JUNE 2021
CONTENTS
NEXT ISSUE: July 3
JUNE 2021
16
04 N O T G N I H AS Edition W N O S ’ WHAT Summer
ON THE COVER:
out and about 16 Insatiable • Celeste McCall
24
Photo: Courtesy of the NoMa Business Improvement District The Swampoodle Park Wallholla. Read about it on page 32.
your neighborhood 20 Pandemic May Change DC Criminal Justice A Few Important Lessons Gleaned from the Past Year • Gavrielle Jacobovitz 24 Shaw Streets • Pleasant Mann 26 ANC 6E • Pleasant Mann 28 Bulletin Board • Kathleen Donner
kids and family 32 Notebook • Kathleen Donner
at home 37 Changing Hands • Don Denton
32
38 classifieds Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of:
Capital Community News, Inc. PO Box 15477, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com • www.hillrag.com
MIDCITY
F A G O N
GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL
FAGON
EDUCATION
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissa.ashabranner@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman • andrew.hillrag@gmail.com PUBLISHER: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2021 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.
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.
SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! Re
bat
10% OFF
LIST PRICE ON ANY EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS *Exp.06/30/2021
DC
es
SEU
Ava i
lab
le
$25 OFF Any Service Call *Exp.06/30/2021
18 Month, 0% Interest Financing
FAST SERVICE FAST INSTALLATION
Serving Washington DC Since 2001 • Residential & Light Commercial • Roof Top Package Units • Highly Experienced Technicians • Low Prices • Free Estimates On Replacements • Convenient Financing • Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Specializing in:
Equipment: Change outs & Complete Ductwork Systems + High Velocity Systems WE SERVICE & INSTALL ALL MAKES & MODELS
202-333-1310
www.polarbearairconditioning.com All Credit Cards Accepted
JU NE 2 0 2 1 0 3
DC POLO SOCIETY SUMMER SUNDAYS
On Sundays, June 13, July 11, Aug. 8, Sept. 12 and Oct. 10, bring friends, family and kids for a Sunday afternoon of polo at the Congressional Polo Club in Poolesville, MD. Tickets are sold by the car/group. Gates open at 1 p.m.; first polo match begins at 3 p.m.; second at 4 p.m. Admission is $125 to $200 depending on group size and comes with a bottle of wine (free for 16 and under). The Congressional Polo Club is at 14660 Hughes Rd., Poolesville, MD—about 32 miles from DC on Route 28. dcpolo.com.
Photo: Celebration by Mike Landsman
EXPOSED DC PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW
Exposed DC is partnering with Focus on the Story and Lost Origins Gallery to present the 15th annual Exposed DC Photography Show in an outdoor installation in Mount Pleasant, June 6 to 27. The exhibit will be installed on the exterior wall of Ellē restaurant at 3221 Mt Pleasant St. NW. A special celebration of the 2021 Exposed DC photography show will take place on Sunday, June 6 at 3 p.m. as part of the kickoff for the fourth annual Focus on the Story International Photo Festival. Since 2006, Exposed DC has produced their annual show to shine a spotlight on life in the area as seen through the lenses of some of the region’s most passionate amateur and professional photographers. exposeddc.com.
0 4 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
INDEPENDENCE FIREWORKS AT MOUNT VERNON
On June 25 and 26, 6 to 9:45 p.m., enjoy an evening of family fun and fireworks along with patriotic music to celebrate our nation’s founding. Picnic on the lawn, see character presentations, visit Washington tomb and watch ice cream making demonstrations. With mansion tour, $50 for adults; $38 for kids. Tickets are on sale now. Watch highlights from last year’s fireworks at mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/independence-fireworks/.
Photo courtesy of George Washington’s Mount Vernon
JU NE 2 0 2 1 0 5
ALICIA KEYS AT NATIONAL HARBOR
Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys will appear at a rescheduled-from-8/7/2020 concert on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 at 8 p.m. at the Theater at MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill. Her seventh studio album, Alicia, was released on Sept. 18, 2020.Tickets are from $158 to $2,723. mgmnationalharbor.ticketsoffice.org.
Alicia Keys is a classically trained American singer-songwriter.
TANGO MUSICAL REVUE AT GALA
Ella es tango is a live (socially distanced), original musical revue that highlights the contribution of women composers and singers to this world-beloved, but traditionally male dominated genre. Enjoy spectacular dancing with artists from Argentina and the US. Dance tango to live music for an hour after the show on Wednesdays. Ella es tango is at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St, NW, June 2 to 20. Presented in Spanish with English surtitles and some songs in English. $25 to $45. galatheatre.org.
Photo: Washington Area Bicyclist Association
WABA’S THE SWEET RIDE
On June 13, choose from a 16 ($55), 30 ($70) or 50 ($85) mile route and wind through Northern Virginia on a combination of bike lanes, quiet neighborhood streets, and trails. Enjoy water and the WABA staff cheering you on at pit stops along the way. This ride is a fundraiser. Registration fees support WABA’s work in the DC region and their mission empowering people to ride bikes, build connections and transform places. Participants will be spread out along the route and navigate using the provided physical cuesheet, or with free turn-by-turn navigation on their smartphone using the Ride with GPS app. Join WABA for a discount on the above prices. waba.org/goodness/events.
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL 19TH CENTURY BASE BALL FESTIVAL
The 11th Annual Gettysburg National 19th Century Base Ball Festival takes place on July 17 and 18 at the Schroeder Family Farm, 965 Pumping Station Rd., Gettysburg. Twenty-four clubs from across the country will play base ball by the rules of 1864, i.e.no gloves. Admission is free; donations to the Gettysburg Little League are accepted. You can bring picnic baskets, chairs, tents and blankets. Food also available for purchase. No alcohol or pets. gettysburgbaseballfestival.com.
0 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
JU NE 2 0 2 1 0 7
GUNS N’ ROSES AT NAT’S PARK
Heavy metal, hard rock Guns N’ Roses is at Nationals Park on July 13. Formed in 1985, with an earned nickname of “the most dangerous band in the world,” they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 45 million in the United States, making them one of the best-selling acts in history. Tickets start at $94 and are on sale now at washington.eventticketscenter.com.
Courtesy of Guns N’ Roses
NGA’S WEST BUILDING REOPENS
The National Gallery of Art has reopened the West Building to the public. Daily hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free, timed-passes are required. Passes will be released each Monday at 10 a.m. for the week. The East Building will reopen in June; date TBA. The West Building Rotunda now features a welcome kiosk. Visitors are able to customize their experience by browsing thematic tours of the main floor that feature popular topics and artists. As a COVID-19 precaution, the kiosk’s interactive screen pioneers new gesture-based technology to offer guests a safe, touchless option for exploring the collections. nga.gov.
CHESAPEAKE CRAB, WINE & BEER FESTIVAL
Visitors enjoy Joseph Mallord William Turner’s Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight, 1835, National Gallery of Art, Washington, oil on canvas, Widener Collection.
The 11th annual Chesapeake Crab, Wine & Beer Festival at National Harbor on the waterfront, on Aug. 14 (rain or shine), noon to 5 p.m., is an all-you-can-taste extravaganza complete with over 30,000 seasoned crabs, lots of beer, wine, arts and crafts, live music and family fun. Other food for purchase. The event features thousands of tables, chairs, umbrellas and tents. Tickets are $30 to $149. mdcrabfest.com.
Courtesy of the Chesapeake Crab, Wine & Beer Festival
MONTGOMERY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR
The 72th annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, known for its traditional agricultural entries, kids’ zone, free live entertainment, carnival rides and fair food, is at the Montgomery County Fair Grounds, 501 Perry Pkwy in Gaithersburg, from Aug. 13 to 21. Open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight, except on Friday, Aug. 13, from 3 p.m. to midnight. General admission is $15 ($12 online); children 11 and under, free. Parking at the fairgrounds is $10. mcagfair.com.
Photo: Alan Goldstein
0 8 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.
DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.
HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) first-time home buyer program.
years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Qualified District homeowners can receive up to
DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.
COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides financial assistance to those affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.
Visit www.DCHFA.org how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs. 815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG
JU NE 2 0 2 1 0 9
WILCO & SLEATER-KINNEY JOIN FORCES AT MERRIWEATHER
NIGHTLY SPIRITS GHOST TOUR & PUB CRAWLS
Nightly Spirits offers a two-and-a-half-hour haunted Old Town pub tour. Guests will be led by a costumed tour guide along a walking route that explores the history and haunted past of some of the most historic and haunted places in Old Town Alexandria. The tour will visit three or four different bars/pubs along the way. Guests can enjoy a drink (not included) at each stop while they soak in the stories. Tours run Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. Attendees must be 21+. Nightly Spirits also offer White House Ghost Tours. Again, drinks not included. nightlyspirits. com/washington.
Two indie rock giants join forces for the hotly anticipated coast to coast It’s Time Tour. Following the release of their 11th studio album Ode To Joy, Wilco co-headline the jaunt with Riot Grrrl pioneers Sleater-Kinney. Since forming in 1994, Wilco have amassed one of the most respected catalogs in modern American rock. With songwriter Jeff Tweedy at the forefront, the band has successfully dabbled in Americana, folk and even electronica over the course of its storied career. There are few more impressive sounds in rock than Sleater-Kinney at full throttle. Comprised of Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker, the band honed their assault of dueling vocals and guitar ferocity over the course of a decade, beginning with their self-titled debut and ending with 2005’s The Woods.
The album Ode to Joy presents a unique rhythm track and a minimalist instrumentation, with lyrics at once observant, hopeful, morbid, tolerant, and abstract.
Ulysses S. Grant’s ceremonial carriage
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: A GLORIOUS BURDEN ALEXANDRIA’S CAMERON RUN WATERPARK
Cameron Run Regional Park, 4001 Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria is open for the season. Spend a summer afternoon splashing and sliding at Great Waves Waterpark. Test your swing in the slowpitch and fastpitch batting cages. Book one of their picnic shelters for a family or community picnic or bring your friends for 18 holes of miniature golf. Through June 23, hours are M-Th, 4 to 8 p.m.; F, 4 to 9 p.m.; weekends and holidays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Then through Aug. 22, hours are M-Th, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; F, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; weekends and holidays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Weekday prices: under two, free; 48” or more, $16.50; less than 48”, $13; 55 and older, $10.25. Weekend prices: under two, free; 48” or more, $17; less than 48”, $13.50; 55 and older $10.75. novaparks.com/parks/cameron-run-regional-park.
1 0 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden exhibition at the American History Museum explores the personal, public, ceremonial, and executive actions of the 44 men who have had a huge impact on the course of history in the past 200 years. More than 900 objects, including national treasures from the Smithsonian’s vast presidential collections, bring to life the role of the presidency in American culture. The American History Museum reopened on May 21. Free, timed-entry passes are required at si.edu/visit. americanhistory.si.edu.
