May is National Foster Care Month - FAN Needs Your Support

As the founding vice-chair of the board for Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN), I find myself in the delicate situation of asking for your financial support for our grassroots 501(c)3 on my community blog. I keep reminding myself that I've asked my readers to support a number of community organizations and events that I have no official ties to, all in the name of community and civic investment, and this is really no different aside from my personal commitment to FAN. This is not my day job, it truly is a volunteer labor of love. Please, read the information below, and, if possible, contribute to FAN and help us stay on track in fulfilling our mission to provide safety, security, love, and understanding to DC's foster adolescents....

Can you imagine being separated from your family, moving from place to place, not knowing if you'll be in the same school, same neighborhood, or same house from one day to the next?

Nearly 3,000 children in foster care from Washington, DC live with this uncertainty every day, staying in care for 3 years on average and living in 3 different homes during that time. The crisis-driven child welfare system is so focused on what's wrong with teens in foster care, that they fail to see what's "right" with this group of young people.

FAN works with some of the city's most vulnerable youth: teens in foster care, in a daily after school and summer positive youth development program that engages youth in academic support, extracurricular instruction, community service, group mentoring, and cultural enrichment. Youth are provided with opportunities to belong, to develop their talents and skills, to develop meaningful relationships with peers and adults, and to experience success. FAN serves as a source of stability, consistency, and support that enhances the well-being and positive development of youth. Please visit our website at www.fan-dc.org to learn more about our organization and to join our mailing list.

May is National Foster Care Month. Make a difference in the lives of teens in foster care with your tax deductible donation of $10, $25, $50, $100, or more. To be a part of FAN's success, please mail a check today or donate online on our website through Network for Good.

I cannot thank you enough for your generosity!

Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso / FAN
1227 Good Hope Road SE, Room 106
Washington, DC 20020
202.889.5000 x114
202.889.5035 (fax)
www.fan-dc.org

Rhode Island Avenue Redevelopment Brunches - June/July

Janice Lillian Booker is inviting residents of the Woodridge, Langdon, Gateway, and South Central neighborhoods to attend brunches in June and July to introduce her development projects planned for the 2000 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NE.

Please attend to learn and explore the roles these communities can play to make the revitalization of the Rhode Island Avenue commercial corridor an accomplishment for all of us.

The brunches will take place at 2008 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, from 11am-1pm on:

Saturday, June 2nd
Saturday, June 9th
Saturday, June 16th
Saturday, June 23rd
Saturday, July 14th

Each brunch will accommodate 40 community residents. Pre-registration and registration confirmation are required. Please call 202.529.3610 to reserve a place at the brunch you wish to attend.

Free parking will be available in the lot at 2027 Rhode Island Avenue, NE (the old National Bank of Washington building beside St. Francis De Sales Church - the sign of the last tenant, Educational Solutions Academy, is on the side of the building).

Brunch attendees will include Reena Racki and Associates (architects for Phase I of Ms. Booker's projects); staff from the DC Office of Planning; Eddie Harrison, Woodridge Civic Association; Leslie Bournes, Gateway Citizens Group; Frances Penn, South Central Community Association; Jhaz Phifer, ANC 5A-10 Commissioner; and Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr.

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.

McMillan Sand Filtration Site Developers' Presentation - TONIGHT

What: Prospective land development partners for the McMillan Sand Filtration Site will present their qualifications to the National Capital Revitalization Corporation's (NCRC) Board of Directors. The winning team will evaluate and create master plan options for the Site. Residents surrounding the Site are encouraged to attend.

When: Tuesday, May 29th, 2007, 6-8pm

Where: All Nations Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 2001 North Capitol Street, NE

Etc.: Please contact Tiffany Simms with any questions at 202.530.5750

Help Find Luca!

**UPDATE** Luca was found at the Washington Humane Society yesterday evening after being hit by a car. His owner told me he's got a cast and should recover completely. Thanks to everyone who was on the lookout!

If you've seen Luca, a 10-month-old American Bulldog, please contact his family at 202.276.8039 or 202.903.4316.

Edgewood Emergency Community Meeting - TONIGHT

What: "Crime and Gunshots in Edgewood" Emergency Community Meeting sponsored by Councilmember Thomas (in response to recent incidents like this)

When: Thursday, May 24th, 2007 at 7pm

Where: Beacon House, 601 Edgewood Street, NE, Suite 15

For more information, contact the Ward 5 Council office at 202.724.8028.

ANC-5A Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, May 23rd

What: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007 at 7pm

Where: Taft Recreation Center, 1800 Perry Street, NE

Agenda Includes:
· MPD-5D and MPD-4D crime reports [we didn't get these last month, so I hope we do tomorrow]
· Linda Agro, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
· Juanita Price, Department of Mental Health
· Invited: Councilmember Jim Graham, Ward 1 [no doubt about the ongoing drama of moving the displaced adult clubs to Ward 5]
· Community Concerns

Armed Carjackings this Afternoon in the 4800 Block of 8th Street NE

From MPD-4D Commander, Hilton Burton:

This afternoon, within the last hour [message was sent at 5:36pm], there were two carjackings involving a dark green or black Jeep. Both carjackings took place in the 4800 block of 8th street NE. The current lookout we have is for 2 black males armed with a shotgun and a hand gun driving a black or dark green Jeep. Anyone with information about these suspects should call 911.

Four Teens Shot on Edgewood Playground

From NBC4:

The search continues for the person or persons responsible for shooting four teenagers on a northeast Washington playground Sunday night.

Police said the shooting happened about 8:30 p.m. on a playground near the Edgewood Terrace apartments in the 600 block of Edgewood Street, NE.

Police said a 15-year-old boy was shot in the back and transported to the hospital in serious condition. The other three victims are between 18 and 19 years of age and were wounded in their arms and legs.

Authorities said all four victims are expected to survive.

D.C. police Inspector James Crane told News4, "Several people were seen running, including the victims. We're trying to interview the witnesses and the victims to find out who was where and at what point in time so we can get a clear picture of what was going on."

Investigators said they are looking for at least one person who is described as a black male with light complexion, about 6 feet tall with a short haircut and wearing blue jeans.

More from WaPo here.

Coalition of Concerned Neighbors Meeting - Monday, May 21st

What: Coalition of Concerned Neighbors Monthly Meeting

When: Monday, May 21st, 2007, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Woodridge Library, 1801 Hamlin Street, NE (corner of 18th Street and Rhode Island Avenue)

Special Guests: DC Attorney General Linda Singer, District Attorney Jeffery Taylor, Director of DC Public Defender Service Avis E. Buchanan

Special Concerns: MPD-5D crime report, nuisance properties, prostitution, open air drug sales, auto theft

Please let us know your concerns, the topics you would like to discuss, and the guests you wish to have this year.

Contact: 202.903.6197 / 202.882.1683 or concerneighbors@yahoo.com

Rhode Island Avenue Robbery Suspect Sought

Why did this take 6 days to become public?

From MPD:

On Saturday, May 12, 2007, at approximately 10:47 pm, a woman was utilizing a drive-thru ATM at the Bank of America, located at 915 Rhode Island Avenue, NE [by the Home Depot/Rhode Island Avenue Metro], when she was suddenly approached by a lone male subject who grabbed the money that she had just withdrawn. The subject then entered the victim’s vehicle and made the woman withdraw more money from the ATM. Upon obtaining the additional money the subject made good his escape. The victim in this case was apparently uninjured.

The suspect in this case is described as a dark complexioned black male, possibly in his 40s, 6'0" tall, with brown eyes and black hair. He is further described as last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt with a hood and light colored jeans.

This case is 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 currently offers a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for any robbery committed in the District of Columbia.

Borf in Bloomingdale

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

NE DC Historical Society Meeting - Sunday, May 20th

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 the community focus will be the greater H Street neighborhood.

When: Sunday, May 20th, 2007, 2-4pm

Where: Laboratory 1 of The Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street, NE

Presentations will include:
· "An Overview of the History of the Greater H Street Neighborhood", by neighborhood preservationists Richard Layman or Nancy Schwartz.

