has sparked a boycott of certain companies that show support of Israel and that send funds to them, essentially supporting the war effort and encouraging and actively participating in the act of genocide. A student from Texas A&M University- Texarkana says, “ I think big corporations were at some point thinking about making money [over the conflict] so they went towards the money without thinking about the people and now they are realizing that their choice to make money is actually losing them money.” Currently, there hasn’t been too much buzz locally but knowing that some students may feel a certain way about the conflict and also having a Starbucks at the Patterson Student Center, may influence some to protest and boycott on campus.

Hopefully the conflict will end soon in the most humane and peaceful way, allowing both sides to come to an agreement and stopping the unneeded killing, but until that happens, will you be dining at Starbucks?

As we enter this holiday season, seasonal decorations have become more and more prevalent. With Christmas coming up, now is the time to catch up on your decorations if you haven’t begun decorating yet, or to get new decorations if your old ones are in need of replacement. That said, if you do not intend to leave town for your holiday-needs, there are two highly suitable locations within Texarkana for you to purchase Christmas decorations from.

Starting with what may be the most obvious location, Walmart has no shortage of Christmas decorations. As a part of their Walmart-brand Holiday Time line of items, you will find a respectable variety of decorations ranging from stockings to ornaments. Aside from their own line of items, Walmart also carries some licensed decorations, most notably a selection of items based off of the How the Grinch Stole Christmas. That said, Walmart’s selection isn’t the definitive one-stop-shop for Christmas enthusiasts, and sticking to their selection may bring you to both Texas and Arkansas stores in search of what you need.

If you find yourself not impressed with the assortment of decorations supplied by Walmart, then the best location you can go to would be Hobby Lobby. With aisles of Christmas decorations even back in September, Hobby Lobby has no shortage of variety in store, with a solid selection of nutcrackers, snowglobes, and more. That said, it is understandable that some may not want to give business to the store chain due to some of their more outspoken religious views, though if you do choose to buy your decorations there, you will find far more variety than you would at Walmart.

In the end, while the feeling that Christmas and it’s decorations can bring are something truly noteworthy about the season, it’s important to focus on the things that matter. Even if you decide to shop at either aforementioned store for decorations, remember to not go overboard and spend so much that you neglect to save enough for your needs and for your loved ones. This may sound obvious, but speaking from personal experience, it’s easy to go overboard on Christmas-themed items. Have a merry Christmas and good luck on your final exams.

Texarkana Texas hosted their annual 5K Turkey Trot this past Thanksgiving day and the turnout was fruitful! 

This past Thanksgiving day, Texarkana’s Community Healthcore Foundation hosted its 10th annual 5k Turkey Trot. This event is hosted every year in hopes of raising support and funding for the foundation. 

According to TXK Today, “All proceeds raised from the event go towards supporting Community Healthcore Foundation, a non-profit agency that is responsible for providing mental health services, intellectual and developmental disability programming, substance use disorder treatment, and assistance to homeless veterans in 9 counties across Northeast Texas, including Bowie, Cass, and Red River Counties.”

The run was at Spring Lake Park and started at 8:30 am and ended around 10 am with about 350 participants in total this year. Students of the school district, parents, teachers, and many more got together on Thanksgiving Day to give back to their community. 

This year was unique since it was the 10th annual 5k Trot, demonstrating that the Turkey Trot has continued to be successful and reliable for the past decade when it comes to supporting community health core, despite the pandemic and other events.

Every year the 5k Turkey Trot updates about where it will be hosted and other various details will be available on the Community Healthcore Foundation website as well as their event page on their Facebook page as well.

Here is a link to the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/794313118735313/?active_tab=discussion

On Saturday November 25, WWE presented the 37^th annual Survivor Series pay-per-view from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The event was given the name Survivor Series: Wargames because of the Wargames matches held. The event sold over 17,157 tickets, a nearly sold out crowd.

            The event began with the Women’s Wargames match, a match where two teams of four or five members compete in rings that are enveloped by a giant steel cage. The match starts with two competitors at first but at different time intervals a new member of each team enters the rings, the match does not officially begin until every member has entered and ends when someone is pinned or submits. The teams consisted of Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Shotzi, and Becky Lynch, going against the team of Damage CTRL consisting of Bayley, Asuka, Iyo Sky, and Kairi Sane. There was some discontent between team members Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch during the match, but they put aside their differences to win with a pinfall on Bayley.

