Looney Layne Has Movies on the Brain

By Eavin Moore

The two-year-old I spend time with loves Looney Layne, a recurring character in KQ2’s marketing of their internet offerings. Whenever his commercial comes on, the boy yells, “Looney Layne!” and runs for the TV to watch. I happen to know the unusual character behind the character and thought I should introduce you.

I met Layne Hull through my loose association with  F.A.M.E., the Film Alliance of the Midland Empire. These are the folks making films and working to attract outside filmmakers to our little town on the river. They have been around a couple of years now and have been involved in several indie projects, many with a horror/zombie leaning. Viewers saw Layne fill the screen as a psycho killer in The Lewis and Clark Trail of Blood by local writer director D Byron. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Thursday, July 10th, 2008
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My 20 Minutes with a Porn Star.

By Eavin Moore

So my wife called me last week and said “Wanna tell me why you’re getting emails from a Porn Star?” I assumed it was another one of those male enhancement offers. I can’t figure out why they are targeting me? Like I really need that! Ha ha ha. That’s funny.

When I got home I read the whole email and found my name had been drawn from a bowl at The Regular Joe office. It seems that a big star in the adult film industry is coming to town and through the luck of the draw it seemed I would be conducting a one-on-one with one Miss Daisy Duxe.

I wasn’t there, but the way I hear it went down was, Jimmy Hamilton was the first to see the email and he was all over it. He could have had it in the bag, but he screwed up. He had to go and brag about it. As soon as Venis A Venable heard about it he argued, “Why do you get to do it? That’s age discrimination!” Then Bob Shultz valiantly stepped up to offer his services, claiming that since she was primarily a film star, it was really his area. Publisher, Jay Kerner was tired of all the bitching and put all the Joe writer’s names (including his own) in a bowl, and well, you guessed it. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Thursday, June 26th, 2008
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Delights from Delish!

By Eavin Moore

 

I have a sweet tooth. Not that unusual for a member of the generation raised on processed sugar and pre-packaged treats. The world is filled with Ho Ho’s and Dingdongs, Twinkies and Little Debbies. There are aisles of them at the grocery store. They’re in the vending machines where you work. If your workplace is too small for a machine, they’re probably in a cardboard tray on the honor system.

 

I eat it like a lot of you do, but I remember a time when it wasn’t nearly as prevalent. I remember when the neighborhood bakery was the place to go for pastry goods. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Saturday, June 14th, 2008
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Shakers Add Spice for Local Collector

By Eavin Moore

 

Last week I got the kind of call I just love, from a lady asking would I like to come see her boyfriend’s salt and pepper shaker collection. Heck yes I would!

 

I’ve spent too much time lately visiting retailers. Not that I mind that, there’s plenty of interesting places with unique merchandise to peruse, but my passion is collections. I like nothing better than seeing the items others hold dear, and digging to find out why.

 

I had the great pleasure to visit St. Joe resident Jonal Felder in his beautiful home in the shadow of

Krug Park last weekend. I quickly found out that his girlfriend mentioned the whole thing kind of last minute. He was unwrapping boxes of shakers as we talked. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
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Big Boy Toys Galore at Horizon Outdoor

By Eavin Moore 

I’ve got an idiot brother-in-law. You may have one yourself. Mine is a fat slob, who had the good fortune to not only be the child of wealthy parents, but also to have landed my beautiful, but long suffering sister. I don’t have to worry about offending him in print because I’m not sure he can read. His name is Ted. 

Ted is an incompetent buffoon and the bane of my existence. He figured out early in our relationship that he doesn’t really need to know anything besides who to call when he’s in a jam. You guessed it, he calls me. 

Last Saturday was a perfect example. He called as I was having my first cup of coffee of the morning. My wife answered and handed the phone to me. She knew if I had seen the caller ID, I’d have just let it ring.  

“Good Morning Sport,” he said. He knows I hate when he calls me that. 

