WBJ: LISC to Focus on Ivy City

The Washington Business Journal reports that the Local Initiatives Support Coalition has decided to focus its energy on three DC neighborhoods, including Ivy City.

WP: Bloods and Crips Make Inroads in DC

More on the gang thing from the Post. Police have identified as Blood related activities in Trinidad-
1. selling drugs near the Trinidad Rec
2. flashing gang signs
3. displaying red

The Bloods have not been linked to any homicides in Trinidad. As previously noted, part of this problem appears to be bleeding over from Maryland. The Bloods arrived in Baltimore several years back, and they are now elsewhere in MD. Check out this quote from the article-

"Authorities said that about 25 percent of the 1,300 inmates in the Prince George's jail are affiliated with gangs and that more than 60 percent of the gang members are Bloods. "

25 PERCENT.

Elsewhere in the article-

"More than a year ago, the Alliance for Concerned Men, which contracts with the District to help reduce violence, began confiscating red and blue bandannas from youth calling themselves Crips or Bloods, mostly in the Shaw area of Northwest, alliance members said. "

The article also quoted a source who said the Bloods and Crips have expanded beyond the traditional crimes of dealing in guns and drug to things like "identify theft, Social Security fraud, credit card fraud and mortgage fraud."


It sounds like a lot of what you see when these gangs move in is neighborhood gangs affiliating with them . For example, a neighborhood crew might choose to associate with the Bloods to get more respect and prestige.

ANC 5B Meeting

Thursday, September 4, 2008
7:30-9pm

Washington Home of Aging Services
2601 18th Street NE

Guests-
Chancellor Michelle Rhee, DCPS

Councilmember Kwame Brown

Update on ANC 5B Developments

Please note the location. It was previously be announced that the September ANC 5B meeting would be held at the Trinidad Recreation Center. Instead they will hold the October meeting at this location.

WP: Cracking Down on Drugs in Trinidad

The Washington Post reports on an announcement by the MPD that they have arrested 77 people in Trinidad for selling or supplying drugs since June of this year. The arrests are part of a strategy on MPD's part of focusing heavily on particular crimes occurring within the Trinidad neighborhood. I had a lengthy conversation yesterday afternoon with a longtime veteran of MPD who is working on organizing community policing efforts in PSA 504. We talked about the challenges we face in trying to 1. identify block captains; 2. get officers and residents to understand the role of block captains; 3. get and keep information flowing in both directions in an organized and effective manner. He talked about the importance, for the purposes of building trust, of making sure officers, where possible, share strategies with the community. Specifically he talked about stepped up enforcement of certain laws that relate to both public safety and automobiles. The focus on cars is due to the fact that the criminals in many of the recent shootings fired from inside cars.

Also of interest in the article- Lanier stated that police have documented the presence of the Bloods in Trinidad. She did not say whether the gang appeared to be involved in the drug sales, or recent violence in the neighborhood.

Paris Flights Public Uriniation with Walls

The UK Telegraph discusses recent efforts to discourage this disgusting habit through the use of special walls designed to fire urine back at the offender. You can see a photo of one such wall here.

Catalyst Presents 1984 @the Atlas

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Oh Shell No!

Image provided by the creators of the website

A group is resisting efforts to put in a Shell station on Maryland Ave at 14th.


A nearby gas station on Florida Ave


Photo provided by the website's creators.
The proposed location of the Shell station. It was previously a used car lot that infringed upon public space.

Washington Times: A Belgian Delight

The Times praises Dr. Granville's.

Napa 1015 Reopening Soon

The message from Napa 1015, which had temporarily closed down after a car crashed into it-

Dear friends and loyal customers,

We are pleased to announce that our restaurant NAPA 1015 is scheduled to re- open its doors Wednesday, September 3rd.
We will be launching our new Fall menu, New tapas menu, New Happy hour , extended Sunday brunch menu and new additions to our Thursday Mexican menu.
Please check our website at www.napa1015.com for any additional news.
We hope to see you soon.
Cheers!
Jorge

Holbrook Terrace Shooting

The victim was 21 year old Kennan Woods. He lived nearby. There is the possibility that this shooting may be related to an altercation that occurred during yesterday's Trinidad Day celebration at the Trinidad Recreation Center.

