Not All Publicity Is Good Publicity
Dear Publicizers:
Friday afternoon, Mayor Fenty and Councilmembers Evans, Catania, and
Graham held a press conference at the Columbia Heights Metro station.
Evans, Catania, and Graham had supported Fenty’s “gang injunction”
provisions that were defeated so soundly in the council last week, and
they held the press conference to continue to push for them (http://www.dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=1620&mon=200906).
On Thursday, two participants in the Summer Youth Employment Program had
quarreled at the Convention Center and resumed their argument at the
Columbia Heights Metro, where one shot the other and an innocent
bystander.
The mayor and councilmembers claimed the gang injunction provisions
would prevent violent crimes, but even they didn’t try to claim that
the provisions would have applied to the participants in Thursday’s
shooting or could have prevented it. The mayor admitted that they were
holding the press conference at the Columbia Heights station simply
because Thursday’s shooting was in the news. In other words, it was
cheap-jack exploitation. Their embarrassment should have been complete
when later Friday afternoon the shooter was identified as an intern in
Councilmember Jim Graham’s office who had been assigned there by the
Summer Youth Employment Program, and Graham, who styles himself “the
sheriff of Ward One,” drove the intern to the police substation to
turn himself in. As one wag wrote to me, under the gang injunction
provisions the attorney general could designate Graham’s council
office as a gang and issue a stay-away order to the Graham Gang keeping
them from gathering together in Ward One or in the Wilson Building.
I asked Mayor Fenty what he would say to potential employers to
assure them that participants in the Summer Youth Employment Program
would be screened well enough to ensure that they wouldn’t be bringing
that kind of violence or weapons into their workplaces. The mayor’s
answer, “I don’t understand the question.” Claiming that he doesn’t
understand questions is one of the mayor’s usual ways to evade
answering them, but in this case I believe him. I don’t think he
understands how even a couple more cases of violence of this sort would
discourage private employers from hiring kids in the program.
The question that Councilmember Jack Evans kept asking members of the
press was how they would prevent crime, if they didn’t support the
gang injunction program. It isn’t the job of reporters to propose
government policies, so of course he got no answer. But the American
Civil Liberties Union demonstrators at the press conference were already
chanting a simple answer to that question: “Prosecute criminals, not
innocent people.” Prosecuting, sentencing, and incarcerating actual
criminals is the best way we know to prevent future crime. With few
exceptions, young criminals in DC have to commit numerous crimes before
they are arrested, to be arrested numerous times before they are
prosecuted, and to be prosecuted numerous times before they are
incarcerated. Instead of labeling people who have not committed any
crimes as gang members, enforce our current laws and make the juvenile
justice system work to protect innocent people.
WTOP radio dug up the fact that, “Since Adrian Fenty became DC’s
mayor in 2007, the number of speed bumps in the nation’s capital has
jumped from 157 to 691,” http://www.wtop.com/?sid=1699813&nid=25.
It’s just one more instance of this administration’s hostility to
cars and their drivers, and its belief that if it makes the road bumpy
enough, if it makes driving and parking unpleasant enough, people will
abandon their cars for buses and subways. Shouldn’t urban planning
have some basis in what people actually do and want to do, rather than
simply in what urban planners want to make people do?
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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This past April, in response to news reports, the city council
launched an investigation into efforts by the Fenty administration to
use a District nonprofit to transfer a surplus District fire truck and
ambulance to Sosua, a city in the Dominican Republic. Councilmembers
Phil Mendelson, chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and the
Judiciary, and Mary Cheh, chair of the Committee on Government
Operations and the Environment, were authorized to conduct a joint
investigation, and their respective committees were given subpoena
authority. Last Friday, Cheh and Mendelson sought to carry out their
investigations with depositions from three key individuals involved in
the incident — Deputy Fire Chief Ronald E. Gill, Jr.; Robin Booth,
Property Disposal Specialist in the Office of Contracts and Procurement;
and Ronald Moten, Chief Operating Officer of Peaceoholics. The
depositions were closed to the press and the public, so I spent most of
Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., in the corridor outside of Room
104 at the Wilson Building, where I was able to see some of the drama
surrounding the depositions.
At 10:00 a.m., Deputy Fire Chief Gill, in his dress FEMS uniform,
arrived with his pro bono attorney, Anthony Herman from Covington
Burling. Already seated in the room were attorneys from the office of
Attorney General Peter Nickles, including George C. Valentine, Deputy
Attorney General in charge of the Civil Litigation Division. Although
Gill’s deposition had been previously scheduled, Nickles had
intervened, arguing that District employees Gill and Booth needed legal
counsel, but that the Office of the Attorney General could not represent
them, “given the potential for possible conflicts with the government’s
interests under DC Bar Rule of Professional Conduct 1.13” (http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/fire090505.htm).
When the council refused to secure private legal counsel for Gill and
Booth, Nickles managed to secure private attorneys from Covington and
Burling for Gill and from Venable LLP for Booth. Though the AG had
argued that it would be a conflict of interest for his attorneys to
represent Gill and Booth, the attorneys from the AG’s office refused
to leave the deposition. After more than an hour and a half of heated
discussion, and instances when all of the attorneys were put out of the
hearing room, Mendelson had had enough, and called Ron Collins, Deputy
Secretary to the council, to have him stand by in the event that
security officers would have to be called to eject the AG’s attorneys
forcibly. After more heated discussion in which they insisted that they
were there to “assist” Gill’s attorney and to represent Gill in
his “official” capacity as a District employee, Valentine and the
other attorney from the AG’s office decided to leave voluntarily
rather than to be forcibly ejected. Later in the day, Nickles told the Washington
City Paper that he would take the council to court to enforce his
office’s right to attend the deposition, even though he had earlier
claimed that it would be a conflict of interest.
Robin Booth’s deposition, which followed Gill’s, was conducted by
Councilmember Mary Cheh. George Valentine and the same attorney from the
Attorney General’s office again insisted on attending the deposition,
but this time indicated that they were there as co-counsel with Booth’s
attorneys from Venable, Robert L. Wilkins and Claude E. Bailey. (Bailey
until recently was a senior attorney in the District government, holding
positions in the Corporation Counsel’s office, the Sports Authority,
and the Washington Convention Center Authority.) Cheh allowed them to
stay throughout Booth’s deposition. Ronald Moten was scheduled for a
private deposition at 4:00 p.m. However, he invited about sixty
teenagers and young adults from Peaceoholics to come to the Wilson
Building, telling them that he was going to testify at a public hearing.
At about 3:30 p.m., they began to congregate on the fifth floor outside
the council chamber, acting in a boisterous and rowdy manner. At 4:00
p.m., Moten brought them down to the hallway outside Room 104, and
insisted that “his people” be allowed to attend and witness his
deposition. Councilmember Mendelson confirmed with Moten that he had
been told the deposition was private and that only he and his attorney
would be allowed to attend. Moten objected flamboyantly and angrily,
said that he “didn’t have time for this,” and left with the sixty
kids. Moten’s attorney, Rodney Mitchell, also said that Moten “didn’t
have time for this.” Since Moten’s deposition was originally
scheduled for 4:00 p.m., although he had been previously informed that
the depositions were running late, Mitchell said Moten, “can’t stand
around and wait.” Moten is now insisting that he will not attend a
private deposition, but will only testify with his group witnessing in a
public hearing.
Hovering in the hallway outside Room 104 all afternoon while the
depositions were being taken was David Jannarone, Director of
Development in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic
Development, who has been identified as one of the administration
figures who worked with mayoral friend Sinclair Skinner to arrange for
the transfer of the firetruck and ambulance.
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It has been reported that two hundred fifty DC teachers received
notices of terminations last week. These notices were given to some DC
teachers by hand; some by E-mail, and some by mail to their homes.
Chancellor Michelle Rhee signed all teachers’ termination letters.
Many believe two hundred fifty terminated teachers is not an accurate
number, and the Rhee administration has not confirmed whether this an
accurate number of teacher terminations. Despite the fact that
Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee’s termination letters stated that DC
teachers were evaluated by their local school principal, some DC
teachers were fired without ever being evaluated, as WJLA news presented
on Friday’s news. There are still a host of complaints in which
veteran teachers report that there were targeted for personal reasons.
Many teachers were not given the support they were entitled under our
teachers’ contract. Many procedural violations occurred in
implementing ninety-day plans for DC teachers. Probationary teachers
were fired arbitrarily.
