Blooming
Dear Constant Bloomers:
I’ve spouted off, below, in response to a posting by Norman
Metzger, so I’ll forego writing anything annoying here. Thanks for
your advice about azaleas. Has anyone had any experience with Encore
azaleas, hybrid varieties that are supposed to bloom twice or even three
times a year?
Newly posted on DCWatch are Sequoia Voting Systems' report to the DC
Board of Elections and Ethics on what may or may not have gone wrong at
the September 9 primary, http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/boee080922.htm,
and the internal report of the BOEE on that election, http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/boee081001.htm.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Fiesta DC Snarls Traffic in Mount Pleasant
Bill Mosley, billmosley@comcast.net
For this past Sunday’s Fiesta DC, Mount Pleasant Street, NW, was
closed from Park Road all the way to Columbia Road, closing down Irving
Street, a major through street and route into and out of the
neighborhood. This resulted in Mount Pleasant residents, visitors and
delivery drivers having difficulty getting into the neighborhood if they
could get there at all. We had a scheduled grocery delivery that never
arrived after police turned away the driver several times. Last year’s
Fiesta also caused headaches; we were returning home from the airport in
a taxicab that had to stop several blocks from our house, from which
point we had to drag our luggage home. A number of other neighborhood
residents or their visitors had similar problems. To our knowledge,
there was no notice given to residents of the disruptions to traffic. In
addition to the closure of Mount Pleasant Street. and cross streets,
police turned away cars as far as three blocks away. Previous street
festivals in the neighborhood, including the now-defunct Celebrate Mount
Pleasant festival, kept Irving Street open, preserving some degree of
access to and through the southern half of the neighborhood — and
provided four continuous blocks of festival space, while running the
festival all the way to Columbia adds only two more blocks. I hope our
ANC will insist on better traffic management for future events.
###############
Absentee Ballot — Not
Ed T. Barron, edtb1@macdotcom
It appears that I won’t be voting in the General Election this year
despite filling out all the proper forms and submitting them, via mail,
to the DC Board of Elections in late August. I have made two follow-up
phone calls to the Board of Elections and was routed to “Darlene,”
who seems always to be unavailable and requires that you leave a voice
mail message. My messages of September 26 and 27 were very clear: “I’ll
be away from DC from October 20 until after the fourth of November. When
will I receive my absentee ballot? Please call me back.” Haven’t
heard a peep from “Darlene” or anyone else in the Board of
Elections. No news is bad news, and seems typical of most of the
bureaucracies in the DC government.
###############
On Monday evening, the District’s Zoning Commission held a public
hearing to respond to the Supreme Court’s decision on the Heller case
and “finalize regulations pertaining to the location of firearm retail
sales establishments and the sale of firearms as an accessory use within
another retail establishment such as a pawn shop, department store, or
sporting good store” (Case No. 08-20, http://app.dcoz.dc.gov/content/schedule/SearchResults.aspx?aptKey=5459).
Only three public witnesses attended the hearing — Mitchell Berger,
a former lawyer in the Enforcement Division of DCRA; Councilmember Phil
Mendelson, chairman of the city council’s Judiciary Committee; and
myself. Mendelson’s testimony, http://www.dcwatch.com/issues/gun080929.htm,
was particularly well researched and thoughtful, and prompted the Zoning
Commission to direct the Office of Planning to review its draft
regulations. Even though the regulations siting firearm retail
establishments will be likely to have an impact on neighborhoods across
the District, to ward councilmember or Advisory Neighborhood
Commissioner attended the hearing or offered testimony.
Comments on the proposed regulations can be submitted until October
27, when the record will close. The Zoning Commission will hold its
final deliberations in the case at a special meeting on November 20 at
6:00 p.m.
###############
From a newsletter by a group that offers support for a DC elementary
school: “Chancellor Rhee has met her promises by repainting the
building, furnishing it with new lighting, and funding music, art, and
physical education teachers. . . . Chancellor Rhee is to be
congratulated for making changes which will give the school a better
chance to improve.”
I suspect many other schools can tell the same story. And I wonder if
we ever heard stories like this when the DCPS had revolving door
leadership, a dysfunctional school board, and was competitive [to be]
the worst system in the country, and in cost per student the most
expensive?
[The answer to Norman’s question is, “Yes.” DC schools have
been repainted in the past (although Mayor Fenty did make a significant
initial lump-sum increase in the money available for physical repairs of
the schools in order to make his takeover look effective), and schools
have had music, art, and physical education teachers before Rhee became
Chancellor. Sorry, but I’m not that easily impressed. Public school
parents know that they had better praise Chancellor Rhee if the schools
perform normally, because they can expect retaliation if they criticize
or question her. Do Deputy Mayor for Education Victor Reinoso and
Councilmember Tommy Wells claim that they were dysfunctional school
board members on a dysfunctional school board? Have the competitive
ratings for DC’s public schools improved? Hasn’t the per-pupil cost
of public school education increased significantly under Rhee? I have
criticized the DC Public School system for years, but the way for Rhee
to show that she is improving education is to improve education, not to
denigrate the DC schools the way she denigrates older, experienced DC
teachers. — Gary Imhoff]
###############
Slimming DC Government in Light of the
Projected Fiscal Shortfall
David Schwartzman, dschwartzman@gmail.com
First, the rainy day money should be used to cover any deficits, and
to prevent cuts in the already austere FY 2009 budget, which
shortchanges middle- and low-income people in DC. Mayor Fenty dipped
into the rainy day fund to cover the escalating costs of the youth
summer job program; he should do likewise now to avoid hurtful budget
cuts. The rainy day fund now has about $200 million left, according to a
source in the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.
And yes, there should be cuts in the FY2009 budget, such as: a) the
subsidies to the corporate sector should be looked out, with corporate
earmarks (e.g., $50 million to Verizon/MCI) at the top of the list for
elimination. b) Collect rent from the baseball stadium owners! c) Start
using District property for District functions instead of renting space
(Empower DC estimates some $110 million/year is paid out for such
rentals). d) The $484 million in special funds hidden in the budget must
be revealed and critically examined for potential cuts in corporate
welfare.
But given the now depression conditions for so many of our residents,
the social service budget must be increased, not cut, i.e., we need more
funds for a whole lot of programs such as the Housing Production Trust
Fund, TANF (directly linked to child poverty), Local Rent Supplement
Program, child care, job training, substance abuse treatment etc. The
Fair Budget Coalition proposed some $200 million in additional funding
for this budget, with modest improvements, and very little was approved,
with the budget not even keeping up with inflation. And are more funds
now needed in our school budget to hire more teachers? We still need a
sustainable revenue stream from individual and corporate taxes. We
should at least make our regressive DC tax structure for families and
individuals both progressive and more capable of meeting this challenge
by taxing those who can most afford to pay, not the middle/working class
now sinking closer to poverty. Maryland has hiked their income tax rate
for millionaires. Why can’t our DC Democrats on the council and our
mayor support the same here, now? A modest tax hike for the top 1 to 5
percent of DC residents will generate hundreds of millions of dollars
per year in additional revenue. (By the way, I’m running for a city
council At-Large seat on the DC Statehood Green ticket. Our web sites, http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
and http://www.davidschwartzman.com,
discuss these ideas in greater detail.)
###############
Cost Savings
Tonya M. Butler-Truesdale, attytmbt@aol.com
I think the District of Columbia would realize the greatest savings
by keeping a closer eye on contracting and procurement, even though
there are raves about the new Director. There is still great waste due
to noncompetitive bidding.
###############
When we owned a house and garden, I loved deciduous azaleas, some of
which are fragrant, to complement the more common evergreens. There is a
native variety of deciduous azalea (sorry, don’t remember the name)
that has orange blooms and grows well and easily. When I walk past our
old house I see that bush still thriving more than years after planting.
The National Arboretum has experts, expertise, and a myriad of
examples. It also hosts an annual exhibit and sale by the local azalea
(or rhododendron) society. During that event one can hear lay and
professional speakers and discuss issues face to face.
###############
Azalea Buying Recommendation from Washington
Consumers’ Checkbook
Kent Slowinski, WKSLA@aol.com
http://tinyurl.com/3trjlm
###############
Azaleas at the National Arboretum
Mary Melchior, mulchness@gmail.com
I’d recommend contacting the National Arboretum on azalea ideas. It
is a wonderful place here in town that seems to be a secret to many. The
have a huge azalea collection and I’m sure that they’d have
recommendations. When the city starts turning to fall colors you should
stop by the Bonsai garden to see the deciduous bonsai arrayed in their
fall glory.
Thanks for keeping pressure on our elected officials to stay honest.
Now if only we can do something about her Majesty the Chancellor.
[Kristina Jones, tinajones007@hotmail.com,
also recommended contacting the azalea specialist at the National
Arboretum. — Gary Imhoff]
###############
All I can say about azaleas is that they are beautiful for maybe two
weeks of each year; then they turn brown and are ugly for the rest of
the year. We just got rid of all of ours (which we inherited when we
bought our house) and replaced them with evergreen shrubs. Also, they
need lots of sun.