Coverage-
NBC4
Fox 5
Channel 8

Shooting on Holbrook Terrace

From the MPD-5-D list-

RE: [MPD-5D] File - 50,000 award for information.ppt
From: mpd-5d@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Greene, Lamar (MPD) (lamar.greene@dc.gov)
Sent:
Sun 8/24/08 12:29 PM
Reply-to:
MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com

To:
MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com



At approximately 11pm in the 1200 block of holbrook terr a black male was shot, he subsequently died from the injury, anyone having information in regards to this shooting please contact MPD immediately. So far, citizens indicate a green mini van drove through and it is believed that the shots came from that vehicle..

Police Raid Wrong House?

Fox 5 reports on a Trinidad woman's claim that police raided her house by mistake, breaking a window and door to obtain entry, then throwing a smoke bomb, pointing their guns at her, and forcing her to lie on the ground naked while they ransacked her home. Police said two other homes in the area were raided on the same day in connection with the same case. Police maintained that they had the correct address for the raid.
NBC 4 also has the story.

I'm aware of another incident that occurred in Trinidad a couple of weeks ago where a woman in her late 60s answered a knock on her door only to find a group of officers pointing guns at her. They had a signed search warrant which had been obtained based on information provided by an informant. They looked around, but did not ransack the place.

Blingo @Sticky Rice Tonight

Come out tonight for Blingo (speed Bingo) 10:30pm @ Sticky Rice DC
1 lucky winner will win a Nintendo WII!!
Don't be late!!

Sticky Rice DC
1224 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

End of Summer/Back to School Specials plus Infant Massage Training at Healthy Motions® Massage Therapy

The following is an announcemnt from Healthy Motions-



Until Labor Day, September 1, 2008, we are offering $10 off of any treatment for first time clients at our studio, and $5 off for returning clients if you mention this posting on Frozen Tropics. Finish up your summer with a great massage treatment by one of our qualified therapists. We offer Swedish/Deep Tissue/Trigger Point, Hot Stone, and Pregnancy massage therapy.

Also, Granetta Coleman, Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Educator of Infant Massage, has added Infant Massage classes at our studio for all new parents and caregivers. Check out her article featured in the August 2008 Hill Rag for more details,

Healthy Motions® Massage Therapy, www.healthymotions.com, is located at 702 K Street NE, Lower Level. By appointment only, hours are 10am-9pm weekly. Call 202/246-4738, 202/276-0517, or email contact@healthymotions.com for more info or to make an appointment.

We look forward to meeting you.

Kevin Kelly

Granetta Coleman

Licensed Massage Therapists

Wednesday Soccer Relocates

Hello,

Tonight we'll be playing at Kingman Field (13th and D NE, entrance on D Street). I checked out the field the other day and found it to be in fairly decent shape. There are a few rough spots and the grass is in need of a trim in some places, but it looks to be a lot more forgiving than Sherwood. There are some old nets in the corner of the field, but I believe they are for another sport (field hockey perhaps). At any rate, the plan is to change our weekly Wednesday night pick up game to this location until we can get DPR to improve the turf conditions at Sherwood.

As always, all ages and skill levels are welcome. Tonight at 6:30. Email Omar at
familymahmud[at]yahoo.com with any questions.

Saturday's Alley Clean-Up 1200-1300 Block Florida/Morse

No photos, but we had a good time and things got cleaned up. We has plenty of sodas and water to deal with the hot day. We also dragged a grill into the alley and had hot dogs, and Smart Dogs [for the veggies]. Volunteers cleaned up trash and trimmed weeds and trees.