When Rhee signed off on the terminations of twenty-one teachers at
Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC) for their standardized test
scores, which many question, it leaves me wondering whether Principal
Maria Tukeva ever cheated in some back room. How is it that the entire
middle school teaching staff of twenty-one teachers out of approximately
thirty-two teachers at CHEC were all deemed ineffective? How is that the
entire special education department at Ludlow Taylor elementary school,
where Carolyn Cobbs is principal, were terminated? Was the whole special
education department ineffective? Stories like these and many others
defy probability and reason, and suggest to me that it’s not about
removing ineffective teachers but more about Chancellor Rhee’s making
good on her threat to fire DC teachers in the form of plan B after
proposed teacher contract talks stalled with the Washington Teachers’
Union last year.
Here’s what some DC teachers said on The Washington Teacher blog
about the recent terminations. Dee Does the District: “This issue is
bigger than just me. There are six other teachers that were terminated
from Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School by Carolyn Cobbs (Principal). These
individuals ranged from probationary teachers to veterans in the
District. One teacher in particular was told her job was safe, only to
receive a certified letter stating her termination last week. I want
others to know that they are not alone in this! We need to band together
and fight for ourselves and fight for the current and future teachers of
the District. What happened to us is not right, it is not fair, and
although this will be a long, arduous task, we will win this.”
A terminated teacher from CHEC: “I am one of the probationary
teachers who was terminated at CHEC. My frustration is focused entirely
on the administration at CHEC, for the way that they are handling the
firing process, and for the amount of truly amazing professionals they
are terminating. The amount of extra work required of teachers at CHEC
is unbelievable, and all of the people that I know who have been fired
embrace that extra work. There have been several terminations that I
know of where teachers were not even placed on any sort of improvement
plan. I was not on any sort of a plan . . . no 90-day, no anything. . .
. All throughout the year, I felt underappreciated, unsupported, and
unfairly treated. The work environment at that school is poisonous, and
this is just the latest thing. May this just be a lesson to everyone
that as educators, we need to stick together, support each other, and
remember that we are ultimately all here for the kids. They are what
kept me going all year, and they will continue to keep me going in the
future.”
A current DC CHEC teacher: “This year at CHEC, there was an obvious
shift in the way the administration ‘graded’ the performance
appraisal rubric and evaluated teachers. Teachers who ‘exceeded
expectations’ in the past were given ‘meets expectations’ or ‘needs
improvement’ and the overall morale in the school was gravely effected
by this seemingly arbitrary change in rating teachers. To me, this
sounds like pressure coming from powers higher above. This shift
definitely created an us versus them mentality in the school. Many
teachers have been harassed, disrespected, unsupported, and pushed away
due to unprofessional pressures from some administrators. I find it very
disheartening to see so many talented and hard working teachers leave my
school each year (voluntarily and involuntarily). I am also very
frustrated that each year the dramatic turnover results in retraining
and reinvesting in new staff which also greatly effects the school’s
potential to grow and improve.”
This question was posted on my education blog, The Washington
Teacher, and it is very appropriate in this climate of at-will
terminations created by Chancellor Michelle Rhee. “If so many teachers
are being terminated . . . what does that say about those hiring them?
So many questions, so little answers, but plenty of finger pointing
towards the teachers . . . including unfortunately, many good ones.”
Some of us are determined to ensure that due process, required by law,
occurs. A committee is being formed now to secure representation for
many of our DC teachers who have been wronged. We are in search of an
experienced labor attorney willing to represent a class of DC teachers pro
bono. If you can help in any way, please contact me c/o saveourcounselors@gmail.com
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Write-In Candidate for
Treasurer of Ward 5 Democrats
Albrette “Gigi” Ransom, gigir1829@yahoo.com
I have entered the Ward 5 Democrats Officers race as a write-in
candidate for the Treasurer’s position on a slate for change for the
21st century. It is a new day in America, which has been infused with a
higher consciousness. It has taken the air/power out of the controlling,
suppressive, oppressive, group think, self-interest focus way of
thinking about how to use power at the expense of the people’s rights
and benefit. This new, uplifting consciousness has also entered the
hearts and minds of those around the world, as we now see in Iran
(Persia). People of all nationalities, special populations, etc., want
to be engaged; have a voice that is respected and adhered to; and to be
an integral part of the political, grassroots, social, etc. orders. It
is clear that the leader(s) they now chose to elect must possess values,
integrity, leadership skills, be inclusive of the willingness to accept
constructive criticism, see the bigger picture, and act accordingly on
behalf of the people. It is no longer about having power and wanting
people to “fear” you because of it, but how you use that power and
influence to empower those who elected and did not elect you to serve.
Here in DC, it is no different. However, the need for change in
leadership to empower, embrace, and enhance this new way of thinking and
perception is needed now more than ever. In Ward 5, as far as
representation, it seems time has stopped along time ago, with outdated
thinking and controlling systems, along with a singular focus to please,
to serve, and enrich others to our detriment. It has taken some
wonderful, dedicated ANC commissioners, and the same for the many
community activists, no matter their age or preferences, “who have
left/leave their egos at the door,” that have stood up and taken a
stand for what is right, true, and deserving of the people! Due to the
current built-in obstacles, they may not have achieved the desired
results, but they knew/know that the adversary in the next fight will
know they are a voice to be reckoned with. I am not one to just talk
about an issue or situation. As one who has a track record of doing,
with a strong background as a team player, especially with those who
understand the true purpose of service, I recognize the sense of urgency
for a change in leadership.
That being said, after discussions with some Ward 5 residents, I am
entering the Ward 5 Democrats officers race as a write-in for the
Treasurer’s position. I am respectfully asking for your vote. When we
are elected, I would like to join Rae Zapata, Chair; Jeff Wilson, Vice
Chair (write in); Imani, Vice-Chair; William “Bill” Myers, Vice
Chairman; and Jane Lincoln, Recording Secretary, who have so far entered
the race, who will serve from the high road, and will stand as
lighthouses guiding the way for an empowered Ward 5.
I know that many of our residents have heard about the ANC resolution
to censure me, created and presented in the dark by some of the 5C
commissioners. Please know, I have and can further refute all of these
trumped up allegations, some, if you had been able to see the E-mails
would have definitely shown what they were up to. I am not homophobic.
It is an attempt at character assassination, to destroy my reputation
because I won’t go along with the status quo, which is the same way of
thinking we are trying to change in the Ward 5 Dems. Those in Ward 5 and
around the city who know my history of community service have not fallen
for this action by Commissioner Bonds and others.
The election is tomorrow night at Michigan Park Christian Church,
voting is from 7:15 p.m.-8:30 p.m. , 1600 Taylor Street, NE (just before
S. Dakota Avenue, NE). Again, I am respectfully asking for your support
and vote, thanking you in advance for a new day in Ward 5 politics!
Please come out to vote for change.
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Capitol Visitor Center
Ed T. Barron, edtb1@macdotcom
The newly opened Capitol Visitor Center, costing about four times the
original budget, is a huge entry into the Capitol Building. It is well
done and should last a thousand years. Not normally inclined to visit
popular attractions during the tourist season, we had our grand gals
here from the other Washington and made reservations for a tour. The
place was packed, but the crowds were handled in a very orderly manner.
Tour tickets are time stamped and crowds of about six or seven hundred
enter the orientation theater every twenty minutes. After the
fifteen-minute film they are divided into groups of twenty-five and led
by a tour guide onto the Rotunda floor. Probably about twenty groups are
on the floor at any one time, but the tour guides are well equipped to
describe the building. After the tour there is a “restaurant” which
is really a very well organized cafeteria. We managed, at the height of
the lunch hour, to get some good food at somewhat elevated prices (but
worth the convenience) in about ten minutes and easily found a table to
occupy despite the throngs of diners. The only other nearby alternative
for lunch would have been the 6th floor of the Library of Congress
building cafeteria (open to the public) a block away. For those touring
the Capitol, there is a tunnel that leads right to the Library of
Congress, another delightful place to visit (and a lot less crowded).
The Capitol, and the new visitor center, are worth a visit.
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Best Pet Trick Videos
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
To foster greater civic dialogue on important matters of the day,
washingtonpost.com is sponsoring Best Pet Trick Videos. Http://tinyurl.com/mxcf54
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Why American University Is Becoming a Center
for New Journalism
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
Just read a very interesting blog post from Mark Glaser at PBS’s
Media Shift blog on why American University is becoming a hub for new
journalism. (http://tinyurl.com/mwu7vg)
Fair disclosure — I’m an adjunct professor at AU and might not see
this information with unbiased eyes. Interestingly, although I teach in
the school of education, a lot of what I teach my grad students is new
media skills (screencasting, podcasting, blogs, video editing, RSS,
etc.) — the same stuff taught in the School of Communications.
On a related topic, the recently formed Capital Region Society for
Technology in Education looks like it’s getting off to a great start
this month (http://crste.org). This
no-dues organization was founded by Walter McKenzie, Assistant
Superintendent for the Arlington Public Schools. Walter McKenzie is as
sharp as they come in understanding how the human mind learns and is a
down-to-Earth, unpretentious visionary. Follow CRSTE on Twitter at http://twitter.com/crstechirps
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DTV Transition and Loss of Stations
T. Lassoc, cei76@aol.com
Regarding the absence of WETA in the basic Cox cable service: We have
no TV’s with digital tuners and as yet do not have a converter box.
Before the transition, we had neither cable nor satellite service and
actually were quite satisfied with channels available by over-the-air
analog transmission. Of necessity, we just subscribed to limited, basic
cable service just for minimal TV access.
It is reported that the number of over-the-air local channels (now
digital broadcasts) has greatly increased (e.g., ABC has three digital
channels), some of which are not included in basic cable lineups.
Therefore, we intend to purchase a small digital TV (probably no larger
than 13”) and/or a converter box (with the help of the government
coupon), to supplement the stations we now receive by limited cable
service. Fortunately, WETA is included in our limited cable service.
In order to receive the local over-the-air digital channels not
included in the Cox standard/basic cable lineup, possibly consider a
small digital TV not hooked up to your cable service or a converter box
for an analog TV (if you still have one; they’re probably “a penny a
dozen” or “free” now) — a possible interim alternative without a
lot of additional expense.
[Unfortunately, converter boxes aren’t a penny a dozen yet.
Regardless of brand, most places (Best Buy, Radio Shack, Sears, etc.)
still sell them for sixty dollars, though Walmart sell them for fifty,
which makes the final cost with the government discount coupon ten or
twenty dollars. You may also need a new antenna; unless you’re in a
poor reception area (in a valley or surrounded by taller buildings), the
cheapest basic antenna with rabbit ears and a UHF loop will do fine. If
you watch mostly PBS stations, as Nan Reiner wrote in the last issue of
themail, digital over-the-air broadcast will actually give you more
choices than cable. — Gary Imhoff]
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The Nine Lives of Marion Barry
Gary Imhoff, themail@dcwatch.com
In the last issue of themail (June 17), I wrote about The Nine
Lives of Marion Barry, the new documentary that debuted at
Silverdocs on Saturday. The division of the crowd, from the people who
booed him as he entered the theater to the people who cheered him and
chanted his name as he left in his limousine, reflected the division
that Marion Barry still inspires. For each side, the movie seemed to
confirm and reflect the opinions they brought to it.
For me, the movie confirmed my greatest disappointment about Barry.
He was first elected mayor in a three-way race against Mayor Walter
Washington and Sterling Tucker. A series of Washington Post editorials
argued basically that Washington was boring and Tucker was
buttoned-down, and that Barry would bring excitement to the mayor’s
office — which he certainly did. Black votes were split among
Washington, Tucker, and Barry, and liberal whites provided Barry’s
margin of victory. Barry’s failures as mayor were foreshadowed in his
first term and became evident in his second — government corruption,
both explicitly illegal and marginally legal; using the government as a
jobs program and creating thousands of no-work and even no-show jobs;
and his personal failures of womanizing and alcohol and drug abuse,
which led to his general neglect and mismanagement of the government.
But his greatest failure was in the area where he had the greatest
promise. As a product of the civil rights movement, Barry had
credibility with liberal whites and street cred with blacks who didn’t
feel represented by middle-class men like Washington and Tucker. He was
a chameleon; to his developer friends, he was an educated man whose
dashikis were a costume; to his street dude followers, he shared all the
vices of the street, and his three-piece tailored suits were a disguise.
