EOR 0710 by Capital Community News

East of the River Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ July 2010

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CONTENTS East of the River Magazine | July 2010

28 Neighborhood News 08

Go See Do

East of the River Calendar • Kathleen Donner

The Bulletin Board • Kathleen Donner

The District Beat • Mark Segraves

The Numbers • Ed Lazere

New Libraries in East Washington • John Muller

Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy • John Muller

Deanwood Improvements Hampered by Trash • Virginia Avniel Spatz

Visiting Frederick Douglass’ House • John Muller

Highland Dwellings Transformation • Virginia Avniel Spatz

Us Day Camp’s Second Annual Basketball Game • Shannon Holloway

East Washington Life 28

GO - GO • John Muller

Second Saturday Solutions • Nikki Peele

The Ward 7 Honors Gala • Shannon Holloway

Living Local, Viva Local • Veronica O. Davis

Kids & Family 35

Educating the District • Lisa Raymond

Kids & Family Notebook • Mary-Frances Daly

Homes & Gardens 40

Hillcrest Garden Tour • Maceo Thomas

Biz Brief: Camille Howe House Cleaning • Jeremy Cullimore

Changing Hands • compiled by Don Denton

Old Congress Heights • Hayden Wetzel

The Classifieds

The Nose • Anonymous

20 COVER Participants in the 2010 Hillcrest Garden break bread together. Photo: Andrew Lightman

www.census.dc.gov

Public Programs at the Anacostia Community Museum (reservations required) July 3 Imagining a Gullah World, 11 a.m. Kelly Marie-Berry will lead families and others in creating song, dance, and story games in the Gullah tradition. July 10 Making Bling!, 10:30 a.m. Create ﬁve styles of wire rings, with semi-precious stones led by jewelry designer Kathleen Manning of Bedazzled. July 11 Gullah Stories, 1 p.m. Diane Gardner, also known as Um Attiya, will delight in sharing historical, imaginary, and family-inspired stories. July 13 Doll Making Workshop, 10:30 a.m. Join doll artist Francine Haskins in the creation of an art doll. Fee Required. July 17 The Healing Arts, 11 a.m. Join Ivy Hylton and learn how to handweave an indigo altar cloth or create a wearable healing art ritual amulet. July 18 Mixed-media Art Workshop, 1 p.m. Following artist Kamala Subranamian, participants will produce their own small mixed-media works. July 24 Create a Gullah Collage, 11 a.m. Artist Wanda Aikens will offer a collage workshop inspired by the Gullah experience. July 25 Objects of Beauty and Style, 1 p.m. Come experience a discussion and demonstration on the jewelry inspired by African history and legend and the symbolism that they still carry today. July 27 The Fight for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, 7p.m. Join Professor Howard Ernst and Chuck Fox in a lively discussion about the history and future of our Chesapeake Bay. “Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia”

This exhibition looks at the community phenomenon of baseball as played locally and professionally by African Americans in Washington, D.C. For general info call 202.633.4820; for required reservations call 202.633.4844.

July 31 Afro-Brazilian Dance Steps, 11 a.m. Julia Jones, noted Washington, D.C., choreographer and dancer, will lead this workshop on Afro-Brazilian dance movements. Don’t forget to hop on SHUTTLE ANACOSTIA, a free shuttle offering roundtrip service from the Mall to the Anacostia Community Museum. Stops include the Ripley Center, the Air and Space Museum, the Anacostia Metro, and the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. Take advantage fast; SHUTTLE ANACOSTIA stops running on Labor Day. Get ready for our new exhibition, “Word, Shout Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner Connecting Communities through Language,” opening on August 9, 2010.

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 5

HILL RAG MIDCITY DC EAST OF THE RIVER FAGON COMMUNITY GUIDES

Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner melissaashabranner@hillrag.com EDITORIAL STAFF HOMES & GARDENS

MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman andrew@hillrag.com CFO & ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Maria Carolina Lopez carolina@hillrag.com KIDS & FAMILY EDITOR: Susan Braun Johnson schools@hillrag.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Mary-Frances Daly maryfrances@hillrag.com

Rindy O’Brien - Hill Gardener • rindyob@mac.com Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Judith Capen • judith.capen@architravepc.com

NEWS & NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTS

ART: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com DINING: Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com LITERATURE: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu MOVIES: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net MUSIC: Stephen Monroe • samonroe2004@yahoo.com THEATER: Brad Hathaway • brad@potomacstages.com TRAVEL: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com THE WINE GUYS: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com

WARD 1: Mark Johnson • ward1@hillrag.com WARD 2: Amanda Abrams • ward2@hillrag.com WARD 4: Tanya Snyder • ward4@hillrag.com ANC6A: Tanya Snyder • tanya.c.snyder@gmail.com ANC6B: Kyle Johnson • kylejoh@gmail.com ANC6C: Kyle Johnson • kylejoh@gmail.com ANC6D: Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com WARD 7: Virginia Spatz • ward7@hillrag.com WARD 8: Virginia Spatz • ward8@hillrag.com BARRACKS ROW: 202-544-3188 H STREET LIFE: Elise Bernard • inked78@hotmail.com THE NOSE: thenose@hillrag.com

CALENDAR & BULLETIN BOARD

PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN

HILL RAG, DC NORTH & EAST OF THE RIVER: Hill Rag & East of the River Calendar Editor: Kathleen Donner BULLETIN BOARD EDITOR: Mary-Frances Daly calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

LEAD DESIGNER: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • jason@hillrag.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jason Yen 202.543.8300 X21 • jay@hillrag.com

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT

ADVERTISING & SALES

Monica Cavanaugh • monica.cavanaugh@gmail.com Michelle Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Mary-Frances Daly • maryfrances@hillrag.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Heather Schoell • hschoell@verizon.net Tanya Synder • tanya.c.snyder@gmail.com Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Peter Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Paul D. Shinkman - pdshinkman@gmail.com Melanie Sunukjian - melsunuk@gmail.com Shannon Holloway - holloway.shannon@gmail.com

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Deborah Bandzerewicz 202.543.8300 X13 • deb@hillrag.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Kira Means 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Maria Carolina Lopez 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com

BEAUTY, HEALTH & FITNESS

WEBSITE

Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW • www.quietwaterscenter.com quiet_waters_center@yahoo.com Peter Sherer • Peter@expmatters.com

WEB MASTER: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • webmaster@hillrag.com

ARTS, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

KIDS & FAMILY Mary-Frances Daily • kidsnotebook@hillrag.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

SOCIETY & EVENTS

DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Andrew Lightman DISTRIBUTORS: David Sledgister and Southwest Distribution DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION: distribution@hillrag.com

DEADLINES & CONTACTS ADVERTISING: sales@hillrag.com DISPLAY ADS: 15th of each month CLASSIFIED ADS: 10th of each month EDITORIAL: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com BULLETIN BOARD & CALENDAR: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

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

capitalcommunitynews.com 6 ★ East of the River • May 2010

FREE SEMINARS Presented by the…

Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Inc. (WACIF)

FREE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE! WACIF Staff will provide: One-on-one consulting, technical assistance and business expertise to Ward 7 small businesses Monday and Tuesday • 10:00am-2:00pm Friday • 11:00am-2:00pm (by appointment) WACIF Staff will be at: 3939 Benning Rd., Washington, DC 20019 202-396-1200

For more information Call WACIF to RSVP: (202) 529-5505 Additional WACIF information can be found at www.wacif.org Interpretation services and accommodations for persons with disabilities are available. Contact WACIF one week prior to event for any special assistance needs. Support for WACIF’s programs and services is provided by the DC Dept. of Housing & Community Development, DC Dept. of Human Services – Early Care & Education Admin., Prince George’s Co. Dept. of Housing & Community Development, MD Dept. of Housing & Community Development, US Small Business Administration, US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Economic Development and Training Institute, Inc., National Capital/RLA Revitalization Corporation, Capital One, Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation, Cafritz Foundation, Wachovia Bank and other individual and corporate donors and investors.

Ward 8 Farmer’s Market THIS YEAR WE HAVE E 2 DAYS DAY YS AND LOCATIO LOCATIONS! SATURDAYS 9am-2pm Starting June 5th Old Congress Heights School Parking Lot -- Our Original Location (Alabama Ave.SE & Martin Luther King St. SE)

TUESDAYS 3pm-7pm Starting June 8th United Medical Center (formerly Greater Southeast Hospital) Front parking lot - 1310 Southern Ave. SE

“HEALTHY FOOD, HEALTHY COMMUNITY” Fresh produce from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania farmers, plants, art, food-preparation workshops, children activities, nutrition and community information, give-always, music and more... SNAP EBT (food stamps and debit), WIC and Senior Coupons welcomed! Contact Us: Ward8FM@gmail.com • www.Ward8FarmersMarket.com

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 7

GO.SEE.DO.

Fort Dupont Summer Concerts. Saturdays, July 17 through Aug. 21 (rain or shine, except in the event of lightening), 8-10 PM. These weekend concerts draw people to the lawns around the outdoor summer stage. Feel free to bring a picnic, a blanket, folding chairs. Dogs must be leashed. Fort Dupont Park is on 376 rolling wooded acres that make it one of Washington’s largest parks. July 10, Jazzin with Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and Juilliard; July 17, Kindred the Family Soul; July 14, Roy Ayers; July 31, “WPFW” Night with Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes; Aug. 7, Sugarfoot’s Ohio Players; Aug. 14, Midnight Starr; Aug. 21, SOS Band. Free. Minnesota Ave. and Randle Circle, SE. 202426-7723. www.nps.gov/fodu 8 ★ East of the River • July 2010

Sunday Forum Conversations at the Washington National Cathedral.

Chincoteague Pony Swim and Firemen’s Carnival. July 28 and July 29. The Pony Swim is on July 28. The exact time of the swim isn’t announced until the day before. The Pony Auction and Firemen’s Carnival is on July 29. For several decades the annual Pony Swim has been the Eastern Shore’s biggest event, drawing up to 50,000 spectators from across the nation. It started in 1925 to raise money for new firefighting equipment. Members of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company gather the herd of wild ponies on neighboring Assateague Island and swim them over to Chincoteague. The Firemen’s Carnival features old-fashioned family fun with rides, games, food, live entertainment, raffles, and more. The carnival is open July 1-3, 9-10, 16-7, 23-24, 26-31, and Aug. 6-7. There are fireworks on July 3. www.easternshorevisitor. com/chincoteague-pony-swim

Sundays, 10:10 AM (lasts about 50 minutes). Washington National Cathedral at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue, NW. The Sunday Forum is a weekly program of honest, intellectually probing, and generous-spirited dialogue about major issues of our time as seen from the Christian perspective. Issues such as health care, homelessness, hunger, aging, youth, animals, politics, civic life are discussed with prominent experts. Free and welcoming of the public. No tickets required. 202-537-6382. www. nationalcathedral.org/learn/sundayForum.shtml

“Design for the Other 90%”. On exhibition daily through September 6, 9 AM-5 PM, National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. This exhibit highlights the growing trend among designers to develop solutions that address basic needs for the vast majority of the world’s population not traditionally served by professional designers. Of the world’s 6.5 billion people, 90 percent have few to none of the basic necessities required for progress and survival. “Design for the Other 90%” presents more than 30 innovative products and solutions to these obstacles. Free. 202-857-7588. www.nationalgeographic.com/museum capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 9

Calendar JULY | 2010

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD “Objectified” at Honfleur Gallery. This exhibition is open through July 23. Tuesday through Friday, noon-5 PM; Saturdays, 11 AM-5 PM. Gallery closed on Sundays and Mondays. Artists are Colleen Heineman, Jeanne Jo, Robert Longyear and Andrea Miller. 1241 Good Hope Road SE. 202-580-5972. www.honfleurgallery.com Farmers Market at United Medical Center. Every Tuesday through October, 3-7 PM. Stands offer a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers, free samples, and new recipes using fresh produce. In addition, the market will also include fresh herbs and live plants, teas, oils, potpourri, and honey. 1301 Southern Ave. SE. 202-574-7121. Celebrate New Life at The Rock Christian Church. Every Saturday, 3-6 PM. If you have hurts, habits or hangups! This is the place to come to. Help is here. Free. 1300 Good Hope Road SE. Call Dwain Lynch 301-523-0381 with questions. Church office, 240-770-5041. Big Chair Chess Club. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4-10 PM; Saturdays, noon-9 PM. “To teach the un-teachable, reach the un-reachable, and always think before you move” is the core mission of the Big Chair Chess Club, Inc. at the Deanwood Branch located in the nation’s capital. The organization teaches chess to inner-city children and adults, not only as a board game, but also as an application to life skills, such as improving one’s concentration and self-discipline. $30 a year for adults, $10 for kids. 4322 Sheriff Road NE. 202-396-1780. www.bigchairchessclub.org Ward 7 Parent and Family Resource Center Family Book Club. Every Wednesday, 6 PM. Enjoy the evening reading with your child, meeting other families, and strengthening your child’s reading skills. Free books and snacks. For new and struggling readers, ages 6 and under. 5601 East Capitol St. SE. For more information, call Marketta Wiley at 202-724-7568. Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia. Open daily, 10 AM-5 PM. Exhibition about segregated baseball from from Reconstruction to the second half of the 20th century. Anacostia Community Museum. Free. 1901 Fort Place SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Big Chair Breakfast Bunch. July 10, 10 AM-noon. Big Chair Coffee n’ Grill (upstairs). All are welcome to attend and discuss what’s happening East of the River. 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. 202-525-4287.

Washington National Opera’s “Generation O” This is a program for students and young professionals between 18 and 35. A limited number of discounted “Generation O” tickets will be available for every Washington National Opera production. For the first time this fall, there will be a 50% season ticket discount for “Generation O.” The Washington National Opera performs at the Kennedy Center. Registration is free. 202-295-2400. www.dcopera.org/beyondstage/generationo

10 ★ East of the River • July 2010

Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. Open daily, 7 AM4 PM. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is about 700 acres and is part of Anacostia Park. The park includes the gardens, Kenilworth Marsh, ball fields and recreational facilities. It is the only National Park Service site devoted to the propagation and display of aquatic plants. Free.1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. 202-426-6905. www.nps.gov/kepa Higher Achievement Center Ribbon-Cutting. July 20, 10 AM-noon. Savoy Elementary School at 2400 Shannon Place SE. Higher Achievement extends learning opportunities for middle school youth, guaranteeing motivated students equal access to success in both school and life. It dramatically increases academic achievement and provides lifelong lessons for the whole child, as measured by both high school graduation rates and civic involvement. www. higherachievement.org. Frederick Douglass National Historical Site. Open daily, 9 AM-5 PM. Tours at 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 2 PM, 3 PM and 4 PM From 1877 to 1895, this was the home of Frederick Douglass, the nation’s leading 19th century African American spokesman. Visitors to the site will learn more

about his efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for human rights, equal rights and civil rights for all oppressed people. Free. 1411 W St. SE. 202-4265960. www.nps.gov/frdo Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum. Open daily, 10 AM-5 PM. As the Smithsonian Institution’s museum of African American history and culture, the museum explores American history, social and creative expression from an African American perspective. Free. 1901 Fort Place, SE. 202-6334820 anacostia.si.edu Shuttle Anacostia. Through Labor Day. Free weekend (plus Sept. 6) roundtrip rides from the National Mall to the Anacostia Community Museum with stops at the National Air and Space Museum, the Anacostia Metro, and the historic Frederick Douglass home. For the schedule, call 202-633-4820 or visit anacostia.si.edu A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail. Discover, or see with new eyes, this traditionally African American enclave in Far Northeast when you follow “A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail.” Fifteen poster-sized street signs combine storytelling with historic photographs and maps to transport you back to the days before Deanwood was Deanwood. To pick up the trail go to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue and Division Avenue NE. Walk one block south to Foote Street, at the edge of Marvin Gaye Park. The 90-minute, self-guided tour will bring you along Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, up 49th Street and along Sheriff Road back to Minnesota Avenue and the Metro station. Walk the trail at your own pace and take time to enjoy this small town in the city. Don’t forget to pick up a free trail guide from businesses along the way. 202-6617581. www.culturaltourismdc.org Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM. Tuesday and Thursday, 1-9 PM. Closed Sundays. The new 22,000-square-foot library has more than 40,000 books, areas for children, teens and adults, Mac computers for teens, 32 computers for the public, community meeting rooms and more. 1800 Good Hope Road SE. 202-7157707. dclibrary.org/Anacostia Anacostia Neighborhood Library Book Club. Thursdays, 6:30 PM. Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Book club just now forming. 1800 Good Hope Road SE. 202-715-7707. dclibrary.org/Anacostia Aquatic Resources Education Center of DC. Open weekdays, 9 AM-4 PM (summer hours). Sitting on the banks of the Anacostia River in Anacostia Park, the Aquatic Resources Education Center is an ideal place to study aquatic ecosystems, water quality, and local fish and fisheries. The Center features live species exhibits, interactive displays, and an indoor pond for handling live animals. Free. Anacostia Park, 2700 Anacostia Dr. SE. 202-535-2260

Stop Elder Financial Abuse Do you know a District of Columbia senior resident whom you suspect is being abused? Elder abuse comes in many forms: physical, ﬁnancial, emotional, neglect or abandonment. Financial abuse is one of the most common forms of abuse to elders, quickly becoming the crime of the 21st century as more seniors are targeted.

