Thanks, Connie
Dear Small-D Democrats:
All small-d democrats should thank Representative Connie Morella
(R-MD) for at least temporarily saving some small measure of democracy
for the District of Columbia. As themail wrote last week, Mayor Williams
and his supporters on the Control Board and on the Hill were quietly
lobbying Congress to set up some mechanism — either prolonging the
Control Board's powers or creating a “shadow” Control Board — that
would give the Mayor the continued freedom to refuse to deal with the
City Council and preserve his ability to override the Council's actions.
Last week, Rep. Morella prematurely inflated the trial balloon, and
tried to float the idea of a continued Control Board over the city.
Because of her poor timing, the balloon was then promptly shot down,
even by those who had been covertly supporting it. Delegate Eleanor
Holmes Norton, Mayor Williams, and Council Chairman Linda Cropp jointly
signed a letter denouncing the proposal; Control Board Chair Alice
Rivlin spoke against it. If this state of affairs continues, when most
of the Control Board's powers expire in four months and three weeks,
Mayor Williams' superveto power will also expire, and we have Rep.
Morella to thank for that. I didn't like it when Marion Barry could rule
unchecked by a compliant City Council, and I don't like it when Tony
Williams can rule unchecked by the unanimous opposition of the City
Council. Come October, it'll be good to see what democracy, separation
of powers, and checks and balances look like in this city.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Here are my remembrances from the 68 riots. As you can see the events
were burned into my memory and left quite an impression upon me Hope
this helps. Let me know if this helps or if you want to know anything
else. I was 6 years old when the riots happened. I was at my
great-grandmother's house, a block off H Street, which was among the
hardest hit corridors. My first inkling that something was up came as I
played in the yard and began seeing military vehicles full of National
Guardsmen speeding down our street. I also remember the sky clouding up
quickly, this was from the smoke of the fires. I remember my grandma
calling me to come inside, there was a certain urgency in her voice.
Soon sirens started to wail and there were a lot of people running
toward and away from H Street.
From our window we could see the flames of the burning buildings and
the smoke got so thick the street lights came on. Shortly after that my
mother arrived; she had been working downtown, and her office closed
early because of the disturbances. She told us how hard it was to get
home because the buses weren't running, and how a stranger had
“rescued” as many people as he could; they just piled into his car
and he took them as close as he could to where they needed to go. By
this time much of H Street was in flames, and the looting had started.
There were people running down our street with armloads of clothes,
TV's, and anything they could carry. Someone actually left a sofa in our
yard after it got too heavy for them to carry; it stayed there for days,
I guess they finally came back to get it. I remember that businesses and
homes owned by black people had makeshift signs on them that read
“Soul Brother.” This was apparently so they wouldn't be burned.
The flames began to get higher and my family decided it was time to
get out. We packed clothes and anything else we could carry into
shopping bags and suitcases and headed to an uncle's house who lived
farther away from H street, and ended up staying there until things died
down. I also remember that when we were on our way there, someone threw
a tear gas canister at us; we didn't know if it was the police or the
rioters. I remember my great grandfather sweeping me up into his arms
and putting his handkerchief over my face to shield me from the gas. In
the days that followed, burned out buildings continued to smolder all
along H Street, and even though people returned to those stores that
were spared, there were few goods on the shelves and the smell of
smoldering embers ad tear gas still hung in the air. I also remember
that later, perhaps in the late 70's as workers demolished what remained
of some of the burned out buildings, they came across a human skeleton.
They surmised that it was probably the remains of someone who had gotten
trapped in the building as it burned, the building was boarded up.
###############
The ’68 Riots
Connie Ridgway, kaniru@aol.com
I was very moved by Lee Perkins' story about his kittens and the
riots. The juxtaposition of an innocent life and the violence around it
was touching. The innocence of Martin Luther King and his violent death
came powerfully back to my memory. I moved to DC in 1978, and vividly
remember the corridor along 14th and U Streets, NW, with many vacant
buildings, looking untouched from ten years before. I used to take the
92 bus from Adams Morgan to Anacostia past it every weekday. I was told
that the Peoples Drug Store at 14th and U was where things started.
