Nw 12 20 17

The Northwest Current

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Vol. L, No. 50

Serving Communities in Northwest Washington Since 1967

Selected market brings new Ladybird criticism

STICKS ON THE ICE

Zoning: Project wins nod as ANC 3D reverses course

■

By KIRK KRAMER Current Staff Writer

The Balducci’s chain of premium grocery stores will open its only D.C. location at the Ladybird, a mixed-use development proposed for the Spring Valley Superfresh site, the project team announced last week.

The news attracted fresh criticism about the Ladybird plans, which many neighbors argue are out of scale with the single-family homes abutting the project site.

Valor Development hopes to construct 219 residential units atop 16,000 square feet of retail space at 48th and Yuma streets NW, and one of the two planned buildings would stand up to seven stories tall.

The earliest project plans had

Hannah Lynn Wagner/The Current

Wilson High School’s nascent ice hockey team scored a 6-5 victory over the DC Stars last Friday in a match at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena. The Stars had gone into the third period up 4-3, but the Tigers scored two quick goals to take the lead. Several Wilson players were members of the DC Stars prior to the Tenleytown school fielding a team of its own this season. See story, page 9.

Courtesy of Valor Development

The former Superfresh site is slated for a mixed-use project.

called for a full-size grocery store, which some community members had applauded — in particular given the closure of the Superfresh; its successor on the site, Fresh & Greens; and the nearest Safeway. Valor said in July that large-format supermarkets were no longer looking to add locations and revised its proposal to accommodate a much smaller grocer.

News that this store would be a See Ladybird/Page 14

Georgetown hotel’s plan to convert row houses prompts mixed reviews

Student’s toy drive helps Puerto Rico

“We would be opposed to setting a precedent of large landowners buying up private houses and turning them into short-term The Rosewood Hotel at 1050 31st St. rentals,” Santoyo said. “We want to ensure NW, overlooking the C&O Canal, is that the individuation does not disappear.” expanding around the corner and down the Michael Winstanley, the architect for the hotel’s project, disstreet. The Georgecussed the plans at town hotel will soon this month’s meetoperate six historic ing of Advisory row houses in the Neighborhood same block of 31st Commission 2E Street and nearby on (Georgetown, BurSouth Street as luxleith). Among the ury short-term rentalterations he outal properties. lined were the It’s a move that of Photo courtesy of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts installation makes Elsa Santoyo and of the Citizens The Rosewood Hotel plans to offer lodging awnings repainting all six Association of in six nearby 19th-century row houses. houses the same Georgetown feel a trifle apprehensive. She praised the Rose- color, plans that commissioners opposed. wood as a classy addition to the neighbor- Lisa Palmer, whose single-member dishood since its 2013 opening, but expressed trict includes the hotel and row houses, also concern about the character of the neighbor- wants to ensure that the buildings each See Hotel/Page 5 hood changing.

By KIRK KRAMER

By ZOE MORGAN

Current Staff Writer

Current Staff Writer

After seeing the devastation of Hurricane Maria, local sixth-grader Javier LlanoCruz wanted to help. And with the assistance of his family, his Oyster-Adams Bilingual School classmates, private donations and even the toy industry, Llano-Cruz got to help make Christmas better for thousands of children in Puerto Rico.

With his mother, Llano-Cruz traveled to the beleaguered island from Dec. 15 through 19 to help sort and deliver 36,000 donated toys that he helped collect. The toy drive was run by Friends of Puerto Rico, a nonprofit that his father Javier Llano co-founded.

“What made me do it is that I wanted to give back to the world in a positive way,” Llano-Cruz, a Columbia Heights resident, told The Current. “My family is from Puerto Rico and after Maria it was bad, so it was a way to give back.”

After the hurricane struck the island on Sept. 20, Llano-Cruz’s mother Ruth Cruz

Photo by Kat Vazquez Studio

Javier Llano-Cruz and his mother delivered 36,000 toys to children in Puerto Rico.

said that she realized parents on the ground wouldn’t necessarily have the resources to buy their children toys for Christmas. Starting in late October, the toy drive began.

“As a Puerto Rican mother of two, it’s overwhelming because Puerto Rico is home for us,” Cruz said. “Javier and his brother were born here in the States, but we go to See Toys/Page 10

NEWS

SPORTS

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

INDEX

Censure draws flak

Cadet wins award

The Current will resume its regular publication schedule on Jan. 10 after the holidays. In the meantime, updates and calendar listings will be available at currentnewspapers.com.

Calendar/15 Classifieds/19 District Digest/2 In Your Neighborhood/14 Opinion/6

Dupont ANC doesn’t alter earlier action despite criticism from attorney general’s office / Page 3

St. John’s quarterback wins Gatorade honors for D.C. football player of the year / Page 9

Police Report/4 Real Estate/13 School Dispatches/8 Service Directory/18 Sports/9

Tips? Contact us at newsdesk@currentnewspapers.com

2 Digest

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current

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District Digest D.C. attorney general files suit over rents

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has filed a lawsuit alleging that a Van Ness apartment complex circumvented the District’s rent control laws, according to a news release.

The suit claims that the owners and managers of 3003 Van Ness Apartments misrepresented the true rates for rent-controlled units and how much rent could legally be raised. According to the suit, rent concessions were used to mislead prospective tenants into signing leases without being provided all the material terms. Tenants then faced higher rent increases than District law allows. “Landlords should clearly inform consumers up-front about the base rent from which subsequent increases will be calculated — but, we allege in this case, the defendants misled them,� Racine

said in the release.

Advertisements for apartments listed lower prices than were reported to the city, the complaint alleges. The listed rate included a rent concession, essentially a monthly discount, that was not disclosed to tenants. Management then raised rents from the higher starting point that had been filed officially, giving tenants an unexpectedly steep increase.

The suit further alleges that when tenants questioned the difference between the advertised rates and the amounts listed in their leases, the managers claimed that the rent concessions were permanent and offered through a D.C. government program, neither of which was true. According to the suit, tenants were also wrongly led to believe that rent increases would be calculated based on the advertised amount, but instead they were calculated based on the rate reported to the government.

.EW 0ATHWAYS .EW 0OSSIBILITIES

Skylight work set to start at Tenley library A five-week project to repair the skylight at the Tenley-Friendship Library will begin on Jan. 2, according to a release.

D.C. Public Library spokesperson George Williams told The Current that the skylight had begun leaking, forcing the repairs to the seven-year-old library building at 4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Interior work will take place after hours and exterior work will not affect library operations, the release states.

City’s Human Rights Act marks 40 years

City leaders celebrated the 40th anniversary of the District’s Human Rights Act on Dec. 6 at the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, according to a release.

Adopted unanimously by the first elected D.C. Council, the initial statute banned discrimination in employment, housing, education and places of public accommodation based on 15 protected traits. Five more traits have since been added. “We are proud to celebrate the fact that Washington, DC has long been, and continues to be, a leader in civil rights,� Mayor Muriel Bowser said in the release. “The DC Human Rights Act was ahead of its time and remains the most comprehensive law of its kind in the nation.�

The event included a brief film screening featuring former Coun-

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cil member Arrington Dixon and Virginia Ali of Ben’s Chili Bowl, with their accounts of the act’s 1977 passage. A panel discussion followed, with local leaders exploring the future of civil and human rights, according to the release.

Katherine Huffman of the Raben Group also received the Cornelius “Neil� Alexander Humanitarian Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements in civil rights and is named after a former chief judge. Huffman was honored for her contributions to advancing civil rights and her commitment to criminal justice reform.

City composting sites to operate this winter

Three composting locations will stay open throughout the winter for residents to drop off their food waste, according to a release from the D.C. Department of Public Works.

Current locations in Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle and Capitol Hill will now remain open year-round. The program will resume in other parts of the city in May. The free drop-off service for residents began earlier this year with locations at designated farmers markets in all eight wards. “Since the District first launched our Food Waste DropOff program in the spring, we’ve seen residents’ interest continue to grow,� department director Christopher Shorter said in the release. “With locations now open throughout the winter months, we’re able to provide residents with an easy way to compost their leftover food scraps year-round.�

Accepted items include vegetables, fruits, grain, bread, pasta and coffee grounds. The waste is handled at District community composting sites and the Prince

The Current Delivered weekly to homes and businesses in Northwest Washington Publisher & Editor Davis Kennedy President & COO David Ferrara Managing Editor Chris Kain Assistant Managing Editor Brady Holt Dir. of Corporate Dev. Richa Marwah Advertising Standards

Advertising published in The Current Newspapers is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services as offered are accurately described and are available to customers at the advertised price. Advertising that does not conform to these standards, or that is deceptive or misleading, is never knowingly accepted. If any Current Newspapers reader encounters non-compliance with these standards, we ask that you inform us.

All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without permission from the publisher.

Telephone: 202-244-7223 E-mail Address

newsdesk@currentnewspapers.com Street Address

5185 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 102 Mailing Address

Post Office Box 40400 Washington, D.C. 20016-0400

Editor’s note

This will be my last issue as managing editor of The Current Newspapers.

After 26 years in the position, I think it’s time for me to move on to new challenges. In the coming weeks I will be helping with the transition to the next editor. As I look back on our efforts to produce the best newspapers we could, I’d like to express my appreciation for the current and former staff members who have done so much to put out each issue.

I’d also like to thank the readers who turn to us for local and community news — and who have expressed such appreciation for the work we do. Thanks, as well, to publisher Davis Kennedy for the confidence he showed in me when he purchased the newspapers back in 1994.

— Chris Kain

George’s County Organics Compost facility. The program had collected more than 89,000 pounds of organics from more than 10,000 participants as of Dec. 2, the release states.

The drop-off sites still open are at the Columbia Heights Farmers Market (Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), Dupont Circle Farmers Market (Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and Eastern Market (Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Metrorail adds Wi-Fi to 24 more stations

Free public Wi-Fi is now available at 24 additional underground Metro stations, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority recently announced.

Northwest stations with Wi-Fi include Farragut North, Dupont Circle, Cleveland Park, Van NessUDC, Tenleytown-AU, Friendship Heights, McPherson Square, Farragut West, Foggy BottomGWU, Mount Vernon Square and Columbia Heights, according to a news release.

Six stations have had Wi-Fi since April, with 30 now covered.

Remaining underground stations will have Wi-Fi by mid-2018, the release states. All stations already have cellular service, and wireless voice and data service is also available in certain underground tunnel segments. Work is in progress to provide full cell service throughout the system.

Corrections

As a matter of policy, The Current corrects all errors of substance.

To report an error, call the managing editor at 202-567-2011.

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The Current

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Dupont ANC bristles at criticism of censure

By KIRK KRAMER Current Staff Writer

As the Dupont Circle community debated an alcohol license application from its Safeway supermarket earlier this year, the local advisory neighborhood commission also faced an internal controversy that spilled into public view: deteriorating relations with one of its own members.

ANC 2B’s Nick DelleDonne was a forceful opponent of a liquor license at the 1701 Corcoran St. NW store, facing off against colleagues who preferred to work out a compromise with Safeway. Many of his constituents called him an energetic representative of the community’s interests. DelleDonne’s colleagues, on the other hand, said he was condescending, demanding and publicly disrespectful toward them. They voted to censure DelleDonne on Sept. 13. “We wanted to send a message to you that we don’t like the way you have worked with us,� commission chair Nicole McEntee told DelleDonne at last Wednesday’s meeting of ANC 2B. But according to D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine’s office, the message wasn’t sent appropriately. On Nov. 29, assistant attorney general Josh Turner sent a letter that declared the censure vote “null and void,� and criticized a

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Disagreements over Safeway’s beer and wine license application coincided with internal divisions.

lack of due process preceding the commission’s censure vote.

At a stormy ANC 2B meeting last Wednesday, DelleDonne said the letter vindicated him. “You can’t make vague and unsubstantiated charges in public,� DelleDonne said. “The attorney general’s office reviewed the facts and found the commission in violation of the law.�

DelleDonne characterized the commission’s vote to censure him as “a reckless breakdown of democratic norms in our own backyard.�

Despite the legal opinion, DelleDonne’s colleagues spoke with equal force in defending their action.

Scott Davies said he and his eight fellow commissioners have different views, backgrounds and priorities, but all of DelleDonne’s colleagues reached the same conclusion about him after he was

sworn in to his ANC 2B seat after a special election in March. “When someone can alienate eight different people in a very short time, that speaks a lot,�

Davies said.

The letter from Turner — addressed to DelleDonne, who had appealed the censure to the Office of the Attorney General — said ANC 2B’s censure resolution “was not validly adopted� because it violated Robert’s Rules of Order. “A commissioner facing censure has the right to due process,�

Turner wrote to DelleDonne. “The resolution was adopted without any opportunity for substantive debate. You had no opportunity to defend yourself against the allegations. In these circumstances, the resolution and any penalties imposed under it are null and void.�

DelleDonne’s colleagues were unmoved by Turner’s letter and refused to rescind their action. “Our action was based on acts, not attitudes,� Davies said.

