Ontario to offer shortened July 4 celebration

By KAREN PARKER

County Line Publisher Emeritus

Though nearly all area summer events have been canceled in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ontario will plunge ahead with an amended version of the traditional July 4 celebration.

At Monday’s Ontario Village Board meeting, Ontario Community Club president Ron Campbell detailed the events still on the schedule.

The two key events, the parade and fireworks, will take place at the usual times on Saturday, July 4 (noon and dusk, respectively). There will be no talent show or kids’ parade the night before. All events will occur on Saturday, with a car show, garden tractor and pedal tractor pull, along with music on the Ontario Community Hall deck or in a tent as weather allows.

The Ontario American Legion does not plan to offer a barbecue, although the Ontario Community Club will offer a limited menu from the Well Youth Ministry building, and food vendors are welcome but must be licensed through the village.

Rural Ontario country musician Tor Eness will hold his cowboy church on Sunday; however, there will not be the traditional country music fest the week after July 4.

Other business

• Wildcat Bar will be allowed to fence off a portion of its parking lot to accommodate patrons who wish to view the tractor pull on July 4. Entry and exit must be through the bar only, as alcohol will be consumed.

On a related note, Ontario Police Chief Dave Rynes noted he has been working with RiversEnd Bar on a gate that would meet the requirements of the ordinance for its outdoor beer garden.

• President Mark Smith said the new community hall facility at the former Ontario Elementary School building will be ready for occupancy as soon as the lighting is complete. The Ontario American Legion, which lost their building in the 2018 flood, was expected to ask to permanently rent a room in the building, but no representative of the legion was at the meeting.

• Likewise, neither of the two bar owners was present to ask for a break on the liquor license fee due to their two-month, state-mandated closure earlier this year. The board had an unsigned letter with a request for a reduction on the liquor license, and after a lengthy debate, agreed to offer $67 off on the annual $400 license fee.

• Buyouts for the 2018 flood-damaged property are still waiting a final decision from FEMA.

• Police Chief Dave Rynes noted he is working with homeowners to clean up their property, and he also was given permission to replace the taser gun lost in the 2018 flood.

• Scott Construction seal-coated Lower Ridge Road and also did a small portion lying within the village limits for $1345.

• The usual beer, liquor and operator licenses were approved.

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