Flour Riot can hardly keep these popular Christmas cakes in stock. The dense vanilla bean holiday treat is topped with a delicious vanilla cream cheese frosting. Photos/Flour Riot By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Flour Riot , a new bakery located in downtown Dublin, is officially open with a collection of delicious homemade baked goodies for sale.   Owner Sarah Weaver says all of Flour Riot's baked goods are made locally by cottage law bakers and prepared with simple, clean ingredients

TSU Media Relations Special to Beneath the Surface News   The 46 th  annual Charles and Cynthia Rives Masterworks Concert, featuring Tarleton State University's singers and chamber choir, guest orchestral musicians and the Cross Timbers Civic Chorale is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center auditorium.     This year’s program pairs a radiant holiday work, Ralph Vaughan Williams’   “First Nowell,” with selections from Handel’s “Messiah,” in

Get your Tarleton spirit gear at this weekend's warehouse sale.   Photo/Layerz Clothing By SARA VANDEN BERGE Erath County residents will get a rare opportunity to shop a warehouse sale from 8 a.m.- noon on Saturday, Dec. 6. Layerz Clothing  is a women's apparel brand based in Stephenville that specializes in unique fashion in sizes XS-3XL. Owners, Courtney and Brandon Rayzor are Tarleton State University alumni that proudly employ several Tarleton students and graduates. So

By Julie Brinkley   If you have any leftover turkey you need to use, you’ll want this recipe for turkey and wild rice soup.   This creamy dish has all the feels you want on a cold day.   Click here to watch a video on how it’s made.     HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED   3 tbsp butter   1 medium onion   2 medium carrots   2 stalks celery   3 cloves garlic   1 cup wild rice   6 cups chicken broth      2 cups cooked turkey   1 tsp dried thyme (2 tsp fresh)   1 tsp rosemary (2 tsp fresh)  

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   A to Z Plumbing is pledging to donate a portion of proceeds from its service calls inside the Stephenville city limits in December to the Foster’s Home for Children .   Branndon Bledsoe recently took ownership of the company after losing his father Brent, who owned A to Z for over 36 years.   He said giving back to the community is one of his top priorities.   “My dad has always supported the Foster’s Home and we handle their service,” Branndon told Be

Minty is ready for Christmas. By SARA VANDEN BERGE   One of this week’s featured pets up for adoption at the Erath County Humane Society is Minty, a quiet, easygoing cat who only wants a comfy bed, calm space and someone who appreciates a certified couch potato.   “Minty is a gentle little sweetheart who was brought in as a stray, and sadly, never reclaimed,” ECHS executive director Serena Wright told Beneath the Surface News .     “Now she's hoping her next stop will be her

TSU Media Relations Special to Beneath the Surface News Tarleton State University invites the community to attend its annual Purple & White Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 ,  in the   Barry B. Thompson Student Center.    This festive event, organized by the staff Senate, brings together the campus and community along with local artisans for a day of holiday cheer, shopping and celebration.    “The bazaar is an opportunity to support local small businesses, showca

Santa will be at Light Up the Night every Friday night through Dec. 21.  By SARA VANDEN BERGE The most magical time of year has arrived and the Erath County United Way  is gearing up for its sixth annual Light Up the Night Christmas Celebration. The festive trail, which includes more than two million lights, will be open from 6-9 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Dec. 5 through Dec. 21 at Stephenville City Park. The 3/4-mile path includes breathtaking holiday displa

Special to Beneath the Surface News   CASA for the Cross Timbers Area is launching “cards for CASA,” a project designed to ensure that every child in the foster care system has access to the same everyday experiences as their non-foster peers.   The community is invited to donate gift cards to allow children to choose items that fit their individual needs — whether that’s new clothing, school supplies, toiletries, books or a special treat just for themselves.   This flexibil

By Sarah Weaver   If your Thanksgiving Day table calls for a pumpkin pie, making one is easier than you think.   This is how you do it! (And for pre-made goodies, follow Flour Riot , located in the heart of Dublin, Texas.)   WHAT YOU NEED   One premade pie shell   15 oz. pumpkin (1 can)   12 oz evaporated milk    1/2 cup sugar    1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt    1/2 tsp ginger    1/2 tsp nutmeg   1/2 tsp vanilla    2 eggs    HOW TO MAKE IT   Prepare pie shell and set oven to 42

