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Serving Communities in Northwest Washington Since 1967

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Vol. XLVIII, No. 52

The Northwest Current

Decision on Pepco merger expected soon

16th Street Circle eyed for safety enhancement

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■ Transportation: District,

Maryland seeking solutions

By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

The public comment period for the high-profile merger of the power companies Pepco and Exelon has closed, leaving citizens and city officials eager to see how the D.C. Public Service Commission ultimately votes on the controversial proposal. The Public Service Commission’s vote, expected in January or February, represents the last of many hurdles for the merger, which has already won approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the states of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. But it can’t proceed until it has full support from all affected jurisdictions, including D.C. An initial proposal for the merger in the District failed to pass muster with the Public Service Commission in August, prompting revisions and further dialogue between the companies and the public this fall. A vigorous debate has ensued See Pepco/Page 19

By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

Shortly after completing emergency fixes at Blair Circle, the D.C. Department of Transportation is working with its Maryland counterpart to develop more comprehensive changes at the confluence of 16th Street, Eastern Avenue, Colesville Road and North Portal Drive NW. According to Ward 4 D.C. Council member Brandon Todd,

Ellington Field renaming would honor site’s history Brian Kapur/The Current

The National Zoo’s “ZooLights” holiday display will conclude on Saturday. The annual event includes a light show set to music, a model train exhibit, three 150-foot-long “snow tubing” tracks, the Conservation Carousel and live entertainment.

Northwest looks back on an eventful 2015 By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

The last 12 months have been a busy time for Northwest D.C. We got a new mayor and five new D.C. Council members. The development boom continued in many neighborhoods, and came to some quiet communities unaccustomed to major changes. Some longtime community institutions expanded, while others shut down. Pope Francis stayed here for several days, with much fanfare. Noise from airplanes and from leaf blowers rattled some residents. Here are some of those top stories from 2015:

DIGEST

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Pope Francis waves to onlookers during a Sept. 23 parade.

■ Muriel Bowser was sworn in as the District’s mayor, and two of her allies won crowded D.C. Council special election races — Brandon Todd, who filled her former Ward 4 seat, and LaRuby

May, who replaced the late Marion Barry in Ward 8. Three other new legislators — Ward 1’s Brianne Nadeau, Ward 6’s Charles Allen and at-large member Elissa Silverman — were also sworn into office. Meanwhile, former Mayor Vincent Gray began his path toward a political comeback after the U.S. Attorney’s Office dropped a longrunning probe into his 2010 campaign without bringing forward any charges against Gray himself. ■ “Cat cafe” Crumbs & Whiskers opened in Georgetown, giving patrons an opportunity to hang out with 20 cats that are up for adoption. See 2015/Page 8

SPOR TS

Park Service gives venison to needy following deer cull — Page 2

the two transportation agencies are looking at changing traffic signal timing and possibly removing some signals as part of a medium-term solution to the circle, which would take place in about a year. And a long-term fix, about three to five years later, would likely include physical changes to Blair Circle — perhaps even converting it into a conventional intersection, Todd said. The short-term improvements, meanwhile, came last month. The D.C. transportation and general services agencies trimmed back or See Circle/Page 19

Cathedral rallies to 8-0 record behind new hoops leader — Page 9

■ Education: Alumni push

for ‘Western High’ moniker By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

Western High School officially transformed into Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 1977, leaving behind scores of alumni who maintained pride for their school even after its name and mission changed. More than four decades later, some graduates of Western High are fighting to make sure their Burleith alma mater doesn’t fade entirely from the community’s memory. In late summer, alumni association board member Charlie Volkman proposed the idea of changing the name of the Ellington Field back to Western High School Stadium as a “memorial” to what came before. The goal is to keep Western’s legacy alive well into the future, even as the alumni ranks diminish. “From now on there will never be names or remembrance among anybody if we don’t have something concrete,” said Volkman, 85.

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

A proposal to designate the field as Western High School Stadium is being pitched by some alumni.

He notes that most people in the city don’t remember that Cardozo Education Campus, at 1200 Clifton St. NW, used to be called Central High School. The similar prospect of Western disappearing from the public consciousness worries Volkman, who said he hopes the name can be changed by the end of 2016. The field, located at 38th Street and Reservoir Road NW two blocks from the high school, seemed like a perfect target to Volkman because a name change wouldn’t affect its operations. Volkman said Ward 2 D.C. See Western/Page 5

INDEX

NEWS

Bowser reflects on her year as mayor at community events — Page 3

Calendar/13 Classifieds/18 District Digest/2 Exhibits/13 In Your Neighborhood/12 Opinion/6

Police Report/4 Real Estate/11 School Dispatches/5 Service Directory/16 Sports/9 Week Ahead/2

Tips? Contact us at newsdesk@currentnewspapers.com

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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

The Current

District Digest Park deer cull yields donation of venison

The National Park Service last week donated about 700 pounds of venison to the DC Central Kitchen, meat taken from deer the agency recently shot in Rock Creek Park, according to an agency news release. The Park Service has been working since 2013 to reduce the park’s deer population, which it said was out of control and interfering with healthy forest regeneration. Since 2013, the population has fallen from nearly 80 deer per square mile to 19, the release states — within the agency’s target of 15 to 20. In the release, DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin Jr. says venison is “lean, nutritious protein.” “We rely on our many partners to donate most of the necessary components to create 5,000 wellbalanced, healthy meals each day for our neighbors in need,” Curtin says in the release. “Today’s donation of venison offers some new variety to our meals, and we’re thankful to our friends at NPS for making that possible.” The Park Service intends to monitor deer populations and the

park’s botanical health to determine whether further culls will be necessary. The deer culling operation has prompted protests from some Northwest residents, including on Dec. 7. In a news release, the Save the Rock Creek Deer group challenges the idea that deer have damaged Rock Creek Park, suggesting that deer respond to population reductions with increased birth rates, and calling for reproductive controls as an alternative to killing.

Tenley Main Street names first director

The new Tenleytown Main Street group named its first executive director yesterday, hiring longtime Tenley resident and TenleytownDC.org founder Leigh Catherine Miles. Miles will oversee the new nonprofit’s efforts to beautify the Tenleytown’s commercial district, expand community events and attract new businesses. Her role will include finding and coordinating volunteers, reaching out to business owners and raising funds to support the group. According to a news release, Miles’ experience “includes near-

ly two decades in non-profit and grant management, proposal writing, organizational development consulting, and communications,” in addition to volunteer work with the Tenley WinterFest, Seabury at Friendship Terrace and the 2nd District Citizens Advisory Council for the police department. Her first day on the new job will be Jan. 4. The Tenleytown organization was launched with a $200,000 grant from the D.C. Council, which also provided funds for a similar Main Street group in Van Ness. Mary Beth Ray, president of the Van Ness Main Street board, told The Current yesterday that her organization is also preparing to hire an executive director. The Van Ness group has narrowed down 22 applicants to three finalists, who will be interviewed a second time on Jan. 5; Ray expects hiring to take place soon after.

Board OKs flexibility in graduation rules

The D.C. State Board of Education voted Dec. 16 to allow schools to offer alternatives to certain educational requirements. The board’s resolution, based on advice from a task force working on high school credit flexibility, advises the state superintendent of education to create regulations providing “schools with pathways for innovation.” “Schools that want to offer a different type of course, or set of courses” from what’s required by the current Carnegie unit system, would seek a waiver, according to a release. That would permit them to offer “competency-based learning, which would allow students to progress through academic material at their own pace upon demonstrating mastery of content.”

The Current

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The week ahead Friday, Jan. 1

Mayor Muriel Bowser will host her second annual “Fresh Start” 5K Run/ Walk at 9 a.m. at the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station, 192 19th St. SE. Registration is free; visit fitdc.com.

Tuesday, Jan. 5

The Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation will hold a public hearing on an application to combine five assessment and taxation lots into a single, buildable lot of record in a private alley in Square 1230, located between N, O, 33rd and Potomac streets NW in the Georgetown Historic District. The applicant claims that the failure to approve the requested subdivision would cause unreasonable economic hardship. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Suite E650, D.C. Office of Planning, 1100 4th St. SW.

Thursday, Jan. 7

The National Capital Planning Commission will hold its monthly meeting at 12:30 p.m. at Suite 500 North, 401 9th St. NW. Tentative agenda items include the proposed modernization of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library downtown.

Tuesday, Jan. 12

American University President Neil Kerwin will hold a town hall meeting for neighbors at 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the Katzen Arts Center, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. A New Year’s reception will follow at 8 p.m. in the building’s second-floor rotunda. The resolution also calls for allowing students who pass a state-approved test to skip required world language and math classes. The state superintendent will develop regulations and publish them in the D.C. Register in early 2016; the board will hold a final vote after a 30-day comment period.

‘Tree summit’ aims to boost D.C. canopy D.C. held its first “tree summit” Dec. 18, and Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a new shortterm partnership to expand the number of trees planted on local space both public and private. Eleven agencies and groups are members of “Canopy 3,000,” an initiative working to get 3,000 extra trees planted in the city next year. D.C. will contribute $400,000 in seed funding, which would cover 1,300 trees, according to a news release, and the National Park Service will plant 1,000, according to regional director Bob Vogel. Bowser also announced a new committee that will advise the Urban Forestry Administration, seeking to help D.C. meet its Sustainable DC goal of ensuring a 40 percent canopy of healthy trees within 17 years. And Tommy Wells, director of the D.C. Department of Energy & Environment, announced the completion of a memorandum of understanding between his agency and the Transportation Department to coordinate on tree policy, programs and plantings. The 11 members of Canopy 3,000 include representatives of the D.C. departments of environment, transportation, and parks and recreation; Casey Trees; American University; Washington Parks and People; and the U.S. Forest Service.

Takoma pool will shut next week for repairs The Takoma Aquatic Center at 300 Van Buren St. NW will close Jan. 3 for cleaning and repairs. The work — deep cleaning, HVAC system repairs, refurbishment of locker rooms and pool bottom, and installation of a UV light water treatment system — is part of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s year-round aquatic maintenance schedule, the agency says in a news release. The original schedule for Takoma has changed, with the reopening date shifting from Jan. 17 to Jan. 25.

Cardinal celebrates cathedral’s 175th

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, celebrated a special bilingual Mass Nov. 1 for the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle as a parish. Other recent anniversary events have included a concert and service featuring the Schola Cantorum. The 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW church was founded in 1840 when D.C. was still part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It was named a cathedral in 1939, when Pope Pius XII created the Archdiocese of Washington. St. Matthew the Apostle is named for the patron saint of civil servants. Its building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it was the site of the 1963 funeral for President John F. Kennedy.

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.

ch n g The Current W ednesday, December 30, 2015

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Bowser ends first year with efforts on homelessness, affordable housing By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s tenure began with a snowstorm. She was sworn in on Saturday, and the blizzard arrived Monday. Nine more weeks passed, and at least one snowfall arrived during each of those weeks. But the mayor has had much more on her mind in 2015 than winter weather. As her one-year anniversary in office approaches, she can look back on a year in which she

grappled with big issues like the dysfunction of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the local effects of a nationwide crime spike. In several recent public conversations with D.C. residents, Bowser has highlighted one of her largest accomplishments this year as her work toward eradicating longterm homelessness and closing down the D.C. General family shelter. Her annual budget increased funds for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Housing Pro-

duction Trust Fund and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program. The mayor says she’s trying to implement a series of realistic steps to fight homelessness, including stricter enforcement against illegal encampments and more funding for alternative services for those in need. “It won’t happen tomorrow, but with consistent funding and will, we can make sure we’re dealing with ending homelessness,� Bowser said at a recent meeting of

Board upholds permits for ‘pop-up’ in Lanier Heights By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

Days after a move to limit further “pop-up� projects in Lanier Heights, the developer of a row house conversion at 1828 Ontario Place NW won a long-fought zoning battle last Tuesday. A Dec. 14 decision by the Zoning Commission has temporarily tightened the rules for new building permit approvals while it considers an application to make the change permanent. If the commission finalizes those rules, they would curb the controversial trend of converting that neighborhood’s row houses into larger apartment or condo buildings. Those broader zoning changes, however, would have no impact on the development plan that’s currently moving forward on Ontario Place, which would expand a row house into four new apartment units. Residents and the Adams Morgan advisory neighborhood commission have been working through an appeals process to try to block that conversion. The project’s building permit was approved back in July, but the neighbors are arguing that it violates even the older zoning standards. And even after the zoning board dismissed their land-use argument last week, the residents will continue to argue the case before another city agency on the grounds that the permit doesn’t meet building code requirements. In the zoning appeal, residents argued that the two parking spaces that the developer would provide weren’t quite wide enough to meet the legal standard for a four-unit building. Accordingly, they said, the developer would either need a waiver of the off-street parking rules — via a public process before the Board of Zoning Adjustment in which all types of community impacts could be aired — or build just two units instead of four. In the midst of the appeal process, developer Chris Bogdan revised his building permit application to widen the row house’s rear parking pad slightly by carv-

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ing a few inches out of the brick walls on either side. The result, his attorney Samantha Mazo testified in a Nov. 17 hearing, is that there’s enough space for one small parking space that already existed on the property, and one new one that is wide enough for today’s zoning regulations. Community members aren’t satisfied. The immediate neigh-

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— Board chair Marnique Heath bors on either side testified that the brick walls in question are party walls, and that they could become structurally unsound if they’re made narrower. But Mazo argued Dec. 22 that the zoning board can only rule on whether the building permits show proper parking spaces, and that the appellants are not disputing that the latest permits provide adequate parking space. “They have conceded that that error is resolved,� she testified. Next-door neighbor Mike Rafferty disagreed. “Actually, we think there’s been an attempt to resolve an error, and there are additional errors that were made in that attempt,� he replied. Neighbors are asking the city’s Office of Administrative Hearings to review those alleged errors related to the structural integrity of the party walls, and asked the zoning board to wait on its decision until that case is resolved in the new year. “If we are successful there, which we hope we are, we will have a zoning issue again,� Rafferty said — because the developer’s solution to the zoning code’s parking requirements will have been rejected. Zoning board chair Marnique Heath replied that if this were to occur, the community would have a fresh opportunity to appeal the land-use matter. “The issues right now all are structural and construction-related ... and are not See Ontario/Page 19

the Dupont advisory neighborhood commission. Related to this goal, the mayor is also working to generate opportunities for lowincome families to purchase housing at affordable prices. D.C.’s existing affordable housing stock faces the looming threat of federal tax breaks for apartments expiring. Bowser said at a recent D.C. Federation of Citizens Associations’ luncheon that she’s searching See Bowser/Page 5

