Logan Circle News - Community Issues and Events

LCCA Annual Picnic Is Sunday, June 12!

2011-06-08T15:23:00.002-04:00

Excitement Builds! LCCA Annual Picnic Is Sunday, June 12! LCCA’s annual picnic is confirmed for Sunday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m., at The Residences at Thomas Circle, 1330 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. (rain or shine). We provide the grilled items and fixins’; you bring a dish to pass. This is a great opportunity to greet longtime friends and make new ones. You do not have to be an LCCA member to attend!

Details: We’ll have hamburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, and hot dogs for grilling on The Residence’s charcoal griils. LCCA has ordered condiments for the grilled items and soft drinks for all. The Residences are offering their beautiful outdoor courtyard, grills, plus beverages and ice, for the event. We’ll have Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, lemonade, and iced tea on hand—plus juice boxes for the kids. You’re welcome to bring beer and wine as you wish.

We’d ask that you bring a dish to pass—that could be a veggie side, a casserole, appetizer, or dessert (don’t be afraid to go exotic!)—including your own serving utensils. Do join us for this great annual neighborhood funfest!

Volunteers needed! If you would like to volunteer for this event, please send an e-mail to Fay Arrington, fayarrington@gmail.com, noting the time(s) you would be available between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. We need help with set-up, serving, and clean-up.

2011 Memorial Day Activities in Logan Circle

2011-05-29T10:06:00.002-04:00

Please join us for the annual observance of Memorial Day in Logan Circle Park on Monday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to noon. If you’ve not heard the history, plan to attend and learn the moving story behind General John Logan’s creation of the legislation that resulted in the national Memorial Day holiday. The program lineup includes a Joint Armed Services Color Guard posting of colors, musical selections from noted Washington National Opera and National City Christian Church soprano Alia Waheed, a re-enactment of the reading of the General No. 11 legislation establishing Decoration Day (which eventually became Memorial Day), readings from General Logan biographer Gary Ecelbarger, and greetings from local community and government officials. Program sponsors include the Logan Circle Community Association, the National Park Service, and the Illinois State Society of Washington, D.C.

The ceremony will be followed by a guided tour of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House, located one-half block south of Logan Circle on Vermont Avenue, and a garden reception with refreshments sponsored by the Illinois State Society and entertainment by Raddy and The Cats. If you were on hand for last year’s concert, you’ll remember Raddy’s fabulous renditions of such hits as Satin Doll, Summertime, Route 66, and My Funny Valentine.

After the Observance in Logan Circle and Council House tour, plan to head up to Café Saint-Ex, 1847 14^th Street, N.W., for the annual Mid-City Memorial Day Chili Cook-Off. The festivities begin at 11 a.m. and extend to 5 p.m., closing off the 1300 block of T Street for a Chili Smack Down competition and community festival. The afternoon will offer chili tastings from the best local chefs, flowing brews, live music and a family-friendly interactive Kids’ Zone, all to raise money for the local Garrison Elementary School.

Mark Your Calendar: LCCA Annual Picnic Is Sunday, June 12, 2011! LCCA’s annual picnic is confirmed for Sunday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m., at The Residences at Thomas Circle, 1330 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. We provide the grilled items and fixins’; you bring a dish to pass. This is a great opportunity to greet longtime friends and make new ones. You do not have to be an LCCA member to attend!

LCCA Needs Your Support for the 32nd Annual Holiday House Tour

2010-11-17T21:05:00.001-05:00

The Holiday House Tour, scheduled this year for Sunday, December 5, is LCCA’s signature annual event and our only fundraiser. Please show your support today by becoming a patron or benefactor. Your generous donation will help us continue our ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life in the Logan Circle neighborhood for residents, businesses, and visitors.

We’re often asked what we do with membership dues and donations. Here are a few examples: We support local non-profits (recent beneficiaries include the Constance Whitaker Maffin Memorial Fund and N Street Village); we make community development grants, such as our major treebox initiative that enhanced the beauty of our neighborhood immeasurably. We also have administrative fees to pay, such as accounting, Web services, and insurance. Membership meetings and special events bring convening costs. And while we’re largely electronic in our communications, we do have printing and duplicating expenses to meet.

We’re proud that LCCA is a 100 percent volunteer-run organization and are grateful for the thousands hours logged by our volunteers every year. We make every effort to keep costs to a minimum, and we are deeply grateful for your support.

Please print and complete the Patron and Benefactor Registration Form today. We need to hear from you by COB Monday, November 15, in order to recognize you in the House Tour Program.

Thank you!

Logan Circle Holiday House Tour Tickets Now on Sale at Retailers, OnlineThe

2009-11-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

The 31st Annual Logan Circle Holiday House Tour launches at 1pm on Sunday, December 6, 2009.

The Logan Circle homes were chosen because they represent a mix of historical tradition and a modern style of living. More than a dozen unique properties ranging from ultra-modern penthouse condos to a fully restored 1887 Victorian home are on the tour this year. Several properties also feature mixed-use development spaces that incorporate retail, offices, arts spaces, and residences in a single building. The self-guided tour concludes with a Wassail reception at the Studio Theatre at 14th and P Streets, NW from 3:30 until 5:30pm the day of the event.

Fill out the contact information on your ticket stub to enter the raffle for great prizes, including cool merchandise and gift certificates from local retailers and restaurants. And check out our festive Logan Circle merchandise, including a commemorative house tour ornament, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and beverage mugŃall great for holiday giving!

