30 November 2007

Luminaria this Saturday

I moved this post up to the top to remind everyone to come by Washington Park and Main Street tomorrow! I believe there will be some live music by my friend Todd O'Neal and his church choir at 6pm.
 

This Saturday, December 1st is the 7th annual Luminaria in Washington Park.

Neighbors will be assembling the lights in the afternoon, and setting them out from 5-6pm. They will be lit from 6 - 10pm. Helpers will be needed, so feel free to show up anytime in the late afternoon or send me an email for more info. Everyone is welcome.

Main Street is also having a Luminaria and Christmas Lights as part of their Kristkinle Markt on Main 2007 which will be all-day Saturday. They will have carolers and shops will be open late.

After the Luminaries in the park are lit, neighbors will have an open house with soups and hot drinks.
 

photo of last year's Luminaria courtesy of Joe Wessels.

Country Homes For Sale

Some real fixer-uppers:
 

In many rural areas it seems you either have abandonment like this or suburban encroachment. This town, which will remain anonymous, has no sewer service, and so it withers.

Joel Kotkin Promotes Suburbs

A reader of this blog sent me a copy of Joel Kotkin's piece in the Wall Street Journal. I have read many articles and one full book by Mr. Kotkin and in my modest opinion, he has a way of seeing cities that is self-supporting and circular in thought. His thinking is overly simplistic in a libertarian sort of way. Specifically he against smart growth, new urbanism and the creative class mania. He really has nothing good to say about any cities, except sprawling new southern cities like Atlanta and Houston, which to him are like Gardens of Eden. He is very pro suburban sprawl, although many times, as for example in this article, he tries to disguise his pro-sprawl stance with words like "neighborhoods which surround center cities".

Only 14% of Center City residents have children, Mr. Levy says, and roughly half its young people depart once they enter their mid-30s. "If you want to sustain the revival you have to deal with the fact that people with six year olds keep moving to the suburbs," Mr. Levy suggests. "Empty nesters and singles are not enough."

Boosters such as Mr. Levy look increasing towards reviving the traditional family neighborhoods which surround Center City. His organization has worked closely with local public and private schools, church and civic organizations to build up the support structures that might convince today's youthful inner city urbanites to remain as they start families. "Our agenda," Mr. Levy says, "has to change. We have to look at the parks, the playgrounds and the schools."

I disagree with him on many of his fundamentals, but definitely agree with him that more attention needs to be paid to attracting families. He has spent much ink the past several years disparaging "cool cities" and Richard Florida in particular. But I really don't think Richard Florida was as anti-family as Kotkin portrays him.

Below is a response to Kotkin posted at the CEO for Cities blog that I thought was very good:

In his opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, The Rise of Family-Friendly Cities, Joel Kotkin sets up an either/or set of economic development and lifestyle choices that simply doesn't exist.

Where, exactly, does Kotkin think these married couples he extols come from?

Hint: The median age of first marriage among all U.S. women is now 26, older for college-educated women. A typical young women today spends at least five years after college, usually pursuing a career, before a first marriage. By the time she's in her late 20s or early 30s she -- and her partner--have typically put down roots in a particular metropolitan area.

The reason Raleigh and Charlotte score so well in gaining families is that they are the biggest gainers of younger, well-educated adults, particularly singles.
It is plainly a lot easier to hang on to the young adults who live in your city rather than recruiting them from other places. That's why cities should pay particular attention to young singles when they are at their most mobile and also build on their family friendliness as a way of retaining these talented and energetic people.

But does being family friendly require a fundamentally different set of urban attributes? Not really.

Schools certainly move up on the priority list. But in a national survey of college-educated 25 to 34 year-olds for CEOs for Cities, we found that the top five attributes they seek in cities are these: clean and attractive; opportunity to live the life I want to lead; safe; green; and availability of the type of housing I want at an affordable price. That sounds pretty family-friendly to me.

And does anyone really believe that one loses one's taste for latte when one starts pushing a stroller?

We can do a lot more to advance the discussion about the kind of community attributes that we all value ˜ singles and married couples alike ˜ without creating phony and divisive distinctions.

Family-friendly cities are not terribly different from other cities. Ask business and civic leaders around the nation what‚s driving their concern about whether their city appeals to young people, and they will first tell you they are needed for the labor force. But what really worries many of them hits much closer to home. They worry their own kids won't return after college. Being family-friendly has a lot of surprising dimensions.