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The Current

Police Report This is a listing of reports taken from Dec. 21 to 27 in local police service areas.

psa PSA 101 101 â– downtown

Theft â– 1000-1099 block, F St.; 6:05 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1000-1099 block, F St.; 9:11 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1100-1199 block, F St.; 3:01 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 500-599 block, 13th St.; 6:25 a.m. Dec. 24. â– 1200-1299 block, New York Ave.; 3:07 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 1000-1099 block, F St.; 8:36 p.m. Dec. 27. â– 1200-1299 block, G St.; 10:26 p.m. Dec. 27. Theft from auto â– 1000-1099 block, G St.; 6:20 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 900-999 block, 10th St.; 9:54 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 900-999 block, New York Ave.; 11:55 a.m. Dec. 22. â– 1200-1299 block, New York Ave.; 1:22 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1000-1099 block, 14th St.; 4:46 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1300-1399 block, G St.; 9:37 p.m. Dec. 25. â– 900-999 block, 10th St.; 4:28 a.m. Dec. 26.

psa 102

â– Gallery PSA 102 place

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Robbery â– 600-699 block, F St.; 9:24 p.m. Dec. 22. Motor vehicle theft â– 400-499 block, 8th St.; 3:54 a.m. Dec. 27. Theft â– 600-699 block, H St.; 7:05 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 800-899 block, 7th St.; 4:00 a.m. Dec. 22. â– 500-599 block, Indiana Ave.; 6:19 a.m. Dec. 23. â– 400-497 block, L St.; 2:52 a.m. Dec. 24. â– 400-457 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 7:31 p.m. Dec. 27. Theft from auto â– 300-498 block, Indiana Ave.; 1:29 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 400-443 block, K St.; 9:45 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 600-699 block, New York Ave.; 10:56 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 400-457 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 12:36 a.m. Dec. 23. â– 703-799 block, 9th St.; 3:43 a.m. Dec. 27.

psa PSA 201 201

â– chevy chase

Burglary â– 5523-5599 block, Connecticut Ave.; 7:44 a.m. Dec. 21. Theft from auto â– 3300-3599 block, Legation St.; 8:25 p.m. Dec. 22.

psa 202

â– Friendship Heights PSA 202

Tenleytown / AU Park

Robbery â– 4200-4299 block, Ingomar St.; 9:01 p.m. Dec. 22. Theft â– 4514-4599 block, 38th St.; 4:50 a.m. Dec. 23. â– 4400-4499 block, Albemarle St.; 10:35 a.m. Dec. 23. â– 4500-4537 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 4:25 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 9:48 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 1:39 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 5254-5299 block, Western Ave.; 9:22 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 6:53 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 4200-4299 block, Ellicott St.; 6:03 p.m. Dec. 27. Theft from auto â– 3800-3899 block, Veazey St.; 1:01 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 3800-3899 block, Warren St.; 2:43 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 4500-4537 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 5:24 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 5300-5399 block, 42nd Place; 1:24 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 4300-4399 block, Verplanck Place; 8:19 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 5400-5417 block, 42nd St.; 4:53 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 4217-4299 block, Jenifer St.; 2:04 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 4500-4537 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 3:28 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 5300-5399 block, 42nd Place; 4:11 p.m. Dec. 27.

psa 203

â– forest PSA 203 hills / van ness

cleveland park

Motor vehicle theft â– 3000-3099 block, Brandywine St.; 12:25 a.m. Dec. 23. Theft â– 3500-3599 block, Porter St.; 5:26 p.m. Dec. 26. Theft from auto â– 4600-4799 block, 29th Place; 11:04 a.m. Dec. 25. â– 4600-4749 block, 30th St.; 11:55 a.m. Dec. 25. â– 2700-2799 block, Ordway St.; 4:17 p.m. Dec. 27.

psa 204

â– Massachusetts avenue

heights / cleveland park woodley park / Glover PSA 204

park / cathedral heights

Burglary â– 2000-2099 block, 37th St.; 9:24 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 2200-2399 block, Observatory Place; 3:19 a.m. Dec. 26. Theft â– 2200-2298 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 12:18 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 2700-2798 block, Connecticut Ave.; 2:32 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 2300-2329 block, 40th

Place; 3:20 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 3000-3199 block, Connecticut Ave.; 12:56 p.m. Dec. 25. â– 2200-2298 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 12:28 p.m. Dec. 27. Theft from auto â– 3400-3499 block, Lowell St.; 12:43 p.m. Dec. 21.

psa 205

â– palisades PSA 205 / spring valley

Wesley Heights / Foxhall

Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 5000-5039 block, Dana Place; 7:05 p.m. Dec. 21 (with knife).

Ave.; 9:33 a.m. Dec. 26. â– 900-999 block, 17th St.; 3:42 a.m. Dec. 27. â– 1600-1699 block, L St.; 5:08 a.m. Dec. 27. â– 1130-1199 block, 17th St.; 5:44 a.m. Dec. 27.

psa 208

â– sheridan-kalorama PSA 208

dupont circle

Robbery â– 1700-1799 block, N St.; 4:25 a.m. Dec. 21. Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 2100-2199 block, P St.; 2:16 a.m. Dec. 22.

Burglary â– 5000-5124 block, Rockwood Parkway; 9:58 a.m. Dec. 23.

Burglary â– 1300-1699 block, Connecticut Ave.; 10:12 p.m. Dec. 25.

Motor vehicle theft â– 3000-3035 block, 44th St.; 11:58 a.m. Dec. 25. â– 4300-4399 block, Garfield St.; 5:39 p.m. Dec. 25.

Motor vehicle theft â– 1300-1318 block, 19th St.; 5:54 a.m. Dec. 25.

Theft from auto â– 4800-4899 block, Tilden St.; 4:47 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 5010-5037 block, Garfield St.; 10:09 a.m. Dec. 25. â– 2225-2299 block, 46th St.; 1:39 p.m. Dec. 27.

psa PSA 207 207

â– foggy bottom / west end

Robbery â– 1100-1199 block, 16th St.; 2:19 a.m. Dec. 21 (with gun). Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 1000-1099 block, 23rd St.; 5:40 a.m. Dec. 24 (with knife). Burglary â– 2000-2099 block, L St.; 4:25 a.m. Dec. 27. Theft â– 800-899 block, Connecticut Ave.; 1:00 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1800-1899 block, L St.; 1:35 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1100-1129 block, Connecticut Ave.; 3:37 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1700-1799 block, H St.; 5:16 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1000-1099 block, Connecticut Ave.; 4:25 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 1700-1709 block, K St.; 1:14 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 2100-2199 block, E St.; 3:00 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 900-915 block, New Hampshire Ave.; 3:57 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 1100-1129 block, 17th St.; 5:02 a.m. Dec. 27. Theft from auto â– 1600-1627 block, I St.; 9:29 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 1000-1099 block, Vermont Ave.; 4:52 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1700-1799 block, K St.; 2:59 a.m. Dec. 24. â– 2400-2499 block, M St.; 4:43 p.m. Dec. 25. â– 2431-2479 block, Virginia

Theft â– 1800-1899 block, Florida Ave.; 12:08 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 1500-1519 block, 16th St.; 5:50 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1800-1899 block, T St.; 9:21 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1400-1499 block, P St.; 10:03 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 1400-1499 block, P St.; 1:23 a.m. Dec. 24. â– 1300-1499 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 6:22 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 1900-1999 block, Q St.; 7:44 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 1800-1899 block, S St.; 9:23 a.m. Dec. 27. â– 1500-1519 block, 16th St.; 2:07 p.m. Dec. 27. Theft from auto â– 1400-1499 block, 22nd St.; 12:22 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 2000-2015 block, O St.; 1:10 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 1300-1699 block, Connecticut Ave.; 2:31 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 1900-1923 block, 18th St.; 3:35 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 1721-1799 block, 19th St.; 8:25 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 1400-1499 block, N St.; 2:31 a.m. Dec. 22. â– 2016-2099 block, O St.; 11:38 p.m. Dec. 22. â– 1700-1799 block, Q St.; 3:30 p.m. Dec. 23. â– 1612-1699 block, 18th St.; 11:32 a.m. Dec. 24. â– 1500-1519 block, 16th St.; 12:31 p.m. Dec. 24. â– 1200-1221 block, 17th St.; 12:52 a.m. Dec. 25. â– 2100-2199 block, Bancroft Place; 1:04 a.m. Dec. 25. â– 1600-1699 block, P St.; 12:58 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 1623-1699 block, 19th St.; 5:28 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 2339-2399 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 8:35 p.m. Dec. 26. â– 1200-1299 block, 20th St.; 10:10 a.m. Dec. 27. â– 1400-1499 block, Hopkins St.; 4:13 p.m. Dec. 27.

ch n The Current W ednesday, December 30, 2015

Murch Elementary

Two days before the start of our winter break, the Murch second-graders performed a musical that celebrates holiday traditions around the world. Secondgraders at Murch do this every year. The traditions they talk and sing about are Las Posadas, Ramadan, Diwali, Christmas and Hanukkah. Each class sings a song by itself. Then all of the second-graders sing three songs together. The order of the program is “December in Our Town, La Fiesta” (sung by Ms. George’s class), “Ramadan” (sung by Ms. Walton’s class), “A Hanuka Song” (sung by Ms. Dorn’s class), “Kwanzaa, Diwali” (sung by Ms. Heitbrink’s class), “Innkeeper” (sung by Ms.

School DISPATCHES

Schafer’s class) and, for the finale, “Season of Hope.” When asked what her favorite song was, Ruthie Mesfun, a second-grader, said “‘December in Our Town.’ It is a happy song.” The audience for the show was the third through fifth grades, and parents. Stella Shalett, a fourth-grader at Murch, said, “I liked the show and that they did the hand motions this year. We didn’t have hand motions, so that was different from what we did as second graders.” The preK, kindergarten and first-grade students watched the show at the rehearsal, the day before the show. After the show, we had a

potluck lunch in the All-Purpose Room. We also sang our songs at the Sunrise retirement home the next day. It seemed like the people at Sunrise enjoyed the show a lot and the second-graders enjoyed performing. — Celia Frink, second-grader

Our Lady of Victory School

On Christmas Eve, many of us participated in the Nativity pageant. When we were younger, we were angels or shepherds. Now we are readers, Wise Men, and the Angel Gabriel! Even though we were giddy thinking about the presents to come the next morning, the pageant reminded us of the true meaning of Christmas.

Students at OLV look forward to being in fifth grade because you get to be an elf at Breakfast with Santa! It is the coolest thing ever! Our grade hosted this event for all the students and their families on a Saturday morning in early December. Elves have a lot to do and they get to wear fun hats. They work at the hot chocolate station, which has mini-marshmallows, peppermint stirrers and whipped cream; pass out candy canes to the little kids after they sit on Santa’s lap; help kids shop for their parents at the Santa Store; and make holiday crafts in the Craft Room. We also served the most delicious buttermilk waffles. The batter was donated by BlackSalt,

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and we advise everyone to go there immediately and order the waffles. The fifth-grade parents had four waffle irons going nonstop in the kitchen. You could top your waffle with red and green mini chocolate chips, powdered sugar, whipped cream and maple syrup. But they were so good many people just ate them plain! We also gave out goody bags that had a cupcake with frosting that looked like a Santa hat. But even more important than all the sugar and presents was the fun we had being together. OLV is like a big family. We hope you had as great a Christmas as we did and happy 2016 to everyone! — The OLV Fifth-grade Elves

WESTERN: Field renaming sought BOWSER: Mayor looks back on a busy first year From Page 1

Council member Jack Evans has praised the idea and urged him to gather support from local community groups before the proposal reaches the council as a bill. Volkman has already attended meetings of the Palisades/Foxhall advisory neighborhood commission, which plans to consider the proposal in February, and the Glover Park Citizens Association, which approved a letter of support. Volkman has also been in contact with the Georgetown/Burleith neighborhood commission, and the Burleith Citizens Association saw a brief presentation on the proposal during its November board meeting, where the possibility of a plaque commemorating Western High School also came up. The citizens association plans to hold a special community meeting to discuss the name change in February, according to president Eric Langenbacher. Volkman plans to visit more local groups in the coming months, emphasizing the significance of Western’s memory to the entire Northwest community. Prior to the opening of Tenleytown’s Wilson High School in 1935, “we were the only high school west of Rock Creek Park,” Volkman said. “So it’s not just Burleith where the field is. It’s the neighborhood.” Western High School opened in 1890 and served the community for 80 years, moving into what is now the Duke Ellington building in 1897. By the 1970s, a declining school-age population in Georgetown and surrounding neighborhoods led to enrollment declines and the creation of a new performing arts program using part of Western’s space. That program became Duke Ellington School of the Arts, a magnet arts school for the entire city, and Western High closed down in 1977. Volkman graduated from Western in 1949. He has lived in the same Burleith home since he was

born — “I’ll probably be carted out of there,” he said with a laugh. Though more than six decades have passed since high school, he still has vivid memories of watching football games at the field and participating in the cadet corps. A student in his day could walk into school carrying a .22 for rifle practice and no one would bat an eye, he recalls. The old high school boasts a sprawling list of alumni who went on to work in a range of highprofile fields. Graduates include the first Miss America; Clarence Brown, a U.S. representative for Ohio from 1965 to 1983; and David Scott, the seventh person to walk on the moon and the first person to drive on it. Neighborhood commissioner Ed Solomon, whose single-member district includes Ellington’s field, said he and his colleagues haven’t yet seen a formal presentation of the proposal and that he plans to reserve judgment until more community feedback comes in. But he expects the idea to be divisive, given that most community members have never known the field as anything other than Ellington’s. “It could be a very sensitive issue,” Solomon said. Langenbacher of the Burleith Citizens Association echoed that sentiment, saying several residents have expressed concern about the name change. “I think that people are comfortable referring to it as Ellington Field,” he said. “It’s also attached to a school that’s still in the neighborhood that also makes it easier for people to identify.” He personally feels that the current name honoring the renowned African-American musician is appropriate, but says he won’t take a firm stance until the February community meeting. Volkman, however, is optimistic that his proposal can move forward in 2016. “It’s been an experience,” he said of his campaign. “I hope it goes through, for the sake of posterity, not mine.”

From Page 3

for a “creative financing solution” and urged residents to press the D.C. Council to act. At the Dupont meeting, Bowser said her administration is “continuously thinking of ways that we’re going to be able to leverage the District’s investment” in affordable housing. “That is not an issue that’s just for one part of the city.” In a similar vein, the causes and effects of rising crime rates are too tangled to for a simple solution, but Bowser took steps this year to tackle the nationwide problem at the local level. She encouraged the authorization of body cameras for officers and spearheaded a focus on five particularly active police enforcement zones (all in Northeast and Southeast). In Dupont, Bowser likened

such crime initiatives to “a farmer planting crops” — some won’t bear fruit, but the more new crops, the higher the chance of success. Though Bowser marked various successes this year, she didn’t avoid criticism. In particular, the controversy surrounding the nowdefunct pro-Bowser political action committee FreshPAC and her abrupt turnaround to endorse the Pepco-Exelon merger had some observers wondering whether the mayor’s actions sometimes lie with the motives of her donors. Bowser has maintained her assertion in all public forums that FreshPAC was not involved in the city government’s settlement negotiations with Exelon and Pepco, and that donation concerns did not affect her decision to support the merger. Meanwhile, FreshPAC was disbanded in

November amid calls for transparency voiced by a number of residents and D.C. Council members. This year the mayor also spent time expanding the influence of D.C. beyond its borders, traveling to China in November in an attempt to generate business opportunities and encourage more tourism from Chinese visitors. The trip drew a mixture of praise for its economic ambitions and criticism for the presence of FreshPAC contributors in her delegation. Bowser said in several forums that she’s looking forward to the new year, in which she hopes to tackle some of the District’s ongoing problems with her trademark “fresh ideas.” “There is no more fun job than being the mayor of your hometown,” Bowser said at the federation’s meeting.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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The Northwest

Current

Davis Kennedy/Publisher & Editor Chris Kain/Managing Editor

Bowser’s fresh start

Pundits and other political observers frequently talk about honeymoons for newly installed officeholders, but crises — selfmade and otherwise — can quickly derail the start of a politician’s term. A year after Mayor Muriel Bowser took the oath of office, she seems to be on solid footing, with just one major misstep. That’s a remarkable achievement for a brand-new mayor whom opponents had criticized as lacking executive experience. In presentations about her first year in office, Mayor Bowser often recalls the first days on the job — when it snowed “for nine straight weeks” and when a Metro train filled with smoke, killing one rider and injuring dozens more. In both instances, the mayor’s administration responded decisively. In the snowy weeks D.C. employees worked extra hours to clear the backlog of trash that accumulated due to icy alleys, and the District’s appointees to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s board of directors insisted on the hiring of a new general manager equipped to deal with the safety, reliability and financial problems that beset the region’s transit system. The ability to overcome the initial challenges speaks to one of the reasons we believe Mayor Bowser’s first year has progressed relatively smoothly — strong appointments. Even before taking office she worked out agreements to keep Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson on board. She brought in a qualified outsider — Gregory Dean — to reform the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Mayor Bowser also turned to one of the candidates she defeated in the Democratic mayoral nomination — Tommy Wells — to head the city’s environmental efforts, which have included a wind power purchase agreement that netted an international award from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. More recently, she has turned to another opponent from last year’s primary, Busboys and Poets founder Andy Shallal, to advise on workforce development and job training programs as the volunteer head of the District’s Workforce Investment Council. Public safety issues have proved a difficult challenge, with a substantial rise in the homicide rate and with recruitment and training of new police officers falling behind the rate of retirements. Overcoming concerns about crime and violence will undoubtedly demand considerable focus in 2016, but elements of the administration’s proposed legislative package would help. So too will the expanded use of body cameras to record police-citizen interactions, with the mayor set to sign authorizing legislation today for the expanded program. Funding is in place to equip 2,800 police officers who regularly interact with the public. Hopefully the distraction of FreshPAC — the mayor’s one serious blunder of 2015 — will not dominate the coming year, though there are questions that merit scrutiny. We’re glad that organizers of FreshPAC, a pro-Bowser political action committee, ultimately decided to shut down operations, saying it had become too much of a distraction from the mayor’s agenda. But the idea was objectionable from the very start: Developers looking to form relationships with the city were the most likely donors, and the use of the PAC’s coffers to help D.C. Council allies and presumably harm foes smacks of the least palatable elements of politics. We wish that Ms. Bowser had shot down the idea from the get-go, rather than appearing at several of the group’s fundraisers. In an interview on NewsChannel 8 yesterday, Mayor Bowser said the groundwork laid in her first year — in areas such as ending homelessness and expanding affordable housing — will provide a solid basis for a great term. And tangible progress is in the works for expansive and long-awaited economic development projects at Ward 4’s former Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Ward 7’s Skyland Town Center and Ward 8’s St. Elizabeths East. Given the many challenges that lie ahead, we hope that Mayor Bowser and her team can build on their first-year record.

The Current

Mentorship effort tackles racial inequality VIEWPOINT tom nida

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ew construction continues to transform the District of Columbia’s landscape and drive our economy. But as the District changes, many of our future adult residents are in danger of being left behind, unable to access the growing number of opportunities in this field. Only 1.6 percent of all physical science doctorates and 1.8 percent of advanced engineering degrees are awarded to African-American scholars in our universities, a study by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education has found. This compares to African-Americans comprising 13.2 percent of the national population — 49 percent in the District of Columbia. This underrepresentation is a direct result of a lack of educational opportunities available for children growing up in urban poverty. This is especially true of the increasingly important STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — disciplines, as well as the emerging field of environmental sciences, whose practitioners are fueling D.C.’s construction boom. The Architecture, Construction and Engineering Mentor Program empowers high school students by providing access to sponsors and volunteers who are accomplished in these fields. As the construction industry’s fastest-growing mentorship program, now serving over 8,000 students each year and with over $14 million provided in scholarships, ACE decided to partner with a District public education program. Friendship Public Charter School serves over 4,200 pre-K-through-12th-grade students on nine District campuses, one of which is a new online academy for home-schooled students. The charter school network operates two District high schools east of the Anacostia River. Students from these two college-preparatory academies will participate in the mentorship program. At Ward 7’s Friendship Collegiate, an informa-

Letters to the Editor D.C. needs to stop leaf-blower madness

In regard to the Nov. 25 article “Noisy dispute on leaf blowers,” I feel that I must correct some misconceptions expressed by Conrad DeWitte, the advisory neighborhood commissioner who opposed a leaf blower ban. Let him stand on almost any weekday between 8 and 10 a.m. outside of 4850 Connecticut Ave. NW, where leaf blowers are used in an almost daily, year-round ritual of essentially “reverse vacuuming” the grounds. During this ritual they usually blow nothing but dust off the sidewalks and driveways surrounding the building, while they send a high-pitched and high-decibel scream of noise directly through the window of my Connecticut Avenue-facing apartment. Let him don my $300 noisecanceling headphones during one of my business conference calls and discover that they do not in fact filter the high-frequency noise produced by gasoline-powered leaf blowers. (Yes,

tion technology career academy was created with the assistance of the District government. Ward 8’s Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy is a brand-new $18.3 million investment in one of the city’s most underserved communities, specializing in STEM subjects and environmental sciences. The mentees will spend time at architecture, construction and design companies with career specialists, broadening not only their understanding of these various jobs, but also how rewarding they can be for themselves and society. Role models are an important source of inspiration and motivation for students. No less significant is the opportunity to learn about the world of work at an early age. External locations for ACE’s mentoring encompass the entire D.C. metro area. Extended learning activities also will occur onsite at school after hours. These should complement the work of these college preparatory campuses, which this year posted a 92 percent on-time graduation rate at Collegiate Academy and a 97 percent rate at Tech Prep. These compare with averages of 64 percent for D.C. Public Schools, the traditional public school system, and 72 percent for D.C. charters. Reliable data remind us that a successful pathway to a career is about much more than high school graduation, however. According to the Council of Graduate Schools, 4 in 10 AfricanAmerican students who start a doctoral program fail to complete a post-graduate degree. All manner of issues — from financial burdens and isolation on campus, to family responsibilities and support — figure in their study as reasons that college success can prove elusive. But a strong start, and dreams, can take shape early with industry mentors. Let’s tap into the potential of all of the District’s children. All of us will benefit. Tom Nida is regional vice president for United Bank for Washington D.C. and Maryland; board chair of the Charter Schools Development Corp.; and a former chair of the D.C. Public Charter School Board.

I have tried to solve this problem on my own.) Let him realize that multiple apartment complexes and an assisted-living facility nearby all employ landscaping contractors who use gasoline-powered leaf blowers for “general upkeep” of the grounds, in which they rarely — if ever — actually pick up anything. The leaf blowers are being used as a sort of gasolinepowered broom to “sweep” lawns, sidewalks, driveways — any surface that they want to “manicure.” Nothing pierces the constant din of Connecticut Avenue traffic, trucks, ambulances, fire engines and accidents like a gasoline-powered leaf blower. This is not simply an annoyance. This is not a modern convenience. This is not “occasional use.” This is not the same quality of noise produced by lawn mowers, weed wackers, et cetera. This is a different spectrum and decibel level of sound. I do not believe that homeowners — or, more importantly,

Tom Sherwood is on vacation. His column will resume when he returns.

apartment complexes and landscaping companies that do business in D.C. — have the right to inject high-frequency, highdecibel noise into my apartment almost daily at such a level that I cannot even conduct a simple business phone call or concentrate on work. There are reasonable, effective, community-friendly alternatives. Please talk to the maintenance staff at the Ponce de Leon and Parker House buildings on upper Connecticut Avenue, my heroes. The grounds manager there will talk to you about the benefits of low-noise electric leaf blowers — no spark plugs, gasoline, backpack or earplugs to hassle with, and just $70 at Lowe’s. Regarding enforcement: We know who uses leaf blowers on a nearly constant basis without actually picking up leaves or much of anything at all — the large apartment complexes on Connecticut Avenue and their landscaping contractors. Photograph them. Fine them. They usually do nothing but blow dust and leaves into the street the vast majority of the time. Stop the madness. Stop the noise. Joey Spatafora Forest Hills

The Current

Letters to the Editor Don’t rule out use of Lafayette’s trailers

Should the trailers at Lafayette Elementary School be chosen for use by Murch Elementary students during their school’s modernization, I am confident that parents and the community can make it work [“Murch swing space options draw debate,� Dec. 23]. Military kids move every two or three years and their classmates and teachers don’t move with them! Military parents are deployed to war zones and, sadly, sometimes don’t return alive. Lafayette and Murch parents and community: Why not approach this challenge with a problem-solving attitude? Instead of digging your heels in, help kids become flexible and responsible. Be part of the solution. I am an active 76-year-old grandmother whose kids attended Lafayette. Should the Murch kids come our way, I will volunteer — I’m willing to work as a crossing guard, playground monitor, wherever I can help. We are a privileged bunch and should set a good example. Aileen Worthington Chevy Chase

No need for cyclists to obey all stop signs

D.C.’s current laws say that bicycles are like cars and must follow the same laws as cars. They must stop at stop signs — even if no one is around — which makes sense for cars but not bicycles. The D.C. Council is considering a new law that would allow bicycles to treat stop signs as yield signs if and only if no one else is around. By being allowed to roll through empty intersections, cyclists would be guaranteed not only a safer ride but also a faster one. For a bike to come to a complete stop, that means cyclists must brake and put down a foot to stabilize themselves as they check left and right for oncoming cars. Then they must put their foot back on the pedal and exert a lot of energy to start the bike again. This process takes considerable time, and by the time the cyclist has gotten back to cycling at an average speed they must start the same routine again at the next intersection. When cars stop at a stop sign, it is a matter of seconds before drivers are on their way again because drivers just have to press

the brake pedal, wait for the vehicle to reach a full stop, check right and left, then press the accelerator. The fact is that many cyclists roll through stop signs when no one is around anyway because actually stopping takes up much more effort and is more dangerous than just rolling through. To anyone who disagrees: I dare you to ride a bike instead of a car. You’ll see how tiresome and pointless it is to stop at a stop sign when no one else is around. Raphaelle Hupez American University Park

Washington Home should remain open

I am a retired physician and, for several years now, a regular volunteer at the Washington Home & Community Hospices. As such, I’d like to offer my opinion on the sale/purchase of the Upton Street NW campus. In 1888, Mrs. Charles Hill founded the Washington Home as a “home for the helpless, the destitute, the incurably sick of the city.� Since that time, the Washington Home has been a landmark of caring, exactly as it was originally intended. At the time of the sale, it housed 126 chronically ill and disabled persons. In my opinion, the board’s decision to sell the Washington Home to Sidwell Friends School is a callous, money-driven act, completely ignoring the needs of the residents. Given that the residents will lose their long-term friends and the only home they have (some of them have lived there for many years!), the plan to sell is sadly and obviously lacking consideration and compassion. The residents are devastated and deeply disturbed because they will be forced to move, which belies the assurance of the board that their mission to provide compassionate care has not changed. The sale/purchase of the Washington Home cruelly disrupts the lives of the residents and their families, which apparently does not bother the seller or the buyer. I think the board members of Sidwell Friends School acted equally as callously when they decided to purchase the home. This purchase is totally incompatible with Quaker philosophy. The Sidwell website states that “the Quaker belief that there is ‘that of God’ in each of us shapes everything we do.� The school philosophy emphasizes empathy and social justice. Apparently none of these principles apply where the residents of the Washington Home are concerned! I can understand that Sidwell wants to expand, but it should be possible

to come up with a better solution — one that does not displace disabled and chronically ill people, and one that is actually compatible with Quaker tradition. I think the boards of the Washington Home and Sidwell Friends School have both made a deplorable choice. I have sent letters to both boards about these issues. Dr. Erika Latchis Washington, D.C.

