How Does Your Garden Grow?
Dear Gardeners:
Caitlin Flanagan’s article in the latest issue of The Atlantic, “Cultivating
Failure: How School Gardens Are Cheating Our Most Vulnerable Students,”
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/school-yard-garden,
is a good explanation of what’s wrong with Councilmember Cheh’s and
Council Chairman Gray’s “Healthy Schools Act of 2009,” which will
have committee hearings on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. and Wednesday at 10:00
a.m. As I wrote on January 6, Jay Mathews has already criticized this
bill in the Washington Post, http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2009/12/more_required_pe--a_bad_idea_f.html,
for requiring more physical education in schools at the expense of time
spent on “reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.” The
same criticism can be made about the part of the bill dealing with
school gardens. Flanagan’s article is a takedown of the Edible
Schoolyards program, a faddish movement in California on which the
school gardening part of the bill is based.
Here’s what Flanagan says: “But although garden-based curricula
are advanced as a means of redressing a wide spectrum of poverty’s
ills, the animating spirit behind them is impossible to separate from
the haute-bourgeois predilections of the Alice Waters fan club, as best
expressed in one of her most oft-repeated philosophies: ‘Gardens help
students to learn the pleasure of physical work.’ Does the immigrant
farm worker dream that his child will learn to enjoy manual labor, or
that his child will be freed from it? What is the goal of an education,
of what we once called ‘book learning’? These are questions best
left unasked when it comes to the gardens.” Flanagan drives the point
home: “If this patronizing agenda were promulgated in the Jim Crow
South by a white man who was espousing a sharecropping curriculum for
African American students, we would see it for what it is: a way of
bestowing field work and low expectations on a giant population of
students who might become troublesome if they actually got an education.
Here is the essential question we must ask about the school gardens:
what evidence do we have that participation in one of these programs —
so enthusiastically supported, so uncritically championed — improves a
child’s chances of doing well on the state tests that will determine
his or her future (especially the all-important high-school exit exam)
and passing Algebra I, which is becoming the make-or-break class for
California high-school students? I have spent many hours poring over the
endless research on the positive effects of garden curricula, and in all
that time, I have yet to find a single study that suggests classroom
gardens help students meet the state standards for English and math. Our
kids are working in these gardens with the promise of a better chance at
getting an education and a high-school diploma but without one bit of
proof that their hard work will result in either.”
I’m very proud of this issue of themail; I don’t think you’ll
find better political commentary and analysis in any other news outlet.
But, as I write every so often, themail isn’t just about politics, but
about all aspects of living in DC. Why haven’t more people written
about our latest snow storm; television and radio news has covered
nothing else for the past few days. What has your experience been? An
E-mail from Michael Cover to the CrestwoodWDC mailing list (http://lists.crestwood-dc.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/crestwoodwdc,
available to subscribers only) has been making the rounds of other
mailing lists. It has a photograph attached of Mayor Fenty’s street,
with this description: “the street in front of the mayor’s house is
clear down to the pavement while mine (and most of Crestwood) has not
seen a plow or salt since yesterday morning.” Oh, darn, I’ve turned
everything back to politics again. But that doesn’t mean you have to.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Call to Testify at the Council of the District
of Columbia
Robert Brannum, President, Federation of Civic
Associations; rbrannum@robertbrannum.com
George R. Clark, Chairman, Committee of 100 on the Federal City; grclark@georgerclark.com
Carroll Green, President, Federation of Citizens Associations of DC;
todo4u2@aol.com
We jointly write to urge individual civic, citizens, and neighborhood
associations DC-wide to testify as appropriate at the upcoming annual
oversight public hearings conducted by the council of the District of
Columbia. Individual DC residents also are welcome to testify. Over a
period of about thirty days beginning February 17 through March 19 there
will be about forty fully public hearings devoted to just about every DC
Government department. These open sessions held in the Wilson Building
are a unique opportunity for everyone to comment on the performance of
our government. For the full schedule, go to http://www.dccouncil.us/media/2010%20Budget/FY092010AgencyPerformanceOversightHearing.PDF
Specifically, anyone can comment and/or offer recommendations on the
individual Executive Branch department being reviewed generally;
specific projects under the department of interest to you, especially
where problems exist and you can recommend fixes in the law or in
management; and finally the quality of the council’s own oversight and
the council committee charged with conducting the oversight. That is, is
the council itself doing the oversight job you expect?
