Quick Links - 2 Good, 2 Bad

» "At 108, 'It's a Beautiful Life'" - WaPo, Saturday, January 5. Believed to be the District's oldest resident, Eddye L. Williams lives in NE.

» "KDNY brings Joan of Arc to D.C.'s Dance Place" - DCist, Friday, January 11. The performances will be Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. A neighbor on the Brookland listserv reminds us:

Dance Place sets aside free tickets to each Sunday performance held at Dance Place for Brookland residents! All you have to do is call 202-269-1600 to see if tickets are still available. You must have either a 20017 or 20018 zip code to be able to receive free tickets. Each caller can reserve up to two tickets.

» A drive-by shooting near Langdon Park injures one Friday afternoon; the suspect has been taken into custody - WUSA9, Friday, January 11.

» MPD-5D officer arrested for inappropriately touching a 19-year-old woman on November 16, 2007, while on duty in the area of the 1300 block of Okie Street, NE - MPD, Friday, January 11.

"Building Our Community Together" Ward 5 Economic Workshop #2 - Saturday, June 9th

What: Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. will host a Ward 5 Economic Workshop - "Building Our Community Together"

When: Saturday, June 9th, 2007, 9-11am - Registration begins at 8:30am

Where: Trinidad Recreation Center, 1310 Childress Street, NE

Agenda Includes:
9-10am: Predatory Lending
10-11am: Economic Development Overview with updates on Arbor Place, New Town, Washington Gateway Retail Center, and the Home Again Initiative in Ivy City

For additional information call 202.724.8028.

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Fifth District Open House
Saturday June 9, 2007
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
MPD Fifth District Station
1805 Bladensburg Road, NE

The Metropolitan Police Department, Fifth District will sponsor an Open House. Our theme is "Working Together for a Safer Community." We urge you to come and see the Fifth District in action and join us for a day of fun.

The event will include tours of the Fifth District, informational displays, a moon bounce, senior games, music, food and much more. For more information, please contact Fayette Vaughn-Lee at fayette.vaughn-lee@dc.gov or 202.698.0188.

Ward 5 Townhall Meeting #2 on Legislation to Relocate Displaced Clubs - Wednesday, May 30th

What: Ward 5 Townhall Meeting #2 on "Legislation to relocate displaced adult-themed establishments...Share your thoughts with Councilmember Harry 'Tommy' Thomas, Jr." [taken directly from the flyer handed out at last week's ANC-5A meeting]

When: Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 at 7:30pm

Where: Washington Center for Aging, 2601 18th Street, NE

You can view my previous posts here and here. If you want to catch up with some of the controversy surrounding this legislation, the Brookland listserv is a good place to start (I imagine the discussion is also hot and heavy on the Ward 5 listserv, but I don't have access to it). You can also view a number of links to media coverage in the Brookland messages - I'm preparing to leave town for a conference and simply can't post them all now. Ms. Steptoe mentions this blog in one of her posts; for the record, I have no affiliation with her.

Ward 5 Townhall Meeting on Legislation to Relocate Displaced Clubs - Wednesday, May 16th - UPDATED

**UPDATE**Yesterday the DC Council agreed to spend $3.6 million on road improvements to calm the neighbors. From The Examiner:

The D.C. Council on Tuesday agreed to spend millions of dollars to lessen the impact of a proposed cluster of relocated strip clubs in Northeast Washington.

....

But Ward 5 Council Member Harry Thomas, who vehemently opposes the measure, said Ivy City residents deserve some level of comfort if they are to be impacted by an influx of club patrons. The businesses, Thomas said, will have a major impact on infrastructure and could "create an unsafe environment."

Thomas asked for and received, as part of Tuesday’s fiscal 2008 budget debate, $3.6 million to improve the major corridors that surround Ivy City: Bladensburg Road, New York Avenue, West Virginia Avenue and Mount Olivet Road.

Also take a look at DCist's "Strip Club Jujitsu in Ivy City." Neither the articles, nor the earmarking of millions for Ivy City, hint at any "compensation" for the other neighborhoods that may be affected (see list below). Does anyone have a definitive list of proposed sites? Any word from Jim Abdo regarding Arbor Place, his forthcoming development (the second link is from 2005) on the NY Avenue/Bladensburg Road/Montana Avenue triangle?

