East of the River Magazine September 2016

S E P T E M B E R 20 1 6

Rewards Program

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MCCs in DC DCHFA now offers Mortgage Credit Certificates (MCCs) to D.C. homebuyers! An MCC provides qualified borrowers the ability to claim a federal tax credit of 20 percent of the mortgage interest paid during each calendar year.

Borrowers may purchase an MCC when obtaining a Conventional, VA, FHA 30 Year Fixed Rate First Trust Mortgage or certain FHA Adjustable Rate First Trust Mortgages through a lender of their choice or apply for a DC Open Doors First Trust loan through one of DCHFA’s Participating Lenders. Visit DCOpenDoors.com for the list of participating lenders.

DCHFA’s MCCs Guidelines

• Borrowers must be first time homebuyers: – Must not have had an ownership interest in a principle residence within the most recent three year period – Exception for residences purchased in a Targeted Area or Veteran’s utilizing a onetime exception • Maximum borrower income is based upon household income, currently $131,040 (family of two or less) and $152,880 (family of three or more) • Acquisition costs (sales price) may not exceed program limits, currently $589,784 (non-targeted area) and $720,847 (targeted area) • Single Family residences, only (no 2-4 unit properties or co-ops) • DCHFA’s MCCs can be provided in conjunction with a DC Open Doors loan program product or other loan program products not offered through the DC Open Doors loan program

815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20001 • 202.777.1600 • DCHFA.ORG 04

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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 20 28

The Bulletin Board

Improving Greater Anacostia

by Duane Gautier

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The Hard Road to Victory for Park Southern Residents

by Jonetta Rose Barras

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Iconic Shrimp Boat Has New Owner

by Tony Robinson

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The Day He Lay in Front of a Trash Truck

by Christine Rushton

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A Fresh Chance at a High School Diploma

by Christine Rushton

The Numbers

by Soumya Bhat

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Private “Special Police” in DC

by Virginia Avniel Spatz

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IN EVERY ISSUE 10 What’s on Washington

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12 Calendar

African-American History and Culture Explained

by Candace Y.A. Montague

Giving Peace a Chance

by Rindy O’Brien

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60 The Classified

Jazz Avenues

by Steve Monroe

62 The Crossword

REAL ESTATE

ON THE COVER: H Street Festival Sept. 17, noon to 7 PM. Festival features many live entertainment stages, restaurants, food trucks, kids’ activities, giveaways, community information tables and more. H Street NE between Fourth and Fourteenth Streets. Photo: Andrew Lightman

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Changing Hands compiled by Don Denton

KIDS & FAMILY 50

Notebook

by Kathleen Donner

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Bright Smiles for a Brighter Future

by Candace Y.A. Montague

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A Creative Turnaround for DC’s Schools

by Jonathan Lewis

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Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 • 202.543.8300 • capitalcommunitynews.com Executive Editor: Melissa Ashabranner • melissaashabranner@hillrag.com Publisher: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2016 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

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BEAUTY, HEALTH & FITNESS Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Jazelle Hunt • jazelle.hunt@gmail.com Candace Y.A. Montague • writeoncm@gmail.com

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KIDS & FAMILY Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

HOMES & GARDENS Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Catherine Plume • caplume@yahoo.com Cheryl Corson • cheryl@cherylcorson.com

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NATIONAL GALLEY’S ART EAST BUILDING GALLERIES REOPEN

To celebrate the re-opening of the East Building Galleries, the National Gallery presents three performances in the East Building Auditorium, two of which highlight a major exhibition opening on Sept. 30: “Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971.” On Friday, Sept. 30 at 12:30 p.m., pianist Vicki Chow performs Tristan Perich’s Surface Image.

Perich, who is also the grandson of collector Virginia Dwan, composed the full-length work for piano and 40 one-bit speakers.

There will be a performance of Yves Klein’s Symphonie MonotoneSilence. The late artist’s work is featured in the Virginia Dwan collection.

He is remembered for his use of a single color, the rich shade of ultramarine that he made his own: International Klein Blue.

Klein’s highly eccentric symphony requires a 32-piece orchestra and 40-voice choir to sustain a D-major chord for 20 minutes; and then to sit, frozen in silence for 20 minutes. This performance will take place on Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. To close out the weekend, American composer Philip Glass will appear in performance and discussion on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. nga.gov.

There will be a community weekend, Nov. 5 and 6, to celebrate the reopening of the East Galleries featuring live music and inspiring performances, interactive tours of modern art, and hands-on art making.

American composer Phillip Glass performs October 2, 2:00 p.m., East Building Auditorium and discusses the creative process of collaborating with the visual arts. Washington, D.C. composer Steve Antosca moderates. Photo: Courtesy of Fernando Aceves

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Photo: Courtesy of WashingCon

WASHINGCON TABLETOP GAMING CONVENTION On Sept.

10 and 11, join fellow tabletop game enthusiasts at The Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Rd. NW, for the second WashingCon Tabletop Gaming Convention.

Organizers are saying that “everything is bigger and better this year with ten times the space, six times the people and twice as many days.” They’re selling tickets and tee shirts now. Admission is $40 or $45. The website is clever and fun and may be an indication of the tone of this event. Visit washingcon.com.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY OPENS

THE LANTERN WALK The 11th Street Bridge Park and Washing-

On Friday, Sept. 23, noon to 5 p.m., on the Washington Monument grounds, the National Museum of African American History and Culture presents “Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration Conceived.” Presented in festival fashion, Freedom Sounds programming includes musical performances, spoken word, oral history activities and evening concerts. The Freedom Sounds continues on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m., both days. This three-day event is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. (Musical prelude at 8 a.m.), the public can witness the outdoor Dedication Ceremony. No tickets are required. Largescreen viewing areas will be well-positioned for crowds during the ceremony.

The museum itself opens after the ceremony at 1 p.m. nmaahc.si.edu.

ton Performing Arts present the Lantern Walk. This commemorative community event is inspired by the story of African-American families who built their homes in the historic Barry Farm/Hillsdale neighborhoods by candlelight after returning home from a long day’s work. The 2016 Lantern Walk is on Saturday, Sept. 17, starting at The Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE and ending at the Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., participants will make lanterns. The 30-minute, 1.2 mile walk will start at 7:30 p.m. There will be festivities and performances at both ends of the walk. A shuttle bus will bring walkers back to Yards Park or take the Circulator or 92 bus. The walk is free and welcoming of the public.

Read more at bridgepark.org/lantern-walk.

DC SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL The 2016 DC Shorts Film Festival showcases one of the largest collections of short films in the USA. Out of over 1,300 entries from around the globe, their programmers have selected 131 unique films that reflect the 33 nations they represent. The 13th Annual DC Shorts Film Festival is Sept. 8 to 18. All screenings are 90-minutes in length and include seven to nine films. They are at E Street Cinema and the United States Navy Memorial. For a complete listing, visit festival.dcshorts.com.

Sit back and watch over 75 of their selections anywhere. Online access is only available during the festival until midnight on Sept. 18.

To facilitate entry and for the convenience of visitors, the museum is offering a timed pass option at nmaahc.si.edu. Photo: Courtesy of the National Museum of African American History and Culture

In a neighborhood rife with racial tension, a local girl falls for a recent arrival who is the victim of prejudice and shame. “Balcony” is at E Street Cinema on Sept. 9, 9 p.m. Photo: Courtesy of DC Shorts

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SEPTEMBER

ART ALL NIGHT: MADE IN DC.

Sept. 24, 7 PM to 3 AM. The festival will take place in seven DC Main Streets neighborhoods (Congress Heights, Dupont Circle, H Street NE, North Capitol Street, Shaw, Tenleytown and Van Ness), bringing visual and performing arts including painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, fashion, music, dance, theater, film and poetry to indoor and outdoor public and private spaces. This year the festival features District of Columbia artists and collectives only in celebration of the “Made in DC” initiative.

The only exceptions will be selected international artists, by special invitation. artallnightdc.com.

Black Alley at Congress Heights, 2015 Art All Night. Photo: jeffrey.indc

AREA FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS Prince George’s County Fair. Through Sept. 11, Show Place Arena, 14900 Pennsylvania Ave., Upper Marlboro, MD. countyfair.org.

Maryland Renaissance Festival. Weekends and Labor Day Monday, through Oct. 23, 10 AM to 7 PM. Adult admission $19 to $24; Kids, $8 to $10. 1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD. rennfest.com.

Adams Morgan Day Festival. Sept. 11, noon to 6 PM. Vendors, sidewalk cafes, cultural activities and performances. 18th St. NW between Florida Avenue and Columbia Road. facebook. com/adamsmorganday.

Truckeroo Food Truck Festival. Sept. 16, 11 AM to 11 PM. This is the last Truckeroo of the season. Truckeroo is DC’s monthly food truck festival held during the warmer months of the year. Enjoy cuisine from 25 of DC’s best food trucks all in one place, accompanied by music, games, plenty of covered seating and adult beverages. DC Fairgrounds, 1201 Half St. SE. foodtruckfiesta.com.

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National Garden 10th Anniversary Celebration. Sept. 17, 10 AM to 4 PM. This day-long festival showcases the amazing diversity of American plants through the Mid-Atlantic Regional Garden, Rose Garden and Butterfly Garden with special activities and programs. Free; no pre-registration required. US Botanic Garden, Conservatory Terrace. usbg.gov.

Snallygaster Beer Festival. Sept. 17, 1 to 6 PM. Features 350 craft beers and ciders, food trucks, music, entertainment and family fun. Tickets, $35 to $60. First and N Streets SE at The Yards Park. snallygasterdc.com.

Park After Dark. Sept. 17, 6 PM. Fundraiser to benefit the C&O Canal National Historical Park. This unique event is held at the Historic Great Falls Tavern in Potomac, MD. Attendees will enjoy live music, great food, libations, unique live and silent auction items, a campfire and more. Tickets are available at ParkAfterDark.org.

King Street Art Festival. Sept. 17, 10 AM to 7 PM and Sept. 18, 10 AM to 5 PM. Old Town Alexandria on King Street from Washington Street to the Potomac River waterfront. ArtFestival.com.

Annapolis Craft Beer and Music Festival. Sept. 17, noon to 6 PM. Sample over 120 beers from more than 50 regional and national craft breweries. Attend beer seminars. Listen to music all day. Enjoy fine food. $40. Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD. theannapoliscraftbeerandmusicfestival.com.

Colonial Market & Fair at Mount Vernon. Sept. 18 and 19.

More than 40 artisans demonstrate their trades and sell their wares. Two stages of family entertainment delight audiences with 18th-century amusements. mountvernon.org.

ZooFiesta. Sept. 18, 10 AM to 2 PM. Family activities include animal feedings, arts and crafts, musical entertainment, educational activities highlighting conservation research in Central and South America, and authentic gourmet cuisine at a Latin America-inspired food bazaar. National Zoo. nationalzoo.si.edu.

Barracks Row Fall Festival. Sept. 24, 11 AM to 5 PM. Festival features restaurants, food trucks, United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, community information tables and a main stage for live entertainment. Chesty, the Marine Corps Bulldog

mascot dressed in his uniform, will be walking the midway to meet fair goers and pose with fans. Eighth Street SE is closed to traffic and booths of all description line the midway. barracksrow.org.

2016 National Book Festival. Sept. 24, 10 AM (doors open at 9 AM) to 10 PM. Approximately 120 authors, illustrators and poets make presentations in stages dedicated to Children; Teens; Picture Books; Books to Movies; Contemporary Life; Graphic Novels; Fiction; Food & Home; History & Biography; International Programs; Mysteries, Thrillers & Science Fiction; Poetry & Prose; and Science. A Main Stage of 2,500 seats will feature six of the most popular festival authors. A Poetry Slam will also be held. Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW. loc.gov/bookfest.

Opera in the Outfield at Nat’s Park. Sept.

24, 7 PM. Gates open at 5 PM for “pregame” activities for the entire family. The opera will be broadcast live from the Kennedy Center Opera House to the high-definition NatsHD scoreboard. Free seating will be available on the outfield grass and in the stands. The event will take place rain or shine. In case of inclement weather, some covered seating is available.

Taste of Georgetown. Oct. 1, 11 AM to 4 PM. The event features more than 60 creative dishes from more than 30 of the neighborhood’s best restaurants. K Street NW between Wisconsin Avenue and Thomas Jefferson Street. tasteofgeorgetown.com.

Taste of Bethesda. Oct. 1, 11 AM to 4 PM. More than 50 restaurants and five stages of entertainment and a children’s area featuring art and craft activities, balloons and face painting at Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. bethesda.org.

LAST OF THE SUMMER OUTDOOR MOVIES AND MUSIC Meet America’s Army Live Performances.

Sept. 14 and 21, 9 AM to Noon at the Lincoln Memorial. usarmyband.com.

Cinematery: Movie Night in the Cemetery.

Sept. 16 (Sept. 23, rain date), 7 to 10 PM. Join neighbors on the Congressional Cemetery grounds for a screening of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? This creepy, campy classic is the perfect movie to start off the 2016

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Halloween season. Suggested donation is $10. BYOB and dinner. congressionalcemetery.org.

Outdoor Concerts at the Botanic Garden. Sept. 22, Oct. 6 and 20; 5 to 7 PM. Free. US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. USBG.gov.

Union Market Summer Drive-In Movies. Oct. 7, Ghostbusters. Gates open at 6:30 PM; close at 8:30 PM. Film begins at 8 PM/sunset in the Union Market parking lot, 1305 Fifth St. NE. unionmarketdc.com.

All Things Go Fall Classic at Yards Park. Oct. 8.

Featuring Empire of the Sun, Passion Pit, Sylvan Esso, and Christine and the Queens. $65 to $75. Yards Park. allthingsgofallclassic.com.

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Tenth Annual East of the River Exhibition.

Through Sept. 16. This exhibition marks Honfleur Gallery’s 10th anniversary with a retrospective of artists who have shown over the past nine exhibitions and an emerging new artist. This exhibition celebrates artists who live, work or have roots in Wards 7 and 8. Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE. 02-365-8392. honfleurgallery.com.

AfterDark@THEARC Fundraising Gala. Sept. 10, 6:30 PM. After Dark at THEARC is an elegant and exciting evening honoring the nine resident nonprofits providing services to children and families living east of the Anacostia River in DC. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org. brownsville song (b-side for tray) at Anacostia Playhouse. Sept. 15 to Oct. 9. Life in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn can feel predictable, and inevitable, but Tray has a way out. Then, when a senseless act of violence cuts his life short, his family must confront their grief and find a way to move forward. Kimber Lee’s hopeful drama shifts between memory and reality; and bids that we examine the personal pain beyond the headlines. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE. theateralliance.com.

Watoto Children’s Choir from Kampala Uganda.

Sept. 15, 7 PM. Free. Brighter Day Ministries, 421 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, contact Nate Howard at 202-702-1585.

Artist Talks at the ACM. Sept. 18, 2 to 4 PM. In collaboration with Women Photojournalists of Washington (WPOW), photographers Gabriela Bulisova and Becky Harlan will discuss their individual projects. Sept. 24, 2 to 4 PM. Alejandro Orengo is a Baltimore-based photographer and filmmaker, who covered the riots in April 2016 following the death of Freddie Gray. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

Bananas Is My Business (film) at the ACM. Sept.

23, 11 AM to 1 PM. This biopic examines the life of Portuguese-Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda, the

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pop culture icon whose most distinctive feature was her tutti-frutti hat. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

Secrets, Lies and Scandals at THEARC. Sept. 24, 3 PM and 7:30 PM. Most people are no longer surprised to learn that a spouse has been unfaithful or that a best friend has turned into one’s worst frenemy. However, when one confides in and gives 100 percent trust to your Pastor, one never believes that he will turn out to be your biggest foe.... for an Offering!!! $40 to $50.

THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org.

Excellence in Christian Music Concert Gala at THEARC. Oct. 1, 6 PM. $25. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202889-5901. thearcdc.org.

Broken at the Anacostia Arts Center. Oct. 1, 4 to 6 PM. This play is a testament of strength and empowerment. In this day in age there are times you may feel alone and that one will never make it out of adversity. There’s good news! There is hope! Come for a night of encouragement, empowerment, and fun. $20. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd SE. AnacostiaArtsCenter.com.

Twelve Years that Shook and Shaped Washington: 1963-1975.

Through Oct. 23. Change was in the air, some of it unsettling and threatening. Against a national background of Lyndon Johnson’s “great society,” anti-war protests, black power and feminism, this exhibition focuses on events, people and challenges that transformed the city between 1963 and 1975. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

Daily Ranger Tours at Kenilworth Park. 10 AM, weekdays; 10 AM and 2 PM, weekends. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1900 Anacostia Ave. SE. 202-692-6080. nps.gov/keaq.

Black Nativity by Langston Hughes at Anacostia Playhouse (save the date). Nov. 23 to Dec. 31. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl. SE. theateralliance.com.

MUSIC AROUND TOWN Music at The Howard. Sept. 10, Teedra Moses; Sept. 11, The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards; Sept. 13, Molotov; Sept. 17, Amel Larrieux; Sept. 18, Harlem Gospel Choir; Sept.20, Stanley Clarke; Sept. 24, Rachael Yamagata; Sept. 26, Dina Martina; Sept. 27, Pete Rock & CL Smooth; Sept. 28, Peter Cincotti; Sept. 30, Cameo; Oct. 2, Yacht Rock Revival; Oct. 3, Jacob Collier & Chost Note with Mono Neon; Oct. 4, Ze Paulo Becker & guests from Bar Semente; Oct. 7, Tom Odell; Oct. 8, Walter Beasley. Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. 202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.

Music at Rock and Roll Hotel. Sept. 10, The Felice Brothers; Sept.

11, Tribulation; Spt. 12, The Anniversary; Sept. 13, The Skatalites; Sept. 14, Billy Talent; Sept. 15, Allah-Las; Sept. 16, White Ford Bronco; Sept. 23, Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart; Sept.

24, Tiger Army; Sept. 29, the Suffers; Sept. 30, This Wild Life; Oct. 1, Russian Circles; Oct. 4, Ash; Oct. 5, The Dear Hunter. Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. 202-388-7625. rockandrollhoteldc.com.

Music at Hill Country. Sept. 10, Human Country Jukebox; Sept.

11, Dex Romweber, JD Wilkes; Sept. 15, The Rizdales; Sept. 16, The Currys; Sept. 17, Kiti Gartner & The Deceits; Sept. 20, Old Salt Union; Sept. 22, Pansy Division; Sept. 23, The Congress; Sept.

24, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages; Sept. 27, Reed Turchi & the Caterwauls; Sept. 29, Marti Brom with The Lustre Kings; Sept. 30,

The Howlin’ Brothers; Oct. 1, Gangstagrass & Mark & Dan Whitener; Oct. 3, Kevin Gordon; Oct. 4, Slaid Cleaves; Oct. 6, Teri Joyce & the Tagalongs; Oct. 7, Wild Ponoes. Hill Country Live, 410 Seventh St. NW. hillcountry.com/dc.

Music at 9:30 Club. Sept. 10, Marian Hill; Sept. 11, Peaches; Sept. 15, Angel Olsen; Sept.

16, Cherub; Sept. 18, Built To Spill; Sept. 19, Okkervil River; Sept. 21, Lush; Sept. 23 Blind Pilot and The Revivalists; Sept. 24, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic; Sept. 25, Princess featuring Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum; Sept. 26, ADAM RUINS EVERYTHING LIVE! With Adam Conover; Sept. 27, Yuna; Sept. 28, Buzzcocks; Sept. 29, Bob Moses; Sept. 30, Bakermat & Sam Feldt; Oct. 1, The Growlers; Oct. 4, Warpaint; Oct. 5, Taking Back Sunday; Oct. 6, The Temper Trap; Oct. 7, Neon Indian and Classixx; Oct. 8, The Faint.

815 V St. NW. 877-435-9849. 930.com.

Navy Band Concerts. Sept. 10 and 24, 7 PM, National Harbor, 165 Waterfront St., National Harbor, MD; Sept. 11 and 18, 4 PM, Old Town Square, Fairfax, VA; Sept. 14, 7:30 PM, Village Learning Place, 2521 St. Paul St, Baltimore, MD; Sept. 17, 6:15 PM, Hagerstown Community College, 1140 Robinwood Dr., Hagerstown, MD; Sept. 24, 2 PM, Glen Burnie Regional Library, 1010 Eastway, Glen Burnie, MD. navyband.navy.mil.

Blues Night in Southwest. Every Monday, 6 to 9 PM. Sept. 12, Southbound Steel; Sept.

19, 10th Blue Monday Blues Anniversary Jam Session; Sept. 26, Nadine Rae & the All-Stars. $5 cover. Children are free under 16. Reasonably priced meals offered. 202-484-7700.

Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org.

Music at Black Cat. Sept. 13, Super! Silver Haze!; Sept. 14, Haley Bonar; Sept. 15, Whiskey Shivers; Sept. 16, God is an Astronaut; Sept. 17, Common People; Sept. 18, Tenement; Sept. 21, An Evening with Adam Green; Sept. 22, Humble Fire; Sept. 23, Aztec Sun Alanna Royale; Sept. 24, Death; Sept. 26, Jeff the Brotherhood; Sept. 29, The Bird and the Bee; Oct. 1, The Shondes; Oct. 2, Electric Six; Oct. 3, the Legendary Pink Dots; Oct. 4, Band of Skulls; Oct. 5, Golden Suits; Oct. 6, Thalia Zedek Band; Oct. 7, Diarrhea Planet. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. blackcatdc.com.

Church of the Epiphany Weekly Concerts.

Every Tuesday, 12:10 PM. Sept. 13, Elizabeth Adams, violin and Melinda Baird, piano; Sept.

20, Ralitza Patcheva and Sam Post piano and harpsichord; Sept. 27, Mayron Tsong, piano; Oct. 4, Washington Bach Consort. 1317 G ST. NW. 202-347-2635. epiphanydc.org.

Music at the Lincoln. Sept. 13, Blood Orange; Sept. 14, KT Tunstall; Sept. 15, Rodri-

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guez; Sept. 23, Preservation Hall Jazz Band; Sept. 24, Peter Bjorn and John; Sept.

28, Ryan Bingham and Brian Fallon & The Crowes; Sept. 29, Jake Bugg; Oct. 7, Jim Norton. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. 202-328-6000. thelincolndc.com.

Jazz Night in Southwest. Every Friday, 6 to 9 PM. Sept. 16, Allyn Johnson Organ Experience; Sept. 23, Thad Wilson Big Band-A Tribute to John Coltrane. $5 cover. Children are free under 16. Reasonably priced meals offered. 202484-7700. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW. westminsterdc.org.

The Marriage of Figaro at the Kennedy Center. Sept. 22 to Oct. 2. Washington National Opera opens its 2016-2017 season with a new-to-Washington staging of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s masterpiece of romantic comedy. kennedy-center.org.

DC Jazz Preservation Festival. Sept. 26, noon to 7 PM. Westminster’s famous Friday Jazz Night community invites you to a day-long celebration to honor DC’s own great jazz musicians. Enjoy fish, chicken, ribs and more prepared by the great Friday Jazz Night chefs. Check out the arts and crafts vendors. 400 I St. SW. Music at Sixth and I. Oct. 6, Livingston Taylor; Oct. 8, Brooklyn Rider & Anne Sofie von Otter. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100. sixthandi.org.

SPORTS AND FITNESS Washington Nationals Baseball. Sept. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30; Oct. 1 and 2. washington.nationals.mlb.com.

Washington Mystics. Sept. 11 and 18. Verizon Center. mystics.wnba.com.

Fort Dupont Ice Arena Public Skating. Public ice skating is on Sept. 16, 23; noon to 2 PM. Sept. 12, 16, 19, 23, 30; 6 to 8 PM. Sept. 10, 17, 24; 1 to 3 PM. Sept. 11, 18, 25, 2:30 to 4:30 PM. Fort Dupont Ice Arena is at 3779 Ely Pl. SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org.

DC United at RFK. Sept. 24, 7 PM vs. Orlando City SC; Sept. 28, 7:30 PM vs. Columbus Crew; Oct. 16, 5 PM vs. New York City FC. dcunited.com.

Freedom 5K at President Lincoln’s Cottage. Sept. 24, 9 AM. This year’s 5K is on Saturday, September 24, and commemorates Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. $35. lincolncottage.org.

Dead Man’s Run at Congressional Cemetery. Oct. 1, 6 p.m. Race starts with a toll of the funeral bell, continues throughout the cemetery and onto the Anacostia Trail for a ghostly evening run full of spooky music and fun. Costumes encouraged, with prizes for best costumes and team costume. Form a team to compete with your friends--they love to see creative team names. Registration is $40. hccemetery.wixsite.com/deadmansrun.

Vinyasa Yoga at THEARC. Mondays, 7:15 to 8:30 PM. Vinyasa Yoga is a practice where postures or asanas are connected through the breath for a transformative and balancing effect. It builds heat, endurance, flexibility and strength. $6 for residents of the 20020 or 20032 zip codes. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org.

Adult Ballet at THEARC. Tuesdays, not to 1:15 PM. This is a mixed-level ballet technique class taught by a Washington Ballet faculty member. $6 for residents of the 20020 or 20032 zip codes. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202889-5901. thearcdc.org.

Barre at THEARC. Wednesdays, noon to 1 PM. $6 for residents of the 20020 or 20032 zip codes. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. Adult Pilates at THEARC. Wednesdays, 7:15 to 8:15 PM. This class will focus on stretching and strengthening the entire body from the inside out. $6 for residents of the 20020 or 20032 zip codes. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org.

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H STREET FESTIVAL

Sept. 17, noon to 7 PM. Festival features many live entertainment stages, restaurants, food trucks, kids’ activities, giveaways, community information tables and more. H Street NE between Fourth and Fourteenth Streets.

Photo: Andrew Lightman

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Adult Zumba at THEARC. Saturdays, 8:30 to 9:30 AM. Ditch the workout, join the party! Latin DanceFitness fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy to follow moves to create a dynamic fitness program that will blow you away! $6 for residents of the 20020 or 20032 zip codes. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org.

BicycleSPACE Free Weekly Group Rides. All the rides originate from one of three locations: Adams Morgan, 2424 18th St. NW. Hills of Rock Creek, Sundays, 8 AM; Downtown, 440 K St. NW, #HappyThursday Social Ride, Thursdays 7:30 PM; Hills of Anacostia, Saturdays, 8:30 AM; City Explorers, Sundays, 11:30 AM; Cupcake Ramble, Saturdays, 11:30 AM; Brompton Folding Thunder, Mondays, 6 PM; Ivy City 1512 Okie St. NE. Nice & Easy Ride, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 AM; Downtown and Adams Morgan, Saturdays, 10 AM. Rides very with the seasons. Read more at bicyclespacedc.com.

Yoga Mortis at Congressional Cemetery. Mondays through October, 6:30 PM. Historic Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E St. SE. 202-543-0539. congressionalcemetery.org.

Practice with Love Yoga Gathering at the Botanic Garden. Saturdays through fall except Oct. 1; 10:30 to 11:30 AM. Free. Bring a mat. usbg.gov.

Barry Farm (indoor) pool. Open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6:30 AM to PM; and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 AM to 5PM. Free for DC residents. 1230 Sumner Rd. SE. 202-730-0572. dpr.dc.gov.

Deanwood (indoor) Pool. Monday to Friday, 6:30 AM to 8 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Free for DC residents. 1350 49th St. NE. 202-6713078. dpr.dc.gov.

Ferebee Hope (indoor) Pool. Open weekdays, 10 AM to 6 PM. Closed weekends. Free for DC residents. 3999 Eighth St. SE. 202-645-3916. dpr.dc.gov.

East Potomac (outdoor) Pool. Open through Oct. 16. 972 Ohio Dr. SW. Free for DC residents. Have ID. dpr.dc.gov.

Free Weekly Jazzercise Class. Wednesdays, 6:30 to 7:30 PM. Jazzercise is a 60-minute workout that incorporates cardio, stretch and strength-training exercises. Bring weights and a mat. 4800 Nannie Helen Burroughs in the community room.

Yoga @ the Library. Saturdays, 10 to 11 AM. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat. Mats are also available. Classes are taught by a Yoga Activist and are held on the lower level of the library in the Larger Meeting Room. Free. Dorothy I. Height Neighborhood Library, 3935 Benning Rd. NE. 202-281-2583. dclibrary.org/benning.

East of the River Public Tennis Courts. Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st St. SE; Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver St. SE; Kenilworth-Parkside Recreation Center, 4300 Anacostia Ave. NE; Randle Highlands Tennis Courts, 31st Street and Pennsylvania Avenue SE;

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Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE; Bald Eagle Recreation Center, Martin Luther King, Jr Avenue and Joliet Street SW; Congress Heights Recreation Center, Alabama Avenue and Randle Place SE; Fort Stanton Community Center, 1812 Erie St. SE. All courts are open daily, dawn to dusk. Some are lighted for extended evening play. Courts are available on a first come, first served basis for one hour intervals; extended use of tennis courts requires a permit.

Proper shoes and attire is required. 202-671-0314. dpr.dc.gov.

MARKETS AND SALES Ward 8 Farmer’s Market. Saturdays, 10 AM to 3 PM. Market is in the parking lot behind Martin Luther King Elementary School, 3200 Sixth St. SE. ward8farmersmarket.com.

SW Market. Fourth Friday, Sept. 23 and Oct. 28, 4 to 10 PM. Featuring arts and crafts, jewelry, accessories, bath/beauty, furniture, furnishings, accessories, collectibles, live-music, food trucks and a beer garden. Market is at the Waterfront Station, Fourth and M Streets SW. marketswdc.com.

Christ Lutheran Church Annual Yard Sale. Sept. 24, 10 AM to 4 PM and Sept. 25, noon to 4 PM. Everything on Sunday is half price. 5101 16th St. NW. christlutheran-dc.org.

Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair. Oct. 1 and 2, 10 AM to 5 PM. $5 daily admission. Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show and Sale of Wearable Art. Oct. 6 to 8. View one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry and accessories, purchase unique gifts for everyone, and support the work of the Smithsonian. $15 at door. The show is at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. smithsoniancraft2wear.org.

Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays.

Weekdays, 7 AM to 7 PM; Saturdays, 7 AM to 5 PM; Sundays, 9 AM to 5 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 AM to 6 PM. Eastern Market is Washington’s last continually operated “old world” market. 200 and 300 blocks of Seventh Street SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarketdc.com.

Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Sundays (rain or shine), year round, 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. 20th Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW. 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org.

Branch Avenue Pawn Parking Lot Flea Market. Saturdays.

Set up after 10 AM. 3128 Branch Ave., Temple Hills, MD. Union Market. Tuesday-Friday, 11 AM to 8 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, 8 AM to 8 PM. Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301-652-7400. unionmarketdc.com.

Georgetown Flea Market. Sundays, 8 AM to 4 PM. 1819 35th St. NW.

CIVIC LIFE Congresswoman Norton’s SE District Office. Open weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM. 2041 MLK Ave. SE, #238. 202-678-8900. norton.house.gov.

Eastland Gardens Civic Association Meeting. Third Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 PM. Kenilworth Elementary School Auditorium, 1300 44th St. NE. Contact Javier Barker, j58barker@yahoo.com or 202-450-3155.

Anacostia Coordinating Council Meeting.

Last Tuesday, noon to 2 PM. Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort St. SE. For further details, contact Philip Pannell, 202-889-4900.

Capitol View Civic Association Meeting.

Third Monday, 6:30 PM. Hughes Memorial United Methodist, 25 53rd St. NE. capitolviewcivicassoc.org.

Historical Anacostia Block Association.

Second Thursday, 7 to 9 PM. UPO Anacostia Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. For further details, contact Charles Wilson, 202-834-0600.

Anacostia High School Improvement Team Meeting. Fourth Tuesday, 6 PM. Anacostia High School, 16th and R Streets SE. Fairlawn Citizens Association. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Ora L. Glover Community Room at the Anacostia Public Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE.

ANC MONTHLY MEETINGS ANC 7B. Third Thursday, 7 PM. Ryland Epworth United Methodist Church, 3200 S St. SE (Branch Ave and S St. SE). 202-5843400. anc7b@pressroom.com. anc7b@earthlink.net.

ANC 7C. Second Thursday, 7 PM. Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, 5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE. 202-3985100. anc7c@verizon.net.

ANC 7D. Second Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library, 3935 Benning Rd. NE. 202-398-5258. 7D06@anc.dc.gov.

ANC 7E. Second Tuesday, 7 PM. Jones Memorial Church, 4625 G St. SE. 202-582-6360.

7E@anc.dc.gov.

ANC 7F. Third Tuesday, 6:30 PM. Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, 200 Stoddert Place, SE. ANC 8A. First Tuesday, 7 PM. Anacostia UPO Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202889-6600. anc8adc.org.

ANC 8B. Third Tuesday, 7 PM. Seventh District Police Station Community Center, Alabama and McGee Streets, SE. 202-6101818. anc8b.org.

ANC 8C. First Wednesday, 7 PM. 2907 MLK Jr Ave. SE. 202-388-2244.

ANC 8D. Fourth Thursday, 7 PM. Specialty Hospital of Washington, 4601 MLK Jr. Ave. SW. 202-561-0774.

Have an item for the Calendar? Email calendar@hillrag.com.

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neighborhood news

REMAINING WASHINGTON NATIONALS “PUPS IN THE PARK� GAMES

Remaining Pups in the Park Games are Thursday, Sept. 8, 7:05 p.m. vs. Phillies; and Saturday, Oct. 1, 4:05 p.m. vs. Marlins.

Purchase a ticket for a favorite family pet and support the Washington Humane Society. Ten dollars for every dog ticket purchased will benefit the Washington Humane Society. All those with tickets purchased for Pups in the Park must enter through the Right Field Gate.

All Pups in the Park attendees must print, sign and bring the waiver with them to Nationals Park. Tickets are $26 for owners and $10 per dog. For more information, visit washington.nationals.mlb.com.

National Day of Service and Remembrance at Kenilworth Park On Sunday, Sept. 11, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., you are invited to join the Student Conservation Association to commemorate the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. Cut lotus for removal later in the month. Remove invasive plants and prep the gardens for the fall season. There is a free lunch and t-shirts for all volunteers.

Register to join in the work at FindYourParkSCAdc.eventbrite.com and to complete the online volunteer waiver. Contact Roland Richardson, SCA Events Coordinator, atrrichardson@thesca.org or 703842-4234 with any questions.

Art Workshop: Marvelous Molas!

Photo: Nan Rapheal

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On Saturday, Sept. 17, 2 to 4 p.m., Artist Camilla Younger leads a hands-on workshop making the distinctive and colorful patterns called molas using yarn and a variety of materials. The mola designs use forms from nature as well as man-made to embellish clothing.

It is an art form associated primarily with the Kuna women of Panama. This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition

“Bridging the Americas: Community and Belonging from Panama to Washington, DC” that is in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

Kenilworth Avenue Rehabilitation Begun The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has begun the rehabilitation of northbound Kenilworth Avenue NE. The project extends from the East Capitol Street ramp (on I-295 northbound) to the CSX Railroad Bridge overpass, south of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. It addresses drainage and safety issues, and includes the installation of new catch basins, curbs and gutters, a new median, the replacement of existing safety fences and upgrades to the street lighting system. Crews are installing new permanent Jersey barriers. The roadway will be milled and paved receiving new pavement markings and signage.

The project is expected to take nine months to complete. The work will be performed during the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday. Saturday work may also happen.

DPW and DHCD Launch “DC Clean Alley” in Ward 8 The Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) have launched “DC Clean Alley,” an initiative aimed at beautifying Ward 8 alleys to create a safer, more attractive environment. This monthlong program provides concentrated resources in targeted alleys throughout Ward 8 to improve overall cleanliness and remove blight.

DC Clean Alley will clean 529 alleys through Sept. 19, to help address

issues of illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, rodent infestation and other sanitation and safety concerns. DPW’s Solid Waste Inspectors will assess each alley to categorize and rate the alley from 0-6, to right-size personnel and equipment assignments.

