Nwe 12 25 2013

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Serving Chevy Chase, Colonial Village, Shepherd Park, Brightwood, Crestwood, Petworth & 16th Street Heights

Vol. XLVI, No. 52

The NorThwesT CurreNT

Cheh calls for AG election in November

Tax panel recommends compromise proposal

ZOO CREW

■ Reform: Reductions eyed

for middle class, businesses

By KATIE PEARCE Current Staff Writer

The timing is getting tight on the question of whether the D.C. attorney general election will take place in 2014.

With a delayed election date of 2018 set to become formal law, a new bill from Ward 3 D.C. Council member Mary Cheh and a separate lawsuit from the sole candidate for the race offer ways to keep the election going next year.

The D.C. Council voted narrowly in October to postpone the election until 2018. Supporters of the delay argued that the city wasn’t yet ready to make the complex transition from a mayor-appointed attorney general to its first elected one. But the proposed date is four years later than the one D.C. voters originally approved, overwhelmingly, through a ballot initiative in 2010.

Now Cheh — who is likely the council’s dividing vote on the issue — has offered a new proposal that would keep the election on track for next year.

“I think we can move it pretty See Election/Page 5

By ELIZABETH WIENER Current Staff Writer

A commission charged with figuring out how to revamp District taxes last week approved a compromise report that proposes some tax relief for both businesses and moderate-income residents — but probably not enough to satisfy either group.

The Tax Revision Commission’s unanimous recommendation — if approved and implemented by the

UDC details landscaping plan at student center site ■ Development: Neighbors

Bill Petros/The Current

The Conservation Carousel, with its selection of 58 animals to ride on, is a highlight of the the annual ZooLights festival at the National Zoo. The popular event will continue through Jan. 1.

Deal twins make tap-dance splash at Arena

By GRAHAM VYSE Current Staff Writer

At Alice Deal Middle School, they’re known as the tap-dancing twins.

Sam and Max Heimowitz are only 13, but the brothers have been dancers for almost a decade. They’ve performed in the school talent show.

They’ve appeared with the youth ensemble Capitol Tap. And now, for the first time, they’re dancing professionally as a duo.

This winter, the seventh-graders are sharing the stage with Broadway star Maurice Hines in “Maurice Hines Is Tappin’ Thru Life” at Arena Stage. The show tells the story of Hines’ remarkable tap-dancing

NEWS

mayor and D.C. Council — would cut business franchise taxes, establish new income tax brackets that give a break to those who make $40,001 to $60,000 a year (up to $80,000 for married filers), and raise the sales tax slightly while expanding it to cover certain services not currently taxed.

Two motivating goals, at times divergent, were set out early in the yearlong process: boosting the city’s “competitiveness” to attract and retain employers, and making the code more progressive by cutting taxes for lower wage earners. The 11-member body, appointed by See Taxes/Page 5

Photo by Teresa Wood

Max (left) and Sam Heimowitz are performing with Maurice Hines at Arena Stage.

career with his own brother, Gregory, who died of cancer a decade ago.

With monologues, songs and his famous fancy footwork, Hines recalls run-ins with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Dean

Martin. He also introduces audiences to a new generation of tap talent.

Sam and Max appear late in the performance, dancing alongside Hines and another pair of D.C.based siblings: John and Leo Manzari. Even in such esteemed company, the Heimowitz brothers’ routines have been crowd favorites.

In interviews, Sam and Max said they have loved working with Hines, who has made them laugh on set and taught them some new dance moves.

“He’s very lively and fun,” Max said.

The brothers also had kind words for the Manzaris, who, at ages 18 and 21, acted as mentors throughout the production.

See Tap/Page 7

SPOR TS

Georgetown ANC scrutinizes plans for Ellington School

Cadets senior wins second consecutive Gatorade Award

— Page 3

— Page 11

praise environmental focus

By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

The primary purpose for the University of the District of Columbia’s new student center is to provide an enticing amenity to the underenrolled Van Ness campus.

But a side benefit will be the beautification of a barren plaza area at Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street. University officials detailed their landscape plans at last week’s Forest Hills/Van Ness advisory neighborhood commission meeting.

University capital construction director Erik Thompson said at the Dec. 17 meeting that the school worked with the D.C. Department of Transportation on “developing a character for this portion of Connecticut Avenue.” That includes extensive landscaping and environmental features, and outdoor seating partially screened from the street.

The $40 million, 87,000-squarefoot student center project broke ground in January 2012 and is now slated to open in spring 2015,

Bill Petros/The Current

The student center is replacing an open plaza at Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street.

Thompson said — two years later than officials promised at the groundbreaking. Building amenities will include student lounges and activity space, retail and food service, a ballroom, a fitness center and offices.

The project is designed to achieve the highest score of platinum under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, and outdoor features are a large part of that.

By replacing most of the impervious brick pavers that had defined the See UDC/Page 23

INDEX

NEWS

Speculation builds over Spring Valley supermarket site — Page 3

Calendar/16 Classifieds/22 District Digest/4 Exhibits/17 In Your Neighborhood/14 Opinion/8

Police Report/6 Real Estate/13 School Dispatches/10 Service Directory/19 Sports/11 Theater/16

Tips? Contact us at newsdesk@currentnewspapers.com

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Future unclear for Fresh & Green’s site in Spring Valley shopping area

By ELIZABETH WIENER Current Staff Writer

With the Fresh & Green’s supermarket in Spring Valley in the process of closing, speculation is rampant about the valuable site at 4330 48th St. There’s also concern over the fate of the 40-plus employees who have served customers there — some as far back as when the old brick store housed a busy A&P and then a popular Superfresh.

Neighbors in Spring Valley and American

University Park are hoping another supermarket can be wooed to the site, which has its own expansive parking lot and central location in an affluent residential area. They’re also trying to raise money to help the employees, unionized workers who are losing their jobs at Christmastime.

Residents have been chipping in to help the employees. A group from Janney Elementary School raised more than $550, according to a post on the Tenleytown listserv, and the Northwest Sport & Health club is offering free

ANC objects to aspects of Ellington plan

local branch, based in Landover, Md., was unable to say if any of those 42 members have found new jobs.

As for the store building itself, at under 17,000 square feet, it’s probably too small for major supermarkets like Giant, Safeway or even a Harris Teeter that some residents are wooing. But it also may be too large for specialty retailers like Trader Joe’s — another neighborhood favorite, which has already said it’s uninterested in the site.

See Grocery/Page 23

Work underway on apartments at Hilton site

By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer

By GRAHAM VYSE Current Staff Writer

Proposed modernizations to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts are facing opposition from the Georgetown/Burleith advisory neighborhood commission.

At their meeting last Thursday, commissioners offered support for large portions of the planned $80 million upgrade for the 1897 school building, but voted unanimously to voice “serious concerns about several elements in the concept submission.�

Commission chair Ron Lewis addressed more than 100 Ellington students, parents and educators who spilled out of the meeting room, explaining his panel’s objections to current designs from Lance Bailey & Associates and cox graae + spack architects, contractors for the D.C. Department of General Services. “As contemplated, there are elements we see here that are very inappropriate,� he said.

The first major item of concern — a “nonstarter,� according to Lewis — was a proposed rooftop gathering space commissioners said would produce amplified sound in the neighborhood. They argued that this space would be not only intrusive, but unnecessary. “Numerous indoor performance and gathering spaces are provided in the proposed remodeling plan, and

access for 30 days to help the employees “relieve some stress� over the holidays.

But the future of the store, and its workforce, is unclear.

United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 said in a statement last week that it is “providing active and intensive assistance to its members working at Fresh & Green’s at the 48th St Northwest location in D.C.�

The union said it is “working tenaciously to place members in new union jobs with other grocery chains.� But a spokesperson for the

Bill Petros/The Current

The District is planning an $80 million upgrade to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

they should be abundantly sufficient,� commissioners wrote in their resolution.

The commission also objected to proposed aesthetic changes to the building’s exterior, including modern-looking orange paneling they fear would compromise Ellington’s classical architectural style and historic character. “A more subtle palette would be advised,� commissioners wrote.

Additionally, commissioners were concerned that new parking spaces on the school’s sprawling front lawn would ruin its visual appeal, and that a Reservoir Road entrance for a proposed underground parking lot would exacerbate traffic congestion.

All of these issues will be conveyed to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board, which are slated to consider this project at their meetings on Jan. 16 and Jan. 23, respectively.

Mayor Vincent Gray, who had come to Thursday’s commission meeting to tout his administration’s See Ellington/Page 23

Early phases of construction have begun on a long-planned residential component to the Washington Hilton property, with developers preparing an 11-story modern apartment building at Florida Avenue and T Street.

The apartment house, with roughly 200 units, will sit in the open space behind the hotel. The new building is designed to emulate the Hilton, roughly mirroring its height and semicircle shape — essentially creating a complete circle in the process.

The rear of the new apartment building, facing the hotel, will be metal and “mimics the square modular rhythm of the hotel,� Mark Rivers of development partner Lowe Enterprises told the Adams Morgan advisory neighborhood commission Dec. 4. The front, facing Florida and T, will be an “almost entirely glass curtain wall.�

Although Lowe originally envisioned the project as a condo building with roughly 160 units, Rivers said it is now planned as 200 luxury rental apartments, ranging in size from studios to three-bedrooms. He said lease rates haven’t yet been determined.

Construction began in late November with rein-

forcement of the hotel’s underground parking garage, which sits below the site of the new building. This process will take three to five months, according to Rivers, and will be minimally disruptive to the community. “The work we’re doing right now is tactical, it’s not big-volume work,� said Rivers. “We’re doing a column at a time. There’s not a lot of material coming in or going out.�

Also part of the project, though, is enlarging the loading dock that will serve both properties. This was set to begin this past weekend and requires loud demolition work for about two weeks, followed by two to three more weeks of “moderately noisy work,� according to Rivers. Staging and truck traffic will use T Street.

The construction schedule for the apartment building itself isn’t yet set, but Rivers said he’d return periodically to the neighborhood commission to provide updates. “When we get into building the tower above grade, there will be a lot more activity,� he said.

Work wasn’t originally slated to begin until the spring, but Lowe elected to take advantage of the Hilton’s off-peak winter season by getting started sooner, said Rivers.

See Hilton/Page 23

The week ahead Sunday, Dec. 29

St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, 4125 Fessenden St. NW, will host an American Red Cross blood drive from noon to 4 p.m. To make an appointment, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org.

Thursday, Jan. 2

Two D.C. Council committees will hold a joint public hearing on the Air Quality Amendment Act and the Air Pollution Disclosure and Reduction Act. The hearing will begin at 11 a.m. in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Thursday, Jan. 9

The Georgetown Business Association and the Citizens Association of Georgetown will host a mayoral debate. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW. Reservations are requested; call 202-337-2288.

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District Digest Plan for Rosedale lot close to approval

The third try wasn’t quite the charm, but the Historic Preservation Review Board last week came close to approving plans for a new house on the last available lot at the Rosedale estate in Cleveland Park. It’s the third proposal members have seen for a pricey lot that overlooks Rosedale Conservancy land and sits adjacent to an 18th-century farmhouse that may be the oldest surviving dwelling in D.C. A group of neighbors carved eight lots out of the estate in 2002 to raise funds for preserving the rolling green estate lawns for public use. Other homes have been built, mostly facing Ordway Street, but it’s been difficult to build on the last interior lot without impinging on views of the farmhouse.

The preservation board has seen two other proposals. The first, an “Italianate mansion,� was widely panned. The second was for a more modest home removed from the farmhouse by 73 feet, but the buyer backed out after it won the board’s tentative nod.

The third proposal, from prospective buyer Karim Zia, involves a barnlike home with gable roof “reasonable in scale and traditional in its form,� according to staff reviewer Anne Brockett. And it would be 93 feet away from the Rosedale farmhouse, with its narrow end facing south toward the Conservancy land, she said.

Jonathan Abram, who helped create the Rosedale Conservancy a decade ago, said the organization fully supports the latest plan. “Having been here at the birthing, this project is as good an outcome as

could be built,� he said.

The board agreed, objecting only to the siting of a swimming pool on the southeast corner of the new house. Members asked architect Janet Bloomberg to explore the location and perhaps size of the pool before they give final approval to the plan. — Elizabeth Wiener

D.C. magazine honors visionary leaders A Tenleytown-based publication, Moment Magazine, last month honored two international figures for visionary leadership at its symposium on “Creativity and the Brain.�

Moment, an independent Jewish magazine, presented its International Humanitarian Award to Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, who helped create the German Foundation Initiative in the 1990s. In his remarks, Eizenstat discussed increasing anti-Semitism in Europe and efforts to delegitimize Israel’s existence.

Peter Ammon, the U.S.

Metro set to launch improved bus service

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will launch MetroExtra service on Sundays between the National Archives and Silver Spring via Georgia Avenue as part of a slate of bus improvements.

The $5 million “Better Bus� program includes more limited-stop MetroExtra routes and adjustments to 11 existing priority corridors, according to a news release. The changes — which will take effect Dec. 29 — will mean more frequent service, additional capacity or expanded hours along routes that serve more than 150,000 riders.

Other changes to routes serving Northwest include: â– 32, 36 (Pennsylvania Avenue): Additional late-night trips between Foggy Bottom and the Southern Avenue (32 route) and Naylor Road (36) Metrorail stations, improving the time between buses to every 30 minutes on each route and providing a 15-minute window on the combined portion of the line; an additional westbound 32 trip leaving Southern Avenue between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. daily. â– 52, 53, 54 (14th Street): Increased Saturday service to reduce crowding.

â– 70, 79 (Georgia Avenue-7th Street): Increased 70 service from 7 p.m. to midnight on weekdays, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.

On Sundays, the new express service (79) will result in a seven- to eight-minute time between buses at stops served by both routes. â– 90, 92, 93 (U Street-Garfield): Increased Saturday and Sunday service, as well as a new schedule reflecting adjustments to trip times. â– S2, S4 (16th Street): Increased Saturday service to reduce crowding.

Recreation agency sets holiday schedule

The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation has announced modified hours for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Facilities will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day, and

Come Join Us...

Sp Off ecial er!

ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, received Moment’s Ambassador Award for his work on fostering GermanU.S. Jewish relations.

The magazine’s Creativity Award went to four recipients: pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher, novelist and philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker, sculptor and neuroscientist Barton Rubenstein and NPR host Peter Sagal.

The Nov. 24 event at the Washington Hebrew Congregation drew 300-plus guests.

no permits for fields will be issued for either holiday. In addition, all department facilities will close at 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. On other weekdays through Jan. 3, most recreation and community centers will operate with expanded hours — from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Exceptions in Northwest are the Chevy Chase Community Center, Guy Mason Recreation Center, Emery Recreation Center, Lamond Recreation Center, Riggs LaSalle Recreation Center and Columbia Heights Community Center, all of which will open at their normal times but close at 8 p.m.

Aquatic facilities will generally maintain normal hours aside from the changes for Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day; and opening times of 9 a.m. on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. On those two dates, Marie Reed will not hold the morning swim hours.

The department will host a “Winter Wondercamp� both weeks at selected facilities, including the Park View, Jelleff, Hearst, Chevy Chase Community and Riggs

The CurreNT

Delivered weekly to homes and businesses in Northwest Washington Publisher & Editor Davis Kennedy Managing Editor Chris Kain Assistant Managing Editor Beth Cope Advertising Director Gary Socha Account Executive Shani Madden Account Executive Richa Marwah Account Executive George Steinbraker Advertising Standards

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

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

Subscription by mail — $52 per year

Telephone: 202-244-7223 E-mail Address

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Photo courtesy of Moment Magazine

Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat received a humanitarian award.

LaSalle centers. Registration is required; details are available at tinyurl.com/dpr-camps.

New specs to govern transportation work

The D.C. Department of Transportation has issued new Standard Specifications for Highways and Structures, which will affect projects advertised or permitted after Jan. 1.

Last updated in 2009, the document now incorporates the latest D.C. Water and Sewer Authority specifications, as well as sustainability practices such as LED lighting and references to the District’s current stormwater and environmental requirements. It covers all of the department’s contracts, as well as all construction activities within D.C. public space.

The document is available on the department’s website, ddot.dc.gov.

Georgetown Lutheran names interim pastor

The Rev. Dr. Janice E. Mynchenberg has been named interim pastor of Georgetown Lutheran Church. Her first services were scheduled for Christmas Eve, according to a news release.

Mynchenberg, a specialist in interim ministry, has served congregations in Wisconsin, Tennessee and Alabama in the same capacity.

She holds a doctor in ministry degree from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, a master’s of divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, a master’s degree in comparative literature from the University of Oregon and a bachelor’s degree in German and French from Wittenberg College.

Georgetown Lutheran Church, located at 1556 Wisconsin Ave., is the District’s oldest Lutheran congregation, according to its website.

The church was organized in 1769.

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Corrections

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

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

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Wednesday, deCember 25, 2013

5

ELECTION: Date uncertain for AG TAXES: Commission agrees on compromise plan From Page 1

quickly, say by February,” Cheh said of her legislation in an interview this week. “That would be nine months before the election.”

Cheh’s bill proposes to hold the election in November 2014, with candidates indicating their political party on the ballot (forgoing an April partisan primary). It would also allow attorneys employed by the D.C. government to run for the position — which wouldn’t otherwise be allowed under Hatch Act restrictions.

Cheh, who voted for the postponement this fall, said she is now comfortable with 2014 because the council, which previously “didn’t have a clear understanding of what the duties of the attorney general would be, [has] finally worked that out.” Meanwhile, opening the race to D.C. government employees “would vastly increase the possibility that candidates would come forward,” she said.

And although some might view the lack of an April primary as a condition forced by timing, Cheh argued that a nonpartisan election would actually be more legitimate.

“The AG is a special office,” she said, where partisan politics shouldn’t come into play. “We’re looking for expertise as a lawyer.”

She doesn’t believe this election should run like most others in D.C., where Democrats rule the day and a candidate “wins the primary and they’re basically the winner.”

One supporter of Cheh’s bill is DC Appleseed, a legal nonprofit that has advocated for a 2014 attorney general election. “There’s no perfect way now to fix this thing,” said Walter Smith, the group’s executive director. “At this point, we think Mary’s bill is the best way for the council now to fix a problem that the council has created.”

By now, Smith said, it’s too late to consider an April primary, since candidates would have to file their petitions by Jan. 2. And with all the uncertainty over the process, only one — trial lawyer Paul Zukerberg — has stepped up so far.

It’s also Zukerberg who represents the second possible solution to restoring a November election: through the court system.

Zukerberg recently filed a lawsuit with the D.C. Superior Court, challenging the council’s decision to push back the election. A status conference on the case is set for late February.

In the meantime, his legal team filed for an injunction last Friday seeking immediate relief. “We’re going to ask the D.C. Superior Court to prevent the District from delaying the election of the attorney general, and require that it proceed in 2014,” said Gary Thompson, an attorney representing Zukerberg pro bono.

The injunction, Thompson said, “asks the court to accelerate its ruling to prevent the irreparable harm” that a postponed election would cause to voters.

Zukerberg, a trial lawyer based in Adams Morgan who previously ran for an at-large council seat, earlier tried his lawsuit with the D.C. federal court. The judge in that case ruled that the matter wasn’t “ripe” for ruling since the law in question wasn’t yet final.

As with all other D.C. bills, the one postponing the election will become law only after a mandatory period of congressional review.

Though there’s some disagreement

❝It is too late to both have the election in 2014 and have a partisan primary.❞ — Walter Smith of DC Appleseed about the exact date, by all accounts that period will end by Dec. 31.

Thompson, who is also an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Chevy Chase, said they are seeking the injunction so they “can be ready to pounce” once the 2018 election date is law.

He noted that the case hits at issues much larger than Zukerberg’s individual campaign. “I’ve seen people get lost in [thinking] ‘I don’t know whether Paul’s the right guy,” Thompson said. But “if Paul prevails in protecting the will of the people, then others will surely run.”

Thompson was critical of aspects of Cheh’s bill — questioning, for example, whether an election without a partisan primary satisfies the intent of the original ballot initiative.

“It’s clear there was supposed to be a closed primary in April,” he said.

Smith of DC Appleseed said at this point, Cheh’s bill offers the most realistic solution for following voters’ will to hold an election this year.

“It is too late to both have the election in 2014 and have a partisan primary,” he said.

Smith also praised the bill for opening the field to D.C. government attorneys, who he said might be the best qualified for the position.

(He said he knew of several interested candidates, though he declined to name them.)

Under current law, those candidates would have to quit their jobs to run — which Smith noted many government employees can’t afford.

To prevent conflicts of interest, he suggested revising the bill to require D.C. employees to take a leave of absence while campaigning.

Cheh’s shift on the election date is meaningful, given the council’s 7-6 vote in October. To pass her new proposal, Cheh said, she would need to simply retain the colleagues who voted against the delay then.

Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans, who helped lead the effort to postpone the election, was unavailable for comment this week.

Cheh said the legislation now lies with the council’s Committee of the Whole, with Chairman Phil Mendelson “holding the ropes” on setting a hearing.

From Page 1

Mayor Vincent Gray and the council, could reach agreement only by compromising on both goals.

“I’d like to see the top rate lower.

I’d like to see much more tax relief for District businesses and residents.

But [this package] allows us to be the competitive city we want to be,” said former Mayor Anthony Williams, who chaired the commission.

“The point is, it’s a compromise.”

“Yes, it’s not as good as either side would like. But it’s about as balanced as we’re going to get consensus on here,” said Pauline Schneider, an attorney long active in District affairs.

Almost predictably, there was criticism before and after the vote.

“There’s limited relief on the business side, and I think that’s a mistake,” said commission member Nicola Whiteman, a lobbyist for the Apartment and Office Building Association. “It’s not just about giving business a break,” she argued.

“When you offer relief on the business side, it helps grow the economy, create jobs.”

But the Fair Budget Coalition, a liberal advocacy group, issued a stinging news release accusing the commission of choosing “deep cuts to the super wealthy” by recommending an estate tax break and lower income tax rate for the very highest earners. “Any money used to pay for the tax package will drain what is available to fund needed increases for homeless youth shelters, adult literacy and for replacing the federal cut to food stamps,” said Ericka Taylor, the coalition’s director.

And the total package would cause a $48.8 million net revenue loss in the first year of implementa-

tion, significantly more than the $18 million the council and mayor had authorized.

Among major changes, the commission’s final recommendations include: ■ For income taxes, setting separate rates for singles and married couples, and adding new brackets in the middle range — 6.5 percent for married couples earning $40,001 to $80,000; 8.5 percent for $80,001 to $350,000; and 8.95 percent above that, but with the top rate dropping to 8.75 percent in 2016. For single filers, the brackets would be 6.5 percent for incomes from $40,001 to $60,000; 8.5 percent from $80,001 to $200,000; and the top rate above that. The additional brackets are intended to provide some relief to those with middle incomes, who currently pay the same 8.5 percent rate as all but the highest earners.

■ Reducing the business franchise tax from 9.975 percent to 8.25 percent, a fairly hefty cut that would bring it down to Maryland’s rate but still leave it higher than Virginia’s.

The commission said that would “send a signal that D.C. is open for business,” but the body also gave up on efforts to lower commercial property taxes.

■ Raising the general sales tax rate from 5.75 to 6 percent, and broadening it to cover services such as contractors, car washes, health clubs and tanning studios. The commission said consumers are spending less on goods and more on services. The group also proposed taxing all tobacco products, some now untaxed, at the same $2.50-a-pack rate applied to cigarettes.

Tellingly, two commission members, representing perhaps polar opposite interests on the panel, both agreed to support the final package.

“I don’t like everything, but I can accept it,” said Ed Lazere of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, a liberal budget-watchdog group. Lazere said low- and moderate-income city residents have been overtaxed, and that the new tax brackets would help rectify that.

“On its face, it’s a compromise that works well,” said Mark Ein, a leading investor and owner of the Washington Kastles tennis team.

“What’s important is the messaging: fairness and affordability, and an economy that’s competitive.”

The final proposal also includes some significant recommendations agreed to earlier: raising the threshold for paying estate taxes from $1 million to $5.25 million, the same as the federal level; and imposing a “local services fee” of $100 annually per employee on all employers.

That’s an admittedly inexact attempt to make sure nonprofit employers pay some taxes. Employers with fewer than four workers would be exempted.

But it’s not clear yet which proposals will survive the political process. Already Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans, who chairs the committee on tax and revenue, has told The Washington Post that he doesn’t want to raise sales taxes.

And Mayor Gray has expressed reservations about the local services fee and its impact on nonprofits.

A summary of the commission’s recommendations can be found at dctaxrevisioncommission.org. The formal report will be formally presented to the D.C. Council in late January or early February. Decisions are up to both Gray and the council, who could incorporate or reject specific changes during their deliberations on the fiscal 2015 budget.

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Police Report This is a listing of reports taken from Dec. 16 through 22 in local police service areas.

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Robbery â– 600-699 block, H St.; 6:50 p.m. Dec. 18 (with knife). â– 600-699 block, New York Ave.; 4:41 p.m. Dec. 22 (with gun).

Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 1000-1003 block, 7th St.; 3:54 a.m. Dec. 21 (with knife).

Theft from auto â– 700-799 block, 7th St.; 12:04 a.m. Dec. 19.

Theft â– 800-899 block, 7th St.; 10:17 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 700-799 block, 7th St.; 3:34 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 400-457 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 12:26 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 400-457 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 5 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 600-699 block, H St.; 9:45 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 600-699 block, F St.; 12:01 a.m. Dec. 19. â– H and 7th streets; 9:27 p.m.

Dec. 19. â– 500-599 block, Indiana Ave.; 10 a.m. Dec. 20. â– 400-457 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 2 p.m. Dec. 20. â– F and 9th streets; 7:20 p.m.

Dec. 20. â– 700-799 block, 7th St.; 10:33 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 5th and K streets; 11:32 p.m. Dec. 21.

psa PSA 201 201

â– chevy chase

Robbery â– 3900-3999 block, Military Road; 9:10 p.m. Dec. 17.

Burglary â– 6100-6199 block, 32nd Place; 8 p.m. Dec. 20. â– 2800-2899 block, Jenifer St.; 2:30 a.m. Dec. 22.

Motor vehicle theft â– 2900-2999 block, Rittenhouse St.; 8:08 p.m. Dec. 17.

Theft from auto â– Chevy Chase Parkway and Patterson Street; 1:23 p.m.

Dec. 16. â– 3600-3699 block, Quesada St.; 9:14 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 5520-5599 block, 33rd St.; 8:38 a.m. Dec. 18. â– Legation Street and Connecticut Avenue; 9:53 a.m. Dec. 20. â– 5400-5431 block, Chevy Chase Parkway; 10:08 a.m.

Dec. 20. â– 5600-5699 block, Western Ave.; 12:05 p.m. Dec. 20. â– Western Avenue and Chevy Chase Circle; 12:29 p.m. Dec. 20. â– 3100-3199 block, Jocelyn

St.; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21.

Theft â– 6000-6099 block, 33rd St.; 8:59 p.m. Dec. 17.

psa 202

â– Friendship heights

PSA 202 tenleytown / aU park Theft from auto â– 4400-4499 block, Alton Place; 8:52 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 4312-4399 block, Fessenden St.; 1:11 p.m. Dec. 20. â– Windom Place and 39th Street; 6 p.m. Dec. 20.

Theft â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 3:40 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 3814-3989 block, Chesapeake St.; 4:05 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 4900-4999 block, 44th St.; 8:25 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 5300-5399 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 4600-4633 block, Massachusetts Ave.; 1:28 a.m. Dec. 19. â– Van Ness and 39th streets; 9:06 p.m. Dec. 21.

psa 203

â– Forest PSA 203 hills / van ness

cleveland park

Theft from auto â– 3100-3399 block, Rodman St.; 10 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 2500-2880 block, Porter St.; 9:40 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 3600-3699 block, Davenport St.; 9:55 a.m. Dec. 22. â– 4800-4899 block, 36th St.; 11:10 a.m. Dec. 22.

Theft â– 4900-4911 block, Connecticut Ave.; 9 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 3600-3699 block, Tilden St.; 4:15 p.m. Dec. 20. â– 3500-3599 block, 30th St.; 12:51 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 2900-2999 block, Ordway St.; 1:54 p.m. Dec. 22.

psa 204

â– MassachUsetts avenUe

heights / cleveland park woodley park / glover PSA 204 park / cathedral heights

Motor vehicle theft â– 2200-2299 block, Hall Place; 9:40 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 3612-3699 block, Fulton St.; 8:50 a.m. Dec. 20.

Theft from auto â– 3100-3299 block, 39th St.; 11:15 a.m. Dec. 20.

Theft â– 3300-3399 block, Cleveland Ave.; 2:50 p.m. Dec. 19. â– 2301-2499 block, Wisconsin Ave.; 3:16 a.m. Dec. 21.

psa 401

â– colonial village PSA 401

shepherd park / takoMa

Burglary â– 1200-1299 block, Fern St.; 3:45 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 1-199 block, Walnut St.;

4:50 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 6600-6699 block, Blair Road; 11:38 a.m. Dec. 18.

Motor vehicle theft â– 6600-6699 block, 14th St.; 9:06 a.m. Dec. 18.

Theft from auto â– 1400-1599 block, Aspen St.; 6:35 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 1400-1599 block, Whittier Place; 7:10 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 1400-1599 block, Whittier St.; 8:35 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 6800-6899 block, Georgia Ave.; 8:41 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 8th and Juniper streets; 8:17 a.m. Dec. 19. â– Georgia and Eastern avenues; 12:59 p.m. Dec. 19. â– 6924-6978 block, Maple St.; 7:03 p.m. Dec. 19. â– 6600-6699 block, Luzon Ave.; 3:50 a.m. Dec. 20.

