If you had told me 20 years ago that the two main members of The Roots would be executive producers on a Disney animated series, I’m not totally sure I would have believed you. But here we are in 2022, with Black Thought and Questlove working on “Rise Up, Sing Out,” a musical series looking to inspire and empower children with uplifting messages and cultural affirmations. Variety reports the series will be streaming starting today on Disney Plus with the first episode also airing on Disney Channel and Disney Junior.
Not only do Quest and Thought produce the series and the music in it (naturally), but they will also appear in it in adorable animated form offering themes of “diversity, inclusion, kindness, and self-expression.” Disney produced the show to address a growing demand for children’s entertainment that would help parents teach kids respect for each others’ differences in an increasingly diverse world. In a statement, The Roots’ frontmen tackled those issues head-on:
The ‘Rise Up, Sing Out’ shorts touch on a lot of real-world issues, especially for young Black kids, that just weren’t talked about when we were growing up. The beautiful thing about these shorts is that not only are they going to provide young kids the proper language to talk to their friends and family about some of the things that might be bothering them, but it’s also going to give parents the tools on how to respond.
We feel this is the perfect moment and the perfect time for us to put this project out into the world to plant a seed about kindness that will hopefully have a lasting impact for generations to come.
In addition, on Friday, February 4, Walt Disney Records will release the music from the series to streaming. It looks like the future is in good hands — who would’ve thought those hands would belong to The Roots?
Craig Robinson, known for his outspoken comedic roles inBrooklyn 99 and The Office, is returning to star in his own TV show, Killing It, which is set to premiere this year on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform.
The official synopsis describes Killing It as a comedy about “class, capitalism, and one man’s quest to achieve the American dream. And also about hunting really big snakes.” Nothing goes hand-in-hand like snakes and America, right? The trailer shows Robinson lounging in a fancy robe on the deck of a lavish, beach-front hotel room, where he describes his wild life to his house cleaner.
Killing It is created by Brooklyn 99 producers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici, who said the following about the new series:
We love all the ambitious, challenging, thematically-rich series that populate the current peak-TV landscape. We also love jokes. So, we tried to make a show that could deliver both. We wanted Killing It to explore America’s quasi-religious obsession with entrepreneurship and wealth, and we also wanted it to be funny. Really, really funny. Plus, we wanted it to have big snakes. It’s a daunting creative balancing act, but lucky for us, we were writing for Craig Robinson, aka the most likable man in the world. His hilarious, effortlessly charming performance grounds even the wildest comic moments in something deeply human and relatable.
Shovel Knight is an indie darling. The 2014 platformer quickly rose to prominence when it released thanks to it being a fantastic homage to many classic NES games and an example of how a Kickstarter-funded indie game can succeed. Before Shovel Knight, crowdfunded games weren’t quite as common as they are today. Now, Kickstarter and other crowdfunding websites are where many indie developers go to seek out funding.
With so much success on the platform, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Yacht Club Games, the developers of Shovel Knight, are once again turning to Kickstarter to fund their newest game, Mina the Hollower. It also shouldn’t be a surprise to find out that the Kickstarter campaign for Mina the Hollower has already met its goal of $311,503.
Phew! Today certainly was a big news day for the Yacht Club Games crew. It’s been difficult to keep all this cool stuff a secret!
Want a recap of everything mentioned in our Presents? Check out today’s blog post to get up to speed.
— Yacht Club Games – Mina on Kickstarter (@YachtClubGames) February 1, 2022
“You play as Mina, a whip-wielding Hollower and visionary inventor,” Yacht Club Games says of the game. “She receives a troubling letter from Baron Lionel, her longtime patron and the overseer of Tenebrous Isle. Mina’s advances in Spark Technology brought power to the Isle for the first time many years ago, ushering in newfound prosperity for its citizens. But now, the Spark Generators have gone out, and foul play is suspected.”
