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

MARCH 2019

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 18

The Bulletin Board

Anacostia Mourns Loss of Two Activists by John Muller

The Numbers by Ed Lazere

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IN EVERY ISSUE

N E X T I S S U E : a P R i L 13

06 What’s on Washington

by Keely Sullivan

Who’s Leading the Redevelopment of Barry Farm? by Keely Sullivan

10 Calendar

With Barry Farm All But Abandoned, the Fight for its Future is Just Beginning

42 The Crossword

Busboys and Poets Opens in Anacostia Amid Uncertainty of Future Development Projects by John Muller

43 The Classiﬁed

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

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Anacostia Organics Opens First East of the River Dispensary by Chloe Detrick

Jazz Avenues by Steve Monroe

Our River: The Anacostia by Bill Matuszeski

HOMES & GARDENS 35

Changing Hands compiled by Don Denton

ON THE COVER: Andy Shallal in conversation with Angela Davis at Busboys and Poets, 450 K St NW, in October 2018. Photo: Busboys and Poets. See Story on pg. 28.

KIDS & FAMILY 36

Notebook by Kathleen Donner

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PETALPALOOZA On April 6, Petalpalooza comes to the Wharf with live music on multiple outdoor stages, a beer garden, all-ages activities, product giveaways and spectacular fireworks along the piers as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The fun starts at noon. Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m., weather permitting. Free admission. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. Photo: Doug Van Sant

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JQA Complicated, passionate and difficult, John Quincy Adams (JQA) was a brilliant diplomat, ineffectual one-term President and congressman known for his eloquence, arrogance and integrity. This unique, highly-theatrical play by award-winning playwright Aaron Posner imagines key confrontations between JQA and some of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most dynamic figures: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and his father John Adams. On stage at Arena through April 14. arenastage.org. (L to R) Joshua David Robinson (JQA/Frederick Douglass/Andrew Jackson), Phyllis Kay (JQA/George Washington/Abigail Adams/John C. Calhoun), Jacqueline Correa (JQA/Abraham Lincoln/Louisa Adams) and Eric Hissom (JQA/John Adams/Henry Clay) in JQA running through April 14 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo: Tony Powell

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LA GRANDE FETE La Grande Fête closes the 2018 DC Francophonie Cultural Festival on March 23, 7 to 11 p.m., at the La Maison Francaise at the Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW. As part of the Smithsonian at 8, this annual event spotlights the music, art, literature, film, cuisine and customs of Francophone countries across the globe. Sample food and drink from more than 30 embassies. Explore each nation’s unique attractions and traditions. DJ Princess Slaya spins music from Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. $40. For tickets, visit s.si.edu/2ocUayg. La Grande Fete 2018. Photo: Courtesy of SMITHSONIAN at 8

SISTERS OF THE STRAWBERRY MOON Luther Dickinson, Amy Helm and Birds of Chicago have joined to create a supergroup called “Sisters of the Strawberry Moon.” They arrive at the City Winery, 1350 Okie St. NE, on March 20. Doors open at 6 p.m. The show begins at 8. Tickets are $30 to 45. citywinery.com/washingtondc.

DIRECT CURRENT The Kennedy Center’s two-week celebration of contemporary culture, DIRECT CURRENT, returns for a second season from March 24 to April 7. Showcasing new, topical, and interdisciplinary works by some of today’s foremost cultural risk-takers, the 2019 festival includes: Bon Iver, Bill T. Jones, Caroline Shaw, Du Yun, Tyshawn Sorey, Henry Threadgill, I’m With Her, Roomful of Teeth and National Symphony Orchestra. For tickets and full schedule, visit kennedy-center.org/DIRECTCURRENT. San Francisco’s male vocal group Chanticleer returns to the Kennedy Center in the immersive KC Jukebox series with “Sirens,” a program of 20th and 21st-Century choral music. Their performance also features composers ranging from Ned Rorem and Steven Stucky to Freddy Mercury of Queen. Family Theater, April, 2, 7:30 p.m.

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National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. April 13, 10 AM to noon. Constitution Avenue NW from Seventh to 17th. Grandstand seating starts at $20. Standing along the parade route from Constitution Avenue between Ninth and 15th streets, NW is free and open to the public. Arrive early for the best views. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. Tour the Franciscan Monastery Gardens. Every Saturday, 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 as you explore 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.

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

NATIONAL’S BASEBALL

March 28th Home Opener, 30 and 31; April 2, 3, 12 and 13. Nat’s Park. mlb.com/nationals. Outfielder Juan Soto. Photo: Courtesy of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club

Veve and the Rebels in Residence at Anacostia Arts Center. Every third Wednesday, 8 to 10 PM. Performing 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. Blood at the Root at Anacostia Playhouse. Through March 24. When a black student disrupts the status quo at her high school by occupying space typically reserved for white students, her community erupts in hate speech, violence, and chaos. theateralliance.com. Fort Dupont Ice Arena Public Skating. March 9, 4 to 6 PM; March 10, 2:30 to 4:30 PM; March 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 (also noon to 2 PM), 6 to 8 PM; March 16, 1 to 3 PM. Hours subject to change without notice. Skating is $5 for adults; $4, 12 and under and seniors 60 and over; and $3 for skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. SE. fdia.org. Fort Dupont Ice Arena closes for the season on March 17. It will reopen on the July 4th weekend.

ST. PATRICK’S ShamrockFest. March 23, noon to 8 PM. ShamrockFest, America’s largest St. Paddy’s Day celebration, features Celtic and alternative rock. RFK Stadium. shamrockfest.com. St. Pat’s Run. March 17, 8:15 AM. The Start and Finish lines are on 15th Street NW, directly next to the Washington Monument. runpacers.com/race/st-pats-run. St. Patty’s Recovery Run 5k & Half. March 17, 8 AM. Come out after St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy this scenic, ﬂat half-marathon and 5k in the heart of Georgetown near the Nation’s Capital. Both events run on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal path. Beneﬁts the Semper Fi Fund. Register at bishopseventregistrations.com.

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EARTH, SPRING AND CHERRY BLOSSOMS 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. Volunteer at Kenilworth Park. March 23 and April 13, 9 AM to noon. Spend the morning at Kenilworth Park removing invasive plants, collecting litter and working on other park-beautiﬁcation projects. For more information, visit friendsofkenilworthgardens.org.

Leaning Toward the Sky at the Botanic Garden. April 5, 6, 12 and 13; 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Come curiously explore the lush and abundant living collection of the USBG Conservatory as never before with Orange Grove Dance’s transformative site-speciﬁc choreography and design. $20. US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. usbg.gov. Community Forklift’s 10th Annual Garden Party. April 6, 9 AM. Their Annual Garden Party is a fun-ﬁlled event where they offer up a ton of landscaping and garden supplies, and host gardening demonstrations, local experts and vendors, live bands, and a local food truck. 4671 Tanglewood Dr., Edmonston, MD. Sign up for sale alerts at communityforklift.org.

Twelve-Hour Hockey Game to Support Kids On Ice. March 17, 8 AM to 8 PM. Help to provide increased opportunity , education, and inspiration to the young people through ice skating and educational activities. Food and drinks provided. Read more at facebook.com/events/2254826331423870. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. SE. fdia.org. Black Love Experience. March 23, 6 to 11:30 PM. Originating from the masterminds behind Nubian Hueman, The Black Love Experience is a multi-sensory experience of artistry and inventiveness geared towards creatives, revolutionaries, kindred souls and fearless visionaries celebrating under the canopy of all things Black. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. bbardc.org. 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

Explore … Learn … Connect! Visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture to explore the nation’s history through the lens of the African American experience. Visitors can walk-up on weekdays at 1:00 pm, no passes required. Plan your visit at nmaahc.si.edu/visit. @nmaahc

National Museum of African American History and Culture | 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20560 E ast

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NEW MEDICAL CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN HISTORIC ANACOSTIA

HOW TO JOIN THE PROGRAM

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BOOK AN APPOINTMENT for a medical marijuana recommendation SUBMIT an application to the Department of Health PAY the Department of Health application fee VISIT Anacostia Organics to purchase medical marijuana

First Visit: Spend $50 and receive a $1 gram Second Visit: Spend $50 and pick a product of your choice for $10 ( must be net of discounts. Eligible products for 2nd visit, 3.5 grams of flower, .5g oil cartidge, edible, tincture, or .5g concentrate )

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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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. 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. Tours cover the ﬁrst and second ﬂoors of the house, and last about 30 minutes. Tickets must be picked up at the visitor center before the tour time. Frederick Douglass House, 1411 W St. SE. nps.gov/frdo.

MUSIC AROUND TOWN Music at Black Cat. March 9, Jane Hurwitz & Amir Blumenfeld; March 14, Low Ways Quartet; March 15, Tainted Cabaret; March 16, BAYO; March 24, Homeshake; March 27, STIV-No Compromise No Regrets; March 28, Radkey; March 29, Dance Yourself Clean; April 4, DESSA; April 11, Wild Belle; April 12 and 13, Damaged City Fest 2019. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. blackcatdc.com. Music at 9:30 Club. March 9, Motet; March 10, Sabrina Carpenter; March 11, J Boog; March 12, Trevor Hall; March 13, Smallpools;

March 15, Mike Gordon; March 16, Teenage Fanclub; March 17, Jonathan McReynolds; March 21, Jungle; March 22 and 23, Railroad Earth; March 24, Nils Frahm; March 25 and 26, Maggie Rogers; March 27, Lil Mosey; March 28, Failure and Swervedriver; March 29, Big Wild-Superdream Tour; March 30, Boogie T.rio; April 1, Let’s Eat Grandma; April 2, Getter; April 3, Patty Griﬃn; April 4, Emily King; April 5, The Infamous Stringdusters; April 6, Beats Antique and BENT-The New LGBTQ Dance Party Returns; April 7, SWMRS; April 8, Charlotte Gainsbourg; April 10, Jai Wolf; April 11, Ella Vos; April 12, Turkuaz; April 13, Droeloe. 815 V St. NW. 930.com. Music at Hill Country. March 9, Jess Eliot Myhre & the Honky Tonk Heroes; March 14, Andrea von Kampen & Louisa Hall; March 15, Wynchester; March 19, The 9 Songwriter Series; March 21, The 19th Street Band; March 22, Tragedy:All Metal Tribute To The Bee Gees & Beyond; March 23, Casey Cavanagh EP Release Show and Justin Trawick & The Common Good; March 26, Amy LaVere & Will Sexton; March 29, Jumpin’ Jupiter, Gina Dalmas & The Heart Stompers; March 30, Fireside Collective; April 4, Igor & Red Elvises; April 5, LITZ; April 6, Fellowcraft, Bad Krohma; April 11, Crawford & Power. Hill Country Live, 410 Seventh St. NW. hillcountry.com/dc.

ANACOSTIA WATERSHED SOCIETYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EARTH DAY CLEANUP

April 13. Nearly 2,000 volunteers come out to 30 different sites around the watershed to pickup trash and enjoy the Anacostia River. Register at anacostiaws. org for specifics and site location. Photo: Courtesy of the Anacostia Watershed Society

Music at U Street Music Hall. March 9, Bae K-Pop Dance Party; March 13, Griff; March 14, Riva Starr; March 15, Stella Donnelly; March 16, Maggie Rose; March 18, Ibibio Sound Machine; March 19, Token; March 20, Mansionair; March 21, The Comet Is Coming; March 22, VHS Collection and Haywyre; March 23, The Barr Brothers and Valentino Khan; March 24, Lennon Stella; March 26, Shing02 & The Chee-Hoos: A Tribute to Nujabes; March 27, Summer Walker; March 28, Black Coffee; March 29, Conan Gray; March 30, Werk Ethic: 80s and 90s House and Techno; March 31, Summer Walker; April 3, Blaqk Audio; April 4, Crywolf and Victor Ruiz; April 5, Teo? and Enamour, Rinzen; April 6, HĂ&#x2020;LOS; April 7, Jeremy Loops; April 8 and 9, Alec Benjamin; April 11, Strand Of Oaks and Emalkay; April 12, Foreign Air; April 13, Marvel Years (live). U Street Music Hall, 1115 U St. NW. ustreetmusichall.com.

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SATURDAY, mARch 23 AT 7 p.m. GMU Jazz Fest George Mason University Harris Theatre 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va.

Hill Rag one seventh vertical (3.25x4.417) DB 2-23.indd 1

2/22/2019 14:18:43

Space Age Chiropractic On Capitol Hill Computer-age spinal correction reaches Capitol Hill! The DC area’s first and only iTrak neck traction chair is at Capitol Hill Chiropractic. This carefully engineered FDA-approved device delivers gentle, unprecedented postural and spinal correction. Come by and see it! For the better health and life experience of you and your family Dr. David Walls-Kaufman Capitol Hill Chiropractic Center 411 East Capitol St., SE | 202.544.6035

Read More About This Subject On www.capitolhillchiropractic.com Serving The Capitol Hill Community Since 1984

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NGA EVENINGS AT THE EDGE

Music at the Lincoln. March 9, Alice Smith; March 10, Aurora; March 16, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Presents...Let Freedom Ring; March 18, Sunmi; March 20, Jose Gonzalez & The String Theory; March 23, Whindersson Nunes; March 24, WOW in the World Pop-Up Party; March 25, Meow & Thomas Lauderdale. The Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. thelincolndc.com. Music at The Howard. March 9, Zinorbita-Heroes Del Silencio El Tributo; March 15, TRAP Karaoke. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. thehowardtheatre.com. Music at City Winery. March 9, Dwele: Ivory & Cream Tour and Damn The Torpedoes-A Tribute To Tom Petty; March 10, Jason Eady Acoustic; March 11, David Keenan; March 13, TUSK-The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute; March 14, Wylder, Strong Water, Eli Lev & The Fortunes Found and Crystal Bowersox; March 15, Band Of Friends and Bela Dona; March 16, Idan Raichel; March 18, Scott H. Biram, The Goddamn Gallows; March 20, Sisters of the Strawberry Moon; March 22, Anders Osborne Solo; March 23, The Weight Band; March 24, Blind Boys Of Alabama; March 25, A Tribute To Nina Simone Featuring Michelle D. Bennett; March 26, Emmanuel Withers; March 27, Mr. Gone!-A Tribute To Weather Report; March 29, The Yardbirds and The Billy Price Charm City Rhythm Band; March 30, Got My Own Sound Band; April 2, Vybe Band; April 3,

March 14, April 11 and 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 are welcome. Admission is free, but registration is required. To register and learn more about each evening, visit nga.gov/evenings. All-female tap sensation Syncopated Ladies appears at the March 14 Evenings at the Edge event. Photo: Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art

Levi Kreis; April 4, The Pump & Dump Show and Doug Stone. City Winery, 1350 Okie St. NE. citywinery.com/washingtondc. Music at Union Stage. March 9, Dan Lewis; March 10, Molly Nilsson; March 11, Sticky Fingers-Yours to Keep Album Tour; March 14, Remember Jones-Back to Back to Black-A Tribute to Amy Winehouse; March 16, The Flesh Eaters; March 17, St. Patrick’s Day Party-Scythian feat. Maple Academy Irish Dancers; March 18, CHAI; March 20, Cormega; March 21, Josh Garrels; March 22, Alex-Palooza; March 23, The Riverbreaks; March 27, William Fitzsimmons-Mission Bell North American Tour; March 28, The Antlers-Hospice 10 Year Anniversary Acoustic Show; March 29, DDG; March 30, Jared & the Mill and Classic Hip-Hop Night; April 4, The 9 Songwriter Series; April 5, Sunsquabi; April6, Phoam-A Tribute To Phish; April 8, Neyla Pekarek; April 9, SoMo-The Phases Tour; April 11, Roy Blair’s Cat Heaven USA Tour; April 13, Olivia O’Brien; April 14, Scary Pockets. Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. unionstage.com.

Music at Rock and Roll Hotel. March 9, Meyru; March 13, Mother; March 14, CKY; March 19, The Movielife; March 20, Grandson; March 21, Anvil; March 22, Dilly Dally; March 23, All Them Witches; March 27, Mom Jeans; March 30, Honest Haloway. Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. rockandrollhoteldc.com. Music at The Anthem. March 9, Robyn; March 16, Erykah Badu; March 20, Massive Attack; March 21, Meek Mill-The Motivation Tour; March 28, Jawbreaker; March 30, Gary Clark Jr.; April 6, Trey Anastasio-Ghosts of the Forest; April 18 and 19, Kenny Chesney-Songs for the Saints Tour. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. theanthemdc.com. Music at Pearl Street Warehouse. March 10, Thumpasaurus; March 14, Free Blues Speakeasy Night at the Wharf; March 15, Andy Frasco & the U.N.; March 16, Icewagon FLU; March 21, The Jacob Jolliff Band; March

ANACOSTIA RIVER FESTIVAL

April 14, 1 to 5 PM. Celebrate the Anacostia River Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fifth anniversary and Anacostia Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s centennial with canoe rides, fishing, a bike parade, live DC music and lawn games. Explore the annual artists market and listen to local bands. Free and family friendly. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/anacostia-river-festival.

22, The Nighthawks; March 24, Southwest Soul Sessions; March 26, An Evening with Lula Wiles; March 27, Mike & the Moonpies; March 29, NAH, album release; March 30, Chopteeth; March 31, Lilly Hiatt; April 4, The Revelers; April 5, Vacation Manor; April 11, FeelFree Roots of a Rebellion; April 12, The Brevit-The Unlikely Candidates; April 13, Cris Jacobs Band. Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St. SW. pearlstreetwarehouse.com. Music at the Phillips. March 10, Boreal Trio; March 17, Pavel Haas Quartet; March 24, Andreas Staier, fortepiano; April 7, Castalian Quartet; April 14, Daniel Hope, violin and Vanessa Perez, piano. Reservations are recommended. Online reservations are available until 12 hours before each concert. Tickets are $45; $25 for members; $20 students with ID, and $5 for ages eight to 18. Museum admission is included. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. phillipscollection.org. Blue Monday Blues in Southwest. Every Monday, 6 to 9 PM. March 11, Tom Newman Blues Band; March 18, Shirleta Settles & Friends; March 25, Clarence Turner Blues Band. $5 cover. Children are free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org.

Photo: Jeff Salmore

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Jazz Night in Southwest. Every Friday, 6 to 9 PM. March 15, Flutefest; March 22, Antonio Parker & Friends; March 29, Maurice Lyles’ Black History Celebration. $5 cover. Children are free under 16 years old. Reasonably priced meals offered. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org. Music at Sixth and I. March 16, Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio; March 23, Anoushka Shankar, sitar; April 6, Chucho Valdés; April 10, Dreamers’ Circus. Sixth and I, 600 I St. NW. sixthandi.org.

CIVIC LIFE Ward 8 Community Engagement Fora with Councilmember White. March 19, 6 to 8 PM, at Bald Eagle Rec Center, 185 Joliet St. SE; April 4, 6 to 8 PM, Malcolm X Opportunity Center, 1351 Alabama Ave. SE; 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.

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Eastland Gardens Civic Association Meeting. Third Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 PM. Kenilworth

Recreation Center, 4321 Ord St. NE.Contact Rochelle Frazier-Gray, 202-352-7264 or 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.

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

Understanding Your Rights Seminar for Landlords

Date: Monday, March 4, 2019 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Location: Northeast Neighborhood Library 330 7th Street NE Washington, DC 20002 To Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/46342

Date: Thursday, March 7, 2019 Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 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/46380

How to Develop a Successful Business Plan

All Things Non-Profit

Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2019 Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 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/46388

Date: Thursday, March 14, 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/46478

New Requirements for DC Housing Regarding Criminal Background

Understanding the Licensing Basics for Industrial Trades

Date: Tuesday, March 19, 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/46935

Date: Wednesday, March 20, 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/46926

DISB’s Coffee and Capital

Introduction to Government Contracting

Date: Wednesday, March 26, 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/46928

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 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/46383

Meet One-on-One with a Lawyer for Free! Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019 Time: 9:30 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/46927

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

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

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• 120 of which would be affordable at below for those making 50 percent of the area median income (AMI) or less; • 31 workforce units aimed at those making 80 percent of the AMI; • and remaining 137 rented at market rates. Thirty percent of the affordable units include family-sized units and housing for seniors. The 125-room hotel would be the first full service hotel east of the Ancostia River. Read more at stelizabethseast.com/parcel-15.

PUBLIC ART ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE

WRAPture, a temporary public art project, joins DC and Katakhali Village in Bangladesh to fabricate, assemble and drape saris across five buildings in Historic Anacostia. Birthed from the ongoing six-year-old-project “Storytelling with Saris,” these massive colorful cotton fabrics will be covered with customized woodblock printmaking, hand-painted images and writings about climate change and action by authors of these two communities. WRAPture is funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ Public Art Building Communities Grant Program. DC-based artist and international activist Monica Jahan Bose leads the project. WRAPture wrapping days are April 4, April 14 and May 9, 4 to 8 p.m., at the Anacostia Arts Center. storytellingwithsaris.com. Image: Courtesy of Storytelling with Saris

Next Steps at St. Elizabeths East Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) have announced that Redbrick LMD will develop Parcel 15 of St. Elizabeth’s East campus into a vibrant town square destination with retail, housing and a stand-alone hotel. This parcel is adjacent to the new Entertainment and Sports Arena and steps away from the Congress Heights Metro. The Redbrick proposal envisions a mixed-use town square concept with two residential buildings, an office building, a stand-alone hotel, ground floor retail, a pedestrian promenade and a central community plaza. The project would total approximately 567,000 square feet of development at total build-out includes 288 resident units,

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Clinics for First-Time Home Buyers The United Planning Organization offers one-on-one counseling to first time homebuyers on March 23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Petey Greene Community Service Ctr., 2907 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. Learn how to budget; shop for a home and lender and prepare to close on a purchase. Sign up to get a free Mortgage Tri-Merge credit report. Space is limited. For more information and to reserve a spot call 202-2317910 or email mccampbell@upo.org.

Get Help With Tax Filings On Tuesdays, through April 18, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE, meet with a qualified AARP tax aide at to answer tax questions and prepare a 2018 income tax filing. Tax help is also available on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at William O. Lockridge Library, 115 Atlantic St. SW and at Capitol View Library on Mondays and Wednesdays upon completion of the library’s renovation. For more information and to find other tax assistance sites, visit dclibrary.org/incometax.

Northstar Digital Literacy Certification Every second and fourth Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m., Anacostia Library hosts Northstar Digital Literacy training and testing. The second Thursday is for practice sessions and the fourth Thursday is for official testing. Earn your Northstar Digital Literacy Certificate in computer basics, Internet, Windows 10, Microsoft Office, social media, email and information literacy. Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. dclibrary.org/anacostia.

Suitland Parkway Lane Shifts The DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) will change the traffic pattern on eastbound Suitland Parkway, SE at the I-295 interchange on or about March 7, 2019 through September 2019, weather permitting. Eastbound Suitland Parkway traffic will

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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Fort Dupont Park Road Update The National Park Service (NPS) is entering the final phase of the project to completely rehabilitate the roads in Fort Dupont Park. Beginning March 11, the National Park Service will close portions of Fort Davis Drive to drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. From March 11 through late April, Fort Davis Drive will be closed from Pennsylvania Avenue SE to Massachusetts Avenue SE and Fort Dupont Drive SE to Ridge Road SE. The final closure of Fort Davis Drive, from Massachusetts Avenue SE to Fort Dupont Drive SE, will begin in late April and last through late May. For more information on the schedule, location and duration of each road closure, visit go.nps.gov/fortdrs.

Get the Street Sweeping App The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) new “MyDPW” app sends reminders of timely agency services and actions just in time for residential street sweeping season that resumed on March 4. Download the app, select the blocks frequently parked on and the app will provide weekly reminders about when to move a car. The mobile app can be downloaded from the AppStore and GooglePlay. It can also be found using the search terms “MyDPW” or “MyDPW DC”.

Avoid The Health Insurance Tax Penalty

VOLUNTEER AT KENILWORTH PARK

On March 23, 9 a.m. to noon, spend the morning at Kenilworth Park removing invasive plants, collecting litter and working on other park-beautification projects. On April 13 from 9 a.m. to noon, participate in the park’s annual Earth Day service event. For more information, visit friendsofkenilworthgardens.org. Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service

shift and share the westbound lanes at the I-295 underpass. During this traffic shift, two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction and ramps from I-295 to Suitland Parkway will be widened and signalized. For more information, visit improving295dc.com.

Suspended Driver Licenses Reinstated In accordance with recent changes to District law, the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has reinstated driver licenses and driving privileges for residents and non-residents whose credential was suspended for one of the following reasons: • failure to pay a moving violation; • failure to pay a moving violation after being found liable at a hearing; • or failure to appear for a hearing on a moving violation. The DMV has mailed notification letters to residents and non-residents affected by the change in the law. For more information, visit dmv.dc.gov.

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Learn About Business Regulations Interested in starting a small business in the District? Know about the necessary regulations to get started? The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) has partnered with DC Public Library to educate prospective business owners on how to start a new business in DC. On April 1, 6:30 p.m., come and learn about: Business Licensing, Corporate Registration, Certificates of Occupancy, Home Occupancy Permits, Grant Opportunities, Vending, Farmer Markets, Certified Business Enterprises and more. Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. dclibrary.org/anacostia.

Short and Sweet Book Discussions On March 26, April 16, 2019, May 28 and June 25, at 2 p.m., meet to read and discuss one or two short works of literature. The primary focus is on fiction short stories. Sweet treats available. Francis A. Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE. dclibrary.org/francis.

DC law requires all residents to have health coverage in 2019, obtain an exemption or pay a tax penalty on their DC taxes. The penalty is based on the number of months an individual or family goes without health coverage and closely mirrors former federal law. DC Health Link, the city’s online health insurance market place, has created a Special Enrollment Period for residents who learn about this new individual responsibility requirement for the first time when filing their 2018 tax returns. Uninsured and subject to a fine? Call DC Health Link customer service at 855-532-5465 to enroll in health insurance through DC Health Link and avoid or minimize the tax penalty. DC Health Link offers 25 private health insurance options from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente for individuals and families. Eligible District residents can enroll in a health insurance plan online through DCHealthLink.com or by calling 855-532-5465. Small businesses, as well as individuals and families eligible for Medicaid, can enroll through DCHealthLink.com any time throughout the year.

Submit a Nomination for DCCAH Arts Awards The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) is asking the public to nominate individuals and organizations with an artistic or humanities background who demonstrate artistic excellence in their chosen discipline. The process is competitive. Awards are based on the cohorts listed under the Mayor’s Arts Awards description. The deadline for nominations is March 22, 4 p.m. To submit a nomination, visit dcarts.dc.gov/MAA2019.

Become a DOEE Frog Watcher Up to 14 species of frogs and toads may be found in the District of Columbia. Each can be recognized by unique calls made during the spring and summer. Learn more about amphibian neighbors by becoming a DOEE FrogWatch Chapter Volunteer. In order to participate, new volunteers must attend a class on March 16, 1 to 4 p.m., conducted by a DOEE Fish & Wildlife Biologist at the Aquatic Resources Education Center in Anacostia Park. Learn more about the DOEE FrogWatch Chapter and register for the training session at doee.dc.gov.

Returning Citizens READY Center Opened Resources to Empower and Develop You (READY) Center has opened. The center is a one-stop shop where formerly incarcerated District residents can access critical post-release services such as housing and employment assistance as well as educational and health care supports and opportunities. Returning citizens can also obtain vital documents and get connected to programs for substance use disorder and mental health aftercare. The READY Center is located behind the Correctional Treatment Facility at 1901 E St. SE.

DCCAH Professional Development Grants Applications are being accepted, through March 22, 4 p.m., for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) FY 2019 LiftOff program. This program supports capacity building and professional development for arts and humanities nonprofits with organizational budgets under $250,000. CAH’s All applications must be submitted online. For more information and to submit an application, visit dcarts.dc.gov/page/ current-grant-opportunities.

No Backpacks at Nats Stadium The Washington Nationals have announced that beginning with the 2019 season backpacks may not be brought into Nationals Park. The policy was revised in order to enhance ballpark safety. Exceptions may be made for backpack diaper bags or backpacks used for ADA/medical reasons. All purses, briefcases, drawstring bags, diaper bags and soft-sided coolers that do not exceed 16”x16”x8” will still be permitted. On the day of purchase, backpacks bought during games or events at Nationals Park will be tagged and permitted for that day only. The policy will be in effect starting with the Nationals exhibition game on March 25. For a complete list of permitted bags and the Nationals Bag Policy, visit nationals.com/BagPolicy.

Anacostia Mourns Loss of Two Activists by John Muller

DARNELL BRADFORD-EL: 1946-2019 Members of the Moorish Science Temple of America, ministers of the Nation of Islam, community activists from the civil rights movement, educators and young adults gathered last month at historic St. AugusThe funeral service for Darnell tine Church in NorthBradford-El of W Street in Old west Washington to Anacostia drew hundreds to pay their respects to historic St. Augustine Church. Darnell Bradford-El (1946-2019). They wore traditional kufis, fezzes and hijabs to denote their faith in Islam. Founded in 1913 by Noble Drew Ali, the Moorish Science Temple of America is a fraternal organization with a strong presence in the African-American communities of Washington, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey and North Carolina. Darnell Bradford-El grew up in Adams Morgan at 17th and Euclid Streets NW. He returned to this neighborhood as an adult after serving time in prison. Later life, he moved to in Old Anacostia on W Street SE. While incarcerated at Lorton Reformatory in the 1970s, Bradford-El arranged transportation for inmates involved in a theatre program. Thus began a career in criminal justice reform that led him to found “Around the Corner to the World,” community center to provide enrichment activities for area youth and young adults. Bradford-El’s career was eulogized at his service by radio personality Roach Brown, founder of “Cease Fire: Don’t Smoke the Brothers” at his funeral. Al-Malik Farrakhan also joined Brown, sharing memories of organizing with Bradford-El throughout the city. Bradford-El is survived by his wife of 15 years, Rosie Bradford-El, who is widely respected for her work at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency with the returning citizen community.

Marcia Parkes (bottom right) is remembered for her work as an historic preservationist in Old Anacostia. Photo: Nikki Peele

MARCIA PARKES: 1965-2019 Residents of Old Anacostia also mourned the passing of preservation activist Marcia Parkes (1965-2019). An advocate for the Anacostia Historic District, Parkes was an active member of the preservation committee of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8A, the DC Preservation League, the Historic Anacostia Block Association, the Historic Anacostia Preservation Society and the L’Enfant Trust. Parkes is remembered by this reporter for her quiet dignity and sharp intelligence. In the face of a recurring terminal illness, she maintained an unflappable grace. “The idea that Marcia will no longer have a physical presence at our next dinner, chat session, holiday, birthday celebration, vacation, is unimaginable,” activist Nikki Peele wrote in an online tribute. “Marcia was present during almost all of my milestone east-ofthe-river moments.”