The D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) recently marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and put out a call to action:

1) Prevent abuse (and take time to check on elderly family and neighbors) 2) Recognize the signs 3) Report to authorities If you witness elder financial abuse; or if you suspect it, please report it. Never ignore elder abuse. DISB will continue to use the summer to mark Financial Fraud Awareness Week with seniortargeted events on financial fraud. DISB is the District of Columbia government agency that oversees financial-service providers such as insurance companies, investment advisers, banks, mortgage lenders, and more.

Remember to Contact DISB to: • File a Complaint • Verify a Financial Institution is Licensed in the District of Columbia • Access Consumer Information • Request a Speaker

Protecting Your Financial Interests

To do any of these, or to report any ﬁnancial fraud or ﬁnancial elder abuse, please call DISB at (202) 727-8000, go online at www.disb.dc.gov or by emailing suggest.disb@dc.gov.

Ronda Bresnick Hauss Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supporting you in having a healthy & productive life.

Psychotherapy for adults using an integrative & holistic approach: traditional talk therapy, meditation, & creative, non-verbal techniques.

1308 Constitution Ave., N.E. 202.544.5050 www.quietwaterscenter.com

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• Nursing Services • Personal & Home Care Aide

201 15th Street SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 293 - 2931 www.asapservicedc.com capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 11

calendar

>> july 2010 its specialty groups will perform. Free. Seventh and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. 202-7372300. www.navymemorial.org

Councilmember Alexander’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 10 AM-6 PM. 2524 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-581-1560.

US Marine Band Concerts at the Sylvan Theater. Thursdays in summer (weather permitting), 8 PM. You are welcome to bring folding chairs, blankets and refreshments to the concert. Free. 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW (on Washington Monument grounds). 202-433-5717. www.mbw.usmc.mil

Councilmember Barry’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 9 AM-5 PM. 2100 MLK Ave. SE, #307. 202-698-2185.

FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Air Force Band Concerts. Wednesdays and Fridays in summer. 8 PM. Air Force Memorial at One Air Force Memorial Drive in Arlington, Virginia. (14th Street Bridge into Virginia, merge onto Washington Boulevard and then Columbia Pike in the direction of the Navy Annex. Then just follow signs.) Expect a pleasing mix of contemporary and patriotic tunes and spectacular views of the nighttime Washington, DC, skyline. Free. www.airforcememorial.org

Smithsonian Folklife Festival. July 1-5. 11 AM-5:30 PM. Evening events at 6 PM. 2010 themes are Mexico, Asian Pacific Americans and Smithsonian Inside Out. Free entrance (food is extra). National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets NW. www.folklife.si.edu/center/festival Hip-Hop Theater Festival. July 6-July 10. Hip-Hop is an urban art form of stories, people, music, dance, and spoken word. For many in DC, Hip-Hop and its scene is the soundtrack that defines them and their communities. www.hhtf.org Capital Fringe Festival. July 8-July 25. Over 14 venues throughout Downtown DC will be hosting performances. “Uncensored. Unjuried. Risk-taking.” With its diverse and abundant programming concentrated during a short period of time, audiences will have an easy time exploring the tapestry of experimental work available. $15 plus a one-time “fringe” button. www.capfringe.org Fort Stevens Day. July 10, 11 AM-4 PM. Learn the compelling stories of bravery and sacrifice during the Civil War through live re-enactments, lectures, tours and music. Free. 13th and Quackenbos streets NW. 202-895-6070. www.culturaltourismdc.org Bastille Day at the Embassy of France. July 10, 7 PM-midnight. Food, fun, music and dance for a worthy cause. $85. 4101 Reservoir Road NW. www.Bastille.Org 2010 Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Annual Waterlily Festival. July 17, 10 AM-3 PM. Blooming lilies and lotuses. Storytelling and puppet show. Face painting. Gardening workshops. Pond and greenhouse tours. Arrive at 9 AM and help clean up the gardens. Free. 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. 202-426-6905. www.nps. gov/keaq Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest. July 24, 11 AM-6 PM. Marvin Gaye Park. The festival, held in the DC community that was home to the legendary soul singer Marvin Gaye, highlights talent from the nation’s capital and provides a venue for community organizations and small-business owners to connect. Free. 5200 Foote St. NE. For more information about vending or attending go to www.capitalhiphipsoulfest.com or call Maceo Thomas at 202-285-4529. Post-Game Fireworks at Washington National’s Stadium. July 2, 9 and 30, (about) 10 PM. The fireworks take place immediately after all Friday night home games. You don’t have to be at the game to enjoy the fireworks. Free. South Capitol and N streets SE. www.washington.nationals.mlb.com

12 ★ East of the River • July 2010

OUTDOOR SUMMER MUSIC Jazz in the Sculpture Garden. Fridays through Sept. 10 (rain or shine), 5-8 PM. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Live jazz performed by an eclectic mix of top artists from the Washington area entertains visitors outdoors in front of the fountain or in the Pavilion Cafe (if it’s raining). The Pavilion Cafe features a seasonal tapas-style menu and bar service during the concerts. Everyone can enjoy these concerts. You do not have to order food or drinks. Free. 202- 289-3360. www. nga.gov Capitol Riverfront Concerts. Wednesdays, through Aug. 25, noon-2 PM. New Jersey Avenue and Tingey Street Plaza. Capitol Riverfront Concerts is a 10-week summer concert series with lively and diverse musical artists, performing everything from original pop to Latin Jazz, R&B, bluegrass, Caribbean and more. Free. 202-465-7093. www.capitolriverfront.org Live! on Woodrow Wilson Plaza. Weekdays through Sept. 24 (weather permitting), noon1:30 PM. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. LIVE!’s lunch-time performances feature world-renowned entertainers in a variety of flavors, such as African dance, legendary R&B, Motown sounds, hip hop, Latin swing and pop rock. Free.1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-312-1300. www.itcdc.com Sunset Serenades at the ZOO. July 22 and 29 and Aug. 5, 6:30-8 PM. National Zoo (lion and tiger hill). The music spans a range of entertainment styles including oldies, jazz, reggae,

pop/rock, blues and classical. Free. 202-6333071. www.fonz.org Golden Triangle Summer Concerts at Farragut Square. July 8 and 15, 5:30-7:30 PM. Farragut Square Park (Connecticut Avenue and K Street NW). July 8, Sin Miedo (Latin & salsa); July 15, Crowded Streets (Dave Matthews tribute). Free. 202-463-3400. www.gtbid.com Adams Morgan Summer Concert Series. Saturdays through July 10 (canceled in the event of rain), 5-7 PM. July 3, DownTyme and July 10, Pablo Grabiel. There will be a limited number of chairs for audience members. Please feel free to bring your own beach chair. Free. Columbia Road, Adams Mill Road and 18th Street NW (new public plaza in front of BB&T Bank). 202-997-0783. Carillon and Peel Bell Recitals. Carillon Recitals on Saturdays, 12:30-1:15 PM. Peel Bell Rehearsals on Tuesdays. 7:30-8:30 PM. Peel bells ring every Sunday at approximately 12:30 PM after the 11 AM service. Washington National Cathedral. The carillon recital and peel bells are best heard from the Bishop’s Garden. Look for signs as you enter the cathedral grounds. 202-537-6200. www.nationalcathedral.org Military Band Concerts at the US Capitol. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays in summer (weather permitting). 8 PM. Mondays, US Navy Band; Tuesdays, US Air Force Band; Wednesdays, US Marine Band; Fridays, US Army Band. Free. West Terrace US Capitol Building. Navy Band (outdoor) “Concerts on the Avenue.” Tuesdays in summer, 8 PM. US Navy Memorial. The United States Navy Band and

OUTDOOR SUMMER MOVIES Capitol Riverfront Movies. Thursdays, through Aug. 5, 8:45 PM. Canal Park. July 8, Star Wars; July 15, Slumdog Millionaire; July 29, Happy Gilmore; Aug. 5. Rocky. Free. Second and M streets SE. 202-465-7093. www. capitolriverfront.org/calendar “Screen on the Green” Film Festival on the Mall. July 12, 19 and 26 and Aug. 2, (about) 8:30 PM. The National Mall between Fourth and Seventh streets NW. July 12, Goldfinger; July 19, The Goodbye Girl; July 26, 12 Angry Men; Aug. 2, Bonnie and Clyde. Moviegoers start sprawling out as early as 5 PM. Free. 202-619-7222. U Street Movie Series: Harrison Field Under the Stars. July 13; 7 PM, gates open; 8 PM, free popcorn; 8:30 PM (about). Movie for July is Buena Vista Social Club. Free. Harrison Recreation Center, 1330 V St. NW. www.movies. ustreet-dc.org Films on the Vern. Wednesdays, July 14 through Aug. 18, 8:30 PM. George Washington University Mount Vernon Campus. July 14, The Time Travelers Wife; July 21, Invictus; July 28, The Golden Compass. 2100 Foxhall Road NW. 202-242-6673. gwired.gwu.edu/mvcl/ WHAMV/FoTV Stead Park Outdoor Movies. July 27, 8:45 PM. Stead Park. “Hitch.” Free. 1625 P St. NW.

SIX GREAT WAYS TO MEET PEOPLE Tennis on the Hill Adult Tennis Mixer. July 10, 9-11 AM, play mini-sets with different partners to give you a chance to meet other Tennis on the Hill players. Refreshments. Gallaudet University Tennis Courts. Register at www.tennisonthehill.org “Asia After Dark” at the Sackler and Freer Galleries on the Mall. July 15, 6:30-10:30 PM. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW; Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive

at 12th St. SW. $18, advanced purchase and $20 at the door. This includes one free drink. A cash bar will offer specialty cocktails, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the evening, as well as food from area restaurants. www.asia.si.edu/asiaafterdark Phillips after 5. First Thursday of every month, 5-8:30 PM. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Gallery talks. Live jazz. Museum shop. Food. Socializing in the Galleries. Cash Bar. Admission is the price of the current exhibition. 202-387-2151. www.phillipscollection.org Jazz on Jackson Place. First Thursday of every month through September, 6:30-8:30 PM. Decatur House Courtyard, 748 Jackson Place NW (at Lafayette Park). “In the spirit of our nearly two centuries-old tradition of great entertaining, Decatur House invites you to gather and relax in our beautiful, historic setting while enjoying the sounds of local musicians.” $25, includes food and drink (beer and wine). 202-218-4332. www. decaturhouse.org First Wednesday Jazz @ The Historical Society. First Wednesday of every month, 6-9 PM. The Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St. NW. Described as a “motivational mixer” featuring jazz, R&B and neo soul. $10 cover. Food and spirits are extra. 202-383-1850. www.historydc.org Volunteering Made Easy by One Brick. One Brick brings volunteers together to support other nonprofit organizations by adopting an innovative twist to the volunteer experience: they create a friendly and social atmosphere around volunteering, and after each volunteer event, invite volunteers to gather at a local restaurant or cafe where they can get to know one another in a relaxed social setting. www. onebrick.org

SPORTS, DANCE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Washington Nationals Baseball Home Games. July 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31. 7:05 PM (Sunday games at 1:35 PM). $5 and up. South Capitol and N streets SE. www.washington.nationals.mlb.com African Dance Class. Every Monday, 6:307:45 PM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walk-ins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. www.thearcdc.org Pilates Class. Every Tuesday, 6:30-7:30 PM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walk-ins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. www.thearcdc.org

adults. 17 and under are free. 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-645-6242. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr.

Ridge Road and Burns Street SE. 202-6455046. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr

Free public tennis courts in Wards 7 and 8. Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st St. SE; Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver St. SE; Kenilworth-Parkside Recreation Center, 4300 Anacostia Ave. NE; Randle Highlands Tennis Courts, 31st Street and Pennsylvania Avenue SE; Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE; Bald Eagle Recreation Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and Joliet Street SW; Congress Heights Recreation Center, Alabama Avenue and Randle PlaceSE; Fort Stanton Community Center, 1812 Erie St. SE. All courts are open daily, dawn to dusk. Some are lighted for extended evening play. Courts are available on a first-come, firstserved basis for one-hour intervals; extended use of tennis courts requires a permit. Proper shoes and attire is required. 202-671-0314. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr

Fort Stanton (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Thursdays;1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). 1800 Erie St. SE. 202-645-5047. www.dpr. dc.gov/dpr

Roller Skating at Anacostia Park. Skate any time. This is a covered, outdoor skating pavilion. Free. One-hour skate “rental” in summer months is free but sizes and supplies are quite limited. From Pennsylvania Avenue, just before the bridge, south on Fairlawn Avenue and right onto Nicholson and then into the park. 202-472-3873. Kung Fu and Tai Chi at the Historical Society of Washington, DC. Every Saturday (rain or shine). Kung Fu, noon; Tai Chi, 1 PM. Suitable for all ages. Kung Fu is a broad term that is used to describe all martial arts of Chinese origin. The ancient art of Tai Chi is a style of Kung Fu that emphasizes internal energy. Free. No RSVP required. Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K St. NW (Mount Vernon Square). 202-383-1850. www.historydc.org Tidal Basin 3K Monthly Run. Third Wednesday of each month, noon. This run is free and informal. West Potomac Park (meet on Ohio Drive at West Basin Drive, near the Tourmobile. stand). 703-505-3567. www.dcroadrunners.org Ferebee Hope (indoor) Aquatic Facility. Open weekdays, 3-8 PM. Closed weekends. Free for DC residents (have ID). 3999 Eighth St. SE. 202-645-3916. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr Anacostia (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Mondays; weekdays, 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). 1800 Anacostia Dr. SE. 202-7241441. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr Barry Farms (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Tuesdays; weekdays, 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). 1230 Sumner Road SE 202-6455040. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr

Kelly Miller (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Mondays; 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). 4900 Brooks St. NE. 202-724-5056. www.dpr. dc.gov/dpr Oxon Run (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Mondays; 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). Fourth Street and Mississippi Avenue SE. 202645-5042. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr

SPECIAL BARGAINS

Located on the Armed Forces Retirement Home campus in northwest DC. Enter at Eagle Gate at the intersection of Rock Creek Church Road and Upshur Street NW. There is no official street address. 202-829-0436. www. lincolncottage.org

COMMUNITY MEETINGS Deanwood Citizens Association General Body Meeting. Fourth Monday, except August and December. 6:30 PM. First Baptist Church of Deanwood, 1008 45th St. NE. www.deanwood.org

Specially Priced Kennedy Center Tickets. Full-time students (grade school through graduate school), persons with permanent disabilities, seniors (65 and older), enlisted military personnel, and persons on fixed low incomes are able to purchase tickets to many Kennedy Center performances at a 50 percent discount. You must come in person to the Kennedy Center Box Office. Each eligible person may purchase one SPT ticket per performance, subject to availability. 202-467-4600. www. kennedy-center.org/tickets/spts

Anacostia High School School Improvement Team Meeting. Fourth Tuesday. 6 PM. Anacostia High School, 16th and R streets SE.

Free Summer Saturdays at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Saturdays through Labor Day weekend. Additionally, visitors will enjoy unique Free Summer Saturdays programming, including community art projects and sketching workshops, tours, concerts and more. Free. (regular admission, $10). 500 17th St. NW. 10 AM-5 PM. 202-639-1700. www.corcoran.org

ANC Meeting for 7-B. Third Thursday. 7 PM. Ryland Epworth United Methodist Church, 3200 S St. SE (Branch Avenue and S Street SE). 202-584-3400. anc7b@pressroom.com. www.anc7b.us

Community Night at International Spy Museum. Last Wednesday of each month, 5-9 PM. All area residents are welcome to experience all that the museum’s permanent exhibition has to offer for. Gain access to the world’s largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever placed on public display. Free. (regular admission, $18). 202-393-7798. 800 F St. NW. www.spymuseum.org National Museum of Women in the Arts. First Sunday of each month, noon-5 PM. This museum is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to recognizing the contributions of women artists. Free. (regular admission, $10). 1250 New York Ave. NW. 202-783-5000. www. nmwa.org

Benning Park (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Thursdays; weekdays, 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). Southern Avenue and Fable Street SE. 202-645-5044. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr

Shakespeare Theatre Company Ticket Deals. 20 percent for seniors, 60 and older; $10 tickets for 35 and younger; $10 standingroom-only tickets. Two performance spaces: Lansburgh Theatre at 450 Seventh St. NW and Sidney Harman Hall at 610 F St. NW. 202-5471122. www.shakespearetheatre.org

Yoga Class. Every Thursday, 7-8:15 PM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walkins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. www.thearcdc.org

Douglass (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Wednesdays; 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID). Frederick Douglass Ct. and Stanton Ter. SE. 202-645-5045. www.dpr.dc.gov/dpr

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Ticket Deals. Patrons 25 and under, $15 tickets. Stampede Seats – side balcony seats at $15 each, sold 2 hours prior to showtime. 641 D St. NW. 202393-3939. www.woollymammoth.net

Southeast Tennis and Learning Center. Open daily; Monday through Saturday, 9 AM-9 PM; Sunday, 9 AM-6 PM. Four indoor courts. Six outdoor courts. Summer fees at $6 to $10 for

Fort Dupont (outdoor) Pool. Open daily except Tuesdays; 1-8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-6 PM. Free for DC residents (have ID).