By SARA VANDEN BERGE I don’t know about you, but nothing sounds cozier than curling up with a holiday-themed book by the Christmas tree. All three of these books sound perfect for our December read and I can’t wait to see which one you choose. 1. Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah 4.2 on Goodreads, New York Times bestselling author WHAT GOODREADS SAYS:  “Joy Candellaro once loved Christmas more than any other time of the year. "Now, as the holiday approaches, she is at a crossro

TSU Media Relations Special to Beneath the Surface News   Ring in the season with Tarleton State University’ s annual Holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, in the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center auditorium.  This fast-paced, family-friendly evening brings together Tarleton’s premier musical ensembles for a seamless collage of holiday classics, cherished carols and sparkling seasonal favorites — including the always-popular “Sleigh Ride.”   Traditional carols and sacred

Photos courtesy James Pylant/ Blood Legacy ; reprinted with permission. By SARA VANDEN BERGE   It’s a story that lives on in infamy; one so gruesome that books have been written about it and tales of the grizzly homicide have been handed down from generation to generation.   In fact, Francis Marion Snow , the man dubbed the “Butcher of Stephenville,” has his own Wikipedia page that outlines the murder, discovery of the bodies and the trial.     I sat down with Janae Smith wit

By Alexis Rochester   Looking for the perfect skincare gift, but short on time or aren’t sure what to give someone?   Then this list is for you.     As a chemist, I’ve tested hundreds of products, and these are the ones I love the most.   Whether you’re shopping for a friend, teacher or skincare-loving family member, these picks are backed by science and guaranteed to please. 1. Firming serum   This is the one serum that everyone can use and benefit from because it combines n

By SARA VANDEN BERGE An Erath County grand jury indicted 16 people Thursday on a variety of charges ranging from family assault and abusing an elderly person to theft and drug possession. The following list of indictments was released by the office of District Attorney Alan Nash.  •  Johnny Charles Allen for assault (family violence) with previous conviction, a third degree felony.   •  Kendon Dawayne Baker for assault of a peace officer and manufacture or delivery of a subst

Beneath the Surface News reader Justin Tuggle says something weird is going on with gas prices in Stephenville   “They seem to be created by collusion between gas stations,” he said.   “Over the last several months, prices spiked 20 to 35 cents in a few days for no reason of geopolitical nature, supply, regional issues, demand or any legitimate reason.   “In my travels, I have found that Plains and Hico are usually always the highest price followed by Seminole and Lamesa, bu

Tarleton student Hannah Reyling is back on campus after a serious bout of bacterial meningococcal meningitis. Photo/TSU Media Relations TSU Media Relations Special to Beneath the Surface News Life is full of unexpected twist and turns, with some being bigger challenges than others.    Hannah Reyling experienced this firsthand on Feb. 29, 2024. Two days earlier, bouncing back from a bout with allergies and a sinus infection, Reyling was feeling good enough to play in a kickbal

By SARA VANDEN BERGE   Chief Deputy Tye Box with the Erath County Sheriff’s Office  said an old scam where someone pretends to be a local deputy asking for money has resurfaced, but the latest victim, he said, didn’t fall for it. “We got a call from an elderly resident who said they received a call from someone pretending to be Deputy Southerland,” Chief Box told Beneath the Surface News . “The scammer said there was a warrant out for their arrest and that they owed the sheri

Commissioner Miller says swift detection of symptoms is key to the preservation of animal health. Special to Beneath the Surface News The following is a press release issued by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller found here . AUSTIN – Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture on Tuesday issued an alert to Texas horsemen of an outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) reported by Texas veterinarians after the recent World Championship Barrel Rac

Photos/Molly Blaylock By SARA VANDEN BERGE   If you like a good snack, this is for you.   Texan Vittles, a Stephenville-based company owned by Daikon and Molly Blaylock, is making build-your-own bags of popcorn and trail mix.     “We make authentic Texas snacks,” Molly told Beneath the Surface News . “You pick it and we mix it and pop it.”   The popcorn comes in a variety of sizes – from snack to jumbo – and flavors. Think barbecue, buffalo, caramel, chili lime, cinnamon, pi