Parker County Today

Let me ask you this:

2008-12-08T10:03:00.000-06:00

As we focus on the future, what is the one thing (tangible or not) that you'd like to see in Parker County?

Let me know what you think!

Back from ACL

2008-10-01T10:05:00.006-05:00

Just spent a weekend at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, which I'll be writing a column on for the November issue. We saw a great performance by former Talking Head David Byrne. In the meantime here's a link to Byrne and Eno's new CD Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. Really great!

Oh, and they're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bossa Nova over there on Radio David Byrne. Check it out.

A whole new set of issues

2008-08-19T11:24:00.002-05:00

As I type this, I'm looking at the proofs for the inaugural issue of Hood & Somervell Today Magazine. Exciting stuff. Check it out on the newsstands!

NCHA Cutting Spectacular

2008-07-26T09:44:00.002-05:00

We've had our usual great time at the National Cutting Horse Spectacular in Fort Worth this July. On Friday, we gathered our TODAY troops in the arena to cheer for our rider in the Sponsor Cutting event, Haley.

Haley, a former barrel racer and our summer intern, did a terrific job--and that's not easy when all eyes are on you--and you're on a strange (albeit gorgeous and highly trained) horse, engaged in a sport you've never tried. Haley did a great job...oh, Darren? Next year, you're up!

Hello everyone!

2008-07-16T10:09:00.004-05:00

My name is Haley, and I'm a junior in high school. I'm really interested in photo journalism, and I'm working as a photographer at PCT for the summer. Here are some of my recent photos. Enjoy!

Don Jacobs on PCT Radio!

2008-06-04T11:39:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all our callers this morning! Check out this show, it was a lot of fun to do and we'd love to have Don Jacobs back on the show again in the future! After the jump folks:

The EPCC on PCT Radio!

2008-05-28T09:37:00.000-05:00

We had a great time with the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to our guests!

Pulliam Pools on PCT Radio!

2008-05-21T10:19:00.001-05:00

Another great show streaming from PCT Radio!

PCT Radio is On The Air

2008-05-14T10:14:00.003-05:00

Another episode of PCT Radio. Today's guests are Dick Craiglow and Joan Shaw

On This Month's Cover

2008-05-13T10:59:00.003-05:00

Some astute eyes have pointed out that the man on the cover of this month's PCT, looks a lot, well, like me.

True!

I love the cowboy life, but I certainly don't pull it off well. I grew up in South Florida, and I was an active member of 4-H (I showed steers) and a participant in NCHA-sanctioned youth cutting shows (average score: 60).

I broke horses to rope and I was pretty good in the saddle. And then one day I wasn't. Maybe it was the height growth (6'5), but I just never regained my shore-nuff cowpoke footing. Until I found myself, with rope in hand, just outside of Weatehrford preparing to represent the cowboy lifestyle on our cover.

Oh, we've got Lyn Walsh on the radio show tomorrow. Check it out!

April 23 Show: Earf Day

2008-04-23T11:00:00.002-05:00

This was a fun show. Thanks to our guests!

April 2 Radio Show: Dave Ferman

2008-04-02T10:27:00.004-05:00

Here's the new show with music critic Dave Ferman. It's after the jump. Enjoy!

Radio Show Recap: 4/2/08

2008-04-02T09:21:00.004-05:00

Good morning all! Today on the radio show we kicked off our "Music Month" with guest Dave Ferman, who began writing for the Fort Worth Star Telegram in 1990 as the publication's first pop-music critic.

As expected, we listened and talked about none other than....(drum roll please)......music! For your enjoyment, here is a clip from one of the greatest Rock-umentaries ever made. The rest of the recap is after the jump.

Living in Texas, we would be remiss not to mention the greatness of Texas music, especially since our state's capital is considered by many to be the music capital of the world. Even more reasons to like Austin!

One musical group worth checking out, who is also from the area, is the Quebe Sisters. Specializing in Western Swing, the Sisters play the fiddle like nobody's business, and sure can carry a tune.

Also, Aledo is the birthing ground to another local band, Green River Ordinance, who recently signed with a major label. "GRO," as the kids like to call them, also studied at TCU, which Darren, Dave and I are partial to.

