“Motors for Mutts” Car Show and Open House Saturday at DeKalb Animal Shelter (View video here)

June 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb Animal Coalition is having a “Motors for Mutts” car show and Open House Saturday, June 11 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the shelter located at 186 Transfer Station Road behind Tenneco Automotive in Smithville. No registration fee is required but donations are welcomed.

Dogs and cats will be available for adoption at special discounts during the event.

Shelter Director Emily Bennett said “Motors for Mutts” will feature old, classic, and new cars.

“This Saturday is our car show “Motors for Mutts” at the DeKalb Animal Shelter from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. We will also have an Open House. Come by and take a walk through especially if you have never been to our shelter. See our new flooring and new additions and other things we have improved on. We will have an adoption event. We will reduce prices on all adoptions that day. All adoption fees for dogs will be reduced to $60 and $40 for cats. We have lots of dogs, cats, and kittens so we would love to get them adopted that day. Slick Pig Barbeque will be here at 10 a.m. We will also have coffee and doughnuts. The Alexandria Café will provide the coffee. A Best in Show Award will be presented at the end of the car show and The Male Room Brotique is providing a $100 gift card for the winner of that. Short Mountain Diesel is also sponsoring two pets including a cat and dog so they will pay for the entire adoption fee that day for those two pets,” said Bennett.

Meanwhile the Friends of the DeKalb Animal Shelter will be presenting “Tee Up For Tails” in partnership with the Smithville Golf Course on Friday, June 24. Signups begin at 4 p.m. with a shotgun start at 5 p.m. The entry fee is $40 per player.

Two-man scramble teams will be drawn for pair. Gather all your pals and come out and golf for a great cause and compete for 1st and 2nd payout. Limited to 40 players. Pre-register by calling the golf course. Refreshments will be available.

June 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Area young people ages 8-17 will have a chance to take to the skies on Saturday, June 11, as the local Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 1378 hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally at the Smithville Municipal Airport.

The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles Program, created to interest young people in aviation.

Smithville Airport Manager Katelyn Sanders said children will be taken for a free scenic flight over the lake and the Smithville area from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. First come, first flown. The rides are limited to children only ages 8 to 17 and while siblings may fly together, if possible, parents cannot join them unless there is a medical reason they must be with their child.

“We will have about four or five pilots lined up. A few of them are tenants here. We will have single engine and multi-engine aircraft. The fights will last about 15 minutes and will probably go over the lake and take a little scenic route back to the airport,” said Sanders. “ Before the plane rides you will get a little safety briefing and basic information about the aircraft and what to expect. Then they will get you buckled in and take off. We will have a couple of booths set up for anyone wanting more information about joining Young Eagles or about aviation in general,” said Sanders.

June 7, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Should the Smithville Municipal Judge position be a four year rather than a two-year term?

The Smithville Mayor and Aldermen may decide during a special called meeting set for Thursday, June 23 at 6 p.m. at city hall. This issue will be on the agenda along with second and final reading passage of the 2022-23 budget ordinance following a public hearing.

Since 2006, the municipal judgeship has been a two-year term position with the judge being appointed by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. The salary is $1,000 per month. Prior to 2006 the city judge was elected by the voters of Smithville to an eight-year term.

The incumbent city judge Gayla Hendrix was appointed to her first two-year term in 2020 and it expires August 31. If she is re-appointed this fall it would be to a four-year term, if the Mayor and Aldermen were to decide to make the change in the term of office from two to four years.

The municipal judge primarily hears minor city traffic offenses and city ordinance violations.