Now_Staff_Writer


Creative Journey

Paul (Pappy) Middleton grew up with music in his house, and was playing in a garage band in high school by 1963. By his 20s he was rocking in the big name Dallas club band, Blackhorse, and had started his own sound company. These days, he tours as Bonnie Raitt’s sound engineer and owns […]


Special Soul Mates

Do you believe in love at first sight? Do you think everyone has a special soul mate? If you were to ask Xavier and Tiffany Villarreal these two questions, they would look at one another, smile and then answer without hesitation. “I never saw myself as a wife and mother,” Tiffany said, “but when […]


Balancing Act

All-around amazing mom, Kristin Rodgers, goes for what she wants and usually gets it. “If I don’t give up, eventually it happens,” Kristin said. “If I keep that faith in myself, God helps me.” Her husband, Bobby, also believes in her. “Every wild idea I have, Bobby just stands back and says, ‘Okay!’ He’s […]


Gardener Gifts under the Tree

It is that time of year again, and I have been going through the catalogs and newspaper clippings that I have saved all year in order to compile a Christmas wish list. There are some new things on the market and lots of old standbys, such as medium-sized tarps to pick up all those […]


Help for Holiday Stress

Does the holiday season leave you stressed? You are not alone. According to the American Psychological Association, financial concerns are taking a toll on many Americans this season, many of whom admit to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as eating or alcohol. First, what is stress, exactly? Stress is the wear and tear on the […]


Horse Listener

For Jerilyn Cardwell, horsemanship is a journey of trust, faith and the unlocking of secrets. While the title of “horse whisperer” belongs to another, Jerilyn is definitely a “horse listener.” Recently, Jerilyn held a horse camp for disadvantaged children, with the hopes of instilling a greater sense of self-esteem and pride in her young […]


All Business

During this season of miracles and wishes, Shawnay McCain is a wonderful role model to us all. In many ways, she is a miracle. Born with intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH), which is a type of bleeding from fragile blood vessels in the brain, “it created cerebral palsy and epilepsy with her,” said her mother, Charlene […]


Home for the Holidays

Holiday spirit is something that Chad and Elizabeth Wester like to share with their friends and their family. “We usually have a couple of parties here during Christmas,” Elizabeth said. “We always do a neighborhood party, because we are really close to all of our neighbors and spend a lot of time together.” The […]