Home’s closure faces unfounded criticism

Jim McGrath’s Dec. 16 Viewpoint is blind to the facts concerning the sale and closing of the Washington Home. The group’s website reveals that the decision to phase out long-term residential care was not taken hastily but “fits closely with discussions the Home’s Board has been having for several years.� According to the board chair, “Taking this step will give our organization the opportunity to be a leader in providing services to aging and terminally ill DC area residents for the next 125 years.� The facts are that most years over the past decade the Washington Home has been incurring deficits — up to $2 million per year — and its net assets have declined from $62 million to $45 million. The evident cause of these deficits is the Upton Street NW long-term residential program. As the Washington Home has only private rooms, this is not surprising: Medicare compensation is not designed to support private room long-term care. It is unfortunate the Washington Home wasn’t able to solve this unsustainable situation sooner. What is clear is that the decision to sell the Upton Street NW facility and end its long-term residential services was made entirely by the home’s board based on considerable deliberation. Mr. McGrath disparages Sidwell Friends School’s decision to buy the Upton Street property — as though the school not buying the property on principle would magically change the Washington Home’s decision to sell the site. Does he have in mind a better plan for the Washington Home’s financial stability? Good neighbors for generations, these two 120-plus-year-old organizations are community pillars and nationally respected nonprofit social concerns. Does he have in mind a better purchaser than Sidwell Friends? Mr. McGrath’s Viewpoint does a disservice to our community by spreading spurious criticism and confused, uninformed advice. Dan White North Cleveland Park

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 letters@currentnewspapers.com. The mailing address is Letters to the Editor, The Current, Post Office Box 40400, Washington, D.C. 20016-0400.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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The Current

2015: Varied news events shaped Northwest’s year

From Page 1

■ The Watergate’s underground parking garage collapsed, destroying cars, cutting off residents’ parking access and blocking part of Virginia Avenue NW. An investigation blamed the damage on construction crews at the complex’s hotel who left too much dirt and equipment on the garage roof. ■ Paul Wiedefeld recently took the helm of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, whose management was in flux for most of the year. The agency had a rough start to 2015, with January’s combination of a tunnel fire and communication breakdown that killed one passenger and injured dozens more on a Yellow Line train outside L’Enfant Plaza. ■ A number of row house neighborhoods in D.C., including sections of Petworth, Dupont Circle and Woodley Park, are now subject to stricter development restrictions. To combat the controversial spread of “pop-up” row house conversions there, the Zoning Commission reduced the maximum height for building projects, placed new limits on the size of rear additions and limited the number of housing units per property to two within the “R-4” zone. ■ The National Park Service is proposing two additional boathouses on the Georgetown waterfront on either side of the Key Bridge. The agency is now studying the effects of various options, which also include constructing a third new boathouse and auxiliary buildings. ■ D.C. students took the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) standardized tests, and the results showed low proficiency rates, especially among AfricanAmericans. ■ Two new grocery stores are on tap for the American University Park/Tenleytown area — a fullsize supermarket at the site of the vacant Superfresh and a smaller market on the site of the Martens car dealerships on Wisconsin Avenue. Both would be part of mixeduse projects with several hundred apartments, which have attracted controversy from some neighbors. The latter property is owned by Georgetown Day School, which is moving its lower and middle school to the site of the Tenleytown Safeway, which will close. Another Northwest Safeway remains safe, meanwhile: although listed for sale, the Palisades location has stayed open after the D.C. Council blocked a sale condition that no other supermarket could ever locate there. ■ Pope Francis made his first visit to Washington, staying in the Vatican Embassy at Massachusetts Avenue and 34th Street NW. He drew adoring crowds, won praise for his attention to D.C. residents in poverty, and prompted several

days of widespread road closures. ■ A political action committee that backed Mayor Bowser and sought to bolster her support from the D.C. Council sparked concerns about pay-to-play politics as it raked in large donations. The committee, dubbed FreshPAC, was subsequently disbanded. ■ The YMCA announced it would close its National Capital branch in Dupont Circle at the end of 2015, citing declining enrollment and the need to invest resources elsewhere in the District. ■ Petworth’s Grant Circle area was designated a historic district, but not in time to save two of the circle’s century-old homes from redevelopment. ■ Tumult surrounded various aspects of the District’s school modernization program, as various budget proposals shifted funds from one school to another to another, and as critics slammed the city for soaring costs and inadequate documentation of expenses. In the past year, though, work did begin at Lafayette Elementary in Chevy Chase, and it continued at Roosevelt High and Powell Elementary in Petworth, Shepherd Elementary in Shepherd Park, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Burleith (where ballooning project costs proved to be particularly controversial). Renovations wrapped up at Mann Elementary in Wesley Heights and Hearst Elementary in North Cleveland Park. ■ The St. Thomas’ Parish redevelopment project — which includes a new church and an apartment building in Dupont Circle — went through numerous design revisions, which satisfied the Historic Preservation Review Board but not many neighbors. The Board of Zoning Adjustment still needs to weigh in on land-use aspects of the case. ■ Archaeological work began at 3324 Dent Place NW in Georgetown, the 19th-century home of freed slave Yarrow Mamout, and plans are advancing to construct a replacement house on the site. ■ Roosevelt High students have been attending classes in the former MacFarland Middle School

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Mayor Muriel Bowser holds the D.C. seal at her inauguration in January after receiving it from her predecessor, Vincent Gray.

during renovations to the high school campus, amid complaints about poor conditions at MacFarland. Students are scheduled to return to the renovated Roosevelt next year. ■ American University’s East Campus project — replacing part of the Nebraska Avenue NW parking lot with dorms and other buildings — fell behind schedule. The delays prompted the school to successfully petition for longer construction hours to wrap up the work by August 2016, over the objections of some community members. ■ Two National Park Service landmarks celebrated major anniversaries: Rock Creek Park turned 125 years old and Georgetown’s Old Stone House reached 250. Meanwhile, Georgetown’s Tudor Place began its preparations for its bicentennial next year. ■ Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a “Vision Zero” initiative to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2024, which will include intersection improvements, new laws and fines, additional enforcement and other measures designed to boost safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. The last year also saw two pedestrians fatally struck days apart in the Wisconsin Avenue NW corridor, both in areas that community members had flagged as dangerous. ■ Residents near the Potomac River have been sounding off against Reagan National Airport flights passing over their communities, taking their noise complaints to airport management, the Federal Aviation Administration and Congress. ■ The Spring Valley Shopping Center, a historic landmark in the 4800 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW, saw two proposed projects: a new seafood restaurant, Millie’s, in the former Chicken Out site, and a new two-story commercial building on the parking lot next to Crate & Barrel. The latter project was approved in October, but Millie’s is still awaiting an alcohol license and a revised design. ■ Possession of small amounts of marijuana became legal in D.C., with city officials saying they’d found a loophole in a federal law designed to block the measure that voters had approved in 2014. Marijuana sales, though, remain illegal. But the District has faced growing concern from another drug crisis — synthetic drugs that are cheap and hard to trace, and that can cause unpredictable and dangerous side effects. City officials have blamed an increasing homicide rate in part on these drugs, and moved to crack down on some stores that sold them. ■ The Kennedy Center redesigned a controversial proposal for a river pavilion, moving it to the shore to avoid interfering with boaters, as

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

After construction of American University’s East Campus fell behind schedule, the school gained permission for expanded work hours. part of a broader renovation and expansion project. ■ Wilson High School saw a $1.8 million cut to its operating budget, as money shifted to schools with a higher percentage of students deemed at-risk. Community members pushed for at least half of that funding to be restored, and the D.C. Council approved that $900,000; D.C. Public Schools ultimately allocated $680,000 to Wilson. ■ Metro shut down the western entrance to the Van Ness/UDC Metro station for a three-year escalator replacement project, despite community objections about minimal public notice and the work’s overlap with a nearby sidewalk closure for the Park Van Ness construction project. Metro has been able, however, to periodically open stairs on the west side during the work. ■ Georgetown commemorated two of its notable sites — the steps used in the climax of “The Exorcist,” and the tennis courts where the African-American Peters sisters played growing up. ■ Mayor Bowser announced a plan to close the infamous D.C. General homeless shelter and to end chronic family homelessness in the District by 2017. Her proposal calls for smaller shelters spread throughout the city and expands services beyond coldweather resources. ■ Perennial complaints about noisy leaf blowers reached a new peak in 2015, with one Northwest advisory neighborhood commission calling for two-stroke versions of the devices to be banned due to their pollution. Residents say landscape contractors have increasingly used leaf blowers year-round unnecessarily. ■ Glover Park Hardware lost the lease for its longtime Wisconsin Avenue NW location, but is now preparing to reopen a few doors down after suffering delays related to permitting issues and construction of a new elevator. ■ Plans advanced for the redevelopment of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus, with the parcel’s proposed land-use designations winning Zoning Commission approval, and a bill for the District to acquire the land began working its way through the D.C. Council. ■ Georgetown experimented with

the GroupMe app, in which community members and police could have real-time conversations about ongoing crime threats. Despite positive reviews from many participants, the service was disbanded after a furor about alleged racial profiling. ■ All Hallows Guild at the Washington National Cathedral reluctantly decided to close its gift shop, a decades-old retail operation whose move from the historic Herb Cottage to an underground parking garage helped spell its doom. ■ Trash collection got off to a rocky start in the new year, with repeated weather delays leaving some waste piling up for several weeks until the Department of Public Works swept in to clear it out en masse — tossing in many residents’ recycling at the same time. ■ After a landmark designation almost derailed plans to build affordable housing and other community services around Georgia Avenue’s Emory United Methodist Church, the church secured approval for a revised proposal. ■ George Washington University opened its new museum, which holds its Washingtoniana collection and the new home for the Textile Museum. ■ The Washington Home & Community Hospices announced that it will shutter its inpatient nursing home in late 2016 and switch to providing in-home care. The nonprofit is selling its headquarters at 37th and Upton streets NW to the adjacent Sidwell Friends School, which will move its lower school there from Bethesda. ■ Three neighborhoods have worked toward revising their longstanding alcohol license moratoriums to allow more restaurants. Glover Park is on track to revise its moratorium to allow new restaurant licenses; Georgetown’s latest proposal is to allow new restaurants subject to stricter conditions on all new licenses; and western Dupont Circle lifted its restrictions on all licenses but nightclubs. ■ The Current lost one of its longtime reporters when Elizabeth Wiener died of an illness at age 67. A 16-year veteran of the newspaper, she won acclaim from community members she covered for her diligence and fairness.

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December 30, 2015 ■ Page 9

NCS hoops rallies around new leader By BRIAN KAPUR Current Staff Writer

Brian Kapur/The Current

Senior forward Isabella Alarie has stepped up as the team’s leader on the court and in the locker room this season. The Princetonbound senior has averaged nearly 10 points per game while the Eagles have posted an 8-0 record to start the year.

Over the past four years, National Cathedral’s girls basketball team had gone as far as Marta Sniezek could help carry it. The school’s all-time leading scorer led the team to back-to-back Independent School League AA finals before graduating in the spring. Though Sniezek is now across the country suiting up for Stanford University, the cupboard is hardly bare on the Close. This year the team has turned to senior Isabella Alarie, who was a productive player for the Eagles over the last three seasons in Sniezek’s shadow. Alarie earned her thousandth career point in a game earlier this season and has seized the reins as the team’s leader. “It’s been a transition of roles,” the Princeton-bound senior said. “I’ve had to work on my confidence and work on picking up the team. I miss Marta and having our dynamic duo, but this is a great learning experience for me learning to be a leader.” So far this season, Alarie has led the team to an 8-0 record. “This team has already surprised me,” said Eagles coach Brittany Mitch. “We had some close games already, but they’ve just grinded it out. When a team makes a run, they pull together and hang tough and don’t fall

apart.” The camaraderie begins with Alarie, who can often be seen congratulating her teammates and giving them encouragement throughout the game. “She’s really helped make this season a lot of fun,” Mitch said. “She keeps things light; she incorporates everyone on the team from the starters to the ones on the end of the bench. She’s just as enthusiastic about everyone getting on the court.” Alarie, who stands at 6 feet 3 inches, has resumed her usual spot in the post for the Eagles this year, but she has also been asked to play new positions along the perimeter and handling the ball. “It’s different than what I’m used to,” said Alarie. “I really like being a versatile player and being able to do a lot of things. Being able to expand my game is something I like to do.” The senior’s willingness has given Cathedral a chance to mix up its matchups and take advantage of Alarie’s diverse skill set. “She can really do anything,” Mitch said. “Depending on what team we’re playing and what they’re presenting us, she fills in that gap that we need. If we need a ball handler, she steps up and brings the ball up against pressure. If we need an offensive board, she will hop in down there and she will knock down some three-point shots. On defense she is our back-

bone. We know if we miss a steal she has our back and will guard the rim and block shots.” Alarie is joined in the post by fellow senior forward Eva Snaith, who Mitch believes can play a big role for the Eagles this season. “She has stepped it up this year,” said Mitch. “She has had some big offensive rebounds and makes great post moves. She has helped us a lot. She just goes out and gives it her all.” In addition to raving about her seniors, Mitch points to the Cathedral team’s sophomore class — Camilla Ryder, Katie Skoff, Naomi Davy, Jordan Gasho and Hannah Yazdani — as budding contributors. The team has also seen freshman Chloe Conaghan jump right into the starting lineup and help with ball-handling. “She is a multisport athlete,” Mitch said of the freshman, who also plays tennis and lacrosse. “She has stepped in there and has melded well with the team.” The Eagles will also look to juniors Seline Everett and Goldie Roth, along with senior Maxine Krygier, to play diverse roles as the team makes up for Sniezek’s departure. “It’s four other players on the court stepping up and doing something,” Mitch said. “Marta kind of did everything — she was our leading rebounder, free-throw See Cathedral/Page 10

Sidwell’s latest star boosts school’s hopes for MAC title By BRIAN KAPUR Current Staff Writer

Josh Hart is a name that’s synonymous with greatness at Sidwell. Now a star at Villanova University, the former Quaker left a stellar legacy at the Northwest school. Although Hart is a rare phenom, Quakers coach Eric Singletary sees a lot of the former star’s abilities in his latest standout — junior forward Jelani Williams. “He’s versatile,” the coach said of Williams. “He’s 6 feet 5 inches tall but can play point guard [and] can see the floor. He’s a good passer, he can score, he’s a good defender and can rebound. You rarely get a Josh Hart-type, but we’re trying to put him in that same mold where he does everything. He has done it, but he has to be more consistent.” The Quakers’ budding star has helped the team quickly turn into a contender in the competitive Mid-Atlantic Conference. Sidwell is off to a 5-3 record, showing signs of its potential to make a run at the coveted crown. Singletary said he’s “a little disappoint-

ed” in his team’s three losses, but adds: “We’re going in the right direction. I’m encouraged because I think we have the type of team that can fix it. Even if people don’t have high expectations for us, we have a good group coming back, but we’ve been a little up and down.” The key for the Quakers to make any type of championship run is finding players to step up around Williams. So far the team has found answers with his fellow junior captains: guard Zach Mazlish and Abass Sallah. The coach said that Sallah “has been a starter for us. He does a great job of getting us into our offense.” Meanwhile Mazlish has been a strong vocal leader. “Zach is a reserve. When he comes in, he does a great job out there,” said Singletary. “He’s like another coach. He encourages guys from the bench and even tells me things he’s seeing out there. I really appreciate him.” In addition to its strong returning guards, the team will look for its forwards — juniors Ross Young and Ace Stallings — to provide a post presence.

