The Colbert Report earns its way onto this skate blog this week with its "Better Know a District" segment, this time featuring Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California's 12th district. Colbert and Speier set out to make a YouTube video of some skateboard antics, with Colbert, Speier, and Representatives Jim McGovern and Patrick Kennedy all getting on board.

Colbert pushes mongo but otherwise appears to have some carving skills. Good times!

Heads up, San Francisco: The SFSA is having a big benefit event tonight at 111 Minna Art Gallery to raise money for its Waller Street Skatepark project. Your $10 goes toward the $10,000 they're trying to raise to make it a good one, so bring a thousand of your friends with you. Click through to SFSkateboarding.org to make a straight up donation if you can't make it out to the event.

Yep, it's that time of year again: Get on over to ThrasherMagazine.com to check out their new SOTY package, then fire off an email to SOTY@ThrasherMagazine.com with your pick in the subject line.

I could come up with a gang of picks this year, but I think this one's probably going to Chris Cole again (he also won in 2005). That would make him just the second skater to win it twice, behind Danny Way, but damn if Cole didn't win just about every pro contest anybody bothered to put together in 2009, and put down some sick video footage besides. Thoughts?

As we've previously reported, it looks like the legendary skate spot Brooklyn Banks is at least temporarily out of luck while the NYC Department of Transportation undergoes a 4-year bridge renovation project. Vice is up today with a new interview with 5boro's Steve Rodriguez, who comes right out and says what most skaters have been fearing: "I am pretty much sure when I say they will be completely destroyed."

Rodriguez saved the spot once before, and he's hoping to working with the city to see what, if anything, can be done about protecting them during the construction process, or, at least, working to see that they get rebuilt.

Doesn't sound very promising, but with Rodriguez on the job anything might be possible. I'll keep everyone posted if there's anything you can help to do about it.

Rodriguez, via Viceland.com:

"...we first need to hear what they have to say and then take it from there. They listened the first time I just hope they listen this time. The city [Parks and DOT] is trying they just aren t moving at the pace of everything else. I know for a fact working with both entities that they have so much red tape to deal with in doing anything. Yes, it s frustrating, but there are some people who work in both of these departments that do get it. I feel at this time they are still outnumbered by those who don t."

Click through for full interview and better context on the whole situation.

Tony Hawk was on NPR's "Not My Job" show this week, answering some ridiculous "Hey! You could put an eye out!" questions about safety measures not at all related to skateboarding. He also takes on the stock "I've been dying to ask this question: How many broken bones have you had in your lifetime?" question from one of the show's hosts, talks about his legacy of Madonnas and Sean Penns, and mentions the trumpedup pundit outrage after he skateboarded in the White House.

"What did they expect you to do, walk?"

Tony Hawk on NPR? Dude's everywhere. As long as it ultimately helps get more killer concrete skateparks put up all over the damned place, I'm cool with it.

Have a listen: