The 64th annual Lincoln County Fair has come and gone, but not without some excitement.

Fun started Tuesday night when a couple incidents prompted the fair board to implement a new policy, allowing clear bags only. No more backpacks or other bags that concealed its’ contents.

The timing of the change and its prohibitive nature created backlash, including some of the violent nature.

Kudos to law enforcement for quickly locating the keyboard warrior and taking him into custody, providing piece of mind for fairgoers they could still die of a corn dog-induced heart attack and not a random bullet.

Whether or not this guy was serious or capable of committing the mass shooting he threatened is irrelevant. You get online and make threats of any kind against the general public, law enforcement or specific individuals, be prepared to go to jail.

This isn’t about first amendment rights, government suppression or over-reaching police. It’s about taking every necessary and required precaution to make sure thousands of people are kept safe in a world gone mad.

What an Arena

If you had the chance to attend the fair, hopefully you were able to stop by the new livestock arena.

It may have cost a pretty penny, but it was worth it. It’s a fantastic facility that will be a cornerstone of the fairgrounds the rest of this century.

More renovations are coming in future years and hopefully, the fair board can duplicate the success.

No Rodeo Love

One criticism I do have is the rodeo. I love a good rodeo as they are visually compelling and one of the few fair events that requires significant (any?) athletic ability.

Lincoln County this year had bull riding with the fair and the crowd for it was impressive, especially considering it gets second billing.

The horse arena, which hosted it, is fine for smaller events but there was nowhere near enough seating for Friday’s rodeo as demonstrated by the fact there were as many people standing as sitting.

In my experience, given the opportunity, a rodeo can draw as big if not a bigger crowd than tractor pulls or demo derbys.

Instead, the fair’s rodeo is tucked away in a corner while the main arena hosts not one, not two, but three nights with different pulling events.

There may be a good explanation for it. Maybe three pulling events does draw more of a crowd. Maybe there’s concern it would take away from the fall rodeo, which does draw a lot of people. But I find that excuse hard to believe if three separate pulling events can co-exist in a four-day time span.

Regardless, despite the actions of a few miscreants, the fair once again was a lot of fun this year and thanks to all the volunteers who made it happen.

Gregory Orear is the editor of the Lincoln County Journal, Troy Free Press and Elsberry Democrat. He’s re-establishing a relationship with fruits and vegetables after a week’s long diet consisting of gyros, crumbly burgers, corn dogs and kettle corn. He can be reached at gorear@lincolncountyjournal.com.

Gregory Orear is the General Manager/Editor of the Elsberry Democrat, Troy Free Press and Lincoln County Journal. He can be contacted at gorear@cherryroad.com.