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The Numbers

How to Get Involved in the DC Budget by Ed Lazere

river’s licenses. Trash collection. Affordable housing. Teachers and police officers. Library books. What do they have in common? These things that affect our daily lives are all made possible in the District through one thing: the city’s annual budget. The budget also is the main tool for addressing DC’s economic and racial inequities and creating opportunity for all residents to benefit from our city’s growth. The budget reflects our community’s priorities. It represents a competition for limited resources and lots of difficult choices, because there never is enough money for everything. The budget is where our elected leaders’ rhetoric meets reality. Even though 2019 has just started, the process of planning the 2020 budget has begun, and there are opportunities right now for residents to voice their priorities. Mayor Bowser will submit her budget on March 20, and then the DC Council will have two months to review it and make changes. This column walks through key features of DC’s budget and budget process, with tips for getting involved. For a deeper dive, see “A Resident’s Guide to the DC Budget,” published by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.

Where Does the Money Go? Where Does It Come From? DC’s budget process starts each spring with a budget submitted by the mayor to the DC Council for review and modification. By law, expenditures must balance with revenues. DC’s fiscal year runs from October through September. The budget has two parts. The operating budget covers things to run the government day-to-day, costs like salaries of police officers and librarians, phone bills for government agencies and expenses for residents in the District’s health programs. The capital budget supports the costs associated with building and maintaining infrastructure such as roads and schools. Where does the money go? When we look at the $8 billion that DC spends from locally raised taxes and fees, the clear priority is public education. DC spends nearly $2 billion on education, primarily for DC Public Schools and public charter schools. It also spends about $1 billion each on healthcare, human services and public safety. The current budget includes nearly $1 billion for “financing,” which is the cost of repaying bonds issued to pay for capital projects. Other parts of the budget – public works, economic development and government administration – are much smaller. Where does the money come from? You may be surprised to learn that traffic cameras aren’t number one, or even close. Instead, we raise most of our resources from taxes on income, sales and property. When we look at all sources of money (known

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as gross funds), the $8 billion raised from local taxes and fees is the main source, covering about three-fourths of what is spent. The second main source is almost $4 billion of federal funds allocated for specific functions, like transportation, childcare or Medicaid. The federal money is the same that all cities and states get from the national government. By and large, DC gets no special fiscal treatment from the federal government. Among other things, this is important to know for anyone who care about DC statehood. If most of what we spend comes from us, through taxes and fees on residents, businesses and visitors, it’s a sign we’re ready to manage our affairs as a state.

How to Get Involved in the Budget There are many opportunities to let the mayor and Council know what you want to see in the budget (though some opportunities have passed this year). • Mayor’s Budget Engagement Forums. Each year, the mayor holds forums to hear the budget priorities of DC residents. This year, the forums were in late February. • DC Council Performance Oversight Hearings. In February and March, the Council’s committees hold hearings on each DC government agency. Residents are invited to testify. (The schedule is on the Council’s website.) These are a great chance to comment on how well an agency is performing its key functions. It also is an opportunity to let the Council know if you think an agency needs more funding. • DC Council Budget Hearings. Once the mayor’s budget appears, the Council holds another round of hearings, this time to get resident input. • Connecting with the mayor and Council on your own. Residents should feel free to send a letter or email to the mayor or to councilmembers. Or let them know what you think if you see them in the community. There is no guarantee this advocacy will work. But there is a guarantee that if you don’t get involved, your priorities will not be heard.

Does DC Save for a Rainy Day? What happens when the economy takes a nosedive and revenue collections decrease? Does the District save money for a rainy day? Indeed, it does. Just as you might tap into your emergency fund to pay unexpected bills or when there is a drop in income, rainy day funds help states and cities maintain services during an economic downturn. DC has lots of reserves, actually. The “emergency cash reserve” and a “contingency cash reserve,” which are required by Congress, hold over $400 million. In addition, the District established a fiscal stabilization reserve in 2010, which now has close to $200 million. Finally, the District also has reserves for cashflow during the fiscal year. Those reserves equal over $600 million. DC’s reserve policies are strict, which helps financially but also restricts the ability to use reserves when needed. Withdrawals must be replenished within the same fiscal year or next. This makes it hard to actually use them – at the time we need to take money out, it’s hard to know if we’ll be able to repay quickly. DC has run a budget surplus each year for almost a decade. Yet an overly cautious fiscal policy has put every dollar of the surpluses into savings, adding $2 billion over the past decade and bringing the total to nearly $3 billion. That represents a lost opportunity to use DC’s prosperity to invest in helping residents. Just this year, the District announced a $200 million surplus, while Mayor Bowser proposed cutting funds from the Fort Dupont Ice Rink and other projects to help repair schools, presumably because the city lacked funding to do it all. Tapping a portion of the 2018 surplus would allow the city to make needed school repairs while also supporting the ice rink and other projects that had been promised funding. Ed Lazere is the executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to reduce poverty and inequality in the District of Columbia and increase opportunities for residents to build a better future.

New Location! Our Family and Community Development Outreach Department has MOVED to National Children’s Center, Inc. You can now visit us at 3400 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032

METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON, DC

HOMICIDE VICTIM

For more information visit

HSCHealth.org

VICTIM’S NAME

Charnice Milton LOCATION

2700 block of Good Hope Road, SE DATE/TIME

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

9:40 PM

05.28.15 HOMICIDES/2015/MILTON_CHARNICE.PDF

Up to $25,000 Reward

CONTACT

For reasonable accommodations, please call (202) 580-6485

Detective Chanel Howard

(202) 437-0451

(cell)

Detective Robert Cephas

(202) 497-4734

(cell)

Homicide Branch

(202) 645-9600 (main)

DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at approximately 9:40 pm, Ms. Charnice Milton was shot and killed in the 2700 block of Good Hope Road, SE. The Metropolitan Police Department seeks

This program is funded in part by the Government of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance.

HSCSN complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race,color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

the public’s assistance in gathering information regarding this homicide. H O W TO H E L P O U R I N V E S T I G AT I O N

This case is being investigated by the Department’s Homicide Branch. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the detective(s) listed above or the Command Information Center (CIC) at (202) 727-9099. Anonymous information may also be forwarded to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. TEXT TIPS 50411

COMMAND CENTER 202 727-9099 up to

$25,000

DO YOUR PART TO HELP PREVENT AND SOLVE CRIME. The Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. Your assistance is appreciated by your community.

reward

Learn more about the MPD Rewards Program mpdc.dc.gov/rewards DCPolice

@DCPoliceDept

We care. Do you?

OfficialDCPolice

CATHY L. LANIER Chief of Police

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With Barry Farm All But Abandoned, the Fight for its Future is Just Beginning article & photos by Keely Sullivan

According to Detrice Belt, president of the Barry Farm Tenants and Allies Association, officials recently cut down trees to continue demolition.

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t’s been over nine months since DC’s highest court rejected redevelopment plans for Barry Farm, awarding a major victory to residents suspicious of relocation and the city’s approach to revitalizing public housing. But while the project, now crawling into its 13th year, has paused indeterminately, few residents are left to celebrate. Hundreds of public housing units stretching across Sumner, Eaton and Stevens roads now house less than a dozen residents. Abandoned satellite dishes and door decorations on empty buildings suggest hasty evacuations. Some doors have been bolted shut, while others are wide open to prove there’s nothing left inside. Detrice Belt, president of the Barry Farm Tenants and Allies Association (BFTAA), moved last month to Northeast’s Deanwood. A resident of Barry Farm for over 20 years, Belt left a neighborhood starkly different than the one she knew. “I’m so hurt by it. It’s so much on my spirit,” said Belt. “I miss the action and the liveliness. It was like a breathing thing.”

Without a formalized plan and no timeline, no one knows what will happen to Barry Farm – while residents fear they’ve lost their homes. Nevertheless, there’s a chance they might yet shape the future of the neighborhood. Following the latest wave of difficult resettlements, the BFTAA is meeting officials with a plan of its own, and fighting for residents to decide what comes next.

Continuing Relocation and Demolition Last September, Nicole Odom, a new Park View resident, received a DCHA housing voucher that expired a week later. Officially, she had just seven days to sign a lease. “Park View wasn’t something I picked,” said Odom, an Barry Farm’s redevelopment is controversial among assistant organizer with residents, many of whom do not trust the city Ward 8 nonprofit Empowgovernment to respect their interests. This message of er DC. “It was a last effort defiance guards an abandoned home on Eaton Road. to get in before my voucher expired. I moved because I had to.” This year, DC’s New Communities Seeking vouchers was Odom’s secInitiative (NCI), a program managed ond choice after public housing, yet by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for when she looked into available units, Planning and Economic Development she dismissed them as “terrible.” Not (DMPED) and a strategic partner with until she voiced concerns with DCHA the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) did she receive a voucher. She didn’t ofin the redevelopment of Barry Farm, ficially move until a month later. will ask the Zoning Commission to apDCHA, a federally funded indeprove an amended proposal for building pendent agency, owns the Barry Farm a mixed-income community. Per a DC site and oversees federal funding proCourt of Appeals ruling, the improved curement, demolition, housing subplan must address a number of logistical sidies and community management, concerns and reconsider the impacts of in coordination with NCI. In 2013, relocation on current residents. DCHA’s board of commissioners also But this acknowledgment did litsecured a contract for the site’s future tle to slow the mass exodus. Between developers, A&R Development and April 2018 and January 2019, over one the Preservation of Affordable Houshundred families were edged out and ing (POAH). Despite the court’s decimoved to units across the city. sion to vacate the zoning order, these “It’s really been like a smack in the developers will see the project through. face,” said Dee Washington, BFTAA The court’s dismissal of the zonsergeant of arms. Washington left late ing order also had minimal impact on last summer. “We had that win in April, DCHA’s timeline for demolition. In yet they were moving forward as if we (continues to pg. 27) had already lost.”