As but one timely example for the three of us, Chief Financial
Officer Natwar Gandhi testified last Friday, February 5, that DC’s
budget for the current fiscal year ending in September 2010 must be
significantly cut by another $200 million over the next seven months.
The next fiscal year beginning in October may need added budget
tightening as well, to the tune of nearly $500 million or more. What
certainly falls out for us is that the council itself must redouble its
financial oversight and hold more regular oversight sessions —
probably monthly until the financials are better under control. We must
expect both the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Finance and
Revenue to be more diligent and probing with greater regularity in their
oversight. At a departmental level, spending and programs need your
critical commentary.
We urge everyone to peruse the planned public hearing schedule.
Please sign up to testify as you see fit and as your interests and
concerns call upon you to speak civically. Individual residents usually
are allowed three minutes to speak; representatives of groups get five
minutes. If you have any questions on how testimony works, or seek tips
on how to assemble your thoughts, do not hesitate to contact any of us
by E-mail, including Federation of Citizens Vice President Dave Mallof, mallof@verizon.net
or 265-3431, or DC Federation of Civic Associations President Robert
Vinson Brannum, rbrannum@robertbrannum.com.
Our government needs your insights and your involvement. Your oversight
matters. In the end, we the people of DC must oversee the overseers of
the council’s oversight process.
###############
Post
Poll
Validates “Let the People Vote on Marriage” Campaign Efforts
Kathryn Pearson-West, kap8082@aol.com
Since the DC leadership ushered in its unequivocal goal in 2009 to
redefine marriage in the nation’s capital by first recognizing
same-sex marriage from other jurisdictions, many members of the faith
community, concerned citizens, civic leaders, national traditional
marriage groups, and several members of Congress have been trying to
give DC citizens the opportunity to vote on whether or not to redefine
marriage, as the DC elected leadership is determined to do. After the Washington
Post polled citizens on how they felt about Mayor Fenty and giving
credence to the Anybody but Fenty (ABF) clarion call, they now reveal
the results of a poll on same sex marriage (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/06/AR2010020602300.html?hpid=moreheadlines).
While the Post poll is a snapshot in time, it does indicate
that many citizens favor the redefinition of marriage, but more
importantly the Post reports that nearly six in ten residents say
they would prefer to vote on the issue. However, District leaders have
said a public vote would be discriminatory. Congresswoman Norton,
interjecting her own personal support for same sex marriage, refuses to
let Congress move forward with legislation that would allow the public a
vote on the issue or a definition on marriage based on the Defense of
Marriage Act. Her eagerness to deny a vote on the matter by DC residents
while she seeks a vote in Congress comes across as hypocritical and
appears to be causing somewhat of a backlash with some saying “Kick
Norton Out” (KNO) and “Norton Gotta Go” (NGG). The longtime
statehood warrior, once considered a champion of the people, now seems
like an instrument or tool of the mayor and DC council. Her other
activities are now overshadowed by her determination to join in keeping
citizens from voting on the definition of marriage, like thirty-one
states have done. To DC leaders, those that want to vote on the subject
like the other states are considered bigots. Those accusations and
insults fall on deaf ears, as the people in thirty-one states can’t
all be bigots. Too many of us have been called worse and know the
strategy of demeaning people to achieve one’s agenda. The systematic,
strategic attack on people’s sympathies and empathies is not working
when there is so much at stake when the right to vote is at play. The
people of Maine most recently got a chance to vote and the legislatures
in New York and New Jersey said “no” to redefining marriage. Those
states that redefined marriage did not participate in a vote by the
people.
