Clean-up at Emery Elementary - Saturday, August 25th

In conjunction with the Annual DCPS Beautification Day, the residents of Eckington have coordinated a "Clean-up Green-up" at Emery Elementary.

When: Saturday, August 25th, 9am-2pm

Where: Emery Elementary School, 1720 1st Street, NE

Details: Demonstrate your concern for the community and our young people by helping to fix up the outside of the school and the surrounding grounds before classes begin Monday.

We will tackle the following projects:
· Paint the outside doors around the building
· Fill a 50ft x 8 ft tree box with topsoil and plant flowers in it
· Set up tree boxes for our fall planting of trees from Casey Trees
· Create a new garden bed in front of the school
· Prune and remove branches from a large tree behind the school
· Weed and edge sidewalks and sweep the parking lot.

We have the tools and supplies but what we really need is you!

Borf in Bloomingdale

Yipee - might be a good spot for the cops to pick up ROB, Magic, Inca, Nehi, et al.

ANC-5C Monthly Meeting - Tuesday, May 15th

What: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5C Monthly Meeting

When: Tuesday, May 15th, 2007, 7-9pm

Where: Catholic University's Pryzbyla Center (the Pryzbyla Center is located next to the Parking Garage off John McCormick Road, NE

Agenda Includes:
· Bloomingdale Community Involvement Project, Bertha Holliday
· Eckington Row Condominiums Proposal, Ron Hanks
· Grant Application: Edgewood Civic Association, Michael Henderson
· Capitol Commerce Center-North, Lewis Shrensky

Eckington/Edgewood Community Spring Clean-Up - Saturday, April 28th

Please join Eckington Civic Association, Emery Elementary School, City Year Young Heroes, Hands on DC, McKinley Technical High School, Edgewood Civic Association, North Capitol Main Street, XM Satellite Radio, and the DPW Helping Hands Program for the largest community improvement project we have ever held.

Where do we meet?
The event will start and finish at Emery Elementary School, 1720 First Street NE. Our day will run from 10am until 4pm with a break at 12:30 at Emery where lunch will be provided. We will break up into teams and head out into the community to work. Tools will be provided by City Year, DPW Helping Hands, and Hands On DC.

What will we be doing?
There are a wide range of project you may work on, painting murals, gardening and weeding in pocket parks, cleaning streets and alleys, painting inside Emery, painting parking lot lines, and creating a large tree box at the school. Our goal is to clean from North Capitol Street east to 4th Street NE and from Rhode Island Avenue NE south to Florida Ave NE. Collection points for the trash will be at First and R Streets NE, R Street and Eckington Place NE, and 4th and V Streets NE. We will be adding two more pick up sites between T Street and Rhode Island Avenue NE.

Why should I take part in this project?
We need your support to make this happen. 100 of our high school and middle school young people will be taking part in the clean up. Your time and effort will make you a true agent of change for a better DC!

Calvin Coleman, II Artist Reception at Adobe Design Center - Sunday, April 22nd

Visual artist Calvin Coleman, II will display his works and talk to guests at the Adobe Design Center, located at 606-C Rhode Island Avenue NE (near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station, above Flash Glass), on Sunday, April 22th, 2007 from 2pm to 4:30pm. He has exhibited at the National Black Fine Art Show in New York City, galleries in Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, and throughout the Washington, DC area. In late 2006, he exhibited in Toulouse, France. His work is also featured in Unveiled, a book by R&B-jazz singer and photographer Will Downing.

Art will be available for purchase; refreshments will be served. This event is being hosted by the Arts and Letters committee of The Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. For more info, call 202.545.1913.

National Marathon, NE Street Closures, and Volunteer Opportunities - Saturday, March 24th

Folks in Eckington and Bloomingdale, along the North Capitol Street leg of the National Marathon, are planning on helping out tomorrow by cheering and handing out cups of water. A water station will be set up at North Capitol and Quincy Place (I'm not sure if it'll be on the NE or NW side), and race officials are asking that they be prepared by 8:45am tomorrow morning, March 24th. If you can add to the needed 30 gallons of water and 1000 small cups, I'm sure it will much appreciated.

» DC.gov info about street closures from 7am-2pm, Saturday, March 24th - the only ways over North Capitol during that time, unless you go north of Michigan Avenue or south of K Street, will be the bridges on Rhode Island and New York Avenues.
» View the National Marathon course map here (PDF).
» View the race turn-by-turn here (PDF).

Holiday Weekend Murders in NE

So far, two have posted to MPD's site...here's hoping that's the final tally:

Homicide in the 700 Block of 16th Street, NE

At approximately 7:30 pm, on Friday, December 22, 2006, Metropolitan Police were called to the 700 block of 16th Street, NE, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 17-year-old Antonio Jenkins, of the 1700 block of Gales Street, NE, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He was taken to the Howard University Hospital and admitted in critical condition. At 7 pm, on Saturday, December 23, Mr. Jenkins was 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.

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Homicide in the 2000 Block of 3rd Street, NE

At approximately 9:48 pm, on Monday, December 25, 2006, Metropolitan Police were called to the 2000 block of 3rd Street, NE, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 29-year-old David E. Watkins, of the 2000 block of 3rd Street, NE, inside of a vehicle and suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. He was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia and pronounced dead.

The case is under investigation by members of the MPDC'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.

Armed Robbery at Capital City/Florida Market

From MPD:

The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in attempting to identify the suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery and shooting.