Advance tickets may be ordered online for $20 at LoganCircle.org and purchased at the following retail locations:

Azi's Cafe, 1336 9th Street, NW
Barrel House Liquors, 1341 14th Street, NW
Home Rule, 1807 14th Street, NW
Lambda Rising, 1625 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Logan Hardware, 1416 P Street, NW
Ace Hardware, 1055 5th Street, NW

Tickets purchased online will be held at the Studio Theatre for pickup beginning at 12:30pm on tour day. Same day tickets will also be available for $25 at Studio Theatre.

Logan Circle's 50 square blocks are rich in history, architecture, and a vibrant mixture of residents, galleries, and businesses. The Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA) has sponsored the self-guided house tour since 1978 and counts on the proceeds from it to continue the association's philanthropic and community development efforts throughout the neighborhood. Questions?

Call Tim Christensen at 202-641-6934 or e-mail tim.christensen@LoganCircle.org. To find out more about LCCA, go to www.LoganCircle.org.

LCCA Mourns Loss of Desi Deschaine

2009-07-15T20:34:00.000-04:00

The Logan Circle Community Association (“LCCA”) is mourning the passing of its Vice President and Board of Directors Member Desi Deschaine. Desi, 29, was also communications director for D.C. Council Member Jack Evans. He died in an apparent drowning in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor after a boating trip last weekend with his boyfriend, J’aime Huret, and other friends.

Prior to joining Council Member Evans’ staff in November 2008, Desi worked with the Washington National Opera and was community outreach coordinator for Mayor Anthony Williams. Desi was elected as Vice President of LCCA in 2006, the same year he was awarded LCCA’s annual President’s Award for his dedication to Logan Circle. He brought his boundless energy to LCCA and was involved in organizing many of the association’s membership meetings, outreach, and volunteer coordination. He was also a regular volunteer for the annual Logan Circle Holiday House Tour, a national committee representative for the D.C. Young Democrats, a voting member of the D.C. Democratic State Committee, and a member of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club.

Desi spent the summer between his junior and senior years in high school studying at Georgetown University. He fell in love with Washington that summer, and decided he had to attend college here. He was admitted to Catholic University, from which he graduated in May 2001. He began to fulfill his political aspirations shortly thereafter.

Though Desi was known throughout the city as a political activist, tireless campaigner, and beloved public servant, he once said in an interview, “I do not like politics. It’s a pain in the ass, really, but to make a change for the better it’s a necessary activity to engage in.” Desi attributed his decision to commit to politics to the summer of his 15th year, which he spent helping poor and homeless children in Guatemala. Upon returning to the U.S., “I decided to do everything I could to make this world a better place. I realized that we were so blessed to live in a thriving democracy, and the only way we can keep it this way is by getting involved and making a difference.”

“Desi was not only a close personal friend, but he was my right-hand man on the LCCA Board,” said LCCA President Jennifer Trock. “He was full of creative energy and ideas of how to engage and serve our community” she said. “His endless enthusiasm and excitement for life were an inspiration for us all. He will be deeply missed. ”

It has been a tough year for the Logan Circle Community Association, which mourned the loss of long-time community leader Constance “Connie” Maffin after a short illness last February.

Plans are underway for a memorial service to be held in Washington, D.C., and details will be published when additional information is available.

Lost Dog: Molly

2009-07-01T09:02:00.002-04:00

We are passing this information on from Art, a dogwalker in Logan, who reports that one of his client's dogs was taken from outside of Whole Foods. Info below, but please check the other links for updates on sightings.

* * * *

Please be careful when leaving your dog outside of stores, someone is snatching up pets. A client of mine informed me today that their female Vizsla, around 7yrs old has been stolen from outside of Whole Foods Monday June 29th at 6pm!!! She has short, red/rust hair, is about 60-70lbs, and has a distinct scar from a past surgery on the inside right hind leg near her knee. She also has a pink, nylon collar with cupcakes around it if it was not removed already. She is chipped and AKC is already notified of her missing. RESPONDS to her name Molly, does not have much interest in other dogs, LOVES people (she likes to bury her face between your legs) and loves to play fetch. Please, if anyone saw anyone suspicious or has any leads to her contact any of us immediately! Owners are offering reward for her safe return.

Tyler 415-505-3857
Laurel 202-885-9534
Art 202-437-7462

http://borderstan.com/2009/06/30/look-for-this-dog-molly-stolen-from-p-st-whole-foods/

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/pet/1246354269.html

Lost Puppy

2009-05-22T08:47:00.001-04:00

****************************LOST PUPPY - "MONA"About 12 lbs.Floppy ears1’ 6” inches tallAll black with a white patch on her chest She was last seen on S and 14th. Sightings have occurred in 11th and Florida area and Logan Circle. If you see her, DO NOT CHASE HER. She’ll run away, and has from many people. Approach her slowly and calmly, even sit down close to her and let her come over to you. Please call 202 271 7702

Durval Martins Candlelight Vigil

2009-05-16T13:03:00.002-04:00

This event is scheduled to start Tuesday May 19th at 7 pm at the Reeves Center, ending at 8 p.m. at 11th and Q. Logan Circle residents may wish to know about the march, and are invited to participate in it either by joining the March at the Reeves center or gathering at 11th and Q. For those who active in Facebook, there is a link below to get to the page about the vigil.

http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox/readmessage.php&t=1040756948663&mid=74c860G269192caG195b4daG0

Public Safety Walk-Around

2009-03-16T11:59:00.001-04:00

From our neighbors in Borderstan:

THURSDAY: Borderstan Night-Safety Walk Around
March 16, 2009

What: Borderstan Night-Safety Walk Around. Join police and city government staff for a quick walk around Borderstan. The purpose is to point out dark areas that need lighting, burned out street lights, overgrown trees, etc. The goal is to improve night safety in Borderstan through better lighting and visibility.When: This Thursday, March 19, 6 p.m. The group will leave 15th and T NW at 6 p.m. and proceed south.

