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From the Publisher...
Powerful women…
Do you know a powerful woman? Where does that “power” come from? Is it from being a fantastic mom, never stopping no matter how bad or tired we feel? Is it from running a business? Is it from being an amazing teacher or professional? Whatever the reason, there are so many powerful women around us; we just have to take a moment to look.
This month, we highlight two powerful women. Their power comes from overcoming a diagnosis no one wants to hear. Stephanie Knowles and Aimee Mullins draw strength from each other. That’s what women do – they turn to other strong women for comfort, compassion, and understanding, creating a powerful sense of community and solidarity. These two amazing women are all of those things and more. Helping each other through an illness, being available when the other needs a shoulder to lean on (or cry on), and sometimes just being there. I loved talking to them while taking their photos for this month’s issue. It was inspiring.
I also loved attending an event where an entire group of women (and men) joined together to celebrate our nation’s Air Force! The 77th birthday of the Air Force is this year, and I am so proud to have played a small part in this event. Alyssa and I designed the logo for the event, and it was wonderful to see it all over the room when we walked in. Texas State Trooper Jaclyn Gooding, Master Sergeant Kellie Peterson, and I all had a blast, enjoying the speakers and watching all the service members, both enlisted and officers. Although the Air Force, in its entirety, is approximately 20% female, there were probably closer to 50% women at the Air Force Ball. I was astounded by all the strong women present. It was amazing!
My hope is that we continue to raise strong women and support them. Our country, friends, and families need them.
God bless you and yours…
MISSION O PURPOSE O
The Texarkana ISD Educa�on Founda�on’s mission is to provide opportuni�es for excellence in educa�on, promote innova�on in teaching, and partner with the community to enhance the quality of educa�on for all students.
The TISD Educa�on Founda�on's purpose
AIMEE’S STORY
Finding Strength in Life-Changing Moments
By: Michelle Horton
Life is not always easy, but the opportunity to live is a blessing beyond comprehension. In the process of living, we face struggles, many of which will cause us to suffer, laugh, cry, and shout. The bravest will overcome obstacles they did not know they were strong enough to do. No one understands that better than someone who has received a cancer diagnosis. Aimee Mullins, 37, of Texarkana, Texas, received a cancer diagnosis that forever changed her life.
Aimee is married to Colton Mullins, and they met at Southern Arkansas University (SAU) in Magnolia, Arkansas, during the Fall 2007 semester. Aimee was Colton’s freshman orientation leader and a resident assistant in his dorm building. The two soon fell in love and were married on the SAU campus 14 years ago. The couple share a son, Connor, a Pleasant Grove Intermediate School student. Aimee enjoys her occupation as a school counselor at Pleasant Grove High School, and when not at work, she loves to travel, read, bake, and hang out in the pool with her family. She also loves cheering on her son at his baseball games.
Aimee is full of life, and although she would encounter a significant obstacle, she definitely has more life to live.
There is no history of breast cancer in Aimee’s immediate family, but that diagnosis would be handed down to her in 2022. She was 34 years old when she received the news that she was in Stage Two of Triple Positive Breast Cancer. “I had weight loss
surgery in November 2021 and lost a total of 100 pounds due to the surgery and pre-op diet. After losing so much weight, I was able to feel a lump in my left breast. Sometimes, I would feel a twinge of pain, but nothing too major. I went to the doctor for something unrelated and asked him to look at the lump while I was there,” Aimee says.
Although her doctor did not think it was anything major, he suggested getting a baseline mammogram to monitor changes. “At my mammogram appointment, they immediately spotted a mass and called for orders to get a sonogram for a closer look. Right after the sonogram, they ordered a biopsy to be done two days later on not one, but three masses, that were found on my mammogram,” Aimee says.
A life-changing diagnosis like breast cancer can dig up many emotions. It’s not uncommon to have depression, anxiety, uncertainty, fear, loneliness, and body image issues, among others. One day, you are just going about your life, and the next minute, you are scrambling to get tests and scans as you try to make sense of complex medical information and your fast-changing reality. Aimee reflects and explains, “Before I had the mammogram, I wasn’t really worried because even my doctor didn’t think it was really anything. After the mammogram, however, I was a nervous wreck, especially when they called my doctor’s office to request immediate orders to take a closer look at what they found on the sonogram. Waiting on the biopsy results was the worst part, though. I had to wait for the results to be sent to Dr.
Bowen and then for him to meet with me to tell me what was going on. Those few days were so bad. I would just go home and cry because I was so scared.”
Aimee describes her initial reaction on July 12, 2022, when she received her news: “I was shocked. I was told that I had breast cancer just two days before my 35th birthday. I was angry, sad, and worried about what was going to happen,” Aimee stated. “My husband was with me when I found out. My parents live a little over an hour away, so I just called my mom. She knew I was going in to get the results and was waiting for the phone call. I didn’t want to make any more phone calls, so I just let my mom tell the rest of my family.” Aimee and Colton still had to deliver the tragic news to their son, Connor. “I just didn’t know what to say. Unfortunately, Colton had been on the receiving end of the ‘your parent has cancer’ conversation. Although Colton did not know what he could say to the couple’s son, he could certainly empathize while breaking the news,” Aimee says.
After delivering news to friends and family, it was time to devise a plan to treat Aimee’s triple positive breast cancer. After working with Dr. Bowen at Family Medical Group in Texarkana, a fantastic doctor through her entire journey, Aimee traveled to CARTI Cancer Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. There, she met the most kind, caring, and patient doctors, Dr. Diane Wilder (former Texarkana native) and Dr. Jerri Fant. In fact, CARTI Cancer Center and Aimee’s doctors worked to get her first dose of treatment donated while their health insurance was still being processed. “I was both fearful and hopeful. When I first met my surgical oncologist, she was very confident that I would be cancer-free in about a year. The treatment is so specific for triple positive breast cancer, and she expected me to have a good response to chemo,” Aimee says.
too bad from the medical treatments, she would not feel her best and be exhausted for several days afterward. “Honestly, one of the hardest things to endure was losing my hair. I had long, beautiful hair, and it was very difficult to lose that part of my identity.” Aimee also had a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries. She mentions that losing her breasts at the young age of 35 years old was extremely difficult. Aimee says, “I really struggled with my self-image after losing my hair and my breasts. I felt like I lost everything that made me feel feminine.”
Despite these difficulties, Aimee stood on her strong faith in God and His providence. “I trusted that God would see me through everything. Even though I was afraid, I knew His timing was perfect. I was diagnosed after moving into counseling instead of teaching, which allowed me to miss when I had to and not have to worry about a sub covering my classes. It was a bad situation, but I knew God was taking care of me,” Aimee says.
Undergoing treatment for any cancer can be physically and mentally exhausting, however Aimee had a support network worth noting. “In addition to my family, my work family and church family really showed support and love throughout my entire battle. My church family would provide meals and gift cards after surgeries,” Aimee says. “The administration team at Pleasant Grove High School had shirts made that said ‘No Hawk Fights Alone’ with the pink breast cancer ribbon for me and another staff member, Stephanie Knowles, who had breast cancer at the same time. They sold them to staff members and donated all the proceeds back to the two of us to help with expenses.” Stephanie Knowles would become more than a co-worker to Aimee as they both battled their journey in the trenches together. Aimee describes Stephanie as “a constant source of encouragement and information.”
“I had 18 rounds of treatment total: six rounds of chemotherapy (Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin, and Perjeta) and then additional rounds of immunotherapy (Herceptin and Perjeta). I had to travel to Little Rock every three weeks for treatment,” Aimee states. Although Aimee’s nausea was not
Most of all, Aimee looked forward to hearing the words “I’m praying for you” more than anything. These simple spoken words allowed Aimee to feel supported, firm in her foundation, and loved, knowing that someone was interceding on her behalf for her body to be healed.
In the trenches of treatment, Aimee tried not to let her diagnoses and treatment affect her daily life as she says, “I worked as much as I could without missing too many days. I felt like if I could keep my daily routine, I would feel ‘normal.’” Aimee would keep her daily routine by attending football games, school plays, work, and family activities. However, cancer does seem to have an effect even after the body has been healed; this time, mentally. “I now always have a thought in the back of my head that any little thing could be the cancer coming back somewhere else,” Aimee says.