            The second match was between Gunther, the intercontinental champion, and The Miz for the title. The Miz won a Fatal Four Way match on Monday Night Raw to earn himself the No. 1 contendership. The Miz put up a good fight but could not put away Gunther even after hitting him with his signature Skull Crushing Finale. Gunther preformed a splash from the top rope and then applied a Boston Crab maneuver for the submission retaining the title.          

            Next was a Lucha Libre style match between Santos Escobar, former member of the LWO (Latino World Order), and Dragon Lee, a fill in for LWO member Carltio. The match was fast paced and had high flying action from the both, but finished with Escobar hitting a Hurricanrana and his Phantom Driver for the pin.

            In the semi-main event match for the women’s championship, the champion Rhea Ripley representing The Judgment Day took on Zoey Stark. Zoey Stark is a new up-and-comer on the main roster who won a Battle Royale to get a one on one match for Rhea’s title. Zoey may have had the speed advantage but Rhea has more size and power. After hitting an illegal headbutt she hit her Riptide signature move for the pin.

            The main event of the night was the Men’s Wargames match between the teams of Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayne, Seth Rollins, and Randy Orton going against the Judgment Day made of Damian Priest, Finn Balor, “Dirty” Dominick Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Drew Mclyntire who is not an official member of the Judgment Day but sided with them. When announcing that Randy Orton was the last member of Cody’s team, his teammates were worried because Orton has not been around since getting injured last year and feared that he would not show up. But at the last minute he appeared and back in his top condition. After a long brutal fight Cody was able to hit his Cross Rhodes on Damian Priest getting the win for his team.

Only moments after the grueling match ended however music played and out came CM Punk, a true wildcard that nobody expected. The crowd erupted into a roar of cheers for their hometown hero who hadn’t been in the WWE since 2014. Local TAMUT student Michael Wells said this about the event “My favorite match was the men’s war games match. Seeing Cody Rhodes standing tall as the winner like his father Dusty who invented the match decades ago was great to see… CM Punk was just icing on the cake.”

Gamers take your mark. TEXAS A&M university Texarkana(TAMUT) esports club is hosting its second ever Day of Play. Day if play is a day full of different gaming tournaments which people compete for hundreds of dollars.

In the past the event has included Super Smash bros ultimate, Mario cart 8, along with a couple of sport games, Madden and NBA 2k. There is also vendors and concessions to encourage people to stay longer and interact with different people.

This year will have those games and more with a gold of 100 people. When asked about the event the club Vice President, Quincy Jones says “The Day of Play is an event where you can come and have fun and challenging tournament experiences and possibly make a few friends while playing with what’s hopefully at least over 100 people.”.

This year they are hoping to reach out to gamers from Dallas to Little Rock and everywhere in between. For students the entry will be $5 and for community members $10.

The vendors and food trucks will be all from Texarkana to highlight the community while bringing in new faces. The Esports club is looking to build connections with other schools and the Texarkana locals to make events even bigger and better in the future.

TAMUT is building an esports arena to be opened for use in spring of 2024, along with having varsity esports start in the fall of 2024. Quincy Jones says this about the future of esports”Too me the Day of Play event is something that will be a huge stepping stone for not just me but the new representatives of TAMUT E-Sports for many big gaming events to come to life at Texas A&M and I hope that everything goes to plan with this event as it will be just one of the few goals I have planned for TAMUT E-Sports.”.

Dr. David Wayne Allard, an educator in the Texarkana community, passed away at the age of seventy-five on November 24, 2023. He was born on September 23, 1948, in El Paso, Texas, to Wayne and Jesse Allard. Dr. Allard grew up in Dawson, Texas, where his father produced the weekly paper and his mother taught early childhood education. His academic journey led him to serve as a professor at Texarkana College starting in 1983. He later played a pivotal role in developing the Biology Department at Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TAMUT), joining the university in 1997.

