ANC-5A Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, June 27th

What: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 at 7pm

Where: HSC Pediatric Center / Hospital for Sick Children, 1731 Bunker Hill Rd, NE

Agenda Includes:
· MPD-5D and MPD-4D crime reports
· Kwame Brown, Councilmember-At-Large
· Debbie Wargo, Executive Director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC
· Community Concerns

Coalition of Concerned Neighbors Monthly Meeting - Monday, June 18th

What: Coalition of Concerned Neighbors Monthly Meeting

When: Monday, June 18th, 2007, 6:30-8:30pm

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

Special Guests: Phil Mendelson, Councilmember At-Large, Chair of Public Safety and Judiciary Committees; Kwame Brown, Councilmember At-Large, Chair of Economic Development Committee; MPD-5D

Etc.: The Coalition of Concerned Neighbors meets the third Monday of each month. For questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Lloyd at 202.903.6197 or Mr. Neal at 202.257.0001. You can also contact the Coalition at 202.882.1683 or concernneighbors@aol.com.

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.

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

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

“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

Councilmember Mendelson's Public Safety Town Hall Meeting - Monday, April 23rd

Councilmember Phil Mendelson (At-Large) recently announced that he is holding a Town Hall Meeting to address a wide spectrum of issues related to crime in the District of Columbia. The theme for the citywide session is "Make Public Safety a Community Affair." Members of the public are invited to join Mendelson and a number of officials who are slated to make brief presentations and answer questions on topics ranging from crime prevention to prosecution, and detention to rehabilitation.

The Town Hall will be held on Monday, April 23rd, 2007 at Ward Memorial A.M.E. Church from 6:30 until 8:30pm. Located at 241 42nd Street, NE, Ward Memorial is accessible via the Benning Road stop on Metrorail's Blue Line and is also accessible via the V7, U2, and W4 Metrobusses.

Confirmed guests at the Town Hall are: Chief of Police Cathy Lanier, DC Attorney General Linda Singer, US Attorney Jeffery Taylor, and Devon Brown, Director of the Department of Corrections. Also invited are representatives from the DC Superior Court, Public Defender Service, Pretrial Services Agency, Bureau of Prisons, and the Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA).

"I urge the residents of the District to join me at this Town Hall and take advantage of this opportunity to air their concerns and get straight answers to their questions on public safety-related issues," stated Mendelson. "Not often are all of the key players in one place at the same time, and no issue is too large or too small when it comes to making our neighborhoods safer places to live, work, play, and learn."

Currently serving in his third term as At-Large Councilmember, Phil Mendelson is also Chairman of the Council's Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary. For more information, visit http://dccouncil.us/mendelson/index.html.

PCDC Forum on School Reform - Wednesday, April 11th

From the Premier Community Development Corporation (PCDC):

Contact: Hazel Thomas, Chair, 202-491-9245
Dominique West, Forum Chair, 202-898-5063
Stephanie Rones, Executive Director, 202-250-PCDC

Citizens to Debate Council Vote and School Reform Proposal at PCDC Pubic Forum on April 11th, 2007

Premier Community Development Corporation (PCDC), a nonprofit community membership organization designed to improve housing, economic development, and the quality of life in Ward 5, is sponsoring a forum to discuss the school reform proposal.

The forum, entitled: "Standing Up for Children, Families, and Communities: The Role of Government and Stakeholders in Improving Our Schools, Our Neighborhoods," will be held on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, at the North Michigan Park Recreation Center located at 13th and Emerson Streets, NE.

The Forum will be a public discourse on school governance and will focus on critical topics such as: citizens' involvement in the decision making process, the impact of the environment on academic achievement in the District, and possible solutions to improving schools and neighborhoods. Invited guest panelist include: representatives from the Mayor's office; School Board President, Robert Bobb; and others. The panel will address questions from the moderator and the audience; for example:

- The mayoral schools takeover -- a panacea, cure-all, current fad, or public relations attention-grabber?
- What is the cost of the proposed school takeover and the impact on bureaucracy?
- What does accountability entail? Will being in charge guarantee success and problems fixed?
- How can D.C. reduce the problems in communities and homes that affect teaching and learning?
- How can the D.C. school system improve school performance now?
- What are the roles and responsibilities of parents, teachers, civic leaders, business leaders, labor, faith community, and government leaders in improving education?
- How does the "No Child Left Behind" law impact schools?
- How can we make a difference in education and make D.C. a model for the world?
- Should traditional D.C. schools be funded like charter schools? Why are charter and traditional schools regulated differently overall?
- Should there be a referendum for any Home Rule charter changes? Can we wait for Wards 4 and 7 elections?

The forum is free and open to the public.