During the month-long blitz, DPW crews will use mechanical street sweepers to loosen and vacuum debris. They will clear any overgrowth of vegetation encroaching into the alley.

They will remove any dead animals and dumped items. Crews will work in the afternoon hours and throughout the day on Saturdays. Visit dpw. dc.gov for more information about DC Clean Alley.

First New DC Water Tower Since 1945 Some areas east of the Anacostia River have experienced low water pressure.

DC Water planned years ago to improve the pressure with a new pumping station, water tower and transmission mains. After more than 10 years in the planning and approval process, DC Water is moving forward with the St. Elizabeths water storage tower.

Construction is scheduled for completion in 2018.

The new 170-foot-high storage tank at St. Elizabeths will store two million gallons of water. It is the first water tower DC Water has built in 71 years and will cost about $14 million. The water tower is located near the Saint Elizabeths Hospital National Historic Landmark, adjacent to the newly constructed hospital facility, east of Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE and north of Alabama Ave. SE. The tower will allow for demolition of the existing tower, which was originally built in the 1930s and is no longer adequate.

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National Public Lands Day at Kenilworth On Saturday, Sept. 24, 9 a.m. to noon, Kenilworth Park partners with the National Environmental Education Foundation to celebrate National Public Lands Day. For this premiere service event, 200 volunteers will assist with the removal of cut lotus from the park’s ponds as well as a variety of other park improvement projects including transplanting perennials, removing invasive species and picking up litter. Lunch is included. SSL credits may be earned. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is at 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. Register at friendsofkenilworthgardens.eventbrite. com. Contact Tina O’Connell at tina@friendsofkenilworthgardens.org with questions.

Seasoned Seniors at Fort Stanton Rec

Call Laura Vucci 202-400-3510 or laura@hillrag.com

There is an exercise class for seniors on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. at the Fort Stanton Recreation Center at 1812 Erie St. SE. These “Seasoned Seniors” have also formed a club that includes quilting, bowling and trips to see plays, movies and museums. Contact Mr. Louis P. Jones at 202-671-1040.

UPO “Vote Your Block Challenge” Winner The residents of the 400 block of Brandywine St. SE in the Washington Highland Community are the winners of the United Planning Organization’s (UPO) “Vote Block Challenge.” The contest is an opportunity for residents to vote for streets or “blocks” to have their grass cut, trash picked up and flowers planted at no financial cost.

Join neighbors on Saturday, Sept. 17 as they transform their block.

Lane Shift on Minnesota DDOT has shifted the traffic pattern on Minnesota Avenue NE between A Street SE and Ames Street NE on Aug. 22. Northbound traffic has been moved to the east curb lane.

The work occurs weekdays only and is expected to last approximately four weeks. The lane shift allows for safe installation of a new roadway on A Street SE to 300 feet south of Benning Road NE. The construction activity will cause moderate-to-heavy delays.

For more details, contact the project’s public outreach office at 202-506-2136 or visit minnesotaave.org.

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Connecting Community to Capital In an effort to broaden awareness around “impact capital” and the intersection/importance of small businesses, arts organizations and nonprofits in DC’s economy and culture, City First Bank of DC will convene its third “Community Development Finance Conference: Commerce, Culture and Community Investment.” This day-long event held on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center will brings together key community stakeholders and thought leaders that represent local, national and international ideation around the renaissance of redevelopment in DC. The Conference highlights challenges, opportunities, vision and steps necessary to deepen support for small businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage their sustainable growth in underserved communities. To register, visit cityfirstfoundation.org.

Arena Stage Co-Founder Zelda Fichandler, 1924-2016 Celebrate the life of Arena Stage Co-Founding Artistic Director Zelda Fichandler on Oct. 24, 2 p.m., at the theater. Fichandler died on July 29 at the age of 91.

Arena Stage was founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Tom Fichandler and Edward Mangum.

More than 65 later, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, a national center dedicated to American voices and artists, serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000.

When Arena opened its doors in 1950, both of Washington’s commercial theaters were segregated and Actors’ Equity did not permit its members to perform in segregated houses; from its inception, Arena Stage welcomed anyone who wished to buy a ticket, becoming the first integrated theater in this city.

Construction Companies Announced for Entertainment and Sports Arena Events DC has selected Smoot Construction Company and Gilbane Building Company to construct the Entertainment and Sports Arena (ESA) in the Congress Heights. Work is scheduled to begin in 2017 with completion in the fall of 2018. In the coming months, Events DC and Smoot-Gilbane plan a series of workshops and job fairs to maximize opportunities for businesses and residents during the ESA project.

DC Homebuyers’ Informational Session On Wednesday, Sept. 21, 6:30 to 8 p.m., discover how to purchase a home in the District of Columbia using the “DC Open Doors” mortgage product.

All DC Open Doors Homebuyers’ Informational Sessions are free and co-hosted by the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). This

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session’s presenters are Billy Kinsberg, MVB Mortgage and Marie Claire Ntam, MG Residential/Menkiti Group. DCHFA is a short walk from the U Street Cardoza metro station. dcopendoors.com.

up at signup.com/login/entry/835191044091. The H Street Festival on H Street between Fourth and Fourteenth Streets NE, takes place on Saturday, Sept.

17, noon to 7 p.m.

Energy Assistance Programs Available

End-Of-Summer Appliance Rebate

The DC Department of Energy & Environment provides assistance to residents through the Residential Aid Discount program. For more information or to apply, visit doee.dc.gov/liheap. District customers can apply starting Oct. 1 through a network of local agencies.

With upcoming Labor Day and Columbus Day sales, fall is a great time to purchase a new appliance. DCSEU offers rebates on select ENERGY STAR appliances. They start at $50 and go as high as 250 for the highest efficiency clothes dryer. Explore eligible appliances and participating retailers to maximize savings at dcseu.com.

Volunteer at the H Street Festival The H Street Festival is looking for volunteers. Sign

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Tenant and Tenant Association Summit The Office of the Tenant Advocate will holds Ninth Annual Tenant and Tenant Association Summit on Sept. 24, 9 a.m., at the Kellogg Conference Center, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Ave. NE. The summit brings together tenants, tenant associations, housing attorneys and advocates, policy experts, community leaders and District officials to discuss matters of concern to the District’s tenant community. It includes a plenary session as well as workshops covering issues of importance to tenants and tenant advocates.

The legal clinic provides attendees with an opportunity to meet one-on-one with an attorney to discuss their housing issues. The elderly and persons

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Summit

HELP RESTORE SHEPHERD PARKWAY

Volunteer from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, Sept. 10, Oct. 15, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10. Meet at the picnic tables near the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X Avenues SE. Gloves, bags and light refreshments will be provided. Wear work boots and clothes. For more information, contact Nathan Harrington at nbharrington@yahoo. com or 301-758-5892. Visit shepherdparkway.blogspot.com.

Photo: Nathan Harrington

with disabilities registration clinic allows eligible tenants to register their status to qualify for lower rent increases under rent control. Numerous exhibitors will be present to share information. There will be a shuttle bus to and from the NOMA –Gallaudet U Metro Station (Red Line). Advanced registration required. There will be no on-site registration. Register at ota.dc.gov; 202-719-6560; and at the Office of the Tenant Advocate, The Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 300-North.

The Sixth Annual Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Summit and Networking Symposium will be held on Sept. 30, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Kellogg Conference Center, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Ave. NE. The Summit is an opportunity for DDOT and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority-certified disadvantaged firms and other small business enterprises to learn about upcoming federal-assisted business opportunities. It will also offer attendees the opportunity to network with highway and bridge construction-related prime contractors, architectural and engineering consultant firms, DDOT’s project managers, and other DBE firms and small businesses within the transportation industry. Participants may also attend industry-related concurrent workshops. Advanced registration is required by Sept. 27 at 2016ddotdbesummit.eventbrite.com.

For more information, contact Stacee Hemby at stacee@tinaboydandassoc. com or call 202-271-7406.

Comment on Changes to Residential Permit Parking The DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) is extending the public comment period on the proposed Residential Permit Parking Rulemaking to amend Chapter 24 (Stopping, Standing, Parking, and Other Non-Moving Violations), Chapter 26 (Civil Fines for Moving and Non-Moving Infractions), and Chapter 99 (Definitions), of Title 18 (Vehicles and Traffic) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR), to establish regulations for residential permit parking.

The original thirty day public comment period, scheduled to end on Sept. 10, is being extended to a sixty day comment period, scheduled to end on Oct. 10.

All persons interested may file comments in writing, not later than Monday, Oct. 10, with Alice Kelly, Manager, Office of Policy and Governmental Affairs, Office of the Direc-

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H y p e r L o c a l | hīpər

. lōk(ə)l |

connotes information oriented around a well defined community with its primary focus directed toward the concerns of its residents.

synonym: eastoftheriverdcnews.com

Daily online. Monthly in print.

tor, District Department of Transportation, 55 M St. SE., Seventh Floor, Washington, D.C. 20003. Comments may also be filed electronically to publicspace.policy@dc.gov. Copies of the proposed rule-making are available, at cost, by writing to the above address, and are also available electronically, at no cost, at ddot.dc.gov. Electronic submission is preferred.

DC Walk for the Animals On Sunday, Sept. 18, the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League presents the DC Walk for the Animals and Pet-aPalooza featuring Barktoberfest. The DC Walk for the Animals is a one mile walk around the Capitol Riverfront area to raise money to benefit WHSWARL and the 60,000 animals they serve each year. Entry fee is $35 for walkers, $20 for those under 21, and includes a t-shirt and gift bag. Enjoy vendor booths, dog contests, prizes, music, pet adoptions and kids’ entertainment. The location for this oneof-a-kind event is the SE Capitol Riverfront at the corner of M and First Streets SE. Get tickets at dclovesdcanimals.org.

Sing with Washington Encore Chorale The Encore Chorale, the nation’s largest choral for older adults, is open for the fall season of singing starting in September for 15 weeks at the First Congressional UCC, 944 G St. NW. Encore singers improve their voices and meet new friends. Enjoy a new adventure singing challenging music in four parts in preparation to join other Encore Chorales from the Baltimore/Washington area for exciting free community concerts. There are no auditions and singers may sit to rehearse and perform. Registration is at encorecreativity.org.

Donate to Community Forklift Donated building materials are the cornerstone of Community Forklift.

Donations can qualify for a tax deduction. They disposal costs, keep

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items out of the landfill and support the community. Community Forklift accepts most new and salvaged building and landscaping materials, appliances and tools, as well as antique and vintage housewares. They also accept furniture and commercial materials on a case-by-case basis. Visit communityforklift.org/donate/donate-materials/donation-guidelines for details.

Community Forklift is at 4671 Tanglewood Dr., Edmonston, MD. CommunityForklift.org.

IRS Phone Scam A telephone scam is targeting District residents. Impersonating Internal Revenue Service officials, con artists demand immediate payment under threat of arrest. The Office of the Attorney General reminds District residents that the IRS and other government entities do not call about unpaid taxes, threaten legal action or demand payment without first sending a notice in the mail. For more information, refer to the FAQ section below or visit oag. dc.gov/ConsumerProtection.

DMV Fall/Winter Hours Begin September 6th The hours of operation for DC Department of Motor Vehicles’ Inspection Station changed on Sept. 6. District residents will be able to get their vehicles inspected on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Child car seat inspections and installations will be available on Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents are encouraged to schedule an appointment online. Details on how to do so are available at dmv.dc.gov/ service/vehicle-inspections. Note: an appointment is not necessary to have your vehicle inspected. All other DC DMV locations will be open normal hours.

Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Email bulletinboard@hillrag.com.

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neighborhood news

Improving Greater Anacostia

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article by Duane Gautier, photos by Andrew Lightman

have just reviewed the latest white paper from the Urban Institute on how to regenerate the economy and solve the problems in Wards 7 and 8. This report for City First Bank, with no new ideas, adds nothing to the more than 20 such “East of the River” studies by think tanks, urban planners, and government agencies over the past 30 years. None of the plans and very few of the recommendations of these reports have ever been implemented.

The following are some approaches that might just work. I am going to confine my suggestions to the Greater Anacostia neighborhood, the area where I have worked over the past 30 years.

The District of Columbia’s government needs to care about the physical appearance of Anacostia. Noting states “depressed area” more than patched streets, poor or no public lighting, crumbling brick sidewalks, and filthy streets. Compare the almost pristine conditions of the public areas and streets of Georgetown or Capitol Hill with those in Anacostia.

The District’s government must maintain the property it owns in Anacostia. The Big K site on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue has been an eyesore for the 10+ years that DC has owned the property. The government allowed three historic storefronts in the 1900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to deteriorate to the point that the facades fell into the street.

The initial response was to cordon off the area with police “crime tape” and let it stay that way for more than a month. The city erected a sculpture at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Good Hope Road, but has let the lot become overgrown. It took a community group to clean it up and plant flowers so the “Gateway Entrance” to Anacostia would look presentable for the recent Anacostia Park Cherry Blossom Festival. The DC government has left vacant the buildings at the same site on the 1200 block of Good Hope Road since it has owned them. A number of nonprofit organizations have requested for more than three years that the storefronts be used to display east-of-the-Anacostia River artists. To date, nothing.

The District’s government must vigorously enforce regulations on privately owned vacant and sub-standard buildings. Many of these buildings are eyesores that would not be tolerated in more affluent areas of the District, and some are a hazard to pedestrians.

The District should fund fully the construction of the 11th Street Bridge Park Project, not rely on private fund-

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raising efforts. The government has spent and is planning to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on sports arenas and training facilities that have mostly benefitted the millionaire owners of sports teams. The Bridge Park project would be an economic boon to the Anacostia neighborhood and would send a signal that the District is truly attempting to integrate east-of-the river neighborhoods with more affluent ones.

The District’s government should support building an extended-stay hotel near the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Howard Road, instead of on the east campus of the St. Elizabeths site. The Anacostia site is perfect for such a hotel. It can serve as a place to stay for government contractors visiting the Coast Guard and Homeland Security departments on the west campus of St. E’s, and also the Navy Yard. The Anacostia site is half a block from Metro and less than a quarter of a mile from St. E’s. The hotel could also be patronized by visiting sports teams. The site is right across the Fredrick Douglass Bridge from Nationals Stadium and the proposed DC United Stadium.

The District’s government needs to balance its funding on low-income housing with funding to create jobs east of the River. DC is spending over a hundred million dollars to create affordable housing east of the river, but less than $700,000 a year in funding to support small businesses. While it is laudable to develop affordable housing, a question that does not seem to be addressed is where these new housing are tenants are going to work. Most of the unemployed in the area do not have college degrees, and many do not have a high school diploma or GED. The District must create jobs for these individuals. It must stop concentrating on bringing only “high tech” jobs to downtown DC, many of which are filled by Maryland and Virginia residents. The government must concentrate on developing private-sector employment opportunities in east-of-the river neighborhoods. In many cities across the nation governments are providing financial incentives to place multifaceted incubators and high-tech firms in “impacted areas” as a way to jumpstart neighborhood economic development. It is not just the incubators themselves that will create jobs, but also the needed convenience stores, retail, cafes, and other support infrastructures.

The District government also has to alter its approach to job training. Largescale

training programs mostly do not work.

They are costly, and when you calculate the actual placement rates, many of them cost between $12,000 and $15,000 per job. Many small businesses and retail stores in Anacostia would be willing to hire one to four people if they could get a subsidy to supplement costs. For example, if a store hired two unemployed or underemployed District residents from an impacted area, at a wage of $12.50 an hour, the District would subsidize that wage at 50 percent for six months and 25 percent for another three. The cost to the District at 35 hours a week would be about $8,530 for the nine months. That is substantially less than the cost to the District for every actual job acquired through a Department of Employment Servicesfunded job-training program.

The District could place conditions on employers to ensure that they are actually providing useful training. One way would be to require employees hired through the program to take a course on customer service. Additionally the program could be streamlined so that the employers have limited paperwork and bureaucratic hassle. The way to do this is use a nonprofit intermediary to run the program. The Urban Institute recommends a generic job-training program in high schools, but this does not address the vast majority of unemployed DC residents, who are above high school age.

The Urban Institute recommends enforcing “first source” requirements in District contracts. This has not been overly successful. While the government should increase enforcement, it really is only a small sliver of the job market, and most jobs are in construction and therefore usually short-term. The District needs to concentrate its efforts, when it subsidizes projects, on requiring the developers and then the tenants to hire DC residents for the permanent jobs created.

The District should also assess the services it buys from entities outside of the District. The government should provide funding to either move those entities to communities east of the river or provide startup and operating capital to create businesses.

When determining the costs of such change, it should not use a “first cost” basis but rather “life cycle” costing, including the added economic benefit of taxes paid by workers to DC and the reduction in social service costs.

The District also has to change some of its current economic development incentives. The Great Streets program that provides funding to small businesses should be expanded to small nonprofits, even if limited geographically to neighborhoods east of the river. These organizations create jobs and are more likely to higher locally. The one

incentive effort mentioned in the Urban Institute report is the DC Innovative Finance Program for “small businesses [sic] with less than 750 employees.” I doubt if any neighborhood businesses have been able to take advantage of this program.

The District should consider bundling small economic development projects together for bonding and tax incentive programs. It should also bundle HB5 visa programs that can generate capital for smaller neighborhood projects.

It should also help with the processing costs of the HB5 program, which can be prohibitive for small projects.

Real estate tax incentive programs only benefit larger economic development projects and cannot be taken advantage of by small businesses or small projects. The District should create other, more practical programs for businesses to locate in neighborhoods east of the river, such as waiver or reduction for a period of time for employment, real estate, or other business taxes.

The District, in cooperation with Metro, must develop a realistic plan to develop the land near the Anacostia Metro station. While there are finally plans for the development of the northern gateway at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Good Hope Road, the southern entrance at MLK and Howard Road has been neglected.

The District needs to encourage DC banks, especially community-development finance institutions, to invest in loans for small businesses. Recently almost all bank loans in Anacostia have been for major projects. As an alternative, DC’s government should itself develop such programs and fund organizations like the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) to provide financing. The transaction costs of these loans must be kept to a minimum, perhaps through partnering and pro bono services with the DC Bar Association.

