Category Archives: Features

Christmas lights and delights

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People all over the world show their Christmas spirit with festive light displays.  Thomas Edison started the tradition of Christmas light displays in 1880. Edison was so proud of his light bulb invention, he strung them together and hung them proudly from his Menlo Park laboratory compound.

Photos courtesy of edisonawards.com

Christmas in the South may not always be snowy and white, but Southerners are just as proud to celebrate the season with lights and all things magical.  See the list below for information on displays and festivities, in and around the area, to enjoy this holiday season.

Photo of Federal Post Office, Downtown Texarkana. Courtesy of Arkansas.com

– Texarkana, Texas – The owners of the home at 4904 Lesley Lane, bring joy to the community with their animated light display.  The display is set to music which can be played from the comfort of your vehicle.

– Texarkana, Texas – The residents of the culdesac on Spotswood in Pleasant Grove, located beside Williams Memorial Methodist Church, spell out “We Wish You A Very Merry Christmas,” in lit signs.  In fact, the tradition is so important to the residents, they even leave behind their signs, if they sell their home, so that the tradition may continue.

– Texarkana, Texas – First Assembly of God Church, located at 3401 W. 7th Street will host their annual drive-thru, live Nativity Scene.  There will be over 100 people in costume, bringing the story of Jesus’ birth to life!  When you enter the parking lot, you will be able to tune in to a specialized radio broadcast and be greeted with hot chocolate and candy canes.  There will be live animals; sheep, cows, mules, goats, camels, and more.  This event is open to the public and FREE for everyone.  The event will take place on Friday, December 8, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. And again on Saturday, December 9, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.  See video link below to see a recap of the 2014 Live Nativity.  Video provided by Matt Cornelius, YouTube.com.

– Ashdown, Arkansas – The K.C.S. Railroad’s Holiday Express will make its stop in Ashdown, on December 6, beginning at 4:00 p.m.  The train will be stopped at Main St. and Hwy 71.  The Holiday Express is a six-car train, carrying Santa and his Elves.  The train has a flatcar carrying Santa’s sleigh, a smiling tank car named Rudy, reindeer and a miniature village, a gingerbread boxcar, the elves’ workshop, a reindeer stable, and a little red caboose.

Photo courtesy of TexarkanaFYI

– Shreveport/Bossier Lousiana Boardwalk – A blizzard is forecast to occur every night at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., as well as 12:30 p.m. on weekends.  While at the Boardwalk, please be sure to visit Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop.  In Santa’s Wonderland, kids get free digital pics with Santa and can make the Bass Pro craft of the week for free.  This place is magical for children old and young.

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Boardwalk

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Boardwalk

– Tyler, Texas – Santa Land is a 24-acre drive-thru Christmas Park with over two million lights, Christmas music, a 250-foot long tunnel of lights with 12-foot Toy Soldiers, themed areas, a gift shop, and snack bar.    Santa Land is located at 11455 I-20 West Tyler, Texas.  Information and pricing listed below.

Photo courtesy of SantaLand Facebook Page

Video courtesy of YouTube.com

– Marshall, Texas – Enjoy the Wonderland of Lights Festival in downtown Marshall, Texas this season.  The festival includes an outdoor ice skating rink, rides on the Holly Trolly, Wonderland Express and the vintage 1948 Herschel carousel. Visit the brand new Santa’s Village for cookies, train building, and pictures. Enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride on one of three carriages through Historic Downtown Marshall, then listen to live music at Telegraph Park downtown performed by local musicians, area churches and school choirs. Visit https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wonderlandoflights/items/?full-items=yes for prices on the various attractions.  And don’t forget to pay a visit to Central Perk Coffee House and warm up with a cup of gourmet coffee or hot chocolate.

Photo courtesy of Marshalltexas.net

Photo courtesy of Marshalltexas.net

The Harrison County Courthouse in downtown Marshall on Wednesday, December 21, 2011. (Michael Cavazos/News-Journal Photo)

– The Louisiana/Texas Holiday Trail of Lights – The Holiday Trail of Lights includes multiple cities in both Louisiana and Texas.  You can visit one leg of the trail or all of them.  All cities on the trail are connected by I-20 and I-49.  The two legs of the trail, nearest to Texarkana, are Jefferson, Texas and Shreveport/Bossier, Louisiana.  Check out the video below for more details on the Holiday Trail of Lights.