· "The Swampoodle Neighborhood" by Kathleen Lane. The Swampoodle neighborhood was located in what is today the Union Station railyard. Some of Ms. Lane's ancestors lived in Swampoodle and then relocated onto H Street after the neighborhood was razed. She wrote her master's thesis on the neighborhood.

· "The History of Union Station" by Bill Wright. Mr. Wright is writing his dissertation on the history of this great railroad station, which opened in 1907 and has experienced decline and rebirth in the 100 years since.


Etc.: For those unable to attend this meeting, don't miss next month's meeting to be held from 2-4pm on Sunday, June 10th, 2007. Our hosts for this meeting will be the Premier Community Development Corporation (PCDC) speaking on "A Slice of Woodridge - The Present and Future of the Rhode Island Avenue Business Corridor" by Stephanie Rones, Executive Director. Our meeting will take place at the Saint Francis De Sales School, 2019 Rhode Island Avenue, NE. Other presentations will include Father Carl Dianda of the Saint Francis De Sales Church speaking on his "Reminiscences on the Businesses of Woodridge," and Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. on "The History of DC Voting and African American History in Ward 5."

Our meetings take place the second Sunday of every month. During the month of May we will meet the third Sunday. Contact queenstowndc@yahoo.com for further information.

Saint's Bourbon Street's One-Year Anniversary - Saturday, May 19th

Celebrate with Saint's Bourbon Street on their one-year anniversary all day Saturday, May 19th 2007 (1812 Hamlin Street, NE - the north side of Rhode Island Avenue at Hamlin Street)

· Free bead giveaway
· Free face painting & mask giveaway for kids, 3-5pm
· Free dinner giveaway (one at 4:30pm and again at 8:30pm)
· Live DJ
· $5 Hurricanes all day
· Half price appetizers all day
· $5 martinis all day, including our famous "Sex with an Alligator"

Call Saint's at 202.269.2150 for more information.

SMD 5A-09 Neighborhood Walk - Saturday, May 19th

What: Join Commissioner Shirley Rivens Smith and neighbors on a community walk in SMD 5A-09

When: Saturday, May 19th, 2007 at 7:30am

Where: Meet at 22nd Street and Bunker Hill Road, NE

Mount Rainier Day and More - Saturday and Sunday

From the Mt. Rainier listserv:

SATURDAY

MOUNT RAINIER DAY FESTIVAL
The Mount Rainier Day Festival will be in the 3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue, 11am-6pm

· Parade starts at 12:30 and will march down 34th St from St. Johns Church to the Traffic Circle and then down to Otis and back up 37th St. Northwestern High School Band will be in the parade in addition to the Rolling Crest Community Center Pom Dance Team.

· Many of the city’s artists will be performing this year, including a salsa band and dance group from Joe’s Movement Emporium. There will also be self-guided walking studio tours throughout the entire Gateway Arts District from Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood and Hyattsville.

· Transportation has been added this year to support residents from all over the city who want to participate and join in on the fun but have little or no transportation, or for those who cannot walk to the events. THE CITY’S CALL-A-BUS WILL OPERATE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY FREE OF CHARGE! CALL-A-BUS STOPS WILL BE MADE EVERY HALF HOUR AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS FOR PICK-UP AND DROP OFF BEGINNING AT 10AM AND ENDING AT 6PM:

• Wells Avenue and Otis Street
• Wells Avenue and Perry Street
• 34th Street and Bunker Hill Road
• 30th Street and Taylor Street
• 32nd Avenue and Upshur Street
• Thomas Stone Elementary School Parking Lot
• Prince George’s Pool Parking Lot
• Rainier Manor
• 30th Street and Arundel Road
• Parking Lot on Varnum Street near 22nd Avenue and Arundel Road
• 31st Street and Bunker Hill Road

Please note that the pick up times and drop off are approximate.

