QUESTION: I was at Teague Park recently and I noticed that the fountain in the middle of the pond was not working. I believe it is there to provide oxygen for the fish that the city stocks every year. I called the parks department. They were sure going to send someone over to check the fount…

QUESTION: Is it possible to ride the Amtrak train from Longview to Mineola and then back to Longview on the same day? If it is, how long is it from arriving in Mineola until boarding to return to Longview?

QUESTION: They put monitors on criminals. Why can’t the same be done for people with dementia/Alzheimer’s?

QUESTION: My question is where do you dispose of used hypodermic needles in Longview. We have a ton of them and don’t know what to do with them.

QUESTION: I parked beside a large van in the parking lot at the shopping center where Best Buy is located. The van had several stickers on it saying “Danger, venomous snakes inside.” Also there was one coiled on the dash. Of course I didn’t get close enough to see if it was real. When I retu…

QUESTION: Longview ISD says it can pay for the proposed bond package without raising the tax rate. The district is asking for about $230 million in four propositions. If they are approved by voters, how much would each one contribute to the district’s tax rate?

QUESTION: Longview ISD has stated that its proposed bond can be paid for without an increase in the tax rate. Is this because of increasing tax assessments such as higher home prices? The bond is still paid for by taxes.

QUESTION: I have an older friend that lives alone in a city near Houston. She recently received an e-mail that she could tell was a fraud because the person asked her to deduct money from her bank account to the tune of several thousand dollars to help pay off a gambling debt in Russia.

Editor's note: Answer Line was on assignment Wednesday and thought it was fitting to look back at where we were a little more than two years ... because Wednesday's water main break problems reminded her of those early pandemic days when things really changed.

QUESTION: (Answer Line is taking the liberty of responding to two questions at once.)

QUESTION: There used to be several wrought iron benches on the grounds of the Gregg County Courthouse. They recently disappeared. According to a friend, those benches were built before World War II by the then-Gregg County Precinct 1 blacksmith in the Precinct 1 barn and shop that was locate…

QUESTION: Where did High Street get its name?

QUESTION: In March 2021 Travis Cain allegedly impersonated a federal officer at Longview World of Wonders. It was a big story, and then nothing has been reported since. Are there any updates as to the details of this whole situation?

QUESTION: I wonder if you could tell us the difference and how to spot the bluebird, robin and the martin, and their nesting habits?

QUESTION: I have a good challenge for you this evening. We've heard the expression that someone is as poor as Job's turkey. Where did that originate?

QUESTION: Why do you, after you’ve been driving since you were 14 years old and you’re fixing to turn 79, have to provide proof of your citizenship and that you have a Social Security card to renew your driver’s license?

QUESTION: Where I live in Longview, I can hear cars racing up and down the roads at all hours of the night, especially on the weekends. Can the Longview Police Department work with the Texas Department of Public Safety to address the street racing that takes place in Longview?

QUESTION: Late last week an electronic sign appeared on East Loop 281 between Hollybrook and Alpine, announcing construction on Page Road would begin soon. What is the scope of work planned, how long will it last, and how much impact is this going to have for those that use Page Road?

QUESTION: If Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is under indictment, how can he be on the ballot to run for Texas attorney general?

QUESTION: I was reading in the News-Journal about an East Texas woman arrested in Kentucky who waived extradition to Texas. My question is, when someone is wanted in Texas and they're arrested in another state, how does that person get back to Texas? Does someone drive up there to get that person or does someone fly? How is that arranged?

QUESTION: Who is responsible for picking up trash/litter along Texas 31 between Longview and Kilgore?

QUESTION: When will members of the Green Street Recreation Center be able to share potluck meals again?

QUESTION: If you receive a bill from a medical facility after 120 days, are you still responsible for it? I was told you’re not responsible for it.

QUESTION: Has the city relaxed the sign ordinance? I’m noticing an increase of cardboard signs advertising local small businesses at intersections and on telephone poles lately.

QUESTION: My dad was recently given some old promotional wooden nickels from a friend of his. One of the wooden nickels has something along the lines of “Elect Bill Driggers for Gregg County Sheriff” displayed on it, but it doesn’t have a date or anything else on it. My dad is curious as to …

QUESTION: I was driving in the Judson area the other day, and I saw a huge building being erected. It’s probably some distribution center of some sort. What is that?

QUESTION: As I was driving down the loop today and looking at the concrete sign the city had erected at the corner of the loop and Judson Road, I thought I remembered there being originally a large (Texas-size) star beside the name “LONGVIEW.” It’s no longer there. Instead there is a heart-s…

QUESTION: Early in the pandemic, people who had COVID-19 were being asked to donate plasma to help make convalescent plasma to help treat other people who became seriously ill with COVID-19. Is that still needed? Is that treatment still being used?

QUESTION: I live near Lakeport and drive through there many times during the week. Where does it derives its name? There's no lake, and there's no port.

QUESTION: Isn’t there a city ordinance making it illegal to park a non-running vehicle in the street?

QUESTION: I sent an inquiry/suggestion to the city about this some time back and got no response. You seem to be able to contact the right people to get responses and actions, so I’m sending this inquiry/suggestion to you. Where we live is near where H. G. Mosley crosses Judson and becomes D…

QUESTION: With the parking congestion we have in downtown Longview, why aren’t the two parking garages open?

QUESTION: In July, there was a question about speeding cars on a residential street, and the person was told the city will not put up speed limit signs.

QUESTION: We were in the library a couple of days before Christmas. They had a very large display of a Christmas village. It was fun to look at. I asked a library employee where they got it from – she didn’t know. I was wondering if you could find out who donated it to the library.

QUESTION: I am in my mid-70s. My significant other is in his early-to-mid 80s. He was recently notified that his driver’s license needed renewing so he took a younger neighbor with him to get it renewed. My friend has no vision problems so did not have any problems passing the eye exam. Howe…

Merry Christmas, happy holidays and season’s greetings, dear readers.

QUESTION: I have noticed several Texas flags in my neighborhood being flown with the red bar on top. I think there is a story about the flag at the Alamo which reminds us which bar goes on top. Will you tell that story and help us fly our flag correctly?

QUESTION: How did the Spring Hill area get its name?

QUESTION: I have noticed that one of the people who live in my neighborhood appears to be operating a beauty salon out of his or her home. I can see multiple stations of hair salon equipment set up for use through a window. Is that allowed?

QUESTION: What is the purpose of the “no train horn” signs in downtown Longview? I thought trains were not allowed to blow their horns. They do blow their horns in the middle of the night, every night. Can you explain what the ordinance means?

QUESTION: I attended an early Saturday morning flag football game at Womack Field and was carrying a cup of coffee I had just purchased before getting to the game. I was told by the gate attendant that I could not enter with outside food and would have to stand outside the gate to finish my …

QUESTION: My question is with the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, how are the drivers of these vehicles paying a road use tax? I know the price for a gallon of gasoline includes a road use tax that goes toward paying for roads and have been wondering how electric cars are being taxed.

Dear readers: I suspect y'all know the drill by now. I can't let Thanksgiving pass without taking a break from our usual questions and answers and recognizing the importance of this holiday — although now more than ever I strive to live in Thanksgiving every day.

QUESTION: We took a road trip recently to Palestine and to a little cemetery in Arp where my husband’s parents are buried and where we will be buried. It is a pretty little cemetery and the question came up as to what ever happened to the wild plums that used to be so prevalent all around Ea…