Sewer Lids and Infrastructure

Sorry to bore you, but I find this stuff interesting:
Old gas and Electric Lid:
 


Traffic Cable Marker:
 


The new sewer lids:
 

29 November 2007

My Nose Turns Red

A friend sent me this info, and it looks pretty interesting. I'm wondering how hard it is to get kids into classes for this too:
 
My Nose Turns Red Theatre Company presents:
The New Millennium Youth Circus Holiday Extravaganza
Saturday December 15, 2007, 2 p.m.
at the Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center for the Arts

This youth circus features seasoned youth performers and newcomers alike. The advanced youth circus troupe will perform their feats of skill along with the Cincinnati Waldorf School Jump Ropers and the Sands Montessori Circus Troupe. Music will be provided by The New Vintage Trio.

Featured performers in the advanced circus troupe this year will include the five students who advanced their skills this summer by taking workshops in German Wheel, Acrobatics, Unicycle, and the Mini-Trampoline.

Joining them onstage are nine other advanced students ranging from 7 – 15 years old performing their extraordinary skills in wire walking, the rolling globe, unicyling, juggling and astonishing hula hooping.

Two after-school MNTR circus sites, the Cincinnati Waldorf School and Sands Montessori will highlight their jump roping, stilt walking and balancing skills. Altogether 42 students will be performing onstage at the seventh annual Youth Circus Holiday Extravaganza. Joining director Steve Roenker will be professional juggler Tom Sparough, otherwise known as the Space Painter and Kellie Clark, one of the region’s premiere hula-hoop dancers. Tom will be working with the troupe on an advanced diablo piece, juggling and unicycle piece. Kellie has been working with the troupe on hula-hoop dancing. Co-founder Jean St. John will MC.

Steve Roenker, director of My Nose Turns Red Theatre Company, teaches clown and circus at various locations throughout the year including the Diocesan Catholic Children’s Home, The New School and the Playhouse in the Park.

The New Millennium Youth Circus Holiday Extravaganza features dedicated and courageous youth from the Greater Cincinnati region. Many of the youth take year-round classes mastering the circus arts. For more information, please contact Steve Roenker, 859-581-7100.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children, and can be purchased here.
[where: 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202]

Nutcracker Moved to Aronoff

This is probably old news to everyone else, but I cannot believe that the Ballet moved the Nutcracker out of Music Hall this year to the Aronoff. What a shame.

Kid Play on CAC Curved Wall

Kids love running up this wall at the Contemporary Art Center.
 


But you are definitely not allowed to climb the wall inside, no matter how tempting:
 

[Where: 44 E. Sixth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202]

28 November 2007

Final Aquatics Plan

 

I recently read a summarized copy of the CRC Final Aquatics Plan. Since there is so much mis-information out there I thought I would share some of the key points.

The Final Aquatics Plan was presented to the CRC Board and passed October 16, 2007.

The plan calls for $23 million dollars to do the following items:

Develop 3 Regional Aquatics Centers:
1. Westside: Dunham Recreation Center (already under construction)
2. Central: Bond Hill Recreation Center
3. East: Madisonville and Oakley Recreation Centers (not sure if this is 2 or 1)

10 existing pools will be converted to spraygrounds. These are shown in red above and are listed below:
25 Caldwell (Elmwood Pl)
26 Concourse (downtown)
34 Dyer (West End, already converted)
28 Fairview
29 Filson (Mt. Auburn)
30 Mt. Adams (pool behind Playhouse)
31 North Fairmount
32 Oyler (Price Hill)
33 South Fairmount
34 Washington Park (OTR)
35 Ziegler (OTR)

Five pools will be completely removed and re-programmed as regular playgrounds or ballfields:
Evanston
Hoffman
Oskamp (on Glenway in Wews
Avon
Inwood

24 neighborhood recreation centers and / or pools will be improved. These are indicated in green on the map above. I am not sure of the extent of this improvement until I get a copy of the full plan.

27 November 2007

Washington Park Meeting Review

I only heard half the meeting because I was taking turns with my wife watching the kids, but the presentation on the new Washington Park Design was very emotional and contentious. Many pool users and pool supporters were there. Our lifeguard, Audrey was there to speak about how important the swim team is to the neighborhood and how the basketball court is in demand. There were some very angry people. A lot of this anger could have been avoided if the pool issue had been honestly debated last year when this process started.

And much of the anger could still be resolved if the Recreation Commission would step up to the plate and say "yes, OTR will have an outdoor deepwater pool, somewhere". Seems so simple. However I talked with several people from the CRC and they flatly say that this will not happen (even though a CRC representative stated that Ziegler would be converted to a deepwater pool at the second public presentation about the design of the park).

