Now_Staff_Writer


Perfect Living

MIDLOTHIAN, TX — They say if you want something done right, do it yourself. Sometimes that even applies to building a home. Jeff and Shannon Thaxton have built several houses for themselves over the years, each time adding touches that give a unique style and feel. They have lived in the Coldwater Creek area for […]


Building a Family

FERRIS, TX — When Mike and Pam Bartis decided to make their home in Ferris, they didn’t just build a house — they built a family. For this Ferris couple, being close to extended kin in the city where Pam grew up was an important way to ensure their own children had a support system […]


Sewn Together with Love

WAXAHACHIE, TX — Don and Mariyln Locke made their way to Waxahachie in 1959, but they didn’t move into the home they still share today in the Chapman Addition until nearly 10 years later, in 1968. “The home took nine months to build, from start to finish,” Don remembered. “The builders promised we’d be in […]


Born to Ride

WEATHERFORD, TX — Lined up with as many as 40 others, heart pumping, Josh Lippard gears up to speed off from the starting gate on his dirt bike. Dirt flies off the back tire of his Kawasaki as Josh takes off, preparing for the first turn of the track. Jump after jump, he stays focused […]


Fine Tuning

MIDLOTHIAN, TX — Trapped in a body that weighed him down with 300 pounds, Chad Austin didn’t want anyone to look at him. Yet he yearned to sing. Only then was he free. “I didn’t want to be on stage, because I was so heavy,” he shared. “But when I sang, I felt like people […]


Keeping Up the Pace

WAXAHACHIE, TX — A fifth-grader at Felty Elementary, Alyson Moore enjoys playing soccer year-round and basketball in the winter. However, every year from January through August, 5K races, summer track and Junior Olympics command her attention. Her bright blonde hair makes her stand out in a crowd, but her speed makes her unforgettable. “I think […]


Just for Kicks

RED OAK, TX — Sarah Stallings, a fifth-grader at Red Oak Intermediate School, loves ice skating, Legos and playing with her dog, Brutus. At first glance, her bedroom could belong to any 10-year-old girl. Bright decorations cover the walls, matching equally bright colors on the bedspread. The nook by the window, however, shows what sets […]


Passion Perfect

ENNIS, TX — Artsy-crafty is one word that describes Terri Bowling to a tee. When it comes to art, she loves to create anything from works on canvas and custom-made crosses to reclaimed wood signs. Her artistic abilities may not be the product of classical training, but for her needs, the self-taught skills she possesses […]