WP: Tax Assessments

The numbers are in, and the Post has got them. Trinidad's average assessment rose 21.35% (significantly less than last year's increase). Old City 1 was up 15.73%.

Taking it Slow, Taking it Fast

1300 Block of H Street.

Langston Bar and Grille Protest

ANC 6A is planning to protest the liquor license for Langston Bar and Grille located at 1831 Benning Road. The Grille's owner originally filed for a CT (tavern) license, but has since downgraded it to a CR (restaurant) license. The license downgrade means the owner will be required to sell more food.

CVS Robbed

I've gotten a report that the CVS at the Starburst intersection (the hub where several streets meet and H Street turns into Benning Road) was robbed. There were no injuries, but an elderly woman fainted (EMS was on the scene). An earlier version of this posting did not display correctly, so sorry if you saw only the combination of two sentences.

Out-of-Boundary Deadline Change

Recently received:
Sent on behalf of Lisa Raymond, member of the Board of Education, District 3:

For the 2007-2008 school year, 8th grade students currently attending junior high schools will be required to attend their neighborhood high school. Since notification has yet to be sent out to parents, on February 21, 2007, the DC Board of Education has approved, for all students, an extension of the Out-of-Boundary Transfer process. The last day to request an Out-of-Boundary transfer will be March 15, 2007 for the 2007-2008 school year. The
Out-of-Boundary application process is for parents/guardians who wish to apply for permission to enroll their children in DCPS schools other than their neighborhood school.

The Division of Student Services is accepting online out-of-boundary requests at
https://webb.k12.dc.us/OOB/index.asp.

If you are interested in requesting an out-of-boundary transfer but lack access to a computer, you may submit your application using the public computers at District of Columbia public libraries, recreation centers, or one of the computers available at 825 North Capitol Building NE, Room 8136, during normal business hours.

If parents are unable to access a computer, the Division of Student Services will assist those parents via telephone at (202) 442-5099.

The Division of Student Services can also be reached via e-mail at oob@k12.dc.us.

DCist: Car and Driver

Check out this DCist piece on the parking issue on H Street (and such issues more broadly across the District).

Rib Tip Update

I received the following email this afternoon (slightly edited):

[W]e had breakfast at Rib Tip this morning. The owner told us the following:

• Starting Monday he's going to be charging DC taxes on top of his prices. Up til now he's been paying them out of the revenue he gets in order to bring customers in and let them find out how good his food is at a good price. If you ask me the prices are *still* a bargain for the delicious home-cooked food even with taxes added in.
• The added revenue should allow him to hire extra help to improve service
• All his equipment is now in and he has a training class for the equipment scheduled for tomorrow, allowing:
• Starting Monday (barring bad weather that cancels the training class tomorrow) they'll be open from 5:30 am to 8pm and serving a full menu, including racks of ribs, rotisserie chicken, etc.
• Oh, and I had the home fries w/ breakfast this morning...no, not preformed shredded potato patties...real potatoes w/ seasoning and onions...off the charts good. At least to me :-)
  

The Rib Tip is located at the corner of 12th & H Street.

RP: The Power of ANCs

Richard from Rebuilding Place has a post about the great power that ANCs can responsibly wield when they function effectively. As Richard points out, disfunctional ANCs can be a hinderance, rather than an asset. He focuses on ANC 6A as an example of a highly functional ANC.

CP: Charter Schools

Check out this City Paper piece on charter schools and you'll see some familiar names (both schools and people). To give you a taste you've got the Capitol Hill Cluster School, Gina Arlotto and Two Rivers (see the end of the article for a mention of the ongoing lawsuit coutesy of Save Our Schools).

Reminder: Music is Bulletproof

What: a benefit for victims of neighborhood violence. Featuring Dj Key-K, who lost an eye when he was shot last September after leaving work, and Dj Seth. Admission is free, and donations are accepted.
When: music starts around 9pm
Where: The Argonaut (1433 H Street).

