11th Annual Brookland Day Festival - Saturday September 29th

11th Annual Brookland Day Festival 2007
Saturday September 29th, 2007, 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
12th Street, NE (between Monroe and Otis Streets)

Brookland, one of Washington DC's Main Street communities, will hold its 11th annual Brookland Day Festival on Saturday, September 29th, 2007. The festival is a community-oriented event for all ages and it always captures and highlights the special small-town-in-town flavor of Brookland.

At 10:30 a.m., a parade featuring bands and the Festival's spoof brigades of neighborhood residents, including phalanxes of dog walkers, lawnmower pushers, and baby stroller pushers, will march up 12th Street from Franklin Street to Michigan Avenue, NE.

Between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., performance and exhibit pavilions, including nonprofit organizations, businesses, and arts and crafts exhibitors, will be featured in booths along Brookland's commercial district, on 12th Street, between Monroe and Otis Streets, NE.

Performance stages will feature the ADTI Inspirational Choir and Moroccan Ensemble led by percussionist Jason Walker, the Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, Bemcha - a latin Jazz ensemble, the Backyard Blues Band with members of Barrellhouse Brawl, the salsa group Movimiento, the Brian Settles jazz trio, and demonstrations by Northeast Tae Kwon Do, Dance Place's Carla & Company, and DC World Beat Ensemble, among others. You can view the complete performance schedule here.

Click here to see a slide show from the 2006 festival.

Festival Schedule:
Parade, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 noon
12th Street NE, between Rhode Island and Michigan Avenues

Children's Fest, 12:30-4:30 p.m.
Newton Street NE, between 12th and 13th Streets

Entertainment & Exhibits, 12:30-5:00 p.m.
12th Street NE, between Newton and Monroe Streets

Arts & Crafts Fair, 12:30-5:00 p.m.
12th Street NE, between Otis and Newton Streets


The Festival is sponsored by Citibank, DC Lottery, Douglas Development Corporation, EYA, Mayor Fenty's Constituent Services Fund, Horning Brothers, Keller Williams Capital Properties, Menkiti Group, PNC Bank, Verizon, and The Washington Post.

The festival is coordinated by the Brookland Community Development Corporation, the parent organization of Historic Brookland Main Street, the commercial district revitalization program working with property owners, business proprietors, residents, and other stakeholders to bring about focused improvements to the commercial district.

For further information on sponsorship or to participate in any events, contact the Brookland Festival Committee by phone at 202-526-4848 or e-mail rl.brookland@yahoo.com.

**Volunteers are still needed in the following areas:

Set up: 7:30-10 a.m. (10 volunteers needed to help filling balloons, setting up tents and chairs, decorating the children's area etc)

Cloths Line Art Sale 8:00-10:00 a.m. and 12-5 p.m. (2 volunteers needed for each shift to help set up and hang art for sale and assist in transactions throughout the day)

Parade Marshals: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (10 volunteers needed to help coordinate parade participants, block off streets and direct participants during the parade)

Clean Up: 5-6 p.m. (10 volunteers needed to help take down the tents and decorations and put away chairs and tables)

Please email Mary Hodges at maryphodges@gmail.com to sign up for any of these volunteer jobs.

- - -


Neighborhood Tours of Brookland
Saturday September 29th, 2007 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
As part of Cultural Tourism DC's WalkingTown DC program, the Brookland Tour Committee will be offering neighborhood tours throughout the day. Teh "History of Brookland" tour offers insights into the development of the one-time trolley suburb and its rich heritage. Discover neighborhood architectural styles and the work of architects such as John Joseph Early, Howard Mackay, and Hilyard Robinson. See the homes of famous residents such as Ralph Bunche, Justine Ward, and Pearl Bailey (or in some cases, the sites where their homes once stood). Each tour is 1.5 hours long and meets at St. Anthony's Church at 3400 12th Street NE. Tours start at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m.

You can view more information as well as a listing of all the tours being offered that day here. You can also participate in the WalkingTown DC photo contest.

Four-Alarm Fire at Coosemans' Warehouse in NE

Two firefighters were injured in DC's first four-alarm blaze in nearly 7 years....From WUSA9:

DC Fire and EMS units fought a warehouse fire at 2144 Queens Chapel Road, Northeast, Thursday night. The location is off of Bladensburg Road near New York Avenue.