Sticking to what Yacht Club has been best at so far, the game is currently taking form of a Castlevania/Link’s Awakening style of game. Of course, we expect plenty of originality in the game to help it stand out and feel like its own title. All of this is what Shovel Knight did so well eight years ago: take established mechanics, spin them into something unique, and make a fun game out of it. With that kind of pedigree, it’s no surprise to see people getting behind Mina the Hollower so early.
Slowthai had one of the defining moments of his career so far (at least in the eyes of American TV viewers) when he joined Mura Masa on The Tonight Show in February 2020 to perform “Deal Wiv It.” During the performance, Slowthai took advantage of the whole set and even stood on Jimmy Fallon’s desk, making for some memorable television. Now, for fans who haven’t been able to forget that appearance, they’ll get the chance to see Slowthai live, as he just announced a handful of April concert dates in North America for the “Antisocial Roadshow” tour.
Performing live certainly isn’t Slowthai’s least favorite part of his job, as he revealed last February that he’s actually not too keen on recording, saying, “I hate getting in the booth. I love writing, and I love doing it over and over again. But then when it comes to the time to laying it down, I’m like, ‘Laugh.’ Yeah, I don’t know. I’m not hitting it the way… Because in my head, we all have that thing where we see it and hear it one way, and then you’re not delivering it, but then you’re self-critical, so you’re being extra critical. And then everyone would be like, ‘That’s the hardest thing ever!’ And you’re like, ‘I can do it better.’ So it will be like every song is a thousand takes.”
Check out the full list of dates below.
04/08 — New York, New York @ Webster Hall
04/09 — Chicago, IL @ Metro
04/10 — Denver, CO @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
04/14 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
04/15 — Indio, CA @ Coachella
04/21 — San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
04/22 — Indio, CA @ Coachella
04/27 — Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall
04/30 — Boston, MA @ Royale
Los Angeles is one of the best food cities in America (NYers, your skepticism is noted but unfounded — learn how to make a taco and we’ll talk). So if you’re visiting the city this Super Bowl LVI weekend, lucky you! The eclectic, dynamic local scene is so full of options you could stick to one type of food (Mexican, perhaps?) and still only scratch that surface of amazing must-visit restaurants, hole in the walls, stands, or food trucks available to you.
Settling on what to eat in LA is never easy and asking a random stranger “what’s good?” isn’t always successful, considering LA is the largest and most populous city on the West Coast and its residents are often transplants. Luckily for you, I was born and raised here so I’m not just a random stranger. I’m a true Angeleno who also happens to write about food every day of the week. And I want you to have the best experience in Los Angeles you could possibly have — so I put together a guide of the most quintessential dining experiences for any Super Bowl visitors.
You could pick any one of these at random (or try and hit them all!) and you’ll be guaranteed a meal you won’t forget that also reflects what makes the LA food scene (and the city itself) so unique and special. These picks say something about who we are, culturally, and what our city values. They also feature incredible flavors in the hands of deeply skilled chefs. Let’s dive in!
There isn’t a reason to eat tacos just once during your LA visit. Get tacos multiple times per day — it’s never a bad time to have a taco or two. But if for some reason you only have time for one taco spot in all of LA, you have to have a taco from a street vendor. I promise you it’s not an experience you want to miss.
Don’t worry about food-borne illness or sanitary conditions — I’ve heard all sorts of excuses for why people are afraid of eating LA street tacos, none of them are valid. You know that great weather everyone always talks about? Eating tacos outside is what we do here, stop being a baby — food-borne illness has never stopped anyone from eating at Chipotle and it shouldn’t stop you from eating food made by street vendors. (Also, food by street vendors is cooked incredibly hot and fast, which kills foodborne illness; it’s the heat-lamp-warmed food that gets you.)
Each taco from Angel’s Tijuana Tacos is made to order on homemade tortillas with your choice of meat, salsa, cilantro and onions, and guacamole. The tacos are juicy and all that flavor is soaked up by the homemade and hand-pressed tortillas making each bite absolute perfection. Seriously, this place is an institution.