Theft â– 7000-7099 block, 8th St.; 1:09 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 7508-7521 block, 16th St.; 11:05 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 1400-1599 block, Juniper St.; 11:50 p.m. Dec. 18.

psa PSA 402 402

â– brightwood / Manor park

Burglary â– 1328-1399 block, Peabody St.; 8 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 800-899 block, Rittenhouse St.; 4:17 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 1328-1399 block, Peabody St.; 10:49 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 5900-5915 block, 4th St.; 11:15 p.m. Dec. 19. â– 400-499 block, Oglethorpe St.; 9:51 p.m. Dec. 20. â– 6100-6199 block, 4th St.; 10:49 a.m. Dec. 21.

Theft from auto â– Underwood and 16th streets; 11 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 400-499 block, Oneida Place; 4:34 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 5910-5999 block, 14th St.; 6:18 p.m. Dec. 20.

Theft â– 6212-6299 block, Piney Branch Road; 4:56 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 6500-6599 block, 14th St.; 7:10 a.m. Dec. 17. â– 6200-6299 block, Georgia Ave.; 9:48 p.m. Dec. 20. â– 5910-5999 block, Georgia Ave.; 3:20 p.m. Dec. 21. â– 5910-5999 block, Georgia Ave.; 5:56 p.m. Dec. 22.

psa 403

â– brightwood / petworth

brightwood park PSA 403

16th street heights

Robbery â– 5401-5499 block, Georgia Ave.; 4:41 p.m. Dec. 17.

Assault with a dangerous weapon â– 5800-5898 block, 14th St.; 9:28 p.m. Dec. 21.

Burglary

â– 5401-5499 block, Georgia Ave.; 1:26 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 5200-5299 block, 14th St.; 7:41 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 5600-5699 bock, 13th St.; 3 p.m. Dec. 19.

Theft from auto â– 5200-5299 block, 14th St.; 7:51 a.m. Dec. 18. â– 5204-5299 block, Illinois Ave.; 9:12 a.m. Dec. 18. â– Ingraham Street and Georgia Avenue; 10:16 p.m. Dec. 21.

Theft â– 5200-5299 block, 8th St.; 8 a.m. Dec. 19.

psa 404

â– 16th street heights PSA 404

crestwood

Burglary â– 900-998 block, Randolph St.; 3:55 p.m. Dec. 18.

Motor vehicle theft â– 4000-4099 block, 18th St.; 7:43 a.m. Dec. 19.

Theft from auto â– 1200-1271 block, Quincy St.; 7:51 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 3800-3899 block, Kansas Ave.; 5 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 5000-5099 block, 13th St.; 10:56 a.m. Dec. 20. â– 1300-1329 block, Allison St.; 6 p.m. Dec. 20. â– 900-927 block, Quincy St.; 9:45 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 4812-4899 block, Iowa Ave.; 11:35 a.m. Dec. 21.

Theft â– 1300-1399 block, Randolph St.; 4:30 p.m. Dec. 16. â– Georgia Avenue and Buchanan Street; 12:05 a.m. Dec. 21. â– 4400-4499 block, Arkansas Ave.; 3:40 p.m. Dec. 21.

psa PSA 407 407 â– petworth

Robbery â– 4800-4819 block, Kansas Ave.; 1:21 a.m. Dec. 22 (with gun). â– 69-129 block, Gallatin St.; 4:45 a.m. Dec. 22 (with gun). â– 3700-3799 block, New Hampshire Ave.; 1:30 p.m.

Dec. 22 (with knife).

Burglary â– 900-999 block, Farragut St.; 1 p.m. Dec. 16. â– 5000-5099 block, 7th St.; 12:30 p.m. Dec. 17. â– 900-1199 block, Gallatin St.; 6 p.m. Dec. 19.

Theft from auto â– 500-599 block, Buchanan St.; 5:41 p.m. Dec. 18. â– 700-799 block, Rock Creek Church Road; 3 p.m. Dec. 20.

Theft â– Farragut Street and Kansas Avenue; 2:35 a.m. Dec. 16. â– 100-199 block, Emerson St.; noon Dec. 17. â– 3800-3899 block, 8th St.; 11:52 p.m. Dec. 19.

The CurreNT

wedNesday, deCember 25, 2013

7

TAP: Deal Middle School seventh-graders perform in Maurice Hines show at Arena Stage

From Page 1

“They’ve always been nice to us,” Max said. “We’ve tried to do what they do, so we can be as good as them someday.”

Both Heimowitz brothers also believe they have benefited from performing together for the first time.

“It’s easier to dance with a sibling on stage,” Sam said. “You always have someone

to fall back on. Either he gets the steps first and I remember them, or I get the steps first and he remembers them.”

This ability to collaborate allowed the twins to prepare quickly for the performance.

“Nobody believed it when we said we learned it in three days, but we did,” Sam said.

If all goes well, a number of the Heimowitz brothers’ classmates will get to see the routine for themselves. Deal principal James Albright

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said he’s trying to get group tickets for middleschoolers to attend the show before it closes this weekend.

“Most kids haven’t been exposed to tap,” Albright said, crediting Sam and Max with enriching the culture at Deal. “We’re proud of them. They’re humble about their opportunities, and they’re genuinely nice guys.”

The brothers are also honors students who both see themselves growing up to become

teachers, though there is some disagreement about who set that goal first. “You can say that I wanted it first, even though he says he did,” Max said playfully.

Both plan to continue with dance, and they think more children, especially boys, ought to pursue it as well.

“Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life” runs through Dec. 29. For more information, visit arenastage.org.

8

Wednesday, december 25, 2013

ch

the northwest

Current

Davis Kennedy/Publisher & Editor Chris Kain/Managing Editor

Procure a supermajority

The D.C. Council’s role in the city’s procurement process has been a longstanding debate. Is the council serving as a valuable check on the executive branch with its ability to reject large contracts? Or does it give too much power to a body whose integrity has been repeatedly jeopardized by allegations of a pay-to-play culture?

In the wake of a heated council debate over the D.C. Department of Transportation’s $33.3 million contract with Xerox for five years of parking meter management, we would argue for a middle ground that minimizes each risk.

At-large member (and mayoral candidate) Vincent Orange attempted to rally support for competing bidder WorldWide Parking, which promised to carry out a planned meter modernization for tens of millions of dollars less than Xerox. But the Transportation Department and the Contract Appeals Board said the Rockville firm lacked the expertise to do so. (The council ultimately voted 11-2 to support Xerox, with only Mr. Orange and Ward 8’s Marion Barry dissenting.)

As we aren’t experts on parking meters, we aren’t prepared to say whether the best contractor was selected. But any argument presented by Mr. Orange on this matter — valid or not — is tainted by the fact that his mayoral campaign has received $20,000 from WorldWide Parking.

Several of Council member Orange’s colleagues spoke to this, including at-large member David Grosso, who said the issue risked “upsetting the integrity of the procurement process” and “has the appearance of corruption.”

In our view, this perception is threatening enough, even if Mr. Orange’s motives were completely pure. The council has been under an ethical cloud, and such situations do not improve its image. The status quo is not working.

At the same time, we don’t support a call from Mr. Grosso (and Ward 2’s Jack Evans, among others) to entirely remove the council’s contracting oversight. The council provides a valuable check on the executive branch, and — as noted by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson — “we don’t know what it would be like if the procurement folks did not have to face the facts that if they did something wrong, they would be challenged in a very public way.”

The compromise we propose would be to require a two-thirds supermajority for the council to overturn a contract. This would let the council block blatantly shady deals while reducing contractors’ sway. We would also encourage the council to review best practices from other jurisdictions.

A winning lottery

The currenT

n

This year, for the first time, nearly all applications for space at the city’s public and public charter schools for the next school year will be handled via one lottery. The application website, myschooldc.org, was launched last week, allowing parents to list up to 12 desired schools. The deadlines are Feb. 3 for high schools and March 3 for lower grades.

Unfortunately, the new lottery won’t change the fact that there will likely not be enough highly desirable slots to go around. But it will help with the chaotic dance that takes place each year as parents scramble to find satisfactory seats for their children. (Returning students and those planning to enroll in their in-boundary or feeder-pattern school for kindergarten or above are unaffected.)

In the past, each charter school ran its own lottery, and D.C. Public Schools conducted its own, causing both a lot of work for parents and the possibility — and actuality — of some families gaining admission to multiple popular schools and others winning a seat at none. This year, the system will aim to match as many students with a preferred school as possible.

All things considered, this seems like an improvement. Streamlining the process will reduce headaches for parents and administrators, and hopefully it will mean more students get a spot in a school they’ll be pleased to attend.

We’ve seen some debate online about whether there’s anything to be gained by listing preferences strategically — naming a less-popular school at the top of one’s list, for instance, simply because it’s a more likely “get.” City officials say that’s not the case — that parents should list schools in their true preferred order to achieve the best-matching result — and we believe that’s correct. Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth created the lottery, with one of his goals being to make it impossible to game the system. But perhaps releasing more details on how the algorithm works would set minds at ease.

It’s unfortunate that 14 of the city’s charter schools are not participating, as parents wishing to include some of those schools on their lists will have to submit separate applications to those programs. But we can understand exercising some caution while the city works out the kinks; we’ll be surprised if the effort proceeds this year without any growing pains.

Make all of your charitable gifts count VIEWPOINT daniEl k. MayErs

F

or many of us, there is a certain rhythm to this time of year that includes shopping, gathering with family and friends, and eating. And for those of us who are able, these seasonal rituals also involve making end-of-the-year contributions to nonprofits that are addressing issues we care about locally, nationally or globally.

Whether motivated by a tax deduction or more altruistic goals, you may be wondering how your charitable dollars can have the most impact. As a longtime board member of the 40-year-old Community Foundation for the National Capital Region — whose donors contributed $34 million to charitable organizations in this calendar year alone — it’s a question I’m frequently asked, one that is critical as nonprofits continue to face an increased demand and declining resources.

This year, I called upon the collective wisdom of The Community Foundation staff in compiling these end-of-the-year giving tips: ■ Make a gift and take a stand. “Look for causes and organizations that match your interests, values and beliefs,” says Silvana Straw, senior philanthropic services officer. If an after-school arts instructor changed your life, you may want to support a community-based arts program. What causes are near and dear to your family? Hunger? Animals? The environment?

■ Use your heart and your head. “I hate knowing there are hungry babies in our community,” says the director of the foundation’s Montgomery County office, C. Marie Henderson. She’s drawn to groups that provide fresh food; a safe, clean home; and access to a quality education. Beyond your desire to help others, what is the organization’s track record?

Specifically, the foundation staff looks at managerial capacity, programmatic strength, potential impact in the community, board and staff leadership, and financial stability.

■ Short-term vs. long-term impact. Are you interest-

LETTErS TO ThE EDITOr Broad Branch needs sidewalk to 32nd St.

Just the other day, my husband and I were talking about how ridiculous is the suggestion to put a sidewalk and bike lane on Broad Branch Road, bordering Rock Creek Park, but to terminate them at Brandywine Street. The sidewalk and bike lane should run the entire length of Broad Branch Road to 32nd Street, at which point the street already has a sidewalk. This will ensure that pedestrians and cyclists of all ability levels in Chevy Chase and the rest of Upper Northwest have safe access to the park. It will also spare drivers the aggravation of passing people on foot and bike while navigating the most winding part of the road.

I live on 32nd Street and use this stretch of road often as a driver, pedestrian and cyclist. I’m also the parent of two toddlers, with whom I love to stroll in the park. I wish we could access the park without having to drive to the lot where Broad Branch

ed in groups that provide direct services (provide groceries that will feed a family this week), or those working for long-term change (funding advocacy efforts aimed at ending hunger over the long term)?

Both can be effective ways to give.

■ Tap into local resources. The Community Foundation staff evaluates its grantees and other regional organizations so it knows which groups use resources effectively and have the management capacity to achieve their goals. The Catalogue for Philanthropy is another local resource.

■ Only donations to qualified charitable organizations are tax deductible. Check each organization’s nonprofit status, advises Alicia Reed, director of grants administration. To confirm that you are giving to a legitimate 501(c)(3) in good standing, visit irs.gov.

■ Involve the next generation. If you have children, nieces or nephews, involve them in the decisionmaking from an early age and reinforce the old adage that “it’s better to give than to receive.”

■ Give your time. Seek out opportunities to volunteer, from helping at a soup kitchen to offering your professional skills to serving as a board member. It’s a valuable way to determine whether you want to make a financial contribution.

■ Don’t judge a nonprofit by its overhead. There may be a good reason for that overhead. For example, the majority of expenses for a nonprofit mental health care provider may go toward rent for office space and salaries for professional therapists.

■ Give collectively. By combining your charitable contribution with others — through a giving circle, a local community foundation or workplace matching gift program — your donation will go even further.

■ Consider where the need is greatest. “At The Community Foundation,” says president Terri Lee Freeman, “we invest in nonprofits that strengthen the safety net, help low-income workers launch careers and go to college, and provide opportunities for youth to thrive.”

Daniel K. Mayers is a Northwest resident and a board member of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region.

meets Beach Drive. It seems so silly, given how close we are, to load up the car to go take a walk, but I wouldn’t consider pushing a stroller down that road. A sidewalk extending the entire way to 32nd would be a boon for all the families of Chevy Chase.

But a sidewalk that ends at Brandywine Street would be great only for those people on Brandywine and in the nearby Forest Hills neighborhood. There is no way I’m pushing a double stroller up that long, steep hill. I won’t ride a bike up it to get home. I can’t. I used to get around by bike a lot more before my kids were born, and one hot summer day I was riding down Broad Branch to cut through the park to Adams Morgan but discovered the road closed and was forced to ride up Brandywine. I eventually had to get off my bike and push.

To suggest that pedestrians and cyclists traverse that hill and the others thereafter — in the neighborhood named for its hills

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

— instead of continuing alongside the creek seems like the worst possible solution. Many trees will come down to build a sidewalk few will use. It’s sad to lose trees, and the number sounds staggering in the proposals to extend the sidewalk and bike paths the entire length of Broad Branch, but that’s what’s necessary to make them functional for a significantly greater number of users. There will be plenty of trees left and more people will actually able to enjoy them safely, while opening an important route for cyclists.

Jay Hardee Chevy Chase

D.C.’s ‘war on cars’ yielded bad decision

The decision by the D.C. Department of Transportation to eliminate a couple of traffic lanes on Wisconsin Avenue as this main north/south artery passes through Glover Park is incomprehensible, irrational, illogical, arrogant and just plain stupid. It can be explained and understood only in the context of the District’s war on cars.

