Chadokin Park To Host Annual ‘Walk For Jesus’

The 2012 March for Jesus (Unity and Community Celebration) will be held Saturday, May 26, at Chadakoin Park in Jamestown.

The walk will begin at noon with events ending at 6 p.m.

“We have again been called to reach those in need in our community and connect them to area churches,” said event coordinators Clyde and Tamara Dickey.

The Rev. Jim Kelly of Healing Word Ministries will be the keynote speaker. Food and drink will be donated by area Christian organizations. Also available will be craft tables, kids games, horseback riding and Rainbow the Clown.

The March for Jesus began as a city march in London in 1987 through a partnership among three London church groups. Smaller marches emerged in its wake and the event eventually spread to the United States.

In 1994, the first Global March for Jesus covered every time zone and united more than 10 million people in 170 nations.

Evangelist Tina Eaton is “expecting a move of God; Jesus said if he be lifted up, he will draw all men unto him. If we come together as doers of this word, we will see the great results just as they did in the book of Acts. So come expecting to be received.”

For more information, contact the local team members at 487-0057 or email march4jesus2012@aol.com.

Socialize Palm Springs event planners make splash at opening

<!–Saxotech Paragraph Count: 5
–>

Socialize Palm Springs held a grand opening on May 9 at the former Frank Sinatra Estate known as Twin Palms in Palm Springs.

Co-founder Larry Abel said the company will focus exclusively on social and charity events in the desert.

The firm is a part of Abel McCallister Designs, an event production company with offices in New York Los Angeles that produces red carpet events for clients such as L’Oreal, Chase, Netflix, Entertainment Weekly and Disney, as well as brand product launches and high-end pop-up shops.

Abel and McCallister recently launched Raymond | Lawrence, a retail incubator located in the Uptown Design District of Palm Springs.

Call Tamara at (760) 322-3787 or visit socializepalmsprings.com.

Athletes push limits, then enjoy the view at Ethos Endurance Festival

• Tweet

• Tweet

Approximately 150 competitors tested their strength and endurance on Saturday during the Ethos Endurance Festival at Vail Lake Resort in Temecula.

Celebrated Los Angeles band Ozomatli performs after the Ethos Endurance Festival at Vail Lake in Temecula, CA. (Amy Donnelly/SWRNN)

The event included two challenging obstacle course races, a fun-filled obstacle course for kids, and an afternoon of beer, food and live music.

Many more people chose not to race, but attended the event to show their support to family and friends who did participate.  That spirit of a community, event coordinators insist, is what defines Ethos.

“We’re all getting together because we want be outside, we want be healthy, enjoy a little friendly competition and a little smack talk with your friends, said Ethos founder Michael O’Neil, who was happy with the event’s apparent success.  “And then we celebrate at the end with a good beer and a great concert.”

The event kicked off with a Grand Prix Aquathon where participants swam 400 meters around buoys, ran two miles on a criterium-style loop course, then swam and ran again.

The Ethos SEAL Adventure Race 8k Course followed shortly after and was a true test of strength and endurance.

The five-mile obstacle course was designed by Navy Seals and required participants to maneuver through sand, mud, water and dirt trails. Although the course primarily utilized natural obstacles found on Vail Lake, the race was littered with other, man-made obstacles.

Event coordinators hope to increase the size and scope of their events in the future and possibly host a weekend-long event that incorporates camping and racing.  Although they had the infrastructure available for a large race this year, they intentionally produced a small race.

“We wanted a certain number of racers to have an incredibly special day.  Safety is really important to us,” said O’Neil.  “We’re committed to making sure the details are taken care of everybody feels important, everybody feels special and part of the community.”

“The course was more challenging than I thought it was going to be, but the racers were really fun, friendly and kind to each other,” said Sue Sotir, a race participant who started racing because of its group camaraderie aspect.

Celebrated Los Angeles band Ozomatli performed after the races and delighted a small audience with genre-defying, cross-cultural music.  The band describes their music on their website as a “collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA RB and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga.”