CAC Meeting Recap

I (and lots and lots of other people) attended last night's very long 5D (5th police District) Citizens Advisory Counsel meeting. All told, I was there for about three hours (we lingered a bit to discuss issues after the meeting). I think there were 6 Commissioners (ANC) from 5B present (Bernard, Davis, Hooper, Lawson, Myers, Shelton). The press was there. The Mayor was there, and the Chief of Police was there. Also present was the contractor who was shot repeatedly (in Carver Terrace) after asking some teens to stop sitting on his parked car (the case is closed with two arrests of juveniles). Much discussion centered around crime and violence in Carver/Langston, and in portions of Trinidad (specifically eastern portions of Queen Street). The police explained how officers on certain shifts are shuffling around a bit, but promised that they would not pull officers away from trouble spots in Carver and Lanston.
Chief Cathy Lanier (the new Chief of Police) emphasized that whe plans to work hard to bring the police department up to date on technology and to get different agencies talking to each other, rather than each trying to do their own thing. The MPD have also revived the Officer Friendly program (soon to be renamed) that sends officers into the schools so that young students get to know the officers and can for positive relationships with them. I think that covers most of it.

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UPDATE
*************************
I forgot to mention that after the meeting I joined seven other attendees for food and a beer at the Argonaut (thank goodness they still had the kitchen open after 10pm). We talked about ways to improve our PSA meetings (which can suffer from some major umm...organizational problems). As a side note, Art Slater did a great job leading the CAC meeting. We talked about maybe using citizen coordinators. PSAs 102 and 501 have them (as I'm sure some other ANCs do as well) and they seem to work really well (one of our dining companions acts a citizen coordinator for 501). I think it would be a great idea. As I've said before, one of the factors that's allowed ANC 6A to become so powerful is the use of citizen committees because it gives you a lot more energy and manpower to get things done (and those committee members are generally on point and very educated about the issues).

DCist: Saving the Single Beer

DCist has a piece on H Street's potential ban on the sale of single beers. One realy odd thing is that the DCist posting attributes a comment left on an earlier City Paper (City Desk) posting to Joe Englert. The comment was left by someone calling himself "Joe Hstreet." It sounds from the comment like "Joe Hstreet" lives near H Street. Joe Englert, even though he's a regular sight on H Street, doesn't live here. Is this comment really from Joe Englert? I'm skeptical, but maybe I'm wrong (I would assume that DCist would verify something like that).

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UPDATE
**************************

definitely not a comment left by Joe Englert. The DCist writer should have been a bit more careful on this one.

GoG: Thumbs Up Pug

The Going Out Gurus had more nice things to say about the Pug (1234 H Street).

CNN: Gallaudet Accreditation at Risk

Not the first time this has benn mentioned, but here's another story on ongoing problems at Gallaudet that raise questions about the institution's future (recent improvements have been noted). The primary factor that usually gets tossed out? The low graduation rate. The story says it is consistently below 50%. I think recent numbers are around 40% (but don't quote me on that).

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UPDATE
********************************

Here is a link to some numbers.

The House of Pain

1342 Florida Ave. Home of Truck 13, and Engine 10.

Post Reviews the Pug

Those of you who haven't made it down to the Pug yet (and those who have) should check out the Post write-up on the bar (1234 H Street).

WP: Deadly Fire on Florida

Here's more information from the Post on the fire that killed an elderly woman on Florida Avenue early yesterday. The fire was at 1260 Florida Ave.

Tommy Wells Office Hours on H Street

Press Release
Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells

Immediate Release Contact: Charles Allen
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 408 (202)724-8072
Washington, D.C. 20004


Councilmember Tommy Wells Opens H Street Community Office Hours


(Washington, DC) – On Thursday, February 22nd, 8:00 – 9:30 am, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells will host community office hours at Sidamo Coffee, 417 H Street, NE, 20002. On the fourth Thursday morning of every month, Councilmember Wells will host this type of outreach event on H Street, NE and members of his constituent services staff will be on hand to help handle requests from residents. “I want to continue finding new ways to make my office more accessible across Ward 6 to get feedback and provide assistance to residents,” said Mr. Wells.

To showcase and support the historical and emerging small businesses along H Street, NE, these monthly community morning office hours will rotate among several locations on the corridor and will be publicized online and at Advisory Neighborhood Commission meetings.

“Whether it’s help with a permit from DCRA, an alley that needs to be cleaned, or an idea that could turn into legislation at Council, I want to make myself more available to those that may not be able to make it to the Wilson Building downtown,” added Mr. Wells.