###############
When I heard of the riots. I was working at the Federal Office of
Education down at 4th and Maryland, SW. Since I lived in Lanham at the
time, some coworkers agreed to drive me to Chevy Chase to my in-laws
where my wife would pick me up. The crawl up Connecticut Avenue took
three hours, and we were wondering whether Chevy Chase was also burning.
It turned out that, in typical D.C. fashion, construction workers were
repaving a piece of street up around Van Ness, and that had slowed the
traffic down.
###############
Removing Recycling Bins
Jonathan Beeton, jbeeton@netzero.net
Does anyone know why or about the National Park Service removing all
of the recycling bins from the National Mall? This occurred at the
beginning of April, just in time for Earth Day. Would love it if you
could shed some light on this.
###############
On 16th and O Streets, NW, right next to the Nigerian Embassy, about
one quarter of the block is designated for Embassy Parking. There is a
no parking sign designated by a one-way arrow pointing east. In January,
I parked in the single space north of the sign, and was subsequently
issued a ticket. It appears that the Embassy needed my space, and called
the Secret Service to have me ticketed and towed. Sgt. Bradey, the
supervisor of the Uniform Services Division of the Secret Service, was
unimpressed when I complained to him that the ticket was inappropriately
issued. He told me to take it to court, which I did last March. Pictures
in hand, I took the ticket to court, and it was dismissed. As a follow
up, I sent copies of the adjudication finding, letters, and pictures to
the Secret Service, the Nigerian Embassy, the ticketing officer, and to
Councilmember Catania. To the Embassy, I requested that they behave as
good neighbors when citizens are parked legally. To the ticketing
officer, I asked that he act with integrity when carrying out the duties
of his job, opting not to process requests which were clearly
inappropriate. To the Secret Service, I asked that they give their
officers more guidance and authority in such situations where the rights
of citizens conflict with those of the diplomatic community. To Catania,
I asked that he follow up with the embassy to stress the importance of
not abusing their diplomatic privileges. Boy, was I naive.
Today, again, I was ticketed and towed. According to the responding
officer, he felt obligated to respond to the diplomats' request. He was
concerned that he would “get in trouble” if he elected not to write
the ticket. Sgt. Bradey — who was downright hostile — avers that the
decision to write the ticket is tantamount to the validity of the
citation. He suggested that I take it up through the court system again.
Catania's office never responded nor contacted the Embassy. The embassy
diplomat with whom I spoke agreed that the car was parked legally, but
felt it was up to the Secret Service not to issue the ticket if the
circumstances didn't justify the request. Ironically, the dialogue with
the Nigerian diplomat will probably resolve the issue for me in the
future. They have conceded that, if I leave my name and number with them
when I park in this legal space, they won't call to have me towed.
However, a solution should be crafted so that anyone who parks legally
should not be subject to ticketing or towing. Meanwhile, I have a $250
towing bill and an attitude. It appears that whenever the Nigerian
Embassy decides that they want the single undesignated space on O
Street, all they have to do is call the Secret Service and have citizens
towed. After speaking with them, they are unapologetic for misusing the
Secret Service in this manner. They argue — with some merit — that
the Secret Service should exercise the appropriate judgment in these
cases. The officers are apparently under pressure to respond to the
diplomats' requests, even at citizens' expense. Some say I should just
let this go. I am philosophically offended at the prospect of conceding
to the privileges of diplomats at the expense of my own right.
Can anyone offer any advice about how to deal with the Secret Service
and/or the diplomatic community on such an admittedly minor issue? To
whom should I speak? What is the process for getting a refund on a
towing bill that results from a ticket that is determined to be
inappropriately issued? It occurs to me that the owner of Younguns
Towing on Montana avenue will have no incentive to refund my money.
According to their agreement with the D.C. government, are they
obligated to do so?
###############
For years many in our city people have stayed in their neighborhoods
enduring high crime rates, high taxes, poor roads, poor services, filth
and garbage-lined streets and parks. Catania's legislation to limit
property tax increases to 25 percent will do a lot to help families to
hold on to their homes now that their neighborhoods are coming to life,
making them safer and cleaner. Those who worked so hard to make our city
more livable deserve to enjoy their rewards. They do not deserve to be
rewarded for their countless hours/days/years of volunteer work cleaning
up their neighborhoods with a hefty tax increase.
However, I hope the Council will go even farther. We all want our
home prices to continue to rise. We also want to be able to afford to
stay there and enjoy the rewards of our commitment to our neighborhood.
I would urge the Council to link property taxes to wages so that those
who do not see equal jumps in their wages will still be able to hold
onto their homes as the city continues its rebirth.
###############
I love having something utterly uncritical to think about, so I'm
wondering. Now that we're conjecturing about what happened to the BB
license plates, can someone tell me what happened to AS and AT. I
haven't seen any of those, I don't think, and both letter sequences
would predate the “taxation without representation” issue.
###############
Guten Tags: How To Prevent License Plate
Theft?
Mark Eckenwiler, eck@ingot.org
Bob Levine's recent post about his misfortune reminds me that license
plate theft is an ongoing problem on Capitol Hill (and perhaps elsewhere
in DC?), leading to a fairly obvious question: Is there a way to affix
one's plates so that stealing them requires more than fifteen seconds'
work with a standard screwdriver? (I'm familiar with Torx screws and the
like, but doubt I can find them sized and threaded to fit auto bolt
holes.) If no such thing exists, I sense a promising niche for the
budding inventor.
P.S. Victims of tag heists (as well as idlers with nothing better to
do than kill electrons) may find solace at http://www.acme.com/licensemaker/
and http://www.rtbrandon.com/blankplates/
###############
If your license plate is stolen: file a police report by phone and
wait for an Officer to call you back and generate a police report
number; take the remaining plate off, but make sure your car is on
private property when you do this, and take the remaining plate, valid
registration, proof of insurance, police report number down to DMV and
get a replacement set of plates and a new registration. Be prepared to
wait a long time.
There has to be a better way to do this. If DMV can register your car
on its website, they should be able to replace a license plate online.
The request for replacement should be able to generate a police report,
send out a new set of plates and new registration in the mail. I would
be happier to pay postage rather than spend the day at DMV.
###############
Compromised Coverage of the Destruction of DC
General
Scott McLarty, scottmclarty@hotmail.com
If you've followed the Post's coverage of the effort to
privatize and dismantle the city's public health care institution, you
might have noticed something interesting. The reports on DC General that
have appeared in the Metro section, written by Avram Goldstein, Sewell
Chan, and Robert Pierre, have generally been respectful of the concerns
of DC residents opposed to the Mayor's scheme and haven't hesitated to
discuss some of its deficiencies. Recent examples include Mr.
Goldstein's story “Health Care Prognosis Hazy” this past Sunday, May
6, and Marc Fisher's May 3 column, “When the People Lose Faith In a
Leader,” on how Mayor Williams betrayed the people's trust in
enlisting the unelected power of the Financial Control Board to force
the destruction of DC General. (My one complaint about the Metro stories
is that none have ever mentioned the DC Statehood Green Party, although
we've been prominent in demonstrations, public hearings, and coalitions
against the Mayor's plan. Sewell Chan has acknowledged to me that he
knows we've been present.)
