Voting
Dear Voters:
We're being told that it is our civic duty, at least if we're
registered as Democrats, to troop out to the polls on Tuesday and
pretend that we believe we're casting a real vote in a real election,
when we're really just participating in a non-binding beauty contest.
(Line from an internal Democratic State Committee memorandum distributed
by Chairman A. Scott Bolden: “The January 13th event will be referred
to as the Democratic Preferential Advisory Primary. We will not use the
terms non-binding or beauty contest, etc.”) Apparently, the reason
that this is our civic duty, when it isn't our civic duty to respond to
pollsters, is that the geniuses who engineered our disenfranchisement in
this primary would be embarrassed if we didn't turn out in sufficient
numbers. (From the DSC memorandum: “We will not reference turnout
percentages when talking with media or at public events.”)
It isn't a civic duty not to embarrass the people who took our vote
away in this primary. Far be it from me to tell people not to express
their preferences, or to stay home on Tuesday. But I have to admit I
don't know which is more embarrassing: to have a low turnout and prove
that DC voters are so indifferent to voting rights that we won't turn
out for a presidential primary, or to have a high turnout and prove that
DC voters are so dumb about voting rights that we don't know the
difference between a real election and a sham.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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The Right to Bear Arms and Winged Monkeys
Janet Hess, hessj@ix.netcom.com
Two things have raised my spirits this week: the return of Joe Gibbs,
and the publication of the District's “Voters Guide” to the
Presidential Preference Primary. You've probably heard about the first,
but let me commend the second.
Until I'd read this official publication of the DC Board of Elections
and Ethics, I had not realized what an exciting slate of candidates we
face on Tuesday. The Candidate Statements are not to be missed. Where
else can you read about gene splicing to create a race of winged monkeys
to act as tooth fairies? Or the world's presently onrushing general
monetary-financial crisis, or the proposal to shut down the whole court
system, removing lawyers from the bench and replacing them with psychics
and psychiatrists? We have our share of special candidates, my friends.
In fact, as a coworker observed, some of these folks make Lyndon
LaRouche seem positively mainstream. Be sure to study up before leaving
for the polls.
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There's a solution for those of us who'd like to cast a vote in the
DC primary (to fulfill our all-important civic responsibility) but don't
want to lend support to a candidate we don't in fact support. A vote for
Vermin Supreme meets all the criteria for a classic protest vote. Why
hasn't he gotten any mention in this forum? For a good chuckle, check
out his platform at http://www.zerohits.com/vermin/vermin1.html.
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For those DC Democrats who do not like the candidates on the DC
advisory primary ballot, staying home on Tuesday (January 13th) is not a
good option. It sends the wrong message about the importance of DC
voting rights. Unfortunately, there is no write-in option, so DC
residents who are registered Democrats and want to express support for
Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman, etc. And DC voting rights are in a tough
position.
I heard that Council Member Jack Evans is trying to tell people to
write in their choice anyway, but there is no way that voters will know
how or where to do that. Instead, it seems that many people are using
Vermin Supreme's name as a consensus "none of the above"
option to send a signal. Vermin Supreme, a self-described political
clown, has no discernible platform and cannot be awarded delegates or
elected to any office as a result of the primary vote, so he seems like
a good option for those who would otherwise stay home. I think reporters
can safely interpret his results as a gauge of the protest vote.
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The Media has refused to cover the campaign of the strongest “non-
national” candidate in Tuesday's Democratic primary election, Arthur
H. Jackson Jr. Elected in the year 2000 as a DC Democratic State
Committeeman, Jackson has campaigned in every ward , meeting with
Democrats and talking about how we can make the National Democratic
Party respect our rights. We are proud to announce our most recent
endorsement, The New Democratic Alliance, a reform group of progressive
DC Democrats. The Alliance has provided volunteers and support staff for
The Jackson for President Campaign.