Throughout her entire journey, Aimee learned two critical lessons. “I learned that it’s important to really listen to my body. And I learned that hair is, indeed, just hair. It grows back,” says Aimee. Even though Aimee’s cancer was caught in the early stages and gone within a year, it was still a terrifying thing to go through for her and her
family. “I know my battle was easier than some, but it was still a battle,” Aimee says.
Today, Aimee cheerfully reports she has clear scans!
STEPHANIE’S STORY
Standing Strong, Continuing On
By: Michelle Horton
Stephanie Knowles, 54, is a local Texarkana resident and passionate teacher at Pleasant Grove High School. She is married to her husband, Paul Knowles, whom she met at a Panhellenic Back-to-School mixer in college at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The pair have two daughters and one son. Samantha Knowles, 24, graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Business. She has always wanted to see the world, so she took a job teaching six-year-olds how to speak English in South Korea. Gillian Knowles, 21, is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Biology and German. She plans to attend law school next fall. Logan, 19, is an engineering student at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, specializing in Robotics. He has qualified for the VEX World Robotics competition in high school and college.
Stephanie pours her heart into teaching many subjects for the Hawk student body, including AP European History, AP Government, Economics, and Personal Financial Literacy. In her spare time, her hobbies include reading and gardening. “I love to read, especially historical fiction and murder mysteries. I am currently in the middle of the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. I also piddle around in my garden, but my family teases me that our house is where plants go to die,” Stephanie says.
A little over two years ago, Stephanie’s life would change, and with her cancer diagnosis, she would learn a lot about herself and those who love her. “I had developed a red area on my left breast. The first doctor I saw felt it was mastitis, but any mother who has breastfed a child knows what mastitis feels like, and this was not like that. The doctor ordered a mammogram, just to be sure, because although it is rare, some forms of breast cancer are topical,” Stephanie explains. When Stephanie went in for the
mammogram, the technician found one larger spot and a second spot that was smaller. She immediately sent Stephanie for a sonogram of the two spots, revealing the masses’ sizes and location. “The head of the department came and discussed what they had found. I asked him what he would recommend, and he told me that if it were his wife or mother, he would get a biopsy as quickly as possible. I called Paul to let him know what was going on, took a few minutes to pray, and went in for the biopsy.”
“I kept telling myself that this was going one of two ways: it was benign or cancer. I have known many women in my life who have had experiences with both. I tried not to worry but to trust that whichever one it was, this was God’s plan, and as long as I trusted and believed, it would all be fine in the end,” Stephanie says.
Stephanie had the biopsy on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, and by Friday, the scheduling nurse called to book her an appointment the following Monday. “Paul and I already had an inkling what the diagnosis was going to be before the consultation. This situation was moving too fast for it not to be serious. But even knowing that, it was terrible to hear the words,” Stephanie says.
On Monday, April 25, 2022, Stephanie received the news that she had Stage 3B Invasive Ductile Carcinoma breast cancer. Stephanie remarks, “I immediately started crying, and thank goodness Paul was with me. He took notes and asked questions while I just sat there sniffling and numb, trying to absorb everything the doctor was saying.”
Paul and Stephanie decided not to tell their kids right away. Samantha was in Korea, and Gillian was a week away from finals week, so they chose not to tell them
until a second opinion was received and a treatment plan was in place. Logan, however, was still at home and would quickly notice all the trips to Dallas for tests and doctor visits, so the couple relayed the news to him.
Stephanie began the daunting tasks of arranging days off for her new diagnosis and the load it would bring, leading to a discovery she refers to as a “God-send.” Stephanie says, “After I got the initial diagnosis, I was in the office at the high school trying to arrange days off for doctors’ visits and further tests. Joyce Cook and Lisa Buchanan told me very firmly that I needed to go to Dallas and see Dr. Grant. He is a wonderful, godly man who had treated some of their close friends. When I went to church, I had two other ladies who were breast cancer survivors tell me that I needed to see Dr. Grant. I took this as a sign from God that I needed to consult him, and I have never regretted it for a minute. As soon as you walk into his office, you begin to notice signs of his faith, which is so reassuring. He even prayed with Paul and I at the first visit.” Dr. Michael Grant, who specializes in diseases of the breast, became Stephanie’s surgical oncologist. He then recommended that Stephanie see Dr. Antoinette Matthews at the Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center. She is an oncologist who worked with Stephanie and her test results since she had two internal lumps and an external area to treat.