ANC 2B member Mike Silverstein said “the spark that set this off� was an exchange between DelleDonne and a female colleague that most commissioners considered at best patronizing. “It’s not our place to tell what women can or can’t do, what their place is,� Silverstein said.

See Censure/Page 5

MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER’S

4TH ANNUAL FIT DC FRESH START

The week ahead Thursday, Dec. 21

â– The D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 220 South, One Judiciary Square, 441 4th St. NW.

Friday, Dec. 29

â– The Chevy Chase Citizens Association will hold its fourth annual holiday cookie-decorating event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Ave. NW.

Monday, Jan. 1

■D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will host her fourth annual “Fit DC Fresh Start� 5K Walk/Run at 10 a.m. at Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Drive SE. Registration is free; visit bit.ly/2C4SLip.

Thursday, Jan. 4

â– The D.C. Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on proposed changes for the DC Circulator, including the addition of regular latenight service between McPherson Square and Union Station and elimination of unlimited-use paper passes. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Miracle Theatre, 535 8th St. SE.

Tuesday, Jan. 9

■D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson will host a community engagement forum on the school system’s strategic priorities and initiatives.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Lafayette Elementary School, 5701 Broad Branch Road NW. To RSVP, visit dcps.dc.gov/page/communityengagement-home. ■The D.C. Department of Energy & Environment will hold an informational meeting on the availability of $200,000 in Community Stormwater Solutions Grants for educational projects that seek to improve the health of the District’s waterways, including the impacts of stormwater runoff. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, 1630 7th St. NW. ■The Spring Valley Restoration Advisory Board will meet at 7 p.m. in the Undercroft meeting room at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 5150 Macomb St. NW. ■The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and the D.C. Department of General Services will hold the first community engagement meeting regarding the scheduled Carolina Park and Playground modernization project. The meeting will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Palisades Community Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave. NW.

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JANUARY 1, 2018 REGISTRATION BEGINS AT 9AM RUN STARTS AT 10AM

ANACOSTIA PARK 1900 ANACOSTIA DRIVE To register, visit: DCFreshStart5K.eventbrite.com

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4 Police

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current

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Police Report This is a listing of incidents reported to the Metropolitan Police Department from Dec. 11 through 17 in local police service areas, sorted by their report dates.

PSA PSA 101 101 â– DOWNTOWN

Robbery â– 1300-1399 block, F St.; 12:45 p.m. Dec. 11.

Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 500-599 block, 14th St.; 8:50 p.m. Dec. 14 (with gun).

Burglary â– 1300-1399 block, F St.; 4:30 a.m. Dec. 13.

Theft â– 1200-1299 block, K St.; 7:33 a.m. Dec. 11. â– 1000-1099 block, F St.; 3:29 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 1000-1099 block, F St.; 3:32 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 600-699 block, 13th St.; 10:40 p.m. Dec. 13. â– 1200-1299 block, I St.; 11:11 p.m. Dec. 13. â– 1200-1299 block, Pennsylvania Ave.; 8:47 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 800-899 block, 9th St.; 9:48 p.m. Dec. 17.

Theft from auto â– 1300-1399 block, K St.; 4:12 a.m. Dec. 16.

PSA 102

â– GALLERY PLACE PSA 102

PENN QUARTER

Theft â– 700-799 block, 7th St.; 5:45 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 800-899 block, F St.; 2:16 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 700-799 block, 7th St.; 6:06 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 600-699 block, F St.; 4:41 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 600-699 block, F St.; 8:48 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 600-699 block, K St.; 9:25 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 600-699 block, F St.; 5:21 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 700-799 block, 7th St.; 8:11 p.m. Dec. 17.

Theft from auto â– 800-899 block, 8th St.; 3:12 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 600-699 block, E St.; 6:26 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 800-899 block, 7th St.; 9:47 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 400-443 block, K St.; 4:19 p.m. Dec. 13. â– 500-599 block, 8th St.; 6:05 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 800-899 block, 6th St.; 11:54 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 700-799 block, G St.; 11:31 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 600-699 block, I St.; 10:33 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 800-899 block, F St.; 3:23 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 600-699 block, I St.; 5:11 p.m.

Dec. 17.

PSA 201

PSA 201 â– CHEVY CHASE Theft â– 5100-5199 block, Connecticut Ave.; 2:47 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 5700-5800 block, Nevada Ave.; 7:32 p.m. Dec. 14.

Theft from auto â– 3200-3299 block, Northampton St.; 2:16 p.m. Dec. 16.

PSA 202

â– FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS

PSA 202 TENLEYTOWN / AU PARK Motor vehicle theft â– 4000-4099 block, Chesapeake St.; 11:25 p.m. Dec. 12.

Theft â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 12:18 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 4800-4899 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 9:08 p.m. Dec. 13. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 9:38 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 9:08 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 10:45 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 8:40 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 10:04 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 4500-4537 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 10:12 a.m. Dec. 17.

Theft from auto â– 3800-3899 block, Warren St.; 6:06 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 4350-4399 block, 39th St.; 4:17 p.m. Dec. 15.

PSA 203

â– FOREST HILLS / VAN NESS PSA 203

CLEVELAND PARK

Theft â– 3503-3599 block, International Drive; 10:23 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 4200-4399 block, Connecticut Ave.; 1:43 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 4200-4399 block, Connecticut Ave.; 7:38 p.m. Dec. 17.

Theft from auto â– 3600-3699 block, Ellicott St.; 11:17 a.m. Dec. 11. â– 3000-3099 block, Sedgwick St.; 12:21 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 4712-4799 block, 36th St.; 3:59 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 2700-2799 block, Ordway St.; 6:39 p.m. Dec. 16.

PSA 204

â– MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE

HEIGHTS / CLEVELAND PARK WOODLEY PARK / GLOVER PARK PSA 204 HEIGHTS CATHEDRAL

Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 2400-2798 block, Calvert St.; 11:56 p.m. Dec. 11 (with gun).

Theft â– 2001-2112 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 2:53 p.m. Dec. 11.

â– 2001-2112 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 5:29 a.m. Dec. 12. â– 2400-2798 block, Calvert St.; 3:07 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 2200-2298 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 7:49 p.m. Dec. 14.

Theft from auto â– 2731-2899 block, Connecticut Ave.; 7:40 p.m. Dec. 15.

PSA 205

â– PALISADES / SPRING VALLEY

PSA 205 WESLEY HEIGHTS / FOXHALL

Burglary â– 4000-4099 block, 47th St.; 10:11 p.m. Dec. 15.

Theft â– 5800-5899 block, Sherier Place; 6:53 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 4711-4799 block, Reservoir Road; 2:26 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 2103-2199 block, Foxhall Road; 5:39 p.m. Dec. 17.

Theft from auto â– 2200-2413 block, Foxhall Road; 7:03 p.m. Dec. 13. â– 2200-2299 block, 47th St.; 6:13 p.m. Dec. 15.

PSA 208

â– SHERIDAN-KALORAMA

PSA 208CIRCLE DUPONT

Robbery â– 2116-2145 block, Florida Ave.; 11:47 p.m. Dec. 11.

Theft

â– 1300-1348 block, New Hampshire Ave.; 2:28 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 2100-2199 block, O St.; 11:17 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 1200-1249 block, 22nd St.; 6:04 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 1400-1499 block, New Hampshire Ave.; 8:26 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 1200-1219 block, Connecticut Ave.; 8:12 p.m. Dec. 16.

Theft from auto â– 1500-1523 block, 15th St.; 12:55 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 1600-1699 block, P St.; 8:55 p.m. Dec. 11. â– 2000-2099 block, Hillyer Place; 3:03 a.m. Dec. 12. â– 1700-1799 block, Q St.; 12:38 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 1300-1318 block, 19th St.; 3:15 p.m. Dec. 12. â– 1500-1599 block, Church St.; 2:59 p.m. Dec. 13. â– 1700-1799 block, N St.; 10:53 p.m. Dec. 14. â– 1615-1699 block, Rhode Island Ave.; 12:34 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 1316-1399 block, 21st St.; 1:02 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 1400-1499 block, 15th St.; 8:41 a.m. Dec. 15. â– 1900-1999 block, Sunderland Place; 10:29 p.m. Dec. 15. â– 1500-1599 block, Church St.; 2:32 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 1200-1299 block, 20th St.; 6:17 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 1700-1799 block, 20th St.; 8:22 p.m. Dec. 16.

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The Current

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

5

HOTEL: Plan to use nearby row houses for short-term rentals stirs debate in Georgetown From Page 1

retain their individual character.

“We want to make sure they respect the history of the block,” Palmer told The Current. “Those are multiple townhouses built in the 1800s.”

The houses in question are at 1026, 1032, 1040 and 1042 31st St., and 3103 and 3105 South St. Palmer said that in general, however, the project looks like a good thing. “That area of 31st Street would benefit from the care that will come from this project,” she said.

“Generally we welcome it. We want to have a conversation about the details.”

In an interview, Winstanley said the owner of the structures, 31st Street Townhouses LLC, has already agreed to some of the changes ANC 2E had asked for at its Dec. 4 meeting — dropping the proposed awnings and agreeing that the houses can be different colors. Winstanley also presented the revised plans to the Old Georgetown Board on Dec. 7, which took no formal action.

“The concept review before the OGB was generally very positive,” he said. “They asked for some revisions and want more

specifics.”

Pascal Forotti, the Rosewood’s managing director, said the hotel hopes to fill a niche market with the townhouses, making them available to guests starting in the last quarter of 2018.

“People like the services of a hotel but want more independence,” Forotti told The Current. “The houses could rent for a day or two, a week, a month, a year.”

He said that the charge for renting one of the houses has not been determined, but a night’s lodging in a suite at the hotel currently runs between $1,000 and $3,000.

The houses are about a thousand square feet each, Forotti said, with a ground-floor living room, a kitchen area, and a single bedroom and bathroom. Each house will have outdoor garden space with “room for a bistro table and two or three chairs.” Meanwhile, “two houses that are close to each other would connect so a family could have two bedrooms,” he said.

The Old Georgetown Board will continue to review any changes the hotel proposes for the buildings’ exteriors, and ANC 2E has the option to make further comments as the plans develop.

CENSURE: ANC action criticized From Page 3

When DelleDonne said he did not know what Silverstein was talking about, commission vice chair Daniel Warwick read aloud a July 11 email sent by DelleDonne to commissioner Stephanie Maltz.

“As we move forward in the protest of the Safeway liquor license application, I note that you are busy and even overwhelmed with raising a family, your work, the ANC and the treasurer’s duties,” DelleDonne told Maltz in the email. “You need assistance.

And I can assist. I am across the street from Safeway. A lot of my constituents have voiced legitimate concerns. I have been working and will continue to reach out to them. Working together would be an opportunity to learn a lot from someone with experience. I am available.”

Supporters of DelleDonne in the audience responded to Warwick with cries of, “You think that’s censurable?”

This was not the only moment when the audience spoke up. The discussion of DelleDonne was punctuated frequently with bursts of applause and shouts from his supporters, who called out “resign now,” “inquisition” and “we want transparency.”

Opponents of alcohol sales at Safeway had argued that beer and wine would crowd out other products from a supermarket that they said was already lacking in selection. Some critics also worried about the impact on local liquor stores and objected to selling alcohol so close to Ross Elementary.

However, a majority of ANC 2B members either supported alcohol sales or feared that blanket opposition to Safeway’s application would simply be ignored — preferring instead to negotiate terms that would minimize negative impacts.

Just hours before ANC 2B’s meeting, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board approved Safeway’s license — clearing the way for the supermarket to begin beer and wine sales in the near future, subject to the terms of a settlement agreement with the commission.

ANC 2B member Amy Johnson said Safeway made what she called “some pretty big concessions” based on community feedback in order to reach the settlement agreement. Terms include restricting alcohol sales to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; allowing only 281 square feet (2.6 percent of the store) to be used for alcohol sales; and requiring that Safeway accept special orders on discontinued food and household items.

Big Comfort Tiny Energy Bills DC residents: get the new Nest Thermostat E for less than $80 after DCSEU discount

Visit smart.dcseu.com to get your $100 coupon code

New to the neighborhood

THE MID-DECEMBER PAUSE That delicious lull between turkey overload and tinsel frolics, when frosty breezes shoo you inside and you settle comfortably at the desk with a rich cup of cocoa, to straighten up a few drawers, and voila! there is the old estate-planning folder that so needs updating…

Please come in for an appointment to get this process underway. And if Tax Reform changes your plans within a year after you’ve signed your new papers, I will amend them without charge.

LAW OFFICE OF NANCY L. FELDMAN Admitted in DC, VA and MD Wills and Trusts // Medical Directives // Powers of Attorney Probate // Estate and Trust Administration // Family Practice (202) 965-0654

nancyfeldmanlaw@icloud.com

www.nancyfeldmanlaw.com

- Easy parking - Convenient

- Experienced Barbers - Affordable Prices

All students receive 10% off and haircuts for kids under 12 are just $15!