So here we are, a year into the design process, and we are just now finding out that not only is the Washington Park Pool proposed to be removed, but so is Ziegler Pool and Inwood Pool (halfway up Vine), Mt. Adams Pool and Fairview Pool. Also the Concourse Fountain is proposed to be drained and made into an automated sprayground without lifeguards. These decisions were made a few months ago by the Recreation Commission and will result in no place to have swim team or diving boards in the downtown/OTR neighborhoods. The only public diving boards in the entire basin area will be the two at Lincoln Pool in the West End. And while 5 pools citywide will be demolished, and 10 functioning pools turned into automated spray grounds, other neighborhoods for some reason get to keep their pools.

One good piece of information that I picked up on is that the Washington Park Pool will remain as it is and will operate for at least two more years, perhaps longer depending on if they ever get funding for the renovations and for the Music Hall Parking garage. By then maybe my family will be out of debt and able to afford a private pool membership.

Tough luck poor kids, only sprinklers for you.

Just Divorced Photo

DIVORCE License Plate Too. This guy really like divorce.
 

26 November 2007

Before and After - West Fifteenth

A not-very-good photo from about 1991:
 


Today, both buildings gone:
 

[Where: 106 & 108 W. Fifteenth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202]

A map of the area, with 106 W. 15th, highlighted:
 

The whole block surrounded by Race, Liberty, Pleasant and Fifteenth is currently vacant and I believe, controlled by 3CDC.

25 November 2007

A New View of Music Hall

From Race and 14th. I'm sure we'll be seeing this straight-on shot of Music Hall a lot now that there are no buildings across the street.
 

It is impressive, but I still like the compressed view closer in, from Elm Street.
[Where: 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202]

Unusual Views around Music Hall

The south side:
 


From the rear parking garage:
 


The rear of Elm Street buildings seen from behind Memorial Hall:
 


OTR seen from Music Hall Parking Lot, Queen City Radio:
 


From same spot as shot above, but looking West. Turret building:
 

24 November 2007

Light Up the Square Review

 

There was overflow capacity on Fountain Square Friday night for the lighting of the tree and the arrival of Santa. They had very good dance skating that the kids enjoyed very much (Nutcracker theme). However it was very crowded and hard to see the skating up close.

Santa's arrival had some technical difficulties, and to me seemed so so, but my kids talked a lot about it at bedtime, so it made some impression on them. They rated the things they liked best as follows:
1. Hot Chocolate.
2. Pretty ladies spinning and skating.
3. Santa.
4. handheld santa light ($5).
5. seeing our friends.
6. Christmas Tree lighting.

More Washington Park Elementary Demo

On Thanksgiving morning, the demolition crew was busy taking down the very last section of classrooms. By the end of the day, only the gymnasium was left standing.
 


See the blackboard still on the wall:
 


Viewed from 14th Street:
 


Viewed from Music Hall:
 

23 November 2007

Last Fire Box

This may be the last box like this in town. There were hundreds of them on posts, mounted around town. This own is probably not functional, as the cut wires seem to be dangling to the left. This one is unusual in that it is mounted on a building, when most of them were on posts on the sidewalk.
 

22 November 2007

Union Terminal Visit

Here is a great place to visit now that the weather is turning. Union Terminal is home to Cincinnati Museum Center, which is the Children's Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Cincinnati History Museum,and the Omnimax Theater. Here are a few photos from a recent visit.

Exterior:
 


placed in service plaque:
 


Rookwood Tile in the Coffee Shop:
 


The natural history museum has a cave very similar to the cave that they had at their old location at Eden Park, but now they have real bats, and an ice cave. Their is a sandbox for little kids that has come in handy a few times in mid-winter.

But the building itself is also fun. There is the whispering drinking fountains and beautiful mosaics in the rotunda.

A spiral shell fossil, seen in the red marble of the walls:
 

We walked here from home. It is a 1.2 mile walk from Vine and Central Parkway to the Museum Center, which is a bit of a chore. I am finding that anything less than half a mile, we will do on any whim, because it is so easy. This will get us to most of downtown, though not to the riverfront. Longer than half a mile, and our chance of walking there drops precipitously. Walking alone at a fast pace, the time difference might be 15 minutes, but with kids and distractions, it can take up to an hour, which is a big dedication of time. I have tried the #1 bus, but it only runs once an hour, and it is hard to justify $8 to go 1.2 miles and back (two adults and two children, two ways). It is also no fun trying to get a stroller with a sleeping baby up the steps of the bus, only to be on the bus for a few minutes.
[Where: 1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati,OH 45203]

21 November 2007

See Ed and Pam on Fountain Square

I plan on being on Fountain Square for the some Friday events if anyone wants to meet up.