I'm not gonna lie, today's quiz was a tough one. But through a bit of persistence and concentration, Dave was able get through it, while getting a couple right. The topic of Quizmo's Questions was "Musicians and Their Stage Names," where I said a musician's real name, and Dave game me their Stage name. And here are the questions:

1) Barrence Eugene Carter — Barry White
2) Ellen Naomi Cohen — Cass Elliot
3) Declan McManus — Elvis Costello
4) Percy Miller — Master P.
5) Paul Hewson — Bono
6) Hugh Anthony Cregg, III — Huey Lewis

Thanks again for listening, and we'll see you next week!

March 26 Radio Show: Organic Lawncare

2008-03-26T09:27:00.007-05:00

Scott and Sam Cushion with Darren White

Riff, ram, bah zoo, here's the show from me to you! Unfortunately, technical interference hindered the first segment of the show from being recorded, but we've got the rest of it right here!

Radio Show Recap: 3/26/08

2008-03-26T09:19:00.005-05:00

Good morning all. We had another great radio show today, this time with the folks from PuroLawn. They discussed the importance of maintaining organic lawns and the benefits of not using chemicals.

Here is a video that will deter many from using chemicals in your lawn, because you never know if you are harming little people living in your grass.

When using organic techniques, as mentioned on our show, your grass will turn green quicker and stay green longer than lawns that use chemicals. This is perfect for homeowners who like to compete with their neighbors to see who has the best looking house.

Through organic lawn care, your lawn will also require less maintenance. Chemicals become a horticultural heroin for plants, which means exactly what you think it means: Plants keep wanting more and more chemicals to get their "fix." Thus, not using chemicals leads to healthier, happier plants that won't ask you for a loan.

PuroLawn's Scott and Sam nailed the quiz this week. The quiz was a fill in the blank, with each question including the word grass or lawn. And here they are:

1) Bluegrass music relies mostly on acoustic (blank) instruments. — String
2) Grass skirts are traditionally worn by Hula Dancers at Hawaiian (blank). — Luaus
3) The game of Lawn (blank) was banned in the U.S. and Canada for causing skull punctures. — Darts
4) "The Death of Grass," a 1956 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, was written by (blank). — Samuel Youd
5) I was run over by a lawnmower at the age of (blank). — 2

For more information on PuroLawn, you can visit www.PuroLawn.com. Thanks again for listening, and we'll see you next week.

March 19 Radio Show: Green Building

2008-03-19T09:58:00.003-05:00

Hey guys, here's this weeks show with Julie Laughlin. It takes a second to load, and you might have to skip through Katrina & the Waves' classic "Walkin' on Sunshine."

Radio Show Recap: 3/19/08

2008-03-19T09:43:00.002-05:00

Good morning, Parker County folk (and those outside the county limits).

On the show today, guest Julie Laughlin from Laughlin Home Builders discuss the importance of green building, along with the benefit of warm showers through tankless water heaters.

For the enjoyment of our listeners, here is a dramatization of what won't happen with a tankless water heater.

Tankless water heaters, which Julie is very fond of, don't waste as much water as conventional water heaters. They also aid in keeping the water in the shower hot, which cuts back on children fighting for the first shower. They are a little more expensive, but they are worth it, for you and the environment.

Another green building method worth mentioning is high performance windows. Contrary to what Darren and I would have thought, these windows can't run faster or jump higher. They are windows filled with Argon which prevents heat from escaping when it's cold outside or prevents cool air to escape when it's warm outside. This not only aids in your comfort, but it also will help save money on the energy bill.

For more information on green building, you can visit www.greenbuiltnorthtexas.com or www.laughlinhomebuilders.com.

And now for the fun part. The topic for this week's Quizmo's Questions was Famous Houses and the Famous People Who Live in Them. Here are the questions:

1) Neverland Ranch (Michael Jackson)
2) Playboy Mansion (The Hef, and a bunch of girls next door)
3) The White House (43 different people throughout history, but currently, George W. Bush)
4) Little House on the Prairie (The Ingalls)
5) International House of Pancakes (The Rootie Tootie Fresh and Fruity)

Thanks again for listening, and we'll see you next week.

