Local News

A local ranch hopes to honor a deserving veteran the best way it knows how: by awarding one of its unusual horses to him or her.
The owners of Lexlin Gypsy Ranch want to give back in a big way this Independence Day by having a sweepstakes for one of their gypsy vanner horses.
Eric Barton and his wife, Mechelle, have decided to have a sweepstakes for a worthy veteran to win one of their horses from Lexlin Gypsy Ranch on New Hope Road near Rockwood.
That horse is the aptly named Braveheart, a 1-year-old gelding with a beautiful gray coloring.

A man wanted for aggravated robbery was arrested at the Rockwood Walmart on Sunday.

Police were dispatched to the store in reference to a man at the service desk that was possibly trying to return stolen merchandise.

“I made contact with the male suspect that I was given a description of, and who Walmart employees pointed out to me,” the police report said. “When asked for identification, I was given a Texas identification card.”

The report said the person pictured in the Texas ID card was not the suspect.

The Roane County Sheriff’s Office is holding an academy for local students this week.

Sheriff Jack Stockton said the students toured the jail on Monday. He said they also learned about traffic stops and patrol tactics.

“They learned the basics and how to act if a police officer stops you,” he said. “It’s a good communication between them and the officers, so they’re not frightened or scared from being stopped by a law enforcement officer.”