“Our two big guys have to give us more production,” said Singletary. “They have size strength. They’re capable. We’re just waiting for them to produce.” Singletary also sees a budding star in freshman guard Jason Gibson. “He’s our second leading scorer,” the coach said. “He’s a really good player, a big-time shooter and a big-time playmaker. As a freshman he has been up and down. But we are working on getting him to understand there is no hierarchy. It’s varsity basketball — if there’s an open shot or a play, go make it.” With a mix of talented returning players and youngsters, the Quakers believe they have a chance to take home the MAC’s hardware in February. “The MAC is pretty good, but I have expectations to challenge for a title,” said Singletary. “I believe that we are good enough to do that.” The Quakers are playing next in the Westminster Christmas Tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which wraps up today. Sidwell will return to local action when it hosts Maret on Jan. 5 at 5:45 p.m.

Brian Kapur/The Current

Junior guard Jelani Williams has pushed the Quakers to a 5-3 record to start the season. His strong play this year has Sidwell thinking of making a run at the Mid-Atlantic Conference championship.

10 Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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SPORTS PHOTOS From Previous

CURRENT NEWSPAPERS

The Current

Northwest Sports

Cadets football star wins Gatorade honor By BRIAN KAPUR Current Staff Writer

Photos are available from kapurphotography.smugmug.com www.mattpetros.zenfolio.com

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St. John’s senior defensive lineman Terrell Hall was in his second-period class earlier this month when he learned some stunning news: He had won the title of the D.C. Gatorade Football Player of the Year. It took awhile to sink in. “Coach came to me in the middle of class and informed me. When everyone started to say congratulations, I believed it was really true,” Hall said. Hall became the Cadets’ fourth football player to earn the honor, which is awarded annually based on prowess on the field as well as excellence in the classroom and in community work. “It’s good because it shows that I’m not just an athlete,” said Hall. “Coming from St. John’s, everyone knows this is a prestigiously academic school. [The award] just shows that I’m versatile on the field and off the field.” The senior defensive end racked up 42 tackles, notched 21 tackles for loss, forced and recovered two fumbles, and brought down opposing quarterbacks for nine sacks this past season as the Cadets posted a 7-4 record. Hall also earned Washington Catholic Athletic Conference first-team honors. He will play his final high school game in the 2016 Under Armour All-America Game on Jan. 2 at the Orlando Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. Off the field, Hall posted a B average in the classroom and has volunteered at Brookdale Woodward

Brian Kapur/The Current

Defensive lineman Terrell Hall will play Saturday in the Under Armour All-America game in Florida.

Estates, an assisted living facility in Bowie, Md. For Hall, the rise to the title as the best player in D.C. was a four-year journey that he didn’t imagine ending with such a bang. “Just the growth from me as a freshman to a senior, to finally be named the best player in the area is an eye-opener,” he said. “I never knew I would come this far, but it’s a blessing.” Hall hasn’t finalized his college decision, but has a slew of offers from big-time programs including the University of Alabama, the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Mississippi, Arizona State University, the University of Maryland at College Park and the University of Oklahoma. The senior plans to announce his decision on signing day, which is Feb. 3.

CATHEDRAL: Eagles undefeated in basketball so far From Page 9

shooter, all of that. We have told the girls, do one thing well. Now, it’s five girls just putting it all together.” The balanced attack is something that suits the Eagles players and their personalities.

“It’s something we practice every day. We aren’t a bunch of selfish players,” said Alarie. “A lot of it is making the extra pass — that’s what’s going to help us win in the long run.” With an attack that uses team concepts instead of relying heavily on one player, the Eagles believe

they can make another run at the ISL crown and topple Visitation, their biggest rival. “We have nothing to lose this year,” said Alarie. “We’re all coming to the games and just giving it our all. We have as much of a chance to beat Visitation as we have in recent years.”

DCSAA All State Teams (Part II) The D.C. State Athletic Association released its Fall All-State teams last week. For most sports, coaches voted for the selections; for cross-country, the results of the state title meet determined the honorees.

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Boys cross-country Runner of the Year: Tristan Colaizzi, Georgetown Day. First team: Samuel Blazes, Sidwell Friends; Aaron Coates, Wilson; Drew Glick, Wilson; Queston Grannis, Wilson; Tyreece Huff, Phelps; Noah Kravitz, Georgetown Day; Amal Mattoo, Sidwell Friends; Ayinde Summey, Field; Jackson Todd, Georgetown Day. Girls cross-country Runner of the Year: Taylor Knibb, Sidwell Friends. First team: A’ishah Bakayoko, Georgetown Day; Emily Carroll, St. John’s; Abigail Doroshow, Georgetown Day; Brennan Dunne, Visitation; Michaela Kirvan, Visitation; Arrington Peterson, Wilson; May Robison, Georgetown Day; Cassia Torczon, Visitation; Katherine Treanor, Georgetown Day. Boys soccer Player of the Year: Jabari Wilbon, St. Albans. First team: Edgar Ayala, Bell; Chris Fleischer,

St. Albans; Christophe Gerlach, Gonzaga; Nate Johnson, St. Albans; Thomas Keane, Gonzaga; Alejandro Martinez, Wilson; Matthew McCann, Gonzaga; Peter Schans, School Without Walls; Matteo Schlitz, Washington International; Oliver Steinglass, Washington International; Nico Ubide, Washington International; Ryan Yang, Sidwell Friends. Girls soccer Player of the Year: Kaili Gregory, Wilson. First team: Jisca Adigo, Wilson; Izzy Austin, Cathedral; Annie Boasberg, Sidwell Friends; Sydney Covitz, Maret; Erin Doherty, Wilson; Anna Joos, Wilson; Maliah Morris, St. John’s; Noemi Nuñez, Capital City; Ashley Ventura, St. John’s; Nicole Willing, Sidwell Friends. Volleyball Player of the Year: Jeanne Westney, St. John’s. First team: Lauren Antonucci, St. John’s; Kelli Brookshire, St. John’s; Rebecca Frye, St. John’s; Evelyn Gray, Maret; Sara Hunsberger, School Without Walls; Allie Littleton, Sidwell Friends; Pia Michelitsch, Washington International; Eliana Miller, Georgetown Day; Tatiana Pitcher, Field; Kayla Wiggins, Wilson. (Editor’s note: The football selections appeared in The Current’s Dec. 23 issue.)

A Look at the Market in Northwest Washington

December 30, 2015 â– Page 11

Speedy sale illustrates raging demand in area

D

emand for modern houses in D.C.’s leafy neighborhoods is strong, judging by the response to 2710 Brandy-

ON THE MARKET beth cope

wine St. NW, which went on the market early this month and was quickly snatched up after multiple bids. Developer Bonny Dempsey of MAD Property spent $600,000 updating the 1978 property, and the resulting six-bedroom, fiveand-a-half-bath house was a hit, selling for more than the $2.3 million asking price and continuing to inspire interest. (The buyers have yet to close on the property, but their offer has been accepted.) The Forest Hills home is perched in a quiet cul-de-sac of 20 custom houses just off Rock Creek Park. Though its address is on Brandywine — and the funnel-shaped quarter-acre lot winds down to that street in front — owners will likely access the property via Broad Branch Road NW, pulling into a multicar driveway or garage out back. Either

Photos courtesy of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

This newly updated 1978 six-bedroom house at 2710 Brandywine St. NW in Forest Hills was listed for $2.3 million. way, visitors will come upon a grand facade. New white rectangular HardiePlank siding covers the house, studded with vast expanses of glass, with the whole resembling a piece of modern art. Those who enter from the back — through a full entrance, with its own foyer — will come into the bottom level, which holds three bedrooms, two baths, a mudroom and a 180-bottle, climate-controlled wine room. One of the bedrooms here is part of an in-law or au pair suite, with a kitchenette and its own bathroom; the others, both with Travertine

tiles underfoot, seem more likely to host other uses, like an exercise room. Up a partial flight of stairs is the formal living room, a glassy open space with 13-foot ceilings and two walls covered by windows. A sliding door leads out to a brick patio, one of the few parts of the house that remained largely unchanged in the recent update. A gas fireplace sits nestled into a dark gray plinth of a wall, and there’s a view of the home’s central open staircase winding above. Top-grade hickory covers the floors here and in most of the

Selling The Area’s Finest Properties

Grand Traditions

Arts & Crafts Gem

Town of Chevy Chase. Impressive 1920s manor w/dramatic spaces has been renovated from top to bottom. Formal LR & DR, 5 BR, 6.5 BA, dazzling Kit, 3-car garage, and inviting deck. $2,499,000

Landon Woods. Stunning new home w/4 levels of quality workmanship. 7 BRs, 5.5 BAs. Superb chef ’s kitchen, fabulous MBath. Family rm, office, built-ins. Expansive LL w/sep entrance. 2 car garage. $1,895,000

Eric Murtagh 301-652-8971 Karen Kuchins 301-275-2255

Patricia Lore 301-908-1242 Ted Beverley 301-728-4338

home, providing warm contrast to white walls and gray stone materials. Another short flight leads up to the formal dining room, a space that looks like an art gallery (especially thanks to Realtor James Kastner’s staging). Massive windows — one of them new — bring in the green from outdoors, as they do in much of the home. One new and notable feature of this house is the use of glass partitions to safely divide its

many tiered levels while retaining an open feel; in the dining room, a partial wall divides the space from the living space below, with openings on other side of it made secure with short expanses of glass. On this same level is the kitchen, which offers more clean modern lines, with white quartz counters and island, medium-colored hickory on the cabinets and stainless appliances by ThermaSee Brandywine/Page 12

Elegance & Flair

The Foxhall. Rare duplex apt in this sought after bldg. Bright formal rooms on main level open to large terrace. Curved staircase to 3 BRs each w/bath & balcony. Amenities include pool & tennis courts. $1,195,000

Penny Mallory 301-654-7902

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Kent. Gracious contemporary w/formal LR & DR. Kit opens to sun rm & lge family rm. 5 BRs, 3.5 BAs includes 3/2 on 1st flr. In law suite + 5th BR on LL. 2 patios, large side garden. 2 car garage + off st pkg. Walk to shops & parks. $1,125,000.

River Views

Harbour Square. Enjoy the views from your balcony in this 540 sf studio coop. Live on the vibrant Southwest waterfront. Bldg w/indoor pool, fitness center & 24 hour desk. All inclusive fee. 2 blk to Metro. $215,000

Nancy Hammond 202-262-5374 Geoffrey Clopton, Jr. 301-351-3772

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12 Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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The Current

Northwest Real Estate ANC 1C ANCMorgan 1c Adams

â– adams morgan

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, at Mary’s Center, 2355 Ontario Road NW. For details, call 202-332-2630 or visit anc1c.org. ANC 2A ANCBottom 2A Foggy

â– Foggy bottom / west end

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, in Room 108, Funger Hall, George Washington University, 2201 G St. NW. For details, visit anc2a.org. ANC 2B ANCCircle 2B Dupont â– dupont circle The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at the Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. For details, visit dupontcircleanc.net. ANC 2C ANC 2C Quarter Downtown/Penn

â– downtown / penn quarter

The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in Room A-3, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. For details, visit anc2c.us or contact 2C@anc.dc.gov. ANC 2D ANC 2D Sheridan-Kalorama

â– sheridan-kalorama

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, at Our Lady Queen of the Americas Church, California Street and

Phelps Place NW. Agenda items include: â– election of officers. â– police report. â– government reports from the offices of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ward 2 D.C. Council member Jack Evans. â– consideration of 2016 grant applications. â– discussion of Alcoholic Beverage Control renewal applications. â– discussion of email notifications from the Office of Zoning. â– discussion of street and offstreet parking at the Embassy of Estonia, 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW. â– announcements and open comments. For details, visit anc2d.org or contact davidanc2d01@aol.com. ANC 2E ANC 2E Georgetown â– Georgetown / cloisters Cloisters burleith / hillandale The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 1524 35th St. NW. Agenda items include: â– public safety and police report. â– financial report, transportation report and environmental report. â– ratification of a 2016 public meeting schedule. â– election of officers for 2016 and designation of areas of special interest. â– introduction of Rick Murphy, pro bono attorney for the commission. â– consideration of a resolution on the moratorium on new Alcoholic Beverage Control licenses in Georgetown, which is set to expire in February. (A revised proposed

template for a settlement agreement with applicants for new restaurant licenses is posted on the commission’s website.) ■consideration of a settlement agreement with Kouzina Authentic Greek Restaurant, 3236 Prospect St. NW, in connection with its liquor license. ■consideration of Old Georgetown Board matters. For details, call 202-724-7098 or visit anc2e.com. ANC 3B ANCPark 3B Glover

â– Glover Park / Cathedral heights

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, 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– 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. 19, at the 2nd District Police Headquarters, 3320 Idaho Ave. NW. For details, visit anc3c.org. ANC 3D ANCValley 3D Spring â– spring valley / wesley heights Wesley Heights palisades / kent / foxhall The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, in Conference Room 2 at the Sibley Memorial Hospital Medical Building, 5215 Loughboro Road NW. Agenda items include: â– police report.