Paying a visit to any of the Christmas displays listed above is sure to brighten your Christmas.  Be sure to check Facebook Events for more on local holiday events.  Have a safe and Merry Christmas from the staff at Eagle Eye Media.

Random Acts of Kindness

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The holiday season is upon us.  Rather than adding to your wish list, or stressing over the trappings of the season; find your joy by doing random acts of kindness.

Random acts of kindness are selfless acts of kindness directed at complete strangers, with the sole intent of spreading love and kindness.  There is no better way to celebrate the joy of the holidays.

Below is a list of easy and fulfilling random acts of kindness.  Give them a try and see how they improve your holiday season.  You might just want to make them a part of your everyday life.

  1. Buy a stranger’s coffee.
  2. Leave some change in a vending machine, so that someone can get a free drink.
  3. Take some homemade treats to nurses, firefighters, teachers, or cops in your community to thank them for all they do.
  4. Leave a big tip for a waiter or waitress in need.
  5. Make treats and put them in the mailbox for the mailman.  Be sure to leave them a note, so they know the treats are for them.
  6. Take pet food, old blankets, and pet toys to your local shelter.
  7. Take flowers to a local hospital and have a nurse give them to a patient who needs to be cheered up.
  8. Donate food, books, toiletries, and warm clothing to the local homeless shelter.
  9. Do chores for a friend or family member.
  10. Adopt a deployed soldier and send him/her some much needed holiday cheer.  Here is the website:  http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/
  11. Give someone your place in line.
  12. Visit a nursing home.  Just talk to the residents, play board games with them, or get some friends together to sing Christmas carols and hand out Holiday cards.
  13. Give a hot drink to a Salvation Army bell ringer.
  14. Give a gift card to a stranger at the grocery store.  Any amount shows you care.
  15. Take classroom supplies to a teacher or two.  If you have Dr. Morton, then you know he always needs dry erase markers.
  16. Adopt an Angel from an Angel Tree.  Most of the time, these children aren’t asking for a lot.  I personally have adopted several angels over the years, and each time it cost me around $50.

Above all, this Holiday season and all year round, show kindness, compassion, and love for your fellow man.  Restore your faith in humanity by blessing strangers with random acts of kindness.

T-Town Showdown Car and Motorcycle Show

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Redemption Repairs and Performance of Texarkana, Arkansas, hosted the T-Town Showdown Car Show on Veteran’s Day, Saturday, November, 11 at the Four States Fair Grounds from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event organizers honored veterans by allowing free entry to anyone with a military I.D.

The show featured classic cars, show-quality diesels, motorcycles, ATV’s, and premium sound systems.  This event was fun for adults and kids of all ages.  Optimus Prime from the popular Transformers movie series was on site.

After the pin-up girl and sound-off contest, multiple vehicles were spotted, performing burnouts for the crowd.  This show gets two thumbs up.

Photos by:  Misty Jones

         

 

Veterans Day Parade

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The Texarkana Area Veterans Council hosted the annual Veteran’s Day Parade in downtown Texarkana, on Saturday, November 11, at 11 a.m.  The theme of this year’s parade was “Saluting Women in the Military thru the Years.”

The parade began at the intersection of East Broad Street and Hazel Street, in downtown Texarkana, Arkansas.  The festivities consisted of floats, local high school bands, antique cars, local motorcycle groups, Texarkana Jeep Junkies, the Corvette Club, Cub Scouts, and much more.   The TAMUT Eagle was also there, showing support for our student and community veterans.

The crowd was beaming with support for their veterans.  Children and their parents were proudly waving their flags and showing their support, as community organizations slowly trickled by passing out candy, flags, and cross pins to the crowd.

If you missed this year’s parade, check out the video link and photos below.