Our campaign schedule includes: Monday morning greeting of voters at
Anacostia Metro Station, Petworth, Ft. Dupont and Minnesota Avenue. On
Tuesday January 13, the candidate will meet the press at Bald Eagle
Recreation Center in Ward 8 (where he will vote). And after voting he
will tour the city's polls. For further information contact Al Hatcher,
Sr., Chairman, and Arthur H. Jackson, candidate, the People for Jackson
for President 2004, ahjgroup@earthlink.net.
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DC Primary Catch 22
Jay E. Vinton, jayvinton@nih.gov
The primary this coming Tuesday is a bogus farce. It is nonbinding,
includes only four of the candidates, and doesn't allow write-ins. So
you have no way to vote for the candidate of your choice, but will be
accused of hurting DC's reputation for participatory democracy if you
don't vote. I'm planning to cast a blank ballot next Tuesday.
Apparently the nearest thing to a real deal will be Saturday,
February 14, when Democrats will be able to select a portion of
delegates in a binding caucus. I understand that the Ward 3 caucus will
be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Columba's Church. 4201 Albemarle
Street, NW. does anyone know whether one can vote anytime between 10
a.m. and 4 p.m., or will there be a single vote taken at one time
somewhere between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.? i got the caucus information from
the following web site: http://www.dcdemocrats.org/,
though I had difficulty getting the pages to load on my PC.
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Vote Tuesday, January 13, in the DC
Presidential Primary
Mark David Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
The yearlong effort to increase national awareness about DC's need
for equal rights is coming to a peak this Tuesday. I realize that not
everyone has been supportive of the measure and the ups and downs have
been a learning experience. But the significant time those of us who
worked on this spent was worth it. We have seen major coverage of the
issue, from reports on the Voice of America, http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=987C717E-3A71-4D5A-BE7F66154A57A498,
to Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=4107006,
and AP and others. More people have heard about this issue than would
have if we had not taken this controversial measure. All Democratic
candidates took positions on DC disenfranchisement and even on DC's
structural imbalance; see http://dcfirst.org/candidates/index.php.
Gov. Dean has pledged, if he wins the nomination and Presidency, to call
on Congress to pass a DC voting rights bill in his first State of the
Union address. I am supporting Gov. Dean because he told me that he
would work to change DC's colonial status if he wins and he is well
aware of the issues associated with the lack of equal Congressional
voting rights and full self-government. But I want to tip my hat to all
those who are on DC's ballot — they are all champions for DC democracy
who were willing to stick with DC on January 13. Rep. Kucinich pledged
to introduce a statehood bill in the next session of Congress. Rev. Al
Sharpton and Ambassador Moseley-Braun have come out strongly supportive
of DC equal rights via statehood. I encourage you to vote for any of
these candidates.
2004 is DC's fortieth anniversary of its first vote for President in
1964, following passage of the 23rd amendment in 1961. DC residents were
so excited to have won the right to vote for President that they turned
out in unprecedented numbers. Today, I think we are probably a much more
cynical District. The amendment that give DC the right to vote for
President initially had provisions for DC Congressional voting rights,
but they were stripped out. Forty years later, DC residents are still
partial, but not whole, citizens. Go out and vote on Tuesday to send a
signal that you support equal rights for DC. If you do not support any
of the candidates who are on DC's ballot, you have another option to be
counted. Write the name of your candidate on the ballot and it will be
set aside and counted as a contested vote and the record will show you
voted. So please vote on January 13th. And get involved in the caucuses
in February and March, when DC's ten elected delegates will be chosen. I
know we need to move beyond symbolism. The question, as always, is how.
Vote!