GATEWAY ARTS DISTRICT OPEN STUDIO TOUR
A Gateway Arts District open studio tour in conjunction with Mount Rainier Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 19th, 2007, 12-5pm. Over 30 artists participating in a self-guided tour of Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood and Hyattsville will occur on this date and will include painting, ceramic, sculpture, glass, mosaic, mixed media, performing arts, and more! Maps will be available at the Mount Rainier Artists’ Lofts, H&F Fine Arts, Artmosphere Café (3311 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier) and Gateway Community Development Corporation, (4102 Webster Street, North Brentwood, MD 20722). In addition, a group show of participating artists at H&F Fine Arts, will be held May 4-31, at 3311 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier.

SPECIAL INVITE FROM JOE’S MOVEMENT EMPORIUM
From Ingrid S. Nuss, Marketing & Program Manager, Joe's Movement Emporium:

Join us on Saturday, May 19th, 2007, 12-5pm, for the Gateway CDC’s annual open studio tour and Mount Rainier Day! From 2-4pm Laura Schandelmeier and Stephen Clapp will host the OPEN DOOR PROJECT for PORTALS. Building upon the storefront spirit of the old Joe’s Movement Emporium, we are opening the studio doors at the new Joe’s facility! We invite you to join us through the creation of our latest evening-length performance work, PORTALS, to premier June 23-24 at Dance Place. We invite you to create, write, dance, draw or sing at your own comfort level, offer feedback through a structured response process, have a peek at our latest evening-length work, PORTALS, and our last OPEN DOOR session before the piece debuts. For more information please contact me at 301.699.1819 or come by the new Joe’s at 3309 Bunker Hill Road.

COUNTDOWN TO SPLASHDOWN
Prince George's Community Pool Countdown to Splashdown
Saturday May 19, 2007 • 4 to 8 pm
34th & Buchanan Streets, Mt. Rainier, Maryland
The pool will open our grounds (no swimming until the following weekend) for a free early peek at what’s in store for this summer. The pool is now accepting memberships for the 2007 season.
Potluck • Open to all • Live music by Ten Feet Tall

Prince Georges Community Pool
34th and Buchanan Streets in Mt. Rainier, MD
PO Box 181, Mt Rainier, MD 20712
www.pgpool.org

======================================

SUNDAY

HYATTSVILLE HOUSE TOUR
The 28th Annual
Historic Hyattsville House Tour
Sunday, May 20th, 2007
1-5pm

The Hyattsville Preservation Association is honored to once again showcase beautiful homes in Historic Hyattsville. This year’s tour includes nine wonderful homes and gardens. The architectural and decorating styles vary and include Cottage, Art-Deco, Sears Bungalows, a Center Hall Colonial, and a grand Queen-Anne style Victorian.

Each home showcases the owner’s unique approach to making the house comfortable for life in 2007. Our town and our homeowners are proud to share our homes and neighborhood with you. Come see why Hyattsville is a "Good Place to Live" and "A World Within Walking Distance."

The Historic Hyattsville House Tour is a self-guided walking tour through the beautiful City of Hyattsville. For those with difficulty walking the tour, Hyattsville provides a shuttle van that continuously circles the route.

Ticket Information:
Adults: $10 in Advance, $12 Day of Tour
Advance tickets will be available at Franklin’s Restaurant and Store in May. On the day of the tour tickets can be purchased at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD, the tour’s starting location. For additional information contact Ann Barrett, 240.938.6060.

Help Custom Cleaners Fight Judge Pearson and His $65 Million Pants

There are so many posts on the web about this that are easy to find, so no need for me to mention them all here.

What I'd like to see is a surge of business for the Chung Family at New Town Custom Cleaners, 3174 Bladensburg Road, NE. Surely you have a pair of pants or some shirts that need to be pressed?

If you're wash-and-wear like me, you can also support Jin Nam and Soo Chung by donating to the Custom Cleaners Defense Fund.

» A good Google start if you need to catch up on the story

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

Community Workshop #4 for the Brookland/CUA Small Area Metro Plan - Wednesday, May 16th

**UPDATE**I couldn't attend, but Ryan did. Overall, his report is positive, and it sounds like Brookland is on track - despite some naysayers - to getting sound, transit-oriented development.