Who: You, your neighbors, representatives of D.C. government agencies. This includes members of the MPD, D.C. Department of Transportation and Andrew Huff, the Outreach and Services Specialist for Ward 2.Why: You can meet members of the police who patrol West Borderstan (PSA 208) and East Borderstan (PSA 307) as well as your neighbors… and contribute to public safety by working with officials to fix lighting- and visibility-related problems.

Where: 15th Street NW, starting at T Street and proceeding south to Rhode Island Avenue NW. Join us at 15th and T or watch for us as we make our way down 15th Street NW. Our goal is to cover/talk to residents on the 1400- and 1500-blocks of all streets between T Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.More Information: Contact Andrew Huff at andrew.huff@dc.gov or Borderstan at borderstan@gmail.com.

Celebration of Connie Maffin's Life

2009-03-15T20:06:00.002-04:00

Join us in celebrating
the life of

Connie Maffin

Tuesday, April 7, 2009
10:30 – 11:30 am

Coffee reception to follow

Studio Theatre
1501 14th Street, NW

Many of you may wish to provide photos or a remembrance of your experiences with Connie. Please submit to conniemaffinmemorial@gmail.com by March 31, 2009.

If you prefer to send original photos, which will be returned after the celebration, please send to:

Rebecca Miller

Executive Director

DC Preservation League

401 F Street, NW, Room 324

Washington, DC 20001

202.783.5144 - Phone

LCCA Mourns Loss of Long-Time Member Constance "Connie" Maffin

2009-02-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2009
Contact: Tim Christensen
christensentima@gmail.com

LCCA Mourns Loss of Long-Time Member Constance "Connie" Maffin

(Washington, D.C) – The Logan Circle Community Association (“LCCA”) is mourning the passing of long-time member, leader, mentor, and friend Constance W. “Connie” Maffin. Connie died on February 16 after a short illness. Connie and her husband Bob were married in 1974 and lived together since then in their grand Victorian row house on the majestic stretch of Vermont Avenue N.W. just below Logan Circle. The LCCA community extends it heartfelt condolences to Bob and the entire Maffin family on their loss.

Connie was one of LCCA’s pioneering members and served as both an officer and board member numerous times. In recent years she served on the annual Holiday House Tour Committee, for which she headed up home selection and ticket sales. She was also a member of the Committee of 100, the city’s oldest planning organization and citizens’ lobby; Lambda Alpha, an international land economics society; and served as a trustee to the D.C. Preservation League.

“Connie Maffin was a household name in the D.C. civic movement, especially in Logan Circle,” said LCCA President Jennifer Trock. “She was a pillar of the community and a friend to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Connie will be sorely missed.” LCCA Board Member and House Tour Co-Chair Tim Christensen agreed. “It was a joy to work with Connie on both a personal and professional level year after year and, frankly, we don’t know what we’re going to do without her,” he said.

Connie was an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Residential and was licensed in D.C. and Maryland since 1978. She served as chairperson of the Real Estate Board of the District of Columbia, which oversees the regulation of over 12,000 licensees in the city. She was past president of the Washington D.C. Association of Realtors and was name WDCAR’s REALTOR of the Year in 2007. She chaired the Public Policy, Residential Sales, Awards, and REALTOR Political Action Committees. In 1993 she was awarded Distinguished Sales Associate of the Year in recognition of her professionalism and commitment to the industry. She also served as a director of the National Association of REALTORS for three years.

Connie was a graduate of the Real Estate Institute and held the GRI national designation. She also completed the National Trust for Historic Preservation's historic real estate program. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, she received her M.A. in urban policy from George Washington University and her B.A. from Barat College of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Illinois.

A portion of the proceeds from LCCA’s 2008 Holiday House Tour will be donated to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation in Connie’s memory. In lieu of flowers, friends are also invited to make a donation at http://ww5.komen.org/Donate/Donate.html or by mail to P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

A public viewing will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m.. All are invited to attend.

Update on Shooting

2008-12-17T13:07:00.000-05:00

The police have identified the victim in yesterday's shooting as Durval Martins. The police are looking for information on the murder, and have released this flier seeking the public's help. If you have any information, please contact the Detective Paul Regan at (202) 425-5563 (mobile) or (202) 645-0472 (desk); or Detective Doug Carlson at (202) 486-0233 (mobile) or (202) 645-6360 (desk); or the anonymous tip line at (888) 919-2746, or by texting to 50411.

Shooting at Q and Rhode Island

2008-12-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

Inspector Delgado posted the following to the MPD-3d listserv at 4:56 this morning:

On December 16th 2008, an Officer of the Third District while on patrol heard a series of gunshots. The officer responded to 11th and Rhode Island Ave, N.W. and observed a male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he died of his injuries. If anyone has information regarding this shooting please call our tip line on 1 888 919 CRIME. You can also text on 50411# or call our Command Center at 202 727 9099.