On Thursday, February 8th, Councilmember Wells joined nearly 30 residents in Southwest DC for a similar type of event at the Channel Inn along the waterfront. Mr. Wells hosts community office hours in Southwest on the second Thursday morning of each month.

*******************************
Here's a Roll Call mention of the new hours.

Music is Bulletproof @Argonaut

Dj Key-K returns. Many of you will remember Quike Morales (Dj Key-K), a bartender/waiter at the Argonaut (1433 H Street), who was shot last September. Well, he's back djing at the Argonaut, and it's for a special cause. Details from the flyer below:

Quike Morales a.k.a DJ Key-K is a victim of a violent crime. He was shot in the head on September 30th 2006 while standing on his girlfriend’s porch at 637 14th Pl, a block away from the Argonaut. As a result of the shooting, he lost an eye and a piece of his skull. DJ Key-K is still waiting for 2 more surgeries but recovering fast from his injuries.
“Music is Bulletproof” is a way for him to show his appreciation to friends and customers of the Argonaut who have helped him in these difficult months of his life, and to raise his voice against the violence in this neighborhood. Admission is free, and any money raised will be used to benefit other victims of violent crimes.
In an effort to raise awareness, Quike is hoping to do similar events in all the bars around H Street in a bid to get the attention of DC authorities and community leaders.
Along with DJ Key-K is DJ Seth-B, who was one of the first people to show support for this campaign against violence.

MUSIC IS BULLETPROOF
An event against violence in your neighborhood.
Be a part of the solution.

“Music is the medicine of the soul” - DJ Key-K

When: around 9pm Saturday Feb 24
Where: 1433 H Street (the Argonaut)

House Fire Kills 1 on Florida

They had my entire block closed off this morning, and I had heard there was a fire. The fire was at 1260 Florida Ave. WUSA9 reports that an elderly woman perished in the fire. Here's the Post story. I believe that the woman (whose name I'm intentionally not using since they seem not to want to release is yet) had lived in that same house since she was a little girl. It appears that it was the sister of the woman that I refered to earlier (in an old version of this post). But the family has occupied this same house for decades.

****************************
UPDATED
****************************

City Desk: Yuppie Applauds Single Beers

The City Paper's blog weighs in on H Street's proposed singles ban. Little does the author know that all he has to do (if he's on the eastern end of the corridor) is walk a block or two to Florida, or head straight up Bladensburg.

Carjacking on Morse Last Night

A group of people working on a building had there car taken at gun point last night around 5:30pm in the 1400 block of Morse. No injuries.

WT: Illegal Funeral Home on H Street

Experiencing a deficiency in wacky news? Washington Times to the rescue. They report on the District's efforts to shut down an unlicensed (the owner claims he wasn't operating yet) funeral parlor located at 1337 H Street (the building next to Phish Tea). A search, following an anonymous tip in November, revealed embalming materials within. The owner, who says his family has been in the funeral business for generations, blamed his legal troubles on what he called the "funeral cartel," or the "funeral mafia" (which he claimed excerted pressure on the District to target him).

*************************************
UPDATE
*************************************

Interestingly, while walking back from the Rock & Roll Hotel tonight, we were greeted by a man walking into this building wearing a jacket with wording that my friend (I didn't have a good view of he jacket) said something about funerals. So apparently, Mr. Ridley (I'm assuming this was him, and not some member of the funeral mafia) is not too afraid to bravely move forward with getting his business in order.

WBJ: Englert Transforms H Street

I haven't seen the full article (you need a subscription for this one [but here's a free version]), but I'm going to try to grab a paper copy (and you might want to as well because this looks like a big one). Washington Business Journal: One Bar at a Time, Englert Transforms the Spirit of H Street.

