When I first folded Wallyhood, I received a few emails from people who offered to take it over. I was worried about what it would become, and demurred, but in retrospect, I think that was selfish.
As I’ve been talking to people in the neighborhood, I’ve come upon all sorts of stories that really ought to be shared. The recent string of arsons, for example, and the subsequent arrest of the (alleged) culprit. And more that I didn’t post:
- Wide World Books and Maps, one of the unique shops that makes Wallingford not just another franchise store strip, may be closing, and is seeking help to stay open.
- While there’s been an uptick in package theft, there was a pleasant story on the Wallingford/Fremont Facebook page about a construction worker chasing down and retrieving a package.
- Someone just posted “I just had a guy pressing up against my front windows high as shit just now – my doors were locked but be aware tonight.” to the same Wallingford/Fremont Facebook page.
Anyway, what I’ve been hearing from people over and over via email and as I’ve run into them is that Wallyhood was doing good, helping people connect and communicate with their neighbors. And the reality is, by creating Wallyhood, and making it successful, any alternatives never had the chance to grow.
So, just because I don’t want to work on it, and just because it might become something different than it was when it was mine, mine, mine, that’s kind of a lousy reason to shut it down.
So, I’d like to invite people who are interested in taking over responsibility for it to meet, and let’s see if we can get it going again. I’m not sure what the model would be (Collective of contributors with an “editor in chief”? Free-for-all? Single person blog?), but I’d like that to come from the people who are interested in taking it up, anyway. Either way, I would like to pass it on to a group of people or person who can carry it forward it into whatever it will become.
Please email me at [email protected] if you’re interested and we’ll set a time to meet and talk about whether and how to make it happen.
(Early Morning at Gas Works by Ash)
Hi Jordan!
I have Mywallingford.com, and need an editor! It is a paid position!! Not a ton of money, but we would LOVE to roll Wallyhoodinto our blog and pay someone to continue! Please contact me if you or someone else is interested!
Best,
Sara Willy
[email protected]
Or [email protected]
hi Jordan,
I am glad to see you opening up the ideas. The neighborhood FB group has not as I might have hoped continued with as much as it could. You began soemthing which has been sorely missed. You have had other contributors who did well.
I do encourage you to not just fold under mywallingford as so far their coverage has always seemed minimal.. and getting folded under it would not allow some of the interesting articles which have been published before.
I’ve opined before on the distinction between a blog and a community organ. Mywallingford makes an interesting comparison in that light – it has plenty of content, it’s professional and every bit what I’m calling a community organ. If they’re missing out on any relevant news, I bet they’d be glad to fix that.
For me it doesn’t really fill the role of making those neighborhood connections, though, the way Wallyhood did. I hate to think it’s all about those stupid comment discussions that were attached to blog articles, but that’s part of it. Mywallingford doesn’t have those comment discussions, not because they aren’t supported (I think they are), but partly because the articles very professionally avoid taking controversial positions – land use, entertainment venue noise, whatever. And partly because they are news articles, they aren’t about ordinary non-news life and the little issues that crop up. I don’t think it has to be that way, but it informs without really engaging.
What a thoughtful and humble message! I never would have signed my son up for T-Ball or known about a hundred other great things in our neighborhood without this blog. I’ll send a note directly too.
Have so appreciated Wallyhood over the years. Glad to see some life breathed back into it.
I just want the old Wallyhood back. The thing that kept me coming back was that it was smart. Apologies to the MyWallingford folk but I just don’t see the same level of commitment to writing challenging posts that Eric and Jordan brought. I’m so mad at that troll for ruining something for his own selfish gain. Whatever that may be. What a sad sad man he is. And I’m mad that I’m giving him satisfaction by writing this.
And I’m mad at all the self-righteous idiots who behave as if they have no life experience that they expect everyone to reach some ridiculous level of purity that they decide. Of all those people who called Eric a racist, how many of you have ever even considered adopting a child?
I’m really sorry. It’s just lousy.
Jordan and Eric are grown up guys who are doing what they want with their free time. If they really wanted to be pushing this along, they could deal with the crazies etc. that turn up.
I have missed Wallyhood and would love to see it back. Maybe with “this is a BLOG, not professional journalism” as background wallpaper for those folks who couldn’t remember the difference. Thank you Eric and Jordan for all your hard work; I’m glad you let your personalities come through. I wish there was a way to squelch the knee jerk trolls.
If you bring things back, please don’t combine with another site. Wallyhood is unique and should stay that way.
I agree. I love Wallyhood. And I miss it. I hoped Mywallingford would fill the void, but it is something quite different from Wallyhood. If Wallyhood comes back, which I hope it will, it should stay the way it was, as much as it can. Thank you Jordan and Eric for creating something so special that its sorely missed.