Full-Service Landscape Design & Maintenance
Thomas Landscapes OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN CAPITOL HILL
Redefining Beauty One Client at a Time! • Installation, arbors, retaining walls, walkways, lighting, water features • Patios, roof top gardens, townhomes, single family homes • Trees & shrubs, formal & informal gardens • Custom Masonry, Fencing and Iron work • Restoration and Enhancement
Summer Garden Special EXP 06/30/2021
10% OFF NEW CLIENTS
15% OFF ANY DESIGN
10% OFF
ON ANY NEW INSTALLATION
Derek Thomas / Principal Certified Professional Horticulturist | Member of MD Nursery Landscape and Greenhouse Association
301.642.5182 | 202.322.2322 (Office) thomaslandscapes.com
JU NE 2 0 2 1 1 1
Georgetown Spring GLOW
Through June 27, local and national artists are showing five commissioned artworks during Spring GLOW in Georgetown. Presented by the Georgetown BID, the free public art experience is viewable by day, and brighter by night. DC artists represented include are Stephanie Mercedes; Chris Combs and David Greenfieldboyce; and Nara Park. Edwin Baruch (New York City) and Curated Creative (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). In addition to the installations, Spring GLOW programming includes in-person and virtual options--from walking tours to artist talks. Following Spring GLOW, Summer GLOW will feature three artworks that will transform Georgetown’s public alleys, July 2 to Sept. 26. georgetownglowdc.com.
Enjoy Georgetown GLOW art installations through June 27. Photo: Virginia Cheng, Georgetown BID
Katrina Colby and Crystal Edge at Wunder Garten. Photo: Diego Bonilla
KIKI DRAG BINGO & POP CULTURE TRIVIA AND GAMES
Table Reservations are required on Sundays, 4 to 7 p.m., at Wunder Garten, 1101 First St. NE, for KiKi Drag Bingo & Pop Culture Trivia and Games. Wunder Garten, inspired by the beer gardens of Germany, opened in 2015 as a pop-up beer garden that quickly became a cornerstone of the NoMa neighborhood. A year-round community gathering place for friends and family, Wunder Garten has a carefully curated selection of German and craft beers and a well-regarded wine and liquor selection. Food served. wundergartendc.com.
MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER AT WOLF TRAP
Renowned and beloved singer, songwriter, and performer Mary Chapin Carpenter will be at Wolf Trap for a one-night-only performance on Saturday, Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m. Her performance was originally scheduled at Wolf Trap on Saturday, August 22, 2020. All current tickets will be honored for the rescheduled performance. Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is a 2012 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. Tickets are $30, up. Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, VA. wolftrap.org.
1 2 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
PARKER QUARTET AT STRATHMORE’S PATIO STAGE
Inspiring performances, luminous sound, and exceptional musicianship are the hallmarks of the Grammy-winning Parker Quartet. The Quartet dazzles with a program of Beethoven, Brahms, and contemporary Israeli female composers Chaya Czernowin and Sivan Cohen Elias. They’re performing on Thursday, June 24 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at Strathmore’s new 120-seat Patio Stage. The Patio Stage’s lineup is varied and inclusive of the myriad of genres Strathmore typically presents. The space has a roof to provide protection from the elements and open sides allow fresh air to circulate. Tickets are sold as pods—with tables that sit one to four people; $112 to $152 per table. The Patio Stage will be in full swing through September. For tickets and the lineup, visit strathmore.org/patiostage.
Parker Quartet. Photo: Luke Ratray
JU NE 2 0 2 1 1 3
SUNDAY AFTERNOON FLYING CIRCUS AIRSHOWS
On Sundays through the end of October, Bealeton, Virginia is the place for outdoor thrills: wing walkers, stunt pilots and dare devils. The pre-show starts at 2 p.m.; the airshow promptly at 2:30 p.m.; gates at 11 a.m. Biplane rides are available for purchase before and after. Admission is $15 for adults; $7 for kids five to twelve; and under five, free. The Flying Circus Aerodrome is just off Route 17, at 5114 Ritchie Road (Route 644) in Bealeton, VA. (about 60 miles from DC). flyingcircusairshow.com.
HOT AUGUST MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Hot August Music Festival is on Saturday, Aug. 28, at Oregon Ridge Park, 13403 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville, MD. Scheduled performers this year, on the Main Stage, are Never Never, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Lettuce, Shakey Graves and Green-sky Bluegrass. Petty Coat Junction, Dancing Bears and Andy Franco and the UN appear on the Professional Vision Zeiss Stage. Music on the Main Stage starts at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. General admission is $64 to $89 depending on the timing of your ticket purchase. Cockeysville is north of Baltimore and about 60 miles from DC. hotaugustmusicfestival.com.
Photo: Vern Wells
Greensky Bluegrass appears on the main stage from 8 to 10 p.m.
The REACH, the Kenned Center’s family-friendly outdoor food and wine garden. Photo: Andrew Lightman
NSO’S SWEENEY TODD IN CONCERT
In this infamous 19th-century tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to London seeking vengeance against the lecherous Judge Turpin, who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck changes when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the addition of an ingredient to her meat pies that has the people of London begging for more. Sweeney Todd in Concert is at Wolf Trap on July 2 and 3, 8 p.m. (gates at 7 p.m.). Tickets start at $42. wolftrap.org.
1 4 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
MILLENNIUM STAGE SUMMER AT THE REACH
Through Oct. 2, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage presents free weekly, day-long mini outdoor festivals (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) curated in partnership with organizations and artists across the city. Events will offer an array of musical and cultural styles of performance, film screenings, yoga, and interactive dance and movement classes in a wide variety of styles. All activities will take place outside at the REACH, where the Center’s family-friendly outdoor food and wine garden, Victura Park, has reopened to guests at the River Pavilion. Advance registration is required and will be available the Friday prior beginning at 10 a.m. kennedy-center.org/whats-on/millennium-stage/2021/reach-summer.
VOICE LIFELINE AND BROADBAND LIFELINE Did you know? You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone or Fios Internet bill. Discounts for basic telephone or Broadband Lifeline service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents. Verizon Washington, DC Inc. Voice Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, DC Inc.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge. Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month. Broadband Lifeline: Verizon Washington, DC Inc. also offers a monthly Lifeline discount to qualified customers who subscribe to Fios Internet service. Eligible customers will receive a $9.25 monthly discount. * Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal regulations and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. All rates, terms and conditions included in this notice are subject to change and are current at the time of printing.
Eligibility:
District residents who have been certified as eligible may apply for the Economy II program or Broadband Lifeline service for customers who subscribe to Fios Internet. Households in which one or more individuals are receiving benefits from one of the following public assistance programs or have an annual income that is 135% or below the Federal Poverty Guideline may be eligible. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) Medicaid Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Veteran’s Pension Benefit Veteran’s Survivors Pension Benefit Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
Restrictions: ✓ No other working telephone service at the same location ✓ No additional phone lines ✓ No Foreign Exchange or Foreign Zone service ✓ No bundles or packages ✓ No outstanding unpaid final bills ✓ Bill name must match eligible participant ✓ No separate Lifeline discount on cellular or wireless phone service ✓ Business lines are not eligible ✓ Phone number must match eligible participant ✓ Must be a current Verizon customer or establish new service with Verizon
An Application for Verizon Voice Lifeline or Broadband Lifeline service can be obtained by contacting Verizon at www.verizon.com/lifeline or by phone at 1 800 VERIZON. To find out more information, you may also call the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which administers Voice Lifeline and Broadband Lifeline for the FCC, by calling (800) 234-9473 or by accessing its website at www.LifelineSupport.org. Economy II and Broadband Lifeline are Lifeline supported services. Voice Lifeline and Broadband Lifeline are government assistance programs. Only eligible consumers may enroll. You may qualify for Voice Lifeline or Broadband Lifeline service if you can show proof that you participate in certain government assistance programs or your annual income (gross and from all sources) is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. If you qualify based on income, you will be required to provide income verification. Proof of participation in a government assistance program requires your current or prior year’s statement of benefits from a qualifying state or federal program; a notice letter or other official document indicating your participation in such a program; and/or another program participation document (for example, benefit card). Proof of income requires your prior year’s state or federal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; a statement of Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement, pension, or Unemployment or Workmen’s Compensation benefits; a federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; a divorce decree; a child support award; and/or another official document containing income information. At least three months of data is necessary when showing proof of income. In addition, the Lifeline program is limited to one discount per household, consisting of either wireline, wireless or broadband (internet) service. You are required to certify and agree that no other member of the household is receiving Voice Lifeline or Broadband Lifeline service from Verizon or another communications provider. Voice Lifeline and Broadband Lifeline services are non-transferable benefits. Voice Lifeline customers may not subscribe to certain other services, including other local telephone service. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain the Lifeline benefit can be punished by fine or imprisonment, or can be barred from the program.
JU NE 2 0 2 1 1 5
OUT AND ABOUT
Insatiable by Celeste McCall
Fun with Your Food
Chefs Tim Ma and Andrew Chiou want you to play with your food. The off spring of Taiwanese immigrants, Ma and Chiou operate Lucky Danger, an American-Chinese pop-up in Mount Vernon Triangle. Located at 455 I St. NW, Lucky Danger provides carryout and delivery only, but the chefs plan to open a bricks-and-mortar restaurant across the river in Virginia. They are also scouting around for a permanent Washington location. Of the myriad dishes we sampled, a star was the cashew chicken – large chunks of white meat crisply caramelized. Nicely garnished whole branzino traveled amazingly well, moist and flaky with a mild flavor. But we had to watch out for bones. Other winners were salt-and-pepper shrimp and sauteed green beans. The only clunker was the duck fried rice, which was skimpy on the duck. You’ll also find such Chinese-American standbys as hot-and-sour soup, Kung Pao chicken, crab Rangoon. An offbeat offering is pig ear salad. Next time. You
At Lucky Danger, whole crispy branzino is attractively garnished before traveling to customers.
1 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
Chefs Tim Ma (right) and Andrew Chiou (left) of Mount Vernon Triangle’s Lucky Danger make carryout/delivery dining fun.
can also order cocktails and other drinks. Ma and Chiou make carryout dining fun. “Lucky Danger” is a mascot they created themselves, and a sheet of stickers depicting other whimsical characters arrives with each neatly packed meal. Instead of tiresome plastic containers, food arrives in labeled, compostable cartons. Plus chopsticks, naturally. Our dinner for three came to $87, including tax, tip and excellent delivery by DoorDash. In fact, our dinners arrived early. For more information or to order a meal, visit www.luckydanger.com.
