Honors, and doggone good time at tonight’s K-9 Spaghetti Dinner

If you missed out in getting your tickets for a doggone good time, the K-9 Retirement Spaghetti Dinner, a limited number will be available at the door. The dinner, honoring Santa Paula Police K-9s Jack and Rex, who retired in February after eight years of dedicated community service, starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Center (corner of West Main Street and Steckel Drive).

Tickets are $15 each and include spaghetti and meatballs, coleslaw, garlic bread and a special dessert. Also on the menu are demonstrations by Jack and Rex - who continue to live with their human partners Officer John Coffelt and Sergeant Ryan Smith respectively - as well as the SPPD’s newest K-9s Chevy and Hozy. Chevy - donated by John Macik/Santa Paula Chevrolet - is partnered with Officer Scott Varner, and Hozy - as in Hozy’s Grill, donated by ARP - patrols the beat with Officer Randy Haumann.

Staged by the Santa Paula Police & Fire Foundation, all proceeds from the dinner will help offset the costs of continued training for the new dogs - recent academy graduates - as well as costs towards a new K-9. Evan, K-9 partner to Sgt. Jimmy Fogata, will be retiring later in the year.

Also promising to be on hand is McGruff, the crime-fighting dog. Children will especially enjoy the demonstrations and visits with McGruff, as well as the retirement program for Jack and Rex.