East of the River Magazine – April 2019 by Capital Community News

APRIL 2019

Green DC 22

| Earth Day Special

‘A’ Is for April and Arbor Day by Rindy O’Brien

Solar Energy by Catherine Plume

Earth Month Events

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 28

The Bulletin Board

Coming in Summer 2020: Phase I of Skyland Town Center by Keely Sullivan

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N E X T I S S U E : M aY . 11

by Kamolika Das and Doni Crawford

IN EVERY ISSUE 08 What’s on Washington 14 Calendar

The Numbers Ward 8 Special - Needs Kids Gain Healthcare by Candace Y.A. Montague

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

46 The Crossword

47 The Classiﬁed

ON THE COVER: BEST Kids Superhero 5k & Fun Run. Mentors help BEST Kids find their superpowers. Funds raised from this event support mentoring programs for over 160 local youth. Photo: Adrienne Boykin. See story on pg. 40.

Makers Arrive at Oxon Run by Phil Hutinet

Busboys & Poets Expands Service by John Muller

Jazz Avenues by Steve Monroe

KIDS & FAMILY 40

Notebook by Kathleen Donner

HOMES & GARDENS

Changing Hands compiled by Don Denton

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Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of: F A G O N

MIDCITY

GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL

FAGON

EDUCATION

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300. Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com • www.hillrag.com

Editorial Staﬀ M�� E��: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com CFO � A�� E��: Maria Carolina Lopez • carolina@hillrag.com S�� N�� E��: Susan Braun Johnson • schools@hillrag.com K�� F�� E��: Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com

Real Estate Don Denton • DDenton@cbmove.com Heather Schoell • heathersdo@gmail.com Kids & Family Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

Arts, Dining & Entertainment A��: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com Phil Hutinet • phutinet@yahoo.com D��: Celeste McCall • cmccall20003@gmail.com L��: Karen Lyon • klyon@literaryhillbookfest.org M��: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net M��: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Stephen Monroe • steve@jazzavenues.com T��: Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com W�� G��: Elyse Genderson • elyse@cellar.com Calendar & Bulletin Board C�� E��: Kathleen Donner • calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

Homes & Gardens Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Catherine Plume • caplume@yahoo.com Rindy 0’Brien • rindyobrien@gmail.com Commentary T�� L�� W�� • editorial@hilllrag.com Production/Graphic/Web Design A�� D��: Jason Yen • jay@hillrag.com Graphic Design: Lee Kyungmin • lee@hillrag.com W�� M��: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com Advertising & Sales Account Executive: Kira Means, 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com Account Executive & Classiﬁed Advertising: Maria Carolina Lopez, 202.543.8300 X12 • Carolina@hillrag.com

General Assignment R. Taylor Barden • taylor@hillrag.com Elise Bernard • elise.bernard@gmail.com Karen Cohen • kcohenphoto@gmail.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Tom Daniel • tom@rthomasdanielrooﬁng.com Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com Stephen Lilienthal - stephen_lilienthal@yahoo.com Pleasant Mann • pmann1995@gmail.com Meghan Markey • meghanmarkey@gmail.com William Matuszeski • bmat@olg.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com Elizabeth O’Gorek • Liz@hillrag.com Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Michael G. Stevens • michael@capitolriverfront.org Peter J. Waldron • peter@hillrag.com

Distribution M��: D��: I��:

Andrew Lightman MediaPoint, LLC distribution@hillrag.com

Deadlines & Contacts A��: sales@hillrag.com D�� A��: 15th of each month C�� A��: 10th of each month E��: 15th of each month; editorial@hilllrag.com B�� B�� C��: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

Beauty, Health & Fitness Patricia Cinelli • ﬁtmiss44@aol.com Candace Y.A. Montague • writeoncm@gmail.com

We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.

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United Medical Center says, “Join us in celebrating National Minority Health Month, and making the District active and healthy.”

April is National Minority Health Month, a time for all of us to focus on improving the health of everyone in our community. The theme for this year is “Active & Healthy.” We know there are higher incidences of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease in Wards 7 and 8 than elsewhere in the District. We also know that exercise and a proper diet can help prevent and control these and the other chronic conditions that are more common or severe among racial and ethnic minority groups. We urge all of our neighbors to learn about the important role an active lifestyle plays in getting and staying healthy. We encourage our community to get on your feet and get moving every day – walk, bike, dance, play a sport. Even small amounts of exercise will improve your health and have you feeling happier!

UMC

United Medical Center

Quality Health Care, and Caring

Call us today at 202-574-6000. www.united-medicalcenter.com United Medical Center • 1310 Southern Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C., 20032

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Our pharmacists go above and beyond. But you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to go much beyond the Big Chair.

GOOD NEWS! Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new Whitman-Walker Health pharmacy in your neighborhood. Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 6:30 pm

2303 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE

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edition Enrico David, Tools and Toys III, 2014 © Enrico David. Image: Courtesy of Michael Werner Gallery, New York and London

Easter Monday has been a Washington-area multicultural tradition that spans more than 100 years. Photo: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Easter Monday & Earth Optimism Celebration This year it’s double the fun on Monday, April 22, as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Easter Monday event coincides with Earth Day and the Zoo’s Earth Optimism celebration. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., families are invited to enjoy egg hunts, live music, food trucks and games while discovering how they can help save species. This free event includes hands-on learning opportunities featuring Smithsonian conservation success stories, special animal demonstrations, keeper talks, and meet and greets with scientists and conservation partners working to protect wildlife around the world. The Smithsonian National Zoo, 3000 Connecticut Ave. NW, is free; parking is $25. nationalzoo.si.edu.

Enrico David: Gradations of Slow Release Featuring twenty years of artistic output, Enrico David: Gradations of Slow Release is the largest US museum exhibition of the artist’s works to date. Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, this exhibition shows the breadth and versatility of a distinguished artist, one whose practice is characterized by transformation. Enrico David (Italian, b. Ancona, 1966) is one of the most original artists working today. Based in London, David employs a variety of media—including sculpture, painting, installation, and works on paper—to develop a dynamic and unique vision of the human form and the evershifting sense of being that rests therein. Enrico David: Gradations of Slow Release is on view April 16 through Sept. 2, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. hirshhorn.si.edu.

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Album With Portrait of Young Harriet Tubman The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is displaying—for the first time—the Emily Howland photography album containing a previously unknown portrait of abolitionist and Underground Railroad-conductor Harriet Tubman. It is believed to be the earliest photo of her in existence. The photograph is one of 49 19th-century images in the Emily Howland photography album, jointly owned by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Library of Congress. The album is on view in the “Slavery and Freedom” exhibition in the museum’s History Gallery, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. nmaahc.si.edu.

“I love, and I wish everyone would see, Americans.” —Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker

Smithsonian

National Museum of the American Indian

National Mall, Washington, D.C. | AmericanIndian.si.edu | #NDNsEverywhere

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Surrender at Yorktown by Louis Nicolas Van Blarenberghe depicts the 1781 formal surrender of the British army at Yorktown, Virginia. The original is at the Palace of Versailles. This version was created in 1786 for French General Comte de Rochambeau, the commander of the French forces at Yorktown. The painting is on loan from the collection of Nicholas Taubman.

The American Revolution: A World War View the American Revolution through a global lens in The American Revolution: A World War, which examines the 1781 victory at Yorktown and the Franco-American partnership that made it possible. The exhibition features the paintings The Siege of Yorktown and The Surrender of Yorktown, created by Louis-Nicolas van Blarenberghe in 1786 as copies of those presented to King Louis XVI, and George Washington’s early 1780s portrait by Charles Willson Peale, united for the first time in a national museum since their display together in the 1700s. They appeared in the Comte de Rochambeau’s chamber as a reminder of the French general’s partnership with the American general. The American Revolution: A World War is at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW, through July 9. americanhistory.si.edu.

Milestones of Flight Milestones of Flight celebrates some of the most significant airplanes, rockets, and spacecraft in history. They tell tales of ingenuity and courage, war and peace, politics and power, as well as society and culture. Among the achievements celebrated here: Charles Lindbergh’s solo trip across the Atlantic in his Spirit of St. Louis; the first American jet aircraft, the Bell XP-59A Airacomet; the fastest aircraft ever flown, the North American X-15; the Mercury capsule Friendship 7 flown by John Glenn; and the Mariner, Pioneer, and Viking planetary explorers. You can even touch a Moon rock. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Independence Avenue at Sixth Street SW. airandspace.si.edu.

Smithsonian Craft Show

On October 14, 1947, the Bell X-1 became the first airplane to fly faster than the speed of sound. Piloted by US Air Force Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, the X-1 reached a speed of 700 miles per hour, Mach 1.06, at an altitude of 13,000 meters (43,000 feet). Yeager named the airplane “Glamorous Glennis” in tribute to his wife.

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The 37th annual Smithsonian Craft Show, April 25 to 28, is a juried show of fine American crafts that features works from 121 artists representing all facets of contemporary craft and design—basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art and wood. The works are on display and for sale; serious collectors and casual visitors will find one-of-a-kind works of art in a variety of price ranges. The four-day show and sale is at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is $20 at the door; slightly discounted tickets are online at smithsoniancraftshow.org. The Smithsonian Craft Show supports yearly grants to the Smithsonian’s 19 museums and libraries, nine research facilities, traveling exhibits and the National Zoo. smithsoniancraftshow.org.

Porcelain Gold Diamond Vases by ceramicist Gillian Parke, one of 120 exquisite artists and craftsmen juried into the prestigious Smithsonian Craft Show. Photo: Courtesy of the Smithsonian Craft Show

BOBBY BROWN & BELL BIV DeVOE

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JUL 14

ILLMATIC – 25TH ANNIVERSARY

RBRM – 4 THE LOVE OF IT TOUR

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JUN 2

DISNEY PIXAR’S COCO: IN CONCERT LIVE TO FILM

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JUL 27

JENNIFER HUDSON

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SEP 5

BUDDY GUY

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD BAND SAMANTHA FISH

JUN 23

DIANA ROSS

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s19)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

JUN 27

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE™ IN CONCERT NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA JUL 5 + 6

LIONEL RICHIE ALL THE HITS JUL 15

HERBIE HANCOCK KAMASI WASHINGTON JUL 30

RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND AUG 10 + 11

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FEATURING ALI CAMPBELL & ASTRO

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Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths

Plains Indian objects on display in the Battle of Little Bighorn gallery of the “Americans” exhibition at Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Photo: Paul Morigi/AP Images for National Museum of the American Indian

Americans American Indian images, names, and stories infuse American history and contemporary life. The images are everywhere, from the Land O’Lakes butter maiden to the Cleveland Indians’ mascot, and from classic Westerns and cartoons to episodes of Seinfeld and South Park. American Indian names are everywhere too, from state, city, and street names to the Tomahawk missile. And the familiar historical events of Pocahontas’s life, the Trail of Tears, and the Battle of Little Bighorn remain popular reference points in everyday conversations. The images, names, and stories reveal the deep connection between Americans and American Indians as well as how Indians have been embedded in unexpected ways in the history, pop culture, and identity of the United States. Americans is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW, through 2022. AmericanIndian.si.edu.

Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths reveals the history of invention and technical sophistication that led African blacksmiths to transform one of Earth’s most basic natural resources into objects of life-changing utility, empowerment, prestige, spiritual potency, and astonishing artistry. The exhibition includes over 225 artworks from across the African continent focusing on the region south of the Sahara and covering a time period spanning early archaeological evidence to the present day. Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths opens on April 17 at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave. SW. africa.si.edu.

A Right to the City The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum has just closed for a six-month renovation. The museum has spun off its popular “A Right to the City” into satellite versions on view in neighborhoods across the District. DC Public Library is partnering on this major initiative by hosting five of the six mini-exhibits at library branches in Shaw, Mt. Pleasant, Woodridge, Anacostia and Southwest with complementary community–specific programming. To learn more about the renovation project and for updates on openings, programs, events and/or to subscribe to the museum’s email list, visit anacostia.si.edu.

America’s Founding Documents For those who haven’t seen America’s Founding Documents since high school, now seems to be a good time. The massively protected Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States and Bill of Rights await-under glass, faded and dimly lit--they’re magnificent. In “Records of Rights,” explore how generations of Americans sought to fulfill the promise of the founding documents. The David M. Rubenstein Gallery exhibition showcases original and facsimile National Archives documents and uses an innovative 17-foot-long touch-screen interactive table to illustrate how Americans have debated about and fought for rights like free speech, religion, and equality. The National Archives, 701 Constitution Avenue, NW. museum.archives.gov.