Premier Community Development Corporation
Improving Ward 5 Housing, Economic Development and Quality of Life
1309 Rhode Island Avenue NE, Suite B, Washington, DC 20018

Phone: 202.250.PCDC
Fax: 202.250.PCD3
premiercdc@yahoo.com

If anyone knows more about PCDC (I couldn't find a website or other online presence for them), please leave details in the comments.

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.

Emergency Legislation on MLK Library - Sign the Petition to Preserve It

Mayor Williams has scheduled a(nother) vote on an emergency library bill next Tuesday - despite others not passing. Williams believes "all the issues have been ventilated." Wow. Interestingly enough, many of us don't agree. In addition to contacting your and others' Councilmember [see Council contact information in previous posting here], you can sign this petition to save the MLK Library. And, honestly, if you're for building a new library on the old convention center site, that's a valid option, but at the very least demand more accountability from the current and incoming Council, as well as the DCPL Board of Trustees and Ginnie Cooper. Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space goes into more detail on DC residents' MLK Catch-22.

Oh, and it looks like the Council will also be making a final reading and vote Tuesday, December 19th on temporary legislation on the Florida/Capital City Market (scroll down their schedule for "New Town at Capital City Market Revitalization Development and Public /Private Partnership Temporary Act of 2006"). Read some of Richard and Elise's comments on the proposal and search their sites for more.

Council Moves Forward on "New Town" Proposal

The Council has given preliminary approval - without minimal input from the current businesses and surrounding community - to Vincent Orange's "New Town" proposal which would raze the current Florida/Capital City Market. No, it's not pretty, but it's far from "blighted." I don't have time to comment right now, but keep checking in, and take a look at the reactions from both Frozen Tropics and Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space. You can also read the Post's take here.

Updates forthcoming....

Your Input Needed on the "Library Transformation Act of 2006" by Tuesday, November 21st

You may or may not be for the proposed new central library on the old Convention Center site. Personally, I wish we'd further investigate the potential of the old Carnegie Library (formerly the City Museum of Washington and currently a party rental). Whatever your feelings on this often contentious debate, please consider making your opinion known by contacting the DC Council’s Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation. The following - clearly against the bill - is from Robin Diener of the DC Library Renaissance Project, but full of useful information even if you disagree and want to share your thoughts within the next two days:

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT
Critical Vote To Save Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - 5 DC Councilmembers Need to Hear From YOU!

The DC Council’s Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation is scheduled to vote on the fate of Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (MLK).

When: Tuesday, November 21st, 2006 at 3pm
Where: Room 123, John Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Legislation: Bill 16-734, the “Library Transformation Act of 2006”

The bill allows the city to lease MLK to a private entity for 99 years, and construct a new library at the former Convention Center site ("old CC"). The five Councilmembers on the Committee need to hear from you now in opposition to the bill.

In Person: Attend the hearing on Tuesday, November 21st at 3 pm, and bring friends. A packed room of MLK supporters may convince the Councilmembers to vote no on Bill 16-734.

Contact the 5 Councilmembers: e-mail, call or fax . . .

Councilmember Marion Barry:
mbarry@dccouncil.us
Phone: (202) 724-8045 / Fax: (202) 698-2388

Councilmember Vincent Gray:
vgray@dccouncil.us
Phone: (202) 724-8068 / Fax: (202) 724-8097

Councilmember Phil Mendelson:
PMendelson@dccouncil.us
Phone: (202) 724-8064 / Fax: (202) 724-8099

Committee Chairman Councilmember Kathy Patterson:
kpatterson@decouncil.us
Phone: (202) 724-8062 / Fax: (202) 724-8118

Councilmember Carol Schwartz:
cschwartz@dccouncil.us
Phone: (202) 724-8105 / Fax: (202) 724-8071

Talking Points:

· I urge you to oppose Bill 16-734, the “Library Transformation Act of 2006.”
* Reopening the four closed branch libraries, and revitalizing the rest of the neighborhood libraries, is a higher priorty than a new central library.
* The proposed library on the old CC site would be smaller than MLK.
· The old CC site is a second-rate location with no Metro stops within 800 feet (2 blocks). MLK is within two blocks of five stops, serving all Metro lines!
· We have seen only one line drawing of the library proposed for the old CC building. It shows 9 small floors of awkward triangular spaces, with admistrative offices in the basement. MLK is the gold standard for flexibility with a rectangular layout that can accomodate change now and in the future.
* The library system is predicting huge increases in library usership based on the amount of housing being built downdown, yet the proposed old CC library has no provision for future expansion. MLK is larger and engineered to have a fifth floor added.
· MLK is a stand-alone facility. The old CC building would be a mixed-use facility, and could include offices, condos, or a shoe store.
· MLK was dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. in 1971 and it has served as an annual gathering place to honor his legacy. It is not just a plaque to be attached to another building.
· The funding plan for a library on the old CC site is not sound, aspects criticized by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, among others. The city can lease or sell the old CC site and apply that money to renovate MLK.
· There has not been adequate public discussion of possibilities for a new central library.
* The Mayor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Libraries has not produced its report (it's been two years). How can Council decide without having seen the report they allocated funds for two years ago?
* It's not clear how parking would be provided for a library on the old CC site. MLK already has its own parking garage.

