‘Louie Louie’ singer dies

Jack Ely, who became famous for recording "Louie Louie" in 1963 and then going on to other non-music adventures for the rest of his life, died at his Redmond, Oregon home.

Jack Ely

Ely was an original member of the Kingsmen, a band formed in 1959 that mostly performed cover versions of songs. The group recorded "Louie Louie" at a studio in its home city of Portland for $36 in a 10x10 studio.

It became one of the most famous songs of the 20^th century.

The song was written in the mid-1950s by Richard Berry. "Louie Louie" has been covered hundreds of times.

Ely's incoherent words caused the FBI to check whether the song was obscene. The 455-page investigative report found the words to be "unintelligible at any speed." 

Ely and other band members attributed the indistinct lyrics to the microphone suspended from the ceiling, forcing Ely to shout up at it.

Ely had a falling out with the band shortly after the song was recorded. He later trained horses in Central Oregon and was content with his legacy as a one-hit wonder.

Jayne Meadows dies

Actress Jayne Meadows Cotter, who took turns lighting up the stage as well as the small and silver screens during her five-decade career, died Sunday at her home in Encino, California. She was 95.

Jayne Meadows

Meadows was married to legendary TV personality (and frequent collaborator) Steve Allen for 46 years until his death in 2000. She was also the sister of actress Audrey Meadows, who starred in the Jackie Gleason sitcom “The Honeymooners.”

Born in 1919 in Wuchang, China, where her parents were serving as Episcopal missionaries, Jayne came to the U.S. as a child.

Among her many Broadway performances, Meadows starred in “Many Happy Returns” (1945) with Mary Astor, “Kiss Them for Me” (1945) with Richard Widmark and “The Gazebo” (1958) with Walter Slezak.

Meadows' first movie role was in the 1946 film noir “Undercurrent,” with Katharine Hepburn and Robert Taylor. She also appeared in “Lady in the Lake” (1947) with Robert Montgomery and “Enchantment” (1948) with David Niven.

She was married to screenwriter Milton Krims before Allen.

Meadows was a regular panel member on the game show “I’ve Got a Secret” from 1952 to 1959. She got Emmy nominations for her roles in “Meeting Of Minds,” “St. Elsewhere” and “High Society” series.

Meadows is survived by her son Bill, three stepsons, three grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Listen up, BJ retirees:

Beacon’s Best Expo on Saturday

Sue Lindeman, in Advertising at the BJ, has issued a shoutout to BJ retirees to attend ABJ's Beacon's Best Expo at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at the University of Akron Quaker Station. Parking is free.

If you’re interested, contact Sue at slindeman9@hotmail.com

Sue’s full announcement:

“ABJ Retirees and their families and friends are cordially invited to the Beacon's Best Expo on Saturday, May 2, at Quaker Station, 135 S. Broadway, from 1-4 p.m.  The event is FREE with only a donation of a non-perishable canned food item for the Akron-Canton Foodbank.  There is free parking at Quaker Station.  

“There will be door prizes, live music and a kids area where Browser, our Mascot, will greet kids.  Expo vendors will be some of the ABJ's Beacon's Best annual contest winners, such as Swenson's Foodtruck, Acme, Gervasi Vineyard, Kames Sports, the Italian-American Festival, E Martini, Ellet IGA, Sit Means Sit (dog training), WQMX and WAKR, GG Dentists (aka as Dr. George's Family Dentistry), Forquer Heating and Air Conditioning.

“Hope to see you Saturday!”

Sue once worked the Classified phone room with Margaret Samulak, Linda Williams Torson (Mike Williams’ sister) and Sue Robinson under the watchful eye of manager Helen Becton.

Most of that gang got together in April for Janet Hall’s birthday party at Barberton Belgrade Gardens. This one seems to be an annual event.

These ladies know how to have fun. And any excuse will do for a party.

Carolina reunion for former BJ leaders

A pair of former BJ management guys had a reunion over the weekend at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Terence & Greta Oliver, Mizell Stewart III

That would be former BJ managing editor Mizell Stewart III, managing director of content for Milwaukee’s Journal Media Group, and Terence Oliver, former BJ assistant managing editor/art director.

Let Mizell explain it:

“It was an honor this weekend to be the featured speaker at the annual alumni gathering of the Chuck Stone Program for Diversity and Education in Media. It was also an honor to be in the presence of the program's directors, Professor Terence and Dr. Greta Oliver!”

After teaching at Ohio University for nine years, Terence switched to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. His email address is Terence.oliver@unc.edu

Terrence has an associate’s degree in commercial art from Michigan’s Ferris State University, a bachelor’s degree in advertising from that same school and a master’s degree in art education from Ohio University.

He worked as an artist and designer at the PD and BJ. He also has taught at Kent State and at the Poynter Institute.