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202-686-2040

6

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current Davis Kennedy/Publisher & Editor Chris Kain/Managing Editor

Not-so-swift mail service

It’s not unusual to hear gripes about mail delivered late or to the wrong address — issues that are an annoyance when they arise, but not necessarily an indication of chronic failings.

In recent weeks, however, the U.S. Postal Service has drawn repeated complaints from Northwest residents in neighborhoods from Georgetown to Cleveland Park. Some cited no mail delivery for four consecutive scheduled delivery days. Many residents receive mail late into the evening, a seeming indication of too few mail carriers serving local communities. A Georgetown resident reported on the neighborhood listserv getting several issues of weekly subscriptions all in one day, along with lots of outdated junk mail: “This is the worst I’ve seen in over 50 years of residence at our N Street address.”

At Palisades Station, customers with post office boxes are sometimes unable to get their morning mail on time at 9 a.m. because of delivery delays from Friendship Station. “The Friendship Station at Wisconsin and Upton is dysfunctional and inquiries go unanswered. Staffing is abysmal,” one Cleveland Park resident wrote in an email to The Current.

Given the persistent complaints, we’re glad to see that D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has asked the U.S. postmaster general to explain how she will address complaints about the post offices serving Friendship Heights, Cleveland Park and Tenleytown. Del. Norton also said she expects to schedule a community forum on the subject.

The Cleveland Park Citizens Association has plans of its own for a community discussion. On Jan. 18, the group will meet with postal officials to discuss problems with deliveries and Friendship Station.

Timely, accurate mail delivery remains a service of great importance to residents and businesses alike. We hope to hear next month about solutions that will reverse the seeming decline in service.

A welcome decline

It’s sometimes easy for a police department or politician to distort crime statistics to illustrate a desired point. Perhaps a carefully chosen time period can indicate a misleading trend. Maybe focusing on a certain type of offense can distract from a different sort of big picture.

But in the District, we feel optimistic that numbers aren’t lying: Robberies are down both significantly and consistently.

Year to date, Metropolitan Police Department data show a 27.3 percent drop from the corresponding period of 2016. And it reflects an even longer-term trend, with robberies down in all parts of the District over the last two years compared to the previous two.

According to Mayor Muriel Bowser, at least part of the drop is attributable to the District’s Robbery Intervention Task Force, which debuted in December 2015. Composed of the Metropolitan Police Department, Metro Transit Police, the D.C. Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the task force targets robberies by “quickly identifying and responding to patterns of robbery sprees and focusing on and prosecuting repeat offenders,” according to a news release.

As of Monday morning, there had been 2,114 robberies across D.C. so far this year, compared to 2,909 in that period of 2016, police data show. Looking at the longer trend — the period of two years before and after the task force was created — the figures fell from 6,646 to 5,245, a 21.1 percent decline. We’re happy to see double-digit reductions in each of the city’s seven police districts. The biggest drop (30 percent) came in the 4th District, which patrols most of Ward 4.

That said, while everyone is glad to see the number of robberies fall, too many residents and visitors are still being preyed upon by robbers.

Each robbery harms someone. The victims lost their property, may no longer feel safe in the District, and may have even suffered bodily harm.

We recently got a reminder of the human toll behind these robbery numbers when Annie’s Ace Hardware owner Annie Stom addressed her advisory neighborhood commission. Ms. Stom said that two men entered her 1240 Upshur St. NW store at just before 7 p.m. Dec. 9, pointed a gun at the manager’s head, forced all employees to the floor, threatened to kill them if they moved and left with cash from the store’s safe.

She further told the community that police often fail to respond when her employees catch shoplifters in the act. Without the promise of improved safety for her staff, Ms. Stom said, she’d have to close her store — which would be a tremendous loss for the Petworth community.

Police brass and the city officials who set the department’s budget must remember the damage done by each robbery that still takes place, and also not to disregard the harm from other crimes.

The Current

currentnewspapers.com

The ‘Year of the Women’ … !

T

he elections in Virginia.

The re-emerging #MeToo movement.

Oh, and those little marches here and around the country that surprised the nation in their intensity last January.

There has been a lot of pain to get to this point, but most anyone who is paying attention should realize we are in a significant moment in history.

Although Hillary Clinton failed to shatter the ultimate glass ceiling in American politics in 2016, the role of women in our politics and life shifted dramatically in 2017.

Any year-end look back helps tell the tale. And fair warning to the misogynists of any stripe, gender or position. You can be sure whatever roadblocks lie ahead, “Nevertheless, she persisted” will be the mantra.

The Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University has the numbers.

As the 2018 midterm elections begin taking shape here in the final months of 2017, there are 374 women preparing to run campaigns for the House. For the Senate, there are 42 women doing so. That’s four times the number of women who were eyeing the House in 2015 — and 10 times those in Senate races for 2012 and 2014. In both cases, Democratic women dominate.

On “CBS Sunday Morning” last weekend, host John Dickerson showed those numbers and said, “The door is closing on the era that protected powerful men in Washington ... and another door is opening.”

Many women are seeking office at the state and local levels, inspired both by the policies and comments of President Donald Trump and what they say is a concerted attack on women in state legislatures.

In a November issue of The Nation, national correspondent Joan Walsh wrote that women in Virginia were inspired to seek office for many reasons, from the election of Donald Trump to the real and perceived attack on women in the state legislature. But she also noted that the magnitude and number of victories surprised friends and foes alike and that no one predicted the sweep of election victories in Virginia.

Politico and others are reporting that Virginia Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock is benefiting from her outspokenness against harassment. Comstock, an establishment Republican who has been cool to Trump, is trying to fend off Democrats who hope to tie her to the president.

These election rumblings could affect Maryland races this coming year. The deep blue state has no elected women in statewide office and no female members in Congress. Incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin, 74, is rated “Safe Democrat” by Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia. A pop-

ular elected official for 50 years (previously the State House and U.S. House of Representatives), he is not expected to have serious opposition.

Two of eight Democrats running for governor are women: Maya Rockeymoore Cummings and Krishanti Vignarajah. Both are first-time candidates, although both have held national political jobs. Cummings — as an added bonus, some say — is the wife of powerful Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings.

Former NAACP president Ben Jealous also is a first-time candidate. He picked as his running mate state party insider Susan Turnbull, who likewise has never run for office.

Turnbull is from Montgomery County, a key to any Democratic victory. She says she was inspired to be a candidate, like many women and men, by Trump’s win.

It will be interesting to see how the other Democrats in the race pair up with lieutenant governor running mates before the February deadline. But some think this field of eight could shrink by then, and one or two of them could wind up as prospective running mates for someone else. As we’ve said, Maryland politics are in a historic shakeup even if Hogan wins re-election.

Here in the District, Mayor Muriel Bowser leads the city but only four of 13 council members are women. They have been a slim majority in some other years. The first majority-female council was in 1979, with women holding seven of 13 seats. And, of course, D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has represented the city in the House since her 1990 election.

In January 2015, newly elected Mayor Bowser appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with thenPolice Chief Cathy Lanier and then-Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson as “the women who run Washington.” Lanier and Henderson have since been replaced by men.

“People don’t quite realize how influential, how involved women are in this city,” your Notebook told the Washington City Paper after that “Meet the Press” appearance. “But then, remember that the city itself is not respected.”

■ A so-so final word. As some of you may have heard, we are stepping away from NBC4 after 28 years.

Your Notebook may occasionally appear on future broadcasts, but we’ll be focusing on WAMU’s Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi at noon on Fridays, which we’ve done since 2009.

Your Notebook looks forward to exploring the politics of our entire region without the daily grind of TV. And, of course, check back here for the Notebook in The Current’s next issue.

Tom Sherwood, a Southwest resident, is a political reporter for News 4.

TOM SHERWOOD’S

NOTEBOOK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Kingsbury coverage left out key details

The Current’s Dec. 6 article “Charter aims to consolidate at Kingsbury” is a press release for Latin American Montessori Bilingual, the besmirched public charter school, where two weeks ago a teacher was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse.

The one-sentence mention of Board of Zoning Adjustment approval being required does not say why the school needed to

apply for a special exception to operate on the Kingsbury School campus at 5000 14th St. NW, and that’s important. It’s a residential property, and Kingsbury applied in 2000 for a special exception to operate there.

Approval was granted with conditions, which Kingsbury never met, for a student population not to exceed 300. After 17 years, the school never came close to the authorized enrollment. In 2008, the Zoning Commission included the site in an extension of the existing Sixteenth Street Heights Overlay, which established additional protections.

The article did include comments from two neighbors that

showed Latin American Montessori Bilingual’s disrespect for its immediate neighbors, including a public school across the street, and a lack of integrity in the process. However, your reporter made no mention of the Committee of Neighbors Directly Impacted by LAMB Application (CNDI-LA), a party to the case.

Months of discussions with neighbors did not include CNDI-LA members, who were not notified until the end of August. Yet we are supposed to accept that adding 600 students to this neighborhood is OK? Taalib-Din Uqdah Committee of Neighbors Directly Impacted by LAMB Application

7 Op-Ed

The Current

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Council isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ready to act on old Hardy lease VIEWPOINT MARY CHEH

S

ince 2008, the Lab School of Washington has occupied the old Hardy School building on Foxhall Road as a satellite to its main campus.

The Lab School serves students with learning disabilities in the District, providing an exemplary education and other services. The Lab Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lease will soon come to an end, and the mayor introduced legislation in March to lease the old Hardy School to the Lab School for at least another 15 years.

While acknowledging the Lab Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exemplary service, the D.C. Council should wait to move forward with consideration of this proposed lease.

Each of the public schools in Ward 3 is over-enrolled or will be soon; multiple projections of population growth in the ward suggest that overcrowding is only going to get worse. My office has been working with parents, school advocates and D.C. Public Schools officials to identify solutions to the overcrowding problem, including providing recommendations to the school system through a working group that convened throughout 2017. The school system has promised to issue a plan in early 2018.

One suggestion from the working group is using the old Hardy School to ease over-enrollment in Ward 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; specifically at nearby Key Elementary. It is quite unclear whether the old Hardy School is large enough to ease area overcrowding significantly, but the space could be one part of a broader solution.

Some have suggested that the school could be used as an early-childhood education campus, or as a ninth-grade academy to ease overcrowding at Wilson. We cannot know what possibilities exist for the space until we have a comprehensive analysis of alternative, public uses for the space â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which the school system has yet to provide.

The absence of an analysis of possible uses for the old Hardy School not only makes it more difficult for the council to assess whether a lease with the Lab School is the best use â&#x20AC;&#x201D; lacking that analysis runs counter to requirements under District law.

Under the code, legislation to sell or lease District-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Public-private model deserves wider use

It is interesting that D.C. Public Library executive director Richard Reyes-Gavilan appears to consider the private-public development of the new library to be such a success [â&#x20AC;&#x153;West End Library set to open next week,â&#x20AC;?

Nov. 29]. Your article quotes him as saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We get the space at very little cost to taxpayers.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of good and not a whole lot of bad.â&#x20AC;?

At more than one community meeting regarding the replacement of the Cleveland Park Library, I suggested the same model should be used. My suggestion got no support from the planners, so now we will have a library that will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. Part of the money saved could have been

owned property must be presented to the community for feedback, and the mayor must submit legislation to the council saying there is no viable public use for the property. However, the legislation to re-lease the old Hardy School to Lab exempts itself from those requirements. This means that there has been no current opportunity for residents to provide feedback on how the property should be used, and no clear statement that D.C. Public Schools cannot use the space.

The last time the council had a hearing regarding this space was prior to redrawing the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school boundaries. We were told that boundary changes would address Ward 3 overcrowding. We were also told that the overcrowding was just a â&#x20AC;&#x153;bubbleâ&#x20AC;? and that the numbers would stabilize. We now see that neither was true. Thus, circumstances have changed, and the school system must come before the council again to explain why it has no use for the old Hardy School today.

In turn, in the spring, we expect the release of the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master Facilities Plan, which will identify any needed facility updates. This report will include new enrollment forecasts and assess whether our available space is sufficient to meet expected enrollment. This assessment will be essential in determining whether and how D.C. Public Schools could use the old Hardy School. It simply doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make sense for the council to vote now on the old Hardy School lease, when waiting just a few months would equip the council with this key information.

My decision to seek delay on the lease legislation is in no way intended to disadvantage the Lab School. I applaud its work and understand the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in securing this lease as soon as possible, especially since the school wants to make significant capital improvements to the building.

However, the Lab Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lease expires in 2023, and I do not see why we need to rush this vote before we have all of the information. Ultimately, the Lab Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupancy of the old Hardy School may remain the best use of the facility, and I would be happy to see Lab School stay there. But the council cannot make a responsible decision on this lease with the limited information that it has today.

Mary Cheh represents Ward 3 on the D.C. Council.

used to construct a better library with better contents.

The Tenley-Friendship and Cleveland Park libraries represent missed opportunities to leverage very valuable commercial sites.

Edward J. Doheny Cleveland Park

West End deal wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t good for taxpayers

There was nothing â&#x20AC;&#x153;intricateâ&#x20AC;? about the â&#x20AC;&#x153;partnershipâ&#x20AC;? for the West End Library, as described in the Nov. 29 article â&#x20AC;&#x153;New West End Library on track to open next week.â&#x20AC;? Anyone can do the math.