What: Ward 5 Townhall Meeting sponsored by Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. on legislation to relocate displaced "adult-themed" establishments (my previous post is here)

When: Wednesday, May 16th, 2007, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Bethesda Baptist Church, 1808 Capitol Avenue, NE

The proposed locations (from a Premier Community Development Corporation/PCDC press release):
· 2046 West Virginia Avenue, NE - Ivy City
· 2132 West Virginia Avenue, NE - Ivy City
· 2155 24th Place, NE - Langdon (sometimes thought of as Woodridge)
· V Street Warehouse (behind the Washington Times) - Gateway (sometimes thought of as Woodridge)

» View Bill B17-0109 here
» DC Politics Hour with Kojo and Jonetta on "the down-and-dirty political brawl over 'gentleman's clubs'"
» Post from Frozen Tropics with zoning maps and 49(!) comments and counting
» More debate on Frozen Tropics
» New Kid on the Eckington Block and what he believes is NIMBYism in Ward 5

Homicide in the 1800 Block of Central Place, NE

From MPD:

At approximately 12:30am, on Sunday, April 8, 2007, police were called to an apartment building located in the 1800 block of Central Place, NE, for the report of an unconscious person. Upon arrival police located 56-year-old Robert Beidleman, Jr., of the above address, inside of an apartment suffering from apparent multiple stab wounds to the body. DC Fire Department emergency medical personnel responded to the scene but could find no signs consistent with life. He was taken to the DC Medical Examiner’s Office 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 Metropolitan Police 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.

DC Likely to Reimburse Feds $3.36M Over Closed DMV Inspection Station

From today's Examiner:

The District anticipates having to repay more than $3 million to the federal government now that the Department of Motor Vehicles has decided not to reopen its Northeast Inspection Station.

Outdated, in disrepair and poorly equipped, the station, located at 1827 West Virginia Ave. NE closed in 1999 for reconstruction. Today, despite having spent nearly $8 million to rebuild it, the facility remains shuttered, and the decision has been made to keep the bays locked permanently.

DMV Interim Director Lucinda Babers recently told a D.C. Council committee that the agency’s lone inspection station, at 1001 Half St. SW., experiences "little to no lines" except on Mondays, at lunchtime and after holidays. Waits were reduced through improved staffing and new equipment that streamlined the process, she said.

"We realize that it may be more inconvenient for customers who have to still come to Southwest," Babers said. "But the cost effectiveness isn’t there."

The District spent $7.9 million, including $3.36 million in federal highway funds, to rebuild the Northeast facility.

D.C. officials say the feds likely will have to be reimbursed, though the government has yet to ask for its money back.

Just in case, D.C. is working "to identify the appropriate source of funding," mayoral spokesman Mafara Hobson said.

"Nothing’s concrete in terms of how we’re going to pay them back, but we’re sure we’re going to come up with something so we can proceed," Babers told the council committee.

The building, now 90 percent complete, likely will be turned over to the Department of Public Works for use in fleet maintenance.

The city stopped work on the station in 2003 out of frustration with delays it blamed on the contractor. The District ended up paying D.C.-based HRGM Corp. nearly $3.7 million in two installments to settle the matter.

Ward 1 Council Member Jim Graham, who has oversight of the DMV, said the federal reimbursement is an important but unanswered question. But not operating the Northeast station, he said, should save the District money in the long run.

"It certainly makes sense to pause and not do it if we don’t need it," Graham said.

Homicide on Mount Olivet Road

**UPDATE** This case was closed on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 with the arrest of 18-year-old Cordell Anthony Smith, of the 2600 block of Brinkley Road in Temple Hills, Maryland. He has been charged with Murder I while Armed and is scheduled to be arraigned in DC Superior Court.

From MPD:

At approximately 1:30 this morning, Wednesday, March 28, 2007, police were called inside a 2nd floor hallway of an apartment building located at 1060 Mount Olivet Road, NE, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival officers located 20-year-old Rayshard Austin, of the 1100 block of Cherry Hill Road, in Beltsville, Maryland, suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds to the body. DC Fire Department emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, but could find no signs consistent with life. He was taken to the DC Medical Examiner’s Office 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.

