Headlight Herald
TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
VOL. 135, NO. 33 • $1.50
Tillamook celebrates county fair
The main building at the fairgrounds hosted exhibits from locals, including a wide variety of flowers, and booths from local businesses and groups, like the creamery association, which set up an ice cream shop for the fair. STAFF REPORT
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he Tillamook County Fair greeted throngs of visitors to the fairgrounds from August 9 to 12, celebrating the theme Let Freedom Ring with myriad entertainment, displays, food, livestock competitions and rides for the crowd’s enjoyment. All the perennial
favorites were there, from parimutuel horseracing in the afternoons to the Pign-Ford races and concerts each evening, topped off with the demolition derby on Saturday night. Festivities got off to a wet start on Wednesday, August 9, on an unseasonably rainy day that didn’t dampen fairgoers enthusiasm but led many to seek out indoor
activities. The livestock competitions held by Tillamook County 4-H and Future Farmers of America offered good opportunities to do so in the pavilion and continued throughout the week. Local youth showed their pigs, chickens, turkeys, dairy cows, goats, sheep and guinea pigs and displayed their ability to handle them in
the ring, ahead of the market animal sale on Saturday. The fairgrounds main building hosted over 2,000 displays from Tillamook locals, ranging from produce and flowers to paintings, photography, quilts and baked goods. The main building, as well as the skating rink and convention center, also hosted booths from local businesses, with
the Tillamook Creamery Association setting up an ice cream shop in the main exhibition hall. Even as the weather remained dreary, the carnival attractions run by Rainier Rides drew attendees outside and grew only more popular as conditions dried out through the week. Bumper cars, a tilt-a-whirl, orbitter and a carousel were among
the rides on offer, along with a full complement of boardwalk games. The parimutuel horse races also got underway without a hitch on Wednesday and continued throughout the week, drawing crowds to the grandstand daily. As the week progressed and the weather improved, the courtyard stage activities became more popular. Performances from the Oregon Coast Dance Center, Tillamook School of Dance, Godfrey the Magician, Circus Luminescence, Willy’s Washboard Jamboree and others entertained the crowd and members of the audience got to participate in demonstrations from Brad’s World of Reptiles and compete in daily ice cream tasting competitions. Outside there was also a wide selection of food sellers and other vendors for fairgoers to sample. A plethora of burger, hotdog, corndog and fry options abounded, while Asian, Mexican, Hawaiian and Greek options were also available. For those with a sweet tooth, everything from caramel apples and funnel cake to elephant ears and chocolate dipped cheesecake tempted. Evening entertainment at the grandstand kicked off each night with the Pig n’ Fords races, followed on the weeknights by concerts and on Saturday by the demolition derby. Home Free played on Wednesday night, with Tom Petty tribute band Petty Fever performing on Thursday and country artist Elvie Shane rounding out the week on Friday. The fair has been a Tillamook County tradition since 1891 and moved to its current home on Third Street east of Downtown in 1925.
Pig n’ Fords racers continue Tillamook County tradition WILL CHAPPELL Headlight Editor
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Racers scramble to start their engines after securing their hogs at the beginning of the race.
embers of the Model T Pig n’ Fords Association of Tillamook County continued their nearly century-long tradition of entertaining at last week’s county fair, shuttling their screaming cargo around the racetrack four nights in a row to spectators’ delight. The event has become a multi-generational pursuit for members of the ten franchises from around the county and competitive ambitions and showmanship
Marty Walker cruises to an easy win in Wednesday’s first race.
SEE PIG N’ FORDS PAGE A10
Suspect arraigned in Cape Meares murder WILL CHAPPELL Headlight Editor
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Portland man was arraigned on August 7, for his alleged involvement in the July 8th shooting death
of another Portland man in Cape Meares. Jonathan Blake Morriss, 31, was charged with five crimes, including murder in the second degree, in the incident that led to the death of Carlo Stefanello Jr., which occurred at a short-term rental property. Neighbors reported hearing loud music playing, motorcycle engines revving late
at night and fireworks being detonated at the property in the days leading up to the incident. Tillamook Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the property around 10 a.m. on July 8, responding to reports of shots fired and suspicious activity. When they arrived at the property, deputies found Stefanello’s body in one of the bedrooms at the property and determined that he was likely the victim of a homicide.
Morriss was quickly detained by the sheriff’s deputies on outstanding warrants stemming from charges unrelated to the matter in Cape Meares. Deputies interviewed two people shortly after the incident who had been in the house at the time. A third person who was present, Heather Lee Williams, also known as Heather Lee Perez, is still being sought by the sheriff’s department for questioning.
Williams fled the house prior to law enforcement’s arrival and has outstanding warrants for her arrest. Deputies believe she returned to the Portland area. A grand jury issued a true bill on July 28, and the indictment was filed with the court on July 28. A case management hearing will be held on November 7. In addition to second degree murder, Morriss was charged with assault in the first degree, un-
lawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a firearm and theft in the first degree. District Attorney Aubrey Olson said that the investigation into the matter is ongoing, with investigators working to submit evidence to the Oregon State Police Forensics lab for analysis. Olson said that the court has also granted search warrants in the case, which investigators have been executing.