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Children’s book celebrates interracial marriage, history Page 8 February 26 - March 4, 2015
The District rings in the Chinese New Year Page 12 www.districtchronicles.com
Volume 14 Issue 27
6
Editorial
Questions about the measles controversy
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By Bill Fletcher, Jr. NNPA Columnist
I
have to confess that I really cannot believe the measles controversy. The issue of vaccinations had been settled, at least so I thought, until I realized that instead of science, there is an increased reliance on, forgive me for this expression, “urban myths.” I remember first encountering a major urban myth in connection with the suggestion that there were/are alligators in the New York City sewer system. Proponents of this myth were always so certain and so definitive that it seemed that there was little question as to the validity of the story, i.e., that baby alligators had been flushed down toilers and now haunted the sewer system. There was only one problem: it was not true. What I learned from this is that many people can and will adopt a certain viewpoint irrespective of the facts if it substantiates an opinion or fear that they have. This seems to have become the case in the matter of measles. The suggestion that the measles vaccination will result
in autism has been repeated time and again. Is it possible that there will be side effects with the vaccination? There are possible side effects with any vaccination, but the percentages are so infinitesimally small. Yet, if one wants to, one can worry about this endlessly. Yet, I will suggest something that is actually worth worrying about and, yes, it is in connection with measles and, no, it has nothing to do with a side-effect of the vaccination: birth defects. People infected and contagious with measles represent an immense danger to pregnant women. This is a fact and it has been demonstrated. Women who contract the measles during pregnancy face the very real risk of their baby having birth defects. It is for this reason that the current debate about the measles vaccination is so myopic and wrongheaded. We should be more concerned about what happens when an illness that is preventable is let loose and its impact on vulnerable populations. This is not mainly an issue of children catching the measles from others, but rather its
impact on others. Let me tell you a story. at the age of 39, I contracted chicken pox. I had thought that I had had it as a child. I may have had contact with it but I never had a full blown case. When I got it, two weeks after my then 4 year old contracted it, I thought that I was going to die. The level of pain, misery and weakness helped me to truly understand why it can be fatal for adults to contract “childhood illnesses.” When you are thinking about the measles vaccination issue consider this carefully. Think about the vulnerable populations. This is really not a personal decision, to be honest. This is a social decision, that is, the decision of the individual potentially has a far broader impact than on one child or even one family. An embrace of myths about the measles vaccination is really about throwing the dice, with the wellbeing of others at issue. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a racial justice, labor and global justice writer and activist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com.
Black businesses create fund for students to watch ‘Selma’
Finance
Paramount Pictures
Students who want to get tickets to see the movie free should visit the website for a list of theaters participating in the program.
Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Target Market News (TriceEdneyWire.com) – An additional 12 locations have joined the growing movement led by AfricanAmerican business leaders to raise funds for students across the country to see the Academy Award-nominated film “Selma,” expanding the first-of-its-kind campaign to 25 locations nationwide. “Selma” took in $11.5 million over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, slightly more than the $11.3 million from last weekend’s box office. To date the film has earned $29.1 million. Due to the generous contributions by so many of the country’s most prominent African-American business leaders, more than 275,000 middle and high school students across the U.S. will experience the critically acclaimed film for free at participating theaters. The new locations joining the movement are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Central Florida/Orlando, Connecticut, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Montgomery, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and St. Louis.
to see the film for free. Due to the overwhelming demand, the New York City effort sold out in the very first weekend and was expanded to 75,000 tickets. Viacom’s Paramount Pictures, which is distributing “Selma,” is coordinating the programs with participating theaters in the U.S. For a list of participating theaters in select cities offering free admission to students during this program and for information on group sales, visit www.SelmaMovie.com/studenttickets. The students who present a current student ID or report card at the box office of any participating theater will receive free admission while tickets last. To get the – Fletcher Wiley, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP help word out about the program, tweet using the munity seized the moment,” said hashtag #SelmaForStudents. Fletcher “Flash” Wiley, Counsel, Directed by DuVernay and starMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, who ring Oyelowo as Martin Luther helped to organize the efforts in Bos- King Jr., “Selma is nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture ton. The nationwide efforts are in- and Best Original Song for “Glory” spired by the success of the pro- by Common & John Legend. The gram in New York City, in which film earned a Golden Globe Award 27 African-American business lead- for Best Song for “Glory” and was ers created a fund for 27,000 of the nominated for Best Picture, Best Accity’s 7th through 9th grade students tor and Best Director.