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Absentee Ballot
Bill O’Field, DC Board of Elections and Ethics, wofield@dcboee.org
I am writing in response to Mary Alice Levine’s January 4th posting
regarding her eighteen-year-old daughter’s absentee ballot. Ms. Levine
wrote that her daughter cast her ballot on a touch screen voting machine
and that it included “all the Democratic contenders, including the
five that reportedly have been taken off the DC Primary ballot.” The
ballot on the touch screen voting machine is the same as the paper
ballot that is voted on the optical scan voting machine. The Democratic
Party ballot contains the names of eleven candidates. Those candidates
are, in ballot order: Howard Dean, Florence Walker, Al Sharpton, Arthur
H. Jackson, Jr., Dennis J. Kucinich, Lucian Wojciechowski, Jeanne Chebib,
Carol Moseley Braun, Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr., Harry Braun, III, and
Vermin Supreme. Five of the candidates are considered “nationally
recognized” and therefore were placed on the ballot. It is true that
there were five other “nationally recognized” candidates who
requested in writing that their names not appear on the ballot.
Therefore, their names are not on the ballot. The other Democratic
candidates whose names are on the ballot also went through the District’s
ballot access process. The Democratic ballot can be viewed at http://www.dcboee.org/information/ey_2004_index.shtm,
and the DC Statehood Green Party ballot can be viewed at http://www.dcboee.org/information/ey_2004_index.shtm.
For more information about the January 13 Presidential Preference
Primary visit the Board’s web site at http://www.dcboee.org or call
727-2525 (TDD: 639-8916).
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Exploratory Shenanigans
Dorothy Brizill, dorothy@dcwatch.com
In Thursday's Washington Post, Mayor Anthony Williams revealed to
reporter Craig Timberg that he was going to establish an “exploratory
committee” to determine whether to run for a third term as mayor
(“Williams Considers Trying for a 3rd Term,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63843-2004Jan7.html).
Although this announcement may serve to create some doubt about whether
Williams is actually a lame duck and may deter potential political
rivals from starting their campaigns early, Williams hasn't convinced
many people that he actually intends to run again for the office. The
real reason for Williams to establish an exploratory committee wasn't
mentioned in the Timberg story.
Exploratory committees are a huge loophole in DC campaign finance law
(see http://ocf.dc.gov/cfg/cfg_sec6.htm).
Williams raised $2.6 million for his last mayoral campaign, but in its
last report that campaign was still in debt, and the campaign and
Williams personally are still racking up substantial additional legal
bills. This year, Williams will also face a serious recall campaign. At
this point, most people who would be willing to contribute more money to
Williams have already contributed the legal maximum to his last
campaign. But if Williams starts a new exploratory committee, under the
pretense that all he is doing is exploring whether or not to run for
office again, he can go back to the same people for additional funds.
Moreover, exploratory committees don’t have any reporting or
registration requirements — they don’t have to report or publicly
disclose who gives money or how the money is spent. And contributors to
exploratory committees, unlike those to campaign committees, are not
limited by any monetary limit. If the mayor were actually to run for a
third term, he would have to report on the fundraising and spending
activities of his exploratory committee, and have to return any
contributions that exceeded the campaign contribution limit. But as long
as he doesn’t run again, the activities of the exploratory committee
— how much money it raises and how it is spent — will be secret,
unregulated, and unreported.
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Metro has voted to add to the names of two Metro station to designate
the surrounding community — “Brentwood” to the Rhode Island Avenue
station and “Penn Quarter” to the Navy Memorial/Archives station.
From the Metro section of the January 8, Washington Post, “DC
transportation officials estimate that updating the Rhode Island and
Archives-Navy Memorial signage will cost $100,000 per station. The cost
of signage at the new station is already figured into its cost of more
than $103 million.” [“Metro in Brief,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2059-2004Jan8.html.]
Metro is always crying poor. Wouldn't Metro be better served by
spending the money (raised by fare increases) to fix ailing elevators
and escalators?
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Elizabeth Campbell, Founder of WETA
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
The world of education lost a dear friend on Friday with the passing
of Elizabeth Campbell at 101 years of age. Her life work included the
founding of WETA (public television) and courageous work as the leader
of a movement to integrate the Arlington public schools — the first
school district in Virginia to become integrated. An appreciation of her
life's work appears in Saturday's Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4738-2004Jan9.html.
She appeared in a recent documentary, “It's Just Me,” about the
effort to integrate the Arlington public schools. Her very powerful
strategy in this effort was to found a movement called the “Better
Schools Movement,” that included both modernizing and integrating the
schools. All opponents of this movement were by definition against
better schools.
We could all learn a thing or two from Elizabeth Campbell. She knew
how to effect change — and she kept at it for more than a century. I'm
hoping WETA will produce a full documentary about her life's work.
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Life Imitates Fiction
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
Life: http://shorterlink.com/?26R1CG.
Fiction: http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/icecubeclub/.
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Parking Enforcement on January 2
Jack McKay, jack.mckay@verizon.net
The responses to the complaints about parking tickets issued on
January 2, which was or was not a holiday, depending on your source,
reveal that the Department of Motor Vehicles doesn't comprehend the
purpose of parking tickets. Tickets, and the concomitant fines, are not
for revenue generation, as if you simply pay an extra $30 or $50
“fee” for “special” parking. Tickets are supposed to deter
illegal parking, presumably because such parking interferes with traffic
flow or causes safety hazards. Prevention is the sole purpose of parking
tickets, not punishment, and not revenue generation.
Since the people who mis-parked on January 2 generally did so due to
misinformation about the holiday status, there is utterly no deterrent
factor involved. All such tickets should be revoked, because no valid
purpose is served by punishing people for a misunderstanding.
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Government by Washington Post?
Larry Seftor, Larry underscore Seftor at compuserve dot
com
I am totally stunned by the claim, by those who got parking tickets
on January 2, that legal holidays in DC are now decided by the
assertions of the Washington Post. Legal holidays are determined
by the DC Government. The Post tries to do a service by informing
us about holidays, but mistakes in the Post cannot change the holiday or
the need to follow the law. Just for the record, the Post also
stated that trash would not be picked up on January 2. Everyone in my
neighborhood ignored the Post and put out their trash. I guess the
collection personnel don't read the Post because the trash was
efficiently picked up, as expected.
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Update on the January 6 Council Vote on
Property Taxes
Stephen Posniak, sposniak@earthlink.net
The Council's closed-to-the-public pre-session breakfast meeting on
January 6 went even longer than usual — two hours, during which I am
told there was much acrimony. At the Council’s session, Councilmember
Evans moved an amended version of his bill, Bill 15-303 (which had
already been amended by Kathy Patterson on December 2), making the 10
percent cap on property tax (not assessment) increases effective with
the March 04 rather than the March 05 tax bills, although the measure is
still dependent on the Mayor's and CFO's incorporating it in a new
budget plan. (Kathy Patterson says they do have funds available for the
10 percent cap, although not for all of Phil Mendelson's other (newly
introduced) legislation as well.) Chairman Cropp moved to table the
Evans bill until a special Council session to be held on January 20. Her
motion passed by 9-4, with Evans, Catania, Patterson, and Graham voting
against tabling. This, and possibly other measures (see below) are
supposed to be voted on by the Council at a special session on Tuesday,
January 20.
The Finance and Revenue Committee just scheduled another hearing for
10 a.m. next Tuesday, January 13, to discuss the Mendelson's and other
Johnny-come-lately bills. It is critical that as many people as possible
either testify in person (deadline for signing up in theory is close of
business on Friday, January 9, but the Clerk says they will be lenient),
or alternatively, provide written testimony, which can be submitted by
E-mail. I am told that currently Mendelson, Cropp, Brazil (all At-Large)
plus Chavous, Orange, and Fenty are leaning against it, with Schwartz,
Ambrose, Graham, Patterson, Evans, and Catania favoring it. Please
testify (by E-mail or letter if you can't get there in person at next
Tuesday's hearing stating that first financial priority should be given
to the Evans bill (15-303 as amended on January 6). Please state your
complete opposition to Bill 15-619, which enacts the ten percent limit
only for the '04 bills, with ALL of the additional taxes from the total
increased assessment going in effect in '05! (If you really want to get
some attention, you should suggest that 15-619 should instead be amended
to say that effective with the '05 tax bills, the tax will not increase
over that due for 04 by more than the CPI (cost of living), which is
what PG County, Michigan, Florida, and a number of other jurisdictions
do!)
In addition to providing testimony at the January 13 Committee
hearing, it is also important that you contact your individual Ward
Council Member and all of the At-Large Members (Brazil, Cropp, Mendelson,
Schwartz, as well as Evans and Patterson. Keep in mind that among the
At-Large’s, Cropp and Brazil are currently opposed to the latest
version of Bill 15-303. Tell them you expect them to approve the version
of Bill 15-303 exactly as it was approved by the Finance and Revenue
Committee on November 26, with, if necessary, additional language
instructing the Mayor and CFO to make the appropriate budgetary cuts in
response to the fact that their homesteaded residential property tax
revenue will, in March and September 2004, increase by no more than ten
percent.
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Property Tax Assessment Increase
Peter Luger, luger p j at georgetown dot edu
Why do people who have owned their homes for many, many years and now
have property worth hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars more
than it was when they bought it, act surprised that the government would
want to tax them on that property somewhere near its actual market
value? I know this example doesn't apply to many homeowners to the
extreme of hundreds of thousands. But the simple fact is, home values
have soared in DC since around 1999. All of us who owned property since
then have had a little chuckle whenever we got our tax bill and saw that
a home now worth $250,000 was valued by the DC government at a
ridiculous $100,000. It was a rare case of the DC government's
ineptitude saving the taxpayer some money. Well, now they've caught up
with themselves. Consider the years gone by as a tax holiday; now you've
got to pay for what you've really got. (I know I'm gonna get bashed for
this one. In the words of Mr. Bush, “Bring it on!”)
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Rude and Inconsiderate
Gwen Southerland, gwensouth@aol.com
Thanks for the article [Ed Barron, themail, January 7] on use of the
front door when exiting the Metro bus. I do it all the time, simply
because the rear door is somewhat difficult to push open. But frankly, I
didn't know any better. I certainly didn't think of myself as being rude
though. However, I will use the rear door for exiting from now on. Metro
might want to educate its riders to do so as well.
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January 2004 InTowner
Peter Wolff, intowner@intowner.com
This is to advise that the January 2004 on-line edition has been
uploaded and may be accessed at http://www.intowner.com. Included are
the lead stories, community news items and crime reports, editorials
(including prior months' archived), restaurant reviews (prior months'
also archived), and the text from the ever-popular “Scenes from the
Past” feature. Also included are all current classified ads. The
complete issue (along with prior issues back to March 2002) also is
available in PDF file format by direct access from our home page at no
charge simply by clicking the link provided. Here you will be able to
view the entire issue as it appears in print, including all photos and
advertisements. The next issue will publish on February 13. The complete
PDF version will be posted by early that Friday morning, following which
the text of the lead stories, community news, and selected features will
be uploaded shortly thereafter.
To read this month's lead stories, simply click the link on the home
page to the following headlines: 1) “Public Input Sought on Multiple
Fronts in Columbia Heights; Some Believe Advice Being Ignored”; 2)
“Columbia Heights Projects' Status Update”; 3) “Mayor's Shifts
Strategy for Funding Target Stores' Garage Slated as Part of New
Commercial in Columbia Heights” [Analysis & Commentary]; 4) “New
Regulations Proposed for Historic Preservation; Cleveland Park Objects
That ANCs May Lose Influence.”
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What’s Ahead for K Street and Teenage Girls
in DC?
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net
Teenage pregnancies have been on the downswing for the past decade
both nationally and in DC. Chances are good that school enrollment,
school crime, school dropouts, and lifelong poverty will eventually
decline as well. And the rate of decline may be about to increase. Check
out our analysis at http://www.narpac.org/NCI.HTM#births.
Preliminary plans are now out for public review on a K Street
“Busway” running between Georgetown and Union Station. We fully
support this new form of public transit and, not surprisingly, have lots
of suggestions for making it more creative and futuristic. See how it
might spark other improvements in the affected area at http://www.narpac.org/METROLIT.HTM#kbusway.
Check out these and other topical additions to the January update of
NARPAC's web site at http://www.narpac.org/INTHOM.HTM,
and have a happy new year.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
National Building Museum Events, January 12
and following
Briana Hensold, bhensold@nbm.org
Monday, January 12, 6:30-8:00 p.m., The New Moroccan Style. Author
Susan Sully will discuss the Moroccan style, a blending of indigenous
North African, Middle Eastern, and European architectural languages, and
show how it continues to reflect the unique history of its region. After
the lecture, she will sign copies of her book New Moroccan Style: The
Art of Sensual Living (Clarkson Potter). $10, museum members and
students; $15 nonmembers. Wednesday, January 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Smart
Growth: Building a Better Los Angeles. The Transportation and Land Use
Collaborative of Southern California (TLUC) works to ensure balance
between growth, economic development, and environmental stewardship in
the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Katherine Perez, TLUC's executive
director, will discuss how to build broad support for better development
patterns and community design in a rapidly growing, changing metropolis.
Free. Registration not required. This series of lunchtime lectures is
copresented with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Smart
Growth Network.
Wednesday, January 14, 7:30-8:30 p.m., exhibition opening and lecture
of DC Builds: The Anacostia Waterfront. In this special program, Mayor
Anthony Williams will discuss the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, a
partnership among various DC and Federal agencies that will create a
new, vibrant riverfront. The initiative seeks to unify the waterfront
into a diverse but cohesive mixture of commercial, residential,
recreational, and open-space uses through coordinated development and
conservation. He will be joined by renowned London architect Lord
Richard Rogers and Barcelona's chief architect Josep Acebillo Marin to
discuss great waterfronts in London, Barcelona, and Washington, DC
Advance registration required. Made possible by the Government of the
District of Columbia, the Summit Fund of Washington, and other generous
supporters. Friday, January 16, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., member preview of
DC Builds: The Anacostia Waterfront. National Building Museum members
and their guests are invited to attend a private viewing and exclusive
curator-led tour of DC Builds: The Anacostia Waterfront before the
exhibition's public opening. To RSVP for the tour or inquire about
Museum membership, please call 272-2448 x3500 or E-mail membership@nbm.org.
Sunday, January 18, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Flying in the Great Hall.
Learn about model airplanes as members of the DC Maxecuters fly their
rubber band-powered, free-flight model airplanes in a series of launches
in the Museum's Great Hall. Free. Appropriate for all ages. Registration
not required. 1:00-3:30 p.m., Airplane Mobiles. Families create simple
mobiles with "airplanes" and decorate them with various craft
materials. $3 per mobile. Appropriate for all ages. Registration not
required. Friday, January 23, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. CityVision final
presentation. Join this semester's finale of the Museum's CityVision
outreach program when middle school students from District of Columbia
public schools present their projects for improving the neighborhoods of
Anacostia, LeDroit Park, and Petworth. Through classroom and on-site
instruction, CityVision students learn the process of urban design and
improve their critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork skills.
Refreshments will be served. Tickets free. Registration required. To
register, contact Stacie Lemmon at 272-2448 x3556, or slemmon@nbm.org,
by January 21/
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Eric Price, Forum Speaker, January 14
Janet W. Brown, janetwbrown@igc.org
You and your friends and colleagues are invited to hear Eric Price,
DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, speak on Housing
and Economic Development on Wednesday, January 14, at 5:30 p.m. at the
Wilson Building, Room G-9. This is the final presentation in the
Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities' fall forum series,
Housing for the City, sponsored by The Enterprise Foundation and the
Fannie Mae Foundation. This is a special opportunity to be part of an
ongoing public dialogue with DC's key housing officials, and a rare
meeting with Mr. Price.
Lots of different people -- the Mayor, Councilmembers, developers,
and affordable housing advocates -- play a role in shaping the
District's housing policy, but Deputy Mayor Price, more than any other
single official, is responsible for implementing it. How does he do
that? How are priorities set? How does housing fit with other elements
of economic development? How do projects actually get put together and
carried out? What are the constraints -- financial, institutional, and
political? These are some of the questions Mr. Price will address. Mr.
Price will make a brief presentation and then entertain questions from
the audience. Refreshments will be available at 5:30 p.m., the program
will start promptly at 6:00 p.m. (Please note that this is a new time
for a WRN forum.) Please the D St. entrance. Photo ID is required. I
hope you and your colleagues will join us. To respond, call WRN,
667-5445, or E-mail staff@washingtonregion.net.
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Emancipation Proclamation Display, January 19
Vernard Gray, nsaqi@connectdc.com
On Monday, January 19, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Emancipation
Proclamation will be on special display. For one day only, the original
Emancipation Proclamation will be on view in the Rotunda of the National
Archives for the Charters of Freedom in observance of the Martin Luther
King, Jr., holiday and in conjunction with “The People's Vote”
exhibition. Signed by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the
Emancipation Proclamation has assumed a place among the great documents
of human freedom. Its display time is limited to one day in the interest
of its long-term preservation.
The National Archives and Records Administration is at 700
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, between Seventh and Ninth Streets, NW. The
research entrance to the building is on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Rotunda
entrance, which includes the Exhibit Hall, is on Constitution Avenue.
Use METRO to travel there. The Archives/Navy Memorial stop on the Yellow
or Green Line is across Pennsylvania Avenue from the Archives building.
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Day Care and Preschool Care, January 20
Sarah Pokempner, Chevy Chase Citizens Association, azepo@aol.com
In response to strong interest expressed by the community, the Chevy
Chase and Forest Hills Citizens Associations are cosponsoring a Day Care
and Preschool Fair on Tuesday, January 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Chevy
Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW. This is an
opportunity for parents of little ones from ages 0-5 to learn about
preschools and day care centers in our neighborhood. The timing couldn't
be better as the time is now to prepare for September '04 enrollment. We
have been very pleased with the number of schools and centers that are
eager to participate.
Each center will be given a few minutes to present information about
its philosophy, schedule, age requirements, etc. There will then be time
to visit representatives at their booths to ask questions, get more
specifics, and obtain materials. Refreshments will be served.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Electric lift chair for sale. Model TMR-348, color: cranberry. Bought
new in October 2002. In great condition. Currently in Alexandria,
Virginia (Duke Street area). Selling for $400 quick sale (original price
was $915). For details see http://www.pridemobility.com
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CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
Temporary Development Director, UDC School of
Law
Joe Libertelli, jlibertelli@udc.edu
The UDC David A. Clarke School of Law is seeking a detail-oriented
and highly organized Development Director who is passionate about the
public interest and willing to go the extra mile to assure maximal
support for our diverse student body and unique clinical law program!
The new Director will work directly with Dean Shelley Broderick and our
Alumni Director (your truly) to evolve effective fundraising priorities
and strategies, to develop and maintain a donor database, and to create
fundraising materials and systems to evaluative our fundraising efforts.
S/he will also directly solicit gifts, contribute to publications and
our web site, and help plan and manage funding-related events. This
position will demand excellent and fast writing, a high degree of
computer literacy, and a high level of personal organization and
attention to detail. An undergraduate degree is preferred. Fundraising
experience, especially for higher education, and familiarity with the DC
funding community, are highly desirable. (We would, however, consider
hiring a fundraising “rookie” with otherwise outstanding skills and
references.)
