Some events just lend themselves to a picture gallery, as I did with St. Paddy’s Day. Here’s what I saw at noon today, at the 1300 block of Main, as Columbia celebrated its 225th birthday.
And here are the descriptions — captions, cutlines, whatever — that Kathryn is clamoring for:
- The cake — courtesy of Piggly Wiggly, I think the mayor said.
- Invited to sign the big card, I wrote, “Hail the Great Compromise!” Which is why Columbia is here. No, that’s not what my handwriting usually looks like. The best space left was practically on the ground, and I was almost standing on my head writing it. Awkward. You’ll notice the penmanship around it isn’t so hot, either.
- Kids from the school at my church, St. Peter’s Catholic. They led us in “Happy Birthday.”
- Hanging out before the ceremony — Hizzoner the mayor, Sen. Darrell Jackson and Rep. James Smith.
- You just can’t get those YPs to put the device down and pay attention. This is Sam Johnson, who works for the mayor.
- It was very sunny, very warm — I could really feel it where I got sunburned Saturday. Good turnout. Look! There in the crowd is Jeffrey Day, formerly of The State. And… a bunch of other people.
- WIS was double-teaming it.
- Boyd Summers, of the Richland County Democratic Party, and Jim Manning, of the county council.
- Adam Beam of The State was watching very intently (here’s his account of the founding of the city). That’s Mike Wukela of the mayor’s office next to him.
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Captions cost extra or what?
Sheesh, gimme a minute. I literally hit the button to publish the gallery as someone was waiting in the door for me to go to a meeting with a prospective. Client. Figured it was better to put up SOMETHING than nothing…
Cutlines coming momentarily.
yeah yeah
Throw us over for a “client”–after we were there for you way back when…
Actually, the Gallery feature is awkward on captions.
Happy 225, Columbia. I made it my mission about a decade ago to campaign via the newspaper for Honolulu to celebrate its bicentennial, as Kamehameha I established the little fishing town as the kingdom’s capitol around 1804. Seems like a no-brainer. Finally the city decided to celebrate only its centennial, pegging it to incorporation in 1905. Not one word during the rather crappy “celebration” mentioned a single thing prior to 1905, as if the city did not exist prior. Sigh.
I don’t think I’ve even seen Sam Johnson without his phone in hand. Ever. He’s even worse than you (who has forced President Robin to make the Warthen Announcement about the need to back away from the phone during the meeting, and especially during the speaker!!!).
I know, you can quit any time.