###############
Brookland Heartbeat
September-October Issue Now Available
Abigail Padou, brooklandheartbeat@yahoo.com
The September/October issue of Brookland Heartbeat is now
available. Articles and features in this issue include: Ward 5 Groups
Left Behind in $48 Million Grant Hand-Outs, Brooklanders Struggle to
Make Voices Heard, CUA Sees Spike in Liquor Violations, M&S Barber
Comes Through Again for Brookland Kids, Brookland Boasts “First
Friend,” and more. Brookland Heartbeat is mailed to more than
9,500 homes in the greater Brookland area. Brookland Heartbeat is
also on the web at http://www.brooklandheartbeat.org.
Brookland Heartbeat is a nonprofit, all-volunteer community
newspaper. To be added to the E-mail distribution list, send your E-mail
address to brooklandheartbeat@yahoo.com.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
DC Public Library Events, October 2-4
George Williams, george.williams2@dc.gov
Thursday, October 2, 2:30 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, Room 221. Let’s Talk about Books. Discuss Long Day’s
Journey into Night, a play by Eugene O’ Neill. Next month’s
selection: Out Stealing Horses by Per Petersen.
Thursday, October 2, 12:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, Auditorium A-5. Brown Bag Recital Series. Music of Schubert
performed by cellist Vasily Popov and pianist Ralitza Patheva.
Saturday, October 4, 1:00 p.m., Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library. Warm
winter energy savings. Learn how to conserve energy and save money with
Energy Specialist Charles Satterfield from the District Department of
Environment, Energy Division.
Saturday, October 4, 11:00 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, Room 221. Deaf Characters in Literature: What Do We Know?
Librarian Diana Gates from Gallaudet University will discuss deaf
characters in literature.
Saturday, October 4, 11:00 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, Room 200. Braille Book Club for Kids, Discuss Sylvester and
the Magic Pebble by William Steig.
###############
The Greedy Triangle,
October 7
Jazmine Zick, jzick@nbm.org
Tuesday, October 7, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Family Program: Book of the
Month: The Greedy Triangle. Readings at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Join us in the Building Zone for a special interactive reading of The
Greedy Triangle written by Marilyn Burns. Learn basic math while
finding out what happens when a bored triangle visits a local
shape-shifter to add more angles to his shape. Free. Drop-in program,
recommended for ages 3 to 5. At the National Building Museum, 401 F
Street, NW, Judiciary Square stop, Metro Red Line.
###############
Historical Society of Washington, DC, October
9
Ed Bruske, euclidarms@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 9, 12:00 p.m. High Noon Film: Calle 54. Historical
Society of Washington, DC, 801 K Street, NW, at Mt. Vernon Square. Free
admission. “Calle 54,’ named after New York’s 54th street where
most of the studio filming was done, is a gift from director Fernando
Trueba (“Belle Epoque”) to lovers of Latin Jazz everywhere. The film
features ninety minutes of music by some of the idiom’s finest artists
with bonus material including a director’s voice over offering brief
commentary and bio’s on the featured artists and interviews which
trace the origins of Latin jazz in general and Afro-Cuban jazz
specifically. Artistry includes la musica picante of Tito Puente
in his final weeks to the haunting sax of Gato Barbieri. However, such
notables as Arturo Sandoval, Poncho Sanchez, etc. more were not included
leaving plenty of room and yearning for another installment. A must
see/hear for Latin jazz lovers. For the entire family. (A program
collaboration of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) and The
Historical Society of Washington, DC.) RSVP@historydc.org
or 383-1828.
###############
Economic Stimulus Payment Filing Assistance,
October 11
Teresa Hinze, teresa.hinze@communitytaxaiddc.org
On October 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Martin Luther King,
Jr., Memorial Library, the DC Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign will
host a free tax assistance session for residents who need help filing
for the Economic Stimulus Payment (ESP), have questions about the
payment, want to help a relative or friend file, or need help filing a
normal tax return for 2007 or before.
Given the economic environment and the upcoming October 15 deadline
to file for the Economic Stimulus Payment, it is crucial that we reach
the fifteen thousand eligible DC residents who have not filed, causing
the city’s residents to lose $4.5 million. We are especially targeting
community members who are elderly and/or disabled and/or receive
Veterans’ Benefits. These are the groups the IRS data shows are most
likely to miss out on this opportunity for the $300-$600 check.
Please contact Meg Newman, DC EITC Campaign Coordinator, at 419-1442
or mnewman@caab.org if you have ideas of ways to spread the news to the
populations highlighted above and/or would like to assist with the
event. Time is limited to apply for the ESP. Together we can target each
of the fifteen thousand eligible individuals and ensure they benefit
from the much-needed income boost during these tough economic times.
###############
themail@dcwatch is an E-mail discussion forum that is published every
Wednesday and Sunday. To change the E-mail address for your subscription
to themail, use the Update Profile/Email address link below in the
E-mail edition. To unsubscribe, use the Safe Unsubscribe link in the
E-mail edition. An archive of all past issues is available at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail.