Columbia County Tradition Returns Mer’S Event to Match and Even Be JEREMY C
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Castles on Motorcross Sand Island kids Page A3 Page A10 Wednesday, .50 July 14, 2021 $1 thechronicleonline.com Serving Columbia County since 1881 Columbia County tradition returns mer’s event to match and even be JEREMY C. RUARK over what occurred in 2019. [email protected] In a published interview with The Columbia County Fair and The Chronicle in March, Colum- Rodeo opens a five-day run on bia County Fair President Jaime Wednesday, July 14. The event had Carr said the county fair and rodeo been cancelled in 2020 due to the is a tradition that helps sustain the COVID-19 pandemic. local economy and one that should This week preparations have been never fade away. underway at each of the fairgrounds “For me a fair just doesn’t buildings from herding in the represent watching a rodeo and livestock to setting up the tents and getting an elephant ear,” he said. vendor booths, it has been a flurry of “It’s the full meal deal. You are activity. supporting local businesses, al- Columbia County Fair Vice Presi- lowing them the opportunity to dent and Vendor Coordinator Julie interact with the public, and we Pelletier said she expects attendance are giving the community a local Chronicle photo event and a place to gather. We are will surpass the 2019 fair. The popular rides are always an attraction at the Columbia County Fair. “Because everybody is ready to creating jobs and we are building get out and put smiles or their faces relations.” and relax and enjoy it,” Pelletier said. “And that is our goal. People want to Health and safety precautions get out of the house and see every- body again.” Pelletier said the fair is also following the Centers for Disease What’s new Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. More shade and water will be “If you are vaccinated you available at the fairgrounds. don’t need to wear a mask,” she “We are really focusing on areas said. “For those people who are where families can rest and to get not vaccinated, we are asking that out of the sun,” Pelletier said. “We they follow the CDC guidelines, have bigger pop-up shades that will social distancing and to wear a be placed all over. We will have a mask, however we are not going little water area for kids to cool off, to ask for the vaccine card, so so instead of getting over-heated and hopefully everyone will be self- heading home, we are offering more accountable and self-responsible. to keep them here and to help make We just have to be careful.” their experience as enjoyable as pos- Chronicle photo Pelletier, a long-standing vol- sible.” The popular rodeo will return to this summer’s Columbia County Fair. unteer at the fair, said the return of The popular carnival rides and the event is heartwarming. rodeo will also be in place as well as money that sustains the fair and ter,” she said. restroom repairs, a waterline “Seeing people coming in with an entertainment stage. fairgrounds annually. Pelletier said thanks to a finan- update and a new roof on the shop a smile on their face and knowing “This year I believe it is going cial infusion from the Columbia building is planned. that we are presenting a place to Fair economy to give us a much-needed financial County Board of Commissioners, “We still have to be self-suffi- boost to keep us moving forward, needed improvements have been cient,” Pelletier said, who added Pelletier estimated that in 2019 doing the upkeep, the repairs and made over the past several weeks, that she expected the attendance the fair brought in about $200,000, to be able to make things even bet- including new building gutters, and fair gate profits for this sum- See FAIR Page A4 Parklets pose parking discussion tions related to indoor dining.” tomers and the customers of other AURORA BIGGERS Running Dogs also does not businesses. [email protected] have a normal curb exposure out- “Parking is a premium down You may have noticed wooden side their business. The curb is less there as it is, and we have older side-walk extensions with at- than 1” in some areas in front of people who need close parking,” tached tables (and perhaps even the business while a normal curb Lee said. And with COVID-19 a covering) begin to dot Portland exposure is closer to 5,” which seeming to be less of a concern for sidewalks last time you visited the King noted makes it difficult to people and pandemic restrictions city. build a platform flush with the lifting, Lee said, “There’s no need Through the pandemic, outdoor sidewalk. to have the outdoor seating.” dining has become popularized as The owners of Running Dogs When asked if she would con- a safe(r) way to dine and socialize. were unavailable for an