Robert C. Raczynski American University Park

The currenT

D.C. charter reform provides accountability VIEWPOINT rOBErT CanE

T

he District’s independent Public Charter School Board decided unanimously to close Options Public Charter School last week. This follows the recent civil lawsuit brought by the D.C. attorney general against three former senior administrators of Options — a tragic turn in the history of the 17-yearold school, which enrolls at-risk youth from the sixth through the 12th grades.

The attorney general contends that the administrators engaged in a “pattern of self-dealing,� profiting from a complex scheme to provide Options with needed services at greatly inflated prices.

The lawsuit alleges that the administrators created two corporations, of which the former chief executive of Options was named president. These companies were awarded lucrative contracts by the school, including management services and bus transportation worth more than $3 million. According to the complaint, school officials also received sizable bonuses before taking management positions at the companies.

Officials at the D.C. Public Charter School Board, which oversees the charter schools, acted quickly once they learned of the alleged abuses, providing the information to the attorney general’s office that forms the basis of the lawsuit. The board also started proceedings to revoke the school’s charter while a D.C. Superior Court judge appointed two receivers — one to manage the school and another to manage the two for-profit companies set up by school officials.

Of course, swift action by District authorities, though laudable, is no substitute for the prevention of the kinds of abuses alleged in the suit. To this end, the charter board has established new controls to ensure greater scrutiny of contracts that charters enter. The board also is pursuing tighter policies on contracting and conflicts of interest. And the U.S. attorney’s office is looking into the possibility of criminal liability.

As distressing as the Options affair is, it should not obscure the overwhelmingly positive influence of the District’s public charter school reform over the last 18 years.

Long-term neglect of public education in the nation’s capital led to the passage of D.C.’s charter school law in 1996. The law permitted education reformers to start and run schools that would be fully

LETTErS TO ThE EDITOr City shouldn’t widen Broad Branch road

The city is studying various options for the restoration of Broad Branch Road, as announced in the D.C. Department of Transportation’s environmental assessment.

The board of the Crestwood Citizens Association regards Alternative 2 — rebuilding the road without widening it — as the only feasible option for restoring the road in the most cost-effective manner.

Crestwood is adjacent to this road. The road is critical to Crestwood and other D.C. neighborhoods east of Rock Creek Park. It provides one of the few vehicular transportation corridors across the park at our latitude. We need to fix

public. These tuition-free, non-selective public schools, funded by city dollars, are able to choose their own instructional methods, hire and fire teachers as needed, and control their finances — while being held strictly accountable for improved student performance.

By 1996, when the first two charters opened, D.C. Public Schools had lost nearly half of its enrollment.

Many schoolhouses lay derelict, or had been sold to become luxury condominiums. Many schools were greatly underenrolled, and some were unsafe. About half the students dropped out before graduating.

Not surprisingly under these circumstances, parents flocked to public charter schools, whose enrollment has now swelled to 44 percent of public school students.

District charter schools received 22,000 applications surplus to places last school year. Today, the District’s charters have an average on-time high school graduation rate that is 21 percentage points higher than the average for the D.C. Public Schools system. And at many public charter high schools — including east of the Anacostia River — 100 percent of graduating students are accepted to college.

D.C. charter students also outperform their D.C. Public Schools peers on the city’s standardized math and reading tests in all wards except Ward 3, where there are no charters. Charters’ superior academic performance is particularly pronounced in economically disadvantaged wards 7 and 8, where charter students score on average 19 percentage points higher in reading and 25 points higher in math on standardized tests.

The charter reform’s success was critical in the 2007 decision of the D.C. Council to make the mayor directly accountable for the school system. This led to the appointment of two reforming chancellors — Michelle Rhee and Kaya Henderson. A six-year improvement in D.C. Public Schools student performance followed, although school performance lags behind charters.

In the context of the D.C. charter school success story, the Options affair should be seen for what it is: an aberration. Let’s do everything we can to ensure that it doesn’t happen again, and, while we’re at it, let’s rededicate ourselves to pulling charters from school operators who fail to significantly improve the academic performance of their students. But all the while, let’s remember the public charter reform’s shining record of success — especially among the District’s most disadvantaged students.

Robert Cane is executive director of Friends of Choice in Urban Schools.

it now.

There are many reasons the other options are not feasible. ■Alternative 1 (“do nothing�) is not viable because the roadbed is dangerously close to collapsing in places. Many of us have noticed that the stream has created holes under the roadbed, thereby risking the road’s collapse. ■Alternative 4 would require extensive site acquisition. The city does not currently own the land necessary to expand the right of way from 33 feet to 47 feet to add a bike lane. The additional land needed is owned by other countries, and U.S. State Department negotiations would entail an unwarranted delay. ■The incremental cost of Alternatives 3 and 4 ($5.2 million and $8.1 million, respectively) doesn’t include the design and the right-ofway acquisition costs that would be necessary for implementation. The

longer we wait to fix the road, the higher the cost and the greater the risks to the public. â– The time needed for completion of these alternatives is too great for the road to be out of commission. â– Alternatives 3 and 4 could destroy more trees, cause greater destruction of the hillside on the west side and require installation of more extensive retaining walls than would Alternative 2.

Rehabilitating the road function in the quickest, most cost-effective way is in D.C.’s interest. The city has an obligation to maintain the road for safe operation, and the Department of Transportation has not done its job. Alternative 2 would best accomplish what should have been done all along. Let’s not waste time and money studying alternatives that are not feasible.

Gale Black Commissioner, ANC 4A08

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 should be addressed to letters to the Editor, The Current, Post Office Box 40400, Washington, d.C. 20016-0400. you may send email to letters@currentnewspapers.com.

Wednesday, december 25, 2013

9

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10 Wednesday, december 25, 2013

The currenT

Spotlight on Schools Annunciation Catholic School

In history, we were each given a line of the Gettysburg Address, and Mr. Finan taped us saying it. He then put all the clips together to make a movie of the whole speech.

What I liked about the assignment was that it was fun and people tried their best. I think that my classmates had nice firm voices when they said their lines from the speech. It was a really fun activity, and I liked watching the video. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Micah Major, fifth-grader

British School of Washington

In Year 3 Nottingham Class, for our International Primary Curriculum unit, we have been learning about inventions that changed the world. We started our topic by turning our classroom into a Victorian classroom. We dressed in clothes that had no zippers (invented 1891) or Velcro (invented 1948) as they had not been invented in the Victorian era (1830s to early 1900s).

We realized we could not use plastic chairs or anything else made from plastic as it was not widely available and was far too expensive then. We had to copy from the board and did not use the interactive Smart Board that day.

We realized the life of Victorian children was tough and difficult.

As part of our topic, we went on to learn about different inventions, including why they were invented and by whom. We also tried thinking of inventions ourselves and used the story of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goldilocks and the Three Bearsâ&#x20AC;? to inspire us. We started by thinking of a problem in the story and then coming up with a solution to that

School DISPATCHES problem. For example, some children came up with the idea of combining a fridge and a microwave together to make a â&#x20AC;&#x153;microridge.â&#x20AC;? This invention would turn the food to the right temperature with a simple click of the button. If the Three Bears had had this invention, they would never have had to go for a walk in the woods and give Goldilocks a chance to break in to their home. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Nottingham Class (second-graders)

Georgetown Day School

The infamous rivalry between Sidwell Friends and Georgetown Day was recently stirred up when our basketball teams met for the first time this season. The very live and hyped-up event took place at our home court, where the Quakers have not been defeated in the past few years. The Mighty Hoppers started off strong, outscoring the Quakers in the first three quarters of the game. The fourth quarter was a tense nail-biter as Sidwell came within three points of our lead. In the end, the Mighty Hoppers clinched victory, beating Sidwell 55-50. The teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading scorers were Cameron Koubek, Greg Connors, Eric Contee and Matt Paschall, who together scored nearly 80 percent of the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s points. The squad moves to 5-3 overall as the players take time to rest and train over winter break.

In other holiday-spirited news, multiple holiday concerts and dance performances have taken place in recent weeks. First, Fata Morgana, our schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dance troupe, founded in 1996, staged a

Jewish Primary Day School of the Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capital inspiring children, enriching families, building community

show consisting of ballet, jazz, hiphop, contemporary and Bollywoodthemed dances. The dance troupe, which performs twice a year, had a huge success with more than 500 spectators attending. Second, members of our schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s orchestra, jazz ensemble and lab band came together to hold the annual Winter Concert last Tuesday. Last, our 200-plus choral students from the lower, middle and high schools performed at the National City Christian Church last Wednesday. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Carlton Marshall II, 12th-grader

Murch Elementary

The first-graders went to see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Elephant & Piggieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s We Are in a Playâ&#x20AC;? at the Kennedy Center. We liked the part when Piggie had to go to the bathroom really badly because Gerald was holding on to Piggie, thinking she was going away, but really she was just going to the bathroom. One silly part was when Piggie and the squirrels forced Gerald to dance by dancing around him. Then he showed them how to do the elephant dance. We were surprised that at the end the boys in the audience got to clap, the girls said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Banana,â&#x20AC;? and the grownups moved their hands. We enjoyed the play. It was really fun.

We think that other kids would enjoy seeing it. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gil Leifman and Lily Carr, first-graders

Our Lady of Victory School

On Monday, Dec. 16, Our Lady of Victory students in grades pre-K through eighth performed the annual Christmas program.

The beginner band, which has about 16 students in it, performed first. This is my first year playing the saxophone. Other people in my grade play the saxophone, too. We even have four trombone players!

Beginner band practices every Monday afternoon. On the day of the Christmas program we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound very good in practice, and so

we were a little nervous about how we would sound during the concert. We played three short songs and I thought we sounded pretty good. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jingle Bellsâ&#x20AC;? was definitely our best. Our band director, Mr. McNamara, is very patient and gives us good advice and encouragement. I definitely want to do band again next year.

The advanced band played several songs after us. After that, the Christmas play started. Hess, our auditorium, was packed with smiling parents and grandparents. Each grade sang a different song in the Christmas program. The eighthgraders acted out a play before and after all of our songs. They get the talking roles, like the narration.

I started going to Our Lady of Victory in pre-K, and every year the parents cheer the loudest for the pre-K kids who sing a song while wearing gold star costumes. The Christmas program is really fun because I remember being in pre-K and wearing the same gold star costumes and hearing everyone clap for us. Merry Christmas, everyone! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Charlie Farley, fourth-grader

Ross Elementary

What are Ross students doing now? Well, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re showing their love of writing by making their own Ross Roadrunners newspaper articles! I have read it and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astonishing because I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe kids made this. I am excited for the other articles that are coming out next. This is our first edition. It is called Ross Roadrunner Post.

They are also showing their love of writing by having publishing parties. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what a publishing party is, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basically a classroom full of parents/teachers who read the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work. I enjoy publishing parties because others and I could read studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work, which is really good.

The fourth- and fifth-graders enjoyed a trip to the National

Building Museum. I expected to see the beauty inside of the museum. I also enjoy architecture, so I was preparing to see buildings or models of astonishing buildings.

Also our librarian, Mr. Flanagan, did a puppet show based on the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gingerbread Manâ&#x20AC;? to the preschool and pre-K. He and Mrs. Juriga, our pre-K teacher, got together to talk about some things the kids would enjoy doing with the story. I hope the kids will enjoy this because Mr. Flanagan was preparing the puppet show for a long time.

For our new science unit, we will be learning about processes that change the shape of the earth, which basically is about volcanoes, minerals and many other elements.

Have a happy holiday and a happy new year! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jonathan Velasquez, fifth-grader

St. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Academy

With Christmas just around the corner, the fourth grade has been very busy. We prepared for our annual Christmas concert with the third-graders. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert went perfectly and we all shared some Christmas cheer in the gym afterward with some cookies and punch. We are having a Secret Santa book exchange in the classroom where students have secretly picked a name and will buy a book for another classmate. We also shared in decorating our classroomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s door and Christmas tree.

With the season of Advent comes great joy! We wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

In addition to the many Christmas activities, we have been learning many new things. In math we are spending a great amount of time on multiplication and division.

In science, we are studying the Earth and our solar system. We have a field trip to the National Air and Space Museum to enrich our learning of space exploration and the universe. In social studies we are studying about our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s democratic system of government and good citizenship. We do a great deal in reading, including spelling, vocabulary, grammar and new comprehension skills. Learning all these new ideas can be hard work, but it is also fun! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fourth-graders

School Without Walls Senior High School

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Happy holidays, everyone!

School Without Walls students are currently enjoying their break after a busy last week of school. Midterms were held on the last week before the break and students, often with multiple tests a day, scrambled to study for their upcoming exams.

Once these were over, however, a great relief was found throughout the school. With midterm tests being taken before the break, many students can sit back and relax just a little more without this added See Dispatches/Page 18

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December 25, 2013 ■ Page 11

St. Albans eyes second chance at crown

By BRIAN KAPUR Current Staff Writer

Brian Kapur/The Current

Sophomore guard George Walker, above left, steps into a major role after St. Albans graduated seven seniors.

The Bulldogs clawed their way into the Interstate Athletic Conference championship game last February, but they fell short to Bullis, losing 63-61 in the title tilt. The boys enter this season motivated to redeem themselves, but a run at the IAC crown could be difficult after graduating seven important rotational players from last year’s team.

“We’re definitely hungry because we’re trying to win,” said senior guard Justin Jarvis. “We’re building as a new team since we lost so many people. With new people coming in, we’re working with them and hopefully we’ll get to a spot where we can contend.”

So far this season, the Bulldogs are off to a slow start, with a 1-4 record. But that hasn’t been discouraging.

“Right now it’s just trying to get the guys who didn’t play much last year to take over their roles,” said coach O.J. Johnson. “They’re all working hard every day and trying to get those reps and minutes so we will be ready to compete.”

The Bulldogs lost All-IAC play-

ers Michael Sniezek and Lloyd Howell, but the cupboard is hardly bare. Matt Sniezek, a fluid athlete who also stars for the Bulldogs’ football team, is poised to become the team’s engine. The senior guard — Michael’s younger brother — is a dynamite player on both ends of the floor.

“Great all-around athlete,” said Johnson. “He’s a great defender, player, shooter, and just does everything.”

Jarvis also returns to the lineup, fitting the St. Albans mold as a do-itall type of player. “He’s a great shooter and great all-around defender,” said Johnson.

With so many holes created by the seven departed players, there are opportunities for new players to step into big roles. Among them is sophomore guard William Howell, who will run the point this season after seeing some playing time as a freshman.

“He played for us last year, and he’s a really heady and steady player,” said Johnson. “He’s a very good shooter. We’re really going to lean on him this year.”

While the Bulldogs are loaded at guard, they also bring size in the

paint with junior Brandon Galloway.

“He is a great all-around player down low for us in the post,” said Johnson. The team also has a strong rebounder in sophomore George Walker.

The Bulldogs should also get a boost from junior forward Daniel Armagh and sophomore forward Areohn Harrison, the tallest player on the team at 6 feet 8 inches.

Another key returning player is senior guard Azaan Wilbon.

With so many transitions, the Bulldogs’ focus hasn’t been on success at early-season tournaments, but instead on getting ready for January — when IAC play begins.

“We want to continue to grow as the season goes along,” said Johnson. “We definitely want to get ready for IAC play. Our goal is always to finish in the top three. We want to use this next month to prepare for our IAC home opener on Jan. 10.”

The players hope that if they stick to Johnson’s schedule, they’ll have a shot at championship redemption in February.

“Being so close to winning the championship, this year we’re trying to come back and definitely get it this time,” said Sniezek.

GDS rebuilds after losing star pair

By BRIAN KAPUR Current Staff Writer

Georgetown Day School’s girls basketball team enjoyed a successful season last winter, knocking off the likes of Independent School League stalwarts Visitation and Bullis in the process.

The Hoppers’ play in those contests raised the bar at Georgetown Day, but the team comes into this season in rebuilding mode.

Georgetown Day lost Division I players Caira Washington and Zoe Beard-Fails, who now play for George Washington University and the University of Colorado respectively.

“You don’t replace players like Caira and Zoe, and I would add that we had two fouryear starters in Courtney Bell and Tiana Walker,” said coach Bobby Asher. “When you have two Division I players from a school like ours, they’re not replaceable.”

Their departure has left the Hoppers with a young — but talented — roster with room to grow.

“We have got a very young group with some seniors,” said Asher. “It’s their turn.

We’re getting better every time we go out. I’m very excited. I love all that we’re trying to do.

We’re not perfect yet, but we’re doing some things really well.”

The team will lean on a trio of senior guards — Emily Vogt, Catherine Ragonese and Rachel Schneiderman. Asher said they have all paid their dues by setting an intense

practice pace over the last few years despite seeing only limited playing time.

“They have been dutifully watching and practicing hard, for years,” the coach said.

“They bring leadership and desire. They bring a work ethic. They’ve sacrificed a lot. The pace of practice is as good as it’s ever been.”

Another advantage Asher sees with his seniors is their diverse athletic backgrounds.

“They’re all multi-sport athletes — volleyball, lacrosse, cross-country and softball,” he said. “They’ve all played year-round sports, and they’re pure athletes.”

The team also brings back sophomore guard Gabi Preston, a go-to offense player.

“Gabi is a wildly talented athlete,” said Asher. “We knew that the second that she stepped on to the court. Her physical skills are extraordinary. She will continue to get better.

She really can do it all.”

For returning players like Preston, the idea isn’t to fill the shoes of Washington or BeardFails, but to build on the foundation they both left.

“We want to play as well as we can. It would be great to win a trophy,” said Preston.

“We just want to play to the best of our abilities.”

The sophomore relishes the chance to step into a prominent position on the team with more responsibility.

“I’ve played big roles on teams prior to high school,” Preston said. “I saw this coming See Hoppers/Page 12

Brian Kapur/The Current

Hoppers sophomore Gabi Preston, center, is going to be counted on as a scorer.

12 Wednesday, december 25, 2013

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Northwest Sports

Cadets senior repeats as Gatorade winner

By BRIAN KAPUR Current Staff Writer

St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior Becca Bateman was on her way to class recently when she realized somebody was shouting her name. Turning around, she realized it was Cadets volleyball coach Bill Pribac, sprinting down the hallway with news she could hardly believe: She had won a second-straight D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year award on Dec. 12. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was in shock when he told me,â&#x20AC;? Bateman wrote in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe that it is an honor to be a two time winner. All it does is make me want to work harder and just strive for more.â&#x20AC;?

Several former Cadets have won the honor over the years, including sisters Darian and Kristen Dozier.

Bateman fit the award criteria by balancing both academic and athletic success. The senior, who has a 3.54 GPA, led the Cadets to victory in the inaugural D.C. State Volleyball Invitational championship in November and a 21-7 overall record.

Over her four seasons with the Cadets, Bateman dished out 708 assists and scored on 58 kills and 92 aces. On defense, she had 121 digs and earned All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference honors three times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Becca Batemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership has been uncanny and unmatched for our team,â&#x20AC;? Pribac said in a news release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She leads by example on and off the court.â&#x20AC;?

Bateman has two particular memories that stand out from her four years of play.

The first was during her sophomore season, at the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual game to raise breast cancer awareness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best moment as a team was when we beat Holy Cross for our dig pink game,â&#x20AC;? wrote Bateman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That

Brian Kapur/Current file photo

Cadets senior setter Becca Bateman, above right, recently committed to play at the college level for Marymount University in Arlington, Va. game had to be the best game for all of us. The reason it is my favorite memory is because that is the moment my team came together as a team.â&#x20AC;?

Her favorite moment from her last season was during senior day, when the Cadets upset Paul VI. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was another game where my team was much more than a team, we were a family,â&#x20AC;? she wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reason that all of my memories have to do with my team, is because I would not be receiving this award

Sports Desk Nationals sign Wilson alumnus

The Washington Nationals signed shortstop Emmanuel Burriss â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a Wilson High alumnus â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to a minor league contract, according to the transaction list posted to the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website on Dec. 19.

Burriss, who played at the college level for Kent State, has played in the majors for the San Francisco Giants at various points since 2008 and spent last season with the Cincinnati Redsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; farm system. The 2003 Wilson graduate has played in 282 major league games and 475 in the minors.

Title IX tourney begins Friday

The fifth annual National Title IX Holiday Invita-

without them.â&#x20AC;?

While her time with the St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball team is over, her time on the court isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Bateman recently committed to play at the college level for Marymount University in Arlington, Va. She credits her coaches and time at St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for her development and accolades. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All I know is that I would not be the volleyball player I am today without SJC and the supporting community that I have there,â&#x20AC;? Bateman wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;

tional Conference and Classic begins Thursday, with girls basketball games at Trinity Washington University and Wilson High.

Wilson, Visitation and Coolidge will represent the Northwest D.C. area in the event.

Events DC joins its sponsors to host the tournament, which is named after the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The combination of education and sports continues to produce spectacular results for these young ladies, and it is important to showcase the strides made for girls and women in athletics in this country,â&#x20AC;? Erik Moses, managing director of Events DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sports and Entertainment Division, said in a release.

More details about the event and a full schedule is available at sankofaproject.org.

HOPPERS: Young nucleus inspires Georgetown Day From Page 11

when I came in as a freshman â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you have four starting seniors, obviously youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to take a big role next year.â&#x20AC;?

The team will also get a boost from freshman guard Kendal Edwards.

Despite having so many new faces in big roles, the Hoppers are off to a strong 6-5 record, giving

them confidence as they head into the heart of their schedule. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re further along than where I thought we would be,â&#x20AC;? said Preston Georgetown Day will be back in action on Jan. 7 against Stone Ridge.

A Look at the Market in Northwest Washington

December 25, 2013 â&#x2013; Page 13

Elegant Victorian is neighborhood favorite in Chevy Chase

T

his Victorian home for sale in Chevy Chase sits elegantly on the tree-lined Ingomar Street, framed with a white picket

ON THE MARKET KAT luCeRO

fence and hydrangea plantings.

The century-old abode has been in loving hands, with recent additions including a first-floor sunroom, a third-floor balcony and several modern amenities. For the most part, though, the 1912 yellow house has maintained a timeless look, with its white trimming, dark green shutters and bay windows.

Located at 3815 Ingomar St., this six-bedroom and four-and-halfbath home is now on the market for $2,695,000.

Although luscious greenery takes up a good portion of the front, the curb appeal is immediately evident through a wraparound porch lined with decorative millwork.

When The Current featured the same property eight years ago, the column highlighted the beveled front door, which is still in place.

The former two-tier wooden steps, however, have been replaced by brick, matching the walkway up to

the elevated home.

The interior continues to showcase the elegance maintained by the current owners â&#x20AC;&#x201D; avid preservationists who have also modernized outdated elements.

The foyer is adorned with parquet floors, wainscoting and wall sconces. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a walk-in hallway closet between the entryway and stairs.

The sun-filled living room lies to the east, enhanced by large bay windows. This inviting area features high ceilings, built-in bookcases from floor to ceiling, and a woodburning, rosy-marble fireplace.

Across from the living room is a dining room lined with more attractive millwork, including coffered ceilings. Another fireplace, similar in appearance to the one in the living room, is flanked by two tall windows overlooking the rear terrace.

Lined with walls of glass, the airy sunroom encompasses the rest of the first floorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s east side. Arched French doors lead out to the porchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side portion. Coffered ceilings embellish this spacious room, which is accessible from the living and dining areas.

From here, straight to the kitchen, one must go through the butlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

pantry. The built-in wooden China cabinetry here has been part of the house for ages.

Across from the pantry is a powder room.

Bright and inviting, the corner kitchen offers high-quality stainless steel appliances, including a large Traulsen glass-doored refrigerator, KitchenAid dishwasher and Wolf six-burner range and oven.

It also has white cabinets and beadboard ceilings, as well as butcher block countertops. Adding a punchy contrast to these neutrals are the copper hood over the stove and multicolored backsplash. An up-lighting iron chandelier also beautifies this space.

Off to the side is a staircase going up to the second floor and a door to the terrace.

Next to the kitchen, left of the entry, is a red-hued library. This cozy spot has built-in shelves, a bay window facing the side driveway, dark-stained wood trimmings and a decorative gas fireplace.

The second floor has four bed-

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Photos courtesy of Washington Fine Properties

This six-bedroom home in Chevy Chase is priced at $2,695,000. rooms filled with built-in shelving.

The master suite features front-facing windows and a fireplace with black marble. Its corner private bath has closets with mirrors, a whirlpool tub and separate shower, a pedestal sink, and windows with plantation shutters.

Connected to the master is the second bedroom, currently used as a sitting room. To the east is a corner office surrounded by windows.

Along the hallway are two smaller bedrooms, a shared bath with marble floors, and staircases to the kitchen and upper level.

The top floor has two sleeping areas, a shared bath with a clawfoot tub, ample closet space and angled ceilings. The largest room

has access to a new open balcony.

Three floors down is the lower level, with French country tiles, a counter with a copper sink, a wine cellar, and door to the rear garden.

This area also offers the fourth bath, laundry space, and additional storage and built-in shelves.

This six-bedroom, four-and-ahalf-bath property at 3815 Ingomar St. is offered for $2,695,000. For more information contact Washington Fine Properties Inc.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heidi Hatfield at 202-258-1919 or heidi. hatfield@wfp.com; Anne Hatfield Weir, 202-255-2490, anne.weir@ wfp.com; Andrea Hatfield, 202-4874294, andrea.hatfield@wfp.com; or Tammy Gale, 202-297-0169, tammy.gale@wfp.com.

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5 BRs, 3.5 BAs. Open TS kit/family rm.

Walk out LL w/bar. Fenced rear yard.

Walk to Metro, shops & parks. $749,000 Suzanne Blouin  301-641-8448 Laura McCaffrey 301- 641-4456

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Chevy Chase, MD. Sunny brick split level. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths include a special tree] top 3rd flr MBR suite & LL au-pair suite. Built-ins, TS kitchen. Patio. Off street parking. $679,000 Phil Sturm  301-213-3528

CHEVY CHASE 4400 JENIFER STREET NW 202-364-1700

Glover Park. Large 1 bedroom in the heart of Glover Park.

Gourmet kit w/granite & SS. W/D,open flr plan. Patio roof top deck. Pet friendly. Across from Whole Foods, next to Starbucks for your morning boost! $365,000 Amy Chew  202-333-4257

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First Choice!

Cleveland Park Large 1 bedroom at The Essex. Quiet outlook, renovated bath, balcony. 24 hr desk, roof deck.

Walk to Metro, shops & restaurants. $230,000 Andrea Evers  202-550-8934 Melissa Chen  202-744-1235

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The best location in Washington real estate.

The Current Newspapers Northwest, Georgetown, Dupont, Foggy Bottom

ANC 3E ANC 3E Tenleytown â&#x2013; american university park American University Park friendship heiGhts / tenleytown At the commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dec. 12 meeting: â&#x2013; commissioners voted 4-0, with Kathryn Tinker absent, to support the proposed $4.85 million addition to Janney Elementary School at 4130 Albemarle St. The D.C. Department of General Services plan calls for building two stories on top of a single-story portion of the existing school, with the primary goal of providing more classroom space to Janneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing student body. The project would be completed by August 2014. â&#x2013; commissioners voted 4-0 to request that the D.C. Public Space Committee reschedule its Dec. 19 hearing on Douglas Developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public space application for 4600 Wisconsin Ave., the former site of Babeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Billiards. They also said they would oppose the application if this request for rescheduling is denied, because they need more time to review updated plans for the Tenley View apartment project Douglas has proposed. â&#x2013; at-large D.C. Council member David Catania discussed his recent work as chair of the councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Education Committee. One of the topics he addressed was his â&#x20AC;&#x153;D.C. Promiseâ&#x20AC;? legislation, which would give qualifying District students up to $60,000 each to help pay for college. The Education Committee unanimously approved the bill this month.

The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9. The location has not been determined.

For details, visit anc3e.org.

ANC 3F ANCHills 3F Forest â&#x2013; forest hills / north cleveland park At the commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dec. 17 meeting: â&#x2013; commissioner Mary Beth Ray announced that the Van Ness Vision committee will meet on Friday, Jan. 10, at a time and place to be announced.

She also reported that small business grants up to $85,000 are available to some merchants on Connecticut Avenue between Macomb and Albemarle streets as a part of the mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Streets initiative.

Applications are due Feb. 17. â&#x2013; commissioner Sally Gresham reported that WAMU plans to hold an open house on Feb. 1 from noon to 2 p.m. at its new media center at 4401 Connecticut Ave. â&#x2013; University of the District of Columbia officials detailed their landscaping plans in connection with the new student center under construction at Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street. The $40 million project is due to be completed in spring 2015.

Commissioner Mary Beth Ray suggested that the university consider Friday afternoon jazz concerts and community art shows, and to provide healthy food options at the student center. Officials said they

Chevy Chase Citizens Association

Residents can become better informed about public safety in our Chevy Chase neighborhood by attending the police community meeting for our Police Service Area 201 that is held regularly on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Ave. NW. Lt. Antonio Charland usually provides an update about public safety issues in our community and is available to address any additional public safety concerns. All are welcome to attend. The next meeting will be on Jan. 7.

In addition, the 2nd District Citizens Advisory Council is a volunteer organization that works together with police officers to improve public safety in the 2nd District, including in our PSA 201. The council meets regularly with 2nd District Cmdr. Michael Reese and a representative of the U.S. Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office, on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the 2nd District Headquarters, 3320 Idaho Ave. NW. The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22. All are welcome to attend.

