There is a new postmaster in town at Smithville’s USPS post office on Main Street.

James Estrada, who has been employed with the postal service for a total of 22 years, 11 of those years as a letter carrier and now at his current position as a postmaster here in town.

Estrada’s hometown is El Paso, where he attended the University of Texas at El Paso and graduated with a degree in Business Management.

He currently lives in Round Rock and commutes to work every day. As for his family, he has a 14 year old son named Seth who loves to play football and baseball.

Throughout his postal career Estrada has done his fair share of traveling.  He started in San Diego as a letter carrier and moved on to New Mexico, Albuquerque, Denver, Dallas, Leander and now Smithville- He has managed to move his way up from carrier, to manager, to supervisor and now onto the head postmaster.

He transferred here from the Leander Post Office as a supervisor where his primary duties were to manage mail distribution operations of a particular facility, supervise the work of letter carriers and clerks that are assigned to that facility, developed and trained employees while conveying ideas both verbally and in writing with the staff, customers and other members of the community.

As a postmaster Estrada is the head person in charge of the post office and overseas the station and its employees.

“My goal is to provide excellent customer service to the Smithville community,” Estrada said. “If you build a great experience, customers tell each other about that.”

When asked what his favorite part of the job is he said, “I like meeting new people and interacting with the customers.”

Come out and meet your new postmaster, as he is excited to become a part of this community and provide you with a very pleasant post office experience.

First-time butterfly release part of ceremony

By Terry Hagerty, Times Reporter

There’s a valuable saying that the American Cancer Society promotes and it goes like this: “No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay For Life. Each dollar you raise will help save lives. How far will you go to make a difference in the fight against cancer?”

That’s an open invitation – and a friendly challenge – to the public to get directly involved with the 2012 Bastrop/Smithville Relay for Life Friday and Saturday, May 18-19 at Bastrop High School’s Erhard Field, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday.

The annual Relay is an opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember people that have been lost, but also to raise funds and awareness to help save lives through further cancer research.

This year will also mark the first “Wings of Hope” butterfly release, which will take place during the cancer survivor ceremony at 8 p.m. A butterfly in honor of a survivor or a caregiver can be purchased for $5/each and all proceeds will be donated to the Relay For Life of Bastrop/Smithville. Order forms can be obtained by contacting Cheri Ray at 512-718-8745.

And one of the repeat popular events is the lighting of luminarias, shortly after the survivor ceremony.

White luminaria bags are transformed and illuminated after dark at every local Relay For Life event. Each one is personalized with a name, photo, message or drawing by a Relay For Life participant or supporter in memory or honor of a friend or loved one who has been affected by cancer.

It is quite an event to witness as the sun sets. Luminarias, lining the track, illuminate the growing darkness and a quiet falls over the event that had been filled with the sounds of celebration just minutes before. Relay For Life participants, survivors and caregivers then gather together for a ceremony to remember loved ones lost to cancer and to honor those who have battled the disease. Participants walk the track lined with luminara bags in reflection. It is often a very emotional moment in which hugs and tears flow freely.

“A caregiver who has lost a loved one may find comfort from a fellow caregiver who has faced a similar loss,” according to ACS officials. Meanwhile, a survivor can gain hope and strength from others who have taken the same journey and survived.

There are multiple opportunities to donate to the Relay, both before and during the weekend event. Many local groups, including “teams” walking in the event have already been busy raising funds for battling cancer.

For more information on how to get involved with the Bastrop/Smithville Relay for life, see the website: www.relayforlife.org and look for “Bastrop/Smithville.”

Fayette County Sheriff’s office and the Texas Rangers are currently investigating the death of an Austin woman who was found badly injured in the middle of Hwy. 71, between Smithville and LaGrange in the early hours of Monday, May 7.

She was taken to Seton Smithville Regional Hospital where she later died from her serious injuries.

“She was still alive at the time EMS started working on her,” said Fayette County Lt. David Beyer.

Investigators later identified her as Isela Aurora Moreno, 36, a mother of six children.