Prior to the clean-up many volunteers attended the PSA 504 meeting. The guest speaker was from DPR and we primary talked about two local rec centers. The meeting ran about 20 minutes long, but many issues were addressed.

Update on Two H Street Spots

I noticed a dumpster outside of the Ohio, which will become Radius Pizza at the Ohio, so it looks like they might be starting work. This is located at the intersection of 14th and H.


I caught a sneak peek inside the H Street Country Club, which will occupy the space previously held by Phish Tea in the 1300 block of H. They are hoping for a November opening. The space is huge, and coming along nicely. I saw some sketches of wall decorations. This one will definitely be different, and I suspect it will do well as a result.

Washingtonian: Redefining Luxury

This article mentions both the Landmark Lofts and Senate Square.

Examiner: Bloods Rising?

The Examiner has a story on the possibility that the Bloods may be attempting to establish themselves in DC. This was something mentioned as a possibility by an officer after the night of shootings that resulted in the murder of a 13 year old. I don't know how much there is to this story, but I can say that the Bloods do have a presence in Baltimore. At any rate, any activity is cause for concern. Let's hope the story overplays things. A related concern that has been raised is the fact that criminals from DC might end up imprisoned in distant prisons and bring this kind of crap with them when they return home. When people are incarcerated far from home they lose the family ties, and that may make them more prone to get into trouble. Maybe we need to rethink that strategy.

PSA 504 Meeting Tomorrow

What: A Police Service Area meeting. This is a chance to meet neighbors and officers, and to discuss matters related to crime and public safety.
Where: Developing Families Center, 801 17th Street, NE
When: August 16 from 10:00 - 11:30 AM

Pug Fundraiser Saturday

GOG: H Street Chatter

A bit of H Street related chatter on Going Out Gurus.

WP: National Night Out

The Post reports on 5D's National Night Out celebration.

ANC Commissioner Search

As far as ANC 5B goes, here are the ones I expect to be up for grabs [some might run again, but will endorse an alternative if a decent one comes forward]-
5B06
5B07
5B08
All positions are up for grabs [even those not mentioned here], and any interested parties should consider seeking election. For the positions mentioned above interested parties should consider contacting the existing commissioners as a courtesy, or to inquire about responsibilities.

Sherwood Soccer Tonight at 6:30

Pick-up game. All ages and skill levels welcome. 10th and G.

NYT: Housing Choice Voucher Reaction

The New York Times has an interesting piece on one community and the controversy that has erupted over housing choice vouchers, those who use them, and the reaction among some others in the community.

Here's a related link from We are Respectable Negroes.

Here's American Murder Mystery from the Atlantic Monthly, and here is Who Dun It in the American Murder Mystery? from Rooflines [published by the National Housing Institute]. Also worth a read is Memphis Murder Mystery? No, Just Mistaken Identity from Shelter Force.

DC Dish: Sticky Rice

Photo provided by Sticky Rice

The blog DC Dish reviews Sticky Rice. Sticky Rice is located at 1224 H Street.

People's Drug Store

Here's a nice old photo of the People's Drug store that once operated out of 804 H Street.

WP: NoMA Real Estate Blues

The Post considers vacancy rates in NoMA real estate.

Farmers Market Tomorrow

Don't forget tomorrow's farmers market.
What: A producers only market where you can get meats, veggies, fruits, cheeses, breads and more.
When: 9am-12pm
Where: The south side of the 600 block of H Street

RNR 2nd Anniversary

Blingo Tonight @Sticky Rice

Come out tonight for Blingo (speed Bingo) 10:30pm @ Sticky Rice DC
1 lucky winner will win a free iphone 3g!!
Don't be late!!