Video provided by KFLTV Texarkana – Youtube

 

Photos by:  Misty Jones

 

2nd Annual Texarkana Fall Festival

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The second annual downtown Fall Festival, organized by local women’s organization Diva Maintenance, was held Saturday, October 28 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This year’s festival consisted of a costume contest, live bands, vendors, a bounce house, and the infamous Texarkana Flash Mob.  With over 30 contestants, the costume contest was a big hit. The winner was baby girl, Ximena Ortiz, dressed as an owl.

Due to the cold front and the forecast for rain, this year’s festival only saw about half the attendance of last year’s event.  Last year, the attendance reached over 4,000.  The weather caused vendors to back out at the last minute and the vendors who braved the cold didn’t hang in until the 8 p.m. closing time.  As the crowd dwindled, the vendors began shutting down around 5:30 p.m.

The event organizer, Diva Maintenance, also organizes various food festivals downtown such as the Catfish Festival and the Back Alley Food Court.

Tameka Grady, a spokeswoman for Diva Maintenance, said, “We are already working to make the 2018 Fall Festival bigger and better.”

Photos provided by:  Tameka Grady

  

 

Don’t Let the Flu Catch You

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You are coughing, you can’t breathe, every part of your body hurts.  You roll over and look at the clock, it’s 3 a.m.  You have to get up in a couple of hours to go to class and you realize you have the flu.  What do you do?  What could you have done to avoid this conundrum?

Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do when they are sick.  They feel they must go to school or work, despite running fever and feeling ill.  This is how the flu spreads.  Here are a few tips to avoid spreading or catching the flu.

  1. If you feel ill, and especially if you are running fever, stay home.
  2. Avoid contact with people who are sick.
  3. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough.
  4. Wash your hands often.  If soap is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  5. Don’t touch your eyes, mouth, or nose.  Germs are often spread by touching something contaminated and then touching your face.
  6. Keep your home and workspace clean and disinfected.
  7. Get plenty of sleep.  Your immune system has to work overtime when you are tired.
  8. Exercise.  A healthy exercise routine keeps your body healthy.
  9. Avoid stress as much as possible.  Oftentimes, stress can weaken your immune system and cause physical symptoms.
  10. Drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods.  Keeping yourself hydrated and eating a healthy diet is a good way to support immune system function.
  11. Take a quality multivitamin.  Keeping your macro nutrient levels up can help support a healthy immune system.
  12. Above all, get your flu shot.  Pharmacies give the flu shot and it is covered by most insurances.  This preventative measure can save you tons of money on cold and flu medications and loss of work.

If you begin to feel ill, there are other things you can do to shorten the virus.  The over the counter, non-drowsy remedy Oscillococcinum is a great way to feel better fast.  You could also try taking Zinc, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin C to boost your immune response.

With the cold and flu season in full swing, it’s important to be vigilant.  Stay healthy!

 

Counseling Available for All Students

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Imagine you’re in a store.  You see a man up ahead.  He looks familiar.  But rather than brushing it off and moving on, something strange happens.  Your heart races, you begin to sweat, your throat closes up and you can’t breathe.  You begin to cry.  You don’t know what is happening, but you know you have to get out of there immediately.

A few short years ago, that was my life.  The mundane details of my life caused debilitating panic attacks.  I had escaped abuse, moved on with my life, and was finally happy.  Why was this happening to me now?  I didn’t understand it, but I knew I needed help.  That is when I met Brianna Taylor and Barbara Wilson.  Those two women saved my life.  If it weren’t for them, I have no doubt I would not be in school right now.  Back then, I could have never balanced a family and being a successful college student.  Thankfully, now I have the tools I need to work through issues and to be successful.

When I first met Brianna and Barbara, they were counselors for Community Healthcore.  Brianna was my primary counselor and Barbara worked on my PTSD.  These two caring individuals are highly trained LPCs (Licensed Professional Counselors).  And now, Texas A&M – Texarkana, is lucky to have them as part of their staff.

Counseling services through Brianna and Barbara are available to any TAMUT student, free of charge.  The number of sessions for students are determined on a case by case basis.  Brianna said, “We help students with anything from test anxiety, all the way up to something more significant, such as trauma or PTSD.”

