TEXARKANA, Texas — James Bright's tenure as general manager and editor of the Texarkana Gazette will end July 17.
Bright was named the Gazette's GM in February 2019 and added editorial duties to his role in January 2022, upon the retirement of former Editor Les Minor. Highlights of his time at the Gazette include launching the subscriber iPad program in 2020, overseeing construction and grant funding of the Starbear Studio podcast center, and spearheading the creation of the paper's Community Journalism Fund. In 2025, Bright led a yearlong celebration of the Gazette's 150th anniversary.
“Working at the Texarkana Gazette for the last seven-and-a-half years has been the greatest experience in my professional life,” Bright said. “I am proud of the excellent work my staff and I have done furthering the cause of journalistic integrity in the Twin Cities while covering the first draft of the community's history.
“I look forward to seeing how the Gazette will continue to grow and evolve in an ever changing media landscape.”
Eliza Hussman Gaines, publisher of Gazette parent company WEHCO Media Inc., praised Bright's dedication to the paper.
“I'm grateful for all that James has done for the Texarkana Gazette. He's an enthusiastic leader and one of the hardest workers I've ever known. He'll be greatly missed by both staff and readers.”
Mark Lane, president of WEHCO Newspapers Inc., added to the kudos, saying Bright's “leadership helped improve the news product. I wish James and his family the very best as they relocate to the Oklahoma City area to be closer to family.”
Bright said saying goodbye to Texarkana is bittersweet.
“Texarkana has been home to my family and me for close to a decade. My wife and I brought our first child here, and our second was born here. This community has embraced us and given us a home unlike we ever expected, and we will miss it,” he said.
Longtime WEHCO employee Robyn Yarbro will begin as the Gazette's interim general manager effective July 18, Lane announced Tuesday. Yarbro has worked for the company for more than 25 years and is the current general manager of the Gazette's sister newspapers the El Dorado News-Times, Camden News and Magnolia Banner-News.
“She is an outstanding leader who has a passion for our readers, advertisers and employees,” Lane said.
Before starting at the Texarkana Gazette, Bright served as regional publisher and advertising director at the Duncan Banner in Duncan, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism at Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2011.