Sticky Rice DC
1224 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

Notes From Closed Meeting RE: New Town

These are my condensed very unofficial personal notes from the meeting. I just tried to capture the highlights and overall tone. I also have included my comments in italics. Nothing is verbatim unless it says otherwise. This was a closed meeting for the developers, landowners, and merchants, but commissioners from ANC 5B were also invited. As you can see the topic was the Capital City Market/Florida Market and the New Town proposal. You can find lots of other info on this by searching this blog for the words NEW TOWN. You can also check out the link just above to the Capital City Market blog to read articles from elsewhere. Here's an old Post piece from late 2006 that offers a bit of history.

Harry Thomas Jr. [Ward 5 Councilmember]- Expressed his dislike for eminent domain.

Paul Pascal [represents the Florida Avenue Market Merchants and Property Owners Association]- What about the Washington Business Journal article that is currently online and comes out in Friday's print edition? Why does it mention eminent domain [Thomas was interviewed for the article]?

Thomas- We [the Council] never tried to institute eminent domain and have never tried to force anyone into agreement by clamping down on zoning or other violations in the Market. [The legislation did include eminent domain language and the District has ramped up various enforcement efforts in the Market. I attended a 5-D CAC, 5th District Citizens Advisory Council, meeting where a rep from the Mayor's office discussed such ramped up enforcement and showed pictures of dumpsters and trash in drainage grates and advised people not to shop in or go to the Market because it was dirty and unsafe. She was unable to identify the locations where the photos were taken and when challenged that many merchants were not in violation, there are hundreds of merchants, conceded that one or two might be in compliance.]

Thomas' comments also seemed to indicate that rather than resume the Office of Planning's Small Area Plan, which is a great tool for community input and information sharing, this new plan, which differs in a very significant way from the old legislation, would simply go to the Council for approval. This differs notably from what ANC 5B's counsel had previously been told by both a representative from the Office of the Deputy Mayor and a representative from the Office of Planning. These two representatives indicated that the Small Area Plan would resume, be completed [perhaps in September], and then that could be used as a guidepost for the development legislation.

Pascal- I've been kept out of many discussions. Merchants and landowners haven't been included. Is District owned land part of the 50 percent required for approval [DC is a large landowner in the 24 acre Market]?

Thomas- Yes, District owned land will be included in the 50 percent. Pascal has been included in all government sponsored meetings [Pascal had previously indicated that he received no notice of this government sponsored meeting]. We must act now because funds are limited. We must look at DC's bond rating because that will limit how long funds are available. All ANCs in Ward 5 are on record as supporting New Town [actually ANC 5B is on record, per a letter sent to all Councilmembers, and to which Councilmember Thomas responded, as opposing New Town. It's just that this was a change in the ANC's position]. The New Town legislation is not expired because there is a difference between the temporary legislation and the permanent legislation [both contained David Catania's 180 day language so the latest possible expiration was in October of 2007. Plus, removing the land owned by Gallaudet and J Street materially changes the legislation, so this would be new legislation. It's either expired or not, you can't just change it and say it's the old legislation, but certain provisions now don't apply. Plus, should we really spend limited District funds on a developer with no previous development experience].

Landowner- I haven't heard anything for over a year, and that's a long time. Pascal who reps the landowners and merchants association didn't get notice of this meeting. How many land owners here feel they haven't been informed or included in the process? [Many hands are raised].

Thomas makes a frustrated reference to a slowdown due to a group that got ANC 6C involved.

Merchant or Landowner- Will you be using eminent domain?

Thomas- I haven't sought it, but it can't be ruled out. It might come from the executive branch.

Landowner- I'm concerned about eminent domain and not being included in discussions [not contacted by the city/New Town developer].

Jim Simmons [Apollo Development, a NY based firm that is partnering with Choi, the new town developer and its rep John Ray- There are many different owners in the Market. The time frame made it impossible to talk to them all. We talked to the largest owners first. We tried to include landowners. We will eventually talk to them all. The creature itself is a creation of the Act. It has been discussed with the Office of Planning, the Executive branch, and the Developer. We have met with 15 landowners [there are around 70].

