Sites&Sounds

The folks at GoodLibations certainly know how to throw a block party. The great thing is that summer is not over and there's plenty of time for them to do it again. The live music was fantastic. The dominoes were slammin' left and right. And the cigar aficionado seemed to be pretty darn pleased. The mojitos and sangria were out o this world (there were plenty of soft drinks for the younger set and those on duty) a variety of empanadas and chicken kabobs left some folks (me) sucking on the stick (hats off to the grill chef). The word on the kabobs must have gotten out on the air waves fast because one of our favorite officers, who cruised by to make sure everyone was having a good safe time, no more than stuck a hand out her cruiser window, took a kabob to go and cruised off back to work.

Thanks Ronny G! You outdid yourself and raised the bar on the friendly neigbhorhood block party — now you'll just have to do it all again sometime soon.

Thanks again, RonnyG (left)!

After a meeting this evening, KLC and I saw some fellas hanging out on the jungle gym at Scott Montgomery and thought we'd introduce ourselves and ask how they were enjoying their evening. I know that a group of fit young African American men just hanging out can often inspire great fear and dread and concerns about all sorts of things. The seniors citizens in Shaw certainly aren't to blame for all of the crime we've been experiencing. And Scott Montgomery has certainly seen its share of shenanigans. But tonight it seems the fellas were just hanging out, catching up, enjoying another lovely evening in Shaw. There wasn't even a whiff of tobacco in the air and none of them were even so much as smacking gum.

I realize there's a model for only engaging groups like these when there's a MPD officer packing heat on hand, but sometimes ... sometimes ... just saying hello works magic.

KLC: Hey fellas, how ya'll doin'?
Mahdi: Hey guys!
Group: [Silence]
KLC: I have a community newsletter that's coming out next month and I was wondering if we could talk to you and do an article about you.
Mahdi: And take a group photo!
Group: [Silence]
KLC: How are you guys enjoying the evening?
Mahdi: Can't beat this weather!
Group: [Silently exits stage left as if using their telepathic powers to communicate without uttering a word to us]
Mahdi: Have a good night, fellas!

View video clip of Mayor Adrian Fenty's and Councilmember Jack Evans' remarks. Download press release.

ANC2C01 Commissioner Alexander M Padro (right), along side Mayor Adrian Fenty, talks about the City Market at O development that will be a part of his single member district.

Although the legislation for the $35M tax increment financing (TIF) package still needs to be approved by the DC Council, all major hurdles seem to have been cleared now that Roadside Development has received preliminary support for the financing from Mayor Fenty, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, At Large Councilmember Kwame Brown, and Neil Albert Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. This $260M project will bring the largest (71,000 sq ft) grocery store in the District to Shaw with . There are already retail tenants lined up for a few of the commercial units that will be a part of the project.

District government officials and Roadside Development team celebrate moving forward with CityMarket at O St.

11:55am, Friday, June 13, 6th & M Street NW

About 10 fire engines were on the scene around noon today after successfully putting out a residential fire. No other information was made available at the time. MPD and Fire/EMS crews had blocked off serveral blocks from L Street to N Streets NW and from 5th to 6th Streets NW.

SHAKESPEARE FREE FOR ALL PRESENTS HAMLET
Carter Barron Amphitheater, Now until June 1
16th Street & Colorado Avenue NW

The Shakespeare Theatre's outdoor performances began last night with Hamlet at Carter Barron. Free tickets are available in advance locally at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, Tuesdays through Sundays, beginning at noon. (1 block east of the Gallery Place/Chinatown/Penn Quarter Metro Station.).

JAZZ IN THE GARDEN
Friday Evenings, May 23 to October 3

Alex Martin's Amérique Latine (Euro-Latin Jazz)
Tonight! 5pm, May 23
National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW

Penn Quarter Living notes that the National Gallery of Art begins its Jazz in the Garden series tonight. Take the Circulator, bike, or stroll down to the sculpture garden with a big blanket and a picnic basket and your family and friends to enjoy the great weather, music, gardens, the big fountain, and the fantastic sculptures.