DC’s government must aggressively monitor appraisal companies. They are often contributing to a form of red-lining. To give an example, a recent appraisal of properties in the 2300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue came in at 33 percent below the tax assessment value. This caused a tenant who wanted to buy his building to have to raise substantially more of his own funding to acquire the property.

Duane Gautier is the president and CEO of Arch Development, a home for artists, arts, and cultural organizations committed to the revitalization and sustainable economic development of Historic Anacostia. For more information visit www.archdevelopment.org. His email is dgautier@archdc.org.

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The Hard Road to Victory for Park Southern Residents

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article by Jonetta Rose Barras, photos by Andrew Lightman

one is the stench caused by seeming rivers of water from busted pipes. Gone also are the inoperable doors and the people whose poor leadership and management of Park Southern Apartments left a once grand, middle-class rental property in Ward 8 in near slumlike conditions. The repairs to the complex, made over the past two years, came after a lawsuit filed by the residents’ council, the intervention of the DC Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and a second financial rescue by the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

“The focus and involvement has been based on the principle of preserving affordable housing for existing residents and future residents,” DHCD’s executive director Polly Donaldson explained during an interview at her Good Hope Road headquarters. “All the vendors have been paid.” The cooling towers and the elevators have been fixed, as has the “swimming pool which had been closed.” The agency renovated 35 apartments that had been vacant and provided “critical repairs” to 35 others that were occupied.

The DHCD has spent more than $1 million. That’s in addition to the $3.6 million loan it provided to the nonprofit board that owned and once managed the Park Southern. “We have acted responsibly and are maintaining the [property] responsibly until there is new management,” continued Donaldson, adding that the government expects to recoup its investments from the sale of the property. Earlier this year, DC Superior Court Judge John Mott, at the request of the OAG and the Park Southern Residents Council, appointed a “custodian” to oversee the sale of the 359-unit apartment complex.

“The residents are very satisfied,” said Lauren Buckner, the attorney who, with representatives from

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Housing Counseling Services Inc., has been working with residents to purchase the apartment building from Park Southern Neighborhood Corporation (PSNC).

“The residents see themselves as on their way to freedom.” Buckner is an attorney with Klein Hornig LLP, and according to the firm’s website once served as a DC assistant attorney general representing the DHCD. She added that the outcome “reflects the hard work of the residents. They persevered through this.”

The residents, using the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), could purchase the building outright, form a partnership with a developer to purchase the property, or assign their TOPA rights to a favored developer. Buckner said during an interview with East of the River that residents have been negotiating with Vesta Management Corporation. “They will be part of the ownership and they will have a seat at the table.

On the surface this may seem like a win. Tenants haven’t reached nirvana, however. That may be years away. Some resident leaders have raised questions about whether the agreement with Vesta was properly executed.

They also claim they had already selected NHP Foundation, which specializes in affordable housing, as their developer partner. They suggest that Vesta may have gotten the inside track because of its relationship with DHCD. Buckner vehemently denied those allegations.

Meanwhile there are concerns that the court-appointed custodian, Megan Glasheen, may have failed to fulfill her commitments, chief among them protecting the interests of the PSNC. The court has allowed Glasheen to have at her disposal eight other staff from her firm, Reno & Cavanaugh PLLC. The starting hourly rate of pay is $420; the lowest, for a paralegal, is $150 per hour.

“We don’t know what’s going on,” said Wyjean Faulkner, president of the PSNC. Her election and that of other board members was ordered by the court last April. “The custodian has never reached out to us.”

In fact Faulkner and her board had not even seen the order appointing Glasheen until I shared a copy with them. “We don’t have a stupid board. We haven’t been given the opportunity to do anything,” added the board’s vice president Virgil Johnson, a retired comptroller.

Glasheen repeatedly refused to answer questions about her work as custodian, her contact with the PSNC, or her relationship with the Park Southern Residents Council. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment.”

LET’S GO TO THE CLIPS

Raw politics and that kind of opacity are what thrust Park Southern Apartments into the news two years ago, during the 2014 mayoral campaign. The Rev. Rowena Joyce Scott, who was president of the PSNC, a tenantdominated nonprofit, accused then-Mayor Vincent C. Gray of calling in the organization’s government loan because she had shifted her allegiance to his chief reelection opponent Muriel Bowser.

Scott had gone to Bowser, who as a councilmember had oversight of the DHCD. The director of that agen-

cy, Michael Kelly, asked Bowser to hold a public hearing on matters surrounding Park Southern, including the nonprofit’s default on its government loan.

Bowser refused. Press reports accused Bowser of trying to hold “closed door meetings” to protect political supporters, not just Scott but also Phinis Jones, a businessman who had made a $20,000 contribution to Bowser’s campaign and was serving as the property manager for Park Southern.

Both Scott and Jones were accused of misappropriating rent collections; they have denied any wrongdoing. Further, according to published reports, the board under Scott so mismanaged the property that tenants filed a lawsuit against the PSNC. Heightening the controversy, the OAG jumped into the fray, siding with the residents and asking the court to appoint a custodian. That action was to ensure that Scott did not sell the property to Jones.

The lawsuit of the OAG and tenants languished for more than 15 months before Judge Mott finally began to deal with the case. Among other things, he essentially kicked Scott off her perch by ordering a new election of officers for the PSNC and appointing Glasheen.

Scott and several others involved in the earlier mismanagement of the property continue to live at the site; they are no longer receiving discounted rental rates, according to Faulkner. Further, they have no control over the management of the property. Faulkner and the board have assumed that responsibility in concert with DHCD and Vesta Management.

ROADBLOCKS

It’s interesting that Vesta is the developer with whom residents have chosen to partner. In 2014, DHCD forced the PSNC to hire Vesta to manage the property. Within months of being on the site, Vesta offered to buy the building. Scott and her board refused and also attempted to eject the company from the property. DHCD declared the PSNC in default of the loan and assumed control of the building; it reinstated Vesta Management Company.

Now Vesta is poised to realize its two-year-old dream of purchasing, with

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the tenants, the building for $5.8 million. At least $4 million of that likely will go to the DHCD as repayment for the initial PSNC loan and subsequent maintenance costs. According to the draft development agreement, about $25 million is supposed to be spent by a joint venture of Vesta and the residents to upgrade the property.

It’s unclear how long such renovations will take.

Anita Ballantyne, the head of tenant services at Housing Counseling Services, a DHCD contractor that helped guide the TOPA process at Park Southern, did not return several telephone calls to her office.

Anita Horne, vice president of the residents’ council, has asserted that the development agreement with Vesta is invalid because it was signed by Donald Goins, a member at-large of the board. “He is not an officer; he isn’t supposed to sign documents,” she said during a brief interview. That is the same concern raised by Faulkner.

“Anyone from the board of directors [of the residents’ council] can sign after the membership has approved it,” said Buckner, dismissing the complaint and noting that she wrote the bylaws. While she was not directly involved in the developer selection process, she said residents initially considered 13 or 14 developers who expressed interest in purchasing the building.

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The board “whittled that down to six and had the top five come in for interviews. They did have a second call back. But we followed everything by the book,” continued Buckner, who said she has worked for three years, pro bono, with the Park Southern tenants. “We are very close to delivering what I consider a legacy project.”

That depends on whether the court and the custodian agree. Based on Judge Mott’s April 28, 2016, amended order, Glasheen was “to sell Park Southern Apartments, subject to approval by the court and after parties are given notice and an opportunity to be heard on terms that further the nonprofit purposes of defendant Park Southern Neighborhood Corporation; and to give preference to proposals that would allow for tenant involvement in management of the Park Southern Apartment (e.g. through continued partial ownership of the Park Southern Apartments by defendant Park Southern Neighborhood Corporation).”

Faulkner and Johnson said they intend to write to Mott to raise objections about the process thus far.

“The board has been deliberately kept out of the loop,” said Faulkner.

It’s not clear whether their complaints will alter any transaction. In a one-page report to Judge Mott dated

July 18, Glasheen noted that “According to DHCD, an entity formed by the Tenant Association and Vesta will purchase the property and then later seek financing to accomplish needed capital improvements.” She mentioned that she spoke with the tenant counsel, but nowhere in the correspondence is there a mention of speaking with the president of the PSNC. Meanwhile NextGen Property Management LLC has filed a lawsuit against the PSNC and the Park Southern Residents Council. The District-based company has claimed in court documents dated June 28, 2016, that it had a contract to purchase Park Southern for $5.8 million; that the contract was signed on July 3, 2015. Moreover the company has claimed the residents’ council did not exercise its TOPA rights in a timely fashion and therefore the firm’s contract with the PSNC is valid and the board should have gone to closing with NextGen. Glasheen has alerted the court that she may need to hire a litigator. That means the price tag for all this will go higher, and that who will end up owning Park Southern remains uncertain. In plain language, the saga continues.

Jonetta Rose Barras is a freelance writer based in Washington, DC.

Iconic Shrimp Boat Has New Owner Community Leaders Say No Fast Food

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article & photo by Tony Robinson

he iconic Shrimp Boat restaurant at the intersection of Benning Road and East Capitol Street NE is perhaps Ward 7’s best known landmark. Well, at least the building and the various iterations of its sign.

The restaurant of late? Not so much. After years as a dubious fried seafood takeout joint and home of an outdoor retail establishment for goods of no particular origin, the building has changed hands and the new owners are considering options for what comes next.

One option that will not be present at the new Shrimp Boat, if the community has its way, is fast food.

After attending meetings with community leaders, new owner Woudim Demissie is listening. “We are looking at a few concepts with some combination of a cafe with internet and outdoor seating. The upstairs area might allow us to do a few things like offices for small businesses. We met with the community and they mentioned a lot of things. We’ll see,” said Demissie.

The sale closed in June for $1.5 million. Although he secured it with owner financing of over $300,000, Demissie is still awaiting approval of additional loans before the property can be renovated and the new concept designed and executed.

The Shrimp Boat opened in 1953 and at the time was one of the few integrated restaurants in a still segregated Washington. Much like The Big Chair in Ward 8’s historic Anacostia, the Shrimp Boat has served as an unofficial landmark in Ward 7.

At one time the restaurant sold more than just seafood. In addition to fresh fish and shrimp it served pork chop sandwiches, fresh vegetables, and other healthy fare. More recently the restaurant had become just another greasy spoon according to Janis Hazel, a member of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 7D, who coordinated meetings in Febru-

ary and July with residents, government officials, political leaders, and the prospective owners.

“We want to be able to spend our money in our community for healthy meals and other amenities,” said Hazel, who is encouraging broader development in what she refers to as “the Benning Road Metro Corridor.” In conversations with the new owner, Hazel indicated that the community would not support a fast food concept. It was rumored that a Checkers hamburger franchise had been under consideration.

“We were clear, if it had a deep-fryer, we didn’t want it,” said Hazel. “I impressed upon him that we needed more nutritious menu offerings for any dining business that would operate out of the Shrimp Boat, due to the health disparities our community already experiences. We’re in a food desert with limited options except for fast food, exacerbating the high incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and childhood obesity.”

If the additional financing comes through, the Shrimp Boat could be transformed into the sit-down dining establishment that residents have been waiting for in addition to the nearby Denny’s; the short-lived Rays the Steaks closed in late 2012. “I anticipate that it will be something different, something good. I see us opening up the windows on the Benning Road side, more interior decoration. We will decide once the loan is approved,” said Demissie.

While the timing for a relaunch is uncertain, the area around the landmark is ripe for development. The Benning Road Metro is next door, and a new $17 million mixed-use facility by the social service organization SOME (So Others Might Eat) is under construction and scheduled to open in 2018. Commissioner Hazel and ANC 7D have met with city officials about redevelopment of the Benning/East Capital intersection and anticipate further discussion later this fall.

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The Day He Lay in Front of a Trash Truck Eastland Garden’s Erman Clay Speaks on the Past and Future of His Community article & photos by Christine Rushton

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rman Clay remembers lying down in front of DC city dump trucks in the late 1960s. The Eastland Gardens community in Ward 7 abutted the Kenilworth dumpsite, and neighbors no longer wanted that pile of city trash degrading the quality of their lives. Clay, then the president of the Eastland Gardens Civic Association, and his neighbors protested by lying on the pavement. “Oh yeah, yeah,” Clay said, laughing at the long past memory. “As a result of them dumping, they had burning. It was not good for this area … Finally we got Mayor [Walter] Washington to agree to close the dump.”

The city capped the dump with clay and planted grass to help start a park for sports teams and visitors. With the city’s permission and the civic association’s newly founded Eastland Gardens flower club, families took turns planting and caring for the landscape of the park. Clay said he remembers families that decorated the area for holidays like Christmas. “We got to know the neighborhood by planting there,” he said. “And each person wanted to have his garden better than the other.”

Clay, 93, appreciates the value of his community and has worked to preserve and improve Eastland Gardens since he and his wife Vanetta moved to there, just off the Anacostia Freeway, in 1961. His role as civic association president and background as a military officer in the Army and DC National Guard helped him push the city on issues

like the Kenilworth dump, and he kept the community thriving for more than 20 years.

But with new families moving in from Maryland, and as older neighbors pass or move away, Clay worries that the tightknit community might not survive.

He plans to do what he can to preserve the history of Eastland Gardens by sharing its story with new faces on his block and with the growing leadership in the civic association.

A VISIT WITH THE PAST

Clay came from Piney Point, a small town in Maryland. He spent his days with his father digging for oysters and oyster shells to sell in town at 25 cents a bushel. Later he enlisted in the Army and headed to the beaches of Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944.

Erman Clay, 93, the former president of the Eastland Gardens Civic Association in Ward 7

wave of soldiers hit by enemy fire.

After spending a few months fighting the Germans, he returned home and remained in the military. His move to the District 15 years later put him in contact with the National Guard, which he joined.

Clay applied the same discipline and dedication he learned in the military to his role in the civic association at Eastland Gardens. Under his leadership the community held yard sales, yard beautification competitions judged by a local professor at the District of Columbia Teachers College (now a part of the University of the District of Columbia), and met each month for a meeting at Clay’s house. Vanetta cooked food for more than 20 attendees. “My wife would fix food for them so much so that the IRS [Internal Revenue Ser-

“If you move into a place and don’t know anybody, you’re not the first person to make that move. It’s people who are here that need to make that move.”

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He remembers the landing craft he had to jump into in the dark. Once they approached the shore, officers ordered the men to jump off or risk getting shot. Clay jumped into the water and half an hour later reached shore. “But after we got on the beach, the dead soldiers were all around,” Clay said, recalling the first

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Erman Clay sits and watches his neighborhood from the home he’s owned since 1961 in Ward 7’s Eastland Gardens.

vice] would call and ask how I could justify that on my income tax,” he joked.

He and the neighbors understood the importance of maintaining a connection between each home.

Even when he and Vanetta needed to focus on their work in the government – she in the Treasury Department and he in the DC Housing Finance Agency – they saved time for Eastland Gardens. “I don’t know of any other place I would want to be,” Clay said.

neighbors refer to people’s houses not by the current owner, address, or street, but by the last name of the family that previously owned the lot. Everybody knew everybody, she said.

“People didn’t know where we were located for a long time,” Gray said of Eastland Gardens. “When they came over they were totally surprised that we have such great park lands and accessibility.”

She does face new challenges with the growing population of the city and Ward 7, though. Her community doesn’t like the division that Interstate 295 creates between Eastland Gardens and the other parts of Ward 7. She also wishes she could drive to a grocery store without spending 20 to 40 minutes in the car. And she wants her community to have a sit-down restaurant, not just fast food stops.

“Just going to a bookstore, a gym, a grocery store – those choices are limited,” Gray said. “If you just wanted to go have a cup of coffee at Starbucks, those choices are limited for us.” She added: “I think the city has somewhat neglected Ward 7 in that respect.”

Senior residents like Clay and Bernice Underwood, who turned 100 this summer, deserve a place that’s walkable and isn’t cut off from amenities by new road additions, Gray said. She works in her role and with the help of Clay’s experience to advocate for their community in the city. She and her husband don’t plan on leaving Eastland Gardens. She likes her neighbors and considers the chance to learn from Clay and Underwood a privilege worth preserving. “We’re blessed to have as many seniors as we do in this community,” she said. “I don’t know that many others do.”

HELPING PRESERVE A COMMUNITY

Newcomers hoping to find a house close to DC often look in Eastland Gardens. The civic association isn’t as strong as when Clay and others ran it, he said, and that affects the feeling of community in the area.

“If you move into a place and don’t know anybody, you’re not the first person to make that move,” Clay explained. “It’s people who are here that need to make that move.” Clay has met with the current civic association president, Rochelle Frazier Gray, and feels the neighborhood is moving in the right direction to rebuild that connection.

Gray knows the history of the community she represents as well as the value of listening to neighbors like Clay. “The older people have been able to help the newer residents appreciate the community,” she said. When she and her husband sought a place close to the city but with a strong community, they stumbled across Eastland Gardens. She loves that older

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Erman Clay, the former Eastland Gardens Civic Association president, flips through old documents from when he and his neighbors fought to build their thriving community decades ago.

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A Fresh Chance at a High School Diploma Goodwill Excel Center Students Commit to a Chance at a Career

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he raised three boys, helps care for her 11-year-old grandson, and spends her free time giving back to the homeless.

She fought breast cancer, replaced both her knees, and underwent nine surgeries. Tanya Nash, 57, doesn’t give up.

So when the Goodwill Excel Center (1776 G St. NW) offered her a second chance at earning her high school diploma, she jumped. “If you want to grow, you have to go where you’re going to better you,” Nash said. “You really can’t stand still. You have a purpose in life and you need to fulfill it.”

Nash and about 325 students from Wards 7, 8, and 5 started working toward earning their high school diploma – not a GED – at the Excel Center, a DC-certified adult public charter school for residents, in August 2016. Funded through the city, it offers 12 classrooms with Smart Boards and new equipment. Its staff of 22 includes 11 instructors, four academic success coaches, a college transitional counselor, and a career pathways specialist.

Childcare certified by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is provided by the YMCA for 25 children of students. Classes cover high school subjects like social studies, English, math, and reading.