There are multiple ways to make an appointment for counseling services.  Students can drop by or call the Counseling Center at 903-223-3186, or they can send an email to counseling.services@ace.tamut.edu.  Professors can also make referrals for students in need.  The Counseling Center is located on the fourth floor in the main campus building.

Don’t be afraid to take care of your mental health needs.  There is no reason to be ashamed or afraid.  Barbara said, “We’re people too.”

As with any other mental health professional, the TAMUT counselors are bound by privacy laws.  All sessions are completely confidential.  Don’t neglect your mental health.  Make an appointment today.

 

Field to Fashion

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live the life of a model? To walk down a runway with all eyes on you? Wearing amazing clothes, and your hair and makeup styled to perfection by a professional artist?

Sophomore Julianna Summerlin, a Mass Communication Major from our campus, gives us the inside scoop. However, her story is much bigger than just posing for the camera. She juggles school, modeling, and plays for our women’s soccer team. Activities that certainly take some time management. Both her soccer and modeling stories began long before she graduated from North Hills Preparatory in Dallas, TX.

Julianna began playing soccer at age four. Not surprising, considering her four siblings also played. The first four years were purely recreational, but second grade started to get competitive leading her to college ball. She emphasized the transition by saying “I was playing with girls and coaches I didn’t know, doing drills I had never seen before, making me the most exhausted I had ever been in my young life.”

She began her modeling career in the sixth grade. She has always been on the taller side, and decided to pursue her interest after being persuaded by a friend. She was signed to The Campbell Agency at the age of twelve years old. With a strict 5’8”-5’10” height requirement, and limiting sizes 0-4, this narrows down the number of women that can even begin their process with the agency.

She describes her first impression of modeling as being very intense, but having a sense of “extreme amazement.” She said, “At twelve I was an awkward, gangly, stinky, five foot seven tomboy… and barely spoke.” She used the first few years as opportunity to shed her shy personality, and work towards building up to the confidence level she possesses. Modeling has given her the opportunity to network with “models who grace the covers of “People Magazine” and the Victoria Secret Runway, to makeup artists who create highly successful charity organizations in their free time.” People most young women only dream of interacting with.

Both modeling and soccer require her to maintain a healthy lifestyle, physically and mentally. The overwhelming stereotype that models don’t eat is false. “My agency loves me, they care about me, they want me to be healthy. No one has ever encouraged me to stop eating or hurt my health in any way during my eight years as a model.” The agency is big on girls reaching their body goals in a healthy fashion. She aims for a diet filled with protein and veggies, and an exercise program based off of intense circuits to keep her in shape year round.

However, the older she gets, the more competitive it is with both activities. “Modeling consistently causes you to compare yourself to others; what your measurements are, how many pictures are in your portfolio, how many agencies you are signed to, how big your social media following is.” With soccer it is a lot of comparing times and how much better someone else is at winning the ball. Even though it can be hard to not take these criticisms personally, she said “There are days I may feel a little defeated after a hard practice and an email saying I didn’t get that runway show I interviewed for, but I just have to remember it’s not the end of the world.”

To sum it all up, Julianna stressed how blessed she is for both. With soccer being part of her life for as long as she can remember, it is impossible for her to imagine life without it. As far as modeling goes, she says “I am sure I would have maintained my shy and awkward ways if it were not for modeling– it really pushed me out of my shell.” Juggling school, modeling, and soccer, she has without a doubt become a much stronger person.

Origins of Halloween

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It’s that time of the year again.  It’s time for pumpkin carving, trick or treating, costumes, and family fun.  But, why do we celebrate Halloween?  Where did this tradition start?

The holiday’s roots began around 2,000 years ago with the Celtic festival called Samhain.  The Celts celebrated their new year on November 1.  They believed that the day before the new year, on October 31, the veil between the living and the dead weakened and ghosts could cross over to walk the earth.  This day became known as All Hallows Eve.

On All Hallows Eve, the Celts would leave food and wine on their doorsteps to keep the spirits at bay.  If they left the house, they would wear masks.  They felt the masks helped them to blend in with the dead.  The Celts also believed that the presence of ghosts made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.  With the long, dark, and cold winter ahead, this was important for the Celts.

