The Snoqualmie Valley will be alive with the holiday spirit the first weekend in December with holiday festivals happening just about everywhere.

Snoqualmie will be ringing in the holiday season with Snoqualmie Winter Lights on Saturday, December 7th. The annual holiday tradition takes place in historic downtown from 5PM to 8PM.

Santa arrives at 6:30PM for the tree lighting countdown in Railroad Park, 7971 Railroad Ave SE, where the trees and gazebo have been decked out in true Clark Griswold fashion.

The community is invited to bundle up and enjoy live music on the main stage featuring the renowned Mount Si High School Jazz Band, Sno Valley Winds, and a handbell choir to ring in the season.

Take selfies with Santa while telling him your wish list. Carol through the streets in a horse-drawn carriage. Warm up with cocoa, cider, and cookies. Have a cup of joe and meet Snoqualmie police officers at the Coffee-with-a-Cop booth.There will also be an ice-carving demo and ice art installation along the boardwalk.

Further down the boardwalk, experience the Euro-style outdoor Holiday Winter Market hosted by Heirloom Cookshop happens from 2PM to 6PM at the corner of Railroad Ave SE and SE River St. Find handmade gifts and seasonal treasures by local artists and crafters, and enjoy specialty foods, live music, and carolers.

Tis the Season!

Like Loading...

Related

See the article here:
Snoqualmie Winter Lights, Outdoor Holiday Market usher in the holiday season, December 7th - livingsnoqualmie.com

Rudy Arce, 25, of Fontana, snowboards down Mountain Highs west resort, during opening day at the ski resort, in Wrightwood, Ca., Wednesday, December 6, 2017. (John Valenzuela/The Sun/SCNG)

Leah Harteau, 9, from Green Valley, patiently waits for the lifts to open on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Sound

The gallery will resume inseconds

Leah Harteau, 9, from Green Valley, waits at the front of the line for the ski lifts to open on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A snow making machine blows snow as skiers and snowboarders wait for the lifts to open on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Snowboarders enjoy their first runs of the season on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Snowboarders head up the lifts for their first runs of the season on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Snowboarders exit the lift on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Mark Hardin, from Brea, and his son Mark, 3, head towards the ski lifts on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Mt. High representative John McColly (left) greets a skier just prior to opening the ski lifts on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Yeti rides the lift with the first snowboarders of the season Keith Harteau, from Green Valley, along with his daughters Ava, 11, and Leah, 9, on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Skiers and snowboarders wait to board the lift on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Skiers and snowboarders are reflected in a boarders googles on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Snowboarders and skiers approach the ticket window on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Keith Harteau, from Green Valley, along with his daughters Ava 11, and Leah, 9, are the first to hit the slopes as they exit the lift on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Mt. High representative John McColly announces to skiers and snowboarders the lifts are open on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Romain Azria, from Pearblossom, heads towards the ski lifts on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A snowboarder relaxes as she gets a lift to herself on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Skiers and snowboarders crowd the ticket windows on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Yeti rides the lift with the first snowboarders of the season Keith Harteau, from Green Valley, along with his daughters Ava, 11, and Leah, 9, on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Skiers enjoy their first runs of the season on opening day of the ski and snowboard season at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Snowboarder Josh Adams, 20, from Pasadena, gets some air on his first run of the season on opening day at Mt. High in Wrightwood Saturday morning Nov. 23, 2019. The resort is expecting more snow this coming week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Its starting to feel a lot like winter at least in the local mountains, where snow is blanketing the slopes.

Recent storms signaled a hopeful start to the snow season, and with chilly nights ahead allowing for snowmaking and another storm expected mid-week nearly all Southern California resorts are just days from kicking off their snow season.

Mother Nature really dictates the actual opening date, said John McColly, vice president of sales and marketing for Mountain High, which opened Saturday, Nov. 23.

So if youre ready to dust off the snow gear, here are a few things to know about the slopes at local mountain resorts.

Operators of Mountain High in Wrightwood, which snow enthusiasts can typically reach in under two hours from Los Angeles and Orange counties, were hoping to open by Friday, Nov. 22, but the latest storm dropped only six to eight inches, just shy of what operators were hoping for. Instead, they opted to wait a day and add to the base with man-made snow.

Another storm approaching mid-week is expected to add even more to the base for those hitting the slopes for the holiday weekend.