â– community concerns. â– officer elections. â– consideration of a Board of Zoning Adjustment application for variances from off-street parking requirements and special exceptions from the building lot control requirements to construct a second principal structure at 5236 Sherier Place NW. â– consideration of a Board of Zoning Adjustment application for a special exception to rear-yard requirements to build a deck at 1541 44th St. NW. â– executive session to hear the report of the Administrator Selection Committee. â– selection of a new administrator. For details, call 202-957-1999 or visit anc3d.org. ANC 3E ANC 3E Tenleytown â– american university park American University Park friendship heights / tenleytown The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at the Embassy Suites Hotel, Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road NW. For details, visit anc3e.org. ANC 3F ANCHills 3F Forest

â– Forest hills / North cleveland park

The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at Forest Hills of DC, 4901 Connecticut Ave. NW. For details, call 202-670-7262 or visit anc3f.us. ANC 3/4G ANCChase 3/4G Chevy ■CHEVY CHASE

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, at the

Chevy Chase Community Center, Connecticut Avenue and McKinley Street NW. For details, call 202-363-5803, email chevychaseanc3@verizon. net or visit anc3g.org. ANC 4A ANC 4A Colonial Village ■colonial village / crestwood Shepherd Park Shepherd Park / brightwood Crestwood 16th street heights The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, at Fort Stevens Recreation Center, 1300 Van Buren St. NW. Agenda items include: ■election of officers. ■community concerns. ■reports from the offices of Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ward 4 D.C. Council member Brandon Todd. ■consideration of a resolution regarding an alley closing in ANC 4A01. ■discussion of Jewish Primary Day School’s building plans. ■consideration of a resolution regarding homelessness in D.C. ■update from the Walter Reed Community Advisory Group. ■consideration of a settlement regarding Desta Restaurant, 6128 Georgia Ave. NW. For details, call 202-450-6225 or visit anc4a.org. ANC 4C ANC 4c Street Heights Petworth/16th

â– petworth/16th Street Heights

The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, in the lower-level community meeting room at the Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW. For details, call 202-723-6670 or visit anc4c.org.

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dor. There’s also a U-Line professional-grade wine fridge. The kitchen shares its space with the home’s “great room,� which is staged with both a sitting area and a casual eating area. The former looks toward a gas fireplace that shares the dark-gray wall with the living room below. Short glass walls flank it on either side. Also like in the living room, two walls here are covered in glass, one of them with windows and another with a custom accordion folding door. The room opens to an expansive deck made of a low-maintenance Trex composite material. There’s also a half-bath off the kitchen. The top floor houses three ensuite bedrooms, two of them sizable enough to be the master (though one is clearly meant for the role). The not-master has its own wall of glass, including a sliding door out to a private deck, and the third bedroom’s bath features an original bright-blue tub. The master bedroom has cathe-

dral ceilings and the home’s only wood-burning fireplace, set inside the original slate and surrounded by a solid-oak piece that stretches from floor to ceiling. Massive windows cover two walls. The master bathroom is big enough to be another bedroom, and it deserves its own paragraph. Clad in Carrara marble tile, the space features an open shower with five heads and three sprayers; Kastner notes that its floor is sloped away from the rest of the room, with special drains to whisk water away, so no glass wall is needed. There’s also a soaking tub set beneath a new massive window and original skylight, a custom Shiloh double vanity and a separate room for the toilet. Two walk-in closets are located in the bathroom area. This six-bedroom, five-and-ahalf-bath house at 2710 Brandywine St. NW was listed for $2.3 million. For more information contact James Kastner of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 202-531-9918 or james@ iamdcrealestate.com.

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The Current

Events Entertainment Wednesday, Dec. 30

Wednesday december 30 Class ■The Vajrayogini Buddhist Center will host a weekly class on meditation. 7 to 8:30 p.m. $6 to $12. Vajrayogini Buddhist Center, 1787 Columbia Road NW. 202-986-2257. Concerts ■Jazz guitarist Jack Waugh will perform. 8 and 10 p.m. $10. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com. ■A pre-New Year’s Eve concert will feature the Brooklyn-based funk/soul/ dance pop band Pimps of Joytime and D.C.’s funky neo-soul group Aztec Sun. 8:30 p.m. $20 to $25. Gypsy Sally’s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. Performances ■The Kennedy Center will present “Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!,� a vaudevillian romp based on Mo Willems’ children’s book (for ages 3 and older). 1:30 and 4 p.m. $20 to $25. Family Theater, Kennedy Center. 202467-4600. The performance will repeat Saturday at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 and 4 p.m. ■“Comedy at the Kennedy Center� will feature Nate Bargatze performing standup. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202467-4600. ■Pointless Theatre will present “A Very Pointless Holiday Spectacular: The North Pole’s 239th Annual Talent Show,� an irreverent cabaret featuring puppetry, improv and a reindeer band. 8 p.m. $17 to $22. Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. pointlesstheatre.com. The performance will repeat Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. ■Theater Alliance will present “Black Nativity,� Langston Hughes’ soulful musical of faith, endurance and the birth of blackness. 8 p.m. $25 to $35. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Place SE. theateralliance.com. The performance will repeat Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. ■Busboys and Poets will host an open mic poetry event. 9 to 11 p.m. $5. Cullen Room, Busboys and Poets, 1025 5th St. NW. 202-789-2227. Special event ■“ZooLights� will feature environmentally friendly LED displays, a light show set to music, a model train exhibit, three 150-foot-long “snow tubing� tracks, the Conservation Carousel and live entertainment. 5 to 9 p.m. Free admission. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. nationalzoo.si.edu. The event will repeat Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. Sporting event ■The Washington Capitals will play the Buffalo Sabres. 7 p.m. $55 to $341. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000. Thursday, Dec. 31

Thursday december 31 Class ■Amy Dara will present a special New Year’s Eve class on “Flow and Restore Into 2016.� 4 to 5:30 p.m. $15; reservations required. Circle Yoga, 3838

Northampton St. NW. 202-686-1104. Concerts ■A soulful New Year’s Eve Celebration will feature Sir Joe Quarterman and FreeSoul, as well as Michael Mwenso & the Shakes featuring Brianna Thomas. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■A New Year’s Eve concert will feature local musicians Rosa Lamoreaux (shown), J. Reilly Lewis, Ann Colgrove, John Hurd and Diane Heath performing “Bach Through Modern.� 6 p.m. $30 donation suggested; free for students. St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 4201 Albemarle St. NW. columba.org. ■“A Jazz New Year’s Eve� will celebrate the centenary of Frank Sinatra with a performance by pianist and vocalist Diane Schuur accompanied by a jazz quartet and a full complement of strings. 7 and 9 p.m. $90. Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■Dial 251 and vocalist Steve Washington will perform a New Year’s Eve jazz concert. 8 p.m. to midnight; reservations required. $46 to $66 for dinner. Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-8412. ■“New Year’s Eve at the Kennedy Center� will feature international music icon and 10-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan. 8:30 p.m. $55 to $149. Concert Hall, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■Twins Jazz will present a New Year’s Eve dinner and concert with jazz artist Kelly Shepherd. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. $85. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com. ■A New Year’s Eve concert will feature Pimps of Joytime and the Ron Holloway Band. 9 p.m. $30 to $38. Gypsy Sally’s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. Discussion ■National Gallery of Art lecturer Eric Denker will discuss “The Golden Legend Illustrated: Saint Nicholas.� Noon. Free. Meet in the West Building Rotunda, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

13

Exhibit shows D.C. of the ’60s, ’70s tures paintings that range from the eerie fecundity of Ju Yun’s “Birth of Nature� to the wild exuberance of Patrick Murphy and Craig Moran. An opening reception will take place Jan. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. On exhibit Located at 2118 8th St. NW, the gallery is open Wednesday through to 9 p.m. at the Historical Society Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m. 202-232of Washington, D.C., and continue 0203. through Feb. 26. ■Touchstone Gallery will open two The photos — originally captured shows Jan. 8 with a reception from 6 as Polaroid prints and nearly lost to to 8:30 p.m. and continue them time and neglect — reflect the demoli- through Jan. 31. The works can be tion, desperation, beaupreviewed Jan. 6 and 7 ty and energy of daily during regular hours. life in the nation’s capiGallery members tal. A talk with the phowill present a group tographer will take show of their works in place Jan. 30 from galleries A and B. noon to 2 p.m. RSVP for “Before They Are the reception and talk Gone,� in Gallery C, is a at dchistory.org. mixed-media installa Located at the Carntion by Leslie Johnston egie Library at 801 K that features more than St. NW, the historical 2,500 ceramic pieces “A Symphony of society’s gallery is open depicting the average Thousands� by Tuesday through Friday number of African eleCraig Moran is part phants killed per month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. of a Foundry 202-841-4117. in recent years. Gallery exhibit. ■“At Large,� highlightLocated at 901 New ing large works by memYork Ave. NW, the galbers of the Foundry Gallery, will lery is open Wednesday through Friopen Jan. 6 and continue through day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and SaturJan. 31. Presented in the collective’s day and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. new industrial gallery, the show fea202-347-2787. “District,� exploring D.C. during the 1960s and ’70s through the lens of photographer Chris Earnshaw, will open Jan. 6 with a reception from 6

moth!� will feature a performance of “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind� by the Chicago Neo-Futurists, with a pre-show happy hour and a post-performance party with a Champagne toast, dessert by Milk Bar and unlimited beer and wine. 10 p.m. $115 to $150. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. ■ArtJamz will host its annual New Year’s Eve Glitter Ball, featuring art materials, a canvas, studio time, hors d’oeuvres and a midnight Champagne toast. 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $65 to $75; $95 to $105 per couple. ArtJamz Dupont Studio, 1728 Connecticut Ave. NW. artjamzdc.com. Friday, Jan. 1 Friday january 1

Performance ■The DC Improv Comedy Club will present a New Year’s Eve stand-up show featuring Orny Adams. 7:30 and 10:15 p.m. $35 to $75. DC Improv Comedy Club, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202296-7008.

Children’s program ■The Hustle & Muscle Mat Club will hold an open practice for youth wrestlers. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Wrestling Room, Activities Building, St. Albans School, 3551 Garfield St. NW. hustlemusclematclub.org.

Special events ■“Noon Yards Eve,� a family-friendly New Year’s Eve festival, will feature music, dancing, balloon artists, inflatables, trackless trains, face painting, kids’ crafts and a balloon drop at noon. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE. theyardsdc.com. ■A Family Yoga NYE Party led by Geneva Moss will feature partner poses, shared laughter and breath, and meditation on goals for 2016 (geared to families with children ages 3 and older). 4 to 5 p.m. $25 per family; reservations required. lil omm yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave. NW. lilomm.com. ■“Neo Year’s Eve at Woolly Mam-

Classes and workshops ■Circle Yoga will present a “New Year’s Day Restorative Yoga� class. 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. $15; reservations required. Circle Yoga, 3838 Northampton St. NW. 202-686-1104. ■Led by Amy Dara, “New Year Detox and Rejuvenation Workshop� will offer a chance to reset for 2016 with an invigorating flow of asanas and pranayama to detoxify body, mind and soul. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. $30 per person or $50 per pair. lil omm yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave. NW. lilomm.com. ■Circle Yoga will present a “Mindfulness Meditation� class. Noon to 1 p.m. Free; donation requested. Circle Yoga,

3838 Northampton St. NW. 202-6861104. Concerts ■Balladeer Anthony Compton will perform jazz and blues. 8 to 11 p.m. No cover; two item per person minimum. Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-8412. ■Kelly Shepherd and NoMad Stories will perform jazz. 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. Performances ■The Culkin School of Irish Dance will celebrate Irish culture with a performance of Irish music and dance. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■Beny Blaq will host “Live! From Busboys� open mic and talent showcase. 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. $5. Langston Room, Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. 202-387-7638. Sporting event ■The Washington Wizards will play the Orlando Magic. 7 p.m. $19 to $899. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000. Saturday, Jan. 2 Saturday january 2 Children’s programs ■A park ranger will lead a planetarium program about the season’s brightest stars, planets and constellations (for ages 5 and older). 1 to 1:45 p.m. Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6070. The program will repeat Sunday at 1 p.m. ■Children will hear a story about artist Jackson Pollock and then create a

Š Chris Earnshaw

“Loew’s Palace in Her Prime, 1965â€? is part of an exhibit of photos by Chris Earnshaw on exhibit at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. ■“The Force of Fragility,â€? featuring paintings, sculpture, jewelry, videos and an installation by Bethesda artist Anamario HernĂĄndez, opened recently at the Mexican Cultural Institute. On view through Jan. 30, the show highlights the newest work from the artist’s 40-year career and reveals her sense of intimacy, identity and innovation. Located at 2829 16th St. NW, the institute is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. 202-7281628.

special piece of art inspired by his life and accomplishments. 1 to 4 p.m. Free. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. 202-633-1000. The program will repeat Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. ■A park ranger will lead a planetarium program about distant galaxies, nebulas 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. Class ■“New Year Resolutions With Joy of Motion,� a series of participatory dance See Events/Page 14

! Advanced Development

Baseball Camps offered on Sunday mornings from January 11 February 15, 2015 January 10--February 7, 2016 for players ages 7-18

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14 Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Continued From Page 13 classes, will feature a session on Afrobeat dance led by instructor Sylvana Christopher. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. Concerts ■ Pianist Brian Ganz (shown) and soprano Iwona Sobotka will present a New Year’s Chopin Concert. 2 to 3 p.m. Free. The Kosciuszko Foundation, 2025 O St. NW. 202785-2320. ■ “Ladies of Jazz” will feature Tacha Coleman Parr. 8 to 11 p.m. No cover; two item per person minimum. Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-8412. ■ Elikeh, Spiritual Rez and Skribe will perform. 8:30 p.m. $14. Gypsy Sally’s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. Films ■ National Geographic Museum will present “Jerusalem 3D,” featuring large format aerial footage of the Old City. Noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. $7. Grosvenor Auditorium, National Geographic Museum, 1600 M St. NW. 202-857-7700. The film will also be shown Sunday at the same times, with weekend screenings set to continue through March 31. ■ “Reseeing Iran: Twentieth Annual Iranian Film Festival” will feature Rakhshan Bani-E’temad’s 2014 feature film “Tales,” at 2 p.m.; and Kamran Shirdel’s 1967 satirical documentary “The Night It Rained, or the Epic of the Gorgan Village Boy,” at 4 p.m. Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215. ■ “Opera Unmasked” will feature an introductory lecture by the Maryland Opera Studio and a screening of a famous opera. 2 p.m. Free. Room 207, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. Special events ■ The Washington Harbour ice skating rink will hold a weekly “Cartoon Skate” event, from 10 a.m. to noon; and a weekly “Rock n Skate” event, from 8 to 10 p.m. $9 to $10. Washington Harbour, 3000 K St. NW. 202-706-7666. ■ “Say Goodbye to the Freer!” will feature special events prior to the Freer Gallery of Art’s closure for renovation. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free. Meyer Audito7+( :25/' )$0286