The lovely Mrs Edith Williams took the crown and top prize in this year's American Classic Woman of the year pageant after a Chris Rock like comedy routine that left few stones unturned and the audience in stitches. The Honorable ANC2C01 Commissioner Alexander M Padro, president of the pageant's board of directors, presented the award.

Richard Pryor reincarneted as a lovely woman.

Virginia E. Hayes Williams (left), mother of the former Mayor an no relation to the evening's winning contestant, and Asbury Dwellings Tenants Assoc. President Earl Storm (second from the left) enjoy the performaces at this year's event.

Prince and Sarah Silverman would have blushed at the mix of sacred and profane, raw and refined talent on display at this year's event at Shaw Middle School on Saturday. One of the pageant judges, Reverend Joseph Williams from Emmaus, was often seen feverishly wiping the perspiration from his brow. Nonetheless, from Improvisational dance sent to “Diamonds and Pearls” to French and Italian cantatas and classic negro spirituals; liturgical dance to bawdy bar room comedy; this year's pageant lead by founder and chairwoman the fabulous Letha Blount was a fantastic success. One minute the audience would be joining in on for a Christian spirtual, the next falling out with laughter to jaw dropping comedy. ... Completely off the hook. For all the passionate and lofty spiritual devotion on display, some acts in the talent competition proved nothing was sacred and it all made for a pageant that was better than ever.

There were several guest performers during a classical productions showcase.

There were wonderful touching and elegant moments as well that helped everyone appreciate the important and lively contributions that our senior friends and neighbors make to our city and our community.

Pageant organizers Alexander M Padro and Letha Blount can take pride in their best pageant yet. The pageant once again took place in the Percy Ellis Auditorium of Shaw Middle School. Shaw Middle School was saved from being closed permanently by Mayor Adrian Fenty's and School Chancellor Michelle Rhee's school reorganization plan partly because it has served as a great venue for such community events in Shaw.

More pics here

I took a couple weeks, but DPR finally got a team out to clean up the over grown weeds at the Kennedy Recreation Center this morning. And just in time for Councilmember Jack Evans' big campaign kick off BBQ this weekend. Many thanks to Mark Bjorge and Mayor Fenty's team of Ward 2 Service Coordinators who know how to get things done.

Family Reading Night at Scott Montgomery, May 7, 2008 was a great success thanks to all who got involved. Families, teachers, neighbors and local business owners.

Cake provided by Heller's Bakery and the owners of Veranda Restaurant.

Principals Melissa Martin (left, Scott Montgomery) and Jessica Cunningham (right, KIPP:DC).

Chef Jean Claude Le Lan Served up delictible crepes and his famous chocolate mousse for guests.

A few of the teachers at Scott Montgomery were very happy about the awesome turnout.

Alex Padro with tour group in front of Immaculate Conception Church on N Street NW.

The Shaw component Cultural Tourism DC's WalkingTown, DC was led by Shaw Main Streets Executive Director, and local historian, Alexander Padro on Sunday. Almost thirty folks showed up for each of the two tours which spanned from the Convention Center at Mt Vernon Square to the Howard Theatre on T Street NW.

The tour group gets a history lesson about the historic O Street Market and plans for the new City Market at O planned by Roadside Development.

The Carter G Woodson Home and historic site on 9th Street NW

Yesterday, after these kids were practicing America's favorite pass time at the Kennedy Recreation Center, I took the Metro down to National's Park and watched the Mets beat the pants off the home team. Despite the loss it was a great time and the weather could not have been better. Not only did I give the car a break last night, but I honor of Earth Day I took a bike on Metro to the game and completely avoided the post-game congestion on the roads and on Metro by biking home to Shaw. It was an excellent way to work off those $5 Hebrew National hot dogs. The Nats gave a big shout out to Jackie Robinson.

Throughout the game on Wednesday, the Nationals' scoreboard featured trivia and facts on Robinson's career. When Robinson broke baseball's color barrier, he brought the Negro Leagues' electrifying style of play to the big leagues.