An autopsy was ordered by Justice of the Peace Scott Parker to determine the exact cause of death and investigators are still awaiting the results.

“Obviously we’ve got a ways to go to determine what caused her death and if someone did do something to her obviously we want to get justice for the family,” Beyer said.

Moreno’s death is considered to be suspicious by officials but at this time no arrest have been made in the case.

“We are actively investigating the case at this time,” Beyer said. “Interviews with persons of interest have been conducted and we are following up on leads.”

The sheriff’s office is looking for help from the public. Please call 979-968-6466 if you have any information regarding to this case.

Powell, 47, died at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin from injuries sustained during an alleged altercation with an employee at Riverside Exxon in Smithville.

Bastrop District Attorney Bryan Goertz said the report is under review prior to presentment to a grand jury.

According to a Smithville Police Department incident report, an officer responded to a call at the station and found Powell inside a vehicle, but that he would not or could not respond to him.

Powell was transported to the Smithville Airport via ambulance and was taken by helicopter to Brackenridge. He died later that evening.

Smithville police officers interviewed several witnesses who said there was a verbal confrontation between Powell and an employee of the service station, which allegedly led to a physical confrontation. During the confrontation Powell was knocked to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the concrete.

LPAA board secretary April Daniels led the meetings with the assistance of Jill Strube, city grants writer. Daniels and her husband John, an actor, director and playwright, run Playhouse Smithville on Main Street.

“A cultural district designation tells the public that an area is very culturally significant and lets them know that they should visit and learn about the area,” Daniels explained. “And when they do spend time here, they usually spend money.”

At a lunch meeting last week, Daniels told a group that the benefits of the cultural designation go beyond tourism.

“Ever heard of demolition by neglect?” Daniels asked. “We can see that along our Main Street. The cultural designation gets the ball rolling the other way. It provides incentives and access to grants that can help revitalize our city.”

There are 16 cities in Texas that have received the official state designation for their cultural districts, ranging from large metropolitan areas like Dallas and Houston to much smaller communities like Huntsville and Winnsboro.

Typically a cultural district is a mixed-use area of a community that has a high concentration of cultural facilities; art institutions, parks, restaurants, music and theater venues and popular attractions, which can serve as a draw for tourists and residents.

Cultural districts include a variety of art disciplines including music, theater, dance, visual art, art education, literature, written and spoken word and cultural outreach.

Besides revitalization from tourism and access to grant dollars, a cultural district designation can attract businesses, enhance property values and provide an expansion in the tax base. A revitalized district also serves as an incubator for a creative and innovative environment according to Daniels, which happens when artists work with building owners to seek incentive financing for renovations.

One of the objectives of the meeting was to create a boundary for the cultural district. The area should be walkable from a central hub, which is considered to be Main Street. Each meeting netted a different footprint for the district.

The district can also have an “overlay,” which is an area that’s outside the main boundary that contains culturally or historically significant locations. In Smithville’s case, an overlay would also have movie locations, which have proven to be a draw for the film friendly community.

Carol Snyder and David Herrington of the Smithville Heritage Society will provide historical material for the application.

Daniels pointed out that the designation does not impose any regulation on property owners, buildings or businesses in the district.

“There’s no effect whatsoever on zoning,” Daniels explained. “There’s no authority to require us to do anything.”

A city council resolution supporting the application is pending.

A final preliminary meeting on the Cultural District Program is planned for MLK Park (MLK and Miller Streets) for Tuesday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will feature free hot dogs and beverages.

The application will be sent to the Texas Commission on the Arts to meet a June 1 deadline.

For more information, contact Daniels at playhousesmithville@yahoo.com or Strube at JStrube@ci.smithville.tx.us.

Almost 200 students were in the cafeteria at the time and many fled when the incident started, according to school officials. One student was bruised during the melee, which was considered a “serious disruption” according to school policy.

Details about the fight vary, although an online petition website supporting the student’s appeal claims all the students in the cafeteria took part but only a few were held responsible and disciplined.