Snow Summit, which got four to six inches of snow this week, is scheduled to open Nov. 28, with sister resort Bear Mountain opening Nov. 29 but only for weekends until Dec. 13, when it will start operating daily. Big Bear resorts are expected to get an estimated 20 inches with the approaching storm.

Snow Valley is eyeing Wednesday, Nov. 27.

Mammoth Mountain, about a five- to six-hour drive, opened it slopes Nov. 9.

Snow-goers were calling last year one of the best seasons in a decade, following year after year of drought conditions in Southern California.

It was great plenty of powder days, McColly said, noting Mountain High was open almost until Easter. It was a great season and reminded us what a normal season looks like here.

The resort got an estimated 95 inches, not record-breaking by any means, but better than the 20 to 50 inches in previous years.

And hopefully, we are off to a good start this year, he said.

Snow Summit reported 152 inches of snow last season, with more than half about 81 inches falling in February. The previous season total was a measly 39 inches.

Mammoth Mountain ended up with nearly 500 inches of snowfall from November through May, with 207 in February alone. With that much snow, the resort was able to stay open until August.

But the big question remains: Will this season be as good as the last?

Resorts are constantly trying to improve on their user experience everything from adding the latest, most efficient ways to create snow to give Mother Nature a helping hand, to improving the areas where people congregate to eat, drink or take a break from the slopes.

Mountain High has made $1 million in improvements, including bringing in new snowmaking technology, new rental equipment and a new snowcat, and adding a third Yeti Snow Park.

About $500,000 of that total went into new stick guns and other machines that use less diesel and cost less to operate.Traditional snow guns use electric fans or high-pressure nozzles to project the snow horizontally across the slopes, while the stick guns are 35 feet above the ground and let fresh snow fall naturally, requiring less energy.

If youve ever been on the slopes when the old guns were blowing, you know that pelt-in-the-face feeling isnt very pleasant.

They are much quieter, make a ton of snow and its a better experience, McColly said of the stick guns.

The new system uses an estimated 100 fewer gallons of diesel fuel per hour, ostensibly cutting its carbon footprint in half, according to a statement from the resort.

Mountain High last year unveiled two Yeti Snow Parks, areas for snow play and sleds. This year, its adding another this one at 8,200 feet, at the top of its East Mountain, so snowgoers can take a scenic sky-chair up the mountain to sled, trek along a snowshoe trail or take in the scenic views from the Grand View Bistro.

The Yeti Snow Park at the base of Mountain Highs East Resort is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the parks at the top of East Resort and North Resort open weekends and holidays only.

Also new this year are rentals of all-mountain Sno-Go Snow Bikes.

Big Bear Mountain Resort spent millions sprucing up their resorts including a $5 million renovation to the Bear Mountain base that includes doubling the size of the mountains sun deck area. When complete, it will be about the size of a football field, boasting three new fire pits and outdoor furniture, with new ramps and pathways to expand accessibility in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This is definitely a case where more is better, said Big Bear Mountain Resort COO Wade Reeser, in an announcement about the upgrades. In many ways the sun deck at Bear Mountain is as celebrated as the mountains snow conditions and terrain parks, and this project fully embraces that idea.

Mammoth Mountain is also beefing up its hang area at Canyon Lodge with a new bar and restaurant serving barbecue, and 2,500 square feet of inside space that will allow for an extra 200 seats.

Snow Valley made about $1 million in enhancements, including nearly doubling snow play areas and increasing sledding lanes to 15.

The San Bernardino County mountain resort increased access to Slide Peak, some of Southern Californias steepest descents at a pitch of 35 degrees, with upgrades to the chairlifts that reach the summit and a brush-clearing program that manicured the runs for better access.

Snow Valley also has a new alfresco drinking and dining option on the Chalet Deck, which will have two alpine gazebos serving food and drinks with menus changing throughout the season rotating micro brews, brats, burgers, soups and salads.

Theres also an option to take the food to go and head to the Mountain Top Terrace above the Snow Valley Express chairlift, where picnic tables with a view are set up on the mountain.

If you cant wait until your favorite slope opens, Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain in Big Bear is covered with snow, both from the latest storm and two weeks of snowmaking.

The snow base is two to four feet, and more snowmaking is expected.

Originally posted here:
Ready for snow season? Heres what you need to know about local resorts - OCRegister

The Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia is turning 100!

Watching the parade from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, or from the comfort of the couch, is a holiday tradition for many Philadelphians.

For everything you need to know about this year's parade from the start time to which special guests will make appearances check out our go-to guide below.

