FAA Rules Require City to Close Playground and Ball Park Near Airport (VIEW VIDEOS HERE)

May 26, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A plane crash last October near the Smithville Municipal Airport has served as a reminder to city officials about the potential dangers and the concerns for public safety.

As a result, the city has closed the park across from the airport on Allen’s Chapel Road which for years had been used as a playground and for recreational athletics. The playground equipment has been removed and no trespassing signs will soon be erected on the property along with others warning the public of low flying aircraft in the area.

(Video below shows how low planes fly over the city park on approach to the airport runway)

Airport Manager Joe Johnson said the city has made this decision in the interest of public safety and to adhere to Federal Aviation Administration regulations in “establishing and maintaining clear approach and departure surfaces at airports”. The city park is directly within the airport’s approach and glide path for aircraft.

(Video below shows Smithville Airport Manager Joe Johnson explaining reasons for the city closing park near the airport)

IMG_6646 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

On October 3, a plane crashed on the west side of the airport upon take-off only a few yards from the end of the runway. Fortunately the pilot was not seriously injured and no one else was at risk. However, had the plane come down on the east side of the airport the crash might have occurred in the park where children and others could have been present.

Johnson said closing the park is not something city officials wanted to do but felt it necessary to ensure the safety of the public and limit liability.

“I know some people think we just wanted to close the park but that is not the case. We received a notice of memorandum from the FAA stating that it is clearly a danger to the public with people being underneath the approach of the airport. The FAA does not want us (city) to use that park for people playing ball and things like that because if an airplane were to have a problem taking off or landing it could crash there and hurt or kill a lot of people. That is something we don’t want to see happen,” said Johnson.

According to the FAA, “an airport sponsor (city) is ultimately responsible for ensuring clear runway approach and departure surfaces and must take appropriate action, to the extent practicable, to restrict the use of land adjacent to the airport to uses compatible with normal airport operations including landing and takeoff”.

Johnson said the city is asking the public for voluntary compliance in keeping off the airport city park property.

May 25, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Center Hill Business Association sponsored the 1st ever Summer Kick-Off Block Party Saturday evening downtown Smithville.

The four hour event featured LIVE bands, more than two dozen vendors including craftmakers and artisans, and food trucks. Businesses downtown also kept their stores open extended hours with special discounts. The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department even displayed the American flag on the ladder truck in honor of Memorial Day weekend.

(Video below shows “Sadie Faith” featuring Colton Rhody, Seth Willoughby, and Terry Coyle performing the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic “ Tuesday’s Gone” during Summer Kick-Off Block Party downtown Smithville Saturday sponsored by the Center Hill Business Association)

IMG_6649 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

(The video below shows students from Middle Tennessee Taekwondo breaking boards)

(Video shows kids having fun at the Summer Kick-Off Block Party Saturday downtown)

May 25, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A rising ninth grader Jana Faith Tripp won “Best of Show” and the “People’s Choice Award” in the DeKalb Schools Art Exhibit held Saturday at the County Complex. Tripp, daughter of JR and Beth Tripp, was also the 1^st place winner in the Middle School Division. She has just completed 8^th grade at DeKalb West School. The annual event was sponsored by the Smithville Study Club. Walteen Parker is the President of the club. Susan Hinton is the Art Chairman.

The Best of Show Painting winner was Javan Walker, a 6^th grader at DeKalb Middle School.

Students from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade participated in the art exhibit.

This year’s art exhibit featured entries from winners named at each school as follows:

*Division 1- Pre-Kindergarten to 1st Grade:
1st Place- Abby Ramsey
2nd Place- Ella Taylor
3rd Place-Jasper Barber
4th Place-Conner Grisham

Honorable Mention: Cloey Ervin

*Division 2- 2nd & 3rd grades
1st Place-Payne Bryant
2nd Place-Willow Walker
3rd Place-Elijah Carr
4th Place-Angel Sosa Santillian
Honorable Mention-Baylei Benson

*Division 3- 4th & 5th grades
1st Place- Taylor Patterson
2nd Place-Victor Locklear
3rd Place-Jayden Sherrill
4th Place-Addison Hodges
Honorable Mention- Christopher Boner

*Division 4- 6th – 8th grades
1st Place-Jana Faith Tripp
2nd Place-Halayna Newby
3rd Place-Hailey Skinner
4th Place-Samantha Murphy

Honorable Mention: Savannah Martinez and Sara Fuson

*Division 5- 9th-12th grades
1st Place- Shanti Liu
2nd Place-Rodrigo Sosa
3rd Place-Stephanie J. Atnip
4th Place-Hannah Willingham
Honorable Mention: Savannah Buckley and Keith Buck

Paintings (Any Grade)

1st Place- Javan Walker
2nd Place-Hannah Finan
3rd Place-Evan Jones
4th Place-Autumn Hendrixson
Honorable Mention: Savannah Jackson

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