About 60 workers were inside the warehouse when the fire started. They told 9 News Now the flames first appeared near the rooftop sometime before 8pm. They tried to put out the fire with an extinguisher, but when their efforts failed, they called 911.

More than 160 firefighters were still battling the blaze three hours after it started.

"This is a very significant event. You can see the plumes of smoke even in the dark," said D.C. Fire Spokesman Alan Etter.

The first units responding ordered an exterior attack shortly after calling the second-alarm. The fire then grew to four alarms.

"Whenever you get into a sprawling structure like this, there's always a danger to firefighters," said Etter. "Our roof team could actually see part of the roof bowing in, so that's when you got to get everybody out."

At 7:50 p.m., Battalion Chief Kenneth Crosswhite, on the scene, told STATter 911 this is a 200 by 200 foot warehouse housing the DC operation of Coosemans Worldwide Produce. Chief Crosswhite said the crews were pulled out of the building because of the bowing of the exposed bar joist roof structure. He said there was fire throughout the building.

Coosemans workers said there were 8 diesel trucks inside the complex as well as hundreds of boxes containing highly flammable materials. However, firefighters were able to contain the fire so it did not reach those boxes.

Here's how Coosemans DC describes itself on its website:

For over 20 years, Coosemans DC has been providing some of the best specialty and exotic produce in the Washington/Baltimore area. First as Rock Garden and then joining forces with Coosemans, we have steadily grown to become a major importer, re-packer and distributor of over 400 specialty items.

Mayor Adrian Fenty visited the site around 10pm. Firefighters were still using a double ladder hose to reach the deep-seated pockets inside the building.

Fenty compared the fire to the Eastern Market blaze. "This is devastating," he said.

Additionally, about 145 people were relocated from two nearby homeless shelters when the power was shut down on the block.

You can view raw video footage shot by D.C. Fire & EMS photographer Vito Maggiolo here.

» dcfd.com
» dcfire.com

Eastern HS Teacher Honored with the 2007 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education

Reynauld Smith, a social studies and AP American History teacher at Eastern High School, was one of three educators nationwide honored with the 2007 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. According to the Mc-Graw Hill Companies, the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education "annually recognizes outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to enhancing learning in this country and whose accomplishments are making a difference today."

Mr. Smith is being recognized as an innovative educator who took over Eastern's fledgling Model United Nations program in 1999, and introduced the program as part of his AP American History class. Smith has worked with 500 students in his Model UN program and has taken dozens of students to Ecuador, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. He previously taught in Montgomery County, MD, where he helped start a diversity club for U.S. and international students.

Homicide in Kenilworth Monday

From MPD:

At approximately 9:07 pm on Monday, September 24, 2007, officers from the Sixth District responded to 45th and Quarles Streets, NE for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival they located 30-year-old George Hill, of the 1300 block of Cougar Lane in Capitol Heights, Maryland, suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He was transported to the Washington Hospital Center’s MedStar Unit and pronounced dead.

The case is under investigation by members of the department’s Violent Crimes Branch. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.

The department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.

ANC-5A Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, September 26th

What: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, September 26th, 2007 at 7pm

Where: North Michigan Park Recreation Center, 1333 Emerson Street, NE

Agenda: TBA

Fatal Shooting on New York Avenue NE

Haven't seen the press release from MPD - though they've been spotty at best lately....From NBC4:

Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Northeast D.C.

Authorities said that at about 3 a.m. on Monday, officers were called to the intersection of First Street and New York Avenue for the report of a shooting.

When they arrived at the scene, police found a male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

Police said they do not yet have a suspect or motive in the shooting.

As always, if you have information regarding this case call MPD at 202.727.9099.

Violence Erupts Among Day Laborers in Brentwood; Community Opposes Proposed Multicultural Training & Employment Center

The Washington Times - perhaps because of their NE home base - have been closely following the controversy over the proposed multicultural training and employment center in Brentwood. They recently reported the only mention I've found of a brawl erupting Thursday, September 13th among the day laborers:

Community leaders scheduled a public-safety meeting in a Northeast neighborhood after a bloody clash among a group of Hispanic men that residents said began in an area where day laborers gather looking for work.