But all fairness and objectivity were tossed overboard on Tuesday,
May 1, with Mr. Goldstein's and Bill Miller's front page lead story
“D.C. General Transferred From City to Private Firm: Control Board
Action Defies Wishes of Council, Protesters,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25103-2001Apr30.html,
which read in part like a press release from the Mayor's office and in
part a hatchet job on the protesters and other opponents. Nowhere does
it mention the protesters' grievances: the uncertainty over where to get
treatment, numerous layoffs, likely elimination of many low-income
working people from coverage, ruin of a cherished institution,
dictatorial power of the Control Board, etc., and the Mayor's arrogant
refusal to answer many of these concerns. Consider how the protesters
were identified — “supporters of Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. and
opponents of economic globalization” — an obvious ploy to discredit
and marginalize groups like the Health Care Now Coalition, SEIU and
other unions, etc. “Opponents of economic globalization,” without
further explanation, is meant to paint a picture of those rock-throwing
Starbucks-storming Black Bloc kids in Seattle. Some context would have
informed readers that local labor, environmental, and DC democracy
activists recognize parallels with the anti-democratic power of NAFTA,
WTO, FTAA, etc. to overturn nationally and locally legislated labor and
environmental protections and mandate privatization of public services
and resources around the world.
It's not difficult to see what's going on here. Front page lead
stories, unlike Metro articles, must express the Post's own
biases and business interests. Post editorials have favored the plan;
its op-ed pages have offered only minor caveats on the DC General deal,
mostly advice for Tony Williams on handling it more efficiently.
Entirely missing from the Post's coverage and the rest of DC's major
media is one of the major business motivations for the Mayor's plan: a
strategy to get a hold of the land on which DC General sits. The Mayor,
the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Federal City Council
(the elite business circle founded by Post mogul Philip Graham)
want this turf in order to build taxpayer-funded sports facilities in
preparation for a joint DC-Baltimore bid for the 2012 Olympics. Dorothy
Brizill wrote about this a few weeks ago in themail; anyone who wants
further information should visit http://www.dcwatch.com/issues/pbc-ncpc.htm
and http://www.thecommondenominator.com/mdp1ir99.html.
###############
A Crucial Moment for Local Democracy and DC
Health Care
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net
In the wake of the long-overdue decision on DC public health care,
the nation's capital city needs an immediate and firm demonstration of
responsibility from both its elected officials and its electorate. Third
World political rhetoric will not heal this city of its Third World
health, education, and crime problems. There is an art to governing in
this democratic/republic, and an equivalent art to being governed.
Nothing is less constructive or more corrosive than Joe Mouthoff a)
vilifying his elected officials for doing what they deem best rather
than what he may prefer; b) making patently false assertions about dying
from the world's best private health care; c) misrepresenting the
decisions made, where the majority stands, and the motivations of
elected officials; or d) claiming that redundant employees can only be
fired by God.
Chair Linda Cropp has taken an important step in her letter to the
Post (5/5/01) saying that the Council will support the health care
decision now made. But beyond words, actions need to be taken by both
DC's legislative and executive branches to make absolutely sure that the
chosen plan does not fail either by accident or design -- from within or
without the system. In short, strong safeguards need to be established
to openly monitor progress towards established goals, and to recommend
timely course corrections to the Mayor and the Council for assuring
success.
Why not establish an independent, bipartisan watchdog group of mature
regional healthcare specialists supported by a senior unit from a
federal IG group, charged with making public monthly reports of progress
or lack thereof, and offering alternative remedial plans? Such proposed
options could include: changing personnel, contracts, contractors or
laws; fine-tuning goals and fund allocations; and flushing out baseless
demagoguery. This group could also be obliged to maintain statistics on
performance from provider to patient, and listen to inputs from special
interest activists and assess their veracity. The centrality of this
health issue demands that the people of DC, both those governing and
those governed, act positively to maximize the chances of success and
minimize the chances of making an embarrassingly bad situation worse.
People across the US are listening to and watching how DC governs
itself.
###############
I read this article in the paper and was wondering how the writer can
assume that "the will of the people" was overturned when the
majority of the people have not given their opinions. The council and a
few demonstrators do not represent all of the people. I voted for
council members, but that does not mean that I support every position
that they take. The councilmembers believe they have sided with the
voters, but I believe that the Mayor and Congress can keep the path to a
balanced budget better than the councilmembers. Mayor Williams is
keeping his promise to voters by making tough decisions for the good of
the city.
###############
Who Let the Loonies Out?
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
Three weeks ago I made a facetious remark that Mayor Tony Williams
could walk out of his office and say “Chocolate Ice Cream” and two
bus loads of protesters would immediately voice their disapproval. How
prophetic since, just last week, the mayor announced that 11 May would
be “chocolate milk day” and he would pose for one of those milk
mustache ads. No sooner did that announcement come out the loonies came
out of the woodwork with a full page ad in the Washington City Paper
that claims the mayor is advocating drinking milk which causes prostate
cancer and a host of other unpleasant things in African Americans. Maybe
that's what happened to Marion Barry. He was drinking too much milk. Not
very likely, though.
Where do these loonies and protesters come from? Are there two
busloads of these folks available on call every day? Perhaps protesters
should be limited to one protest a month. Then we might see far fewer of
them at 1 Judiciary Square.
###############
What is going to constrain the further growth of the Metro and the
city above it? What can be done about it? Are trash transfer stations
really leper colonies, or just normal parts of urban transportation
planning? How is DC's employment skewed and does it effect political
outlook? Did you know DC has more than seven times its share of the
metro area's homeless? How's the new convention center construction
progressing? And is there an art to being governed? These and other
unfolding issues enliven the May update of the NARPAC web site at http://www.narpac.org.
Feedback almost always welcome. Get positively involved.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Shepherd Park Citizens Association Monthly
Meeting
Ralph A. Blessing, rblessin88@hotmail.com
The Shepherd Park Citizens Association's final meeting of the school
year will take place Tuesday, May 15, 7:30 p.m., at Shepherd Elementary
School, 14th and Jonquil Streets, NW. Agenda items include the Vision
Plan for Upper Georgia Avenue Development; Montgomery College expansion
into South Silver Spring and Jessup Blair Park; and D.C.'s redesigned
health care system. All are welcome to attend.
###############
Hearst Auction: It’s a Caribbean Sun Splash!
Elizabeth Vandivier, libbyv@charm.net
Hearst Elementary School, a D.C. public school, serving children from
all over the city, will sponsor a benefit auction Saturday, May 12, at
the Fannie Mae Great Hall located at 3900 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. We
invite all our D.C. neighbors and friends to join us for this fun-filled
event. The Caribbean Sun Splash will feature live entertainment,
Caribbean fare, beverages and an opportunity to bid on over 200 exciting
items including restaurant meals, tickets to sporting events and local
theaters, lunch with WUSA Channel 9's Gordon Peterson, a dinner for four
at the Four Seasons, a week-long stay at a Rehoboth beach house, hotel
getaways, tours of local media outlets, health club memberships and
much, much more.
Tickets for the Caribbean Sun Splash may be purchased at Hearst
Elementary at 3950 37th Street, NW. The phone number is 282-0106.
Tickets are $20 per person in advance; $25 at the door. This gala event
for adults will run from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Proceeds from the
fundraiser will help pay for the Spanish, science and visual arts
program. We look forward to seeing you there!
###############
John Eaton Elementary Science Expo
Madeline LaCore, mlacore@wusatv9.com
The Science Expo is coming to John Eaton Elementary on Thursday May
17th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It's not a Science Fair, it's an
opportunity for you to see classroom work from all grade levels in the
areas of science, math and/or technology. Activities planned include a
guest speaker, hands-on presentations, and exhibits from all classes.
The community is welcome to see science at its finest.