“Paramount Pictures is extremely proud of this film, which is so clearly resonating with audiences young and old,” said Megan Colligan, president, Worldwide Distribution and Marketing, Paramount Pictures. “It’s a testament to the extraordinary talents of Ava DuVernay, David Oyelowo and the entire cast and crew that “Selma” is being celebrated by communities all over the country.” “This was an important opportunity to educate our children about the heroes of the civil rights movement and keep an important legacy intact. I am proud that our com-
This is an opportunity to educate our children ...
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Neighborhood
Three northwest communities suffer car vandalism
A string of broken car windows, stolen items and vehicles has plagued U-Street, LeDroit Park and Shaw neighborhoods.
By Khari Arnold Howard University News Service
T
4 | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | District Chronicles
he U-Street, LeDroit Park and Shaw neighborhoods in Northwest Washington have seen an alarming increase in car-related break-ins, vandalism and thefts in the early part of the year, police report. Police said someone operating a dark SUV was seen driving around and smashing windows in the LeDroit Park area at around 3 a.m. February 4, in what appeared to be just vandalism rather than targeted robbery. “This is not a typical case that LeDroit Park is used to,” said Brian Footer, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Ward 1. Later that day, during daylight hours, 25 vehicles located in a Howard University parking lot had their windows broken. Owners of several of the cars reported items missing, said Howard University Chief of Police Brian Jordan. The Metropolitan Police Department said the cases have been assigned to a single detective and are being investigated as related offenses. A number of vehicle break-ins have also been reported in the 400 block of U Street during a three-
week time span, police said. A burglar tried to break into a vehicle late last month, but fled on foot after the alarm was triggered. A week later, a police report was filed for an attempt to steal a separate car on the same block. The owner of the vehicle, Clark Cheney, said the burglar broke his steering column and removed the ignition cylinder, but an anti-theft immobilizer prevented the vehicle from being stolen. On February 10, a plumber came to Cheney’s residence for a service call, and when he finished his work, he returned to his truck to find his window shattered and a laptop stolen. Two days later, the contractor of Cheney’s neighbor filed a police report after his laptop was stolen and car window was broken on the 400 block U Street. “I really don’t want our neighborhood to feel like this is normal and that we have to accept it,” said Cheney. “Because it’s not normal, we don’t have to accept it.” Meanwhile, police report multiple car break-ins in other parts of the metro area. Police said 15 cars were broken into in Georgetown, in one incident on February 1, while that same morning in northern Virginia, 17 cars were found broken into with smashed windows and
stolen items of value, according to an Arlington police report. Fourteen vehicles were also damaged on February 7, in a parking garage on Clarendon Boulevard, along with five vehicles on a nearby street that were affected the next day. In Chevy Chase, Maryland, police arrested two suspects Feb. 12 who they said broke inside a “bait car” parked on Primrose Street. The suspects, who police said had stolen items in their possession, were charged for the break-in of at least four other cars on the street. Police are requesting drivers to remove all personal belongings before exiting the car and to contact them if anything suspicious is noticed. Cheney said he hopes to see a strong partnership with police officers moving forward in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, he views it important that neighbors in the community begin to look out for each other and stay alert of crimes. “The neighborhood needs to be vigilant so that our neighborhood develops a reputation that it’s not an easy target,” he said. “Apparently the word is out that thieves can come to our neighborhood and destroy the property of others without any consequences. We need to counteract that.”
Divine Intervention
Supreme Court to hear case on religious discrimination
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The Supreme Court will hear the case where clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is accused of illegally denying a Muslim woman a job.
By Lauren Markoe (RNS) – On February 25, the Supreme Court will hear the case of a young Muslim woman who says clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch illegally denied her a job because she wears a hijab in keeping with her faith. The store argues that company policy used to forbid floor “models” – the company’s word for store employees who interact with customers – from wearing caps, and that it was up to Samantha Elauf, who was 17 at the time of her interview, to make it clear that she needed a religious accommodation. A federal district court agreed with Elauf and her lawyers in the case, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores Inc., which originated
in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Abercrombie. Now the Supreme Court, which in recent years has generally sided with those who say that their religious rights have been trampled, will hear Elauf’s appeal. According to her attorneys, she is protected by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination on the grounds of race, national origin, sex and religion. William Burgess, senior staff attorney at the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations, says that if the high court agrees with the 10th Circuit, it would “permit an employer to discriminate against a job applicant on the basis of her religion without legal consequence if the
applicant does not know that she must expressly state her need for a religious accommodation, even when she is unaware of employer policies that would require it.” On the store’s side, the Cato Institute, a Washington-based libertarian think tank, argued in its brief that it must be up to the prospective employee to raise the issue of a religious accommodation. “Any other rule not only foments tremendous awkwardness in the employer-employee relationship, but puts the employer in the untenable position of having to inquire into certain sensitive personal information even as such queries themselves are legally disfavored,” states the Cato brief. The court is expected to decide the case in the spring or early summer.
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District Chronicles | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | 5
Cover Walk, run to help area homeless children By Francisca Fournillier Howard University News Service
M
ariah, a homeless mother living in a Washington shelter, still remembers how her four-year-old son, Willy struggled with his speech. That was before he enrolled in Bright Beginnings. “Before he came here, his speech was really messed up,” said Paul. “But they did the proper procedures to give him speech therapy and anything else that he needed.” Bright Beginnings, which provides quality childcare for the homeless families in Washington, has been helping children like Willy for more than 20 years, and it plans to continue to do so. Now, Bright Beginnings needs assistance during its annual five kilometer walk/run Saturday at 8 a.m. in West Potomac Park. The event helps the organization raise money to continue to serve scores of homeless infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers and their families, free-of-charge. Services include education, therapy and health care for families living in crisis shelters or in transitional housing complexes.
Whitney Faison of Bright Beginnings this year’s goal is $75,000. The money will allow the organization to expand its efforts. “We’re building a second center in hopefully this June,” said Faison. “We’ll break ground on that, and that will help us serve an additional 100 infants and toddlers. So, all of our funds right now really, besides just general operating fees and anything else that we’ve raised especially with the 5K, will go towards that second center.” The second Bright Beginnings facility will begin construction this June and its tentative opening date is scheduled for August 2016. The second location will be located on 4th Street by the Congress Heights Metro station, across from Ballou High School. Bright Beginnings is expanding due to the high demand of free quality childcare in D.C., said Faison. The organization is hoping for a larger turnout this year, Faison said, in order to raise more money. “Usually have 200 to 300 people register for the 5K, which is a pretty nice group,” she said. “So, it’s a good size. It’s very early in the morning, but everyone is really energetic and we have several
Marquita Holmes, longtime Bright Beginnings employee, works in children in the Early HeadStart classrooms.
prizes for different groups and it’s nice to see who’s participating last year.” Despite the cold weather, Faison urges people to come out and show their support for D.C.’s homeless children. “I would encourage people just to think about the lives that are impacted by their efforts,” she said.
“Every registration goes towards just improving the quality of life for a child who is very vulnerable.” Crowdrise was created for people who may not walk or run, but still want to donate to Bright Beginnings. The fundraising page allows co-workers, community groups, friends and family to do-
nate and raise funds. Mariah said she and her son, along with many other Bright Beginnings families who will participate in the walk. “Come and take a walk with me, a long, long walk,” she said. For more information on the walk, go to Bright Beginnings or visit Crowdrise to donate.
Secondary victims: the children of rape survivors By Jazelle Hunt NNPA Washington Correspondent (NNPA) – When Tiffany Perry learned about her conception, she was too innocent to fully understand the gentle explanation her mother offered, too young to process such a heavy and complicated behavior. What she distinctly remembers is watching “Oprah” with her mom a few years later. In this episode Oprah revealed to the world that she was a rape survivor. “When [Oprah] said herself, and started crying…my mom just fell apart,” recounted the 39-yearold New Jersey native. “I tried to console her, but she was inconsolable. It was just so intense.” At 15 years old, Perry’s mother was raped by her foster mother’s adult, married son. The rape continued for two weeks, sometimes at knifepoint. Despite being a virgin at the time and under the care of the state, few people bothered
to inquire about the details of the pregnancy. Plus, the fact that he had threatened to kill her kept Perry’s mother silent. In subsequent years, freed by the Oprah episode, Perry’s mother became more forthcoming. But opening that door triggered another set of emotions. “My mom was awesome, she never talked down to me…my mom always praised me, always gave me love. But I felt like…I owed it to her to be perfect so she doesn’t feel like keeping me was a mistake,” said Perry, voice trembling with emotion. “It’s just assumed whenever a woman gets raped, she never gets pregnant, or if she does get pregnant, the child is automatically aborted or adopted,” said Perry. “There’s this group of people who’ve been conceived by rape and nobody ever discusses us. I want to talk about it because we exist. I exist.” Philadelphia-based author,
6 | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | District Chronicles
activist, and scholar Ewuare Osayande wasn’t born of this violence, but grew up in its shadow. His mother spent her childhood at the mercy of a sexually abusive stepfather. Today, he is the creator of Project ONUS: Redefining Black Manhood, a series of anti-sexist workshops for Black men. It took time before he was able to connect the dots and realize how his mother’s abuse – some he had witnessed, some he had not – had affected his own development. Justice Department data show that Black women are more likely than their White counterparts to be assaulted, sexually and otherwise by strangers and family members. As the son of a rape and abuse survivor, and as a formerly emotionally abusive person, Osayande also realized he had to address his own internal conflicts and beliefs. “It’s been a very real, clear determination on my part to make
sense of the life I’ve experienced as a Black man, in a gendered way… It’s been my desire to become an effective ally in that struggle, in that engagement in the world in which Black women exist, and experience.” Lori Robinson’s “I Will Survive: The African American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse”, cites a study that draws parallels between the emotions of boyfriends and husbands of women who have been sexually assaulted, and the wives and girlfriends of war veterans. “Not surprisingly, past or recent sexual trauma can present unique challenges for the survivor’s partner,” wrote Robinson. “You are a victim too. Some experts call you the secondary victim. After all you are experiencing many of the same emotions sexual assault victims feel.” Perry’s breaking point came about 20 years ago. A probation officer contacted her out of the
blue, looking for her father. He had given her name and birthdate as his next-of-kin. She learned that not only did he know about her, but he also knew where she lived. To this day, they live less than an hour apart. She has never contacted him, but has learned a bit about his life via relatives on Facebook. “When I went to go look for support groups for children of rape victims or children conceived out of rape, they’re pretty much nonexistent,” said Perry. “[Rape] is so common we don’t even cringe when we hear about it. Rape is inhumane, and people are not treating it like it’s inhumane. They just treat it like ‘Well, it happens.’” Her mother remains her primary source of support. This project was made possible by a grant from the National Health Journalism Fellowship, a program of the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Politics
Immigrant advocates not worried about judge’s ruling By Elena Shore New America Media
A
federal judge last week blocked Obama’s executive actions from going into effect, a move immigration reform advocates are calling only a “temporary setback.� Texas U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen issued a temporary injunction last Monday, siding with Texas and 25 other states that signed on to a lawsuit against Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The White House announced on that the Department of Justice is appealing the decision. The judge’s ruling was released just two days before the expanded version of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was slated to go into effect. It means that – until the ruling is blocked or overturned by a higher court – individuals will not be able to apply for the new programs announced by President Obama on Nov. 20, 2014. These include the expanded version of DACA, which was slated to start last week, and the new program for parents of U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), which was expected to start in May. Together, the programs could protect over five undocumented immigrants from deportation and provide them with temporary
work authorization. The ruling does not affect so-called Dreamers, who can still apply for (and renew) DACA under the program that was announced in 2012. The chess game The federal lawsuit in Texas is the latest move in a broader political chess match now being played out between Republicans and Democrats over the president’s recent steps on immigration reform. Since Obama’s announcement in November, Republicans have attempted to block his initiatives in Congress. But the legislation has not gotten passed the Senate (and even if it did, it would be vetoed by the president). “They went judge shopping, they found their judge, they got the decision they wanted,� said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, in Washington, D.C. “But reading through the decision, it is poorly argued, [rests on a] very weak basis, and it is clearly a politicized decision that is not going to survive appeals up through the court system.� The case is expected to go next to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, a three-judge panel known for its conservative bent. After that, the case would go to a full U.S. court of appeals and even potentially all the way to the Supreme Court. “The wheels of justice are slow,� said Marshall Fitz, vice president
of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress, “but at the end of the track, we will have confirmed legality and the program will be implemented.� Immigration advocates have several reasons to be confident. “The fact is that the Obama administration has an airtight legal case,� said Sharry. “Every president since President Eisenhower in the 1950s has used executive authority in the area of immigration policy to do similar things.� The real danger is fear Immigration reform advocates say they are confident that the judge’s decision will be reversed. Far more worrisome, they said, is the fear that it could generate among immigrant communities in the meantime.
“Part of the Republican strategy here is to introduce elements of uncertainty and controversy around this program in hopes that when it does go into effect, fewer people will sign up,� said Sharry of America’s Voice. He cautioned immigrant communities “not to fall for this.� Some immigrants are hesitant to apply for a program that is temporary, he said, because they are afraid that their information might be used to deport them if the program were ever overturned. But Sharry said these fears are overblown. “In my 30 years of working on immigration policy,� he said, “I’ve never seen a temporary program taken away in a way that subjects people who’ve come forward to deportation.�
What you can do now Although they can’t apply for the new programs yet, undocumented immigrants can start getting their documents together. Shiu-Ming Cheer, attorney at National Immigration Law Center based in Los Angeles, encouraged immigrants to continue to save money (the application fee for DACA and DAPA will be $465) and gather evidence that they have been in the country for the last five years. This includes proof of identity, proof of living here (such as bills, bank statements and medical records) and their criminal and immigration histories. Most importantly, Cheer said, undocumented immigrants should seek help from qualified attorneys at trusted local community organizations, not from notaries or unauthorized practitioners.
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District Chronicles | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | 7
Arts and Entertainment
Children’s book tells the story of Loving v. Virginia
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
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our best friend’s mom never minds if you make too much noise. She takes you places and gives you snacks, too. She’s a really nice lady, and so is your best friend’s dad. He shows you how to do things, and makes you laugh. You like spending time at their house. It doesn’t matter to you that she’s Black and he’s White. But what if there was a law that said they couldn’t be a family because of their races? ‘The Case for Loving’ by Selina Alko tells the story of Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter, who had to overcome racist laws in order to stay together and build a family. Falling in love was easy for Loving and Jeter. Right after they met, it didn’t take long for them to decide that they wanted to get married and raise a family. But there was one problem: in 1958 it was illegal for them to get married in Virginia. Yes, a simple wedding could land them in jail! So, Mildred and Richard went to Washington, D.C. and tied the
knot there. Family and friends went to the wedding, and everybody was happy. The Lovings were excited to start their new lives back home. However it wasn’t long after their return to Virginia that the police came in the middle of the night and said that the Lovings’ marriage certificate was no good. They put Richard and Mildred behind bars because their marriage was ‘unlawful.’ In an attempt to avoid more jail time, the Lovings had to leave their families and move to another state. They returned to D.C., and did their best to settle in. Richard got a job. Mildred had three children in ‘three different shades of milk-chocolate brown.’ But the city wasn’t a good place for the Lovings. They missed their families and weren’t happy. Nine years after that late-night police visit, the Lovings hired lawyers to fight for the right to live in their beloved hometown in Virginia. For anyone who’s too young to remember Loving v. Virginia, “The Case for Loving” is a very informa-
tive, eye-opening book. In her notes, Alko says that as a Jewish White woman she finds it ‘difficult to imagine’ that her marriage to Sean Qualls, an African-American man and the illustrator of her book, would have been illegal fifty years ago. This current generation might find that notion to be almost unbelievable as well, considering that they’ve never known a world like the one the Lovings experienced. “The Case for Loving” is targeted towards the four to eight year old age group. What parents should understand is that, particularly for younger readers, this book could be scary. For toddlers, the concept of being taken away to jail is the stuff of nightmares, so be cautious before exposing children to this information. However, if you’re prepared to explain and guide your young readers through the content, this could be a great read-aloud book.