Truluck’s
Also new to Mount Vernon Triangle is Truluck’s Washington DC, the first District off shoot of a high-end Houston-based national group. You’ll find it at 700 K St. NW. Truluck’s is a specialoccasion destination; some entree prices hover in the $30s and higher. Emerging from executive chef Laurence Cohen’s kitchen: Mediterranean branzino anointed with olive oil, lemon, olives and taramasalata (Greek fish roe dip); pan-seared New England scallops with golden beet pesto; salt and pepper calamari; jumbo lump crab cakes. For landlubbers, there’s broiled prime New York strip and other top beef cuts. Sides include lobster mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and asparagus. Plus amazing beer, wine and cocktail lists. Truluck’s classic decor features red leather, horseshoe-shaped leather booths, glittering chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling views of downtown Washington. Truluck’s is open daily for
SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP TODAY For existing and aspiring District businesses - the Small Business Resource Center is here for you!
Lucky Danger’s tasty meals are delivered in labeled, compostable containers.
dining-in and curbside. For exact hours and reservations visit www. trulucks.com or Open Table.
Trinidadian Vibe
Coming soon to Logan Circle: St. James, a lively restaurant honoring the culture and cuisine of Trinidad. Created by award-winning chef Peter Prime and his sister Jeanine Prime, St. James will arrive later this summer at 2017 14t h St. NW. Emerging from the kitchen will be callaloo (spicy soup made with greens, hot peppers, okra, meat and crab, all simmering in coconut milk). They’ll also cook up black pudding (blood sausage) and other island favorites “with a modern twist.” Wine, beer and cocktails (including shandies, a mixture of beer and fruit juices) will flow. Chef Prime’s creations reflect his native Trinidad’s culinary influences stemming from indigenous peoples, Asian descendants of indentured laborers and enslaved Africans as well as European settlers. Named for a vibrant district in Port of Spain (Trinidad’s capital), the 2,800-squarefoot St. James will be almost three
WEBINAR: LEARN HOW TO BECOME A CERTIFIED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (CBE)
SPEAK ONE-ON-ONE WITH A LAWYER FOR FREE!
Wednesday, June 9, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/52846
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 11:00 am - 5:00 pm (By appointment only) Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/53889
WEBINAR: NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING WITH DC PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
SBRC ONE-ON-ONE CALL SESSION: STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE
Thursday, June 17, 2021 10:00 am Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/51610
WEBINAR: INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING Wednesday, June 23, 2021 2:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/52555
Monday - Friday By appointment between 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events
SBRC ONE-ON-ONE CALL SESSION: “TALK BUSINESS AFTER HOURS” Monday and Wednesday By appointment between 4:00pm - 6:00pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events
Small Business Resource Center (202) 442-4538 | dcra@dc.gov
Joel N. Martin Licensed in DC, MD & VA Since 1986 DC resident since 1970 / Shaw resident since 2002
202-274-1882 office direct 202-338-8900 office main
“honesty, integrity, service & market knowledge” each office independently owned & operated
JU NE 2 0 2 1 1 7
#LoveShaw
times larger than sister restaurant Cane, which showcases traditional Caribbean street foods in the Atlas District.
New Mexican
Photo: DC History Center
Photo: Alexander M. Padro
SHAW: THEN AND NOW Wednesday, June 30, 2021, 12:00 PM
Washington, DC’s historic Shaw neighborhood has seen dramatic changes in the past two decades. Many residents and visitors only know today’s Shaw. But what did the neighborhood look like in decades past? What did buildings that now are home to popular bars and restaurants look like back in the day? What stood where new housing and contemporary landmarks like the Walter E. Washington Convention Center are today? And what familiar places still look just like ‘Duke’ Ellington knew them? Come take a virtual stroll through the past with Shaw historian and Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alexander M. Padro and discover Shaw’s past through historic and contemporary photographs and hear how historic preservation helped transform a riot-scarred neighborhood into one of DC’s most popular places to live, work, shop, play, pray and learn.
Presented by the DC Preservation League as part of the celebration of the organization’s 50th anniversary.
FREE. Advance registration required.
Go to www.dcpreservation.org/calendar/ for more information and to register. Shaw Main Streets is a designated DC Main Streets program and is funded in part by the Department of Small and Local Business Development, Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor. ©2021 Shaw Main Streets, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
EB
Experience Matters When it
REALTOR ®
FINDING YOUR DREAM HOME.
Comes to
Over 30 years assisting clients in residential, multi-family & probate estate sales in the DMV.
EVELYN BRANIC REALTOR ®
202-741-1674 Ebranic.cbintouch.com Ebranic@cbmove.com 350 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003
1 8 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
Mount Vernon Triangle welcomes dLeña wood-fired cocina and mezcaleria, at 476 K St. NW. The 5,000-square-foot, high-end restaurant and tequila lounge is part of Richard Sandoval Hospitality. Headed by executive chef Carlos Camacho, the kitchen showcases mainly Oaxacan cuisine with a modern twist. Tomahawk ribeye for two is flambeed tableside in tequila and served with bone marrow butter; that will set you back $125. Wagyu steak a la piedra (stone), tagged at $48, arrives with poblano peppers, caramelized onions and house-made tortillas. Camarones a la diabla ($30) are jumbo prawns marinated in smoked chiles and presented with chipotle sauce and grilled spring onion. No worries, more modest menu options encompass several kinds of ceviche, assorted tacos, soups, salads and grilled oysters, chicken and avocado, as well as flights of tequila, smoky mezcals. Four flavors of margaritas include tamarind and prickly pear. You’ll also find impressive beer and wine lists. There’s a children’s menu and happy hour. Chef Carlos Camacho’s impressive resume includes stints at sister restaurants El Centro D.F and Toro Toro, and at Great American Restaurants. dLeña is open nightly; for more information or reservations visit www.dlenadc.com.
Jonathan Returns – by Demand
Local chef/cookbook writer/storyteller Jonathan Bardzik, known for his lively cooking demos at Eastern Market, is back. The personable Bardzik’s eight-episode cooking series, “Jonathan’s Kitchen:
Seasons to Taste,” is now streaming on global LGBTQ+ streaming network Revry. Bardzik has written three cookbooks including “Seasons to Taste: Farm-Fresh Joy for Kitchen and Table,” the inspiration for the series. For his show, Bardzik shares seasonal recipes and the people they bring together. Guests include his parents, husband Jason and other culinary experts. Bardzik opens each episode by sharing. “I believe life can and should be lived with joy … preparing a simple meal, setting a table and sharing it with the people I love. And I want to share it with you.” Self-taught, he got his professional start 10 years ago with his Eastern Market demos. He and Jason live on the Hill. “Jonathan’s Kitchen” premiered May 21 on Revry and is available on demand at Revry.tv. For more information, visit www.jonathanbardzik.com or www.revry.tv.com.
New on U
Who is Rosita and what is her secret? Chi-Cha Lounge, Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld’s hookah bar at 1624 U St. NW, has morphed into a Peruvian restaurant: El Secreto de Rosita (Rosita’s Secret). Heading the kitchen is Lima-born executive chef Eugene Perret, who is creating South American and Asian dishes including ceviche, teriyaki wings, goyza, gambas al ajillo (shrimp), fried calamari. Call 202-234-8400 or visit www. chichaloungedc.com.
Summer Sweets
La Cosecha, the Latino marketplace at 1240 Fourth St. NE, welcomes Jarebe (Spanish for syrup). The sprightly newcomer dispenses paletas, Mexican-style popsicles and other Latino sweets. You can find the treats Thursday-Sunday from 11:30 a.m. ◆
G ET YOUR BE ANS D E LIVE R E D
660 Pennsylvania Ave SE 1718 14th St. NW Union Market www.peregrineespresso.com
Order With Joe’s Coffee App
JOE.COFFEE JU NE 2 0 2 1 1 9
NEIGHBORHOOD
Pandemic May Change DC Criminal Justice
A Few Important Lessons Gleaned from the Past Year by Gavrielle Jacobovitz
W
hen the DC Superior Court resumed jury trials in April, such proceedings had not taken place for around a year. In that time, the city’s criminal justice system continued operating: the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested or cited people; if prosecutors brought charges, defendants were either detained or, more often, released under varying levels of supervision awaiting case resolution. Some defendants accepted pleas while others awaited trials, either before a judge or jury. As the criminal court slowly begins opening up, stakeholders reflect on what the justice system could look like going forward. The system adapted throughout the pandemic to the public health emergency. Will any of these changes stretch beyond the pandemic? In the last installment of its series on DC criminal justice during the Covid-19 pandemic, Capital Community News explores three examples of the justice system adapting to Covid-19—virtual court, pretrial supervision, and misdemeanor prosecution— and conversations about whether and if changes should last into the future.