“Buy One, Get One Free” Tour of President Lincoln’s Cottage. Weekdays in August (only), 10 AM-4 PM. DC residents only. Have ID. Desig-

Ballet Class. Every Wednesday, 6:30-7:45 PM. For adults. No prior experience necessary. Walkins welcome. THEARC. $10. 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. www.thearcdc.org

nated a National Monument by President Clinton in 2000, President Lincoln’s Cottage served as Lincoln’s family residence for a quarter of his presidency and is the most significant historic site directly associated with Lincoln’s presidency aside from the White House. You can see this historic site by tour only. $12 for two tickets.

PSA 607 Meeting. Second Thursday. 7 PM. Anacostia Public Library, 1800 Good Hope Road SE. ANC Meeting for 7-A. Third Tuesday. 7:30 PM. Benning-Stoddard Rec. Center, 100 Stoddard Place SE. 202-727-1000. 7A@anc.dc.gov. www.anc7a.org

ANC Meeting for 7-C. Second Thursday. 7 PM. Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, 5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. 202-3985100. anc7c@verizon.net ANC Meeting for 7-D. Second Tuesday. 6:30 PM. Sixth District Police Station, 100 42nd St. NE. 202-398-5258. 7D06@anc.dc.gov ANC Meeting for 7-E. Second Tuesday. 7-8:30 PM. Jones Memorial Church, 4625 G St. SE. 202-582-6360. 7E@anc.dc.gov ANC Meeting for 8-A. First Tuesday. 7 PM. Anacostia UPO Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Road SE. 202-889-6600. www.anc8adc.org ANC Meeting for 8-B. Third Tuesday. 7 PM. Seventh District Police Station Community Center, Alabama and McGee streets SE. 202610-1818. www.anc8b.org ANC Meeting for 8-C. First Wednesday (June meeting is on the nineth because of the holiday). 6:30 PM. 2907 MLK Jr Ave. SE. 202-3882244. ANC Meeting for 8-D. Fourth Thursday. 7 PM. Specialty Hospital of Washington, 4601 MLK Jr. Ave. SW. 202 561-0774 ANC Meeting for 8-E. Third Tuesday. 7 PM. SE Tennis and Learning Center, 701 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-561-6616. 8e02@anc.dc.gov Please note that some ANC’s don’t meet in July and almost all ANC’s don’t meet in August. Please confirm meeting. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 13

neighborhood news

>> bullentin board

Bulletin Board Community Center at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. Monday Through Thursday, 10:30 AM-2:30 PM. Bring government issued ID (proof of DC residency), proof of income and children’s birth certiﬁcates. For more information, call Mrs. Bryant or Ms. Jones at 202-678-6500.

GreatStreetsBLC Website Launch

Fishing at the Kingman Island. Photo by Andew Lightman.

Francis Gregory Interim Library Open Located at 2100 36th Pl. SE (near the Anne Beers school), the library will remain open during the construction of the new Francis Gregory Library. The hours are Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:009:00 PM; Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM. Closed Sundays. The new library will open in summer 2011. 202-698-6373.

Fort Dupont Land Transfer Approved At its monthly meeting on June 3, the National Capital Planning Commission approved the National Park Service’s proposal to transfer jurisdiction of approximately 15-acres of land in Fort Dupont Park to the District of Columbia for recreation purposes. This parcel is located in the northern portion of the park and is bounded by Ely Pl., Minnesota Ave., 14 ★ East of the River • July 2010

and Ridge Rd. SE. It currently houses the Fort Dupont Ice Arena, two baseball diamonds, a multipurpose ﬁeld, tennis and basketball courts, and surface parking. Following transfer the land would be used for expansion of the Fort Dupont Ice Arena and construction of a youth baseball academy. The underlying land would remain titled in the United States. In its approval the Commission noted that any projects developed on this transferred land would need to be submitted to NCPC for review before construction.

Walking Tour of St. Elizabeths On July 17, 10:00 AM-noon, join the DC Preservation League in partnership with the General Services Administration for a walking tour of the historic west campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital, a National Historic Landmark. Space is limited and reservations are required. Because of security issues walk-ons will not be permitted on the tour. To register email rsvp@dcpreservation.org or call 202-783-5144 with the following information: Full name of all attendees, address, phone number, e-mail, DMV license number. This tour ﬁlls up fast. www.dcpreservation.org.

Ward 8 Dem’s Red and White Ball, Ward 8 Parent Support Service July 23 This year’s ball is being held Project on Friday, July 23 from 8:00 PMmidnight at the Navy Yard Catering and Conference Center at 1454 Parsons Ave. SE. Tickets are $50. For more information and to buy tickets, call Ms. Joyce Scott, Ward Eight Democrats First Vice President, at 202-460-8081.

The Parklands Community Center is recruiting unemployed parents living in Ward 8 to participate in its three month Ward 8 Parent Support Service Project. This project was designed to provide training and supportive services to help unemployed parents to ﬁnd a job. Go to Parklands

Visit greatstreetsblc.org to access all of the services oﬀered by Congress Heights Community Training Development Corporation and the Great Streets Business Leadership Council. The website serves as a marketing tool for the business community located along the Martin L. King Jr. Avenue Great Street. Businesses will be able to market and promote their goods and services and engage other businesses, vendors and clients through the website’s business-to-business portal. Greatstreetblc.org is constantly updated with news, information, upcoming seminars, workshops and events that concern our Great Street community. It also welcomes its visitors to post comments, information, questions, and requests for service.

NIH Looking for Parents of Above-Average-Weight Teens Are you concerned about your daughter’s eating? Is she above average weight but not yet obese? Consider participating in a study at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science -- National Institutes of Health (NIH) to test how eﬀective group programs are in the prevention of excess weight gain.Girls aged 12-17 years are eligible who are above average weight and report loss of control eating. The study takes place at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, just outside of Washington, DC. Participants will be compensated. Call 1-800-411-1222 for more information. Refer to study 08-CH-0139.

Summer School 2010 Registration For School Transit Subsidy Program

Bee Creative: National Zoo Seeks Honey Recipes and Honeybee Poetry in Honor of New Colony

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will register summer school students for the School Transit Subsidy Program, from June 21-July 23, at the Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW (first floor, near DC Lottery office), Monday-Friday 8:15 AM-4:45 PM, Wednesdays in June and July until 7:00 PM. All students and/or parents must obtain a Student Travel Application from their school. Have the application signed, dated and stamped by your school principal. District law mandates that in order for students to receive discounted travel on Metrobus and Metrorail they must be under 19 years of age with the exception of student with disabilities who are eligible until 22 years of age; DC resident; enrolled in an elementary or secondary public, charter, private or parochial school that is located in the District of Columbia. 202-673-1740.

To celebrate the bees’ arrival and generate buzz, the Zoo is calling for entries from individuals of all ages in two categories: favorite honey recipes and original honeybee poems. In addition to displaying entries on its website, the Zoo will randomly select one participant from each category to take a private tour with their families of the Zoo’s Pollinarium and Invertebrate Exhibit. Enter contest at www.nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Invertebrates/ Pollinarium/honey.cfm. Deadline is noon, Tuesday, July 6 so act quickly.

“The Dancing Griot: Legacy of Melvin Deal” “The Dancing Griot: Legacy of Melvin Deal” had its first public screening on June 12 at Kelly Miller School. This pilot documentary was produced and presented by the Ward 7 Arts Collaborative (W7AC) as its Humanities Council of Washington, DC 30th Special Anniversary Grant Project. The June 12th event was highlighted by a mosaic of creative performances that infused rhythmic connections of traditional African dance to contemporary dance. Over 150 people viewed the film which examines the multi-generational impact of Mr. Deal’s extraordinary connection to our community and its culture. W7AC will host future events featuring “The Dancing Griot: Legacy of Melvin Deal”. We are also proud that this film will be a part of the Humanities Council of Washington, DC 30th Special Anniversary Grantee Showcase on September 21st and recognized during their gala on September 23rd. For more information, contact Ward 7 Arts Collaborative at 202-399-1997 or ward7artscollab@yahoo.com.

Free Online Technology Training and Certification The D.C. Department of Employment Services is partnering with Microsoft to provide 11,250 vouchers to DC residents for no-cost, online technology training and certification. DC residents can request a voucher for free online business worker or IT professional training, or can request a voucher that will enable them to take a Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 business worker exam for free at a DES training center. Visit the Microsoft Elevate America Free Training link (top left-hand corner) at jobs.dc.gov for more information and to request a voucher. This is a limited-time offer. Training vouchers must be activated and certification exams must be completed by Aug. 25. For more information, call Dy Brown at the DC Department of Employment Services, 202-671-1904. does.dc.gov

District and Arlington to Rollout “Capital Bikeshare” This Fall The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Arlington County have selected “Capital Bikeshare” as the name for the new regional bike sharing program. Capital Bikeshare will launch later this year with roughly 1100 bikes at 114 stations in the District and Arlington, and will be the largest of its kind in the U.S. The new system will be similar to the one the Public Bike System Company (PBSC), based in Montreal, produced, commonly known as BIXI. The BIXI system has been running in Montreal since 2009 and will be arriving soon in Minne-

apolis, London, and Melbourne, Australia. BIXI bike sharing stations are solar powered and use wireless technology to allow for easy installation and adjustments. It may look diﬀerent, but the BIXI bicycle has many of the same features as the Smartbike: 3-speed, internal hub gears, fenders, chain guard, lights, and a front rack. Annual, monthly, and daily memberships will be available for area residents and visitors. www.ddot.dc.gov

Artists Recruited for Arts On Foot Recruitment of artists for the 18th annual festival has begun. Following the success of the 2009 Art Market, the 2010 juried Fine Arts Market will expand to four days from Wednesday, Sept. 8 through Saturday, Sept. 11, the festival day. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the Art Market will be set up on the wide F St. sidewalk between Seventh and Nineth sts. NW, adjacent to the Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. For complete information and online application, visit www.diversemarkets. net. 202-543-3370.

MPD Reminds Iphone Users to Protect Property Although the number of robberies in the District of Columbia is down 14 percent compared with this time last year, the Metropolitan Police Department is seeing a spike in the number of robberies involving the Apple iPhone. This ubiquitous, expensive device appeals to criminals because it can be easily reprogrammed, or erased, and quickly sold for cash. These incidents often occur as a “mugging” on the street. People have also had their phones snatched from their hands as they walk down the street, or taken from tables while sitting at restaurants. Although the vast majority of these oﬀenses do not involve physical harm to the victim, this is a disconcerting trend that deserves attention. The MPD is reminding people to be aware of their surroundings, especially while walking down the street and talking on the phone. It is particularly important to be aware of your surrounding if you are walking alone at night. Do not leave your phone on a table while dining out, as this may also attract would-be thieves. As always, if you observe any sus-

picious activity, please call 911 immediately.

DC Office on Aging Sounds Heat Alert for Seniors Once a heat advisory or alert has been given, seniors are urged to listen to the broadcast media about the weather conditions. Seniors are urged to follow certain protective measures including: staying indoors, cool places; wearing light clothing; reduce strenuous activities, reschedule appointments if possible; taking a cold or lukewarm bath or shower; and drinking plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. In addition, seniors should keep the air conditioner and/or fan on, even if it is at a low level. The following are other helpful community resources to be utilized during the heat weather alert or advisory: DC Oﬃce on Aging, 202-724-5626; Hyperthermia/ Shelter Hotline 202399-7093 or 800-535-7252; DC Call Center, 311; DC Energy Oﬃce Hotline 202-673-6750.

Summer Extended Hours at the Washington Monument The National Park Service has extended visiting hours at the Washington Monument to10:00 PM through September 6. All visitors to the Washington Monument’s 500foot level observation area must have a free, time-stamped ticket to gain entrance into the Monument. Free tickets may be obtained by either calling toll-free 1-877-444-6777 or by ordering tickets online by visiting www.recreation.gov and allowing at least two weeks for Washington Monument tickets to be mailed to a requester’s home. While the ticket itself is free of charge, there is a nominal per ticket service charge of $1.50. Also, there is a $2.85 shipping and handling fee per order when ordering 10 or more days in advance. Visitors may place orders for Washington Monument tickets up to one year in advance. Visitors may also obtain free, same-day tickets to the Washington Monument at the National Park Service’s “Monument Lodge,” located on the 15th St. side of the Washington Monument grounds, between Constitution and Independence, beginning at 8:30 AM daily until tickets for that day are gone. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 15

neighborhood news

>> the district beat

by Mark Segraves

Bamboozled It’s been a few years since Vincent Orange was on the campaign trail. Last time out, the former Ward 5 Councilmember got a Districtwide pounding earning just less than 3 percent of the vote in the 2006 Democratic mayoral primary. Since then he’s been working as a lobbyist for Pepco. Now V.O. is back, and he hasn’t forgotten how to politic. Since announcing his candidacy for chairman of the DC Council, Orange hasn’t wasted anytime. His signs can be seen all over town, mostly on public space. V.O. has raised about the same amount of cash as his chief rival, Councilmember Kwame Brown (D-At-Large). They both have raised

about $180,000. Brown has been campaigning longer than Orange in this race, which is one reason the Kwame yard signs are more likely to actually be in somebody’s yard rather than along the side of a road or on a telephone pole. At a recent Ward 8 Democrats debate, moderated by WTOP political analyst Mark Plotkin, Orange played to the crowd telling them, “Don’t be bamboozled” and then pointing to Brown. (A reference to the speech Denzel Washington gave in the Spike Lee ﬁlm “Malcolm X.”) Orange used the “bamboozled” line more than once that night. But it was Brown who scored the ﬁnal blow at the end of the night in his closing statement when he turned

the tables on Orange and told the crowd, “Bamboozled? Don’t fall for that.” Then turning to Orange he said, “You’re not Malcolm X.” “It brought the house down,” Plotkin recalls. As for another early indicator as to how this race is shaping up, Brown trounced Orange in the DC Democratic party’s District-wide straw poll. Brown took 585 votes to Orange’s 329. And the Ward 3 Dems endorsed Brown who took more than 75 percent of the vote in that straw poll. While straw polls and endorsements aren’t always true indicators of how the primary will shake out, it does help to boost a campaign’s morale. A better indicator would be the

fact that Kwame has proven he can win in a District-wide election. In 2006 Orange proved he can come in fourth behind Fenty, Linda Cropp and Marie Johns.

Don’t Count Doug Out For the first time in several years, the District’s non-voting Delegate to Congress has a legitimate challenger. Doug Sloan is his name – he’s well organized, bright and most importantly, he doesn’t come off as a crazy person who can easily be dismissed. Just ask the Ward 3 Democrats. Sloan pulled off what can only be described as a huge upset winning the Ward 3 straw poll with 65 percent of the vote compared to Norton’s 30 percent. “Ward 3 Democrats don’t like Norton,” political analyst Mark Plotkin says. And while it’s hard to imagine Norton losing the primary – Norton crushed Sloan in the DC Dems District-wide straw poll, and she won the endorsement of the Gertrude Stein Democrats Club winning 87 percent of the vote – Plotkin says the Ward 3 numbers “could be an early indicator that Norton’s popularity is slipping.”

Can’t Buy Me Love

Chairman Vince Gray chats with supporters at the groundbreaking of the Hill Center. Photo: Andrew Lightman

16 ★ East of the River • July 2010

Despite the fact that Mayor Adrian Fenty has raised eight times what his closest competitor has raised, an unprecedented $4.2 million, Fenty can’t seem to buy himself a break. Council Chairman Vince Gray has won nearly all of the recent straw polls, including the Ward 3 Dems where Gray won by 6 votes, the Gertrude Stein Dems where Gray snagged 63 percent of the votes and the DC Democratic State Convention where Gray bested Fenty with 703 votes to Fenty’s 190. Leo Alexander managed to get 75 votes.