That location is a mere half block from the new dog park. I'll update this post as more information comes in. This recent spate of violence in the northwest Logan/northeast Shaw/U Street area is a definite cause for concern for all area residents.

30th ANNUAL LOGAN CIRCLE HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR 2008

2008-12-06T09:57:00.000-05:00

30th ANNUAL LOGAN CIRCLE HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR 2008

Historic Blagden Alley-Naylor Court is Featured

The Logan Circle Holiday House Tour will be held on Sunday, December 7, 2008 from 1-5pm. This year’s tour will feature East Logan, with special emphasis on the rich history of residential and commercial alley life in Logan's own Blagden Alley and Naylor Court. The tour will also feature the Blagden Alley studio of world-renowned master printmaker David Adamson. Tickets will be sold for $15 in advance at the Logan Circle Community Association Web site (www.LoganCircle.org), or $20 the day of the event at 1324 Vermont Avenue, NW, and Azi’s Café at 1336 9th Street, NW. The tour includes a Wassail reception hosted at the Long View Gallery, 1302 9th Street, NW from 3pm-5:30pm the day of the tour, and raffle prizes from local merchants.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOUR, PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HOMES OR TO SET UP AN INTERVIEW WITH THE HOME OWNERS, CONTACT:

Parker Stanzione 202-489-4553 parkerism@gmail.com
Bill Smith 703-298-2888 wsmith66@cox.net

Dog Park Opens

2008-11-06T10:38:00.000-05:00

Mayor, DPR and Ward 2 Community Celebrate Opening of District’s First Public Dog Park
Media Contact Only: John A. Stokes, (202) 673-2195

This afternoon, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, DC Department of Parks and Recreation Director Clark E. Ray, and District leaders joined Ward 2 residents and dog owners for a “leash cutting” ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Shaw Dog Park at 11th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, NW. The Shaw Dog Park is the District’s first public dog park.

“Today is a day of celebration for dog owners throughout the District,” said Mayor Fenty. “After years of waiting, dogs and their owners can now enjoy the District's first public dog park.”
Each one of the District’s public dog parks will be maintained by partnerships between DPR and a sponsoring community organization. The Dog Owners of Greater Shaw (DOGS) is the sponsoring organization for the new Shaw Dog Park.

According to DPR Director Clark E. Ray, “This afternoon dogs are finally enjoying a park in the District leash-free. The opening of the Shaw Dog Park demonstrates how DPR is actively working to meet the many recreational needs of all of our residents."

The approximately 15,000 square foot Shaw Dog Park features fencing around the park, a dog park surface of pea gravel and stone dust, two enclosures - one for large dogs (25 pounds and larger) and one for small dogs, three waste disposal stations, and a community bulletin board. Access to the dog park is from 11th Street, NW. The Shaw Dog Park is a temporary dog park and is scheduled to close in June 2010 to accommodate the construction of the new Shaw School.

Use of the dog park is free, but each dog must have a valid DC dog license and have a DC dog park registration tag. Applications for the DC dog park registration tag are available in the "Dog Parks" section on DPR's website, DPR.DC.GOV.

Other local leaders at the event included Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, ANC 2C01 Commissioner Alexander M. Padro, and Coordinator of Dog Owners of Greater Shaw, George Kassouf.

Also joining the celebration was the Washington Animal Rescue League. “In keeping with its support of the city’s dog park initiatives, the Washington Animal Rescue League wholeheartedly applauds the establishment of the city’s first ever dog park and is proud to be on hand with a few canine ambassadors from the shelter to help mark the occasion,” stated Executive Director Gary Weitzman.

DDOT Public Meeting

2008-10-29T20:54:00.000-04:00

DC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DDOT) WILL HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING ON
The Reconstruction of 11th St., NW from L St. to O St. NW

Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 6:00 pm

On Thursday, November 6 at 6:00 p.m. the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will provide the public with an update on a roadway construction project along 11th Street from L Street NW to O Street NW. The meeting will be held at the Asbury United Methodist Church, located at 926 Eleventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001.

The improvements in this area include roadway reconstruction, sidewalks, street lighting, intersection and signal improvements, enhancements to traffic operations, pedestrian amenities, and safety improvements.

Thursday’s briefing with residents and businesses in the area will provide an update on construction timing, phasing, and traffic management, as well as DDOT’s plans for coordinating with utilities and private developments in the area.

Information will continue to be distributed throughout the construction of this project.
For more information please contact the construction manager, Mr. Osman Mohamed; or DDOT’s project
engineer Mr. Michael Conley at (202) 671-4550.
The project’s public outreach coordinator, Martha Kemp can be reached by e-mail at
mkemp@volkert.com or by phone at (202) 237-6269.
Dawit Muluneh, Project Manager
DDOT Team 1, Wards 1 and 2

Illegal Parking and Unpaid Tickets

2008-10-24T09:23:00.000-04:00

It's not what you think.

The Post has an article this morning about 1,147 unpaid parking tickets - totaling some $176,000! - racked up in the District and New York by various federal agencies. And which agencies lead the pack in our fair city?

Leading the way in the District were the Army, Navy and Air Force, whose employees ignored 158 tickets for $28,000 in 2007. Most were racked up by recruiters working at the Armed Forces Recruiting Center near 13th and L streets NW.