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Empress Dowager Chongqing at the Age of Eighty Ignatius Sichelbarth (Ai Qimeng, 1708–1780), Yi Lantai (act. ca. 1748–86), and Wang Ruxue (act. 18th century) China, Beijing, Qianlong period (1736–95), 1771, Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Palace Museum, Gu6453 © The Palace Museum

A Right to the City satellite exhibit about the Adams Morgan neighborhood is on view at Mt. Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St, NW, during regular library hours. Photo: Samir Meghelli, Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum

Empresses of China’s Forbidden City, 1644-1912 The lives of the Qing dynasty empresses offer a compelling tale of opulence and influence as told in this first-ever, in-depth exhibition of the subject. Their vital presence over the 260-year course of the Qing is brought to light through an unprecedented assembly of spectacular objects. Featured are royal portraits, paintings depicting court life, seals and symbols of imperial power, Buddhist sutras and other objects of religious devotion, along with costumes, jewelry, tableware, and furniture that were used by the empresses in the imperial complex known as the Forbidden City. Most of these artworks are from the Palace Museum, and many have never been exhibited outside of China. Empresses of China’s Forbidden City is on display at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, through June 23. freersackler.si.edu.

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White House Gardens Symposium. May 2, 8 AM to 5 PM. Learn about the White House gardens’ past and present from leading experts. Tickets are $75; space is limited. Registration required. White House Historical Association, Decatur House 748 Jackson Place. NW. whha.org. Washington National Cathedral Flower Mart. May 3, 10 AM to 6 PM; and May 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since 1939, All Hallows Guild has held Flower Mart as a benefit for the Cathedral’s gardens and grounds. allhallowsguild.org.

MEOW DC April 27, 10 AM to 5 PM. DC’s Humane Rescue Alliance hosts their first annual MEOW DC (cat festival) at Dock 5, Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Don their cat ears and themed outfits. Purchase kitty-themed goods from the many local vendors. Attend talks about everything from community cats to confusing kitty behavior. Even meet internet sensation Sunglass Cat! There will also be adorable kittens and sassy adult cats alike on hand for cuddles and adoption throughout the day. Tickets are $40 at meowdc.org.

Cat with Sunglasses painting by Cuban artist is courtesy of Mary Withum.

SPRING

Exhibit Celebrating New American Gardens at US Botanic Garden. Through Oct. 15. The exhibit showcases 21 gardens from across the United States that have created new gardens or renovated a garden within the last five years. Photos, drawings, landscape designs and project descriptions share the story of each new garden. USBG.gov/NewAmericanGardens.

Azalea Tours at the Arboretum. April 19, 24 and 26, 1 to 3 PM; April 26 and 29, 10 AM to noon. Stroll along wooded hillside trails amid a brilliant spring display of blooming azaleas while learning about the origins and culture of these popular shrubs. $15. Register at usna.usda.gov/visit/events-calendar. usna.usda.gov.

Tour the Franciscan Monastery Gardens. Saturdays, April to September, 11 AM and noon. Gardens are open daily from 9 AM to 4:45 PM. Learn about the history, architecture, plants and friars while exploring the formal upper garden, more natural lower garden and the vegetable garden and bee apiaries behind the monastery. Franciscan Monastery, 1400 Quincy St. NE. myfranciscan.org.

Franciscan Monastery Plant & Herb Sale. April 28, 9 AM to 6 PM; and April 29, 8 AM to 3 PM. Purchase Monastery-grown local herbs, vegetables and flowers. Take a tour of the historic Franciscan Monastery gardens. Enjoy food and craft vendors. Sales benefit the Monastery’s historic gardens and community food donations. The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America is at 1400 Quincy St. NE. myfranciscan.org.

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World Bonsai Day at the Arboretum. May 11, 10 AM to 4 PM. This event honors the memory of bonsai master Saburo Kato, who believed that bonsai has the power to unite people by acting as a bridge to international friendship and peace. usna.usda.gov.

SPECIAL EVENTS DC Emancipation Day Celebration. April 13, 2 to 3 PM, Emancipation Day Parade on Pennsylvania Ave. NW beginning at Tenth and ending at Fourteenth Streets NW; 3 to 8:30 PM, Emancipation Day Concert at Freedom Plaza; 8:30 PM, Emancipation Day Fireworks at Freedom Plaza. Artists performing at the concert are Faith Evans, Doug E. Fresh, Kenny Lattimore, MYA, Master Gee of Sugar Hill Gang, EU Featuring Sugar Bear, Fredric Yonnet, Spur of the Moment, Ayanna Gregory; Passion Band, DJ Rico, Majic 102.3 FM (DJ), and Little Bacon Bear, WKYS 93.9 FM (Host). entertainment.dc.gov. Taste of Dupont. April 21, 1 to 4 PM. This progressive lunch lets you taste appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks from more than 10 restaurants and taverns around the neighborhood. Tickets are $30 in advance; $40 at the door. Event sells out. TasteofDupont.org.

POST-GAME FIREWORKS AT NAT’S PARK

Friday, April 26, 7:05 PM vs. Padres; Friday, May 24, 7:05 PM vs. Marlins; Friday, June 14, 7:05 PM vs. Dbacks; Wednesday, July 3, 6:05 PM vs. Marlins; and Friday, Aug. 30, 7:05 PM vs. Marlins. mlb.com/nationals. Photo: Courtesy of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club

Awesome Con. April 26 to 28. The Mid-Atlantic’s premier pop culture convention, will unite 80,000 fans of comics, technology and science, television and film, custom art and over-the-top cosplay. Washington Convention Center. awesomecon.com. American Odyssey Relay Race. April 27, noon to 6 PM. Two days, two hundred miles. Come cheer on the teams from the American Odyssey Relay race as they cross the finish line on Recreation Pier. 600 Water St. SW. wharfdc.com. Around the World Embassy Tour. May 4, 10 AM to 4 PM. Participants travel the world as they experience the food, art, dance, fashion, music, innovations and manufactured goods from diﬀerent countries. Find a complete listing of embassies and addresses at culturaltourismdc.org. Running of the Chihuahuas. May 4, 1 to 5 PM. This is DC’s funniest Cinco de Mayo celebration. The day includes a beer garden, DJ, and the highlight of the afternoon, 128 Chihuahuas racing for fame and fun. District Pier at The Wharf. wharfdc.com.

also be present, as well as pet adoption agencies and shelters with dogs and cats ready for adoption. congressionalcemetery.org.

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WRAPture Public Art Project. April 14 and May 9, 4 to 8 PM. This temporary public art project entitled WRAPture combines the Anacostia community and Katakhali Village in Bangladesh to fabricate, assemble and drape saris across five buildings in Historic Anacostia. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. storytellingwithsaris.com. Housing Rights in DC-Connecting Past and Present Struggles. April 17, 6 to 8 PM. This is an intergenerational conversation with housing organizers and advocates about the past and future of struggles for housing rights in the city. Busboys and Poets Anacostia, 2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE. anacostia.si.edu/Events.

NGA Evening at the Edge. May 9, 6 to 9 PM. Enjoy works of art, live music and dance performances, dozens of pop-up talks from engaging Gallery educators, hands-on art-making, and other activities throughout the East Building, free of charge. Light fare and drinks are available for purchase. Children welcome. Free, but registration is required at nga.gov/evenings.

Storytelling at Anacostia Arts Center. Thursdays, May 2 to 30, 7 to 10 PM. Story District’s Storytelling 101 is an intensive fiveweek course that teaches how to identify and talk about meaningful life events to an audience. $100. For residents of Wards 7 and 8 only. A $100 deposit to register that is fully refundable upon completion of the course. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. anacostiaartscenter.com.

Day of the Dog at Congressional Cemetery. May 11, 10 AM to 3 PM. Activities for both people and their pups, including contests, games, demonstrations and much more. Local pet vendors and services will

Frederick Douglass House Guided Tours. Daily; 9 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:15 PM, 3 PM and 3:30 PM; also 4 PM, April through October. The only way to get inside Frederick Douglass’s historic house is to be on a guided tour. The 30-minute

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“Dance of Decay” by Pamela Crockett

DANCE OF DECAY AT HONFLEUR GALLERY

Through May 25, noon to 7 PM, Wednesdays to Sundays. Intrigued by decomposing pods, unraveling bulbs and dried aquatic fragments, artist Pamela Crockett studies their patterns and textures. Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE. archdc.org.

tours cover the first and second floors of the house. Tickets must be picked up at the visitor center before the tour time. Frederick Douglass House, 1411 W St. SE. nps.gov/frdo.

May 5 - 11, 2019 You can use this ad to receive a discount during DC Small Business Week! Visit www.cnhed.org for a list of participating businesses

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

Veve and the Rebels in Residence at Anacostia Arts Center. Every third Wednesday, 8 to 10 PM. Listen to new music that tells a story about disillusionment with the movement and expectations of black life in America. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. anacostiaartscenter.com. Anacostia parkrun--Weekly Free 5k Timed Run. Saturdays, 9 AM. Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE. Registration required before first run. Beginners welcome. Every week runners grab a post parkrun coﬀee at a local café. Read more at parkrun.us/anacostia.

MUSIC AROUND TOWN Music at U Street Music Hall. April 13, Marvel Years (live) and DMV Deep 004; April 15, Terror Jr; April 16, The Wild Reeds; April 17, Telekinesis and Little People; April 18, Escort and Charlesthefirst; April 19, Tennyson and Dillinja; April 20, Against The Current and Toro y Moi (DJ Set); April 21, Anna Of The North; April 23, Allie X; April 24, Family of the Year; April 25, Crumb and Article.004: The Long Count Cycle; April 26, Trevor Daniel and Manila Killa; April 27, Cassadee Pope and Onra; April 28, U.S. Girls; May 1, Foxing & Now, Now; May 2, Hellogoodbye; May 3, Holy Ghost; May 4, An Evening with Bea Miller and Fleetmac Wood; May 5, TR/ST; May 7, Lucki: Freewave Tour; May 8, The Score-Pressure Tour and SOSUPERSAM; May 9, Anomalie; May 10, The Dream Syndicate; May 11, Mr Twin Sister; May 12, The Twilight Sad; May 13, Yungblud. U Street Music Hall, 1115 U St. NW. ustreetmusichall.com. Music at 9:30 Club. April 13, Droeloe; April 15, Bad Suns; April 17, The Claypool Lennon Delirium; April 18, Foals; April 19 and 20, Leon and An Evening with Lotus; April 20, Tom Odell; April 21, Ryan Bingham; April 22, Rival Dons; April 24, Jon Hopkins; April 25, Blue October; April 30, Andrea Gibson; May 1, Parachute; May 2, MISSIO; May 3, The Strumbellas; May 4, Delta Rae and Higher Brothers; May 5, Son Volt; May 6, The Dandy Warhols; May 7, Wallows; May 8, FKJ; May 10, Ex Hex; May 13, Zara Larsson and The Devil Makes Three; May 12, Bear’s Den. 815 V St. NW. 930.com. Music at The Howard. April 13, The Cherry Fund Soiree; April 18, Hip Hop Digest Show Presents Method Man & Redman; April 22, Dungeon Family Tour 2019; April 23, Los Amigos Invisibles & Aterciopelados; April 25, Death; April 27, The Sweet Spot DC: Make It Rain Edition; April 28, SUNN O))); May 3, GZA Performs “Liquid Swords”; May 4, The Lox; May 9, Lloyd Banks. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. thehowardtheatre.com. Music at Union Stage. April 13, Olivia O’Brien; April 14, Scary Pockets; April 16, The Dip; April 17, Nahi: Yoga and Music Event for Peace Across America; April 18, Nathan Colberg; April 19, Copeland; April 20, WFSU DC 2019; April 24, College Radio Spring Concert; April 25, No BS! Brass Band; April 26, White Ford Bronco: DC’s All 90’s Band; April 28, Matty Matheson; April 30, ELHAE; May 1, Talos; May 2, Kings Kaleidoscope; May 3, Charlie Hunter & Lucy Woodward and IFE; May 4, Several Species: the PINK FLOYD Experience; May 5, Stephen Malkmus; May 6, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me; May 7, Run River North; May 8, John Paul White (and his band); May 10, Bumpin’ Uglies; May

For existing and inspiring District businesses, the Small Business Resource Center is here for you!