###############
DC Heritage Day — June 2
Mark David Richards, mark@bisconti.com
See DC with the people who know it best! We all know and love the
Washington, DC of monuments and memorials, but there is more to this
beautiful and historic city. Saturday, June 2, is a special day for
discovering the hidden treasures and unique neighborhoods that make DC a
vibrant and exciting place to live, work, and visit. DC Heritage
Neighborhood Day presents a new way for everyone visitors and residents
alike to experience the city. Tour guides, museum directors, civic
leaders, neighborhood historians, artists, performers, and long-time
residents welcome you to their communities. At 70 sites in 17
neighborhoods, these members and friends of the DC Heritage Tourism
Coalition have organized free activities and events to show you the
places they know and love. Whether your visit is a personal homecoming
or your first trip to the District, you'll be surprised at the diverse
history and cultural variety presented by these neighborhoods. All
activities are free unless otherwise noted. Participating neighborhoods:
Adams Morgan, Bellevue, Brookland, Capitol Hill, Cleveland Park, Chevy
Chase, Columbia Heights, Congress Heights, Downtown, Dupont Circle/Kalorama,
Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Lafayette Square, Marshall Heights, Meridian
Hill, Old Anacostia, The Palisades, Shaw/U Street, Southwest. Please go
the web site to get the schedule for each neighborhood: http://www.dcheritage.org.
###############
May Arts Workshops from Institute for
Transformation Through the Arts
Juliet Bruce, juliet@artsforlife.com
Writing Circle, May 12, 3-5:30 p.m., $20. “Writing in the Park.”
We'll meet at the waterfall behind Pierce Mill in Rock Creek Park at
Tilden and Park Rd. (weather permitting). Otherwise, we'll be at our
regular haunt, 1836 Kenyon Street, NW, in Mt. Pleasant. Call 667-3766 to
register and for directions. Creative Recovery, May 26, 3-5:15 p.m.,
$20. “Creating Balance and Harmony in Your Life Using the Principles
of Feng Shui and Qigong.” A movement and visual arts workshop open to
people in recovery or crisis, or who are interested in exploring their
creativity. (1836 Kenyon Street, NW, in Mt. Pleasant. We'll work
outdoors, weather permitting.)
The May and June workshops will conclude ITA's inaugural series (and
introductory rates). We're taking July and August off and we'll be back
in the fall with a whole new schedule of programs.
###############
TasteDC.com’s Updated May 2001 Calendar of
Wine and Food Events
Charlie Adler, wine@tastedc.com
1) May 10th, Thursday, “California vs. France Wine Tasting
Showdown,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 2121 P St., NW. Valet parking,
Metro Dupont Circle (Red Line), 7-7:30 p.m. reception, 7:30-9 p.m. wine
tasting, $55 per person. Who says that France makes better wine than
California does? Join Ann Berta, Washingtonian Magazine wine
columnist, as we compare and taste some of the world's finest wines.
Just to make this event even more interesting (and objective) all
bottles will be covered. These double-blind tastings are always fun and
showcase what's really important in a wine: great flavor and aroma. 2)
May 11th, Friday, “Napa Valley Vintner's National Tour,” sponsored
by the Shakespeare Theater Guild, La Maison Francaise at the Embassy of
France, 4101 Reservoir Road, NW, limited free parking on site, 7-9:00
p.m., wine tasting, $75 per person. Join more than 55 owners and wine
makers of the Napa Valley Vintners Association for a wine tasting at La
Maison Francaise to benefit the artistic, education and community
outreach programs of The Shakespeare Theater. The evening includes a
silent auction of wines, wine accessories and Shakespeare Theater
memorabilia. (Please note: if you're currently a member of the
Shakespeare Theater Guild, call 547-1122, option 3 for your tickets).
Partial list of wineries: Atlas Peak Vineyards, Cain Vineyard &
Winery, Charles Krug, Peter Mondavi Family, Chateau Potelle Winery,
Cuvaison, Diamond Creek Vineyards, Duckhorn Vineyards, Fife Vineyards,
Heitz Wine Cellars, Reverie on Diamond Mountain, Robert Mondavi Winery,
Saintsbury, Schramsberg Vineyards, Shafer Vineyards, St. Supery
Vineyards & Winery, Staglin Family Vineyard, Villa Mt. Eden, ZD
Wines and more! (Please note: 100 tickets available, this is a non-TasteDC.com
event and no refunds will be given for ticket purchases.) 3) May 15th,
Tuesday, “Wine Basics 101,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 7-7:30 p.m.