Let's hope there's no protest in Logan Circle Park over this one...

Strategies to Combat Prostitution - Oversight Hearing

2008-10-10T18:53:00.001-04:00

COUNCILMEMBER PHIL MENDELSON, CHAIRPERSON
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE JUDICIARY ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC OVERSIGHT HEARING

on

Strategies to Combat Prostitution

on

Friday, November 7, 2008
12:00 p.m., 5th Floor Chambers, John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004

Councilmember Phil Mendelson, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, announces a public oversight hearing on the District’s strategies to address prostitution. The public oversight hearing will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, November 7, 2008 in the 5th Floor Council Chambers of the John A. Wilson Building.

The purpose of the oversight hearing is to identify problems and solutions to improve efforts to combat prostitution in District neighborhoods. The Committee anticipates hearing and receiving testimony from the Metropolitan Police Department, Office of the Attorney General, United States Attorney’s Office, and the public.

Those who wish to testify should contact Ms. Heidi Tseu, Committee Clerk, at (202) 724-8038, by fax at (202) 724-6664, or via e-mail at htseu@dccouncil.us, and provide their name, address, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any) by close of business Wednesday, November 5, 2008. Persons wishing to testify are encouraged, but not required, to submit 15 copies of written testimony. If submitted by the close of business on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 the testimony will be distributed to Councilmembers before the hearing. Witnesses should limit their testimony to five minutes; less time will be allowed if there are a large number of witnesses

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to Ms. Tseu, or to Ms. Cynthia Brock-Smith, Secretary to the Council, Room 5 of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 21, 2008.

Upcoming LCCA Events: Candidate Forums, Parties, Awards, House Tours, and More!

2008-10-02T20:36:00.000-04:00

Dear Neighbors and Friends:

We wanted to update you on some upcoming events and announcements. We hope you’ll mark your calendars and join us – in person and online.

October 15, 2008 – Candidates Forum - Washington Plaza Hotel

In one of the most exciting election years in recent history – both nationally and locally – LCCA is hosting a candidate forum for At-Large Council, Ward 2 Council, and ANC2F candidates. We are pleased to report that nearly all candidates have confirmed, so we are expecting a great turnout. The event will include an opportunity to hear from each candidate, as well as an opportunity for you to ask questions that are important to you and to our community. If you would like to submit a question in advance, please email me.

Because of the large number of candidates, and to give the political junkies among us time to watch the presidential debates, we will be starting promptly at 7:00 p.m., so please come early. More information can be found on our website.

November 8, 2008 – Lt. Smith’s Retirement Party

Please join greater Logan Circle community as we celebrate Lt. Michael A. Smith's retirement and honor his many years of service. We'll have light appetizers, a cash bar, music, dancing, and a festive celebration (read: roast!) and retrospective in honor of Lt. Smith. Details are available on our website or by clicking here.

We have tried to keep the cost to a minimum ($35) so as many people as possible can join us. All money raised for this event will go towards the actual costs for the event and towards the gift/honorarium for Lt. Smith. If you cannot attend but would like to show your support with a donation, please let us know when you donate so we can give the caterer an accurate headcount.

Finally, if you would be interested in helping us put on a fabulous and very special celebration, please let us know. We need people to help with decorations, music, etc.

* Note that this is not an official LCCA event. It is being hosted by and is open to the community, and we are encouraging participation by our businesses, residents, community organizations,and more so please help us spread the word.

November 20, 2008 - Annual Awards Dinner

December 7, 2008 - 30th Annual House Tour

LCCA invites you to attend its 30th annual Logan Circle Holiday House Tour on Sunday, December 7, 2008 from 1 pm - 5 pm. The self-guided tour concludes with a Wassail reception from 3 until 5:30 pm.

This year we're featuring East Logan, with special emphasis on the history of residential and commercial alley life in Logan's own Naylor Court and Blagden Alley. For a brief history, click here. For more general information on the alleys and stables of Washington, D.C., click here.

For more information, or to volunteer, please email the house tour committee.

Social Networking has arrived

LCCA is now on facebook! For those already addicted to or considering experimenting with social networking, we encourage you to check out our groups on Facebook, including our main group page (Logan Circle, DC) and our Logan Circle House Tour page. While the same information will also be posted on our blog, we encourage you to take advantage of this new medium to stay current with what’s going on in Logan Circle and connect in new and exciting ways with your neighborhood friends.

Finally, don't forget to renew your membership for 2009 today! Visit www.logancircle.org.

October Membership Meeting - Candidates Forum

2008-09-26T09:50:00.001-04:00

Please join the Logan Circle Community Association for its October meeting and candidates forum on October 15, 2008 from 7-10 p.m. at the Washington Plaza Hotel. We will host candidates for At-Large and Ward council positions, as well as ANC2F candidates. Candidates who have already confirmed include Ward 2 Candidates Jack Evans and Christina Culver, At-Large Candidates Carol Schwartz, Patrick Mara, Kwame Brown, and David Schwartzman, and nearly all of the ANC2F candidates. We are very excited for this event and hopeful for a great turnout. The format will allow each candidate to provide an opening statement followed by a question and answer period. To ensure we are as efficient as possible, we are encouraging you to email us questions in advance.

Also, LCCA's annual board elections will be held in November, and we have several seats up for reelection, including Vice President, Recording Secretary, and several at-large positions. If you are interested in running, please send us an email. Nominations will be held at the October meeting. Our annual November awards dinner will be November 20, 2008, also at the Washington Plaza.