It is interesting that the Post reports that regular white
churchgoers nationwide generally oppose same-sex marriage; however
two-thirds of whites in the District who attend services monthly or more
often support same-sex marriage. African Americans are primarily against
the redefinition of marriage. Put those poll results to the test. Allow
a ballot measure on the issue this year to allow citizens to vote on the
definition of marriage. Until then, let the matter make its way through
the court system and perhaps to the Supreme Court if necessary. In the
meantime, it is imperative to get people in office that are great
defenders of other issues that matter as well, but who also would be
willing to let citizens vote on the definition of marriage, regardless
of their personal opinions. Also, work towards getting people on the
local political parties (Republican and Democratic parties) that favor a
vote on the definition of marriage. The issue is too important for a few
people to declare what marriage will or should be. Next it might be
polygamy, incest, or adult-child marriages that they might declare
reasonable and fair under the guise of civil rights or human rights.
See if the poll results are correct and let the education and
information on both sides flow. Let the people vote on the definition of
marriage in the nation’s capital. Thirty-one states have voted so far.
What is the definition of marriage in other great, powerful countries in
the world? Marriage has been defined as the union between a man and a
woman for some reason and that should be the focus on the discussion. DC
does not need to be the most left-leaning jurisdiction in the country.
It is all right to be more moderate and make the nation’s capital a
great place to live, work, do business, play, enjoy, worship and raise
children and future generations of leaders. Let the people vote on
marriage. And also improve upon some of the other problems of the city
that prevent it from reaching its promise as a world class city. It’s
time for a call to action and apparently the courts, Congress, and new
officeholders may have to be answer for now. And by the way, find a way
to put people back to work and stop saying that DC residents are not
qualified. Many of them are.
###############
Planning for Public Use of Franklin School
Bell Clement, clementdc@verizon.net
The Coalition for Franklin School this week called upon Deputy Mayor
for Planning and Economic Development Valerie Santos to provide an “open
and transparent” process in the District’s planning for use of
historic Franklin School. In a letter to Santos, the Coalition asked
that proposals received by the District for use of Franklin be made
public and that the DMPED provide for public participation in planning
for use of the nationally landmarked building. The DMPED issued a
Request for Proposals offering Franklin School for private use and
development in September 2009. The RFP suggested conversion of Franklin
for condominium, hotel, or other commercial use. Responses were due
January 19, 2010. The District had earlier received, and rejected, two
proposals from DC public charter schools to renovate Franklin for
educational use. DMPED has stated that it is unable to find “viable
re-use” for the School.
The Coalition for Franklin School filed a formal proposal for
Franklin in response to DMPED’s RFP, calling for retention of the
building in the public inventory and its redevelopment for educational
use. “The District issued the Franklin RFP without proper process,”
said Joseph Browne, Coalition Chair. “While we do not concede the
validity of the RFP, we will continue to offer proposals showing that
public education use for Franklin is both preferable and viable. And we
will continue to demand that DMPED engage the DC public in its planning
for this public treasure — including releasing for public review any
proposals received.”
The Coalition’s proposal to the District lays out several public
and public/private partnership alternatives for redevelopment of
Franklin, among them a magnet high school for global education; a school
of education for teacher training and research; and an academic center
that would share space through rentals to education organizations such
as universities based outside the District. Franklin School is the work
of Adolf Cluss, the District’s signature nineteenth-century architect,
whose Eastern Market and Sumner School are among the District’s most
cherished public buildings. Opened in 1869, Franklin pioneered new
programs for District schools, including a teacher education school
(housed at Franklin for forty years), Washington’s first public high
school classes, and successful adult education programs. The Coalition
for Franklin School, an ad hoc group organized in November 2009
to oppose the city’s plan for private, commercial development of the
Franklin building, represents a cross-section of District of Columbia
citizens and area residents. Information about Franklin School and the
work of the Coalition for Franklin School as well as the Coalition’s
proposal for public education use for Franklin can be found at http://www.franklinschooldc.org.
###############
Jobs and the Global Security and Aerospace
Industry Tax Abatement Act of 2010
Lisa Alfred, lisa4wdc@gmail.com
I am writing to express my concern about the negotiations surrounding
the Global Security and Aerospace Industry Tax Abatement Act of 2010. As
a resident who is well aware of our severe local budget deficit and high
unemployment rate, I appreciate the work that the council is doing to
find solutions to alleviate these problems. However, I am very concerned
about the council’s attempt to alleviate these problems by handing out
tax breaks and grants to corporations that will not directly impact the
citizens of the District of Columbia. Although Northrop Grumman can
bring considerable resources to the District, I believe the residents of
DC will not benefit from this tax giveaway in the short or long term.