What: The DC Office of Planning invites you to attend the fourth community workshop in a series for the Brookland/CUA Small Area Metro Plan where the public will review alternative design concepts and give feedback for the development of a preferred concept.

When: Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 - 6-6:30pm Open House, 6:30-9pm Workshop

Where: Noyes Elementary School, 2725 10th Street, NE (enter at Franklin Street auditorium door)

RSVP: 202.610.0005 or rsvp@jsallc.com

Questions and additional information: Deborah Crain, Ward 5 Planner, at 202.442.7615 or deborah.crain@dc.gov. You can also visit http://planning.dc.gov, and click on "Neighborhood and Revitalization Plans."

» Consultant's reports and additional information are available here.

Thomas Requests $400,000 for Proposed Labor Site at Home Depot

From The Washington Times:

A D.C. Council member is requesting $400,000 in city funds to put a day-laborer center in a Northeast shopping center. But it is unclear whether city officials will check the immigration status of the mostly Hispanic job-seekers that congregate at the site.

About 200 workers, many of whom are Hispanic day laborers, wait for work each day outside the Home Depot store at 901 Rhode Island Ave. NE, said council member Harry Thomas Jr., Ward 5 Democrat.

Mr. Thomas proposed building the center after neighbors complained about loitering and public urination in the area.

....

Mr. Thomas said he hopes to place a temporary "multicultural and training-based center" on land owned by Home Depot in the shopping center by next month. The council member's long-term goal is to begin building a permanent center in the plaza by the end of the year.

Ron DeFeo, a spokesman for Home Depot, said discussions are ongoing and that the national chain has cooperated with other projects in the past to help solve similar problems. Often the day laborers gather to appeal to the contractors and homeowners who frequent the home-improvement store.

....

The permanent structure would sit on land owned by both Home Depot and the District and would hopefully be paid for with private funds, Mr. Thomas said.

The site would not be a "day-laborer" center but also would serve local residents seeking work, he said.

Three men were stabbed - two died - last year in a day-laborer scuffle. I would imagine the developers working on the Rhode Island Avenue/Brentwood Metro redesign will weigh in on this idea.

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

SMD 5A-11 Monthly Meeting - Monday, May 14th

What: SMD 5A-11 meeting with Commissioner Janae Grant

When: Monday, May 14th, 2007, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Friendship Public Charter School - Woodridge Campus, 2959 Carlton Avenue, NE

Agenda Includes: Emergency Management Agency/EMA - Emergency Preparedness; learn how to protect yourself in the event of an emergency

SMD 5A-09 Monthly Meeting - Sunday, May 13th

What: SMD 5A-09 meeting with Commissioner Shirley Smith

When: Sunday, May 13th, 2007, 2-3:30pm

Where: Woodridge Library, 1801 Hamlin Street, NE

Agenda: TBA

Future Meetings:
Sunday, June 10th
Sunday, July 8th
No meeting in August
Sunday, September 9th
Sunday, October 14th
Sunday, November 11th
Sunday, December 9th

Historic Brookland Farmers' Market Reopens this Weekend for the 2007 Season

The Historic Brookland Farmer’s Market reopens this spring for the 2007 season in two locations. The Historic Brookland Farmer's Markets are sponsored by the Historic Brookland Main Street program of the Brookland Community Development Corporation.

The SUNDAY MIDDAY MARKET launches on Sunday May 13th, on Brookland's Main Street, the 12th Street NE commercial district. It is located on Newton Street NE, next to the CVS drug store. The hours are from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m, every Sunday through October 28th, 2007.

The TUESDAY TWILIGHT MARKET will remain at its location near the Brookland/CUA Metro Station for the convenience of commuters. It launches on Tuesday June 5th, and will be open each week from the hours of 4:00-7:00 p.m, every Tuesday through October 30th, 2007. The TUESDAY TWILIGHT MARKET is located on the grassy area on Otis Street NE, between 10th Street NE and the Brookland Metro station.

