Follow All the Money
Dear Bag Men:
In tomorrow’s paper, City Paper delivers a shocking Loose
Lips column, cowritten by Mike DeBonis and Jason Cherkis (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/printerpage.php?id=37892),
about the close personal relationship between Ward One Councilmember Jim
Graham and his Chief of Staff, Ted Loza. I thought I knew Ward One
political gossip, but the story has several details that I had never
heard, including Graham’s financing of an abortion that Loza forced on
one of his girlfriends. Also see Eric Wemple’s footnote to the Graham
story, retelling his attempted deal with the Whitman-Walker Clinic to
provide supplementary income after he was first elected to the city
council, http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/09/30/jim-grahams-decade-old-taint/.
What Eric doesn’t include in his short item is Whitman-Walker’s
lovely parting gifts to Graham — the roomful of expensive Stickley
furniture and the even more expensive original Mapplethorpe photographic
print. Footnote: it’s funny how so many news outlets are jumping
eagerly on the Washington Post’s mistaken report that Graham is
not a target of the FBI investigation, and dismissing more reliably
sourced reports from WUSA’s Bruce Johnson and WRC’s Tom Sherwood
that he is. As I wrote in the last issue, until more information about
the investigation comes out, “In the meantime, don’t assume anyone’s
innocence.”
DC’s mayoral takeover of the public school system is based on the
New York City model advocated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg has
repeatedly claimed that changes made under his direction have improved
education. But the New York Post reported on September 9 (http://tinyurl.com/yjf5qux)
that, “ City and state scores on SATs spiraled downward for the fourth
straight year, according to new data. Since hitting a peak in 2005, the
city’s average score on each 800-point section of the SAT has dropped
by 13 points in reading, to 435, and by 18 points in math, to 459.
Scores on the writing section, which was introduced in 2006, have
dropped by six points, to 432.” The excuse for the drop in performance
was racially tinged: “City Department of Education officials said the
dramatic drop was fueled by the substantial increase in low-performing
students taking the test — particularly black and Hispanic students
who may not have considered college in the past.” Education officials
hail in increase in minority students taking the test, “ But the same
data hailed as a positive trend also highlighted an increase in the
achievement gap between whites and their black and Hispanic peers since
2005. That gap has stretched by about 20 points in both math and reading
— with whites now scoring an average 108 points higher in math and
nearly 100 points higher in reading than minorities.”
Herbert London, president of the Hudson Institute, notes (http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/attention-mayor-bloomberg-lower-sat-scores-dont-equal-success/)
that Bloomberg and his chancellor, Joel Klein, have consistently praised
themselves for their “success” in improving education in New York
City schools, while “city scores on the SAT spiraled downward for the
fourth straight year.” London says, “The number of minority students
taking the SAT this year is about the same as those taking the exam last
year. Moreover, is Mr. Jacobs claiming blacks and Hispanics cannot
succeed on this test? What are the implications of that statement? And
how does he square the relative success of minority students on New York
City administered standardized tests with the relatively poor showing of
this population on the SAT? If the SAT scores demonstrate that New York
City minority students are not prepared for college-level study, one
must ask what are they prepared for. Most significantly, the poor
results on the SAT test call into question some of the exaggerated
claims about student performance. Do the New York City scores in reading
and math truly support the proposition that the city’s students are
showing marked improvement? Will Mayor Bloomberg be inclined to scale
back his rhetoric about educational progress? Perhaps the most
noteworthy development from this recent report is that educational
scholars are likely to examine the so-called progress in the city’s
school system — or, at least, I hope so.” As in New York, Fenty and
Rhee insist on evaluating and interpreting their own results themselves,
and independent educational scholars and educational reporters suspend
their usual skepticism and accept the most outlandish claims of progress
uncritically.
Correction: in the last issue, in Erich Martel’s message about the
seventeen-page DC Public Schools Reduction in Force Memo that was sent
to principals on Friday, September 17, I made a mistake in the link that
has already been corrected online. The correct link is http://www.dcpswatch.com/dcps/090918.htm.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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The City Paper looked into the background of Ted Loza,
Councilmember Jim Graham’s chief of staff and longtime confidant, this
week. Last week, following Loza’s arrest on bribery charges, Graham
put him on a paid leave of absence. Now Graham has named another
longtime aide and his deputy chief of staff, Calvin Woodland, Jr., to
fill Loza’s position as acting chief of staff.
Woodland first met Graham at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in the
late 1990’s, and Graham subsequently became Woodland’s AA sponsor.
When Graham ran for the Ward One council seat in 1998, Woodland joined
him on the campaign trail, and following Graham’s election he hired
Woodland to work in his council office as the assistant director of
constituent services. An admiring profile of Woodland in the District
Weekly section of the Washington Post in January 20, 2000,
entitled, “Former Pusher Rises to City Hall,” gives further insight
into Woodland’s background: “Court records show that Woodland was
arrested 16 times between 1980 and 1992. He racked up 37 criminal
charges, including possession and distribution of cocaine, PCP, and
marijuana, robbery, prison breach, assault with a dangerous weapon, bail
violations, and contempt of court.” In addition, the article notes
that Woodland “served time in the Lorton Correction Complex before
beginning his recovery from drug addition in 1992.”
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An envelope is to a council staff member, as a ____ is to a
councilmember: a. briefcase; b. suitcase; c. steamer trunk; d. wire
transfer to offshore account. No penalty for an incorrect answer.
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Selective Parking Enforcement
Clyde Howard, ceohoward@hotmail.com
Have you wondered how you got a ticket when cars around you are in
violation of the Residential Parking Permit hours of 6:00 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. or 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.? Have you wondered why no vehicles been
ticketed that are in violation of RPP during the evening hours when all
curb space is occupied by strange cars in your block? Well, the word is
that an individual of note has directed the Department of Public Works
not to enforce RPP while these strangers are imbibing and dining on U
Street, NW. Who is this individual of note? If his name were mentioned
here he would invoke all kinds of denials. You can be sure that vehicles
that sit on your street until the end of the RPP hours without one
ticket on their windshields is proof of the directive DPW is operating
under. While we pay taxes and must buy into the RPP program, we are
relegated to second class while strangers park in our neighborhoods with
immunity from any and all parking enforcement, especially RPP.
How can we as residents fight this inequity in parking enforcement?
When we return home from work, meetings, or an evening of entertainment
and find our blocks loaded with cars, we can simply call 311 and demand
that parking enforcement come and do their duty. Note the day and time
of your call, the complaint number, and if there was a response or non
response by parking enforcement. After thirty days, send a copy of your
call-in complaints to William Howland, Director of DPW, and to Jim
Graham, Ward 1 councilmember, with a cover letter explaining why you are
sending this information to them. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the
oil, so complain, complain, complain.
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Sec. 141, Row E, Seat 4
Ed T. Barron, edtb1@macdotcom
That’s a fine seat in the lower right center field stands at
Nationals’ Park which I won’t be sitting in next baseball season. Of
the twenty-two games I’ve watched at the ballpark this season, the
Nats won only six. A very dismal record. I’ll miss watching some good
ballplayers from the other teams. I’ll miss some of the good players
on the Nats. Specifically, I’ll miss Nyjer Morgan who covers
centerfield like it was a small playpen. I call Nyjer the lightning bug.
He lights up the team and bugs the opposing pitchers with his base
stealing and running. He gets on base so often it makes attending games
a real treat, even beating out bunt singles with the third baseman
halfway down the line.
There’s lots I won’t miss — like waiting fifteen minutes
between Green Line trains from the Navy Yard Station. That makes for
crowded, unsafe platforms and very crowded trains at the end of the
games. I won’t miss baking my brains out with an unobstructed view of
the sun on those hot Sunday afternoon games. Though I’ve not tried
one, I won’t miss the $7.50 beers, which I’m told taste very much
like the buck fifty beers I drink at home. I’ll come back to the Nats
stadium for selected games next year but won’t renew my partial season
ticket. Someone else can keep that seat warm for me until they become a
.500 ball club.
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Newsweek
Removes Subscription Cards from Magazine
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
Newsweek magazine, owned by the Washington Post, is
seeking to boost subscriber numbers by removing the subscription cards
in the magazines. Yes, but. . . .
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Bicycle Cooperative in DC
Rudi Riet, rudi@songfta.com
In response to Phil Shapiro’s inquiry about bike co-ops in DC (“Bicycle
Cooperative in DC?”, themail, September 29), he should look into The
Bike House (http://www.thebikehouse.org/)
in Petworth. This co-op opened this summer, and offers a wealth of
resources to cyclists: repair, mentoring, etc. It’s just getting off
the ground, but the people who are behind The Bike House are strongly
committed to helping cyclists of all kinds. He should check it out!
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Brookland Heartbeat
September/October Issue Now Available
Abigail Padou, brooklandheartbeat@yahoo.com
The lead article in this issue is “District Budget Ignores Ward 5
Parks and Recreation Facilities.” An analysis reveals that Ward 5
comes in last out of all eight wards in terms of District spending on
parks and recreation facilities — even though the Ward 5 councilmember
is chair of the Council committee that oversees parks and recreation.
Other articles and features include: “Decision to Kill New Libraries
in Ward 5 Exposed — DCPL Reacts,” “DDOT Creates $2.5 Million
Landscaping Plan for 12th Street,” and “New in B’land: Capital
City Cheesecake and Shakti MindBody Studio.” Go to http://www.brooklandheartbeat.org
for articles. To receive a copy electronically, send your E-mail address
to brooklandheartbeat@yahoo.com.
Brookland Heartbeat is mailed to more than ten thousand homes in
the greater Brookland area. Brookland Heartbeat is a nonprofit,
all-volunteer community newspaper.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Ward 5 Dems Meet and Greet, September 2
Hazel B. Thomas, thomashazelb@aol.com
Come meet the newest elected leadership of the Ward 5 Democrats at
our first official meeting reception fundraiser. Honorees: past chairs
of the Ward 5 Democrats. Friday, October 2, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the
Holiday Inn Express, 1917 Bladensburg Road, NE. Donation, $10. Light
food and wine will be served. Invited guests, Ward 5 ANC Commissioners,
the Honorable Adrian M. Fenty, the Honorable Harry Thomas, Jr., the
Honorable Vincent C. Gray, the Honorable Kwame Brown, the Honorable
Michael Brown, the Honorable Phil Mendelson, Marc Jones, School Board
Representative. For additional information, please contact Ward 5 Dems
Chair Angel Alston, 315-6057 or angel.alston@yahoo.com,
or visit our web site at http://www.ward5democrats.org.