Learn the Process of Starting a Business at the DC Public Library Date: Monday, April 1, 2019 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Location: Anacostia Neighborhood Library 1800 Good Hope Road SE Washington, DC 20020 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/46343

Understanding Tenant’s Rights Date: Thursday, April 4, 2019 Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Location: Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Room E-200 Washington, DC 20024 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47232

DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology Date: Monday, April 29, 2019 Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Location: Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Room E-200 Washington, DC 20024 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47155

Building a More Inclusive Business Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2019 Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Location: Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs 1100 4th Street SW, 3rd Floor, Room E-300 Washington, DC 20024 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47136

Navigating Government Contracting with DCPTAC Date: Thursday, April 11, 2019 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Location: Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Room E-200 Washington, DC 20024 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/46840

Money Smart for Small Business Workshop: Tax Planning and Reporting Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2019 Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Location: Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Room E-200 Washington, DC 20024 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47211

Jacqueline Noisette | (202) 442-8170 | jacqueline.noisette@dc.gov Claudia Herrera | (202) 442-8055 | claudia.herrera@dc.gov Joy Douglas | (202) 442-8690 | joy.douglas@dc.gov Tamika Wood | (202) 442-8004 | tamika.wood@dc.gov

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Family Band; May 8, Ginuwine; May 10, La Misa Negra; May 11, Ruﬀ Endz. City Winery, 1350 Okie St. NE. citywinery. com/washingtondc.

Learn bike handling skills. Then go for a short ride. Talk about strategies for riding in different road, bike lane and trail situations. Classes will post in early April. They are $10; free for WABA members, Capital Bikeshare members and drop-ins, if space is available. waba.org. Photo: Courtesy of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association

11, KT Tunstall. Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. unionstage.com. Music at Pearl Street Warehouse. April 13, Cris Jacobs Band; April 16, Ana Popovic; April 18, Wil Gravatt Band; April 18, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers; April 20, The Big Lebowski Experience; April 25, Kranz; April 26, Drew Gibson Album Release; April 27, No Second Troy; April 28, Southwest Soul Sessions with Elijah Balbed & Isabelle De Leon; May 1, Satsang; May 4, The Yawpers; May 5, Etana; May 6, The Empty Pockets; May 7, Elvana: The World’s Finest Elvis Fronted Tribute to Nirvana; May 8, Ruby Boots, INDIANOLA; May 9, Driftwood; May 10, Marco Benevento; May 11, Funk Parade. Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St. SW. pearlstreetwarehouse.com. Music at Rock and Roll Hotel. April 13, Dreamcast; April 16, Durand Jones & the Indications; April 18, La Dispute; April 19, Natalie Prass; April 20, Susto; April 23, Laura Jane Grace& The Devouring Mothers; April 25,

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

Strong Water; April 26, Jesse; April 27, Picture This; April 28, Health; April 30, Julia Jacklin; May 2, The Murlocs; May 3, Hot Snakes; May 4, Shy Girls; May 8, Pedro The Lion; May 10, Feeder; May 11 and 12, Idles. Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. rockandrollhoteldc.com. Music at Mr. Henry’s. April 13, Rose Moraes; April 18, New Voices Concert; April 19, tba; April 20, Julia Nixon; April 25, Gayle Harrod Band; April 26, Aaron Myers; April 27, Michael Gude. Capitol Hill Jazz Jam every Wednesday. Shows run 8 to 11 PM; doors open at 6 PM; no cover; two items per person minimum. Henry’s Upstairs, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. mrhenrysdc.com. Music at City Winery. April, 13, Steve Tyrell; April 14, Los Lonely Boys W/ The Gary Douglas Band; April 16, EU (Experience Unlimited); April 18, An Evening With Over The Rhine and Bhi Bhiman; April 19, Donna The Buffalo; April 20, Tracy Hamlin; April 21, CeCe Peniston; April 22, Luke James Shaffer W/ Sydney Franklin; April 23, Jane Monheit; April 25, Zepparella and Aubrey Logan; April 26, Jeff Bradshaw & Friends and Ana Egge & The Sentimentals; April 27, Joan Osborne Sings The Songs Of Bob Dylan; April 28, Sylver Logan Sharp and Chris Trapper; April 30, Glenn Lewis; May 1, Herb Alpert & Lani Hall; May 2, Graham Parker; May 3, Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express and David Cook-Race For Hope Benefit Concert; May 6, Lissie-The Piano Retrospective Tour; May 7, Sara Evans & The Barker

MARKETS AND SALES

Blue Monday Blues in Southwest. Every Monday, 6 to 9 PM. April 15, Sol Roots Band; April 22, Rodney Kelley Band; April 29, Carly Harvey’s Kiss & Ride. $5 cover. Children free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org.

Farmers Market SW. Saturdays through Nov. 2; 9 AM to 1 PM. The market oﬀers baked goods, coﬀee, jams/jellies, prepared foods, pasture-raised meats & eggs, and locally grown fresh produce. 425 M St. SW. diversemarkets.net.

Music at the Lincoln. April 16, Spiritualized; April 17, Citizen Cope; May 3 and 4, Imogen Heap; May 15, Johnnyswim. The Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. thelincolndc.com.

Arty Queers Art Market. Second Saturday of each month through end of year, 11 AM to 5 PM. Features original artwork for sale including paintings, pottery, photography, jewelry, glass work, textiles and clothing. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. thedccenter.org.

Music at Black Cat. April 16, Black Lips; April 18, AJ Lambert; April 19, Half Japanese; April 24, Acid Mothers Temple; April 28, Girlpool; April 29, Camp Cope; May 3, Laura Stevenson; May 10, Movements; May 11, The Drums. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. blackcatdc.com.

WABA CONFIDENT CITY CYCLING CLASSES

PM, vs. Sporting Kansas City. Audi Field. dcunited.com.

LOC Homegrown Concerts. April 16, Afro-Fusion Music from Zimbabwe; May 9, African American Gospel from Virginia. Concerts are at noon in the Coolidge Auditorium, Thomas Jeﬀerson Building, 10 First St. SE. Free; no ticket required. loc.gov. Music at The Anthem. April 17, NSOBeethoven’s Fifth-Fat Knocks; April 18 and 19, Kenny Chesney-Songs for the Saints Tour; April 24, Kodak Black-Dying to Live Tour; April 26, Snow Patrol; April 27, Coming to America Music Festival; April 28, Kali Uchis x Jorja Smith; May 2, Maren Morris-Girl The World Tour 2019; May 8, Lil Pump; May 8, Ben Platt; May 12, Judas Priest: Firepower 2019. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. theanthemdc.com. Jazz Night in Southwest. Every Friday, 6 to 9 PM. April 19, Howard University Jazz Ensemble; April 26, Tribute to Billy Eckstine-Thad Wilson Quintet. $5 cover. Children are free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals oﬀered. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW.

SPORTS AND FITNESS National’s Baseball. April 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30; May 1 and 2. Nat’s Park. mlb.com/nationals. Yoga Amongst the Bonsai. April 20, May 25 and June 22; 9 to 10 AM. $15. US National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave. NE. bonsai-nbf.org. DC United. April 21, 4 PM, vs. New York City; May 4, 8 PM, vs. Columbus Crew; May 12, 7

Community Forklift. Open daily, 9 AM to 7 PM. 4671 Tanglewood Dr., Edmonston, MD. Sign up for sale alerts at communityforklift.org. Branch Avenue Pawn Parking Lot Flea Market. Saturdays after 10 AM. 3128 Branch Ave., Temple Hills, MD.

CIVIC LIFE Ward 8 Community Engagement Forum with Councilmember White. April 16, 6 to 8 PM, Stanton Glenn Community Room, 3048 Stanton Rd. SE. For more information, contact Wanda Lockridge at wlockridge@dccouncil. us or 202-724-8045. Congresswoman Norton’s SE District Oﬃce. Open weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM. 2041 MLK Ave. SE, #238. 202-678-8900. norton.house.gov. Anacostia Coordinating Council Meeting. Last Tuesday, noon to 2 PM. Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort St. SE. For further details, contact Philip Pannell, 202-889-4900. Historical Anacostia Block Association. Second Thursday, 7 to 9 PM. UPO Anacostia Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. For further details, contact Charles Wilson, 202-834-0600. Anacostia High School Improvement Team Meeting. Fourth Tuesday, 6 PM. Anacostia High School, 16th and R Streets SE. Benning Ridge Civic Association. First Wednesday, 6:30 to 8 PM at the Ridge Road Community Center, 830 Ridge Rd. SE Capitol View Civic Association Meeting. Third Monday, 6:30 PM. Hughes Memorial United Methodist, 25 53rd St. NE. capitolviewcivicassoc.org. Central Northeast Civic Association. Third

Tuesday, 7 to 8:30 PM. Dorothy Height Public Library, 3935 Benning Rd. NE. For more information, contact Michele or Rick TInglingClemmons, 202-388-1111. Deanwood Citizens Association. Fourth Monday, 6:30 PM. Deanwood Recreation Center, 1300 49th St. NE. Eastland Gardens Civic Association Meeting. Third Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 PM. Kenilworth Recreation Center, 4321 Ord St. NE.Contact Rochelle Frazier-Gray, richelle.frazier@longandfoster.com. Fairlawn Citizens Association. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Ora L. Glover Community Room at the Anacostia Public Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. Ward 7 Education Council Meeting. Fourth Thursday, 6:30 PM. Capitol View Library, 5001 East Capitol St. SE.

ANC MONTHLY MEETINGS ANC 7B. Third Thursday, 7 PM. Ryland Epworth United Methodist Church, 3200 S St. SE. anc7b@pressroom.com. anc7b@earthlink.net. ANC 7C. Second Thursday, 7 PM. Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, 5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE. anc7c@verizon.net. ANC 7D. Second Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Dorothy I. Height Neighborhood Library, 3935 Benning Rd. NE. 7D06@anc.dc.gov. ANC 7E. Second Tuesday, 7 PM. DC Scholars Public Charter School, 5601 E. Capitol St. SE. 7E@anc.dc.gov. ANC 7F. Third Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, 200 Stoddert Place, SE. ANC 8A. First Tuesday, 7 PM. HCD Housing Resource Center, 1800 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. anc8adc.org. ANC 8B. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Seventh District Police Station Community Center, Alabama and McGee Streets SE. anc8b.org. ANC 8C. First Wednesday, 7 PM. 2907 MLK Jr Ave. SE. ANC 8D. Fourth Thursday, 7 PM. Specialty Hospital of Washington, 4601 MLK Jr. Ave. SW. ANC 8E. First Monday, 7 PM. Eagle Academy, 3400 Wheeler Rd. SE.

Have an item from the Calendar? Email it to calendar@hillrag.com.

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‘A’ Is for April and Arbor Day

Sunset along the Anacostia River features the riparian trees that are being celebrated at Casey Trees’ annual Arbor Day Eve party. Photo: Rindy O’Brien

Celebrating Our Trees

article and photos by Rindy O’Brien

pril is the month that moves us officially from winter to spring. The cherry blossoms are popping at the Tidal Basin, tulips are ready to show their colors and April features the national holiday known as Arbor Day. National Arbor Day is always celebrated on the last Friday in April. In 2019, DC will kick off Arbor Day with the sixth annual Canopy Awards, sponsored by the Casey Trees Foundation. For 134 years, our country has been celebrating the importance and beauty of trees. Over time, school children, civic groups, farmers and property owners have celebrated Arbor Day by planting millions of trees, helping support a healthy environment.

Dr. Yemonja Smalls won first prize in the Hill Center’s regional art show “Treemendous.” Her oil painting features the color of the culture that honors Balboa trees in Africa. She wore a crown of sticks at the show’s opening. Photo: Rindy O’Brien

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Arbor Day Eve Party

‘Roots to Rivers’ Is This Year’s Theme

Every state celebrates Arbor Day in its own way, The 2019 event is highlighting the connections beand some states even change the date to better retween trees and the health of our Anacostia and flect their climate. For instance, Maryland celePotomac rivers. Trees that live near waterways are brates the first Wednesday in April. As it has tracalled riparian trees and they are essential to the ditionally done, Casey Trees, DC’s premier tree health of a river. Trees are natural sponges, soakgroup, will host a party on April 25, Arbor Day ing up pollutants before the toxins enter the water. Eve. It will take place at Union Market’s Dock 5, (continues to pg.27) located at 1309 Fifth St. NE. Typically, over 500 tree enthusiasts gather to honor civic and local government heroes who are changing DC’s urban landscape. Past recipients include Tommy Wells of the DC Department of Energy & Environment; DC Parks and Recreation and the Office of Planning. There is a special cocktail featured at the event infused with hints of cherry blossoms. A ticket to the event costs $75 at the door, and there are opportunities to bid on tree-inspired services and products at the siCasey Trees will host an Arbor Day party on April 25. It will take place at lent auction. It is a fun way to Union Market’s Dock 5, located at 1309 Fifth St. NE. Over 500 tree enthusibe part of the city’s tree advoasts will gather to honor civic and local government heroes who are changcacy community. ing DC’s urban landscape. Photo: Casey Trees

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in the dark. Switch to LED bulbs now. Small changes make a big difference for your wallet and the planet. Swap out your light bulbs for cost-effective, long-lasting ENERGY STAR® LEDs and you won’t get caught in the dark. Visit maketheswitchdc.com to find discounted bulbs near you.

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Solar Energy In DC, It’s Not Just For Homeowners Anymore by Catherine Plume

olar energy has long been available for DC homeowners, but apartment and condo dwellers have only had the option of subscribing to green energy produced outside the District. Thanks to a new program sponsored by DC-based CleanChoice Energy, a renewable energy company that provides wind and solar energy products to customers across the country, and New Columbia Solar, one of the District’s largest solar energy companies, all DC residents, including condo owners and apartment dwellers, can now power their homes with solar energy generated in DC.

What Is ‘Community Solar’? According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, community solar refers to “local solar facilities shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credit on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced.” In DC this means that New Columbia Solar installs community solar “farms” on commercial, mixed-use and apartment building rooftops across the District. Any DC resident or business owner who receives a Pepco bill can sign up (“subscribe”) to receive the solar energy generated from these farms to power their homes/business through CleanChoice Energy. The solar farm generates electricity which goes directly into the Pepco grid. While

Representatives from CleanChoice Energy and New Columbia Solar inspect a DC solar farm on a cold spring day. Photo: CleanChoice Energy

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subscribers pay a monthly fee to CleanChoice, based on how much energy is produced by their share of the solar farm, they receive credits on their utility bills, based on the energy produced from their share of the farm. According to CleanChoice Energy, most subscribers save up to five percent on their electric bill through the program.

Why Does Community Solar Work? Any District resident or business owner who receives a Pepco bill can sign up for solar energy generated by the solar farm, regardless of whether they live in a house, apartment or condo. Prior to the creation of the solar farm concept, building owners could only offer solar energy to the residents/tenants of the building where the solar farm was located. By creating this DC-wide “solar market” of some 281,000 households, building owners are guaranteed return and surety on the investment needed to make installing solar on their rooftops worthwhile. With this wide potential customer base, the solar farm will always have subscribers who will financially support the project and benefit from the energy it generates, even if they rent or do not have a roof suitable for solar panels.

Why Is DC Allowing Creation of Community Solar Farms? The DC Council passed an ambitious clean energy bill in 2018 that calls for the District to use only 100-percentrenewable energy by 2032. Community solar programs are a key tool in making that goal a reality. Tommy Wells, the Director of DC’s Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), is pleased to see solar farms become a reality in the District, noting, “Community solar opens up the benefits of solar to all residents – including lower energy bills and cleaner air – while creating jobs and renewable energy investment in all eight wards of the District.”

SPRING HAS SPRUNG AT ANACOSTIA ORGANICS, THE NEWEST MEDICAL CANNABIS DISPENSARY, LOCATED IN WARD 8! How Many Have Signed On? According to Tom Matzzie, CEO of CleanChoice Energy, to date CleanChoice’s DC portfolio of community solar projects is some 1.825 megawatts. Most of the solar farms established in the District have been installed on multi-family dwellings. This portfolio of projects is open to 300 residents to sign on to the program, and these subscribers will avoid approximately 3.4 million pounds of carbon pollution, the equivalent of approximately 1.7 million pounds of coal burned. Per the US Environmental Protection Agency, this is the equivalent of taking more than 1,300 cars off the road in any given year. There are still some openings for this portfolio, and CleanChoice expects there to be more community solar projects in the future.

How Do You Sign Up? Go online to CleanChoiceEnergy. com/DCsolar with your Pepco account number to hand. There are no changes to your relationship with Pepco, which will maintain the wires and deliver the electricity to your home through its infrastructure. There are no upfront costs, payments, equipment, installation or maintenance required. The only difference is that instead of having coal-derived electricity delivered to your home or business, your energy source will be solar energy that is generated from a DC community solar farm. In minutes, you can be invested in a DC community solar farm, running your home or business on solar energy, saving money and reducing your carbon footprint. It’s a really good deal for you and the planet. Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and a blogger for the DC Recycler: www.DCRecycler.blogspot. com; Twitter: @DC_Recycler. She is also a board member and the vice chair of the DC Chapter of the Sierra Club, but the perspectives expressed here are her own and do not necessarily represent the positions of that organization.

Find Anacostia Organics on Weedmaps and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to find out about educational opportunities, how to get your medical cannabis card and other in-store specials.

Address: 2022 MLK, Jr. Ave. SE Washington, DC 20020

Contact: Phone: 202-845-8574 hello@anacostiaorganics.com

Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11am-7pm Sunday: 12pm-5pm

*Out of state medical cannabis card holders welcomed from all D.C. reciprocity states. We welcome all DC patients and the following: CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, MT, NH, NJ, OR, PA, RI & WA card holding medical cannabis patients. Please bring your certification card along with a valid, government-issued photo ID.

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Earth Month Events Earth Day Volunteer Event at Kenilworth Park. April 13, 9 AM to noon. Join them for their annual Earth Day volunteer service event! Spend the morning removing invasive plants, collecting litter and working on other park-beautification projects. There is another Volunteer Event on May 25, 9 AM to noon. friendsofkenilworthgardens.org. Ward 8 Woods Clean-up. Shepherd Parkway volunteers, now known as Ward 8 Woods, hold their signature community clean-ups every second Saturday of the month, 10:30 AM to 1 PM. Volunteers meet in the picnic area near the corner of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, SE. Gloves, bags and light refreshments are provided. Wear boots and work clothes. Contact Nathan at nathanbharrington@ gmail.com to arrange your groups volunteer experience. Earth Day Clean Up at the Arboretum. April 13, 9 AM to noon. The Arboretum is one of the places where volunteers are stepping up and doing what it takes to clean the Anacostia River. Be prepared to get dirty and have fun. fona.org. Azalea Tours at the Arboretum. April 19, 24 and 26, 1 to 3 PM; April 26 and 29, 10

AM to noon. Stroll along wooded hillside trails amid a brilliant spring display of blooming azaleas while learning about the origins and culture of these popular shrubs. $15. Register at usna.usda.gov/visit/events-calendar. usna. usda.gov. #FITDC Earth Day Plogging. April 20 (details tba). In celebration of Earth Day 2019, #FITDC is partnering with VIDA to host their first plogging event. You pick up litter as you run, helping to restore the beauty of DC parks and the planet. fitdcearthdayplogging1.splashthat.com.

Celebrate Earth Day Festival. April 26, 10 AM to 2 PM. Come to the Botanic Garden and enjoy engaging hands-on activities and meet with representatives of environmental organizations from throughout the region. Learn about the ways to make the planet a healthier place and become a more active steward of the plants that support life on earth. usbg.gov.

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Anacostia Watershed Society’s Earth Day Cleanup. April 13. Nearly 2,000 Earth Day volunteers come out to 30 different sites around the watershed to pick-up trash, serve their communities, and enjoy the Anacostia River. Register at anacostiaws.org for specifics and site locations.

Earth Day Tree Tour of the Botanic Garden Regional Garden. April 22, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Celebrate Earth Day in the outdoor Regional Garden. Learn to identify newly leafing and flowering trees of the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Free. Registration required at learn.usbg.gov.

Courtesy of the US Botanic Garden

Last year’s Eastern Power Boat Anacostia Watershed Society’s Earth Day Cleanup volunteers. Photo: Courtesy of the Anacostia Watershed Society

Easter Monday & Earth Optimism Celebration. April 22, 10 AM to 2 PM. This free event at the National Zoo includes hands-on learning opportunities featuring Smithsonian conservation success stories, special animal demonstrations, keeper talks and meet and greets with scientists and conservation partners working to protect wildlife around the world. nationalzoo.si.edu.

Volunteer Community Tree PlantingUDC. April 20, 9 AM to noon; and April 22, 10 AM to 1 PM. Celebrate Earth Day with Casey Trees and UDC in Van Ness. Register at caseytrees.org/event. The Sixth Annual Canopy Awards. April 25, 6 PM. The Canopy Awards is Casey Trees’ flagship fundraising event that welcomes 500 guests to toast the accomplishments of those working to restore DC’s tree canopy. The Sixth Annual Canopy Awards’ theme is Roots to Rivers. $65 in advance; $75 at door. Dock 5 @ Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. caseytrees.org. Arbor Day at Judiciary Park. April 26, 1 to 3 PM. Celebrate Arbor Day with Casey Trees by inventorying trees in Judiciary Square. Participants receive a short, hands-on training, learning the tools and techniques. No prior experience needed. caseytrees.org. FONA Garden Fair & Plant Sale. April 27, noon to 4 PM; April 28, 9 AM to 4 PM. The annual Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) Garden Fair & Plant Sale features new, rare, and hard-to-find plants, garden supply vendors, books, children’s activities, refreshments, entertainment, and more. National Arboretum Visitor Center North Terrace. fona.org/gardenfair.

Pollinator Seed Giveaway. April 22, 8:30 AM until supplies run out. Pick up pollinator seeds at the following Metro stations Anacostia, Brookland, Columbia Heights, Dupont, Eastern Market, Georgia-Petworth, Minnesota Avenue, NoMa, Potomac Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, Shaw/ Howard, Takoma, Waterfront and Woodley Park. doee.dc.gov. Photo: Courtesy of DC Department of Energy & Environment

(continued from pg.22)

Arbor Day Festival. April 27, 10 AM to 3 PM. This is an all ages event. Enjoy trees through nature walks and bike rides, tree climbing, explore DC’s largest city park and relax in the shade with live music and food. Oxon Run Park, 1250 Valley Ave. SE. dpr.dc/gov. Volunteer Community Tree Planting at Congressional Cemetery. May 4, 9 AM to noon. Register at caseytrees.org. The Tuesday before, they will send a logistics and directions email with detailed information about how to get to the site. caseytrees.org. DC DPR & Casey Trees Restoration Series. Through Aug. 3. Join Casey Trees DC and the DC Dept of Parks and Recreation Environmental Services team for a series of free tree restoration and education events. To participate, visit caseytreesdpr2019.splashthat.com. Anacostia Watershed Society River Map and Guide. Explore the Anacostia River

by foot, bike and boat. The map and guide covers a nine-mile stretch of the Anacostia River Find it at anacostiaws.org under EVENTS & RECREATION tab. Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement at The Phillips. June 22 to Sept. 22. The Phillips Collection, in partnership with the New Museum, New York, announces an exhibition featuring over 60 international artists whose work poses urgent questions around the representations and perceptions of migration. phillipscollection.org. Pepco Gives Free Trees. Pepco is giving away 1,000 free trees to residential customers through the Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees program. Customers will be able to choose from a selection of trees, including Redbud, Crepe Myrtle, River Birch, Red Oak, Red Maple, most available in varying sizes. Customers can reserve one free tree per household by visiting arborday.org/pepco.

Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk (zero waste) Festival. May 4, noon to 8 PM. Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival attracts an average of 8,000 guests annually with dozens of bands spread across multiple stages for eight hours of performances; and food, drinks, free kayaking presented by REI, whiskey tastings and many other activities. $35. Children ten and under are free. Proceeds support stewardship of the islands and hands-on education programming provided by Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region. Attendees are asked to not bring anything onto the island that they can’t take with when they leave or that cannot be composted. Reusable water bottles and food containers only. No one-timeuse plastic water bottles will be allowed. kingmanislandbluegrass.info.

Their roots reduce erosion and slow the river’s flow, helping control flooding. Research has shown that having trees along the rivers is linked to reduced treatment costs for drinking water. The canopy of the trees provides shade so that fish species can survive. A mix of dappled light and shade provided by the trees offers cooling places for the aquatic life to lay eggs. Aquatic life depends on the woody material and leaves that fall into the river for important nutrients and food. It works the other way as well. Rivers help trees grow and stay healthy by providing a steady source of water. Working together, trees and rivers help ensure the natural health of our region. Did you know that just one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for four people? Casey Trees began in 2001 with a $50 million grant from DC philanthropist Betty Brown Casey. Its mission is to restore, enhance and protect the District’s tree canopy. Casey Trees’ first major initiative, in 2002, was to inventory all of DC’s street trees. Over 500 volunteers and 35 university student interns conducted a comprehensive GIS inventory of 106,000 trees. These findings are used today by DC’s Urban Forestry Division and are updated every year. Staff at the division credit the inventory with much of today’s success in reaching canopy goals. The current average tree canopy coverage for the city is 38 percent, down from 50 percent in 1950. This year’s canopy analysis confirms that the 80,000 trees planted citywide over the past 15 years are starting to get big. And just as important, thousands of large trees protected by the tree laws keep growing. The city has a goal of 40-percent tree coverage by 2032.

Celebrating Trees Through Art Another way to celebrate trees is to visit the Hill Center’s unique art show, “Treemendous.” Over 90 local artists submitted artwork depicting their interpretation of trees for this show, which runs through April 28 on three floors of the Hill Center. Carole Ottesen, a writer, photographer and illustrator specializing in garden subjects, juried the show. She says that, while she has spent her career writing and photographing trees, after looking at almost 700 works of art, she came away with a newfound appreciation and love for trees. “I walk down the street now and I cannot take my eye and mind off the trees I see. The bark, the tree structure and the tree’s place in the landscape, all are calling to me,” she explains. The first-place winner of the juried show, “Under the Baobab Tree,” painted by Dr. Yemonja Smalls, demonstrates how global and joyful trees can be when you combine cultural vision with nature. Dr. Smalls’ artworks have been exhibited in Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, South Side Community Art Center and School of the Art Institute, and in New York’s Harlem Fine Arts Show, and examples sit in private collections across the nation. The Capitol Hill Art League, a project of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, cosponsored the show. Jona Elwell, communications specialist for Casey Trees, spoke at the opening event, introducing the large crowd to the services that Casey Trees offers residents so that artists can continue to be inspired by the city’s trees. Mark your calendar for April 8, when Casey Trees unveils the winners of the 2019 Canopy Awards. Tickets can sell out for the Arbor Day Eve party, so get yours early, https://caseytreesdc.github.io/canopyawards/. Rindy O’Brien participated as a volunteer in the original Casey Tree inventory and also has a black-and-white photograph in the “Treemendous” exhibition. She can be reached at rindyobrien@gmail.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Ifcphotos

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neighborhood news

Ward 8 Farmers’ Market To Open in June The Ward 8 Farmers’ Market opens for the season on June 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The vendors this year are Licking Creek Bend Farm and DC Urban Greens. The market is in the parking lot behind Martin Luther King Elementary School, 3200 Sixth St. SE. ward8farmersmarket.org.

Rehabbing The East Capitol Street Bridge The DC Department of Transpiration (DDOT) is holding a public meeting to discuss the rehabilitation of the East Capitol Street Bridge. This meeting is on April 17, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at St. Coletta, 1901 Independence Ave. SE. DDOT will present an overview of the project, the construction schedule and what to expect during construction.

Anacostia’s Busboys and Poets Opens

DEANWOOD LIBRARY BLACK HISTORY DIORAMA

“Deanwood 1880-1950: A Model of Self Sufficiency” highlights this community’s heritage of hard work, self-sufficiency and pride. The display documents everything from local grocery stores, car garages, barber shops and churches to the Benning Road Race Track, Suburban Gardens Amusement Park and even the Kennilworth Landfill. Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE. dclibrary.org/deanwood. Photo: Courtesy of DC Public Library

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Busboys and Poets Anacostia, at 2004 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, opened on March 12. It is on the ground floor of the new home of the nonprofit Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative (FSFSC). The new Busboys includes a full-service restaurant, bookstore, event space and hospitality training center. At completion, the building will be home to a new 20,000 square-

foot facility for FSFSC’s new offices. busboysandpoets.com.

Lane Shift on Minnesota Avenue DDOT has shifted the northbound traffic pattern on Minnesota Avenue NE between the DOES/WMATA parking access driveway and Gault Place NE, through April 21. During this time, both the southbound and northbound traffic lanes will be shifted to the west side of the roadway to allow for the safe installation of the new roadway. This work is a part of the ongoing Minnesota Avenue Phase II Rehabilitation Project.

Discover The Knights of Columbus Bishop Patrick J. Byrne Council presents the 15th Annual Knights of Columbus Information Fair on April 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church, 1600 Morris Rd. SE. Information is offered on jobs, health and education. All are welcome.

Homeless No More 3k On April 27, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., participate in a Homeless No More 3k walk and all day picnic to raise awareness for families struggling with homelessness and mental health challenges. The walk registration fee includes a t-shirt (continues to pg. 31)

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District. The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency is your homeownership resource in the District from buying a home to retaining your home; we have a homeownership program to assist you. DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers first-time and repeat buyers fully forgivable second trust loans to cover a buyer’s minimum down payment requirement in addition to below market interest rates for first trust mortgages for the purchase of homes.

Mortgage Credit Certificate The Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) provides an additional incentive for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home in the District of Columbia. An MCC provides qualified borrowers the ability to claim a Federal Tax Credit of 20 percent of the mortgage interest paid during each calendar year.

Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

DCHFA serves as a co-administrator of the DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) first time home buyer program, HPAP, which provides interest free deferred loans for down payment and closing cost assistance up to $84,000 combined. DCHFA administers HPAP applications for households meeting very low to low income criteria.

HomeSaver Restore Assistance Program DCHFA now offers a Restore Assistance Program. – A one-time payment, up to $60,000, to “catch-up” on delinquent property related expenses. Applicants must have suffered a qualified financial hardship due to unemployment or underemployment, own a home in the District and be able to sustain future payments going forward.

Visit www.DCHFA.org for full qualification guidelines and information on how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs. 815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG E ast

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neighborhood news

Coming in Summer 2020: Phase I of Skyland Town Center by Keely Sullivan

ongtime Hillcrest resident Earl Williams says observing a construction site is a lot like watching paint dry. Nonetheless, residents in Wards 7 and 8 are curious about the work underway along Naylor Road and Alabama Avenue SE, on Phase I of Skyland Town Center – a mixed-use development project that for decades promised to deliver retail, restaurants, housing and more to Southeast. So much so, there’s even a livestream. “There’s a lot of excitement in the Hillcrest community that it’s finally coming to fruition,” says Williams, who leads the city’s Skyland Town Center Task Force, a group of community representatives who work with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED). The Skyland Town Center project, which broke ground last year, was conceptualized nearly 30 years ago as a large Ward 7 revitalization effort. 468 apartments would sit above 340,000 square feet of retail space perfect for any neighborhood must-have: a grocery store, fitness center, shopping outlets – even a CVS. But legal entanglements over property acquisitions, as well as a sudden decision from Walmart in 2016 to back out of opening a Skyland store, set construction years behind schedule. Now, the project’s developers, Rappaport and WC Smith, anticipate they’ll finish Phase I, which includes 84,000 square feet of retail and 263 apartments, by summer 2020. “Losing Walmart threw a wrench in development,” explains Jarnell Swecker, Rappaport’s vice president of marketing, “but we felt strong about development, so we moved forward with the first phase. Future phases are still in discussion.”

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Development Update for Phase I Last month, the Skyland Town Center Task Force and project developers hosted a construction update meeting at the Skyland Workforce Center to announce step-by-step progress in building. Soon, residents will see improvements in the intersections at Good Hope Road, Naylor Road and 25th Street SE, while developers are getting close to topping out. “That means we’ve reached the top of the structure. That’s a milestone,” says Swecker.

Williams said residents have questions about nearby traffic, though they mostly want to know which retailers are coming to Ward 7. Some are in disbelief the project has even made it this far, given the decadeslong planning process. “When you work on something for this long, you’re kind of jaded,” explains Williams. “Kids have been born, gone to college and moved out of their parents’ homes since this was first envisioned.” CVS, the only retailer to have signed a lease, is currently operating on a temporary site next door. It’s slated to occupy 10,000 square feet, while Rappaport is still working on populating the rest of Skyland. “Residents are traveling outside of the neighborhood to have a shopping experience. We’re trying to bring more options to residents to help enhance their lifestyle and make how they’re currently shopping more convenient and enjoyable,” says Swecker. “We had three sit-down restaurants in Ward 7. We don’t have a place to go and shop and do things that other areas of the city have,” notes Williams. Williams is also hopeful the project will offer more jobs to residents in Wards 7 and 8. The Skyland Workforce Center, located near the property, offers training and certification in construction. According to the center’s website, over 3,600 local residents have used the center’s services since it opened in late 2014. Williams says no layout has been developed of the property’s housing, though the complex will offer 30 percent of its units at affordable rates. (The affordable-housing median income for Ward 7 is $35,160). A March 20 Skyland construction update states the

The Phase I construction of Skyland Town Center has nearly topped out, which means it will soon reach the tallest point of the structure.

apartments will enjoy amenities like a club room, fitness center, swimming pool and grilling stations.

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up of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Many will find a Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (CRIAC) appearing for the first time on their water bills. This charge is earmarked specifically to cover the costs of a deep underground tunnel system to prevent sewage from overflowing into District waterways. The tunnel system has already diverted nearly 5 billion gallons of stormwater and sewage in its first year. To apply, visit doee.dc.gov/ node/1375571.

Support from the District Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent C. Gray has been involved in city-led efforts to bring Skyland east of the river for nearly 15 years – both on the DC Council and during his term as mayor from 2011 to 2015. ThenMayor Gray helped secure the property via eminent domain, a policy authorizing the government to acquire private property for public use. “There were hearings on it back when I became a councilmember. Even prior to me becoming a councilmember,” he recalled. “I’m ecstatic that this has come to fruition.” While most of the onus falls on developers Rappaport and WC Smith to secure financing, the DC government has offered support to help push through development slumps. Following Walmart’s departure, the DC Council authorized an $18.75 million tax-increment financing package, on top of a $7 million grant from Mayor Bowser’s office. Nonetheless, Walmart left a hole on the property and pushed back plans to develop a large lot on Naylor Road, known to developers as Block 1. Its future, as well as additional phases of development, is undetermined, with no fixed completion date or retailers committed to moving in. However, developers assured they are seeing the project through, despite delays, and will continue to update community members. Rappaport’s CEO “is committed to this project,” declares Swecker. “We’ve got to get it done with quality retail. It’s a passion for the neighborhood, and it’s about building personal relationships with community members.” “I don’t have any doubt. They are very experienced developers,” says Councilmember Gray, when asked about next steps. “We hope there will be a grocery store, maybe an office building.” Developers and the Skyland Town Center Task Force hold meetings every quarter at the Skyland Workforce Center to offer construction updates and answer resident questions. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, June 26. For more information, visit www.skylandtowncenter.com. DC’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development could not be reached for comment.

DC Equips MPD With Naloxone MPD patrol officers, sergeants and members of the Narcotics and Special InvesRENOVATED CAPITOL VIEW LIBRARY OPENS tigations Division are now The renovated Capitol View Library, 5001 Central Ave. SE, opened on March 23. equipped with Naloxone The event was marked by a ribbon cutting ceremony and community day. The up(Narcan) to prevent of opidated library features: a new exterior facade; an improved entrance; expanded winoid overdoses. Naloxone is a dows and new public art. The renovation was done by the local design-build team of medicine that counteracts the R. McGhee & Associates and Broughton Construction. dclibrary.org/capitolview. effects of an opioid overdose. MPD Patrol Officers and SerPhoto: Courtesy of DC Public Library geants will store their Naloxone in the utility pouch of their outer vest carrier. MPD members have received trainand entry into the all day picnic festivities. A $7 donation ing to recognize the signs of an overdose and how to adwill be accepted for the all-day picnic access to food and minister Naloxone via nasal atomizer. activities. Register at eventbrite.com.

Manna Housing Fair The annual MANNA Housing Fair and Town Hall is on May 11, noon to 3 p.m. at Ron Brown High School, 4800 Meade St. NE. Visit resource tables and workshops on a variety of subjects including: credit building; estate planning; down payment assistance; DC property tax programs; advocacy; house maintenance; affordable homes; utility costs; housing assistance programs and Mayor Bowser’s housing budget proposal. A town hall held from 2 to 3 p.m. discusses housing issues. Lenders, affordable housing developers are encouraged to be exhibitors. Contact Josh Galvez at jgalvez@mannadc.org if interested. MannaDC.org.