“Our manager does triathlons so it’s cool that we’re here,” said band member Justin Poree.  “I’m into triathlons. I don’t do them, but I’m into them.”

A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Seal-Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation, which provides Naval Special Warfare families and warriors with an array of support programs.

Amy Donnelly is a local photojournalist and regular contributor to SWRNN.

Cyclists hope to send message with ‘Ride of Silence’

BLOOMINGTON. Ill — As the weather warms in the heart of Illinois motorists can expect to see a rise in bicycle riders on area streets and sidewalks, and one local group wants to help make sure everyone stays safe.

The McLean County Wheelers hosted their annual “Ride of Silence” in downtown Bloomington today. The event’s purpose is to commemorate cyclists who have died due to traffic accidents in the past year, as well as to remind motorists to keep an eye out for riders.

Bloomington city officials are currently considering adding bike lanes to Main street. Event coordinators say this decision would greatly increase safety.

“The reality is it’s legal for us to ride on streets now,” Scott Richardson, member of the McLean County Wheelers said. “What bike lanes do, and what signage does, is to help people remember that we are there. It brings awareness, so they take a little more care.”

Event coordinators also ask motorist to keep at least three feet between their vehicle and cyclists on roadways.

Guide available for event planners

Another alarming trend is how much of that land-filled material is composed of things like compostable organics, recyclable paper, cardboard, metal, plastic and glass — 40 per cent, according to the guide.

Organizers tout benefits of Johnstown Showcase for Commerce

Event coordinators are touting the benefits of the 22nd annual Johnstown Showcase for Commerce despite a dwindling number of exhibitors and attendees.

One-hundred and eight exhibitors are registered for the event, which runs Tuesday through Thursday. That total is down from 137 last year and 172 in 2010.

“There has been some uncertainty with budget cuts and the lagging economy,” said Bob Layo, Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce president. “But we’re fortunate the show has stayed on track and continues to produce great things for the area.”

The event, billed as Pennsylvania’s premier defense contracting exhibition, will take place at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. More than $3 billion in defense contracts has been awarded to area employers and more than 100 new companies have been relocated or started in the region since the Showcase’s origin two decades ago.

“The defense industry has been the focus of the show since the early 1990s,” Layo said. “But we also have representatives from accounting firms, real estate and banking, to name a few. It’s all about making additional contacts and solidifying relationships.”

Linda Thomson, president of the Johnstown Area Regional Industries, said a lot of small companies looking for networking opportunities attend the Showcase.

“We have all sorts of companies that exhibit at the show,” Thomson said. “And they come back each year telling us this has value. It’s a cross section of business and it will continue to be that way.”

The event is part of the enduring legacy of the late U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown. U.S. Rep Mark Critz — who worked as an aide under Murtha — said the event is a staple of the city and region.

“Showcase for Commerce is our opportunity to show off the products and services offered across the region and a chance to build business-to-business relationships that create new contracts and jobs,” Critz said in a written statement. “I look forward to this annual event and to the business synergy that occurs throughout the week.”

A new Program Executive Officer Briefing, introduced last year, is among the event’s highlights.

The briefing features high-ranking military acquisition officials discussing opportunities available for businesses. The key for the Showcase is finding new ways to draw contractors to Johnstown without the influence and aid of Murtha, Layo said.

Frank Kendall III — acting under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics — will be the keynote speaker at the John P. Murtha Breakfast on Thursday.

Major sponsors of the Showcase include BAE Systems, Boeing, Crown American Hotels, Concurrent Technologies Corp., DRS Technologies, General Dynamics, Kongsberg, Latrobe Specialty Steel Co., Lockheed Martin and Wessel Co., among others.

More information is available online at www.johnstownchamber.com/showcase.

Chukker Creek Elementary holds first track and field event

Events included the 50- and 100-yard dash, 200- and 400-meter events, softball throw and a grade-level relay race.

The event gave the students an opportunity to compete against their peers and experience a real track and field event.

Coordinators Alecia Kinard and Chrystie Weimer hope to make this an annual event.