Angel’s sets up shop in Eagle Rock near a Target parking lot. Eagle Rock is a hot spot for great coffee shops, bars, and that 2010’s LA hipster vibe.
The Essential Order:
When a street taco situation rolls up with a giant spit roasting al pastor, you have to order the al pastor tacos. It’s Angel’s signature and the number one taco spot for al pastor in the city. When in Rome!
It was hard to choose a single ramen spot in Los Angeles. We’re a bit spoiled for options here and certain restaurants do certain broths better than others, so “best” varies based on what exactly you’re looking for. But for the quintessential LA experience, we’re going to have to suggest Little Tokyo’s Daikokuya.
There is just something so comforting about Daikokuya’s signature tonkotsu broth, it’s the perfect remedy to an unseasonably cold LA day (which happens, we swear).
Because of the pandemic, Daikokuya now features outside dining via a dining space in a converted parking space — sounds weird, perhaps, but it actually adds a lot of character to the vibe. There is something special about pulling up a table in the middle of bustling Little Tokyo surrounded by midcentury skyscrapers while you slurp ramen and munch on tempura.
The Essential Order:
The restaurant’s namesake Daikoku Ramen. It’s a must, the bowl features tonkotsu broth with Daikokuya’s own soy sauce blend with the most tender pork belly chasu you’ve ever had, a marinated egg, and a simple mix of bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and fragrant green onions.
Many a Daikokuya fan swears by the Koterri version of the Daikoku, which uses soup extracted from the back fat, resulting in a richer flavor. I haven’t had it so I can’t speak to it personally, but consider it if you’re looking for something heartier. [I love everything “extra fat” and it’s far too fatty for me. Stick to the OG. — ed]
The broth in the OG is sumptuous and flavorful and the noddles are silky with the right amount of bite and soak up the flavor wonderfully. If you’re really digging on the noodles, give the Spicy Miso Ramen a try, which features thicker noodles and comes with the Kotteri stock.
SUGARFISH is one of the most popular and visible sushi restaurants in the highly populated landscape of great LA sushi residents, and that’s for good reason. It’s some of the best tasting sushi in the city and will melt in your mouth like a sugar cube dissolving on your tongue.
The presentation (even when ordering to-go) and quality are top tier here, the fish is noticeably fresh and the highly curated menu is easy to order from and fairly priced, for the quality you get.
There are several SUGARFISH across LA but if you’re visiting for the first time you might as well hit the one on Sunset. You’ll be walking distance from other LA staples like Musso & Frank Grill, the TCL Chinese Theater, Amoeba Records, and other photo-worthy landmarks.
The Essential Order:
The Trust Me lunch special will get you edamame, tuna sashimi, albacore sushi, salmon sushi, a toro hand roll (a SUGARFISH staple), Japanese Yellowtail sushi, Hirame, and a Blue and Dungeness crab hand roll.
Los Angeles is absolutely obsessed with Nashville-style hot chicken. From Dave’s Hot Chicken to Main Chick, a great hot chicken spot can be found in just about every neighborhood from the densest city centers to the sprawling suburbs. And each one of those restaurants has Howlin’ Ray’s to thank for paving the way.
Started by Chef Johnny Ray Zone and his wife Amanda Chapman in 2015, Howlin’ Rays is so popular that pre-pandemic it wasn’t unusual to wait in a line for three hours just to get your hands on an order. Thankfully, that’s not a problem these days — now you simply order in advance through Postmates for either pickup or delivery, which gets some deliciously hot chicken in your hands in as quick as an hour to an hour and a half.
If you’re going to eat at one hot chicken restaurant in Los Angeles, start here. You can hit one of the others on your next trip!
NOTE: This is a messy eat, so don’t order this if you’re chilling in a park somewhere. Instead, eat it at one of the tables in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza (where Howlin’ Rays is located) and then go shopping at the nearby shops when you’re done — you’ll need some Boba tea to cool down your taste buds.