‘Black Broadway’ book delves into Black theatre actors By Terri Schlichenmeyer A remote control and five hundred channels. That’s what you’ve got for entertainment, and there’s still nothing on TV. That doesn’t keep you from looking, though, and wishing for something different. Finding entertainment shouldn’t be such a big production – but in decades past, that’s exactly what it took for African Americans, in more ways than one. In the new book “Black Broadway” by Stewart F. Lane, you’ll find out why. When William Alexander Brown decided to retire, he knew where he’d do it: in the two-story home he’d purchased in lower Manhattan. It was 1821 and Brown, a free Black man, knew that there were few places for Black actors to perform for Black audiences, and he planned to allow performances there. The popularity of those performances spurred Brown and a friend to “go a step further” with
a 300-seat establishment they named the African Grove Theatre. It, too, was successful, until Brown was forced out of business by a local White theatre owner who feared competition. Not long after the African Grove Theatre was closed, minstrel shows began attracting crowds of both races. Many shows featured White and Black entertainers in burnt-cork blackface, as well as comedy sketches and dancing – including many skits satirizing Black life and culture. “It’s not clear,” writes Lane, “why the African Americans of the era turned out to see” those shows – but they did, perhaps to laugh “at the absurdity of the caricatures …” By the late 1800s, vaudeville and burlesque had become popular, and that added increasing diversity to shows. Black entertainers were often included on stage, and entire productions were created with Black troupes, for
8 | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | District Chronicles
Black audiences. White people, of course, were welcome and did attend; one theatre owner even gave them their own section … in the back of the house. Throughout the years, African Americans – both performers and audience members – made strides, but slowly and with help from the NAACP and the Harlem Renaissance. By the 1930s, Broadway shows included racial issues; by the 1940s, interracial marriage was a common theme. In the 1950s, audiences enjoyed performances dealing with poverty and racism – but it wasn’t until well past the Civil Rights years that Black faces became a non-issue on the Great White Way. Loaded with pictures, playbill reproductions, advertisements, and drawings, “Black Broadway” is a theatre-goer’s delight. But I was equally happy to see that there’s plenty for the historian, too: in addition to a rich narrative on equality for African Americans on Broadway (and
off), the author includes a running timeline of national and world history to put the main body of this book into perspective. We’re also treated to dozens of shortbut-comprehensive profiles of influential performers and people who, though many haven’t graced a stage in decades, are still familiar to followers of theatre, jazz, dance, and music. With all that’s inside this book, give yourself time to browse, read awhile, then browse again and enjoy. “Black Broadway” is per-
fect for fans of stage and screen and, of course, when there’s nothing on TV.
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In the Neighborhood
Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington District of Columbia Reduce risk of freezing, breaking pipes
L
ast week, temperatures in the District dropped to fall below zero for the first time since 1994. The cold has already caused hundreds of frozen or broken pipes inside local homes this winter. DC Water has fielded more than 4,000 calls from customers over the past 10 days, many for frozen or burst pipes, and other water utilities in the region are experiencing similarly high call volumes. There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of pipes in your home freezing or breaking. Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to the outside, such as outdoor hose outlets, water sprinkler lines and water pipes along an outside wall or in unheated interior areas such as cabinets, closets, attics, garages, basements and crawl spaces. To prevent frozen pipes: < Eliminate sources of cold air near pipes by sealing drafty windows and doors, and insulating walls and attics. < If pipes are exposed to cold air, wrap them with insulation or even
District recycling to get artistic redesign The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is soliciting proposals from local artists for artworks to be featured on District recycling trucks for an exciting new public art initiative called Designed to Recycle. Designed to Recycle is a partnership with DCCAH and the Department of Public Works (DPW) that will transform recycling trucks into mobile public art works. Artworks will be printed on vinyl and wrapped onto recycling trucks that circulate through all eight wards of the District. “The project offers District artists a truly unique canvas, while drawing attention to the impor-
newspaper will help. < Keep water moving through pipes by turning on the faucet farthest from your main valve to a very small, steady trickle. < Run warm water through your pipes if you begin to see a decrease in water pressure to loosen any ice that may be forming within your pipes. < Keep pipes in cabinets and vanities warmer by opening the doors to those cabinets to let warm air in. If your pipes freeze:
< Check for other frozen pipes in your home or business, especially those pipes that are located along an exterior wall or bring the water into the building at the foundation. < Once you have thawed the frozen area, check the pipes for leaks to make sure the ice did not cause any cracks or damage to your pipes. For pipes outside your home: < The service line that runs from the meter outside your home to your indoor plumbing is considered private property and is the owner’s responsibility. If you believe you have a problem on the private-side service line, please contact a licensed and registered plumber. < The water mains that carry water to service lines are highly pressurized and fast moving, and therefore extremely unlikely to ever freeze.
< Take steps to thaw the pipe to keep it from bursting. < First, locate and shut off the main water supply valve in case a pipe has broken. < Next, open the faucet so that water will flow through the pipe once the area is melted. This will help melt more ice. < Then, gently apply heat with a hairdryer around the pipe. Keep all sources of heat away from flammable materials and do not use any openflame devices. Also, do not use devices that will cause the melted ice to boil, as that can also cause pipes to break. < Call a licensed plumber if you cannot locate the frozen section, if you are unable to reach it, or if you are unable to thaw it.
For emergency service inside your home, contact a licensed plumber. Call the DC Water 24-hour emergency line at 202.612.3400 for water emergencies on public property, including suspected water main breaks,especially if you see water running from a building into public property.
tance of recycling,” said Edmund C. Fleet, Chair of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. “For residents and visitors, Designed to Recycle animates the streets of D.C. with the vibrantly enhanced vehicles.” Local artists can propose two-dimensional art that can be featured on the trucks. Up to 10 designs will be selected, and the artwork will be featured on recycling trucks for the duration of two years beginning in the spring of 2015. All District artists over the age of 18 are encouraged to apply. Each of the selected artists and or teams will be awarded one $2,500 honorarium for their design. The project will be launched on Earth Day, April 22. “The partnership with the arts
serves to spotlight the important role of recycling trucks, as well as their operators, by bringing attention to their work,” said DPW Director William O. Howland, Jr. “We will provide educational programming opportunities on waste reduction and recycling surrounding the program.” “The DCCAH creates opportunities for artists to bring their artwork to more audiences through public art projects and grants,” said DCCAH Executive Director Lionell Thomas. “Creative and artistic public vehicles will enliven the city.” For more information and to apply, visit www.dcarts.dc.gov, or call Elizabeth Carriger, DCCAH Public Art Coordinator, at 202.724.5613.
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District Chronicles | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | 11
In the Neighborhood Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington
T
he District of Columbia Department of Health has confirmed an additional case of measles, bringing the measles cases count in District to two. The recent case of measles in the District of Columbia is not linked to the outbreak in California, and there is District of Columbia Confirms Second Case of Measles in 2015 no indication that the
bitt. “Adequate prevention and protection of measles requires we work together as a city to educate, inform and help ensure residents are equipped with the necessary tools and resources needed to reduce possible new cases of measles in the future. We are asking all healthcare providers to review their patients’ immunization history at every visit to ensure that everyone is protected.” Measles is a highly contagious illness that may have the following symptoms: fever, pink or red eyes, and cough, followed by a red blotchy rash that appears on the 3rd to 7th day beginning on the
face and spreading to the rest of the body. The disease is more severe in infants and adults. Measles is spread from person-to-person by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of an infected person or through the air from an infected person’s coughing or sneezing. Symptoms can appear from 7 to 21 days, but most commonly at 14 days following exposure. It is estimated that 90 percent of individuals exposed to a person infected with measles who are not immune will become infected. People who have not had the disease or who have not been successfully immunized through
vaccination are at risk for infection. Measles can be prevented by a two-dose vaccination. This is a safe and highly effective vaccine. The first dose of measles vaccine is usually given between 12 and 15 months of age. A second dose of vaccine is given at school entry (4 to 6 years of age). Both doses are generally given as a combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Residents should contact their health care provider to discuss MMR vaccination history as well as possible exposure to measles. For more information, visit doh. dc.gov.
Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles
District of Columbia confirms second case of measles in 2015
cases confirmed to date in 2015 are related. DOH officials have contacted all persons known to have been exposed to the infected person and recommend they be vaccinated if they are not already immune. All D.C. residents unsure of their vaccination status who have not previously had measles are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. It is especially important that children over 12 months old get vaccinated. “As we continue to monitor this situation, residents are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” said DOH Director, Dr. LaQuandra S. Nes-
Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles
District of Columbia
District folks ring in the Chinese New Year
Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles
Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles
Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles
Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles
Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles
12 | Feb. 26 - Mar. 4, 2015 | District Chronicles
Area folks and local residents lined up along the streets leading to Chinatown’s iconic arch in celebration of the Chinese New Year. The event included a parade, special guests and several performances. (Photo Credit: Robert Eubanks)