What are we asking of Northrop to offset the giveaways? A significant
number of DC residents will not qualify for the jobs that Northrop will
bring because they don’t have the necessary education or skills. Many
of the jobs will go to residents of Maryland and Virginia.
So far, the District government has not put in place a plan that will
retrain our workforce to qualify for jobs that require higher education
and substantial experience for the high paying jobs that are available
at corporations in our region, let alone our city. It is disheartening
to me to see parking lots and commuter buses filled with MD/VA
residents. I bear no animosity towards MD/VA residents; however, we all
know that DC residents are not able to compete with them. Our goal in
luring corporations to DC ought to be in making sure that our residents
have a fighting chance in getting the jobs that these corporations
bring.
It seems that the negotiations with Northrop ought to include a
measurable guarantee that a certain number/percentage of employees at
the new Northrop DC be residents of the District of Columbia. The tax
abatements should increase only as the number of hired DC residents
increases. I would personally like to see a non-governmental entity such
as the DC Fiscal Policy Institute monitor and report on this. The new
Northrop DC should also adopt one DC public school where they fully fund
and operate a training program for DC youth in the aerospace technology
industry. These are the kinds of direct paybacks that could make
legislation like this palatable to citizens like me. Otherwise, this new
legislation just seems like another baseball stadium in the making.
Again, without a direct payback that the citizens themselves can see,
we should walk away from this deal. I realize the difficulty in doing
so. However, for once, I would like to see our leaders take a stand in
favor of the residents, and just say no.
###############
An E-mail to Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Are you fucking crazy? Totally
out of touch with the world? No Metrobus service. Feds closed.
Universities and charters closed. Most sidewalks are not clear and most
residential side streets are not plowed. Children will have to walk in
the streets.
Are you even in town, or out in Sacramento?
Another example of your poor leadership. Please resign.
[At 8:25 p.m. on Sunday, DCPS announced that schools will be closed
on Monday. — Gary Imhoff]
###############
Councilman Evans Alters His Patton Boggs Web
Page; Threatens the Judiciary
Peter Tucker, pete10506@yahoo.com
Dear Jack, you’ve stated that if Vincent Gray runs for mayor, you’ll
run to fill his position as chair of the DC city council, the city’s
second most powerful elected position. As I’ve mentioned in my two
previous letters to you, I’m very much in favor of your running. You’ve
been a great councilmember and I think you’ll make an excellent
chairman! What I haven’t mentioned — although I may have hinted at
— is that I’m interested in getting a job with you. Possibly even as
campaign manager? I’m perfect for the position. Who better to help you
navigate the many political (and possibly legal) land mines that await
you in your run for chairman? And my level of commitment can be seen by
the thoughtful advice I’ve been offering you, free of charge, for
quite some time now.
As you’ll recall from my earlier letters, I recommended that you
stop working for the law firm Patton Boggs, at least until after the
election. Realizing the great difficulty in parting ways with your
Patton Boggs salary ($240,000 a year), I also proposed a less austere
measure: simply take down your page from Patton Boggs’ web site, just
for appearances’ sake. While you haven’t followed either of these
suggestions, I’m pleased to see that you’ve removed the most
problematic sentence from your Patton Boggs page. Thankfully, your page
no longer concludes with, “Mr. Evans advises clients on real estate
matters.” As chair of the committee on finance and revenue, you are
constantly involved in major projects — or “real estate matters”
— involving huge amounts of precious taxpayer land and money: examples
include the baseball stadium (more than $725 million), the convention
center ($850 million), and now the convention center hotel ($272
million). The removal of this last sentence is critical to reducing your
exposure to conflict of interest charges. I’m keeping my fingers
crossed that nobody gets wind of this important change.
In my previous letters, you’ll recall that my strongest
recommendation was that you cease and desist from any and all
involvement with the proposed convention center hotel. The reason for
this is simple: after spending years putting the deal together, all of
the sudden you (somewhat suspiciously) began recusing yourself from
voting on the matter, just two days after you were questioned about a
possible conflict of interest. Specifically, you were asked if your
firm, Patton Boggs, represents Marriott, the proposed recipient of $272
million in public funds. You declined to answer. When two major civic
organizations (the Committee of 100 and the Federation of Citizens
Associations) followed up with a joint letter asking for a detailed
explanation of why you recused yourself, you simply ignored them.