Help for DC Water Customers Take advantage of the new DC Water assistance programs. These programs can help with the increases in consumer water bills associated with the federally mandated clean-

DPW’s Helping Hand

Spring marks the onset of community clean up season. DPW’s Helping Hand program supports community groups that organize Saturday clean-ups. Helping Hand provides a tool kit that includes five rakes and brooms, two shovels and 20 trash bags. Free compost will be delivered as well for use in neighborhood beautification projects. To receive an application for a Helping Hand tool kit for your neighborhood clean-up, call 311.

NMAAHC Online Group Reservations The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has opened an online system for groups of 10 or more to reserve passes. Groups can reserve passes by visiting nmaahc.si.edu/visit/groups. Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Email it to bulletinboard@ hillrag.com.

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neighborhood news

The Numbers

DC’s Affordable Housing Toolbox Key Housing Programs and How to Make Them Better by Kamolika Das and Doni Crawford

ffordable housing is on the minds of city leaders and city residents across the country. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently remarked that “high cost is our biggest challenge and disparity.” She’s not alone in feeling that way. A recent survey of over 100 mayors found affordable housing to be their numberone issue, and a forthcoming poll reveals that 85 percent of Americans believe that access to affordable housing should be a “top national priority.” The District has a robust set of tools to create and preserve affordable housing, yet powerful market forces keep pushing up rents and home prices, making it hard for many families to continue living in DC, and leaving many at risk of displacement or homelessness. Addressing DC’s affordable housing challenge is the most important issue affecting the stability of families and communities, and the key to what kind of city DC will be.

‘Affordable’ for Whom? In its most basic terms, housing is considered affordable when a household spends no more than 30 percent of its income on housing and utilities. But that begs the question: Affordable for whom? To understand what developers and policymakers mean when they say they’re developing affordable housing, you have to ask about the income level of fami-

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lies they will house. What’s affordable to someone with an income of $25,000 is very different from what’s affordable to a household with $100,000 of income. In federal and DC affordable housing programs, eligibility is based on how income compares with the area median income (AMI). That is the income for the middle household in the DC region, which includes not only DC but the suburbs. Currently, the Washington region’s AMI is $117,200 for a family of four. Some people argue that it doesn’t make sense to define affordable housing programs in DC using much higher regional incomes, which is a fair point. But until that changes, the important question is the percentage of AMI that a given program targets. Some programs, like public housing, serve primarily “extremely low-income” households, which earn below 30 percent of AMI, or $35,000 for a family of four in DC. This includes many residents on fixed incomes. Other programs help “very-low income” families – under $58,600 in DC for a family of four – or “low-income” families – under $94,000. This sometimes allows developers to meet their affordable housing commitment with apartments that rent for over $2,000 a month. While families at many incomes have

housing challenges in DC, where the median rent is $1,500, the most serious problems are faced by extremely lowincome households. Most DC families with incomes below 30 percent of AMI spend more than half their income on rent, meaning many are at risk of eviction. Over 25 percent of households with incomes under 50 percent of AMI also spend more than half their income on rent. Above that income level, very few families are in this dire situation. Another key aspect of “affordable housing for whom?” is the kind of unit developed. Many new affordable housing units are two-bedroom or smaller and replace older buildings that had larger units. Without constructing units that meet the needs of families with children, even affordable housing may contribute to displacement.

Why Is Affordable Housing Important? Housing stability is the foundation of health and well-being for all of us. Having a safe and affordable place to call home is intrinsically connected to positive life outcomes in school performance, job retention, physical and

mental health and economic security. It ensures families aren’t forced to make difficult decisions between paying the rent or providing other essentials like food. Affordable housing means that families don’t have to worry about eviction or homelessness. When individuals and families don’t have to pay most of their income on housing, they can spend more supporting the local economy. Our national housing landscape reflects public policies and private actions that historically advantaged white families with homeownership opportunities while restricting black families to rental housing in less desirable areas of cities. In the District, nearly 90 percent of the extremely low-income households spending at least half their income on housing are headed by a person of color. Less than one percent of recent new affordable housing in DC is being built west of Rock Creek Park, where access to high-performing schools, recreational spaces and healthy foods is plentiful. And, 88 percent of of adults experiencing homelessness are black.

What Tools Do We Have for Affordable Housing? Thanks to having a solid set of housing tools in DC, affordable housing comes in many forms. There is plenty of affordable housing around that you probably don’t know about. Here is a list: • Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) – DC’s largest affordable housing tool provides low-cost loans and grants to help build and preserve affordable homes. • Local Rent Supplement Program

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How Does Affordable Housing Fit Into DC’s Budget? Mayor Bowser made affordable housing a hallmark of her administration, with a $100 million commitment to the Housing Production Trust Fund in her first term, and now $130 million proposed for next year, as well as investments to end homelessness. Yet, even with these investments, housing is still a relatively small share of DC’s budget – just three percent. And the amount DC devotes to affordable housing, $233 million, is far less than the $1.8 billion spent on schools and the $1 billion spent on public safety.

How Can We Strengthen These Tools? The District’s efforts to create and preserve affordable housing are laudable, but only reach a small share of families in need. Nearly 50,000 families are on the DC Housing Authority’s waiting list for public housing and over 6,000 adults and children experience homelessness. The District can take steps to strengthen its many affordable housing tools. First, it can target the lowest-income residents and fully meet their needs. DC has created only 3,000 units affordable to extremely low-income families in the last four years. It would take $230 million in new Housing Production Trust Fund resources per year to put us on the path to meeting their needs over the next decade. The District also needs to greatly expand the local rent supplement program to help more low-income families bring rents down to affordable levels. Second, it should repair and preserve public housing. More than 6,500 of DC’s public housing units, 78 percent of the portfolio, are in deplorable condition and need “significant capital improvements” such as new roofs or HVAC units. These fixes would require $1.3 billion, but last year’s budget only included $3.25 million. The District should increase funding for repairs while ensuring that redevelopment efforts do not displace current publichousing residents. Third, it should plan and design for a more equitable city. The DC Office of Planning (OP) is in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan, which guides land use decision-making including housing policy. It is critical that the OP prioritize equitable placement of affordable housing so that residents with low incomes have the same access to high-performing schools, grocery stores, transportation, thriving business corridors and other neighborhood amenities as DC’s wealthiest residents.

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(LRSP) – Monthly rental subsidies cover the difference between the rent a family can afford to pay and the full rent. Public housing – Funded by the federal government, public housing provides strong protections to tenants, including low rents that adjust to changes in income and unique tenant rights. Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) – This federal program operates much like DC’s LRSP program. Inclusionary Zoning – This program requires private-market developments to set aside a share of their buildings as affordable, at 80 percent AMI for homeownership and 60 percent AMI for rentals. The city runs a lottery to allocate IZ units. Public land disposition – When DC sells public land for housing development, up to one-third of the new units must be affordable for the life of the building. Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) and District Opportunity to Purchase Act (DOPA) – TOPA allows tenant associations the first shot at purchasing their building when it hits the market. If the tenants’ attempt fails, the District can intervene and preserve some affordable homes. First Right to Purchase Assistance Program (FRPAP) – DC’s program provides assistance to help lower-income tenants exercise TOPA rights. Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) – This is the largest federal program for subsidizing the construction of below-market-rate apartments.

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Kamolika Das and Doni Crawford are policy analysts at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to address DC’s economic and racial inequities and increase opportunities for residents to build a better future.

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neighborhood news

Ward 8 Special - Needs Kids Gain Healthcare

Health Services for Children Moves into Congress Heights

by Candace Y.A. Montague

hen it comes CASSIP Health insurance cost is a critical discusto providsion when designing a care plan for someing health one with special needs. One of the servicservices for es to alleviate costs is the District Child children and Adolescent Supplemental Security with special Income Program, also known as CASSIP. needs, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a more room the better. Health Services for federally funded program that helps lowChildren with Special Needs Inc. (HSCSN) income families who care for children with is partnering with the National Children’s disabilities. Although it is hard to qualify Center Inc. (NCC) to provide “a commufor this kind of assistance, the benefits can nity hub centered on supporting children, help with many financial challenges such youth and families, particularly those with as rent, specialized therapy, specific diet special health needs.” foods and more. What will this merger mean for families At the end of 2016, in DC, approximateon the east end of the city? It will mean rePatricia Browne, CEO of the National Children’s Center (NCC), and Victor Fields, ly 182,494 Medicaid enrollees were receivinforcement of critical services for children CEO of Health Services of Children with Special Needs Inc. (HSCSN), work with ing services through a government-sancwith complex medical conditions. HSCSN member to cut ribbon and invite guests into a new outreach location. They tioned managed-care organization. HSCSN Beginning this month, HSCSN’s family are joined by members of HSCSN and stakeholders from NCC, the HSC Health Care is one of the managed-care organizations and community development team will share System and the Department of Healthcare Finance (DHCF). Photo: Amy Smucker supported by the District government for space with the NCC Early Learning & Earindividuals with special needs up to age 26. ly Intervention Center (ELC) at 3400 MarEarly intervention is the key to success tin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. In a press release, in caring for children with special needs. The sooner HSCSN stated that “these two mission-driven organiWhy would HSCSN want to move into the NCC potential members enroll, the sooner they will get aczations continue to increase the quality, standards, and space? Victor Fields, executive vice president of HSC’s cess to services that will help their child bloom. “When accessibility of care for people with complex medical managed care and CEO of HSCSN, explains: “The space the District certifies that a family is eligible [for SSI] needs throughout the District of Columbia.” we had been in was limited especially for community acthey are admitted to the [CASSIP] program. We try to HSCSN is a service of HSC Health Care System, tivities. The partnership with NCC affords us a chance expedite the intake process. It may be 45-60 days bea nonprofit organization that connects DC residents to enter into a larger space. We’re going to lease their fore they’re actually enrolled. That’s why we try to edwith disabilities to high-quality healthcare and accesground floor. We will move our care management team ucate the community on the CASSIP program so if posible resources through community support programs. to the NCC space. That gets us closer to our membership tential members are in the community they can qualify Services include a pediatric specialty hospital for rehabase. We will ultimately relocate about 90 employees.” sooner than later, especially with early childhood debilitation and transitional care and an outpatient cenThe move from Northwest to Southeast means velopment,” Fields explains. ter in Ward 5. Additionally, HSCSN offers long-term more opportunities for service to the 5,200 members of Moving to Ward 8 puts HSCSN one step closer to care and social support for children who are eligible the managed-care organization. Fields says that HSCthe community it supports. Members enroll in the profor Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SN handles a myriad of needs, even wheelchair-accesgram and stay for years to come. It’s an anchor and, for NCC offers similar community-based services to sible transportation to medical appointments. “Our some, maybe a sanctuary. “What makes us unique as a residents who are intellectually and developmentally members live with disabilities. They live with more health plan is our members are with us for years, and disabled. Programs include Day Habilitation Services, than just one chronic condition. We handle their care we help them thrive,” says Fields. Individualized Day Services, Employment Readiness coordination, whether they see a specialist or if they and Supported Employment Services. The programs have acute needs. Those complex behavioral needs inCandace Y.A. Montague is the health reporter for Capital Comhelp individuals with special needs become self-sufficlude behavioral health and physical health needs such munity News. cient community members while developing their inas sickle cell or cerebral palsy.” HSCSN also connects terpersonal skills. families to community resources.

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THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) SOLICITATION NO’S.: 0004-2019 THROUGH 00019-2019

FOR JOB ORDER CONTRACT (JOC) PROGRAM GENERAL CONSTRUCTION, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, ASBESTOS TESTING & ABATEMENT AND LEAD TESTING & ABATEMENT CONTRACTS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 0020-2019

TRASH COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires a qualified contractor to provide trash collection and disposal services throughout various DCHA properties. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available at the Issuing Office at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 300, Office of Administrative Services/Contracts and Procurement, Washington, DC 20002-7599, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning Monday, April 15, 2019 and on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at 12:00 PM. Contact LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod, Contract Specialist at (202) 535-1212 or by email at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for additional information.

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires bids for various Job Order Contracts No’s.: 0004-2019 through 0019-2019. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available at the Issuing Office at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 300, Office of Administrative Services/Contracts and Procurement, Washington, DC 20002-7599, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning April 15, 2019. A copy of the bid Documents may only be obtained upon registration by the Contractor and payment of a non-refundable fee of Twenty Dollars ($20.00) payable to the District of Columbia Housing Authority, in the form of a money order, certified company check or cashier’s check. NO CASH ACCEPTED. DCHA reserves the right to reject the bid of any Contractor who fails to register and pay the amount designated for the Bid Documents. Bid Documents will also be available to purchase at the mandatory pre-bid conference. A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-7599, 2nd Floor Board Room. Parking is limited to on-street meters and an adjacent parking lot. Contractors may attend the Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference PRIOR to purchasing the Bid Documents. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 12:00 PM. Contact Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist at (202) 535-1212 or by email at lwashing@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for additional information.