Nash tried to take the GED but struggled to pass the math section. She continued to work on her skills though, earning certification as a medical assistant and by taking a computer course through Jubilee in Ward 8. She feels that this time, with the help of oneon-one counseling at the Goodwill Excel Center, she can overcome her math challenges.

Nash decided to start school again at the Excel Center in part to act as a role model for her grand-

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article & photos by Christine Rushton

son. “I want my grandson to stay in school,” she said. “I want him to be the type of grandchild that knows school time is school time and study time is study time.”

SCHOOL IS YOUR JOB

Some of the areas in Wards 7, 8, and 5 challenge the residents when it comes to staying focused on education. Nash, who lives in Ward 8 along Minnesota Avenue – “The Avenue” for those familiar with the drug and gun activity there – explains that even the

environment or people around a person can steal the focus from school.

But with the Excel Center located in the heart of DC’s business district, she can dedicate herself to learning as she would while earning money at a job. “I believe that if you live in a positive setting, it will make you want to learn more,” she said. “I’m not saying anything is wrong with where I come from, though.”

She keeps up volunteering at her local church and dropping off bags of food for the homeless in her neighborhood because she values her community, she said. But she also wants to better herself.

Goodwill of Greater Washington chose the site in Northwest to help students feel that when they arrive at school they take on a professional role in their own lives, said Goodwill of Greater Washington’s president and CEO, Catherine Meloy. “We’ve placed this school in the business community because it is now their job to complete high school,” Meloy said. “All of those factors I think will lend to the success of them actually graduating.”

Goodwill in DC worked with the Marriott Marquis Jobs Training Program in 2013-12 to help residents gain the skills to apply for a local job in hospitality, Meloy said. The Goodwill team realized that thousands of DC residents try to find jobs without a high school diploma on their resume, and decided to start the Excel program. DC’s growth as a knowledgebased economy also helped Meloy and her team gain the support of the local Goodwill board.

Goodwill Excel Center Students commit to a chance at a career

Instructional staff at the Excel Center prepare for the first day of classes during a meeting on Aug. 19.

They used social media and reached out to local nonprofits and homeless shelters to find more than a thousand people interested in applying. People can visit www.dcgoodwill.org/excelcenter to learn more about the program.

Each student takes the 24 credits necessary to graduate, but at least five of the credit hours near the end of the program focus on helping prepare for obtaining an industry certification, said the director of the Goodwill Excel Center, Amina Brown. A tailored curriculum and visits with industry professionals help them obtain industry-recognized credentials in hospitality, healthcare, construction, information technology, and security. “This can help them get a job that leads to a career,” Brown said.

“Our students want this high school diploma and value it.”

Women make up about 75 percent of the students in the program’s first year, which runs a rolling admission of five eight-week terms, said Colleen Paletta, vice president of workforce development at Goodwill of Greater Wash-

PREPARING FOR A CAREER FOR FAMILY AND YOURSELF

Students ages 22 to 39 make up about 60 percent of the students at the Excel Center.

Tanya Nash, 57, is a Goodwill Excel Center student. She started in the program’s inaugural term on Aug. 22.

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Get Your East of the River Location

Address

River Terrace Rec Center & Elemantary School . . . 420 34th St., NE CVS - East River Park . . . . . . . . . . . 320 40th St., NE Safeway – NE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 40th St., NE 6th District Police Dept - Main . . . . . . . . 100 42nd St., NE Ward Memorial AME. . . . . . . . . . . . 240 42nd St NE Kennilworth Elementary School . . . . . . . .1300 44th ST NE Unity East of the River Health Center . . . . . . 123 45th ST NE First Baptist Church of Deanwood . . . . . . . 1008 45th St NE Deanwood Public Library . . . . . . . . . .1350 49th ST NE Hughes Memorial United Methodist . . . . . . . 25 53rd St NE Capitol Gateway Senior Apts . . . . . . . . . 201 58th St., NE Marvin Gaye Rec Center . . . . . . . . . 6201 Banks Pl NE Watts Branch Recreation Center. . . . . . . 6201 Banks St., NE Langston Community Library . . . . . . . 2600 Benning Rd., NE Anacostia Neighborhood Library . . . . 1800 Good Hope Road SE Benning Branch Library. . . . . . . . . 3935 Benning Rd NE Marshall Heights CDC . . . . . . . . . 3939 Benning Rd., NE Kelly Miller Recreation Center . . . . . . . 4900 Brooks St., NE Tabernacle baptist Church . . . . . . . . 719 Division Ave NE Randall Memorial Baptist Church . . . . . . 4417 Douglas St NE East Capital Church of christ . . . . . . . 5026 E Capitol St NE Seat Pleasant CARE Pharmacy . . . . . . 350 Eastern Ave., NE 7-Eleven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .950 Eastern AVE NE Riverside Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 5200 Foote St., NE Mayfair Mansions . . . . . . . . . . . 3744 ½ Hayes St NE Citibank: East River Park . . . . . . . 3917 Minnesota Ave., NE Chartered Health Center NE . . . . . . 3924 Minnesota Ave., NE Vending Machines – Deanwood Metro. . . 4720 Minnesota Ave., NE The Minnicks Market . . . .4401 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave NE Lederer Gardens . . . . . .4800 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave NE Suburban Market . . . . . . . . . . . .4600 Sherriff Rd NE Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church . . . . . . . 4601 Sheriff Road NE Dave Brown Liquors . . . . . . . . 4721 Sheriff Road Northeast Dave Brown Liquor . . . . . . . . . . . 4721 Sherriff Rd NE A & S Grocery . . . . . . . . . . . . 4748 Sheriff Rd NE St Rose Pentecostal Church . . . . . . . . 4816 Sherriff Rd NE Malcolm X Rec Center . . . . . . . . . . . 3200 13th st SE St More Catholic Church . . . . . . . . . . 4275 4th St SE Fort Davis Recreation Center . . . . . . . . .1400 41st St., SE Ferebee Hope Recreation Center. . . . . . . . 3999 8th St., SE Emanuel Baptist Church . . . . . . . . 2409 Ainger Place SE IHOP Restauarant. . . . . . . . . . . 1523 Alabama Ave, SE Giant Food Store . . . . . . . . . . . 1535 Alabama Ave., SE SunTrust Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . 1571 Alabama Ave., SE Parklands-Turner Community Library . . . . 1547 Alabama Ave., SE Manor Village Apartments Leasing Office . . . 1717 Alabama Ave., SE Garfield Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . 2435 Alabama Ave 7th District Station . . . . . . . . . .2455 Alabama Ave., SE 6th District Police Dept - Satellite Station . .2839 Alabama Ave., SE Service Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . .2841 Alabama Ave., SE Safeway – SE . . . . . . . . . . . . 2845 Alabama Ave. SE Pizza Hut . . . . . . . . . . . . .2859 Alabama Ave., SE America’s Best Wings . . . . . . . . .2863 Alabama Ave., SE M&T Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . .2865 Alabama Ave., SE Washington Senior Wellness Center . . . .3001 Alabama Ave., SE

MIDCITY

For more distribution locations, contact 202.543.8300 x.19

FA G O N C O M M U N I T Y G U I D E

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St Timothys Episcopal Church . . . . . . 3601 Alabama Ave SE Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library . . .3660 Alabama Ave., SE National Capital Parks--EAST . . . . . . . 1900 Anacostia Dr., SE Kid smiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4837 Benning Road SE Pimento Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4405 Bowen Rd SE East Washington Heights Baptist Church . . . 2220 Branch Ave.,SE St Johns Baptist Church . . . . . . . . . 5228 Call Place SE Capitol View Branch Library . . . . . . . 5001 Central Ave., SE Marie Winston Elementary School . . . . . . 3100 Denver St., SE Subway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4525 East Capitol St Our Lady Queen of Peace Church . . . . . . . 3800 Ely Pl., SE Anacostia Museum for African Amer History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1901 Fort Pl SE - Back Door Smithsonian Anacostia Marcia Burris 1901 Fort Place SE - Back Door DC Center for Therapeutic Recreation . . . . . . . 3030 G ST SE ARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1227 Good Hope Rd., SE Anacostia Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . 1243 Good Hope Rd., SE SunTrust Bank. . . . . . . . . . . 1340 Good Hope Rd., SE Unity Health Care Inc . . . . . . . . 1638 Good Hope Rd., SE Bread for the City . . . . . . . . . 1640 Good Hope Rd., SE Marbury Plaza Tenants Assoc . . . . . 2300 Good Hope Rd., SE Dollar Plus Supermarket . . . . . . . . 1453 Howard Rd., SE Ascensions Psychological and Community Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1526 Howard Rd. SE Dupont Park SDA Church . . . . . 3985 Massachusettes Ave SE Orr Elementary School . . . . . . . . 2200 Minnesota Ave SE Hart Recreation Center . . . . . . . . 601 Mississippi Ave., SE Southeast Tennis and Learning Center. . . 701 Mississippi Ave., SE The ARC. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1901 Mississippi Ave., SE Neighborhood Pharmacy . . . . . 1932 Martin Luther King Jr., SE PNC Bank . . . . . . . . 2000 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE Bank of America . . . . . . 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE C. Aidan Salon. . . . . . . 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE Big Chair Coffee . . . . . . 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE

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Animal Clinic of Anacostia. . . 2210 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE Max Robinson Center of Whitman-Walker Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE The United Black Fund . . . . . .2500 Martin Luther King Ave SE The Pizza Place . . . . . . . . 2910 Martin Luther King Ave SE Metropol Educational Services, 3rd Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3029 Marin Luther King Jr Ave., SE National Children’s Center - Southeast Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3400 Martin Luther King Jr., SE Assumption Catholic Church . . . .3401 Martin Luther King Ave SE Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3500 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE Congress Heights Health Center 3720 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE CVS - Skyland. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2646 Naylor Rd., SE Harris Teeter . . . . . . . . . . 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Thai Orchid Kitchen . . . . . . . . .2314 Pennsylvania Ave SE St Francis Xavier Church . . . . . . .2800 Pennsylvania Ave SE Pennsylvania Ave Baptist Church . . . .3000 Pennsylvania Ave SE CVS – Penn Branch . . . . . . . . 3240 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Congress Heights Recreation Center . . . . . 100 Randle Pl., SE Johnson Memorial Baptist Church . . . . . . . 800 Ridge Rd SE Ridge Recreation Center . . . . . . . . . 800 Ridge Rd., SE Savoy Recreation Center . . . . . . . . 2440 Shannon Pl. SE PNC Bank . . . . . . . . . . . .4100 South Capitol St., SE Rite Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . 4635 South Capitol St., SE United Medical Center . . . . . . . . .1310 Southern Ave., SE Benning Park Community Center . . . . . 5100 Southern Ave SE Benning Stoddert Recreation Center . . . . . 100 Stoddert Pl., SE Union Temple Baptist Church . . . . . . . . . .1225 W ST SE Senior Living at Wayne Place. . . . . . . 114 Wayne Place SE William O. Lockridge/Bellevue . . . . . . . 115 Atlantic St., SW Bald Eagle At Fort Greble . . . . . . . . . . 100 Joliet St SW Covenant Baptist Church . . . . . . . . 3845 South Capitol St Faith Presbyterian Church . . . . . . . 4161 South Capitol St SW Henson Ridge Town Homes Office . . . . 1804 Stanton Terrace, SE The Wilson Building . . . . . . . . 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW CCN office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 7th ST SE Eastern Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 7th St SE YMCA Capitol View . . . . . . . . . 2118 Ridgecrest Court SE CW Harris Elementary School . . . . . . . 301 53rd Street, SE DC Child & Family Services Agency . . . . . . 200 I Street SE

ington. Each student gets a DC One Card if they’re under 22 or a WMATA Metro Card to ride to school. The center operates from Monday through Thursday only. “They need those Fridays to take care of their families and other things that are going on in their lives,” Paletta explained.

Many students list this program as their second, third, or fourth attempt to get a GED or a diploma. The team of counselors and career coaches monitors each student one-on-one as soon as their application is accepted, Paletta said. The student and coaches discuss past barriers and possible future ones and a plan to overcome each.

Even if a student tests below high school math and reading levels, Goodwill’s instructors will help them. “It’s a rigorous environment. It’s built on relationships and relevance for the students,” Paletta said.

The team also realizes the unique motivation students often share as they talk about why they chose to enter the program. It isn’t necessarily for them. It’s for those they support and who support them. “Most of the people here are coming for a diploma, first for their children and second for their brother or sister or family,” Meloy said. “The motivation is for them to be something different than they are today, for someone else.”

Whatever the case, Goodwill vows to support them whether they graduate in a few months or two years.

Nash started school again on Aug. 22. She hopes to graduate within two years, but said she doesn’t want to rush herself. As an artist she hopes she can continue to enhance her painting skills and use her new education to venture into the business of making her work of professional quality.

“That’s always been a dream of mine, to put my artwork on canvas,” Nash said. “I just won’t give up on me because I know me and I know what I can do.”

the Numbers

Are High-Poverty DC Schools Shortchanged When It Comes to Extra Resources for ‘At-Risk’ Students?

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he District is now devoting substantial funds to meet the needs of low-income students, but the money is not all being used as intended. Instead of supplementing services at high-poverty schools, such as afterschool programs or additional counselors, about half of DC Public Schools’ “at-risk” funds are going to positions that all schools are supposed to have, like attendance counselors. This is a lost opportunity. DC policymakers should do more to ensure that this funding truly supplements services in our high-poverty schools, to help narrow the wide achievement gap between low-income and higherincome students.

Low-income children often face hunger and housing instability, and may be exposed to violence at a young age. Living in stressful environments can lead to “toxic stress,” with long-term impacts on a child’s healthy development. This means that low-income children come to school with additional educational needs.

In recognition of those needs, the District changed its school funding formula in 2014 to provide about $2,000 additional for every student who is low-income or otherwise at-risk of academic failure, following the recommendations of an education adequacy study.

In the coming school year, over $80 million will go to support 40,000 “at-risk” students attending DC public schools and public charter schools. There are early signs that the new funding is helping. High-poverty schools are now devoting more to literacy initiatives, an extended school year, and additional staffing for social and emotional services.

Unfortunately not all of the at-risk funds are being used as intended. In the 2016-17 school year DC Public Schools allocated nearly half of its at-risk funding to sup-

by Soumya Bhat

port core staffing and programs in school budgets. This means that nearly half of the resources considered extra for schools are being used for functions that are required at all schools as part of DCPS’s staffing model.

Outgoing Chancellor Henderson says she is worried that these concerns over at-risk funds will result in “remediating students to death” instead of focusing on the whole child.

But that’s not the point of atrisk funding at all. High-poverty schools can use their at-risk money for school-wide initiatives that benefit all students.

The real question is whether at-risk funds truly are available to supplement services. It is also not clear that all DCPS principals have the same amount of discretion or are even aware these funds exist.

That’s why the DCPS budget process should be modified so that at-risk funds can only add to what schools get in base funding and positions, essentially creating a firewall between funding streams. This means paying for core staffing positions at all schools with core DCPS funding. It also should mean giving principals, teachers, and parents a clearer sense of the at-risk funding available at their school, and more say in how those funds are used to supplement student services.

There is another question here. If DCPS needs to use supplemental resources to support core school functions, does this mean that base school funding is inadequate? The mayor and DC Council do not automatically increase the per-pupil funding formula for inflation each year. And the school funding formula is not regular-

ly evaluated to ensure it is truly meeting the needs of students, especially those with unique needs such as English language learners and special education. The good news is that the DC State Superintendent’s Office has formed a working group to examine the formula this fall, in time to offer recommendations to the mayor as she creates the 2017-18 schools budget.

Ultimately what is needed is better funding and oversight to make sure school funding is being used effectively and in ways that supplement, not supplant, the good work happening in our public schools. We also need to make sure all schools are getting enough, so that they do not need to use at-risk funds for basic functions.

Soumya Bhat is education finance and policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to reduce poverty and inequality in the District of Columbia and to increase opportunities for residents to build a better future.

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neighborhood news

Private “Special Police” in DC Community Questions, from Recruitment to Accountability

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pecial police officers in the District used deadly force three times this past year, resulting in the deaths of three black men. Two of these fatal encounters with special police officers (SPOs) – who, like security officers (SOs), are private employees certified by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), took place east of the river. Video from one incident shows SPOs, apparently unaware that the man in their custody is not breathing, using restraint MPD does not sanction. This fall, the DC Council will consider new regulations for SPOs and security officers.

Meanwhile, community members have raised serious questions about the training and deployment of these private employees.

by Virginia Avniel Spatz

With apologies to the loved ones of Alonzo Smith: At Marbury Plaza, Blackout SPO uses knee restraint on cuffed and unresponsive man whose head hangs off landing.

WHAT ARE SPOS AND SOS ALLOWED TO DO

SPOs have arrest powers within limited jurisdictions, such as apartment complexes, and may be armed. SOs are unarmed and can detain but not arrest. SPOs and SOs are trained, employed, and supervised by private companies; they report to their employers and their clients.

Blackout Investigations and Security Services, for example, advertises: “Documentation and report writing is a crucial part of our daily job function. Blackout guards are required to document their actions...as well as in-

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cidents that occur during their shifts.

These reports are maintained and filed on site for your review daily.” Those files, however, are private. Unless MPD is also involved, SPO/SO encounters yield no police report. Disciplinary actions within firms like Blackout are also private.

Alonzo Smith, 27, unarmed and charged with no crime, died as a result of an encounter with Blackout SPOs at Marbury Plaza Apartments.

To date, SPOs involved in Smith’s death, on Nov. 1, 2015, have yet to be charged or named. Asked about the Blackout case, MPD spokesperson Alice Kim says MPD “cannot comment on an open criminal investigation.” As it happens, however, MPD responded to 911 calls from Marbury residents, just hours after new bodycam regulations had gone into effect. Their video, now public, shows a Blackout employee engaged with a cell-phone while kneeling on the back of an unresponsive, restrained man whose head hangs off a stairwell landing. Blackout refused to comment for this article.

SPOS AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Additional body-cam view shows Blackout SPO engaged with cellphone while kneeling atop an individual who, as MPD quickly determines upon arrival, has stopped breathing.