At the beginning of this farming season, the markets will feature:

. freshly picked strawberries
. freshly picked vegetables
. freshly baked artisan breads (Sunday only at this time)
. Amish cheese
. eggs from happy chickens
. preserves
. ginger-related products (Sunday only)
. a variety of bedding plants
. fresh roasted coffee (Sunday only)

Farmers who participate in these producers-only markets grow food using low pesticide and organic methods. All food is grown within 150 miles of Washington, DC.

These farmers participate in a number of food support programs including:

. The Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
. The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
. The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (Senior FMNP)

Dogs are welcome at the Market, but must be kept away from the farmer's stalls. Please leave your dog with the Market Master while you shop for food.

Note to community organizations: The Main Street program would like to extend the invitation to Ward 5 organizations to exhibit at the Sunday Farmers Market, which provides your organization the opportunity to introduce your organization to the patrons of the Brookland commercial district. The intent is to feature a different organization each week. There is no cost for exhibiting. The Main Street program will provide a tent, but you would have to provide your own table and chair(s).

For more information, contact Richard Layman, Interim Program Manager
Historic Brookland Main Street Program
Brookland Community Development Corporation
Brookland Visitors Center
3420 9th Street NE ▪ Washington, DC 20017 ▪ phone 202-526-4848
BrooklandCDC@AOL.com ▪ www.HistoricBrookland.org

Shop in Brookland for Mother's Day Gifts, Dwellings Tea Party - Saturday, May 12th

Upcoming events from Dwellings (3509 12th Street, NE), including tomorrow's Tea Party:

Tea Party
Saturday, May 12th, 2007, from 11am to 7pm
Red tea? Green tea? White tea? Black Tea? Join us as we celebrate the vast spectrum of tea. Taste a variety of teas from The Republic of Tea & Tea Forte.

Learn about where different teas originate, their healthful benefits, and some great tea recipes. Receive tips on how to plan a tea party with panache!

Memorial Day Weekend Holiday Cook-In
Saturday, May 26th, 2007, from 11am to 7pm
Kick-off the cook-out season at our Memorial Day Weekend Holiday Cook-in! Enjoy tasty tapenades, zesty mustards, and grilling sauces by Wildly Delicious. Sample sweets from Dean & Deluca. Quench your thirst with a cup of Passion Fruit Papaya Iced Tea by The Republic of Tea. Receive great ideas on how to host the ultimate cook-out!

"Entertaining at Home" Demonstration
Saturday, June 9th, 2007, from 10am to 5pm
Whether planning a dinner party for 10 or hosting an unexpected guest, Dwellings will show you how easy it is to entertain at home. With our Wildly Delicious line of products, we'll demonstrate how to serve gourmet food in seconds, including oven roasted tomato bruschetta, chicken with blood orange & ginger teriyaki glaze, and cheese with cranberry & port compote.

We'll also mix up a variety of summer iced teas that your guests will be sure to love!

» Dwellings 2007 calendar of events
» Sign up here for updates
» Through the entire month of May, save 10% at select Brookland merchants with the ad below (click on it for larger size to print or clip it from the May issue of DC North)

Brookland in Print

Brookland is the featured neighborhood in the Real Estate section of today's Examiner. You can view the pdf of "Brookland: Washington's urban oasis" here (in the drop-down menus choose May 11th, 2007 and pages 64-65). Yours truly is briefly - and for the most part accurately - quoted, but, for the record, I had nothing to do with the incorrect spelling of Sureia.

- - -

On May 4th, 2007 Washington Business Journal reported on CUA's upcoming development south of Michigan Avenue near the Metro (subscription needed to view entire article):

The Catholic University of America has shortlisted four bidders to develop an 8-acre parcel into a mixed-use complex that would revitalize the area around the Brookland Metro station.

Abdo Development, EYA, Monument Realty and Trammell Crow have been shortlisted as potential developers.

