The BCSA is hosting “Shredageddon” a memorial skate jam at the Corvallis Skatepark on Saturday July 28th in honor of Tommy McGuigan. The event includes live music from Love Songs from the Hated, hot dogs and drinks and Skate Challenges. The Skate Challenge includes: a timed speed track challenge, longest grind in the bowl, high ollie/hippie jump, best trick (Cash Prize!) and best trick in the bowl (Cash Prize!). All skaters under 16 must wear a helmet. All riders must sign a waiver. Parental authorization required for all risers under 18. Sponsored by: The Uprise skate shop in Corvallis.

The Evergreen Skateparks crew is cruising on a good looking project in Modiin, Israel that will be the country’s largest skatepark. While researching this post I got totally distracted by their unusual promo footage featuring a rad little dog. The promo footage was already pretty damned cool, and logo montage at the very end is the icing on the concrete cake. Some of those guys on the crew look familiar…

I did not see Tony Hawk’s unannounced stop at Burnside yesterday, but I did make these nifty shelves in my garage instead. It would take me half a day to get this into the form of a cartoon like MC does, so this is what you get instead. Frame 1: Caption – “1986” 1st guy speech bubble – “Tony Hawk is at our local skatepark right now!” Frame 2: 2nd Guy speech bubble – “Oh man, I’m going to blow off finals for this, lets go!” Frame 3: Caption – “2012” – 1st guy (looks older) speech bubble – “Tony Hawk is at our local skatepark right now!” Frame 4: 2nd guy (looks older) speech bubble – “I think I’m going to build shelves in my garage.” I’m not dissing Tony, I’m sure he was rad. I saw that he even graciously posed for some photos with grooms. Interesting side note: The story behind why Portland wasn’t an official stop on his tour is a disappointing one.

Thes are a few images from graffiti artist/illustrator Mike Giant’s solo show at Fecalface Gallery in San Francisco opens Friday, July 20th, from 7–10 pm. It’s appropriately titled “Confessions of an Old Dirty Skateboarder,” which works well for our purposes here. There are other items besides loads pinups covered in skateboard flash art. – Thanks to KC for the tip.

Anthony Mock in Keizer, Oregon. Photo by Karlie Kroessin. Anyone that sends me a sepia toned photo better snail mail me the paper negative if they want to make SOTW. That or a tintype.

I’ve been strangely silent on the downhill controversy in Portland, not by design, but through a series of slip ups and dropped balls. Long story short: Some people on a very popular downhill skateboarding (and bike) route in a ritzy are of Portland are trying to get skateboarding banned on their streets because they are allegedly worried about safety, and of course, property damage. Portland has legalized skateboarding on city streets with the exception of a small area downtown. If we allow people to decide willy nilly which streets are OK for skateboarding then we might as well make it all illegal. Downhill activists have been working with the city and the community for a year now trying to make sure skaters follow traffic laws on the hill to avoid having it completely shut down. Video on local PDX news after the jump. – Thanks to Donny for the tip.

Bonfire Snowboarding’s 15th annual Pipe to Pipe contest is coming to Windells in Oregon this weekend. 50% skateboard contest, 50% snowboard contest, 100% fun.

Old News really, but there’s Wired story on a guy who replicates old skateboard graphics whith shapes he has custom made from our friends at Factory 13. Most of those featured in the photos of John Greeley’s collection have been available as rereleases at some point or another. Others like the Mutt and Hawk’s first model that haven’t. Greeley’s reproductions look excellent, and that’s awesome… Until some show up on eBay five years from now in through a chain of events that ultimately ends up with them being passed off as originals. “I may have the largest archive of original deck graphics anywhere.” Either that or you’re the guy who stole Sean Cliver’s laptop full of all the photos and outtakes form Disposable. For the record, I’m not accusing John. I’m just promoting open discussion on reproductions… and being a smartass. – Thanks to Andrew Wahl for the tip.