“Because my cancer was fast-growing and aggressive, Dr. Matthews recommended that we attack it with the strongest chemotherapy available. She did a lot of tests to make sure that I physically could handle it and cautioned me to be vigilant about keeping myself as healthy as possible during treatment,” Stephanie says. She started her first treatment with the chemotherapy drug, Doxorubicin, often referred to as the “red devil chemo” both because of its distinctive red color and because it can cause serious side effects, including potential heart damage, in some individuals. “My experience with chemotherapy was, honestly, not as bad as I expected. Dr. Matthews was very direct and told us that whatever side effects I was having, they had a medicine for that. She told me not to be ‘brave’ or ‘tough’. If I had nausea or any other side effect, to let her know because they now have medications to alleviate them,” Stephanie says.
The most devastating side effect for Stephanie was losing her hair. “Within two weeks of my first treatment, it was falling out in clumps. I decided to have Gillian
shave my head. I asked her if it would be too traumatic because I could have my hairdresser do it. Gillian was thrilled because, as she said, ‘How many kids get to shave their mother’s hair off!’”
Stephanie’s friends, family, and co-workers surrounded her and began to show an overwhelming amount of love and support as she battled her cancer. “We received the most help from my co-workers at Pleasant Grove and our church family at Hardy Memorial Methodist Church. They were both amazingly supportive. We had meals delivered to us, and others would bring us gift cards to restaurants. Logan, who was a Senior at Pleasant Grove High School, was playing football during this time, so he would take one of the gift cards and bring home dinner after he finished practice,” Stephanie remarked. Mostly, Stephanie loved to hear the words, “we are praying.”
Another source of support and the most important medical person in Stephanie’s cancer journey was, and still is, Jennifer Black. Stephanie remarks, “She is a breast cancer survivor herself, and her knowledge and understanding of cancer and medical terminology was so important to Paul and me mentally. Jennifer gave us guidance on questions to ask and what different test results meant. She told me at the very beginning that she would do research and explain what everything meant to us. She said that if we started doing online research and didn’t understand it, we would scare ourselves even more. She has been a fountain of medical and technical information while simultaneously being a rock that we lean on emotionally and in our faith.”
Daunting news, overwhelming doctor’s visits, surgeries, treatments, and waiting can all become bleak and tiring. While it is never acceptable to downplay a cancer patient’s experience, only talking to a patient about their experience in a
serious tone can become quite frustrating. However, Stephanie Knowles knew that levity was her best friend and knowledge for her high school students was empowering. Through her experiences in the classroom, Stephanie’s students would grow to support her and help her through her cancer journey. “I received so much support from my students. I was able to start the 2022-23 school year when the students came back in August. I started the first day by addressing the ‘elephant in the room.’ I told them that I had breast cancer and that I had the choice of crying every day or laughing. I told them that I needed them to be careful of me because my immune system was weak, but my heart was not. I encouraged them to ask questions because more knowledge is empowering. It helps to kill fear. I had Logan in my class, and he helped me explain to his classmates that cancer jokes were fine. My senior students really stepped up and helped me through. They were such troopers, even when I had days after treatment and later after surgery when I wasn’t physically my best. Those were the days they behaved the best.” Stephanie says.
Stephanie learned two important life lessons during this time as she says, “I learned that being bald is not the end of the world. I also learned that there are so many people who care about me and wanted to do something to help. I had so many people offering to help.” She adds a note for those fighting cancer today, saying, “If you are going to have to fight cancer, be grateful that you are living in the present time. So many people have gone before you, and their fight has given the cancer community so much more knowledge. Doctors and researchers have the treatments to save many, many more cancer patients than ever before.”
Stephanie is happy to report that she has been cancer-free since her treatments.