My vote is for Abdo, but that's just my bias based on a presentation given by Jim Abdo this evening for my DC Neighborhood College class. He impressed me so much, I honestly had the urge to hug him.

"Wired to the Elements" Opening Reception at Roxanne's Artiques - Friday, May 11th

The unique colors and forms of nature come alive in "Wired to The Elements," a joint exhibition with area artists and Trinidad and Tobago nationals Garth Gardner and Floyd Roberts. Their work is on display Friday, May 11th through June 16th at Roxanne’s Artiques & Gallery, 3426 9th Street, NE. A reception for Gardner and Roberts will be held on Friday, May 11th, 2007, 6-8pm.

Gardner’s paintings, called "The Elements," are swirling bursts of color in complex patterns only seen in nature. Painted with acrylic on wood, "The work is not abstract; rather it captures the abstractions created by nature itself," says Gardner, who has a Ph.D. in Art Education.

Trained in fine arts, Gardner began creating art using the computer in the mid-1990s. His images have been exhibited at various museums and galleries nationally and internationally, including the Paterson Museum in New Jersey, the Atlantic Gallery in New York, and the Nanjing College of Art in China.

Internationally recognized Floyd Roberts moved to the United States at age 13. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the Corcoran School of Art in 1984. His pieces include sculpture in metal, wood, stone, clay and mixed media. Roberts’ work has been on display at numerous exhibitions including Glenview Mansion Art Gallery, Art Spin Gallery, and Strathmore Hall Art Center, all in Maryland.

Gallery hours: Thursday-Saturday, 12-7pm; Sunday, 1-6pm

City Pulls Contract with President Inn; WUSA9 Gets Points for Good Deed

From WUSA9:

The new director of the District’s Emergency Management Agency, Darrel Darnell says that he will no longer be sending displaced families to the President Inn.

Darnell’s decision Monday came after he viewed on the WUSA9.com our exclusive 9NEWS NOW report with a hidden camera that disclosed deplorable conditions inside the rooms where DC families and tourists to Washington had been placed.

The unsuspecting tourists began posting their comments on web pages that rated the hotels and motels in the Washington area.

After staying at the New York Avenue motel [1600 New York Avenue, NE], they complained of rats, bed bugs, soiled linen and carpets.

Our camera also showed cigarette burns and evidence that fires had been set and a bathroom door kicked in. There was human hair in the bed and bathroom.

One woman from Oregon claims she became ill with scabies after staying at the President Inn.

Monday, Darnell’s office confirmed the Inn has a contract to provide up to 25 beds on a temporary emergency basis to homeless families at a cost of up to $75,000 per year. The contract ends at the end of September.

In another move the city’s Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Office sent a team of inspectors to the President Inn Monday. They were looking for construction, fire, plumbing and electrical code violations.

DC Councilman Kwame Brown, after seeing our original report on 9NEWS NOW Sunday night at 11 p.m., said Monday "No family should be placed in conditions like that."

» Bruce Johnson's original report (5.7.07) and video....Ewwww. I can understand how tourists could be duped, but the DC government? Seriously?

“There’s always controversy associated with nude dancing”

Thanks to Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) for stating the obvious. Of course, we can add liquor licenses, church parking, high-density/mixed-use/affordable housing and development....well, damn near anything, really. Here's Councilmember Thomas' (D-Ward 5) official response:

For Immediate Release May 8, 2007
Contact: Victoria Leonard-Chambers
Phone: 202.727.8204 Email: vleonardchambers@dccouncil.us

Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. Questions Legality of Bill to Relocate Businesses Displaced by Ballpark

Washington DC - Earlier today, the DC City Council's Committee on Public Works and the Environment voted in support of a bill to permit the one-time relocation of businesses displaced by the new baseball stadium, a move that sends the bill to the entire Council for approval. As currently written, the new bill will eliminates the 600-foot minimum distance between adult clubs, which would enable the clubs to cluster in one location.

Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr., who represents an area in which the clubs are seeking to relocate, questions the authority of the legislation. "The bill may usurp the authority of the Zoning Commission," said Thomas. "The legislation sets a precedent for grouping similar types of business enterprises in a single location, which is not the best public policy."