Here is Pam Ross' latest email about their next shows:
Our Jazz Cabaret nights at the Jackson Street Underground (Know Theater) have been so much fun this month! Last night we capped off the series with several spectacular singers joining in, and we'll be sure to have more cabaret nights in the near future. Next week, Tuesday, November 27th, we're looking very forward to our "Sing & Swing with the Jazz Quartet" show featuring, Pam Ross (me) on vocals, Ed Moss on piano, Jim Leslie on drums, & Eric Sayer on bass.

So please join us next Tuesday! The show starts around 8 pm and ends around 11. Your continued support is very much appreciated and needed to help us do our part in keeping Jazz the music of choice in the Queen City. There is a $5 cover charge to cover cost of the band. And the drinks are extremely reasonably priced; some of the best prices I've seen in town - without sacrificing quality.

For those of you who haven't been to this new venue, which is very cool, we know you'll enjoy it... There are a variety of interesting shows offered at the Know Theater that you should check out as well. Here is a link to their site http://www.knowtheatre.com/Shows/TheUnderground.shtml

Holiday Alert: If you're out and about the Friday after Thanksgiving, we will be peforming with the wonderfully innovative Society Jazz Orchestra on Fountain Square, as part of the "Light Up the Square" ceremony. We will be playing from 6 to 7 pm right on the square. In addition, there will be professional skaters (skating in sync with the Big Band), Santa's arrival, the tree lighting ceremony, and a ton of other holiday activities and treats. Hope to see you there as well!! We'll also be performing with the the SJO again at the Jackson Street Underground on Dec 18th for our special holiday show, but I'll send out details as we get closer to the event.

Ginko Tree with Moon

It was a beautiful evening at Ohio Street / Bellveue Park yesterday:
 


The crows were coming to roost here for the evening:
 


It is dusk, the kids are running around on the ballfield and on the hillside. It is a beautiful late fall evening, in a Cinncinnati Public Park. Remind me again why people think they need their own private backyard?
 

Church Door Blocked

Random alley photo from last week:
 

20 November 2007

Magnet Schools to Ignore Race

Cincinnati Public Schools has come around 180 degrees from the 1980s when busing was used to force integrate the schools. Price Hill and OTR once traded about half of their students in an attempt to acheive racial balance. All that did was frustrate parents and drive many to other districts or private schools. Busing ended at least 10 years ago, but today the school board announced that race will not be a determining factor at all in determining who can enter the magnet school programs.

Cincinnati Enquirer Article.
...Acting in response to June's U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared Seattle's and Louisville's broad race-based admissions criteria unconstitutional, the board erased Cincinnati's more limited integration program, developed in 1975.

Effective immediately, students on CPS's magnet school waiting lists will be admitted strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Previously, students who could not get into a magnet school were kept on separate "black" and "non-black" lists that could be tapped as needed to keep a racial balance.

...

Cynthia Dillon, the district's top lawyer, said CPS may eventually consider a more complicated list of criteria that could assure diversity without explicitly mentioning race, which the court indicated might pass muster.

But for now, with the magnet enrollment process coming soon, the district needed to enact a policy that was clearly legal, she said.

"We also didn't want to put something in now that would instantly put us up for potential challenge," Dillon said. "I don't like legal bills."

Gender was not part of the Supreme Court case or part of the CPS official policy, but Dillon said she expects that to be challenged eventually.

Clifton resident Suzann Kokoefer, a parent of a student at Sands Montessori, said the first-come, first-served policy will benefit parents who have the resources to stake out an early spot in line - paid vacation and a second car, for example.

"Montessori has always been based on the balance, and with race out of the picture, that balance can't be there," Kokoefer said.

CPS officials said they analyzed results of recent magnet school enrollment periods, and they believe removing race and gender will not substantially alter the programs' makeup.

It was initially unclear whether the Supreme Court's ruling was relevant to CPS, because a 1984 court order requiring it to integrate is still technically an open matter...


You can argue that racial quotas were never right to begin with, or you could argue that inequality and discrimination still exist and needs to be addressed. But the fact is this: times have changed. Today we have private schools recruiting minorities, and charter schools that have very high minority enrollment, the whole situation is turned-around from that of the 60s and 70s.