Dan L. Martin, DOM Doctor of Oriental Medicine
WITCHES NIGHT OUT
October 21, 2024 - 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
All
Don't Miss Out! Once a year deals, available this night only! Make plans to be here! Live
and
TEXARKANA'S TOP LAWYER NOMINATIONS 2024
TOP DISTINGUISHED LAWYER
(Practicing a minimum of 40 years)
Jim Cranford Cranford Law Firm
David James Miller, James, Miller & Hornsby
Paul Miller Miller, James Miller & Hornsby
Cary Patterson Nix Patterson & Roach LLP
David Potter Potter Law Firm
Louise Tausch Atchley, Russell, Waldrop & Hlavinka
TOP LAWYER
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Ralph Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
David Glass Glass Law Firm
Butch Dunbar Dunbar & Morgan LLP
Connie Mitchell Miller County Prosecuting Attorney
Shawn Morgan Dunbar & Morgan LLP
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
David Ruff Law Office of David Ruff
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
John K. Ross, IV Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
Lisa Shoalmire Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
Bob Veon Veon Law Firm, PA
TOP YOUNG LAWYER
Felicia Cienfuegos Langdon Davis LLP
Erin
Miller
Colton Langford
Langdon Davis LLP
Cade Mayo
J. Michael Brock PLLC
Darby Doan
Haltom & Doan
Mark Elliott
Langdon Davis LLP
Bruce Flint
Law Offices of Flint & Crawford
Matthew Golden
Matthew Golden Law Firm PLLC
Fred Norton
Norton & Wood
Jacob Potter Potter & Marks
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
Cary Rochelle Law Office of Cary G. Rochelle
APPELLATE PRACTICE
Ralph Burgess Burgess Law Firm
Peter Corcoran The Corcoran Law Firm
John Delk John Delk Attorney at Law
Darby Doan Haltom & Doan
Troy Hornsby Miller, James, Miller, & Hornsby LLP
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
BANKING AND FINANCE LAW
Fred Norton Norton & Wood
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Nick Newton Langdon Davis LLP
BANKING AND CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS/INSOLVENCY AND REORGANIZATION LAW
David James Miller, James, Miller, & Hornsby LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Nick Newton Langdon Davis LLP
Jacob Potter Potter & Marks
David Ruff Law Office of David Ruff
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
Ben King Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
Peter Corcoran The Corcoran Law Firm
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Nick Newton Langdon Davis LLP
Jacob Potter Potter & Marks
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
Darren Anderson Anderson Law Firm
John Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
David Carter Mercy Carter LLP
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
We are honored to be nominated as Texarkana’s Top Attorneys. Thank you.
Jacob S. Potter
Administrative/Regulatory Law
Banking and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Business Organizations
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law
Trusts and Estates
Joshua L. Potter
Top Young Lawyer
Administrative/Regulatory Law
Appellate Practice
Criminal Defense, Non-White Collar
Criminal Defense, White Collar
DUI/DWI Defense
Personal Injury, Defendants
Personal Injury, Plaintiffs
Eric A. Marks
Top Lawyer
Banking and Finance Law
Banking and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Business Organizations
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law
Criminal Defense, White Collar
Family Law
Health Care Law
Insurance Law
Medical Malpractice, Defendants
Medical Malpractice, Plaintiffs
Personal Injury, Defendants
Personal Injury, Plaintiffs
Product Liability, Defendants
Product Liability, PlaintiffsProduct Liability, Plaintiffs
texarklaw.com
Felicia Cienfuegos Langdon Davis LLP
Peter Corcoran The Corcoran Law Firm
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
Darby Doan Haltom & Doan
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Butch Dunbar Dunbar & Morgan LLP
Bob Veon Veon Law Firm, PA
CORPORATE LAW
Amy Bowers BWI Companies
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
Jennifer Doan Haltom & Doan
Cory Floyd Norton & Wood
Troy Hornsby Miller, James, Miller, & Hornsby LLP
Wes Jordan Jordan Law Firm LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Nick Newton Langdon Davis LLP
Jacob Potter Potter & Marks
Butch Dunbar Dunbar & Morgan LLP
CRIMINAL DEFENSE, NON-WHITE COLLAR
Jason Horton
Jason Horton Law
John Delk John Delk Attorney at Law
John Pickett Young Pickett Law Offices
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
CRIMINAL DEFENSE, WHITE COLLAR
Darren Anderson Anderson Law Firm
John Delk
John Delk Attorney at Law