Terence was part of the 2001 BJ exodus when about five centuries of experience walked out the door on the same day. He was at the BJ for 10 years.

Golden status for Mike Kernan and wife

Retired BJ printer Mike Kernan and wife Mitzi Lantz Kernan celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary April 24 in St. Andrew Church in Norton. They were married in 1965 at St. Mary’s Church in Akron.

Ohio Guard shooting; Filo's Pulitzer photo; inset of Filo & Mary Vecchio in 2010

‘Day the ‘60s Died’ along with 4 Kent State students

PBS’ “The Day the ‘60s Died” will deal with May 1970 when American seemed at war with itself and was killing its children at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 25 – WVIZ (Channel 25) and PBS Western Reserve (WEAO, Channels 45/49).

President Richard Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia and Gov. Jim Rhodes sending Ohio National Guard to Kent State led to four KSU students killed -- Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder -- and nine wounded and the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War for America.

The PBS program interviews those who were there: students and Guardsmen, young soldiers fighting in the Cambodian jungle, construction workers battling anti-war demonstrators on Wall Street, survivors of the police shootings at Jackson State College, staff of the Nixon administration trying to manage a war in Indochina amidst an uprising at home. White House adviser and Nixon speechwriter Pat Buchanan; Mark Rudd, co-founder of the radical anti-war student group Weatherman; former Kent student and current columnist for The New York Times Gail Collins; and student protester and Jerry Casale, founder of the band Devo.

During May 1970, frustration and anger split American society apart, and we still live in the aftermath of that rift. 

That horrendous day brought Kent State’s John Filo a Pulitzer for his photo of Mary Vecchio over a fallen student.

Greg Crosier’s son passes away

Frank Jacob Crosier, son of Frank Gregory Crosier,  BJ Advertising Layout Coordinator, passed away Monday, April 13. Greg works in advertising creative services and is responsible for placing the ads, the color, managing space and making sure it all fits on the press (what Johnny Grimm once did).

 

Greg's father, Frank Crosier, Jr., who passed away last June, was a 35-year Goodyear Tech Center employee till his retirement, coached Manchester Youth Baseball for 25 years and had lived in Manchester.  Greg's grandfather was Frank Crosier, Sr.

Greg's son Frank’s obituary:

Frank Jacob Crosier, 25, of New Franklin, passed away unexpectedly to embrace his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, April 13, 2015.

Jake was born in Barberton, Ohio on April 7, 1990. He lived life with a passion and every day to the fullest. Jake enjoyed sports, the outdoors and riding motorcycles. He considered everyone he met as a friend and would always be there for them when needed.

Jake leaves behind his dad, Frank Gregory Crosier; sister, Sara; grandmother, Diane Crosier; many aunts, uncles, cousins and a mass amount of great friends. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Frank Crosier and mother, Minnie Rohr.

Though Jake's life was short-lived, he would be proud to know that him being an organ donor will bring joy and life to someone in need.

Many thanks to the New Franklin Paramedics and the Barberton CCU Staff for all their care and support.

Cremation has taken place. Jake's family will receive friends on Saturday, April 25th from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Campfield-Hickman-Collier Funeral Home, 566 W. Park Ave., Barberton 44203.

330-745-3161

Published in Akron Beacon Journal on Apr. 23, 2015

For seven weeks it was “All, Hail!” to the glories of California for former BJ State Desk reporter Pam McCarthy.

She saw grandchildren Jackson and Elia nearly every day and “also had some great quality time with daughter Beth and son-in-law Andy. Saw daughter Kate (travel nurse in San Diego) several times.”

Visited friends in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

“And woke up to sunny blue skies every single day!”

And alongside husband Ken Pakenham, who taught English at the University of Akron when Pam’s sister was Ken’s secretary when they Pam and Ken met.

Ken, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Pam were married in 1988 and are the parents of  twins Michael and Kate.

Bethany Marvin Stevens, the daughter of Pam and former BJ photographer Tom Marvin of Cochocton, Ohio, is a Los Angeles attorney specializing in commercial litigation.

But, as we all do when we return to Ohio, we’re not in California or Florida any more, Toto.

Pam writes:

“Okay, it's hailing in North Canton. Seriously? I suppose it could be described as really heavy sleet . . . ” 

University of Akron graduate Pam retired in 2008 after 33 years of teaching English and journalism at North Canton Hoover High School.

Then she launched into another career, as Independent Consultant and District Manager at Arbonne International.