Happens Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 28 Free to attend Kicks off at 8:15 a.m. from 20th St. and JFKBlvd. Broadcast on 6abc from 8:30 a.m. to noon Majority of the parade takes place on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Parade ends atthe Philadelphia Museum of Art Hosts are Action News' Cecily Tynan, Rick Williams along with Adam Joseph, Karen Rogers and Alicia Vitarelli

The weather for Thanksgiving will be warmer than last year.The forecast for Philadelphia from the National Weather Service predicts Thursday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 49.

Metered street parking is free on Thanksgiving, but temporary no parking zones will be in effect for the following:

JFK Boulevard, from 19th Street to 30th Street (both sides of street) 20th Street, from Market Street to the Parkway Arch Street, between 19th Street and 22nd Street Race Street, between 16th Street and 17th Street 17th Street, from Vine Street to Race Street Eastbound lanes of Vine Street, from 15th Street to 17th Street Market Street, from 19th to 21st, will be closed from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. on parade day

The Parade Zone at Eakins Oval, located in front of the art museum, is one of the best places to watch.

There, parade-goers can check out American Heritage Credit Union's money machine and try to quickly grab as much cash as possible.

Also in the Parade Zone, there will be free coffee and giveaways from Dunkin', a photo booth, animals from the Philadelphia Zoo, games, food trucks, face painters and balloon artists.

The parade features a large lineup of special guests each year. Below are some of the most notable making appearances for the parade's 100th year.

Carson Kressley from "Queer Eye" Ginger Zee from "Good Morning America" Meg Donnelly from "American Housewife" Il Divo Kathy Sledge from the group Sister Sledge Bianca Ryan, winner of "America's Got Talent" Gritty ThePhillie Phanatic Swoop Cast of "Spongebob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical" Cast of "Cirque Dreams Holidaze" Cast of "Jesus Christ Superstar" Cast of "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" Cast of "Shrek: The Musical" Mickey Mouse & Minnie MouseSanta Claus and Mrs. Claus Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders Pennsylvania Ballet

There also will be marching bands, dancers, choirs and other performers to watch for during the parade.

This year's floats include "Gingerbread House" sponsored by RAM, "Gazebo" sponsored by Walt Disney World and "100th Thanksgiving Day Parade" sponsored by Dunkin'. As for balloons, there will be a variety of recognizable characters. Look for Shrek, Angry Birds, Daniel Tiger and Dr. Seuss' The Grinch.

Those watching the live broadcast on TV have chances to win prizes. Look for keywords to text and win.

Prizes include free Dunkin' coffee for a year, 10 tickets to the Eagles versus Cowboys game on Sunday, Dec. 22, and a trip to Florida.

Follow Sinad & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @sineadpatrice| @thePhillyVoiceLike us on Facebook: PhillyVoiceAdd Sinad's RSS feed to your feed readerHave a news tip? Let us know.

Go here to see the original:
Guide to the 100th Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia - PhillyVoice.com

You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to ourTerms of Service.

We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.

We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers

We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.

We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.

We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.

We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sentvia e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.

Continued here:
Scottdale house tour, West Overton holiday market to get you in the spirit - TribLIVE

Published 1:30pm EST, Friday, November 22, 2019

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Photo: Christian Abraham.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is Nov. 29

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, starting at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green. This event is sponsored by Trinity Point Wealth.

The City of Milford and the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce are jointly presenting the festivities.

The Festival of Lights begins with a gathering on the green at 5:30, featuring live holiday music at the gazebo by The Milford Concert Band and DJ Shelia.

The Milford Bank also will be hosting its 4th annual Winter Wonderland from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the banks main office in downtown Milford, on the Green. The event features winter-themed activities for children and adults, including a meet and greet and photos with costumed characters, a train ride, games, prizes, carolers, crafts and more.

The tree lighting kicks off at 6:30 p.m., at the gazebo with the arrival of a firetruck from Milford Firefighters Union IAFF Local 944, carrying Santa. Milford Mayor Ben Blake and Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce representatives will light up the night with the pulling of the switch setting the Milford Green trees alight. Once lit, a line for children to meet Santa will be set up outside the Gazebo.

The event is free and open to the public.

Read more from the original source:
Milford's annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is Nov. 29 - Milford Mirror

CLEVELAND, Ohio Hundreds gathered at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Wednesday to transform five years worth of anger and sorrow over the death of Tamir Rice at the hands of Cleveland police into feelings of love and support for his mother, Samaria Rice.

