Happy Birthday to my good friend Veronica Macias! In a quick celebration, we hopped over to the Festival Latino in Ogden Park. What a delight! I saw thousands of people enjoying the food, the art and the kiddie land.
We grabbed some elote and a couple of taquitos before heading out. We ran into Craig Reck and Nikki Bussey who seemed to dive right in! Good times.
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There are a lot of things going on in our national news right now. Big things. We've all been talking about Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier getting fired from their jobs at Penn State. So, what I'm going to rant about for a second is tiny in comparison to what's happening up north--with sex abuse allegations, near-riots and the downfall of some once well-respected people. But, I've had some time to think about this, so I just want to say it while it's still somewhat timely. I was speechless when I heard that someone got handsy with one of our journalists on election night. And, 24 hours later, I'm still annoyed. Apparently, Ashlea Kosikowski was doing her job when a guy tried to block her from speaking to a candidate about losing a race. That person will be left unnamed in this post, but Ashlea was trying to speak with Dan Wilcox, who was running for Carolina Beach Mayor. Ashlea tweeted that a man (roughly in his 50s) stood in front of her and kept blocking her as she was trying to get near Wilcox. At the same time, the man was nudging and pushing her... and adding a little tough talk. She tried to give a signal to her photographer, Jim, (disclaimer: he's also my husband), but Jim misunderstood that she needed help. Since he was being respectful by staying back and not shooting the party at that point, he was unaware of any problems.
Eventually, Wilcox's girlfriend saw Ashlea struggling and tried to help her. She said Dan was too upset to talk on camera, but she'd help Ashlea as much as she could. Dan Wilcox also apologized for that man's actions, though it wasn't Dan's fault either. So... here's my beef. And the thought is mine and mine alone. Please don't get physical with someone trying to do a job. People in politics understand they need reporters just as much as reporters need them. So, if you're politically-minded enough to attend a watch party, you should probably be a little more savvy about the relationships politicians build with members of the media. In general, most journalists don't get satisfaction asking uncomfortable questions, unless they're uncovering an injustice. And... getting physical is never cool. In any circumstance. In my opinion, a 50-something-year-old man should not be getting rough with a 30-something-year-old-woman. Does that make him a tough guy or something? What is wrong with this picture? We're lucky Ashlea was not hurt and things didn't escalate. But it is an embarrassing moment in local politics. I think that guy owes Ashlea a public apology. And, yes, we know who you are. We're just not saying it. If there's something we learned this week, it's to speak up. Get engaged. Be involved with what's happening in the world around you. If you see a grown man roughing up a reporter, lay down some interference. If you see something more sinister, then call police. It's that simple. Is it really hard to do the right thing to begin with? This weekend, we kicked it at St. Stan's Polish Festival with some nice pierogies and potato pancakes. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon! My husband's family is Polish. His grandfather, Joseph, immigrated (twice, actually) to the United States and moved to St. Louis. He served as a medic in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. And, after swearing off marriage, he wed a beautiful woman and had eight children. People say Jim looks like a younger version of his grandpa! What do you think? It's pretty neat to think how your family starts. Because of Grandpa Joe, I found my match... and became a part of a wonderfully unique family. They still get together for the holidays; they support each other for life's big events; they're all die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fans. I admire them so much. Since we are no longer near each other, it makes me happy to munch on a pierogie, do the chicken dance and shout "Nostrovia!" ...all in their honor. I love hearing about family traditions. If you've got a good one, please share! I just went to the new location of the Junior League’s Bargain Sale and nearly passed out from all the great things up for sale this year. First of all, the money earned goes to some really great causes. The League has partnered with the Blue Ribbon Commission to help at-risk youth. This year, a huge effort is going to kids at Sunset Park Elementary. Most of the kids who attend there are on free or reduced lunches, and many can’t rely on eating a warm meal on the weekends. There’s so much more to say here… So, why not help them and have some fun, too? This year’s Bargain Sale is loaded with new or gently used clothing, handbags, shoes, appliances, electronics, and more. I spotted new Paige jeans, Kate Spade shoes, a North Face jacket, a new-in-the-box portable wine cellar, tons of Crane stationery, and even new Ralph Lauren bathing suits. If you love shopping at local boutiques, like Blue Hand Home, Monkee’s and The Fisherman’s Wife, then you’ll probably freak out. The prices are ridiculous (like $20 for Paige jeans!) Here are the deets: Friday is the pre-sale. That means you can buy the best stuff first, eat good food and listen to local music. It will cost you $6 to get in. The actual Bargain Sale is Saturday, starting bright and early at 7:30. It will cost you $3... and if you go at a certain time, you’ll spot me volunteering and shopping. But, fair warning: don’t get in my way when I’m in the zone! |
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