Note that this meet and greet will take the place of our September 28
meeting.
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AIDS Walk Washington (5K) with DC for
Democracy, October 3
Keshini Ladduwahetty, keshinil@yahoo.com
What’s the connection between statehood and HIV? One of the reasons
DC has the highest HIV infection rate in the country is that for ten
years (1998-2008), Congress prevented us from using our own tax money to
pay for needle-exchange programs, which are proven to reduce HIV
infection rates. If DC were a state, we would have fewer people infected
with HIV. Even today, Congress is threatening to limit the effectiveness
of our needle-exchange programs by abusing their power over the DC
budget.
So help get the word out about the connection between AIDS and our
lack of statehood, and how statehood can make a real and material
difference in people’s lives! Join our 51st State Walkers team and
help us support AIDS Walk Washington 2009, the Whitman-Walker Clinic and
DC Statehood! Saturday, October 3, 9:00 a.m., Freedom Plaza (meet at
13th and E Streets, NW). The walk should be over by noon. RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/ycoe472.
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I Am DC Advocacy Day, October 5
Jaline Quinto, jquinto@dcvote.org
DC Vote, dedicated to full congressional voting representation and
full democracy for Washington, DC, will host I Am DC Advocacy Day on the
Hill next Monday, October 5, to urge Congress to pass the DC Voting
Rights Act (H.R.157/S.160) without harmful amendments. Following a
breakfast program with elected officials, supporters will deliver
thousands of postcards from DC residents demanding the vote to
Democratic members of Congress who support the gun amendment that has
stalled the legislation in the House.
Monday, October 5, from 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; program from 9:00-10:00
a.m., at the Cannon Caucus Room, Cannon House Office Building 345. Who:
more than one hundred DC residents; Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
(D-DC); Marie Johns, managing member of L&L Consulting; Kamal Ali,
owner of Ben’s Chili Bowl; Ilir Zherka, DC Vote Executive Director;
Eugene D. Kinlow, DC Vote public affairs director. Download the
printable I Am DC Advocacy Day flyer at http://www.dcvote.org/pdfs/IAmDCFullPageFlyer_FINAL.pdf.
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Big City Song Reading,
October 6
Sara Kabakoff, skabakoff@nbm.org
October, 6, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Book of the Month: Big City
Song. Readings at 10:30 and 11:30. Recommended for ages three to
five. Join us in the Building Zone for an exciting exploration of the
sounds heard in a city as we read Debora Pearson and Lynn Rowe Reed’s
story, Big City Song. Free drop-in program. At the National
Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, Judiciary Square Metro station.
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Possible Solutions to Toxic Diesel Pollution
in DC, October 8
Chris Weiss, cweiss@foe.org
The DC Environmental Network invites all interested to a brown bag
luncheon on Toxic Diesel Pollution in DC — Possible Solutions. The DC
Environmental Network is pleased to have Brooke Suter, Coordinator of
the National Partnership to Reduce Diesel Pollution, join us to share
ongoing efforts to reduce toxic diesel pollution on the local, state,
and federal levels, and to solicit our thoughts on possible actions in
the DC area. At this point in time, significant opportunities may exist
to build on prior and current initiatives and reap positive effects for
DC communities.
The District Of Columbia ranks in the 98th worst percentile for
health risks from diesel soot when ranked with among the 48 contiguous
states plus DC. DC is ranked as presenting the second greatest health
risk from diesel pollution when ranked among states. DC presents the
twelfth greatest health risk as compared to other metro areas. Diesel
emissions are linked to a myriad of health impacts, including asthma
attacks, heart attacks, stroke, and cancer. The lung cancer risk in DC
from diesel pollution is 546 times greater than EPA’s “acceptable”
cancer risk of one cancer in a million. In addition, as a global warming
pollutant, black carbon (found in diesel pollution) is about 2000 times
more potent than the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide over a
twenty-year period. As a short lived pollutant, reducing black carbon is
one of the few actions that can be taken that will have immediate
climate benefits, complementing long-term efforts to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions. Diesel pollution is a crosscutting issue impacting
many issues and constituencies of concern: air toxics, global warming,
kids’ health, environmental justice communities, workers, and
commuters. To learn more about the public health risks from diesel
pollution in DC, visit: http://www.catf.us/projects/diesel/dieselhealth/state.php?site=0&s=11.
For a report that summarizes the Health Impacts from diesel, see http://www.catf.us/goto/dieselhealth.
Thursday, October 8, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Friends of the
Earth, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW #600 (Dupont Circle Metro, South
Exit). Call in 888-346-3659; when prompted, enter 7405#. Remember to
bring a picture ID to get in the building.
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