The legislation overlooks the D.C. Office of Planning, which is conducting small area plans in locations adjacent to the site where the clubs are seeking to relocate. Housing and retail projects that are planned or underway along the New York Avenue corridor are also not accounted for. "We have a system in place for managing the locations of businesses and economic development that includes the public as a decision making partner. We should use that system, not bypass it," noted Thomas.

» More from NBC4 and Washington Blade

Artspace to Launch Artist Survey for Dance Place Arts and Housing Project - Public Meeting, Thursday, May 10th

This would be fabulous if it comes to fruition!

What: Dance Place has an opportunity to consider redeveloping its facility, along with adjacent property owners, into a multi-story complex by partnering with Artspace Projects, a national nonprofit developer of affordable space for the arts, and Epstein Financial Organization. The complex would house the Dance Place campus, low cost artist lofts, and market rate condominiums.

Artists from Washington and the surrounding area are encouraged to attend a public meeting at Dance Place that will formally launch an on-line survey of artists space needs in the Washington area. Refreshments will be provided. Without your input, and without your help in getting the word out about this survey, we can't make the project a reality.

When: Thursday, May 10th, 2007, 6:30-8:30pm
6:30-7:00 Pre-meeting gathering; wine and cheese reception
7:00-8:00 Public meeting and Q & A
8:00-8:30 Creative exchange: networking and socializing

Where: Dance Place, 3225 8th Street, NE

Etc.: The survey, conducted by Artspace Projects of Minneapolis, a national nonprofit real estate developer for the arts, is an important step in a proposal to create a new mixed-use arts center in the Brookland neighborhood. Representatives from Artspace will be on hand to explain how the survey results will be used to shape the project concept and to answer questions from artists.

To sign up to be notified when the survey is live on-line, or to receive project email updates or to take the survey (beginning May 11th) go to: www.ArtspaceWashDC.org. If you have questions about the event, call Artspace and ask for Ezra: 612.333.9012 x0.

» More from Washington Business Journal (subscription only)
» Related: Mt. Rainier Artist Lofts, one key component in the Gateway Arts District along Route 1 (Rhode Island Avenue) in Maryland.

BAWA*'s "New Poetry in Brookland" Reading - Wednesday, May 9th

As part of the Brookland Area Writers & Artists' (BAWA*) Brookland Reading Series, Kim Roberts and Hiram Larew will read poetry from their new books. Roberts' The Kimnama and Larew's More Than Anything are published by Brookland-based VRZHU Press.

Please come and join in giving these two local poets a warm Brookland welcome Wednesday 9th, 2007, 7pm at the Brookland Visitors Center, 3420 9th Street, NE.

» VRZHU Press
» VRZHU Bullets of Love - Poetry & Arts Blog

More Details on Suspect Vehicle in Fatal Hit-and-Run

MPD has released surveillance and sample images of the suspect vehicle in the hit-and-run that killed 6-year-old Crysta Spencer.

Members of the department’s Major Crash Investigations Unit have obtained a surveillance camera tape that captures the suspect vehicle in this case going north on Sixth Street, NE, then turning east on Florida Avenue, NE, past Gallaudet University and then south on Eighth Street. WUSA-TV has agreed to make the tape available to other news agencies. Also, the suspect vehicle is now described as possibly being a dark green Chevrolet or GMC Suburban with rear double doors and unknown Maryland agricultural tags.

The Metropolitan Police Department is now offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this fatal hit and run. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at 202.727.9099.

Tibet Collection's Moving Sale - May 4th and 5th

Tibet Collection is moving to Massachusetts! While that stinks, I imagine this final sale will put a hefty dent in my allowance.

What: Tibet Collection's final warehouse clearance. Sterling jewelry, one-of-a-kind samples, clothing, note cards, chimes, garden items, gift boxes, incense, and more!

When: Friday and Saturday, May 4-5, 2007, 10am-5pm

Where: 5778 2nd Street, NE (look for the prayer flags)