New e-mail

2008-03-17T11:40:00.001-05:00

Want to send an e-mail to the radio guys? Now, you can! Our address is radio@parkercountytoday.com.

March 11 Radio Show Photos

2008-03-12T10:21:00.011-05:00

Hey folks! Here's a few photos from today's show. Thanks for listening!

Our guest Jerry Parr talks a little about proper garden design

Quizmo Greaves puts on a tie and, well, he runs the boards. Well.

March 11 Radio Show: Jerry Parr Talks Gardens

2008-03-12T10:09:00.006-05:00

Hey folks! You'll find this week's show after the jump. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

As always, it takes a sec to load.

Radio Show Recap: 3/12/08

2008-03-12T09:49:00.004-05:00

It's that time again to update our listeners (and those who didn't listen) on today's radio show.

To continue "Green Month," we had guest Jerry Parr from the Parker County Master Gardener Association talk about all things green from lawn care to shrubbery.

The following clip is from "The Little Shop of Horrors," which features plants that one should not cultivate in their yard. The rest of the recap is after the jump.

One modern misconception that Jerry addressed was that of the quantity of grass in a lawn. In today's society, many homeowners believe that more grass equals a pretty lawn. However, according to Jerry, an average lawn should be no more than 1/3 grass, which will cut down on the amount of water you use and the time it takes to mow. So sell your stocks in lawnmowers, we don't need them as much anymore.

Jerry also emphasized decorating your lawn with shrubbery. So if you've run out of ideas of how to make your house the best looking one on the block, add some flowers. You'll also rediscover the enjoyment of playing in soil.

Today's quiz (which included background music, I might add) was rather simple for Jerry. He attained 17 million points, which is above and beyond any of our other guests. Today's topic was Gardening Term or German Musical Group, and here it is:

1) Sphagnum — Gardening
2) Rammstein — Band
3) Rhizome — Gardening
4) Blümchen — Both (it translates to small flower)
5) Germinate — Gardening

Thanks again for listening and for reading this blog. See you next week!

Who's behind the mics?

2008-03-11T09:57:00.006-05:00

Hello happy readers of the PCT blog! If you're wondering what's on the radio show tomorrow, well, then I've got an answer for you. We've got Jerry Parr on the show. Parr is from the Parker County Master Gardeners Association, and he's going to talk to us about conservation, gardening and other fun green stuff! Tune in!

March issue cover

2008-03-07T12:34:00.004-06:00

C'mon! Tell us what you think of our March cover! We spent lots of time discussing whether or not readers would appreciate the drastic departure from our norm, and finally decided the topic (our county's traffic woes due to congestion) merited a dramatic image.

East Parker County Chamber awards

2008-03-07T12:27:00.004-06:00

We were thrilled to have two of our TODAY family nominated for awards at the 2008 EPC Chamber's annual event! Our fearless CEO, Steve Markwardt, was nominated for the "Pappy" Thompson Public Service Award; regional account executive Carol Hare was up for Woman of the Year. Congratulations to both of them for the honor--and for making us proud.

March 5 Radio Show: Goin' Green

2008-03-05T11:30:00.005-06:00

Miss today's show? Never fear, we're back on the air online. Check out the show after the jump!

It takes a second to load, be patient my friends:

Photos from the March 5 show

2008-03-05T09:42:00.013-06:00

Hey listeners, it's Darren White from the Parker County Today Radio show. We had Jon Kinder from Dunaway Associates, L.P. on the show today to kick off Green Month. It was a great show, and I have a handful of new photos to post! More photos after the jump:

Be sure to tune into the program next week, when we'll talk to Jerry Paar from the Parker County Master Gardeners Association.

Host Steve Markwardt listens to a response from Kinder.

The Great Quizmo Greaves working the sound boards.

Radio Show Recap: 3/5/08

2008-03-05T09:30:00.007-06:00

Good morning everybody! It's me again, The Great Quizmo, recapping this morning's radio show to all of Parker County (and to other parts of the world that know about this blog, too).