As public officials consider new training regimens for SPOs, Netfa Freeman, Ward 8 resident and Pan-African Community Action (PACA) organizer, worries that such plans “take away the possibility of guilt” for the past. “It is shifting the focus away from systemic issues, diverting attention from brutality.” PACA (pacadmv.

Thursday, September 29, 2016 8:00 am - 1:00 pm Walter E. Washington Convention Center org) seeks community control and accountability for all police as well as justice in the Smith case.

Accountability for Blackout SPOs “who didn’t know what the hell they were doing,” is also a priority for Ronald Hampton, retired 23-year MPD veteran, former executive director of the National Black Police Association, and co-convener of Institute of the Black World’s DC Justice Collaborative (ibw21.org).

Hampton also favors “education,” which he distinguishes from “training,” for SPOs. The current requirement is 40 hours (two weekends), plus separate firearms training, with additional requirements for campus and Metro SPOs. In addition, Hampton says: “[SPOs] should not be put into a situation without adequate backup.

And we have to talk about the issue of supervision, which must be intense and regular. They have to know that the person who oversees them is vigilant.”

Hampton also argues, along with PACA and others, for transparency: identification of SPOs involved in any fatality, administrative leave and investigation, public reports, and, as needed, criminal trials. “Whether redress is effective or not with MPD is questionable, but there is a process.”

At present, MPD spokesperson Alice Kim explains: “A security agency company has a duty to supervise the individuals they employ and can administer any disciplinary measures it deems necessary as outlined in [the DC Code].” MPD’s Security Officers Management Branch is charged with investigating SPO-related incidents, and “serious use of force” incidents are investigated by the MPD’s Internal Affairs Division in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office.”

Steve Maritas, Organizing Director for the Law Enforcement Officers Security Unions (leosudc.org), representing 300 local SPOs, says SPOs are already “acting as regular police officers. They have the same arrest power.” He argues for commensurate training and matching compensation. Maritas says any additional training is “a step in the right direction,” stressing the need to prepare for split-second emergency decision-making in high profile and neighborhood locations.

But Hampton, citing training and priva-

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tization issues, warns against allowing SPOs to “police in the community.”

SPOS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

“We must ensure that we are not abdicating government responsibilities to private companies,” says Monica Hopkins-Maxwell, executive director of ACLU-National Capital Area (aclu-nca.org). She notes one negative consequence of privatization: Police nationwide have been exploring alternatives to patrolling “with the intent of ‘we’re looking for crime,’” but private security professionals are not necessarily “in those conversations.”

“We have concerns about ways in which certain communities in the District of Columbia are policed,” by both MPD and private security, Hopkins-Maxwell continues. “Look at how we treat black communities and communities of color, compared with white communities. There is a presupposition that one community needs to be policed more than another.”

To illustrate: Every few years – 2015, 2012, 2007, 2003 – expansion of campus SPO jurisdiction is proposed, to address off-campus rowdiness and provide “seamless” policing. Each time, residents near universities in Wards 2 and 3 raise concerns about liability, civil liberties, and consent. Each time, citizens object to deployment of campus SPOs, with one-fourth training of MPD officers, into surrounding neighborhoods. Each time, the proposal stalls.

Meanwhile, David Smith, president of the Deanwood Citizens Association (and no relation to Alonzo), says officers, many “coming back from the military,” are sent east of the river, where “residents look exactly like the militants in countries where they were stationed.” He wants officers, MPD and SPO, from the community: “It’s not about race – But, do they live here and send their kids to our schools?”

“The whole police philosophy nationwide has to change,” says Henderson Long, founder of Missing and Exploited East of the River. “We need leadership from top down to get some aggressive reform,” Finally, Beverly Smith, PACA organizer and mother of Alonzo, says the homicide of her son “is part of a larger crisis of Black people...dying at the hands of those put in charge of protecting a system that only respects rich people and their property.”

She joins Hampton, PACA, and others who seek completely new “public safety” models.

Background on SPOs/SOs appeared in August East of the River. Look for details on proposed regulations in October. Virginia Spatz is a regular contributor to Capital Community News and Feature Reporter for Education Town Hall on We Act Radio, on-line at vspatz.wordpress.com.

Senior Entrepreneurship Program Date: Thursday, September 1, 2016 Time: 10:15 am – 11:45 am Location: Congress Heights 3500 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/41363

A Comprehensive Guide for Small Business Planning Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016 Time: 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Location: DCRA – 1100 4th Street SW, 4th Floor (Room E-4302) Washington, D.C. 20032 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/41934

How to Open a Small Business by Navigating through DCRA’s Regulatory Process Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Location: DCRA – 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor (Room E-200) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/41242

SmartStart Integrated Licensing and Money Smart for Small Business Program Date: Monday, September 19, 2016 Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Location: DCRA – 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor (Room E-268) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/42969

The Regulatory Process of Starting a Business Date: Monday, September 19, 2016 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Location: Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library 3660 Alabama Avenue SE Washington, D.C. 20020 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/41351

Navigating Government Contracting with DCPTAC: Creating an Effective Capability Statement Date: Thursday, September 22, 2016 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Location: DCRA – 1100 4th Street SW, 4th Floor (Room E-4302) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/42137

Understanding Your Rights Seminar for Landlords Date: Thursday, September 22, 2016 Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Location: DCRA – 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor (Room E-200) Washington, D.C. 20024 To Register: http://dcbiz.ecenterdirect.com/events/42545

For further information, please contact: Jacqueline Noisette (202) 442-8170 jacqueline.noisette@dc.gov Claudia Herrera (202) 442-8055 claudia.herrera@dc.gov Joy Douglas (202) 442-8690 joy.douglas@dc.gov

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HISTORY AND CULTURE EXPLAINED The National Museum of African American History and Culture Opens This Month

by Candace Y.A. Montague

At long last, on Sept. 24, the Smithsonian Institution will open the doors to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It promises to tell the story of the journey of African-Americans and document current events that will assuredly be long remembered.

Artifacts (some 37,000 of them), videos, and multimedia displays await visitors as they explore the five-story, 400,000 square-foot, bronze-painted structure on the National Mall. A dozen exhibits and an abundance of artifacts are ready for display, each adding another chapter to this interactive cram session on black culture.

National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Photo: Alan Karchmer

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The Cadillac driven by musician Chuck Berry during the 1974 filming of “Hail! Hail! Rock’n’Roll.” Photo: National Museum of African American History and Culture

HOW IT CAME TO BE

There are nearly a hundred African-American history museums in the United States, but none on the National Mall until now. Efforts to get approval from Congress succeeded at last, only to raise more problems. There was the debate about focus. Should the museum focus on the struggle or the glory? In the end, it was decided that it should be neither a slavery nor a civil rights museum. Nor a shrine for entertainment and sports. And not an African museum. Instead it’s an amalgamation of all of those things and more that comprise the history and contribution of blacks in America. In an interview by The New York Times the museum director, Lonnie Bunch, remarked that “this is not being built as a museum by African-Americans for African-Americans. The notion that is so important here is that African-American culture is used as a lens to understand what it means to be an American.”

In 2005 Bunch and his staff began collecting things – from slavery, science, the arts, sports. They collected memorabilia and photographs and the stories that came along with them. And more importantly they collected money. The $540 million construction cost was covered by Congress and donors. The Smithsonian recruited David Adjaye, a Tanzanian-born architect responsible for designing the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, to design the new museum. His vision came to life in a Yoruba-style “corona” reaching skyward like hands lifted in prayer. At night when the corona illuminates from inside, it presents what the Smithsonian describes as a “stunning addition to the National Mall.”

WHAT TO SEE

It will take more than a day’s visit to absorb the muse-

um’s exhibitions. Museum officials advise visitors to focus on specific exhibits and collections. There are artifacts of oppression and strife such as ankle shackles of the type used to restrain enslaved people aboard ships crossing the Atlantic from Africa during the Middle Passage. A cabin used during slavery at Point of Pines Plantation on Edisto Island, S.C., is there, and so are boxer Muhammad Ali’s headgear and a leotard from Olympics-gold gymnast Gabrielle Douglas. Items from the arts feature Louis Armstrong’s Selmer trumpet and a life-sized bronze bust of 18th-century African-American poet Phillis Wheatley.

It will be hard to miss the pop culture and entertainment items such the fedora Michael Jackson wore during the Victory Tour in 1984, the neon sign used on the “Soul Train” TV show, or Parliament-Funkadelic’s Mothership made from 1,200-pounds of aluminum. The 134 media pieces include everything from slave narratives to accounts from Black Lives Matter activists who protested police-involved shootings in Ferguson and Baltimore. There’s even a movie directed by Ava DuVernay (she also directed the biopic “Selma”).

Artifacts may lure you in but the exhibitions will keep you there. Exhibitions devoted to military history, sports, slavery, music, and civil rights are just the start. For example, on the third floor the “Making a Way Out of No Way” gallery shows how blacks created opportunities and overcame challenges. Also on the third floor is “The Power of Place,” an interactive multimedia area that connects locations and cultural nuances. Take a trip to South Carolina and examine life in the rice fields, or to Chicago and see the birth of the Chicago Defender newspaper, or to Tulsa, Okla., to see how Black Wall Street came to be.

The visual arts gallery on the fourth floor will display seven thematic sections of art: paintings, sculpture, works on paper, art installations, mixed media, photography, and digital media. Also on the fourth floor is “Taking the Stage,” which explains the impact of African-American culture on the performing arts. The gallery highlights black contributions to theater, cinema, and television.

Ward 8 Councilmember LaRuby May urges her constituents to visit the museum. “I am proud to witness the opening of the museum, in the heart of the nation’s capital, during the era of the first black president.

The museum exemplifies that we have a rich culture and legacy that needs to be preserved. I believe that everyone who visits will better understand how African Americans are embedded in the fabric of America.

I encourage all of my Ward constituents to take full advantage of this extraordinary opportunity.”

VISITOR INFORMATION

Are you ready to go? The first round of timed passes went swiftly, but that doesn’t mean the fun is over. Regular hours will be from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. You can get timed passes with 15-minute entry windows to ease congestion. Passes for September and October will be available on the museum’s website and via the call center (800-514-3849; Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.). If you can’t make it in person, take a mobile tour. Text “lens” to 56512. For more information visit www.nmaahc. si.edu/.

Candace Y.A. Montague is the health reporter for Capital Community News.

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Giving Peace a Chance An Anacostia Garden article & photos by Rindy O’Brien

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he summer of 2016 has been a scorcher, one of DC’s hottest ever. In July and August more than 38 days exceeded 90 degrees, with several heat advisories for temperatures over 100 degrees. Not the ideal conditions to start a new garden, but when you have the motivation of activist Hanin Ahmed, a little heat isn’t going to stop you.

The Peace Garden is located at 2410 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. Long-time Anacostia business owner Andrew Cho, who owns the land, plans to develop the space into housing in a few years, but for now he is happy to lend it to those who want to garden. Cho has fenced the area and wants to work with organizations that will turn the vacant lot into an urban garden. “I think Hanin put a lot of energy into the garden,” says Cho, “and I think he learned a lot of lessons along the way.”

The Peace Garden and the MLK Senior Garden share open space donated by Andrew Cho behind his grocery store in the heart of Anacostia.

A GARDEN WITH A MISSION

As Ahmed explains it, the Peace Garden grew out of a quest to give back to his neighborhood. “I am a walking example of the saying, it takes a village to raise a child,” says the DC native. At age 12 he found himself alone on the streets. Linda Greene, whom he calls his mom, came to his rescue, along with other folks in Ward 8. “I was mentored by wonderful people in this community,” says Ahmed, “and the garden is one of many projects I have going to give back.”

Ahmed says his gardening background comes from learning first-hand from Greene’s mother in the Newport News area. “When I was a kid, I loved getting out of the city and seeing what was growing in Virginia. I still have hens and chicks, which is a succulent plant from her garden that I have kept going for over eight years.” Ahmed is one of those gardeners blessed with a green thumb.

The Peace Garden took kids of all ages from the neighborhood that needed somewhere to go and something to do. They spent the early part of the summer planting and tending to the jobs of the garden. “As the summer got hotter, there were many days it just was too hot to have the kids in the garden,” admits Ahmed. “I still came and sweated through the work, but it cut short some of the plans.”

The garden needed to be tilled and the soil improved, but despite its shortcomings the kids were able to produce tomatoes, 20 eggplants, and peppers. Watermelons were the last crop left as the garden project closed in mid-August when the kids returned to school. The produce is distributed to the student gardeners, seniors in the area, and the broader community.

The Peace Garden is truly a community project. There is no formal structure or nonprofit organization. It is all managed by volunteers. Just as Cho donated the land, other businesses like Mamma’s Kitchen and Pizza provided support as needed. Mark Holler, owner of Gingko Garden, pro-

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Anacostia activist Hanin Ahmed founded the Peace Garden to connect kids to the earth and their community.

The last summer crop in the Peace Garden is the watermelon, plentiful on the vine.

vided most of the plants this summer. Frager’s Garden Center also helped. “Most of the work came from our digging with a shovel, and pretty elementary equipment,” says Ahmed, “but I am so thankful to everyone that helped whenever we asked.”

Asked what the kids took away from the project, Ahmed says he hopes he inspired them to feel like they are a part of their own community, and that they can see there are people who really care about them. Clearly the Peace Garden measures its success not from the number of ripe tomatoes or watermelons on the vine, but from the human connection it brings the young gardeners.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

With the summer over and the kids back in school, the Peace Garden is evaluating options for the future. Ahmed has big dreams for someday having an indoor space where the kids can be involved with growing their own

food year-round. “Teaching the kids good sustainable skills is really important,” he stresses, “because we really don’t know what we might need in the future.” He thinks that next season the garden may be located in a different site, and should that be so, Cho hopes another neighborhood group might come and use the space.

It is a testament to Ahmed’s tenacity, the power of a dream, and the generosity of a young man that the Peace Garden graced the Anacostia neighborhood this summer. It demonstrates that good things can happen when everyone pitches in for the sake of doing something good. Ahmed’s dream is to see the garden kids walk across the graduation stage, and with the seeds he helped plant this summer there is a good chance that it will be a bumper crop.

If you are interested in getting involved in the Peace Garden contact Hanin Ahmed at 202-812-1919.

you saw them in

Rindy O’Brien has been involved in community gardening on the Hill for many years. For more information contact rindyobrien@gmail.com.

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Jazz Avenues THE BRIXTON BECOMES A HOT SPOT FOR SUNDAY JAMS

Coming on Oct. 1, from noon to 8:30 p.m., is Baltimore Jazz Fest 2016, “a free, family-friendly, full day of Baltimore jazz, held in beautiful Druid Hill Park in the heart of Baltimore City,” brought to us by the Baltimore Jazz Alliance and the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks. Featured performers include the Hot Club of Baltimore, the Clarence Ward III All-Stars, the Rumba Club, the Dunbar Jazz Ensemble, the Greg Hazta ORGANization, Art Sherrod Jr. and the Baltimore Legends, a group including Bob Butta, John Lamkin Sr., and Carlos Johnson. See www.baltimorejazz.com.

INPERSON … JEFF DENSON

September Highlights: … Jazz Academy of Music, Todd Marcus Quintet/Silver Spring Jazz Festival, Sept. 10, Veterans Plaza/Silver Spring … Benito Gonzalez, Sept. 10, Twins Jazz … Mark G. Meadows/ Jelly’s Last Jam, closes Sept. 11, Signature Theater/ Arlington, Va. … Kenny Rittenhouse, Sept. 11, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton … Joe Falero & DC Latin Jazz All-Stars, Sept. 15, Publick Playhouse/Cheverly, Md. … Eliane Elias, Sept. 15-18, Blues Alley … CBCF Jazz Concert, Sept. 15, Walter Washington Convention Center … Allyn Johnson Organ Experience, Sept. 16, Westminster Presbyterian Church … Thad Wilson Quartet w/The Landham Brothers, Sept. 1617, Twins Jazz … Charles Rahmat Woods, Rahmat Shabazz Trio, Sept. 17, Olney Public Library … Fred Foss, Sept. 18, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton … Leigh Pilzer, Sept. 25, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton … Thad Wilson Big Band/A Tribute to John Coltrane, Sept.

23, Westminster Presbyterian Church … 15th Annual D.C. Jazz Preservation Festival, Sept. 24, Westminster Presbyterian Church … Carl Grubbs Ensemble/ Tribute to John Coltrane, Sept. 24, Eubie Blake Center/Baltimore … Paul Carr Quintet, Sept. 24, Caton Castle … Jegna Tree-O, Sept. 25, Twins Jazz … The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Sept. 27, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club …

by Steve Monroe

Of the many quality jam sessions around the area, the DC Jazz Jam Sundays at The Brixton have become one of the must-go venues. The no-cover sessions from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. “in the heart of Washington DC’s historic U Street jazz corridor” are a project supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, according to www.dcjazzjam.com.

A couple of weeks ago the jam celebrated its seventh anniversary. Its new home since last year, The Brixton, has attracted top musicians and good crowds. For that Sunday celebration, vocalist Aaron Meyers was the guest host and performers included guitarist Pete Muldoon, saxophonists Brad Linde and Leigh Pilzer, and many others.

The upstairs space is comfortable and roomy, with a view overlooking the busy U Street/Florida Avenue nightlife. The restaurant features courteous, efficient service with an eclectic menu that includes basics like tasty wings and sliders and also grilled bruschetta and Mediterranean salad (www.brixtondc.com).

Coming up to lead the jams as guest artists are trumpeter Kenny Rittenhouse on Sept. 11, sax man Fred Foss on Sept. 18, and sax lady Leigh Pilzer on Sept. 25.

Bassist Jeff Denson came back to the area for a homecoming concert before a good-sized crowd at the Atlas last month, and he and his bandmates, bassoonist Paul Hanson, percussionist Eric Kennedy, and vibraphonist Warren Wolf, showcased several tunes from his recent CD “Concentric Circles.” Highlights that night included Denson’s originals “City Life on Trains,” a ripping, jamming ride featuring Hanson’s bluesy grooves and Kennedy’s always sizzling percussion, and “Anticipating,” which spotlights Denson’s whipping bass runs.

