Hells Canyon Rodeo looking iffy this year

ASOTIN — Asotin County officials are making plans to hold a fair in late April, but the Hells Canyon Rodeo may once again be sidelined by the coronavirus.

At Monday’s commission meeting, Commissioner Chris Seubert said about 10 people, including public health officials and members of the Asotin County Fair Board, recently conducted a walk-through at the fairgrounds to determine if the spring event is feasible.

“At this point, we are hoping to have a fair, but the rodeo probably won’t happen,” Seubert said. “There’s a lot of square footage up there and it’s mostly outdoors, so we should be able to social distance.”

The fair board is meeting again Wednesday to discuss how to move forward within the state’s guidelines. Last year, the fair and rodeo were both canceled because of the pandemic.

Asotin County is part of a nine-county region on the east side of the state that remains in Phase 1. In the current reopening stage, it’s difficult to book sponsors, timers, contestants and other acts for a rodeo, Seubert said.

“It’s really tough to predict what’s going to happen,” the commissioner said. “We may have to limit some fair activities to kids and parents. We just don’t know yet. If the eastern region moves into another phase between now and April, things could change.”

Public Health Administrator Brady Woodbury told the Tribune the governor released some new guidance on agricultural events Monday.

The new regulations are stricter than anticipated, and they only address Phases 1 and 2, Woodbury said. Outdoor events are limited to 50 percent capacity or 50 participants at one time, whichever is less.

Woodbury said he wants the Asotin County Fair to take place, “but it’s only one aspect of our community that we’re trying to get back open. We really want to open our entire community as soon as we can, safely,” he said.

The commissioners have repeatedly voiced frustration over Gov. Jay Inslee’s reopening process and how it negatively affects border communities, such as Clarkston and Pullman. Washington’s restrictions are much tighter than neighboring Idaho, where restaurants are open and gatherings of 50 people are allowed.

Forcing the county to be in a region with less local control is another sore spot. However, Commissioner Chuck Whitman said he appreciated the recent support from Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, on the COVID-19 issue. Last week, the state lawmaker backed the commissioners’ stance, saying it’s unfair to lump rural counties in with Spokane County.

In other county business, Michael White, a former city engineer in Virginia Beach, Va., and Silverton, Ore., has been hired as the new public works director and county engineer. He replaces Dustin Johnson, who resigned last July to take a job with the city of Lewiston.

White, who attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, will go to work Feb. 16. Between five and seven people applied for the vacant position, officials said.

Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.