march22 2011
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
volume5 issue6
Happy St. Patty’s Day!
All In Pub and Eatery is Open
By Scott Laird
Ernie and Robin Smith have reopened the former
Lyon’s Den on Bridge Street and renamed it the All In Pub
and Eatery. And, although not a lot has changed, Vernonians
seem pretty excited.
With limited options on where to go during evening
free
First, the name. “All In a Poker term for when some-
one wagers all the money they have on the table. Smith says
he and Robin had been trying to pick a name and were trying
out a number of ideas, several of which had been suggested.
Ernie says he used to have a poker theme in his personal of-
fice and had a framed picture with a hand of four kings and
an ace, with the words “All In.”
“One day, Robin,
out of the blue, said, ‘We ought to call it the All In, because
we are.’ And I thought about it. We certainly are going all in
on this, and it just kind of fit, so that was the one.”
Ernie says he has some bar and restaurant experi-
ence, although it goes back a few years. When he was a
kid, his grandparents owned the Timber Tavern in Timber,
Oregon, in the 60’s and 70’s. “When I was nine or ten, I
was stocking coolers from the back room and breaking down
beer boxes for my Granddad,” says Ernie. “And there was
an apartment behind the bar and my bedroom wall was up
against the same wall as the juke box. So, I went to sleep to
the old country western songs and ballads.”
Ernie says he also worked during his early teen years
as a cook in the kitchen of the old Timber Nut. “There were
a lot of times I would run the kitchen by myself.”
continued on page 19
Pat Knight led the 28th annual St. Patrick’s
Day Parade down Bridge Street in Vernonia.
More photos on page 20.
You Can Help Make Vernonia Shine
Ernie Smith behind the bar at the All In Pub and Eatery.
Smith and his wife, Robin, reopened the former Lyon’s
Den under the new name on March 11; a Grand Opening
clebration is scheduled for April 1st.
What are you doing on Saturday, April 16
from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM?
We’re hoping you’re planning on
participating in the annual “Make Vernonia Shine
Day.” Vernonia Pride is proud to organize this
event, in coordination with SOLV’s SOLV IT day
throughout Oregon.
This year’s event will focus on Vernonia
Pride’s mission; downtown beautification.
Weeding, debris pick-up, etc. We’ll focus on the
“downtown core” from the Elk sign to the Lake. If
enough people show up to volunteer, we’ll also be
able to get some work done in our Parks.
Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the
Providence Medical Clinic building. Snacks and
bottled water will be available for volunteers at the
end of the clean-up (1:00 PM).
Vernonia Pride is looking for volunteers
and would like you to please bring your own
gardening tools/yard equipment. If you’d like
to volunteer, please contact Catherine Helmer at
503-914-9525 or email her at catherine.helmer@
yahoo.com
Thank you for your support of this fabulous
activity!
hours in town, the All In Pub was welcomed with open arms
during the Smiths’ first weekend of business. According to
many sources, the place was packed on Friday night, March
11, the Smiths’ opening day (“It felt like Jamboree,” was
the word around town). It was also pretty crowded Satur-
day night, as well. A tired, and pleased, Ernie Smith spoke
with Vernonia’s Voice the following Monday, and
talked about opening a (new, sort of) bar and res-
taurant in Vernonia.
Saturday evening, March Carr.
Mackenzie Carr is the
5th, in the beautiful Spirit Mountain
Casino Event Center, Mackenzie daughter of Alan and Barb Carr of
Carr of Vernonia was crowned Miss Vernonia, Oregon. She grew up on
a small farm in
Rodeo
Oregon
a rural timber
2011. In front of
community an
over 200 guests,
hour from the
family, and friends,
Oregon coast.
the 20 year old
M a c k e n z i e
cowgirl graciously
is
a
2008
accepted the crown
graduate
and
from Ashley Ziegler,
Va l e d i c t o r i a n
the 2010 state
of
Vernonia
titleholder.
High School, as
The evening
well as a nine
began with music
year
member
by the Concrete
of
Columbia
Cowboys
band,
County Horse
followed by a
4-H.
Her
delicious
baron
Mackenzie
Carr
celebrated
her
i
n
v
o
l
v
e
m
e
n t
of beef banquet
coronation
as
Miss
Rodeo
Oregon
with
the
dinner, fundraising
on March 5th. Carr accepted the
auctions,
and crown from the previous Miss Rodeo C o l u m b i a
County Fair and
introductions
of
Oregon, Ashley Ziegler.
visiting
rodeo Photo Courtesy of Creekside Studios. Rodeo continued
as Carr served
Royalty. Rodeo
Announcer Scott Allen was the emcee as a 2007 Columbia County Fair
for the event. Special guest tribal and Rodeo Princesses and Queen
princesses performed a traditional in 2008. In 2009, she went on to
“Blanket Dance” as a send-off for represent the Northwest Professional
Mackenzie Carr Crowned Miss Rodeo Oregon 2011
inside
10
schaumburg
house
11
tree
planting
19
another
round
Rodeo Association as Miss NPRA. In
July 2010, Mackenzie was awarded
the prestigious title of Miss Rodeo
Oregon. In addition to winning
the title, she earned the awards of
Appearance, Speech, Knowledge,
Horsemanship, Personality, and
Photogenic. In her spare time she
enjoys riding her horses, giving riding
lessons to children, and spending time
in the great outdoors. Mackenzie
attended Oregon State University for
two years studying Civil Engineering,
and will continue working toward an
Architectural degree, with a minor in
Speech Communications. She hopes
to focus on interior architecture and
commercial building design.
Miss Rodeo Oregon will
travel over 30,000 miles this year
promoting the sport of rodeo and
representing the State of Oregon at
PRCA rodeos, parades, fundraisers,
school visits, other rodeo court
coronations and pageants, the
Columbia River Circuit Finals and at
the end of the year the Miss Rodeo
America Pageant held in conjunction
with the National Finals Rodeo in Las
Vegas, Nevada.