Smithville Superintendent Rock McNulty didn’t discuss details of the incident citing student privacy, but he did say ten students received identical punishment

Students received a Class C ticket for destruction of property from the Smithville Police Department, which is school policy for this type of incident, he said. Students were also suspended for three days.

The parent of one student did not agree with the punishment, which was determined by principal David Edwards and it was appealed to McNulty, who agreed with Edwards’ disciplinary action. The parent then appealed to go before the board.

There has been inaccurate information circulated about the incident and the disciplinary actions, according to McNulty, including claims that the students won’t graduate.

“Graduation is an important family event and a rite of passage for a student,” McNulty said. “Contrary to reports, no student has been denied participation in this year’s Smithville High School graduation ceremonies.”

Smithville High School graduation ceremonies are Friday, May 25 at 8 p.m. at Barry Field. The school board will meet at the administration building boardroom, 901 N.E. 6th St., at 6 p.m. on Monday.

The Friends of the Smithville Veterans Memorial Park have put together a special day starting with bed races and a parade in downtown Smithville at 9 a.m. The fun continues at around 11 a.m. at Riverbend Park for food, games and an auction. The event gets country rocking with a stellar musical lineup starting at 4:30 p.m. and features headliner Cory Morrow.

The fundraiser is all about the park; a unique tribute meant to honor five Smithville-area soldiers who were killed recently in the fight against terrorism – a big price to pay for such a small town. The idea for the park, developed and spearheaded by Smithville Mayor Mark Bunte, is being built through donations and volunteer labor and will honor veterans from across Bastrop County.

The park will feature a splash pad, a feature that was added after the families of the fallen soldiers said they wanted to bring youthful energy and joy to the park while simultaneously paying respect to the fallen soldiers.

The center piece of the park will be a 16-foot angel, sculpted by renowned Smithville artist Bill McGlaun and featuring gold-plated dog tags from each soldier. The memorial will also provide a special place of honor for the names of all veterans from Bastrop County.

Participants needed

Friends of the Park director Kathy Karcher said the group is looking for participants for the barbecue cook off and bed races, as well as kickball, washers, horseshoes and volleyball players for a round of tournaments.

“We’re doing all this to honor our fallen heroes,” Karcher explained. “The park will be a place to meditate, find peace and to remember. We want everyone to participate in this memorial that will honor those who have sacrificed for our freedoms.”

Bed races, a team event with participants pushing a custom built bed along Main Street, will be run right before the parade to entertain the crowd. YouTube videos of this “sport” are entertaining and organizer Andis Goble is sure it can be hit in Smithville. Five person teams can sign up for $50, with all proceeds going to the Memorial Park. Call Andis at 512-237-3282, ext. 2320 for more information.

If you’re interested in getting your game on, there’s room for your team at the fundraiser. Enter the barbecue cook off, or join one of the tournaments for kickball, washers, horseshoes and volleyball. For more information on signing up, visit tinyurl.com/veteransparkteams.

Patriotic Parade

Racing beds down Main Street will kick off the day at 9 a.m. A parade to honor veterans is set for 10:30 a.m. and will feature a variety of veterans groups, bands, military vehicles, Jamboree court, Miss Memorial Day, the Patriot Guard Riders and more.

The parade begins at Wilkes Street and Loop 230 and will run down Loop 230 to the stop light and then make a left on Main Street. The parade will continue one block on Main Street and then make a right onto NE 2nd Street where it will move past the Memorial Park. The route takes the parade left onto Gazley Street (Hwy 95), and then left on NE 1^st Street, ending at Olive Street.

The Memorial Park fundraiser will continue at Riverbend Park for lunch beginning at 11 a.m. Meal tickets are $10. At 1 p.m. a live auction will begin and continue through the afternoon.

Music under the oaks

Cory Morrow, a superstar of the Red Dirt music scene, will headline the fundraiser’s musical entertainment, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at Chuckwagon Square.