As many as 200 mostly Hispanic day laborers congregate each day at a shopping plaza in Brentwood looking to link up with area contractors for jobs....

The incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. last Thursday, when police found a Hispanic man lying on a sidewalk and bleeding from his head near 10th Street and Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast — only a few hundred feet away from the shopping plaza.

Police said the victim — who was identified only as "John Doe" in police reports — also had a stab wound in the center of his back.

Mr. Chandler said his constituents who live in the area told him the man was assaulted during a fight involving a large group of men that began behind the Bank of America at 915 Rhode Island Ave.

The clash then spilled over from a hill behind the bank onto 10th Street, where [ANC Commissioner Raymond] Chandler said men were "rolling over people's cars" during the fight....

Mr. Chandler and other residents adamantly oppose constructing the center, saying employment services already exist in the area and that city money should not be used to fund a center for day laborers, many of whom are illegal aliens.

The incident caused Mr. Chandler to organize a public-safety meeting for community residents and businesses to voice their concerns to police.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 9 at Isle of Patmos Baptist Church [1216 Saratoga Avenue NE/1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza NE] in Northeast.

The same day they also ran one of Tom Knott's "insightful" columns, where law-abiding citizens get screwed at the expense of "lawbreakers":

The good folks of Brentwood have made it clear to D.C. Council member Harry Thomas Jr. that they do not want a day-laborer center in a Northeast shopping center on Rhode Island Avenue....

But Mr. Thomas, Ward 5 Democrat, presses forward, because he thinks on a higher plane than the good folks of Brentwood. He knows many of the day laborers are illegal aliens, and he knows many of them urinate and defecate on the properties belonging to the good folks of Brentwood, and he knows that if impotent lawmakers at all levels of government merely enforced the existing laws, there would be no illegal-alien mess in this nation....

But our lawmakers, who purport to be in the public-service business, are not heeding the words of those who elect them to office. Mr. Thomas is not unlike so many other legislators at the local, state and federal levels. He blames the illegal-alien problem on some other part of the bureaucracy. He is merely trying to address a situation in the Home Depot parking lot, even if he is dead wrong, even if his constituents in Ward 5 do not want public funds being spent on an illegal-alien center....

I could hang out at the day-laborer center and read Spanish-language materials. And if anyone ever objected to my illegal existence, I would shout racism and bigotry, because that always works, especially around pathetic, whiny white people who have this profound sense of guilt.

Our useless lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are showering our dollars on illegal aliens, who turn around and wave the silly-looking flag of their country. Sorry. I forgot how it works. If they wave the flag of the country they abandoned, it is called pride. If Americans wave their flag, it is called jingoism.

Mr. Thomas undoubtedly expects the legal residents of the city to follow every last law. But there he is ready to reward lawbreakers. While he is at it, he might as well appropriate more of our tax money to equip the illegal-alien center with a health spa.

It is crazy.

As are you, sir.

» The Washington Times, 9.20.07, "Melee spurs calls for action on day laborers"
» The Washington Times, 9.20.07, "Note to Brentwood: Don't doubt Thomas"
» Previous community workshop, 9.8.07
» Previous town hall meeting, 8.15.07
» WaPo, 6.17.07, "As Plan for D.C. Day-Laborer Center Idles, Anger Over Workers Grows"
» The Washington Times, 7.5.07, "Day laborers shower us with culture, irrigation"
» The Washington Times, 7.16.07, "Two sites eyed for D.C. day-labor center"

Developer Pulls Out of Washington Gateway in Ft. Lincoln/New Town

Unfortunately I don't have the time right now to comment on this other than to say I'm happy the discussion with any potential developers will include the desire for less big-box design and an emphasis on protecting the wetlands, but all-in-all the news is a big blow to the surrounding community....from the Friday, 9.21.07, Washington Business Journal:

Real Estate
Peterson quits Washington Gateway project in D.C.

Washington Business Journal - September 21, 2007
by Prabha Natarajan, Staff Reporter

The Peterson Cos. has pulled out of the project to develop Washington Gateway, a massive retail center on New York Avenue NE that was slated to include D.C.'s first Costco.

"There's a time and place for everything, and it was not the right time for us at Washington Gateway," said Paul Weinschenk, vice president of retail at Peterson.