reception, 7:30-9 p.m. wine tasting, $40 per person. Our most attended
event! Part of our “Fundamentals of Wine Series” (all classes in the
“Series” can be taken individually). Learn how to order wine in a
restaurant, determine basic wine styles and varietals, pair wine and
food and more! 4) May 24th, Thursday, “Introduction to Italian
Wines,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 7-7:30 p.m. reception, 7:30-9 p.m.
wine tasting, $40 per person. Americans love Italy's dietary trinity of
bread, olive oil, and wine, but understanding their vino can be very
confusing. Join Ann Berta, wine columnist of Washingtonian Magazine,
as we taste a variety of regional wines that will enhance your
understanding and your taste buds as well! Nine wines will be tasted at
this event. 5) May 31st, Thursday, “Taste of Provence,” McLean
Gardens Ballroom, 3811 Porter Street, NW, 7-10:00 p.m., $65 per person,
inclusive ($55 per person for French American Chamber members).
Celebrate the cultural traditions of Provence and its culinary wonders.
An award-winning Chef from Provence will prepare a mouthwatering
regional buffet. You will have the opportunity to visit each region
while enjoying a variety of gourmet dishes and excellent wines.
Entertainment, raffle prizes and more are included. Business attire is
required. Limited valet parking. (Please note: this is a non-TasteDC.com
event and no refunds will be given for ticket purchases) Reservations: https://labyrinth.dgsys.com/clients/tasteusa.com/order.cgi?X_DCWineReservations,
phone 333-5588.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — WANTED
Double Jogger with Wheels
Ted DiBiase, twodeacons@aol.com
I am looking to buy a used double jogger with wheels 16" or
larger to take my 2 daughters on a run with me. My old one got stolen
from in front of my house. Contact me at twodeacons@aol.com.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this
Friday:
ROUGH START: Two months after spurning federal government suitors to
become the District's umpteenth director of the Department of Human
Services (DHS), Carolyn Colvin is causing controversy. She has brought
in cronies from Maryland, where she served during the William Donald
Schaefer administration as secretary of the Department of Human
Resources. She has renovated her office suite, installing a window where
there had been a wall, re-carpeting her inner office, and buying new
chairs and a fancy mahogany-finished executive desk. Her new chief of
staff appears to have used District government resources to complete a
consulting job unrelated to city business. And, according to one of her
critics, Colvin has marched into the agency's Mental Retardation and
Developmental Disabilities Administration “like the Gestapo,”
reassigning longtime employees, including that division's director,
Essie Page, and Page's deputy, Mike Jones.
“The new director and her team are the most disruptive force to hit
the city in a long time,” says one DHS source, who requested
anonymity. “[Management and morale] have never been worse.”
Read the entire Loose Lips column here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/lips/lips.html
From washingtoncitypaper.com's CITY LIGHTS page, here are a few early
warnings for upcoming events:
MONDAY: Theater J's Artistic Director Leigh Silverman and stars Paula
Gruskiewicz and Edward Gero discuss Arthur Miller's “The Ride Down
Mount Morgan” at 7 p.m. at the Corcoran Gallery of Art's Hammer
Auditorium, 500 17th St. NW. $15
TUESDAY: Neil Henry discusses his new book, Pearl's Secret: A Black
Man's Search for his White Family, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at
Olsson's Books & Records, 1200 F St. NW. Free.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
###############
themail@dcwatch is an E-mail discussion forum that is published every
Wednesday and Sunday. To subscribe, to change E-mail addresses, or to
switch between HTML and plain text versions of themail, use the
subscription form at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/subscribe.htm.
To unsubscribe, send an E-mail message to themail@dcwatch.com
with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Archives of past messages
are available at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail.
All postings should also be submitted to themail@dcwatch.com,
and should be about life, government, or politics in the District of
Columbia in one way or another. All postings must be signed in order to
be printed, and messages should be reasonably short — one or two brief
paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many messages as possible can
be put into each mailing.
