From the “whatever are they up to now” files comes this story of former pro skateboarder, artist, New Deal co-founder Andy Howell, his return to the Outer Banks in 2021, and the startup of his skateboarding x fishing brand Ghost Ship, from the pages of The Outer Banks Voice.
“Point blank, my best childhood memories are from here,” Howell told the Voice. “My dad taught me to fish the surf here, and I caught my first fish off the beach in Kitty Hawk. First time I ever stood up on a surfboard was in Kitty Hawk. My first surfboard was a Lightning Bolt from Secret Spot. The first skate park I ever skated as a kid in the late 70’s was Barney’s Concrete Curl. Those moments are so core to who I am.”
Ghost Ship is a “lifestyle brand specializing in skateboards, surfboards, fishing rods, apparel, and accessories that represent Outer Banks history and culture.” Click the link for all the details.
Yes, Tony Hawk skates back and forth in front of the Oceanside, California pier while singing Nine Inch Nails Wish (performed by a super group of rock players you might know). It sounds good and even features a suburban Trent Reznor sighting.
Remember that time former pro snowboarder Trevor Jacob posted a video in which he ditched his airplane by jumping out with a parachute and let the plane crash somewhere in the Los Padres National Forest near Lompoc, California? Remember how aviation experts called bullshit on his needing to ditch the plane that glides so well? Apparently, the United States Attorney’s Office of Central District of California never forgot. They stayed after him and now Trevor has decided to plead guilty (click the link to read it) to the “intent to obstruct a federal investigation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1519,” according to a story on Court House News.
A felony count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Obviously, he would not agree to enter a plea if he was going to get the maximum sentence, so hopefully he’ll get out from under this with a minimum of prison time. He’s asked for less than two years, so we will see. Neither Jacob nor the government commented on the case.
Through a new partnership Street League Skateboarding is streaming its content on Rumble, video home of pretty much every single right-wing nut job on the internet, according to a story in The Guardian.
“We are excited to partner with a growing platform like Rumble to create one truly global destination for action sports fans,” Thrill One CEO Joe Carr said in a March press release. “Our athletes have over 100 million social followers worldwide and that community will finally have the opportunity to watch every NRX and SLS event, live and free, for the first time.”
SLS will likely be right at home with Russell Brand, and fans of a certain former head of state. Ah, marketing!
There are many ways to monetize your fame. One of them is public speaking. One of the saddest is speaking to a room full of sweaty-assed, drunk men in logo’d polo shirts. And if there is anything worse than that, it is being the keynote speaker for an automobile glass sellers convention. No doubt, Auto Glass Week is excited to have noted Hollywood star-dater Shaun White speak. But what is Auto Glass Week you ask? Here, let them explain:
Auto Glass Week 2023 will showcase advancements and innovations in the OE and aftermarket auto glass repair, replacement and calibration industry and forge new professional connections. With new products launches, an expanding market, customers in high demand and an overflow of creativity, the potential in this industry is unmatched.
Exciting, no? Obviously, Shaun White is not afraid to speak to whomever is paying him. Let’s just hope they’re paying him six digits.
It’s been a while, but it seems skateboard towing deaths will never go away. The family of Liam McGuire, a 16-year-old skateboarder from Manlius, New York, won’t be the same after he hung on to the side of his best friend’s car and fell, hitting his head. He died four days later on Saturday, April 29, 2023.
Liam touched many people. Family and friends gathered Sunday at a vigil in the neighborhood to share stories about him. That’s where one woman shared how Liam spent hours teaching her to snowboard. . . Liam’s best friend was driving the car that Liam was holding on to when he fell. Liam’s family said the friend and his family stopped by the hospital several times.
Horrible reminder that skateboard towing rarely ends well. Don’t do it.
A little reminder that in any tropical paradise there are many more pieces in play than anyone could possibly imagine, from Vanity Fair.
Five years ago, Ratu “Jona” Joseva, a 32-year-old Indigenous Fijian boat taximan, and two Aussie lifelong surfing bros, Navrin Fox and Woody Jack, bought an overgrown five-acre patch of coastline on Malolo, among the most popular of Fiji’s more than 330 islands. With its crescent beaches, Seussian palms, and proximity to the international airport, the roadless three-mile-long island has become a post-lockdown playground for billionaire yachties and privacy-seeking celebs.
What could possibly go wrong? Click the link for the rest of the horrifyingly complex story.
If you’re depending on a Black Diamond Recon LT avalanche transceiver to save your life when you get buried on your next backcountry trip, you might want to update the firmware immediately. Apparently, they can, on occasion, NOT WORK AT ALL.
The recalled transceivers can unexpectedly enter search mode due to interference from other beacons. If this occurs, the device could fail to transmit the position of survivors of an avalanche, resulting in delayed search and rescue operations, which could result in severe bodily harm or death if the skier is buried under snow.
So, don’t use it. Update the firmware, and then pray that the new firmware works better than the last. Side note: this doesn’t appear to be anything new for Black Diamond. They appear to have avalanche beacon recalls every year.
If you’re depending on a 