The $67 million Washington Gateway, which was scheduled to start construction next April, would have housed 412,000 square feet of retail including big-box stores, such as Staples and Target, at the corner of New York and South Dakota avenues NE.

The plan was approved by the National Capital Revitalization Corp., whose responsibilities are now under the deputy mayor for planning and economic development, and received a preliminary nod from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).

However, this spring, the deputy mayor's office suggested changes to address any impact on the property's wetlands and alter the design from that of a big-box complex to a more contemporary look.

According to Weinschenk, the changes would mean more delays and more work on a project thought to be in its home stretch.

"From our perspective, we felt that until some of these issues could be worked out it didn't make sense for us to continue with this process and we needed to suspend our efforts," Weinschenk said.

Fort Lincoln Realty Inc., a D.C. developer, had brought in Peterson in 2003 as the developer of the retail/restaurant portion.

Peterson came back with a proposal to put in a 151,700-square-foot Costco, a 67,500-square-foot Shoppers Food Warehouse and a 123,735-square-foot space for both Staples and Target stores.

People in the neighborhood loved the plan. The Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A endorsed it, and it was seen as a destination for the 128,000 cars that drive in and out of the city daily on New York Avenue.

After last fall's preliminary NCPC approval, Peterson and Fort Lincoln Realty were going to present an updated plan and either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement concerning the wetlands to the commission this October.

The deputy mayor's office and the Office of Planning, however, had ideas that would have changed the existing plan and accommodated the wetlands in the development.

"We had a different development scheme to protect the wetlands," said Harriet Tregoning, D.C.'s planning director.

"If the city was interested in a Costco on the site and a Target, ... then you can't assume you will keep all the natural features on the site as they exist," Weinschenk said. "The city has to decide whether it wants those [retail] uses and allow land to be developed to support these uses, or you allow the land and its natural features to drive the uses."

Tregoning said the city still wants retail on that site, which ties in with its objective to get more stores in the District.

"We think the original design, which is 20 years old, can be improved upon," she said.

At this point, it is unclear what will happen to the retailers that signed on or expressed interest in being a part of the project.

Peterson said the leases were in various stages of negotiation, and it is up to the retailers to pursue the space. Industry insiders say Fort Lincoln Realty is looking for a retail developer to pick up where Peterson left off.

A change in developers is not something new to this site.

Before Peterson, there was Federal Realty Investment Trust of Rockville and Trammell Crow Development. A $10 million tax-increment financing deal was approved in 2004. The 42-acre project was expected to create 124 construction jobs and $6.2 million in new taxes for the city.

All is not lost yet, said Robert King, ANC 5A commissioner.

Fort Lincoln Realty is expected to give a project update at the ANC board meeting Oct. 10, including information on will happen to the retail site, and King said the news will be good.

"As far as we know, the project is moving straight ahead with a new developer. The train is still on track," he said. "I have been working for 20 years on this project and would jump off a bridge if it doesn't happen."

» A bit of history on Ft. Lincoln/New Town, "Fort Lincoln: Finding a Leafy Enclave" - WaPo, 7.18.92
» Our litigious buddy, Roy Pearson, and a 2002 lawsuit against Fort Lincoln New Town Corp., "Residents sue, charge Ft. Lincoln New Town developer with fraud" - The Common Denominator 8.12.02
» New residential development in Ft. Lincoln, "Hope Stirs In Fort Lincoln: Growth, New Neighbor Inspire Pocket of D.C. to Believe in Change" - WaPo, 4.30.07

Are the DC Rollergirls Moving to NE?

I just caught wind of a fantastic rumor...the DC Rollergirls may be skating in the District next year - they're currently skating out in Virginia. Even better, the new location, while not finalized, is likely to be in NE! While we wait for official confirmation, why not check out their last scheduled bout of the 2007 season this Saturday:

Come help your DC Rollergirls determine the fate of our great nation by participating in a Raucous Caucus on Saturday, September 22nd! Don’t miss the last match-up of the season between Scare Force One and the DC DemonCats!

Purchase your tickets here from BrownPaperTickets.com, the first and only fair-trade ticketing service!

