Getting Away with It
Dear Voters:
How do the mayor and the city council plan to get away with it? That’s
the interesting question. How do they plan to seize control of the city’s
public schools; strip all powers from the Board of Education, the first
elected officials the city had in the twentieth century; disrespect the
citizens by denying us the right to vote on an amendment to the Home
Rule Charter; break their promises by failing to improve education
immediately and dramatically; and still get reelected? A month ago some
councilmembers may have thought that the majority of parents and
citizens actually supported the takeover. Sealed in the echo chamber of
the Wilson Building, holding hearings artificially packed with
supporters of the takeover plan, cutting off and insulting opponents of
the plan, they may have fooled themselves. But as the takeover gets
openly discussed in more and more public meetings, councilmembers and
members of the mayor’s administration who are listening to citizens
have become aware that it is deeply unpopular.
So how do they plan to get away with it unscathed politically? First,
they are contemptuous of this city’s voters, and believe that in two
or four years, when they are up for reelection, the voters will have
forgotten all about the schools, and moved on to other issues. Second,
they are confident of the power of money in elections. In Ward 4, where
the mayor’s handpicked successor, Muriel Bowser, is the only candidate
to support the takeover plan, voters oppose her position overwhelmingly
— but the mayor and her supporters believe that she will prevail
through the power of her massive out-of-ward campaign funding from the
interest groups who will profit from the takeover, or who have contracts
with or want to do business with the city, and are being pressured by
the mayor to donate (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/NewsSearch?sb=-1&st=%22Muriel%20Bowser%22&).
Third, for all that they talk of accountability now, they think that
they will be able to change the subject when it comes to their next
campaign. “All right, maybe dropout rates and standardized test scores
may not have improved, but didn’t I get the pothole on your block
filled, and keep your property taxes from rising? Schools are only a
small part of my responsibility.”
Fourth, they think they will be able to show some improvement in the
physical condition of schools. The Board of Education hasn’t taken
care of their physical plants well, and the city has made it difficult
for the Board to get access to the funds that have been appropriated for
repairs and renovation. Once the mayor’s takeover has been approved,
though, the money spigot will be turned on; sole-source contracts will
be awarded and contracting procedures disregarded, and the money will
flow freely to favored contractors. Some of it will even filter down to
the schools, and visible improvements will be made in the first two
years. Councilmembers and the mayor will have plenty of chances to pose
in newly painted classrooms and have photo opportunities at renovated
schools. It will take many more years for city auditors to catch up with
the money that disappeared, was misspent, and was wasted. Mayor Fenty
and the councilmembers hope that these physical improvements will
distract voters from the school properties that get sold off or leased
at well below market rates and — much more important — will distract
voters from the failure to improve education. For that problem, as I
wrote in the last issue of themail, we’ll get the excuse that
improving grades, test scores, and dropout rates takes a long time, even
though they’re promoting the takeover with the promise that they will
be able to succeed at those tasks almost immediately, while the school
board acted too slowly.
They’re determined to seize control, and they think they can escape
accountability. It’s our job as voters to keep them accountable, not
to forget and not to be distracted by other issues — and to punish
them at the polls in two years and in four years when our city’s
students aren’t getting a better education than they are now.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Reduce Your Taxes and Make the Roads Safer, Too
Dennis Jaffe, DennisJaffe@Gmail.com
Federal law allows employers to offer employees the opportunity to
reduce their taxable income by up to $110/month in even exchange for
transit fares or vanpool expenses, or up to $215 for employee commuter
parking. US Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) is introducing legislation that
would raise the federal pretax transit benefit from $110/month to the
same $215/month for parking. Providing Americans with more financial
incentive to use transportation other than our cars would make our
national energy policy more responsible, benefit our environment and our
health, and help to reduce stressful and economically costly traffic on
our crowded roads. Additionally, reducing our country’s dependence on
foreign oil is the patriotic thing to do.
I am doing some outreach in concert with Congressman McGovern’s
staff to garner legislative and coalition support for the bill -- and
asking folks to do the same. 1) Please write to Congresswoman Eleanor
Holmes Norton to urge her to cosponsor this bill. You can send the
Congresswoman an E-mail message through an online form on her web site
at http://www.norton.house.gov/forms/contact.html.