Landowner- This violates due process, and is therefore Unconstitutional.

Simmons- This is a public/private partnership and the process has therefore been bifurcated with the developer just promising to develop, and the legislative branch drawing up the plan.

Landowner- This shows disdain for landowners and merchants. You are treating us like children.

Thomas- This is the legislative process. We passed the legislation.

Landowner- The Market isn't blighted. We're at 100 percent occupancy with others waiting to get in. It isn't hard to rent out space in the Market. It's a thriving business community.

Thomas- the Market is full of violations of all sorts. Everyday the District protects and helps the Market by not going in there to inspect. This legislation could be our last chance to save the Market. Look at Eastern Market. The District didn't maintain it and look what happened to it [Part of Eastern Market burned down. It has since been replaced with a bustling temporary building and the District is renovating the original building. Interestingly Eastern Market was almost torn down in the 1960s to become a parking lot, but this was averted due to community pressure].

Landowner [Ms. Pascal]- The Market is safer and cleaner than it was in 1955 when I brought my husband into the Market [Ms. Pascal is a second generation landowner in the Market]. At that point we actually had livestock, like living chickens and such, in the Market. I didn't see a copy of the plan until it was in its second iteration. This is railroading. Apollo should apologize to the merchants and landowners.

Thomas- There is always disagreement. We need to look at large landowners first for feasibility reasons. I'd be willing to have weekly meetings out of my office.

Fred Weiner [Special Asst to the President for Planning for Gallaudet University]- I see frustration because people don't see a way to get involved. Would you accept alternative ideas if stakeholders submitted them?

Thomas- Fred, I've met with you I don't know how many times. We don't have time to wait for Gallaudet because of the economy. We could accept submissions of alternative ideas.

Simmons- There is some misunderstanding here. There was a plan in place when Apollo came to the table. The plan came from the legislation. We merely inherited it. [Everything in the findings section of the legislation is non-binding and it clearly states it merely provides ideas for negotiation].

Pascal- This is the first time post-legislation that the plans have been laid out. The original New Town developer, Choi, and John Ray basically drafted the legislation. The Association is merely a conduit for distributing information. I don't represent any of the merchants or landowners personally.

Landowner- asks Simmons how much support among landowners they have for the project.

Simmons- Around 40 percent of the landowners if you exclude the land owned by Gallaudet and J Street, but include the land owned by the District. We can't say which landowners without their permission because we had them all sign confidentiality agreements by which both sides are bound.

Pascal- This is not the same legislation as the passed New Town Act because it doesn't include Gallaudet's land, or that owned by J Street, and that materially changes the legislation.

Thomas- J Street came to the table late. Gallaudet and J Street can still participate, or not participate. Their land just won't be part of the 50 percent necessary for approval.

Brady Pate [Representative of development team J Street and EHA]- We've been told that the Act is expired.

Thomas- My office never told you the act was expired. The government never told you the act was expired [I'm currently looking at a July 2007 letter from the then Attorney General for DC stating that the temporary legislation, which I believe was passed at the same time as the permanent legislation, would expire in October of 2007. This would be the same for the permanent legislation because the expiration was dictated by an internal 180 day clause].

Landowner- Would it be possible for a coalition of landowners, if the land was large enough, to be excluded from the Act like you've excluded J Street and Gallaudet if we didn't want to do anything with our land?

Thomas- So what does that mean when you say you don't want to do anything with your land? So you are saying you just want to leave it...

Landowner- No, I meant not be part of this plan. Do our own thing.

Thomas- No, not feasible.

Landowner- This is discrimination. This is a sham.

