How I Met My Mate | Love at First Translate: Blake and Ani Avetisyan Gruenewald

How I Met My Mate | Love at First Translate: Blake and Ani Avetisyan Gruenewald

Photo by Heather Lanae Photography. ROCKWALL, TX (Feb. 5, 2026) – Blake and I moved to Dallas on the exact same day — though we didn’t discover that until much later. He came for work, and I arrived from Argentina to study abroad as an international student. At the time, we had no idea how our […]

How I Met My Mate | A Chance Encounter: Rockwall County residents Sandra and Mitch Ownby

How I Met My Mate | A Chance Encounter: Rockwall County residents Sandra and Mitch Ownby

Sandra and Mitch Ownby “NOW” by Kristi Dickinson Photography. Editor’s Note: Each year for Valentine’s Day, Blue Ribbon News asks local couples to share stories of how they met. Publishing their tales of true love has become one of our favorite traditions. This year the response was overwhelming. Stay tuned to our Facebook page as […]

Rockwall assisted living resident to celebrate an extraordinary milestone — 104 years young!

Rockwall assisted living resident to celebrate an extraordinary milestone — 104 years young!

ROCKWALL, TX (Feb. 2, 2026) Agnes Marcile Graham Smithson is about to turn 104! Born March 7, 1922, in Arkansas, Marcile was raised on a farm alongside two brothers and two sisters. In 1938, she married the love of her life, Robert Lansing “Lance” Smithson, and the couple shared 57 years of marriage until his […]

A Rockwall Lesson in Recycling, Family, and Banana Pudding

A Rockwall Lesson in Recycling, Family, and Banana Pudding

ROCKWALL, TX (Jan. 14, 2026) My journey to homemade banana pudding started in an unexpected place. Well, it started with bananas obviously, and the recycling program from The City of Rockwall. In our house, we’re slowly adjusting to the City’s new recycling program. While I genuinely appreciate the effort (yay, Earth), the transition has required […]

New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Tips from the YMCA

New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Tips from the YMCA

An Uncomplicated Blueprint for a Healthier Life: 4 Rules for Real, Sustainable Change Dallas, TX (December 29, 2025) – When the end of the year approaches, New Year’s resolutions begin to take shape. According to the Pew Research Center, about 79% of people say their resolutions concern health. And while the percentage is high, the […]

Ring in the New Year at Dodie’s Cajun Diner at The Harbor

Ring in the New Year at Dodie’s Cajun Diner at The Harbor

Rockwall, TX (December 17, 2025) – Dodie’s Cajun Diner at The Harbor, Rockwall’s lakeside destination for authentic Cajun flavor, invites guests to celebrate New Year’s Eve with New Orleans style! Close out 2025 with a memorable evening as you enjoy a special Prix Fixe menu overlooking Lake Ray Hubbard. On Wednesday, December 31, Dodie’s will […]

Rockwall woman delivers handmade lap quilts — and a message of love — to local seniors

Rockwall woman delivers handmade lap quilts — and a message of love — to local seniors

ROCKWALL, TX (Nov. 25, 2025) Rockwall resident Rhonda Wright is stitching comfort and compassion into the lives of seniors at the Rockwall Nursing Care Center on Storrs Street. Last week, Wright personally delivered a collection of handmade lap quilts to residents of the skilled nursing home — each created with care, color, and the belief […]

Rockwall ISD honors heroes at Veterans Day Ceremony

Rockwall ISD honors heroes at Veterans Day Ceremony

ROCKWALL, TX (Nov. 12, 2025) The Rockwall Independent School District community came together Tuesday morning to honor America’s heroes during its second annual Veterans Day Ceremony. Guests filled the Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium concourse in red, white, and blue as we thanked our local veterans for their service. The Dr. Gene Burton College and Career Academy […]