***********************************
UPDATE
***********************************

I've since purchased a paper version of the WBj annd it is a big article (the cover story, no less). There's a large photo (on the cover, and appearing again on pages 28-29) of Joe Englert inside Dr. Granville Moore's (which is to feature Belgian beers, mussles, and other light fare). It's an interesting read on the ambitious gamble one businessman (Mr. Englert is the focus of the artilce, even though it does discuss others) is taking in creating a destination district on H Street. Notably, Englert calls for additional parking (not instead of a streetcar/courtesy shuttle, but in addition to these accomodations). if you are puzzled by a statement (near the conclusion) by one of Mr. Englert's sons (it isn't a negative statement), he says it refers to his son using Dupont as a reference point for typical DC.
Paper readers will also find a sidebar piece titled H is for History that mentions the riots and focuses on area development over the last 6 years, and an opinion piece (p.36) called It Takes a Block: Grassroots-Style Gentrification Requires the Cooperation of Everyone. The opinion piece calls for cooperation among merchants, and with the City Council to revive H Street through a concerted effort. The Robeys and the H Street Playhouse (along with others) garnered mentions for their contributions.

*****************************************
2nd Update
*****************************************

Here is a free version of the article.

PSA 504 Meeting

What: a Police Service Area meeting for PSA 504 (includes all of Trinidad)
Where: Joe Cole Rec Center (1200 Morse St. NE)
When: Saturday Feb 17th 10:00-11:30am

Express: Dissident Gallery

Check out the write-up here. Check out the website here. Check them out in real life at 416 H Street. Attend their upcoming event (not held at the Studio):
FEB.24 Music Performance / Party
Dissident Display presents:
Aphrodizia: Seduce and Destroy A Multimdedia Experience Featuring Live Ambient Electronica Visual Compositions, and Human Sculpture
9pm - until?
Admission 10.00
The Space 903 N Street NW Washington DC
(Near DC Convention Center)Mt. Vernon Square Metro
http://www.international-lifestyles.com/the_space.htm

Featuring Yoko K. and works by Dissident Display, Painted Lady Performance Project
Assymetric Affinity and Megasleepyhead
Free Music Download with Admission redeem with code at www.aphrodizia.net
ALSO: The Brazilian Beats Afterparty with DJ Adrian Loving + Guests

Arts Awards on H Street

Theater Alliance and the African Continuum Theater Company
both received Helen Hayes nominations.


African Continuum Theater Company
Luwan Starnes was nominated for best leading actress for her role in A Raisin in the Sun.
African Continuum Theater Companyis the resident company at the Atlas, 1333 H Street.



Theater Alliance
3/4 of a Mass for St. Vivian was nominated for best new play/musical.
The Bluest Eye was nominated in the Outstanding Ensemble for play /musical.
Theater Alliance is the resident company at the H Street Playhouse, 1365 H street

Atlas Events

A message from the Atlas:

This week we have two original shows running at the Atlas.

Wednesday February 14th-Sunday February 18th is the world premiere of the Gospel Musical He's Not Your Soul Mate. Written and directed by Michelle Lee Robinson
An original gospel play produced by UMOJA works productions, He's Not Your Soul Mate is a Christian comedy of errors - - everything is fodder for the protagonist, Gloria, who has comment and observation on her daughters' lifestyles, their choice of spouses, her neighbor's sexual prowess, her brother and sister-in-law's marriage, and even God Himself. This engaging play will make the audience howl with laughter.
Tickets are $35

And in the Lab Theatre II the African Continuum Theatre Company presents: J's Jook Joint on Friday and Saturday nights only!

J's Jook Joint is a special, limited engagement cabaret that is a modern-day twist on the historical "jook joint" experience. Featuring the best and brightest of Washington D.C.'s African-American performers such as Nova Nelson, Yvette Manson, Andy Torres, Carl Wilson and Ralph Herndon. J's Jook Joint highlights the continuum of African-American music- from jazz standards to gospel-inspired pop to soul-infused show tunes.
Tickets are $15-20

Tickets can be purchased at the Atlas box office (399-7993) or online at www.atlasarts.org

The Atlas Performing Arts Center is located at 1333 H Street NE, the heart of the Atlas District!

