Jacy Payne, owner of Jackie the Label. By SARA VANDEN BERGE A gorgeous new women’s boutique opened last week in Stephenville, and if you love all things fashion, you’ll want to stop in and check it out. Jackie the Label opened Feb. 16 at 2180 W. South Loop Plaza, Suite 1. Owner Jacy Payne said she has always loved fashion and opening her own storefront was a long-time coming. “When I was in high school, everyone called me Jackie, so I named my company Jackie the La

By SARA VANDEN BERGE For more than three decades, the United Methodist Women have hosted a baked potato luncheon to raise money for various causes that benefit underserved children in Erath County. Proceeds from this year’s lunch will benefit B ackpack Buddies, Tree House Afterschool Program, Love Thy Neighbor and St Luke’s Food Pantry. The lunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, in the fellowship hall at Stephenville’s First United Methodist Church.

Special to Beneath the Surface News WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) on Wednesday took to the House floor to recognize Stephenville High School’s NFF Hatchell Cup Victory. See full story on that here . Williams’ remarks are below: “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Stephenville High School, which I am honored to represent in the United States Congress. “On February 9th, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame named Stephenvill

Marc Simpson is the “Stretch & Recovery” program director. By SARA VANDEN BERGE HomeTown Physical Therapy has introduced a new service that helps patients improve flexibility, balance and mobility. The new “ Stretch & Recovery ” program is the first of its kind in Stephenville. Owners Mark Blackburn and Brandi Wood developed the 25-minute program and trained their staff on technique. “We have started with the assisted stretching program and will soon be adding othe

Photo/TSU Media Relations TSU Media Relations Special to Beneath the Surface News Forward momentum continues this spring at Tarleton State University with a preliminary enrollment increase of 17.5% from last spring, record graduation numbers and sustained high retention rates. “Tarleton State is transforming lives and educationally preparing the next generation of great Texans every day,” said Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley. “The commitment of our faculty an

Milk and coffee pair well with this cinnamon sugar donut bread. By Sarah McNeal-Weaver Flour Riot If you need a sweet treat, this recipe for cinnamon sugar donut bread is one your family will absolutely love. Here’s the recipe! WHAT YOU NEED 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder Dash of salt 1 ¼ cups whole milk Spoonful of Greek yogurt 1 large egg, room temperature 2 tablespoons butter melted 1 tab

By SARA VANDEN BERGE Erath County residents who need assistance with food, healthcare, utilities, rent or childcare can find help by calling a United Way helpline . Dialing 2-1-1 and entering a zip code will put community members in contact with a variety of resources that can help. Lisa Scroggins, executive director of the Erath County United Way , said the helpline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week in all languages. “It’s a great program and easy to use,”

Photo/TSU Media Relations TSU Media Relations Special to Beneath the Surface News Tarleton State University ’s W.K. Gordon Museum and Research Center will host a representative of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for an information session about the creation of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1. A TPWD ranger will discuss the process of building the park and the steps taken to balance outdoor recreation areas with the conservation of wild

Trey Austin Phillips By SARA VANDEN BERGE An Erath County grand jury has indicted a man charged in connection with a motorcycle accident that claimed the life of a young woman. Trey Austin Phillips was indicted for accident involving death (enhanced), a second degree felony. He is being held at the Erath County Jail without bond. According to the arrest warrant obtained by Beneath the Surface News , DPS Trooper Troy Bridier was dispatched to a motorcycle crash on C

Hickory By SARA VANDEN BERGE One of this week’s featured pets up for adoption at the Erath County Humane Society is Hickory, a one-year-old Black Mouth Cur mix with a big heart and lots of puppy energy. “This adorable girl came to us with her siblings through no fault of her own and now she's ready to find a family,” ECHS executive director Serena Wright told Beneath the Surface News . “Hickory is a happy, playful pup who loves romping around with her dog friends and