Mark Elliott Langdon Davis LLP
Jason Horton
Jason Horton Law
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
DUI/DWI DEFENSE
Mark Elliott
Langdon Davis LLP
Jason Horton
Jason Horton Law
Jeff Harrelson Harrelson Law Firm
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
ELDER LAW
Mark Elliott Langdon Davis LLP
Jon Beck Morgan, Cook, & Beck LLP
Cade Mayo
J. Michael Brock PLLC
John K. Ross, IV
Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
Lisa B. Shoalmire
Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
Ben King
Ross & Shoalmire PLLC EMPLOYMENT LAW
David Carter
Mercy Carter LLP
David Glass
The Glass Firm PLLC
Mark Elliott
Langdon Davis LLP
Marshall Wood Norton & Wood
Louise Tausch
Atchley, Russell, Waldrop & Hlavinka
FAMILY LAW
Carly Anderson Anderson Law Firm
Peter Corcoran
The Corcoran Law Firm
David Glass
The Glass Firm PLLC
John Delk John Delk Attorney at Law
Mark Elliott Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
Cade Mayo J. Michael Brock PLLC
Shawn Morgan Dunbar & Morgan LLP
HEALTH CARE LAW
David Carter Mercy Carter LLP
David Glass The Glass Firm PLLC
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Paul Miller
Miller James Miller & Hornsby LLP
INSURANCE LAW
Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
John Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Bruce Flint Law Offices of Flint & Crawford
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Matthew Soyars Soyars & Soyars
Bob Veon Veon Law Firm, PA
Marshall Wood Norton & Wood
LABOR LAW
David Glass The Glass Firm PLLC
Marshall Wood Norton & Wood
MEDIATION
Ralph Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Jim Cranford Cranford Law Firm
David James Miller, James, Miller, & Hornsby LLP
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, DEFENDANTS
David Carter Mercy Carter LLP
Jennifer Doan Haltom & Doan
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Paul Miller Miller James Miller & Hornsby LLP
Marshall Wood
Norton & Wood
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, PLAINTIFFS
Mark Burgess
Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Ralph Burgess
Burgess Law Firm PLLC
David Carter
Mercy Carter LLP
David Glass
The Glass Firm PLLC
Matthew Golden
Matthew Golden Law Firm PLLC
Eric Marks
Potter & Marks
PERSONAL INJURY, DEFENDANTS
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
Marshall Wood Norton & Wood
PERSONAL INJURY, PLAINTIFFS
John Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Darren Anderson Anderson Law Firm
Brandon Cogburn Law Offices of Flint, Crawford & Cogburn
Bruce Flint Law Offices of Flint, Crawford & Cogburn
Matthew Golden Matthew Golden Law Firm PLLC
David Carter Mercy Carter LLP
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Monty Murry Murry Law Office
Josh Potter Potter & Marks
PRODUCT LIABILITY, DEFENDANTS
Darby Doan Haltom & Doan
Fred Norton Norton & Wood
Eric Marks
Potter & Marks
Marshall Wood Norton & Wood
Paul Miller
Miller James Miller & Hornsby LLP
Bob Veon Veon Law Firm, PA
PRODUCT LIABILITY, PLAINTIFFS
Mark Burgess Burgess Law Firm PLLC
Darby Doan Haltom & Doan
Jennifer Doan Haltom & Doan
Brent Langdon Langdon Davis LLP
Eric Marks Potter & Marks
Matthew Golden Matthew Golden Law Firm PLLC
Matthew Soyars Soyars & Soyars
REAL ESTATE LAW
Felicia Cienfuegos Langdon Davis LLP
Kyle Davis Langdon Davis LLP
Mark Elliott Langdon Davis LLP
David Glass The Glass Firm PLLC
Phillip Jordan Jordan Law Firm LLP
Cade Mayo J. Michael Brock PLLC
Jacob Potter Potter & Marks
TAX LAW
Nick Newton Langdon Davis LLP
Fred Norton Norton & Wood
John K. Ross,
Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
TRUSTS AND ESTATES
Fred Norton Norton & Woods
Peter Corcoran
The Corcoran Law Firm
Karlton Kemp Kemp Law Firm
Mark Elliott Langdon Davis LLP
Cade Mayo
J. Michael Brock PLLC
Jacob Potter Potter & Marks
John K. Ross, IV Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
Lisa B. Shoalmire Ross & Shoalmire PLLC
WORKERS COMP, CLAIMANTS
Greg Giles Moore, Giles & Matteson LLP
Fred Norton Norton & Wood
Mike Unger
Unger Law Firm
WORKERS COMP, EMPLOYERS
Greg Giles Moore, Giles & Matteson LLP
Jeff Elliott Elliott Law Firm
Fred Norton Norton & Wood
Chevrolet Super Sport Roadster
Better known as the Chevy SSR
The SSR was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in 2000. It is a retro-hotrod convertible pickup truck with a two-piece retractable hard top that does not take up cargo space. The first production model debuted at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show, and the SSR was the pace vehicle for the 2003 Indianapolis 500. GM built only about 24,000 SSRs, and discontinued them in 2006.