And on Friday and Saturday nights the Atlas District Courtesy Shuttle is available to bring patrons to and from Union Station. To request a pick up call 1-301-751-1802

Helen's Daughters House Event

I noticed this announcement for an art event at Helen's Daughters House (I have always been a bit puzzled as to what this place is, so here's an opportunity to sneak a peek inside). Here's the info:

Gift of Art Celebrates Black History Month with Black Art

Sundays in February

(18th & 25th)

Hours: 11:30am – 5:00 pm
Helen’s Daughter’s House
1411 “H” Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
“The Atlas District”
Contact Carlotta (202) 256-5697

RC: Streetcar Questions Linger

An interesting article from Roll Call (subscription required). Interviews with Anwar Saleem (expressing doubt about streetcars and musing about a Circulator style bus) and Joseph Fengler (a strong advocate of streetcars who lobbied DDOT to combine laying down the tracks with the streetscape project). Points of interest:
1. 3 phases of construction (3rd-7th, 7th-11th, 11-14th [story says last section covers 7th-14th, but I think that's a typo])
2. 2.5 yrs projected total construction
3. streetcars up and running within 5 years
*Either way we better settle in for a longterm relationship with street construction.

Teen May Not Have Shot Self

Police are now saying that the 17 year old, Kevin Thomas, did not shoot at the police (as police had intially reported) but did point a gun at officers. It also appears he was hit multiple times by police gun fire, and that he may not have fired the fatal gun shot wound to the head. It also now appears that the youth accidentally shot his aunt, and that it was not the result of a domestic disturbance (as previously reported in the Post). Mr. Thomas' family has suggested that police shot the youth while he was trying to surrender. Read the Post article for the full story.

Langston Bar and Grill

A new application has gone in for a CT (tavern) license for a new establishment, Langston Bar and Grill, located at 1831 Benning Road.

New Website for Atlas District

See it here.

Radio Discussion re: Noise Laws @ 8th 2:30

Just received from David Klavitter (Quest for Quiet) listen at 2:30pm:

I will participate via telephone with the impeccably credentialed Mr. Joslyn Williams, president, Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO: http://www.dcvote.org/about/josbio.cfm Mr. William's group apparently opposes the community's desire for peace and quiet. Surely we can find some common ground.

Listen at 1500 AM or 107.7 FM. Website:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/wtwpradio/index.html
Mr. Sam Litzinger will host.

Pug to Open Tomorrow

Ok, I've heard it from a few sources, and now the Going Out Gurus are reporting it. So I'm going to call it official: the Pug (1234 H Street) will open tomorrow. I stopped by the other night and gazed through the door at the lit-up (but locked) bar. It looks great. I'm not much for sports bars, but I look forward to checking this (boxing themed) bar out.

*****************************************
UPDATE
*****************************************

The Pug will be open at 6pm.

Historic District on the Move?

Plans to possibly extend the Capitol Hill historic district northward have made the news again. This time Roll Call (subscription required) is on the beat. The article contains a little discussion of how a historic district might protect H Street from certain types of incongruous development. Various people have advocated extend the historic district to different points (it currently ends at F Street). Right now there is certainly some buzz about pushing its northern boundary to include H Street. Others want to push a block or two further, and Richard Layman has suggested extending it to Florida Avenue.

Neal Street

This is the 1200 block of Neal (taken from the southern side of the street looking northwest).

Community Gardens in Cleveland

The Cleveland Sun News has an interesting article on legislation that could help preserve community gardens. Two choice quotes:

They (urban gardens) really have a community cohesion that's extraordinary. Communities that have them get along better, are safer and have less racial tension.

Crime rates in communities with urban gardens are reduced by up to 48 percent, with 56 percent less violent crime.

DC actually has some pretty impressive legislation on community gardens, but, to the best of my knowledge, the plans it lays out have never been realized.

Police: Teen Shot Himself

The 17 year old who who shot and wounded his aunt before fleeing and encountering police was stuck down by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Police initially believed that one of them had delivered the fatal shot, but closer examination and witness accounts confirmed the boy as the shooter. The teen, Kevin Thomas, lived at 5th and K, but shot himself after running about a block to 6th & I. Mr. Thomas would have turned 18 today. Read the Post story.

NBC4: Police Kill Teen Gunman

6th & I Street NE. Here's the story. No video available online yet. This apparently stems from a domestic disturbance.

Shots Fired & More in NE

Here's the full report as received:
From: Groomes, Diane (MPD)
Sent: Sat 2/10/2007 6:57 PM
To: 'mpd-1d@yahoogroups.com'
Cc: Groomes, Diane (MPD)
Subject: Events tonite. 6th and I ne

Tonite. At approximately 1710 hours. Mpd responded to domestic shooting in 500 blk of k subject to ne. Upon arrival they found female shot and critical. The shooter fled with mpd in pursuit when shooter engaged in gunfire with mpd aT 6th and I ne. Suspect is deceased. Officers ok pending investigation on use of force. Another of. Our officers who was responding wrecked scout car at 8th and mass ave ne. Was injured

QFQ: Rest for Weary Ears?