He wanted to know if I could come out to L.A. (lower Amazonia), with my trailer and haul his sorry butt and his even sorrier riding mower in to town for repair. You would think someone in his financial position would just hire a lawn service to take care of the grounds, but no, he makes Sis do it. My guess is that she treasures the time in the saddle, where the noise from the engine drowns out the sound of his voice.  

Anyway, he has this old 60’s model rider he got from his folks, that is basically held together with baling wire and duct tape. He insists it will last forever, but my guess is that he could have replaced it with new for what he keeps spending on repairs. Obviously you can’t reason with an idiot. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Thursday, May 15th, 2008
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Join Us For Uptown’s Historic Homes Tour

by Eavin Moore 

There has been plenty of talk over the last couple of years about The Uptown St. Joseph Revitalization Project. I don’t want to spend a lot of time here re-hashing the politics of the whole thing. There has certainly been enough of that already. The demolition of Heartland’s Downtown campus was the impetus for the project, but it is the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhoods, that I would like to speak to today. 

As a resident of the Cathedral Hill neighborhood, I was more than a little interested in the mini-drama as it unfolded, mainly to see how it would impact the area where I live. 

I am pleased to report that so far, the plan seems to be working as intended. The financial incentives that are the backbone of the program have encouraged many area homeowners to get on board. While progress on the former hospital site has been slower than we might have hoped, progress in the surrounding area can be measured almost daily. All I have to do is step outside my front door every weekend, to be greeted with the sounds of construction. Hammers and saws mean things are happening. A great chance to see some of this first hand will happen on Sunday, May 4th, 2008 from 2-5pm, with the Uptown Historic Homes Tour. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
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Discount Wallpaper Store Keeps Me Rolling

By Eavin Moore

My wife hates painted walls. I never caught on to this until after we were married. I’m not saying it would have changed my mind, but it’s definitely something I feel she should have disclosed prior to the engagement.

As we toured what would become our first home together, she kept saying cryptic things like, “hmmm, I think we could do something with this room.” I thought she meant hang a picture here, put a throw rug there, that kind of thing. Ha! Little did I know.

She’s pretty devious that one. She waited until after we had signed our names a couple of hundred times at the closing before suggesting a stop to look at wallpaper on the way home. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Thursday, April 17th, 2008
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The Finest Collection in Town, Bar-Nun!

By Eavin Moore

 

We’ve been busy with retail the last several issues and have drifted away from our true passion; examining unusual private collections. Frankly, the phone has quit ringing. Do you think your Uncle Ted’s fishing lures are not interesting enough? Are you afraid your grandma’s attic filled with cartoon jelly glasses wouldn’t make the cut? Well think again!

 

As an example of what we are looking for, I have decided to give you a little peek at one of my own private collections, my nun memorabilia. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Thursday, April 3rd, 2008
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Belt Sports Complex Continues to Grow with St. Joe.

 

By Eavin Moore.

 

The Belt Bowl was just three years old when Norman and Helen Tucker bought the original 18 lane facility in 1960. Back then, what we now know as the Belt Highway was just a rutted old road, out on the edge of town. The miniature golf course was up the way, but that was it. They claim their business to be the second oldest on the Belt, after Cool Crest.

 

My own first visit to the old Belt Bowl was in the daycare center, back in the early 60s. My mom bowled one afternoon a week in a ladies league, and I spent the time in the nursery. You couldn’t see the bowling from in there, but I remember the sound of strikes and spares coming right through the walls.

 

A few years later it was my turn. Saturday morning league, matching t-shirt colors for each team. There were lessons from Mr. Tucker, with his flat top haircut, and Mrs. Tucker was behind the counter. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Friday, March 21st, 2008
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Local Bagpipers Liven Up St. Paddy’s Day

by Eavin Moore

If you’ve ever been to a wedding or a funeral where bagpipes were
involved, I don’t have to tell you how emotional it is. There is just
something so ancient and elemental about the sounds that come out of this
strange contraption. With the approaching St. Patrick’s Day celebration
upon us, I thought it a good opportunity to take a closer look at some of
the local practitioners and pass along a bit of their schedule, so you
can check them out in person. (Full story)

Posted by: admin on Saturday, March 8th, 2008
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