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east washington life

Makers Arrive at Oxon Run

The Community is Encouraged to Tour the Space and Apply for Membership

article by Phil Hutinet | photos by NonStop Art LLC

erched on a promontory in the Ward 8 neighborhood of Washington Highlands, The Overlook at Oxon Run, an apartment complex developed by the nonprofit Community Preservation and Development Corporation (CPDC), towers over its namesake creek. CPDC is a regional nonprofit real estate developer that manages over 80 communities in the Midatlantic region including The Overlook. While CPDC performs all the functions expected from a traditional for-profit developer, it also seeks to “invest in helping communities grow and thrive.” Specifically, the organization provides “comprehensive resident services aimed primarily at youth and seniors.” Pamela Lyons, senior vice president for community impact strategies at CPDC, partnered with NonStop Art, an arts consultancy organization run by Nehemiah Dixon III. The organizations jointly conducted a series of community meetings with Overlook residents to inquire what programs might be of interest. The residents overwhelmingly responded that they sought a place where they could sew and acquire related skills. Subsequent to the community meetings, a number of visits were organized to tour “maker spaces” throughout the region, with CPDC and NonStop Art staff, to observe what was possible at The Overlook. Based on the group’s observations, NonStop Art formulated a series of programs CPDC could implement and provide the community with a sewing room, a computer lab, visual arts classes, 3-D printing and other activities that fall under the rubric of a “maker space.”

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A grant from Capital One Financial Corporation helped fund the project. By June 2017, three spaces were established and equipped for Overlook residents. In accordance with the residents’ initial desire, the sewing room included a fabric course with instructor Charlene Wallace, who had already been teaching sewing at other CPDC properties. The room also provides fabric, tools and sewing machines. Adjacent to the sewing room, several large touchscreen Microsoft-Pro computers sit neatly on top of sleek desks. Thomas Stanley operates the digital media space, called the Funk Lab, which offers the opportunity to engage with computer-based programs designed to create two-dimensional art using Corel Draw and Corel Paint. During my visit, several senior residents sat quietly in front of the oversized screens, using digital pens to “color” a template, similar to what you would find in a traditional coloring book. Dixon explains that these activities, in many instances, provide senior residents with the first engagement they’ve had with computer technology. Coloring digitally also provides a soothing and therapeutic way to pass the time. One of the residents showed me a birthday card she was creating for her grandson. Having created the template from a series of patterns and having selected the colors on her own, she beamed with pride over her one-of-a-kind creation. Down the hall from the Funk Lab and the sewing room, a much larger room has been dedicated to functioning as a multimedia space offering access to a 3-D printer, a CNC printer (which uses a subtractive process), screen printing equipment and a host of art supplies. NonStop Art has hired an entire staff of artists specialized in various disciplines who provide everything from basic drawing skills and painting and sculpting as well as technological assistance.

Busboys & Poets Expands Service Restaurateur Andy Shallal confirms interest in Skyland by John Muller

CPDC, in partnership with NonStop Art, offers Overlook residents a wide range of programming and equipment. However, Dixon is quick to point out that the idea is to encourage residents to become fluent in various forms of making. “We are encouraging people to be project-oriented,” explains Dixon. “People come in with an interest, and our staff will help them develop it.” Many of the skills learned by residents have workforce applications. For example, one of the residents used the 3-D printer to create a replacement part to repair his electric drill. Another resident worked with NonStop Art staff to create a logo and marketing swag for a business venture. Now that the needs of residents are being met and the pilot programs have yielded permanent programming, Dixon is ready to open the maker space, which he envisions as “a library more than an art school,” to the community at large. Dixon also hopes to expand the offerings through partnerships with regional arts organizations and large institutions and to provide additional resources for experiential learning or even exhibiting.

The Community Membership Plan, for $65 per month, gives access to all of the resources in the maker space and workshops and to the highly trained staff. To arrange a tour of the space, contact Nehemiah Dixon III by email at Nehemiah@nonstopartllc.com. Phil Hutinet is the publisher of East City Art, DC’s alternative art source. For more information visit www.eastcityart.com.

ollowing a frenetic first month of operations in Anacostia, limited by afternoon and evening hours, restaurateur Andy Shallal addressed Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8A’s April 2 meeting to provide a brief on Busboys’ expanded service. Starting this month, weekday breakfast begins at 7 a.m. and a Sunday brunch menu will be available with a 10 a.m. open. “Please be patient as our staff is getting off their feet and really trying very, very hard,” Shallal said, after thanking the community for its support as new and veteran staff become acclimated. “We hire not so much for technical skills as much as for heart and soul. And people that have a good heart can oftentimes succeed in this kind of industry.” Additionally, Shallal confirmed his continued interest to partner with the Skyland development underway atop Good Hope Road at the junction of Alabama Avenue and Naylor Road SE in Ward 7. “I had a meeting with them today,” Shallal reported. “It’s probably too preliminary to have this conversation right now but we are definitely looking at Skyland as a different concept that many of you may be familiar with … Eatonville.” The Southern-themed restaurant, inspired by the works of author and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, opened at 14th and V streets NW, adjacent to the original Busboys, in 2009 and closed in 2015. “We are looking at the possibility of bringing back Eatonville in Ward 7,” offered Shallal. For hours and reservations call 202-889-1374 or visit facebook.com/BusboysAndPoetsAnacostia/ or www.busboysandpoets.com/locations/.

Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke last month at a red carpet opening of Busboys & Poets in Anacostia, 2004 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. Photo: John Muller

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east washington life

by Steve Monroe

Time to Appreciate Pan African Jazz, Double Time Jazz and More Charmaine Michelle’s Pan African Soundtrack and Double Time Jazz are eastof-the-river events for April, with the Smithsonian Jazz Appreciation Month events featured downtown. Trumpeter Michelle, raised in northern Virginia, leads a group for a 3 p.m. concert on April 14 at the Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Road SE. Sherrita Harris will be on drums, Trey L Sorrells, sax, Justin Taylor, piano, and Jeron White, bass. See www.anacostiaartscenter.com. Double Time Jazz is back at THEARC in Southeast with a History & StoryTelling Double Nickels show on April 13, GoGo Symphony on April 20 and In SeriesDuke Ellington shows on April 26-27 at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. See www.thearcdc.org.

Enjoy JAM at Smithsonian, Calvin Jones Big Band Festival Jazz Appreciation Month shows at the Smithsonian Museum of American History at 12th and Constitution Ave. NW, on the Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West, include free daytime concerts by the George Washington University Latin Jazz Band on April 18 and Howard University’s

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Women’s Vocal Ensemble SAASY on April 25. For more information see www.americanhistory.si.edu/smithsonian-jazz/jazz-appreciation-month. Other events this month include the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters show on April 15 at the Kennedy Center, honoring Bob Dorough, Abdullah Ibrahim, Maria Schneider and Stanley Crouch. Robinson. Visit www.arts/gov/honors/jazz for more information. The third annual Ella Fitzgerald Competition, April 27, on the occasion of Fitzgerald’s 103rd birthday, includes the competition from noon to 2:00 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium with the gala concert at 7:30 that night, with vocalist Rene Marie in concert with the Count Basie Orchestra. The five finalists, hailing from the United States, Italy, Latvia and the United Kingdom, are Arta Jacobsone, Melinda Rodriguez, Emma Hendrick, Ella Mohnen-Ford and Emitia Zamunes. For tickets and more information Visit www.ellafitzgeraldcompetition.org. The Calvin Jones Big Band Jazz Festival at the University of the District of Columbia celebrates 33 years with its show at 8 p.m. on April 29 at University Auditorium (Theatre of the Arts, Bldg). The show features jazz ensembles from the University of the District of Columbia, Howard University and the University of Maryland. Tickets are $20 (general admission), $15 (seniors) and $10 (students). For more information go to www.bigbandjazzfest.org.

InPerson … Dana Hawkins, Antonio Parker, WWJF In live music recently, we caught drummer Dana Hawkins’ group in a CapitalBop showcase date at Local 16 on U Street in DC, playing some rollicking, funky grooves highlighted by guitarist Elijah Coles’ sharp, soulful licks on tunes like “Never in Your Sun” and “One Note Samba.” Alto sax master Antonio Parker led a jamming session at Westminster Presbyterian Church one Friday night, delighting a capacity crowd on tunes like “Dat Dare,” “Just One of Those Things” and “Robbin’s Nest.” Notable Washington Women in Jazz Festival events included an all-star jam before a packed house at Mr. Henry’s with alto saxman Herb Scott, Amy K. Bormet’s piano and vocal charms, bassist Zoe Jorgen-

son and drummer Ana Barreiro. And there was a WWJF Young Artist Showcase at Publick Playhouse in Cheverly, Maryland, and a Bormet-led happy hour jam at Wild Days at the Eaton Hotel in DC, with bassist Clarissa Corey-Bey. Steve Monroe is a freelance writer based in Washington, DC. He can be reached at steve@jazzavenues.com or @jazzavenues. Trumpet maestro Thad Wilson leads his quintet in performance for the Tribute to Billy Eckstine show, April 26, at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

If you can’t spend spring in Paris... come join us on our patio for bites and beverages with two happy hours daily! APRIL HIGHLIGHTS Lisa Sokolov, April 13, Rhizome … Carl Grubbs Ensemble, April 13, Roland Park Branch Library/Baltimore … Lena Seikaly, April 14, The Alex/Graham Georgetown Hotel … Kris Funn’s Cornerstone, April 17, Hill Center … Capital Jazz/Elijah Jamal Balbed, Akua Allrich, Mark Meadows, April 18, Mansion at Strathmore … Arturo Sandoval, April 18-21, Blues Alley … GW Jazz Orchestra, April 19-20, Twins Jazz … Howard University Jazz Ensemble, April 19, Westminster Presbyterian Church … Aaron Goldberg Trio, April 19, Atlas Performing Arts Center … GW Jazz Orchestra, April 19-20, Twins Jazz … Jazzmeia Horn Quintet, April 20, Library of Congress … Cissa Paz, April 20, Montpelier Arts Center … Sharon Clark, April 21, The Alex … Andrew White Quartet, April 23, Blues Alley … Carl Cornwell, April 24, Jazz and Cultural Society … 3 Divas Celebrate Ella, April 24, Blues Alley … Akua Allrich, April 2526, Local 16 … Tribute to Billy Eckstine/Thad Wilson Quintet, April 26, Westminster … Integriti Reeves, April 26-27, Sotto … Thinking About Jazz/ Billy Eckstine: Mr. B, April 27, Westminster … Alison Crockett, April 28, The Alex … A Day of Jazz in Washington DC, April 29, Warner Theater … Calvin Jones Big Band Jazz Festival, April 29, University of the District of Columbia, Bldg. 46-West …

APRIL BIRTHDAYS Harry Carney 1; Booker Little 2; Jimmy McGriff 3; Stanley Turrentine 5; Randy Weston, Gerry Mulligan 6; Billie Holiday, Freddie Hubbard 7; Carmen McRae 8; Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau 12; Gene Ammons 14; Richard Davis 15; Bennie Green, Herbie Mann 16; Lionel Hampton, Tito Puente 20; Slide Hampton 21; Charles Mingus 22; Johnny Griffin, Joe Henderson 24; Ella Fitzgerald 25; Teddy Edwards 26; Connie Kay 27; Duke Ellington 29; Percy Heath 30.

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kids & family

by Kathleen Donner

Frederick Douglass NHS Easter Egg Hunt

BEST KIDS SUPERHERO 5K & FUN RUN

The BEST Kids Superhero 5k & Fun Run is a celebration of the everyday heroes that make a positive impact in the lives of kids in DC’s foster care system. Run on a scenic course through East Potomac Park. There are many ways to participate including running/walking the race, becoming a sponsor or volunteering. This family-friendly and stroller-friendly race is on April 20. The Kids’ Fun Run is free. bestkids.org. Mentors help BEST Kids find their superpowers. Funds raised from this event support mentoring programs for over 160 local youth. Photo: Adrienne Boykin

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On April 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1411 W St. SE, celebrate the lasting legacy of Frederick Douglass at the National Park Service’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. Children through age 12 cab hunt for Easter eggs, take pictures with the Easter bunny, play games on the lawn of Cedar Hill and experience the power of place with ranger-led tours of Douglass’s historic home. Join in the fun with arts and crafts lead by local community organizations Konsider Dis and EYL 365 Project. Enjoy story time with Dr. Kelsi Bracmort, author of Simone Visits the Museum and DC native. Visit nps.gov/frdo for more information on special programming at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

Eggstravaganza at Benning Library On Friday, April 19, 1 p.m., bring baskets and a friend to the Egg-ceptional Egg Hunt at the Dorothy I Height/Benning Library, 3935 Benning Rd. NE. Hunt for eggs, eggs and more eggs. For ages 3 to 8. dclibrary.org/benning.