Tommy Wells (Ward 6), Mary Cheh (Ward 3), representatives from the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General, and representatives from the D.C. Labor Council (concerned about how the law impacts labor protests) met with residents of the H Street community regarding the amplified speech occuring at the corner of 8th H Street every weekend. Quest for Quiet covers the story.

Express: New Metro Chief Speaks

Read his thoughts here. Mr. Catoe discusses H Street, lightrail, bus rapid transit ("BRT"), clean vehicles and more. Another interesting point he makes is that even non-Metro riders have a reason to support Metro: if someone is riding a Metro train/bus, that person is probably driving (imagine what would happen if a large chunk of Metro users suddenly decided to drive everywhere). By the way, Catoe attended Springarn High School, which is located in Langston Terrace.

WP: Metro Fare Hikes in Limbo

Following a large public outcry Metro is holding off on raising fares. Metro ridership is up in recent years costs are rising as Metro needs additional cars to ferry these new riders. The budget shortfall for fiscal 2008 is $116 million.

Examiner: Stereotypes Keep Buses Down

Thanks to Rebuilding Place for pointing out this article on the image problems that can plague buses. There are various reasons people don't ride buses:
-lack of knowledge of routes
-lack of knowledge of schedules (or fear of/actual irregularity in schedules)
-perceptions about the types of people that do ride the bus
-preference for cars/metro
Whether you think these reasons are valid, or not, you've got to admit that a good number of people simply refuse to ride the bus. Will many of these people be willing to ride the H Street streetcar? I'm betting they will. Even if you object to making changes to cater to the prejudices that keep some off buses, the reality is that a streetcar will get these guys out on H Street and they will spend money here. That, is a good thing.
Bus Load: The B.S. Bus Solution (Dan Savage)
How to Ride the Bus (Rick VanderKnyff) <--Serious, yet funny bustales.com <--true stories from the bus

WP: Crime Camera Delays

The Post on the long wait to get cameras into crime trouble spots (Carver Terrace has at least one camera on the way).

WP: Carver Terrace Prosecution

The Post has a story on the prosecution of a man accused of being an enforcer for a drug gang operating out of Carver Terrace (which the article identifies as Kingman Park).

A Note Re: Deaf Constituents

Did anyone notice the recent announcement regarding effforts by ANC 6A to get an ASL interpreter? Personally, I think this is a great move. We certainly have a great number of deaf/hard of hearing residents. This is another reason that (in my mind at least) ANC 6A continues to represent the front line on ANC progress. It is surely something I will explore with ANC 5B (at the least I will mention it at the next Committee of the Whole, and send out some feelers in the deaf community). It might also be something that ANC 6C should consider.

H Street on the Radar

More and more I see media coverage and other evidence of people interested in what's going on on H Street. This morning I received an email about an event organized by a group called Professionals in the City. On March 3rd the group will be hosting From the Circus to the Sea: H Street NE Nite Life Tour (consisting of visiting the Argonaut, the Red and the Black, H Street Martini Lounge, Palace of Wonders).

PSA 102 Meeting Feb. 13

Community Police Meeting (PSA 102) is Feb. 13

******************************
QUICK QUESTION: In which Police Service Area (PSA) do I reside?
ANSWER: The PSA 102 boundaries are (clockwise) the railroad tracks at Union Station, Florida Ave NE, Maryland Ave NE, 9th St, East Capitol St, 2nd St, Massachusetts Ave, and Columbus Circle. See the MPD website and map to determine your PSA.
******************************

WHAT: Police Service Area (PSA) 102 monthly meeting
WHEN: Feb. 13 (2nd Tuesday of each month)
TIME: 7-8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th St NE

AGENDA:
* Welcome; greetings [5 minutes]

* Meet new PSA 102 Lt. Barbara Hawkins; other PSA 102 officers [10 minutes]

