Just a reminder, there is still a war going on in Iraq, and there are still guys skating over there too. This pic is from Mr M’s World.

Larry Pescatore sent in some more progress shots of the Wormhoudt park in San Jose:

It looks all but finished: the concrete and bowls all look done and the perimeter fence has been built. The testament to monolithic artsy skatable landmarks is complete. The bathrooms have been built. All that seems left is the parking lot and/or outer landscaping. They even built a walkway up but it’s all fenced off.

It looks more like a nuclear power plant than a skatepark in the shot above. More after the jump.

Read the whole comic here.

Tom and Kathryn Inouye know how to throw a video premiere. First they put in phone calls to Corey Duffel (who is recovering from a fractured leg) and invited him up for a weekend party. When the “Duff-man” confirms he’s flying up with several Osiris team-mates to do a “meet and greet” autograph signing then its time to get the word out. The word got out ten-fold. PlanZ Skateshop from Kelso WA bussed in 18 amped up youth for the event. Skaters drove in from all directions. Even some conservative parents were overheard saying “what a blast this was” to us as they left to tuck in the little ones for the evening.

At the Ed Benedict meeting I saw the one of the bike guys I see around handing off a benefit check to the skatepark effort. So while the street and vert guys are flaming each other about terrain on the internet, The bike guys are raising money and going to meetings.

Dan Garland has been awarded the commission for art for the Ed Benedict skate plaza. Dan is a skater as well as an artist: Here is how he describes the project:

Basically, I wanted to create an installation that speaks to the interface between man and nature and point towards balance as a solution. I wanted to create something using the bold, iconic visual language that is such a part of the skate culture and give skaters something fun to skate but also pique their interest in what this giant symbol stood for. To have an element of discovery that can play out in skaters interaction with the plaza as many of them will spend so much time there.

Sent in by Morris.

Saturday morning under-14 session at Department of Skateboarding. It was a lot more crowded than it looks in this photo but it seemed pretty safe and sane.

Tonight In Hood River!