Our Neighborhood Watch Program is also an excellent way for residents to become more informed and to form bonds to maintain our neighborhood, both as a deterrent for crime and as a means to address quality-of-life issues. Currently, more than 230 blocks in the Chevy Chase area are covered by block captains who provide the focal point for the distribution of public safety and other communication to, from and among the residents on their blocks or in their apartment buildings (which are considered â&#x20AC;&#x153;blocksâ&#x20AC;?). If you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure whether your block is covered, please contact Neighborhood Watch Program director Samantha Nolan at nolantutor@yahoo.com.

In other news, the next meeting of the Chevy Chase D.C. Library Mystery Book Club will be on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. at 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW. New members are welcome. The monthly book selection is â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Beautiful Mystery,â&#x20AC;? by Louise Penny. Copies of the book are available and on display next to the libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information desk. To learn more, contact Tracy Myers at tracy.myers@dc.gov. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jonathan Lawlor would consider the suggestions. â&#x2013; commissioners voted unanimously to form an ad hoc committee to research ways to minimize traffic on 37th Street between Porter and Van Ness streets between 3 and 4 p.m., when both Sidwell Friends and Hearst Elementary schools let out.

Vanessa Johnson, a Sidwell parent, said there were no problems when parking was once banned on one side of the street due to sidewalk construction. â&#x2013; commissioner voted unanimously to support completion of a permeable sidewalk on 37th Street between Upton and Van Ness streets. â&#x2013; commissioners voted 5-0, with Mary Beth Ray abstaining, to seek a change to the proposed Sexual Assault Victimsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rights Act of 2013.

Commissioner Manolis Priniotakis said the bill should ensure that victims to have access to sexual abuse advocates during interviews with hospital personnel, prosecutors or law enforcement officers. â&#x2013; commissioner Sally Gresham reported above-grade demolition of 4455 Connecticut Ave. will continue in January and that preparations for below-grade demolition will require a six-month closure of the sidewalk, as there is risk of collapse. Developer B.F. Saul and the D.C. Department of Transportation are working on sidewalk safety plans once it reopens. The bus stop there has been relocated. â&#x2013; treasurer Bob Summersgill reported that the commission has an available balance of $136,263.59.

The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, at the Methodist Home of D.C., 4901 Connecticut Ave. NW. For details, call 202-670-7262 or

visit anc3f.us.

ANC 3/4G ANCChase 3/4G Chevy â&#x2013; chevy chase

The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, at the Chevy Chase Community Center, Connecticut Avenue and McKinley Street NW. Agenda items include: â&#x2013; election of officers. â&#x2013; adoption of commission bylaws, consideration of a resolution to participate in the advisory neighborhood commission security fund, and consideration of 2014 meeting dates. â&#x2013; vote on a grant application by Friendship Place. â&#x2013; update on Calvin Cafritz Enterprisesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; project at 5333 Connecticut Ave. For details, send an email to chevychaseanc3@verizon.net or call 202-363-5803.

ANC 4A ANC Village 4A Colonial â&#x2013; colonial villaGe / crestwood Shepherd Park shepherd park / briGhtwood Crestwood 16th street heiGhts The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at Fort Stevens Recreation Center, 13th and Van Buren streets NW. For details, call 202-450-6225 or visit anc4a.org.

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

â&#x2013; petworth/16th street heiGhts

The commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW. For details, call 202-723-6670 or visit anc4c.org.

The CurrenT

Christmas Scenes Photos by Bill Petros

Clockwise from the top:

■ Santa Claus greets families at a Christmas tree lighting sponsored by

Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets.

■ Nearly 400 tuba, sousaphone and euphonium players perform as part of the annual “Merry TubaChristmas” performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.

■ Stephanie Johnson lights a decorative candle prior to the start of the Washington Sängerbund’s annual German Christmas concert at the United Church in Foggy Bottom.

■ Santa Claus attends a holiday photo session sponsored by the Washington Humane Society at the Pro Feed Pet Nutrition Center on MacArthur Boulevard.

■ Tyler Vargo of Pittsburgh poses with a Nutcracker soldier stationed outside Clyde’s of Georgetown.

■ Adventure Theatre’s Heather Haney and Andrew Ferlo portray Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden during the annual Russian Winter Festival at the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens.

Wednesday, deCember 25, 2013

15

16 Wednesday, december 25, 2013

Wednesday, Dec. 25

Wednesday DECEmbEr 25 Concerts â&#x2013; Organists Christopher Betts and Benjamin Straley will perform a Christmas Day recital with soprano Rosa Lamoreaux. 5:15 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202-537-6200. â&#x2013; The Millennium Stageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15th annual All-Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam will feature drummer Lenny Robinson, trumpeter Tom Williams, bassist James King, vocalist Delores Williams and host Chuck Redd. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.

Services â&#x2013; The Washington National Cathedral will celebrate Christmas with a Festival Holy Eucharist service, at 11 a.m.; and soloist Rosa Lamoreaux will perform at the Christmas Day Service of Lessons and Carols, at 4 p.m. Free. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. 202-537-6200. â&#x2013; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, will lead the Solemn Christmas Day Mass, at noon; and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, will lead the Spanish-language Christmas Day Mass, at 2:30 p.m. Free. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300.

Special event â&#x2013; The Washington Harbour ice rink will offer public skating. Noon to 9 p.m. $8 to $10. Washington Harbour, 3000 K St. NW. 202-706-7666. Regular hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., Friday from noon to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 26

Thursday DECEmbEr 26 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program â&#x2013; A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Winter Break Drop-In Programâ&#x20AC;?

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Events Entertainment will offer a chance to create a sculpture using Model Magic (for ages 5 and older with an adult companion). 1 to 4 p.m.

Free. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. 202-633-1000.

Concerts â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Celtic Holidayâ&#x20AC;? will feature Zan McLeod and Friends performing traditional Irish music with stepdancing by the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance. 6 p.m.

Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center.

202-467-4600. â&#x2013; A holiday music concert series will feature the group 40 Thieves performing Irish rock music. 6 to 8 p.m. Free. Conservatory Garden Court, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333. â&#x2013; The Slide Brothers and musician Jonny Grave will perform. 8 p.m. $15 to $20. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. â&#x2013; A previous incarnation of the Red Llne Quintet will perform. 8 and 10 p.m. $12.

Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com.

Discussion â&#x2013; The Phillips Collection will present a gallery talk on a work in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Van Gogh Repetitionsâ&#x20AC;? exhibition. 6 and 7 p.m. $10 to $12; free for ages 18 and younger. Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. phillipscollection.org/events.

Film â&#x2013; The Phillips Collection will present Akira Kurosawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1990 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dreams,â&#x20AC;? featuring eight shorts based on dreams at different stages of Kurosawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own life. 6 p.m. $10 to $12; free for ages 18 and younger. Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. phillipscollection.org/events.

Performance â&#x2013; Washington Improv Theater will pres-

Arena hosts show about Robeson

Arena Stage will host playwright and performer Daniel Beaty in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tallest Tree in the Forestâ&#x20AC;? Jan. 10 through Feb. 16 in the Kreeger Theater.

Directed by Tony Award nominee MoisĂŠs Kaufman, the new music-

On STAGE infused play from Tectonic Theater Project incorporates 14 songs and a live band â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as well as multi-character transformation, monologues, narrative scenes, heightened poetry and video footage of the era â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to shine light on legendary artist and activist Paul Robeson.

Tickets cost $40 to $90. Arena Stage is located at 1101 6th St. SW. 202-488-3300; arenastage.org. â&#x2013; Studio Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yearlong British Invasion Festival will continue with its second offering â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Nina Raineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drama â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tribesâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jan. 8 through Feb. 23.

Billy was born deaf into a garrulous academic family who raised him to lip read and integrate into the hearing world. When he meets Sylvia â&#x20AC;&#x201D; raised by deaf parents and going deaf herself â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Billy decides itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to speak on his own terms, sending shock waves through the family. The drama plays out in sign language, argument, music and mesmerizing silence.

Tickets cost $39 to $75. Studio Theatre is located at 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org. â&#x2013; Pointless Theatre will reprise its jazz puppet spectacle â&#x20AC;&#x153;Minnie the ent â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seasonal Disorder,â&#x20AC;? a look at the seemingly unavoidable chaos that the holidays deliver. 8 p.m. $12 to $30. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. 202-204-7770. Perfor-

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Moocherâ&#x20AC;? Jan. 1 through 25 at Flashpointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mead Theatre Lab. The cautionary tale follows an innocent small-town girl named Minnie who moves to Harlem and foolishly falls in love with a hepcat named Smokey Joe. Brought deeper and deeper into his lifestyle, Minnie eventually falls victim to the dangerous, decadent and seductive world of sex, drugs and jazz.

Tickets start at $15. Flashpoint is located at 916 G St. NW. pointlesstheatre.com. â&#x2013; Washington Stage Guild will present the U.S. premiere of Simon Grayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s London hit â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Old Mastersâ&#x20AC;? Jan. 2 through 26 at the Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church.

Famed art critic Bernard Berenson is in his villa outside Florence, trying to ignore the approach of World War II. The arrival of the dealer who sold many of the works now in the National Gallery sparks a battle royal over a Renaissance painting that Andrew Mellon might buy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but only if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s by the right artist.

Tickets cost $40 to $50. The Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church is located at 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 240-582-0050; stageguild.org. â&#x2013; The National Theatre will host â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gershwinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Porgy and Bessâ&#x20AC;? Dec. 25 through 29.

Tickets start at $48. The theater is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 800-514-3849; thenationaldc.com. â&#x2013; Kennedy Center will host â&#x20AC;&#x153;Flashdance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Musicalâ&#x20AC;? Dec. 25 through Jan. 19 at the Eisenhower Theater.

mances will continue Friday and Saturday at 8 and 10 p.m.

Special events â&#x2013; Storyteller and dancer Maria Broom will present an interactive introduction to the celebration of Kwanzaa, featuring calland-response singing, stories and dancing.

10:30 a.m. to noon. Free; reservations suggested. 202-633-4844. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;ZooLightsâ&#x20AC;? will feature environmentally friendly light displays, a model train exhibit, two 150-foot-long â&#x20AC;&#x153;snow tubingâ&#x20AC;? tracks, the Conservation Carousel and live entertainment. 5 to 9 p.m. Free admission.

National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-633-4470. The event will repeat daily through Jan. 1 (except Dec. 31).

Friday, Dec. 27

Friday DECEmbEr 27 Concerts â&#x2013; The Washington Performing Arts Society Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Committee will present soprano Alice Dillon performing opera and show tunes as well as seasonal favorites.

11 a.m. Free. Seabury at Friendship Terrace, 4201 Butterworth Place NW. 202244-7400. â&#x2013; The Anthony Nelson Quartet will perform. 8 and 10 p.m. $16. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com. The concert will repeat Saturday at 8 and 10 p.m. â&#x2013; The Cactus Liquors and musician Claire Cho will perform. 8:30 p.m. $10.

Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com.

Performances â&#x2013; Coyaba Dance Theater, a contemporary West African dance and drumming

Daniel beaty stars in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tallest Tree in the Forest.â&#x20AC;?

Tickets cost $45 to $150. 202-4674600; kennedy-center.org. â&#x2013; The Washington ballet will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Nutcrackerâ&#x20AC;? through Dec. 29 at the Warner Theatre.

Tickets cost $32 to $112. Warner Theatre is located at 513 13th St. NW. 202-397-7328; washingtonballet.org. â&#x2013; Arena Stage will host â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maurice Hines Is Tappinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Thru Lifeâ&#x20AC;? through Dec. 29.

Tickets cost $50 to $99. Arena Stage is located at 1101 6th St. SW. 202-488-3300; arenastage.org. â&#x2013; The Kennedy Center will present Mo Willemsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Elephant & Piggieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s We Are in a Play!â&#x20AC;? through Dec. 31 in the Family Theater.

Tickets cost $20. 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org. â&#x2013; The Keegan Theatre will host its annual holiday show â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Irish Carolâ&#x20AC;? through Dec. 31.

Tickets cost $30 to $35. The theater is located at 1742 Church St. NW. 703892-0202; keegantheatre.com. company, will present a Kwanzaa program.

10:30 a.m. to noon. Free; reservations suggested. 202-633-4844. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holiday Vaudevilleâ&#x20AC;? will feature Cajun cellist Sean Grissom and modernKlezmer quartet the Alexandria Kleztet. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. The performance will repeat Saturday at 6 p.m. â&#x2013; The Dance Institute of Washington will present its annual Kwanzaa Extravaganza, a pageant of dance, poetry and song in honor of the African-American holiday. 7 p.m. $15. Dance Institute of Washington, 3400 14th St. NW. 202-371-9656.

The performance will repeat Saturday at 7 p.m. â&#x2013; Comedians Christina Pazsitzky and Tom Segura (shown) will perform. 8 and 10:30 p.m. $20. DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-2967008. The performance will repeat Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Capitals will play the New York Rangers. 7 p.m. $55 to $527.

Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Saturday, Dec. 28

Saturday DECEmbEr 28 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs â&#x2013; Artists Deidre Bell and Tamara Thomas will present a family workshop on Kwanzaa arts and crafts. 10:30 a.m. to See Events/Page 17

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Wednesday, december 25, 2013

Events Entertainment Continued From Page 16 2:30 p.m. Free; reservations suggested.

202-633-4844. â&#x2013; A park ranger will lead a planetarium program on stars and constellations associated with Christmas and other holiday traditions. 1 to 1:30 p.m. Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6224. â&#x2013; Children will hear a story about artist Joseph Cornell and then create a special piece of art. 1 to 4 p.m. Free. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. 202633-1000. The program will continue Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. â&#x2013; Park ranger Tony Linforth will lead a planetarium program about the sciences behind deep space objects (for ages 7 and older). 4 to 4:45 p.m. Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6070. The program will repeat Sunday at 4 p.m.

Concert â&#x2013; The bands Cabinet and Willieslight will perform. 8:30 p.m. $10 to $15. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com.

Films â&#x2013; The Chevy Chase Library will host the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Matinee Saturdaysâ&#x20AC;? film series. 2 p.m.

Free. Chevy Chase Library, 5625 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-282-0021. â&#x2013; The National Gallery of Art will present Jean-Luc Godardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1963 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Contempt,â&#x20AC;? about a screenwriter who is weighing an offer to jazz up â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Odysseyâ&#x20AC;? for a Hollywood mogul and trying to understand why his wife no longer likes him. 2:30 p.m.

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

Special events â&#x2013; The Washington Harbour ice skating rink will hold a weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cartoon Skateâ&#x20AC;? event. Noon to 2 p.m. $8 to $10. Washington Harbour, 3000 K St. NW. 202-7067666. â&#x2013; The Washington Harbour ice skating rink will hold a weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rock n Skateâ&#x20AC;? event. 8 to 10 p.m. $8 to $10. Washington Harbour, 3000 K St. NW. 202-706-7666.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Wizards will play the Detroit Pistons. 7 p.m. $6.55 to $433. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-745-3000.

