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March 4, 2007

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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School Plans and Snowfalls
Peter Orvetti, peterorvetti@gmail.com

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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