Strikes and Gutters

One time Twin Cities skater/resident Steve Johnson, who previously managed the Discontent in Bismarck, is looking at a lengthy prison term following his conviction for selling synthetic marijuana. I heard this one on the radio earlier this week and just put it together today. From the Bismarck Tribune:

The owner of the Discontent chain of skateboard stores, which once included a location in Bismarck, could receive up to 30 years in prison after a South Central District Court jury found him guilty of four counts related to the sale of synthetic drugs and drug paraphernalia.

The jury deliberated nearly nine hours over two days in the case against Thomas Teply of Moorhead, Minn., and his employee, former Bismarck Discontent store manager Steven Johnson.

The jury convicted Johnson of three charges: possession of synthetic cannabinoids with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to deliver and delivery of synthetic cannabinoids. Johnson was acquitted of three charges, including two counts of conspiracy and one count of delivery of drug paraphernalia.

Johnson could receive up to 25 years in prison.

On a whole entirely lighter note, Boil the Ocean hit us with another banger:

Several skateboarders at New York’s Nike-augmented Lower East Side skatepark, which some advanced internet flunkies already had begun to scour for cracks and weeds and other signals of lax upkeep, expressed confusion toward the commercial.

“Lacrosse, fam?” remarked a bearded driller who gave his name as Skinny Todd.

Longtime skeptics of Nike’s expanding profile and influence in the skateboarding sphere were quick to argue the ad confirmed years-long suspicions that Nike would inevitably pull out of skateboarding at some inopportune moment, leaving certain skaters “high” and various others “dry,” in favor of the more-established legacy sports that require more advanced and expensive shoes and equipment, and where Nike’s technological prowess can draw deeper distinctions between its products and those of rivals — versus pitting its vulcanized soles against those of less deep-pocketed competitors.

“Lacrosse, fam,” said Burt Ballwickey, an artist specializing in dinosaur tattoos who sported a vintage “Don’t Do It” tee to a local bar. “Everybody knew when Nike showed up 15 years ago they wouldn’t stick around when things went south, and now this commercial proves it.”

“And at the end — the football gives the board a final shove, as if to say, ‘the jocks won,'” Ballwickey ranted.

More east metro rumblings:

@mmunzenrider rumors of a shop (Vicious Circle?) at Ruth & 94; dude was giving out shirts at oakdale last fall. Jul7 open date. very curious

— Dan Rusin (@DanRusin) July 23, 2015