> Blackmon to speak on Texarkana's birthday <By <A HREF="mailto:[email protected]"><LORI DUNN</A> of the Gazette Staff > new century will be celebrated Tuesday at > the Texarkana Country Club. The city, which was founded in 1873, is turning > 127 years old.Anyone who lives in Texarkana and is interested in supporting > the city is welcome to attend, said Martin Beck, president of the Texarkana > Pioneer Descendants' Association."It is not restricted to people who were > born in Texarkana," Beck said. Festivities will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at > 6:15 and a program at 7:15.Tickets are $18 and can be ordered by contacting > Beck at 773-8282.The honored guest and speaker will be former Texarkana > Gazette reporter Lyn Blackmon.Blackmon retired from the Gazette in December > 1999 after writing feature and entertainment stories for 20 years. After > retiring, Blackmon became a member of many of the organizations she had > previously written about including TRAHC, TexRep and the Texarkana > Community Ballet. She is also president of Friends of the Texarkana > Library."She has done more for the promotion of the arts in Texarkana than > anyone. It was her job but she went above and beyond. She has gone out of > her way for the arts," said Beck."It's a great honor. I know I was not > asked because I'm from a pioneer family or because I have lived all my life > in Texarkana. I came here in 1963," Blackmon said.Blackmon believes she > conducted about 3,000 interviews while working at the Gazette. During her > career Blackmon has interviewed Cary Grant, Harry Belafonte and Carol > Channing.Her interview with Grant was before his last performance. He > performed "Conversations with Cary Grant," at the Perot Theatre, then went > on to Davenport, Iowa, where he died on Nov.29, 1986, at age 82."His last > performance was in Texarkana but it was not his last interview. He gave an > interview before he died (in Iowa)," Blackmon said.Blackmon will also talk > about her interviews with notable Texarkana residents including J.Q. and > Ruth Mahaffey, Ida Lou Ames and Sue Beasley Gray.Special entertainment for > the event will be provided by young entertainers John Coley, 14, and Klancy > Johnson, 9."They will cover a broad scope of music spanning from Broadway > to Nashville," Beck said. > >