National Night Out Peace Rally

This was the first time I heard about the National Night Out (NNO) event. It was the 28th annual this year. NNO was introduced back in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit crime prevention organization.

Its purpose of the Peace Rally is to heighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anti-crime efforts.

The Hollenbeck community participated in the 28th annual NNO by having a peace rally with local police officers, local residents and church members. More than 250 gathered at the Hollenbeck Police Station to begin the peace rally.

Ginger and the Hoosier Daddys at the Hip Kitty

This was my first assignment with the Claremont Courier last Friday. I had to cover Ginger and the Hoosier Daddys, who were performing at the Hip Kitty Jazz and Fondue in the Claremont Village. The vibe was great, with the band playing music from the early ’20s to ’40s enticing the audience to dance.

It was my first time at this location and the stage lighting was not bright enough, so my ISO was as high as 5000. Nothing my D700 could not handle.

Next time they are in town, I will definitely go and enjoy some drinks and fondue at the Hip Kitty.

http://www.reverbnation.com/gingerthehoosierdaddys

Geek Squad Summer Academy at LA

More than 120 students from Leo Polito Elementary School participated in interactive technology workshops taught by the Geek Squad Summer Academy.

The Geek Squad Summer Academy is a community event sponsored by Best Buy. Throughout the country they partner up with non-profit organizations who share the same mission of encouraging technology based training, two of which were in based in California.

Here in Los Angeles they partnered up with LA’s Best, a non-profit organization that provide after school programs for elementary school children ages 5 to 12, where students at Leo Polito Elementary were involved in interactive workshops about computer hardware, digital photography, digital video and digital music.

The students were involved in diagnosing computer hardware problems, where they opened a computer tower to fix the problem and learned the about the different parts inside the computer.

In the digital music workshop, the instructors had the students use Garage Band, a music making software for MACs, to create a track of music with different instruments.

The students enjoyed the workshops, even though there was a slight disturbance by a false fire alarm, they all took home pictures and video from the workshops in their flash drive attached to their neck strap.

Rally against the CSU tuition fee increase

Students from various Cal State Universities were at the CSU Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach to protest against the proposed 12% tuition fee increase, which is about $600 more, during the Trustees Finance Committee meeting. Other topics discussed during the meeting was on the salary increase for the CSU San Diegeo President.

*UPDATE: The 12% tuition fee increased was passed.

7-Eleven Free Slurpee Day

Free Slurpee Day at all 7-Eleven stores to mark their 84th birthday. Today on “7-Eleven Day,” customers get 7.11 ounces of the frozen, carbonated, sugary treat for free. Along with 50 cent hot dogs and at Downtown Los Angeles two of the Laker Girls were giving out signed pictures.

I enjoyed a Blueberry 7.11 ounce Slurpee along with a 50 cent hot dog.