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neighborhood news

Who’s Leading the Redevelopment of Barry Farm? article & photo by Keely Sullivan

ow in its 13th year, the process to redevelop Barry Farm, a 34acre, 444-unit tract in Southeast publicly owned and operated by the DC Housing Authority (DCHA), has involved continual collaboration between city and federal housing officials. Despite a recent DC Court of Appeals ruling to vacate plans approved by DC’s Zoning Commission (ZC), redevelopment remains fully active thanks to a 2017 authorization for demolition by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as well as additional city funding. What initially began as a city-led effort to revamp public housing during a time of federal budget cuts became a unique partnership of city and federal housing offices that has overseen the development of four District neighborhoods. Pending ZC reapproval of a new planned unit development (PUD), Barry Farm will be the latest plot to be transformed by the New Communities Initiative (NCI) of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and DCHA. Their dual approach is intended to stimulate Southeast DC and socially support its communities. By the time many Barry Farm residents discovered they would need to relocate, redevelopment plans had been in flux for over a decade. Former resident Nicole Odom began receiving notices on her doorstop three or four years ago from the DCHA, announcing plans for a new mixed-income neighborhood promising one-toone replacement. The notices disappeared for a while, she recalled. “Out of sight, out of mind. And then they started coming again, two years ago, and this time we’re getting notices on our doors about meetings.” While residents like Odom were just learning the news about their neighborhood, DCHA, in partnership with DMPED, had already secured a developer and had even approved an application for the first stage of a PUD, offering a window into what this new community would become.

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New Communities Initiative DMPED’s New Communities Initiative (NCI) began under Mayor Anthony Williams in 2005 as a reaction to Bush-era budget cuts that threatened critical public housing resources. One such HUD-led program, HOPE VI, was a fundamental initiative to tackle public housing in urban areas – and one of the programs frequently found on the cutting-room floor of Bush administration budget packages. NCI was developed to emulate and localize HOPE VI. It targeted four DC “hot spots” – Northwest One, Park Morton, Lincoln Heights and Barry Farm, with the aim of leveraging city, federal and community resources to create mixed-income neighborhoods and prioritize social initiatives. The 2006 NCI proposal approved by the DC Council also features insights and goals on reducing crime, boosting adult education and employment, improving community health and more. By the time the program received approval, NCI had already conducted a sitespecific analysis for commercial and residential markets. Before a proposal for a new Barry Farm could receive formal approval from the Zoning Commission, it would need the neighborhood itself to weigh in on its future.

NCI worked on a formal plan, DCHA managed a competitive bid process to find a developer. In 2013, DCHA settled on Baltimore-based A&R Development and Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) to head the the master planning and development team for Barry Farm’s redevelopment. This team would continue meeting with residents on the redevelopment proposal, as well as begin pooling private investments. Formal approval of NCI and DCHA’s redevelopment plan needed the Zoning Commission to approve changes in population density. By late 2014, the plan received the go-head, which paved the way for DCHA to submit an application with HUD for the property’s demolition by summer of the following year. Nearly 10 years after NCI’s initial founding, DCHA and DMPED were nearly ready to begin construction – a slower process than most, said Monica Warren-Jones, director of Capital Solutions for Enterprise Community Partners. Warren-Jones leads DC business development efforts with developers to assist in financing affordable housing projects. Warren-Jones notes that the DCHA-DMPED partnership was presented with significant funding gaps that

DCHA and NCI Partnership NCI is considered a funding and policy partner to DCHA, which owns Barry Farm and has played a major role in securing a developer, authorizing demolition and assisting residents with housing vouchers and additional resources in the relocation process. Following NCI’s approval in 2006, DCHA and NCI convened several community meetings for residents and additional community stakeholders to offer input for the redevelopment proposal. While

As of February 2019, less than a dozen residents still live in Barry Farm’s 444-units.

had to be filled by federal grants, public-sector financing tools and significant investment from the private sector. Of the New Communities projects, she says, private financing is attracted to strategically located communities like NoMa, which allows the area to be redeveloped quickly, while a less convenient neighborhood like Barry Farm did not get the same investment attention. That said, considerable investment has been made in projects with proximity to Barry Farm, including Sheridan Terrace on Suitland Parkway. “In order for you to make a private investment, there has to be a market return,” Warren-Jones said. “At Barry Farm, there wasn’t a similar level of attraction [as NoMa] on the private sector side to jump start [redevelopment].” According to an August 2017 white paper, Barry Farm development costs have reached over $120 million, while NCI offered $36.6 million in gap funding. DCHA continues to leverage federal resources from HUD, including a 2012 Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) planning grant offering $30 million.

What’s Next? Last April, the District’s highest court rejected the ZC-approved redevelopment plan, which rocketed NCI back to the predevelopment phase. Later that year, the program scheduled four meetings with community stakeholders on a new plan, with intentions to present a revised proposal to the ZC by this spring. However, in March 2018, DMPED offered an additional $25.6 million for predevelopment financing, $10 million of which would fund demolition. Throughout the rest of 2018 and into early 2019, almost all remaining families on the property were relocated through housing vouchers and additional assistance from DCHA. According to DCHA’s 2019 Move to Work plan, the agency is managing the demolition process of Barry Farm and is considering applying for a HUD CNI implementation grant.

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2017, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development granted demolition approval for Barry Farm, which is authorized to continue independently of redevelopment plans. In March 2018, a month before the court’s decision, the DCHA approved over a hundred projectbased vouchers (PBVs) that were issued to families, like Odom’s, who chose to relocate. Odom considers herself lucky for having worked with officials on alternatives, especially considering she missed the voucher’s initial application deadline. Others weren’t as fortunate. Limited by housing availability and a lack of information, many residents scrambled to relocate under pressing deadlines. “Residents that didn’t get an opportunity to take a voucher didn’t know anything about the voucher. They were scared to take something they didn’t know what it was,” said Odom. “A month before the vouchers expired, [DCHA] had an information session about them,” she added, “and that information session was two days before the deadline to apply for them.” According to Odom, other residents leased homes that had failed inspections or didn’t compare to previous homes’ size or standard of living. Belt, going from a house to a no-pets apartment, had to get rid of her two dogs. “Even though these people moved, they are still having issues,” she said. “We’re having more issues off the property than we did on the property.” While there is no official timeline for Barry Farm’s redevelopment, DCHA said in a statement that families planned to return to the redeveloped site in 2020. “DCHA remains committed to the development of Barry Farm and is evaluating its next steps,” said the agency. “Over the last several months, numerous Ward 8 families made the decision to relocate from the Barry Farm community while demolition and redevelopment are underway. These families will not be overlooked or forgotten.”

What’s Next? By Christmas, Barry Farm was all but cleared out, and hundreds had settled elsewhere. Now, a quiet has fallen over the hollowed-out properties. Few clues remain that suggest a housing controversy. A door on Eaton Road still reads, “We not moving” in spray paint. Another sign on a boarded-up Sumner Road house claims that the moveouts are illegal. In just under a year, residents gained a victory, followed by a major loss. “A lot of people are feeling defeated. It may look like we lost,” said Belt. “Although there’s a resolution for residents to return [to Barry Farm], the more we see a delay in [redevelopment], the harder it is for residents to come back,” said Daniel del Pielago, an organizing director for Empower DC. The nonprofit organization advocates for Barry Farm residents and is critical of the city’s treatment toward the neighborhood. Since the ruling, the New Communities Initiative has begun collecting community feedback on a new proposal.

A series of six meetings from September to October provided criticism of the old plan and asked residents what they would want from a new and improved Barry Farm. According to NCI director Angie Rodgers, the new plan will reduce the number of units to 1,100, some 300 fewer than originally proposed. Fewer units would mean more backyards and parks and bigger bedrooms. Additionally, Rodgers is planning for a new community center. “We came out of this process with a plan that was different than what we went into it with,” said Rodgers. The plan “really responded to all of the folks who plugged into the process, either by coming to the meetings that we hosted or by us going to other already planned community meetings.” As a mixed-income community, the complex would be divided evenly between public housing, affordable housing and market-rate units. Critics of the original plan pointed out this would result in 100 fewer public housing units. Rodgers countered that some Barry Farm residents are already living in public housing replacements, located in nearby Sheridan Station and Matthew’s Memorial, that make up for any lost units. “When people make a criticism of communities or of mixed-income development, we’re listening, and we’re tinkering, and we’re trying to make this development better than the last,” said Rodgers. NCI and DMPED received support from DC Councilmember Anita Bonds, chair of the Committee on Housing and Urban Revitalization. “I am grateful that DCHA and DMPED have held numerous community meetings to engage with the residents and make them aware of the returning process,” said Bonds in a statement. “I trust that residents will receive the support they need.” Belt thinks now’s the time for the residents to lead development. Since the neighborhood was cleared, Belt has been coordinating rides and planning conferences to keep residents involved in the fight for Barry Farm. The fight is changing, though. Amid relocation and disorganization, after countless meetings with city and housing officials alike, the BFTAA wants Barry Farm to determine its own fate. The redevelopment planning process is back at square one, and Belt thinks it’s time to meet officials toe-to-toe. “We’re trying to build our own plan,” she said. “It’s at the same stage as the Housing Authority – talking with residents about what they would like to see,” she added. “We want home ownership opportunities. We want town homes back. And we want some businesses in there.” According to Rodgers, the NCI will begin collaborating with Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8C next month on a new submission for Barry Farm, with hopes of delivering it to the Zoning Commission this spring. Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White could not be reached for comment. The Barry Farm Tenants and Allies Association holds meetings on the third Saturday of each month at Empower DC. All Barry Farm residents are welcome.