Date: September 22, 2007
Time: Doors @ 4pm, Bout begins @ 5pm
Price: $12
Location: Dulles SportsPlex, 21610 Atlantic Blvd., Sterling, VA

Dwellings Will Be Closing Soon

Less than a month after Basements & Attics abruptly closed, Brookland's Dwellings will be closing soon:

Dear Friends & Customers,

It is with much sadness that we must announce that Dwellings will be closing at the end of October 2007. Although it was our desire to be a part of the Brookland landscape for many years to come, the store was not growing at a rate that could ultimately sustain itself. We truly enjoyed serving the Brookland community and will miss the relationships that we established with so many of you. We sincerely thank you for your patronage during the past 2 1/2 years.

Yours truly,
Roz Moore
Owner

This is a terrible loss and a severe blow to the revitalization of Brookland's retail core. While many in Brookland want to see a more dynamic and successful commercial "main street" along 12th Street, the fact remains that the neighborhood's density, along with the selection of businesses, are factors in the corridor's struggle to become a destination for shoppers. And while we'd all like shops and restaurants that serve "us" (however broadly or narrowly each resident defines "us"), we have two university communities right next door who would also utilize a commercial strip that serves them. I'd love to see the same number of CUA and Trinity students populating 12th Street Thursday-Saturday as I normally see on the Metro platform, taking their money out of Brookland and down the Red Line.

Would promoting that type of foot-traffic have kept these two stores open? Would it be the impetus for more - and better quality - sit-down restaurants along 12th?

We all seem to know what we want, but too often fight our neighbors and proposed density that will help get us there.

Book Drive to Benefit DC Youth - Through Sunday, September 23rd

From the inbox - I can't resist spreading the word about an event that pairs children and books:

First Book, a nonprofit organization, has teamed up with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, SunTrust Bank, and SunTrust Mortgage to host a book drive in DC through this Sunday, September 23rd. The drive will enable First Book to achieve its mission of providing children in low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Social venture company Better World Books will sell the books online and First Book will use the proceeds to bring thousands of new books to children in need in the DC community.

Between now and this Sunday, September 23rd, you can drop off your used books at select DC SunTrust locations, or, if you don’t live in the area, donate them by following the instructions on our webpage: www.firstbook.org/betterworld. This site also provides guidelines on which kinds of books are most helpful.

Volleyball with Your Neighbors at Turkey Thicket - Tuesdays and Thursdays

What: Amateur, adult volleyball - no particular skill level required; no leagues, just good exercise and neighborly fun!

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m. (Thursdays were added for the summer, but will continue if attendance stays up)

Where: Turkey Thicket Rec Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE in the main gym

Chungs Close Custom Cleaners in NE

Despite successfully defending themselves against judge Roy Pearson and his $67 million pants (generously reduced by Pearson to $54 million), the Chung family has closed two of its three Custom Cleaners, including the 3174 Bladensburg Road, NE location. If you live or work near the Convention Center, consider taking your delicates to their Happy Cleaners shop at 7th and M, NW while they fight Pearson's appeal.

» "Chung Family Closes Custom Cleaners" - DCist
» "Financial, Emotional Toll Too Much on Dry Cleaners" - WTOP
» "Family Sells Cleaners Caught In $54 Million Lawsuit" - NBC4
» "Business Sold After Million-Dollar Pant Suit Case" - WUSA9

600-Pound Man Found Dead In Brentwood Apartment

Wow, I wonder if he had any immediate family or was isolated...from NBC4:

A 600-pound man was found dead inside his apartment in Washington Wednesday morning.

D.C. fire said they will have to use a crane to remove him from his apartment in the 1300 block of Adams Street in Northeast.

The cause of death is unknown.

Volunteers and Participants Needed for the 2007 Brookland Day Festival on September 29th

From Mary Hodges and the Brookland Day Festival Planning Committee:

The Brookland Day Festival Planning Committee is in full force and could use some help from additional volunteers and participants.

Brookland Day is a great way to promote your company or organization to the Ward 5 community. If you would like to be in the parade or have a booth at the event, please contact me (Mary Hodges) at mary@menkitigroup.com or Richard Layman at rl.brookland@yahoo.com.

We are seeking help from volunteers in the following areas:

1. Exhibitor Recruitment (This would involve contacting a list of local community organizations, artists and craftsmen and businesses and encouraging them to participate in the festival)

2. Parade Participation Recruitment (Contact groups and encourage parade participation- antique car owners, duck tour etc.)

3. Event Promotion and Marketing (Work with designers to create flyers and distribute to local businesses and organizations)

4. Day of festival set up and cleanup support.

We meet Mondays from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Brookland Visitors Center. Please email me at mary@menkitigroup.com or call 202.243.7717 if you would like to volunteer.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
The annual Brookland Day Festival on 12th Street NE between Monroe and Otis Streets is scheduled for Saturday, September 29th, 2007.

Greater Brookland celebrates this year the 80th Anniversary of what could be considered the first Brookland Festival, held in 1927 to celebrate the paving of 12th Street NE. The occasion included a parade, an 80-piece band, remarks by District Commissioners, and dancing at St. Anthony’s Hall.

In honor of this auspicious anniversary, we are planning a grand event, with special emphasis on expanding dance, music, and spoken word performances and on enhancing the Children’s Fest, an area of the Festival designed to engage children.

Mark your calendars for September 29th and be sure to join us for Ward 5's premier annual celebration!

Mary Hodges
202.243.7717
mary@menkitigroup.com

Celebrating Brookland Artists 2007 - September 15th-October 13th

» Roxanne's ARTiques & Gallery, 3426 9th Street NE
» The Miller - Peralta Gallery

Saint's Bourbon Street - Live Music in September

Check out the free, live music at Saint's Bourbon Street, 1812 Hamlin Street NE, in September:

Friday, 9/14 - Stacey Brooks and Friends Blues Band @ 8:00 p.m. Stacey Brooks and Friends are coming back for a repeat performance. This talented new band play well together and the stellar vocals by Ms. Stacy Brooks herself add to that blues and rhythm sound that has them performing all around the country.

Saturday, 9/15 - Allan and Friends @ 8:30 p.m. Award winning local songwriter with several CDs. Allan will be releasing 2 more CDs this summer, and will be playing songs from those, as well as his earlier material.

Friday, 9/21 - Meteor Band @ 8:30 p.m. This blues band has a sound all their own. Their style has people all over DC area coming in on Fridays to hear them. Get here early!

Saturday, 9/22 - After Hours Band 8:30 p.m. At Saint's for the second time! If you were here last time, you may have noticed the superb showmanship, polished professionalism, and musical magic of this jazz and blues band. You know they say it only gets better the second time around! Can't wait to prove that one true!

Friday, 9/28 - First Thing Smokin' @ 8:30 p.m. With a motto that reads "If you cant feel it, it ain't real," these acclaimed blues performers are always welcomed and celebrated by Saint's customers. They play national blues festivals and are known for giving people a good time.

Two Teens Shoot in Brentwood Overnight

From NBC4:

D.C. police are investigating a double shooting in Northeast.

Authorities said the shooting happened in the 1200 block of Brentwood Road at about 10 p.m.

Many people were hanging out in the courtyard, including two male teens, a 14-year-old and a 19-year-old, who were playing with boxing gloves, when three people in hoods walked up and opened fire, hitting the teens, News4's Pat Collins reported.

Police said the victims were struck in their stomachs.

Both were taken to a hospital in serious condition. Both are expected to survive.

There's been no word on a suspect or possible motive in the case.

People who live at the complex said violence is not unusual there.

» Video here - Councilmember Thomas makes an appearance

SMD 5A-09 Monthly Meeting - Sunday, September 9th

What: SMD 5A-09 Monthly Meeting with Commissioner Shirley Smith

When: Sunday, September 9th, 2007, 2-3:30pm

Where: Woodridge Library, 1801 Hamlin Street, NE

Agenda: TBA

Future Meetings:
Sunday, October 14th
Sunday, November 11th
Sunday, December 9th

NE DC Historical Society Meeting: Community History & DDOT Archives - Sunday, September 9th

What: Join the NE DC Historical Society as they continue to explore the history of our Northeast Washington communities - past, present, and in years to come. This month's meeting will take place in the Michigan Park community. Bill Rice, Washington community historian, will share photos and other materials from the District of Columbia's Department of Transportation (DDOT) archives.

When: Sunday, September 9th, 2007, 1-3pm (please note earlier time!)