Prepare Your Son for College An All Male Education Works. Septima Clark Public Charter School for Boys Fenty did manage to win the Ward 8 straw poll, but only when unregistered voters were allowed to vote. When the vote was limited to previously registered voters, Gray came out on top. It’s not a good trend for Fenty, who less than four years ago won every single precinct in the District and has a good record of accomplishments to run on. Not to mention that Fenty is a far better politician than Gray, better organized, better looking and better known. On paper, Fenty would be the odds on favorite by a mile. But right now, with fewer than 90 days before the election, it’s Grays to lose. I have to admit, I never thought I would write those words. Six months ago when Gray was toying with the idea of running, it didn’t seem like he had a chance to beat Fenty. It was a fool’s errand. But Gray has proven he’s nobody’s fool. And Fenty continues to prove that he is his own worst enemy. Take the recent incident surrounding the theft of two bicycles from Fenty’s home. According to police and press reports, some kids walked into Fenty’s garage and made off with his son’s bicycles. Any other politician would have seen this as an opportunity to show the public he’s just like they are, and anyone can be a victim of crime. “I feel your pain” comes to mind. But not our mayor. No, Fenty has based his mayoral career on secrecy. Everything he does is a secret, whether it’s taking trips to foreign countries paid for by governments that discriminate against minorities like China and the United Arab Emirates, or his mid-day bike rides using a police motorcycle escort, or his meetings with elected officials, Fenty thinks the public is on a need-to-know-basis only. And the public doesn’t need to know. So it was with the bike theft. The police report was marked confidential; at first Fenty would not answer questions about it, then when it was

clear this was going to be a news story, he released a brief statement. It all goes to his attitude toward the public. The public who he is sworn to serve, the public who pays his salary, and the public who is depending on him. And on the heels of the missing bikes comes news that a Fenty campaign staffer was arrested for selling crack to an undercover police officer. Fenty just can’t seem to buy a break. But Gray has his problems as well. And like Fenty, they are selfmade. Gray still refuses to admit he did anything wrong when it comes to the fence he built at his home. District officials have determined the fence is illegal and must be moved. Gray insists this is political payback from Fenty loyalists in the government. The fact is Gray built the fence without getting permits, and no matter how screwed up the DC permitting process is, Gray is the second highest elected official in the District and should be held to higher standard than the average homeowner. His insistence that he’s done nothing wrong does not play well in the church basements and living rooms across the eight wards. But Gray seems tone deaf on this issue.

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Watch Most of the Candidates You can see most of the candidates this summer on my weekly TV show, NewsPlus, Fridays at 7:30 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. on DC 50. Or you can watch anytime at www. dc50tv.com. I say “most of the candidates” because for the past three and a half years, despite promising to do so, Mayor Fenty has refused to appear on my radio or TV show. Luckily the other candidates are not afraid to sit down with me. Mark Segraves is an award winning investigative reporter and talk show host. He can be heard daily on WTOP Radio 103.5 FM and weekly on DC 50 TV. He can be reached at msegraves@wtop.com. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 17

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the N U M B 3 R S

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The Wrong Prescription DC’S Financial Woes are Being Misdiagnosed by Jenny Reed

ou may have heard that DC is headed for another control board. But you know better than to believe everything you hear, right? Yes, DC’s finances have suffered in the recession, as have every city’s and every state’s. But the District isn’t anywhere close to the kinds of problems that actually would trigger a control board, such as consistently failing to pay its bills on time or running a year-end deficit. So why the alarm? The reason is that the city’s “fund balance” — essentially DC’s bank account — has declined from a high of $1.6 billion in 2005 to $920 million in 2009 and perhaps as low as $650 million by the end of 2011. The pace of the decline has justifiably raised some concerns. But the reality is that the District is weathering the economic storm better than most states, which also are pulling money out of reserves to avoid major budget cuts in the midst of one of the worst recessions in history. In fact, DC’s reserves are healthier than in 43 states. The concern over the state of fiscal affairs has led to calls to shore up the city’s dwindling reserves. While this goal makes sense, a plan just adopted by the DC Council goes too far too fast, and it will tie up a significant amount of any new resources. The middle of a recession is the wrong time to focus solely on building reserves, when limited resources are needed to avoid cuts in city services, and to make critical reinvestments as we start the long road to recovery.

So What Is ‘Fund Balance,’ and Why Is It So Important? DC’s Fund balance is essentially the city’s checking and savings account in one. Not surprisingly, Wall Street credit agencies keep an eye on how well we manage the fund balance as one of many factors considered when they set our bond rating. What’s in the city’s bank account? The fund balance includes lots of parts, including the city’s rainy day reserves, escrow funds needed to back DC’s bond payments, and taxes collected for specific purposes that haven’t been spent yet. When DC’s economy is strong and the city runs a surplus, that goes into the fund balance, too. One critical use of the fund balance is to help the city meet its cash flow needs. Some tax collections come in as big chunks at different times of the year — like property taxes that are paid in September and March. Yet DC’s bills come in every month. Having money in the bank — the fund balance — helps the city meet its regular payments and avoid shortterm borrowing to cover expenditures. 18 ★ East of the River • July 2010

Why Did DC’s Fund Balance Go Up? And Why Is it Coming Down? DC’s bank account swelled in the mid-2000s as a result of large and unexpected budget surpluses. Our fund balance reached an unprecedented $1.6 billion — equal to 37 percent of DC’s budget at a time when the average for states was 8 percent. In the face of that, DC’s leaders made conscious and sensible decisions to put some of that excess to good use. Most notably, we devoted huge sums to fund a backlog of capital and infrastructure projects without the need for borrowing. And when the recession hit, the mayor and council tapped into a number of “special purpose funds” that were underutilized and had built up large surpluses, using those funds to avoid deep cuts to program and services. DC’s fund balance could fall by 2011 to a level equal to 10 percent of the city’s budget. Yet that still is higher than in 43 states, including Maryland and Virginia.

Shoring up DC’s Finances: What’s the Most Important Thing to Do? Even if DC’s fund balance is not at a crisis state, we probably can’t take out too much more — and at some point it would be good to build our savings back up. But how much and when are key questions to ask. The budget just approved by the DC Council includes provisions to start rebuilding reserves now. While the council deserves credit for seeing this as an important issue, their plan ultimately will tie up a lot more money than is necessary at a time when DC’s finances are still fragile. Under the new budget, 100 percent of future budget surpluses will be used to fill two reserves until they reach a total of nearly $700 million. (Yes, even in a recession, DC is likely to end the year with some surplus.) Initially, half of surplus funds will go to a reserve to help respond to unforeseen spending pressures that arise during the year. This makes sense, and it’s similar to a $50 million budget reserve DC maintained until fiscal year 2009 when it was eliminated. Under the new plan, the

operating reserve will be built up to $145 million. The plan for the other half of future surpluses is far more problematic. These funds will just sit in the fund balance — to help meet the city’s cash ﬂow needs — and will not be available for anything else, like an increase in Medicaid caseloads or another drop in revenue collections. This reserve will be built up to a whopping $530 million even though DC has never had more than $175 million sitting around for these purposes. Building up the fund balance by $675 million will take many, many years, which means a large amount of taxpayer funds will be tied up for a long time.

Tying Up a Significant Amount of Resources as We Exit the Recession Is the Wrong Prescription In the end, this decision reflects the wrong diagnosis of DC’s current financial ills – and the wrong prescription. Every dollar we put into a reserve is a dollar that can’t be used to invest in our city. That balance needs to be weighed carefully going forward. DC’s most pressing fiscal problem is the large drop in tax collections that has led to cuts in all parts of the budget – from libraries to parks to street sweeping to affordable housing. DC’s finances are likely to be fragile as it comes out of the recession, which means preserving resources for the budget should be the top priority right now. A more balanced approach would still include a rebuilding of our fund balance, but not by setting aside nearly all future resources or by building it up more than necessary. Setting aside a smaller portion of resources would help us rebuild our reserves while also giving the mayor and council enough flexibility right now to preserve services and to begin making critical reinvestments as we exit the recession. Reed is a policy analyst with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi. org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect low- and moderate-income DC residents. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 19

Neighborhood News

New Libraries in East Washington Anacostia, Benning and Deanwood by John Muller

ne of the most prominent developers in East Washington through the ﬁrst half of this year has proven to be an unexpected and sometimes forgotten member of the community – the library. On June 25, both recent and longtime Ward 7 residents and community leaders joined Mayor Adrian Fenty and DC Public Library Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper at the grand opening of a 63,000-square-foot multi-purpose facility in Deanwood that includes a 7,500-square-foot library at 1350 49th St. NE directly oﬀ Minnesota Avenue NE. With 20 computers, space set aside for children’s activities, a teen study area and capacity for 25,000 books, the new Deanwood Library stands as a welcome upgrade for the neighborhood to those who remember the Deanwood Library Kiosk

at 4215 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE. The 120 square foot kiosk was closed in the summer of 2008. Neighborhood jokes had circulated for years surrounding the library such as “Even (insert name) has read all the books in there.” Those jokes are now relegated to memory. Sylvia Brown, the advisory neighborhood commissioner for 7C04 and past president of the Deanwood Citizens Association, has already observed a noticeable increase in foot traﬃc in the neighborhood, which she says is a great plus for the community with the prospect of future investment and development. “It’s great to see people walking from as far as Division Avenue and Foote Street,” says Brown, who hopes the Deanwood Recreation Center and Library, the realization of the community’s

long history of civic activism and engagement, can be a source of hope for communities in other areas of the city. Along with the new Deanwood Library, in the past three months the city has opened new modern libraries for the Anacostia and Benning branches. The Benning Neighborhood Library, two-stories and 22,000 square feet, at 3935 Benning Road NE, was the ﬁrst, new, standalone library to open in the city in more than two decades. The library has an expanded children’s area, study rooms, and a wide range of materials for check-out from DVDs to new releases. Additionally, last fall, a new Parklands-Turner Library opened at 1547 Alabama Ave. SE, replacing the old kiosk still standing across the street in the Shops at Parkland strip mall in the same lot as the Giant. The new library has been a solid anchor for the surrounding retail ac-

cording to neighborhood members. The Washington Highlands Library that stood at 115 Atlantic St. SW has been knocked down. A new library is scheduled to open in 2011 and will continue to hold the attention of an active community that has been very engaged in the planning process. The interim library has been opened at 4037 South Capitol St. SW in the interim. On a recent afternoon, a group of a dozen early and pre-teens from the immediate neighborhood were “chillaxing” in the Anacostia Library or “chillville” as they call it. The library keeps them “out of trouble and doing something positive” according to Kabula Samuel, 12, a daily visitor. “It used to be a miracle when you’d get a computer; now it’s no longer than a 30-minute wait,” said her twin brother, Mabula. Every member of the group held a library card. The DC Library Police Oﬃcer assigned to the Anacostia Library noted he has a good relationship with the group of young people he sees every day. At the time of the interview, the group of young people made it a point to show me the eight MAC computers in the children’s section. I observed seven out of the eight were “out of service. The consensus was

OPPOSITE PAGE: “The new Anacostia Library at 1800 Good Hope Road SE opened on April 26th.” Photo by John Muller LEFT: “The interior of the Anacostia Library with busy public computer terminals.” Photo by John Muller BELOW: Mayor Fenty speaks at the opening of the Deanwood Recreation Center and Library. There has been controversy as to when he decided to speak as Ward 7’s own Yvette Alexander and Vincent Gray had not yet arrived. Photo by Sylvia Brown

In full library disclosure, we must acknowledge the Capitol View Neighborhood Library at 5001 Central Ave. SE and the Francis Gregory Interim Library at 2100 36th Place SE. The interim library will remain open during the construction of the new Francis Gregory Library, which is scheduled to open in summer 2011, according to the library’s website. While older and somewhat antiquated libraries in upper Northwest such as Cleveland Park and Chevy Chase have been longtime pillars of community life, the new state-ofthe-art libraries in East Washington have opened with an enthusiasm of renewed civic prides that has been a long time coming.

that the computers had been down for a month, if not two months, or longer. However, this did not diminish their enthusiasm for their new neighborhood library, “We’ll be here tomorrow, if you have any more questions.”

Circulation Numbers Up Fulﬁlling the prophetic adage that “if you build it, they will come,” preliminary circulation numbers for the Benning and Anacostia libraries, released by DCPL, indicate there is direct causality between increased circulation numbers and new libraries. The new Benning Neighborhood Library opened on April 5. From that date through May 31, this library issued 1,647 new library cards. In May, the new Benning Library had 7,224 items checked out. The Benning Interim Library had 1,928 items checked out in May 2009. The old Benning Library had 899 books checked out in April 2004. The new Anacostia Neighborhood Library opened on April 26, and from that date through May 31, had issued 669 new library cards. In May 2010, the Anacostia Library had 5,318 items checked out while in May 2009 the Anacostia Interim

Library had 2,373 items checked out. In comparison, the old Anacostia Library had 1,000 books checked out in April 2004. One reason for increased circulation is a wider variety of materials available to the public, say DC Li-

brary oﬃcials. The old libraries offered books and CDs while the interim and new libraries oﬀer books, DVDs, CDs, playaways (audio books on self-contained mp3 players) and other items that have been popular and thus circulated.

John Muller, is a longtime friend of the DC Public Library system and former summer youth employment program participant assigned to the Adult Literacy Resource Center at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 901 G St. NW. He can be reached at jmuller.washsyndicate@ gmail.com ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 21

neighborhood news

Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Finally coming to Ward 7’s Fort Dupont Park by John Muller

1. “Josh Gibson with young fans.” 2. “Morris Brown baseball team from turn of the century.” Photo by Library of Congress 3. “1913 Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues” 4. “Homestead Grays began playing in Washington, DC in the 40’s. They routinely drew more fans than the Washington Senators”

22 ★ East of the River • July 2010

aseball is not perceived to be a major youth sport in D.C, but the city used to produce Major League players. According to BaseballReference.com, 94 players and 41 pitchers in Major League Baseball history have been born in Washington, DC. But the majority of them played before the turn of the 19th century. Only one of the ﬁve managers born in Washington, 1962 National League MVP and Los Angeles Dodger Maury Wills, a Cardozo High School graduate, was born after 1900. Although Emmanuel Burriss, Wilson High School graduate, was drafted in the ﬁrst round of the 2006 Amateur draft and played on the San Francisco Giants in 2008 and 2009 before injuring his foot in Spring Training, baseball is not thought of as a sport that DC youth excel in. This could all change. Early last month, after years of inner-bureaucratic and NIMBY environmental disputes, the National Capital Planning Commission approved the transfer of 15 acres of federal park land from the National Park Service to the city. Located in the northern area of Fort Dupont Park, bounded by Ely Place, Minnesota Avenue, and Ride Road SE, the land will be used for two purposes -- to expand the Fort Dupont Ice Arena, built in 1976 and already serving an estimated 10,000 boys and girls each year; and the highly anticipated Washington Na-

tionals Youth Baseball Academy. To support the Academy, the Nationals Dream Foundation has made a significant contribution of one million dollars as an initial investment for construction and $250,000 for each of the next ten years to maintain operational costs. Two years ago, in anticipation of the land transfer, the City Council set aside $11.3 million towards the construction of the Academy. “The goal of the Nationals Dream Foundation is to respond in a significant and impactful way to problems that plague our community,” says Marla Lerner Tannenbaum, daughter of Nationals owner Ted Lerner and chairman of the Dream Foundation. “We’ve been working on this Academy for the past three years and are now focusing on the zoning, design, fundraising, and a lease with the city.” The Academy is being modeled after Harlem, New York’s successful Reviving Baseball in the Inner City (RBI) program which integrates academic enrichment and after-school support programs with fundamental baseball instruction. While the Capitol City Little League has operated in areas of NW Washington to the west of Rock Creek Park for more than two decades, the Batter UP Foundation was formed in 2004 and serves as DC’s RBI program, conducting in-school programs and summer leagues for children and teenagers in Wards 6, 7, and 8. KPMG, a global accounting firm, has partnered as the lead sponsor of DC’s RBI program to strengthen and grow youth baseball efforts in East Washington. The Nationals will be one of five host sites for the Mid-Atlantic RBI Tournament July 15-18 to be held at Nationals Park, Catholic University, Brentwood-Hamilton, Gallaudet University, and Banneker Recreation Center. In 1975, more than a quarter of all major leaguers were African American. With the growth in popularity of professional football and basketball, baseball quickly became an after-thought for many urban youth. To re-introduce baseball to urban areas, former Major Leaguer John Young started Reviving Baseball in

the Inner City (RBI) in South Central Los Angeles in 1989 after noticing that the majority of urban kids quit baseball between the ages of 13 and 16 due to a lack of organizational support. The program is now in more than 200 cities with more than $30 million in support from Major League Baseball and its teams. Current players Carl Crawford, 2007 National League MVP Jimmy Rollins, and Dontrelle Willis are all alumni of RBI. In 2008 10.2 percent of players in the Majors were black. Ten of the 64 players selected for the 2009 All-Star game were black, with only Derek Jeter among the 16 players chosen to start by fan vote. In comparison, the 1979 AllStar game featured 16 black players and seven starters. The situation has become so dire that many Historically Black Colleges and Universities recruit white and Latino students to fill the rosters of their baseball teams. Howard University, with three modern major leaguers amongst its alumni, no longer fields a team although in recent years students have on their own initiative started a club team. “The sandlot doesn’t exist anymore. Youth baseball is all highly organized now,” says Gerald Hall, Sr. Director of Baseball Operations for the Woodridge Warriors. Hall’s son, Gerald Hall, Jr. plays in the Minor League system of the Kansas City Royals, after playing for Gonzaga High School and Old Dominion University. “For a sport that doesn’t thrive in the city, this is a great development we support. It shows there is a public interest and people within the city who are making an investment in youth and baseball,” says Mason Clark, Athletic Director of the Woodridge Warriors Youth Organization in NE Washington. If all goes well, the Academy’s three fields will open for a six-week program in the summer of 2011 with the Academy opening in 2012. ★

Great Streets Garbage Deanwood Improvements Hampered by Trash by Virginia Avniel Spatz

CLOCKWISE from TOP: 1. Improved section of parkland near Lady Bird Johnson Gateway abuts trash-filled properties. 2. Demolition materials afire at All Aboard Contractor, 4214 Hunt Place NE. 3. Construction debris and other trash piles up in vacant, unsecured lot next to All Aboard.