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Busboys and Poets Opens in Anacostia Amid Uncertainty of Future Development Projects

by John Muller

ollowing years Poets Anacostia was supported with of anticipation, more than $14 million in District gap the wait is finally funding, including a $3 million grant over. After holdfrom the office of Mayor Muriel Bowsing a series of loer in 2015, according to information cal hiring fairs, provided by the Office of the DepuBusboys and Poty Mayor for Planning and Economic ets opened its doors in the first week Development (DMPED). of March on the ground floor of 2004 Additionally, the project received Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, in a $8 million in revenue bonds from redeveloped bowling alley. Upstairs DMPED and over $2 million from the houses the new headquarters of the DC Property Assessed Clean Energy Far Southeast Family Strengthening (PACE) financing program adminCollaborative (FSFSC), a nonprofit, istered by the Department of Enercommunity-based organization servgy & Environment and by Urban Ining Ward 8 since 1996. genuity. According to a release from “We are thrilled to be in a comDMPED, “This innovative project munity that has embraced us with so is the first in the nation to use PACE much support and love,” said Andy funding, along with tax-exempt funds, Shallal, who owns Busboys locations to drive down energy bills and lower in four District neighborhoods with the cost of building improvements for outposts in suburban Maryland and non-profit organizations.” Founder Andy Shallal’s sketch of Busboys and Poets Anacostia, which opened this month Virginia. Brian Kenner, director of DMPED, at 2004 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. Photo: Busboys and Poets Anacostia Busboys and Poets, known as a told East of the River the redevelopgathering place for artists, social enment has been successful and distrepreneurs and members of the cretinctive due to the collaboration beChicago Street down to W Street SE. ative class, will serve as a complementary destination tween Busboys and Poets and the Far Southeast Family With the collapse of Reunion Square, the arrival of for the nearby Anacostia Arts Center on lower Good Strengthening Collaborative. Busboys and Poets comes amid uncertainty of future Hope Road, Anacostia Playhouse on Shannon Place “What is great about this project is that the collabrevitalization projects in the immediate neighborhood, and the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site on orative actually owns the building where Busboys is including more than 50,000 square feet at Good Hope W Street. going to be operating out of,” says Kenner. “This proand Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Selected by the city Shallal says, “We look forward to preserving the vides an interesting and new opportunity for what has in December 2016 to develop the MLK Gateway, the history and legacy that Anacostia stands for.” historically been a retail-focused corridor, but, simiMenkiti Group has yet to break ground on a project lar to other areas in the city, had experienced ups and Completion Amid Stalled Developments restoring 22,000 square feet of historic ground-floor downs over the last 30 years.” Late last year, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White retail bays on the 1200 block of Good Hope Road, as Kenner added, “It is great the community is repulled his support of $60 million in TIF bonds planned well as 28,500 square feet of planned construction of claiming this stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to assist financing more than a half-million square feet of new vertical office space and creative workspace. with new and improved amenities and employment opdevelopment of Reunion Square on the surface parking While Reunion Square and MLK Gateway have portunities. We are excited to see the activity and enlot facing Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, running from stalled, the buildout and construction of Busboys and ergy in Anacostia.”

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According to Kenner, Busboys and Poets Anacostia will not receive additional tax incentives or subsidies from DMPED.

Shallal Tours Busboys and Poets Anacostia In recent weeks, Shallal took to Facebook to generate interest and share details of the pending opening of Busboys and Poets Anacostia. Over the background sounds of saws and hammers, Shallal spoke with literary activist and author Ethelbert Miller. “This has been an ongoing project,” Shallal told Miller. “We signed the lease on this place in 2014 and it is now 2019, ladies and gentlemen.” Asked what would make the Anacostia location distinctive, Shallal responded, “It’ll be a gathering place with lots of programming that is specifically related to Southeast for the folks that are here.” Shallal continued, “I think a lot of people in Southeast are used to going to the Rise Center or a public library

or community centers, but a public space like a restaurant is a different experience. It is a great way for people to connect from different walks of life and different backgrounds that live here in Southeast.” According to Shallal, the restaurant’s dining room will seat around 100, supported by a coffee-and-drinks bar. An events room in the rear will accommodate poetry and book readings, musical performances and community conversations on public and cultural issues. The room will reportedly be equipped for radio and television broadcasts. As of press time, operating hours were not confirmed nor a phone number, but remarks by Shallal in community meetings indicate the restaurant will tentatively open to serve breakfast and remain open until 10 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on weekends. For more information visit www. facebook.com/BusboysAndPoetsAnacostia/ or https://www.busboysandpoets.com/locations/.

“A New House Celebration” event at the 14th & V location of Busboys and Poets; the audience member is asking our moderators about domestic policy issues that they believe Congress should address.

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Anacostia Organics Opens First East of the River Dispensary by Chloe Detrick

TOP: Outside Anacostia Organics at 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. Photo: Linda Mercado Greene

MIDDLE: Ribbon cutting. (Left to right) Marrel Foushee, Yolanda Caraway, Sherri Blount, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Linda Greene, Tamia Harper (Linda Greene’s daughter), Mayor Muriel Bowser, Councilmember Trayon White, Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner. Photo: Victor Holt Photography BOTTOM: Inside Anacostia Organics. Photo: Linda Mercado Greene

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oon after DC’s legalization of medical cannabis in 2011, Linda Mercado Greene and her friends began brainstorming ways they could get involved in the industry. Greene, a seasoned public relations professional, was no stranger to the ins and outs of DC’s political realm, but had no idea what to expect in the everchanging and unconventionally regulated cannabis industry. What started as a light dinner conversation soon turned into months of research, traveling and planning on how to secure a dispensary license in the nation’s capital. Greene and her team quickly realized it wasn’t going to be as easy to break into the industry as they anticipated. “The District awarded five dispensary licenses; however, DC regulations allow up to seven dispensary licenses,” explains Greene. “We had to go further into researching the demographics behind who was being awarded these licenses year after year.” Since the traditional licensing route was not going to be an option, Greene and her team began researching who was awarded the limited number of licenses, what they had done with the licenses and whether the licenses were being evenly distributed throughout the city. “DC Department of Health had awarded 10 cultivation licenses; a few had opened, but the rest were sitting on those cultivation licenses awarded. The first thing we accomplished was convincing the DC Department of Health [DOH] to send letters of notice to those that hadn’t opened yet, either to find a location to open their business or give up their license,” says Greene. Their research also indicated that while 25 percent of medical marijuana cardholders in DC were from Wards 7 and 8, there were no dispensaries located east of the river. “People were having to travel great lengths

NEW MEDICAL CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN HISTORIC ANACOSTIA

around the city through walking, buses and other forms of public transportation just to get their medicine,” explains Greene. “When we took this information to the mayor’s office and councilmembers, they were truly appalled.” Greene and her team began helping to write legislation for the DOH that required at least one dispensary to be located east of the river. After this legislation was passed, Greene and her team began the laborious application process for their dispensary’s 2018 license. Greene explains that in order to seek a dispensary license, an applicant must first have a lease to the location of the operation. The application must include a detailed security plan, a list of equipment that will be purchased, architectural drawings and a staffing plan, for starters. “After all was said and done,” says Greene, “our application ended up being over 400 pages.” Greene hired experts to help write out each section of the application, which she credits for helping her secure the license, but it wasn’t time to celebrate just yet. Greene had to get various permits including those to begin building and historic permits, which were required for the area she was building on in Ward 8. Greene held her first job fair in the District with the goal of hiring local residents to staff Anacostia Organics. “I made a promise to the community that I would hire all DC residents,” says Greene. “We had a tremendous outpouring of extremely diverse people from all over the area.” Greene has dedicated her dispensary to bolstering the local community and arts scene. At the dispensary’s ribboncutting ceremony, Baba Melvin Deal and several African drummers in the community joined to celebrate. An African libation ceremony commemorated the new business, and Greene received an African last name which translates to “One who heals with herbs.” Anacostia Organics is the only District dispensary to double as an art gallery. “We wanted to have a rotating art gallery for DC residents, but primarily for Ward 7 and 8 artists,” explains

Greene. The dispensary is currently showcasing the artwork of Ward 8’s Tendani who also designed the Anacostia Organics logo, and the photography of Ward 7’s Marvin Bowser. While the dispensary opened its doors on Feb. 4, there is still much to be done to advance the legal cannabis movement. Greene continues to lobby to strengthen the industry’s banking system, to argue against the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Schedule I listing of marijuana and to advance the conversation around normalization. “Washington is the capital of the nation, which means we should be ahead of the curve on these issues,” emphasizes Greene. “It is my job to bring more experience and knowledge to the city as we get ready to roll out recreational marijuana in order to make this process as seamless as possible.” Greene’s current team at Anacostia Organics is comprised of eight staff. The dispensary’s board chair is attorney Sherri N. Blount, who has been a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association and practiced in the District for more than 30 years. The board’s secretary is Yolanda Caraway, an entrepreneur and public affairs professional who has over 30 years of experience. H. Marrel Foushee, a former tax and financial management government official, serves as the dispensary board’s treasurer. Greene was honored at a Women Grow cannabis-networking event on March 1 as a trailblazer of the DC industry. She is also planning events at the National Cannabis Festival, as well as a Cannabis 101 workshop for the community and a book-signing event with Dr. Patricia Frye of Takoma Park Alternative Care. To learn more about Anacostia Organics visit https://www.anacostiaorganics.com/. Chloe Detrick is a communications consultant and freelance writer in the DC area. Most frequently, she writes about community events, female leadership and cannabis/drug policy. You can follow her writing and other ramblings on Twitter.

HOW TO JOIN THE PROGRAM

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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

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The Ninth Annual Washington Women in Jazz Festival returns on March 21-31, all over the DC area.

Doubletime Jazz Returns to THEARC and WWJF Blooms Again

by Steve Monroe

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Doubletime Jazz returns to THEARC in Southeast DC with the Baylor Project, and elsewhere the Washington Women in Jazz Festival returns this March with a diverse offering of events spanning the District, Maryland and Virginia. The Doubletime Jazz program is at 8 p.m. on March 16 at THEARC Black Box venue,1801 Mississippi Ave. SE. The group features Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor, children of pastors, according to THEARC information, whose “musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of gospel, blues, soul, and jazz to make its mark.” Tickets are $32.50. For more information go to www.thearcdc.org. The Washington Women in Jazz Festival, courtesy of pianist, composer and bandleader Amy K. Bormet, kicks off with “Washington Women in Jazz & Friends” on March 10 at the AMP by Strathmore Nightclub in North Bethesda, and continues on March 21-31 with events all over, including a Shannon Gunn Tribute at the Smithsonian Art Museum on March 21 downtown; the Carla Bley Trio on March 22 at the Atlas on H Street; and several events at the Publick Playhouse in Cheverly, Maryland. For complete information, including tickets, go to www.washingtonwomeninjazz.com.

at Blues Alley. The book contains a multitude of photos and facts. The event featured Williams, Butler-Truesdale and pianist and actor Mark G. Meadows, who was appearing in the play “Ain’t Misbehavin” at the Signature Theatre in Shirlington. The discussion included passages about DC jazz history and entertaining vignettes. Meadows mentioned how the great pianist Ahmad Jamal surprised him early in his career with a $500 gift to help Meadows produce an album. Williams mentioned her efforts, ultimately successful, to get the rights to reproduce Shirley Horn photos in the book. Butler-Truesdale recalled attending the concert by pianist Ramsey Lewis and his trio at Bohemian Caverns that became the famous “In Crowd” album. To order the book go to www.arcadiapublishing.com.