Missing Person: Tyrell Javar Fields

From MPD:

The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing person. Tyrell Javar Fields was reportedly last seen leaving his residence located in the 1700 block of Capitol Avenue, NE, at approximately 10pm Wednesday, February 14, 2007.

Tyrell Javar Fields is a 23 year old black male. He is described as being 6’3” tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds with a medium complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He was reportedly last seen wearing gray sweat pants and a shirt of unknown color.

Anyone who has information about Mr. Fields’ whereabouts is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.

Help Make the Alexander Crummel School Community Center a Reality - Thursday, August 24th

What: The Department of Parks and Recreation Ward 5 Town Hall Meeting. Stand in solidarity with your Ivy City neighbors in getting the historic Crummel School transferred to the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation as a multi-purpose recreation center.

When: Thursday, August 24th, 2006, 6:30-8:30pm

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

Background: (from Empower DC)
Ivy City Has a Youth Detention Center - We Need a Youth Opportunity Center!

The continued trend and current rise in crime among youth in the District underscores the dire need for more services, employment opportunities and youth development programs.

The Historic Ivy City/Crummell School Revitalization Coalition is a community based organization dedicated to the rebirth of the historic Alexander Crummell school into a multi-use facility that would provide services to youth and largely underserved senior residents of Ivy City, Langston-Carver Terrace, Trinidad, and surrounding neighborhoods.

The renovated school and its two acre grounds must be transformed from a place of blight and decay to one of community uplift and opportunity including job training, tutoring, mentorship, recreation and other needed programs.

Why Crummell School? The Alexander Crummell School is named for abolitionist, educator and clergyman Rev. Doctor Alexander Crummell whose life's mission was the uplift of Black people. The school was built in 1911 to serve African American children from the historic working-class community of Ivy City and neighboring Trinidad. The school served as the civic heart of the community and as a site for recreational programs until around 1980. Since that time the DC government has allowed the building to sit and rot, and depress its surrounding neighborhood. Residents of Ivy City have long been on record asking that their broken heart be repaired, and turned into a multi-use center to serve youth and elders. Now is a critical time to make this vision a reality.

We are asking the City Council to immediately transfer the Crummell School building and its grounds from the office of Property Management and add it to the inventory of the Department of Parks and Recreation for renovation and community use. Help us hold elected officials accountable to caring for the lives of our youth.

Support the Campaign for Crummell School By:

* You or Your Organization/Institution Signing-On as an Endorser

* Participating in on-going Campaign Activities

Partial List of Endorsing Organizations:

Empower DC
Historic Ivy City/Crummell School Revitalization Coalition
Movement for Love and Unity
Bread for the City
Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project
DC Statehood Green Party
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc
Youth Leadership Support Network
Save Our Schools
Power Palette
Gray Panthers of Metropolitan Washington
Stand Up! for Democracy in DC
Committee to Save Franklin Shelter
DC Library Renaissance Project
Fix Our Schools
GCH Endowment to Promote Quality Early Childhood Education
Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC

Parisa B. Norouzi
Co-Director/Organizer
District of Columbia Grassroots Empowerment Project
(Empower DC)
1419 V St, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 234-9119


More background information at Frozen Tropics, Cultural Tourism DC, and the Ivy City-Trinidad Citizens Association.

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.

Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club Annual Yard Sale Saturday, July 15th

Frozen Tropics point us to tomorrow's Trinidad-Ivy City Community Garden Club Annual Yard Sale, as well as their blog/site and listserv. Also note Trinidad's website, with Elise's wonderful neighborhood pictures, and the Ivy City-Trinidad Citizens Association website (though I don't know how often this site is updated).

TRINIDAD-IVY CITY GARDEN CLUB

2nd ANNUAL YARD SALE

JULY 15, 2006, 10am – 3pm

1100 Block Montello Ave. NE

All proceeds support the planting projects of the Trinidad Garden Club.

trinidadivycitygardenclub-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
http://ticgardenclub.blogspot.com/

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."