2) If you are affiliated with an organization interested in endorsing
the legislation, please contact me. We are working to compile a list of
endorsing groups in advance of an event planned to be held on March 13.
3) If you live in, or know others who live in, these US House districts
in the metropolitan Washington area, please forward this message to them
so they can send an E-mail to their representative urging
co-sponsorship: Steny Hoyer (D-MD), http://hoyer.house.gov/contact/email.asp;
Tom Davis (R-VA), http://tomdavis.house.gov/davis_contents/center/feedback/;
Frank Wolf (R-VA), http://www.house.gov/wolf/email/email.html;
Albert Wynn (D-MD), http://www.wynn.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=161&Itemid=63.
4) If you live in, or know others who live in the districts represented
by either US Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) or US Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA),
each of whom has already signed on as cosponsors of the legislation,
send or encourage others to send them a thank you by E-mail through an
online form on their web sites at: Chris Van Hollen, http://vanhollen.house.gov/HoR/MD08/Contact+Information/Web+Contact/;
Jim Moran, http://moran.house.gov/zipauth.shtml.
No offense to auto makers or the oil industry, or those who truly
must depend on their cars to get around. Heck, the roads will be clearer
for those who must drive, and safer for all of us.
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Unnecessary Job Training Center
Leonard May, ldgrowing@hotmail.com
Re: “DC Council Member Pushes Training Center,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030101678.html:
Although I live in Maryland, I am concerned about my family and friends
in this area.
Question: why would you need to try to find an answer for this issue?
Public urination is against the law. Loitering against the law.
Officials would like to put up trailers with bathrooms and assist in
negotiations with contractors? Provide more money for worker-readiness
programs? For what, I ask? Not only three blocks away there is a Labor
Ready and a DC Employment Office. Why don’t you try to build from
that?
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Nomination of Geoff Griffis to Zoning Commission
Pat Murphy Sheehy, murphysheehy@aol.com
As the former chair of the DC Commission on the Arts, I know that
most appointments pass through the council process without incident. It
is indicative of the disturbing nature of this appointment that public
outcry has been articulated across the many wards of this city and by
many highly respected citizens groups. The only people who have
testified before the council on behalf of Mr.. Griffis have been
representatives of developers, zoning lawyers and lawyers for the
universities — all of which have a self-serving investment in his
approval. And, in fact, it was brought out in testimony that others
would have been in attendance to protest his nomination if they had not
been fearful of his vindictiveness.
Mr.. Griffis is a known entity. As many testified before the Council,
he has a record of abusing his past position as chair of the Board of
Zoning Adjustment. His demeanor during cases was often condescending and
dismissive of any testimony from the neighbors. He has an arrogant
attitude and disregard for any semblance of fairness or judicial order.
In the NCRC case, it was later discovered that Mr.. Griffis had a
disqualifying personal relationship with one of the leaders of the NCRC
side. He at first denied it and then refused to recuse himself. Only
after he indulged in an angry uncontrolled tirade and at the urging of
his fellow commissioners did he finally acknowledge the wholly
conflicted and prejudicial relationship. The most disturbing aspect this
hearing process has been that when questioned about his conflict of
interest or prejudicial attitude, he is dismissive of those concerns and
sees no ethical problems. Other issues of concern such as the double
dipping on the homestead deduction, the revocation of his business (City
Partners) license; and compromised relationship between his business and
major development projects around the city are indicative that this
candidate cannot be confirmed! We deserve better. I hope that you will
join other citizens in this effort.
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Griffis Appointment to the Zoning Commission
Stuart Sotsky, dcdoc@verizon.net
As a 32-year resident of Washington and Ward 3, I feel compelled to
speak out against the proposed appointment by the Mayor Fenty of
Geoffrey Griffis to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia. I
believe that Mr.. Griffis has shown in his time on the Board of Zoning
Adjustment that he is not fit to serve either on the BZA or on the
Zoning Commission.
