Bluegrass Festival brings out appreciative crowds
Lou Marzeles
News Editor
Gentle tunes and warm feelings wafted over Ékone Park last Friday and Saturday, as the fourth annual Goldendale Bluegrass, Wine, & Art Festival-also known as Fiddlin' Under the Stars-packed in unprecedented crowds.
"We had a good turnout this year," said Goldendale Mayor Arletta Parton. The city of Goldendale was the title sponsor of the event, with support for individual musical groups coming from area businesses.
"I want to give special thanks to all our volunteers and sponsors for the festival," the mayor continued. "Just thinking about the festival and how well it went gives me goose bumps."
The head count from the admission gate showed that 1,650 people attended the two-day event. "We tripled the attendance over last year," said Len Crawford, President of the Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce, which coordinated and co-sponsored the festival. "We went from six vendors last year to 31 this year. We had six bands, and we had six wineries represented. We also filled a 55-gallon barrel with food donated at the gate to go to the food bank."
Comment cards, given out to attendees, came back almost universally favorable, with all but one giving appreciation for the event.
The festival layout in Ékone Park was also different this year from last. Previously, recreational vehicles were parked along the river. This year the RVs were on the opposite side of the park, with vendors between the park gazebo and the river. The result was better organization and more carefully directed sound. A neighbor living only 200 feet from the park reported that during the festival he could hear nothing coming from the park at his home.
But it was music and companionship that many reported as making the two days truly memorable,
"That's the real story about bluegrass-the community," said Della Perry, attending the festival from Eugene. "It's the fact that people come together, they don't know each other, but they share a musical body of knowledge and sense of community."
"If you're into bluegrass," another attendee reported, "all you have to do is look and find a festival anywhere in the country. When you go there, you have instant friends.
"I broke down in a town once, when my motor burned out. It was a Sunday evening, and I thought, who do I know around here who's into bluegrass? Turned out I knew someone there, and they came and picked me up and took me to the train station."
Bluegrass fans created a sea of RVs in the park, and many fans reported that the Goldendale festival is garnering a significant regard among them. "It's great," one said. "It gives us a chance to reconnect, and it gives regional bands a chance to get known."
Goldendale police reported that the crowds generally were well behaved, with only minor incidents of disorderly conduct. An announcement was made about keeping alcoholic beverages in designated areas, which mostly cut down the carrying of open containers.
The bands performing at this year's festival included: Ida Viper, Chickweed, Fiddlegrass, Deadwood Revival, the Urban Monroes, and the Coyote Ridge Bluegrass Wranglers. Food vendors included the Boy Scouts, Bonneville Smoked Products, Malibu Health Hut, Morgan's Pizzaria, and Relay for Life. Hand-crafted and product vendors included Tricopolis Records, Dottie's Duds, Magnetic Jewelry, the Shop of Jim Hall, Designs by Danette, Silhouettes by Request, and Moose Mt. Candle Company. Information booths included the Oregon Bluegrass Association, the Goldendale Observatory, the Goldendale Astronomy Club, and the Golden Art Gallery.
Putnam's marathon intro is Boston Marathon
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
The name Putnam is associated around Glenwood with running. Neola Putnam, a Glenwood senior holds championships in cross country and track, including three more first place medals in the State track meet in Cheney, last weekend. But it was another Putnam, her father Nate, who was drawing the attention a few weeks ago as he took a starting position in the 113th running of the Boston Marathon.
It was a major challenge for Putnam, who had never run a marathon, but the nature of Putnam's job as a forester and his interest in cross-country skiing had him in good physical condition. He began marathon training several months before the April 20 event, but never ran the entire distance before the event.
Putnam's employer, Hancock Forest Management is a major sponsor of the Boston Marathon and offered spots in the event to employees who were willing to participate. Putnam raised $3,600 for charity, more than twice the amount required for his entry. Since Putnam had never run the marathon, he had no qualifying time and was assigned a position deep in the pack of the 23,162 runners. He had a goal to run a pace that would put him across the finish line in about three and a half hours for the 26 mile, 385 yard course.
The race began in Hopkinton, Mass., in three waves. The elite women runners left at 9:32 a.m., the elite men at 10 a.m. and Putnam's group left at 10:30 a.m. Putnam estimates his starting position was a quarter mile from the starting line, but each runner's time is based on a microchip embedded in their shoe lace, so the clock starts and stops for each individual as they cross the start and finish lines.
Putnam's narrative tells of being consumed by the experience, more than being involved in a race. The large crowd of spectators, signs and fellow runners in a variety of costumes helped pass the time. His family drove a parallel route, stopping to cheer him on at a couple of locations. One of the moments that impressed Putnam was the roar he describes as the sound of an upcoming waterfall as he approached Wellesley College. The co-eds lined half-a-mile of the course, cheering wave after wave of runners.
His family updated Putnam on his pace around the 20 mile mark...still going steady. A four and a half mile stretch of hills loomed ahead with the infamous Heartbreak Hill at the 20.5 mile mark. Putnam feared he would be slowed more than what actually occurred.
At the 22 mile mark Putnam's legs were hurting. He was sure he would finish at this point, but was asking himself if he could do it without stopping and walking. With two miles to go, Putnam described the crowd lining the street as immense. He fed off the support from the crowd for a nearby runner named Jackie, and was focused on a logo he saw earlier in the race, "right on Hereford, left on Boylston," as he hit those landmark turns on the final push to the finish.
Putnam crossed the finish line, running all the way, in 3:26:48. That placed him 6,290 and 424 out of 1,838 in his 50-54 age group. So, is another marathon in his future?
Putnam says he is not sure, in a way that sounds very much like it is just a matter of time.
CGCC offers Work Zone Traffic Control and Flagger Training
Columbia Gorge Community College will again offer a Work Zone Traffic Control and Flagger Training course on Wednesday, June 10, at The Dalles Campus.
Katherine Long teaches this six-hour course which covers the fundamental principles of traffic control.
The course meets the requirement of the Oregon Department of Transportation construction specifications, and students will receive continuing education credits for successful completion.
Reciprocity is recognized for this course by Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Completing the course will also qualify a student for recertification.
The class meets from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and costs $75. Advance registration is required. Please call the college at (541) 506-6011 or (541) 308-8211 to sign up.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) requires flagger training for all flaggers on public roads.
The department's T2 Center provides flagger training to local governments. In addition, the ODOT Construction Specifications require flagger certification and a card.
ODOT does not provide this training. It is available through an intergovernmental agreement with a local community college, in this case Columbia Gorge Community College. They also have a reciprocity agreement with Washington, Idaho, and Montana to accept each other's agreed-upon training programs
This enables persons taking training in Oregon to be accepted as qualified in these skills in Washington . Washington requires flaggers to be trained and certified and carry a flagging card. The curriculum is based on common standards but has been developed to be specific to Washington requirements.
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