The SSR Fanatics, owners today who cruise together and fix problems together on tech days, will bring their truck to Texarkana for viewing on October 29 to support the fundraiser for The Runnin’ WJ Ranch. Trucks will be displayed across the street from the Twisted Fork Restaurant from 6:00 - 9:00pm.
A LENDER YOU CAN Count
STRINGER WEALTH MANAGEMENT RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL
TAILOR YOUR TAXES FOR RETIREMENT
RETIREMENT & LONGEVITY
From withdrawals to conversions, taxes in retirement can be a balancing act.
After a fruitful career and plenty of practice paying taxes, you may feel prepared for the tax man in retirement. But a review of your post-retirement taxable income may yield some surprising insights. Examining your position can help you design ways to optimize your current investment strategy. Taking a new look at both fixed and flexible expenses provides the opportunity to ask questions and have discussions with your financial advisor about the tax implications of your total portfolio. When it comes to taxation, the more thorough the examination, the better.
Solopreneur? Take deductions
If you’re still working as a solopreneur, you can actually deduct Medicare Part B and D premiums – even if you don’t itemize. Supplemental Medicare and Medicare Advantage costs are also deductible. But not everyone can deduct – this only applies if you don’t have access to a health plan for your business or through your spouse’s employer or business.
Taxes on Social Security income
Despite any widespread myths to the contrary, Social Security is taxable income. You could pay tax on up to 85% of your Social Security income under certain circumstances, so beware of your filing
status and annual income. For example, if you file a return as an individual and your adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest, in addition to half of your Social Security income, is more than $34,000, you’ll pay tax on up to 85% of that benefit. Adjusted gross income covers everything, from wages (if you are still working) to rental income and, most importantly, any withdrawals from 401(k)s and IRAs. However, Roth IRAs are exempt.
Offsetting required minimum distributions
Depending on your portfolio, required minimum distributions (RMDs) can bump you into a higher tax bracket than you were expecting. It’s important to take RMDs into consideration every year and factor in what you’ll be required to take out of your retirement accounts starting at 72 (or earlier if your plan allows). One way to balance an increased tax burden is with a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). After 70 1/2, you can donate up to $100,000 a year to an eligible charity directly from your traditional IRA – and you won’t have to pay any taxes on it. QCDs can also be a way to meet your RMD, with the caveat that you can’t then itemize the donation as a charitable deduction on your return.
To convert or not to convert
If you’ve got retirement funds in traditional IRAs or 401(k)s, you have the option to convert these to a Roth at any time. This strategy could potentially lower future taxes – but you’ll have to pay taxes in the year you convert. Look at current tax rates and potential future income from your assets and talk to your advisor and tax professional to forecast whether Roth conversions would make sense for you.
The right amount of withdrawals
Conventional wisdom says to follow the “4% rule” – withdrawing no more than that amount of your retirement portfolio every year. But this is only a general guidance – and deserves to be revisited, especially when there are market waves, inflation or other headwinds. Be sure to set up a time to renew and adjust your withdrawals as needed to manage your income bracket most effectively.
Tax implications can be overlooked too often when the focus has been on saving and investing for so many years. Whether you are pre-retirement or postretirement, there’s always an opportunity to review –and adjust.