As of today, CPS has not posted the date for magnet school enrollment.

1401 Race Photos

I found a few old photos of this building at 14th and Race, so while taking photos of the Washington Park Elementary Demolition a few days ago, I took photos from similar angles for comparison. I know that there are plans for a major renovation of this building, so hopefully I will continue the series.

Race Street facade in about 1991:
 


The same building today, Race Street front:
 


Old photo of south side:
 


From the south, today:
 

You Can See Stars from Tuscon

A great article about the city of Tuscon, and how they have regained the night sky.

With a metro area of over 900,000 people, can you believe that the night sky is still visible? The city laws, which restrict the types of light allowed, were written because of local observatories, however I like this quote:
Astronomers, however, are the first to say that a dark sky is about more than scientific research.

"Just like seeing a redwood or a beautiful landscape in Yosemite or Grand Canyon, a starry sky can be an inspiring thing," says astronomer Luginbuhl. "Whoever thinks we preserve the Grand Canyon so geologists can do research?"


UPDATE: I just found a good cobra-head LED light fixture at www.ledtronics.com

18 November 2007

Pizzeria Proposed for Court Street

This little white building, which I believe was last used by Vine Street Flower Co. is hardly a building. It is only 16' wide and is more of a roof between two bigger brick buildings. The building was for sale for a while, and purchased last month.
 
Saturday a contractor was cleaning-up inside, and he is remodeling it into "Buccis Pizzeria". The permits have not been secured yet, but the plan is to recess the building 15' or so to create an outdoor patio at the front. The interior has 3 skylights that would be restored.

I suspect that their could be some building code issues that could hold this project up though.
[Where: 22 West Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202]

By the way, Dan of the Vine Street Flower Company, is now at his third location downtown, at 21 E. Court, and is the best florist around.

17 November 2007

Doing Nothing, and Growing Up


"Where are we going?" said Pooh, hurrying after him, and wondering whether it was to be an Explore or What-shall-I-do-about-you-know-what.

"Nowhere," said Christopher Robin.

So they began going there, and after they had walked a little way, Christopher Robin said:

"What do you like doing best in the world Pooh?"

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best---" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. And then he thought that being with Christopher Robin was a very good thing to do, and having Piglet near was a very friendly thing to have; and so, when he had thought it all out, he said, "What I like best in the whole world is Me and Piglet going to see You, and You saying 'What about a little something?' and Me saying, 'Well, I shouldn't mind a little something, should you, Piglet,' and it being a hummy sort of day outside, and birds singing."

"I like that too," said Christopher Robin, "but what I like doing best is Nothing."

"How do you do Nothing?" asked Pooh, after he had wondered for a long time.

"Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, What are you going to do, Christopher Robin, and you say, Oh, nothing, and then you go and do it."

"Oh, I see," said Pooh.

"This is a nothing sort of thing that we are doing now."

"Oh, I see," said Pooh again

"It means just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."

"Oh!" said Pooh.

.....

...Christopher Robin, who as still looking at the world, with his chin in his hands, called out "Pooh!"

"Yes?" said Pooh.

"When I'm--when----Pooh!"

"Yes, Christopher Robin?"

"I'm not going to do Nothing any more."

"Never again?"

"Well, not so much. They don't let you."

Pooh waited for him to go on, but he was silent again.

"Yes, Christopher Robin?" said Pooh helpfully.

"Pooh, when I'm--you know---when I'm not doing Nothing, will you come up here sometimes?"

"Just me?"

"Yes, Pooh."

"Will you be here too?"

"Yes, Pooh, I will be, really. I promise I will be, Pooh."

"That's good," said Pooh.

"Pooh, promise you won't forget about be, ever. Not even when I'm a hundred."

Pooh thought for a little.

"How old shall I be then?"

"Ninety-nine."

Pooh nodded.

"I promise," he said.

Still with his eyes on the world Christopher Robin put out a hand and felt for Pooh's paw.

-The House at Pooh Corner, A.A. Milne, 1928

16 November 2007

Downtown Dad Invents New Card Game

 

I plan on buying a deck this weekend to support a local entrepreneur:

Cincinnati native, Jeff Spelman, has invented a cool new game that we are just bringing to market on an absolute shoestring.

Created in 2007 and manufactured for us 100% right here in Cincinnati Ohio, by US Playing Card Co, we are excited to share Quick Count...the fast-paced strategic football card game.