Virtual Court
DC Courts went virtual last spring. As in courtrooms across the country, for the majority of matters, DC court proceedings have been remote, facilitated through the video-conference application WebEx beginning in March. The courtroom hearing arraignments, presentments, bench warrant return and extradition hearings began as partially remote and has remained that way since, though by the end of March all other matters were entirely remote until June, according to a Court spokesperson. Since, the Court has gradually begun introducing more remote, partially remote, and in person
2 0 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
opportunities. Now, for instance, the Court is holding both partially remote nonjury and jury trials and has begun remote non-detained misdemeanor arraignments. Preliminary hearings became partially remote during the summer, with defendants being brought in from DC Jail, according to the Superior Court’s Criminal Division Presiding Judge Juliet McKenna. This decision was, in part, because “it is important, I think, from the defendant’s perspective to actually be able to have their day in court and at least physically appear before a judge,” especially with detention decisions, said McKenna in an interview last December. The Court opened remote hearing sites to increase access for people who do not have computers or internet access. For WebEx proceedings, the Court suggests that attendees dress like they would for Court, sit in a well-lit room, and choose a nondistracting location. McKenna felt that WebEx for hearings, overall, has “been working incredibly well.” “We have not had issues with connectivity or the ability for individuals to see and hear,” said McKenna. There was a “learning curve in the beginning,” she explained. Looking forward, she suggested virtual proceedings might not be left entirely behind. The Court has tried to “hold onto some of the things that maybe lead us to say we should have always done things this way,” McKenna said. “I think we can all recognize that sometimes coming to court for a status hearing or to have your case be dismissed because you completed your community service obligation, that involves the cost of public transportation, it may require somebody to take an entire day off from work, get childcare to wait around for their case to be called,” said McKenna. If parties requested
G G ROOFING
AWARDED BEST WASHINGTON, DC CONTRACTOR OF 2012 BY ANGIE’S LIST FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED • “50 YEARS EXPERIENCE”
Flat Roof Specialists • Modified Bitumen • Skylights • Shingles • Slate •
Chimney Repairs • Roof Coatings • Gutters & Downspouts • Preventive Maintenance • Metal Roofs •
10% OFF WITH THIS AD
202.425.1614 WWW.GANDGHOMEIMPROVEMENTS.NET
Licensed & Insured | All Work Managed & Inspected by Owners
WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE Savings in store and online
simplywide.com Brands: Naturalizer • Soft Spots • Ros Hommerson • Propet Walking • Cradles • Easy Street
10 off
$
Lots & Lots
Wide Width Shoes
All Sales
Limited Time simplywide.com
All Day Comfort
4279 Branch Avenue Marlow Heights, MD 20748
301-702 1401
JU NE 2 0 2 1 2 1
NEIGHBORHOOD
certain proceedings to be remote, “we would certainly be open to that even once the pandemic is over.” However, McKenna noted that there are “fundamental constitutional values,” and that given “the weight of some decisions”—detention or determination of guilt, for instance—it is insufficient to offer certain proceedings “strictly via video or remotely.” Some attorneys noted to CCN that given the circumstances, the virtual WebEx hearings were working well, even expressing support for continuing virtual proceedings for certain hearings, though not for others. In a statement, Laura Hankins, the general counsel for the Public Defenders’ Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) said the organization hopes that The Department of Corrections (DOC) and St. Elizabeths Hospital “will continue to make legal visits by video available, to augment, but not replace, in-person legal visits.” “PDS is in favor of some court hearings by video but, particularly for clients who are detained, hospitalized, or incarcerated, PDS strongly believes that video court hearings should be held only at the request of the client,” Hankins wrote. For scheduling matters and hearings where no issue is contested, said Attorney Jon Jeffress in October, virtual hearings should be fine. For matters where credibility decisions need to be made, “there’s no way that that process can take place as effectively as in person,” Jeffress added. Holding a criminal trial virtually is a “nonstarter” for him, and for “a lot of people” as well. “It just doesn’t afford the process the gravity it should have.” As to whether there may or there should be conversations about virtual hearings going forward when feasible, Jeffress said: “Yes, definitely. … A lot of time was wasted under the old system”—travel to the courtroom, waiting for a case to be called. Using video conferencing for procedural matters like scheduling “really streamlines the process” and will “hopefully be here to stay.” Attorney Julie Swaney wrote to CCN that she believes “that virtual hearings are not sufficient substitutes for in person substantive hearings such as preliminary hearings or motion hearings with witness testimony.” Off-site witness testimony creates “too many issues,” Swaney added, like concerns surrounding the use of prohibited materials, connectivity problems interrupting attorney questioning, and the ability of judges to evaluate witnesses. Furthermore, added Swaney, virtual hearings complicate communication between attorneys and clients or co-counsel. Requesting breaks can “inter-
2 2 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
rupt the flow and impact of testimony.” Additionally, judges may not hear objections immediately. Attorney AJ Amissah agreed in November that while virtual hearings can be convenient and efficient, communication with clients remains a challenge, one that slows down the process. The types of hearings Swaney believes should remain virtual or be an option for the defendant are scheduling status hearings and hearings for diversion. “These hearings shouldn’t require someone to take a full day off work to come to the courthouse when the hearing itself is usually only a few minutes long,” said Swaney. Attorney Lee Smith said in October his experiences with WebEx had been “great,” though he faced a small technical difficulty. While it isn’t preferable to being in person, it works fine given the circumstances, Smith further added. “I think in certain contexts it absolutely makes sense to continue using technology where it makes sense,” Smith said, noting that certain hearings, like trials, will need to be in person. Others like probation review check-ins or scheduling “I think would make sense to be virtual.” Smith noted that there will still be considerations to work out, including having people sign a notice virtually. Similarly, Attorney Henry Escoto believes WebEx hearings are going “quite well.” He noted that hearings seem to take a bit longer. “I think virtual hearings are probably going to be a staple in the long term,” Escoto predicted in January. The Court has worked to “ensure that attorneys are able to have confidential communication with their clients during the course of the hearing,” said McKenna in December.
Pretrial Supervision
The large majority of defendants in DC are not detained pretrial in DC Jail, but released under supervision of the Pretrial Supervision Agency of DC (PSA), an independent federal agency. In PSA’s fiscal year 2020, around 15,000 defendants were released under its supervision. A defendant can be released either on their own personal recognizance or under PSA supervision. Founded in 1967, the agency uses a risk assessment process, determining how likely a defendant is to make court appearances, taking into account information like charges and criminal history to decide upon defendant release conditions, which it recommends to the Court. Release pretrial comes in different levels of intensity, from no supervision at all, to General Supervision, to High Intensity Supervision (HISP) for defendants deemed “high safety or appearance
risks.” HISP can include drug testing, weekly contact, and monitoring. The agency also offers special supervision addressing substance use and mental health disorders. The pandemic created challenges by limiting in person interaction. Due to court delays during the public health emergency, people are staying under pretrial supervision for longer and defendants are not exiting at the rate others are entering, or at the previous average that determined the agency’s current resources, explained PSA Director Leslie Cooper. “There are direct resource implications for us. We are working very hard to figure out how to best respond to those challenges,” said Cooper. “A key piece for us is really figuring out how to best allocate our somewhat limited resources.” For people at a higher risk for rearrest or not appearing at court PSA would do more frequent check-ins—even if just by telephone. For defendants at lower risk for such violations, it would maintain contact but maybe not at the same frequency as for others, Cooper said. PSA used both in person and virtual phone contact to supervise defendants. Even with these changes, the agency had nearly identical markers in their released reports in 2019 and 2020. Its arrest-free rate rose from 87% to 88%. Its percentage of defendants who made all scheduled court appearances rose from 88% to 91%. Its percentage of defendants who for their entire pretrial period remained under its supervision decreased just two percent from 87% to 85%. Regarding the re-arrest rate, “we really didn’t expect it to be that way,” said Cooper. Throughout the adaptations, PSA has been looking forward. According to Cooper, the agency produces a weekly internal report that looks at trends PSA is experiencing during the pandemic period, which it uses “as a guidepost for figuring out whether we need to make procedural changes—do we need to bring different groups of people in, do we need to change supervision for specific groups of people based on what we’re seeing in our trends.” “We are in this new virtual world so we’re really taking this opportunity to be very thoughtful in terms of looking at the data we have available to us and using it to really guide our way forward both as we come out of the pandemic period and beyond,” said Cooper. During the pandemic, defendants have had the opportunity to file emergency motions for release due to Covid-19 public health concerns. As CCN previously reported, between March 15 and Dec. 5,
NEIGHBORHOOD
2020, DC Superior Court received 1,365 bond review motions for 1,033 individual defendants held for felonies and misdemeanors, almost all of which included some pandemic-related basis for relief, according to Judge McKenna. Judges granted 33 percent of the motions during that time. “PDS believes that the major lesson for the District’s criminal justice system during the Covid-19 pandemic is that law enforcement’s extensive use of custodial arrests and pretrial detention is not necessary for public safety and is in fact harmful to individuals and communities,” said Hankins, adding the organization would like to see the continued expanded use of field arrests, citation release, and pretrial release. “I hope one thing that comes out of this is that we realize ... we really didn’t need to be incarcerating all the people we were incarcerating anyway, that it really wasn’t necessary to be locking as many people up as we were,” said Jeffress.
Misdemeanor Prosecution
The pandemic has delayed proceedings across the Superior Court’s docket. For people who were not detained pretrial facing misdemeanor charges and low level offenses, proceedings were on pause for over a year. On May 10, 2021, citation arraignment and initial status hearings began remotely for non-detained misdemeanor cases. Beginning in mid-July, courtrooms for such proceedings will be partially remote. Per the order announcing the move, “thousands of misdemeanor cases are currently pending.” What should the transformation of misdemeanor court during the pandemic teach us about the future of misdemeanor prosecution? This was debated in two Washington Post op-eds this spring. In March, a year after DC misdemeanor court “closed,” Georgetown University Law Professors Vida Johnson, Abbe Smith, and John Copacino implored the city to “keep it that way.” Misdemeanor prosecutions, the attorneys wrote in a March 4 Opinion piece in the Washington Post, “are unnecessary and do more harm than good.” During the pandemic, almost nobody was detained in DC Jail for misdemeanor charges and prosecutors and judges were “seeking to not prosecute or cage petty offenders.” “When the pandemic threat ends, this policy should not,” wrote the authors, who direct the Criminal Defense & Prisoner Advocacy Clinic and Criminal Justice Clinic at Georgetown. “The U.S. attorney’s office should stop criminally pros-
ecuting nonviolent misdemeanors.” In DC, most people charged with misdemeanors are not held in jail pretrial. “Just the fact that the wheels are still in motion, everyone’s living their lives, and we’re not prosecuting people for misdemeanors, and the sky hasn’t fallen, shows how unimportant prosecuting poor people for misdemeanors is,” said Johnson in an interview last winter. Nonviolent misdemeanors—drug possession, shoplifting, destruction of property, unlawful entry—are “[b]y and large…crimes of poverty,” from indicating drug use and dependency, to being “crimes of subsistence,” the attorneys argued. Furthermore, they cited data indicating an “overwhelming number” of DC misdemeanor prosecutions are of poor people and, disproportionately, Black and Brown people. There are severe consequences for facing misdemeanor charges, including loss of housing and other economic effects. While having little impact on public safety, they argue, “petty-crime prosecutions” engender resentment and fear and are costly for taxpayers. In April, Acting US Attorney for DC in the United States Attorney’s Office for DC (USAODC) Channing Phillips argued in an op-ed that this recommendation was “misguided.” It neglects the impact of crime and that prosecution and accountability is favored by many victims of crime, wrote Phillips. These offenses can make residents and visitors feel less safe, he added. While he conceded that many of the aforementioned crimes were crimes of poverty and “symptoms of larger systemic issues,” he argued that the “solution” was not “to ignore or give a pass on the behavior.” “Instead, we should try to address the conduct that led the person to offend in the first instance,” wrote Phillips, pointing to his office’s “rehabilitative-focused alternatives to traditional prosecution.” Phillips cited diversion as an alternative to criminal convictions, for instance offering defendants drug and mental health treatment through the DC Superior Court Mental Health Community Court and the Superior Court Drug Intervention Program. Furthermore, some defendants can complete certain requirements for dismissal of their case. According to Phillips, the USAODC expanded diversion to first-time defendants charged with some felonies. He also revealed that this year the office is “working to start restorative justice programs that allow victims and defendants to speak openly about crime and its effects.” In a tweet in response to Phillips’ article, John-
son wrote: “In responding to our op-ed the DC USAO didn’t mention race. He talks about discretion & victim input, phenomena that reinforce racism. He acknowledges that misdos are crimes of poverty, but offers nothing to address that.” Misdemeanor court “pulls people into the system in ways that it’s really hard to get out,” said Director of DC Justice Lab Patrice Sulton. She disagreed with the USAO-DC op-ed that rehabilitation had to be through the criminal legal system. “To make people do quote on quote rehabilitation under the threat of being put in a cage is not nearly as effective as just investing in communities in the first place so that they don’t find themselves violating the statutes,” contended Sulton. Last year, in an interview in November, the USAO-DC’s Chief of the Superior Court Division John Hill said that his office has “long been very open to alternative ways of handling [misdemeanors] consistent with the needs of the case, history of the defendant, the wishes of the victim, etc.” and that they are looking to expand that. This year, Hill said, USAO-DC will be working to “enable more misdemeanor cases in particular and some lower-level non-violent felony cases” to be potentially “eligible for diversion or for more types of diversion, but [with] the real goal of trying to wherever possible and whenever it might be beneficial to divert someone from the criminal justice system with the hopes that the opportunity will set them on the right path going forward.” “Covid redoubled our determination in this regard and that’s something that we’re going to have to continue to do and something we want to continue doing going forward,” Hill added.
Facing the Future
The partners of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, which PSA is a part of, are focused on “what can we learn from what’s happening and what can we do better and improve to help everybody out,” said PSA Chief of Staff Victor Valentine Davis in November. It’s looking to see “if we can codify some of those [improvements made] and then make everything better going forward even post Covid.” These areas explored were just three examples of changes made during the pandemic and what they might mean for the future of justice in the city. While stakeholders might disagree on what DC criminal justice should look like going forward, it seems the system might not look exactly as it did in the past, pre-pandemic. u
JU NE 2 0 2 1 2 3
NEIGHBORHOOD
Shaw Streets by Pleasant Mann chain that has 12 locations nationwide. The corner to and Ward 6 location takes up 10,000 square feet on two levels, Councilmember with 400 seats. The contemporary menu stretches Charles Allen. from fish to stone crabs to steaks to vegan options. As the gatherOn a smaller scale, Qui Qui (1539 Seventh St. ing wound down, NW ) specializes in Puerto Rican cuisine. Located Commissioner on the second floor of Shaw’s venerable bar The Eichler noted that Passenger, Qui Qui wants to fill the gap in Puerto his canvass of resiRican dining by offering menu items like morcilla dents had public con tostones, salchicha de pollo, pastelon and chusafety as the numleta kan kan. ber one issue. The And a new pop-up is appearing for the sumlast word came mer. Chesapeake Crab Shack and Bar (925 U St. from a 10th Street NW ), from the team behind Duke’s Grocery and resident who had Gogi Yogi, will offer all the signature shellfish a message from dishes. Look for Maryland blue crabs, lobsters, the father of the snow crab legs and peel-and-eat shrimp, served victimized famwith a wide selection of local beers. ily. The father had told him that his wife and son were Shaw resident telling Capt. Riley Hong of the MPD Third District about public safety concerns. Photo: Pleasant Mann still recovering and that he appreciated of the Events DC, the manager of the Washington Consupport he got from the community. He was also vention Center, gave an update on its effort to imhappy to announce that the person who attacked prove the streetscape. Held on the evening of May the family had just been arrested. Following a horrific crime where a mother and 10, the meeting started with a brief review of the As the gathering broke up, the Core Team her child were shot in their front yard, the Ward 6 impact of the pandemic on the convention busistarted its walk-through of the neighborhood. They Core Team of District agencies conducted a walkness. There were 142 events scheduled for FY20 went down 10th Street, east on P Street and back through of the area south of Rhode Island Avenue and FY21 at the center, of which 115 were candown toward Rhode Island Avenue, ending up at to investigate service deficiencies. Michael Eichler, celled. It will be well into FY 2022 before big conEighth and Q streets, marking areas that needed the advisory neighborhood commissioner for the ferences like AUSA, the Washington Auto Show attention. Especially visible area, organized neighborhood residents to tell the and the Congressional were the Rodent Control government what was really needed. He circulated Black Caucus Foundation Team personnel, who poiflyers with the heading “Save Our Shaw.” return to the center. soned all the rat holes that When the Core Team showed up on the Meanwhile, the Conneighborhood residents southeast corner of Rhode Island Avenue and vention Center is undergopointed out. 10th Street on the afternoon of May 27, approxiing renovations, both inside mately 60 residents were there to exchange views. and out. It has set up Studio They formed a circle as the members of the team 801, a 19,000-square-foot explained what their agencies could do to improve production studio for virtuthe situation. Led by Talib Shakir, a Ward 6 liaison al events. A new food court, from the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations Perhaps the best sign that the Uptown Food District, and Services, the District agencies represented on life in Shaw is returning to will have a stand for Ben’s the team included the Metropolitan Police Denormal is the opening of Chili Bowl, as well as four partment, Department of Health, Department new restaurants. The bigother concessions. A new of Transportation, Department of Consumer and gest opening in May was coffeeshop inside the center Regulatory Affairs and Department of Mental Truluck’s Washington DC will be run by La Colombe. Health. There were also representatives from the (700 K St. NW ), the first There will be a grab-and-go New kiosks under construction on the Ninth Street side of the offices of Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke PinWashington branch of a food shop called the ExWashington Convention Center. Image: Events DC
Events DC Updates Convention Center Streetscape Effort
Neighbors Meet with District Officials to “Save Our Shaw”
New Restaurants Springing Up in Shaw
2 4 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
Shaw residents waiting to hear from the Mayoral Core Team. Photo: Pleasant Mann
change and a Made in DC gift store. Outside, four kiosks are being built on the 1100 block of the Ninth Street facade. The kiosks, which are 280 square feet each, should be ready for retail build-out in October. Events DC will engage a broker to facilitate leasing the spaces. Future phases of the streetscape revival call for new planters around the center, new lights to brighten the M Street underpass and eventually a more vibrant rooftop.
Protected Bike Lane Coming to Ninth Street
The DC Department of Transportation announced that the longplanned, much-debated protected bicycle lane going to downtown will finally be built through Shaw. The plans are for the bidirectional lanes to take up the east side of Ninth Street, going from Florida Avenue all the way downtown. The project had been held up for years due to concerns about its effects on businesses and churches on this major commercial corridor. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, however, has been a vocal proponent for the protected bikeway. u
FULL TIME JOB OPENING Direct Support Professionals
Wholistic Services Inc. is looking for dedicated individuals to work as Direct Support Professionals assisting intellectually disabled adults with behavioral & health complexities in our residential locations in the District of Columbia & Maryland.
Job Requirements:
• Ability to lift up to 75 lbs. • Completion of required trainings prior to hire • Completion of Trained Medication Employee (TME) and/or Certified Medication Technician (CMT) Certification(s) within 6 months of hire • Cleared DOH background check prior to hire • Valid Driver’s License • Valid CPR & First Aid
• Negative COVID-19 test results prior to start of work (taken within 3 days prior to date of hire) • COVID-19 vaccination within 45 days of hire
Due to the pandemic, Wholistic will not accept applications or conduct interviews on-site. Applications must be submitted online. Please contact Human Resources at 202-832-8787 for further information.
JU NE 2 0 2 1 2 5
NEIGHBORHOOD
ANC 6E
A
by Pleasant Mann
dvisory Neighborhood Commission 6E held its monthly meeting for May 2021 on Tuesday evening, May 4. Commission Chair Rachelle Nigro (6E04) called the meeting to order with Michael Eichler (6E01, vice chair), Alex Lopez (6E02, secretary), Frank Wiggins (6E03, treasurer), Patrick Parlej (6E05), Denise Blackson (6E06) and Kevin Rogers (6E07) in attendance.
ments. If the District determines that an encampment has to be removed, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) posts a notice, and homeless advocates help people relocate with their belongings. DPW only has the responsibility to remove the remnants of the encampment after people have left.
DPW Director Visits
Capt. Jonathan Dorrough of the First Police District observed that violent and property crimes for the month remained flat compared to the same month last year. There was a robbery at Tyler House and an assault with a deadly weapon last month, where a gun was pointed at someone after a traffic accident. There was a homicide on First Street when a person drew a gun and was shot in a struggle for it. The incident was ruled a justifiable homicide. Parlej said he had received complaints about the Patricia Handy Women’s Shelter, which was recently converted to a men’s shelter. Dorrough noted that a women’s shelter may not have as many community issues, but that not every annoyance is a crime. Answering a question about noise from ATVs, Dorrough noted that ATVs were a chronic problem. The police try to identify riders through camera photos. Blackson was concerned that police were not consistently monitoring the 1900 block of First Place NW. Dorrough characterized the problem as a lack of manpower, with 70% of the force for the area monitoring those two blocks. Capt. Augustine of the Third Police District started by clarifying that while riding ATVs is illegal in the District, owning them is not il-
Acting Director Christine Davis of the Department of Public Works (DPW) joined the meeting to respond to issues raised by a resolution passed last month for the District to address the dumping of private trash in public bins. Davis said that DPW was reassessing its cans. DPW does issue tickets for private dumping, but it needs to have evidence of the identity of the dumper. Most dumpers are smart enough to avoid leaving mail in their trash. DPW is working on a public campaign against dumping. Nigro asked if DPW could use videos to identify dumpers. Wiggins mentioned the problem of a street memorial set up with beer bottles to commemorate a shooting. Davis said that DPW wants to be sensitive and not clean up memorials too soon after an incident. A resident said that she sees DPW empty the public cans, but they are quickly filled again. Sometimes the crews let trash spill on the sidewalk when they empty them. Davis suggested calling the Core Team to resolve problems like these. Wiggins added that he had not gotten a DPW response to his 311 requests after three months. A question came up about DPW’s role in removing homeless encamp-
2 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
Police Service Area (PSA) Reports
legal. There was a homicide April 18 on the 1600 block of Seventh Street, with a suspect arrested. There were a number of violent crimes last month, but most were closed by arrests. April 23 saw a string of airbags stolen from cars parked on Seventh Street from the 1300 block going north. Wiggins asked about a block party that spontaneously started on Sixth Street the previous Wednesday. Augustine said that the police only heard about the party, which included food trucks, after it started. They brought in some units to monitor the situation, but it was the same night as President Biden’s address to Congress. The block party went from about 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Eichler added that some of his constituents were wakened by noise at 3 a.m. Augustine concluded that the police need help from other District agencies to deal with problems like this.
Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee (ABC)
1748 Seventh St. NW, Angel’s Share: request for renewal of Class A license. The owner was not available for the ANC meeting but did attend the committee meeting. Committee Chair Alex Padro said that the store’s only violation was a sale to a minor, for which it received an official warning. The committee supported renewal of the license. The ANC supported the renewal by a vote of five yeses, one abstention (Blackson had left the meeting). 1618 Eighth St. NW, ABT Liquors: renewal of license request. Padro said that there were some issues Eichler had to work out with the owner, so they want to have the matter deferred until the next ANC meeting. 1550 Seventh St. NW, Grand
Cata: renewal of license. Grand Cata had three license violations in 2019, two involving sales to minors. An owner told the ANC that the store now has software that will ensure that IDs are checked and validated. The commission supported the renewal. 1401 Sixth St. NW, ABC Grocery: renewal of license. No representative of the grocery attended the meeting, but Padro noted that it had been operating for 28 years and had no infractions over the past two years. Support for the renewal passed. 446 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Guilford Liquor: renewal of license. Padro noted that it had been under the same ownership for 15 years. It had one violation on the record for failure to have an alcohol manager on duty. The owner said that the problem is being corrected by getting a second certified alcohol manager. Support for the renewal passed. 425 I St. NW, Eye Street Cellars: renewal of license. Padro mentioned it had been in business for over 35 years. The store had one sale-to-minor violation, which was its second infraction. It now has technology to scan and verify IDs to prevent this problem. The committee recommended supporting the renewal. Renewal was supported by the commission in a vote of six yeses, one abstention. 500 K St. NW, Select Reserves: request for license renewal. In business for five years, with no violations in the last two years, it gained approval for its request by a vote of five yeas, one abstention. 1027 Seventh St. NW, Petite Cerise: request for a new restaurant license from the proprietors of The Dabney restaurant in Blagden Alley. The committee supported the request after a settlement agreement was drafted. The restaurant will seat 150 with 25 seated outdoors from 7
to 10 p.m., 11 p.m. on Saturdays. A motion to support a license for the restaurant passed with five yes votes, one abstention.
Zoning and Development Committee
473 Ridge St. NW: project going before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). The planned addition, which adds a second floor to the back of the building, can be done as a matter of right, but it has to be reviewed by the HPRB because it could be seen from the street. The architect said that he had trouble contacting neighbors about their opinions on the additions, but that he understood that the Historic Preservation Office had. A motion to approve supporting the project before the HPRB passed unanimously. Alley Naming Resolution: discussion. Committee Chair Tony Brown explained that the northeast area of Shaw around the Howard Theater has seen a lot of development recently and that some people thought it was losing its historic character. The hope is that giving the neighborhood’s alleys historic names would help restore knowledge of the past. He noted that John Shaw, a resident of Wiltberger Street, has been gathering information about the history of the area, doing research at the DC History Center and the Historic Preservation Office. Shaw said that the first thing he learned was that the new name should not be called an alley, since officially naming an alley is a very involved process. The use of Way or Plaza would be preferable. The proposal was to support honorary designations for three alleys in the area recognizing historic institutions: Holzbeierlein Bakery Way,
the Joe and Mae Hurd All Sports Club Way and Wiltberger Clubhouse Way. The motion to support the honorary designations passed unanimously.
Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)
425 I St. NW, Chez Lilly: public space request for a sidewalk cafe. The owners noted that their original design had been modified to increase accessibility. A motion to support the public space request before DDOT passed unanimously. The committee received a notice of intent (NOI) from DDOT to construct a raised median on New York Avenue at First Street NW. A resident expressed a concern that drivers turning left on First Street would frequently hit the median. However, after consulting with Blackson and others, Lopez thought that the improvement would bring benefits that should be supported. His motion to support the median passed unanimously. Another DDOT NOI would restrict left turns from southbound Seventh Street NW onto K Street, with the erection of flex post to prevent such turns. That morning, there was a crash at Mount Vernon Square. The motion to support the move was approved unanimously. The committee asked the ANC to pass a resolution to fully fund the provisions of the District’s Vision Zero law, which intends to eliminate pedestrian fatalities. The resolution passed unanimously. ANC 6E scheduled its next meeting on Tuesday, June 1, at 6:30 p.m. Plans were to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. Visit www.anc6e.org for more information. ◆
JU NE 2 0 2 1 2 7
NEIGHBORHOOD
BULLETIN BOARD Studio Theatre’s Season Remainder
Productions are available on demand – watch when you want. There are no apps to download, just visit the website to stream. Here is the remaining 2020-21 season lineup through June 13: “Flow by Will Power,” May 21 to June 13; “Tender Age” by George Brant, July 2 to 25. www.studiotheatre.org Photo: Courtesy of DC Fray
Live Music at The Hamilton
Rorschach Theatre’s DISTANCE FREQUENCIES: TRANSMISSION
In fall 2020, Rorschach Theatre launched an unprecedented project for unprecedented times, sending subscribers on self-guided urban adventures as a story unfolded around them. Now, 10 months later, with more than 400 participants hailing from 18 states and three different countries, the story will conclude with a live outdoor performance this July. From July 15 to 31, Rorschach will conclude season-long experience DISTANCE FREQUENCIES in this live, sitespecific show with outdoor, distanced performances. Explore DC history, both real and imagined, in this original work of magic realism with a soundtrack of DC punk and Go-Go. Relax on the palatial Great Lawn at The Parks at Walter Reed in Northwest DC, a site that holds more than a century of history even as its next incarnation takes shape. Tickets are on sale now at www. rorschachtheatre.thundertix.com.
Here’s the June lineup. On Friday, June 11, Amy Helm, legendary singer-songwriter playing folk rock, blues, country It’s time to register for DC Fray summer leagues. Bocce on and Americana; doors at 6:30 p.m. On the National Mall begins June 24; cornhole at Garfield Park Saturday, June 12, Jonathan Sloane, deepon June 23; hockey at Watkins Field on June 22 and 24; kickly rooted in the blues and expanding into ball at Walter Pierce Park on June 20 and 23, Stead Park, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, funk and soul. Doors June 23 and 24, Amidon Elementary School on June 20, 6 p.m. On Thursday, June 17, Ras Slick 22, 23, 24 and 26; softball at The Fields at RFK and Randall and Dutty Bus Crew. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Field on June 20, Harry Thomas on June 22 and New York On Friday, June Avenue Fields on June 23; ultimate Frisbee at The Fields at 18, Bluegrass on RFK on June 23; volleyball at Garfield Park on June 22, 23 the Hill: The Dirty and 24. DC Fray believes that play has the power to transGrass Players with form lives, build communities and create positive impact in Off the Rails, jamthe world. Read more and register at www.dcfray.com. heavy bluegrass quartet. Doors at 6 p.m. On Thursday, June 24, Sungazer, hardhitting jazz fusion, eight-bit, In late March, Studio Theatre broke ground on progressive rock, and EDM. Open Studio, a transformational $20 million inDoors at 6:30 p.m. On Friday, vestment in the future. The three-pronged capital June 25, Newmyer Flyer prescampaign will enhance artistic innovation at the ents Mysterious Traveler: The studio, invest in community engagement and inMusic of Weather Report, a crease operational efficiency for the four-theatre tribute to jazz-fusion pioneers complex at 14th and P Streets NW in Logan Weather Report. Doors at 6 Swingers, a London brand of mini-golf courses, will open its Dupont Circle. Announced in 2020 and delayed by nearly p.m. On Saturday, June 26, Circle location, 330 19th St. NW, on June 18. Guests (21+) will be a year by the pandemic, Studio Theatre is taking collective seven-piece band transported to a world of verdant, undulating crazy golf courses feaadvantage of this time when the theatre is dark to covering the best of the 80s, turing a 1920s English clubhouse, multiple cocktail bars with over 35 complete major renovations and open anew in its 90s, 2000s and today. Doors hand-crafted drinks, gourmet street food vendors and private event 2021-22 season. Renovations will be complete by at 6 p.m. The Hamilton is at spaces. The 20,000-square-foot venue can accommodate over 500 early 2022. More information is available at www. 600 14th St. NW. www.live. guests. Swingers’ second US location will open in New York City’s Viropenstudiocampaign.org. thehamiltondc.com/live.the- gin Hotel later this year. Tickets are on sale now for $19 to $24 a person with packages available upon request. www.swingers.club/us hamiltondc.com
DC Fray Summer Sports Leagues
Studio Theatre Breaks Ground on $20 Million Renovation
Swingers Crazy Golf Opens in Dupont Circle
2 8 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
NEIGHBORHOOD
Through the African American Lens: “Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten”
Dom Flemons headlines 2021’s Bourbon & Bluegrass. Flemons plays the banjo, guitar, jug, harmonica, percussion, quills and rhythm bones. He will be joined by two local bands that are returning favorites to Bourbon & Bluegrass, Hollertown and Moose Jaw. Photo: Timothy Duffy
Bourbon & Bluegrass
On June 13, 4 to 7 p.m., President Lincoln’s Cottage, a national monument in Washington, DC, is hosting its biggest fundraiser of the year, Bourbon & Bluegrass. The event will be livestreamed from the Cottage porch, where it will be performed in person for the veterans of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, who share their campus with President Lincoln’s Cottage. This year’s event will be held virtually to ensure safety and reach wider audiences. Beam Suntory is providing bourbon, with VIP ticketing options that provide Maker’s Mark or Basil Hayden’s custom cocktail kits delivered directly to homes. The event will also feature custom cocktail videos from the Mixtress of DC, Gina Chersevani. All proceeds support the continuing preservation of President Lincoln’s beloved summer home, the birthplace of the Emancipation Proclamation. General admission is $45; VIP, $85. www. lincolncottage.org
Virtual Drag Queen Art Bingo Night
On Friday, June 18, 7 p.m., celebrate Pride with the Smithsonian American Art Museum and DC drag diva KC B. Yoncé. Grab your favorite festive beverage and join a lively evening of drag bingo, American art and more. Register now and request one to four printable bingo cards featuring works by American artists who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. The program will offer two rounds of bingo. Tickets available now, space limited. Free registration required at www.americanart.si.edu/events. DC-area registrants are eligible to get 10% off Red Bear Brewing’s official 2021 Pride Helles lager, Smash Me with a House. Offer available only while supplies last. Offer void after 6/18, 2021.
A virtual panel discussion and film screening explore issues of atonement, reconciliation and reparation and how Tulsa and the nation are coming to terms with the past, 100 years after the Tulsa race massacre. An excerpt from the forthcoming PBS documentary “Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten” examines the emotional truth behind the massacre through the voices of current Tulsa residents. Panelists are Paul Gardullo, historian and curator of the exhibition now on view at the National Museum of African American History and Culture; DeNeen Brown, award-winning correspondent for the Washington Post and co-producer of the film; Oklahoma State Representative Regina Goodwin; Greg Robinson II, director of the Met Cares Foundation and co-producer of the film; and Eric Stover, faculty director of the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley. The event is free at www.thirteen.org/programs/ thirteen-in-the-community/tulsa-the-fire-and-the-forgotten-apanel-discussion-rvk7gc/.
Amnesty for Drivers with Outstanding Tickets
From June 1 to Sept. 30, 2021, a four-month amnesty program will give DC and non-DC drivers the opportunity to pay outstanding tickets. During this time, the penalties drivers incurred on tickets will be waived. Eligible tickets are parking, photo enforcement (including speed, red-light and stopsign cameras) and minor moving violations. At the end of the amnesty period, all penalties will be restored on tickets. www.ticketamnesty.dc.gov u
An Exhibition Inspired by Digital and Analog Gaming Nick DeFord’s “Bermuda Triangle.”
Mazes and Maps: An Exhibition Inspired by Digital and Analog Gaming
“Mazes and Maps” has opened in person (and online) at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4318 Gallatin St., Hyattsville, Maryland. Many of those who sheltered in isolation or in a small group this pandemic year played games for entertainment and socialization. “Mazes and Maps,” on view through July 11, celebrates the importance of the game while putting focus on a particular aspect: cartography. In this eightperson exhibition, each artist has uniquely interpreted game maps through a balance of projection, labeling and symbology. Some works are pure whimsy, but others are reflective and socially acute. The first weekend’s in-person viewings are by appointment only. June 2 to July 11, the public is welcome during regular gallery hours without appointment. Gallery hours are Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. www.pyramidatlantic.org Founded in 1981, Pyramid Atlantic is a nonprofit contemporary art center fostering the creative disciplines of papermaking, printmaking and book arts within a collaborative community. It equips, educates and exhibits in its historic Hyattsville home.
JU NE 2 0 2 1 2 9
3 0 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
S U f o l Al
r e h t e g o T
JU NE 2 0 2 1 3 1
US
r e h t e g To Congrats Graduates! All of
notebook by Kathleen Donner
Photo: Courtesy of the NoMa Business Improvement District
The Swampoodle Park Wallholla
Swampoodle Park is at the corner of Third and L Streets, NE. This 8,000-square-foot parcel--named for the vanished 19th century neighborhood it sits near--includes a dog space with an agility structure, a Wallholla (not in the dictionary) for children to climb on, and public seating. Designed by Lee & Associates in conjunction with community input, it is owned by the city and managed by the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. The dog park is maintained by Friends of NoMa Dogs. nomabid.org.
Hill Center Mad Science Summer Camps
Hill Center Mad Science summer camps (for rising first to sixth graders) give kids the opportunity to learn about science through their interactive and hands-on science activities. These summer science programs let children become junior scientists for
3 2 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
the summer and embark on a series of science adventures. Before care, aftercare, and half-day options are available. The Hill Center is at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. hillcenterdc.org.
Art Tales for Pre-K
Need ideas for how to talk about art with your little
ones? Visit nga.gov/education/teachers/lessonsactivities/pre-k.html. In each box, you can explore artworks with your children, read books with related themes, and try your hand at making some art of your own. Find out about Romare Bearden, George Bellows, Louise Bourgeois, Mary Cassatt, Joseph Cornell, Wassily Kandinsky, Jacob Lawrence, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro; Claude Monet,
Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2017. Giant Panda Bao Bao Departs Smithsonian’s National Zoo for China Photo: Eric Long, Smithsonian’s National Zoo
National Zoo Reopens
The National Zoo reopened to visitors on May 21. Zoo hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. Free timed-entry passes are required. Masks and social distancing are also required. Restaurants and food trucks are open. Viewing of the Zoo’s newest panda cub, Xiao Qi Ji, will be limited for social distancing purposes and will require a separate free timed-entry pass. Visitors can obtain a free pass for Asia Trail/ Giant Pandas when they arrive at the Zoo. Passes will be released throughout the day. As a reminder for the public, Xiao Qi Ji is still young and sleeps a lot during the day. Xiao Qi Ji along with his parents can be viewed on the Zoo’s live panda cams. Visitors driving to the Zoo who wish to park must purchase parking in advance. Visitors can reserve passes online at si.edu/ visit or by phone at 1-800-514-3849, ext. 1. si.edu/visit. Georgia O’Keeffe, Raphael, Diego Rivera, Henri Rousseau and Alma Thomas. Download the related coloring pages and cut-outs for extra creative fun! nga.gov. Planning to visit the National Gallery of Art with a pre-K class? Register for Art Tales tours at nga. gov/education/teachers/schooltours/art-tales-sky-color.html.
Baseball: America’s Home Run
The National Postal Museum will present, as soon as it reopens, a block-
buster exhibition exploring America’s national pastime. Featuring hundreds of US and international stamps commemorating great players, historic moments, and drawing on original artwork and archival material from the United States Postal Service’s esteemed Postmaster General’s Collection, the exhibition approaches the story from a unique, worldwide perspective. The display of stamps and mail will be complemented by dozens of objects loaned by other Smithsonian Institution museums, the Na-
DC Prep campuses now accepting applications for the 21-22 school year in ward 5, 7 & 8. We’re the highest performing public charter schools serving PK3 – 8th grade.
Call 202-780-5126 for more information or visit:
dcprep.org
JU NE 2 0 2 1 3 3
3 4 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
tional Baseball Hall of Fame, law enforcement agencies, and private collectors. The exhibition, in English and Spanish, will have broad appeal to collectors of stamps and memorabilia, family audiences, and diehard fans. Baseball: America’s Home Run is opening soon at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. postalmuseum.si.edu.
#EZScience from Air and Space
In the National Air and Space Museum’s #EZScience video series, presented in collaboration with with NASA, Museum director Dr. Ellen Stofan and NASA’s associate administrator for science Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen talk about the latest in planetary science and exploration. The 13 YouTube shows include: Exploring the Moon with Apollo; The Search for New Planets; Our Favorite Star-The Sun; The Path to Mars 2020; Balloon Science; NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope-Our Window to the Stars; Your Space Science Questions Answered; Your Career Questions Answered; Launching to Mars with NASA’s Perseverance Rover; Mars Perseverance Rover Will Look for Signs of Ancient Life; Preparing to Launch the Perseverance Rover to Mars; OSIRIS-Rex Touches Down on Bennu; and International Space Station-Our Home in Space for 20 Years. Share your questions about space on social media using #EZScience and they could be answered in a future show. airandspace.si.edu.
The National Portrait Gallery’s Introducing…
Introducing… a new kind of story time. Each week the National Portrait Gallery shines a light on some of this country’s lesser-known history makers and their portraits. Join them on YouTube every Wednesday at 11 a.m. for Introducing… with
PAUL INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 2021 GRADUATES It’s time to SENIORBRATE! Paul Public Charter School congratulates our 2021 PIHS graduates. We recognize their tireless courage to achieve their goals and dreams.
“What you today can improve all of your tomorrows.” – Ralp Marston
100% of our Seniors were accepted to college! Begin your legacy from classroom to college and career today. Apply now for grades 6-10 at myschooldc.org/postlotto
Visit our in-person Enrollment Hours: Tuesday - Thursday I 8:30 - 3:30 se habla español paulcharter.org/apply-to-paul-charter-school/ 5800 8th Street NW Washington, DC | (202) 291-7499
Now Available ONLINE @
in the Whole Foods Section
The best corn you’ve ever had Available at IN TH E FROZEN VEGGIES SECTION
100% ALL NATURAL!
NO added sugar, additives, coloring or preservatives
More info and recipes at: larrysweetcorn.com
JU NE 2 0 2 1 3 5
US
r e h t e g To Congrats Graduates! All of
Terrapin Adventures for Kids
Terrapin Adventures Kids Pass features a two-tiered high ropes course with more than 20 obstacles and a high ropes course that also includes a 20-foot climbing wall. $29 per participant. Minimum requirements: five to ten years old and 35 lbs. The experience lasts one hour. Terrapin Adventures is at 8600 Foundry St., Savage, MD. terrapinadventures.com.
National Children’s Museum STREAM-work
Inez Barlatier: Ayiti, Stories and Songs from Haiti appear on Tuesday, July 20, 11 a.m. (gates at 10 a.m.) at Wolf Trap. Photo: Michell Zachs
Upcoming Shows at Wolf Trap’s Theater-in-the-Woods Inez Barlatier: Ayiti, Stories and Songs from Haiti on Tuesday, July 20, 11 a.m. Miami native Inez Barlatier celebrates Haitian art and culture through energetic drumming and singing, magical folktales, traditional dances, and colorful costumes. Joined onstage by her band of talented young Ayisyen artists, Inez explores themes of community and gratitude through song. For ages three to nine. $12, up. Oran Etkin, Timbalooloo: Finding Friends Far From Home on Wednesday, July 21, 11 a.m. Award-winning clarinetist Oran Etkin and his friend Clara Net (his clarinet) travel the world to make new instrument friends. Evoking a tale of friendship and understanding, the instruments speak to each other through music and open a window for audiences to experience other cultures. For ages two to ten. $12, up. Dan + Claudia Zanes with Friends: New Beginnings on Saturday, July 24, 11 a.m. Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes (The Del Fuegos) and HaitianAmerican jazz vocalist and music therapist Claudia Zanes perform a mix of old and new songs from near and far. During this highly interactive show, the audience is invited to dance and sing along. For ages three to twelve. $12, up. Tickets are sold in socially-distanced pods of two to eight tickets. Pods must be purchased in their entirety. No single tickets are available. For Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods performances, each pod must include an adult over the age of 18. wolftrap.org. a Portrait Gallery educator. Children will learn more about art, hear the stories behind the portraits, and even learn some new vocabulary. Select story times will be in Spanish. For children ages three and up and their families. npg.si.edu/events/ family-programs.
3 6 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
National Children’s Museum is closed until further notice. Find STREAMwork classics on their website in the categories of design & build; nature spotlight; sensory play; science exploration; community connection; and climate action challenge. nationalchildrensmuseum. org/steamwork.
Six Flags (formerly Wildworld) is Open for the Summer
The Six Flags Amusement and Water Park, 13710 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro, is open almost daily, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., for the summer season. It offers thrill rides, family rides, kids rides, water rides and live entertainment. sixflags.com.
Tidal Basin Paddle Boats
This summer, paddle your way around the Tidal Basin and spend some time with Thomas Jefferson. Soak up the sun and make monumental
memories on the water in a paddle boat. Onehour ($32) and two-hour ($64) rentals are available. Boats accommodate up to four people. Tidal Basin, 1501 Maine Ave. SW, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (all boats in at 7 p.m.). Best to reserve a boat in advance at boatingindc.com/ boathouses/tidal-basin.
DC Expands Vaccination Options for Residents 12 and older
DC residents who are 12 and older can now get vaccinated at walk-up sites and pharmacies across DC that are administering the Pfizer vaccine. Twelve and older residents can get vaccinated at the following District walk-up sites whenever they are open: Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW, Thursday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.; RISE Demonstration Center, 2730 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, daily except Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Safeway, CVS, and Walgreens pharmacies that are using the Pfizer vaccine can also vaccinate. In addition to these walk-up sites and Children’s National, 12 and older residents can also get vaccinated at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and One Medical sites. coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccinatedc.
DC Kids Emergency Preparedness Guide
Emergencies and disasters can be scary, but it is important to teach kids how to build an emergency kit, recognize and respond to signs of danger, and be aware of their surroundings. Use the ReadyDC resource to help your children feel more prepared without being scared. Find a Kids Activity Page in English and Spanish at ready.dc.gov/resources.
HBCU’s Run the District Kids One-Mile Fun Run
The Washington, DC Metro HBCU Alumni Alliance, Inc.’s community outreach mission is to improve the health and well-being of their communities. Their efforts are aimed at reducing health disparities that are pervasive in predominantly African American communities. Depending on where you live in the Washington, DC area, there is a 15-year difference in life expectancy. By leveraging the full value of the Alumni Alliance, they educate the community, provide financial resources, offer volunteers and work strategically with community partners to make a measurable
changing hands
Changing Hands is a list of most residential sales in the Midcity DC area 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
Price BR
BLOOMINGDALE 46 Randolph Pl NW
$900,000
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 3635 11th St NW
$1,085,000
DUPONT CIRCLE 2256 12th Pl NW 1752 Church St NW 1770 Willard St NW
$708,000 $1,900,000 $1,580,000
H STREET CORRIDOR
Photo: Courtesy of the Marine Corps Marathon
Marine Corps Marathon Kids’ Fun Run
The Marine Corps Marathon has just announced that the 2021 Marine Corps Marathon Weekend will be held live and in-person this October 29 to 31 in Arlington. Both the marathon and the kids’ run will also be virtual. The virtual run means that kids run one mile but register to receive a shirt and finish-line medal. Registration is $8. Registration for the one-mile Kids’ Fun Run will open shortly at marinemarathon.org. impact. The 2021 (virtual) Run the District Kids’ Fun Run is for kids ten and under—meaning kids run independently. Sign up by June 26. $20 for kids. dchbcu.org.
general practice. $250 per week. joesmovement.org.
Club Joe’s: Summer Arts Learning
For the past three years, Mayor Muriel Bowser has convened District residents, along with local and national elected officials, health and education thought leaders, and community partners to explore strategies to improve perinatal health and address racial inequities in birth outcomes. On Wednesday, Sept. 15, join Mayor Muriel Bowser for the fourth annual National Maternal & Infant Health Summit. This year’s Summit will feature panel discussions and community-led sessions dedicated to connecting District residents with local and national resources and supports needed to ensure babies, their families and communities have what they need to thrive. Learn more at dcmaternalhealth.com. u u
Summer Arts Learning at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier, MD, provides kids, ages five to thirteen, with exposure to the arts. Joe’s offers one-week sessions for elementary school-aged children to explore world arts traditions through performing and visual arts disciplines. Participants can enroll in one or all weeks. Early dropoff at 8 a.m. is available at no charge. From June 21 to Sept. 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., students will spend two to four hours in motion each day. Children experience dance, step, vocals, drama, percussion, creative movement play, jump rope and hooping. Small group sizes, masks, and social distancing will be incorporated as a
National Maternal & Infant Health Summit
707 12th St NE 628 Morton Pl NE
$995,000 $847,000
LEDROIT PARK 1854 3rd St NW 322 Elm St NW 60 U St NW 333 Elm St NW
$1,925,000 $870,000 $775,000 $650,000
3 4 2 3 5 3 3 6 3 3 2
1722 U St NW #B 1330 New Hampshire Ave NW #610 1704 19th St NW #1 1545 18th St NW #303 1718 P St NW #406 1725 New Hampshire Ave NW #203
1449 Corcoran St NW #2
$812,500
217 R St NE #A 233 S St NE #6
$735,000 $651,000
H STREET CORRIDOR 911 9th St NE #1 1219 Wylie St NE #1 1011 18th St NE #4 1115 H St NE #304
$765,000 $510,000 $437,500 $377,900
ADAMS MORGAN 2434 16th St NW #B101
$715,000
BLOOMINGDALE 71 U St NW #1 1922 1st St NW #A 35 Rhode Island Ave NW #B 51 Rhode Island Ave NW #1 1929 1st St NW #101
$895,000 $779,000 $700,000 $555,000 $360,900
2 2 3 2 2 1
CENTRAL 777 7th St NW #318
$365,000
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 3566 13th St NW #1 755 Fairmont St NW #2 1512 Park Rd NW #2 2920 NW Georgia NW #407 3420 16th St NW #308 1020 Monroe St NW #409 1421 Columbia Rd NW #404 3900-3902 14th St NW #501 1401 Columbia Rd NW #104 1401 Columbia Rd NW #206 1417 Chapin St NW #204 2600 Sherman Ave NW #202
$670,000 $642,500 $637,000 $619,000 $591,000 $570,000 $540,000 $411,000 $369,000 $365,000 $350,000 $340,000
DUPONT CIRCLE 1745 N St NW #410 1830 Jefferson Pl NW #23 1740 18th St NW #201 2114 N St NW #37 1718 P St NW #904
$1,275,000 $1,075,000 $740,000 $450,000 $379,500
1 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 1
3 2 3 2 2 1
LOGAN CIRCLE
$525,000 2 $1,170,000 2 $857,500 2 $810,000 2 $795,000 2 $786,201 1 $720,000 2 $644,900 2 $642,000 2 $581,000 2 $530,000 1 $519,000 2 $470,000 1 $459,000 1 $1,240,000 3 $815,000 2
MT VERNON SQUARE
2
2 1 1 1 1 0
ECKINGTON
1117 10th St NW #308 1401 Q St NW #303 1311 13th St NW #206 1325 13th St NW #35 1529 14th St NW #307 OLD CITY #2 1201 Q St NW #402 1256 10th St NW $985,000 3 1442 Corcoran St NW #4 2210 12th Pl NW $755,000 2 1211 13th St NW #103 SHAW 1010 Massachusetts Ave NW #1005 1601 5th St NW #A $1,812,500 4 1212 M St NW #202 1401 Church St NW #410 319 R St NW $1,600,000 4 1245 13th St NW #103 1714 New Jersey Ave NW $850,000 3 1225 13th St NW #502 U STREET CORRIDOR 1300 N St NW #819 1200 Florida Ave NW $975,000 3 1217 10th St NW #B CONDO 1618 11th St NW #303
14TH STREET CORRIDOR
$657,321 $459,000 $420,000 $395,000 $390,000 $233,000
448 M St NW #1 811 4th St NW #418 440 L St NW #701 460 New York Ave NW #206 460 New York Ave NW #202
$660,000 $653,000 $590,000 $530,000 $485,000
OLD CITY #2 1545 6th St NW #1 57 N St NW #229 1211 13th St NW #306 2120 Vermont Ave NW #211
$1,100,000 $550,000 $525,000 $454,930
PENN QUARTER 631 D St NW #1226 912 F St NW #701 616 E St NW #1020 777 7th St NW #819
$750,000 $575,000 $493,500 $360,000
2 2 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1
SHAW 501 Rhode Island Ave NW #2 801 N St NW #T-02 929 Florida Ave NW #6001 801 N St NW #104 1806 6th St NW #102
$722,000 $589,900 $539,000 $490,000 $429,000
TRUXTON CIRCLE
24 N St NW #2 $344,000 U STREET 2001 12th St NW #408 $559,000
2 1 1 1 1 1 2
COOPERATIVE DUPONT 1701 16th St NW #350 u
$405,000
JU NE 2 0 2 1 3 7
1
CLASSI AIR CONDITIONING
ELECTRICIAN
ROOFING
PAINTING
CLEANING SERVICES
LANDSCAPES Thomas Landscapes
PLUMBING
DEREK THOMAS / PRINCIPAL
Over 20 Years of Experience in Capitol Hill FULL-SERVICE LANDSCAPE DESIGN & MAINTENANCE • Installation, arbors, retaining walls, • walkways, lighting, water features • Patios, roof top gardens, townhomes, single family homes • Trees & shrubs, formal & informal gardens • Custom Masonry, Fencing and Iron work • Restoration and Enhancement
Just Say I Need A Plumber®
Dial A Plumber, LLC®
• Licensed Gas Fitter • Water Heater • Boiler Work • Serving DC • References John • Drain Service • Furness Repair & Replacement
301.642.5182 (OFFICE) 202.322.2322 THOMASLANDSCAPES.COM
Licensed Bonded Insured
Kenny
202-251-1479 DC PLUMMER’S LICENSE #707
3 8 M I D CI T Y D C N EWS . C O M
IFIEDS FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST WE STOP LEAKS! • Roof Repairs • Roof Coatings • Rubber • Metal • Slate
• Tiles • Chimneys • Gutters • Waterproofing • Roof Certifications
We Do Everything!
BOYD CONSTRUCTION INC.
75 years in service
LIC. BONDED. INS
BBB
Member
202-223-ROOF (7663)
G G ROOFING
AWARDED BEST WASHINGTON, DC CONTRACTOR OF 2012 BY ANGIE’S LIST FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED • “50 YEARS EXPERIENCE”
Flat Roof Specialists Modified Bitumen • Skylights • Shingles • Slate • •
Chimney Repairs Roof Coatings • Gutters & Downspouts • Preventive Maintenance • Metal Roofs • •
10% OFF WITH THIS AD
202.425.1614 WWW.GANDGHOMEIMPROVEMENTS.NET
Licensed & Insured | All Work Managed & Inspected by Owners
Contact CARO at 202.400.3503 carolina@hillrag.com
#dineinshaw #drinkinshaw #shopinshaw #loveshaw 1017 7TH STREET, NW
TAKEOUT ONLY: ORDER ONLINE OR AT THE DOOR
Order for Pickup from Shaw Location or Delivery via CAVIAR, DOORDASH, GRUBHUB, POSTMATES OR UBEREATS
Authentic Handmade Bolivian Street Food Follow us on Twitter 1819 7 Street, NW • (202) 803-7943
NEW, LARGER LOCATION:
Over 5,000 Cigar Varieties in Inventory!
1120 9th Street, NW (202) 289-8684 www.tgcigar.com
th
www.sayasaltena.com Order for Pickup or Delivery
Follow us on Instagram 2016 9th Street, NW Dine in at Echo Park or Order for Pickup from Shaw Location or Delivery
Like Us on Facebook
www.eatandyspizza.com/shaw
Authentic Mexican Cuisine by Doña Tere 1232 9TH STREET, NW
924 U STREET, NW (202) 292-2859
(202) 789-0870
ORDER FOR PICKUP OR DELIVERY
DOGTOPIA.COM/DOWNTOWN-WASHINGTON-DC
WWW.TAQUERIAXOCHI.COM
Shaw Main Streets is a designated DC Main Streets program and is funded in part by the Department of Small and Local Business Development, Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor.
