By Julie Brinkley   Soup season is officially here and this recipe for creamy Tuscan tortellini is a family favorite.   Heavy cream, chopped kale and shredded chicken makes for a flavorful, creamy and filling dish that will warm you up on a cold night.   Click here to watch how it’s made.     WHAT YOU NEED   ½ diced onion diced   1 leak, diced   3 stalks of celery, chopped   3 cloves garlic   1 can crushed tomatoes     1 box of chicken stock or bone broth   Parmesan rind   2

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Officials with the Erath County Courthouse and Erath County United Way  have partnered for a program aimed at keeping residents warm this winter. Becky Keith, HR director at the courthouse, said the drive is ongoing through Dec. 20 ECUW executive director Lisa Scroggins said the coats will be boxed by sizes and taken to local food pantries where they will be dispersed. “All the coats stay local and are given to people in Erath County who need them,” Lis

Photo/Lauren Hummert Photography By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Erath County law enforcement agencies are wasting no time getting into the holiday spirit.   Their working together to raise money for the sixth annual “Shop with a Cop” program, aimed at giving local at-risk youth a merry Christmas.   “We are so very blessed by the most loving and generous community and county,” Stephenville Police Chief Dan Harris told Beneath the Surface News .   “With such love and support we are abl

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Registration is underway for a festive annual event hosted by the Cross Timbers Business and Professional Women organization.   Run with Rudolph will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Timber Ridge Church.     Sign up to take part in a 5K for $25 or a one-mile fun run for $20.   Click here to register.     Participants must be registered by Nov. 26 to guarantee a T-shirt.   All participants will be entered into a drawing for a chance to wi

Hudson Westbrook presented a $100,000 check to the Erath Country Junior Livestock Association after his headline benefit show in Stephenville on Nov. 1. Pictured from left: LV Coffee, Christie Beyer, Lance Gilliland, Hudson Westbrook and Jason Beyer. Photo/Ian Noh Special to Beneath the Surface News   Skyrocketing Texas country star Hudson Westbrook headlined a benefit concert in his hometown of Stephenville on Saturday, then donated a whopping $100,000 to the Erath County Ju

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Stephenville will kick off the holiday season with a festive event happening on Thanksgiving weekend. The city’s annual Christmasville will be held in downtown Stephenville on Saturday, Nov. 29. Bring the family for a full day of holiday cheer with horse-drawn carriage rides, Rudolph’s chili cookoff (click here to sign up), live music, progressive bingo and the annual lighted Christmas parade (to participate, click here ). Santa and Mrs. Clause will al

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Ask for Andrea  by Noelle W. Ihli was the perfect atmospheric read to get into the Halloween spirit.   A ghostly tale centered around three women - Meghan, Brecia and Skye – who were murdered by the same man. The killer was a bad dude. A really bad dude who hunted his victims online, pretending to be an eligible bachelor, though he had a wife and kids at home.   After charming his victims, he lures them to a desolate area and un-alives them.   The kill

By Julie Brinkley   This easy-to-make dish with rice, chicken, French onion soup and cheese is absolutely delicious   And it’s pure comfort your family will love!   Click here to watch a video on how it’s made.     WHAT’S IN IT   2 cups white rice   1 (10.5-ounces) can condensed French onion soup   2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed beef consommé   8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped   1 cup grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, divided     1 stick butter, cu

Jayce Gazaway and his mother Haley Esslinger at Friday's Heart of Gold game. By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Jayce Gazaway has a new heart beating inside his chest.   And his family is hopeful that his life – and theirs – will soon return to normal.     The 17-year-old was placed on a transplant list in September after doctors discovered that he was in heart failure.   Late Friday night, the family got the call they had been praying for: A heart was available for Jayce.   “We had jus

The Stephenville Running Club celebrated these runners at its October social at Grumps.    Special to Beneath the Surface News   "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start" - John Bingham   Stephenville Running Club spends a lot of time encouraging runners to just start.    SRC was founded by Julie Brinkley and four running friends.    Using a Facebook group as the platform to stay connected, the club has grown to more than 1,000 with h

Sarah Weaver has joined Beneath the Surface News as a cooking contributor. Photo/Katelyn Sparger Photography By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Just in time for the holiday season, Dublin resident Sarah Weaver is joining Beneath the Surface News to host a weekly Facebook live baking class.   Sarah will go live on the BTSN Facebook page at 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday beginning Nov. 12.   “Baking has always been a huge part of who I am, and on most days, you can enter my home and there is s

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Before you stuff yourself with turkey on Thanksgiving Day, make plans to take part in the 7 th  annual Huffin’ for the Stuffin’ 5k fun run in Stephenville.   Julie and Dana Brinkley started the neighborhood run, which has expanded to a community-wide event with more than 200 participants last year.   Click here to register for $30.   To guarantee a T-shirt, register by Friday, Nov. 7. (The cost to enter will increase after that.) The fun run will start

By Julie Brinkley   It’s time for dinner and we're making crispy smash dumplings with ground chicken and cabbage.   They are so good!   Click here to watch a video on how they are made.     WHAT YOU NEED   1 lb. ground chicken   1 clove minced garlic   3 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced   1 cup green cabbage, finely shredded   3 scallions chopped   1 egg     ½ tsp salt   ½ tsp pepper   1 tbsp sesame oil   1 tbsp soy sauce   1 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp water)   1 packa

Julie Brinkley after completing the Berlin Marathon. By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Stephenville resident Julie Brinkley has been selected to march in the opening ceremony of the New York City Marathon.   The Parade of Nations will be held on Friday, Oct. 31, in Central Park prior to the NYC Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 2.   Julie, founder of the Stephenville Running Club and regular cooking contributor on Beneath the Surface News , is one of only 50 Americans chosen to participate in t

Scroll down for video where Officer Blessed Matai shows you how to retain your gun if you are attacked.

By SARA VANDEN BERGE An Erath County grand jury indicted 14 people Thursday on a variety of charges ranging from drug possession and theft to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The following list of indictments was released by the office of District Attorney Alan Nash. • Taylor Danielle Bigbie for manufacture or delivery of a substance in penalty group 1, a first degree felony. • Agustin Franco Carranza for possession of a substance in penalty group 1, a state jail felo

Craig Parks  By SARA VANDEN BERGE   The former director of Dublin ISD ’s information and technology department was arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing more than $1 million from the school district.   Craig Parks was reportedly taken into custody while at his job in Glen Rose on Wednesday.     He has been charged with making a false statement property/credit over $300,000, theft of services over $300,000 and money laundering over $300,000.   He is being held at the Erath

Absolute deliciousness.  By Julie Brinkley   There are several variations on these protein bowls, which are growing in popularity.   You can create a bowl using different protein like ground turkey or ground chicken and adding veggies, pickles, avocado and cottage cheese to pump up the protein.   Click here to watch a video on how I make it.       WHAT YOU NEED   2 tbsp ghee or olive oil   1-2 tbsp minced garlic   ¼ cup yellow onion, diced   ¼ cup red onion, diced   1 green

Bone marrow tacos are one of the many specialty foods you'll find at Comedor. By SARA VANDEN BERGE   The Husband and I spend a lot of weekends in Austin where two of our kids live.   Much of our time there is spent exploring new restaurants and last weekend we scored a reservation at one of Austin’s coolest places, Comedor .   (It was also named in the 2024 Michelin Guide.)   This modern Mexican restaurant is led by Chef Philip Speer and is known for its unique dishes like bo