EastBanc developers paid zero dollars for three parcels of publicly owned land â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a library, firehouse and police station â&#x20AC;&#x201D; valued by the city at $49 million (and surely worth more on the open market). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paymentâ&#x20AC;? consisted of EastBancâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s providing a library and firehouse as part of two new private residential developments.

The need for revitalization of

the properties â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the only underbuilt property in the West End â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was never disputed, but the decision to gift it to a developer instead of leasing it or selling it remains unfathomable. The decision was not economic but â&#x20AC;&#x153;political,â&#x20AC;? as characterized by the D.C. Court of Appeals. Adding insult to injury, EastBanc was given bonus density for building the public facilities it agreed to provide as the purchase â&#x20AC;&#x153;price,â&#x20AC;? when the zoning rules actually require the developer to provide amenities in exchange for added density.

The West End land deal was a pure giveaway. While city officials take credit for a new library and firehouse, taxpayers will absorb the cost of transformation of the rest of the library system.

Any contributions from EastBanc will go not to the library but to those leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; campaign coffers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; D.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only true public-private partnerships.

Robin Diener Library Renaissance Project

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Current publishes letters and Viewpoint submissions representing various points of view. Because of space limitations, letters should be no more than 400 words and are subject to editing. Letters and Viewpoint submissions intended for publication may be sent to newsdesk@currentnewspapers.com. The mailing address is Letters to the Editor, The Current, Post Office Box 40400, Washington, D.C. 20016-0400.

Joseph Miro, CFPÂŽ, Senior Financial Advisor First Vice President â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Investments 5701 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, DC 20015 Office: 202-508-3971 joseph.miro@wellsfargo.com joemiro.wfadv.com Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Š 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. 0816-03253 [99917-v1] A2074 IHA-537656

Take Charge of Your Future â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Settle Your Divorce Out of Court

By Andrea E. Hirsch

In a previous article (Nov. 29), I urged couples contemplating divorce to settle out of court if possible to avoid the stress and expense of litigation and to keep control of your future. This article has more detail on the most common forms of out-of-court settlements.

Negotiated settlement. The good news is that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to start from scratch. There are numerous rules and rules of thumb from previous court cases on issues like splitting marital assets (including retirement benefits), spousal support, custody and visitation, and child support. DC courts, for instance, favor joint custody as a rule so it would take some pretty convincing evidence that is not good for the children if you are seeking sole custody.

Your lawyer will negotiate on your behalf and advocate for you. But your lawyer will also help you set reasonable expectations for what you can get, whether in a settlement or in court. Spousal support, for instance, depends on how long you were married, whether both worked or one stayed home to raise the kids, and what you need in terms of support. However, a healthy, working-age and dependent spouse who hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been working will be expected to go back to work; support may not guarantee a lifestyle on the same level as before.

Courts put a high priority on the rights of parents to raise their children. All decisions about custody, visitation and support should be seen in that light.

Child support can be contentious, but keeping the focus on the children helps. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s painful to see couples spend thousands in court costs to argue over $20 a month difference in child support.

Mediation. A specially trained neutral party helps to facilitate settlement negotiations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Facilitateâ&#x20AC;? means just that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the couple that still has to do the heavy lifting. The mediator can identify difficult emotional issues that may hamper an agreement, but the individuals still have to bring good will and an open mind to the sessions. Both parties are represented by their own lawyers. An experienced mediator can save divorcing couples many hours of going back and forth over contentious issues.

Prenups. The most common cases for a prenup are when one party has many more assets or a much higher income than the other or when one party has children from a previous marriage and wants to safeguard their inheritance. A prenuptial agreement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; before the wedding â&#x20AC;&#x201C; may be advisable, but parties that are already married can consider a postnuptial agreement. A well-constructed prenup or postnup is virtually impossible to overturn in court. Couples can anticipate issues that might arise during the marriage, particularly financial issues, and set out an agreement on distribution of assets upon divorce. As with negotiated settlements, it is important for each party to have a lawyer and to listen carefully to their advice.

In my next article, I will describe the newest form of out-of-court settlement, collaborative divorce, and why I believe it can be the fairest and most costeffective method for many couples to reach their goals.

Andrea E. Hirsch has more than two decadesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in family law. The Law Firm of Andrea Hirsch is located in the Collaborative Practice Center of Greater Washington at Dupont Circle.

7

8 Dispatches

8

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current

currentnewspapers.com

Spotlight on Schools Annunciation Catholic School

Recently in the sixth-grade language arts class, we have been reading the book “Wonder” by R.J. Pacalcio. It focuses on a boy who has Treacher Collins syndrome and his experiences in school. The book has eight parts that tell the story from different characters’ perspectives. Recently, the book was turned into a movie, and since my class loves the book, our teacher decided to take us on a field trip to go see it!

According to my class, the movie was emotional, funny and heartwarming. It was good because it shows kids that life for some people is hard. We have been doing different activities in class based on the themes of inclusiveness and kindness as shown in the book. One of the activities was for us to research Treacher Collins syndrome and then to create a self-portrait of ourselves using the information we researched. The motto of the book is “choose kindness,” so my class was then instructed to write kind messages to one another on what makes each of us special!

These activities really made us reflect on the importance of being kind, especially to our classmates.

I recommend other kids read this book and/or watch the movie, because it teaches a great lesson.

Thank you R.J. Palacio for creating such a great book!

— Madison Mack, sixth-grader

Blessed Sacrament School The Greg Gannon Canned Food Drive is held annually on the first weekend in December and was started in 1987 by Greg

School DISPATCHES

Gannon, who at that time was a school dad. This is the 30th anniversary of the food drive.

This year we collected over 5,000 cans! The class with the most cans won a prize. The faculty divided into teams to compete also. Participating families are assigned a territory of streets to deliver paper bags to, and then return to collect the filled bags.

The McGills, who have participated for over 10 years, say their favorite part is inviting friends to help collect the cans with them.

They said, “It feels amazing to realize how collecting cans around the neighborhood can make such a big impact.”

Over the past five years, the drive has expanded throughout Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and other parts of Maryland. The cans are distributed to many soup kitchens and food banks including Capital Area Food Bank. One of the highlights this year was competing for the most cans with Holy Redeemer in Kensington. We won this year, after being narrowly defeated last year, but it doesn’t matter who wins really — it’s doing what we CAN for others that’s awesome!

— Grace Trifilo, eighth-grader

pupil-decorated Christmas trees throughout the building make students and teachers alike feel as if they are walking in a winter wonderland.

The Christmas spirit at the school was heightened by the occurrence of the Winter Festival on Dec. 13, which was planned primarily by the Year 12 students to fundraise for their February Tanzania Expedition. Every year, the Year 12 students participate in a week-long experience where they work alongside Seeway Trust (a nonprofit organization) to improve the lives of the Tanzanian population.

To raise the money needed for their Tanzania Expedition, the Year 12 students set up various booths at the Winter Festival.

These booths included face painting, arts and crafts (such as snowflake making) and games. A raffle was organized with some of the prizes being Washington Wizards tickets and a mountain bike. In the end, the event raised over $1,500.

Many more exciting events are yet to come in the final week before break. From our school to you, we hope you have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

— Ava Lundell, Year 12 (11th-grader)

Deal Middle School

Seeing as many sites are

British International School blocked on the D.C. Public of Washington Schools internet server, it’s no Holiday cheer has grown with each new day at our school. With Christmas break fast approaching, the school community has been eagerly organizing and participating in many holiday-themed activities. The Holiday Market and

surprise that a religious website would be caught accidentally in the blocking. What is a surprise is the consistency with which the texts of certain religions are blocked, and the lack of censorship for others.

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Photo courtesy of Sheridan School

Sheridan School seventh-graders are learning about geology.

We attempted to identify why the majority of Quran websites were blocked, but none of the Bible websites. After a short period of research, we began writing an email to the school system’s filter team. The research led us to find that the only religions given clemency from banning were Christianity and Judaism. Thus, we drafted and sent an email.

Prior to the religion email, we had written about the blocking of The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang blog. With no response, the weather site was unblocked. However, when we sent the religion email, we received a response stating that the filter team could not take student input. Afterwards, we spoke to an assistant principal, who plans to investigate further who to talk to for our quandary. We find this unacceptable.

— Danny Bollag, Hugo Filmer, Adam Leff and Jennifer Nehrer, eighth-graders

Emerson Preparatory School

On Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed in a surprise attack by the Japanese. Seventy-six years later, on Dec. 7, 2017, Dolly Rasmussen came to Emerson to speak about her experience as a witness and survivor. Invited by Mr. Malone to visit his third-period 20th-Century American Culture and History class, Rasmussen recounted her childhood as the daughter of a maintenance manager of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The group listened in suspense as she described how a Japanese plane flew over the hill near her house and how she and her brothers saw the bombing, hiding under the dining room table in fear.

A student asked, “What emotions were going through your head during the attack?” Rasmussen confidently replied: “Mother wasn’t afraid, so why should I be frightened?”

However, the aftermath of the bombing took a toll not only on the U.S., but her family as well.

Living in the heat of the conflict, Dolly felt afraid to speak English due to the fear of Japanese hostility that had triggered the lifechanging event in her childhood.

As Emerson students, we are lucky to be able to listen to and engage with guest visitors who provide interesting personal experiences regarding the material we learn in the classroom. It was remarkable to see the similarities and contrasts between our lives and Rasmussen’s life 76 years ago, and how the political climate and culture affect our experiences as young adults in America.

— Isabel Fajardo, 11th-grader

Hearst Elementary School

Wow! What a fun first half of the school year we have had.

Today during morning meeting, we tried to list the highlights of our school year so far. It took 15 whole minutes and we were barely even halfway through! So far we have had an awesome visit from our Thai Embassy friends, we created our own scientific inventions and innovations, and have had a couple of awesome field trips. In math, we all get a chance to teach since Mr. Levin has let us all take our turns student teaching. It is such a fun way to learn math. We can’t wait to see what happens in 2018!

— Mr. Levin’s fifth-grade class

Lafayette Elementary School

Here are just a few examples of how we are welcoming the holidays at Lafayette. This holiday season we are giving — for 12 days! For 12 days we will support Maddy Wagon, which in turn supports families with childhood cancer. Through a drive, the student council is hoping for pajamas, gift cards, healthy snacks, blankets, arts and crafts, books, puzzles and anything else that might be needed. For more information, visit maddywagon.org.

The winter concert is always a highlight of the season. Many talented students celebrate with a variety of selections from our musical ensembles. This year that included our brand-new Lafayette choirs. There were two concerts held during school and an evening performance for parents, students and friends to see this wonderful holiday show.

Reading buddies is a Lafayette See Dispatches/Page 19

Northwest Sports The Current

Athletics in Northwest Washington

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December 20, 2017 ■ Page 9

St. John’s quarterback wins top honors

By ROBERT BETTMANN Current Correspondent

St. John’s quarterback Kevin Doyle has been named 2017’s Gatorade D.C. football player of the year in recognition of his exceptional season with the Cadets, this year’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions.

Doyle threw for 2,204 yards while completing 62 percent of his passes with 22 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He has committed to play at the University of Michigan next year, under

star coach Jim Harbaugh, former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Gatorade’s Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross-country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field.

The program selects one National Player of the Year in each sport.

St. John’s head coach Joe Casamento had strong praise for his quarterback. The Cadets’ success,

Brian Kapur/The Current

The Cadets finished 2017 with a 9-2 record and won the WCAC title.

Coach Joe Casamento credited his quarterback for helping everyone on the team understand their roles and play up to their potential.

Casamento added, resulted from relationships among the team’s 52 members and not from any one player’s individual talent — a point Doyle recognized.

“One of the things that’s hard for people to understand, and that Kevin did well, was to fit in with his offensive teammates, and to work together, and not try to make himself special,” said Casamento.

“I think that’s one of the reasons why we were successful. The kids all understood their roles, and they did a great job performing their role. And you put that all together and it works well.”

Doyle transferred to St. John’s last year, for his junior year, and made considerable improvement between his junior and senior year.

“I’ve met a lot of quarterbacks,” Casamento said. “When I meet a quarterback, the first thing is, ‘Is he a competitor?’ But the second thing is, ‘Is he a leader?’

And a leader is someone who can put someone else first, and can trust other people, and makes them feel comfortable and part of it all.

He goes out there every day to do his job. It’s not like he’s a star.

And he worked hard at it — at understanding what we do and how we do it. And it all worked out well for us.”

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

St. John’s quarterback Kevin Doyle received the 2017 Gatorade D.C. football player of the year award.

2017 was Casamento’s second season as the St. John’s head coach. He came to the school in late 2014, recruited by St. John’s alumnus and donor Kevin Plank, the billionaire founder of Under Armour, and was promoted from assistant to head coach following the Cadets’ disappointing 7-4 season in 2015. The team went 8-4 in the next year, and then 9-2 in 2017 while taking the WCAC championship, with Doyle’s award-winning performance.

