Julia Grace Curtis was crowned the new Autumn Sweetheart Saturday night at the conclusion of the annual pageant held at the county complex auditorium.
Curtis is the twelve year old daughter of Bruce and Amy Curtis of Smithville. She succeeds the retiring Autumn Sweetheart Morgan Faith Green, the fourteen year old daughter of Suzanne and Jon Harrison of Smithville.
The beauty contest, sponsored by the Smithville Business and Professional Women’s Club, featured nine contestants, ages eleven to fourteen.
First runner-up in the pageant was Brooklyn Storm Estes, the thirteen year old daughter of Chris and Shanna Bogle of Smithville.
Sarah Anne Colwell, the thirteen year old daughter of Christie and Trent Colwell of Smithville was the second runner-up.
Third runner-up went to Anna Rachel Blair, the twelve year old daughter of Keith and Amanda Blair of Smithville.
Eleven year old Payton Brook Bowman was the fourth runner-up. She is the daughter of Mike and Lisa Bowman of Smithville.
Abigail Hope Taylor was named Miss Congeniality. She is the thirteen year old daughter of Ken and Cindy Taylor of Smithville.

The other contestants were Kaitlyn Ann George of Smithville, the eleven year old daughter of Ashley and Frankie Bryant and Jeff and Kim Walls of Chapel Hill; Mary Grace King, the eleven year old daughter of Scott and Michelle King of Smithville; and Sophia Mahan, the eleven year old daughter of David and Melody Mahan of Dowelltown.
(Group Photo: left to right- Payton Brook Bowman (4th runner-up), Sarah Anne Colwell (2nd runner-up), Queen Julia Grace Curtis, Brooklynn Storm Estes (1st runner-up), and Anna Rachel Blair (3rd runner-up)

Ten year old Ellisyn Kelsey Cripps is the 2013 Autumn Princess
Cripps, daughter of Troy and Jamie Cripps of Smithville, succeeds the retiring Autumn Princess, Addison Jean Puckett, the nine year old daughter of Jimmy and Anita Puckett of Smithville.
The pageant, featuring fifteen girls ages seven to ten, was sponsored by the Smithville Business and Professional Women’s Club and held Saturday at the DeKalb County Complex auditorium.
First runner-up was Madison Rae Rackley, the ten year old daughter of Gordon and Jessica Rackley of Smithville.
Second runner-up was ten year old Alexis Grace Atnip, the daughter of Veronica Atnip of Smithville.
Eight year old Allyson Roxanne Fuller, daughter of Anthony and Amanda Fuller of Baxter was named third runner-up.
Natalie Morgan Snipes was fourth runner-up. She is the nine year old daughter of Tim and Michelle Snipes of Smithville.
Korrin Michelle Therrien was named Miss Manners. She is the nine year old daughter of Terese Therrien Pena and Oscar Pena of Smithville

Rounding out the top ten were Alexis Danyelle Rigsby, the eight year old daughter of April Rigsby of Smithville; Haidyn Renee Hale, the nine year old daughter of Chad and Melissa Hale of Smithville; Madison Dawson, the seven year old daughter of Jarred and Jamie Dawson of Smithville; Kenlee Renae Taylor, the eight year old daughter of Ken and Cindy Taylor of Smithville; and Zoi Hale, the seven year old daughter of Becky Harris and Justin Hale of Watertown.

Others participating in the pageant were: Malayna Nichole Nokes, the ten year old daughter of Brandy and Jeff Nokes of Old Temperance Hall Road; Allie Joy Wilbur, the nine year old daughter of Andrew and Caitlin Wilber of Smithville; Savanna Murphy, the seven year old daughter of Brian and Stephanie Leist of Smithville; and Sayla Yvonne Cantrell, the eight year old daughter of Stefan Cantrell and Heather White of Smithville.
(Group Picture: left to right- Natalie Morgan Snipes (4th runner-up), Alexis Grace Atnip (2nd runner-up), Queen Ellisyn Kelsey Cripps, Madison Rae Rackley (1st runner-up), and Allyson Roxanne Fuller ( 3rd runner-up)

A Tennessee Road Trip! Get away to it all. Get off the beaten path on the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways driving trail. Sixteen driving trails all across the state feature Tennessee history, hospitality, flavor, and adventure. DeKalb County is part of the Promised Land trail – scenic routes through the gorgeous countryside, small towns, and amazing stories.
In the Promised Land self-guided driving tour brochure, DeKalb County Points of Interest can be found on pages 24 to 26 and include Center Hill Lake, Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival, City of Smithville, Webb’s Pharmacy & Gift, Historic Downtown Smithville, Appalachian Center for Craft, Griffin’s Fruit Market, The Town of Liberty, and Edgar Evins State Park. Watch for the brown signs along the Promised Land Trail Route.
Chamber Director Suzanne Williams submitted the information for DeKalb County. “The Smithville Jamboree picture made the front cover of the Promised Land brochure. We were so excited about that! There were several places I submitted that didn’t make the brochure, but hopefully we will get to add more at the next printing. We are so grateful to the Department of Tourist Development for the TN Trails and Byways Initiative. I believe the driving trails will encourage visitors and locals alike to explore more places around our beautiful State and this wonderful place we call home,” says Williams.
Promised Land brochures and maps can be found at the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce located in the DeKalb Courthouse, Room 201 and soon to be at numerous points across the county. You can also download a copy of any of the trails at TnTrailsAndByways.com. See you on the road!
Information provided by Discover Tennessee Trail & Byway Dept.