The three-hour event, Art, Activism and the Legacy of Tamir Rice, highlighted how the killing of a 12-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun outside the Cudell Recreation Center impacted the lives of people in the community and across the world. The event was emceed by Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi.

In his invocation, Rev. Jawanza Colvin of the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church spoke to a key theme of the evening: a mothers love.

A love that raises a child and dreams of his adventures as a man, but having little idea she wasnt raising a man, she was raising a martyr, Colvin said of Samaria Rice. May her strength become ours and may her passion become our North Star.

Rice and other Mothers of the Movement were seated at the front of the museums Gartner Auditorium, and were a prominent presence in the room. It is the grieving mothers and family members to whom activists and community members defer regarding how to proceed in the face of injustice, according to organizer and artist Amanda King.

A grand jury already declined to bring charges against either police officer involved in the shooting. The prosecutor who recommended the grand jury not return indictments has been voted out of office. For those seeking justice for Tamir, there are no more obvious demands from the system. So they turn to Samaria Rice.

It was Rice who, in 2016, contacted Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates and asked for help in finding a new home for the gazebo near where Tamir was shot on Nov. 22, 2014. Some may remember the video of the shooting in which Tamir is seen standing in front of the gazebo as Officer Frank Garmback pulls up in a cruiser and Officer Timothy Loehmann shoots Tamir in less than two seconds.

Gates on Wednesday said he took up the charge to bring the disassembled gazebo to Chicago and rebuild it at the Stony Island Arts Bank. But it didnt get constructed for more than a year.

We had it unbuilt, kind of like half-mast, Gates said. Not wanting to resurrect it for use, but to let the public know that there was this unresolved thing in our midst. And that the object unresolved was similar to a political situation unresolved, a social situation unresolved, a death under-resolved.

Gates, whose work is influenced by his educational background in urban planning and religious studies, compared the reconstruction of the gazebo, and the revitalization of abandoned properties, to biblical resurrections that made people believe.

There are moments when its important that we shine a light on the objects that matter to us, Gates said in an interview with journalist and activist Bakari Kitwana.

When the gazebo comes back to Cleveland at an undetermined date, Gates said he hopes it commemorates Tamirs legacy and serves as a reminder of the system that failed him.

[The gazebo] is a material way of demonstrating Tamirs life, but also, theres something about the resurrection of this object that keeps us believing in the possibility of a regenerative hope of a political process that works, of equity that allows people to be safe, knowing that their children are safe in their neighborhood, Gates said.

Safety was another theme of the event. Artist Michael Rakovitz spoke about his exhibit, A Color Removed, that was inspired by the orange safety tip that had been removed from Tamirs pellet gun, and is often cited as part of the reason why police immediately shot him.

This focus and this blame, that the removal of the orange tip leading to the removal of this person of color, was outrageous, Rakovitz said.

The gallery included orange objects from across Cleveland as well as a video about Aboud Shadi, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy killed by an Israeli sniper in 2015. The video was donated by the Al-Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem where Aboud lived.

And where I visited, only to learn there was also a memorial to Tamir in the refugee camps playground because they immediately saw the connection between Abouds and Tamirs stories, Rakovitz said.

Samaria Rice and architect Sandra Madison said safety will be a cornerstone of the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center. The two unveiled floor plans and renderings for the two-story, 99-year-old building at 6117 St. Clair Ave. in Clevelands St. Clair-Superior neighborhood.

Tamir loved the arts, Rice said. His favorite was music.

Thats why the front room of the center will be the music room, accompanied by a dance studio, art studio, stage and classroom for tutoring and lessons on civics and Pan-Africanism, Rice said. Renderings reflect plans to transform the drab interior into vibrant spaces, bursting with colors, the most prominent of which is orange.

The Tamir Rice Foundation hopes to raise $20,000 for the cultural center.

Several artists on Wednesday were inspired by Samaria Rice and other mothers whose children have been killed. Both photographer Sheila Pree Bright and dancer Lexy Lattimore likened Rice to the mother of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955.

Lattimore, before her dance, showed a series of images of Till and his parents, and juxtaposed them with pictures of Tamir and Samaria Rice. As the photo of Emmett turned into a photo of Tamir their similar soft smiles and bright eyes their deaths, 59 years apart, seemed to exist in the same moment.

Tamirs death was also compared to another from 50 years ago in that of 21-year-old Fred Hampton Sr., chairman of the Black Panther Party in Chicago. To the audiences surprise, Fred Hampton Jr., an unbilled speaker, took to the stage to discuss his fathers legacy and how law enforcement continues to terrorize communities.