Sunday, Dec. 29

Sunday DECEmbEr 29 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program â&#x2013; A park ranger will lead a planetarium program on winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. 202-895-6224.

Class â&#x2013; Local artist and museum educator Chanel Compton will lead a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kwanzaa Craftsâ&#x20AC;? workshop. 1 to 3 p.m. $20. The Fridge DC, 516 1/2 8th St. SE. thefridgedc.com/calendar.

Concerts â&#x2013; The allfemale band Mariachi Flor de Toloache will perform its edgy take on Mexican music. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.

â&#x2013; The National Gallery of Art Vocal Ensemble will present a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert featuring works by LehĂĄr, Strauss and other composers. 6:30 p.m. Free. West Garden Court, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202842-6941. â&#x2013; Dahlak Restaurant will present its weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;DC Jazz Jamâ&#x20AC;? session. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Free. 1771 U St. NW. 202-5279522. â&#x2013; Sara Beth and Band will perform. 7 p.m. $8 to $12. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. â&#x2013; Jazz vocalist Natalie Jean will perform. 8 and 10 p.m. $10. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com.

Films â&#x2013; The National Gallery of Art will present Philippe BĂŠziatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2012 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Becoming Traviata,â&#x20AC;? about the creation of the 2011 production of Verdiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opera at the Aix-enProvence Festival. 2 p.m. Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202737-4215. â&#x2013; The Palisades Library will present the 1960 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Apartment,â&#x20AC;? starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. 2 p.m.

Free. Palisades Library, 4901 V St. NW. 202-282-3139.

Special events â&#x2013; Park ranger Scott Einberger will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;National Parks: Plan Your Vacation for 2014,â&#x20AC;? a drop-in program with inside information on more than 150 parks he has visited. 2 to 4 p.m. Free. Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road NW. 202-895-6224. â&#x2013; In conjunction with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Emancipation: Meditations on Freedomâ&#x20AC;? exhibition, the group Black Artists of DC will present a spoken word performance and meditations on freedom. An open mic will follow.

5 p.m. Free. District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW. 202-462-7833. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;WWE Presents Smackdownâ&#x20AC;? will feature Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Alberto Del Rio, Big Show, The Shield, Dolph Ziggler and other wrestlers. 7 p.m. $20 to $95. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800745-3000.

Monday, Dec. 30

Monday DECEmbEr 30 Class â&#x2013; The group Yoga Activist will present a weekly yoga class. 7 p.m. Free. Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-282-3080.

Concerts â&#x2013; The five-piece band Roosevelt Dime will perform a blend of acoustic jug-band blues, classic New Orleans soul and neofolk. 6 p.m.

Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center.

202-467-4600. â&#x2013; The Last Stand Quartet and actors Andre Braugher, Reiko Aylesworth and Rob Clare will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Evening of Shakespeare in Words and Music.â&#x20AC;? 7:30 p.m. $38. Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center.

202-467-4600.

Discussion â&#x2013; Maricarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WashingTours & Events will present an information session on how to become a D.C. tour guide. 5 to 8 p.m. Free; reservations required. Washingtoniana Division, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

17

Exhibit focuses on dance

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dancing the Dream,â&#x20AC;? presenting images of performers, choreographers and impresarios to explore the relationship between dance and the evolution of a modern America identity, opened recently at the National Portrait Gallery, where it will continue through July 13.

On ExHIbIT Located at 8th and F streets NW, the gallery is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 202-633-1000. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Arctic Adventure,â&#x20AC;? an interactive and artifact-based exhibit about animal and human adaptations in the Arctic, opened recently at the Embassy of Canada and will continue through Feb. 14.

Located at 501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, the embassy is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 202-6821740. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Damage Control: Art and Destruction Since 1950,â&#x20AC;? an overview of the role played by destruction in contemporary art, opened recently at the Hirshhorn museum and Sculpture Garden and will continue through May 26.

Located at Independence Avenue and 7th Street SW, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 202-6331000. â&#x2013; The National Postal museum recently opened its new William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, which features 12,000 square feet of exhibits highlighting noteworthy stamps in the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unparalleled collection.

Located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 202-786-2120. â&#x2013; The Anacostia Community museum recently opened two exhibits that will continue through Sept. 21. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home Sewn: Quilts From the Lower Mississippi Valleyâ&#x20AC;? presents quilts from the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection to examine the generational, social and economic fabric of an African-American quilting community in rural Mississippi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independenceâ&#x20AC;? highlights contemporary beadwork by members of a modern South African collective.

Located at 1901 Fort Place SE, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 202-633-1000. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Creating the Ideal Home, 1800-1939: Comfort and Convenience in America,â&#x20AC;? exploring how modern inventions have continued to make our lives easier, opened recently at the Library, 901 G St. NW. washingtours.net.

Tuesday, Dec. 31

Tuesday DECEmbEr 31 Concerts â&#x2013; A New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve concert will feature local musicians Rosa Lamoreaux (shown), J. Reilly Lewis, Ann Colgrove, John Hurd and Diane Heath performing works by Bach and Mendelssohn and selections from the American Songbook. 6 p.m. $20 donation suggested; $5 for students. St. Columbaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church, 4201 Albemarle St. NW. 202-363-4119. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Americana New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eveâ&#x20AC;? will feature sets by The Gladstones, Human Country Jukebox and The Shedkickers. 8 p.m. $45 to $60. Gypsy Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 3401 K St. NW. gypsysallys.com. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ray, Motown, and Beyond: New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve at the Kennedy Centerâ&#x20AC;? will feature multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ellis Hall (shown) with conductor Steven Reineke and members of the National Symphony Orchestra. 8:30 p.m. $55 to $115. Concert Hall, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; Twins Jazz will present a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve dinner and concert with jazz pianist

This image of George balanchine is part of the National Portrait Galleryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhibit â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dancing the Dream,â&#x20AC;? which will continue through July 13.

Daughters of the American revolution museum, where it will continue through Aug. 30.

Located at 1776 D St. NW, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 202-879-3241. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940-1990,â&#x20AC;? surveying the architecture of mid- to late-20th-century Los Angeles, opened recently at the National building museum and will continue through March 10.

Located at 401 F St. NW, the museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and ages 3 through 17; it is free for ages 2 and younger. 202-272-2448. â&#x2013; President Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cottage will close an exhibit Tuesday that includes the diary and personal belongings of Albert Nelson See, a soldier who guarded President Abraham Lincoln at the Soldiersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Home. On view in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center, the exhibit highlights Seeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s account of Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life at the Soldiersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Home, Confederate Gen. Jubal Earlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attack on Washington at Fort Stevens and the inner workings of the presidential guard.

Located at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Rock Creek Church Road and Upshur Street NW, the education center is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 202-8290436, ext. 31231.

Larry Willis. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. $85. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com.

Performances â&#x2013; National Hand Dance Association instructors will take the stage for a program featuring the art of hand dancing, a form of swing dance that originated in D.C. Lessons at 5 p.m.; performance at 6 p.m.

Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center.

202-467-4600. â&#x2013; Washington Improv Theater will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve 2014: The End Is Near/Here.â&#x20AC;? 8 and 10 p.m. $20 to $25.

Source, 1835 14th St. NW. 202-204

7770. â&#x2013; The Alchemical Records New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Extravaganza will feature comedy, burlesque and live music by Yellowtieguy, Joe Rathbone & The Mercy Alliance and Johari.

8 p.m. $12. Treehouse Lounge, 1006 FloriSee Events/Page 18

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18 Wednesday, december 25, 2013

Continued From Page 17 da Ave. NE. treehouselounge.com. â&#x2013; A New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve comedy show will feature Christina Pazsitzky and Tom Segura. 8 and 10:15 p.m. $35 to $75. DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202296-7008. â&#x2013; Busboys and Poets will present an open mic poetry night hosted by Patrick Washington. 9 to 11 p.m. $5. Langston Room, Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. 202-387-7638.

Special events â&#x2013; Friendship Terrace will host a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve brunch and dance party. Brunch at 1 p.m.; dance party at 3 p.m. $5 to $10 for brunch; free to attend the dance party.

Seabury at Friendship Terrace, 4201 Butterworth Place NW. 202-244-7400. â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Freedomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eveâ&#x20AC;? will celebrate the 151st anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a dessert buffet, drinks and live music. 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $100 to $250; reservations required. President Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cottage, Upshur Street and Rock Creek Church Road NW. 202-8290436, ext. 31228.

Wednesday, Jan. 1

Wednesday JANuAry 1 Concerts â&#x2013; The Grandsons will perform its mix of New Orleans R&B, rockabilly, swing and country two steps. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; Tribe Inc. will perform modern fusion jazz. 8 and 10 p.m. $10. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com.

The currenT

Events Entertainment avenues NW. nationalcathedral.org.

Performance â&#x2013; Sarah Lawson 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.

Friday, Jan. 3

Friday JANuAry 3

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Wizards will play the Dallas Mavericks. 6 p.m. $6.55 to $332.

Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Thursday, Jan. 2

Thursday JANuAry 2 Concert â&#x2013; Listen Local First will present the D.C. band Deathfix performing original songs inspired by 1970s glam and progressive rock. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.

Discussion â&#x2013; The Mystery Book Group will discuss â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Fridaysâ&#x20AC;? by Michael Sears. 6:30 p.m. Free. Barnes & Noble, 555 12th St. NW. 202-347-0176.

Film â&#x2013; The National Gallery of Art will present footage of John Cage and Robert Diebenkorn working on prints at San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crown Point Press. 12:30 p.m.

Free. East Building Auditorium, National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-737-4215. The film will be shown again Jan. 3 and 4 and 12:30 p.m.

Special event â&#x2013; In honor of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Van Gogh Repetitionsâ&#x20AC;? exhibit, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Phillips After 5â&#x20AC;? will feature 15-minute focused discussions about artworks by Vincent van Gogh, interactive language lessons highlighting the Dutch influence on American English, and a van

E V I T A E R C IMAGES Y PH A R G O T O PH

Portraits Conferences Events Publicity

Tuesday, DECEmbEr 31 â&#x2013; Special event: ArtJamz will host a â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Glitter Ball,â&#x20AC;? featuring art materials, a canvas, three hours of studio time, hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres and a midnight Champagne toast. 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. $60 to $70. ArtJamz Dupont Studio, 1728 Connecticut Ave. NW. nye14glitterball.eventbrite.com.

Gogh-inspired photo booth. 5 to 8:30 p.m. $10 to $12; reservations suggested. Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. phillipscollection.org/events.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Capitals will play the Carolina Hurricanes. 7 p.m. $36 to $476.

Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000.

Tour â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Close-up Tour: Forged in Fireâ&#x20AC;? will explore the Washington National Cathedralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ironwork (for ages 10 and older). 3 p.m. $16 to $20. Washington National Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin

DISPATCHES From Page 10 burden. For seniors, many are hearing back from colleges, while many others are working hard to churn out more applications.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a better holiday gift than an acceptance letter? Hopefully many will be receiving just this over the break. Good luck! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Delmar TarragĂł, 12th-grader

Shepherd Elementary

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Hi, this is Henry again. I am very excited about Christmas and winter break. I am hoping to see a movie or two.

I was happy to perform in our holiday concert with our new music teacher, Ms. Bryant. Lots of people participated and the auditorium was full. My favorite song to perform was â&#x20AC;&#x153;This Land Is Your Land.â&#x20AC;?

I am also happy that we will soon have the science fair. My topic last year was on the science of the Pinewood Derby â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I got first place at Shepherd and first place in my category citywide.

This year, I am working on a project about hearing. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Henry Trimble, fourth-grader

Stoddert Elementary

Last week we went to the War-

Concerts â&#x2013; The Friday Morning Music Club will present a concert of works by Mozart, Menotti, Weber and Liszt. Noon. Free. Calvary Baptist Church, 755 8th St. NW. 202333-2075. â&#x2013; A holiday music concert series will feature the group Samovar performing Russian folk music. Noon to 2 p.m. Free.

Conservatory Garden Court, U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-2258333. â&#x2013; Brass of Peace will present a performance by members of its tuition-free programs for high school students, led by National Symphony Orchestra hornist Sylvia Alimena. 6 p.m. Free. Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. â&#x2013; Jazz instrumentalists Peter and Will Anderson will perform with their New York City quartet. 8 and 10 p.m. $16. Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. twinsjazz.com. The performance will repeat Jan. 4 at 8 and 10 p.m.

Discussions and lectures â&#x2013; A round-table discussion on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Past, Present and Future of History Museumsâ&#x20AC;? will feature John Gray, director of the National Museum of American History; Joan Marshall, director of the Bullock Texas State History Museum; Lonnie Bunch, director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture; Kevin Gover, director of the National Museum of the American Indian; and Louis Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York ner Theatre to see â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Nutcrackerâ&#x20AC;? performed by the Washington Ballet. I thought it was amazing.

Some of the dancers did flips. The boys carried the girl dancers and everyone danced together.

This was the first time I ever saw â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Nutcracker.â&#x20AC;? I thought that maybe it was going to be all girls dancing, but it was both boys and girls. I liked it when everyone was in the house. The big kids and the little ones danced together.

They were doing funny dances.

There was also a clown on top of a carousel and little clowns came out and danced doing ridiculous things.

Claraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother was trying to steal the Nutcracker, and her godfather knew magic. The Native American dance was cool. It could be in a parade.

The Chinese dancers included a large fish made with parasols and they had fishing poles. The princessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s costume was very pretty. She had a tiara and there were silver dresses.

The music had action then soft and calm sounds. At the end, everyone danced. Everyone came on the stage together. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Klaira Bragado and Jasmine Portillo, fourth-graders

Washington Latin Public Charter School

What would you do with a free

Historical Society. 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Free. Warner Bros. Theater, National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-633-1000. â&#x2013; A round-table discussion on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Historians and the Work of History Museumsâ&#x20AC;? will feature Sara Absoch of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance, Erik Greenberg of the Autry National Center of the American West, Erin Curtis of the Skirball Cultural Center and William Convery of History Colorado. 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Free. Warner Bros. Theater, National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 202-633-1000. â&#x2013; Author and filmmaker Vivek Bald will discuss â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America.â&#x20AC;? 6 to 8 p.m.

Free. Langston Room, Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. 202-387-7638. â&#x2013; Timothy Howard will discuss his book â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Mortgage Wars: Inside Fannie Mae, Big-Money Politics, and the Collapse of the American Dream.â&#x20AC;? 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202364-1919.

Performances â&#x2013; Comedian Sheryl Underwood will perform. 7, 9 and 11 p.m. $30. DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-2967008. The performance will repeat Jan. 4 at 7, 9 and 11 p.m. â&#x2013; Busboys and Poets will present the monthly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live! From Busboysâ&#x20AC;? talent showcase. 9 to 11 p.m. $5. Langston Room, Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. 202-387-7638.

Sporting event â&#x2013; The Washington Wizards will play the Toronto Raptors. 7 p.m. $6.55 to $346.

Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 800-7453000. passage to another nation? The National Security Language Initiative for Youth, also known as NSLI-Y, gives an opportunity for students to venture to foreign nations for free. Several Washington Latin students have applied for NSLI-Y, a program funded by the State Department, to allow students to participate in traveling to foreign nations vital to the United States. NSLI-Y holds a drawing for 1,000 finalists. Only U.S. citizens can apply. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think it is a great opportunity for students who are ready to explore a foreign language and culture at a much more intensive level than what we can provide in a language classroom in D.C., though we teachers so try hard to bring the language alive in the classroom,â&#x20AC;? said Christina Stouder, the Mandarin Chinese teacher at Washington Latin Public Charter School.

Stouder has participated in a similar program, the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program.

During high school she went to Japan, where she lived with a Japanese family and studied at a regular Japanese high school. She encourages students who like humanities to take this opportunity because it will nourish their understanding of the language. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Matias Galarce, ninth-grader

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Remodeling & Repair Water Heaters Drain Stoppages Sales & Service Contracts Available 24 Hour Phone Service Serving Washington, DC with Quality Service Since 1974

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ROOFING

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THE CURRENT NEWSPAPERS 202-244-7223

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ROOFING

Gutter Cleaning Special. $65 Call Tom 301-530-5215 25 years experience family owned business. Licensed and bonded.

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22 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2013

THE CURRENT

Service Directory ROOFING

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Antiq. & Collectibles

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Slate and Flat Roofs Gutters Roof Coatings Shingles and Copper Member BBB Lic. Bonded Insured

Furniture Restoration

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rayburkettcraftsman@gmail.com

Furniture Repair & Refinishing Antique Restoration Please visit our website for more info www.bluemaplewoodworks.com 301-379-1240

Cleaning Services DNA Cleaning Services My prices wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be beat!

Young lady â&#x20AC;˘ Honest â&#x20AC;˘ Dependable Flexible â&#x20AC;˘ Considerate â&#x20AC;˘ Free est.

Cleanliness for a safer environment Serving the community for 15 years.

Call 301-326-8083 I CLEAN Houses, Apts, Residential and Commercial. 15 yrs experience.

Call me anytime (202) 345-2267 or (240) 464-8348 cell.

TREE SERVICES

Karin Cleaning Services 10 years serving the community.

Great references. Free Estimates Keep your home nice and fresh!

Call Karin: 240-413-5827. karincleaningservices@gmail.com

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Help Wanted

Available for Residential deliveries or Commercial Firewood Pick up at Also Available 4521 Kenilworth Call Ave. 202.554.4100 Bladensburg, MD

Newspaper Carrier Positions Open Now.

FIREWOOD

Floors Chevy Chase Floor Waxing Service

Polishing, buffing, waxing, cleaning, all types of floors, paste wax service for wood floors. Wall-to-wall carpet removal. Careful workmanship.

Licensed Bonded Insured 301-656-9274, Chevy Chase, MD

Furniture CHERRY WOOD roll top desk, antique reproduction, excel. cond. $450. Black stained-wooden computer table with matching chair, 48 w x 30 deep, x 30 high, two drawyers, $150. Call (202)363-9308.

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Computers

PT CHEF Small Historic Inn, located in Round Hill, Va. looking for PT Chef. Must be experienced and good with people. E-mail resume to locallygrownva@gmail.com

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Wednesday bulk deliveries of The Current in NW DC. Good Part-Time pay. Start immediately.

Reliable Van/SUV and Proof Of Insurance Required.

Call John Saunders, 301-942-8841.

Instruction GUITAR LESSONS 202-234-1837 Enjoy your guitar. Play a song or begin improvising at your first lesson.

Experienced teacher with parking at NW DC studio near Metro.

INKREADABLE KIDS Creative Writing Workshops For children ages 8-12 begin on January 23, 2014 at the Chevy Chase Community Center. Enrollment deadline January 15, 2014.

For more info contact Tina at tina@inkreadablekids.org or (202) 210-6573

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Computer problems solved, control pop-ups & spam, upgrades, tune-up, DSL / Cable modem, network, wireless, virus recovery etc.

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Call Michael for estimate: 202-486-3145 www.computeroo.net New Computer? iPod? Digital Camera?

NW DC resident with adult training background will teach you to use the Internet, e-mail, Windows, Microsoft Word, numerous other programs, or other electronic devices. Help with purchase and setup available. Mac experience. Call Brett Geranen at (202) 486-6189.

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Retail Store Manager, Sidwell Friends Sidwell Friends, a coeducational Quaker day school, seeks a Manager for its Tenleytown campus coffee shop/retail store. A complete commercial coffee shop serving a variety of drinks and fresh baked goods adjoins a retail store offering clothing, school supplies and snacks. The Manager is responsible for general oversight of all daily operations, including sales, purchasing, receiving, maintaining inventory, merchandising, public relations and supervision of baristas and cashiers.

This position is ideally suited for a seasoned food services/retail professional with excellent interpersonal, organizational and management skills. The successful candidate will have a minimum of 3-5 years experience in the management of a coffee shop, restaurant or cafĂŠ. He/she must be detail-oriented, possess a sense of humor and enjoy working in a casual, friendly, yet fast-paced environment with adolescents and adults. Current DC Food Protection Manager certification required. Retail experience with clothing or gifts highly desirable.

This 12-month, full-time position begins mid-December to mid-January. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume and contact information for three professional references to: HR@sidwell.edu Human Resources Sidwell Friends School 3825 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20016 Sidwell Friends School is committed as an institution to the ideal of diversity with regard to race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, economics, gender, genetic information, sexual orientation, physical ability and veteran status in its student body, faculty, and staff.

The CurreNT

Classified Ads Pets [202] 277-2566 PO Box 25058 Washington, DC 20027 jule@julespetsitting.com www.julespetsitting.com

J ULE’S Petsitting Services, Inc.

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Personal Services Get Organized Today!

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Pressure Washing Chesapeake Power Washing, Co. Gentle, low-pressure, thorough turbo-

washing wand ensures no damage to clean brick, stone, slate, wood, and siding. Careful workmanship with 20 years exper. Lic. Bond Ins. 301-656-9274 Chevy Chase, MD

Senior Care Pets CAT CARE Services Providing loving, attentive care for your cat(s) while you are away by doing more than just cleaning the box & filling the bowl.

• Over 15 years experience.

• Am/pm & weekend visits • Short term & long term.

Will also take care of other small indoor pets, water plants & bring in mail. References available upon request. Great rates! Located in The Palisades. catcaresvcs@yahoo.com call 703-868-3038

ELDER CARE: Experienced Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) who is also a Certified Practical Nurse (CPN) seeks position in private home or assisted living facility. Has own transportation.

Christina 202-644-2546.

KIND, TRUSTWORTHY caregiver/ companion available.

References avail. Call 240-462-8528.

Upholstery

Dog Boarding Susan Mcconnell’s Loving Pet Care.

• Mid-day Walks • Home visits • Personal Attention

202-966-3061

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.

Windows Ace Window Cleaning, Co. Family owned and operated for over 20 years using careful workmanship 301-656-9274 Chevy Chase, MD Licensed • Bonded • Insured • We also offer glass, screen, and sash cord repair service

THE CURRENT

ch

wedNesday, deCember 25, 2013

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23

HILTON: Construction underway on apartment house From Page 3

Lowe purchased the Hilton property for $290 million in 2007 and secured approval for its development plans the following year. The project attracted community opposition for its design, size and possible impacts on traffic. The plans were nonethe-

less approved by the Historic Preservation Review Board as a suitable complement to the Hilton building.

The hotel itself has a controversial design often considered out of character with the community — crafted when city plans called for a freeway through the neighborhood.

A divided preservation board none-

theless granted the 1965 hotel building landmark status in 2008.

However, the lagging economy held up development of the new building. “It’s a pretty significant project and one that we designed several years ago,” said Rivers, “and then the market crashed, and now we’re getting around to using it.”

GROCERY: Neighbors ponder future of market site From Page 3

And Fresh & Green’s, a subsidiary of the Natural Market Food Group in Irvington, N.Y., may have made that site seem less desirable. The firm purchased the lease along with rights to seven other Superfresh locations in this area in a 2011 bankruptcy proceeding, but never made the promised upgrades in products or service.

Shoppers say there were seldom many customers in the store.

A spokesperson for the parent firm could not immediately answer questions about the future of the site last week. Spokesperson Anne Burns said only that the company plans to close all eight stores as the now deeply discounted goods on their shelves are sold, or by the end of December at the latest.

Robert Burka, a part owner of the property, said he is “currently having initial discussion with other potential tenants, both supermarkets and otherwise, about taking the Fresh & Green space once it becomes available. We

are very optimistic [about finding a new tenant that] will conform to the neighborhood’s needs and be a successful addition for the community.”

The landlords, cousins Paul and Robert Burka, objected to the Fresh & Green’s takeover in bankruptcy court two years ago, fearing the company didn’t have the financial strength to run a successful supermarket. The bankruptcy judge rebuffed them, giving the New York firm the right to lease the eight mid-Atlantic stores that are all now closing.

“I am very disappointed that Fresh & Green has been unsuccessful in its efforts to build on the business Superfresh had,” Burka said in an interview last week. “My impression is that they were undercapitalized and without people with long-standing supermarket expertise. I wish it had been different and successful.”

According to D.C. property tax records, the 79,622-square-foot property — consisting of the store and other commercial space there — is zoned for commercial use and valued at $7.1 million.

ELLINGTON: ANC opposes aspects of building plans From Page 3

accomplishments, told the crowd he is sure these issues will be resolved.

“Nothing is going to derail Ellington High School,” the mayor said, pledging to intervene personally if necessary. “I want to make sure that we have the finest performing

arts high school in the country, if not the world.”

Commissioner Lewis said he was similarly confident the community could resolve its differences, though he suggested it could take time. He and his colleagues will undoubtedly be held to this promise by people like Ellington junior Kaila Carter,

who made a point of approaching Lewis after the meeting. Carter said she told Lewis she wouldn’t benefit directly from the modernization, but she hoped future students would get the top-notch facilities they deserve.

“I told him I’m counting on him,” she said. “I’m putting my trust in him.”

UDC: Landscaping planned along Connecticut Avenue From Page 1

corner of Connecticut and Van Ness with trees, grass, shrubs, rain gardens, bio-filtration plantings, and permeable paving surfaces, the university will greatly reduce stormwater runoff.

This won’t be the first major environmental initiative at the university, which Thompson said has the District’s largest vegetated green roof: Dennard Plaza, which sits atop the campus parking garage. But the plaza isn’t visible from the street.

“The green components now sit in the center of campus,” Thompson said. “What the student center is going to allow us to do is to transplant that architectural language out to Connecticut Avenue so you can see the trees, the pervious brick pavers, the filtration system.”

Thompson said the university sees the student center as “the front porch” to its campus — a welcoming place where neighbors can easily stop in.

“This is really exciting,” said commissioner Mary Beth Ray. “I think it’s really fantastic that UDC is leading the way with an environmentally responsible development that clearly has the community in mind, so we’re really excited about that. And hopefully this will provide an even more powerful bridge to the community.”

Project manager Joanna Edwards described the specific plans: Ten new white swamp oak trees will line Connecticut Avenue between Van Ness Street and Veazey Terrace, in a continuous planter box rather than individual tree boxes that inhibit root growth. A grassy area with seating along a low wall will be installed near Veazey, dotted with cherry trees and other plantings.

Closer to Van Ness, outdoor tables will provide part

of the seating for the student center’s planned fast-food restaurants and cafes. A row of cherry trees will partially screen this seating from the sidewalk, and the pavement in the seating area will be permeable.

Along Van Ness Street, a rain garden will be built into the hillside between the new student center and the existing law school building. “When you’re in that area, you really will be separated from the noise of the traffic and the activity of the buildings,” said Thompson.

The student center building will also have plantings atop its first story and a larger green roof higher up. A cistern in the basement will collect rainwater to irrigate the landscaping.

Thompson said the landscaping components will likely be installed toward the end of the student center project, and that the university expects to apply for public space permits in about six months. “Substantial completion” of the building is due in late December 2014, with detail work to follow before the building opens sometime during the spring 2015 semester.

Although the neighborhood commission was enthusiastic about the overall plans, commissioner Ray urged the university to ensure that the student center includes healthy food options and provides community-focused activities. Thompson said he would share that feedback with other administrators.

Commissioner Bob Summersgill also encouraged the university to push for the Transportation Department to install a multispace parking meter on Van Ness Street, where the narrow sidewalk is an impediment to people in wheelchairs. A pay station will be installed on Connecticut as part of the project, but Thompson said the school is also aware of the needs on Van Ness.

24 Wednesday, december 25, 2013

The currenT

Season’s Greetings!

Joss and Emily Nichols, Bethesda “Keene Taylor, Jr. immediately got to know our family, helped us figure out what we needed in a home, and then went out and found the place for us.”

The Taylor Agostino Group wishes you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year. As we look back at 2013, we are so honored to have a group of engaging stories to tell about the families we’ve worked with. We look forward to making many more of your dreams come true in 2014!

Jim and Mary Ann Ryan, AU Park “For over three decades, the good people at Taylor Agostino Group have provided our family with uncompromising professional representation.”

Krishna & Chev Collie, Chevy Chase, MD

David and Liz Field, Cleveland Park

Elizabeth & Scott Worden, Chevy Chase, DC

Jay and Krista Mallin, Silver Spring, MD

“I enthusiastically recommend Keene Taylor, Jr. to my friends and colleagues seeking a hightouch, experienced real estate professional.”

“The Taylor Agostino Group has been our official family realtor for a period of time better measured in decades rather than years!”

“We appreciate the professional advice on all aspects of the purchase and sale, from knowing what to look for during an inspection, to pricing, to staging for the best impression.”

“We’re still amazed at the beautiful place we ended up in due to Steve’s help and reassurance.

Because of Steve Agostino we are finally home!”

CHEVY CHASE DC | CHEVY CHASE MD | AU PARK | FOREST HILLS | FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS CLEVELAND PARK | MOUNT PLEASANT | BETHESDA | WOODLEY PARK | PALISADES COLUMBIA HEIGHTS | CAPITOL HILL | DUPONT | ADAMS MORGAN

CALL US FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE

SUCCESS STORY!

Eric Rome and Ruth Tictin, Riggs Pl., NW “As a real estate professional, I have dealt with hundreds of realtors over the years, including several other excellent realtors in our neighborhood. Steve Agostino gets our strongest recommendation!”

Stephanie Rust, Chevy Chase, MD

Steve Agostino

202.321.5506

Nancy Taylor

202.997.0081

Keene Taylor Jr.

202.321.3488

“It’s easy to get frustrated in this market, but Keene expertly guided me through it, helping me to always make the decisions that were in my best interest. The result is that we’re in the right house at the right price. Success!”

C ALL 2 02.362.0300 OR V IS IT TA YLORA GOST I N O . CO M