Let’s Build at Capitol View Library Interested in developing skills in constructive problem solving, organization and experimentation? LEGO is a great way to achieve this while hav-

THE FAMILY-FRIENDLY AWESOME CON PAVILION

ing fun. Bring ideas. LEGO blocks are waiting. This program is recommended for children and families, and is free and open to the public. Let’s Build at Capitol View Library, 5001 Central Ave. SE, is on Saturdays through the end of June at 10 a.m. dclibrary.org/capitolview.

Deanwood Reading Tutors Need a little reading practice? Want to practice skills with a one-on-one tutoring buddy for free? Come to Georgetown DC Reads at Deanwood Library. Georgetown DC Reads is a tutoring, mentoring and advocacy program that serves Kindergarten to fifth grade students who are a grade level or more behind in literacy skills. A team of student coordinators lead the program through which 100+ Georgetown students a semester have weekly tutoring commitments east of the river. Georgetown DC Reads provide services at Deanwood Library on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Contact dcreads@georgetown. edu or call Noelle Gipson at 202-6870821 for more information. No advance registration is needed, just come. Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE. dclibrary.org/deanwood.

The seventh annual Awesome Con by LeftField Media will unite 80,000 fans of comics, technology and science, television and film, custom art and over-the-top cosplay at the Washington Convention Center on April 26 to 28. The familyfriendly pavilion Awesome Con Jr presented by the Toy Association returns with even more playful events planned to educate and entertain kids. awesome-con.com. Photo: Courtesy of Awesome Con

Georgetown DC Reads Community Reading Day is April 27, 1 p.m. Join Georgetown DC Reads and Deanwood Library for a fun afternoon of group read-alouds, literacy games and arts and crafts. Light snacks provided.

Women’s Art Museum Tours Young Learner Tours, exclusively for children ages 3 through 6 and their guardians, are designed to get little bodies moving, minds thinking, hands making and mouths talking about works of art. Participants go on an adventure through the galleries and look closely at works in the collection.

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They learn about the National Museum of Women in the Arts, practice museum manners and discover art concepts through developmentally appropriate discussions, a themed story and handson activities. Young Learner Tours are on, April 20, June 15 and Aug. 17; 10 to 11 a.m. Free; reservations required. National Museum of Women in the Arts is at 1250 New York Ave. NW. nmwa.org.

Adventures in Arden See Shakespeare for the Young perform Adventures in Arden at these locations this spring and summer: May 11 and June 8, 10:30 a.m., Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE; April 17, 2 p.m., Northeast Library, 330 Seventh St. NE; May 14, 10:30 a.m., Frances Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE; May 30 , 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE; June 26 and Aug. 7, 10:30 a.m., Deanwood Library, 1350 49th St. NE. ShakespeareForTheYoung.com.

100 Youth Photographs In collaboration with National Geographic, the Kennedy Center is exhibiting 100 photographs from a dozen National Geographic Photo Camps through World Refugee Day, June 20. Featuring photography from Mexico, Greece, Cuba and more, the exhibition will consist of a selection of photographs never before exhibited together. The powerful images are supported by written text to weave a narrative of the experiences and realities of displaced youth from around the world.

Discovery Theater on the Mall On April 23 and 24, 10 and 11 a.m. and noon, enjoy Beautiful Biomes in the Haupt Garden. Celebrate Earth Month and step into the Haupt Garden with horticulturists from Smithsonian Gardens. Discover how all living things are connected by adaptation to the beautiful biomes we call home. For ages 5 to 10. Discovery Theater is at the Smithsonian Ripley Center, 1100 JeďŹ&#x20AC;erson Dr. SW, on the National Mall. Tickets are $6 per child, $3 for under two and $8 for adults. The Beautiful Biomes program is outdoors in the Haupt Garden. discoverytheater.org.

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

THE RAINBOW FISH

The Anacostia Playhouse presents The Rainbow Fish Musical, written by Austin Zumbro, and directed by Sisi Reid. On April 25, 26 and 27, at 7:30 p.m.; and April 27 and 28 at 2 p.m. Meet a charming school of fish and sea-creature characters who admire the famous Rainbow Fish, the most beautiful fish in all the ocean. When Rainbow Fish refuses to share its vibrant, shimmering scales the whole ocean seems to turn against the vain creature. Very unhappy about this, the Rainbow Fish seeks out the wise Octopus who helps the young fish learn that it’s far better to be admired for being kind than for being beautiful. This production will feature musical numbers, dancing, and fun costumes. $10; kids under 12, $5. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE. anacostiaplayhouse.com. Cast members of Anacostia Playhouse’s The Rainbow Fish Musical rehearse for their April 25th opening. Photo: Jabari Jefferson

NSO’s Break it Down! Watch, listen, and lend a helping hand as the dynamic duo of Paul Fadoul on marimba and Zara Lawler on flute build music from the ground up. Children will be amazed by the way instruments are taken apart and put back together again. $20. On stage at the Kennedy Center, April 27, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and April 28, 1:30 and 4 p.m. Most enjoyed by ages , up. kennedy-center.org.

Play at the National Cathedral Flower Mart National Cathedral Flower Mart, May 3, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and May 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., hosts an antique carousel. It also has a Children’s Area with an array of games and carnival rides. Plus in-

side the Cathedral’s Bethlehem Chapel, Master Puppeteers present their delightful puppet show. Tickets for the rides, games and the puppet show can be purchased at the ticket booth in the Children’s Area. allhallowsguild.org.

Revolutionary War Weekend at Mount Vernon On May 4 and 5 (rain or shine), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mount Vernon’s serene 12acre field transforms into a battleground as hundreds of Continentals, Redcoats and Hessians conduct military drills, perform cavalry demonstrations and engage in 18th-Century battle reenactments. Wander through the encampment and meet the soldiers, discuss military techniques, and meet

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General Washington. Join a youth muster on the bowling green Concessions from the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant will be available on-site. Mount Vernon admission is $20 for adults, $12 for kids (6 to 11), free for 5 and under. George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA. mountvernon.org.

Winnie the Pooh Winnie the Pooh would spend every day of life humming tunes and stopping frequently to eat “a little something.” Pooh’s intentions are always the best, but his passion for honey and condensed milk keeps getting him into trouble. On stage at Glen Echo through May 26. $20. All ages. adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

Complete Dogness Complete Dogness is a family-friendly performance about a delightful little doggy with bad habits. She can eat a delicious wool sweater or steal a whole block of cheese. But there is hope as Barky learns new tricks and as the whole fami-

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homes & gardens / changing hands Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list,based on the MRIs, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.

ly adjusts. The performance incorporates spoken word, movement, music, kinetic imaging and animation by Hong Huo and interactive participatory activities for young children. Tickets are $15 adult; $10 Children under 10. $45 for family of four. Performances are on April 27 and May 4 at 4 p.m., at Theatre on the Run, 3700 S Four Mile Run Dr., Arlington VA. janefranklin.com or 703-933-1111.

Jack and the Beanstalk Fe-fi-fo-fum. A timely version of the classic children’s tale about the young lad that doesn’t know beans about trading, but still manages to climb his way to the top. Told with rod puppets and some surprising twists, Jack has long been a favorite of Puppet Company’s audiences. $12. On stage at Glen Echo, through May 5. Recommended for ages 5 to 9. thepuppetco.org.

Register for The Marine Corps Marathon Kids Run on Oct. 26, One day prior to the MCM, this is a one-mile just-for-fun running challenge for kids ages 5 to 12. All participants receive a shirt, access to the Camp Miles Family Fitness Festival and a medal at the finish line. Registration is $10 and will open on April 24, at noon. marinemarathon.com. Photo: Courtesy of the Marine Corps Marathon

Escape from Peligro Island

what happens next! In this interactive production, audience members vote on Callaway’s actions in an energetic romp through time and space. Will Callaway time travel to the Wild West and meet a talking horse? Develop superpowers and fight crime in the future? Or have a crush on a vampire? Best for age 5, up. Plays April 27 to May 26 at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD. imaginationstage.org.

Callaway Brown--an unlikely young hero--has been stranded on a desert island, and it’s up to the audience to decide

Have an item for The Notebook? Email the details to bulletinboard@hillrag.com.

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XWORD Sea Creatures by Myles Mellor Across: 1. Practitioner’s suffix 4. Founded, abbr. 8. Sends back 15. Nosh 18. Relaxes 21. In a nimble manner 22. Key executive 23. Playful mammal 25. French vineyard 26. ___ synthesizer 27. Canadian province with red sand, for short 28. Letter-shaped opening 30. Community character 35. Favorite of Elizabeth 39. Al Capone’s city, for short 40. Washed clothes 44. Katie’s daughter 45. Adjourn 49. Rescue squad 50. ____ Coeur Basilica 51. Anthology 53. ___ Wee Reese 54. Notch shape 55. Bars 57. One who strengthens by moral instruction 59. Completely committed 62. Vane direction 63. Pave the way 65. Dark brown-grey 66. Astringent substance 68. Marks the margins 72. Perfect diving score 73. Sea action for a tourist 78. Prone 79. Difficulty 80. Stewed dudes 81. New York’s ___ Place 83. Prefix with graphic 84. Get-up-and-go 87. Casual top 91. From Beijing 93. Defend 96. Domingo, e.g. 97. Like L.B.J. 98. Auto with a prancing horse logo

101. Casino Royale star 103. Letter, for short 104. Color stick 106. Delicious bar 107. Explorer’s last food resort? 109. College major 110. Part of Nasdaq, abbr. 112. Snicker 113. Fairy tale writer 116. Half a dance 118. One of the Wisteria Lane crowd 122. Sot’s sound 123. Dare to present your business idea? 133. Compass direction 134. Net 135. Reserves 136. Roush of baseball fame 137. Starts 138. Website for handmade crafts 139. Down Under airport letters

Down: 1. Mil. missile 2. “Off you go!” 3. A musical Jackson 4. Right angle 5. Compass point 6. Weigh station figure 7. Pair 8. Hotel chain 9. Concept of self 10. “Thanks a ___!” 11. Swiss mountain 12. Old Testament bk. 13. Caesar’s 551 14. A coming together 15. Book after Proverbs, for short 16. Kind of plane or dynamics 17. Talk up 19. Wearer of three stars, abbr. 20. Kitchen meas. 24. Shoebox marking 29. An urge for Fido 31. N.F.L. stats 32. Air conditioning transfer device

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 33. Whale type 34. Dish up dinner 36. Totals 37. Coastal flier 38. Noon on some clocks 39. Muck 40. First name in jeans 41. “Right on!” 42. Worn 43. Bad marks 46. Brand for people with strong allergies 47. It’s believing! 48. “Buona ___” (Italian greeting) 52. Brimless caps 56. Of the kidneys

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58. Charm 60. “For Your Eyes Only” singer, 1981 61. “Evil Woman” rock gp. 63. Spotted, a la Tweety 64. Put ___ disadvantage 67. Goes with acquisition 69. Roar for a matador 70. Pace 71. Highlander nationality 73. One on the go 74. Midsize Kia 75. Distress 76. They produced “Angels of America” 77. Washington ___, N.Y.C. 81. Kind of adapter

82. Those who bring about changes 85. Ingrain 86. Presidential candidate of the 1990s 88. Inactive 89. Lovely meter maid 90. Bitter 92. Enraptured a rock fan 93. Play-for-pay athletes 94. Carom 95. TLC part 99. ___ Dome (former home of the Indianapolis Colts) 100. Sounds of understanding 102. “Holy moly!” 105. Candied vegetable 108. Athletic events 111. “Evita” role 113. Clarified butter in India 114. Peel 115. Frosted 117. Clod 119. Speaker’s table 120. ___ 500 121. Survived 124. Maiden name preceder 125. Sylvester, to Tweety Bird 126. Two-time U.S. Open winner 127. Carnaval city in Brazil 128. Lao-___

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