He could speak with and relate to everyone. Coming to power after
Washington’s 1968 riots, he had the potential to heal his city and
reconcile the races better than nearly any other city leader in America.
But when his personal vices could no longer be hidden, when his enablers
and excusers could no longer claim that Marion was just fine, Marion
continued to lie, and to bolster his lies by creating and exacerbating
racial tensions and divisions. All his problems were the fault of the
man, of “them,” the white people who couldn’t stand seeing a
strong black man in charge and leading the city. Instead of reconciling
and uniting the city, Barry deliberately divided it for his own
purposes. It was that division that hurt this city and its people, more
than the corruption and more than the mismanagement. It was his
exploitation of race for personal gain that remains as his legacy to his
city.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Department of Parks and Recreation Events,
June 22-25
John Stokes, john.astokes@dc.gov
June 22-26, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Ridge Road Recreation Center, 800
Ridge Road, SE. Inter generational football camp. Participants will
enjoy a week of learning the fundamentals of football. They will also be
preparing themselves for the upcoming football season. For more
information, call Sonny Hicks at 645-3959.
June 24, 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Langdon Park Recreation Center, 2901
20th Street, NE. Langdon Park Fun Day, ages six and up. We are having
face painting, basketball tournament, outdoor swimming, outdoor tennis,
relay races, tug-a-war, hop scotch, flag football, etc. There will be
hot dogs, potato chips, popcorn, snow cones, juice, and sodas. Please
come out and support our Fun Day here at Langdon Park. For more
information, call T-Jai Farmer, Site Manager, at 576-6595.
June 24, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Takoma Community Center (Park Area),
300 Van Buren Street, NW. Senior picnic for ages 55 and up. Join the
Senior Services Division for our Annual Senior Picnic. Seniors will
enjoy fun, food, entertainment, and fellowship. For more information,
call Nichole Williams at 576-7134.
June 24, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Guy Mason Recreation Center, 3600
Calvert Street, NW. Congressional Softball Game. The softball teams from
the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee
staffs play for bragging rights. Sometimes the national chairmen for
each group come out, but usually most of the participants are staffers.
For more information, call Robert Haldeman at 671-1700.
June 25, 7:00 p.m., Ft. Lincoln Recreation Center, 3100 Lincoln
Drive, NE; Ft. Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie Street, SE; Taft
Field, 18th and Perry Streets, NE; Ridge Road Recreation Center, 800
Ridge Road, NE; and Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center, 501 Riggs Road, NE.
Stars & Strikes Baseball Tournament for ages twelve and under. Stars
and Strikes is a youth baseball program intended to enhance the
awareness and participation level of youth baseball in the District of
Columbia. Its focus is to provide a forum in which youth baseball teams,
ranging in age from five to twelve, can participate in organized
baseball during the 4th of July weekend and gain exposure to the world
of organized travel baseball.
The event has been separated into two programs. The first half of the
program will be the actual celebration of baseball in the District of
Columbia. On Friday, July the 3rd, Stars and Strikes will hold a
festival at Fort Lincoln field. There will be organized t-ball games and
a mini 10U, one day, tournament at Fort Lincoln field. In addition,
there will be food, beverages and amusements all over the Ft. Lincoln
area. All teams will be from the District of Columbia. The point of this
day is to attract the game of baseball to more individuals and increase
the participation rate of kids involved in baseball.
The Second part of Stars and Strikes is a more competitive element.
DC is a great city and it is a perfect venue to attract teams to come
and play the game of baseball. However, there are a limited number of
serious tournaments that are hosted within the District of Columbia.
Stars and Strikes will host a 16 team 12 U tournament over the course of
the July 4th week. Games will be held at various fields all over the DC
from June 29th to July 4th, with games concluding on July 4th. The point
is to make DC as serious of a forum to host competitive youth baseball
tournaments. Teams will be in the DC, MD and VA area. For more
information, call Robert Haldeman at 671-1700.
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It’s Time to Let DC Vote, June 23
Ann Loikow, aloikow@verizon.net
The Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar is
cosponsoring a brown bag program with the Real Estate, Housing and Land
Use Section and the DC Affairs Section: It’s Time to Let DC Vote!
Tuesday, June 23,12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m., at Jenner & Block LLP, 1099
New York Avenue, NW, Suite 900 (Metro Center, 11th Street exit).
