Columns

Neighborhood NewsLocal Culture

I See You

It is a small gesture, but when you are trying to cross four lanes of traffic at the corner of West 7th and Goodrich, the gesture and the recognition matters. Each Tuesday I navigate that stretch of road in order to join long time colleagues and friends for breakfast at the Day By Day Café. Sometimes, too often, I feel virtually invisible as cars speed by seemingly unaware or uninterested in a pedestrian hoping to safely make it to the other side. But, invariably there is a person who sees me, slows down and motions for me to cross. Since it is four lanes, I never take one person’s stopping as sufficient, but what often seems to be the case is that if one person stops it triggers other people doing the same thing. It is good to be seen.

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Neighborhood NewsLocal CulturePublic Interest

Engagement Done Right

At the beginning of a summer now edging toward fall, I had the chance to attend the We Live Here community meeting hosted by the W. 7th/Fort Road Federation. I came away energized and grateful for a convening that was impressive in many ways. 

First, it was genuine. Too many community engagement sessions seem to be done for show or to “check the box” to say they’ve engaged the community when they knew what they intended to do all along. This meeting was the opposite. There was no preconceived agenda, no ulterior motive beyond an authentic desire to hear from people who live and work in the neighborhood. Notes were taken at each table and shared with everyone who attended, so it was clear what was heard and what was done with our input.

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Neighborhood NewsArts & CultureFamily & Education

A Murder Mystery Extravaganza

A month or so ago I decided it was time for me to become the detective I had always aspired to be. Not just any detective, that is, but a book detective, I wanted to figure out the killer before the main character did. As I embarked on this “Murder Mystery Extravaganza” of mine, I realized that particular method of reading and appreciating a murder mystery is not much fun (it happened once, and I’m not sure I would like it to happen again). So when I received my article deadline, I began thinking about what I had recently read that would receive the honor of a review for all to read, and realized that I had three options. One, write a glowing review about one of my favorite murder mysteries yet, two, write a scathing review about a particular book I highly disliked, or, three, go a bit wild and write them both! As evidenced by the following article, I favored the latter. So let’s get started, shall we? 

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Neighborhood NewsLifestyle & Wellness

Back-to-School Season: The Importance of Flu Shots 

As summer is winding down and back-to-school season begins, now is a great time to think about health preparations for the new school year. There are many things to consider ensuring a smooth transition back to school, and one of the most important – and often overlooked – ways to promote a healthy school year is getting a flu shot. This vaccination plays a crucial role in safeguarding the health of students, families and communities. A flu shot is your best defense to prevent getting the virus and its potentially serious complications. 

Here’s a few reasons why getting your flu shot should be a priority this fall, and how it fits into your back-to-school preparations.

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