interview test Sanders and Stano’s permit ap- Now, it’s looking like parklets— prior to press time. plication, Lee told the Chronicle, ‘street seats’ as Portland and New “Potentially, yes. If the city isn’t Metro Creative Connection / The Chronicle Economic value going to offer up parking spaces The main issues Oregon will evaluate are: the number, location, and accessibility York City call them—might be for the businesses, then they prob- of cooling centers and other resources; the speed and frequency with which health here for good. The city created the parklet ably shouldn’t be taking up park- related data is provided to emergency management and responders, and how Oregon St. Helens joined the growing ing from those businesses.” officials communicate and think about risk. trend of parklets, street seats, and permit in order to encourage post- pandemic economic growth for Without Roof’s (and other sidewalk dining in Feb. 2015—but neighboring businesses’) ap- the process isn’t exactly easy, ac- businesses. “Part of the City’s goal in promoting parklets recently was proval, Sanders said her permit Oregon agencies evaluate cording to local restaurant Tap into will struggle through the system Wine owner Marci Sanders. to support restaurants and other industries that were hit hard and for a while. Currently, Sanders is Sanders said she and owner working on a new draft of her and of neighboring Columbia County struggling to remain open due to response to heat wave COVID-19 restrictions,” King Stano’s parklet design because Bistro Kayleigh Stano applied for their original lacked Ramps for gency declaration, generally it’s be- a permit in early July and are wait- said. AURORA BIGGERS cause local resources have been or Still, Running Dogs’ parklet two entrances (4’ wide minimum), [email protected] ing to be approved. since their parklet will also not be are in danger of being overwhelmed In order to receive a parklet acted as a test parklet for the city and state assistance is needed. This and neighboring businesses, which flush with the curb, railing along After the West Coast’s late June permit in St. Helens, the parklet the street side to block entry where is typically in concert with a local design must meet city require- Sanders said is making it difficult heat wave — which has reportedly for her and Stano to get their per- the parklet is uneven with the curb, caused the death of 116 Orego- emergency declaration,” Phelps ments. Parklets can only be and they needed to downsize their explained. “Or there are actions constructed in nonresidential areas mit. The city requires notification nians, including an elderly woman of the parklet application to all design by limiting the parklet to from Columbia County — the the state needs to take using the where the speed limit is 25 miles three parking spaces. tools and resources only available per hour or less; they need to be abutting businesses before the per- Oregon Department of Emergency mit will be approved. If neighbor- Stano was unavailable for an Management (OEM) held a press through an emergency declaration. designed to the city’s specifica- interview but said, “Marci and Or rules that need to be waived in tions, including a platform under ing businesses object to the parklet availability to address how the state application, then the business must I have the same opinions on the handled the extreme heat and what order toaffect an appropriate emer- the parklet that is flush with the parklet, the city, and the unfair- gency response from the state. We sidewalk. wait for the city council to decide changes the state can make before whether to approve the parklet ness, and uneven expectations future climate related emergencies. also utilize emergency declarations Local Brewery Running Dogs between Running Dogs and other to request assistance from other already has their parklet, though it permit or not. OEM Director Andrew Phelps “They’re going to notice ev- businesses applying.” addressed why OEM didn’t ask states … it’s important to note none doesn’t technically meet the city’s of these factors were present during current requirements without a erybody on this block, including Governor Kate Brown to declare a Roof, and apparently Roof isn’t Parking issues state of emergency. the heat wave event.” platform. St. Helens Communica- Phelps also said he is wor- tions Officer Crystal King said happy with [the parklet],” Sanders “When I make a recommenda- said of the upstairs restaurant in The parklet permit has present- tion to the governor for an emer- ried that invoking the emergency Running Dogs received a special ed a difficult question for the city declaration too often will cause the approval to construct their parklet the same building as the Columbia County Bistro.