01 January 2008

Casey Trees Moving to Brookland in Late 2008


Casey Trees, the DC organization committed to protecting and renewing the city's tree canopy, will be moving to Brookland [pdf] in late 2008:
...Next year [Casey Trees] is moving from 1425 K Street downtown to the Brookland neighborhood at 3030 12th Street and Irving. The group plans to renovate and add to the existing 4000 square foot structure to house a staff that is expected to grow from 20 to 30-35 people over the next 15 years.

“Our central downtown location has been great, but as we’ve grown our need to be based within a neighborhood where we can work hand in hand with our network of community members has increased. We’re looking forward to putting down our own roots as an organization to join the roots of the trees we’ve planted with our volunteers over the past six years” said Mark Buscaino, Casey Trees Executive Director.

Casey Trees has retained Smith Group as its architects who are now working on concepts. Initial thoughts about the building’s construction are for it to be as “green” as possible, incorporating trees, low-impact development stormwater control features, possibly a green roof, and other elements.

You can read Washington Business Journal's article here [pdf].

Happy New Year!

Here's to a happy, healthy, and safe 2008 for Woodridge, Brookland, and beyond!

Each year many of us make resolutions and then spend the next 365 days trying to keep them (if we even remember them a month or two later). I'd like to resolve to spend more time on this blog with the hope of serving the community. While I'm not sure that is possible - partially because I already spend a great deal of time sifting through info to post - I feel it's still a resolution worth making.

Posting has been sporadic lately; I've been working on my final project for the DC Neighborhood College (you still have a few days left to apply for the 2008-09 cohort) which I hope to share with the community in the next month, busy at work, applying for grad school, and taking some quiet time away from the computer while at home. As always, please contact me if you are interested in contributing to "stop, blog, and roll."

Now, back to reality and resolution aside....I'll be out of town twice in January. The first time will be this week for work through early next week, so posting will be light-to-nil. And then there's the catching up, and going back out of town, and catching up....

May your resolutions be easier to keep ;)

19 December 2007

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

From a neighbor on Perry Place:

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

Brookland Holiday Party - TONIGHT

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

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

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

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

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

18 December 2007

Quick Links - Catching Up

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

» "8 Fired From System; 30 Choose to Retire" - WaPo, Sunday, December 9 (6 days after I announced it - this should have been bigger news)
Almost 40 employees of the D.C. Public Library system -- about 10 percent of the workforce -- will be leaving their jobs in early January as part of what officials describe as a plan to "transform" the beleaguered system and rejuvenate its personnel.
The group leaving includes the head librarians of seven of the District's 27 libraries.
The head librarians at the Mount Pleasant, Petworth and Woodridge branches were fired, along with five subject specialists at the central Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The eight were let go "without cause" on Nov. 29 or 30, officials said. They were placed on paid administrative leave through Dec. 31, then accompanied to their desks to retrieve their belongings and escorted out the door.

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

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

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

» NoMa BID has updated their website.

07 December 2007

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


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

Our thanks to Fannie Mae and NBC4 for sponsoring the trip the team couldn't have otherwise afforded:
Thanks to donations from News4 and a grant from Fannie Mae, the Falcons will be able to go to Orlando.

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

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

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

You can watch video of the Falcons here.

04 December 2007

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

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

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

Where: Woodridge Neighborhood Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NE

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

03 December 2007

Woodridge Head Librarian Fired Firday; Firings at Other Branches

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

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

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

29 November 2007

Woodridge Library Book Sale - Saturday, December 1


What: The Friends of the Woodridge Library used book sale. We (disclosure: I am a member of the Friends - we'd love for you to join our group!) have hardcovers, paperbacks, fiction, non-fiction, books for adults, books for children, books on tape, records, videos/DVDs, and much more. All proceeds benefit the Woodridge Library.

When: Saturday, December 1, 2007, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

Etc.: We are always accepting donations of books, videos/DVDs, records, comic books, and the like. For additional information call the library at 202.541.6226 or e-mail the Friends at woodridgefriends@yahoo.com.

Ward 5 Emergency Education Town Hall Meeting - Monday, December 3

What: Emergency Education Town Hall Meeting to review the proposed reform plan to close 9 Ward 5 schools.

When: Monday, December 3, 2007, 7-9 p.m.

Where: Bertie Backus Middle School, 5171 South Dakota Avenue, NE

For More Information: Contact the Ward 5 Council office at 202.724.8028

28 November 2007

24 DC Schools Proposed for Closure; 9 in Ward 5

From WaPo:
Ward 5 has the most proposed closures, with nine. That section of the city has experienced a recent influx of young families moving into such neighborhoods as Brookland and LeDroit Park, but many of them are choosing charter schools or going out of boundary rather than enrolling at neighborhood schools, which have been plagued by declining enrollment and poor test scores. Ward 3 is the only one with no schools on the list.

The document says those schools on the closure list would be taken "off the list for modernization, targeted repair, or blitz work (excluding things that are necessary for basic quality of life)."

The document also raises questions about the pace of repair work needed to upgrade schools that would take students from closed facilities. According to the list, Brookland Elementary in Northeast would close next year and the students would be sent to nearby Bunker Hill Elementary. Bunker Hill, however, would close two years later.

But the document also says there are plans to "rebuild a new [pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school] on the Brookland site. This is a high priority to move up. Can we get a design team up in early '08 and complete construction by '10?"

In Ward 5:
Bertie Backus Middle - Fort Totten
Brookland Elementary - Brookland/Michigan Park
Bunker Hill Elementary (summer 2010)- Brookland/Michigan Park
Burroughs Elementary - Woodridge
Gage-Eckington Elementary - Ledroit Park/Bloomingdale
J.F. Cook Elementary - Eckington
Mamie D. Lee (summer 2009) - Fort Totten
M. M. Washington Career High - Eckington
Slowe Elementary - Brookland

ANC-5A Monthly Meeting - TONIGHT

What: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 7 p.m.