INREVIEW … JORDAN DIXON’S ‘CONVERSATION AMONG FRIENDS’

As a member of “The Few, The Proud, The Marines,” Jordan Dixon of the University of the Dis-

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Sax master Fred Foss is the guest artist on Sept. 18 at the DC Jazz Jam at The Brixton in DC. Photo: Fred Foss

trict of Columbia Jazz Ensemble has already made waves. With his debut CD “A Conversation among Friends,” the tenor saxophonist has served notice he is a musician and composer deserving wider recognition. Allyn Johnson, director of jazz studies at the University of the District of Columbia, is the pianist on the CD along with bandmates Steve Novosel, bass, Nasar Abadey, drums, and J.S. Williams, trumpet.

Highlights include Dixon’s bold, raw, bluesy tenor sax riffs on tunes like “Wayward Warrior,” an intriguing lilting jam spurred by Johnson’s rippling runs and Abadey’s splashing drum work. “Hospital Honors” rips and roars with Dixon’s spearing sax lines, and “What You’ve Done for Me (A Ballad for Mr. Gulley)” is in the best of the sax man’s ballad tradition.

September Birthdays: Art Pepper 1; Horace Silver, Clifford Jordan 2; Mickey Roker, Roy Brooks 3; Meade Lux Lewis 4; Andrew White, Buddy Bolden 6; Sonny Rollins, 7; Wilbur Ware 8; Elvin Jones, George Mraz 9; Roy Ayers 10; Steve Turre 12; Chu Berry 13; Oliver Lake 14; Cannonball Adderley 15; Joe Venuti, John Hendricks 16; Brother Jack McDuff 17; Emily Remler 18; Muhal Richard Abrams 19; Chico Hamilton 21; John Coltrane 23; Gary Bartz 26; Bud Powell 27; Kenny Kirkland 28; Buddy Rich, Oscar Pettiford 30.

Steve Monroe is a Washington, DC, writer who can be reached at steve@jazzavenues.com and followed at www.twitter.com/ jazzavenues.

real estate / changing hands Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list,based on the MRIs, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill.

The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.

NEIGHBORHOOD

PRICE

BR

$529,000 $425,000 $422,500 $420,000 $405,000 $350,000 $240,000

4 4 4 4 3 3 3

165 CHESAPEAKE ST SW $380,000 726 CHESAPEAKE ST SE $290,000 543 LEBAUM ST SE $249,000 3315 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE$200,000 761 UPSAL ST SE $199,950 618 BRANDYWINE ST SE $181,000 626 CHESAPEAKE ST SE $155,100

4 3 3 3 3 3 2

FEE SIMPLE ANACOSTIA

1321 VALLEY PL SE 1778 W ST SE 1776 W ST SE 1771 W ST SE 2316 NICHOLSON ST SE 2249 14TH ST SE 1906 Q ST SE

CONGRESS HEIGHTS

DEANWOOD

1460 EASTERN AVE NE 4257 BROOKS ST NE 1017 48TH ST NE 118 47TH ST NE 213 49TH ST NE 4716 BLAINE ST NE 850 DIVISION AVE NE 550 48TH PL NE 903 52ND ST NE 6138 BANKS PL NE 5066 JUST ST NE 277 56TH ST NE 4926 JAY ST NE 210 35TH ST NE 4807 FITCH PL NE 5050 JUST ST NE 4920 AMES ST NE 420 57TH ST NE

FORT DUPONT PARK

3944 PENNSYLVANIA AVE SE 4644 HILLSIDE RD SE 1143 45TH PL SE 1515 FORT DUPONT ST SE 438 BURBANK ST SE 4515 ALABAMA AVE SE 1308 45TH PL SE

$420,000 $418,000 $399,000 $350,000 $306,000 $296,500 $285,000 $282,000 $280,000 $280,000 $255,000 $249,999 $230,000 $219,000 $199,000 $175,000 $165,000 $110,000

4 5 4 3 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 1 3 2

$408,000 $385,000 $375,000 $304,800 $245,000 $230,000 $205,000

3 3 3 3 2 3 3

HILLCREST

3716 CARPENTER ST SE 2030 34TH ST SE 3429 HIGHWOOD DR SE 3537 HIGHWOOD DR SE 1717 38TH ST SE 1732 30TH ST SE 1412 35TH ST SE 1115 BRANCH AVE SE

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5314 BASS PL SE 5354 E ST SE 5208 DRAKE PL SE 5357 ASTOR PL SE 112 49TH ST SE 5552 B ST SE 853 51ST ST SE 744 51ST ST SE

RANDLE HEIGHTS

3145 STANTON RD SE 1951 S ST SE 2026 SAVANNAH PL SE 3501 21ST ST SE 2008 MISSISSIPPI AVE SE 2437 SKYLAND PL SE 1861 TUBMAN RD SE 2415 WAGNER ST SE 1481 HOWARD RD SE 3430 24TH ST SE 3437 25TH ST SE 2551 ALABAMA AVE SE

$550,000 $475,000 $464,900 $415,000 $415,000 $399,950 $382,700 $310,000

3 3 3 3 4 3 4 3

$417,000 $352,000 $342,000 $330,000 $310,000 $197,000 $157,000 $156,000

5 3 4 3 4 3 3 3

$355,000 $305,000 $305,000 $297,000 $295,000 $292,783 $268,000 $225,000 $219,975 $205,000 $195,000 $100,000

4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 3

$330,000

3

$190,000 $39,500

1 1

$80,000

2

$65,000 $40,750

2 2

CONDO ANACOSTIA

1304 TALBERT CT SE

CONGRESS HEIGHTS

212212 OAKWOOD ST SE #312 4725 1ST ST SW #203

HILLCREST

2008 FORT DAVIS ST SE #202

RANDLE HEIGHTS

3109 NAYLOR RD SE #203 2844 HARTFORD ST SE #101

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by Kathleen Donner

FREDERICK DOUGLASS HOUSE FAMILY DAY

On Sunday, Oct. 9, 3 to 8:30 p.m., the Frederick Douglass House welcomes families for live music and entertainment, face painting, children’s crafts, house tours and more. The Frederick Douglass House is at 1411 W St. SE. 202-426-5961. nps.gov/frdo.

Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service/N. Johnson

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New Community and Reading Rooms

All the Way Live! Hip Hop Show

On Sept. 8, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington unveiled the new community and reading rooms at The Richard England Clubhouse 14 at 4103 Benning Rd. NE. Sponsored by the Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, the rooms provide about 400 Club members with access to a literacy-enriched environment to develop their reading skills and promote leisure reading. The reading and community rooms serve not only Club members, but their families.

Anything can come to life with a simple beat, rhythm and rhyme. In this interactive performance, Baye Harrell, a Helen Hayes Award nominee, and Paige Hernandez, a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, collaborate on the spot to “remix” everything from folk tales to classical art. History is revived through a Hip Hop lens.

Paige and Baye tell stories and perform to original beats by Nick “Nickthe1da” Hernandez with the help of a magical boom box that needs the audience’s help to

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power the songs. This show explores not only the language of words, but also the language of the body, sounds and numbers. Most enjoyed by age 5 and up. Tickets are $20. All the Way Live! is at the Kennedy Center, Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m., 1:30 and 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 16, 1:30 and 4 p.m. kennedy-center.org.

Con Las Puertas Abiertas: Family Day On Saturday, Oct. 1, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the entire family is

For the 2016-2017 school year Bridges PCS will be in our new location:

100 Gallatin St. NE, Washington, DC 20011

Pre-K 3 through 4th grade

Building a strong foundation for learning growing to serve Pre-K 3 to 5th grade

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR Apply for admissions at:

www.myschooldc.org or call (202) 888-6336

www.bridgesp cs.org

202.545.0515

Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Voted one of the Best Preschools in DC, City Paper Readers Poll 2013 -2016!

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Sept. 28, “Charlotte’s Web;” Thursday, Sept. 29, “Coraline;” Friday, Sept. 30, “Harriet the Spy.”

Harry Potter Banned?

On Thursday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m., join other Harry Potter fans as scholars Tolonda Henderson and Kylie Madden share their unique expertise in this lecture double feature in honor of Banned Books Week.

Many attempts have been made to ban the Harry Potter series from libraries across the country, but within the narrative itself, only the books on Horcruxes are entirely removed from the library at Hogwarts based on their content. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. 202-727-0321. dclibrary.org.

Three-day Theater, Film, TV and Commercial Event for Kids This weekend-long, Oct. 7 to 9, Actors Connection event is jam packed with prominent industry guests who will work with young actors, 8 to 13, in the DC market. Actors Connection and The Little Theatre of Alexandria developed DC Connection to provide the young actors with the opportunity to study, train and network in a focused, supportive environment.

DC Connection is held at The Little Theatre of Alexandria. To register or request additional information, contact Christopher Dietrich, Actors Connection President, at christopher@actorsconnection. com. The cost is $895 and payment plans are available. actorsconnection.com.

WOMEN IN AVIATION AND SPACE FAMILY DAY

Throughout the history of aviation and space exploration, women have fought to be on equal terms with their male counterparts. On Saturday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., enjoy learning about the significant contributions women have made. The day features presentations by women in the field, hands-on activities and stories. National Air and Space Museum, Independence Ave. at Sixth St. SW. airandspace.si.edu.

invited to a fun-filled day of free performances, demonstrations and hands-on activities inspired by Latino culture. Events for youth of all ages will take place throughout the Terrace Level of the Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

The Kids Zone at H Street Festival The H Street Festival is on Saturday, Sept. 17, noon to 7 p.m. This year’s event spans 10 blocks of H Street NE between Fourth and Fourteenth Streets with 14 stages, dozens of interactive attractions and displays and over 250 businesses, restaurants, community organizations and vendors. The Kids Zone,

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at Fifth and H Streets NE features Lowe’s Build and Go where kids can use mini building blocks to build birdhouses, toy boat, mini cars and other structures. hstreet.org.

Uncensored: Film Festival Read banned books and watch the movie adaptations at 1:15 p.m. at the Dorothy I. Height Library, 3935 Benning Rd. NE during Banned Book Week from Sept. 26 to 30. This film festival is for ages 9 through 12. All programs are free and open to the public. On Monday, Sept. 26, “A Wrinkle In Time;” Tuesday, Sept. 27, “James and the Giant Peach;” Wednesday,

Flowers Stink at the Botanic Garden Living in a big city, a.k.a. “the concrete jungle,” sometimes it’s hard to appreciate the great outdoors.

That’s definitely the case with one middle school girl, who’s struggling with writing a nature-themed poem for school. Giving up, she tweets: “#poetryisstupid #natureisborings #flowersstink.” Suddenly, two zany and loveable plants magically come to life in her room, encouraging her to open her eyes, ears and mind to the beauty all around her. Pointing to her own family history, the girl’s newfound friends transport her imagination to the flora of a desert, a volcano and a rain forest to help unleash her creativity. Mixing plenty of singing and dancing with folk, bluegrass, blues and gospel, this colorful world premiere musical by the Helen Hayes Award-winning creators of Dizzy Miss Lizzie’s Roadside Revue shows that, one can find the best of nature in the most unlikely places.

Flowers Stink is on Saturdays, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 11 a.m. It’s free. Flowers Stink is performed outdoors on the Amphitheatre stage at the US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. In case of rain, the show will be moved to the Conservatory in the West Gallery. usbg.gov.

Children’s Hawaiian Program This is an entertaining educational program about Hawaiian traditions and culture. Traditional hula teacher Melissa Mokihana Scalph shares Hawaiian culture through stories, dance, song, games and crafts. Visitors have the opportunity to learn the basic movements of hula and how the dance is used to tell a story. Recommended for ages 5 and up. The Children’s Hawaiian Program is on Sept.

13 and 25; at 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., at the American Indian Museum. nmai.si.edu.

LEGO Family Day at SAAM On Saturday, Sept. 17, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., is the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s LEGO Family Day Budding architects can use problemsolving skills and imagination to make works of art and architecture at LEGO building stations. Recreate some of their famous sculptures on display in the galleries, or invent new creations.

Examine USPTO’s LEGO model of their historic building, home to the US Patent Office in the nineteenth century. The model will remain on public view through Oct. 5. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. americanart.si.edu.

Go Back-to-School with the DC Public Library Access helpful tools to make the school year great for three year olds through 12th graders at dclibrary.org/backtoschool. Find recommended reading lists, library back to school programs, services for the deaf and visually impaired and how to get a library card.

Saturday Mornings at The National On select Saturday mornings, The National Theatre hosts free programs designed to engage and inspire the young mind. Saturday programming is best suited for children four to 10 years of age. Siblings and friends are always welcome. Performances take place Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the Helen Hayes Gallery. The

National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets may be reserved one week prior to the performance.

The reservation system closes at 10 a.m. on the Friday before the performance. Walk-ins are welcome if there is room. Register and get more information at thenationaldc.org.

Race for Every Child 5k and Kids’ Dash The Race for Every Child 5k is one of the largest community events focused on children’s health in the DC are. It raises critical funds to help kids grow up stronger. The race is on Oct. 1, 7 a.m., at Freedom Plaza. Registration for the 5k is $50. Registration closes Sept. 27. The Kids’ Dash is $15. childrensnational.donordrive.com.

Afghan Fighter Kites Workshop On Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m., visit the exhibition Turquoise Mountain with teaching artist Mukhtar Ziarmal. Learn about kite fighting, a popular activity for kids in Afghanistan. Then, return to the classroom to collaborate with family and friends on constructing and decorating a kite. This program is designed for children ages 6 to 12 and adults to enjoy together. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is at 1050 Independence Ave. SW. asia.si.edu.

DAR Museum Family Events How do you keep in touch with your friends? On Saturday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., find out what people did before texting and email. Prefer writing with a quill pen or a slate?

Want to send a message in Morse code? Free, drop-in. Daughters of the American Revolution Headquarters is at 1776 D St. NW. 202-628-1776. dar.org.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the free, drop-in family event is entitled, “Daring Detective.” A crime has been committed at the museum.

Expert sleuthing skills are required to solve it. On Nov. 19, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., design stamps. Fabric from ear-

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ly America was printed using roller and block printing. Try out both these techniques, and find out about the plants animals and minerals they used to make the dyes. Enjoy color? This is the place to be.

Local Students Launch App to Help Children with Autism

National Book Festival Features Children’s Authors The 16th Annual Library of Congress National Book Festival is on Saturday, Sept.

24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (doors open at 9 a.m.), at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW. Approximately 120 authors, illustrators and poets will make presentations in stages dedicated to Children; Teens; Picture Books; Books to Movies; Contemporary Life; Graphic Novels; Fiction; Food & Home; History & Biography; International Programs; Mysteries, Thrillers & Science Fiction; Poetry & Prose; and Science. Read more at loc.gov/bookfest.

Children’s book authors in attendance: Sharon Robinson and Calvin Trillin, 10 to 10:30 a.m.; Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin and Callista Gingrich, 10:40 to 11:10 a.m.; Thomas Gonzalez, Janet Nolan and Brendan Wenzel, 11:20 to 11:50 a.m.; Melissa Sweet and Kate Beaton, noon to 12:30 p.m.; Ken Burns and Aaron Becker, 12:40 to 1:10 p.m.; Jerry Pinkney and Andrea Beaty, 1:20 to 1:50 p.m.; Juana Medina and Shannon Hale, 2 to 2:30 p.m.; Nadia Hashimi and Raymond Arroyo, 2:40 to 3:10 p.m.; Tonya Bolden, 3:20 to 3:50; Letters About Literature, 3:20 to 4:45 p.m.; A Book That Shaped Me Contest, 3:20 to 4:45 p.m.; Sophie Blackall, 4 to 4:30 p.m.; Pam Muñoz Ryan, 4:40 to 5:10 p.m.; Jason Reynolds, 4:55 to 5:25 p.m.; Louise Borden, 5:20 to 5:50 p.m.; Hervé Tullet, 5:35 to 6:05 p.m.

Teen’s book authors in attendance: Edwidge Danticat, 10 to 10:30 a.m.; Ali Benjamin noon, 10:45 to 11:15 a.m.; Kwame Alexander, 11:30 a.m. to noon; Meg Medina, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.; Lois Lowry, 1 to 1:30 p.m.; Paul Rudnick, 1:45 to 2:15 p.m.; Gene Luen Yang, 2:30 to 3 p.m.; Holly Robinson Peete, 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.; Brendan Kiely, 4 to 4:30 p.m.; Jo Knowles, 4:45 to 5:15 p.m.; Kiersten White, 5:30 to 6 p.m.

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Aziz and Naseem Jan, festival regulars from Pakistan, enjoy a craft table with their daughters during last year’s National Book Festival.

Photo: Shawn Miller

Students from Derwood, Maryland have created an app to help children with autism that is available for free download in Google Play. The AutBuddy app allows users to improve their focus and learn how to better understand and manage their tasks through an array of features. The students are one of the nine Best in Nation winners of the fourth Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge, a unique, no-codingskills-needed app design contest. As winners, the students earned $20,000 from the Verizon Foundation for Adventures in Science. They got to work alongside experts from the Center for Mobile Learning at the MIT Media Lab to turn their app concept into a working mobile application. The team owns the full rights to their app; and hopes it will be used by autistic children, their parents and their teachers across the country.

The 2016-17 App Challenge is open to any team of middle and high school students. To enter, students only need to have an idea for an app that could solve a problem in their school or community. Past winners have been featured at the White House Science Fair and have even gone on to sell their completed apps for cash. For more information on how to register for the Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge, or to download the completed apps, visit verizon.com/appchallenge.

Rapunzel at Glen Echo Witch Wartsmith wants a baby. After bargaining for little Rapunzel, she must go to great lengths to keep her out of the hands of a handsome prince. The Puppet Co. uses “coloring-book” charm and the simplicity of hand puppets in a production designed to delight its younger audiences. On stage at Glen Echo, Sept. 16 through Oct. 9. This show is recommended for ages 3 and to 9. Running time is 40 minutes.

Tickets are $12. thepuppetco.org.

