March 5, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Sixteen months after renaming “Walnut Alley” the “John Anderson Alley” downtown in honor of the local country music legend, the City of Smithville is paying tribute to another hometown country icon.
During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the Smithville Aldermen voted, upon the recommendation of Mayor Josh Miller, to name the alley between Main Street and Market Street in honor of Aaron Tippin. A formal dedication will come later.
“Some of the business owners had come to me and I think it would be a good idea to dedicate this alley to Aaron Tippin but we need to formally do that and get the appropriate signage. By this summer, maybe we can have a formal dedication observance,” said Mayor Miller.
Like John Anderson and wife Jamie, Aaron Tippin and his wife Thea and family have made their home in DeKalb County for many years.
In addition to having been a country music hit maker, Tippin is known as a tireless man full of enthusiasm. He’s a pilot, farmer, winemaker, outdoorsman, bodybuilder and devoted family man.
He’s also known for his patriotism and support of American troops and over the years has journeyed to Iraq and Afghanistan to sing for the troops. In 1990 at the beginning of his music career, he went with Bob Hope to the Persian Gulf to entertain.
Tippin performed at the first 9/11 memorial service in downtown Smithville shortly after the tragedy almost 23 years ago debuting his song “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” and he returned for the 10th year and 21st year local memorial observance in 2011 and 2022 where he again performed the hit song.
In other business the aldermen adopted a proposed rezoning ordinance on second and final reading involving a parcel of property on Kimberly Lane (Precision Concrete Walls) located across from the L.B.J. & C Head Start Center.
This property, currently zoned partially R-1 (low density residential) and C-1 (general commercial), will be rezoned entirely to C-1 (commercial) for the purpose of eventually building a multi-family dwelling. The action came following a public hearing but no one came forward to oppose the rezoning.
The Smithville Planning Commission had also recommended the rezoning.
The aldermen approved the list of volunteer firefighters for the year as submitted by Chief Charlie Parker.
These firefighters are:
Mackenley Turner, Joseph Taylor, Daine Powell, Max Lahoda, Jayden Mitchell, Eric Gaw, Ryan Evans, (career firefighter), Dylan Goodman, Tyler Cantrell, Mark Riggsbee (Auxiliary), Cole Wright, Dakota Nokes, Kayla Johnson (Auxilary), Andrew Cooper, Seth Wright, Kim Johnson, Dalton Roberts, (career firefighter), Bradley Johnson, Shawn Jacobs (Auxiliary), Becky Atnip, Cory Killian, Glen Lattimore, (career firefighter), Stephanee Tramel, James R. Hunt, Gary Johnson, William (Wink) Brown, Greg Bess (Photographer), Captain John Poss, Assistant Chief Jeff Wright, Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale, Captain Donnie Cantrell, Captain Danny Poss, and Chief Charlie Parker (career firefighter).