By SARA VANDEN BERGE Foster’s Home for Children is gearing up for its largest fundraiser of the year. The 23 rd annual auction will take place on Saturday, March 7, on the foster home campus in Stephenville. The live and silent auctions take place from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Doug Young, president of Foster’s Home for Children, told Beneath the Surface News that the annual auction is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year. “We will have used vehicles, fiberg

By SARA VANDEN BERGE An Erath County grand jury on Thursday indicted six individuals from Houston accused of traveling to Dublin to engage in a check-cashing scheme. Those indicted include Juan Jose Zuniga-Ornelas for forgery and engaging in organized criminal activity; Miguel Angel Romero for fraudulent use or possession of identifying information; Francisco Guzman-Ramos for fraudulent use or possession of identifying information; Daneri Gormendia-Rodriguez for fraudulen

By SARA VANDEN BERGE The Stephenville Rotary Club is partnering with Carter BloodCare to host a blood drive from 1:30-5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13, at the Walmart parking lot. Click here to schedule an appointment. Here are a few other interesting facts from Carter BloodCare. • Healthy adults who are at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds can donate blood every 56 days. • 32,000 pints of donated blood are used each day in the U.S. and there is a need for blood every t

Stephenville police shut down the street where last night's deadly shooting took place. Photo/Emberly Hay By SARA VANDEN BERGE A well-known local businessman was shot and killed Tuesday night in what police say was a murder-suicide. Sixty-eight-year-old David Bragg, owner of Stephenville City Electric, was shot outside of an apartment complex on Linda Lane. Emberly Hay lives in a home behind the apartment building and was one of the first to call 9-1-1. “My husband an

By Julie Brinkley If you’re a busy family who wants an easy, fast and delicious meal, this viral TikTok recipe for rotisserie chicken and rice in a bag is worth the hype! It’s easy and fabulous (and there are a ton of variations). Click here to watch how I make it. WHAT YOU NEED Rotisserie chicken ( Remove from bag, reserving juices. Debone and shred pieces, return to bag.) 2 cups cooked rice ¼ cup rice wine vinegar 2 green onions 2 small mini cucumbers, d

By Alexis Rochester I spend a lot of time washing hands, testing cleaning products and dealing with dry Texas air, especially this time of year. As a chemist and busy mom, that combination can be tough on skin - hands, nails and feet - that seem to dry out no matter how much lotion you use. Over the years, I’ve tested countless creams and trendy products to see what lives up to the hype. Surprisingly, the best solution isn’t expensive or complicated. It’s one small bo

By SARA VANDEN BERGE Voters in the Republican and Democrat Primary will get the chance to cast a ballot when early voting gets underway this week. Early voting will be held from Feb. 17-27 at the new Erath County Annex, located at 222 East College Street, and Dublin Annex, located at 219 S. Grafton Street. Paid political advertisement ERATH COUNTY ANNEX EARLY VOTING TIMES Tuesday, Feb. 17, through Friday, Feb. 20: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22:

By SARA VANDEN BERGE Restoration Advocates is hosting a high-energy event to raise money for Restoration Place, which provides emergency housing for women and children escaping domestic abuse. Keys for a Cause; Dueling Pianos will take place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, at Rancho El Burro in Stephenville. "It's going to be a lot of fun," board president James Gresham told Beneath the Surface News . "They play what the crowd requests with a high-energy, ve

David Martin Q. What are the main duties of the Justice of the Peace? There are many duties assigned to the Justice of the Peace that touch on various areas of the law. Statutorily, the Justice of the Peace has jurisdiction over Class C Misdemeanors Cases filed in their precinct as well as Small Claims civil disputes in which the damages are for $20,000 or less. They also have jurisdiction over Eviction Proceedings in which the property in controversy lies within their Precin

By SARA VANDEN BERGE Erath County officials continue to hold details surrounding the Feb. 5 incident in Lingleville that left one man dead unusually close. Sgt. Garrett Koonsman with the Erath County Sheriff’s Office oversees investigations and told Beneath the Surface News that the people involved will not be publicly named at this time. He said that deputies with the ECSO were dispatched to an area off FM 8, near the Lingleville Store on Feb. 5. (The Lingleville St