Yearly Archives: 2012


Changing Lives

WEATHERFORD, TX — Adchara Peterson holds herself to high standards. Knowing her daughter, niece and nephew are watching, she wants to give them a good example. That’s what she told Becky Tripp and the committee of ladies from Parker County Women’s and Newcomer’s Club, who provided her with a full scholarship to Weatherford College. “You can […]


Canine Crusader

WAXAHACHIE, TX — The Ellis County SPCA relies  on a strong volunteer foundation. One of these volunteers is Clint Morton. Clint spends several days a week at the SPCA walking dogs, training them and assisting in any miscellaneous jobs, including mowing the lawn. Although Clint owns his own collision repair business, he still makes […]


She’s Gymtastic

DESOTO, TX — Miranda Maldonado is like a lot of 13-year-old girls in that she loves animals, boy bands and gymnastics, but a couple of things set her apart from the average teen. Miranda suffers from a disease that could keep her from doing a simple cartwheel. Despite this she decided to be a […]


That’s How He Rolls

MANSFIELD, TX — Ice skating is not Cameron Rainey’s thing. He tried it when he was 5, even taking a few lessons, but it was too cold, and the ice was too hard when he fell. He told his parents he did not want to skate any more. Two years later, he tried roller skating […]


The Wilderness Is Here

MIDLOTHIAN, TX — It was a dark and spooky night — well maybe not really spooky, but when you have words like dark and night, spooky slips right in, particularly when some of the animals you might hear and see are night creatures such as owls, bats and coyotes. There is a way in Midlothian […]


Hangars of Fun

GRANBURY, TX — Some people have narrow alleys behind their house. Roe and Marcia Walker have a concrete taxiway behind theirs. They live in a fly-in airpark community near Granbury and have access to an airstrip directly across the street. The hangar in their backyard houses a red, white and blue Piper Comanche 250, which […]


Their Roots Run Deep

ENNIS, TX — The year was 1902. The three Czech provinces: Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia were ruled by the Austrian Empire. The Czech people were subjects of the Austrian Regime — which meant working very hard, while having no freedoms. Alois and Anna Vaculka Marusak were proud Moravians living in Provodov, Moravia. But they desired […]


A Match of Faith

CORSICANA, TX — A one-time tennis star still lights up local courts and the lives of those who witness his prowess and personality. Cecil Easley, 44, has the same passion he had for the sport when he was in his 20s and won state and national championships. He has all the skills, energy and dedication […]


Seeing Double

BURLESON, TX — Veterans’ Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, marks the anniversary of the end of World War I. It is a day set aside by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 to honor armed service veterans. Cameron and Camden Lewis, 13-year-old twins, have long known the significance of this day celebrated on […]