Speakers: Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congresswoman for the District of
Columbia (invited); Bruce Spiva, Chair, DC Vote, Spiva & Hartnett
LLP; John Fortier, American Enterprise Institute; moderator: Lorelie S.
Masters, Jenner & Block LLP.
Since the District of Columbia was created by Act of Congress in
1801, residents of our nation’s Capitol have had no voting
representation in Congress. For the first time in decades, legislation
in Congress that would give District residents a vote in the US House of
Representatives has a realistic possibility of passing and being signed
into law. A legal challenge will likely be reviewed on an expedited
basis in the Supreme Court. Come and participate in a discussion about
the Constitutional and other issues raised by this historic legislation.
Cost: $10.00 Litigation Section, Real Estate, Housing and Land Use
Section, and DC Affairs Section members and subscribers; $15.00
non-section members; $5.00 law students, government, and nonprofit
employees, summer associates, and clerks. Please bring your own lunch.
To register for this program or for a printable registration form,
please visit http://tinyurl.com/p2xlyj
For more information, please visit https://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/events/details.cfm?sessionAltCD=180890&link=email
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Community Reentry and Expungement Summit 2009,
June 23
Susie Cambria, susie.cambria@gmail.com
Learn how to succeed with a criminal record. Come learn about reentry
support services in the DC area and whether you are eligible to have
your DC arrest record sealed or conviction record expunged. Event
services will include housing information and counseling, education and
vocational training, employment assistance, free civil legal advice, and
information on record sealing and expungement. Tuesday, June 23, 10:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801
Mount Vernon Place, NW (Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center stop on the
Yellow and Green Metro lines and Gallery Place/Chinatown stop on the Red
Line; Metro buses P6, 90, X2, and G8).
For more information, contact April Frazier, Community Reentry
Program Coordinator, 680 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, Suite H-5, 824-2835, reentry@pdsdc.org.
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National Building Museum Events, June 24
Jazmine Zick, jzick@nbm.org
June 24, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Smart Growth: Achieving Neighborhood
Sustainability with LEED. Sophie Lambert, director of LEED for
Neighborhood Development at the US Green Building Council, explains how
the LEED-ND rating system combines the principles of smart growth, new
urbanism, and green building into the first national standard for
neighborhood design. Tony Greenberg, JBG Companies, also shares his
experience taking the Twinbrook Station project through the LEED-ND
process. Free. No registration required. At the National Building
Museum, 401 F Street, NW, Judiciary Square stop, Metro Red Line.
###############
Humanities Council Events, June 24-25
Lisa Alfred, lalfred@wdchumanities.org
Conversation on great streets with the four living mayors of
Washington. Wednesday, June 24, 6:00-8:00 p.m. At the Historical Society
of Washington, DC. Invited panelists include all living mayors of
Washington: Marion Barry, Adrian Fenty, Sharon Pratt, and Anthony
Williams. Free. Please RSVP at http://www.wdchumanities.org
or call 387-8391.
DC community heritage symposium on fundraising and the future of
neighborhood preservation. Thursday, June 25, 6:00-8:00 p.m., at the
Watts Branch Recreation Center, 6201 Banks Place, NE, one block from the
Capitol Heights Metro Station. The Humanities Council of Washington, DC,
presents a panel discussion and workshop on potential funding for
community groups who want to tell the story of their community. Free.
Please RSVP at http://www.wdchumanities.org
or call 387-8391.
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The Independence Day Tea Party will be held on July 4th at John
Marshall Park, just two blocks from the mall at the corner of 4th Street
and Constitution Avenue. The purpose of this event is to provide an
outlet for area citizens to exercise their right to protest wasteful
government spending, in the form of “Pork Projects” and the
inevitable high taxation that follows. The Tea Party movement is a
movement of the people, by the people, and is not affiliated with any
political party or candidate.
This grassroots movement has grown popularity after fifty tea parties
spontaneously erupted in late February, after Congress passed the
pork-filled stimulus package, followed by the earmark-filled omnibus
spending package, on April 15, over seven hundred fifty tax day tea
parties were attended by over 350,000 Americans.
Sign up for updates at http://teapartywdc.ning.com/.
To find out more information, contact Lisa Miller at TeapartyWDC@comcast.net
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