Where: Providence Hospital - Catherine Ross Hall Conference Room 1, 1150 Varnum Street, NE

Agenda Includes:
· SMD 5A-07 vacancy and election - Don Padou and Carolyn Steptoe running
· MPD-5D and MPD-4D crime reports
· Invited Guests: Potomac Lighthouse Public Charter School (PLPCS). PLPCS is planning to relocate into a vacant building at 8th and Varnum Streets NE, formerly known as Brady Hall, 2 blocks west of Providence Hospital. PLPCS is currently located in Michigan Park Christian Church at 1600 Taylor Street NE. The project is being developed by Joel D. Scharfer, CEO of Charter Schools Development Corporation and Edward M. Johnson, a Brookland-based architect. PLPCS currently serves 120 students and is hoping to increase its student body to between 250 and 400 pupils.
· Community concerns

20 November 2007

Brookland CDC Holiday Wreath Sale


Brookland CDC's 5th Year Celebrating "Wreaths for Brookland"

24" Fresh Canadian Balsam Holiday Wreaths
Available November 27 through December 23 or while they last - just $20.00

Order by phone or email: Brookland Main Street Office 202.526.4848, Brooklandcdc@aol.com

** Our Elves Deliver and Install **

All proceeds support this year's "Celebration of Lights," which includes a trolley ride through Brookland to enjoy our holiday lights, hot chocolate, holiday treats, roasted chestnuts, and photos with Santa!

** 13th Annual Brookland Celebration of Lights - Save the Date! **
Sunday, December 16, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Brookland Visitor Center
3420 9th Street NE
Brooklandcdc@aol.com

19 November 2007

PG & DC Police Chase 14-Year-Old Carjacker Through 4th and 5th Districts

No injuries were reported from the 4-car accident caused by the chase...from NBC4:
Prince George's County Police initiated a chase of a carjacked Jeep Cherokee driven by a 14-year-old boy Monday afternoon.

Police on patrol spotted the Jeep, which they said was carjacked at gunpoint on Nov. 15, and tried to pull it over in the area of Eastern Avenue near Riggs Road.

Police pursued the Jeep after it fled.

The chase went for several miles at varying speeds through neighborhoods in the district.

The Jeep went down Missouri Avenue, past the Fourth District Station, down 16th Street, down North Capitol Street, and out Rhode Island Avenue before ending up in the 3800 block of Harewood Road, NE, where the driver fled onto the campus of Catholic University, according to officials.

The driver was arrested a short time later. D.C. Police from the fourth and fifth districts, along with the D.C. Police Helicopter and Prince George's County Police assisted in the chase.

Police said the chase contributed to a four-car accident, but no injuries were reported.

14 November 2007

PCDC's "Creating a Community Vision" - Saturday, November 17

PCDC - Creating a Community Vision
What: Premier Community Development Corporation / PCDC presents Dominic Moulden, Executive Director of ONE DC and all Ward 5 residents, neighbors, stakeholders, and community businesses in a discussion on "Creating a Community Vision."

When: Saturday, November 17, 2007, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Mount Calvary Family Life Center, 605 Rhode Island Avenue, NE

Discussion Includes: A shared vision for our communities in Ward 5, including an overview of Ward 5's history, demographics, economics, politics, and organizations. What is a vision? Who benefits from a community vision? Who decides what will happen in a community vision? How does a community vision get implemented? What can the community do?

Additional Information: Contact PCDC at 202.252.PCDC (7232) or premiercdc@yahoo.com

13 November 2007

SMD 5A-11 Monthly Meeting - TONIGHT

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

When: Tuesday, November 13th, 2007, 6:30-8:30pm

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

Agenda Includes: South Dakota Ave. bridge and traffic update; speed bumps and other traffic calming requests – with Department of Transportation; Fire Engine 26 - relocation plans

05 November 2007

Woodridge & Brentwood Civic Associations Monthly Meetings - Tuesday, November 6th

Woodridge Civic Association Monthly Meeting

When: Tuesday, November 6th, 2007, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

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

Etc.: Meets 7:00-8:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month, except July and August, at the Washington Center for Aging Services - call 202.269.0354 for more information.

- - -

Brentwood Community Civic Association Monthly Meeting

When: Tuesday, November 6th, 2007, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

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

Etc.: Meets 7:30-8:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month, except July and August, at the Washington Center for Aging Services

Mayor Fenty Attending Brookland Civic Association Meeting - Tuesday, November 6th

What: Mayor Fenty will be the special guest at this month's Brookland Civic Association Meeting.

When: Tuesday, November 6th, 2007, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Where: Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE

For more information: Contact Brookland Civic Association President Mary Baird Currie at 202.635.1970.

Homicide in University Heights/Brookland

From MPD-5D Commander Lamar Greene:
On Friday, November 2, 2007, at 2135 hours, members of the Fifth District responded to the 2900 block of 10th Street NE (10th and Franklin Street NE) for the sounds of gunshots.

While the responding officer was canvassing at this location, another call for service was dispatched to the front of 4015 9th Street NE for a shooting. Upon arrival to this location, the members located an unconscious male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The DCFD responded and all life saving efforts were attempted and proved futile. The decedent was transported to the OCME.

The decedent was identified as: Rick Kearney, B/M, 24 years of age, (residing in SE Wash DC)

It should be noted that the driver of the vehicle that the decedent was traveling in has been arrested and charge with two weapons charges. The investigation is ongoing, and making excellent progress at this time!!

On Saturday, Commander Greene noted that while no charges had been made, a possible suspect was in custody.