He has shown a profound misunderstanding of the rights of citizens,
neighbors, and the Advisory Neighborhood Councils to appear before the
BZA and express opposition to proposed zoning decisions. This has been
manifest in his biased management of special exemption cases in historic
and residential neighborhoods, minimizing, rationalizing, or ignoring
the negative impact on traffic, parking, noise, etc. on taxpaying
citizens of proposals to expand private schools and other enterprises
which are exempt from taxation. He demonstrated repeated inexplicable
and irrational judgments, for example, in the well known zoning dispute
between the Cleveland Park neighbors and the National Child Research
Center, many of whose sessions I attended. I would cite one particularly
puzzling and egregious example, in which he extended an exception to
requirements for adequate on-site parking given to historic buildings to
entirely new buildings proposed to be built because they occupied the
same parcel of land, thus worsening neighborhood parking problems.
Worst of all, however, has been his defiantly unethical behavior in
conducting a personal relationship with a member of the board of the
NCRC school while chairing and voting on the case under review by the
BZA, denying the relationship, and then, when evidence refuted his
denial, failing to comprehend the conflict of interest, until forced to
recuse himself further under public pressure. By then the damage was
done. Surely there are more worthy and ethical candidates for this
position. I strongly oppose any appointment of Mr.. Griffis.
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Appointment of Geoff Griffis
Leslie Oberdorfer, lesliejo@mindspring.com
I am writing to inform you of my vigorous objection to the
appointment of Geoff Griffis as Chairman of the Board of Zoning. His
public behavior and demeanor during the BZA hearings on the issue of
NCRC’s expansion were inappropriate and biased. He misrepresented his
personal association with a member of the Board of NCRC and failed to
recuse himself before he was asked to step away. This kind of unethical
behavior would set a very low and unacceptable standard for a public
official who will be influencing the growth and development of the city.
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I do not know enough about Mayor Fenty’s school takeover plan to
say whether I’m for it or against it, but I find it interesting to
hear all the protests here and elsewhere after Fenty was nominated with
57.2 percent of the vote in a seven-candidate field and then elected
with 88.6 percent of the vote in a three-candidate field. While Fenty
signs were popping up on every other lawn in my neighborhood and
elsewhere, I heard few people asking just what he intended to do in
office. I never really understood his overwhelming support prior to
being elected mayor.
An unrelated note on the subject of sidewalk shoveling: I understand
why DC and other municipalities require homeowners to clear sidewalks,
and I (usually) clear my own, but I also wonder how a city can compel a
private citizen to perform labor on property s/he does not own. It seems
like a pretty clear Thirteenth Amendment issue to me, though I suppose
that’s just my latent libertarian coming out to play.
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On Time and Without Sirens
Ed T. Barron, edtb1@mac.com
Mayor Fenty arrived on time and without sirens for the Ward 3
Democratic meeting on Tuesday night. He gave his rationale for the
takeover of the schools but without any real schedule, measurable goals,
or details of how the takeover will improve the educational processes in
the DCPS. The place was packed with delegates of the Ward 3 Democratic
party to hear a panel discussion on schools. The panel consisted of six
speakers: long-winded Victor Reineso; Kathy Patterson; the head of the
PTA, Allen; Robert Bobb, president (for a short time, anyway) of the
school board; and two others. All discussed school governance. Bobb was
mostly defensive about the mayor’s plan which, he said, is really just
a warm-over of the Board’s plan.
Interesting to note was the applause each speaker received when they
finished their presentation. It was my impression that the mayor’s
plan would not win the vote, if one were taken in Ward 3.
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Empowering an Ombudsman
Erich Martel, Wilson High School, ehmartel at starpower
dot net
Today’s Washington Post reported that several amendments to
the mayor’s school governance proposal are being considered, including
a “proposed amendment [that] would allow the Board of Education to
retain some administrative powers, such as the right to hire the chief
state education officer and a school ombudsman” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/03/AR2007030300987.html).
The depth and breadth of mismanagement in DCPS — and the reality of
intimidation that keeps most teachers silent — will not be corrected
and repaired by an ombudsman appointed by, and answerable to, a much
more weakened Board of Education. The present heated debate guarantees
that the selection of chancellor will be accompanied with praise and
promise that will tend to drown out reports of problems. And it can be
guaranteed that whoever is named chancellor will demand dictatorial
authority and an equivalent salary. Concerns raised by the ombudsman
will be viewed as petty complaints, nitpicking to be ignored, as they
are now. Consider how the Washington Teachers’ Union strong and
legally binding contract is routinely and flagrantly ignored and
violated by school administrations, with no response from the
superintendent or the Board. That’s in addition to violations of
municipal regulations and statutes on matters not directly covered by
the contract.
The only body possessing the authority and the will to demand answers
of the mayor and schools chancellor is the city council. Therefore, I
suggest the following amendment: 1) the mayor names the ombudsman
subject to confirmation by the council majority; 2) the ombudsman
reports all referrals and actions taken to the mayor and to the chairman
of the council; 3) the ombudsman will make a formal report to the
council every three months; 4) the ombudsman will maintain a web site
describing its duties, responsibilities, reporting procedures and a file
of actions taken (subject to reasonable confidentiality protections); 5)
twice annually, the mayor will report to the council actions taken on
matters referred by the ombudsman. 6) In the same manner, the Council
will confirm those who are named by the mayor to the position of
chancellor and to all top tier managerial positions. The council will
also be responsible for approving all major DCPS policies.
By making the council responsible for the ombudsman and, more
broadly, for the performance of the chancellor, for his/her top
appointees and for major school policies, it will assume greater
responsibility for the success of the change in governance that it is
expected to approve.
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Democracy as an End in Itself
Richard Stone Rothblum, richard@rothblum.org
In the last couple of posts regarding Mr.. Fenty’s proposed plan
for the DC public schools, the main objection seems to be that it is not
“democratic” enough. Democracy is not the answer to everything. We
elected a leader, democratically. Mr. Fenty won with 90 percent of the
vote. Shouldn’t we now just let him lead? If he fails, we can
democratically elect someone else in his place. Most would agree that
having every citizen vote on every public issue would lead to chaos.
With the application of computers and wireless connectivity, we could
have the citizens of the District vote on the verdicts of criminal and
civil trials, eliminating "undemocratic" judges and juries.
Because it is more democratic doesn’t make it better. I think that we
can all agree that the present school system is broken. Maybe you have
the time and qualifications to intelligently parse the competing plans
to remedy this. (One post suggested presenting the competing plans like
a Chinese restaurant menu — choose one from column A and two from
column B.) I and the majority of other citizens of the District cannot
lead, direct, or administer the school system, nor do we want to. We
just want our democratically elected leaders to provide safe, clean
schools that graduate students who meet minimal national and
international academic standards. The school board has failed. Give
Fenty a chance.
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Washington Teachers Union Spoke Clearly and Properly for Its Members
Nathan A. Saunders, General Vice President, WTU, NSaunders@WTUlocal6.org
As the presiding officer of the Washington Teachers Union’s (WTU)
Delegate Assembly and the second highest ranking elected official, I am
obligated to address misinformation in the posting by Elizabeth Davis [themail,
February 28]. While the WTU always seeks to amicably handle our union
business internally, I think this situation might be educationally
insightful as to how the WTU is managed and arrives at its decisions.
Essentially, Ms. Davis, an individual non-elected member, has improperly
elevated herself above the rights and privileges of all members by
roguishly claiming to speak for the union. She possesses neither the
data nor knowledge to assert George Parker, WTU’s President,
misrepresented the union’s interest. Her self promotion is
constitutionally contradictory to all members’ interest which could
warrant censure. But fear not, as the WTU union election season is about
to fertilize Washington’s spring air, and this perennial political
bridesmaid will be spreading even more fertilizer.
WTU posted both pieces of legislation on our web site, telephoned our
total membership at least twice in January, met with Mayor Fenty in
January and President Bobb in February in the Delegate assembly,
appeared before the city council twice, sent a mailer to the complete
membership including all relevant information, and conducted an
exhaustive survey of our members. WTU produced one of the first major
comparative analyses with citations of Mayor Fenty’s and the Board of
Education’s legislation. Mayor Fenty’s and President Bobb’s
appearances were not easy for either. Both were gracious and kind after
having the opportunity to speak directly with the soldiers in the field.
Quorums were present and we had elected union leaders from more than 50
percent of the schools in DCPS in attendance. Incidentally, the
referenced critic was not present at the meeting for Mayor Fenty
therefore her assertions concerning Mayor Fenty are hearsay at best. A
press conference was then held on February 27, to announce support of
Mayor Fenty’s legislation. Approximately 62 percent of the rank and
file teachers agreed with Mayor Fenty’s direction and only 7 percent
were supportive of the Board of Education’s vision. The survey was for
membership feedback only -- not a vote. The required vote of the WTU
Executive Board was taken, and our alliance with Mayor Fenty’s
education governance vision was unanimously approved. That means 100
percent of the WTU Executive Board members, elected citywide, are in
agreement.
WTU members demand progressive, participatory, and democratic
leadership and the above facts show we’re giving it to them!
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Citizens Look for Options to Derail School
Takeover Juggernaut
Kathryn A. Pearson-West, wkpw3@aol.com
Bamboozled is the sentiment of the day to best describe the takeover
juggernaut, culpability blame game, and leadership egomania. A
miscarriage of leadership and limited insight into the people’s will
are prevalent as city leaders paint themselves as the saviors of the
people and marginalize them as irrelevant in the decision making process
and planning, “for the good of the city.” They apparently can do all
things themselves and do not need the people of this fair land to
question their actions and judgment. They are the elected ones, and
demagoguery may be fast becoming their mission if the people do not
stand up and put the brakes on the road to totalitarianism by default.
The first break with the need for the citizens’ endorsement sets a
precedent and may be an early test and warning to show how much leaders
can get away with before the people revolt and say, “No more without
our approval.” If the city council is allowed to do the takeover
without caring about the people’s ratification of a vote as required,
then what controversial vote will get a free pass next in the
legislative halls of power? What next?
The school takeover without a popular vote and concerns about the
lack of council leadership in Wards 4 and 7 is the first test of how
much citizens may be willing to ignore and accept without pushing back
hard and fast. It may open the door for future denial of citizens’
rights and participation in their city. Maybe citizens should be
lobbying Congress themselves over this deal and maybe they should be
thinking lawsuit to overturn what they may not be able to stop on the
first run. Citizens are now looking at Section 303 of the District of
Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 784; D.C.
Official Code § 1-203.03) to determine exactly what the law calls for
in terms of a referendum and are also waiting to see what the Board of
Elections decides on one citizens’ efforts to ensure a vote on the
proposal via a citizen’s initiative.
Education is everybody’s business, so why do our elected leaders
and some in the media think that only they can have the right
intervention for the children in the nation’s capital? What we decide
on today may impact the city and its citizens for years to come. All who
love DC must invest in the education of our children somehow to ensure
the continuance and revitalization of our great city. It doesn’t
matter whether you have children in the DC public schools or not or
whether you even have children or not. Good schools will help us to
develop good, law-abiding citizens that are less likely to be dependent
on government through government subsidies for the poor or by way of
"three hots and a cot" by way of jail incarceration. And to
get good schools, you need citizen buy-in, not an elected body trying to
steam roll a plan by the people before they catch on to the fact that
the plan as-is will not do the job.
Why do our city leaders feel that they are the only ones that can
come up with the right strategy and that only the plan that they embrace
can work? It’s almost as if they plan to pick up their marbles and
take them home to play if others do not agree with the direction they
have chosen for Washington, DC. For some reason, they think that they
are the only ones smart enough to plan for the citizens and don’t seem
to care what citizens say. They have taken their stand and their egos
will not let them divert much from that plan, unless of course the
message to surrender or deviate comes from the mouths of the chosen
influential few or talented tenth, whoever they may be. Why can’t
citizens have more of a say in the education plan for the District of
Columbia? Parents, students, and communities will have the burden of
living under the directives of the plan. Taxpayers pay the salaries and
voters put leaders in office to act on their best interest in
consultation with them, so listen to them.