Remainder of 2016-2017 season shows: Hansel and Gretel, Oct. 13 to Nov. 18; The Nutcracker, Nov. 25 to Dec. 30; Goldilocks, Jan. 19 to Feb. 19; Jack and the Beanstalk, Feb. 23 to March 26; The Three Billy Goats Gruff, March 30 to April 30; and Cinderella, May 4 to June 11.

Volcanoes: Bilingual Tales of El Salvador In Mayan volcano is ixcanul (fire mountain). A volcano’s fire is hot, alive, and beautiful, like the stories

and folktales from El Salvador. A funfilled musical spectacle for children five to ten, Volcanoes combines past and present, myth and stories of everyday life. Volcanoes: Tales of El Salvador by Cornelia Cody is at GALA, Oct. 8 to 22. Tickets are $12 for ages 15 and older; $10 for ages 2 to 14.

Infants one year and under are free.

GALA Hispanic Theatre is at 3333 14th St. NW. galatheatre.org.

GALita is dedicated to producing children’s theater in both Spanish and English that inspires a sense of joy, discovery, pride and self-identity in the community’s youngest members. GALita’s presentations are bilingual and accessible across language barriers, thus nurturing children’s curiosity and tolerance for cultures other than their own.

maining date this season is Sept. 11.

An adult must accompany runners to the field. One adult per child on the field. The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First Street SE. washington.nationals.mlb.com.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The Office of the Attorney General has won a $539,000 judgment against a couple for fraudulently enrolling their three children in DC Public Schools while they lived in Maryland and Virginia. The decision comes in District of Columbia v. Hill, et al., 2015 CA 004210 B (D.C. Super. Ct.), a case the District first brought last year.

While residing at homes in Maryland and Virginia, Alan and Candace Hill avoided paying non-resident tuition for their children by providing a false DC address on enrollment forms they submitted to DCPS. Two of their children attended DCPS from 2005 to 2013, and their third child attended DCPS from 2003 to 2013. At no point during this period did the Hills live in the District. In her order granting a judgment for the District, Judge Ronna Lee Beck of DC Superior Court awarded the District $448,047 in damages under the DC False Claims Act. She also awarded $74,219 for unjust enrichment and civil penalties totaling $16,500.

Ever loved a special doll or stuffed toy? Abilene adores her china rabbit doll, Edward Tulane. But, Edward is spoiled and ungrateful until fate takes him on an emotional rollercoaster of an adventure through the 20th century. He is lost overboard on an ocean liner, fished up by a kindly villager, dumped in a heap of garbage, rescued by a hobo and his dog, turned into a scarecrow and adopted by a little boy who gives him as a gift to his sickly sister. Little by little, Edward discovers goodness and humility. Inspired by the constellations, he learns to keep an open heart. Kate DiCamillo’s awardwinning book translates beautifully to the stage. And, as in all good stories, even our reluctant hero finds a happy ending! Best for ages 6 and up. Tickets are $15 to $35. The show runs Oct. 8 to 30 at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD. 301-2801660. imaginationstage.org.

Last Chance for Kids to Run the Bases Kids, ages 4 to 12, can run the bases after select Nationals games. Kids Run the Bases begins immediately following the game, weather permitting. Re-

Family Dances at Glen Echo On Sundays, Sept. 11, Oct. 9, and Nov. 13, 3 to 5 p.m., the Folklore Society of Greater Washington hosts an afternoon dancing to live music and called dances. Bring the entire family, neighbors, a birthday party or a girl or boy scout troop. All ages are welcome. Admission is $5 for age 4 and older. Glen Echo Park is at 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD. 301634-2222. glenechopark.org.

OAG Punishes Fraudulent Enrollers in DCPS

Have an item for the Kids & Family? Email it to bulletinboard@hillrag.com.

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kids & family

Bright Smiles for a Brighter Future Kids Smiles Provides Pediatric Dental Care

A

by Candace Y.A. Montague

n old dentistry joke goes, “Dentists get to the root of the problem.” But to get to the problem, patients have to show up at the office.

Since 2001 Kids Smiles has been serving children who show up to prevent and address oral health problems. Kids Smiles provides screenings, education, and treatment for children in underserved communities with or without insurance. Oral health is an important part of overall healthcare for children as well as adults. Lack of proper care can lead to severe consequences.

PREVENT, RESTORE, EDUCATE

Dentists at Kids Smiles provide basic dental care and more.

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Kids Smiles is a nonprofit pediatric dental practice located on Benning Road that provides care for more than 3,000 kids a year at low or no cost. From infancy to age 18, children can receive annual care for teeth and gums. The services include oral exams, X-rays, fluoride treatments, sealants, and fillings. Kids Smiles provides intensive juvenile oral health education through “First Smiles,” which offers at-home preventative-care tutorials to children three years and under and their parents.

Education does more than encourage good oral health care.

The personalized tutorials also alleviate fear. Kesa Brevard, regional director for Kids Smiles (which also has clinics in Philadelphia), states that talking to children before they come for treatment relieves a lot of anxiety. “We have an educational coordinator that is a part of our dental team. And that person’s job is to go into the waiting area while patients are waiting to be seen and provide education. One of the things that she talks about is anxiety and fears around going to the dentist office. She goes over the gloves and the mask and how you might feel when you’re in the dental chair. She talks about the instruments like Mr. Thirsty [the suction tool]. We go through all of that with the

kids before they come back to the treatment area.

We even get on our knees or sit all the way on the floor to talk to them.”

This past February Kids Smiles collaborated with Howard University College of Dentistry to host the “Give a Kid Smile” event for students at Simon and Kimball elementary schools. The annual program provides free dental checkups for approximately 300 students. Sponsored by the DC Dental Society and the American Dental Association, it has been held on the first Friday in February since 2003.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The 2007 death of Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old boy from Prince George’s County who died from an abscess in his tooth, serves as a reminder of the dangers of neglecting dental care. The high cost of dental care as well as lack of health insurance coverage can be deterrents to care. Parents who are working hard to provide shelter, food, and clothing for their children may not put dental care at the top of their list, especially if there are no complaints. Others simply

may not know the importance of good oral healthcare.

Brevard says lack of knowledge is one of the biggest obstacles at Kids Smiles. “One of the biggest things that Kids Smiles pushes is education.

When you know better, you do better. Lack of care is usually related to lack of knowledge. We notice that when a child has a toothache or a dental emergency it affects their entire life. And in rare cases it can cause death.”

Having Medicaid is not an obstacle to getting good dental care. Finding a dentist that accepts Medicaid is the obstacle. Unfortunately many children throughout the country go without services because it’s not covered in their health plan. Three out of four children covered by Medicaid in four states didn’t receive all required dental care over a recent two-year period, according to a federal report that recommends a government push to improve access to care. As with many issues dealing with the human body, prevention is less painful (and less expensive) than treatment. A report from the US Surgeon General says that approximately 37 percent of children

ages two to nine from low-income backgrounds have one or more untreated decayed baby teeth. Lack of dental care can lead to more emergency dental procedures and costly treatments.

Kids Smiles accepts most insurance plans, and 91 percent of their patients have public insurance or none at all.

PARENT’S GUIDE TO GREAT DENTAL MAINTENANCE AT HOME

Brevard offers the following tips for keeping a child’s oral health in good shape.

• Kids should brush twice a day.

• Avoid early childhood carry (children who walk around with the sippy cup, drinking all day). Sit the kids down and give them the fluids all at once instead of walking around with the cup. Have the drink at a certain time and chase it with water and then brush. Otherwise the sugar sits on their teeth and eats away at them.

• See the dentist regularly. A lot of parents feel that if nothing is hurting then their child is okay. Kids won’t start complaining unless they are hurting. We focus on preventive care so that the child doesn’t get to the point where things are hurting. That six-month checkup is super important.

• Look in the mouth. See what’s going on in there. You can do that by helping them brush their teeth. Stay involved in their care.

Kids will continue a behavior in later life if parents start early.

Ultimately parents should make oral health a regular part of the child’s care like annual physicals and eye exams. Keep the conversation about dental care positive and enlightening to avoid unwarranted anxiety.

Brevard says, come check out Kids Smiles on Benning Road. “We are a great facility. We are thrilled to be in the area we are in. Come in and check us out. If for no other reason, just come in and look around.” For more information about Kids Smiles visit www.kidssmiles.org. The DC branch is located at 4837 Benning Road SE. Candace Y.A. Montague is the health reporter for Capital Community News.

Kids Smiles on Benning Road.

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ast May, in a bustling auditorium in Southeast DC, more than a hundred family and community members gathered to watch a student production of Disney’s “The Lion King.” Some parents wore shirts that teachers had designed to raise funds for the show. The performers were students from Moten, a Ward 8 elementary school. “We had to practice every day,” said Kamille, a fifth-grader in the ensemble. “I enjoyed it a lot.”

Moten secured the licensing and obtained a musical kit from Music Theatre International through the help of Turnaround Arts. The result: “We could make this big and do something great with it,” said Allyson Chamberlain, Moten’s music and choir director.

Everyone pitched in to make the show a success. Parents and teachers constructed props and painted sets; security guards designed costumes; administrators held doughnut sales; other DC public schools and a local church donated supplies. “A lot of the community came out,” said Tashia Jefferson, a Moten parent. “And my son talked about it all sum-

mer. Every time we went somewhere he’d say, ‘I was in the Lion King!’”

A Creative Turnaround for DC’s Schools

by Jonathan Lewis

TURNAROUND ARTS IN DC

In 2011 the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) published “Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future through Creative Schools.” The report recommended arts education for underperforming schools, with “more emphasis on issues of equitable access.” Turnaround Arts was established by PCAH in 2012 as a national public-private partnership with institutions such as the US Department of Education, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The program started in eight low-performing schools across the country, one of which was Savoy Elementary in DC. Savoy had some of the lowest test scores in the District. With the arrival of Turnaround Arts, attendance rose and discipline referrals dropped. An afterschool dance troupe, the Savoy Players, was so successful that they went on to perform three separate times at the White House.

Today the school incorporates dance, drama, visual arts, and vocal music into the curriculum. “We want to make sure kids have exposure to arts integra-

Students and staff from five DC Turnaround Arts schools, with First Lady Michelle Obama. The Turnaround Arts program culminates each year at the White House with a talent show for participating schools. Photo: The White House

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tion and to the diverse arts organizations across the city,” explained Principal Donyale Butler.

Now in its fifth year, Turnaround Arts comprises 68 schools that are selected from the lowest-performing five percent of schools across 15 states and the District. After Savoy’s success, DC Public Schools was invited to expand the program in 2014, and four new schools were added: Bunker Hill, Noyes, Moten, and Turner.

THE IMPACT OF AN ARTS EDUCATION

Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a twoyear evaluation of Turnaround Arts in conjunction with the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute. The study revealed that in seven of eight participating schools reading proficiency improved, and in six math proficiency improved. Among its cohort, Savoy did particularly well: from 2011 to 2014 its math proficiency rate improved by 120 percent!

While it can be difficult to quantify success when it comes to an arts education, the impact can be gauged in other ways. For example, the walls of participating schools are now covered in student artwork, and students describe feeling safe at school and how their teachers expect rigorous work from them. For Principal Butler the biggest change at Savoy was the student mindset itself: “We see our students’ excitement coming to school every day and wanting to be here.”

PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND ARTISTS

The nation’s capital is a treasure trove when it comes to the arts, and Turnaround Arts acts as an intermediary to build relationships between DC schools and arts organizations. Moten’s teachers recently collaborated with Kennedy Center teaching artists to design a summer program. They also worked with the Washington Ballet to incorporate dance into the classroom for second-graders. Meanwhile Savoy partnered with the National Gallery of Art, and Turner hosted teaching residences with artists from Wolf Trap.

“The beauty of the program is that each school can create an individualized plan that serves the specific needs of students and the local community,” explained Katherine Park, the local Turnaround Arts program director for DC Public Schools. “In conjunction with other district strategies, the program provides resources for teachers and assistance with integrating the arts into each school’s core curriculum.”

Another advantage of Turnaround Arts is that it pairs schools with artists, who develop a relationship with students and teachers. High-profile artists who have worked with Ward 8 schools this past year include cellist Yo-Yo Ma and actor and director Elizabeth Banks.

COMING ATTRACTIONS IN 2016-17

The DC cohort of Turnaround Arts schools has exciting plans for the 201617 academic year. To begin with, they will collaborate with George Washington University’s School of Psychology to provide advanced art therapy for students.

Principal Butler is working to ensure that every aspect of Savoy’s strategic plan has a relationship to the arts.

She also hinted that an upcoming backto-school night for parents would be something “completely different from what they’ve experienced before.”

Turner plans to collaborate with a local artist to design a mural, and invite family and community members to help out in the school’s garden.

Moten plans to present another musical this year. Last year’s “Lion King” was so popular that this time Chamberlain hopes to leverage participation as an incentive for students who maintain strong attendance. “Our kids got so much out of it, able to accomplish things they didn’t even know they were capable of doing,” Chamberlain said. “And the parents see the change.”

Jonathan Lewis has written about education and the arts for EdSurge, ArtsBlog, and KnightBlog. He works for DC Public Schools in the Office of Teaching and Learning. You can also read his articles on DC history in the Hill Rag.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 0016-2016 GRANT APPLICATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES (Authority Wide) The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires qualified professional Grant Application Manager(s) to assist DCHA in the full range of services related to the planning, strategizing, preparation and submission of grant application(s).

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available at the Issuing Office at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 300, Office of Administrative Services/ Contracts and Procurement, Washington, DC 20002-7599, between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, beginning on Monday, August 29, 2016; and on DCHA’s web site at www.dchousing.org.

SEALED PROPOSALS are due to the Issuing Office by 11:00am on Thursday, September 29, 2016.

Contact the Issuing Office, LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod on (202) 535-1212 or by email at lmmcleod@dchousing.org for additional information.

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Crossword Author: Myles Mellor • www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com

“Great Lines”

by Myles Mellor

Across: 1. They might monkey around 5. Add-on abbr.

8. Didn’t budge 11. Indian nanny 15. Acupuncture life force 18. Cuisine choice 19. Race for the Queen’s Cup 21. Subatomic particle 23. Start of a movie quote 26. Serpent of Egyptian art 27. School dance 28. Prefix meaning ‘’recent’’ 29. Charitable organization, e.g.

30. Dostoevski subject 34. Target on the green 35. Establish 37. Guinness World Records suffix 38. Dalmatians and dobermans 39. Southwestern ski resort 41. Call for quiet 42. Sofa or stool 45. Earthen stewpot 46. Suffix with journal 47. Slalom expert 49. Confine 53. Movie quote 57. “Strawberry” horse 58. Knock the socks off 59. Woodwind lower than a piccolo 60. Lion’s haunt 61. Agency controlling TV 64. Building additions 67. Decreed 69. Recite lines 72. Letter on some campus sweatshirts 73. Tiny leaf opening 75. Greek letter after sigma 76. Product placements 77. Humdrum 79. Long story 80. Hesitation 81. Whisper 82. Create, as a beehive 85. Philosophical principle from China 87. Ewes’ calls 91. Start of a movie quote

98. Sweetheart 99. Like fish 100. Sheepish sort 101. Like some food orders 102. It can come after “no one” or “someone” 104. Loss signifier 105. Glance at provocatively 106. Winged Greek god with a bow 107. Phone download 110. Composer of “Socrate” 112. Pasture sound 113. Bride’s wear 114. Prepare Peking duck, e.g.

117. Hit song by ABBA 118. Big tippler 119. Part of B.Y.O.B. 121. Movie quote 129. Hot spot used to reduce calcium 130. How pajamas fit 131. A magnet attracts it 132. __ sauce (Chinese condiment) 133. Posing no challenge 134. Botanical bristle 135. Stats, e.g.

136. Hostess’s handout

Down: 1. After-hours bank convenience 2. Scholastic society letter 3. Affinity for music 4. Officer’s address 5. Lays an egg 6. Fill-in worker 7. Cinematic F/X 8. Barbershop tool 9. Sleep like __ 10. It’s all over the streets 11. Nighttime problem 12. General follower 13. Hockey stick wood 14. Went hastily 15. Origami bird 16. Pebble Beach targets 17. Puget Sound, e.g.

20. One of Denmark’s oldest cities 22. Dinner date complement 24. Bran base

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 25. Quite active 30. Hollywood favorite 31. Sorrow, to Shelley 32. Winter home, perhaps 33. Japanese port 34. It should make you pause 35. Knee neighbor 36. Mosaic tiles 39. Chickadee cousin 40. Biblical rebuker of Balaam 41. Have a peak experience?

43. I knew it!

44. Tutu material 47. Slender and graceful 48. Sternum attachment 50. Horseshoe-shaped wear

51. Like Harvard Yard’s walls 52. They’re not seen as cool at school 54. Red leader?

55. Isn’t keeping up with bills 56. Place for a crown or cap 62. Stylishness 63. Winter warmer 65. Prune a tree 66. Horseshoer’s workshop 68. Disney elephant 69. Rose petal pest 70. Serious wrongdoing 71. South Seas kingdom 74. Body-cleanse berry 78. Keep on hand

WASHINGTON DC’S OWN TABLETOP GAMING CONVENTION

SEP 10-11 2016 At the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center.

Co-Sponsored by Labyrinth Games & Puzzles and Steve Jackson Games.

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83. ‘’Mission: Impossible’’ org.

84. Reasonable 86. The last of any series 88. Diet-ad photo caption 89. Preceder of said or mentioned 90. Utah state flowers 92. No-show’s test score 93. Baby bouncer 94. Wind (up) 95. Punching tool 96. Born name intro 97. Songstress Diana 103. Stands near those who sit 105. Boy Scouts take them 107. Seed coverings 108. Affliction FDR was diagnosed with 109. Prosperous 111. Local nonstudent 112. Physics particle 113. Hereditary factor, for short 115. The lady in question 116. Have an effect 118. Pack in a hold 119. Site of Norway’s Parliament 120. Causes 122. Rome’s Veneto 123. Mobile home?: Abbr.

124. Yet, in poesy 125. ___ and vigor 126. Fire in the blood 127. Violent opening?

128. South African antelope