For St. John’s, it was the first football title since 1989.

“We were pretty good this year,” the coach said. “We lost to

two of the best teams in the country by a total of eight points.”

Without those narrow defeats against unusually tough competition, Casamento noted, “we’re undefeated.”

In a statement provided to The Current, St. John’s athletic director Brian Griffin wrote, “Kevin Doyle has done a tremendous job as a student-athlete. He is a hard worker, great competitor and humble leader. We are proud that he received the Gatorade DC Player of the Year Award for his performance in terms of athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character.”

Manic third period of hockey pushes Wilson over DC Stars in 6-5 match

By JACK LYNCH

Current Correspondent

Even as the face of D.C. high school hockey changes, its home stays the same.

Wilson — still finding its way through its inaugural season — took down perennial local favorite DC Stars 6-5 on a snowy Friday night at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena, the District’s only indoor ice rink.

Forward Juraj Bystramski led the way for the Tigers, tallying two goals in the first two periods, including a long-distance snipe from near the blue line that shot past Stars goalie Liam Susswein. Bystramski was a threat all night, deking and slashing his way past the Wilson defense, at points even garnering cheers of admiration from the Stars bench.

It was a member of the Stars, though, who came up with the game’s only hat trick: sophomore forward Dante Rohck patiently netted three goals, at one point putting the Stars two goals up over the Tigers in the second period.

Sophomore defender Christopher O’Mara scored another goal for the Stars on a long solo breakaway in the second, putting the Stars up 4-3 going into the third.

Despite the Stars’ early efforts, the game was decided in a wild third period that saw the Tigers come alive. The Stars failed to

Hannah Lynn Wagner/The Current

The Wilson Tigers scored a 6-5 victory over the DC Stars last Friday in a match at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena. The Stars went into the third period up 4-3, but Wilson scored two quick goals to prevail. capitalize on a power play opportunity going into the third period after a Bystramski penalty, and then Wilson forward Oscar Lonaeus snuck two quick goals past the Stars defense to put Wilson up 5-4. Fellow Wilson forward Luke Cashion added his own mark a few minutes later, scoring Wilson’s sixth and ultimately winning goal.

Stars senior Adrian McCarthy’s goal late in the third narrowed the Tigers’ lead to 6-5, bringing an edge of suspense back onto the rink, but it was too little too late. A penalty

with under a minute left forced the Stars to pull goalie Susswein just to keep the sides at five on five, and the Stars failed to capitalize in the game’s frantic final seconds.

Both goalies worked hard in the crease throughout the game. Wilson netminder Luke Murrell tallied 16 saves on the way to the win. Meanwhile, Susswein’s impressive 20 saves weren’t enough to stop the hot Wilson offense.

The win brings Wilson to 2-4 in Maryland Student Hockey League Play. The

Stars — who drop to 4-3 for the season after the loss on Friday — accept players from any high school in the District without its own team, and many of Wilson’s players are former members of the Stars. Both squads wore alternate colors of the same red-andwhite DC Stars uniforms on the ice for Friday’s game.

Wilson was set to face Maryland’s Northwest High School yesterday, while the DC Stars will take on Quince Orchard on Thursday.

10 Holidays

10 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current

currentnewspapers.com

Holidays in Washington

Chevy Chase hosts caroling, cookie decorating events

By GRACE BIRD Current Staff Writer

C

hevy Chase residents are invited to attend two community holiday events this year, as a way to meet neighbors and get in the spirit of the season.

Marelise Voss is hosting the third annual Chevy Chase caroling event this Sunday, Christmas Eve, from noon to 1 p.m. Neighbors should meet at Starbucks, 5500 Connecticut Ave. NW. From there, carolers will wander up the street, visiting local retailers and restaurants and singing to patrons and passerby alike. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can come for the whole thing or just pop by while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing some errands,â&#x20AC;? Voss told The Current.

Carolers can choose the songs theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d

like to sing from a book of secular and religious tunes provided by Voss on the day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Little Drummer Boyâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jingle Bellsâ&#x20AC;? are among the most popular selections each year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think those are the two that we never do without,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Voss said she hopes the event will bring neighbors together and spread holiday cheer in Chevy Chase. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It brings spirit, and a community spirit,â&#x20AC;? said Voss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That feeling of getting out and doing something, showing togetherness and having fun.â&#x20AC;?

Vossâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; childhood, spent in a small Illinois town, inspired her love of carol singing.

Voss and her family gathered at her grandmotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house each festive season and sang holiday tunes, she said.

But in Chevy Chase, the fun doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to stop after the Christmas tree is dis-

mantled or the Hanukkah menorah is packed away. On Dec. 29, residents of all ages are encouraged to attend a holiday cookie-decorating and craft-making afternoon, hosted by the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s citizens association. The event at the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Ave. NW, will run from 1 to 4 p.m. The decorating day is scheduled after Hanukkah and Christmas to cater for children who have that week off school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re home, and they might be getting a little bit antsy,â&#x20AC;? the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acting president Kate Barnes-Domotor told The Current. While the cookies are drying, children can decorate foam gingerbread houses and festive ornaments, she added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to do more activities that engage the community and provide more of a service to the community,â&#x20AC;? said Barnes-

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Marelise Voss and her family, shown in 2015, will once again bring a musical Christmas Eve to Chevy Chase this year.

Domotor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to get in touch with the community, spend some time with them and provide a service to them.â&#x20AC;?

TOYS: Oyster-Adams student carries gifts from D.C. From Page 1

Puerto Rico often. My husband

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and I are both Puerto Rican, born and raised there.â&#x20AC;?

Many of the toys were donated

by the toy industry, as well as other partners. Additionally, Friends of Puerto Rico gave money to buy toys on the ground in Puerto Rico, Cruz said.

Llano-Cruz himself worked at Oyster-Adams to get donations.

Parents gave books that they purchased at the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book fair and Llano-Cruz and his classmates had a bake sale to raise additional money. Meanwhile, Cruz said students at Sidwell Friends School also bought toys from an online registry that were then shipped directly to Puerto Rico.

Once on the island, Llano-Cruz and his mother spent several days in a warehouse sorting the toys by age and sex with 20 to 25 volunteers. Six local organizations then picked up pallets of toys to distribute across the island.

Llano-Cruz got to visit a few of the places where the toys were being handed out, including a center for disabled children. He said that the children there were appreciative and showed a lot of emotion as the toys were distributed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I enjoyed it â&#x20AC;Ś because I could help people and I could see what Puerto Rico was like through a different perspective,â&#x20AC;? Llano-Cruz said.

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Photo by Kat Vazquez Studio

Toys collected in D.C. went to children in Puerto Rico for Christmas.

11 Holidays

currentnewspapers.com

The Current

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

11

Holidays in Washington

Improv group looks for humor in the season

By ROBIN EBERHARDT Current Staff Writer

T

hroughout the holiday season, Washington Improv Theater’s “Seasonal Disorder” performances are keeping audience members on their feet with a brand-new show every night, each offering comedy, catchy tunes and unexpected plot twists.

People are drawn into the unpredictability of the improv experience, said theater spokesperson Dan Miller. With a new show every night and a variety of ensembles at different performances, the seasonal production offers audience members a unique theater experience to witness the show being created as it is performed.

The humor stems from the unpredictability of the performance and the authenticity of the improvisers’ reactions to a scene, said Matt Berman, one of the performers in iMusical, a group that improvises a musical for every performance.

“I think there’s something inherently funny about discovering something unexpected. And we’re discovering it at the same time that the audience is,” Berman said.

For iMusical, director and keyboard accompanist Travis Charles Ploeger, along with nine other improvisers, came up with catchy songs and unexpected scenarios to create the story. One show last week centered around a 250-year curse in a mansion on a hill, blood sacrifices and a man raising a dozen baby herons to atone for once killing a bird.

Ploeger said he plays music that he thinks fits the overall tone of the scene, and the actors jump in with the lyrics. Then the music adjusts as necessary to complement the scene that the improvisers create and change the tone.

Though there is a new show every performance, the group explained that there is a barebones structure that improv groups generally stick to. For iMusical, they usually try to have a group-oriented song toward the end of the show to create a climax as if it were a rehearsed musical.

The show’s artistic director, Mark Chalfant, who is also a performer in iMusical, added that improv is a more engaging experience than any type of theater that is rehearsed. The audience develops a sense of “ownership” over the performance, as the improvisers often respond to what

the audience is enjoying and focusing on.

“You’re really sort of present in that moment of creation,” Chalfant said. “You’re really just seeing these choices crackle and come together to make the recipe for what’s happening.”

Another improv performance at the seasonal show featured a trio called Mr. Sand Man, a threeperson group all dressed in matching striped pajamas. On a recent night, they asked audience members how they celebrate the holidays and used the answers as cues for their performance.

The trio came up with a hilarious depiction of what you would expect from a child’s nightmare, including a mom playing favorites between her two sons, an evil gingerbread man and the repetitive fear of waking up from a bad dream only to find that you are still in yet another nightmare. The dreamlike performance layered

ominous background music with characters screaming and bickering like children, portraying the incoherent fears of a child stuck in a light-hearted nightmare.

The next ensemble to perform, King Bee, celebrated its last performance with improviser Rob Miller before his move to his hometown of Chicago. With most of the performers wearing flannel shirts and “Rob” name tags, the group then stood around Miller and interviewed him about his day as inspiration for the performance.

At one point, Miller said he and his roommate had finally turned the heat on in their apartment, after several months of milking the heat from their neighbors through the walls. The description led the performers to begin the show by figuratively milking a set of udders coming out of the ceiling.

The show included a scene where the cast members sought to

Photo courtesy of Washington Improv Theater

Greer Smith, Mark Chalfant, Bryan Jackson, Elaine Colwell, Matt Berman and Erica Johnson perform as iMusical cast members. convince the real Miller not to leave, by enticing him with food trucks and the entire Cubs team.

They even blocked his exit from the stage — something that Miller called “real meta” during the performance.

“Seasonal Disorder,” the umbrella for the theater’s improv performances taking place in December, began on Nov. 30 and will continue through Dec. 31.

Tickets cost $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

Come Home for Christmas!

Saint Ann's Catholic Church Tenley Circle Wisconsin Avenue & Nebraska Avenue, Northwest

Christmas Eve Mass at 5pm with brass and choir Children's Christmas Pageant Mass at 8pm with brass and choir Christmas Day Masses at 9am (cantor) & 11 am (choir) Reverend Monsignor James D. Watkins Pastor

stanndc.org

12 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current

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13 Real Estate

Northwest Real Estate The Current

A Look at the Market in Northwest Washington

December 20, 2017 â&#x2013; Page 13

Norman French home is ultimate Washington insider

I

t seems hard to believe in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fractious times that Congress ever reached agreement on anything, much less a

ONâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;THEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;MARKET SUSAN BODIKER

green and environmentally friendly policy. Yet the Woodland Normanstone neighborhood, which came about as an act of Congress in 1910, reflects that long-ago respect for nature. The neighborhood â&#x20AC;&#x201D; noted for its varying elevations, winding roads, oldgrowth trees and wildlife sightings â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is also home to embassies and grand mansions, including the Norman French residence at 2607 31st St. NW. Built in 1932 for the family of the current owner, it was designed

by Joseph A. Parks, who also contributed to the downtown Garfinckelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s department store and an addition to the Library of Congressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jefferson Building. The seller also says that the home has a further connection to Washington history: Its exterior was constructed with reclaimed bricks that are believed to be connected to the iconic Hay-Adams Hotel.

The five-level home, renovated and expanded in 2011 to 2012, now offers 5,100 square feet of living space with five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and soaring cathedral ceilings. Outside,

thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive naturalistic landscaping with irrigation systems, along with a two-car garage fronted by a slate courtyard and terraced cutting gardens. It is on the market for $3,500,000.

Similar to Tudors, Norman French homes feature sharply pitched rooflines, half-timbering and arched doorways. Here the timbering is limited to narrow strips of stone inlaid in groups of three around the entryway. Set back from the street on a lawn dotted with evergreens and flowering shrubs, it presents a trim facade with a decorative iron gate leading to the garage and traditional black door, which contrasts well with the white-painted brick.

Inside, a long but narrow foyer is bracketed on the left by a halfbath with cherry-blossom-inspired wallpaper and a deep hall closet on the right. Farther along is a step-down formal yet cozy living room. It has a gas-powered fireplace with a marble surround and classic mantel, plus a wall of (original) pickled pine paneling with built-in shelves and cabinets framing a front-facing window.

Up two steps from the living room is the formal dining room, where a mirrored wall expands the generous dimensions. Large windows, including a bay window with built-in window seat, overlook the back deck and trees beyond.

Next door is an inviting

Photos courtesy of HomeVisit

Dating to 1932, this Norman French home in Woodland Normanstone is priced at $3,500,000.

U-shaped eat-in kitchen with a breakfast bar, an ergonomically arrayed cook/prep space and a pantry area that opens onto a deck just right for outdoor grilling. White wood cabinets with brass or white knobbed hardware, white tile backsplash, dark granite counters and lots of windows create a light and airy feel. Stainless appliances include a Frigidaire French door refrigerator/ freezer; GE Profile six-burner range, double convection oven and microwave; and Vinotemp under-counter wine cooler.

