A few months ago, Kathy Smith took a personal curiosity about the town of Smartville and turned it into a revolution.
Founded in 1856 by James Smart, the foothill town has long been vexed over what most perceive to be a missing 's' in its name
In the early 1900s, the post office inexplicably wiped 'Smartsville' off the map, tipping off a small-scale battle over that 's' that has outlived many of its residents.
Smith revived the debate while writing an Arcadia history book about the town, (available at the Avid Reader), and calls began anew to rid the town of the false moniker.
"I opened a can of worms, I guess," Smith said.
Together with a Smart(s)ville resident, Smith began looking into what it would take to change the name.
Turns out, it won't take much. Smith petitioned for a name change with the U.S. Board on Geographical Names, and it is scheduled to take up what Smith was told won't be a sticky issue next month.
"Everyone up there really wants (the name back)," Smith said. "They're really excited about it."
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With their Lilliputian legs and propensity toward the porcine, basset hounds are rarely considered a speedy breed of dog.
Until there was Abbie.
Abbie was taken to the Sacramento Animal Hospital last week after developing a 104-degree fever. Not being a fan of strangers or the vet in general, she was understandably upset when she had to leave owner Sharron Lenth for her examination – so upset that she panicked, slipped away from the vet tech and out of her collar, and slithered out the front door.
Attempts to catch the bolting basset bore no fruit, nor have night-and-day searches by the Lenth family and the hospital staff, which feels so terrible that it's taken out weekly newspaper ads seeking Abbie's return.
"It kills us," said practice manager Melissa Hammond. "I know that the staff that was there that day are just devastated."
But none more so than the Lenths, who feel that Abbie's escape should never have happened. Lenth said her 17-year-old son, Austin, who is disabled and particularly attached to the pet, is especially crushed at her absence.
"She is like his sun in the morning," Lenth said. "She is the center of our world."
Though there have been a few sightings over the last week, Abbie is still on the loose. Any information that might bring about her return can be directed to sharron.lenth.cb@comcast.net.
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Nic and Tristan Puehse have had an eventful first decade.
The Shingle Springs twins, 10, have already signed a skateboarding contract with Nike and Sony, have been on Ellen DeGeneres' show twice and just wrapped their very own movie.
In other words, move over, Zach and Cody.
The pair began skateboarding when they were 6, and quickly made a name for themselves on the tournament circuit. A few videos led to sponsors, which led to the kind of notoriety that put two mop-headed kids on their way to the big time.
"They're just doing really well," said their dad, Mike.
Their film, "Nic and Tristan, The Movie," is in pre-production, the twins have met with Nickelodeon for a possible TV show, and the family is considering a move to L.A. to see where things go.
As for us, we can say we knew them when, even if we can't always tell which is which.
Call The Bee's Lisa Heyamoto, (916) 321-1261.