The Essential Order:
Howlin’ Rays chicken options include a boneless breast (the Skinny Jimmy, my personal fav), tenders, wings, or a chicken sandwich with 6 different levels of heat. Assuming you’re going to eat at Howlin’ Rays just once, I’d say you have to grab the Luis Style Sando Medium Plus or Hot style.
The sandwich features a boneless breast filet, comeback sauce, pickles, and cheddar cheese on a toasted bun. The flavors meld together beautifully, the whole thing melts in your mouth and is good enough to make you drool.
Settling on a good Korean BBQ spot in Los Angeles is a bit like choosing a ramen or burrito spot, it all depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for an all you can eat situation, Parks isn’t your spot — for that, try Hae Jang Chon, you won’t be disappointed — but if you’re looking for high-quality fresh meats and an atmosphere that won’t leave your clothes smelling smokey, Parks is the jam.
Yes, it’s a little on the pricier side, but the sourcing is exceptional with beautifully marbled cuts of meat (they even have a butcher shop!). Park’s gets crowded, so expect to be packed in close, but the restaurant moves fast. It’ll likely move faster than you want it to as you scramble for a reason to stay a little longer and order more food.
Park’s is located right in the heart of Koreatown where you’ll be surrounded by great bars, stores, crowded streets, and more things to do than you’ll have time for in a single weekend.
The Essential Order:
Go with a lot of friends so that you can order as much as possible, but since you’re at Park’s, you’re going to have to get Park’s Gal-Bi. It’s the restaurant’s signature.
Given there are three options on this list that are Mexican food, it’s clearly very difficult to encapsulate the Los Angeles Mexican food scene in a single restaurant, and it’s even harder to do with a single burrito.
In Los Angeles, there is a burrito for every mood but if I had to suggest one that always delivers and never disappoints, it’s going to have to be the Al & Bea’s Special. This is the sort of burrito that is so bursting with flavor that your first bite will literally stop you in your tracks and force you to take in the moment.
To partake in this immense pleasure, take a trip to the east side of LA (the real east side, not what transplants call the east side) to Boyle Heights and hit up Al & Bea’s. There isn’t much to do for a tourist in the general area, so eat your burrito at the outdoor tables, outside at your car, or take a walk to nearby Hollenbeck Park and chill there. You could also hop in your car (or Uber) and head to Grand Park in downtown, where you’ll be a few blocks away from Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and the Arts District. Who says LA isn’t walkable?
The Essential Order:
The Al & Bea’s Special. The burrito features beans, shredded beef, rice, cheese, lettuce, green chili (which is for some reason orange while it’s hot), and guacamole. It’s the best paper-wrapped burrito you’ll eat all weekend, I promise you.
El Tepeyac isn’t a trendy burrito spot, it’s not busy at all hours of the day with LA’s young hip celebrity/ celebrity-adjacent socialites, it’s not near any must-visit clubs, bars, or parks. Instead, it’s tucked away in Boyle Heights, and full of locals who have been frequenting the tiny cafe for generations. That’s usually a good sign.
What El Tepeyac doesn’t have in flash, it makes up for with flavor. This is the most authentically “LA burrito” experience you can hope to find in the city. No cap.
The Essential Order:
The Hollenbeck Burrito. It features seared pork, rice, beans, guacamole, red chili, and smothered in chili verde sauce, with melted cheese sprinkled on top. It’s a wet burrito you’ll need a knife and fork to eat and is big enough to share with an entire table. Which gives you an opportunity to eat the taquitos.
Beloved by strict LA vegans and flexitarians alike, Sage Bistro and Brewery has a little something for everyone. From smoothies and desserts to nutritious veggie bowls, classic LA avocado toast, and Super Bowl worthy sides, Sage has few specialties but an extensive people-pleasing menu. This is the place to go to live out that health-focused hippie retreat-visiting LA lifestyle that people love to satirize the city for. It’s a real thing, you will meet people who know Jared Leto, talk about crystals, and (to their credit!) look years younger than their actual age.