Morrow’s sound is perfect for the venue, which sits under large oaks at the park. There’s room to sit back and watch the show or get onto the large dance floor. Morrow is set to start at 10:30 p.m.

Morrow will be joined by Todd Fritsch, whose single “Home” is climbing the country charts. The cattle rancher and country star is the real deal and so is his music. Fritsch is set to begin at 9 p.m.

Darby Ledbetter is a talented singer, songwriter and soldier and no stranger to the Riverbend stage. This combat veteran played at last year’s fundraiser and inspires the public and the troops at his performances. Ledbetter will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m.

Catfish and the Waterdogs bring their unique music to the stage at 6 p.m.

Smithville’s own Ben Johnson will start the evening’s music at 4:30 p.m., with his brothers and lifelong friends who make up his band. Their rocking country sound is a perfect way to start the show.

Presale tickets for live music are available for $20 from Prosperity Bank and First National Bank in Bastrop and Smithville and at the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce, Smithville City Hall, the library and the rec center. Tickets are $25 at the door and VIP tickets are available for $200. Get tickets online at tinyurl.com/smithvillemusic.

Friends of the Park assistant director Nina Richards is one of the volunteers who has spent more than a year working on getting funding for the park. For her, the work is something that comes from her heart.

“We don’t realize what our military does to ensure our freedom and to keep us safe and protect us,” Richards said. “It’s an honor to be able to honor them.”

Voter registration cards have been mailed out. If you have not received your yellow voter registration card by now, contact the elections office at (512) 581-7160.

Early voting for the May 29 Primary Election begins this Monday, May 14. For information on where and when to early vote, please see pageA4.

The veteran volunteer is a 1965 Chevy C60 fire truck that saw action fighting fires across the county. After sitting for a long time, the old truck has been given new life after a major restoration by RJ’s Paint and Body Shop in Smithville.

The classic fire truck will now represent the department at parades and events or wherever it’s called into action, according to Chief James “Pooh” Elam.

RJ’s Paint and Body owner RJ Janak said the truck was special because his dad Johnnie served as a volunteer fire fighter for many years and wanted to do something unique for the department. Janak said auto body technicians Charles Adams and Ben Johnson were a big part of the project’s success.

“We took her all the way down to the frame, the base metal,” RJ said at the dedication of the truck. “We restored it from the ground up, other than pulling it off the frame.”

Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department were on hand when an old member of the force came to the firehouse.

Johnnie Janak rode to the truck’s dedication with longtime firefighter Johnny Schroeder, who told a few stories about its history.

Schroeder, a volunteer from 1969 to 1999, said the essential piece of equipment will always be connected to Walter Hepner, a volunteer who passed away recently.

“Charles ran the truck, that was his thing,” Schroeder said. “That truck saw action all over the county. We went into Bastrop in the sixties and helped with the fire they had downtown.”

Schroeder drove the truck to the station for the dedication and then again during the Jamboree Parade, both times with a huge smile on his face.

Smithville volunteers swarmed around the truck when it rolled up to the fire station, lights and siren going. They admired the detailed restoration that included an antique ladder, hoses, gauges and even an axe.

“It’s amazing what they did to get this truck restored,” said Robert Hightower, who showed everyone a photo of the truck before it was brought back to life.

Smithville has long been recognized for its multitude of spirits: its great school and community spirit and even a few ghostly spirits that have been talked about over the years. The latest spirit on everyone’s lips is Bone Spirits, a unique distillery that has made its home in Smithville.

During a tour of the new facility, the sweet smell of cooking corn warmly sets the mood as Bone Spirits founder Jeff Peace explains what he calls the “farm-to-bottle” approach to the company’s products, which currently include vodka, moonshine and whisky.

Peace explained that much of the beverage alcohol seen on store shelves starts with very large commercial ethanol producers who distill a commercial-grade alcohol and sell it to bottlers to be redistilled and packaged for the consumer. Bone Spirits is different right from the start.