Illegal dumping detracts from efforts to fashion “Great Streets” in Deanwood Work is underway on Great Streets improvements to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. The commercial corridor along Nannie Helen Burroughs and Sheriff Road is receiving investment through Deanwood Heights Main Streets. In addition, area parkland has seen a range of improvements. The National Park Service, Groundwork Anacostia River DC and other community partners have been collaborating to improve Fort Mahan, at Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road, and to complete the larger Fort Circle Trail. The District government, local businesses, cyclists and hikers, Washington Parks and People, Groundwork and others have contributed improvements to Marvin Gaye Park, the city’s longest park. As part of the Deanwood Strategic Plan, the District identified four “gateways” to Marvin Gaye Park, which stretches from Minnesota Avenue at Nannie Helen Burroughs to the eastern edge of Ward 7. The intention is to “create a linear park running the length of the Watts Branch Stream Valley.” To the east is “Capitol Gateway,” near the Watts Branch Recreation Center. The Riverside Center, at Division Avenue and Foote Street, and the soon-to-be-developed Strand Theatre are part of “Heritage Green.” The Lederer Center, at 48th and 49th streets, anchors the third gateway. Lady Bird Johnson Meadows, between Minnesota and Nannie Helen Burroughs avenues, is the western gateway to Marvin Gaye Park. The city recently completed a $2.7 million improvement at this gateway.

Gateway or Garbage Dump? “We are making real investments in our communities – building stronger, safer and healthier neighborhoods,” Mayor Adrian Fenty said at the Lady Bird Johnson Gateway ribbon cutting on June 18. “Residents in every neighborhood in our city deserve ﬁrst-class recreation amenities, and we are delivering just that with this park.” Around the corner, however, at 4300 Hunt Place NE, is an overgrown and unsecured vacant lot, a magnet for dumping and other illegal activities. Adjacent to this lot is All Aboard Contractors, which serves as an informal

transfer station for demolition materials. Since 2006, neighbors have been requesting help from the District regarding these properties. One round of complaints resulted in a tarp on the contractors’ fencing, blocking some of the unsightly view. But trash continues to amass, and neighbors report ﬁres and other unhealthy conditions. More recently, the mayor’s oﬃce implemented a “FixIt” at the vacant lot; the property remains unsecured, however, so unsightly, unhealthy and illegal conditions persist. Dennis Chestnut, executive director of Groundwork Anacostia River DC, is among those who want to ensure that All Aboard conducts only legal activities on their property. In addition, he has a proposal for a more long-lasting and community-centered solution for the vacant land.

A Greener Proposal One of Groundwork’s goals is to remediate “brown fields” like the vacant lot on Hunt Place. Without transferring ownership, he says, Groundwork can bring healthier conditions to the property. Among the more ambitious suggestions is a native tree nursery. At a minimum, however, Groundwork could replace concrete, weeds and trash with plantings that would prevent groundwater run-off. Any one of several options would remove the current eyesore and provide other community benefits. “I would definitely support the efforts of Groundwork Anacostia for improvements to that area. This would be a prime example for the type of work that the group was formed to do. I have zero tolerance for blighted property in our community,” says Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander. To date, however, Chestnut has not been able to get sufficient official support to make this proposal a reality. The Advisory Neighborhood Commission has not taken up this issue. The mayor’s office organized the Fix-It but has not yet taken any long-term action. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 23

neighborhood news

Visiting Frederick Douglass’ House An historic figure provides a heroic image CLOCKWISE from LEFT 1. A 2007 marker from the Friends of Libraries, USA demarks the FDNHS a literay landmark. 2. The view from the top of the FDNHS overlooks Historic Anacostia and all of Washington to the US Capitol. 3. The FDNHS on a recent evening as the American Flag is lowered.

24 ★ East of the River • July 2010

by John Muller

On Saturday, August 1 from 1pm – 4pm, the FDNHS will host its 3rd Annual Family Fun Festival. The free event will allow visitors the chance to experience the “everyday mechanics of Victorian life” with crafts, ice cream churning, live music and Junior Ranger activities according to Ranger Braden Paynter. Last year, more than 43,000 visited FDNHS, including First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters. Ranger guided tours are available throughout the day on a first-come firstserve basis Monday through Sunday at 9am, 12:15pm, 3pm, 3:30pm, and 4pm. Larger groups are encouraged to make reservations. FDNHS features a bookstore and is open from 9am to 4:30pm. For more information visit www.nps.gov/frdo or call (202) 426-5961. Ranger Satterwhite gives a recent tour to a group of vistors.

n the early morning of Saturday, June 5, a seventeen year old absconding from the supervision of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services was shot and killed at the corner of 16th & W Street SE. The next block down, fifty-one feet above the street, is the 19th century Victorian home of Frederick Douglas. In 1838, at the age of 20, Douglas absconded from Southern slavery to Northern freedom. He lived in the house from 1877 until his death on February 20, 1895 when he collapsed in the foyer at mid-day after attending a women’s rights meeting. The unpretentious yet dominating home, on the heights above the Anacostia River, provided its owner with a commanding view of the U.S. Capitol and the city of Washington. Its owner was a remarkable self-taught man who became a commanding figure in American history. Slave, abolitionist, human rights activist, linguist, diplomat, author, editor, orator--Frederick Douglass was all these things, a role model for all people, for all times,” according to a 1997 National Park Service advertisement. Douglass first moved to Washington, DC from Rochester, New York in 1871. He purchased two row houses, 316 and 318 A Street SE, on Capitol Hill prior to moving to Anacostia. Cedar Hill, the Anacostia home which Douglass named for the abundance of Cedar trees, was originally named Van Hook’s Hill after John Van Hook who developed the property from 1855 to 1859 and is known as the failed financier behind Uniontown. On the first of September 1877 Douglass bought the property for $6,700. He would eventually expand the property from 9 ¾ acres to 15 acres and the home from 14 rooms to 21 rooms. The home and property of the Frederick Dou-

glass National Historic Site (FDNHS) at 1411 W Street SE became a unit of the National Park Service on September 5, 1962. Following government hearings and renovations, the home was oﬃcially opened to the public on February 14, 1972. The home re-opened in February of 2007 after nearly three years and $2 million of renovations. About 90% of the home’s artifacts are original. An incline of eighty-ﬁve steps to reach the front door is a symbolic climb, says 12 year old White Dawes, who lives in the neighborhood, “They represent the steps to get to where you want to go in life.” “Frederick Douglass represents the black experience and the journey of our people. His ambition – travelling, writing books, political activism – is inspiring and that’s why I’m bringing my children here,” said Ken Martin of Dallas, Texas on a recent visit to the FDNHS. In 1845 Douglass, then 27, an emerging orator and lecturer in the Abolitionist movement with the support of publisher William Lloyd Garrison, burst onto the national scene and immortalized himself in the American consciousness with his writing of “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” Douglass wrote his narrative to prove that he had been a slave, which many doubted because of his raw intellect and masterful use of language. As a slave in Baltimore, Douglass was taught the alphabet by his master’s wife, although it was unlawful to teach slaves to read. To further his instruction Douglass took to the streets, where at 12 years old he would trade pieces of bread with poor white children for impromptu lessons. “When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my re-

turn. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. ”While Frederick Douglass was known as the Sage and Lion of Anacostia, many of today’s young people passing by the W Street property on the B2 and U2 bus and on foot are uninspired by the life of Douglas,” says Mabula Samuel, 12, who lives nearby and has visited many times over the years, gaining an intimate appreciation for the struggles that came to define Douglass’ life. “If you learn how to read, you can do anything,” says Mabula who spends time with his friends at the new Anacostia Library. Mabula says he “felt sad for a moment” when he first learned about Frederick Douglass while viewing a video shown at the site. “He brought power to our race. He worked with President Lincoln. He tried everything in his power to free his people. That’s why he’s my hero,” noted the young honor roll student. “The youth today can recite a song on the radio verbatim, but know next to nothing about, or let alone can quote one of the greatest orators in American history,” says Antar Tichavakunda, 20, a DCPS graduate and rising senior at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island who first remembers visiting the FDNHS in grade school. “You think of what obstacles he surmounted and who am I to complain? You had to have had a different type of mettle to fight a slave-breaker back and never be hit again,” said Tichavakunda. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 25

neighborhood news

Highland Dwellings Transformation Relocation, Renovations and Fair Market Rentals by Virginia Avniel Spatz

quiring this size apartment. Meanwhile more than 30 two-bedroom units in the existing conﬁguration – which will not be changed by renovations – would remain unoccupied according to current needs. Preference for the appropriately sized apartments would go to those with the longest tenure at Highland Dwellings.

Immediate and Long-Term Concerns

Highlands Dwellings residents gather, on June 22, to discuss relocation and “disposition” concerns.

ighland Dwellings, in far Southeast, is slated for a six-phase renovation to begin this summer. In addition, the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) proposes to reduce the 208 units of public housing by 25 percent to 40 percent, transforming 53 to 83 units into fair market rentals in order to ﬁnance renovations. Plans for Highland Dwellings – between Atlantic and Xenia streets SE, from Condon Terrace to Eighth Street – are independent of those for the Highland Additions, two blocks to the north (just south of Valley Avenue). Highland Additions was torn down in 2001 and is slated for redevelopment by DCHA, Crawford Edgewood Managers and New Market Investors. Building has been delayed due to funding challenges, and a federal Hope VI award is still awaited.

Plan and Finance Highland Dwellings renovations will “focus on improving energy efﬁciency, ecological sustainability, and healthfulness of the property.” Heating and cooling systems will be updated. Insulation, ﬂooring, paint and interior furnishings will be replaced with nontoxic materials. Shade trees 26 ★ East of the River • July 2010

and better drainage are also planned. “People are excited to end up with remodeled, new, green units,” says DCHA spokesperson Dena Michelson. Some affected residents raise questions, however, about the relocation process, interim housing options, and return to the renovated property. Community members are also concerned about the proposed reduction in traditional public housing and about the effect of relocations on Ferebee-Hope, the nearby DC Public School elementary school. DCHA is providing $4.2 million and using $7.3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for Highland Dwellings renovations. This extends to 122 of the 208 units. The entire two-part project will cost $19.5 million, and DCHA proposes to raise the additional $8 million through private debt financing. Therefore, DCHA proposes to “dispose of ” approximately 20 buildings (53-83 units), while retaining ownership of the land. The Authority would then “leverage the Fair Market Rents of [these units] to generate the additional financing to accomplish the required work.” HUD must first approve any property disposition and project based

voucher (PBV) transformation.

Timeline and Process Work on the ﬁrst 122 units is scheduled to begin in August, with residents relocated in phases. “Phase A” includes 34 units in nine buildings on Yuma, Xenia and Eighth streets. Michelson reports that 150 residents attended a June 3 meeting on the project. Residents were given a questionnaire about interim housing needs, and a resident committee is helping develop criteria for “re-entry” following relocation. Two families have already moved, Michelson adds, and work will not begin until all residents have been relocated. Most households will be able to return once renovations are complete, she says. One exception is four families against whom “Fight Back” (crime-related eviction) action has been taken. Another exception is the 28 households for whom appropriately sized re-entry apartments may not be available immediately. There are 53 households currently requiring one-bedroom units, for example, although there are only 27 such apartments available. And there are only six four-bedroom apartments, while there are eight households re-

Many residents want guarantees that they can return following relocation. Some question interim residence options, saying that relocation to Lincoln Heights in Ward 7 or James Creek in Ward 6, for example, creates challenges for reaching school, church, etc. The disposition and voucher plan also concerns community members. Kay Armstead (Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8E06), whose single member district encompasses Highland Additions and abuts Highland Dwellings, met with nearly 50 residents on June 22 to discuss these and other concerns. Sarojah Spruill, Residents Council president, told the group, “We are family. We can’t aﬀord market rate housing. So we have to speak up.” “What does Homeland Security mean to us? It means they’re in, and we’re out,” Charlene Marshall, vice president of the Residents Council, added. Phylisa Carter, an attorney with Bread for the City, told participants that her organization is researching residents’ rights. Linda Leaks, lead housing organizer for Empower DC, noted a nationwide trend toward privatizing public housing. Armstead encouraged residents to focus on clear demands to bring to DCHA. She said a future meeting would focus on Ferebee-Hope’s enrollment and discussions with HUD. ANC 8E Chair Sandra “S.S.” Seegars, who did not attend the June 22 meeting, said she favors direct citizen involvement but fears that Armstead’s approach “causes more confusion than help.” The ANC supported plans for the Highland Additions, but the Highland Dwellings project has not come before the commission. Stephen Slaughter, whose district includes the Dwellings, was investigating the situation at press time. ★

All About Us Day Camp’s Second Annual Basketball Game article and photos by Shannon Holloway

CLOCKWISE from TOP 1. Will the ball go the distance? 2. Newbie Trevon Williams joins founder Annette Kenner and two of the original four boys. 3. Kids and adults alike take to the court!

he beginnings of All About Us Day Camp were quite simple, as most are, with the recognition of a community need in the presence of those with the willingness to do something immediate to help compensate for a structural flaw. The camp’s founder, Annette Kenner, says, “With both parents having to work, their kids are left alone, and that’s not good; kids need an outlet for all their energy.” On July 17, in the summer of 2008, four children: Lamont Kenner (Annette’s grandson), Lucky Fleemster, Rashad Hawkins and Deven Herbert were bored. The elementary school playground was closed, so was the Boys and Girls Club, and the kids left to their own devices realized they had nowhere to go. Finding this idea unacceptable, Annette decided to start All About Us Day Camp. Since that first day, the camp has grown from four children to 16 and up to 50 taking these kids from boredom to practicing fractions, cursive writing, reading, spelling comprehension, playing double-dutch, having water balloon fights, going on trips to Six

Flags, playing golf, and visiting local museums. Their entire worlds have been bettered. “The children are my focus,” Annette says as she endearingly calls each child her grandkid. She has grown up here and literally knows almost everyone in her community, pointing out person after person who has lived here since they were also children; and many of whom, including her, now have their children and grandchildren in tow. Annette says, “I make it my business to get to know everyone around the block and schools. We grew up together, and now we’ve come back [together].” Annette started volunteering her help during events for Turning the Page, an organization at Payne Elementary. She also makes trips for the seniors in her community during the heat of the day and shares All About Us Day Camp event food and beverages with them at no cost. Yet Annette is quick to realize that she could not do any of the work that she has without the countless community members who go above and beyond to get her what the kids need. The turnout for All About Us

Day Camp’s Second Annual Basketball Game, held June 26 on the Payne Elementary playground, was great. Around 1 p.m., there were already children, adults, parents and community members who have shown up to participate in the day’s activities, raise some money, support the cause and the kids, and of course, watch the camp’s basketball games. Annette’s sister, Karen Hicks, and daughter, Latoya Eccles, were on hand to help run the event. Julie McMillan, a Payne Elementary Ward 7 partner from Turning the Page was there to help and hang out with the kids. Community member Roscoe Grant was on hand and volunteered to cook. Annette’s “backbone,” community friend and donor, Jerry May, not only donated the burgers, hot dogs, beverages and buns for event so that the camp could raise funds for more trips, but he also helped to document the game by photographing. Annette says Jerry’s kindness, as those of the many others who have come out on this day, begins with their belief in her and what she is doing for these kids. In return for her

leadership role and positive inﬂuence, the community members are always there for her, for the kids, getting involved in the community themselves, and with a strong sense of community. No one is complaining that they are left with idle time on their hands. For more information about the camp, e-mail allaboutusdaycamp@gmail.com. Shannon Holloway is a local artist living in the District. You may reach her via e-mail at holloway.shannon@ gmail.com. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 27

East Washington Life

GO -GO G

Alive and Well and Still Cranking

by J ohn M

ulle r

o-go pumps from street corner to street corner throughout the city, providing a rhythmic soundtrack for the urban bustle of DC’s working class neighborhoods. From Wheeler Road SE to Benning Road NE to Florida Avenue NW, the city’s indigenous sound of choice is go-go. Similar to jazz and New Orleans or the Blues and the Mississippi Delta, go-go music has grown uniquely from within the city and continues to be cultivated and appreciated by the city, despite some who want to prematurely write its epitaph. Mayor Adrian Fenty has used gogo music as a platform to extend his campaign message to would-be supporters of his re-election eﬀorts. Radio ads and marketing eﬀorts, such as T-Shirts associating

Fenty with go-go, provide evidence to any doubters that go-go still holds cultural currency. Fenty’s nascent endorsement of go-go, and go-go’s endorsement of him, stands in contradiction to Metropolitan Police Department Chief Lanier’s well publicized “go-go report.” Morning brieﬁngs are used to identify potential locations where go-go shows might be happening so MPD knows where to divert extra police presence. An incident this year at Georgetown Day School in NW and a recent deadly shooting at Georgia Avenue & Peabody Street NW, near the MPD’s Fourth District Headquarters, serve as reminders that whether right or wrong, go-go has a stigmatizing connotation. Go-go’s longstanding association with violence began in the early 1990s with City Councilmember Frank Smith (Ward 1) advocating against gogo in the city, and local media coverage that depicted go-go as violent. Many annual events such as Georgia Avenue Day, which prominently featured live outdoor go-go, and venues such as the Capitol City Pavilion, aka “The Black Hole,” are now only memories. While popular performance venues still exist in the city, many shows have now shifted to Prince G e o r g e ’s

in a band that would rotate rehearsals from house to house and one day Harley, coming from his trumpet lesson, overheard the rehearsals and knocked on the door. He was given an audition on the spot. Johnson remembers Harley played Kool & The Gang’s Billboard hit “Hollywood Swinging.” This was 1976 and the rest is history.