His professional achievements were significant, including being named a 2018-2019 Regents Professor Award winner by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents​​. Dr. Allard was also recognized with multiple awards, such as the Distinguished Faculty Award and the Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award​​. Notably, he was the only professor to be jointly appointed as a faculty member at both Texarkana College and Texas A&M University-Texarkana, transitioning fully to TAMUT in 2000​​.

Dr. Allard’s death came after a battle with COVID-19 and pneumonia, marking the end of a remarkable career dedicated to education and research. He is survived by his wife, Ellen, his son Jason, his daughter Catherine and her husband Joshua, his stepson Jordan Angell and his wife Brittney and grandchildren Elisha, Alea, Malachi and Asher Angell​​. A funeral service was held on November 30, 2023, at the Williams Memorial United Methodist in Texarkana, Texas​​. The family suggested donations to the David and Ellen Allard Endowed Scholarship fund at Texas A&M University-Texarkana in lieu of flowers​​.

Anil Pournouri, a former student, reflected on Dr. Allard’s profound impact: “His passion for science was inspiring, and his dedication to our success was clear in every encouraging word and gesture.” She recounted how Dr. Allard helped her navigate the school system upon immigrating, offering invaluable guidance during a challenging time. “He played a crucial role in helping my sister and me adjust, and years later, supported my aspiration to enter medical school,” Anil said. “Dr. Allard’s influence will endure not only in the academic realm but also in the hearts and minds of those privileged to experience his wisdom and kindness.”

Reflecting on Dr. Allard’s life, his colleague Craig Nakashian remarked on his character and impact. He said, “It’s hard to express how important he was to countless students, colleagues, and members of the community, in Texarkana and beyond.” Nakashian added, “His care for those around him, insight into the human condition, and wicked sense of humor were only a few of his wonderful qualities.” He concluded by saying, “He’ll be missed by all who knew him.”

Dr. Allard’s legacy, marked by his dedication and selflessness as highlighted by colleague Craig Nakashian, resonates deeply in the Texarkana community and among his students. Anil Pournouri remembers him for his inspirational passion for science and commitment to student success, emphasizing his significant role in shaping both academic and personal journeys. Dr. Allard’s profound influence as a mentor and educator, celebrated for his wisdom and kindness, will be enduringly remembered by all who were privileged to know him.

With a goal of bringing attention to the area’s small businesses, an annual event was organized by the cities of Texarkana, Texas and Arkansas with the help of representatives from the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Texarkana, Communities United, Northeast Texas Small Business Development Center, and the Greater Texarkana Young Professionals. Stuff Your Stockings with Small Businesses was a shop-small scavenger hunt that took place November 17 through December 1. 

To participate in the scavenger hunt, citizens had to check the organization’s Facebook page for hints on participating businesses, find the hidden stocking at the business, and scan the attached QR code to win prizes. Most of the small businesses that participated in the scavenger hunt donated items or gift cards from their stores to be given away as prizes.

Brooke Stone, the Communications Manager for Texarkana, Texas, helped organize and manage the scavenger hunt. “To support small businesses means a great deal to me and means a great deal to all of these other people who are a part of this, and we just want to see our small businesses thrive and be successful,” said Stone. The goal of the scavenger hunt was to bring attention, awareness, and new customers to Texarkana small businesses. “When you buy from a local business, you’re supporting that person and their family and that money is going right back into our economy here in Texarkana,” said Stone.

Two small businesses that participated in the scavenger hunt were The Village and Taste and See. Peggy Speer, owner of The Village, said she thought it was a good idea and thought “maybe it will pique people’s interest so they will come in.” She noticed several new people come into her store because of the scavenger hunt. Owner of Taste and See, Denay Maheu, thought that even though this year’s stockings brought new people in, last year’s scavenger hunt made more of a stir and drew in more families. She thought the mini elf, last year’s hidden item, acted as a draw for children in particular and played into the game aspect of the scavenger hunt. “Honestly we had more business last year with the little elf. We named her Ella, and we had little kids asking where she was even after we took her down,” Maheu said. Texarkana’s next annual small business scavenger hunt will take place in the weeks surrounding Small Business Saturday set for November 30, 2024.