Posted: Tuesday, 22 July 2008 3:39PM
Big Live Blog, Green Efforts Part of 'Three Days in the D'
The world's largest live festival blog and green initiatives will be among the new features of the "3 Days in the D" event trifecta this Labor Day weekend, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau announced Tuesday.
Three signature events, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, the Detroit International Jazz Festival and the Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats are jointly marketed as "3 Days in The D."
Spearheaded by the DMCVB and the City of Detroit, "3 Days in The D" is in partnership with each event, helping to set the stage for one of the most popular and active weekends of the summer, Aug. 29 - Sept.
1.This year's Detroit International Jazz Festival is "A Love Supreme: the Philly-Detroit Summit" featuring a tribute to Motown's Marvin Gaye, a nod to Philly soul with Dee Dee Sharp, a battle of the big bands with the Count Basie and Gerald Wilson orchestras on stage at the same time, blues guitarist Derek Trucks and gospel with Dorinda Clark and Calvin Cooke's Sacred Steel. With a new commitment to jazz education, the festival will feature 29 middle and high school bands from Michigan as well as college bands from Philadelphia, Boston and Stockton, Calif.
2. Meanwhile, in Pontiac, Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats will be going green with ITC Greenways. These green initiatives including major recycling efforts with volunteer manned waste bins, use of bio-made and degradable cups, plates and utensils at all food and beverage locations, two blocks of environmental non-profit and vendor booths, and recycled materials used for all children's crafts with Arts & Scraps. Also, festivalgoers will be encouraged to take public transportation through promotions with SMART or ride their bikes along the Clinton River Trail to the event bike corral.
Arts, Beats & Eats also features the world's largest live festival blog where attendees can share their thoughts at the Blogin Cafe -- or show off their guitar gaming chops at the event's Guitar Hero Championships. In addition, the festival will be honoring military families at the Chrysler Freedom Fest.
3. Fans can expect more family entertainment, cars, drivers and teams -- along with a new racing series -- at this year's Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. Featuring the recently unified IndyCar Series, the American Le Mans Series and, new for 2008, the SCCA Speed World Challenge GT Championship, the on-track action will be spectacular at the Grand Prix. Live concerts featuring national musical acts will perform Saturday and Sunday.
There will also be plenty of new activities in the Family Fun Zone and an increased focus on environmentally friendly "green" racing initiatives and fan comfort throughout the weekend, including improved transportation on and off the island.The Michigan State Fair in Detroit, Michigan Peach Festival in Romeo and the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly complete a great weekend in the region.More at www.visitdetroit.com, www.detroitgp.com, www.artsbeatseats.com or www.detroitjazzfest.com.
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Editorial: Taking baby steps to energy independence
Jul 24, 2008 by The Baltimore Examiner Newspaper
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - With the federal government dragging its feet on energy policy, it’s up to the states and counties to lead the way in weaning us from our finite supply of fossil fuels.
Baltimore County last week proved itself open and ready for that responsibility. Deputy Zoning Commissioner Thomas Bostwick ruled that a Monkton family could build a 120-foot wind turbine on its 50-plus acres despite the spurious arguments of some neighbors that it would lower property values in the surrounding area, hurt wildlife and be too noisy.
The approval meant granting an exception to a rule that caps poles on residential property at 15 feet. Given the cost of building the turbine, which could reach $120,000, we doubt this will start a stampede to the zoning commissioner’s door for more exemptions.
But it showed the county is ready to revisit outdated rules to adapt to a changing economic climate. To prevent more zoning debates, County Council members should address the issue and pass legislation explicitly allowing turbines. Carroll County in May passed the state’s first law allowing turbines up to 150 feet in backyards.
Aesthetics must not stop worthy alternative energy projects. No study that we can find shows wind turbines hurt property values, and accusations they will be too noisy are false. The one planned for the Antonelli family in Monkton will be as loud as a window unit air conditioner, according to the electrician for the project.
And at what price wildlife? Environmentalists say we must not drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because birds and wildlife could potentially be hurt. Must we also deny people the right to develop viable renewable energy sources because a few members of a certain species might be hurt? We need to get energy from somewhere.
Individual windmills are no solution to the state or the country’s energy problem. As Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6, has pointed out in these pages, we need the equivalent of a federally funded Manhattan Project to accomplish that goal.
But in the interim, encouraging people to become energy self-sufficient by giving them the legal tools to do so only makes sense.
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