By Debra Chaplan, Publisher

Wandering around the neighborhood this month, I noticed things worthy of a picture, and maybe a story, or maybe not. I hope you agree. And if you have snapshots of things that caught your eye, feel free to share. Send me a note through the comments below.

Street named for legendary rapper

Maybe you knew this already, but I was surprised to learn that the block of MacArthur that runs one way from Grand to Lakeshore is now Tupac Shakur Way and has been since November 2023.

Rap icon Tupac Shakur, who was born in New York City and lived in Baltimore before moving to California, claimed that he “got his ‘Game’ from Oakland,” according to the city council resolution. Apparently he lived in the neighborhood. “…I give all my love to Oakland; if I’ma claim somewhere, I’ma claim Oakland,” the rapper was quoted as saying. 

The street dedication last year included many other rappers and Tupac’s family.

Neighborhood beautification

Here’s a worker painting over graffiti on the Grand Lake Theatre.

If you would like to paint over grafitti, the Grand Lake Neighbors has many colors of paint to choose from. Contact Eric at: hughesearthur@gmail.com

A strong statement

Maybe because I agree with the statement, I just love that theatre owner Allen Michaan tracks the political scene on his marquee.

Keep it up!

Thank you, Seeds Crocker

I’m not sure who’s behind Seeds Crocker, but they turned an unappealing traffic triangle between Wells Fargo and the BMO bank into a delightful garden.

I just noticed it at press time, and wrote to the Seeds Crocker, but as we’re upon deadline, I haven’t yet heard back. When I do (and feel free to contact me through comments), I’ll let the rest of the readership know more about the group.

Meantime, your work is appreciated!

As seen on Grand

Smitty’s is keeping it real and setting clientele priorities. Oops – maybe not!