Category Archives: Business

Sassman’s last stand

A confrontation between neighbors. Criminal charges and disappearing evidence. A road project in Uhland is the latest fuel for this small-town feud. Gordon Sassman’s heart was racing. His hands were shaking. He was so wound up, he hadn’t gotten an … Continue reading

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Cow College

The old ways just won’t cut it in a modern beef operation, according to professors at Texas A&M University. That can be a hard message to swallow for some Texans who yearn to work with cattle. Maybe retirement age is … Continue reading

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Selling roses to Longview’s drunks

If a man and woman are out on the town — they’re two-stepping, they’re having fun — one thing is all but certain: before night’s end, the rose lady will find them. And when she does, the man better have … Continue reading

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Old rides, new life

BETTIE — Edsel Green parked his tractor beside the only traffic light in town and polished his beauty for the ride to come. Rebuilt from hood to hitch, every bearing and seal, the red International was not pulling a disk … Continue reading

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A home-grown Thanksgiving turkey

The domesticated turkey has only one obligation in this life, but it’s a big one, and there’s no getting around it. The bird in my backyard had to die, and it was my job to off her. Like a lot … Continue reading

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Let’s commercialize high school sports

Pat Collins is a salty old coach, a booster backslapper, a guy whose powers of persuasion can open wallets around town. He wants the best for his kids, and he knows how to get it. For proof, just look at … Continue reading

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Longview Transit riders as varied as the routes

We spent a recent weekday getting to know a few of the passengers who use Longview Transit every day. They are elderly people, working poor people, homeless folks and others who occupy a range of life situations. Continue reading

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Fast times with the repo man

Never bring a knife to a gunfight. It’s a rule to live by, but not one that applies to Longview’s top repo man. Wesley Pierce has been cursed, chased and shot at in the 18 years since he began combing … Continue reading

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New gas gold rush grips the area

But will East Texans strike it as rich as our neighbors to the east? Not as likely, say people who have studied the Haynesville Shale. Continue reading

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Cattle ranchers dwindling in East Texas

Around Longview, cows and calves are dotting fewer landscapes. Local ranchers blame rising costs, fluctuating markets and changing lifestyles. Continue reading

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Bad air. Blame the trees?

Curse those pesky pines for ozone woes in Longview, where air quality is once again under state and federal scrutiny. To understand why trees must shoulder their share of blame, walk into the woods and pluck a handful of long, … Continue reading

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Go north, young town

Drive north toward Diana, along the fastest-growing stretch of commerce in Gregg County. Dotting the roadway, “For Sale” signs announce acres of skinny pine trees and fields that have been cleared in anticipation of new building. Strings of retailers, car … Continue reading

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Some area towns put lots of cash in, get little out

In 1989, the state Legislature authorized a new half-cent sales tax to fund economic growth in small- to medium-size towns. The measure has been lauded as a game-changing force for new jobs and financial prosperity across the state. “I think … Continue reading

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