A tornado can level buildings on land, but when it tears through a marina, the damage doesn’t stack up neatly. It breaks apart, sinks, drifts, and turns recovery into a long, technical grind. We sit down with Elyse and Jason from Lake Ray Roberts Marina near Sanger, Texas, to tell the story of what happened, what it took to rebuild, and why getting “back to normal” is about more than replacing docks.

We talk through the real day-to-day of marina operations: managing slips and leases, answering customer calls, scheduling pump-outs, stocking a convenience store, and keeping the yard and docks in working shape. Because Lake Ray Roberts sits in a heavily managed environment, the rebuild also means constant coordination with partners and regulators, including Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Corps of Engineers. If you’ve ever searched for Lake Ray Roberts boat slips, marina fuel dock access, or overnight slips near Denton County, you’ll hear what services matter most and what’s changing as the marina ramps up again.

The conversation gets personal as they describe the surreal first hours after the storm, the relief of no casualties, and the wave of help from boaters, students, and the local community. We also dig into practical lessons for small business disaster planning, including new safety improvements like a storm shelter and fire suppression, plus what they’re doing to rebuild excitement through traditions like Fourth of July plans and family-friendly marina events.

You have been listening to The 266 Express, the official podcast of Sanger, TX. IF you have comments or suggestions, please send them to dgreen@sangertexas.org

A town can grow fast and still feel like home, but only if the people leading it make the hard choices early. We’re joined by Mayor Thomas Muir as he marks the end of 16 years in office, alongside Mayor Pro Tem Gary Bilyeu, who’s preparing to step into the role. Together, we talk about what the word “community” actually looks like on the ground in Sanger, Texas, and why that shared habit of showing up matters as change accelerates.

We get specific about the work most residents never see: municipal finance, reserves, bond ratings, and the slow flywheel of better budgets that create real options later. Thomas explains how a city moves from “paycheck to paycheck” to strategic flexibility, and why the blocking and tackling of local government still comes down to water, wastewater, electric reliability, police, fire, and streets. Gary adds how infrastructure readiness and a stronger commercial tax base can reduce pressure on homeowners while keeping growth manageable.

Then we zoom out to what comes next: a leadership transition built on transparency, the challenge of keeping a council cohesive, and the need for civic engagement that stays constructive, especially on social media. We also discuss the bigger legislative framework Texas cities operate under, including the ongoing property tax debate and what “local control” really means in practice. If you care about small-town growth, local politics, and how trust is built one meeting at a time, this conversation is for you.

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You have been listening to The 266 Express, the official podcast of Sanger, TX. IF you have comments or suggestions, please send them to dgreen@sangertexas.org

A lot of musicians chase the spotlight. Victor Gann chased the work and it took him further than he expected, from a small-town start in Sanger, Texas to composing for major networks and stepping onto stages most players only see on TV.

We talk with Victor about the real mechanics of an instrumental guitar career: how mentorship and formal music education sharpen your ear, why a routine matters more than raw talent, and what it means to finish ideas even when you’re unsure they’re “good.” Victor breaks down how melody lines, chord changes, tempo, and modes carry emotion when there are no lyrics at all, and why that approach can hit listeners even harder than words.

You have been listening to The 266 Express, the official podcast of Sanger, TX. IF you have comments or suggestions, please send them to dgreen@sangertexas.org