back in the 70’s there was a different approach to skateboard company logos. A lot of times they were treated as car racing graphics, like say the Super Bee. Jim Phillips made a career out of the cartoonish design style for skateboard product logos. Nowadays a more distressed look and hip hop styles are in vogue. Other companies have maintained the cartoon like art direction, but I don’t think they are as memorable as some of the old 70’s stuff. In the mid 80’s I received a well worn stack of old Skateboarder and Action Now magazines. I never actually saw any of the old Alligator wheels, but the logo was burned into my mind as an archetypal 70’s skateboarding graphic. Bennett Truks has resurrected the Alligator Wheels product name, but curiously enough, doesn’t have them on their sparsely populated web site. They are the same color and rough shape as the old ones appear to be, although it’s hard to tell. I had some of Madrid’s reborn Cadillac Wheels and found them to be good for completing a nice vintage look, but not very useful for riding, even as a cruiser. It seemed to be a fault of the old design stlye. Although still not center set, these new Alligator’s seem to be more useful for some types of riding. They are being billed as longboard and park riders.
[Source: Tail Tap]

Aside from Vancouver, there was another skatepark opening of sorts in Washington last week. Bellingham Washington got some new Dreamland additions to an existing craptacular skatepark. We’ve shown you some pictures of the progress before thanks to John Aguilar, and he has come through again with a bunch more. They are strictly non-action photos though. There’s also a couple on Sleestak. Dan Hughes from Northwest Skater actually got in a session before the rain, as soon as his pics go live I’ll link them up.

Due to a rash of recent comment flame wars on our beloved Skate and Annoy I thought I should point out a few simple guidelines to keep in mind when commenting:

1. Don’t be a dick.
2. Keep gratuitous swearing to a minimum, especially when it comes to phrases you might hear in an adult film.

The first guideline keeps the site from being stupid. The second keeps the site from being added to the content blacklists and filters that some companies and schools use to block content for their viewers. I’d prefer not to have users register to post comments, and I swear, if I have to pull this car over you’ll be sorry!

With your help, we can keep Skate and Annoy from becoming this.

This website says she’s a self-proclaimed skatepunk. This is from a fashion supplement to Wired Magazine. Does she really have an empty pool in her backyard? I take all the scorn back, can I come over April?

I just got home from the Dew Tour and I turn on the TV to this, I want to send out my deepest sympathy to the family of Joseph Madison.

By KATU Web Staff
VANCOUVER, Wash. – A 16-year-old Vancouver boy was killed Sunday after falling from his skateboard while hanging onto a moving vehicle, police said.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office identified the teen as Joseph Stefano Madison of Vancouver, Wash.

According to the sheriff’s office, Madison was being pulled by a vehicle driven by another 16-year-old when the incident happened about 4 p.m. at the intersection of Northeast 29th Avenue and Northeast 139th Street – just down the street from Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital.

The sheriff’s office said Madison was holding the rear driver’s side window and was being pulled down a road when the vehicle suddenly hit a dip in the street and Madison lost his grip on the window. The teen then fell to the ground and hit his head on the pavement.

Madison was declared dead at the scene.

Authorities did not say how fast they believe the car was traveling when the teen fell.

No one else was injured. There were two other 16-year-old passengers in the vehicle at the time.

The sheriff’s office said neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be a factor in the crash.

Source

While you are out sessioning the new Vancouver Washington skate park this weekend, keep your eyes open for these guys and thank them for taking time off work to help clean off the graffiti so the parks district would actually open the place. If you think you know who’s tagging the park, please help them learn not to be such mental midgets, by any means necessary. Photo and elbow grease by Earth Patrol Media. That’s Mark Conahan as Mr Clean. Thanks guys, Reinert too.

There’s no need to barge the scene, Vancouver’s new skate park is now officially open. I got there late this evening as what seemed like half the Trifecta was getting ready to pack up, including Benji Galloway, Rune Glifberg, Sergie Ventura Chris Cudlipp, Josh Sandoval, Morgan Burgess, Tyler Mumma and I think Devon Lamb. I heard Tyler, Rune, and possibly someone else made it (that day) carving over the top face of the capsule! Not a bad demo for an unanounced opening day! Joe Hammeke was there with a bunch of lights, but until those Indy Kickflip shots of Rune get published you’ll have to settle for old Kilwag’s photos, that is unless Rich from EPM got anything. (Update: He did.) Grover and he were pressing glass this afternoon when the park opened. The park is a lot of fun, barring the recurring dust storms blowing in off the uncovered dirt in the surrounding unfinished areas. That’s Cudlipp above with North Portland locals Xavier and Doug in the. See larger versions after the jump.

What? You didn’t know that Battle Ground, Washington is located in Oregon? Well don’t tell anyone. Yes, the pro event got rained out and moved to Tobin’s bowl, but no, it’s not covered in this feature. It’s coming Monday. Until then you can check out the Women’s and Master’s event coverage with a little bit of the warmups for the locals and pros. That’s Jesse Nelson entertaining the crowd during the rain delay. Thanks to Shawn Reinert for the extra photos that don’t match the color balance or exposures of mine in the slightest. What can I say, I just want to make Jim Gray happy.

Check out: 2007 Oregon Trifecta – Battle Ground Washington.

Paul Schmitt has a curriculum he is trying to sell to schools. Kids apply math and vocabulary, and stuff they learned about trees by watching a video while designing and making a skateboard.