Perry Place NE "Take Back Our Block" Event - Thursday, December 20

From a neighbor on Perry Place:

With the recent spike in crime on our block, it is time to show that we are concerned and attentive to what has been happening. Please join us this Thursday, December 20 for a “Take Back Our Block” night. We will be attending the PSA 502 Meeting at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center across the block at 7PM to discuss crime-fighting strategies. We will then meet at the corners of 10th and Perry Place, with police and community leadership at 8PM, to march around the block and alleyways. We hope to see you there!

Brookland Holiday Party - TONIGHT

What: A Brookland Holiday Celebration with refreshments. music and cash bar.

When: Wednesday December 19th, 6:30-9:30pm

Where: Cardinal's Nest, 3748 10th Street NE (across from Turkey Thicket)

Sponsored by: ANC Commissioner & Brookland Civic Association President Mary Baird Currie, Friends of Turkey Thicket, and Turkeys Unlimited.

Hosted by: The Cardinal's Nest owners, Darrell and Tammy Green

Quick Links - Catching Up

» "Beacon House Falcons Win Super Bowl" - WaPo, Monday, December 10 - see background here.

» "8 Fired From System; 30 Choose to Retire" - WaPo, Sunday, December 9 (6 days after I announced it - this should have been bigger news)

Almost 40 employees of the D.C. Public Library system -- about 10 percent of the workforce -- will be leaving their jobs in early January as part of what officials describe as a plan to "transform" the beleaguered system and rejuvenate its personnel.
The group leaving includes the head librarians of seven of the District's 27 libraries.
The head librarians at the Mount Pleasant, Petworth and Woodridge branches were fired, along with five subject specialists at the central Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The eight were let go "without cause" on Nov. 29 or 30, officials said. They were placed on paid administrative leave through Dec. 31, then accompanied to their desks to retrieve their belongings and escorted out the door.

» Vincent Orange elected to Capital Riverfront BID board - Washington Biz Journal, Wednesday, December 5

» From a neighbor: daytime break-ins have increased around Evarts, 28th, and 30th since construction has started on the South Dakota bridge.

» New Brookland Listservs! Do you want announcements without some of the usual list drama? Sign up for the Brookland Announcements List. Also check out the new Brookland Yoga Listserv.

» NoMa BID has updated their website.

Mayor's Public Meetings on School Closing Plan - Wards 4 & 5

- December 11, 2007, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Noyes Elementary School, 2725 10th Street NE

- December 18, 2007, 6-8 p.m., Barnard Elementary School, 430 Decatur Street NW

- January 10, 2008, 6-8 p.m., Emory Elementary School, 1720 1st Street NE

Edgewood's Beacon House Falcons Headed to Pop Warner Super Bowl this Saturday

Edgewood Terrace's Beacon House Falcons have advanced to the Pop Warner Super Bowl and will play the Tustin Black Cobras for the Pee Wee Championship this Saturday at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Check out the brackets - the Falcons haven't given up a point yet!

Our thanks to Fannie Mae and NBC4 for sponsoring the trip the team couldn't have otherwise afforded:

Thanks to donations from News4 and a grant from Fannie Mae, the Falcons will be able to go to Orlando.

Fannie Mae awarded a $100,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to send the Falcons to compete in the pee wee division. The grant also allows 2006 midget division champs, the Marshall Heights Bison, to defend their title.

Last year, the Fannie Mae Foundation donated $30,000 so Marshall Heights could make the trip.

We should be extremely proud of our teams...not only for making it to the National Championships, but also considering that Pop Warner is the only youth sports organization with an academic requirement.

You can watch video of the Falcons here.

Meeting: What Economic Development Changes Are Coming in 2008 for Northeast Residents? - Wednesday, December 5

What: "What Economic Development Changes Are Coming in 2008 for Northeast Residents?", sponsored by the Coalition of
Concerned Neighbors.

When: Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Woodridge Neighborhood Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NE

Panelists Include:
· Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr.
· Harriet Tregoning, Director, D.C. Office of Planning
· Neil Albert, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development (or his representative)
· William Washburn, Urban Planner

Woodridge Head Librarian Fired Firday; Firings at Other Branches

I can't yet find documentation of the most recent housecleaning at DCPL, but Woodridge's head librarian, Mary Cooper, was fired along with a number of other branch librarians on Friday, November 30. I believe (though anyone with more accurate info is encouraged to post a comment) that those let go included the Petworth and Mt. Pleasant head librarians.

This comes on the heels of DCPL's November 7 announcement that a number of branches will no longer have Sunday service through the holiday season (and beyond?) "due to anticipated staff shortages [at] some libraries," including Woodridge.

Sunday service will be maintained at:
· Anacostia
· Benning
· Cleveland Park
· Lamond Riggs
· Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Library
· Mt. Pleasant Southeast
· Takoma Park
· Tenley
· Washington Highlands
· Watha T. Daniel / Shaw
· West End