2015 Pulitzer Winners

PUBLIC SERVICE - The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC

BREAKING NEWS REPORTING - The Seattle Times Staff

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING - Two Prizes: - Eric Lipton of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal Staff

EXPLANATORY REPORTING - Zachary R. Mider of Bloomberg News

LOCAL REPORTING - Rob Kuznia, Rebecca Kimitch and Frank Suraci of the Daily Breeze, Torrance, CA

NATIONAL REPORTING - Carol D. Leonnig of The Washington Post

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING - The New York Times Staff

FEATURE WRITING - Diana Marcum of the Los Angeles Times

COMMENTARY - Lisa Falkenberg of the Houston Chronicle

CRITICISM - Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times

EDITORIAL WRITING - Kathleen Kingsbury of The Boston Globe

EDITORIAL CARTOONING - Adam Zyglis of The Buffalo News

A finalist was Dan Perkins, drawing as Tom Tomorrow, of Daily Kos, for cartoons that create an America frozen in time whose chorus of conventional wisdom is at odds with current reality.

BREAKING NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY - St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photography Staff

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY - Daniel Berehulak , freelance photographer, The New York Times

FICTION - "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr (Scribner)

DRAMA - "Between Riverside and Crazy" by Stephen Adly Guirgis

HISTORY - "Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People " by Elizabeth A. Fenn (Hill and Wang)

BIOGRAPHY - "The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe" by David I. Kertzer (Random House)

POETRY - "Digest" by Gregory Pardlo (Four Way Books)

GENERAL NONFICTION - "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" by Elizabeth Kolbert (Henry Holt)

MUSIC - "Anthracite Fields" by Julia Wolfe (G. Schirmer, Inc.)

Bob DeMay gets top Ohio photographers honor

BJ picture editor Bob DeMay received the Robert S. Carson Award, the highest honor in the Ohio News Photographers Association organization, at the 2014 Annual Judging and Seminar.

Bob DeMay

DeMay, at the BJ since 1999, has been in ONPA for the 30 years, including ONPA Chairman of the Board 1998-2010, a driving force in the annual contest and the webmaster for onpa.org and the ONPA blog.

Kimberly Barth, BJ director of photography and graphics, is the ONPA treasurer.

Ed Suba Jr. was second in the General News category and third in the News Picture story, Phil Masturzo second in Sports Action and

Karen Schiely got Award of Excellence in the Product Illustration category.

Sixty-nine visual journalists from across the state submitted 903 entries in the 64th annual contest.

Eamon Queeney from the Columbus Dispatch and Jessica Phelps from the Newark Advocate were named Ohio News Photographers of the Year for 2014.

Andy Wallace of WBNS-TV in Columbus was named the 2014 ONPA Television Photographer of the Year. WBNS-TV in Columbus was named ONPA Station of the Year.

Robin Sallie’s niece passes away

The niece of photographer Robin Tinay Sallie, who left during the 2006 exodus from the BJ that discarded 264 years of service, passed away Saturday. She was 29.

She is the daughter of Robin’s sister, Meloney Sallie-Dousunmu.

Robin, who lives in Massachusetts, remembers, during her 12 years at Ol’ Blue Walls, that “I did every job in the photo department except director of photography.”

Those who went out the door with Robin in 2006 were columnist Diane Paparone Evans,
Debby Stock Kiefer, Jane Snow, Mike Needs, Kathy Spitz, Sarah Vradenburg, Gloria Irwin, Jocelyn Williams, Mary Ethridge, Dave Hertz, Andale Gross, Kim Profant and Tim Good.

John Olesky, Jim Carney, Paula Tucker, daffodils

A trip to enjoy the daffodils display at Furnace Run Park turned into a BJ reunion for former reporter Jim Carney and newsroom retiree John Olesky and former BJ State Desk reporter Paula Tucker.

Jim had just returned from his hike/tour of the Daffodils Trail when John and Paula pulled into the parking lot.

Jim’s and his wife, BJ reporter Katie Byard,  who is about a decade away from retirement age, plan a trip through New England in June.

Jim’s son, Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, still is dealing with his shoulder injury caused by an unfriendly wave on St. Barth’s beach in the Caribbean in January.

Carney and former Firestone High classmate Dan Auerbach – the Black Keys – had to cancel concerts in Australia, Europe, Japan and New Zealand. Cancellation insurance – which have very expensive premiums – softened the financial loss.

If he’s in town, Jim plans to show up at the annual former BJ folks gathering at Primo’s Deli on Akron’s Vernon Odum Boulevard that PD and former BJ entertainment critic Mark Dawidziak organizes.

If you want to join the lunch bunch for a chew and chat about the Ol’ Blue Walls days, email Mark at hlgrouch@sbcglobal.net because he has to give Primo’s a head count. The exact noon June date will depend on which Friday has the least BJ people without a prior commitment.

Jim took a BJ buyout in May 2014. John retired from the BJ in 1996 and has traveled to 52 countries, 43 states, taken 11 cruises (with a 12th, on the Danube River in Europe, lined up for August).