Finally, and most importantly, please mark your calendars for Saturday, November 8 for Lt. Smith's retirement party to be held at the Ronald Reagan Center at 13th and Penn from 8 p.m. until midnight. We will be sending formal details in the next few days, but we hope that you will all consider coming out to honor and celebrate Lt. Smith and the amazing contributions he's made to Logan Circle and the District over the past three decades.
-Jennifer

2008 LCCA Membership Drive & October Meeting

2008-09-24T19:55:00.000-04:00

Dear Neighbor:

The Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA) cordially invites you to join us for another year. We appreciate your past support. Your financial support is vital – it enables us to address community issues while providing opportunities to meet your neighbors through social activities and community events.

Renewing your membership has never been easier! Just visit www.logancircle.org, and click on "Join LCCA." In the last year, LCCA has made significant improvements to its data management, communications software, and website, which will allow us to automate membership renewals and better serve you by tailoring our mailings to your interests and identifying events that may be of interest to you. When joining or renewing online, please be sure to check the boxes to indicate your particular areas of interest.

You may also receive a written membership reminder in the next few days. As part of the transition to our new database management system, unless you specify otherwise, this is the last year that you will receive a hard-copy membership renewal letter. Future reminders will be timed to coincide with expiration of your membership and sent via email.

We have had some exciting and informative programs this year; including a community information meeting to for new and long-time residents to let you know what community and government resources are available in our community and a festive mid-summer picnic.

This year, we would also like to offer our business members the opportunity to be listed on our website as a “LCCA Member Businesses.”

If you have any questions about membership or would like more information about LCCA, please contact us by email at membership@logancircle.org. We also encourage you to visit our blog at http://loganupdates.blogspot.com/ and to visit our website, which is in the process of being redesigned to better serve you.

Thank you for your continuing support, and please mark your calendars for our October meeting and candidates forum. We will host candidates for ANC2F, Ward 2, and At-Large council positions, and we hope to have a lively and interactive discussion. We will also hold our annual board elections in November, and we have several seats up for reelection, including Vice President, Recording Secretary, and several at-large positions. If you are interested in running, please send me an email. Nominations will be held at the October meeting.

Reminder - LCCA Meeting Tonight

2008-09-10T13:30:00.000-04:00

The September meeting of the Logan Circle Community Association will be held this evening at the Studio Theatre. Special guest Phil Mendelson will be joining us. Come on by, meet your neighbors, and enjoy some wine and cheese and a tour of the Studio!

LCCA September Meeting
7:00 PM Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Studio Theater, 14th & P St. NW

See you there!

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

2008-09-03T20:44:00.000-04:00

Tonight's meeting of ANC 2F was attended by Chairman Reed, Commissioner Cole, Commissioner Trock, Commissioner Schneider, and Executive Director Cynthia Cota.

Also, since I am running for ANC 2F03, and since I am running unopposed, I expect I will not be doing these wrap-ups for much longer. I'm looking for a volunteer to take over. Anyone?

Commissioner Announcements

Jennifer Trock was announced vice-chair pro-temp, so that Chairman
Reed could make an announcement as a citizen to invite the community to Greg McCarthy's home to meet Jack Evans. The event is 1334 Riggs St. NW. at 6:30 PM on Sunday.

Lt. Mike Smith is retiring near the end of this year.

Crime Report

Lt. Smith, fresh from a drive back in from vacation, gave the report. Lt. Houser is actually the current PSA 307 lieutenant.

Violent crime is down 9%.

Armed robbery at 12th and O. Victims hit with a brick. Suspects are both juviniles from around the area of 200 Block of Bates.

Armed robbery at 13th and M. Suspects caught by Power Shift unit.

A suspect in the murder of Derrik Green was caught. Not one of the usual suspects. Derrik Green was involved in numerous robberies around the neighborhood, possibly earlier in the day on the day of his death.

Commissioner Cole question Lt. Smith about a hate crime against hist boyfriend at 14th and P, where the police took 24 minutes to respond. Commisioner Cole asked about improving patrol of 14th Street, especially focused on late-night carryout establishments, serving mostly drunk people. Lt. Smith stated that response times are a difficult issue, due to lack of manpower. Lt. Smith also noted that hate crimes are difficult to judge, for many reasons.

Exuctive Office of the Mayor

Abbey Peterson

1124 15th St. - Illegal construction had stop work orders placed.

1107 11th St. - Nuisance property, having grafitti removed and grass and weeds cut.

1426 12th St. - Brothel operating. Fines have been placed; doesn't know exact amount. "Were severe." Also, the property has a large building that is not on record, and not being taxed.

DDOT

Chris Zeeman was not present. Brian Vargas gave a short, impromptu report on the DDOT meeting he attended last week. There was displeasure expressed by both the community and the commission on Chris' absence.

Crime & Public Safety Committee

Helen Kramer reported there were no meetings over the summer. The solution of the Derrick Green has settled nerves in the Rhode Island/Vermont Ave. communities. Chairman Reed noted that Lt. Smith reported violent crime is down 9% since his death.

Street Closures

All presenters stated they read the ANC's policy on street closings, and stated their events comply with that policy. Chairman Reed assures the commission that Mr. Brodsky from DC Bike, who was absent, also understands them. The motion to write a letter recommending issuance of the permits passed unanimously.