Sample Letter:

Date

Dear Councilmember __________:

*I urge you to oppose Bill 16-734, the “Library Transformation Act of 2006”* that would authorize leasing the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (“MLK”) for 99 years and building a new central library on the old convention center site (“old CC”).

Acceptable rationales for abandoning our architecturally significant and advantageously sited MLK library have not been presented. Nor do I accept assertions that funding possibilities will be lost if we do not make haste. Financial backing for a good plan can always be found.

As a District resident and library patron, I support further exploration of alternatives for renovation of MLK, which I believe will be less costly. I would also like to see a greater level of community involvement in the process of planning for library "transformation."

Of primary importance, MLK was dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. in 1971 and has served as an annual gathering place to honor his legacy. It is not just a plaque to be moved form building to building.

Finally, I believe that reopening the closed branch libraries should be prioritized over any new central library facility.

For these reasons, I urge you to vote "no" on Bill 16-734.

Sincerely,

/_Feel free to personalize. Please forward this message._/

Thank you!!!!


Robin Diener
DC Library Renaissance Peoject
1530 P Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Preliminary Election Results - Including ANCs - Available

You can view the preliminary DC General Election results on the Board of Elections and Ethics site (PDF).

My SMD, 5A-09, had no candidate, as I previously thought. I know I received at least three write-in votes (you betcha' one of them was mine), but certainly not the majority of the 132. I'm interested to hear who the winner is. My sincerest congratulations to Kris Hammond, 5C-02, and Janae Grant, 5A-11 and co-coordinator of the Coalition of Concerned Neighbors, on their successes in two of many hotly contested ANC Commissions.

Council Hearing on New Central Library - Friday, October 27th

From the Federation of Friends:

On Friday, October 27, 2006 at 1:00 pm, Councilmember Kathy Patterson, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation, will hold a public oversight hearing on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library. This meeting has been rescheduled from its’ original date of October 16, 2006. The purpose of the hearing is to examine the feasibility of the Carnegie Library site to serve as the location for a new central library for the District of Columbia [yes, yes, please - what a fabulous option!]. The Committee wishes to examine this option from programmatic, architectural, and financial perspectives. The public hearing will begin at 1 p.m. in the Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.

The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony, which will be made a part of the official record. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing should contact Evelyn Bourne-Gould, Legislative Assistant to the Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation, at 724-8195, or via e-mail at egould@dccouncil.us. All witnesses will be permitted a maximum of three (3) minutes for oral presentation.

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to the Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation, or to Ms. Phyllis Jones, Secretary to the Council, Room 5 of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.

Florida Market Tour - Saturday, October 14th / Public Hearing - Friday, October 20th

Both Richard and Elise have posted a wealth of information on the tour they're hosting this Saturday. I've gone, I've enjoyed, and you should, too.

Also, if you can, consider attending the public hearing Friday, October 20th, 2006 on proposed legislation for Bill 16-868: "New Town at Capital City Market Revitalization Development and Public/Private Partnership Act of 2006." The proposal intends to "create a public/private partnership between the District of Columbia and New Town Development, LLC for the purposes of economic, social, and cultural revitalization of a 24 acre site located in Ward 5." Richard and Elise have written extensively on the future of the Florida Market and what we could lose if New Town becomes a reality (searches on their respective blogs will bring up the relevant posts).

Upcoming Ward 5 Council Candidate Forums

Here are three that I know of, in chronological order:

What: Coalition for Voter Empowerment (COVE) is hosting a Ward 5 "Meet the Candidates" Forum.

When: Wednesday, August 30th, 2006, 6:30-9:30pm

Where: Mount Sinai Baptist Church, 1646 Third Street, NW (Third and Q Streets)

About: COVE is a collaboration of civic associations that represent citizens on the southwestern end of Ward 5 - i.e., the Bates Area, Bloomingdale, Edgewood, and Hanover Area Civic Associations, respectively.

From 6:30 until 7:00pm, there will be an opportunity for the candidates to meet residents of these communities in an informal social gathering at the church. The forum will take place between 7:00 and 9:00pm and, again, between 9:00 and 9:30pm, candidates will have the opportunity to chat with residents after the formal part of the program.

:: :: ::

What: Premier Community Development Corporation is presenting a Ward 5 Council Candidates Forum on the issue of affordable housing.