Extending off the kitchen is the abundantly lit family room thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large enough for a baby grand piano. Part of the 2011 expansion, this room features a Douglas fir post and beam design, walls of windows, and skylights that make a nice transition to the wraparound deck outside with its view of the garden two levels down.

A spiral staircase takes you to the first lower level, where thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

an office with three oversize windows and private glass door to the outside; a bedroom with small en-suite bath; a rec or media room; and access to the garage.

A second lower level, ideally suited to be an au pair suite or full guest apartment, is directly below the office suite and accessible from the main staircase in the hall. It includes a large work or entertaining space with garden access; a bedroom with built-ins; and small kitchen and bath.

Above the main floor of the house are two more levels, both comprising bedrooms. The first of these includes the master, with a wall of mirrors and integrated closets; an adjacent dressing room with two full walls of builtin closets and cabinets; and an en-suite bath with Italian tiles in restful shades of sand and sea

blue-green. Down the hall is a second bedroom with pine paneling and a decorative fireplace; another full bath; and a third bedroom with a spiral staircase that leads up to a sleep loft and access to the fully finished attic.

Located on a quiet cul-de-sac near the U.S. Naval Observatory, the house is conveniently situated near Woodley Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial district and Metro station, the National Zoo and the Washington National Cathedral. The neighborhood is surrounded by Rock Creek Park and the residential neighborhoods of Woodley Park and Massachusetts Avenue Heights.

The five-bedroom, four-and-ahalf-bath home at 2607 31st St. NW is listed for $3,500,000 with Robert H. Perry. For details, call 202-965-6464, email rh@rhperry. com or visit bit.ly/2zfCxUk.

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14 Real Estate-Hood

14 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Current

n

currentnewspapers.com

Northwest Real Estate LADYBIRD: Zoning review nears From Page 1

Balducciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drew further complaints at the last Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3E (Friendship Heights, Tenleytown, American University Park). â&#x20AC;&#x153;You over-promised and underdelivered on a grocery store,â&#x20AC;? ANC 3E chair Jon Bender told the project team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You spoke about Harris Teeter. My constituents arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to shop at Balducciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.â&#x20AC;?

The grocery plans also raised concerns about Wagshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, a locally owned market and deli that has been in Spring Valley adjacent to the project site since it relocated from Adams Morgan in 1939. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Putting Balducciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in will drive one of them out of business â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Wagshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or Balducciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s,â&#x20AC;? said another resident during the ANC 3E meeting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mrs. James [a Wagshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chef] knows my children.

Wagshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a part of our neighborhood.â&#x20AC;?

Wagshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-owner Brian Fuchs told The Current that the Ladybird project will be a challenge for his business regardless of the grocery tenant.

His company has rented 6,000 square feet of the old Superfresh building â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which would be torn down as part of the redevelopment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for the last 20 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the new development project and Balducciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possibly moving in, we are very concerned because this will displace our business dynamics that are a neighborhood fixture,â&#x20AC;? Fuchs wrote in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will affect our headquarters, Wagshalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Imports and Fulfillment, Spring Valley Catering, Pitmasters Back Alley BBQ and 40 of our employees.â&#x20AC;?

The Ladybird project is due to go before the Zoning Commission on Jan. 11. ANC 3E took no for-

mal action last week but will vote on Valorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s application at a special meeting on Thursday.

Bender warned Valor that he expects to vote against the proposal, partly as a protest vote.

Commissioner Tom Quinn said ANC 3E is working on a memorandum of understanding with Valor but is still clarifying its provisions on parking issues.

The project did recently win the support of ANC 3D, which represents neighborhoods just across Massachusetts Avenue NW from the site. That commission voted 8-1 on Dec. 6 to support the plans, after rescinding previous criticisms by a 5-4 margin. ANC 3D chair Stephen Gardner, who introduced the rescission motion, cited what he called substantial improvements to Valorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original plan during the last 12 months.

The resolution includes a proviso that three members of the commission may call for a reconsideration of the approval at ANC 3Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jan. 10 meeting if they are unhappy with revisions Valor may make to the plan later this week.

At the Dec. 6 meeting, Valorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Will Lansing said his company has tried to be sensitive to the scale of the neighborhood. But opponents feel that that is precisely what the proposed buildings are not. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The congestion and density will absolutely destroy the community,â&#x20AC;? said Alton Place NW resident Sondra Mills, who said she will move away if the Ladybird is constructed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too big.â&#x20AC;?

But at the same meeting, many residents did speak out strongly in support of the project. One proponent, Phil Lerman, said he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want the Superfresh site to remain vacant. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My biggest fear is that if we nibble and bark and chase them away, the next developer will say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much trouble,â&#x20AC;? he said.

For updates regarding agendas for meetings occurring before The Currentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next issue, visit currentnewspapers.com.

ANC 1B ANCColumbia 1B Lower Heights â&#x2013; LOWER COLUMBIA HEIGHTS / SHAW Pleasant Plains PLEASANT PLAINS / U STREET Shaw/U StreetAVENUE LOWER GEORGIA The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at the D.C. Housing Finance Agency, 815 Florida Ave. NW. For details, visit anc1b.org.

ANC 1C ANCMorgan 1C Adams â&#x2013; ADAMS MORGAN The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, at Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center, 2355 Ontario Road NW. For details, call 202-332-2630 or visit anc1c.org.

ANC 2A ANCBottom 2A Foggy

â&#x2013; FOGGY BOTTOM / WEST END

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, in the Main Meeting Room at the West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. For details, visit anc2a.org.

ANC 2B ANCCircle 2B Dupont

â&#x2013; DUPONT CIRCLE

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, in the Nitze Building, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, 1740 Massachusetts Ave. NW. For details, visit dupontcircleanc.net.

ANC 2C ANC 2C Quarter Downtown/Penn â&#x2013; DOWNTOWN / PENN QUARTER The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, in Room G-9, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

For details, visit anc2c.us or contact 2C@anc.dc.gov.

ANC 2D ANC 2D Sheridan-Kalorama

â&#x2013; SHERIDAN-KALORAMA

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, at Our Lady Queen of the Americas Church, California Street and Phelps Place NW. Agenda items include: â&#x2013; commission comments and other administrative matters. â&#x2013; police report. â&#x2013; reports from the offices of Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ward 2 D.C. Council member Jack Evans. â&#x2013; presentation by the D.C. Department of Public Works. â&#x2013; discussion of a public space application for 2320-2330 S St. NW. â&#x2013; discussion of Bill 22-0092, the Short-Term Rental Regulation and Affordable Housing Protection Act of 2017. â&#x2013; discussion of 2018 grant applications. â&#x2013; consideration of a Historic Preservation Review Board application for landmark designation of the Mitchell Park Field House. â&#x2013; consideration of a Zoning Commission application for proposed amendments regarding establishment and expansion of child development centers. â&#x2013; open comments and announcements.

For details, visit anc2d.org or contact 2D01@anc.dc.gov.

ANC 2E ANC 2E Georgetown â&#x2013; GEORGETOWN / CLOISTERS Cloisters BURLEITH / HILLANDALE The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, in the second-floor Heritage Room at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 1524 35th St. NW. For details, call 202-724-7098 or visit anc2e.com.

ANC 2F ANCCircle 2F Logan

â&#x2013; LOGAN CIRCLE

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW. For details, call 202-667-0052 or visit anc2f.org.

ANC 3B ANCPark 3B Glover

â&#x2013; GLOVER PARK / CATHEDRAL HEIGHTS

,& ) #%' '%# -%*' ' " () ) $) 5471 Wisconsin Ave, 3rd Floor Chevy Chase, MD 20815 M: 202.320.6469 O: 301-298-1001 erichcabe@gmail.com

. '%+ $ '! ) $ )' ) (( . ,& ') ) $ %$(*") ) %$( . ) + $) '$ ) '! ) $ . ! "" *" %) ) %$(

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, at Stoddert Elementary School and Glover Park Community Center, 4001 Calvert St. NW. For details, email info@anc3b. org or visit anc3b.org.

ANC 3C ANC 3CPark Cleveland â&#x2013; CLEVELAND PARK / WOODLEY PARK Woodley Park MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS Massachusetts Avenue Heights CATHEDRAL HEIGHTS The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at

the 2nd District Police Headquarters, 3320 Idaho Ave. NW. For details, visit anc3c.org.

ANC 3D ANCValley 3D Spring â&#x2013; SPRING VALLEY / WESLEY HEIGHTS Wesley Heights PALISADES / KENT / FOXHALL The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, in Room K-106, Kresge Building, Wesley Theological Seminary, 4500 Massachusetts Ave. NW. For details, visit anc3d.org.

ANC 3E ANC 3E Tenleytown â&#x2013; AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK American University Park FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS / TENLEYTOWN The commission will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, in the Chevy Chase Ballroom at the Embassy Suites Hotel, Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road NW. The agenda will include consideration of a resolution and memorandum of understanding regarding the design review application by Valor Development to build a mixed-use project on the former Superfresh site.

The commission will hold its next regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11. The location has not been announced.

For details, visit anc3e.org.

ANC 3F ANCHills 3F Forest

â&#x2013; FOREST HILLS / NORTH CLEVELAND PARK

The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, in Room A-03, Building 44, University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW. For details, call 202-670-7262 or visit anc3f.com.

ANC 3/4G ANCChase 3/4G Chevy â&#x2013; CHEVYâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;CHASE

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, at the Chevy Chase Community Center, Connecticut Avenue and McKinley Street NW. For details, call 202-363-5803 or visit anc3g.org.

ANC 4A ANC Village 4A Colonial â&#x2013; COLONIAL VILLAGE / CRESTWOOD Shepherd Park SHEPHERD PARK / BRIGHTWOOD Crestwood 16TH STREET HEIGHTS The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, in the community meeting room at the 4th District Police Headquarters, 6001 Georgia Ave. NW. For details, call 202-450-6225 or visit anc4a.org.

ANC 4C ANC 4C Street Heights Petworth/16th

â&#x2013; PETWORTH/16TH STREET HEIGHTS

The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, in the basement meeting room at the Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW. For details, call 202-723-6670 or visit anc4c.org.

15 Events

&

Events Entertainment A Listing of What to Do in Washington, D.C. Visit currentnewspapers.com to find an even more extensive list of area events taking place in the next week.

Calendar listings for Jan. 1 through 5 will be available on the website this week; items for Jan. 6 through 12 will be posted in the first week of January.

Thursday, Dec. 21

Thursday DECEMBER 21 Performances â&#x2013; Folger Consort will hold a concert named after the Christmas carol â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lo How a Rose Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;er Blooming,â&#x20AC;? featuring German Advent and holiday music performed by the vocal ensemble Cathedra, viol consort Arcadia Viols, organist Adam Pearl and artistic co-director Robert Eisenstein. 7:30 p.m. $50. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. 202-544-7077. The performance will repeat Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 4 and 8 p.m. â&#x2013; Step Afrika! will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Magical Musical Holiday Step Show 2017,â&#x20AC;? a family-friendly performance by the renowned percussive dance company.

7:30 p.m. $18 to $40. Sprenger Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. The performance will repeat Dec. 22 and 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 23 and 30 at 2 p.m.; and Dec. 27 and 29 at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. â&#x2013; Washington Improv Theater will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seasonal Disorder,â&#x20AC;? its annual tribute to the chaos of the holidays. 7:30 p.m. $12 to $30. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. witdc.org. Performances will continue through Dec. 31.

Special events â&#x2013; The Downtown Holiday Market will feature exhibitors, local food and live music. Noon to 8 p.m. Free admission.

Sidewalk of F Street between 7th and 9th streets NW, in front of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. downtownholidaymarket. com. The market will continue Friday and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;ZooLightsâ&#x20AC;? will feature environmentally friendly LED displays, a light show set to music, 150-foot-long â&#x20AC;&#x153;snow tubingâ&#x20AC;? tracks, the Conservation Carousel, live entertainment, and a glow-inthe-dark play zone for children. 5 to 9 p.m. Free admission. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-633-4470.

The event will repeat daily through Jan. 1 (except Dec. 24, 25 and 31). â&#x2013; Via Umbria chef Liam LaCivita will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dinner at the Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table: Feast of the Seven Fishes,â&#x20AC;? based on a Christmas Eve custom from Southern Italy and featuring a menu of seafoods from different regions of Italy. 7 to 9 p.m. $100; reservations required. Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW. viaumbria. com/events. The dinner will also be offered Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 22

Friday DECEMBER 22 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs â&#x2013; The Tenley-Friendship Library will host â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tots and Toys Playdate,â&#x20AC;? during which children can play with toys, browse books, visit with friends and toddle (for ages 3 and younger, with parent or care-

The Current

December 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31, 2017 â&#x2013; Page 15

giver). 11 a.m. Free. Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202727-1488. â&#x2013; Keegan Theatre will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;How to Catch a Leprechaun,â&#x20AC;? a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical based on an Irish folk tale (for ages 3 and older). 11 a.m. $15. Andrew Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. 202-265-3767. The performance will repeat Dec. 23, 26, 30 and 31 at 11 a.m.