It is very clear now that elected leaders decided from the very
beginning to rush this plan so that community groups and others would
not be able to organize against it in a timely fashion. Leaders came up
with this unreasonable timeline, spewing rhetoric that there can be no
delay, so their self-imposed deadlines must be met. Oh, that we could
all be so perfect in our scheming and planning. But they are wrong.
Citizens see through their ploy. Citizens continue to get together to
discuss the mayor’s and school board’s education plans, and are
calling for a different kind of action than the elected leaders are
waving before us. Citizens are discussing their displeasure with city
leaders and though they won’t seek a recall and may still vote on some
level for some of them again, many voters have lost trust in the system
and its leaders. Trust, after all, is a two-edged sword. It is needed on
both sides. Citizens now know that city leaders have marked their line
in the sand and do not plan to listen to the very citizens that made
their career in politics possible. Only a handful of people seem to have
the ears of our officials now, and their egos or benefactors refuse to
allow them to make reasonable concessions in the education plan and its
approval process.
Instead of coming together over education, citizens are now reviewing
their options over what to do should elected leaders insist on
railroading this measure over citizens’ objections. They are looking
at how Los Angeles overturned the takeover in that city. Citizens are
annoyed at finding out that they have little say in this government and
that leaders are not listening. They have their marching orders, so to
speak. The mayor may not let the council make changes to his plan and
insist that they follow what his team has ordained as the truth, even if
much of the plan involves what the school system has already approved.
Some leaders won’t even consider a sunset provision if the dastardly
deed is done without the citizens ratifying the council vote to change
the charter.
Many citizens want at least three things out this political process.
Forget about quality education, because that somehow does not really
seem to be the goal. The goal seems to more about who will be the head
honcho in charge. Many citizens are calling for: 1) no changes to the
home rule charter but, if there are, a referendum must be held; 2) a
delay in the vote until Wards 4 and 7 have elected their council members
on May 1, just a month after the vote is expected to take place; and 3)
a combined or consensus plan where there is agreement among the
citizens, council, and school board on what should be a mayoral function
and what should be defined as a school board function, e.g., state
functions..
In the meantime, citizens would like elected officials to keep guns
out the hands of criminals’ hands; help strengthen communities in
need; improve the inventory of affordable housing; provide quality job
training programs for the unskilled; rehabilitate criminals; provide
decent youth detention, and services; care for the elderly; steer
economic development to communities in need and that want it; provide
quality services for foster children, indigent families, and children
who have lost their way; make our streets clean and safe; move traffic
better; clean up the city’s procurement practices; be as generous and
open minded to the city in general as to the sports industry; look out
for the healthcare needs and access; reduce drug abuse and dependence on
them; and work on regional cooperation for the city’s good. The mayor’s
plate is already full, so let the new school board do its job. So far,
the new Board of Education is off to a good start in making changes and
moving the process. Just work together in and get out of the
“gotcha” mentality and more can be done with collaboration and good
intentions by all stakeholders. No one is an island unto themselves. If
the mayor’s people can jump in to help with the lead in the water
problem, they can be there to provide interagency services to the
schools. Set up some service level agreements (SLA) and work together
for the common good and the future of a phenomenal nation’s capital.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Ward 4 City Council Candidates Forum, March 5
Hazel Thomas, thomashazelb@aol.com
A Ward 4 city council candidates forum sponsored by the DC Democratic
Women’s Club, Monday, March 5, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., St. Paul AME Church,
4911 14th Street, NW. Moderator: Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness, Director,
Community Outreach & Involvement, University of the District of
Columbia. Come out to learn where the Ward 4 council candidates stand on
the issues that concern you. For more information, contact Selerya
Moore, President, DC Democratic Women’s Club, 882-1561 or Margaret A.
Moore, Ward 4 candidates forum coordinator, 722-6770.
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DC Public Library Events, March 5-7
Randi Blank, randi.blank@dc.gov
Monday, March 5, 6:30 p.m., Northeast Neighborhood Library, 330 7th
Street, NE. Capitol Hill Mystery Book Club. We will discuss Susan
Glaspell's 1917 short story, “A Jury of Her Peers,” which can be
found in The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century, edited
by Otto Penzler and Tony Hillerman. Also come prepared to discuss a
story of your choice from the anthology. Call 698-3320 for more
information.
