Jim Bell

Jim Bell is a Lufkin native with many years of experience in commercial and public radio news broadcasting. Winner of many awards for news writing, reporting and news production from Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Association, Houston Press Club, Dallas Press Club, Harris County Medical Society and Texas Medical Association. He's been married to the same woman for 35 years, with four children and six grandchildren.

Keep Umbrella Handy – It’s Gonna Rain

It's official. It WILL rain in east Texas tonight and over the weekend. Plan on it. People who're planning to go to a football game today and tomorrow would be wise to take their rain gear.

Experts Call for Better Way to Rate Hurricanes

The Houston Chronicle reports a lot of people in the weather forecasting business say it's time to discard the old "Category 1-5" system of rating the strength of hurricanes. They say that system -- known as the Saffir-Simpson Scale -- only tells us the storm's wind speed. It says little about the storm's tidal surge which causes the most deaths and property damage.

Scientists Explore Civil War Wreck off Galveston

The Houston Chronicle reports the Union Navy's USS Hatteras was sent to the bottom on January 11, 1863, about 20 miles from Galveston. The Hatteras went down while the rest of the Union fleet bombarded the Confederate Garrison on Galveston Island.

Budget Cuts May Force State Parks to Close

Here we go again. The legislative session is coming in January, and we're hearing the usual predictions of budgetary doom and gloom. This year we are hearing that if the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department doesn't get the money it needs, nearly two dozen state parks may have to close.

Christian Hobby Lobby Stores Sue ObamaCare

It's reported that the Christian-oriented Hobby Lobby Stores chain has filed a federal lawsuit over a mandate in the health reform law that requires employers to provide coverage for the morning-after pill.

Kingwood Woman Getting Double Arm Transplant

The Houston Chronicle reports a Kingwood woman who lost both arms and both legs after a massive infection is in line to become the first in the country to get double arm transplants above the elbow.

Blind UH Student Wins MasterChef Reality Show

Who hasn't heard someone say they can do something better than you blind-folded? Well, a University of Houston graduate student has done just that, in a manner of speaking, but she didn't need to be blind-folded.

Tall Ship Elissa in Dry Dock for Repairs

The "Official Tall Ship of Texas", the Elissa, has been pulled into a shipyard dry dock in Texas City to get a much needed overhaul - stem to stern, as they say. Let's just say that at the ripe old age of 135, Elissa's mileage is showing.