We would like the new Director to start ASAP, but can wait if an
otherwise ideal candidate cannot begin absolutely immediately.
Therefore, candidates are asked to please specify their availability in
their cover letters. Our application deadline is January 31. Candidates
should see http://www.law.udc.edu.
They should not bother sending us a form letter! This is a temporary
position. A permanent candidate will be competitively selected in the
future and the successful candidate for the temporary position will be
welcome to apply for the permanent position. The salary is 48-54K
depending upon experience. Please send resume, cover letter, and
references to Shelley Broderick, Dean, UDC David A. Clarke School of
Law, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, or E-mail to Joe
Libertelli, jlibertelli@udc.edu.
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Quicken 2004 Home and Business Expert Needed
Ron Eberhardt, RGE1022@aol.com
I am in great need of an expert with Quicken Home and Business 2004
Software to come and fix several files management issues -- for
compensation — since I recently upgraded and did end-of-year files
management that has created a multitude of problems.
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CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS
College Bound is a 501(c)3 organization that prepares public school
students in the metropolitan DC area to enter college, earn a degree,
and achieve their personal and professional goals. College Bound works
with 8-12 grade public and public charter school students from
underrepresented communities to help them achieve their goal of a
college education. Our college preparatory program pair’s adult
college-educated professionals in one-to-one partnerships with students
to form long-term mentoring and tutoring relationships. Through the
mentoring relationships, students develop academic and college
preparedness skills. In addition, we offer free SAT preparatory
workshops and host college tours.
We operate four community and Metro based sites throughout the
District. We are requesting that individuals interested in working with
a student contact us at 842-0858. For more information, see http://www.collegebound.org.
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Tax Season Is Almost Here
Idara Nickelson, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, nickelson@dcfpi.org
On Thursday, January 22, the MLK, Jr., Library free tax site will
open. Volunteers are greatly needed to prepare tax returns for low- and
moderate-income residents. Last year, the site had 68 volunteers and
prepared returns for 1,700 families and individuals. MLK clients
received nearly $1.6 million in federal and state tax refunds. By
providing free assistance, the MLK free tax site helped clients avoid an
estimated $250,000 in commercial preparer fees. The library site is in
downtown DC at 901 G Street, NW (across from Gallery Place metro and
free parking at library). The site will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
and Thursdays from 4:30-9 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and
Sundays from 1-5 p.m.
No experience is necessary; training is provided. Volunteers are not
required to work from open to close. Volunteer opportunities also are
available with Community Tax Aid, Inc. (347-4811) and the DC CASH
Coalition (249-1525). Trainings are held at American University’s
Washington School of Law, 4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Parking is
available in the building. For full day trainings, donuts and juice will
be provided in the morning. Training for new volunteers (pick one):
Saturday, January 10, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Room 528; Tuesday, January 13, 6
p.m.-10 p.m. (Part I), Room 603; Wednesday, January 14, 6 p.m.-10 p.m.
(Part II), Room 603; Saturday, January 17, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Room 603;
Sunday, February 1, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Room 528. To volunteer and for
training, please contact the MLK Coordinator, Paul Heimer, at refunds4free@comcast.net
or 703-836-3407. For questions about the Campaign, please contact Idara
Nickelson at nickelson@dcfpi.org
or 408-1080.
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I have a bowling machine I would like to donate to a nonprofit
organization. The bowling machine is eight feet long and accommodates
six people competing at the same time.
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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
I asked this question earlier this year and got some good responses,
but I lost the notebook where I wrote everything (don't ask me why I
didn't save the E-mails, duh). I am in process of renovating a four-unit
apartment building and need some referrals for contractors, including
licensed plumbers and electricians.
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