The Smithville Planning Commission Thursday night voted to take under advisement a proposal to annex several properties into the city along Highway 70 just outside the western city limits. However, the commission stopped short of making a formal recommendation for annexation to the mayor and aldermen until up to date cost estimates are provided for implementing the required plan of services to the annexed area, specifically sewer.
City planner Shannon Copas gave a general overview of the plan of services during the meeting and city public works director Kevin Robinson provided 2008 sewer cost figures.
“The staff’s recommendation after going out there and looking at it (properties) is to zone it B-2. That way it would not be a spot zone. It would be an extenuation of the current zoning district,” said Copas.
“There is an example plan of services here. It basically outlines when services are going to be provided. We have to do this under Tennessee Code Annotated (state law). It outlines when (city) police and fire protection will be provided to this area. It also outlines the water situation. Sanitary sewer. I think in this one (plan) we put five to seven years. We can always change it. This is just an example. It (plan) contains some information about street construction and repair. It addresses solid waste collection and disposal and recreation facilities. All the planning commission does is make a recommendation on a draft to the city and make sure everything looks good,” said Copas.
Commission Chairman Wallace Caldwell and member Norris Colvert said they wanted to see more specifics on costs. “Don’t anyone think I’m against annexation but I think before I would be willing to make a request to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to annex this property I think we need to have a little bit more figures as to what it’s going to cost. That’s strictly my opinion,” said Caldwell.
“I agree with you Mr. Chairman,” said Colvert. “I don’t think we’re in any position to do anything but to take it under advisement and get our arms around some of the answers to these questions. At least we can get some ball park costs associated with these kinds of services if we’re going to be recommending the support of the mayor and aldermen to approve this,” he added
Colvert made a motion to take the matter under advisement until the next meeting. Glen Nichols seconded the motion. All members voted in favor of Colvert’s motion including Mayor Jimmy Poss, Aldermen Shawn Jacobs and Jason Murphy, and members Wade Smith, Dwain Snow, and Hoyte Barrett along with Chairman Caldwell. If the city comes up with new cost estimates before next month’s regular meeting, a special meeting might be scheduled to take up the issue.
The planning commission cannot approve annexation. It can only recommend it to the mayor and board of aldermen.
If approved, the properties Ed Young, Mike Foster, Dr. David Foutch, Pat Walls, John Kilgore, and Jim Beshearse would be annexed. The area includes almost seventeen acres on the south side of Highway 70 from the existing city limits to near the intersection of Highway 83 (New Home Road). It would take in the Kilgore’s restaurant property, which belongs to Foster; Dr. Foutch’s Eye Care office; and parcels of land belonging to Kilgore and Beshearse. Facing the Old Snow Hill Road, the residential properties of Beshearse, Walls, and Foster would be annexed. On the northside of Highway 70, another fourteen acres of undeveloped land belonging to Ed Young would be annexed along with the old Beshearse grocery store building. Young’s property is located across the highway from Kilgore’s Restaurant.
Due to a state moratorium on annexation, the city cannot take the initiative on its own without a request. The property owners have to petition the city for annexation.
State law also requires that all annexations include a Plan of Services (POS). The POS outlines those services, such as sewer, that will be made available to the land being annexed and the timeframe within which services and/or amenities will be provided.

A Veterans Appreciation assembly program was held Friday morning at Smithville Elementary School in recognition of Veteran’s Day.
Kelly Birmingham led students from pre-K to the second grade in singing “God Bless the USA” and other patriotic songs in honor of veterans who have served in each branch of the military.
Veterans attending the assembly program pictured above are:

Bottom Row (left to right): William Dyer of Crossville who served in the U.S. Marines as 1st Sergeant during the Vietnam War. He was founder of the National Vietnam Veterans Day; Garry Davis of Smithville who served as a Specialist 4 in the Army during the Vietnam War; Jimmy Sprague of Smithville who served in the Army as an E5 3rd & 75th Ranger in Operation Just Cause; and Dale Pedigo of Buffalo Valley who served in the National Guard as an E6 Staff Sergeant. He served 27 years in the military.
Middle Row: (left to right): J.R. Redmon of Smithville who served in the Navy and Air Force and was a 2nd Class Petty Officer; James Cantrell of Smithville who served in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict as a 1st Lieutenant; Ricky Rafferty of Sebring, Florida who served as a Marine Corporal during the Vietnam War; Alan Stengel of Smithville who served in the Navy at the rank of A-5 during the Vietnam War; Joe Goodwin of Smithville who served in the U.S. Army as a Sergeant. He was a Prisoner of War in Germany during World War II; and Guy Mathis of Liberty who served in the Army as a PFC Machine Gunner during World War II. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, plus six other medals.
Top Row: Douglas Bonner of Smithville who served in the Army as a Specialist 3; George Steinbach of Smithville who served in the Army as an E-6 during the Vietnam War; Ray Vaughn of Smithville who served as an E-4 in the Army; Brent Arnold of Smithville who served in the Air Force as an Airman 1st Class; Chad Polk of Smithville who served in the Army as an E-6 Staff Sergeant in Afghanistan and Iraq; Jake Merriman of McMinnville who served in the Marine Corps as a Lance Corporal; Walter Johnson of Smithville who served in the Army as a Corporal during the Korean Conflict; James Dunn of Smithville who served in the Army as a Corporal during the Korean Conflict; Richard Widener who served in the Marine Corps as a Sergeant during the Vietnam War; John Hummer of Smithville who served in the Marine Corps as a Corporal during the Vietnam War; Ronnie Redmon of Dowelltown who served in the Air Force as an E-3 during the Vietnam War; and Paul Cantrell of Smithville who served in the Navy as a BM3 during the Korean Conflict.