TIPTON SENTENCED IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE

One year after his arrest on multiple felony sexual assault charges, Ryan Lane Tipton, a former paramedic with the Fisher County Hospital District, was sentenced to four years of deferred adjudication probation and 120 days in jail following a plea agreement accepted by the court on June 4, 2025.

COVINGTON PLEADS GUILTY IN FISHER CO. SHOOTING

Almost nine months after a high-speed chase, armed confrontation, and standoff shook eastern Fisher County, 24-year-old Kyler Covington has accepted a plea agreement from the 32nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office and will serve five years of deferred adjudication community supervision.

July 4th in Sparkling Style

Communities across the Double Mountains are once again preparing to light up the sky this Independence Day, with fireworks celebrations scheduled in both Aspermont and Rotan for Friday, July 4, lighting the fuse at approximately 10 p.m.

RED, WHITE & RENEWED

As the Fourth of July draws near and American flags ripple in the West Texas wind, the community of Old Glory has a fresh reason to stand a little taller.Thanks to the vision and sweat of muralist Lexi Antonick, a faded symbol of patriotism now beams with renewed color and meaning.

Capri Suns & Country Songs

There's a moment at every great show where you realize you're witnessing something special.On Saturday night, under the pavilion lights in Rotan, that moment came with the first notes from Robert Sullivan's guitar. For anyone who stayed home, it was the kind of night you'd wish you hadn't missed.

Dr. Burk Retires After Decades of Dedication

The Rotan Veterinary Clinic hosted a retirement celebration on Friday, June 27, honoring Dr.Vick Burk as he stepped away from full-time veterinary practice after more than forty years of service to the community.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

• 44 Years of Healing & One New Beginning.1:00–5:00 PM @ Rotan Veterinary Hospital Stop by anytime to honor Dr. Burk’s retirement after four decades of caring for our animals and to welcome Dr. Ivy, the newest member of our veterinary family.

Mixed bag of rain and drought for Texas growers

Texas producers are facing another year of hit-or-miss rainfall, with stark contrasts across the state, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”~ General George S. Patton Jr. (1885–1945)TRANSLATION: General Patton believed that acting fast with a solid plan, even if it’s not perfect, beats waiting for a flawless plan.

THE LAW, THE LEGEND, & THE LEGISLATURE

Wild quotes, weird laws, and real Texas political history'Which Texas legislator, in a baff ling 1971 act, proposed a resolution that unanimously passed to honor a notorious serial killer for his “unique approach to social challenges,” stunning the legislature?