Congratulations to all the winners:

Fifth Grade Boys 400 Meter – first place, Grayson Cruse; second place, Austin Hobson; third place, Nathan Daniels;

Fifth Grade Boys 100 Yard Dash – first place, Ryan Chavous; second place, Sebastian O’Banion; third place, Chancellor Nguyen;

Fifth Grade Boys Softball Throw -first place, Grayson Cruse; second place, Nathan Daniels; third place, Kyle Barton;

Fifth Grade Girls 400 Meters – first place, Haleigh Bollig; second place, Caroline Pethick; third place, Samantha Oakley;

Fifth Grade Girls 100 Yard Dash – first place, Haleigh Bollig;, second place, Meredith Proctor; third place, Audrey Grace Myers;

Fifth Grade Girls Softball Throw – first place, Allison Skipper; second place, Jala Brown; third place, Akira Salley;

Fourth Grade Boys 400 Meters – first place, Austin Lovelle; second place, Jackson Crain; third place, Traveon Corley;

Fourth Grade Boys 100 Yard Dash – first place, Austin Lovelle; second place, Nicholas Mandel; third place, Matthew Robinson;

Fourth Grade Boys Softball Throw – first place, Austin Lovelle; second place, James Turner; third place, Traveon Corley;

Fourth Grade Girls 400 Meters – first place, Hannah Raines; second place, Payton Pilz; third place, Maven Busby;

Fourth Grade Girls 100 Yard Dash – first place, Kaylie Whitson; second place, Sabrina Quarles; third place, Shania Alam;

Fourth Grade Girls Softball Throw – first place, Mercedies Steele; second place, Madison Carr; third place, Dorian Eubanks;

Third Grade Boys 200 Meters – first place, Gage O’Banion; second place, Peter Schifer; first place, Elian Chassard;

Third Grade Boys 50 Yard Dash – first place, Peter Schifer; second place, Elian Chassard; third place, Damion Anderson;

Third Grade Boys Softball Throw – first place, Elian Chassard; second place, Carson Rosser; third place, Peter Schifer;

Third Grade Girls 200 Meters – first place, Jordan Proctor; second place, Christina Downing; third place, Allison Carter;

Third Grade Girls 50 Yard Dash – first place, Jordan Proctor; second place, Christina Downing; third place, Allison Carter;

Third Grade Girls Softball Throw – first place, Allison Carter; second place, Allysa Johnson; third place, Shona Adams;

Second Grade Boys 200 Meters – first place, Nathan Armon; second place, Leo Myers; third place, Bryson Peterson;

Second Grade Boys 50 Yard Dash – first place, Carson Ginn; second place, Jacob Bradford; third place, Bryson Peterson;

Second Grade Boys Softball Throw – first place, William Pethick; second place, Tyler Cruse; third place, Colby Salley;

Second Grade Girls 200 Meters – first place, Allison Bollig; second place, Zariel Owens; third place, Kayla Owens;

Second Grade Girls 50 Yard Dash – first place, Allison Bollig; second place, Zariel Aaron; third place, Kristen Coward;

Second Grade Girls Softball Throw – first place, Allison Bollig; second place, Raniyah Hall; third place, Sara Grace Johnson.

Last-minute event planners might be surprised by options

The Society for Contemporary Craft in the Strip District prides itself on being
flexible, said Janet McCall, executive director.

Louis A. Corsaro
Assistant Managing Editor- Pittsburgh Business Times

Email

Did you drop the ball on planning your company’s big event well in advance?

You may not be in as much trouble as you think.

While a lot of the unique Pittsburgh event sites recommend long lead times to ensure a company gets the date they’re seeking, flexibility is hardly a dirty word if you’re calling later in the game.

Marjorie Henderson, vice president and senior director of sales at the Soldiers Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Oakland, doesn’t have a required lead time.

“As long as the requested date is available, the event can take place. I …

Lou Corsaro is assistant managing editor at the Pittsburgh Business Times. Contact him at lcorsaro@bizjournals.com or (412) 208-3822.

See all your followed company news on your personalized dashboard.