On today's show, we had guest Jon Kinder, environmental scientist from Dunaway and Associates. I know what you're thinking: "Environmental scientist?!? He sounds smart!" Well you're right, he is.

We talked about the ever so popular subject of living green and the benefits of doing so. To reward those of you who enjoyed today's show, here is a video of Former Vice President Al Gore doing his part to live environmentally friendly. The rest of the recap is after the jump.

Today we discussed green roofs, Jon's specialty. The concept of a green roof is cultivating plants on the roof in order to cool down the building, resulting in lower energy bills. This not only saves the environment, but it also makes your roof look more attractive.

Jon also explained the importance of living green, and supplied us with many examples of how to do so. For one, turning off the water while brushing your teeth is a very simple remedy. Turning off lights that you are not using is another way to save energy, and again, decrease your energy bill.

We ended the show with my favorite segment, "Quizmo's Questions." Today's quiz was fill-in-the-blank, with each question containing the word green. And here are the questions:

1) "Bein' Green," the hit single to never make it anywhere on the charts was performed by (blank). — Kermit the Frog
2) Anthony Edwards, who played Dr. Green on ER, also played (blank) in Top Gun. — Goose
3) Gangrene is a compilation of necrosis characterized by the decay of (blank). — Body tissues
4) The sexiest man to ever roam God's Green Earth is (blank). — Tom Brady
5) The color green is the perception evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly (blank) nanometers. — 520-570

Thanks again for listening, and we'll see you next week.

Tomorrow ...

2008-03-04T13:40:00.004-06:00

We'll have Jon Kinder on the program. Kinder is an environmental scientist who is going to kick off our "green month" with some tips on how to be environmentally-friendly.

Tune in to 89.5 KYQX FM or online by clicking the link on the top left hand corner of the page!

Radio Show Recap: 2/27/08

2008-02-27T09:38:00.005-06:00

Happy Hump Day, Parker County! It's me again, The Great Quizmo, your favorite radio quiz master.

Today on the Parker County Today Radio Show, we had guest Dr. Kris Wusterhausen, director of Envy: A Medical Day Spa. We discussed body massages, photos rejuvenation, and laser hair removal.

For your enjoyment, here is a video clip of the world's first laser hair removal.

Of the many procedures Dr. W offers at Envy, one of the more up and coming services we discussed was that of laser hair removal. I know what you're thinking: "Lasers! Are you crazy?!?" But this non-invasive procedure is actually quite painless, on your body and on your wallet.

For more information on Envy, you can call 817-599-9902

And now for a recap of my favorite part of the show, "Quizmo's Questions!" For today's quiz, I named a celebrity and Dr. W named which procedure this individual needs that is offered at Envy. Here is the quiz, along with their needed service:

1) Robin Williams (Laser Hair Removal)
2) Ann Coulter (Full Body Massage)
3) Lindsey Lohan (Botox, or Detox if offered by Envy)
4) Tom Arnold (Body Sculpting, or Laser Tattoo removal if offered by Envy)
5) Tom Brady (No needed procedures, he's perfect)

Thanks again for listening, and see you next week as we start Green Month!

Photos from the Feb. 27 show

2008-02-27T09:32:00.018-06:00

Hey folks! We like to provide our PCT blog readers with exclusive content you can't get anywhere else, including a behind the scenes look at the PCT radio show. Take for example, this photo of host Steve Markwardt. Looks great, eh? But wait, there's more! After the jump, you'll see a variety of photos of the team and our guest, Dr. Kris Wusterhausen. Remember readers, comments are welcome. We'd love your feedback on the show!

Here's a few shots from the show. Once again, we'd like to thank our guest, Dr. Kris Wusterhausen of Envy Medical Day Spa.

Brian "The Great Quizmo" Greaves runs the boards with Raleigh.

Host Steve Markwardt with Dr. Kris H. Wusterhausen during a break.

"Quizzy G," a man who I still think is the best dressed man in radio.
Dr. Kris Wusterhausen after callers' (and Quizzy's) questions.