The plates at Sage are always wonderfully balanced with fresh ingredients that pack the flavor and pair perfectly with the bistro’s own in-house kombucha and beverages. There are several Sage Bistro’s scattered throughout LA, I’d suggest you eat at the Echo Park or Culver City locations to be nearest to the action in the city.
The Essential Order:
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings for the table with smashed avocado toast (because you’re in LA) and a BBQ pulled pork jackfruit sandwich with an Orange Creamsicle Kombucha. It’s the most LA meal you’ll ever eat.
If you’ve been to LA but haven’t visited the Urth Caffé can you really say you’ve been to LA? Probably not. Urth Caffé isn’t the best coffee you’ll find in the city but it’s pretty damn good and the Downtown LA Arts District location is a must-visit for the location alone.
The Urth Caffé isn’t a grab-and-go coffee shop, so only go here if you intend to sit down, take in the surroundings, and slow slip your fresh prepared beverage. Whether you’re a hard espresso fan, prefer sweet matcha tea, or want to keep things creamy and rich with a cappuccino, Urth Caffé will keep you well supplied and offers vegan-friendly breakfast foods and baked goods, as well as classic LA staples like Huevos Rancheros burritos and yogurt bowls.
The Essential Order:
Honestly, we could do a whole deep dive on the Urth Caffê menu, but you can’t go wrong with the espresso macchiato, the red tea bebero, or the Mocha Mint for those hotter days.
If you’re for some reason trying to stay out of a car for as long as possible while visiting (you do realize you’re in LA right?) you could just hit up the Grand Central Market for all of your meals. Even before its recent renovation — which brought a lot of hip new eateries to the space — this food court has been a staple of good authentic Los Angeles food.
Whether you’re feeling Japanese cuisine, fresh bread loaves, BBQ, fancy peanut butter and jam sandwiches, wood-fired pizza, fresh fruit, chicken sandwiches, or ice cream, the Grand Central Market has it all under one roof. LA isn’t known for its sense of community (it exists, but not really for tourists) but the Grand Central market will give you a good idea of all the different types of food the city prides itself on.
Last week, Col3trane dropped off his luxurious vibe and first single of the year, “Bag” featuring Lucky Daye, and he partnered with Brandon Blackwood to do it. To help celebrate, the UK R&B star and Uproxx are giving one lucky fan the opportunity to score one of Brandon Blackwood’s most coveted and popular handbags.
“Bag” is the follow-up to Col3trane’s 2021 track “Californication.” Both songs are expected to live on his debut album Lush Life.
“‘Bag’ is about giving everything you can to someone,” the rising singer unveiled. “Material and emotional, and it still is not enough. I wrote this song with Lucky and Camper on Lucky’s birthday around October 2020. I sat on it for a while, made a lot of different versions and ended up going back in on it with Camper about a year later. He laid all the keys and bells pads in about 3 hours, solos and all. Bridge included. Watching him do that was crazy.”
Check out the official rules for the giveaway here.
The football world was rocked on Tuesday afternoon when word came out that now-former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores filed a class action lawsuit against the NFL and several teams, alleging a discriminatory hiring process by the New York Giants. Per Flores’ allegations, the Giants violated the Rooney Rule by making up their minds on hiring Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll — who eventually got the job — before interviewing him, with texts that he received from Bill Belichick prior to his interview submitted as evidence.
In the texts, Belichick texted Flores and congratulated him over getting the job before realizing he made a mistake and that the job was actually going to Daboll — both coaches spent time on Belichick’s staff in New England before moving on to other jobs. Flores went onto ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday morning and was asked about the texts he received from his former boss, including the things he felt upon learning Belichick contacted the wrong person.
“Disbelief, humiliation, that was a tough pill to swallow,” Flores said. “I have a great amount of respect for Bill and Brian Daboll. Brian’s a great coach, I think he’s going to do a great job as a coach in this league. I was upset that I wasn’t getting a true opportunity to show what I can do, to show what I can bring to a team, which I feel is a lot. That’s what I’ve shown in my time as a head coach.”