Quick Count is available for purchase at MetroNation, downtown.

It is also available online at www.QuickCountFootball.com The game has only been on the market for a few weeks. We hope to have more local retailers selling the game in the couple of weeks.

We are inspired and motivated by Cincinnati's rich heritage as the source of iconic toy and game inventions like Play Doh, UNO, and cornhole.

Jeff went to the same church with Merle Robbins (inventor of UNO), as a kid growing up in Cincinnati suburb, Reading. He witnessed history first hand as Mr. Robbins began selling the first decks of UNO out of his little barber shop in Reading in the early 1970's.

Quick Count is the only game in the world that combines the two huge passions of football and card-playing into one activity. It's loved by kids and adults alike. Math teachers are using it in the classroom. Tailgaters are already playing Quick Count at Bengals games!

Return of the Crows

A huge flock of crows was in around Music Hall for the past few days. Today they are gone. There must have been a few thousand of them. Are these large flocks in the city a new phenomenon? I am wondering if suburban development has pushed them from the country to the city?

This article in USA today says that these flocks are an increasing problem in some cities in the midwest. Some cities have resorted to poison or bright lights to move them.

Crows live fairly solitary lives for most of the year. In the winter, they form large flocks that forage for food in fields during the day. At dusk, they roost together in warmer urban areas that are near water and have plenty of trees and enough illumination so they can spot owls, their main predator.

Once crows find a place that offers those amenities, they come back year after year. Evicting them is hard. "You can't make them stop doing this," says Kevin McGowan, an ornithologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, N.Y.

Lunken Playground

We stopped at the Lunken Airport playgorund, which is a very good playground. There are usually lots of kids, it is fenced, has lots of mature maple trees for shade, and has play structures for all ages of kids:
 


There are lots of play structures, and shaded benches for parents:
 

One family was flying a kite. Is that a good thing to do at an airport?

14 November 2007

Local Store Owner Shoots at Robber

 

Joe Wessels got some choice quotes from the store owner on 9th and Elm Streets. I know that this guy is pretty ornery. I have seen him tell people to "get out of my store. I don't want to sell anything to you". So I am not too suprised that he pulled out a gun shot at a robber.
Nassar said he ran after the suspect and into the street and got off five shots before the gun jammed.

"I don't know how I missed him," said the Jerusalem native, who has been a United States citizen for more than 40 years. "I do very good on the pistol. I don't know why. I meant to kill him. That's what I told the police and the FBI. I meant to kill him."
...
The store - a block from Cincinnati City Hall and across the street from the Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy's Otto Armleder Memorial Education Center - is named after his two oldest sons, Nizar, 32, and Mohammed, 29. Mohammed served four years in the United States Marine Corps, Wade Nassar said.

Ringing up merchandise at the register wearing a dark suit, white shirt and dark patterned tie - he said he dresses that way every day to look professional - he knows many of his customers by their first name and regularly inquires about their lives.
....
"Go look for a job and don't come and stick me up," he said. "Kill or get killed. That's how it is."

Seneca Place Website

Check out this cool website for pictures and details on Seneca Place.
 

Previous post on Seneca Place.

Ed Moss Busted

For several years, local jazz pianist legend, Ed Moss has partnered with vocalists Pam Ross, and hosted regular Tuesday night sessions at Ed's place at Schwartz's Point (in the center of the photo below). The invitation was by word of mouth and the vibe was intimate. A maximum of 50 people, usually less, would come for some food prepared by Ed, have a glass of wine and enjoy some beautiful music. Ed and Pam only asked that people leave tips for the band. There was no charge for drinks or food.
 

Unfortunately, an undercover liquor agent was sent in and served a free drink. A few days later Pam and Ed were wrongly arrested. They are now attempting to clear their name, and secure a license so that they can continue in some fashion. Until they can make that happen, they are continuing their shows at the Know Theater, every Tuesday from 8-11pm. We went last week, and sadly, attendance was down from when it was an private party, though the music was as good as ever.

Please, support local artitst like this and visit them tonight or any Tuesday at the Know Theater. Thanks.

Doc Oct and Banshee Skin Pile

 

13 November 2007

Found Item - Lottery Ticket

Notes written on the back of a scratch-off. To me, it speaks volumes that these ramblings about Farrakhan and Kabaka Oba are written on the back of State-sponsored losing gambling ticket.
 

12 November 2007

Washington Park Elementary Demolition

"Stop Closing OTR/Our Schools":
 


About to take a bite:
 


A kid watches his old school demolished: