A little bug has been buzzing around the Ears head, in a tizzy about the mural local artist MICHAEL DEWAIDE painted of the DIRIGIBLE USS AKRON on the west side of the SHALLON WINERY, which is on the corner of 16th and Duane streets.

Why the Akron? Its part of Astoria history. In 1932, the ill-fated Akron swung over Astoria for a sky visit on her trip up the coast. The fire department helped by blowing the siren when the ship was in sight so no one would miss the flyover. In 1933, the Akron was lost when it went tail first into the Atlantic Ocean during a violent storm (http://tinyurl.com/akrondown).

The Ear digresses. The cause of the little bugs upset? The wooden scaffolding that almost completely covers the dirigible. It looks like a caged bird, the little bug declared. When are they going to set it free?

After seeing the photo shown, the Ear has to admit the little bug has a point after all, it seems silly to put up a lovely mural if nobody can really see it.

And so the rallying cry begins: Free the Akron!

Elleda Wilson