Consent Agreement

Dear Consenters:

A week past the firm deadline set for signing a consent agreement, yesterday the DC Department of Health and Greater Southeast Community Hospital signed a consent agreement that will allow the hospital to continue operating while it tries to bring its service up to minimal standards (http://www.dcwatch.com/issues/health030812.htm). How minimal? Within two months, the hospital will be required to provide two physicians on duty in the emergency room, and at least one physician during a 24-hour period has to be board certified. It has to provide an adequate and reliable water supply for a fire sprinkler system. It has to install a functioning emergency back-up power source. Other standards are just as ambitious.

Even more reassuring, the body that will judge whether the hospital is up to snuff at the end of two months is the DC Department of Health, which is responsible to and reports to the very same mayor who refuses to admit the mistake he made when he insisted that Greater Southeast Community Hospital be made the linchpin of his “health plan.” Even if the hospital loses its accreditation this month from the independent and respected national accreditation organization, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (http://www.jcaho.org), the “accreditation” of the DC Department of Health will be enough to keep the hospital open and receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments. Have you kept your health insurance payments up to date?

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com 

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Where’s the Supervision
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com

With more and more District government employees finding ways and means to cheat their employer and the taxpayers, one must wonder where the checks and balances are. Where is the supervision in this bloated bureaucracy that we are paying for? We have layer upon layer of so-called management (there is nothing resembling management, much less leadership), and no one is minding the store. They may have just scratched the surface of illegal activities. It's no wonder we won't be able to impose a commuter tax. That would just put more money in the District coffers for the employees to steal.

With luck, someday a real reform Mayor will show up, one who has enough courage to get rid of the layers of so-called management and to establish organizational elements that are team-based with real measurable goals and accountability.

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DC Defenders Set Media Straight
Chuck Thies, chuckthies@aol.com

In the course of advocating for DC's first-in-the-nation primary, fellow activists and I inevitably come across news stories with erroneous information about the nominating process, DC history, and voting rights. This is hardly surprising, given what we all know about the media's dreadful record when it comes to accuracy. Fortunately for DC, a group of diverse voting rights activists has formed a coalition of correspondents that set forth to correct false reports.

Our most recent success came just days ago. On August 10th the Associated Press ran a story in which they reported that the South Carolina primary “will be the Democrats' first contest where there is a large black population.” Of course, this is inaccurate, so we E-mailed the South Carolina bureau of the Associated Press. Later that day they ran this correction: “In an Aug. 10 story about Democratic presidential candidate Rev. Al Sharpton making a campaign stop in South Carolina, The Associated Press erroneously reported that South Carolina's Feb. 3 primary will be the Democrats' first contest where there is a large black population. Washington, DC, which also has a large black population, holds its primary Jan. 13.”

If you would like to join our group of “DC Defenders,” just send me an E-mail and you'll be alerted when there are egregious errors of fact in the press. You won't get any other E-mail, and each alert will come with a sample letter and contact info for the offending outlet. Note: the AP story in question can be found in its entirety here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41858-2003Aug10.html. The AP correction is here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45173-2003Aug11.html.

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Campaign Sign Violations Continue
Bob Summersgill, bob (at) summersgill.net

Considering Mayor William's $250,000 fine for campaign violations, you'd think he would be more sensitive to obeying our campaign laws. On the other hand, he managed to win despite his criminal activities during the campaign. He is still in violation of the campaign law that requires all candidates to remove their campaign signs within thirty days of the election. That period passed on December 9, 2002. William's campaign signs can still be seen around town. The DC Government's Clean City Initiative still lists eight Williams signs that have not been removed. This does not include the sign at 1601 R Street, NW, which I have just reported. Williams is not the worst offender. That dubious honor goes to Chris Ray, with 117 posters. Of candidates who actually won, only Vincent Orange still has more violations than Williams. The scofflaw list is at http://www.cleancity.dc.gov/campaign_posters.htm.

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Talk Is Cheap, or Is It?
Dorothy Brizill, dorothy@dcwatch.com

What does Virginia Hayes Williams, the mayor's mother, have in common with Eleanor Clift of Newsweek; Arianna Huffington, syndicated columnist and candidate for California governor; Heloise of Hints from Heloise; author Kitty Kelly; feminist Betty Friedan; political commentator Paul Duke, talk show host Dennis Wholey; radio talk show host Diane Rehm; Washington Post columnist Bob Levey; and Steve Ford, actor and President's son?

They are all public speakers listed on the roster of the Du Plain International Speakers Bureau (http://www.duplain.com), and Mrs. Williams's fee range, described as “up to $5,000,” keeps pace with most of her colleagues. On the Du Plain web site, Virginia Williams is described as, “Organizer of school activities, Campaign fund-raiser, Education fund director, Community activist, America's first heroic dramatic soprano and opera singer, Mother of nine children. A musical family and her own love of music motivated mrs. Williams' calling to a musical profession. She became a distinguished performer recognized for the power and versatility of her voice. As a successful Opera Singer, she performed with the Lira Opera Company. She performed on the sound track of several movies including 'Carmen Jones' and 'Porgy and Bess.' While enjoying a flourishing musical career, Mrs. Williams also became a much loved and respected community leader, by providing opportunities for aspiring young talent to be heard and appreciated. Mrs. Williams lends her strong, clear voice, in words and/or song, to issues and events concerning children, community activism and education. She is also sought after as a panelist on these subjects. Her warmth and enthusiasm brighten and enlighten any gathering.” Interestingly, Du Plains doesn't mention her son Tony's job in her resume. It mustn't be a strong selling point.

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Commercial Development in Tenleytown
Carolyn Sherman, sherman2@bellatlantic.net

We invite anyone who's pro-development — that is sensible development — to join our group, the Coalition to Stop Tenleytown Overdevelopment. Contrary to what some “Smart Growth” advocates would like to believe and certainly would like others to believe, our group is not NIMBY-like at all. We welcome developments like Tenley Hill, the condo recently constructed within the current zoning that is a real addition to the life of the neighborhood.

Current zoning doesn't mean no change. It means protecting our neighborhood from the greed of developers who would add massive, dense monstrosities to our streets with no regard for congestion, esthetics, or impact on the single-family neighborhoods that make up our community. Current zoning allows five to six stories of residential or commercial development that's well within Smart Growth standards for density.

Rezoning is not a right. Our group is demanding that the DC government enforce its own zoning laws to preserve a neighborhood that some may call boring but that many of us cherish as home. If developers can rezone at will, no one's neighborhood is safe.

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Historical Preservation
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aoldotcom

On balance I have come to realize that historical preservation status is a good thing. Admittedly there are exceptions (notably the Tenleytown Firehouse and the Wisconsin Avenue Hechingers buildings). The restoration of the Carnegie Library was quite worthwhile, turning it into a City of Washington Museum. Last weekend, on a four-day jaunt to my old stomping grounds in the Big Apple, I saw two marvelous restorations. The first is Bryant Park, right behind the New York City Library on 42nd Street. Once a haven for druggies and the homeless, the park has been restored, landscaped, and outfitted for local residents' use. The park was thronged with folks last Sunday. There is a tree covered and landscaped border to the park with tons of chairs and tables. The center of the rectangular park is grassed and open for watching films on the large screen at one end of the open area. Two large outdoor cafes are at the ends of the park. There's even a Bryant Park Reading Club with three rollaway carts filled with books and periodicals for visitors to read. Another major restoration that is wonderful is the old Grand Central Train Station and Terminal just down 42nd Street from Bryant Park. That old architectural gem has been completely restored to its former greatness and features shops and restaurants much like the restoration of Union Station in DC.

The NIMBYs are out again in Tenleytown, this time to object to new apartment construction to replace Martens Volvo and Babe's Pool Hall, both on Wisconsin Avenue, within convenient walking distance of the Tenleytown Metro Station. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if those Tenleytown NIMBY nuts apply for historical preservation status for Babe's.

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Tenleytown Development
Buddy Yingling, buddydc1@msn.com

In the August 10 themail, Lyla Winter wrote regarding Tenleytown: “The anti's, who apparently include Kathy Patterson, are vocal and well-organized. Does anyone out there know of a contact for a pro-development group?”

There is some discussion of these issues on the Tenleytown Yahoo Group which I moderate. The web page is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tenleytown. Also, there is a group calling themselves the “Ward 3 Smart Growth Coalition.” Their web site is http://www.dcsmartgrowth.org, E-mail info@dcsmartgrowth.org.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

Take Back Your Time, August 16
Barbara Conn, bconn@cpcug.org

Everyone has the same number of hours each month, but some always run behind while others have taken control of their time and their schedules. If you're ready to take back your time by learning time management techniques you can use immediately, join us as Susan Kousek of Balanced Spaces, LLC, a professional organizer and computer trainer, tells us how to save hours by prioritizing tasks, setting goals, staying focused, strategically scheduling the day, and applying sophisticated deadline management.

Gather your friends, colleagues, and family members and bring them to the Saturday, August 16, 1:00 p.m. (check-in: 12:45 p.m.), meeting of the Capital PC User Group (CPCUG) Entrepreneurs and Consultants Special Interest Group (SIG). Meetings are free and are held each month. This month's meeting is at the West End Library (Second Floor Large Meeting Room) at 1101 24th Street, NW, within three blocks of the Foggy Bottom Metrorail Station on the Blue and Orange Lines. For more information about the seminar, the speaker, CPCUG [a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization], and to register for the meeting, visit http://www.cpcug.org/user/entrepreneur/803meet.html.

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Still Space for Artists/Crafters at Glover Park Day, September 6
Judie Guy, gpgazed@aol.com

The bad news: The 14th Annual Glover Park Day was definitively rained out back on June 7 (wasn't everything?). The good news: We rescheduled to Saturday, September 6 — same time, same place: from 11 until 5 on the grounds of Guy Mason Recreation Center, just east of the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Calvert Street in Northwest Washington. We still have room for artists/crafters to sell their work. Space rental is inexpensive — just $35 for the day, you keep all your profits. So if you're interested, please contact me at the E-mail above.

Glover Park Day also includes live music (this year Hokum Jazz, Ed & Jack, the Aloha Boys, Trio Blue, and Blues Musuem), food (Thai, Mexican, Faccia Luna pizza, great burgers) from some of our neighborhood restaurants, prize drawings, and activities for children. Our neighborhood is just south of the Washington Cathedral and north of Georgetown. It encompasses more than 3000 homes and 8000 residents. About 1500 to 2000 residents and friends come each year, including young single professionals, families with children, seniors, and students. Admission to Glover Park Day is free, so bring the whole family and come for the day!

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CLASSIFIEDS — FREE

Stuff from the Cellar
Bell Clement, bellclement@msn.com

It’s time to clear out the cellar, and there’s stuff down there that my rat-pack heart hates to see hauled off to the dump. Given to anyone who can haul them away: 1) a man's 10-speed bike, 2) a woman's bike, and 3) a child's bike (all need refurbishing — tires, etc.); 4) a refrigerator; 5) a small gas stove (the last round of renovators at my place brought the refrigerator and stove in here, years ago, in working condition then; but I’ve never used them so can’t vouch); 6) a 20-gallon aquarium (with some of the accouterments, though I don't believe the present filter is working); 7) kid’s clothes (boy’s and some unisex up to about age 10); 8) women’s clothes (size 10-ish – for the office). I’m just off 14th Street in Columbia Heights. E-mail me if you can help.

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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS

Hearing Aid Specialist
Sol Shalit, sss.sol@gte.net

I would like to recommend an outstanding hearing aid professional whom I consider, based on my own personal experience, to be truly exceptional. He is knowledgeable, highly competent, experienced, and reasonably priced. Most importantly, he does not have a big operation, and unlike others does not delegate the work to recently graduating youngsters, but (as the owner) gives attentive personal service himself. I highly recommend him. Ted Park, BC-HIS, Professional Hearing Aid Service, 2141 K. Street, NW, 20037; telephone 785-8704; Metro: Foggy Bottom. Disclosure: I have no family or financial connection with him.

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Competent and Friendly Computer Fixer
Sue Bell, bellsue@aol.com

My computer was afflicted with the virus/worm. I was desperate, until I called a local computer guy I had heard about. Sixty dollars and one hour later, my computer was back in wonderful health, patched with new virus this and firewall that. He's great, and if you need computer help E-mail him: Bruce Maliken, bsmaliken@yahoo.com.

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