At approximately 6:50 am on Friday, August 4, 2006, four men were sitting in front of the Donald Chin Supply Company located at 1323 4th Street, NE. It was at that time that a lone male subject armed with a handgun approached the group and forced them inside. One of the victims was subsequently shot in the right and left leg and robbed of his wallet before the subject fled on foot. That victim was transported to an area hospital where he was admitted in critical but stable condition. His name and the identities of the other victims in this case are being withheld due to the fact that they are witnesses.

The suspect in this case is described as a black male, possibly in his 30s, 5’10” tall with a slim build, medium complexion and large sideburns. He is further described as wearing a light gray tee-shirt, light blue jeans and black and white tennis shoes.

This case remains under investigation by detectives from the department’s Fifth District. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any robbery committed in the District of Columbia.

You can watch the surveillance tape (the actual shooting is not on tape) here.

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In other news, an arrest was made in the November 2005 shooting death of 29-year-old Patrick Carter on the 1800 block Corcoran Street, NE.

Finally, New Kid on the Eckington Block gives a shout-out to the cops for getting one more gun off our streets.

Man Missing from NE

Missing Person: Jerome John Baker

The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in attempting to locate a missing person. Jerome John Baker was reportedly last seen at approximately 8:30 am, on Monday, July 17, 2006, in the 400 block of W Street, NE.

Jerome John Baker is described as a black male, 48 years of age, 6'0" tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds. He is further described as having a dark complexion, brown eyes, black hair and a scar on his left cheek. He was reportedly last seen wearing blue jean shorts, a red baseball hat and black slippers. He is also said to use a black metal cane for walking.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Jerome John Baker is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.

5 People Shot Overnight in DC - 4 of Them in NE

From NBC4:

D.C. police said one person is dead and four others wounded following four shootings that took place in different parts of the city.

About 10:44 p.m. Tuesday, police were called to the 1200 block of Morse Street Northeast, where they found an adult female who had been shot. Police said her injuries were not life-threatening.

Then about 11:30 p.m., police were called to 8th and Xenia streets in Southeast and found an adult male shot. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, police said.

Eight minutes later, officers were called to the 1800 block of Lincoln Road Northeast and found an adult male who had been shot. Police said he was also transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Another shooting victim later showed up at the hospital and was linked to Lincoln road, police said.

Finally about 2:10 a.m. Wednesday, police said [23-year-old Michael Dorsey] was shot in the 1900 block of Gallaudet Street in Northeast. Investigators said he was shot in the street and stumbled into a building where he collapsed and died.

The shootings happened just hours after D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey declared a crime emergency in the city, in response to this month's jump in violent crime.

The District is, at this very moment, at 14 homicides for the month of July. Courtland Milloy notes that the recent surge in violent robberies has "[shaken the] sense of security among the affluent and influential....The city is being terrorized - and, as residents of many low-income neighborhoods will tell you, it's been that way for years."

Semi-automatic Sandwich

From MPD:

On Friday, June 2, 2006, at about 9:15 am, a cigarette lighter that resembles a semi-automatic handgun was found in the possession of a 9th grade student who attends McKinley Tech High School, located at 151 T Street, NE.

During the security screening process at the school, a Hawk One Security officer discovered the cigarette lighter handgun replica in the female student's book bag, sandwiched between two slices of bread and wrapped in aluminum foil. The student was suspended. It is unclear why she brought the cigarette lighter handgun replica to school.

This matter was handled entirely by the school. No criminal charges are pending.

Kudos to the school security for finding the "weapon." Again, we must invest in and engage our youth. While I agree with the suspension, what happens from there?

Mayoral Candidate Forum Series at McKinley High School Wednesdays, May 10th - June 28th

What: The Coalition for Voter Empowerment (COVE), a collaboration of Civic Associations and residents of Bloomingdale, Bates, Eckington, Edgewood, and Hanover Place, is hosting "Wednesdays with the Candidates," a series of one-on-one Mayoral interviews.

When: Wednesdays, May 10th - June 28th, 2006, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: McKinley Tech High School Amphitheater, 151 T Street, NE

Interview Schedule:
May 10, 2006 - Vincent Orange
May 24, 2006 - Marie C. Johns
June 7, 2006 - Michael Brown
June 21, 2006 - Adrian Fenty
June 28, 2006 - Linda Cropp

Greater Brookland Business Association, Inc. Monthly Meeting Wednesday, February 22nd

What: The Greater Brookland Business Association, Inc. (GBBA) Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2006 at 6:30pm

Where: Ryan's Funeral Home on 12th Street, NE

Agenda: (taken nearly verbatim from a posting on the Brookland Listserv) This meeting is of particular interest for DC businesses as Mid-City Urban Development, the developer of the planned $100 million Rhode Island Metro project, is expected to make a presentation to the group.

From the GBBA:

The position of the GBBA is to impress upon this and other developers that most of the good and services they will need to build the project and to operate it after it is built are available right here from DC businesses. Most often, development projects are built with no DC businesses involved but with plenty of DC tax dollars. We are interested in:

1) making sure developers are aware of good and services available locally,

2) making the DC Council, ANCs, and other approving entities require participation of DC businesses as a condition of their approval, and

3) making it known that DC Residents and Businesses are active in the success or failure of development projects in DC.

Plan to attend and find out what is proposed and how, as a DC based business, you can participate in this and other development projects. You will also meet many of the other business owners in the Greater Brookland Area. A good turnout will also impress on the developers, DC Council Members, and ANC Commissioners that the Brookland area residents and businesses are involved, and care about what projects get approved in our area.

Unfortunately I can't make it to this one - I'll be trying to make it to the ANC-5A meeting the same night. My assumption is that the 5A Commissioners will be at their own meeting, rather than this one. This meeting should also be of great interest to residents of Edgewood, Eckington, Brentwood, and Bloomingdale.