Where: HSC Pediatric Center (formerly known as the Hospital for Sick Children), 1731 Bunker Hill Rd NE

Etc.: For those unable to attend this meeting, don't miss next month's meeting to be held from 1-3pm on Sunday, October 14, 2007. NE DC Historical Society will be exploring the climatic history of DC and its water resources. The meeting will take place at the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Avenue, NE. (Please note earlier meeting time.)

NE DC Historical Society meetings take place the second Sunday of every month. Contact queenstowndc@yahoo.com for further information.

Friends of the Woodridge Library Monthly Meeting - Saturday, September 8th

I'm currently on hiatus from the Friends of the Woodridge Library due to a scheduling conflict with my monthly DC Neighborhood College classes, but this was the first group I became involved with when I moved to Woodridge, and we are always looking for new members. FWL raises money to support programs and services at the library and works with other like-minded groups to advocate on behalf of all the city's libraries. Part of this month's agenda will include tentative scheduling for our fall book sale.

When: Saturday, September 8th, 2007, 11 a.m.

Where: Woodridge Branch Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NE (on the south corner of Hamlin and Rhode Island Avenue)

Brookland Crime Solutions Meeting - Saturday, September 8th

What: In response to the summer rash of crime in Brookland - frequently near the Metro, and most recently a mugging/shooting Saturday night on 10th Street NE in the alley between Perry Place and Quincy - Councilmember Harry "Tommy" Thomas, Jr. and MPD are hosting "Brookland Crime Solutions Meeting: Real Concerns; Real Talk; Real Solutions"

When: Saturday, September 8th, 2007, 2:30-4:00 p.m.

Where: Brooks Mansion, 901 Newton Street NE

Etc.: For more information or to reserve a seat contact 202.724.8028

Ward 5 Community Workshop on Proposed Multicultural Training & Employment Center - Saturday, September 8th

What: Attend this workshop and share your thoughts on the need for an inclusive job readiness, training, and employment center located in Ward 5 in close proximity to Home Depot.

When: Saturday, September 8th, 9-11:30 a.m.

Where: Noyes Elementary School, 2725 10th Street NE

Etc.: For additional information contact the Ward 5 Council office at 202.724.8028

From Councilman Thomas:

WARD 5 MULTICULTURAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT CENTER FACT SHEET

What it is: The Center will be an inclusive training, career, and employment center that will provide a range of services to Ward 5 residents—particularly the residents of Brentwood, Edgewood, and Montana Terrace—and other under-served groups.

Why it’s needed: The Brentwood, Edgewood, and Montana Terrace neighborhoods traditionally have had high rates of unemployment. On average, one in 10 adults in these neighborhoods are unemployed. A Center that addresses employment and training needs is greatly needed for these neighborhoods. An organized system linking contractors and individuals seeking work from contractors at the Home Depot site is also needed.

What it will do: The core mission of the Center will be to provide comprehensive employment and training services to residents of the adjacent Ward 5 neighborhoods and other under-served groups. The Center will offer a wide range of classes, ranging from language immersion to financial literacy and assistance with preparing local and federal income taxes. The Center will also have services geared toward manual laborers, including those seeking work from contractors at the Home Depot site.

Community: The Center will include local labor and community organizations like Israel Baptist Church's Facing It Together (FIT) Academy as partners. The FIT Academy is a neighborhood-based organization with a track record of providing residents of Brentwood, Edgewood, and Montana Terrace with job training and readiness skills. In the past year, the program has placed more than 30 individuals in jobs. By linking with local labor and community organizations and leveraging their program successes, the Center will bring effective employment and job training services to Ward 5 residents and other under-served groups.

A national model: The Center envisioned for Ward 5 has the potential to be a national model showcasing how employment and training services focusing on African-Americans, Latinos, and any other under-served group can be incorporated together in a single, inclusive facility. The Center brings job readiness and placement programs directly to the Ward 5 neighborhoods that need them the most.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Angel Nix at 202.724.8107 or snix@dccouncil.us
Vicky Leonard-Chambers at 202.727.8204 or vleonardchambers@dccouncil.us

» Previous town hall meeting, 8.15.07
» WaPo, 6.17.07, "As Plan for D.C. Day-Laborer Center Idles, Anger Over Workers Grows"
» The Washington Times, 7.5.07, "Day laborers shower us with culture, irrigation"
» The Washington Times, 7.16.07, "Two sites eyed for D.C. day-labor center"