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December 23, 2007

Merry Christmas

Dear Holidayers:

It’s been a year of change and turmoil, but what year hasn’t been? There has been little, if any, change in the level of corruption and incompetence in District government, but we have been lucky to have a booming economy and government revenues that have been, if anything, overly abundant -- thus escaping the worst possible consequences of our irresponsibility. Compared to Maryland and Virginia, we’re in good shape, fiscally.

For the shape our schools are in, Lonnae Parker has discouraging news (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/22/ST2007122202100.html?hpid=topnews). How unrealistic the promises of quick fixes by Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee are should become obvious to everyone soon — the only question is whether the failures of the new school administration will be reported as vigorously as the failures of the Board of Education were when the mayoral takeover of the schools was being promoted.

In any case, I’m going to take a day or two off from my regular grouching and complaining. It’s the season to give thanks that at least things aren’t any worse (and every time that I think things can’t get any worse, they do). Merry Christmas, a belated Happy Hanukkah, and happy holidays to all other religionists and nonbelievers.

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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In the ’Hood
Ed T Barron,edtb1@macdotcom

Two noticeable changes in the Spring Valley/American University Park neighborhood this month. The first is that Crate and Barrel have not put up their twenty-foot Christmas wreath on the front of the store above the main entrance. That wreath has been up every year since the store opened and was a delightful decoration right across from the AU Law School. The second major change are the additions to a house on the south side of Massachusetts Avenue just shy of the AU campus. An ugly, out of character, house (originally looked like a Swiss ski house) is in the process of being modified. Two major additions are being constructed on each side of the original house, totally filling the lot. Both additions are just boxes with flat roofs. The formerly ugly house is now terminally ugly and probably will be the worst looking structure in Spring Valley.

Early this morning (the twentieth) a brand new street sweeper swept up Mass. Ave. The unit is designed to brush all the stuff that collect along the curb under the big vehicle and then suck it up into the innards of the truck. Either the unit doesn't work right or the operator was not using it right since all the stuff swept under the truck was still there, this time about three feet from the curb. Leaf pickup in AU park has resumed and it looks like most of the leaves will be collected before the snow falls again.

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Condolences for Hilda Mason’s Family
Susie Cambria, scambria@dckids.org

As you know, Hilda Mason, “grandmother to the world,” died last week. We will miss Hilda terribly. We worked with her for years and her commitment to children, youth and their families never wavered. In the event you want to send a card, the info is: Carolyn D. Nicholas and Family, c/o Office of the Secretary, Council of the District of Columbia, John A. Wilson Building, Room 5, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.

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Hilda in themail
Qawi Robinson, qrobinso@lycos.com

Thanks Gary. Your commendations for Hilda Mason [themail, December 19] were correct and heart warming. DC government is filled with venture-politicians (a term similar to venture-capitalists), in whom groups “invest.” The sad state is that with most investors, once the stock isn’t performing well, they take their dividends and invest elsewhere. Hilda Mason was not such a person. She invested in DC for the sake of making it better for the citizens, unlike some of the current councilmembers, who will remain nameless. Even when her investment wasn’t giving the best returns (DC Statehood Party), she didn’t cash it all in and go somewhere else. She was in it for the long haul. Which is my criticism of many DC officials, appointed and elected, for whom there is no loyalty, which translates into the residency requirement. Once upon a time it was an honor to serve the District of Columbia. With such honor, you did your best (within enormous constraints) because you cared about the city and you lived in it. Nowadays, this isn’t the case. With the high salaries, it is like free agency in professional sports..

Natwar Gandhi doesn’t get his due. The Washington Post reported on December 19 that Congress blocked a $92,400 raise for him. (Congress said that the raise should be handled by another committee and thus removed it from the appropriations bill.) Not in order was Jack Evans complaint that Gandhi deserves a raise based on his performance. While I can appreciate his zeal again Congressional intrusion, certain comments could have better been left unsaid. Some would speculate that Gandhi should’ve literally taken the train out of DC and taken the Amtrak job. But with Fenty convincing him to stay based on trying to get him a $279,000 salary, the whole deal sounds suspicious as well. What was also mentioned in the article was that an eighth person was indicted in the tax scam case, and that the crimes might have taken place since 1990 — covering four mayors including Barry. This is just the ammunition Gandhi needs to stand by his original statement that this whole issue was based on folks in the Barry Administration. Oi vey! I will give Gandhi the benefit of the doubt, because in a article just one day later, he was quoted taking full responsibility of the scam under his watch and vowing to stay and fix it.

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DC Voter Registration
Bob Levine, rilevine@cpcug.org

I also received a duplicate voter registration card after a change of address. I didn’t think too much of it.

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Wilson Building Photography Exhibit
Gina Kline, gkvfg@yahoo.com

The Homeless Children’s Playtime Project (HCPP) is unveiling its Family Portrait Project in a gallery style exhibit on the ground floor atrium of the John A. Wilson Building (D Street entrance). Through January 14, visitors will view the faces of family homelessness from our nation’s capital as they enter the seat of city government in this stunning collection of photographs by Tony Brunswick. All families deserve the opportunity to have family pictures, and many families who lose their housing are unable to salvage personal belongings. Many families living in shelters do not even own a photograph of their child. Children and families who are homeless are called the “hidden homeless” because they often live “doubled up” with friends or relatives and stay in shelters where they are not as visible as people on the street.

Over the past year-and-a-half, one hundred fifty families were photographed at the former D.C. Village Emergency Family Shelter through the Family Portrait Project. They each received three framed and enlarged pictures of their families. Some of the parents agreed to share their family portraits with you in hopes that public education can help harness the political will to address the affordable housing crisis in our city. The Family Portrait Project is sponsored by the Advisory Board Company, the Ramsay Merriam Fund and many individual donors large and small. The exhibit is made possible by the Executive Office of the Mayor.

The Homeless Children’s Playtime Project (HCPP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting childhood for families in shelters and transitional housing programs in the District of Columbia. Our dedicated volunteers provide weekly children’s programs in four sites five days per week. The mission of HCPP is to nurture healthy child development and reduce the effects of trauma among children living in emergency family shelters in the District of Columbia. We believe play is a human right that all children deserve, regardless of housing status.We seek to help create a city that provides every opportunity for homeless children to succeed by advocating for affordable housing and safe shelters for all families.For a sneak peak of the portraits, please visit http://www.thefamilyportraitproject.com. More information on the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project is available at http://www.playtimeproject.org.

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