Winter Gardenâ&#x20AC;? will feature a tour led by Brian Barr, director of horticulture at the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens.

12:45 p.m. $15 to $18; tickets distributed at the Visitor Center upon opening each day. Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. 202686-5807. The tour will repeat Dec. 26, 28 and 29 at 12:45 p.m.

Concerts â&#x2013; The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holiday Lobbyingâ&#x20AC;? concert series will feature the Sound Advice Quartet. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Lobby, The Willard InterContinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-628-9100. â&#x2013; Encore Chorale, the dynamic ensemble formed for first-time or returning musicians over the age of 55, will present an evening of crowd-pleasing holiday music. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; The John Lamkin Favorites Jazz Quintet will perform. 9 and 11 p.m. $15.

Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz. com. The performance will repeat Saturday at 9 and 11 p.m.

Book sale â&#x2013; The Chevy Chase DC Friends of the Library groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s used bookstore FOLio will offer â&#x20AC;&#x153;Super Sale Saturdaysâ&#x20AC;? in December with hardcover books for $1 and paperbacks for 50 cents. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission. Second floor, Chevy Chase Library, 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-282-0021. The sale will continue Dec. 30.

Discussion â&#x2013; National Gallery of Art lecturer David Gariff will discuss â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Christmas Story in Art.â&#x20AC;? 2 p.m. Free. West Building Rotunda, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202737-4215.

Film â&#x2013; The National Gallery of Art will present Jean-Pierre Cottet and Guillaume Cottetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 documentary â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vermeer, Beyond Time.â&#x20AC;? Noon. Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202737-4215. The film will be shown again Dec. 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30 at noon and Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.

Special events â&#x2013; The 27th annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;BZB Holiday Gift & Art Showâ&#x20AC;? will feature holiday items, home accessories, clothes, jewelry and more. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free admission.

Shiloh Family Life Center, 1510 9th St. NW. 202-550-7060. The sale will contin-

annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Messiahâ&#x20AC;? singalong, led by conductor Nancia Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alimonte and featuring members of the Opera House Orchestra, professional soloists, a chorus of 200 and enthusiastic audience members. 6 p.m. Free; tickets distributed in the Hall of Nations beginning at 4:30 p.m. Concert Hall, Kennedy Center. 202-4674600. â&#x2013; Swift Technique (shown) and The Trongone Band will perform. 9 p.m. $13. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com.

Saturday, Dec. 23

Saturday DECEMBER 23

Saturday, DECEMBER 23 â&#x2013; Special event: The Washington National Cathedralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Christmas service and pageant for children will include a re-enactment of the story of Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; birth, including visits from the three magi, animals and angels. 11 a.m. Free. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202-537-6200. ue Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. â&#x2013; The West End Library will host its twice-weekly program â&#x20AC;&#x153;Between the Lines: Coloring Club for Adults.â&#x20AC;? 2 p.m.

Free. West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. 202-724-8707. â&#x2013; The Heurich House Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mini Markt: Set the Tableâ&#x20AC;? will feature food and serving ware. The event will include a self-guided tour of the mansion decorated for the holidays. 5 to 8 p.m. $10; $2 for ages 2 through 12. Heurich House Museum, 1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW. heurichchristmas.org/ mini-markts. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go Tell It on the Mountainâ&#x20AC;? will share the Christmas story through Scripture and song, led by the Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choir and the Washington National Cathedral Band. 7 p.m. Free. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. cathedral.org.

Tour â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gardenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Focus: Bones of the

You are invited to quiet your heart

Films â&#x2013; The Mount Pleasant Library will present the 2016 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Belko Experiment.â&#x20AC;? 2 p.m.

Free. Mount Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW. 202-671-3121. â&#x2013; The National Gallery of Art will screen Bertrand Tavernierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2016 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;My Journey Through French Cinema.â&#x20AC;? 2:30 p.m.

Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215.

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs â&#x2013; A park ranger will lead a planetarium program about the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightest stars, planets and constellations (for ages 5 and older). 1 p.m. Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6070. The program will repeat Sunday at 1 p.m. â&#x2013; Children will hear a story about Susan B. Anthony and then create a special piece of art. 1 to 4 p.m. Free. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. 202-633-1000. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids Clubâ&#x20AC;? will feature a chance to create bird feeders from Popsicle sticks (for ages 3 through 12). 2 p.m. Free.

Chevy Chase Library, 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-282-0021. â&#x2013; A park ranger will lead a planetarium program about the solar system, the Milky Way and other deep space objects (for ages 7 and older). 4 to 4:45 p.m.

Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6070. The program will repeat Sunday at 4 p.m.

Performance â&#x2013; Chinese Menu Comedy will have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home for the Holidaysâ&#x20AC;? comedy event featuring regular comedians and former regulars visiting the area for the holidays. 7 and 9:30 p.m. $10 to $12. DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW. 202462-7833.

Concerts â&#x2013; The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holiday Lobbyingâ&#x20AC;? concert series will feature the Potomac Harmony Chorus. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Lobby, The Willard InterContinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-628-9100. â&#x2013; The Kennedy Center will present its

Special event â&#x2013; The St. Albanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Opportunity Shop will offer a last day of shopping before closing through Jan. 2 for the holidays.

9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free admission. St. Albanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Opportunity Shop, MassachuSee Events/Page 16

Break loose from the hustle & bustle of life and enjoy the silence in the sanctuary

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DP )DPLO\ 6HUYLFH RI &DUROV SP &DQGOHOLJKW 6HUYLFH &RPPXQLRQ Church of the Holy City 1611 16th Street NW 5 PM Sunday Evenings For more information, please visit swedenborgcenter.org

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16 Events

16 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Continued From Page 15 setts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202966-5288.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Wizards will play the Orlando Magic. 7 p.m. $7 to $450.

Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. 800-745-3000.

Tours and walks â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the Wheel Turnsâ&#x20AC;? will feature tours of Peirce Mill about the power of water and its connection to food. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Peirce Mill, Tilden Street and Beach Drive NW. 202-895-6070.

The tours will also be offered Sunday. â&#x2013; Rock Creek Conservancyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art in the Park: Holiday Sketch and Strollâ&#x20AC;? hiking event will teach participants the fundamentals of drawing while on a stroll to a secret grove of American holly trees. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Free, registration required.

Meet in the northwest corner of Rock Creek Park at 1801 Parkside Drive NW. seinberger@rockcreekconservancy.org.

Sunday, Dec. 24

Sunday DECEMBER 24 Concerts â&#x2013; D.C.-based Beltway Brass Quintet will perform their annual holiday performance with jazzy versions of classic holiday favorites.

Noon. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; The Choral Arts Society of Washington will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christmas With Choral Arts,â&#x20AC;? featuring holiday carols, seasonal classics and singalongs for the whole family. 1 p.m. $15 to $69. Concert Hall, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; The Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ will present the 20th annual Christmas Eve Jazz Vespers, featuring guest artist Jeff Majors. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Free. Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ, 4704 13th St. NW. 202-829-5511.

Services â&#x2013; Palisades Community Church will present a Family Service of Carols and

&

The Current

Events Entertainment Scripture, at 10 a.m.; and a Candlelight Service, at 7 p.m. Free. Palisades Community Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave. NW. 202-966-7929. â&#x2013; St. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church will present a Christmas Eve service with Holy Communion. 4 and 10 p.m. Free.

St. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church, 5150 Macomb St. NW. stdavidsdc.org. â&#x2013; The Contemporary Choir will perform a Christmas Prelude, at 5 p.m.; Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson will celebrate the Vigil Mass of Christmas, at 5:30 p.m.; the Schola Cantorum and Festival Singers will perform a Christmas prelude, at 9:15 p.m.; and Cardinal Donald Wuerl will celebrate the Solemn Mass of Christmas, at 10 p.m. Free. Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW. 202-347-3215. â&#x2013; St. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church will present a Mass with brass and choir as well as a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas pageant, at 5 p.m.; and a Mass with brass and choir, at 8 p.m. Free. St. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church, Wisconsin and Nebraska avenues NW. stanndc.org. â&#x2013; The National Presbyterian Church will host a family service with a narrated re-enactment of the Nativity story with music, at 5 p.m.; and a Candlelight Service with carols, at 9 p.m. Free. National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Ave. NW. 202-537-0800. â&#x2013; The Metropolitan Memorial Campus of the National United Methodist Church will host a Family Christmas Eve Service with a live Nativity and carols, at 5 p.m.; a Candlelight Communion Service, at 7:30 p.m.; and a Candlelight Vigil with musical prelude, at 10:30 p.m.

Free. Metropolitan Memorial Campus, National United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW. 202-363-4900.

Special event â&#x2013; Matzoball, the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading event for Jewish singles, will celebrate its 31st year with events in D.C. and eight other U.S. cities. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. $30.

Decades, 1219 Connecticut Ave. NW. matzoball.org.

Monday, Dec. 25

Monday DECEMBER 25 Concerts â&#x2013; Organists Benjamin Straley and George Fergus will perform a Christmas

The Currentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pet of the Week From the Humane Rescue Alliance Meet Bruno! If you have been looking for the consummate â&#x20AC;&#x153;lap dog,â&#x20AC;? Bruno is it! This 11-year-old with a sweet personality cannot wait to find a warm human to cuddle with. While small and â&#x20AC;&#x153;senior,â&#x20AC;?

Bruno is still active and spry â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and quite willing and able to make the leap from the floor to the living room sofa with no problems. Bruno was surrendered to the Humane Rescue Alliance when his owner/parents became ill and could no longer care for him. After spending more than 10 years with one owner, Bruno is more than ready to find some stability again in his life. Bruno qualifies for the Humane Rescue Allianceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boomersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Buddiesâ&#x20AC;? program, so if you are over the age of 50, you can adopt him with no adoption fee. Stop by the Oglethorpe Street Adoption Center and meet Bruno!

$69 to $175. Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. Performances will continue through Jan. 7.

Day recital. 1:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202-537-6200.

Services â&#x2013; St. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church will present a Mass with cantor, at 9 a.m.; and a Mass with choir, at 11 a.m. Free. St. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church, Wisconsin and Nebraska avenues NW. stanndc.org. â&#x2013; St. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church will present a Christmas Day service with Holy Communion. 11 a.m. Free. St. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church, 5150 Macomb St. NW. stdavidsdc.org. â&#x2013; The Washington National Cathedral will celebrate Christmas with a Festival Holy Eucharist service. 11:15 a.m. Free.

Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202-537-6200. â&#x2013; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, will lead the Solemn Christmas Day Mass. Noon. Free. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300.

Special event â&#x2013; The Washington DC Jewish Community Center will hold its 31st annual Day of Service, featuring events at dozens of sites throughout the area. Various times. $20 fee; registration required. washingtondcjcc.org/d25.

Tuesday, Dec. 26

Tuesday DECEMBER 26 Concert â&#x2013; The band 40 Thieves will play festive Irish rock as part of the U.S. Botanic Gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holiday Music in the Gardenâ&#x20AC;? series. 6 to 8 p.m. Free. Conservatory Garden Court, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333. â&#x2013; Gaiteros de Sanguashington, a ColombianAmerican band from D.C., will present a holiday performance.

6 p.m. Free.

Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202467-4600.

Discussion â&#x2013; The West End Library will host a weekly meeting of â&#x20AC;&#x153;People & Stories: Adult Short Story Discussion Group.â&#x20AC;? 1

currentnewspapers.com

Thursday, Dec. 28

Thursday DECEMBER 28 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program â&#x2013; As part of the D.C. Public Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter reading program, the National Building Museum will present a family â&#x20AC;&#x153;Winter Read-In,â&#x20AC;? featuring story times, arts and crafts, a pop-up multimedia center and learning hub, other fun activities and prizes. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.

National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. dclibrary.org.

Monday, DECEMBER 25 â&#x2013; Concert: The 19th annual AllStar Christmas Day Jam will feature host/vibraphonist Chuck Redd, drummer Lenny Robinson, trumpeters Robert Redd and Tom Williams, bassist James King and vocalist Delores Williams. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center.

202-467-4600. p.m. Free. West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. 202-724-8707. Sessions will continue through Feb. 6.

Family program â&#x2013; The Anacostia Community Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th anniversary Kwanzaa celebration will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dancing Diplomat & Nubian,â&#x20AC;? featuring dance, music, storytelling and more with Nana Malaya Rucker. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free; reservations required. Fort Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie St. SE. 202-633-4844.

Performance â&#x2013; The Washington Improv Theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harold Nightâ&#x20AC;? will feature long-form improv performances by various ensembles. 8 and 9 p.m. By donation. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. witdc.org.

Wednesday, Dec. 27

Wednesday DECEMBER 27 Concert â&#x2013; D.C.-based musicians Lauren Calve, John Figura and Tom Liddle will perform as Run Come See in a concert featuring soulful blues, rock and country.

6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.