DC Jazz Festival Wins Award The DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) announced that it has received a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. It will receive $225,000 over the next two years, a DCJF statement said. This flexible funding “will help DCJF achieve the programmatic and management goals” in its new two-year strategic plan. “This grant will help DCJF strategically grow its earned income to ensure greater sustainability for years to come,” said Executive Director Sunny Sumter.

Williams, Butler-Truesdale Sign ‘Washington, DC, Jazz’

Coda for Ethel Ennis, Charm City’s First Lady of Jazz

A large crowd visited Busboys and Poets in Shirlington, Virginia, on Feb. 10 for a panel program and signing of “Washington, DC, Jazz,” the new book by Regennia N. Williams and Rev. Sandra Butler-Truesdale, with a foreword by Willard Jenkins and a cover photo of saxmasters Buck Hill and Ron Holloway playing

Jazz Avenues extends sympathy to the family and appreciation for the vocal greatness and immense contribution to our jazz world by Ethel Ennis, called Baltimore’s First Lady of Jazz, who passed on to ancestry last month, at the age of 86, according to a report in the Baltimore Sun.

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MARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Cloudburst & Capital City Voices, March 11, Blues Alley … Eddie Palmieri, March 14-17, Blues Alley … Nicholas Payton, 15, Kennedy Center … Michael Thomas Quintet, March 15-16, Twins Jazz … Sharon Clark, March 16, The Alex/Graham Georgetown Hotel … Instrumental Ladies of Jazz Series/Jen Krupa, March 17, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton … Lionel Lyles, March 17, Jazz and Cultural Society … Carr-Keys Quintet, March 18, Blues Alley … Kenny Barron, March 22, Kennedy Center … Antonio Parker & Friends, March 22, Westminster Presbyterian Church … Ricky Ford Quartet, March 22-23, Twins Jazz … Toppling Systemic Exclusion: Women’s Role in a Century of Jazz, March 23, Publick Playhouse … WWJF Young Artist Showcase & Jam Session, March 23, Publick Playhouse … Salon Concert/Shana Tucker, Amy K. Bormet, March 23, Pen Arts Building … String Queens with WWJF, March 27, The Hill Center … Reginald Cyntje, March 27, Jazz and Cultural Society … Leigh Pilzer/Amy K. Bormet Duo, March 28, The Center … Lee Ritenour, March 28-31, Blues Alley … Maurice Lyles’ Black History Celebration, March 29, Westminster … Cheyney Thomas, March 29-30, Twins Jazz … Instrumental Ladies of Jazz Series/Nicole Saphos, March 31, DC Jazz Jam …

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Our River: The Anacostia

Checking In and Helping Out on Our River by Bill Matuszeski

sychology experts say it’s always smart to spend some hours walking with nature, helping others and seeking out ways to document positive change in your community. And right now is a great time to turn to our beautiful Anacostia and help us all understand what things are happening. You can be part of telling the story of its recovery, and gathering the evidence as that change for the good becomes more evident and permanent with each passing year. Anacostia Riverkeeper (ARK) has received a $140,000 grant from the District Department of

Energy and Environment (DOEE) to establish volunteer citizen water quality monitoring programs in Our River, as well as in Rock Creek and the Potomac. It is partnering with the Audubon Naturalist Society, the Rock Creek Conservancy, and the Potomac Riverkeeper Network to cover the other streams, and with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to help with training. Of the 22 monitoring locations city-wide, seven are in the Anacostia on both sides from Buzzard Point to the Arboretum dock. The plan is to train citizens like you and me to take samples at each site for pH (acidity), temperature, E.coli (a measure of

fecal bacteria) and turbidity (how cloudy the water is) weekly and make the results available to the public. The samples will be taken by the citizen monitors to the Anacostia Riverkeeper offices near the Navy Yard for analysis in their lab under an agreement with the District that includes quality assurance provisions to ensure a level of accuracy so they can be used in the District’s decision-making, just like data taken directly by DOEE. Basically, anyone 18 years or older or kids with parents can help with the monitoring. The idea is to gather the samples in teams of two or three once a week, with each team sampling one of several sets of sites based on need and availability that day. The sampling will occur on Wednesdays or Thursdays from May to September. The goal is to post the results online for everyone to see by Friday, as close to the weekend as possible so folks can plan their activities along the River with knowledge of the water quality conditions. The results will be available for free to the public on the Swim Guide app, and online at Swimguide. org, www.anacostiariverkeeper.org or the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative. As DOEE Director Tommy Wells said when the grant was issued, “This presents a tremendous opportunity for DOEE, Anacostia Riverkeeper and its partners to work together with residents on water quality issues. The volunteer monitoring program will provide valuable and accessible water quality data for residents and visitors...[and] represents an important step toward our goal of swimmable rivers.”

LEFT TO RIGHT: Taking a Water Sample. Equipment for monitoring, Citizen Monitoring At Work. Photo: Anacostia Riverkeeper

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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.

It is important to note that even though there is water quality data that indicates that there have already been some times and places where it could have been safe to swim in the Anacostia, the absence of regular data on current and long-term conditions prevents the City from removing the present District-wide ban on swimming. But as Anacostia Riverkeeper Outreach Coordinator and Biologist Trey Sherard says. “The new volunteer water quality monitoring program will greatly expand our understanding of the health of our waterways with more frequent sampling at more sites. We hope to document many more days when these sites meet the District’s primary contact standards for safe recreation. That’s the next big step to allow the District to designate places along Our River as swimmable.” So what do you need to do to become a Citizen Monitor? All it takes is attending a single training session to learn how to properly take and handle the samples and deliver them to Anacostia Riverkeeper for analysis. There are two sessions currently scheduled. The most convenient will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 3 at the Earth Conservation Corps offices out on the Pier where 1st Street SE meets the River – 1520 First St. SE. The other is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 10 at the Audubon Naturalist Society’s Woodend Sanctuary at 8940 Jones Mill Road, off Rock Creek Park just inside the Beltway. In either case, be sure to sign up in advance at www.anacostiariverkeeper.org or by e-mailing monitor@ anacostiariverkeeper.org. If you have questions you can call them at 202863-0158. And that easily you will become an important part of the Anacostia recovery effort! Meanwhile, we all need to get out and celebrate Earth Day. It is Saturday, April 13, early this year because Easter Weekend overlaps the normal April 20 date. There are citizen cleanups organized all along the Anacostia

and up many of its tributaries. To find out where to go to join others in cleaning up the trash and other effluvia like dead branches and weeds, check out the websites of Anacostia Riverkeeper and the Anacostia Watershed Society. You will be able to choose a place near you, or you can sign up for a part of the watershed you’ve always wanted to see. Anacostia Riverkeeper will be running the cleanup in Anacostia Park. And finally, we can all celebrate our efforts at the 5th Anacostia River Festival on Sunday, April 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. in Anacostia Park at Good Hope Road, just south of the 11th Street Bridge in Anacostia. The Festival is the Official Closing Event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and is sponsored by the National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park. Admission is free to the public. This year the event also celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Anacostia Park. There will be canoe rides, a bike parade, lawn games, family fishing and a range of other activities (all free) related to the natural world and the Anacostia. It is an event for all ages and celebrates the arrival of spring to Our River. Bill Matuszeski writes monthly about the Anacostia River. He is the retired Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program, a DC member the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Anacostia River and a member of the Mayor’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River.

NEIGHBORHOOD

CLOSE PRICE

BR HILL CREST

FEE SIMPLE

2111 32Nd Place SE

$569,900 $417,500 $448,000

3016 Nash Place SE ANACOSTIA 1524 19Th Street SE 1605 17Th Street SE 1608 V Street SE 1781 W SE

$452,500 $485,000 $537,000 $432,500

3 4 3 3

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 715 Upsal Street SE 136 Yuma Street SE 3712 4Th Street SE 609 Forrester Street SE

$240,000 $228,000 $349,000 $320,000

3366 Denver Street SE

KINGMAN PARK 554 23Rd Place NE

$653,500

MARSHALL HEIGHTS

3 3 3 3

5119 Hanna Place SE 5448 C Street SE

$241,000 $420,000

4 3 3 3 3 3

RANDLE HEIGHTS 1928 Savannah Place SE

$230,000 3 $301,000 3 2492 Skyland Place SE $375,000 4

1960 Valley Terrace SE DEANWOOD 4041 Clay Place NE 422 60Th NE 4944 E Capitol Street NE 117 Division Avenue NE 323 58Th Street NE 4210 Brooks Street NE 4410 NE Gault Place NE 5037 Meade Street NE 5214 Karl Place NE 842 52Nd Street NE

$247,500 $485,000 $420,000 $417,000 $508,000 $250,000 $215,000 $399,900 $317,000 $190,000

3 4 3 5 4 2 2 4 3 2

FORT DUPONT PARK 2904 M Place SE 312 Burbank Street SE 4630 H Street SE 4208 Hillside Road SE 4550 Texas Avenue SE 1567 41St Street SE

$318,000 $245,000 $350,000 $509,999 $339,900 $335,000

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CONDO ANACOSTIA 1262 Talbert Street SE Unit#5B

$326,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 212 Oakwood Street SE Unit#211

$167,000

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DEANWOOD 4212 Benning Road NE Unit#4

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HILL CREST 3908 Southern Avenue SE Unit#101 $50,001

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KIDS RUN THE BASES AT NAT’S PARK

Kids ages 4 to 12 can run the bases after every Sunday day game. This year’s dates are March 31; April 14 and 28; May 26; June 16 and 23; July 7 and 28; Aug. 18; Sept. 1, 15 and 29. An adult must accompany runners to the field. Starting at first base, kids will be directed to run around the bases as the adults continue along the warning track and meet the runners near home plate. Once the baseball game has ended, kids and parents/ guardians can line-up at the end of the seventh inning. Fans who would like to stay and watch the entire game will be able to line-up once the game has ended. Participants must exit the ballpark through the Right Field Gate. The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First Street SE. washington.nationals.mlb.com.

by Kathleen Donner

Listen Up at Capitol View Library Check out the Capitol View Library’s audio collection. Stop by the children’s room and listen to a popular audio book, Sundays through June 30, 2 p.m. This program is recommended for children and families. Headphones not required. Capitol View Interim Library, 220 49th St. SE. capitolviewlibrary@dc.gov.