To access the full benefits of bizWatch and receive a weekly email with aggregated news on all the companies you are following, please provide your email address below.

You must have a bizjournals account to follow a company.
Please Log In or Register.

To continue reading subscribe now

Already a subscriber? Sign in to link your subscription

Phoenixville Relay raises $80000

Advertisement

Dexys: one of those things

Let’s talk about the passion again. It will not have escaped the attention of those who study the music media for comings and goings that Kevin Rowland and Dexys have returned to the limelight with a new album “One Day I’m Going To Soar”. There have been a couple of interviews, a stomping set of five star live shows showcasing that new record and an appearance this week on Later With Jools. For those who know Dexys merely as the “Come On Eileen” band who soundtracked school discos, there is sure to be much frowning, shoulder-shrugging and so-whatery accompanied by comments about what the band are wearing (Dexys were always at the cutting edge of satorial elegance) rather than what the band are playing.

But for those who have spent years going back time and time again to albums like “Don’t Stand Me Down”, “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels” and even the often overlooked Celtic Soul Brothers’ thump of “Too-Rye-Aye”, the prospect of “One Day I’m Going To Soar” is an exciting one. Aside from Rowland’s solo albums (the second of these, “My Beauty”, released by Alan McGee’s Creation), there hasn’t been an album of new music under the Dexys (nee Dexy’s Midnight Runners) moniker since 1985. There were reunion shows in 2003 and occasional sightings of Rowland as a DJ, but no work attempting to match or even better what was in the back-catalogue has arrived until now.

It will be interesting to guage the reaction to the new material beyond the heartland of older music writers who grew up with Dexys myths playing out in their imagination. Oh, how we lapped them up: the team of hard-chaws exuding pugilist charm in On the Waterfront reefer jackets and caps that met in caffs and went running together, the band who went from Top of the Pops’ fixtures in dungarees, berets and stubble with “Eileen” to release “Don’t Stand Me Down” and confuse the hell out of everyone with a much different sound and preppy, classic Madison Avenue, pre-Mad Men advertising executive tailoring (the attire was always an important part of the Dexys’ story), the stories which emerged from Rowland’s infamous Reading Festival appearance in 1999, which he talks about here.

But it was the music as much as everything else which fired up your imagination. 1980s’ “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels” wasn’t a debut album so much as a statement of intent, Rowland and his soul warriors channeling the spirit of veteran soul men like Otis Redding and Jackie Wilson, the romantic passion of Van Morrison and the brassy soul of deepest Birmingham into a set which burned brightly.

Two years later, “Too-Rye-Aye’s” barrage of fiddles, brass and impassioned genius (that would be Rowland aiming for the stars and getting there) made for a wonderfully rough-house affair with Rowland’s fascination with Van Morrison back when Van was decent continuing to form a startling Caledonian soul album. Brave, bold and audacious, “Don’t Stand Me Down” was the high water mark of Rowland’s soulful odyssey. Surprisingly mellow and countryified in places, “Don’t Stand Me Down” was, oddly, badly received on its release in 1985, but is now regarded as something of a lost treasure. “One Day I’m Going To Soar”, then, has a lot to live up to.

After the jump, you’ll find an interview I did with Rowland back in 2007 when he came to Dublin to do a spot of DJ-ing. He talked about etiquette, burlesque and, yes, Van the Man. He also talked about the new songs he had written and how important it was not to rest on his laurels.

“It’s good to move on, it would be pointless to be singing about nothing or performing old songs that don’t mean anything to me. I’m someone who has to express exactly what I feel. Anything else just won’t do.”

“I’m trying to write a book about my life”. There’s a pause as the interviewer sizes up the task which Kevin Rowland is considering.

After all, every single aspect of Rowland’s life since his birth in Wolverhampton would be fair game for a couple of pages at least. It will surely be an epic when it’s completed.

The one good thing about such a tome, though, is that we’ll get the untarnished truth and nothing but the truth about one of the great characters in the game.