Other artists included poet Kisha Nicole Foster, musician Jasiri X, and E.J. Hill, who installed The University of St. Tamir at Harvard University.

Filmmakers Korstiaan Vandiver and Danielle Lee discussed their film 12, which chronicles the last day of Tamirs life and his mothers fight for justice.

It takes a village to raise a child, Vandiver said. It takes a village to destroy one. And it takes a village it make it right.

View original post here:
Artists and activists seek to honor Tamir Rices legacy through cultural center, restoration of gazebo - cleveland.com

Three years ago, the Chicago visual artist Theaster Gates acquired the gazebo 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed under by a police officer. The object, which Gates describes as sacred, has become the centerpiece of a garden, flowers blooming around the site of pain and tragedy. Gates is quick to say he does not want the gazebo. That it belongs in Cleveland, Ohio, where Tamir lived and died. But the city was set on removing the object now symbolic of the scores of young, unarmed black men killed by our police force from Clevelands Cudell Recreation Center.

Caring for this gazebo felt like my duty as a black man, Gates said. But it should not be in Chicago. Its in Chicago, in some ways, because of the anxiety that mounts when bad things happen [somewhere].

Gates stepped in after Samaria Rice, Tamirs mother, reached out to him personally. Over the years, Samaria and Theaster have developed a special bond. Especially as Samaria has worked with numerous black artists to honor her sons legacy, with the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center currently in development.

There were no propagandists on the line with us or a film crew, Gates says of him and Samaria transporting the gazebo from Cleveland to his studio space in Chicago. For the two years the gazebo sat in my studio, there was no major art reporters coming to my studio. Because I didnt ask anyone. We were just trying to be diligent with the hurt that Samaria experienced when she lost her son.

Collecting neglected black cultural objects is a chief focus of Gatess artistic practice. He has curated vintage issues of black-centric magazines Ebony and Jet and archived racist negrobilia, all in the hopes of preserving and displaying the complicated history of race in America.

Gates said: The objects Ive accumulated, I usually have them because someone called me and said, Hey, I need some help. In some cases, Im just a temporary steward and [providing] safekeeping until they find a better home.

Gates spoke to the Guardian from Cleveland, where on Wednesday he appeared at an event centered around arts and activism and linked to the fifth anniversary of Tamirs death, with other artists including EJ Hill, Michael Rakowitz and Cleveland-based Amanda D King, who runs Shooting Without Bullets, a youth arts collective.

Tamirs death has left a permanent mark on the city of Cleveland. After a three-year investigation and numerous protests, the officer who fatally shot Tamir was fired by the Cleveland police department but never faced charges. Tamirs family received $6m from the city in a 2016 settlement. In the wake of Tamirs death, artists across the nation from Ava DuVernay to Michael Rakowitz have explored his politicized death in their works.

When I ask Gates what, if anything, has changed for black people since Tamirs death, the artist is surprisingly positive.

He highlights two exciting occasions: The lynching memorial by Bryan Stevenson in Alabama which is a tangible piece of black history in a place of extremely conservative power. And in Chicago, we have our first black, female, queer leader [Lori Lightfoot], who is asking very hard questions of the police. There are people on the ground who believe everyone has the right to citizenship and humanity. And were working and fighting to make that real.

The artist is hoping to begin talks with Cleveland city officials about returning the gazebo to where it belongs. From our conversation, Gates seems to envision a city-sanctioned and -funded memorial. I want to believe that the city is open to it, he said. I believe Samaria has the right to ask the city to receive this sacred space.

Tamir Rices murder strikes a deep chord with Gates, myself, and every other black man in America because we intimately understand how his death could have been ours. Gates has his own collection of close-calls with police officers. He was 14 and playing a game of football with his friends when a police officer, who assumed a black kid running fast must be up to no good, stopped Gates and raised a gun to his head.

I knew that if I said the wrong thing that I could die, Gates recollected. What do I have in common with Tamir? Im black and Im a threat.

Samaria Rice and her supporters are seeking funding for the creation of the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Centre, which will be to provide arts, cultural, educational, and civic programs for youth ages 10-19 that celebrate the history and culture of people of African descent in Cleveland.

On Monday 25 November the Guardian-US and Guardian Cities is launching a new series called City Champions, which will report on inspiring people, groups and grassroots initiatives that are transforming lives for the better in cities in the US.