John Ray [agent for New Town developer Choi who is partnered with Apollo]- Apollo did not create this plan. DC wants housing. It wants 20 percent affordable housing here [Harry Thomas' website says the development will include between 20 and 40 percent affordable house. I think the original Act called for a minimum of percent affordable housing, and a goal of 40 percent]. DC wants a YMCA [a potential inclusion in New Town]. The City came up with the plan. We need a zoning change. Your taxes just came in higher, and J Street got involved, out of anticipation of this plan. Pascal met with me early on and he told me he would organize the merchants and landowners. We thought he was your agent. You could have come to the Small Area Plan meetings at Gallaudet earlier [Choi/Ray/Apollo successfully requested that the Small Area Plan be paused, thus rendering it totally ineffective if it is never completed. Even if the Small Area Plan is completed it only becomes binding if approved by the Council]. The 180 days clause was always meaningless because there is no penalty specified for violating the expiration time limit. This Act always had to come back to the Council for approval. [Actually the Act created a grant of administrative power that lapsed when the 180 days ended]. The Council has the power to change all of it at any time. The Council laid out the plans. You will benefit when your property values rise, but your property has to be changed from a warehouse.

Thomas- Look at other developments and TIF [Tax Increment Financing] funds. Look at 14th Street. You aren't seeing the opportunity. [Another good, but unmentioned, option would be to utilize Community Development Block Grants for existing merchants to fix up their own places, while also allowing new development in the Market].

Weiner- We've been in conversations with a lot of people. We intend to work with everyone, the city, the other developers, the landowners, the merchants, the Office of Planning, and the residents with, or without, the legislation. The New Town legislation shouldn't exclude land owned by Gallaudet and J Street.

Alexander Chae [represents an Asian merchants association]- I sampled merchants just before this meeting, and that's why I came in late. The legislation should include J Street and Gallaudet. 30 percent were very interested in the New Town idea. 70 percent would look at other considerations such as the economy, nearby construction, and taxes. 20 percent of the 70 percent would support the idea of New Town if their concerns were adequately addressed.

Thomas- The exclusive development rights proposed under New Town would include a provision stabilizing merchant rents for 2 years. We need a continuing flow of revenue for these businesses to survive and that is only possible with large scale development by 1, or a few parties because of the number of violations in the Market. We go in there and we'll have to start shutting people down until they comply. We talking about people not conducting business for at least a year if things are done right and these places would go out of business.

Landowner [Ms. Pascal]- We're not like 14th Street. 14th Street was destroyed and mostly burned to the ground in the 1968 riots. We're not looking at a place where you can just come in and rebuild from vacant lots. We are talking about thriving businesses here.

Thomas- We don't want this to be about national chains. This is about local merchants. Read the legislation.

Simmons- It is very difficult, at least I'm told, to stage a PUD [Planned Unit Development] process. You've got to do it all at once, not piecemeal. Any rezoning can only increase your land value. We've already been told that the buildings are historic, so we'll have to preserve them [although the Office of Planning did refer to many Market structures as historic, none have been officially designated as such, and they are thus not protected. The language in the New Town Act acknowledges that the structures are historic, but only requires them to be preserved if the developer and the Office of Planning find it to be impractical. That's not a high bar, and I'd say the commitment from Apollo/Choi/Ray is dubious considering that the partnered on the adjacent Gateway Market Residences and they demolished an identical historic building in the process].

Some other comments did follow, but they basically repeated what is related above.

===================
UPDATE
===================

I have made some changes to the post above. Most were typos, or adding links to explain certain terms. A few added context or clarified, but a couple were substantive. I went back and verified the original language about affordable housing [20 percent minimum with a goal of 40 percent], and the language regarding the historic preservation was IMPRACTICAL, not INFEASIBLE. Otherwise things are pretty much the same. Also, Harry Thomas' YES was in answer to the question of whether DC owned land would be included in the 50 percent required for approval.

=====================
UPDATE
=====================

I've just been told the Small Area Plan is going to be restarted, which is great news. I guess I misinterpreted Councilmember Thomas' comments on that issue. The Small Area Plan is very important, and it's a great way to keep everyone involved and informed. The Small Area Plan is not about New Town, but is rather a parallel feasibility study of the Market and its various potential uses. Once completed, aspects of the Small Area Plan can be used to guide the development process.