American Shottas

OPPOSITE PAGE: “The Capitol City Pavillion aka “Black Hole” on Georgia Avenue NW, now closed, was a popular performance spot for go-go bands” Photo by John Muller ABOVE: “Rare Essence, internationally known, performs more than 200 times a year.” Photo Courtesy of Rare Essence RIGHT: “Rare Essence gets the crowd moving at a recent show at the Zanzibar on the SW waterfront.” Photo by John Muller

County, which has hosted go-gos going back to the early 1980’s when they were held at the now-shuttered Rosecroft Raceway.

Rare Essence One of the most internationally known go-go bands is Rare Essence. Band leader and one if its original members, Andre Johnson, estimates RE has performed more than 200 times a year for the past two and half decades. Known as “RE,” Rare Essence was formed back in the 1970s, first under the name Young Dynamos, and has achieved legendary status in the city. With classics such as “Overnight Scenario”, “Body Snatchers”, “Work the Walls” in their musical cannon, RE is releasing PA Tape #12 with its latest hit “Clap if it’s Good.” The album is available in stores and online while the lead video can be seen on YouTube. On a recent Wednesday night, the Zanzibar on the SW waterfront was abuzz as RE prepared to take the stage. Many of the self-described “grown and sexy” crowd had received text messages letting them know where RE was performing that night. New technologies such as texting and iTunes have allowed RE to reach its fans in a new ways, says Johnson. As city officials have changed their attitude towards go-go, “one thing hasn’t changed; people love this music,” affirms Johnson who maintains that RE, staying as “current as we can” has been successful in maintaining a rapport with its fans that transcends generations. A recurring theme when talking to attendees of RE’s show was the intimacy the audience feels with RE. Many described their shows as a reunion of sorts. One fan said that she saw her junior high boyfriend as well as her best friend who she had lost track of and hadn’t see for more than a decade. That is the essence

of a Rare Essence show, she said. Johnson and band members are local celebrities in their own right which makes the connection with their fans that much more personal. “I might see them or they might see me during the day and you always want to let people know you appreciate their support.” With a catalogue of individual songs on iTunes and numerous albums, RE can trace its fans to Germany, Australia, and areas that are well beyond a metro ride. Performing in Harlem, at New York’s Apollo Theater, up and down the eastern seaboard at HBCU’s, on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and at the 2005 MTV Music Awards, Rare Essence “is adored by the city, because of what they mean to us,” says Ms. Parker, a loyal fan for more than two decades. Some people’s only exposure to go-go is formed by makeshift street musicians who harness buckets together downtown along 7th Street NW. Johnson says this phenomenon, ongoing for years, is “ﬂattering” and shows the self-determination of go-go to be heard and enjoyed wherever and whenever it can be as long as there is a demanding crowd. Johnson, in the go-go game for more than 30 years, can remember when he was classmates with the recently deceased go-go legend Anthony Harley aka “Little Benny” at St. Thomas More Catholic School on 4th Street, SE. At that time Johnson was

The Smithsonian of go-go music, with archival CDs from the 1970’s until now, is American Shottas at 1346 Good Hope Road SE, according to its owner Manni. He is in the process of filming a documentary on go-go from its inception to where the distinctive music should go in the future. Stocked with a “plethora” of go-go CDs and DVDs, American Shottas prides itself as the best place to find go-go not only in East Washington, but the entire city and, in fact metro area. From newer groups such as Let It Flow, the Versatile Band, and Bela’Dona, an all female group, to classics from Chuck Brown and Rare Essence, the four year old store is stocked from the ceiling to the floor with go-go. “If it isn’t relevant, it’s not be in stock,” says Manni. When it comes to overall sales, “RE smashes everybody,” according to Mannie who says that the younger crowd consistently buys records from Backyard Band, led by Big G who gained national acclaim while starring as Slim Charles on HBO’s The Wire, and TCB. “Go-go is moving in a great direction. A lot of new bands are coming out,” says manager Damo who classifies go-go into three separate subgenres; hardcore which is strictly for the streets, grown-n-sexy which focuses more on R&B, and bounce beat which is usually consumed by younger gogo fans. However, there can be variations among and within bands as long as they “crank.” George Washington University Professor and American music ethnographer Kip Lornell began studying and documenting go-go around 1997 in anticipation of writing, The Beat: Go-Go’s Fusion of Funk and Hip-Hop, with Experience Unlimited’s first manager Charles Stephenson, which was published in 2001 as the first academic analysis of go-go. “Although it is true that go-go is the only artistic expression that originated in our nation’s capital, it’s often overlooked because go-go reflects popular, contemporary, African American culture,” says Lornell. “Folks outside of the DMV should know more about go-go—both the music and the culture surrounding it. It’s a truly unique musical form that deserves wider recognition,” says Lornell who predicts city leaders will eventually market go-go as a citywide treasure, much in the way that New Orleans has embraced jazz as its iconic music culture. For more information on Rare Essence www.rareessence. com. American Shottas is open Monday through Saturday 10am – 9pm. For more information call (202) 525-3438 or www.americanshottas.com. To contact John Muller: jmuller.washsyndicate@gmail. com. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 29

east washington life

Second Saturday Solutions A feast for your mind, body and (community) spirit by Nikki Peele

It all started with an e-mail: “Hey! Any one up for brunch tomorrow, Saturday, at Big Chair Coﬀee around 10 a.m. to discuss what transpired over the last week with the snow (e.g., e-mail traﬃc, helping neighbors, and crime)? I am certain many of us have snow stories to share …. I also hope we have action plans that may rectify some of the issues we faced as a community. Brunch is open to all. Kelsi” The day was Feb. 12 at the tailend of what was the snowstorm to end all snowstorms - the behemoth known as Snowmaggedon. Just as DC residents were reaching the limit of snow, snow and more snow, had gorged themselves on the last of their junk food rations and had absolutely positively thrown their last snowball, Kelsi Bracmort, a Ward 7 resident, had a brainstorm. Kelsi decided it would be a great idea to 30 ★ East of the River • July 2010

not only get her East of the River friends and neighbors together for a friendly bunch to discuss the massive amounts of snow but to also dialogue about life east of the river. The initial invitation may have centered on the snowstorm-generated cabin fever, but what it truly tapped into was the ﬂourishing spirit of community activism, unity and progress. That very ﬁrst brunch, what

would later be known as Second Saturday Solutions, took place in the cozy conﬁnes of the newly opened Big Chair Coﬀee n’ Grill in Historic Anacostia. Steak and cheese omelets, crispy hash browns, and countless cups of hot chocolate were on the menu, but community advocacy was on the brain. Residents from Wards 7 and 8, some white and some black, some new and some not so new, came togeth-

er in the spirit of laughter, engaging dialogue and caramel lattes to testify about how much they love their River East neighborhoods and how they could make them better. Snowmaggedon along with its imposing snow bluffs and seemingly never-ending snowfalls brought with it the type of community unity and friendship that can only be forged through a shared experience. Your neighbor was not just the person who lived next door or shared your block. They became your entertainment, your snow-shoveling buddy, your prized source of the PB for your J, your very own newly created snowedin family. Snowed in neighborhoods became villages, and every villager played a part in the success of their tribe. All across River East, neighbors reached out and became friends. In many ways, Snowmaggedon did what years of talking and pontificating had only attempted to do. It brought people together in a spirit of community and togetherness, regardless of economic status, length of residency or ethnicity. We became what at the core we always were: a community of people living, loving and working east of the river. For many attendees at that first brunch on that cold winter day the first seedlings of community activism and positive solutions were sowed. Despite the various discussions of serious community issues such as unemployment, crime and politics, the tone remained overwhelming positive. Not only did the participants remain hopeful, they made positive and constructive suggestions on how to improve community ills. Thus, Second Saturday Solutions was born. When asked, Kelsi Bracmort, founder, organizer, optimist and sometimes moderator of Second Saturday Solutions would describe her brainchild as, “a forum to seek and share practical solutions about how to invest in my community from people who reside in my community. “ On how she feels after a meeting, “I walk away feeling rejuvenated. It

is inspiring to have a dialogue with others about simple steps I can take to ensure my community remains a great community.” Moreover, the community is not only listening, but they are actively participating. Attendance has swelled from half a dozen to nearly 30. Participants come with a diverse background, a variety of life experiences, and most importantly, real solutions to issues. Since that ﬁrst brunch in February, Second Saturday Solutions (sometimes called the Big Chair Breakfast Bunch) has become a highly anticipated monthly event. Word has spread online on the blogs and Facebook, in the streets, and from door to door. Every second Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon, over brunch, residents from both within and outside of River East are invited to come out and engage in a dialogue centered on a predetermined discussion topic. Previous discussion topics have included youth outreach, local business development and most recently how residents can be involved in their advisory neighborhood commissions. To ensure clarity and organization, each discussion is led by a moderator from east of the river who guides the discussion and takes notes to be distributed after the meeting. Second Saturday Solutions is not just a focus group or an informal think tank, Second Saturday Solutions works to bring action to the group’s discussions. In a community on the upswing for economic development, resident diversity and community pride, reviews for Second Saturday Solutions are enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive: “It’s a great event because once a month, residents who live east of the Anacostia River discuss methods that will add value to our communities. Also, I believe that the discussions help to dispel various stigmas that have created barriers to our own future. SE DC is not all about crime, poverty, drugs and babies having babies. We are

not all about problems … and we do have a voice that deserves to be heard. I believe the discussions are a great starting point. Even if they don’t lead to immediate solutions, we are pursuing a fresh concept of our residents (both long-time and new), talking to one another to improve our communities.” - Antonio McLaren, Ward 8 resident “I walk away with practical solutions. However, more importantly, I’ve walked away with new friends in my community.” - Veronica Davis, Ward 7 resident “I walk away with the sense that there are many people living in our community that are invested and full of ideas to implement to ensure Wards 7 and 8 are a success.” - Dr. Courtney Davis, Ward 8 resident Second Saturday Solutions is a great way to come together in a friendly, open, and thought-provoking forum to discuss positive solutions and improvements to community challenges. Please come and bring an open heart, an open mind and a ravenous appetite for a delicious brunch and engaging dialogue. WHAT: Second Saturday Solutions WHEN: Meets the second Saturday of every month WHO: Attendance is open to everyone WHERE: Big Chair Coﬀee n’ Grill in Historic Anacostia (upstairs lounge) 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. (www.bigchaircoffee.blogspot.com) Nikki Peele is a proud Ward 8 resident, community activist, and blogger for Congress Heights on the Rise (www.congressheightsontherise.com) and River East DC Blogs (www.redcblogs.com). When she is not busy blogging about all things East of the River, Ms. Peele spends her time as the founder and principal of reSPIN Public Relations, a boutique public relations and social media f irm focused on the River East community. You can reach Nikki at nikki@respindc.com. ★ capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 31

east washington life

Building Capacity through Collaboration The Ward 7 Honors Gala article and photos by Shannon Holloway

Chairman Morris Redd was the host of the Ward 7 Honors Gala, held June 25, at IDEA Public Charter School. The event provided nourishment for the soul, with nonprofits and individuals being honored, as well as nourishment for the body with the delicious food and drinks catered by Southern Comfort Specialty Catering, prepared in part by Deborah Johnson, head chef and owner. The speaker for the evening was Lisa Burford Hardmon. Lisa is currently the president of LCB Consulting LLC, which is a full-service management consulting firm specializing in nonprofit capacity building. Lisa has been working with local/national nonprofits and their affiliates, governmental agencies, universities and grassroots organizations as a part of the community for over 20 years. Her speech was encouraging both to individuals and organizations. “Nonprofits have arisen to provide the public with services that the 32 ★ East of the River • July 2010

government has not,” and in order to maintain and keep the network healthy for the benefit of the community nonprofits must become a wellorganized and efficiently run network, says Hardmon. “We must share in collaboration with equal parts input and output,” coming together in an effective process; talking to colleagues, sharing knowledge, using our energy to provide services, implementing advocacy to avoid cuts for state provided government services, and putting to use volunteers and sponsorship. The priorities of a great nonprofit and community provider are the knowledge of the services that are being provided and the skills that are needed to improve their offer of help. The Ward 7 Nonprofit Network is meant to empower the nonprofits of

TOP to BOTTOM 1. Ward 7 Nonprofit Network honors gala awardees. 2. Award Statue

Ward 7 by cultivating a community among the network’s 18 diverse organizations. By providing support, sharing knowledge, resources and techniques, the network is able to increase both the efficiency as well as the effectiveness of the nonprofit services. The utilization of the nonprofit network throughout the ward is helping to ensure that the full potential of each organization is reached by turning the goal to improve quality of life into a collaborative eff ort. Selfless Service, Loyalty, Honor, Integrity, Duty, Respect, and Personal Courage – these are the words that grace the base of the stage at IDEA Public Charter School. A stage which the award recipients of The Ward 7 Nonprofit Network Honors Gala were supported by and were considered worthy enough to stand upon. The awards honored volunteers, individuals, organizations, leaders of nonprofits and business leaders who support nonprofits for their outstanding contributions to the nonprofit work being done in Ward 7. The awards were given to the following recipients: Outstanding Volunteer – Mrs. Mamie Jackson, an office assistant for the Better Way Program; Community Investment Award – Annie E. Casey Foundation; Ward Business and Professional Association Collaboration Award – East River Family Strengthening Collaborative; Quality Program Award – Deann Ayer, executive director of College and Career Connections; Executive Award – Julius M. Ware, president of Ward Business and Professional Association; Networks Choice Award – Yvette Alexander’s Office; The Impact Award – Chairman Vincent C. Gray, presented by Chuck Bean, executive director of The Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington; Essential Piece Award – Phyllis Powell, program director, Ward 7 Nonprofit Network. “Nonprofits offer the people whose lives they touch local impact through the services they provide within the community, and national impact with the recognition of the need for care and a better quality of life. We hope the [Ward 7 Nonprofit Network’s Honors Gala] ceremony helps encourage the empowerment of more nonprofits,” said Phyllis Powell, program director.

