Just in time for the new year, The Smithville Times is now online and can be found on the Web at  www.smithvilletimes.com

“We are delighted to be able to provide this new service to our readers and customers,” said Mark Gwin, publisher of The Smithville Times. “Additionally, we hope to be able to bring in new readers from around the state and nation.”

The Smithville Times, which started publishing in 1894, now enters a new age, taking advantage of technology to bring the latest news and sports to its readers.

With the new Web site, The Smithville Times will be able to provide breaking news stories and photos, sports information, stories, pictures and other interesting information, such as regular columnists, letters to the editor and obituaries.

“The staff at The Smithville Times has been working hard these last months to get the site up and running,” said Cyndi Wright, editor. “What is really exciting about this is that now we can bring our readers the latest news as it happens, instead of waiting for the paper to be delivered. And while you will still want to receive the Times at your home in order to get all the great news and advertising it contains, you can now expect to find breaking news, lots of photos and immediate information about things that happen that may impact you and your family.”

One thing the staff plans to accomplish is to bring news from home to those who may be far from their homes, such as military men and women who hail from the Bastrop County area.

“We encourage our readers to check out our new Web site. Please let us know what you think,” Gwin said. “It’s a work in progress.”

Another feature allows the Times to post all photographs taken by staff members at special events and not just the ones printed in the paper. Visitors to the site will be able to enjoy the photos in the form of a slide show – and to purchase any photos they especially like.