There have been so many heartening stories coming out of this crisis. Globally, we’ve seen the introduction of the “balcony party”, which I hope will stay “a thing” after the quarantines have passed. Here in Wallingford, people like Kenn Herman are working on 3-D printed face masks for healthcare workers. Parents (and grandparents) are putting teddy bears in windows for kids out for isolated walks to count. Pet owners are rallying around local businesses like Wally Pets to ensure the businesses and their staff remain healthy. And businesses that are not able to operate traditionally, like Commune Yoga, are finding …

I took a stroll up 45th Street Saturday afternoon to check in on the local Wallingford businesses amidst the pandemic. There were a few surprises.

First stop was Slave the Needle tattoo parlor, where business was healthy (I saw three people getting inked on a Saturday afternoon), if a bit slow. There, they told me there had been a few cancelations, what with childcare during the day suddenly an issue, and of course tattoos being a luxury when paychecks are reduced or eliminated.

Better news awaited me at American Mary, one of our many local pot shops: “People need weed, …

The COVID pandemic is impacting us all in some obvious ways: public and private schools are closed at least through April 24, businesses of all types have seen their clientele evaporate as people practice “social distancing”, store shelves are emptied of essentials like toilet paper and disinfectants.

It’s also impacting some of the most vulnerable in unexpected ways. FamilyWorks Food Bank and Family Resource Center, which provides essential groceries to elderly, poor and homeless in our community, gets much of the food donations they share with those in need as surplus from local food stores, but those donations have suddenly …

Continuing to shuffle through the trove of historical photos that were dropped on my porch (anyone want to cop to it?), let’s take a look at this sweet then-and-now pair:

I wasn’t able to dig up much about the 45th St Central Market pictured, nor do I have a date for that photo. The care on the left seems like it is a 1930’s model, though, and I did find that the Lady Betty Bakery moved from 1912 N. 45th (where the market above is pictured) to 1806 N. 45th in July 1932, so between those clues, I would guess …

I was comfortably reading the Super Tuesday results in my jammies and slippers this morning when I heard a crash and, looking out the window, saw the electrical and Internet wires bouncing like a high-school “wave” science experiment.

I ran out the front door and saw an eighteen-wheeler making its way quickly down our narrow stretch of 4th Ave NE, making its get-away towards NE 40th Street. Glancing back at the electrical pole, I saw that it had apparently taken a tight turn and overestimated its clearance.

My wife, son and I all ran down the street to make sure …

An anonymous benefactor dropped a packet of photos of historical Wallingford on my porch over the weekend. I have my suspicions as to who it was, but until the culprit comes forward, I’ll just refer to them as Deep Tote.

I’ll post them all hear over the next couple of weeks, but this one’s the first, along with a photo of the same area from earlier this week.

You’ll recognize that big front window fronting Landon’s Real Estate as now showcasing the Lawless Financial Group office, although it appears the lovely double doors on the corner have been replaced, as …

The two-plus year sojourn of the Nickelsville homeless encampment on the City Light-owned lot at 3814 4th Ave NE is coming to end shortly.

March 31st is the day that the city permit authorizing the village officially expires and that the Nickelsville-led residents have agreed to vacate. After briefly pushing for March 21st (the first day of Spring, and thus probably-not-coincidentally the first day they could sweep the village without breaking the “No Winter Evictions” line), the City agreed to the later date in exchange for a written promise from Nickelsville and residents to peacefully vacate on the 31st. (Can …