Art & Stories with the Hirshhorn Museum On March 11, 10:30 a.m., join Hirshhorn Museum staff to discover how colors mix and splatter through a read-aloud of Mix It Up by Hervé Tullet and an exploration of a splashy painting by artist Joan Mitchell. Stay to play and receive a take-home kit with a free book and art materials. On March 25, 10:30 a.m., Find out what happens when there are the crayons and paper run out. Read “A Day with No Crayons” by Elizabeth Rusch and explore work by artist Mark Bradford. Stay to play and receive a take-home kit with a free book and art materials. Both programs are for children birth to 6 and their caregivers. William O. Lockridge Library, 115 Atlantic St. SW. bellevuelibrary@dc.gov.

Watch the Eaglets Hatch Watch the eagles in the nest at the DC Police Academy grounds near the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. A live video feed at eaglecam.org. The eaglets are due midMarch. Kids interested in eagles can visit eagles4kids. com for more information. Support the eagles and bring raptor education to schools in the area by contributing to the Eagle Nest Fund, a monthly recurring donation will help educate 1,000 school kids on eagles and raptors by the end of 2019. Donation details are at eaglecam.org.

Kids Dash for Democracy Courage to Run is the nation’s premier, nonpartisan 5k run/walk and party celebrating women getting civ-

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Photo: Courtesy of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club

ically active and running for office. The DC race is a certified, time-chipped race at the Historic Congressional Cemetery. The day’s festivities kick off at 9 a.m. with a Kids Dash for Democracy for kids 8 and under. Registration is $10. Runners return to a big finish-line party, civic fair, live music, speakers, prizes, medals and treats. couragetorun.org.

Blossom Kite Festival The eighth annual Blossom Kite Festival, on March 30, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of fliers through a variety of com-

petitions and demonstrations, Rokkaku Battles and the Hot Tricks Showdown. Bring a kite. Children can make a kite at an activity station to fly on the public field. Kites will also be available for purchase onsite. The Blossom Kite Festival is on the grounds of the Washington Monument near 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/ blossom-kite-festival.

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camp season. To apply, customers must visit the Summer Camp Office located at Columbia Heights Recreation Center, 1480 Girard St. NW, with correct documentation to qualify for discount. DPR offers two other locations to apply for reduced rate. These two locations will accept applications through May 3: Barry Farm Recreation Center, 1230 Sumner Rd. SE, weekdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 49th St. NE, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m. After May 3, all customers must visit the Summer Camp Office located at Columbia Heights Community Center.

Japanese Culture Day On March 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Young Readers Center, LJ-G29, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE, learn about Japanese culture through reading, writing and craftmaking with Japanese cultural and linguistic professionals. Japanese-related books also will be on display. One special highlight of the day is “Japan-In-ASuitcase,” an inspiring program about Japanese life and culture. Watch Rodd

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

ANACOSTIA RIVER FESTIVAL

On April 14, 1 to 5 p.m., celebrate the Anacostia River Festival’s fifth anniversary and Anacostia Park’s centennial with canoe rides, fishing, a bike parade, live DC music and lawn games. Explore the annual artists market and listen to local bands. Free and family-friendly. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/anacostia-river-festival. Photo: Ayanah George

Chin and his students performing Japanese drum music. Enjoy a Sakura Saku Ondo dance performance by Satoko Kajima. Former Cherry Blossom princesses provide instructions on the art of tiara-making; hands-on lessons about origami artwork creation and decorative Konobori coloring, the kimono dress-up experience. loc.gov.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 Meet the Watsons of Flint, Michigan: Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, big brother Byron and 10-year-old Kenny. When Byron can’t stay out of trouble, the whole family piles into their “Brown Bomber” and drives south to visit Grandma Sands for the summer. But along the way, they’ll experience a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. On stage at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater from March 14 to 24. Most enjoyed by age 9, up. $20 to $50. kennedy-center.org.

VOYAGERS: A Dance Among The Planets A majestic ride awaits a young stargazer who is carried away by the magician Uranus. Join her and fellow voyagers in

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SATURDAY MORNING AT THE NATIONAL

Visit the National Theatre on select Saturday mornings, at 9:30 and 11 a.m., for free programs that engage and inspire the young mind. Saturday programming is best suited for children 4 to 10. Siblings and friends of other ages are always welcome. These performances take place in the Helen Hayes Gallery. Here’s the remaining lineup: March 2, Bright Star Theatre: George Washington Carver; March 16, Shakespeare for the Young: Midsummer Magic; March 23, VA Rep: Jack and the Beanstalk; and March 30, Little Miss Ann. The National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Reserve free tickets at thenationaldc.org/saturday-morning-national-season. See Shakespeare for the Young perform Adventures in Arden at these locations this spring and summer: March 9, April 6, May 11 and 18, June 8, 10:30 a.m., Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE; March 21, 4 p.m., Bellevue Library 115 Atlantic St. SW; March 23, 1 p.m. Southeast Library, 403 Seventh St. SE; March 26, 10:30 a.m., Capitol View Library, 5001 Central Ave. SE; April 17, 2 p.m., Northeast Library, 330 Seventh St. NE; April 30, 2 p.m., Mt. Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW; 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.

PICASSO

See Midsummer Magic on Saturday, March 16, 9:30 and 11 a.m. at the The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Photo: Sarah O’Halloran

GALita, a program of GALA for the entire family, presents Picasso by Cornelia Cody. Commissioned by GALA Hispanic Theatre and directed by Ms. Cody, this bilingual production will be presented at GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW, from March 9 to March 23. Picasso presents the art and life of the creative genius through his memories of family and friends and his love of bullfights the circus, and all types of performances. Using music, dance, and puppets, Picasso explores the artist’s life and what inspired him. The duration of this family show is approximately 55 minutes and is suitable for ages 5, up. Tickets are $12 for adults; $10 for kids. For more information, call 202-234-7174 or visit galatheatre.org. a journey through the Solar System for the young and young at heart. The Kennedy Center, DC dance ensemble Company | E, and composer Eric Shimelonis share an interplanetary display of modern movement set to Gustav Holst’s The Planets. Through a reimagining of Holst’s soaring suite, Company | E combines live music, dance, and a bit of Einstein to celebrate curiosity, compassion and the natural world. On stage at the Kennedy Center from March 27 to 31. Most enjoyed by age 5, up. $20. kennedy-center.org.

The Travels of Babar Come children for a concert that mixes the magic of stories, images, and music, including Return to the Land of the Elephants by composer Raphael Mostel. This is the US premiere of the orchestral version of one of his two multimedia musical voyages based on The Travels of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff. On stage at the Kennedy Center on April 7, 2 and 4 p.m. Most enjoyed by age 5, up. $15 to $18. kennedy-center.org. Have an item for the Kids and Family Notebook? Email the information to bulletinboard@hillrag.com.

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Across:

1. Pilots’ supervisory org. 4. Polish, say 7. Tonic’s go-with 10. Chronometric std. 13. It may be slung 16. Computing “oops” command 18. Once upon a time 19. Big brand in athletic footwear 20. Cops 21. “Bed-in for Peace” activist 22. It was going to Georgia 25. Four-stringed instrument, for short 26. They’re often needed to go clubbing 27. Eastern leaders 28. Electrical problems 29. Half of a laugh 30. Peggy follower 31. Foot bones 32. Audrey Hepburn’s real first name 33. Conceived 35. Dweller along the Danube 39. Agreed upon 40. Duck prized by pillow makers 41. Two-hulled vessel, for short 44. Mine entrance 46. It may be something of great interest 48. “The ___ File” (Forsyth thriller) 52. Author of “Christabel” 54. Proverbial ship deserter 56. Chapel seat 57. Slow walker 58. An arm of the U.N. 60. English major’s concern 64. Primary 65. Added more text, with out 67. Religious prayer 68. Serum container 70. Shot that’s hard to miss 71. Wind up on the stage? 72. It’s of little consequence 74. Not so likely 76. Remove the ropes

80. Beatles offer, in a song title 82. Conjunction 83. Toyota makes them 84. Not a one 85. Absorb, with “up” 86. It was red in a Rush song 88. Self-assurance 92. Despot until 1979 95. Birthright seller 96. Hellenic P 97. Tropical rain forest, e.g. 99. Extinct cousin of the kiwi 101. Small amphibians 103. Car featured in a Springsteen song 106. Whiskey fermenter 108. On edge 113. It may be bruised 114. Pamphlet or profit suffix 115. Brain layer 117. Marketplaces of old 118. Lentil sauce 119. You may need a shot in it 120. Alice Cooper song 122. Classified item, for short 123. Sludge 124. Oktoberfest serving 125. It’s inhaled 126. Takeout for an editor? 127. Court matter 128. NC hours 129. Elephant’s ___ (plant) 130. James Bond, e.g. 131. Suggested actions

Down:

1. High-flavored stock 2. The inner self 3. Relative of a rattlesnake 4. Tatters 5. ‘’I’m not eating that!’’ 6. Automatons, for short 7. Careful not to say too much 8. Copy 9. Korma sides 10. Muscles that move the thigh

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 11. Just gets by 12. Posted in the center of the action, perhaps 13. Damp 14. Extreme 15. Administered medicine 17. Binary system digits 19. Moves along 23. Flower or eye part 24. Common title word 33. Suggest 34. “The Times They ___ a-Changin’” 36. Cub’s place 37. Upheaval 38. Period of watchful attention 41. Deep sleep

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42. Clerical cloaks 43. Israeli city 45. Signal what you are going to do, without meaning to do that 47. Engagement party? 49. Twirled like a top 50. Word repeated after “Que” in a song 51. Overpower 52. Hired ride 53. Experience over 55. Operatic voice 59. Willow for baskets 60. Dud from Detroit 61. Take the money and run 62. Guarantee 63. Even smaller

65. Criticizes harshly 66. “Well, let me think ...” 69. Prepare to fire 72. Alarm activator 73. Little brook 75. Totally eliminate 77. Type of IRA 78. “And lead us not ___ . . .” 79. Govt. agency since 1949 80. CSI identifier 81. Trig term 83. Cottontail tail 87. “Battle of Britain” grp. 89. Band of geishas 90. Fuel efficiency measure 91. Lively Spanish dances 93. Pungent gas 94. Obsessive collector 98. Burrowing rodent 100. Garden bloomer 102. Long, deep breath 103. Kind of chest 104. With an open mouth 105. Half-wits 107. ‘’On __ Majesty’s Secret Service’’ 109. Drove nails aslant 110. Doctrine 111. Fox hunt cry 112. Affirmative answers 115. Six-sided solid 116. Present day, briefly 117. Bad way for things to go 121. Yelp

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