“That’s what this is all about as well, there’s not equal opportunity,” one of Flores’ lawyers, John Elefterakis, said. “This is not a knock on coach Daboll, this is a knock on the fact that the job was promised before coach Flores even got an opportunity, and there’s backroom dealings and information that coach Belichick knows. Why? Why is that being discussed? Why do people have this information? Why is a decorated coach like coach Flores humiliated into having to sit through an interview and dinner when a decision’s already been made.”
Flores was asked by Mike Greenberg why, despite being privy to this information, he opted to go through dinner and an interview with the team.
“Because I believe that, innately, people are good, and will do the right thing,” Flores said. “And there’s no way to allow them the opportunity to do the right thing or at least make it a fair situation unless I went there and showed them that I am qualified, that I am a leader of men, that I am passionate about coaching and building relationships. I’m gifted to coach, I am. I know that. And I wanted to show them that, and I think they saw that in the interview.”
Among the other topics covered in the interview was Flores’ allegation that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per loss during the 2019 season. “That was a conversation about not doing as much as we needed to do to win football games — take a flight, go on vacation, I’ll give you $100,000 per loss,” Flores told Greenberg. “Those are his exact words.”
There aren’t enough bands these days with an abundance of members. Lucky for us, Pittsburgh’s String Machine comes to us in full form with seven members that come together to reveal the depths of each of the songs, with a truly full and fleshed-out sound. The group’s forthcoming album Hallelujah Hell Yeah is due later this month, and boasts nine tracks that feel like they are continuing to evolve as you listen. With as many members in the mix as String Machine, the deeply personal songwriting allows listeners to really feel like a fly on the wall, melding into the group as another member.
Ahead of the album’s release many of the band’s members sat down to talk Neutral Milk Hotel, tight black jeans, and classic rock in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
David: Dense goosebump love music
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
David: I just hope it helps people the same way it helped me.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
David: Pittsburgh (of course) but also Cleveland or anywhere in NJ
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
David: My dad is building and fabricating a hot rod from scratch because of his love for it. Lately, I’ve been looking at his passion to understand mine.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
David: Champs Diner – Brooklyn NY
What album do you know every word to?
David:Flies In All Directions by Weatherbox.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
David: Neutral Milk Hotel at this beautiful theatre in Pittsburgh.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Dylan: Black jeans so tight that they become one with your legs & a button-down shirt for optional levels of airflow.
Laurel: Dylan is wrong. A dress, the breeze.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
David: At a house venue in Louisville that was once a church. We played on a fully lit church stage for 3 people sitting on a couch where pews used to be. I slept on that couch.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
Dylan: My cig-smokin’ pigeon tattoo is inspired by a 2020 of listening to Blaze Foley daily as my cookie-cutter Judeo-Christian worldview crumbled around me.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Dylan: So many but first that come to mind are Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Boston, and Bob Seger.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Ian: At a Lem (Ian & Laurel’s project) show one time, a random stranger drew two beautiful drawings for us while we played and gave them to us after our set. We became fast friends with April and she came to another show after that. We’ve shared many wonderful conversations since.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Ian: Take a god damn year off between high school and college
David: Manifesting kinda works, you’re not just stoned
What’s the last show you went to?
David: Wednesday & feeble little horse at Roboto
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Dylan: I cannot resist watching Con-Air when it’s on TV because Nic Cage’s Cameron Poe has all of these made up figures of speech such as “Ah, Christ in a cartoon.”
Kayla Berridge had been walking her normal 9-mile delivery route in Newmarket, a small town in New Hampshire, when she noticed something unusual.
The mail she had been delivering continued to pile up over a matter of days at one resident’s home. The resident was an elderly woman in her 80s, and would occasionally share a chat with Berridge, according to CNN.
Berridge told CNN that after noticing the unattended mail pile, she got “a little concerned.”