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The Current

Events Entertainment rium, Freer Gallery of Art, 12th Street and Jefferson Drive SW. 202-633-1000. The event will continue Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ■ Minyan Oneg Shabbat will host “Mindfulness Practice: Sanctuary for the Soul,” led by Rabbi Mark Novak and mindfulness games leader Klia Bassing. 10:15 a.m. to noon. Free. Geneva Room, Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church, 1 Chevy Chase Circle NW. MinyanOnegShabbat.org. ■ Chef Vickie Reh will host a fourcourse New Year Dinner matched with wines from Montefalco. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. $75. Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW. viaumbria.com/events. Sunday, Jan. 3

Sunday january 3 Classes and workshops ■ The Vajrayogini Buddhist Center will host a class on “Advice for Life.” 10 and 11:30 a.m. $5 to $12 donation suggested. Vajrayogini Buddhist Center, 1787 Columbia Road NW. 202-9862257. ■ Circle Yoga will present a yoga class for female cancer survivors. Noon to 1 p.m. Free; donation requested. Circle Yoga, 3838 Northampton St. NW. 202-686-1104. ■ “From Chaos to Harmony: Max Strom’s New Year Renewal Workshop” will focus on reigniting the inner fire and transforming stress into inspiration. 1 to 3 p.m. $50 to $60; reservations required. lil omm yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave. NW. lilomm.com. ■ A teacher from Yoga Activist will present a “Soothing Sunday Yoga” class for adults. 1:30 p.m. Free. Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, 1630 7th St. NW. 202727-1288. ■ “New Year Resolutions With Joy of Motion” will feature a low-impact workout class inspired by traditional and contemporary African and Caribbean movement, led by instructor Akosua Akoto. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. Concert ■ The New York Opera Society will present a Viennese New Year Concert. 3:30 p.m. Free. West Garden Court, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215. Films ■ The Palisades Library will present the 1942 classic “Casablanca,” starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains. 2 p.m. Free. Palisades Library, 4901 V St. NW. 202-282-3139. ■ The National Gallery of Art will feature selections from Serbia’s annual festival Alternative Film/Video Belgrade, with introductory remarks by festival programmer Greg de Cuir. 2 p.m. Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215. ■ “Reseeing Iran: Twentieth Annual Iranian Film Festival” will feature Behtash Sanaeeha’s 2015 movie “Risk of Acid Rain.” 4 p.m. Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215. Performances ■ Regie Cabico and Danielle Even-

nou will host “Sparkle,” an open mic event for LGBT-dedicated poets. 8 to 10 p.m. $5. Langston Room, Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. 202-3877638. ■ Chris Brandt will host a comedy showcase. 8 to 11 p.m. Free. Reading Room, Petworth Citizen, 829 Upshur St. NW. petworthcitizen.com. Special events ■ GALA Theatre’s “Three Kings Day Celebration/Fiesta de los Reyes Magos” will feature singing, dancing and storytelling, as well as the traditional Nativity and the giving of gifts by the Magi. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free; tickets and a small gift for a child are suggested. GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. 202-234-7174. A procession with the Three Kings and live animals will begin at 1 p.m. at the corner of 14th Street and Park Road NW. ■ The National Museum of Women in the Arts will hold its monthly Community Day, which will include a chance to visit the museum’s pop-up makerspace. Noon to 5 p.m. Free. National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. 202-783-7370. Sporting event ■ The Washington Wizards will play the Miami Heat. 6 p.m. $24 to $899. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000. Tour ■ “Close-up Tour: Jewels of Light” will explore the Washington National Cathedral’s stained-glass windows (for ages 10 and older). 1:30 p.m. $16 to $20; reservations suggested. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. nationalcathedral.org. The tour will repeat Thursday at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4

Monday january 4 Children’s program ■ Busboys and Poets will host “Rise + Rhyme,” a storytelling and performance series for ages 5 and younger. 9:30 to 11 a.m. $5 per child. Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carroll St. NW. 202-726-0856. Classes and workshops ■ “New Year Resolutions With Joy of Motion” will feature a social dance sampler class about the basics of Latin and ballroom dance styles, led by instructor Kat Kinnunen. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■ The Science of Spirituality Meditation Center will begin a four-week class on Jyoti meditation, a discipline focusing on the experience of inner light. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free; reservations required. Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, 2950 Arizona Ave. NW. dcinfo@sos.org. ■ Poets on the Fringe will host a weekly poetry workshop, with attendees asked to bring one of their own poems with sufficient copies to share with the group for positive critique. 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Stoddert Recreation Center, 4001 Calvert St. NW. passapamela@aol.com. Discussion ■ David Gregory, former NBC News reporter and “Meet the Press” modera-

Tuesday, january 5 ■ Discussion: Greg Marzullo will discuss his book “Bad Yogi: A Guidebook for the Rest of Us.” 7 p.m. Free. Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St. NW. 202331-7282. tor, will discuss his book “How’s Your Faith?: An Unlikely Spiritual Journey.” 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-364-1919. Special event ■ Graffiato will host an “Industry Takeover Night” will feature late-night snacks devised by recent “Top Chef” winner Mei Lin, current contestant Marjorie Meek-Bradley and various Mike Isabella Concepts chefs. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Martha’s Table. 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. $10. Graffiato, 707 6th St. NW. 202-289-3600. Tuesday, Jan. 5 Tuesday january 5 Classes and workshops ■ A certified yoga instructor will lead a class targeted to ages 55 and older. 10 a.m. Free; reservations required. Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW. geoyogarsvp@dc.gov. ■ The Georgetown Library will present a yoga class practicing introductory viniyasa techniques. 11:30 a.m. Free; reservations required. Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW. geoyogarsvp@ dc.gov. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra musician Jane Bowyer Stewart will present a master class for the Horman Violin Studio. 5 to 6 p.m. Free. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ “New Year Resolutions With Joy of Motion” will feature a beginner belly dancing class, led by Adriane Whalen. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■ ArtJamz will present a “Landscape Lovers” painting class. 7 to 9 p.m. $35 to $38. ArtJamz Dupont Studio, 1728 Connecticut Ave. NW. artjamzdc.com. Concerts ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra musicians David Murray, Craig Mulcahy, Matthew Guildford and Stephen Dumaine will perform. 11 a.m. to noon. Central Union Mission, 65 Massachusetts Ave. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. The series will continue through Jan. 11 with events at various venues. ■ As part of the Tuesday Concert

Series, musicians Tyler St. Clare, Janna Critz, Joshua Barnett and Michael Jancarek will bring to life the revelry of Christmas as it might have been celebrated in the American colonies 300 years ago. 12:10 p.m. Free. Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW. 202-3472635. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra musicians Glenn Donnellan, Teri Lee, Jan Chong, Jim Lee, Charles Nilles and Joe Connell will perform at a kickoff of this year’s event in the downtown and Penn Quarter neighborhoods. 7 to 8 p.m. Free; reservations required. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. thehamiltondc.com. ■ Gypsy Sally’s Vinyl Lounge will host its weekly open mic show. 8 p.m. Free. Gypsy Sally’s Vinyl Lounge, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. Discussions and lectures ■ The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at American University will present a talk by C&O Canal Trust board chair Michael Mitchell on “The C&O Canal National Historical Park: A Gem of History and Nature in Our Own Backyard.” 10 to 11:30 a.m. Free. Temple Baptist Church, 3850 Nebraska Ave. NW. 202895-4860. ■ The Moveable Feast Classics Book Club will discuss “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin. 1 p.m. Free. Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW. 202-727-0232. ■ National Gallery of Art lecturer David Gariff will discuss “American Art and Literature: Winslow Homer and Herman Melville.” 1 p.m. Free. Meet in the West Building Rotunda, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215. The talk will repeat Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 1 p.m. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” series, a panel discussion will discuss “Promoting the Orchestra in the 21st Century.” Panelists will include Jennifer Mondie, National Symphony Orchestra violist and committee chair; Gregory Hughes, social media manager at the Kennedy Center; Victoria Gau, conductor and artistic director of the Capital City Symphony; Michael Bracy, co-founder of the Future of Music Coalition; and Shay Stevens, Mars Urban Arts curator for Washington Performing Arts. 6:30 p.m. Free. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202727-0321. ■ Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire will discuss their book “Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind.” 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-364-1919. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra cellist David Teie will host a discussion about the creation of sound and music, including patterns in music, pulse, melody, rhythm and how humans and animals communicate emotion through sound. 7 to 8 p.m. Free. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. Film ■ The Washington DC Jewish Community Center will present Joseph Dorman and Oren Rudavsky’s 2014 film “Colliding Dreams,” about the birth of Zionism. 7:30 p.m. $13. Goldman Theater, Washington DC Jewish See Events/Page 15

Continued From Page 14 Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. washingtondcjcc.org. Performances and readings ■ The Washington Improv Theater’s “Harold Night” will feature performances by the ensembles Thank You for Sharing and Blot, at 8 p.m.; and by the Female Accent and Richie, at 9 p.m. By donation. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. witdc. org. ■ Busboys and Poets will present an open mic poetry night hosted by Twain Dooley. 9 to 11 p.m. $5. Langston Room, Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. 202-387-7638. ■ Rebecca Dupas will host an open mic poetry night. 9 to 11 p.m. $5. Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carroll St. NW. 202-726-0856. Special event ■ A “Top Chef” dinner will feature a six-course feast created by Season 12 winner Mei Lin, Season 12 contestant George Pagonis and Season 13 contestant Marjorie Meek-Bradley (shown). 7 p.m. $195. G by Mike Isabella, 2201 14th St. NW. gbymikeisabella.com. Tour ■ A U.S. Botanic Garden volunteer will lead an afternoon tour. 2 to 3 p.m. Free. Meet in the Conservatory Garden Court, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333. Wednesday, Jan. 6 Wednesday january 6 Classes and workshops ■ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rock Creek, will host a weekly tai chi class. 2 p.m. Free. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rock Creek, 201 Allison St. NW. 202726-2080. ■ Yoga Alliance will present a class on the benefits of yoga for overall physical and emotional well-being. 6 p.m. Free. West End Library, 2522 Virginia Ave. NW. 202-724-8707. ■ “New Year Resolutions With Joy of Motion” will feature a Latin dance-fitness workout class led by instructor Tayna Nuchols. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■ The Vajrayogini Buddhist Center will host a weekly class on meditation. 7 to 8:30 p.m. $6 to $12. Vajrayogini Buddhist Center, 1787 Columbia Road NW. 202-986-2257. Concerts ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra trumpeter Steven Hendrickson will perform a chamber concert with trumpeter Phil Snedecor and organist Russell Weismann. Noon to 1 p.m. Free. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St. NW. tinyurl. com/nso-2016. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra violinist Carol Tafoya Evans, violist Eric daWaardt and cellist Mark Evans will perform classical works. 7 to 8 p.m. Free. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ Gypsy Sally’s Vinyl Lounge will host “Grateful Jam.” 8 p.m. Free. Gypsy

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Events Entertainment Sally’s Vinyl Lounge, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. ■ Threesound and the Wharf Rats will perform. 8 p.m. $8. Gypsy Sally’s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. ■ Herb Scott will host a weekly Capitol Hill Jazz Jam. 8 to 11 p.m. No cover; two item per person minimum. Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-8412. Discussions and lectures ■ The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at American University will present a talk by National War College professor Theresa Sabonis-Helf on “Global Climate Change: Considering the Way Forward.” 10 to 11:30 a.m. Free. Temple Baptist Church, 3850 Nebraska Ave. NW. 202895-4860. ■ Bruce Riedel, a CIA and National Security Council veteran and director of the Intelligence Project at the Brookings Institution, will discuss “JFK’s Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and the Sino-Indian War.” Noon. Free. International Spy Museum, 800 F St. NW. 202-393-7798. ■ Heather Slania, director of the Betty Boyd Dettre Library and Research Center at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, will discuss selections from the special exhibition “Womanimal: Zine Art by Caroline Paquita.” Noon to 12:30 p.m. Free. National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. 202-783-7370. ■ Colleen J. Shogan, deputy director of the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress, will discuss her newly published murder mystery, “Stabbing in the Senate.” Noon. Free. Mumford Room, Madison Building, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Ave. SE. 202-707-5221. ■ Historian Rick Shenkman will discuss his book “Political Animals in the Voting Booth: The Science Behind Illogical Choices.” 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. $20 to $30. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW. 202-633-3030. ■ Colin Beavan, a New York-based blogger on environmental issues, will discuss his book “How to Be Alive: A Guide to the Kind of Happiness That Helps the World.” 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202364-1919. Performance ■ As part of the “Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival: The War Comes Home,” Mosaic Theater Company of DC will present a preview performance of Aaron Davidman’s one-man show “Wrestling Jerusalem.” 8 p.m. $20 to $40; pay-what-you-can tickets available at the box office or on the phone. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. The performance will continue Jan. 8 through 24. Sporting event ■ The Washington Wizards will play the Cleveland Cavaliers. 7 p.m. $45 to $899. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-745-3000. Thursday, Jan. 7 Thursday january 7 Antiques show ■ The Washington Winter Show — featuring antiques and fine arts, with the theme “Through the Eyes of a Child”