BBC: Killing Time in DC

The BBC reports on the recent violence in Trinidad, but a few major caveats here-

1. The playground shown in the video is at the Trinidad Recreation Center on Childress. Every time I have been to that rec there are lots of kids around, so I'm thinking the film crew got lucky on that one.

2. There have not been 24 people murdered in Trinidad this year. There have been 24 people murdered in all of the 5th District this year.

3. As to the question of where the parks and playgrounds are, is that one recreation center is 2 blocks away, and the other one is less than a third of a mile from where the questioner was standing.

Another thing that comes to mind is that if the BBC shot the video during a weekday afternoon they miss out on the majority of the residents who were at work. If that's what happened, and I suspect it was, I'm not surprised they got a very skewed sample of residents. So while the BBC's story and accompanying videos are certainly dramatic and compelling, they're also less than accurate.

WBJ: Florida Market

The Washington Business Journal offers the following article on the Market and the New Town proposal.

Sherwood Soccer Tonight

Join neighbors for a pick-up game of soccer tonight at 6:30 at Sherwood Rec. [10th and G]. All ages and skill levels are welcome.


A message from the organizer-

Hello everyone,

I've heard several suggestions about changing our weekly Wednesday evening game to sometime during the weekend. I have heard Sunday suggested, but I'm open to Saturday morning as well. I am open to either option, but I wanted to hear what you guys think first. Here are my thoughts on either option.

Saturday/Sunday morning

Pros: Easier to beat the heat by playing in the morning, we may get better turnout since the game won't conflict with work schedules.
Cons: A lot of people (including myself) try to escape town during the weekends, Saturday/Sunday mornings may be rough for those recovering from the night before.

Wednesday evening

Pros: Doesn't interfere with weekend plans
Cons: The weather is usually pretty hot at this time of day, it's difficult for people to make it to Sherwood by 6:30 after work, as the days get shorter so will our games,

New Republic: Trading Places

Here's an interesting article I found through Planetizen on Demographic Inversion. Basically the author is arguing that this term is a better way to describe what's happening in many U.S. cities than just calling it gentrification. I thought it might be of interest.

H Street Festival Seeks Volunteers

Announcement-


It's that time of year again and we are putting out a call for helpers. I will be holding a planning meeting/open house at the H Street Main Street office this Friday, August 8 at 6:30 PM for anyone interested and can always be reached at lahowell[at]gmail.com.

Festival Mission:
The H Street Festival is scheduled for September 20th, 2008, The focus of the Festival of H Street is the strategic revitalization of the business district of H Street, and the promotion of Arts in DC.

Our Volunteer Needs:
This year, the volunteer tasks will be project-based. They will work on event and merchant management, grassroots and traditional marketing, community organization partnership development, artist research, and festival themes.

Our Specific Current Volunteer Needs:

Community Organization Partnership Developer:
We would like to work with as many community organizations and nonprofits that support the area and/or the arts as possible. We realize, however, that there may be organizations and/or projects that we have not yet learned about. Do you know of a great program that works with adopted kids? How about a organization that provides arts education to youth? Or how about a non-profit that offers after school tutoring? Maybe even a group that provides neighborhood watch in the area, or an organization that can set up a watch group? Any organization or group providing a beneficial service will not be charged for a booth. We have a PDF of our media kit that can be sent to these community organizations. We just need you to let them know about the opportunity, and have them contact us to register for their space. If this sounds like something you can do, please contact us. We want to expose every organization that's helping our city.

Artist Research:
Do you know of a great band? Know any artists, authors, fashion designers or poets looking for a place to sell their work? Can you organize their information and provide us with a way to hear their music, or see their work, as well as giving us their contact information. For musicians, we need four song samples, a telephone number, and an email address. For other artist, we need a webpage, a telephone number and an email address. If you could provide that information, you'll be able to help. We pride ourselves on the artists at our event, and have had great artists every year. We have over 30 musicians each year, and tons of artists! We know, however, that there are always new great artists that we may have not yet heard. We'd love to go to every show, listen to great music, and find hot talent – but then we wouldn't have time for anything else. So we are looking for suggestions from volunteers, with the caveat that you provide all the necessary information.