Unfortunately, the deal that you’ve worked so hard to put together
may fall through. JBG, a competitor of Marriott’s, sued the city
claiming that the manner in which the contracts for the convention
center hotel were awarded was illegal. The city asked Judge Natalia
Combs Greene to throw out JBG’s suit, but she refused. Apparently this
upset you. On Friday, the Washington Business Journal reported,
“Councilman Jack Evans, D-Ward 2, on Feb. 2 introduced a bill that
would amend the District’s charter to seize local control of the
judiciary, giving the mayor the power to appoint judges, and the council
the power to confirm them. As one rationale for the bill, Evans offered
Combs Greene’s recent refusal to throw out JBG’s suit to block the
city’s convention center hotel deal.”
Attempting to “seize . . . control of the judiciary” because you
— a member of the legislative branch — are unhappy with a judicial
decision is problematic under any circumstances (I think it violates the
concept of three separate branches of government). But to do so over an
issue that you (somewhat suspiciously) recused yourself from voting on
is opening yourself up to all sorts of possible trouble. As one who is
interested in seeing you become chairman, I must conclude this letter as
I have the previous two: “I’m fearful that by continuing to be
involved with the Marriott deal you are not only jeopardizing your
chances of becoming chair, but you may be at risk of becoming the
subject of an ethics investigation. If you run for chair, I wish you the
best of luck. And if you are the subject of an ethics investigation, I
wish you the best of luck with that, as well.”
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Dupont Circle Citizens Association, February 8
Robin Diener, president@dupont-circle.org
The next meeting of the Dupont Circle Citizens Association will take
place on Monday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Colleen Hawkinson of the
District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) will provide an
overview of the agency’s direction as well as information on major
current and upcoming initiatives, including streetcars, K Street
CenterWay, expansion of the bike sharing program, and the Circulator.
Meeting location: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1772 Church Street, NW
(at the corner of Church and 18th Streets).
###############
Environmental Health Group (EHG) Events,
February 9
Allen Hengst, ahengst@rcn.com
World War I munitions, bottles filled with chemical warfare agents
and contaminated soil have been found in and around the Spring Valley
neighborhood of northwest DC. The Environmental Health Group (EHG) seeks
to raise awareness of the issues and encourage a thorough investigation
and cleanup. Every Saturday at 1:00 p.m., please join the Environmental
Health Group for an informal discussion about Spring Valley issues. In
the cafe at the Tenleytown Whole Foods Market, 4530 40th Street, NW (one
block north of Tenley Circle). For more information, visit the EHG on
Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/Environmental-Health-Group/67807900019.
Tuesday, February 9, 7:00 p.m.: monthly meeting of the Spring Valley
Restoration Advisory Board with the US Army Corps of Engineers. USACE is
in the process of investigating and cleaning up contamination in Spring
Valley resulting from operations during the World War I era. Corps
project manager Todd Beckwith will review the fall 2009 ground and
surface water sampling results (the first readings taken in Spring
Valley since 2007). At Saint David’s Church basement, 5150 Macomb
Street, NW (one block north of MacArthur Boulevard). For more
information, go to http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/projects/WashingtonDC/springvalley.htm
###############
Department of Parks and Recreation Events,
February 10-11
John Stokes, john.astokes@dc.gov
February 10, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100
Denver Street, SE. Black Card Creating for ages six through thirteen.
Youth will participate in holiday cards and picture celebrating Black
History Month and Valentine’s Day. For more information, call Orvin
Wright, Site Manager, at 645-9201.
February 10-12, 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Petworth Recreation Center, 801
Taylor Street, NW. Valentine’s Day Card Making for ages fifteen and
under. Youth will create cards for family and friends. For more
information, call Howard Marshall, Site Manager, at 576-6850.
February 10 and 12, 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Bald Eagle Recreation
Center, 100 Joliet Street, SW. Pre Valentine Girls Basketball Classic
for ages ten through twelve. This is a single elimination girl’s
basketball tournament for youth teams ages twelve and under. For more
information, call Marc Williams at 645-3966.