Morris Redd, Ivy Hylton and Phyllis Powell

For more information on the Ward 7 Nonprof it Network, call 202-399-2780 or visit w7npn.org. Shannon Holloway is a local artist living in the District. You may reach her via e-mail at holloway.shannon@gmail.com. ★

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CALL TODAY: 202.610.9649 capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 33

east washington life

Living Local, Viva Local A New Thai Restaurant Opens by Veronica O. Davis

TOP to BOTTOM 1. Author Veronica O. Davis 2. Chicken Pad See-Ew from Thai Orchid’s Kitchen

I had “the dream” again. It always starts the same way. I’m walking along a white sand beach as I cool my feet in the clear blue waters. I’ve walked long enough to have an appetite. I’m craving Thai 34 ★ East of the River • July 2010

food. Chicken Pad See-Ew or Pad Thai will do the trick. I go to the ﬁrst restaurant I see on the beach, and it’s closed. Then I walk to the next

restaurant and find it closed as well. Come to find out all the restaurants are closed. I feverishly run back to my hotel to order room service and discover it is no longer available. Now I’m frantic, because not only am I starving at this point, now I have a craving. I race to the nightstand to grab a phone book. I call every restaurant in the phonebook … closed … closed … closed. Out of nowhere I hear a knock at the door. I open the door and there is the most handsome man I’d ever seen holding a plate of Crispy Duck Basil. The aroma of the duck, basil and peppers makes my mouth water. I’m doing everything to stop myself from drooling. Mr. Handsome hands me a fork. As I slowly put my fork into a piece of duck, my stomach begins to growl at the anticipation of what is about to come. I open my mouth to take a bite and… Darn alarm clock. Just that like the dream is gone, but my craving isn’t. Prior to June, this could have easily derailed my quest to live local. Thankfully, Thai Orchid’s Kitchen opened late spring at 2314 Pennsylvania Ave. SE (located where Granny’s Kitchen used to be), which allows me to address my craving, while continuing my mission to support a business east of the river. The week Thai Orchid’s Kitchen opened I eased on down Pennsylvania Avenue with two of my neighbors. Chicken Pad See-Ew is one of my favorite Thai dishes, so anytime I go to a new Thai restaurant it’s always the first dish I order. I gave my order at the counter to a young lady with a friendly smile named Restu. I sat at a table with my friends, while looking out at the poor souls sitting in the Pennsylvania Avenue evening rush hour traffic. A young man named Sam brought out our food. The aroma hit my nose, and my stomach started to growl. I blessed my food at record speed and dug in. The food can only be described as DELICIOUS. I washed it down with a refreshing Thai Iced Tea. Since I have this recurring dream, I’ve made several trips back to Thai Orchid’s Kitchen. From my neighborhood, the M6 metro bus delivers me right to the doorstep. If I decide to drive, there is plenty of parking next to Twining Square. The great thing about Thai Orchid Kitchen is you can order online at www.thaiorchidskitchen. com and have the food delivered right to your doorstep if you are in their service area. Writing this column and looking at the photos of the food had my mouth watering for Thai food. It took me five minutes to order and pay with my credit card online. Twenty minutes later, Sam showed up at my door with Crispy Duck Basil … just like my dream. Veronica O. Davis is a resident of Ward 7 and manages the blog, Life in the Village (fairfaxvillage. blogspot.com). ★

Kids & Family

Educating the District Best Practices for Engaging with Your Child’s Teachers and Principal by Lisa Raymond

t’s been clearly established that children perform better academically when their families are directly involved in their education, but for a variety of reasons, many parents or other caregivers feel uncomfortable or unable to support their children or advocate on their behalf. Some struggle because of language or cultural diﬀerences, but others are just plain intimidated or end up completely frustrated when they do try to get their children what they need at school. But it doesn’t have to be so diﬃcult. The key word to remember is “partnership.” Families and educators generally have the same goal for students: They want them to be successful in school and in life. Effective teachers and principals know that they need to engage families

to help meet this goal, so it’s generally safe to assume that they are on your team. The challenge is that they have 20 – or 200 – other kids to worry about. I know a single mom, who would never be described as shy, who said that it took her nearly three years to get her daughter the proper testing and evaluation to diagnose her learning disabilities. And my husband, whose job requires him to share his opinion all day long, just freezes when it comes to discussing issues about our children with their teachers. He once sat through an entire parent-teacher conference with little more than some head nodding. So, how can you speak up for your child without alienating the very people that you need to engage in this process? Here are a few basic

tips to get started: Begin with the perspective that your school wants to support your child. This will help you frame your concerns or requests for help in a way that is positive, instead of accusatory, and is more likely to result in a partnership between you and the school moving forward. Generally try to resolve issues with your child’s teacher first. While it may be tempting to bypass the teacher and go straight to the principal, it is usually best to start with the person who has the most daily interaction with your child, sets the expectations in the classroom and understands how his/her students function as a group. But if you’ve tried unsuccessfully to resolve an issue with the teacher, then the principal can be a good resource – or mediator – if necessary. Explain how requests will benefit your child’s education. Good educators are receptive to suggestions that will benefit your child’s learning and development – within reason. Frame requests in a way that demonstrates this, instead of just stating what you want, i.e. “My child would do well with a teacher who has experience dealing with active, hands-on learners” vs. “I want my son to be in Ms. So-and-so’s class.” Do your homework. Before you show up for a meeting, review any information that you can find that’s relevant – for example: your child’s recent school work, report card or test results; school or district polices; or school newsletters or handbooks describing particular programs. If you’re well informed, then you and your child’s teacher can focus on problem-solving instead of debating policy, program or testing issues. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Many teachers provide specific, useful information about your child’s progress and the work that he or she is doing in the classroom, but you should be prepared to ask questions if they don’t – or redirect the conver-

sation where you need it to go. Ask specific questions: Is my child reading on grade level? Is she meeting the learning standards? Is he participating in classroom activities? Agree upon the best way to communicate. Some teachers are great with e-mail, while others prefer the phone. But generally, the morning drop-off-tell-the-teacher-everything-that’s-gone-wrong-in-twominutes probably isn’t the most effective way to deal with issues. Schedule an appointment for serious conversations, but to clear up small issues or logistics, agree with the teacher on a way to communicate that works for everyone. Engage other support staff or specialists to help. Most schools have social workers, guidance counselors and specialists like music, art, and physical education teachers. Use them as a resource to support your child; they know him or her, and they likely have ideas to help. I know that the social worker in my son’s school was a lifesaver when we were struggling with his behavior: she spent time with him individually, gave my husband and me useful tips for supporting him and checked up on him in the classroom, even sharing ideas with his teachers about how to build a learning environment in which he could be successful – and that would help his classmates as well. Know that you are your child’s best advocate. Let’s face it, no matter how wonderful your child’s teachers and principal are, there’s probably no one who cares more about his or her progress than you. And even with the best intentions, educators get overwhelmed with the responsibility for so many children. So be the manager of your child’s progress: Take notes during meetings, keep track of communication and follow up if you don’t see forward movement. Some resources: The National PTA (www.pta.org or 202-289-6790) has “Tips on Getting Involved in School” and Scholastic has numerous online resources for parents at www2.scholastic.com. Latin America Youth Center (www.layc-dc.org or 202-319-2225) and DC Voice (www.dcvoice.org or 202-986-8535) provide education advocacy information to DC families. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 35

kids & family

>> notebook

Kids & Family Notebook by Mary-Frances Daly

DCPS participants in this year’s DC SCORES Jamboree!

DCPS Students Score at this Year’s Jamboree! The 15th annual DC SCORES Jamboree! celebration was held June 5 on Trinity University’s athletic fields. The event highlights the conclusion of the nonprofit after-school program’s spring season. DC SCORES uses soccer, poetry and service-learning to inspire over 700 public elementary and middle school students in the District. The Jamboree! kicked off with the best of the elementary school Westside and Eastside teams facing off to decide the City Cup Championship. In hard-fought games, the Burrville Elementary School girls, representing the Eastside, and the Westside’s Bancroft Elementary School boys prevailed. Meanwhile on the upper fields, middle school teams battled for a spot in the championship games. And the Lincoln Middle School boys and 36 ★ East of the River • July 2010

Oyster-Adams Bilingual School girls came out on top. Each SCORES team competed in at least three soccer matches, all against teams they never saw in the regular season. There were also a number of activities for students. Washington Freedom players led soccer drills, a local graﬃti artist displayed his talents in creating a “Leadership” piece, volunteers painted students’ faces with soccer balls, and the DC Fire Department sent over a few trucks to let the students explore. Kids also enjoyed looking at bones and other artifacts at the Celebra la Ciencia (Celebrate Science) booth, and learning about the importance of maintaining healthy lungs with UDC’s 4-H program. “It was so much fun,” said one student as she gathered her belongings. For more information on DC SCORES, visit www.dcscores.org.

DC SCORES Fundraiser On June 24 and 25, at the southwest corner of 18th and M streets NW, a woman was juggling a soccer ball — kicking, heading and kneeing it in an effort to keep it in the air. The soccer juggler was Amy Nakamoto, DC SCORES executive director, who came up with the idea to juggle a ball on a busy street corner for 12 hours each day as part of the Kick, Click, & SCORE Challenge. The nonprofit after-school program initiated the fundraiser to raise $130,000 and fill a gap in revenue that it needs to make up by Aug. 31. As of June 28, $48,462 had been donated. The challenge — minus the juggling — runs until the World Cup’s conclusion on July 11. The challenge began with two full days of soccer-related activity at 18th and M. As Amy juggled a ball, a laptop livestreamed her to the Kick, Click, & SCORE website, and DC SCORES posted videos, pictures and a description of the event to its social media platforms — dcscores.blogspot.com, Facebook. com/DCSCORES and Twitter. com/DCSCORES. Passersby stopped at the corner, intrigued by what they saw, and joined Amy or other DC SCORES staff members for some juggling. Also, Christie Welsh of the Washington Freedom professional team juggled for an hour during the first day, and two semi-pro soccer players stopped by and showed off their talents on the second day. The event raised awareness about DC SCORES’ unique program that focuses on soccer, poetry, and service-learning to serve over 700 District youth. To learn more or donate to the program, visit kickclickandscore.org.

DC Youth Orchestra Program Moves East The DC Youth Orchestra Program (DCYOP) announced that this year, the program’s 50th anniversary, it will be moving operations from Coolidge

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kids & family High School in Northwest DC, where DCYOP has operated for the past 50 years, to Eastern Senior High School (1700 East Capitol St. NE). Upon learning of DCYOP’s move to Eastern, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells said, “The Youth Orchestra is a terriﬁc asset for our city’s youth, and it is fantastic we are getting the program at Eastern High School.” Ava Spece, executive director of DCYOP, said, “We are so excited to be able to provide this new environment for our students, including improved Metro and freeway access and a more central location. The new facility will enable DCYOP’s incredible faculty to better serve the youth of the Washington region.” Physical relocation will occur sometime in August, and the program will hold its regularly scheduled Open House, Petting Zoo, and Orchestra Day on Sept. 11, in the new location. In celebration of the program’s 50th birthday, the organization will also have a daylong celebration on Aug. 21, which will include bringing together some of the program’s 50,000 alumni from around the country to perform at the Kennedy Center at 6 p.m. followed by a VIP reception. The esteemed Marvin Hamlisch will host the event and conduct one of the pieces in the program. To learn more about DCYOP, call 202723-1612 or visit www.dcyop.org.

Casey Trees High School Summer Crew Program Kicked Off June 28 Each summer, over 100 students apply for 11 spots on the Casey Trees Summer Crew, which helps care for Casey Trees-planted trees in Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle, Eckington, Downtown, Embassy Row, Georgetown, Mount Pleasant and other areas as needed. This year’s program began June 28, and as in years past, the crew’s responsibilities will include watering, weeding, mulching, pruning and tracking the condition and mortality of trees. Two teams work out of trucks, and one team makes up a “Water By-Cycle” crew, the nation’s ﬁrst bicycle-powered tree care program. Summer crew members also engage in professional development opportunities to learn careers in the green industry. For many crew members, this is their very ﬁrst job. Activities change each year, but students in the past have 38 ★ East of the River • July 2010

climbed 100-foot trees at the US National Arboretum, planted trees on Dangerﬁeld Island and built a rain garden with the Anacostia Watershed Society. To learn more about this program, contact Casey Trees at 202-3491894 or visit www.caseytrees.org.

Art Exhibit by Haitian Children after the Earthquake Soon after the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, first lady of Haiti Elisabeth D. Préval called on Haitian artist Philippe Dodard and his fellow artists, as well as psychologists, educators and politicians, to create a safe place for children to express their feelings through art. Nearly 100 paintings and drawings created by Haiti’s young people at Plas Timoun (The Children’s Place) are featured in “The Healing Power of Art: Works of Art by Haitian Children after the Earthquake.” The exhibition will be on view in the concourse of the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW, through Oct. 17. It is sponsored by the National Museum of African Art. The artworks include images relating to death and destruction, and they also include illustrations of houses—both standing and damaged—with local architectural features, planes and helicopters reflecting rescue and recovery efforts, Haitian flags, as well as nature scenes and abstract designs. In addition to the art, the exhibition includes three videos: “Thirty Five Long Seconds: Haiti’s Deadly Earthquake,” an 18-minute film chronicling the earthquake and its aftermath written and narrated by Mario L. Delatour, and two short video segments, one in which Dodard discusses the concept behind Plas Timoun and the other on a recent visit to Haiti by US first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden and a professor at Northern Virginia Community College. The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 202-633-1000 or visit africa.si.edu.

Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express The Pony Express is roaring down the trail this summer, and the

Postal Museum needs help to get the mail through! This two-day festival, July 9 & 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express and has something for everyone, including a trivia relay race, tall tales and your chance to star in a puppet show. Free. 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 202-633-5533, www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

three bags through the ﬁsh’s mouth, and win a prize and get a brief history lesson on soap bubbles, and have fun making them. Splash the Water Dude, July 20, 1:30 p.m., children ages 3 and up can navigate through a waterway of songs and activities with Ray Owen. 5001 Central Ave. SE. 202-645-0755, www.dclibrary.org

Francis A. Gregory Library

Library Programs Anacostia Library Playful Saturdays, Saturdays, 2 p.m., all ages are invited to play board games and word games. Popcorn and movie night, Mondays, 5 p.m., ages 6-11. Arts and crafts, Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m., ages 6-12 can make crafts based on a theme. Preschool story time with arts and crafts, Wednesdays, 11 a.m., for ages 2-5. Story time with arts and crafts, Wednesdays, 1:30 p.m., for ages 2-6. 1800 Good Hope Road SE. 202-715-7707, www.dclibrary.org.

Benning Library Preschool story time, July 7, 10:30 a.m., reading and crafts for children ages 2-5. Creative writing workshop, July 8 and 22, 6:30 p.m., participants ages 1219 will learn an array of creative writing forms, such as poetry, journaling, memoir, ﬁction and creative nonﬁction. Musical Waves of Poetry, July 9, 3:30 p.m., Christylez Bacon help children ages 12 and up make musical waves through poetry and hip-hop while learning the techniques of poetic self-expression with the West-African Djembe drum, acoustic guitar and rhythmic sounds from a human beat-box. Teen book club, July 15, 6:30 p.m., for ages 12-19, call for title. Puzzles and arts and crafts, Wednesdays, 1:30 p.m., for ages 5-12. Tales for Twos and Threes, Fridays, 10:30 a.m. 3935 Benning Road NE. 202-281-2583, www.dclibrary.org.

Capitol View Library Musical Waves of Poetry, July 9, 1 p.m., Christylez Bacon help children ages 12 and up make musical waves through poetry and hip-hop while learning the techniques of poetic selfexpression with the West-African Djembe drum, acoustic guitar and rhythmic sounds from a human beatbox. Pitch ‘n’ Toss Fishing Games and Bubble-Mania, July 12, 15, 26 and 29, 1:30 p.m., children ages 6-12 can toss

Baby-Toddler Time, Fridays, 10:30 a.m., songs, nursery rhymes, movement, reading enjoyment, etc. for infants to 2-year-olds. Preschool Story Time, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30 a.m., for children ages 2-5. Movie night and popcorn, July 14 and 21, 6:30 p.m., for children ages 5-12. “Wetland Creatures” Reptiles Alive show for children ages 12 and up, July 17, 1 p.m., 3660 Alabama Ave. SE. 202-645-4297, www.dclibrary.org.

