Fairest of the Fair? Scales students!

Proud mom Mary Ann Hernandez emailed this morning that the Little Miss Williamson County Fair pageant had two Brentwood winners.
Congratulations to Carly Clo who won the crown and Alicia Hernandez, right, who was second runner up. Both are students at Scales Elementary and "both girls were beautiful!" Mary Ann writes. No doubt.
Judges were Miss Tennessee and two past Miss Tennessee contestants.
Keep those fair accounts, pictures and blue-ribbon news coming!

Mayor: Fairview pig went gangbusters

Don't ever think Mayor Betsy Crossley is one to make excuses. No sirree, she gives credit where credit's due, and in this case, she gave it to a little brown pig that put her piggy to shame.
The second annual Mayor's Pig Race Friday helped kick off opening night activities at the Williamson County Fair and our Brentwood mayor tried her best to retain the crown won last year by then-Vice Mayor Paul Webb. Alas, it wasn't to be.
County Mayor Rogers Anderson's pig brought home the bacon, by winning two of the three heats.
"My pig was doing great, and I really thought we had it until right at the very end when that pig just held up," she said. "The Fairview mayor's pig just came up gangbusters." And beat hers by about 25 snouts, she said.

Since she was just elected to a two-year term, she said she looks forward to coming back and trying again next year. She added she will spend the off-season in training. Not sure exactly what she means, but when she puts her mind to something look out.

Speaking of the fair, check out its website to see what's happening out there today and the rest of the week. Plus, here's a link to a Tennessean story about how corporate sponsorships help keep our local fairs afloat.
Maybe the 2010 edition will be the "Williamson County Fair presented by Brentwood Home Page." It has a nice ring to it.

Williamson County Fair website: http://www.williamsoncountyfair.org/
Middle Tennessee fairs find ways to stay afloat: http://tinyurl.com/BWcountyfairs

Not giving in to bum knee

Speaking of the mayor, Betsy let her friends on Facebook know that she is having knee surgery on Thursday.

What's the matter, I asked her.

What's not the matter, she replied, rambling off a long list of things like arthritis, a torn meniscus, something about a burr and a this and a that; well, you get the picture.

So how long are you going to be out of commission? I asked.

"Well, I'll probably miss Rotary on Friday," she said, but noted she expects to be back in the office on Monday, albeit on crutches.

As for tonight's City Commission meeting, she said it should be "pretty mundane and boring," but hinted by the time September rolls around, things should liven up again. I think that's good news...

Fair weather ahead! Cotton Candy too

If it's hot, it must be time for the Williamson County Fair, which opens this afternoon for a nine-day run.

But the heat can't be helped, County Commissioner and one of Brentwood's best people, Tom Bain, told me Thursday. As the baby of the Tennessee fair circuit, Williamson County had "to get to the front of the line or the back of it" when it rejuvenated itself after a 50-year lapse four years ago.

The powers that be decided August was a better bet than late fall, so the second week in August it is, come searing temps or drenching rains or a combo of both. But don't let that deter you. In fact, the 10-day forecast looks pretty good. Sure, there's a chance of isolated thunder storms most days, but what summer days aren't like that? And temps are supposed to max out in the mid-80. Can't ask for much better this time of year.

Sounds good to me. And I can't wait. I need a new set of Ginsu knives. Now, I'm not sure if I'll find them there, but I've got my fingers crossed. The best knives I've ever owned I bought at the Sonoma County Fair in a pavilion packed with hawkers who sold everything from dusting wands and Orange Glo cleaner to waterless cookware.

Tom couldn't promise I'll find a pavilion full of purveyors, but he did say several will be found on the top level of the air-conditioned arena. Can't wait to check them out!

And should anyone get tired at the fair, just be on the lookout for Mayor Betsy Crossley, Commissioner Paul Webb, John Lackey, Tom Allen and Arley Henry who are among the Brentwood volunteers Tom has lined up to be "Fair Ambassadors." He's got Police Chief Ricky Watson and Fire Chief Kenny Lane on call. They'll be driving courtesy carts around the fairgrounds to give a lift or a hand to anyone who needs one, taking up tickets at the Elvis show and more.

Commissioner Joe Reagan, a CPA by trade, has worked the fair from the start as a money counter. And Sonnie Bain, one of the talented women who run Brentwood Baptist Church, is a roving ambassador, doing whatever husband Tom says needs to be done.

You have to love these folks. And all the other volunteers that make the fair happen every day.

Hope to see them, and you, there!

• For complete fair information, visit www.williamsoncountyfair.org
• To learn why Mayor Betsy Crossley will be saying "here suey, suey" this afternoon, read today's fun story from Williamson A.M. at http://tinyurl.com/BWpigrace