Wednesday, january 6 ■ Concert: The First Wednesday Concert series will feature organist Janet Yieh, first-place winner of the 2015 Franciscan Monastery and D.C. American Guild of Organists Young Organists Competition. 12:10 p.m. Free. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, 16th and H streets NW. 202-347-8766. — will open with a Champagne reception for sponsors, benefactors and designers, from 6 to 6:30 p.m.; and for gala patrons and young collectors, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. $175 to $500. Katzen Arts Center, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. washingtonwintershow.com. Children’s programs ■ A U.S. Botanic Garden docent will host a “January Snugglers” tour for parents and care providers with a tiny one in a snuggly (no strollers or older siblings due to narrow paths and the nature of the program). 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Free; reservations required. Conservatory Garden Court, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202225-8333. ■ Friends of the Cleveland Park Library will present weekly chess instruction for kids of all ages. 5 p.m. Free. Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-282-3080. Classes ■ “New Year Resolutions With Joy of Motion” will feature a beginner Afro-jazz dance class with instructor Tyrone Murray. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. ■ The Northwest One Library will host a weekly yoga class for adults and teens. 7 p.m. Free. Northwest One Library, 155 L St. NW. 202-939-5946. Concerts ■ The Brown Bag Concert series will feature chamber music. Noon. Free. Room A-5, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-7271291. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra oboist Jamie Roberts, clarinetist Paul Cigan, violinist Alexandra Osborne, violist Abigail Evans Kreuzer and bassist Alexander Jacobsen will perform. 4 to 5 p.m. Central Union Mission, 65 Massachusetts Ave. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra horn player James Nickel will join flutist Julianna Nickel and pianist Sophia Kim Cook to perform a casual chamber concert during happy hour. 6

to 7 p.m. Free. Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel, 999 9th St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra violinists Alexandra Osborne and Joel Fuller, violist Mahoko Eguchi and cellist Rachel Young — known as the Last Stand Quartet — will perform in collaboration with the Drawbridge Collective, a group comprised of spoken word artists representing diverse cultures from around the world. 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Busboys and Poets, 1025 5th St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra violinists Wanzhen Li and JaeYeon Kim violist Daniel Foster and cellist Steven Honigberg will perform classical works. 7 to 8 p.m. Free; reservations required. National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ The Kensingtones will perform traditional and contemporary American music as well as original songs. 7:30 p.m. Free. Gypsy Sally’s Vinyl Lounge, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. ■ As part of the “NSO in Your Neighborhood” project, National Symphony Orchestra violinists Holly Hamilton and Claudia Chudacoff will perform classical works with pianist Kathryn Brake. 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free. First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St. NW. tinyurl.com/nso-2016. ■ Gypsy Sally’s will host “Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Show.” 8 p.m. $13. Gypsy Sally’s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. ■ A bluegrass concert will feature the Truck Farmers, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; and the Rogue Farmers, from 8 to 11 p.m. No cover; two item per person minimum. Mr. Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. 202-546-8412. Discussions and lectures ■ The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at American University will present a talk by author and journalist Thomas W. Lippman on “The Middle East: How We Got to Where We Are.” 10 to 11:30 a.m. Free. Temple Baptist Church, 3850 Nebraska Ave. NW. 202-895-4860. ■ Eric Weiner will discuss his book “The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World’s Most Creative Places From Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley.” 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-364-1919. ■ The Tenleytown Memoir & Essay Writing Club will meet, led by facilitator Maura Policelli. 7 p.m. Free. TenleyFriendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

15

NW. 202-727-1488. ■ The Cleveland Park Mystery Book Club will discuss “One Kick” by Chelsea Cain. 6:30 p.m. Free. Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202282-3072. ■ Bill Mesler and H. James Cleaves II, authors of “A Brief History of Creation,” will discuss “Science and the Search for the Origin of Life.” 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. $25 to $35. S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW. 202633-3030. Performances ■ Story District’s “Southside Story Sessions” will present “Turning Over a New Leaf: True stories about first times and fresh starts.” 7 p.m. Free with reservations; $5 at the door. Uniontown Bar & Grill, 2200 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. storydistrict.org. ■ The DC Improv Comedy Club will present “The Last Laugh: A Murder Mystery Comedy Show,” an interactive show featuring Justin Schlegel, Rob Maher, Joe Robinson, Sean Gabbert and Tommy Sinbazo. 7:30 p.m. $17. DC Improv Comedy Club, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-296-7008. Special events ■ The Library of Congress will host a public ceremony to inaugurate the fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. 11 a.m. Free. Room 119, Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 1st St. SE. 202-707-5221. ■ Widowed Persons Outreach will host its monthly “Laugh Café at Sibley,” a participatory event featuring jokes and humorous stories. Noon to 1 p.m. Free; reservations required. Private Dining Room 3, Sibley Memorial Hospital, 5215 Loughboro Road NW. 202-364-7602. ■ This month’s “Phillips After 5” installment — “It’s About Time” — will feature a resolution station, selections from time-hopping television shows, quick tempos in the Music Room and thyme-infused cocktails. 5 to 8:30 p.m. $10 to $12; reservations suggested. Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. phillipscollection.org/events. ■ As part of a yearlong celebration of the 225th birthday of the nation’s capital, HumanitiesDC will sponsor a “Humanitini” happy hour focusing on “DC’s Tapestry of Regional Cultures,” about the waves of new residents from around the country that have shaped the District over its history. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free; reservations required. National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW. humanitiesdc.eventbrite.com.

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For information about the licensing of any particular business in Washington, D.C., please call the District

WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL school is seeking a boys Varsity Tennis Coach for Spring 2016. Some experience recommended. If interested, pleasee-mail resume to Tom O’Mara. Omara@WIS.edu.

Pets Housing for Rent (Apts) CUTE, FURN., small bedroom + office for rent in quiet, private Georgetown rowhouse. Includes, util’s, laundry, storage, kitchen and cat. Amazing location, female grad student pref. $1,000/ mo. Avail Feb/ March, Ref’s req’d. Sarah, 202-337-0398.

EXPERIENCED PETSITTER/ Housesitter available. Responsible 32/F, seeking long or short-term opportunities. Employed non-smoker with car, can provide multiple references. Call 703-772-8848 or email kp105dc@gmail.com for more details.

Misc. For Sale FOR SALE: Volvo Car-top Carrier, with cross-bars. $200.00 cash. Excellent condition, minimal use, ideal for XC 70 or similar. Call Allen 202-641-4715, evenings 7-9 PM.

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Personal Services

Photography PHOTOGRAPHY AVAILABLE for family photos, events, pets, seniors and loved ones. Call (301)540-5402.

Senior Care CAREGIVER AVAIL: also companionship. Weekdays, and nights and weekends. 25 years experience. CNA cert., CPR and first Aid. Life-support training, Oxygen trained. Can drive, light hskeeping/ cooking, groceries, errands, etc. Please call (240)277-2452.

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Computers

Windows

Help Wanted

More Classifieds on the next page

THE CURRENT

ch n The Current W ednesday, December 30, 2015

THE CURRENT

Classified Ads Senior Care

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ONTARIO From Page 3

Slip Covers

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THE CURRENT

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THE CURRENT

CIRCLE: Officials seek to improve safety at critical 16th Street gateway

From Page 1

removed overgrown foliage to improve sightlines; upgraded signage and pavement markings; and angled traffic signals more clearly toward the streets they’re serving. Todd said he has been working on Blair Circle issues for years, both as a council member and as constituent services director for his predecessor, Muriel Bowser. He said the city agencies made the recent fixes after an on-site meeting he convened, with Maryland officials also attending. All parties agreed there’s more to be done. “It’s very confusing, and it just doesn’t work well,” Todd said of the circle’s layout. “There are accidents there weekly, and it’s just been a long-standing issue.” D.C. Department of Transpor-

tation spokesperson Terry Owens said his agency is eager to address the concerns. “The 16th Street Circle is a critical gateway to the District of Columbia and we are committed to ensuring it is safe for residents, pedestrians, motorists, and everyone who travels through that area,” he wrote in an email. Owens said it would be “premature” for him to discuss the longer-term concepts except to say that new traffic signals could be installed on the Maryland side. Owens also didn’t say how soon proposals would become available, though Todd said he expects the agency to present two to three medium-term options in the coming weeks to stakeholders on both sides of the border. The Maryland State Highway Administration is currently

19

reviewing traffic modeling information it recently received from D.C. transportation officials, according to David Buck, spokesperson for the Maryland agency. Council member Todd said the District has struggled to catch the state agency’s interest in the past, but Buck said Maryland officials have looked repeatedly at the cross-jurisdictional spot over the years. The Maryland side of the circle received improved crosswalks and lane striping back in 2011, and the State Highway Administration followed up with traffic and engineering studies in 2013 and 2014, spending about $100,000, according to Buck. In the meantime, some community leaders in the Shepherd Park area want to see more short-term improvements at Blair Circle. The

local advisory neighborhood commission voted 3-2 on Dec. 1 to request traffic cameras and a police presence there, and to ask the D.C. Department of Transportation to conduct a safety-related survey. Todd said he is pleased with the recent changes, and he noted that the Department of General Services has established a schedule for trimming shrubbery so it doesn’t become overgrown again. But he’s also eager to help usher in the big-picture fixes. “Obviously I want to see zero accidents there, and I want to see pedestrians walk safely across 16th Street,” said Todd. “Definitely making sure that our neighborhoods are safe, whether you’re driving or walking or in your home, has always been a priority for me.”

issues that are before this board,” she said. The board voted unanimously to dismiss the appeal. The Board of Zoning Adjustment reviews cases where a project needs relatively minor flexibility from land-use rules. The Zoning Commission, meanwhile, takes on more major topics including regulatory changes. For Lanier Heights, that commission will next year hear a community request to require more scrutiny for projects with more than two housing units, heights of more than 35 feet and certain large rear additions. Those proposals would be mandated to go before the community and the Board of Zoning Adjustment before proceeding. The change would shift row-house properties from the current R-5-B zoning category — which includes an automatic right to build small apartment buildings — to R-4, which has stricter caps. The new restrictions are in already place on an interim basis until the case can be decided, at which point either the R-4 restrictions would become permanent or development could again proceed under the previous R-5-B. At the Dec. 14 consideration of that case, commissioners were sympathetic to pop-ups’ neighbors but also expressed concern about dialing back long-held property rights.

PEPCO: Stakeholders, advocates awaiting panel’s upcoming ruling on Exelon merger deal

From Page 1

among key D.C. officials, whose input could influence the ruling. Proponents of the merger, as now constituted, include Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Office of the People’s Counsel, D.C. Department of Energy & Environment director Tommy Wells and seven of the 13 D.C. Council members. They argue that the updated merger proposal adequately addresses the issues that made the first one unsustainable, setting D.C up for a healthy future of electricity. In particular, they point to benefits in reliability and costs from uniting Exelon and Pepco’s resources for power generation and distribution. Mayor Bowser has expressed frustration with hearing the same people who complained about Pepco while she was a D.C. Council member now railing against the merger and, at least implicitly, praising the virtues of Pepco. She said at a recent Dupont Circle advisory neighborhood commission meeting that she’s satisfied with the negotiations that took place after the first proposal fell through. “We worked on improving what we had on the table,” Bowser said. “I feel very strongly that [the new settlement agreement] meets the goals we have for the District of reliability, affordability and sustainability.” Outspoken opponents of the merger include Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh, who launched a vigorous public campaign this fall to highlight a variety of concerns about the merger. Cheh has attended numerous neighborhood meetings and held

several public forums, urging the community to fight against a proposal she believes could drastically threaten the District’s environmental and economic fortunes in the long term. “I find it hard to even decipher the motivations of any one particular player, much less of all of them,” Cheh said of the merger supporters in a recent interview with The Current. “It adds up to a bad deal for the people of D.C.” Fellow council opponents include Ward 6 member Charles Allen and at-large members Elissa Silverman and David Grosso. Along with Cheh, that group submitted a letter to the Public Service Commission on Dec. 7 arguing that the new deal is better than the old one but still not sufficient. “Pepco and Exelon have spent many thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars on a public relations campaign to convince the public and the PSC that this settlement deal is good for the District,” the letter reads. “But saying it’s so, and repeating it loudly, doesn’t make it true.” The full letter is available at tinyurl.com/CouncilMergerLetter. Cheh has focused part of her energy on illuminating inconsistencies in merger supporters’ public comments about the deal. She notes that the deal allows the mayor to put money into long-term funds that can later be diverted for purposes other than utilities, and that many of the promises Exelon has made about increasing solar energy and committing to sustainable practices are already in the works under Pepco and through council initiatives. Pepco president Donna Cooper has

emphasized that the merger includes provisions for 100 megawatts of wind power, $10 million dedicated to green buildings, $3.5 million to renewable energy, and $3.5 million in energy efficiency. Cheh alleges that the settlement agreement doesn’t go far enough on environmental initiatives. Moreover, repeated attempts to rebrand the image of Exelon as an “environmentally friendly” company after years of low public approval ratings strike Cheh as disingenuous. “It’s enough to make you gag,” she said in the interview. Exelon representatives have committed in recent months to presenting themselves as a company striving for and capable of sustaining environmental friendliness. At a recent Chevy Chase neighborhood commission meeting, Exelon vice president of federal government affairs David Brown described his company as “extremely clean” and “the largest clean energy producer in the country.” Cheh fired back, calling the company’s track record “dismal.” Newsweek ranked Exelon 61st in environmental friendliness among Fortune 500 companies in its annual ranking this year, fifth out of 25 utility companies on the list. Meanwhile, the Maryland Public Service Commission ranked Exelon’s subsidiary Baltimore Gas & Electric well below Pepco in terms of efficiency in 2014. Cheh has also argued that the promise of no rate increases before 2019 is only a short-term stopgap in what could become large rate hikes. She has also used harsh words in response to recent news that Exelon hired the head of the pro-Bowser

political action committee FreshPAC as a lobbyist on behalf of the merger in September. “It feels like we’re being taken advantage of, sometimes in ways we don’t even know,” Cheh said. Several advisory neighborhood commissions, Chevy Chase among them, have adopted resolutions opposing the amended merger. The Spring Valley/Palisades commission issued a letter to the Public Service Commission arguing that keeping the city’s power local with Pepco allows for easier communication between customers and the power company. A coalition of D.C. residents also hand-delivered letters to the Public Service Commission on Dec. 23. In spite of her efforts, Cheh believes the Public Service Commission is unlikely to deny the merger a second time. The commission’s previous decision came as a 2-1 vote, and one of the top complaints cited by the majority was that Pepco and Exelon hadn’t adequately negotiated with opponents to reach a compromise. “I’m pessimistic,” said Cheh. “If they do disapprove the settlement, I will be deliriously happy and a little bit surprised.” If the merger does goes through, Cheh thinks two main courses of action are possible for the skeptics. If anyone had the money and stamina to organize a coherent lawsuit, Cheh said the merger could be investigated for being “procedurally irregular or arbitrary or capricious.” More likely, though, Cheh said it will be up to the D.C. Council to enact legislation that hold the companies accountable for their promises and legal obligations.

20 Wednesday, December 30, 2015

The Current

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