Film â&#x2013; The West End Library will present the 2000 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reindeer Games,â&#x20AC;? starring Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise.

6:30 p.m. Free. West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. 202-724-8707.

Performances â&#x2013; The Anacostia Community Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th anniversary Kwanzaa celebration will feature a performance by the Melvin Deal African Heritage Drummers and Dancers. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Free; reservations required. Fort Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie St. SE. 202-633-4844. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Illusionists: Live From Broadway,â&#x20AC;? the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-selling magic show, will return to the Kennedy Center for a mind-blowing showcase. 8 p.m.

Class â&#x2013; A weekly class on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Basic Knitting: Casting On, Garter Stitch, Purl Stitchâ&#x20AC;? will offer instruction for beginners who want to learn the essential foundations of knitting. 5 p.m. Free. West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. 202-724-8707.

Concert â&#x2013; The Capital Accord Chorus will perform barbershop-style a cappella music as part of the U.S. Botanic Gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holiday Music in the Gardenâ&#x20AC;? series. 6 to 8 p.m. Free. Conservatory Garden Court, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333.

Discussion â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thursdays at Noonâ&#x20AC;? will feature National Portrait Gallery curator Dorothy Moss discussing Sylvia Plathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s painting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Triple Face Self-Portrait.â&#x20AC;? Noon. Free.

Meet in the G Street lobby, National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. 202633-1000.

Family program â&#x2013; The Anacostia Community Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th anniversary Kwanzaa celebration will feature arts and crafts activities, including making paper dolls, Kwanzaa scrolls and Kwanzaa-inspired necklaces and bracelets. 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Free; reservations required. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE. 202-633-4844.

Film â&#x2013; The West End Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thursday Morning FIlm Series will feature the 2005 murder mystery â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.â&#x20AC;?

10:30 a.m.

Free. West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. 202-724-8707.

Performance â&#x2013; Gary Vider, one of the few comedians who have made it to the final 10 on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent,â&#x20AC;? will perform as part of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Comedy at the Kennedy Center.â&#x20AC;?

6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.

Special events â&#x2013; The Washington National Cathedral will present a ceremonial wreath-laying on President Woodrow Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tomb with representatives of the U.S. military services on the anniversary of Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birth. 10:30 a.m. Free. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202-537-6200. â&#x2013; Chef Jennifer Mcllvaine will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dinner at the Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table: Medieval Menu,â&#x20AC;? featuring a four-course meal See Events/Page 17

17 Events

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The Current

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

17

Events Entertainment Continued From Page 16 paired with wines from Terre Margaritelli.

7 to 10 p.m. $75; reservations required.

Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW. viaumbria.com/events. The dinner will also be offered Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Capitals will play the Boston Bruins. 7:30 p.m. $45 to $780. Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Friday,DECEMBER Dec. 29 Friday 29 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program â&#x2013; The West End Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art and Creativity Hourâ&#x20AC;? will offer a chance to create art inspired by the Washington Color School (for ages 6 through 12). 4 p.m. Free. West End Library, 2301 L St. NW. 202-724-8707.

Concerts â&#x2013; DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest (DooWop Cops), an a cappella group consisting of current and retired D.C. police officers, will perform.

6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will present a concert

by Everyone Orchestra (with Steve Kimock, Holly Bowling, Tom Hamilton, Jennifer Hartswick, Vinnie Amico, Chris Chew and Jeff Mosier) and opening act Staycation.

9 p.m. $29.50 to $33. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Wizards will play the Houston Rockets. 7 p.m. $58 to $315. Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Saturday,DECEMBER Dec. 30 Saturday 30 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs â&#x2013; A park ranger will lead a planetarium program about the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightest stars, planets and constellations (for ages 5 and older). 1 p.m. Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6070. The program will repeat Sunday at 1 p.m. â&#x2013; A park ranger will lead a planetarium program about the solar system, the Milky Way and other deep space objects

a countdown to noon, a sparkling craft and a toast to 2018 with juice (for ages 2 through 4). 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. $5 to $8; free for accompanying adults.

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, 1644 31st St. NW. tudorplace.org.

(for ages 7 and older). 4 to 4:45 p.m.

Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6070. The program will repeat Sunday at 4 p.m.

Concert â&#x2013; Students of Nick Fliakas will perform a winter recital. 6 p.m. Free. Middle C Music, 4530 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202244-7326.

Discussion â&#x2013; The African American Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resource Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kitchen Table Talksâ&#x20AC;? series will feature Detra Jumoke Dorsey of the All-African Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Revolutionary Party and Ajowa Nzinga Ifateyo of The Burning Spear newspaper discussing strategies for social justice movements today. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. African American Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resource Center, 840 1st Street NE. 202-570-9522.

Performance â&#x2013; Zan McLeod (shown) and Friends will present a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Celtic Holidayâ&#x20AC;? program of traditional Irish music with step dancing featuring dancers Joe Duffey and Erika Neilsen. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.

Special event â&#x2013; Chef Jennifer Mcllvaine will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dinner at the Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table: Classic Umbrian Menu,â&#x20AC;? featuring a five-course meal paired with wines from Terre Margaritelli. 7 to 10 p.m. $90; reservations required. Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW. viaumbria.com/events.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Capitals will play the New Jersey Devils. 7 p.m. $48 to $780. Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Tours â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the Wheel Turnsâ&#x20AC;? will feature tours of Peirce Mill about the power of water and its connection to food. 10 a.m.

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Concerts â&#x2013; Vintage#18 will perform hard-driving blues rhythms and soul grooves. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve at the Kennedy Center: Thee Phantom and The Illharmonic Orchestraâ&#x20AC;? will feature hip-hop visionary Thee Phantom and his genrebusting ensemble as they combine hiphop with live orchestration. 8:30 p.m. $19 to $49. Concert Hall, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; The Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown will host a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve performance by Dominick Petrellese and His Quintet, with complimentary party favors and a Champagne toast at midnight. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Free. Lobby and Loggia, Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown, 2401 M St. NW. 202-4292400. â&#x2013; A New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve celebration will feature The Werks and LITZ. 9 p.m. $40 to $45. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com.

Free. Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE. theyardsdc.com. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moving Mindfully Into the New Year,â&#x20AC;? an afternoon retreat, will feature guided meditations, individual reflections and shared rituals to remember 2017 and set intentions for the coming year. 1 to 4 p.m. $25 to $40. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. cathedral.org. â&#x2013; The Silent Dance Society will present a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Silent Disco Night using wireless headset technology with three different music channels and three different DJs. 9 p.m. $40 to $50. Embassy Row Hotel, 2015 Massachusetts Ave. NW. silentdancesociety.com. â&#x2013; A New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve celebration at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will start with a performance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nothing to Lose (But Our Chains),â&#x20AC;? followed by music, dancing and an open bar. 9:30 p.m. $90 to $150. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202393-3939. â&#x2013; The Kennedy Center will host its 2018 New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Grand Foyer Party with music, dancing and celebration leading up to a midnight countdown and balloon drop. The event will feature local bands Vintage#18 and Mark G. Meadows & The Movement. 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Free with a ticket to a Dec. 31 paid evening performance at the Kennedy Center or your receipt from a Dec. 31 dinner at the Roof Terrace Restaurant.

Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; ArtJamz will host a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve party with music, neon splash painting, glitter and a midnight neon Champagne toast. 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. $70 to $110.

ArtJamz Dupont Studio, 1728 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-709-8096.

Special events â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noon Yards Eve,â&#x20AC;? a family-friendly New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve festival, will feature music, dancing, balloon artists, trackless trains, face painting, kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; crafts and a balloon drop at noon. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Wizards will play the Houston Rockets. 3:30 p.m. $7 to $737. Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Class â&#x2013; Cocktail historian Philip Greene and bartender Frank Jones will hold a seminar on creating Champagne cocktails and other drinks, in addition to cocktail tastings and a cocktail history lesson. 7 to 9 p.m. $55. Occidental Grill & Seafood, 1475 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. tinyurl.com/y8j99dnm.

Sunday, DECEMBER 31 â&#x2013; Concert: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bach Through Modern,â&#x20AC;? a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve concert, will feature local musicians Rosa Lamoreaux (shown), Ann Colgrove, Diane Heath, Elizabeth Lane, Anne Timpane, David Timpane and Barbara Wing performing a world premiere by Justus Parrotta as well as works by Bach, Milhaud and Albright. 6 p.m. $25 donation suggested; free for students. St. Columbaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church, 4201 Albemarle St. NW. columba.org. to 4 p.m. Free. Peirce Mill, Tilden Street and Beach Drive NW. 202-895-6070.

The tours will also be offered Sunday. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rhyme to Reason: How Words Changed Americaâ&#x20AC;? will feature a tour of the authors and performers associated with the gallery who have shaped history and culture across the centuries. 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Free. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. 202-6331000.

Sunday, Dec. 31 Sunday DECEMBER 31 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weekend Tots: New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eveâ&#x20AC;? will feature a counting-themed storytime,

18 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

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DISPATCHES From Page 8 tradition that makes reading fun.

Fifth- and second-grade reading buddies decorated the library loft with handmade snowflakes last week. The little buddies cut out the snowflakes and the big buddies hung them. This way the library is even more festive and fun. There are also fourth- and first-grade buddies who meet together to read twice a week in the library during FLEX time.

In classrooms and clubs, students are learning about and celebrating different holiday traditions, so these are just a few of many ways that Lafayette is welcoming the holidays.

— Natalie Broquard, fifth-grader

MacFarland Middle School

Our school was closed for three years and reopened in 2016.

This year there are 132 students and only sixth and seventh grade.

Next year we will add eighth grade. Our school mascot is a mustang, which is way more awesome than a horse.

In sixth grade we have three cohorts, 6A, 6B and 6C, and the same for seventh grade. Classes have about 23 students. This year we have basketball, baseball, track and DCIAA. The DCIAA girls soccer team won third place against Oyster-Adams. We also have clubs: creative writing, performance, reading and global gaming.

Every week we receive a paper called a MustBuck sheet for teachers to sign. Our monthly MustBuck celebration is a program to celebrate all the hard work students do. In November we had a scavenger hunt on the National Mall. We did an outdoor inflatable obstacle course in October. In September we had a soccer game, sixth grade vs. seventh grade, and in December we will go to an indoor swimming pool.

Our school schedule is based on A-, B- and C-days. A-days and B-days alternate every day until Friday, which is a C-day. C-days only happen on Fridays and the last day of an uneven week. Aand B-days each have four subjects, and C-days are a combination of all subjects.

— Pamela Campos and Juliana Lopez, seventh-graders

Maret School

In third grade, you get to do a lot of math, like multiplication, division and other ways to solve problems. You also get to do something called First in Math and Mad Minutes. A Mad Minute is where you do 50 facts in one minute. First in Math is a website where you have your own account and do math to earn stickers.

Another thing is that after every unit, you do an assessment.

Assessments are where you do a couple of worksheets to test your work from that unit. Also in third

grade, you study measuring. You start out by measuring around the room with your shoes. It does not really work, so then you start using a ruler.

— William Holden, third-grader

Our Lady of Victory School

While having a lot of snacks, I watched the Our Lady of Victory 2017 Turkey Bowl and started getting interested. On the first round, seventh grade won. Then in the second round the eighth grade won. Then it was over. I stayed mouth open all through the game. I loved this year’s Turkey Bowl. I hope all of the other students enjoyed it too. And that was the gobble Turkey Bowl!

— Jehanne B., fourth-grader

Oyster-Adams Bilingual School

On Dec. 4, Oyster-Adams girls basketball team had its first game at McKinley Tech and won 40-13, which is a very big difference.

Gaby Eversley-Holland, one of our girls basketball team members, told us how she felt about her first game. She said, “We did really, really good because we had so much of a lead. We passed the ball and used a lot of good teamwork. It was so much fun.”

This week in the sixth-grade Spanish Humanities class, we have a project about how kids grow up in other countries and in different conditions. We have to present our projects on PowerPoint. Francis Csedrik explained that 15 percent of people in the Philippines have AIDS. Melani Perdomo learned that in Iraq, kids are obligated to go to school until they are 12. Lesly Bautista shared that 40 percent of kids don’t get their diploma for fourth grade in Puerto Rico. Our fellow students Thandi Kirk and Eli Parker both said, “I am proud of my project, hoping it will get a good grade.”

They also said, “I feel proud and accomplished with my project.”

— Gabriella Eversley-Holland and Miles Sanchez, sixth-graders

Sheridan School

How do geologists and other people interested in minerals know what lies beneath the earth’s surface? Sheridan seventh-graders set out to explore this question.

First, they built the necessary skills to explore the earth for natural resources and study its dynamic processes. They collaborated and competed to identify the most efficient way to find iron ore by learning to read the stories of rocks. They developed skills used

by Smithsonian scientists to identify geologic features in rocks, interpret geologic maps, piece together drill cores, and model how tectonic forces deform rocks.

After honing their geologic skills, they competed in groups to see who could most accurately find the extent of the natural resource.

— Ms. Autry’s seventh-grade class

20 Wednesday, december 20, 2017

w ishinG

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yoU all the best this holiday season

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