As leader of Dexys Midnight Runners, one of pop’s most intriguing and consistently exciting and adventurous combos, Rowland set out his stall well away from the crowd. However, the crowd wandered over to him anyway because of the quality of what was on offer.

Others may have released more than the three albums which Dexys produced during their 1980s run, but you’d take 1980’s startling “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels”, 1982’s raggle-taggle “Too-Rye-Ay” and the masterful elegance of “Don’t Stand Me Down” from 1985 over the work of countless others.

These days, Rowland may dwell on the fringes yet, as the 2003 Dexys Midnight Runners reunion showed, his passion and commitment still attracts disciples and devotees in their droves.

Rowland is on the other end of a phoneline this morning because he’s due in Dublin next week for a DJ-ing engagement and has agreed to talk about this. He politely requests that all talk of his own music should be left for another time (“I’ll talk to you again when the new album comes out”), yet Rowland himself will inevitably steer the conversation that way at a later stage.

The DJ-ing gigs, he admits, are a bit of a accidental sideline which he’s begun to really enjoy. He’s played at several clubs in the UK already and has even done a radio stint there, sitting in for an absent presenter for a couple of nights on BBC 6 Music earlier this year. On air, his selections included Eddie The Hot Rods, Bruce Springsteen (Rowland’s own cover of “Thunder Road” for his 1999 solo album was nixed by Springsteen), Candi Staton, Bassheads, ELO and The Temptations.

When it comes to spinning in a club, Rowland says the most important thing is the pacing and compares it to a live gig or album. “It’s something which all the great live albums like (Van Morrison’s) “It’s Too Late To Stop Now” have. I mean, that album has a feeling and a musical flow which you couldn’t capture in a studio.

“I’ve spent years examining that record from every angle and have tried to do what he did, but I’ve never got it right. When I DJ, that’s what I’m after, that natural flow from song to song.”

Rowland’s own experiences of clubland didn’t come until after Dexys had ended. “I didn’t really go to clubs when the band were touring”, he says. “I was such a workaholic, I hardly stopped working during that period which was a shame. After Dexys, in the late 80s and onwards, I spent a lot of time checking out clubs in London. I was an observer, always listening for the records that moved people.”

Naturally, he was also extremely interested in what people were wearing. “Yeah, the etiquette interested me as much as the music, the way you behaved and the way you dressed and the way you danced. You were even concerned with width of your turn-ups and the length of your sideburns! They were critical, they had to be right.”

When Rowland goes out these nights, he tends to favour vintage clubs and swinging juke joints. “The burlesque thing that is going on in London right now is quite interesting”, he observes. “I like that club Lady Luck. Some of the burlesque clubs are a bit naff, but this one is a bit more menacing and sleazy, which I like. They use a lot of voodoo imagery.

“The guys who run the club live it. It’s a lifestyle choice for them, it’s not just a gig they do every Friday night. They’re serious about their clothes and they’re serious about the music and that appeals to me.”

Another club which Rowland digs is the Debaser club in Stockholm. “The house band are called Club Killers. They’re a 15 piece rocksteady band with a seven-piece brass section, amazing players.

“The guys in the band put on a whole evening. They play two sets and they play really good records between the sets. They also have an open microphone and people can get up and freestyle. People just go up and grab the mike. I find myself doing so when I’m there, singing over the records and stuff. I’ve had magical nights there, lovely evenings. They’re people who love their music and really care about it.”

Indeed, some of Rowland’s most recent live performances have been with that band in that club in 2006, playing a set which included classic Dexys material (“Geno”, “Lets Make This Precious”) and covers of “Everything I Own” and “The Sound Of Silence”.

Which neatly brings us to Dexys. There has been talk about a new Dexys album for quite some time. “All the songs for this album are written”, confirms Rowland, “but I can’t see it coming out this year. The songs are about love and relationships and that’s something I’ve never really written about before.

“It’s good to move on, it would be pointless to be singing about nothing or performing old songs that don’t mean anything to me. I’m someone who has to express exactly what I feel. Anything else just won’t do.”

© 2007 The Irish Times