“We buy organic corn from local farmers, like Coyote Creek, which is less than 30 miles away, near Elgin,” Peace said. “It’s ground at an organic mill and has zero pesticides. That’s what’s cooking in the kettle.”

Bone Spirits founder Jeff Peace takes a peek at the corn mash cooking in the company’s kettle while giving a tour of the distillery in Smithville.

Pease said a byproduct of the cooking leaves a corn meal that is a big part of their sustainability model. The company spins the water from the corn meal and puts in in large containers that they then offer to local ranchers and farmers for feed or fertilizer.

“There’s a synergy in what we do. It’s eco-driven, supports the long term values of sustainability and it’s conscientious,” says Peace, as he climbs onto a trailer with huge crates of cornmeal. “We think this comes back to us ten-fold. It encourages the local economy and it makes good sense.”

Cooking the organic corn turns the starch into sugars and the liquid is then placed into the fermenter pot with a dose of yeast.

The multi-step distilling process increases the alcohol content and also deals with the “heads, hearts and tails,” according to Peace. Removing the heads and tails also removes impurities that affect taste and smoothness, which is done one step at a time.

Water from the city of Smithville, which comes from the area’s underground aquifers, is tested, analyzed and filtered as it’s used in the multi-step distillation processed.

Bone Spirits also uses a water recycler to cool and reclaim much of the water used in their spirit making.

The team that Peace has assembled at Bone Spirits is as unique as the process and the hardware they’ve designed.

Master distiller Jarle Lillemoen and chemist and “mash master” Mo Pair team up to take the Bone Spirits products through their customized distillation processes, which utilizes a vintage Vendome copper pot still.

Joe Alecci, vice president of operations brings an extensive background in the spirits industry and Anthony Chiappetta, vice president of engineering, is the hands-on fabricator for much of the hardware and process piping used at the custom distillery.

Bone Spirits founder Jeff Peace show the cornmeal byproduct that the company provides to area ranchers and farmers for feed and fertilizer. Providing the byproduct is part of the company’s “farm-to-bottle” approach to sustainability with communities and local farms.

The final step in the distillation process is one of the most unique features of Bone Spirits – the secret of “the columns.”

A stripping column rises 30 feet and a finishing column more than 45 feet from the floor of the distillery into the heights of the warehouse. The Bone Spirits products get their final high-temperature distillation in the columns, as well as many layers of filtering.

Everyone joins in for the bottling, as the handcrafted products make their way along a loose assembly line and receive labels and get boxed for their final trek to store shelves.

Peace described the process for selecting the company’s unique name.

“Looking through countless liquor stores to see what fads not to follow, I saw some really ridiculous brands and crazy marketing campaigns,” Peace said. “I realized that a simple handcrafted vodka would be a great way to start. I wanted to create vodka that’s bare bones.”

The flagship Bone Spirits vodka has a warm aroma with a slight floral bouquet. The body, palate and finish reflect the attention to detail that’s such a part of all the Bone Spirit products.

“We knew our grains and our process would impart an extremely smooth profile,” Peace explained. “Fresh milled corn, three distillations, pot still and the columns give Smith’s Premium Vodka the chance to be the best it possibly can.”

The most unique characteristic of Bone Spirits could be Peace himself. While finishing law school, he was introduced to Sidney E. Frank, the chairman and brand master behind Grey Goose Vodka and Jagermeister. Peace was hired and after passing the New York State Bar, was promoted to general counsel under Frank. Peace studied under his mentor for eight years.

After Frank died and Grey Goose was sold to Bacardi, Peace created Bone Spirits. Peace holds a degree in English, an MBA and a law degree. He lives in Austin with his wife and two boys.

Bone Spirits found its way to Smithville after Peace searched for a building online. The offices on NE 1^st Street were being used by a rum maker from the Caribbean to test the sugar content of sugar cane. Peace said it all came together: the building, the suppliers and the location.

“This has all been beyond luck,” Peace said. “There have been a lot of challenges, but it’s happened because we’ve said yes to every opportunity.”