To celebrate All Hallows Eve, Druids would build bonfires, dress in costumes, and attempt to tell each other’s future.  Following the bonfire, they would light their fireplace, using embers from the bonfire, to protect them through the long, hard winter.

After the Celtics were conquered by the Romans, in 43 A.D., two Roman festivals were combined with the Celtic celebration of Samhain.  The celebration of Feralia, which was a festival to celebrate the passing of the dead; and the day to honor Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees, were both added to the Celtic celebration of Samhain. It is believed that today’s tradition of bobbing for apples came from the Roman day to honor Pomona.

In 1000 A.D., after the spread of Christianity to Celtic lands, the church would declare November 2, as All Souls Day, a day to honor the dead.  All Souls Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain.  The church would host big bonfires, have parades, and dress up in costumes of angels, saints, and devils.  The night before this celebration was still called All Hallows Eve, and then eventually, Halloween.

Once in America, the colonists’ beliefs mixed with that of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians.  This resulted in an American version of Halloween; which included, parties, events to celebrate the harvest, stories of the dead, fortune-telling, dancing, and singing.

In the late nineteenth century, when America began to fill with immigrants from all over the world, the celebration of Halloween became popular nationwide.  Americans wore costumes and went door to door asking for food and money.  A tradition that later evolved in to today’s trick or treating.

After the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both adults and children, with food, games, and festive costumes, became the primary way to celebrate the holiday.  Today’s Halloween festivities are a mixture of Celtic, Roman, and early American All Hallows Eve traditions that have evolved into a booming business, bringing in an estimated $6 billion a year.  Halloween is the country’s second largest commercial holiday, after Christmas.

Put a little love in your heart

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With recent events, such as Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, and the mass shooting in Las Vegas, it is hard to stay positive.  So many lives have been lost in all of this devastation.  The death toll for those four events alone, has reached more than 200.  How do we move on from such tragedy?  When the media mostly reports on horrific events and politics, how do we begin to see the world as good again?  There is far more good, than bad, in the world.  We simply must look for the positive.  Check out these examples of humanity at its finest, and put a little love in your heart.

When 4-year-old Sidney moved in to her new home in Colorado, she was certain there were monsters in her house.  She called on police officer, David Bonday, whom she met at a community fundraiser for help.  Bonday was happy to help put Sidney’s mind at ease. Check out the video below for more on this heartwarming story.

In Columbia, Maryland, grandmother Stacy Lee, was out shopping for a dress for her granddaughter.  Money was tight, and she couldn’t afford the dress.  The grandmother asked the shop owner to hold the dress.  When she did, a stranger walked up and offered to pay for the dress.  Lee said, “Thank you, but I cannot accept such a gracious gift.”  The stranger replied with a story.  She informed Lee that she was once homeless, and if it weren’t for the kindness of strangers, she would not have survived.  Since that time, the stranger’s situation had improved and she wanted to pay it forward, and the only payment she would accept in return was a heartfelt hug.

Lebanon, Connecticut resident, Donna Kachnowski’s 6-year-old grandson, lost his home to a fire in January 2006.  He lost everything, including his Christmas presents.  A classmate from his school had a birthday around that time and gave the boy all of her birthday presents.

Hallie Twomey of Auburn, Maine, lost her 20-year-old son to suicide in April 2010. She and her husband, John, donated CJ’s organs.  But Hallie felt she had to do more.  She made the decision to donate one of her kidneys to a stranger.  Hallie was proud of her decision, “Not only did I give life to someone else, but my life has changed as well.”

Collin Carlisle, owner of Collin’s Lawn Care Service, saw a post on the Facebook group, Texarkana Cheers and Jeers, complaining about a neighbor’s yard being overgrown.  According to the complaint, the neighbor had not mowed their lawn all year.  Collin decided to go cut the woman’s grass, free of charge.  The resident was not home at the time, but she took to social media to thank Collin and the countless others who offered to help her, “I just want to take a moment to thank every single person that reached out to me about helping me with my yard work, odds and ends around the house, and any other things you to offered to help with.”

These are just a few examples of the kindness that is still residing in this world.  Please keep all of these stories close to your heart.  I ask you all to spread compassion and love through random acts of kindness, and put a little love in your heart.