When: Thursday, August 31st, 2006 at 6:30pm

Where: Greater Mt. Calvary Family Life Center, 605 Rhode Island Avenue, NE

Contact: For more information, call Hazel Thomas at 202.491.9245 or Stephanie Rones at 202.832.3448

:: :: ::

What: Ward 5 Council Candidates Forum

When: Wednesday, September 6th, 2006 at 7pm

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

About: Candidates will be give two-minute opening and closing statements; question will come from the audience.

Because Same-Sex Marriage Doesn't Start with "E"

I can only guess how much The Washington Times despises the other Democratic candidates if it's willing to devote 779 words to the big O. Nearly two weeks after casting judgment on the morality of his opponents, Orange now says "...one of the key differences between himself and other candidates is that he is the only one who recognizes that the city's economic development has occurred according to a 40-point plan called 'The Economic Resurgence of Washington, D.C.' and developed by the city council in 1998." It gets a bit warmer and fuzzier in the following paragraph, but all I really want to know at this point is if "bring[ing] in the citizens" means just the straight ones?

Washington Post Endorses Thomas for Ward 5

From today's WaPo editorials:

Ward 5 has an especially attractive field of candidates. Three stand out as able potential successors to Mr. Orange: Frank Wilds, a businessman and Ward 5 Democratic Party vice chairman; Bruce Marshall, an attorney and former government administrator; and Harry "Tommy" Thomas Jr., a community leader and director of a youth mentoring and learning program. Four years ago, when he captured 40 percent of the vote against Mr. Orange, we said that "Mr. Thomas is close to the Ward 5 community and makes a strong impression on those voters he seeks to win over" but that he would have to broaden his reach to be successful. Mr. Thomas has done that in the intervening years by deepening his service to Ward 5 residents, expanding his civic accomplishments, and earning the respect and support of civic and community leaders. He bears the name of his father, the late former council member Harry Thomas, and the strengths and attributes of his mother, former public school principal Romaine B. Thomas. But Harry Thomas Jr., through the services rendered and experience gained in Ward 5 activities, has earned the nomination of his party on his own.

I'm still undecided. I do know that Frank Wilds has disappointed me by leaving recent ANC-5A meetings midway through - if you're a commissioner, you know you have at least one two-hour committment every month, and this seems more obvious to me than to Wilds. Anyone else?

Ward 5 Council Candidate Forum - Saturday, August 19th

What: Ward 5 Council Candidate Forum at the "Continue Our Legacy - Each One, Teach One" Community Festival

When: Saturday, August 19th, 2006, 10am-1pm

Where: Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, 5301 North Capitol St., NE (corner of Riggs Road and North Capitol Street)

Details: The Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ 125th Anniversary Committee, The August Calendar Club, WPFW (89.3), and The Board of Social Action will present the "Continue Our Legacy - Each One, Teach One" Community Festival on Saturday, August 19th from 10am to 4pm followed by a Jazz Concert at 6pm.

The Festival will include a health fair, dancers, drummers, children's activities such as a balloon bounce, hip-hop bands, book signings, vendors, artists, a jazz concert, a literacy van, the HIV-AIDS screening bus, tabling for organizations, and two candidates forums – one for candidates for the president of the D.C. School Board and a second forum for candidates for the Ward 5 DC City Council seat. The Ward 5 forum will be held from 10am-1pm, and will be moderated by Renee Bowser, noted labor union representative, Ward 4 ANC Chair, and former Statehood/Green Party candidate for Ward 4 City Council. The forum for the D.C. School Board President will be held from 1:30-3:30pm and will be moderated by several education activists.

Hear Him, See Him: Orange's Early Week Media Blitz

Wow - here I was thinking he'd all but given up on the Mayoral race (doesn't bother to show for the forums I'm able to attend). But no, he's still in the game, and he knows EXACTLY what the most important issue is for DC residents ducking bullets and still-sky-high housing costs: gay marriage. And I quote:

I'm the only one that is opposed to same-sex marriage. The other four, they say they believe in God, they go to church, but they are also for same-sex marriage. So I think coming down the stretch that is going to be the issue. I don't think they are morally fit to run this city.

Watch the video from Fox5 here if you're in the mood to punch out your computer screen. [4/21/11 - original link has moved, now updated with a link to a YouTube video]

This afternoon, out of the kindness of his heart, Kojo Nnamdi had Orange on for and "intimate" interview. No mention of morality today - clearly Orange is savvy enough to know the difference between his Fox and NPR constituents. If I recall correctly, today's piece goes something like, "Blah, blah, blah, MY New Town, blah, blah, blech." When asked who he would like to see as Mayor if he doesn't win, Orange replies that Cropp would be best "for the stability of the government." What an even-tempered response - and/or he's hedging his bets on the rumor that "Cropp is offering Orange the possibility of an administrative position in her cabinet should she prevail." I suppose that sounds better than Jonetta's suggestion, "Ad man - that's the job!" Pick your listening poison here (the segment lasts ≈16 minutes).