The first installment in the series will focus on Cleveland, Ohio, and will highlight community-based projects that are offering potential solutions to systemic issues including inequality, structural racism, infant mortality and lead poisoning.

For the project, the Guardian has also commissioned art works that are now on display on six billboards in the city, which seek to visualise some of the complex social justice issues affecting lives and communities.

This public art project is in partnership with For Freedoms, a national collective of artists who worked with Amanda King and other local artists Robert Banks, Matt Chasney, Amber N Ford and Noelle Richard as well as young people from Kings art collective, Shooting Without Bullets.

See the article here:
'My duty as a black man': the artist preserving gazebo where police killed Tamir Rice - The Guardian

Published 1:30pm EST, Friday, November 22, 2019

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Photo: Christian Abraham.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is Nov. 29

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, starting at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green. This event is sponsored by Trinity Point Wealth.

The City of Milford and the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce are jointly presenting the festivities.

The Festival of Lights begins with a gathering on the green at 5:30, featuring live holiday music at the gazebo by The Milford Concert Band and DJ Shelia.

The Milford Bank also will be hosting its 4th annual Winter Wonderland from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the banks main office in downtown Milford, on the Green. The event features winter-themed activities for children and adults, including a meet and greet and photos with costumed characters, a train ride, games, prizes, carolers, crafts and more.

The tree lighting kicks off at 6:30 p.m., at the gazebo with the arrival of a firetruck from Milford Firefighters Union IAFF Local 944, carrying Santa. Milford Mayor Ben Blake and Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce representatives will light up the night with the pulling of the switch setting the Milford Green trees alight. Once lit, a line for children to meet Santa will be set up outside the Gazebo.

The event is free and open to the public.

See the original post:
Milford's annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is Nov. 29 - New Haven Register

Friday, November 29, 2019 - Milford's Annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, November 29th at the Milford Green. This popular community event, sponsored by Trinity Point Wealth, begins at 5:30 pm and runs through 7:30 pm.

The City of Milford and the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce are jointly presenting the festivities.

The Festival of Lights starts with a gathering on the green at 5:30 pm featuring live holiday music at the gazebo by The Milford Concert Band and DJ Shelia.

The Milford Bank will be hosting its 4th Annual Winter Wonderland at the Bank's MainOffice (located in Downtown Milford, on the Green) from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

The event will feature various winter-themed activities for children and adults of all ages.

Attendees will be treated to costumed characters for a meet & greet and photos, a train ride, games, prizes, carolers, crafts and more!

The Tree Lighting kicks off at 6:30 pm at the gazebo with the arrival of a firetruck from Milford Firefighters Union IAFF Local 944 carrying jolly ole' Santa Claus.

Milford Mayor Ben Blake and Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce representatives will light up the night with the "pulling of the switch"setting the Milford Green trees alight with beautiful twinkling lights!

Once lit, Santa Clause takes time to sit with all the boys and girls.

A line for children to meet Santa will be set up outside the Gazebo.

Milford's Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is free to attend.

Residents are encouraged to come downtown to the Milford Green to enjoy the festivities and to get into the holiday spirit!

Here is the original post:
2019 Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting - Patch.com

Orchids to

whoever came by and replaced my flag for me, from Stacey.

Jered & Heather from Texas Road House for supplying items for the Free Methodist Church Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes.

all the wonderful patriots fighting white nationalism by testifying against the corrupt and incompetent current resident of the White House.

Indiana for being a government of laws, and not of men, from Mike.

the reference department at Bartholomew County Public Library for quickly finding several obscure references from Polish technical literature for me.

Keenan Al-Husseini (Homes by Keeno) and his roofing crew for reroofing my DIY roofing project that started leaking during this early winter.

the members of the Common Ground Garden Club who recently planted spring flowers and day lilies at the gazebo at the fairgrounds in honor of our fallen member, Pat Murphy, who passed away early this year, from President Sherry Warner.

the Mark White family; Happy Thanksgiving, you are such good neighbors, from Francis.

the staff and volunteers that donated for the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, from Irene.

Grant Tucker for the good help he gave me in a time of need.

the young man who witnessed my accident and helped me.

Lindsey Reagan, from your family and neighbors.

Kris Whipker, from your family and Donna.

Joan Allman, from your sisters and family.

Joann Page, from the WW.

Joan Allman, from everyone in the family.

ANOTHER beautiful morning

See more here:
Around Town November 24 - The Republic