It's that time again: National Night Out Against Crime

As I wrote last year at Ganging Up Against the Bad Guys and Gang up against bad guys in tonight's National Night Out Against Crime, the annual National Night Out campaign is "a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW)." NATW is a nonprofit, crime prevention organization which works in cooperation with over 6,000 crime, drug and violence prevention organizations and law enforcement agencies throughout the country.

National Night Out objectives are to:

• Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
• Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs;
• Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and
• Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

NATW reports: "Last year's National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. In all, over 34 million people participated in NNO 2006."

Visit the National Night Out website to learn more and:

• Access National Night Out Party and Event Ideas
• Learn who won National Night Out 2006 Awards, and how your city and state ranked
• Watch National Night Out Video highlights from various cities across the USA
• Learn about Project 365

If you're in or near the 49th Precinct tonight, why not check out this National Night Out 2007 event?

Source: Bronx Council on the Arts e-calendar.

Aug 7 / 5:00pm / Concert / 49th Precinct / Night Out Against Crime / Pelham Parkway
Mixed Nuts – A free concert in Senator Jeff Klein’s 2007 Summertime Symphonies concert series. 49th Precinct Night Out Against Crime, Pelham Parkway North & Wallace Avenue. Don’t forget to bring folding chairs and blankets. Co-sponsored by the Bronx Council on the Arts and the Westchester Arts Council. Click here for a complete schedule of Senator Klein’s 2007 Summertime Symphonies concerts. For more information, call 800-718-2039.

On May 6, many New Yorkers were caught between a run and some round places

Sunday, May 6 was a big day for many New Yorkers. Thousands of athletes, sports spectators and drivers within the New York metro area were affected. Whether picking from among the 35th annual Long Island Marathon, the 30th annual Five Boro Bike Tour, or the Yankees-Mariners Major League Baseball game to participate in or watch, or plotting a path of least resistance among the traffic-jammed down-state arteries, countless people were caught between a run and some round places.

The run, specifically the Long Island Marathon, started near and ended at one of my favorite sites in Nassau County (Eisenhower Park , formerly known as Salisbury Park). According to Wikipedia, the annual, 26.2-mile foot-race "was first run in 1970 as the "Earth Day Marathon" and was "renamed the Long Island Marathon in 1978." A half marathon (13.1 miles) was added in 1984 and a 10K run was added this year "to encourage greater participation in the event by providing a less vigorous run and one in which families can take part."

"2007 RexCorp Long Island Marathon Date Set for May 6" reports:

For the first time in its history, the marathon weekend will also incorporate a family-friendly "Kids’ Fun Run" at the Mitchel Athletic Complex as well as a "Museum Row Family Festival." Both activities are in the "Hub" area by the Nassau Coliseum.

Despite my fondness for Eisenhower Park, if I hadn't had to teach a course, and then go to bed to nurse a bug, I'd have made the rounds in the Five Boro Bike Tour. Bike New York says it's "the largest recreational cycling event in America." The proof is in the pedaling: 30,000 registered riders geared up to cyle around the 42-mile, traffic-free circuit around Manhattan, da Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Northwest of Nassau County, the New York Yankees were hosting the Seattle Mariners at "the House that Ruth Built." The Yankees-Mariners Major League Baseball game at Yankee Stadium in da Bronx was probably the most-watched of the events, what with its capacity of 57,545 and international news and sports coverage, including MLB multimedia.

I didn't watch any of the events live, but was affected nonetheless - all the way up in Westchester County - by the resulting traffic tie-ups along the New York State Thruway System and its tributaries. I let radio traffic reports guide me and tried to be cool, calm and collected.

Traffic was not all that was congested. . Fortunately, my trusty tissue box and I reached our destination promptly and I kept my cool - and my voice - until class ended. Ironically, though, when I shut the books and doused the lights, my voice shut off, too.

Never fear, I'll lick the laryngitis by any means necessary; certainly no later than high noon on my next big day (Wednesday, May 9). That's when I'll interview dancer-teaching artist Tanya Calamoneri, Co-Director and Manager, Sponsored Artist Program and Co-Director of (Performance Zone, dba) The Field. Join us on the Lisa Tolliver Show on New York Radio WVOX 1460 AM and wvox.com.

PHOTO CREDITS:

Top Left: Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour Logo.

Middle Right: Nassau County of Parks, Recreation and Museums. Caption: "The magnificent Veterans Memorial in Eisenhower Park pays tribute to those who have served the country."

Bottom Left: Yankee stadium exterior.jpg accessed at Yankee Stadium - Wikipedia.

Bottom Right: The Field logo.###