* PSA 102 program developments for 2007 [15 minutes]:
- Establish neighborhood block captains
- More effective use of Partnership for Problem Solving Process
- Launch Citizen Police Academy
- Meet and greet, public safety information distribution at high foot traffic points
- Coordination with community on H Street nuisance crimes

* Proposed moratorium of single alcohol container sales on H Street NE; anti-litter campaign [10 minutes]
- ANC6C Commissioner Alan Kimber

* Summary of Feb. 3 First District Crime Summit [5 minutes]

* Review January crime statistics; police plan in response to increased burglaries [10 minutes]

* Issues discussion [25 minutes]:
- Pickford Place NE;
- Jan. 31 police chase and subsequent suspect apprehension by S.W.A.T.
- Feb. 1 homicide at H and 10th St NE
- Traffic sign on 2nd & F St NE
- New hotspots?

**** PSA 102 meetings enable residents and police to discuss, identify and take action against crime and other quality of life issues in the community. The meetings are the second Tuesday of each month at the Sherwood Recreation Center, 10th and G Streets NE. 7-8:30 p.m. Tell your friends and neighbors! ****

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PSA 102, photos, crime maps and more go to http://psa102.blogspot.com.

QUESTIONS? Contact:
David Klavitter
Volunteer PSA 102 Citizen Coordinator
202-547-5745
klav@questforquiet.org

Lt. Barbara Hawkins
Metropolitan Police Dept.
202-698-0380
barbaram.hawkins@dc.gov

Tommy Wells: Office Hours on H?

Press Release
Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells

Immediate Release Contact: Charles Allen
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 408 (202)724-8072
Washington, D.C. 20004

Councilmember Tommy Wells Opens Southwest Office Hours

(Washington, DC) – On Thursday, February 8th, 8:00 – 9:00 am, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells will kick off the first of his Southwest morning office hours at the Channel Inn, 650 Water Street, SW, 20024. “Community meetings and events put me in many neighborhoods several nights a week, but I wanted to create a new way to make sure I am accessible throughout Ward 6 to hear from and help the residents I serve,” said Mr. Wells.

On the second Thursday of every month, Councilmember Wells and members of his staff will arrive at the Channel Inn at 8:00 am to make the Council office more accessible to residents living in Southwest DC. Representatives from his constituent services staff will also be on hand to help handle requests from residents. “Whether it’s help with a permit from DCRA, an alley that needs to be cleaned, or an idea that could turn into legislation at Council, I want to make myself more available to those that may not be able to make it to the Wilson Building downtown,” added Mr. Wells.

Councilmember Wells is currently looking to establish similar morning office hours on a monthly basis along H Street, NE.

WP: School Enrollments Continue Shift

Charles Young Elementary in Langston Terrace.
Enrollment drops at DCPS, while charters pick up the slack. According to the Post, charter schools now serve 26% of District children (it sounds like they are working with the number for total resident children enrolled in either a DCPS school, or a public charter, rather than actually looking at total resident children). The piece also makes the point that it isn't entirely clear if the trends reflect students leaving traditional public schools to attend charter schools, or if these are different groups of students reflecting other trends in the city.

WP: DC Master Pedestrian Plan

Jay-walking in the 700 block of H Street.
Read this Washington Post article about what the District hopes to accomplish. According to the article, 12% of DC workers walk to work, 33% take metrobuses, or metrorail, 2% bike, and 38% drive. No word on what the remain 15% are doing. Take the survey.

Sometime I Feel Old

Florida Ave & Orren.

Capital City Symphony Tryouts Monday

The original press release:
The Capital City Symphony is holding mid-season auditions on Monday, February 5, 2007 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. For more information or to schedule an audition, call us at 202-399-7993 x120 or email muchino@capitalcitysymphony.org. Check us out on the web at www.capitalcitysympyhony.org


The orchestra has openings for:

Bass clarinet

principal bassoon (substitute)

4th Horn (substitute)

Trumpets

Trombone 2

Bass trombone

percussion

Violin 1

Viola

Bass



Spring ’07 repertoire:

Mozart, Overture to Abduction from the Seraglio

Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 3

Ellington, Black, Brown and Beige

Bach, Concerto in d minor for Two Violins and Orchestra

Walker, Folksongs for Orchestra

Hanson, Symphony No. 2, “Romantic”


The CCS is right for you if:

- You are an accomplished amateur

- You are a professional looking to build your repertoire

- You are a music educator who misses playing in orchestras

- You are an advanced student looking for experience

- You are a retired professional who just can’t quit

- You want to make music in an environment which is challenging, yet positive with friendly colleagues in the beautiful Atlas Performing Arts Center on up and coming H St NE!