Event and Merchant Management:
The event management opportunities will center on making sure that artists are at their designated performance area 20 minutes prior to their performances. In addition, we need people to provide information to festival attendees and to assist vendors. We are interested in hearing from people that would like to help as soon as possible.

Grassroots and Traditional Marketing:
We need help with marketing and promotions. This is principally grassroots promotion. We need people that can disseminate flyers in the neighborhood, surrounding areas, and at other festivals occurring between now and our date of September 20th.

Festival Themes:
We are a creative bunch, but are always open for ideas. We want this event to be an event that assists all aspects of the professional arts within D.C. Do you have an idea that you think would be really cool? Is there a specific aspect of the arts that you would like to see highlighted? Do you have games ideas for the children's pavilion? Come to us with ideas, and embrace a festival that is all about you and your corridor.

If you would like to volunteer to assist with this event, please send an email to lahowell[at]gmail.com. Please inform of us of any special skills, or interest that you may have.

National Night Out Tonight

Sorry for the late notice, but if you haven't made plans for tonight you might want to check out this year's National Night Out celebrations.

National Night Out 2008 Activities

National Night Off Kickoff Activities (8/5/08, 4-8 pm)

Location: National Mall at 4th Street

Join area police and public safety agencies, neighbors, and friends as we celebrate NNO's 25 years of successful partnerships. Entertainment, activities for children, fingerprinting, games, military and police equipment, and live concert featuring headline acts.

National Night Out 2008: Celebrate with your Police District*

Fifth District, Ft. Lincoln Recreation Center
3100 Ft. Lincoln Drive, NE

5-9 pm

Celebrate NNO with the Fifth District

Join us for food, fun, and information on neighborhood watch/orange hat programs and safety workshops within our police/community partnerships. Let our partnerships send the message - our neighborhoods are organized and willing to support local anticrime programs.

In addition, you may "get on the Bus" with Councilmember Thomas and 5D Command Staff as a Delegate from our Ward Five/District Five community to represent us at the Regional event on the Mall. (Bus leaves for the Mall at 5:15pm)

Fayette Vaughn-Lee
(202) 698-0188
(202) 497-0814

Special Tae Bo Class @Senate Square

A reader sent me the following-

Tuesday, August 5th, Total U Fitness will be conducting its 6:30 p.m. Tae Bo Cardio and 7:30pm Tae Bo Technique classes on the rooftop at the SENATE SQUARE
luxury condominiums. Located at 201 I Street, NE (The old Children's Museum) on the corner of 3rd and H Streets, NE.



All are welcome to attend one of the classes.



Word of mouth his the heart of this fitness studio’s business which is run by an incredible local woman. Please come to one of the classes at Senate Square or the Studio and PLEASE CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT TOTAL U FITNESS!!

Total U Fitness is located at 517 H Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002.

WP: Man Held Without Bond in Triple Homicide

The Post reports the latest on the suspect accused of murdering three men following an argument at a BP gas station. Williams McCorkle, 22, allegedly shot and killed Anthony Mincey, Johnny Jeter, and Duane Hough just north of Florida Avenue on Holbrook. McCorkle lives a few blocks away from the location of the shooting. He's currently being held without bond. Two witnesses identified McCorkle as the shooter, while three other witnesses felt there were two shooters.

400 Block of H

WT: H Street Thrives Despite Nearby Crime

The Washington Times looks at the success of H Street while recalling the recent crime wave in neighboring Trinidad.

WP: Arrest Made in Triple Homicide

Police have arrested a 22 year old man for the triple shooting that claimed the lives of three men in late May.