Children’s Programs at NCM The National Children’s Museum will host the following activities for children in July at the National Harbor’s Launch Zone: • Fireworks and Patriotic Fun: July 3, 5, 7, 9 & 10. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Celebrate Independence Day with astonishing ﬁrework art. Designs feature images of the Washington Monument, so kids can create art that looks like the ﬁrework spectacle you might see in and around the nation’s capital. Free. • Community Heroes: July 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23 & 24. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Explore the role of community heroes and make community hero puppets. Don’t miss out on special community hero visits throughout the week. Free. • Earth Day Every Day: July 26, 28, 30 & 31. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Discover ways to preserve the planet with eco-friendly, fun family activities. Free. NCM is located at 112 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Md. 301686-0225, www.ncm.museum. Have a listing for the Kids & Family Notebook? E-mail kidsnotebook@hillrag.com by the 20th of the month prior to publication. Submissions may be edited. Publication is not guaranteed. ★

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T Hillcrest Garden Tour Showcases Westover Drive article by Maceo Thomas | photo by Andrew Lightman

40 ★ East of the River • July 2010

he 17th Annual Hillcrest Garden Tour featured eight magniﬁcent homes and sculptured gardens on a blistering hot Father’s Day weekend. The tour featured homes on Westover Drive, best described as a scenic overlook oﬀ Pennsylvania Ave. Nearly one hundred participants shared the day as homeowners, guides and guests. Participants followed the loop to each house where they were greeted by homeowners who described their homes and their yards. The tour ended with a barbeque and fellowship. “You like how you’re in the hot tub and you can still see the TV?!” Maxine Burnett invited tour members into her yard. The long-time resident displayed the garden in the corner of her house which included hibiscus and New Guinea patience. The oohs and ahhs commenced in the backyard as guests explored a multi-level deck constructed by Burnett’s husband. Not a huge yard, but it had just about everything you could want in it. The shaded lot included a screened gazebo with electricity and a hot tub with a panoramic view of the city. A small breakfast nook with a four-foot roundtop table and high chairs sat in the corner near the grill. The yard seemed about ten degrees cooler. Some participants seemed to hover, as if they did not want to leave. “Ooh, look at the calla lilies!” The exclamations of several of the garden enthusiasts were immediate as they passed through the backyard of 3125. Sidney Glee, a widower, moved into his home in 1972 with his wife. The calla lilies, which she

OPPOSITE PAGE 1. A flower grows in Hillcrest. THIS PAGE: CLOCKWISE from TOP RIGHT 1. Richard Evans, tour leader. 2. Karen Williams, Rob Bigrigg, Carrie Thornhill, Marvin Bowser with Officer Persaud in background. 3. Carin Bigrigg, tour organizer.

planted, were the favorite part of this splendid backyard that included a barbeque designed as a wishing well and a hundred year old table from Howard University. “The lilies have as many as eight blooms,” he mentioned while pointing to a white bloom that had sprinkles of purple. Those lilies are for sale along with his home of 38 years. Talitha and Kareem Stewart have lived in the community for four years. “We’ve come [to the tour] every year since we moved in,” they responded together. “It’s a great place to meet other people in the community and it also gives inspiration on what we can do in our yard.” One young man was on his tenth tour with his parents. He is eleven years old. Genelle Schuler attended the

tour for the first time accompanying a friend who lives in the community. “I’m a big garden geek,” she offered explaining her presence on the tour. As a self-described “native Arlingtonian” she has heard the bad press about this entire part of DC, where Westover overlooks. “I was aware of this community and I see how people are very generous with their time,” she remarks. “Sometimes Southeast gets a bad rap and plenty of things that are written about east of the river are not charitable. It’s great to participate in something positive.” Alexis Simendinger recalled her first Hillcrest Garden Tour. In 2000, she was on the tour when it was a bus tour. “I was born in DC, but lived all over – Gaithersburg, Alexandria, Annadale – I didn’t know much about this

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neighborhood.” Her opinion of the community was “spectactular.” Shortly thereafter, Simendinger bought a house on Westover Drive. Her home was the fourth home on the tour. “It’s like living in a park here,” she beams discussing the foxes, possum and snakes she see regularly. She continues while gushing over the photographs her next door neighbor has taken of butterﬂies and hummingbirds. “Glad that so many from our community around ward 7 and beyond came out today,” were the remarks that Ward 7 councilmember Yvette Alexander had to the group at that end of the tour. For seventeen years the Hillcrest Garden Tours has served as a crown jewel of civic participation. Presented by the Hillcrest Community Civic Association the tour brings old and new neighbors together as well as showcase the best DC has to oﬀer to the broader community. Next year’s planning committee is already forming. To learn more about the garden tours follow links from www. HillcrestDC.com Maceo Thomas is a local realtor. He volunteers his time bringing arts to the community in the form of the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest, this year FREE in Marvin Gaye Park on July 24th. Visit him at www. maceothomas.com and www.capitalhiphopsoulfest.com ★

homes & gardens

Camille Howe Camille Howe Cleaning Service by Jeremy Cullimore

(left - right) Takiyah Carr and Camille Howe. Photo by Andrew Lightman

hen one of her largest contracts to date unexpectedly ended last year, Camille Howe wasted no time ensuring her business, Camille Howe Cleaning Service (CHCS), kept on rolling. To keep her company proﬁtable and viable, Howe did what she does best – she simply made it work. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Howe started CHCS to provide janitorial services to commercial and government agencies in 1998. For the past 12 years, she’s worked to take CHCS from a ﬂedgling start-up to a successful small business with almost half a million dollars in revenue – servicing contracts with the Districts Department of Mental Health, US Army Corps of

Engineers and Amtrak. Forging ahead through the tough economy, Howe had to be creative, fast acting and able to turn her business on a dime. She created an aggressive strategy to market her business to new contracts. In addition to providing office cleaning, carpet cleaning, floor maintenance, wall washing and window cleaning for large agencies and companies, CHCS looked to expand into the residential arena. The new service would boost sales, bringing stability in profits and cash flow to her company. As founder and president of CHCS, Howe has over 20 years experience in the janitorial service industry. She’s armed with a mass of technical and hands-on know-how knowledge

in contract administration, personnel management, quality control and assurance training, implementation, and performance monitoring from managing a staﬀ of over 100 employees and multiple contracts. Like a child that follows in the footsteps of its parents, CHCS takes after Howe’s natural drive and ability to make things work. In the face of obstacles that the harsh world of business throws, Howe knows which lever to pull and button to push. CHCS has posted consistently smooth ﬁnancial performances, even under the umbrella of this cold and objectively stubborn economy. With decreased revenue from previously solid sources over 2006 to 2007, Howe worked in lock step

form to cut expenses to still yield a healthy net income. CHCS reacted by changing the manner in which they performed their service and internalized work to reduce overhead. The tight economic conditions of 2008 and 2009 brought consolidations and cost cutting at the government and firm level, CHCS’s bread and butter. With less flexibility to maneuver revenue replacements and doing what she could to cost cut and consolidate on her end is when Howe made the decision to expand the company into residential cleaning as a means to provide a new stream of income. Howe is a savvy small business woman that relentlessly creates opportunities. CHCS has been responsible for growing its revenue lines – reinvesting retained earnings and creating jobs for the District of Columbia. To help roll out her campaign to expand into new contracts and markets, Howe became a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) through the District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) and applied to their micro-loan program. The Washington Area Community Investment Fund Inc. (WACIF), who manages the program for the city, awarded CHCS a micro-loan and worked with Howe to make sure she was on solid ground to accomplish her goals. With a micro-loan from WACIF and DSLBD, CHCS was able to add to its line of services to replace lost revenue, buy equipment and go after more government contracts. She is committed to gaining larger company clients, particularly GSA contracts for which WACIF’s financial and technical help will assist her in bidding. Camille Howe Cleaning Service is located at 3200 Buena Vista Terrace SE and can be contacted at 202-584-5612. Jeremy Cullimore is project manager for WACIF. Call 202-529-5505 or visit www.wacif.org for more information. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 43

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.

Neighborhood

AddressClose Price

FEE SIMPLE ANACOSTIA 2107 FAIRLAWN AVE SE 2103 15TH ST SE 1522 U ST SE 1134 CHICAGO ST SE 1637 U ST SE 1313 DEXTER TER SE

$225,750 $150,500 $125,000 $93,000 $85,000 $57,000

3 3 2 3 3 2

$225,000 $209,000 $207,000 $205,000 $199,900 $195,600 $190,000 $184,900 $69,900 $57,900 $55,000

5 3 4 2 3 2 4 3 2 3 3

$1,532,000 $1,040,000

5 3

DEANWOOD 5224 DIX NE 1055 48TH PL NE 229 DIVISION AVE NE 5205 JAY ST NE 4621 GAULT PL NE 5730 SOUTHERN AVE SE 5051 JAY ST NE 226 56TH ST NE 213 62ND ST NE 5320 JAY ST NE 507 58TH ST NE

DUPONT 1406 21ST ST NW 1758 CHURCH ST NW

44 ★ East of the River • July 2010

1434 FLORIDA AVE NW 1613 V ST NW 1531 S ST NW 1453 Q ST NW 1517 Q ST NW 1517 Q ST NW

$800,000 $799,000 $1,500,000 $1,048,500 $1,100,000 $1,100,000

3 4 3 4 3 3

$220,000 $215,000 $190,000 $182,900 $175,000 $164,000 $52,000

3 3 3 2 3 3 3

FORT DUPONT PARK 4268 SOUTHERN AVE SE 4310 E ST SE 1678 40TH ST SE 4224 H ST SE 1675 FORT DUPONT ST SE 4368 F ST SE 3400 ELY PL SE

HILL CREST 2900 32ND ST SE 2618 32ND ST SE 3240 O ST SE 3121 ALABAMA AVE SE

$339,900 $331,000 $300,000 $132,000

4 3 5 4

$255,000 $160,500 $160,000

4 3 10

RANDLE HEIGHTS 3212 BUENA VISTA TER SE 2315 R ST SE 3205 28TH ST SE ★

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homes & gardens

The Washington, DC Women’s Business Center An Overdue Resource article & photo by Amanda Abrams

Samira Cook in her office at the Women’s Business Center.

t’s just a small office that looks out over New York Avenue and employs a staff, currently, of two. But the Washington, DC Women’s Business Center, it turns out, fills a much needed niche. “Our capacity has a sprained ankle from running so fast,” laughed Samira Cook, the center’s director. Established this March, the organization is already 80 percent on its way to meeting its goal of helping 250 area women in 2010. It’s not a new concept: the group is part of a network of 110 women’s business centers located around the country, all backed by the federal Small Business Administration and nonprofit organizations (in this case, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition). But for the Washington region’s women, it’s an overdue resource: a place where the

46 ★ East of the River • July 2010

special needs of entrepreneurs who might also be mothers and caregivers are closely considered. As Cook is fond of saying, the organization works with “the whole woman.” Example: A woman recently came in to talk with Cook about expanding the cleaning service she owns. The main hurdle? She didn’t have evening daycare for her children. So she and Cook brainstormed about alternatives. “We talk about feasibility – does it make sense for your family?” said Cook. “It’s something men don’t always have experience with.” That woman-centered one-onone counseling – about anything, including family issues or personal obstacles – is one of the key services provided by the center, and it’s free. “We serve women who are socially or economically disadvantaged – that’s

part of our mission,” said Cook. The center has other programs, too, some of which have a nominal cost. There’s the business plan lab, a sevenweek workshop pairing women and their in-progress business plans with consultants who guide them past the sticky patches. The center also offers a three-part financial fitness series that walks participants through the details of creating and managing budgets – both personal and business – and then seeking a line of credit with a bank. Then there are offshoot events like Cook’s little brainchild, the “Women’s Business Walk and Talk.” Rather than establishing a networking happy hour, where folks might be itching to get home to their families or stressing over the extra calories or cost of a glass of wine, she created a monthly morning walk: entrepreneurs can get

some exercise while chatting and, conveniently, are invited to bring kids and pets along. “I thought about my own family,” said Cook, explaining where she got the concept. “If we’re stressed, my mom will say, ‘Let’s go for a walk.’ It’s someplace where we can share, not just network.” The center helps a wide variety of businesses – from those with budgets of around $20,000 to some in the million-plus range, and from decades-old companies with dozens of employees to brand new startups with one staff member. One of those is Right at Home DC, a home care agency employing 50-100 staff members who help elderly and disabled adults with housekeeping and meals. Melanie Lamar, a District resident who’s co-owned the business since 2005, was looking for some help with the home care agency licensing process, as well as advice about growing her business. She heard about the center through a newsletter sent by DC Councilmember Kwame Brown (AtLarge) and wound up meeting with Cook in a one-on-one session. “It was absolutely helpful,” said Lamar. “Samira comes up with ideas right off the top of her head and follows through with those suggestions. And she attended a meeting along with me at the Department of Health.” Lamar’s company is still working through the licensing process, “but if it hadn’t been for [Cook], we probably wouldn’t be as far along as we are right now.” In the hopes of helping more women like Lamar, the center is currently hiring a counselor who can take over some of Cook’s responsibilities. That would free her up to figure out how the organization can expand its capacity if demand continues to rise. “Funding is an issue, of course,” said Cook. So she’s trying to establish partnerships with various for-profit groups – banks and others – so that some women can use the center’s services completely for free. But until then, said Cook, “We’re not turning anyone away.” The Washington, DC Women’s Business Center is located at 64 New York Ave. NE. For more information, call 202671-2144 or visit www.dcwbc.org. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com â&#x2DC;&#x2026; 47

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capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 49

the nose

>> july 2010

Dog Parks for Everyone by Anonymous Correction: In a previously printed edition, The Nose misstated the aﬃliations of two people, Marshall Brown and Vernon Hawkins, who appeared in photographs at Gray for Mayor events. The Gray campaign says that neither work for the campaign.

he Nose must admit a bit of puzzlement about the mayor’s race. One option is to elect a native Washingtonian, who at every chance repeats he is a “dyed in the wool homey.” He was born at Freedmen’s Hospital, grew up around Sixth and L streets NE and graduated from Dunbar. It doesn’t get more DC than that. Black DC, that is. The other option is to elect the guy who builds dog parks, pushes for streetcars and wants a whole bunch of other stuﬀ attractive to the “newcomers.” It seems easy to assume that the candidate of splash parks, bike sharing and the Wilson Aquatic Center ain’t a true native son. But hold on, DC Birthers: He grew up in Mount Pleasant, went to DC public schools, and has a law degree from Howard University. So why, given both meet the criteria of a native Washingtonian, does it seem there’s a diﬀerence between the native Washingtonian-ness of Mayor BlackBerry and his electoral foe,DC Council Chairman Vince “The Undertaker” Gray? Is this focus on DC nativism another way of getting at the old trope of DC politics: Is BlackBerry black enough?

50 ★ East of the River • July 2010

Back in the day when Mayorfor-Life Marion S. Barry Jr. told Ward 3 to “get over it,” we all knew who and what he meant. But now, as the District becomes not only whiter, but whiter in neighborhoods far aﬁeld from Upper Caucasia, a whole new group of euphemisms have taken hold to describe key parts of BlackBerry’s assumed base of supporters: There’s “those who want dog parks” and “those who want streetcars” and “those who want bike lanes.” Translation: White people. Of course, The Nose recognizes this is a stereotype, and stereotypes are bad, unfair, gross exaggerations. In other words, does the popular Shaw dog park look like the lawn crowd at Merriweather Post Pavilion for a Phish or Lilith Fair concert? The Nose is not a dog owner or walker, but from all indications this ﬁdo-lovers hub attracts all types. But, then again, The Nose would be negligent if we did not note that the push for dog parks has occurred in either predominantly white or increasingly white areas of town: Walter Pierce in Adams Morgan (Ward 1), S Street in Dupont Circle and Shaw (Ward 2), Newark Street in McLean Gardens (Ward 3), and Upshur Street in Petworth (Ward 4). You see what The Nose is getting at: No half-million dollar dog parks in Wards 5, 7 and 8. Then there are the streetcar evangelists. Yes, Dear Readers, streetcars are like a religion. They are based in the faith that if you build it, property values will rise. Make no mistake: Streetcars are

about economic development, not transportation. The Nose can cite numerous studies, but it all boils down to this: The bus sucks in the eyes of developers. There’s no permanent tracks guaranteeing continued city investment, it’s not cool, and poor people use it. Now, then again, there’s the core constituency opposing BlackBerry’s use of overhead wires for the holy streetcars: The Committee of 100 on the Federal City. If there’s a group in this city that looks more like Chris Rock’s imitation of white people, The Nose does not know it. (OK, any Georgetown ANC, but The Nose digresses.) Here’s the point: BlackBerry helped bring a supermarket back to Ward 8, a white-clothed steakhouse and a state of the art Deanwood rec center to Ward 7, and built and refurbished several rec centers in Ward 5. He has staked his mayoralty on improving DC public schools. He’s certainly focused on quality of life improvements for white and black Washingtonians, though his “soon as humanly possible approach” has not extended to the city’s entrenched poor and unemployed, who are almost entirely black. But instead of using his laser-like focus to conquer poverty, BlackBerry has sought to establish black DC street cred by aligning himself with two dubious characters: Sinclair “Grahamzilla Black Business Killa” Skinner and Ron “Not So Peaceful” Moten. Both Skinner and Moten have proﬁted considerably from their relationship with BlackBerry. The

Nose has detailed his arm-linking with Skinner in a previous column — aka Why Doesn’t BlackBerry Throw Skinner Under the Bus — and Moten’s Peaceaholics hustle has been well chronicled in the press. The Nose does not think BlackBerry has gotten much beside scandal in return. Does BlackBerry’s biracial background make a diﬀerence? Perhaps, but certainly much less than his well known arrogance. But DC nativism cuts both ways, and BlackBerry has hyped the idea that a vote for The Undertaker will turn back the clock to the ‘90s when the mayor-for-life reigned, crack was an epidemic, and the District almost went bankrupt. Nothing scares white people more than this. Of course, it scared black people, too, which is how Prince George’s County became the wealthiest majority black suburb in the county. The Undertaker does his part to contribute to this nostalgia trip: His campaign is packed with relics from prior administrations such as Lorraine Green, his campaign chair, who served in the unfortunate Sharon Pratt Kelly/Dixon days, and Stephanie Reich, his special assistant, from the Linda Cropp era. The question isn’t whether BlackBerry is black enough. The question is whether either candidate has a vision for how to move all parts of this city forward: the last, the least, the lost, the streetcar evangelicals and the dog park lovers all. Have a tip for The Nose? E-mail thenose@hillrag.com. ★

capitalcommunitynews.com â&#x2DC;&#x2026; 51

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