NWC -- 01/12/2011

Page 1

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Vol. XLIV, No. 2

Serving Communities in Northwest Washington Since 1967

THE NORTHWEST CURRENT 2nd District sees command change

TREE-CYCLING

■ Police: Klein replacement

moves from Capitol Hill post By CAROL BUCKLEY Current Staff Writer

Cmdr. Matthew Klein of the Metropolitan Police Department’s 2nd District announced this weekend that he is stepping down from the post he has held for a little over two years. In an open letter to the

community, he said the transfer would allow him to spend “much needed time” with his family. Klein will be replaced by Inspector Michael Reese, formerly of the Capitol Hill substation in the 1st District. Fraternal Order of Police head Kris Baumann openly doubted Klein’s time-with-family claim — a workhorse for outgoing officials of all professions. In a Washington City Paper

report, Baumann alleged that the move is a result of Klein’s role in exposing the open-book cheating scandal that had Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes investigated and then exonerated. Baumann cited “widespread information” within the department that Klein was involved as a whistleblower, but neither Klein nor department officials have discussed the lead-up to Groomes’ suspension. See Police/Page 10

Army starts Spring Valley detonations By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

Bill Petros/The Current

Takoma-based Branches Tree Experts held its annual Christmas tree recycling event Saturday on the Murch Elementary School playground.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers yesterday began destroying a collection of munitions uncovered in Spring Valley, exploding them in a “controlled detonation chamber” installed along Dalecarlia Parkway behind Sibley Memorial Hospital. It will take about two weeks to destroy the 100-plus munitions, with the Army Corps taking care of about 10 per day, officials said at a tour of the detonation facility last week. Each munition is individually detonated inside an 8by-8-by-8-foot metal chamber, which itself is housed within a larger metal chamber and connected to 20 tons of shock-absorbing sand. The whole operation is stored under a several-story-high tent. Officials say the series of efforts cushions the impact of each explosion and muffles the noise from the detonations and equipment. It was the equipment noise from an air filtration sys-

Bill Petros/The Current

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last week hosted a tour of its munitions detonation facility. tem that was the most bothersome during the previous round of munitions destruction, said Nan Wells, a See Munitions/Page 10

Hardy community wants leader back

Biddle looks to April ballot after winning interim post

By JESSICA GOULD

■ Council: Critics question

Current Staff Writer

The movement to return popular principal Patrick Pope to Hardy Middle School is gaining momentum as parents decry a “deteriorating” safety situation at the school. At 6:30 p.m. today, parents and teachers will hold an emergency meeting to discuss discipline at Hardy. The meeting will take place on campus, at 1819 35th St. Then, on Friday morning, a delegation of Hardy parents will head to Mayor Vincent Gray’s office to discuss their concerns and plead for Pope’s return. “Our school is turned upside down,” said Mia Pettus, whose son is in seventh grade. “It’s falling apart.” Last December, former Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced plans to remove Pope from his post at

NEWS ■ Whole Foods seeks ABC license for eat-in areas. Page 3. ■ Zoning board delays decision on Van Ness project. Page 3.

committee’s voting process By CAROL BUCKLEY Current Staff Writer

Bill Petros/Current File Photo

Parents have reported unsafe and disorganized conditions since principal Patrick Pope left. Hardy so that he could design and lead a new citywide arts magnet for middle-schoolers. Rhee said Hyde-Addison Elementary principal Dana Nerenberg would take over leadership of the two See Hardy/Page 5

PA S S A G E S ■ What do beer and religion have in common? Chris O’Brien will tell you. Page 13. ■ How to pick a life coach. Page 13.

Newly seated at-large D.C. Council member Sekou Biddle is vowing not to soft-pedal his approach to a tenure that could be as short as four months. When the April 26 election rolls around that will seat either him — or his replacement — as at-large member for a nearly full term, Biddle said in an interview yester-

SPORTS ■ Visitation stays hot with win over Maret. Page 11. ■ St. John’s girls keep cruising through hoops schedule. Page 11 .

day, he plans to have a legacy already in place. “I want my four-month term … to be reflected in my influence on colleagues and … some outcomes [in terms of] legislative pieces,” he said. Biddle added that he is meeting with other council members now and examining ways he can “move legislation and bills forward in a timely fashion.” It remains to be seen if or how critiques of the messy process that led to Biddle’s success last week at the Democratic State Committee will impact his chances in April. See Biddle/Page 5

INDEX Calendar/20 Classifieds/29 District Digest/4 Exhibits/23 In Your Neighborhood/18 Opinion/8 Passages/13

Police Report/6 Real Estate/17 School Dispatches/14 Service Directory/25 Sports/11 Theater/23 Week Ahead/3


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