Hi! I grew up in a one-stoplight town in rural Nebraska and my whole family still lives there with three churches, a bar, and a courthouse. I left because I like lots of people and taller buildings, and I don't like cold weather. On those rare days in Texas when it gets snowy and icy, you'll find me inside Googling beach vacations. I don't plan to leave Texas now that I've been here for most of my adult life because the barbecue and fajitas are just way too addictive. I've worked in radio from the moment I graduated from college at the University of Nebraska, and besides getting the hang out with cool people like you every day, I love sports, great restaurants, self improvement, and meeting new people. I love all movies starring Melissa McCarthy or Julia Roberts, and all TV shows with home improvements or food in them. You'll probably hear me talk about my three daughters on the air, along with the challenges of being a single mom. I'm on several of the dating apps, because trying to meet someone in person these days is way too creepy.
Jen Austin
Finally! Texas Army Soldiers Will Have Pizza.
If it's a Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) for the troops, it can't spoil, and it has to have a shelf life of two or three years. The average slice of pizza has trouble living up to those standards, but finally, the Army has found a way to make it happen.
What Not to Wear to Work in the Summer in Texas
The rest of the US might have a thing against flip-flops at the office, but those seem to be part of standard operating procedure in Texas. As long as you don't add socks. What else should we NOT wear to work this summer?
70 Thousand Bees Are Removed from Walls in a Texas Home
What in the world would it sound like to have 70 to 80,000 honey bees crawling around inside the walls in your house? One Texas woman finally got rid of them after 40 years of bee problems, and if you want to, you can buy some of the honey as a souvenir.
East Texas Restaurant Will Host a Wild Food Challenge This Weekend
Are you up for an insane burger challenge? This monster is topped with fried eggs, bacon, and more, and a Tyler restaurant has the chance to stuff your face with it this weekend.
Texas Museums Will Let Military in Free This Summer
Over a hundred Texas museums will let active duty military members and their families in free this summer, and a Nacogdoches museum is on the list.
Why Half Of Us Will Skip the Summer Vacation
If you're not taking a vacation this summer you're not alone. Almost half of East Texas will skip the trip in favor of staying at home for the next three months and there are three big reasons why.
This Online Tool Helps You Pick the Perfect Wedding Date
If you're tossing around a few possible dates for your wedding and you are dying to know which one is historically the most likely to have the perfect weather forecast, you gotta check this out. You could even cheat and use this tool to plan your next backyard barbecue.
Some Students Won’t Have to Pass the STAAR Test To Move On To The Next Grade
Several thousand students who took the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness test, or STAAR, experienced glitches during the test, and because of that the passing requirement to move on to the next grade will be waived.
Follow SFA to the Ultimate Away Game
The Stephen F. Austin basketball team is headed to Ireland! Wanna go? If you do, there's one big reason why you won't want to refer to the team as the "Jacks" while you're there. You could end up in the toilet.
Don’t Miss This Free Summer Workshop for Kids
Sending the kids to camps, pools, and arcades during the summer can get expensive, so we're going to help you find some free fun that will save you some money and keep them from getting bored too.
First up, a chance for parents and kids to build a car together!
Could You Eat at the Same Restaurant for 500 Straight Days?
We have some great restaurants around East Texas, and if you had to pick one to be your home base every day for about a year and a half, which one would it be?
Forget This One Thing and Be Fined $200 or More
More than three million Texans are going to be traveling for the Memorial Day weekend, and it may feel like every one of them is in front of you on US-59. There will be enough road stress, so do yourself a favor and avoid the hassle of getting fined two hundred bucks on top of it.