“I just had this gut feeling and wanted to make sure,” Berridge told WMUR 9 News, explaining that “most people put a hold in if they’re not there, so when people pick up their mail every day, you start to notice their habits.” Not to mention, the woman’s car was still in the driveway.
Berridge followed her instincts and called the local police department for a wellness check, and in the process saved the elderly woman’s life.
CNN reported that officers found the woman trapped on her bedroom floor under heavy artwork and frames. The theory is she tried to use her bed for support, and in the process these items on the bed fell onto her, pinning her down for three full days. Though she was suffering from hypothermia and dehydration, Police Lt. Wayne Stevens confirmed she was stable and recovering.
I can only imagine the agony and fear this poor woman was in, lying in the cold and not knowing if help would come. Luckily, help was on the way, and this story has a happy ending.
In this instance, the familiarity that comes from living in a small town really paid off. “Everyone has each other’s backs,” Berridge told CNN.
But Officer Stevens wanted to give credit where credit was due. He agreed that Berridge’s quick thinking was “part of being a letter carrier in a small town,” he added that her actions were “taking your job to the next level.”
While wellness or welfare checks have historically been associated with the elderly, they are seen as an equally “critical tool” for the safety of many young people as well, especially with the “rise of suicide rates among adolescents and young adults.”
An example of this is when “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson received a wellness check back in 2018. The comedian posted an alarming message to Instagram, saying “I really don’t want to be on this Earth anymore. I actually don’t know how much longer I can last.” This was after breaking off his engagement with Ariana Grande.
Though it certainly didn’t happen in a small town, the interconnectedness of social media helped raise some red flags and prompted authorities to make a visit.
If there’s anything to make you question someone’s well-being, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.
But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.
Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, “The Adventures of Dillon Helbig’s Crismis” (written by “Dillon His Self”) in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads “Made in Idho” [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children’s section.
The library Facebook page shared that it had officially added the book to the collection at the branch, writing, “Imagine our surprise yesterday when Dillon’s mom called to tell us that her son had authored an entire book, shelved it at the Lake Hazel Branch, then announced to his family later that he had written a book and it could be checked out at the library.”
The library also announced that Dillon’s book had won the first-ever Whoodini Award for Best Young Novelist—an award created in his honor.
Dillon told local news station KTVB that the book features him, his mom, Santa, a bomb, a portal and a giant carnivorous turkey. Because of course.
“I’ve been wanting to put a book in the library since I was five,” Dillon told the station. Nearly half his life, in other words.
Dillon said there were a lot of librarians he had to sneak past with his book to surreptitiously put it on the shelf, but he did it.
“I’ll always be sneaky, like how I get chocolate,” he explained. Classic.
The adults on every front handled this kid’s creativity and determination the best possible way. His mom called the library to let them know the book was there so it wouldn’t get lost or taken. And rather than just returning the book, the librarians actually put it into circulation.
“His parents were worried we would find his book and we would get rid of it,” Lake Hazel Branch Library manager Alex Hartman told KTVB. “Which was an unfounded fear because if there’s ever a place a book would be safe, it would be here.”
The librarians loved Dillon’s book.
“It deserves a spot on our library shelves,” said Hartman. “It’s a good story.”
At the time of this local news report, the book had a handful of people in line to check it out. But The New York Times reports that as of the end of January, the waiting list has grown to a whopping 56 people. If each person kept the book for the maximum four-week checkout period it would take four years to get to the people at the bottom of the list.
The experience has made Dillon decide to become an author, his mom said, and he even has some career goals laid out.
“I’m going to stop writing when I’m 40,” Dillon said. After that, he will switch to game creation. In the meantime, he has a sequel to his first novel in the works.
“My next book is going to be called ‘The Jacket-Eating Closet,’” he said, “based on actual events.”
Amazing. Kudos to Dillon for following his dream and making it happen, kudos to his mom for encouraging him and kudos to the librarians who saw an opportunity to support a child’s creativity and ran with it.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
follow @Col3trane + 