Robinson quickly became one of the game's top draws, most daring baserunners and a symbol of hope to millions of Americans. Playing the role of catalyst, the Brooklyn Dodgers won six National League pennants in Robinson's 10 seasons. He was named NL MVP in 1949.
— Nationals Web site

On Saturday, Just in time before the heavy April showers Sunday, Shaw Main Streets held its fourth annual neighborhoodwide cleanup and greenup event in central Shaw on Saturday. This year's event included planting cherry trees and perennial and annual flowering plants, picking up trash, and removing and painting over graffiti. Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander M Padro organized the event. Volunteers from the DC Green Team, various neighborhood organizations and neighbors from Rhode Island Avenue to Gallery Place took part in the event to keep Shaw looking its best. A lot of great work was accomplished; it was surely made easier by neighbors and friends working together.

Ward Councilmember Jack Evans, his staff, Mark Bjorge, from Mayor Fenty's office, and Linda Grant, from DPW's Public Information Office, also stopped by to thank residents for coming out and to make sure things got off to a great start. Mt Vernon Sq Neighborhood Assoc. President Cary Silverman worked in Mt Vernon Square and his organization's clean up effort seems to have inspired this Life in Ward 2 post on his Ward 2 campaign blog. Douglas Development provided one of their trucks for hauling plants, mulch and other supplies to various locations around Shaw.

[ Open slideshow ]

Kennedy Recreation Center Director Freddie Brown (second from right) and volunteers from Rhode Island Avenue to Gallery Place pitched in to spruce up the grounds around the rec center.

Coincidently, Hemingway Memorial Church leaders above replaced their old weather-worn signage with new and uncovered a historical marker in the process (see slide 6) ...

Chef Jean-Claude and I were invited to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association's annual gala and fundraiser last night at the German Embassy. Chef Jean Claude served his signature chocolate mousse and made fresh crepes for guests and provided one of his cooking classes for the auction. I went around the silent auction tables bidding for one of the many cool bikes that were on display, but I was outbid every time. The event celebrates the strides WABA has made to advocate for bicycle initiatives in DC, Maryland and Virginia like the nation's first SmartBike bike sharing program starting in DC, road issues policies and clean environmental policies. WABA has also supported the bike valet programs around the District like the one set up for the cherry blossom festival this year.

This year's bike valet near the Jefferson Memorial.

I spoke to the host of the event, Dr. Georg Schulze Zumkley, the Deputy Director of the German information Center (GIC) for the United States, who is from Muenster, Germany where apparently every citizen has 1.8 bikes and which ranks as one of the most livable cities in Germany. Germany spends roughly 100 million euros each year on the construction of bike lanes. This sets a high bar for places like Washington to aim towards.

Shaw's first SmartBike station will be on [S] T and 7th Streets NW, behind the CVS Pharmacy, across from the Wachovia bank, one block up from the Shaw/Howard University Metro stop.

The SmartBike stop in Gallery Place will be in front of the Museum of American Art at F and 7th Streets NW, across from the Verizon Center and Gallery Place Metro stop.

Ward 2 Sounds of Gunshots, April 4, 2008

According to the latest MPD Ward 2 map indicating calls for gunshots, my single member district and the area at the heart of the ANC2C boundaries, still seems to be the epicenter of the MPD calls for gunshots in Ward 2 this year. This area is also the focus of new MPD strategies to put more foot patrols on the street and the area of focus for Shotspotter.

The map (at right) outlines the preliminary boundaries for MPD’s deployment of a gun shot detection system. Survey and construction engineering programming is still underway. Shotspotter technology is exptected be up and running in Shaw by the end of this month.

Cary Silverman noted here that Shotspotter will be linked to the MPD crime cameras that are already used in the neighborhood.

ShotSpotter triangulates the location of gunshots within a few feet. It is currently installed only in Southeast, though there are plans to put the technology in such Northwest neighborhoods as Shaw and Columbia Heights, which have been hit hard by gang violence. Police officials say the technology has been used over 17 months to recover 10 weapons and make eight arrests, including a man accused of killing a landscaper working in Anacostia in October 2006.
— MPD plans to link crime cameras, ShotSpotter, The Washington Times, April 7, 2008

Trash feeds rats from Dupont Circle to Shaw ... and beyond

At the Dupont Circle Citizens Association (DCCA) meeting Monday night, the Environmental Committee handed out a friendly reminder that the Department of Health and Department of Public Works are concerned about rat infestations across the District. They offered a few tips of advice for everyone to do their part to minimize the problem and avoid the $75 fines (per offense) that are being handed out.

