Now_Staff_Writer


From Trash to Treasure

DESOTO, TX — A famous artist was once asked how he created a famous work. His response was quite simple. He noted that all was well when he had a brush or chisel in his hand. He wasn’t happy unless he was working on a piece of art. His joy came from creating. The […]


Cruising Waxahachie

WAXAHACHIE, TX — When Pete Borjas walks down the hall of the Waxahachie Police Department, it’s obvious he belongs there. His dark eyes and contagious smile broadcast that he likes being a cop. But it wasn’t his first love. Pete made a detour to the United States Marine Corps before wearing a policeman’s uniform. […]


Full of Light

WEATHERFORD, TX — Living in an underground house provides great energy savings. It also attracts water, through mysteriously appearing cracks in the roof under the earth. Exploring solutions and focusing on family, Earl and Barbara King make the most of their stunning abode together. Earl grew up close to another Weatherford, in Oklahoma, near […]


Driving Faithful Devotion

GRANBURY, TX — Faith, family and good-old fashioned values are the foundation of John Bratta’s philosophy on life. His outlook and beliefs hinge on his trust, conviction and reliance on a loving God. John’s ideals are rooted in devoted gratitude for his good fortune. From his handsome water-front Granbury home to the two striking […]


On Top of the Game

ENNIS, TX –“My dream is to be an Olympian,” said the soft spoken fifth grader. Paige Lemonia, an A honor roll student, attends Dorie Miller Intermediate in Ennis, and she loves playing sports. Her list of extracurricular activities is dizzying. She plays tennis and basketball, and participates in gymnastics. Paige is also a track […]


Behold the Vision

KERENS, TX — Visitors to last October’s Kerens Cotton Harvest Festival enjoyed events in a venue, which holds both wonderful memories and yet boasts of a beauty and a spirit of community that has been reignited in this former railroad town. With a location in the heart of Kerens, the Garden Park is an […]


Hope on a Harley

BURLESON, TX — Tattoos are something many children see from the witness stand while giving testimony in a courtroom. As they look at the Harley Davidson motorcycle-riding men and women in leather vests, they aren’t fearful or intimidated. In fact, what they feel is quite the opposite — comfort, reassurance and friendship. That’s because […]


Gift of Music

WEATHERFORD, TX — Many are filled with the Christmas spirit once they see the first Christmas display of the year, while others catch it the moment they embrace a visiting relative. For Rob Laney, the spirit of Christmas comes when the Parker County community gathers at Weatherford College for the annual performance of Handel’s […]


Holiday Haven

WAXAHACHIE, TX — Another big year for the Waxahachie Junior Service League’s Christmas Market, which is always held the first Saturday in December, has come and gone with attendance and proceeds rivaling 2011’s phenomenal turn out. The annual event to raise funds for worthy organizations across Ellis County is now in its 26th year, […]


A Musical Inheritance

CEDAR HILL, TX — Music runs in the Marantz family’s DNA. Sara Marantz grew up on St. Simmons Island in Georgia surrounded by woods, history and wealth. She remembers water ballets on nearby Sea Island set to music like “Moon River.” Sara studied piano with Helen Morgan Lindsay, organist at the famous Christ Church. […]