Smithville Mayor Beth Chandler opens 25th-anniversary 9/11 remembrance

Mayor Beth Chandler opened the Smithville remembrance ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, calling on the community to remember victims and thank first responders. "25 years have passed, but we still remember that morning," Chandler said in her opening remarks and asked Pastor Isaac Gray of Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church to lead a prayer for families and emergency personnel.

Chandler named participating agencies and invited local leaders and responders forward for a group photo, singling out Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins, Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker and DeKalb County emergency personnel for the community's gratitude. The ceremony included the national anthem and brief tributes from elected officials before organizers closed with event logistics and acknowledgments.