Sims proposes to shut down King County Fair The King County Fair survived the Civil War, the Great Depression and two world wars. But now, because of declining attendance and an ailing county budget, its days may be numbered. King County Executive Ron Sims has proposed shutting down the 145-year-old Enumclaw event, which bills itself as the oldest county fair west of the Mississippi River. It's one of hundreds of belt-tightening measures Sims recommended Monday to the Metropolitan King County Council in his 2009 budget proposal. Closing the fair would save $315,000 in a budget that must be cut by $93 million. Sims said that for years he resisted suggestions that the fair be closed. But its continuing decline convinced him it was time to pull the plug....