Superbowl Sunday?

Love football?

If you're looking for casual surroundings, set sail for the Argonaut (now boasting seven additional screens). 1433 H Street.
Want something a little fancier?

Try the Superbowl party at the H Street Martini Lounge (1236 H Street). Doors open at 12pm.

Hate football?

Ignore the game and catch the DC Gurly Show at Palace of Wonders instead. Show starts at 8pm ($8 at the door). 1210 H Street.

Roll Call: Reducing Litter on H Street

Here is a Roll Call (subscription required) piece on efforts to reduce litter on H Street. Anwar Saleem and Alan Kimber were interviewed. By the way, links from DCist, the Express, and general interest in the criminal events of the past 48 hours resulted in over 1000 individual users visiting this site yesterday.

AP: Shooting on H Street

And here is the Post briefing on yesterday's early morning fatal shooting on H Street. No arrests have been made.

WP: Car Chase & Barricade

Here's the Post coverage of the kid (17 yrs old)that lead police on a high speed (described as 90 mph) chase, ran over a bicyclist, and barricaded himself in the basement of a Capitol Hill rowhouse yesterday. Luckily the homeowner was unharmed and managed to flee the home safely with his wife and dog after hitting the suspect with a copper frying pan (yet another reason to use cast iron skillets). The bicyclist suffered minor injuries. Pretty amaxing that no one was killed. You may recall a previous teeanger (I think the the one I'm referring was 19) fleeing the police (who had called off the chase out of concern for public safety) who sped down Florida Ave a couple of years ago. The 19 year old mowed down two children in front of my house while he was doing 80. Those two siblings (I think they were around 7 and 9) were killed in front of their father.

The Convergence

Joe Cole Recreation Center & Wheatley Elementary (Morse & Neal at Montello).

New Exhibit @Dissident Display

Wonderland -Surrealism & Fashion: The Art of Yvonne (I think this is the right Yvonne Taylor) & Matthew Taylor. Photography & video.
Behind the Runway: Images of fashion from the Dissident Display Collection at New York's Fashion Week from 2003-2006. Photography & video. The show opens tomorrow and runs through the 25th of this month. Celebrate the opening from 7pm-12am tomorrow. The gallery is located at 416 H Street.

Snapshot

1300 block of H Street (as it appeared in July)

Shootings on H Street Early Today

Two people were shot around 5:30am this morning (when I left around 8:30 everything was still blocked off and police were diverting traffic). A woman was shot in the hand, and a man was fatally shot (twice) in the chest. Two black male suspects were seen running from the scene. I would have had this up earlier, but the network I'm using is acting funky today. Read the comments on the post below for more info.

Read the report from NBC news 4 and Fox.

Update on Situation Last Night

I'm not sure why this event isn't bigger news, but I can't find it on the news websites & the Post has it buried over in the District Briefing section. Essentially the situation began when police gave chase to a red Jeep containing four robbery suspects. This was at around 9:30. Three of the suspects were arrested at that point (they were teens). The fourth suspect jumped into another car and sped off. At some point a bicyclist was hit by one of the cars (last night ABC News 7 reported that this occurred at 6th & Florida, but I don't know if that is accurate). The bicyclist was treated for minor injuries. The driver shot at police while driving, but no officers were hit. He drove into Capitol Hill, crashed the car and ran into a rowhouse on Mass Ave (8th & Mass). A man in the house hit the suspect with a frying pan and then fled outside with his wife and dog. The suspect surrendered to police around midnight. Why isn't this bigger news?

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UPDATE
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Ask & ye shall receive. Here are the stories I couldn't find earlier:
Read the story & watch the video from WUSA9, NBC News 4, Fox News 5,or ABC 7 News (this one is from last night, and appears in the post below). Sorry it wasn't updated before, but the network problems here were followed by Blogger server issues. DCist has a story on all of this. What a day!