Othello celebrates Independence Day in grand style
Bob Kirkpatrick/The Sun Tribune - Area youth warm up for the skateboard contest at Lions Park.
Bob Kirkpatrick/The Sun Tribune - Adams County Sheriff Posse was one of several entrants in Othello’s Fourth of July parade. The day was full of fun-filled activities for all ages.
Justin Newton/Courtesy photo - Alex Alaniz with his prizes for a second-place finish in the Advanced Division and first-place finish in the Best Trick competition.
Hundreds of local folks lined both sides of Main Street to watch the annual parade that kicked off Othello’s Fourth of July festivities. The crowd was treated to VFW military processions, kids on bikes and ATVs, the Othello Distinguished Young Women’s float, Little League Baseball players, the Othello Rodeo Queen, a mule-drawn wagon and the Adams County Sheriff’s Posse.
Following the parade the crowd moved on to Lions Park and were entertained by a 3-on-3 youth soccer tournament. Around 11:30 a.m., roughly 75 people gathered together for the christening of the new skate park.
“We’re here to dedicate the new Dan Dever Memorial Skatepark,” Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said. “This was a dream of Dan’s – he wanted it for Othello’s youth and was the one on the city council who really spearheaded the project.”
Dever, who began his service on the city council in December of 2007, did not live to see the project come to fruition as he passed away in May of 2014. Family members, however, were at the dedication.
The 6,000 square-foot Harvest Gold concrete facility has a double stair set, a 7-foot-6 inch bowl, bank ramp and grind wheel. The project was five years in the making and cost $300,000 to construct.
The inaugural Othello Skate Contest was held after the ceremony. The results are as follows:
Advanced
1. Seth Goler
2. Alex Alaniz
3. Hank Huxull
4. Justin Newton
Intermediate
1. Kafziel Voriego
2. Vincent Wheeler
3. Josh Newport
Beginner
1. Angel Valencia
2. Alan Estrada
3. Anthony Vargas
Best Trick
Alex Alaniz