It's Quittin' Time!

2008-02-22T10:02:00.024-06:00

A few times a week, Quizmo (pictured above) and I stop by Darren Clark's Quittin' Time show on QXFM to see what's going on and talk a little about what's going to be on our show next week. And, if the mood is right, Quizmo also gives one of his Parker County-famous quizzes. Darren Clark (two guys on the radio named Darren? What are the odds?!) is also teaching us how to run our own soundboard, which is quite gracious considering that both Quizzy and I are somewhat learning-new-things-challenged.

Anyway, this time around I brought the camera by and took some shots last night for you fine folks to check out. There are more after the jump!

Darren Clark bantering live on air:

Raleigh taking a stab at one of Quizmo's Questions:

Darren Clark setting up a break:

Quizmo's Questions!

2008-02-21T15:05:00.006-06:00

Hello all! It's me again, Brian "Quizmo" Greaves, with the rare middle-of-the-week radio show update.

As most of you may have noticed (especially if you read Darren's previous post), yesterday's show did not include "Quizmo's Questions." So as an added treat to get you through the end of the week, I am posting the quiz that would have aired. Enjoy!

With the Oscar's upon us, today's quiz has a movie theme. I will name a movie villain, and you will have to guess which movie he/she/it was from. You will also get bonus points for guessing the actor who plays the villain, but you of course have no way of calculating your score unless you can get your hands on the famous Parker County Today Radio Show Point Calculator. Good Luck.

Questions:
1) Hans Gruber
2) Dark Helmet
3) Biff Tannen
4) Bill the Butcher
5) Jacobim Mugatu

(The answers are after the jump)

Answers:
1) "Die Hard" Alan Rickman
2) "Space Balls" Rick Moranis
3) "Back to the Future" Tom Wilson
4) "Gangs of New York" The Incredibly Creepy Daniel Day Lewis
5) "Zoolander" Will Ferrell

Thanks for playing and we'll see you next time!

Radio Show 2/19: The Election, The Oscars and The Mavs

2008-02-21T13:50:00.006-06:00

Hey readers! Darren White here with the latest installment of the Parker County Today Radio Show.

As you might already know, we love interacting with our readers and listeners. So, take a listen to the show, read the magazine, and leave a comment (the comments section is just below this post)! Listener Casey left one yesterday, and I believe that the Great Quizmo is going to answer it in a post later today, as well as put up a brand-new Internet edition quiz.

The show is available after the jump (It takes a second for it to load). Enjoy!

Radio Show Recap: 2/20/08

2008-02-20T19:52:00.002-06:00

Top o' the mornin' to ya! It's me again, The Great Quizmo Greaves, broadcasting straight from Weatherford Square. We discussed a multitude of things this morning, including The Oscars, Jason Kidd, and gout!

As an added treat to our listeners for bearing with us for a whole hour, I have included this trailer for "There Will Be Blood," nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. Enjoy.

Unfortunately, our guest, Dr. Ness Khan, was feeling under the weather and couldn't make it to the show today. However, we were not short of things to talk about.

The 80th Annual Academy Awards are upon us once again. So if you're not doing anything on Sunday and enjoy watching the same thing for about 5 hours, I recommend you tune in. If anything, at least catch the last 15 minutes when the best picture is announced. And the nominees are:

1) Atonement
2) Juno
3) Michael Clayton
4) No Country For Old Men
5) There Will Be Blood

If you were anywhere around a newspaper or TV recently, you may have heard that point guard Jason Kidd was traded back to the Mavericks from the New Jersey Nets. According to the experts, Kidd is the sixth best point guard in the NBA. Hey, we gotta take what we can get.

The state of the real estate market has been the topic of discussion among many Parker County Residents. While terms such as slipping economy and home foreclosures are on many people's psyche, there is no need to worry quite yet. We at Parker County Today remind all to approach 2008 with cautious optimism. You can read more on this topic in the February issue of Parker County Today, on newsstands now.

As always, thanks for listening. Tune in next Wednesday from 8-9 a.m. when we will have Dr. Kris Wusterhausen from Envy Medical Day Spa. See you next week!