February 11, 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Lafayette Recreation Center, 5900
33rd Street, NW. Valentine’s Day Celebration for ages twelve and
under. Enrolled participants of the Afterschool Recreation Access
program will decorate cookies and exchange cards in celebration of the
upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend. For more information, call Mike
Thompkins, Site Manager, at 282-2206.
February 11, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Banneker Recreation Center, 2500
Georgia Avenue, NW. Taste of Strawberry for all ages. The patrons will
be able to taste a variety of foods with strawberries and strawberries
liking. For more information, call Joyce Carey at 673-6861.
February 11, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., Raymond Recreation Center, 915
Spring Road, NW. Valentine’s Day Card Making for ages six through
twenty-one. Participants will make cards for loved ones. Hot chocolate
will be served. For more information, call Ellsworth Hart at 576-6856.
February 11, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Watkins Recreation Center, 420 12th
Street, SE. Valentine Day Dance for ages six through thirteen. Youth
will play games and dance. Hot dogs, chips and juice will be served. For
more information, call Brian Cobbs, Site Manager, at 724-4468.
February 11, 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Malcolm X Recreation Center, 1351
Alabama Avenue, SE. Kiddie Card Making for ages six through twelve. Kids
in the community will be spreading the love to their families and
friends. For more information, call Zakiya Brown at 645-3960.
February 11, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Ridge Road Recreation Center, 810
Ridge Road, SE. Valentines Day Ball for ages five through thirteen.
Youth will dress in red, black, and white; they will dance; there will
be a best dress and dance competition; and they will be served
refreshments. For more information, call Sonny Hicks, Site Manager, at
645-3959.
###############
Scorpio at the National Building Museum,
February 10
Johanna Weber, jweber@nbm.org
February 10, 6:30-9:00 p.m., Guys, Guns, and Garages Film Series:
Scorpio. Directed by Michael Winner (1973, PG, 114 minutes). This
cat-and-mouse thriller pits CIA agent Burt Lancaster against Scorpio, a
young assassin played by Alain Delon. Something to Love, Jesper Just
(2005, 8 minutes). Witness a mysterious encounter between a chauffeur
and his charge. $10 members, $10 students, $12 nonmembers. Member
special: $15 for all three films! Prepaid registration required. Walk-in
registration based on availability. At the National Building Museum, 401
F Street, NW, Judiciary Square Metro station. Register for events at http://www.nbm.org.
###############
A Little Night Music Road Trip, March 20
John Campbell, jcampbell@geofinity.com
A new revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s A Little Night
Music (“A Weekend in the Country” and “Send in the Clowns”) is
on Broadway. It is directed by Tony-winner Trevor Nunn, and stars
Catherine Zeta-Jones (Oscar winner for the musical Chicago) as Desiree
Armfeldt and five-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt.
Tickets are hot, especially as Lansbury (the impetus for the revival)
is only in the cast until the beginning of April, and Zeta-Jones through
mid-June. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film Smiles of a Summer Night, A
Little Night Music is set in a weekend country house in turn of the
century Sweden, bringing together surprising liaisons, long simmering
passions, and a taste of love’s endless possibilities. Hailed as witty
and wildly romantic, the story centers on the elegant actress Desiree
Armfeldt and the spider’s web of sensuality, intrigue, and desire that
surrounds her. This is a much lighter and more optimistic show than most
of Sondheim’s.
We have a bus trip to see the show on the afternoon of Saturday,
March 20. It’s $230 for orchestra (sixteen seats left) and $200 for
rear mezzanine (only two seats left). Price includes ticket, bus, and
snacks on the bus. Dinner is at a restaurant right by the theater and is
$34 for a three-course meal, including coffee, tea, or soft drinks, tax,
and tip. For more information, contact Eileen Rubinstein, 301-590-0212, OnTheTownWithEileen@comcast.net.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED
In anticipation of the upcoming snows, I am looking for someone to
shovel my walk. I was able to handle the last snow, but I fear that the
upcoming one will be too much for me. The job is small, but I would
gladly pay $20 to have it taken care of. When you E-mail me, please
include a phone number.
###############
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