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Zips' Porter creates culture of success
Bunbury helps push Zips soccer team forward
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Willard: Convicted UA trustee is no quitter
Actor Bernsen enjoying ride of derby movie project
Giving Doll ministry hits 5,000 milestone
Region's stocking full of ideas for those on the prowl for holiday gifts
Retired firefighter who broke color barrier among those being honored
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Man allegedly paid teens to spit in his face
Angel Food Ministries helps stretch grocery dollars
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 13-47
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 11:07 a.m. EDT, Jun 24, 2008
Attend a rock concert. Check.
Register to vote. Check.
People who went to the Jack Johnson concert at Blossom Music Center last week not only had the opportunity to listen to music but could register to vote.
HeadCount, a national, nonpartisan group that aims to encourage young people to vote, is traveling with bands on tour this summer, including several making stops in the Akron area.
Emily Byers of Canton overheard others being asked if they needed to register at the Tuesday night concert and chimed in, ''Can I do that? That's quite convenient.''
Byers, 19, who will vote for the first time in the November presidential election, said she knew she needed to register but hadn't yet.
''I think this is wonderful,'' she said, sitting on a blanket on the lawn during the concert's opening act. ''It's great to have this available. It's hard to find the time to do something like this.''
HeadCount began in 2004 — the year of the last presidential election. This year, the effort has even loftier goals, hoping to register 100,000 people at about 1,000 events across the country.
''We've got a lot of work to do,'' said Andy Bernstein, HeadCount's executive director.
Bernstein said artists like Johnson are ''dedicated to making concerts about more than just the music.'' Johnson has an ''environmental/action village'' at his shows with booths where people can learn about topics like protecting the environment and registering to vote.
The artists are funding the HeadCount effort, even giving volunteers spots on their tour buses, Bernstein said.
Those involved in the effort sometimes get questions about whether they are partisan, which they resoundingly deny.
''No one can argue that people should participate,'' Bernstein said. ''That's the fun of it for our volunteers.''
Nicole Parisi-Smith of New York City, who was among the volunteers helping with the registration effort at the Jack Johnson concert, appeared to be enjoying herself. She and a cadre of volunteers — including several from the Akron area — registered 164 people before the show.
Carrying a clipboard that declared, ''Register to Vote Here,'' Parisi-Smith wound her way around the lawn, asking people sitting on blankets and beach chairs if they needed to register.
''Actually, yeah,'' Brady Cameron, 18, of Olmsted Falls replied.
Cameron filled out a registration form and then signed a voting pledge that put him into a drawing for free tickets to Bonnaroo, an annual outdoor summer concert in Tennessee. Those who pledge will get either an e-mail or text message reminding them to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
''That's it. We're all set,'' Parisi-Smith told him.
''Thanks a lot,'' he said.
A woman walked up to Parisi-Smith and asked if she needed to register again. She said her official address was still at her parents' house. Parisi-Smith explained that she only needed to re-register if her address had changed.
''It's good to be able to answer questions,'' Parisi-Smith said.
She walked up to a nearby group and found someone who had moved and hadn't changed his registration.
As Kyle Himelstein, 26, of Columbus, filled out a form, his friend asked, ''What if he votes for [Sen. John] McCain, will you have a problem with that?''
''I don't have a problem with that,'' Parisi-Smith answered. ''All we do is register music fans at shows.''
Himelstein and his friend, Cliff Boyden, 25, of Columbus, both said they thought music fans in general are more liberal.
''What about at a Michael Bolton concert?'' Boyden asked, laughing.
Himelstein finished filling out his form and two of his female friends signed up to help with the HeadCount registration drive at a local concert later this summer.
''It's up to you to decide who you want to vote for,'' Parisi- Smith told them, as she moved on to the next group.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at
330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeacon
journal.com.
Attend a rock concert. Check.
Register to vote. Check.
People who went to the Jack Johnson concert at Blossom Music Center last week not only had the opportunity to listen to music but could register to vote.
HeadCount, a national, nonpartisan group that aims to encourage young people to vote, is traveling with bands on tour this summer, including several making stops in the Akron area.
Emily Byers of Canton overheard others being asked if they needed to register at the Tuesday night concert and chimed in, ''Can I do that? That's quite convenient.''
Byers, 19, who will vote for the first time in the November presidential election, said she knew she needed to register but hadn't yet.
''I think this is wonderful,'' she said, sitting on a blanket on the lawn during the concert's opening act. ''It's great to have this available. It's hard to find the time to do something like this.''
HeadCount began in 2004 — the year of the last presidential election. This year, the effort has even loftier goals, hoping to register 100,000 people at about 1,000 events across the country.
''We've got a lot of work to do,'' said Andy Bernstein, HeadCount's executive director.
Bernstein said artists like Johnson are ''dedicated to making concerts about more than just the music.'' Johnson has an ''environmental/action village'' at his shows with booths where people can learn about topics like protecting the environment and registering to vote.
The artists are funding the HeadCount effort, even giving volunteers spots on their tour buses, Bernstein said.
Those involved in the effort sometimes get questions about whether they are partisan, which they resoundingly deny.
''No one can argue that people should participate,'' Bernstein said. ''That's the fun of it for our volunteers.''
Nicole Parisi-Smith of New York City, who was among the volunteers helping with the registration effort at the Jack Johnson concert, appeared to be enjoying herself. She and a cadre of volunteers — including several from the Akron area — registered 164 people before the show.
Carrying a clipboard that declared, ''Register to Vote Here,'' Parisi-Smith wound her way around the lawn, asking people sitting on blankets and beach chairs if they needed to register.
''Actually, yeah,'' Brady Cameron, 18, of Olmsted Falls replied.
Cameron filled out a registration form and then signed a voting pledge that put him into a drawing for free tickets to Bonnaroo, an annual outdoor summer concert in Tennessee. Those who pledge will get either an e-mail or text message reminding them to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
''That's it. We're all set,'' Parisi-Smith told him.
''Thanks a lot,'' he said.
A woman walked up to Parisi-Smith and asked if she needed to register again. She said her official address was still at her parents' house. Parisi-Smith explained that she only needed to re-register if her address had changed.
''It's good to be able to answer questions,'' Parisi-Smith said.
She walked up to a nearby group and found someone who had moved and hadn't changed his registration.
As Kyle Himelstein, 26, of Columbus, filled out a form, his friend asked, ''What if he votes for [Sen. John] McCain, will you have a problem with that?''
''I don't have a problem with that,'' Parisi-Smith answered. ''All we do is register music fans at shows.''
Himelstein and his friend, Cliff Boyden, 25, of Columbus, both said they thought music fans in general are more liberal.
''What about at a Michael Bolton concert?'' Boyden asked, laughing.
Himelstein finished filling out his form and two of his female friends signed up to help with the HeadCount registration drive at a local concert later this summer.
''It's up to you to decide who you want to vote for,'' Parisi- Smith told them, as she moved on to the next group.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at
330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeacon
journal.com.
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