Sources: thebalance.com; westernsouthern.com; moneywise.org; wealthenhancement.com; ssa.gov
Raymond James does not provide tax services. Please discuss these matters with the appropriate professional.
If certain conditions are met, ROTH IRA and ROTH 401(k) distributions will be completely income tax free. Unlike Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k) participants are subject
to required minimum distributions at age 72 (70 ½ if you reach 70 ½ before January 1, 2020). Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.
Withdrawals which exceed income
of your portfolio.
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Tasty Donuts
Drug Take Back Initiative Operation Medicine Cabinet
•It is important to know that law enforcement is only interested in the removal of unused and/or outdated medications from the homes of our citizens.
•It matters not whose name is on the prescription, by whom it was prescribed, where it was prescribed, or where you reside.
•We stress that it makes no difference if you live in Texas or Arkansas.
•We take back all medications, no questions asked. You can remove the label if you desire but it’s not necessary.
•We ask that you do not deposit needles (sharps), inhalers, medication from businesses or clinics, ointments, lotions, liquids, aerosol cans, hydrogen peroxide, or thermometers.
One box has been placed behind the Bi State Justice Building at 100 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, Arkansas and another outside the Texarkana Emergency Center, 4646 Cowhorn Creek Rd., Texarkana, Texas. These boxes are regularly checked and the contents are immediately packaged for destruction. If you would like to personally drop your medications off to law enforcement, you can at the Miller County Sheriff’s Office on East Street and Bi State Justice Building in Texarkana.
The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department is proud to partner with Texarkana Emergency Center in an effort to remove unused and out of date prescription medicines from your homes. 4646 Cowhorn Creek | Texarkana, TX
National Take Back Day October 26, 2024 8am - 12pm at Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital
You can learn more about this program by visiting www.artakeback.org or on Facebook by searching Arkansas Take Back or Arkansas Drug take Back.
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Suzie TK SnippeTS
By: Suzie Tyler
In 1920, Congress passed the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote! However, women of color could not vote until 1965. Even for my generation, it isn’t easy to visualize that scenario.
This subject is the basis of a stage production currently on Broadway in New York with music lyrics from a book by Shaina Taub, based on suffragists and the American women’s suffrage movement, focusing primarily on the historical events leading up to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920 that gave women, mainly white women, the right to vote and produced by Hillary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai. It explores the victories and failures of a struggle for equality. I hope to see it on my next trip to the Big Apple!
I’ve always appreciated my right to vote and take it seriously each year. Even when it is not a presidential year, I don’t fail to vote. I research the candidates, especially in local elections, that directly affect my children and the next generation’s standard of living, freedoms, and rights.
Single women experience the male chauvinism attitude perhaps more than married women because they are stepping into a male-dominated workforce to make a path for a standard of living for themselves! Equal pay for an equal job description has a long way to go before equality for all sexes. Times and laws have lessened it to a significant extent, but it still exists!
I recently learned of a group of men who would like to overturn the 19th Amendment, citing that women’s votes have “gotten our country in the shape it is in.” I can’t tell you how strongly I resented this action.
In 1865, an American poet, William Ross Wallace, wrote the poem “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World!” I guess these men are okay with us raising our sons and educating them, but we are not smart enough to learn about issues and voice our concerns by speaking out and voting.
So, all women, I encourage you to do your homework, do the research, and vote responsibly. Our future and that of our country can benefit from our expertise!
Thank you, Susan B Anthony, for being a pioneer crusader for women’s suffrage in the United States.
Women, exercise your rightful privilege to vote! Oh, and we will let you men vote, too!
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Silver Bingo (55+) @ TXK Public Library
Taste of Texarkana@ Four States Fairgrounds
Fall Movies in the Park @ Spring Lake Park
Hospice of Texarkana’s JEANS & BLING @ TXK, TX Convention Center
Fall Movies in the Park @ Spring Lake Park
Texarkana’s Largest Indoor Yard Sale @ Four States Fairgrounds
Fall Movies in the Park @ Spring Lake Park
Trunk-or-Treat @ Spring Lake Park
Jay Leno @ Perot Theatre
Bill
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