OPB’s First Look: Wildfire smoke hangs over county fairs

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Good morning, Northwest.

Summer should be a perfect time for large-scale outdoor events like the dozen of county fairs scheduled across Oregon this month, but the wildfire smoke lingering across the state could dampen people’s enthusiasm for attending.

However, as OPB’s regional correspondents Antonio Sierra and Jen Baires have learned, many folks in Eastern and Central Oregon still decided to brave the unhealthy air and enjoy the annual celebrations of agriculture and local economic drivers.

Back in Portland, Lloyd Center will close to the public today. Before the 66-year-old mall closes for good, OPB’s Lillian Karabaic stopped by to watch the final Beyblade tournaments held there.

Here’s your First Look at Saturday’s news.

— Winston Szeto

Top story

Smoke covers rural Oregon but the county fair goes on

Fifteen county fairs are scheduled across Oregon this month, many of them in communities with unhealthy or dangerous air quality, as wildfires continue to rage across the Pacific Northwest.

Whether out of a sense of tradition, obligation or affection, people are still going to county fairs, which double as celebrations of agriculture and local economic drivers.

But the health risks are real. Amid warnings from state officials, both humans and animals were feeling the effects of pervasive wildfire smoke. (Antonio Sierra and Jen Baires)

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3 things to know

1. Jason Ensign, of Klamath Falls, has died while working the fire lineon the Wrights Spring Fire in Southern Oregon. Meanwhile, red flag warnings are in place for north-central Oregon and most of central and eastern Washington through today as several large fires burn throughout the region. (Amanda Linares and Casey Frizzell)
2. A week after a New York Times report revealed that at least 100 water systems were hacked in other states, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s office told OPB yesterday that hackers had gained access to an Oregon water district’s core operating technology. (Courtney Sherwood)
3. Mark Cruz, a member of the Klamath Tribes who grew up in Klamath Falls, was confirmed to lead the federal Indian Health Service, in a 51-47 vote of the U.S. Senate yesterday. (Dirk VanderHart)

Northwest headlines

• Can Gluesenkamp Perez win over the Democrats who voted against her in Washington’s primary? (Elena Neale-Sacks)
• Battle Ground city manager firing came after police officer complaints (Erik Neumann)
• Port Orford wants to become a South Coast seafood hub. Here’s what comes next (Theo Greenly, JPR)
• Eugene Weekly’s new owner is a familiar face for many readers (Nathan Wilk, KLCC)
• Eastern Oregon state Rep. Greg Smith will pay $12K to settle latest ethics violations (Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle)
• Wildfires in urban areas are more common. That may have helped Spokane (Kirk Siegler, NPR)

One more look

‘A safe space for weirdos’: Beyblade community hosts final tournament at Lloyd Center’s food court

The Lloyd Center, the shopping mall that opened in Portland’s central eastside 66 years ago, will close to the public today.

In recent years, the impending shutdown meant rents were cheap and space was abundant. That led to an indie renaissance of small businesses and numerous gatherings hosted by eclectic community groups.

One of those community groups is the Portland Trail-Bladers, which isn’t a basketball organization, but a group that hosts Beyblade tournaments featuring battling metal tops.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, most of the restaurants are vacant on the top floor of Lloyd Center, but the food court is anything but quiet. About a hundred people crowd around tables, cheering loudly as metal spinning tops slam into each other. (Lillian Karabaic)

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