Tuesday, March 6, 4:15 p.m. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Room 215. Assistive Technology Users Group
and Support (TUGS). Assistive technology users meet to share
information. All levels who use assistive technology for the blind and
visually impaired. For more information, call 727-2142.
Tuesday, March 6, 7:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Room A-5. Historian C.R. Gibbs will discuss
the “African Origins of Christianity.” Call 727-1208 for more
information.
Wednesday, March 7, library hours. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, 2nd Floor, West Hall. Poetry reading by
CentroNía staff, teens and parents, and Poets & Writers, Inc. For
all ages.
March 7-May 24, Washington National Opera presents Cinderella. Come
and enjoy the music and story of the opera Cinderella. Ages 6 -12. March
7, 1:30 p.m., Capitol View Neighborhood Library, 5001 Central Avenue,
SE. March 8, 10:30 a.m., Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, 3660
Alabama Avenue, SE. March 13, 10:30 a.m., Petworth Neighborhood Library,
4200 Kansas Avenue, NW. March 16, 10:30 a.m., Takoma Park Neighborhood
Library, 416 Cedar Street, NW. March 23, 10:30 a.m., West End
Neighborhood Library, 1101 24th Street, NW. March 26, 1:30 p.m., Lamond-Riggs
Neighborhood Library, 5401 South Dakota Ave., NE. March 27, 1:30 p.m.,
Southeast Neighborhood Library, 403 7th Street, SE. March 29, 1:30 p.m.,
Woodridge Neighborhood Library, 1801 Hamlin Street, NE.
Thursday, March 8, 11:00 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Room 215. Talking Book Club. Adult members of
the DC Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped will be
discussing Hungry as the Sea, by Wilbur Smith. For more
information, call Adaptive Services at 727-2142.
###############
BOEE Hearing on DC Public Education Reform Amendment Act, March 7
Robert Brannum, rbrannum@robertbrannum.com
The DC Board of Elections and Ethics will conduct a hearing on the
"District of Columbia Public Education Reform Amendment Act of
2007" to determine whether the measure is a proper subject matter
of initiative. Wednesday, March 7, 10:30 a.m., at 441 4th Street, NW,
Suite 270. For more information, contact Robert Vinson Brannum, 256-8452
or rbrannum@robertbrannum.com.
###############
Ward 7 Council Candidate Forum, March 8
Sylvia Brown, sylviabrown1@verizon.net
A "Community Conversation with Ward 7 Council Candidates"
candidate forum will be held on March 8 at 6:00 p.m. at IDEA Public
Charter School, 1027 45th Street, NE. Candidates will be grouped in
clusters of five or six and will rotate for twenty-minute small group
discussions on three topics — education, health and public safety, and
economic development/affordable housing. The forum is sponsored by
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7A, Deanwood Citizens Association,
Forward7, Rosedale Citizens Alliance, and IDEA Public Charter School.
For more information, contact Villareal Johnson, ANC 7A07, at 582-9056
or Morris Redd at 399-4750, ext. 224.
###############
Flying in the Great Hall, March 11
Lauren Searl, lsearl@nbm.org
Sunday, March 11, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Family program: Flying in the
Great Hall. As blustery spring approaches, watch members of the DC
Maxecuters launch their model airplanes in the Museum’s Great Hall.
Rubber band-powered free flight and radio-controlled model airplanes
will soar in a series of launches throughout the day. Free. All ages.
Demonstration program. At the National Building Museum, 401 F Street,
NW, Judiciary Square stop, Metro Red Line.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
Comcast Versus Satellite
C. Samuels, casamuels at gmail dot com
I live in a small multiunit condo building in Petworth, and I’m
considering satellite service, like Dish Network, to replace Comcast,
which seems pretty expensive for what I’m getting. (The dish would be
installed on my roof.) Does anyone have any experience making this
switch and, if so, how did it turn out? Any thoughts on Direct TV as
opposed to Dish Network?
###############
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