Trash should be disposed of in appropriate containers with tightly fitting lids for the District to pick up. It should not be left outdoors or curb side simply in plastic bags. Home owners receiving regularly scheduled trash pickups by DPW, who don't have an official District trash container, can call 311 to arrange to have one delivered.

The alley behind Kelsey Gardens, off the 1500 block of 7th Street NW, is the site of frequent illegal dumping where rats have apparently "been having a picnic" among other problems the trash attracts. The developer that now owns the Kelsey Gardens property has agreed to be more vigilant in cleaning up the site.

Asbury Dwellings got two new sets of double automatic doors this week. This isn't such a big deal for most of us, but these doors have been five years coming and if you consider that many of the Asburians rely on motorized wheel chairs to get out and about, you'd appreciate that maneuvering through two sets of regular double doors with groceries was just a daily royal pain in the keister. At last month's tenants' meeting with Mayor Fenty, the Asbury Church trustees were on hand and promised that this was just one of several improvements and upgrades coming to the building this year.

Whether employing the broken windows theory actually affects the incidence of other types of offenses and violent crime is debatable. What is not debatable is that broke down **** in the heart of the community — and at the intersection of two popular thoroughfares in the District — just looks bad and screams "ghetto" louder than the realtors trying to sell high priced homes in transitional hood touting their luxury. It's also depressing. As depressing as empty retail storefronts all over Shaw. The shell of the Historic O Street Market doesn't help. But at least the O Street Market is finally on the road to being resurrected in stunning glory.

Kennedy Recreation Center, 7th & P Streets NW, Friday, April 4, 2008

When I spoke to DPR Director Clark Ray, during is walk through of parks in the area in January this year, about the fence at the Rec Center, he informed me that DPR was waiting on the insurance money from the auto accident that caused the damage. Doesn't DPR have a budget for incidental stuff like this? Apparently, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans in still planning to renovate parks in the area but that remains to be seen.

That pig in the yard now seems like someone's idea of bad a joke?

I'm informed by the District's Fire and EMS Department that the fire department just completed testing hydrants in the Shaw neighborhood. Once they have completed the assessment on the hydrants, the results are sent to the DC Water and Sewer Authority. DC WASA is informed if the hydrant needs maintenance or has been placed Out of Service. WASA then has 5 days to repair and 10 days to replace a defective fire hydrant.

To address concerns about the fire department operations when dealing with a fire hydrant out of service, I was told that Fire commanders have been trained to deal with this exact situation every day all over the city. There are a number of hydrants in the vicinity of those marked “out of service” that are working fine. It’s the hydrants that are not identified that slow the fire departments operations down. However the Fire department now knows which hydrants need attention and will not let those impact their operations.

Fire trucks carry about 4000 gallons of water on each truck and — with fire hose extensions and the assistance of other trucks — the department is still able to service local fires efficiently and effectively.

For information regarding the scheduling of hydrant repairs, residents can contact the General Manager of the Water Authority, Mr. Jerry Johnson, at jjjohnson ]at[ dcwasa.com.

The Washington Convention Center Authority and the Department of Public Works (DPW) have once again kindly provided free mulch for residents in the community. The mulch was left over from last weekend's Washington Home & Garden Show. This is relatively high quality dark shredded mulch great for tree boxes and decorative enough for front yard usage. The bulk of it will be used for landscaping around Scott Montgomery, but over the years, neighbors have lobbied to get two truck loads at the school as demand has increased. There should be plenty to satisfy local demand.

DPW made several drops around Shaw. This year, the Scott Montgomery drop was on the 5th Street side of the school. Recent fires around the district have warranted strict adherence to fire regulations, so drops near the school entrance on P Street will no longer be made.

Great night for a good ol' American style protest. Chuck and I had several pleasant conversations with meeting attendees as they left the 2 hour (see comments from the MPD Chiefs) meeting early. I can't help but believe they understood our point of view: that the ECCA is trying to privatize our local government.