Capital Criterion Bike Race

Capital Pride and AIDS Walk

ABRA Matters

Chairman Reed reported on:

Vegas Lounge - President of Cooper Lewis condo is present. Chairman Reed thought this would be easily done, but Vegas Lounge has hired counsel to fight a voluntary agreement. Vegas Lounge is creating a noise problem. The protest hearing was postponed until next month, at the request of Vegas Lounge's counsel. Chairman Reed hopes that progress can be made in the upcoming month.

As a late edition, The Park was present asking to extend the hours of their back sidewalk cafe. There are no local residents, and no complaints from local businesses.

CDC

The CDC had no meeting, due to lack of agenda items. Chairman Reed appointed Ben Harris to the CDC, to replace the loss of Sam Robfogle and Phillipa Hughes, as they left the neighborhood.

Shaw Dog Park

George Kassouf was not present. Nobody from DPR was present. Chairman Reed reported that DPR turned down the advice from the ANC to place the dog park next to Shaw Jr. High because the site is scheduled for redevelopment (improvements to the high school) three or four years down the road. George Kassouf came in later, and reported that the alternative sites are 1) a space on the southern half of the field at Garrisson Elementary (where the wading pool is); 2) the northeast part of Kennedy School; and 3) a parking lot around 5th and P. George's group spoke with Jack Evans' office, and his office is going to ask the mayor to release the land so it could be considered.

ZipCar

No representative from ZipCar was present to discuss the issue of their poorly kept lot at 14th and Corcoran, which was brought up at a prior meeting. There have been complaints from the community and the CDC that ZipCar is also illegally parking cars on public space (on the frontage space between the curb and the facade of a building). The Commission asked Ms. Perez to attend, who failed to appear. Chairman Reed moved to seek revocation of permits issued to ZipCar by DDOT for violating the agreements it made with the ANC. Commissioner Trock seconded. Passed with one nay from Commissioner Cole, who explained his nay because of his belief that the company had been working in good faith on the parking lot.

Ms. Perez showed up at 20:30, when she was on the agenda. And provided this update:

14th & Corcoran - Painted poles, cleaned and mulched, painted building, worked with Garden District to plant ivy on the site. Commissioner Trock asked if there is a regime for upkeep, and Ms. Perez answered that there is. Chairman Reed stated that he had hoped that the company would do more to hide the cars from public view, because they create a sense of a parking lot, which is not consistent with the nature of the street. Not to mention it's ugly. Commissioner Cole warned that a fence or enclosure might make the site a bit less safe; Commissioner Schneider agreed. A suggestion was for planter boxes, but Ms. Perez stated they had been stolen. A suggestion for a lattice was good.

15th & Rhode Island - Location closed.

11th & M - Cars are now inside the gate.

Chairman Reed moved to reconsider the previous action, and then withdrew his motion. The matter is effectively dead.

Single Sales Ban

Despite the failure of the ANC to recommend approval of the Singal Sales Ban, due to a divided vote, Chairman Reed testified before the Council as a private citizen in favor of the ban. He noted that only two of forty-five witnesses were against the ban. Chairman Reed spent a few minutes speaking passionately about the evidence in favor of the ban.

Commissioner Trock spoke in favor of supporting ban, noting the major problems in her SMD due to single sales.

Commissioner Cole expressed his concerns that the bill targets only specific ANCs, rather than the entire ward or city. Chairman Reed noted that the law is targeted because the problem is targeted. He mentioned a suggestion from a Jeff Harris from Modern Liquors to limit single sales to warm beer only.

Commissioner Schneider stated that, though she voted against the ban last time, she would be voting in favor of it this time. However, she did note that she doesn't believe this is the best way to get at this issue.

Several community members made statements in support of the ban.

A question was asked about the enforcement of the ban. It falls under ABRA, but the community can also play a part thanks to the protest process.

Commissioner Cole wonders whether or not Whole Foods is currently illegally selling singles under the emergency legislation which is currently in place.

Chairman Reed moved that the ANC advises the Council to pass the ban. Commissioner Trock seconded. The motion carried three to one, with Commissioner Cole voting in the negative.

Treasurer's Report

Same old, same old. :-)

What IS Up With All The Stolen Cars?

2008-08-26T08:21:00.001-04:00

A good post over at 14th & You draws attention to an unexpected uptick in the number of stolen cars in the neighborhood. Though homicides and muggings tend to get the lion's share of attention in our neighborhood forums, property crimes like theft of and theft from autos are the vast majority of our local crime.

Do any of our local PSA officers reading (I know there's a few of you!) have any information to share?

Blagden Alley / Naylor Court Picnic Tomorrow

2008-08-22T12:05:00.000-04:00

The annual Blagden Alley / Naylor Court picnic is tomorrow!

Saturday, August 23, 2007
Historical, Brick-Paved
Naylor Court
6:00pm-9:00pm

Details, including a map, can be found here, on the BaancBlog!

Happy Birthday, Bens!

2008-08-22T10:02:00.000-04:00

Dear Ben's Chili Bowl,

Congratulations on turning fifty! Thanks for the invitation to your awesome party, too! We'll be sure to stop by!

Happy Birthday!

Your Friends in Logan Circle

Shaw Library - Will We Ever Get A Say?

2008-08-20T11:16:00.002-04:00

The Watha T. Daniel Shaw Library has been closed for years now, with a temporary facility opening up only a year or so ago. In the meantime, the DC Public Library have been bandying about plans for a new library. Unfortunately, the plans have been changing for the worse, and despite outcry from the community, it is unclear that things are getting better.

For example, check out the changes made to the plans, made over the course of six months, with virtually no community input. Gone is the modern library building to serve the fast-growing Shaw/Logan community, and in its place is another concrete bunker - exactly what the community has said the do not want.

On Saturday, the Library Dynamos held a Speak-Out/Read-In to educate the community and build grassroots support for a better library. ANC 2C02 commissioner David Chapple has a good round-up of the event at his blog.

In the meantime, the DCPL has scheduled the final public meeting for the discussion of the new library. Given the importance of this issue, and the controversy surrounding the current design, let's hope we can convince them to work a little harder on it. Please show up and lend your voice!

Watha T. Daniel Shaw Library Public Meeting
Thursday, September 4, 2008 from 6:30-8:30 pm
Watha T. Daniel-Shaw Interim Library
945 Rhode Island Avenue, NW

Former Dakota Cowgirl/Hamburger Mary Location

2008-08-06T09:12:00.000-04:00

Via 14th & You, the Post has some information on what's going into the 14th Street spot former occupied by Dakota Cowgirl (formerly Hamburger Mary) and Ramrod (formerly Titan's). It turns out, like the former occupants, there's going to be two places. The downstairs will be called Birch & Barley, and something called ChurchKey will be upstairs. Both sounds quite beer-ish, so that's a good sign.

Also: "500 labels, 100 styles and 50 draft beers" is a big win in my book. They're hoping to open in October.

Cafe Salsa

2008-08-04T10:18:00.000-04:00

Logan Circle is getting a new Mexican Restaurant. A very welcome addition! I snapped this photo on the building currently being renovated next door to the Verizon Behemoth, across the street from the Whitman Walker clinic, and kiddy-corner from the Central Union Mission.

I'm sure this will be discussed at the upcoming ANC meeting, as the petition mentions sidewalk cafe hours until 3AM on weekends, and this location is right across the street from a big residential complex.

National Night Out 2008

2008-08-04T09:37:00.000-04:00

And let's not forget about National Night Out! This annual event is a great opportunity to come out and meet your friends, neighbors, and local MPD officers. This year, the Third District will be holding its official event at the Kennedy Recreation Center, at 1401 7th Street NW, from 5:00 until 9:00 PM. The flyer doesn't really say, but usually things are picnic/potluck style.

Or, you can join the national kickoff down at the mall, beginning at 4:00 PM.

Borderstan - Public Safety Meeting on Wednesday

2008-08-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

For our neighbors who live in Borderstan (roughly encompassing the northwestern portion of Logan Circle that borders the Dupont Circle neighborhood), there is a public safety meeting this Wednesday, August 6th, at 6:00 PM.

Want your concerns heard by those who can help?

Then join your Borderstan** neighbors and city officials at a public safety meeting to discuss the problems and suggest solutions.

When? Wednesday, August 6th at 6:00 p.m.

Where? 15th Street Presbyterian Church (15^th and R Streets NW)

Who? DC Councilmember Jack Evans (Ward 2), Assistant Chief of Police Diane Groomes, Commander George Kucik (3rd Police District), ANC Commissioners Charles Reed (ANC 2F-01), Jack Jacobson (ANC 2B-04), Borderstan Residents and Neighbors

We'll discuss and address neighborhood concerns about crime in the area we've come to know as Borderstan. Please invite your neighbors and friends.

Logan Circle is Ranked Second Most-Walkable Neighborhood

2008-08-03T14:25:00.000-04:00

If you live here, you probably know it already. Still, it's nice to see it in a arbitrary list on somebody else's web site. WalkScore.com has ranked Logan Circle the second most-walkable neighborhood in the District, and #30 overall. The District itself ranks seventh, which is pretty dang good!

I found this site over a year ago, and this blogger's house ranked 97 out of 100. Checking again, we've gone up a point! Huzzah!

Whole Foods on Half Paycheck?

2008-08-02T11:27:00.000-04:00

What do you think of when you read "Whole Foods"? Do you think of it as a place to find a good bargain? Probably not. With the nickname "Whole Paycheck", even among those who love the place, our neighborhood green grocer doesn't exactly have the reputation as a bargain-hunter's paradise.

And they're aware of it. Nationwide, the company is trying to fight its image as a over-priced. Have you seen evidence at the P Street location? I haven't really, but perhaps I'm not looking for the right things.

Rising Gas Prices - ZipCar Raises Rates

2008-08-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

I got an email from ZipCar yesterday, announcing (without the usual peppy flair that comes with their emails) that they are increasing driving rates due to the ever-increasing cost of gasoline. The importance of car sharing services to the ability of Logan Circle residents to live without a car at all cannot be understated. It fills that gap for those times you just have to drive to Bowie, MD. (Four years and counting, for this blogger!)

Weekday hourly reservations increase by $0.25 per hour and 24-hour weekday reservations increase by $2.

Weekend hourly reservations increase by $0.75 per hour and 24-hour weekend reservations increase by $5.

The incremental mileage charge (i.e. fee for miles over 180 per day) increases by $0.10 per mile.

Though I'm too lazy to do the math at the moment, that rate increase seems far below the percentage increase in gas prices over the last six months. That's not too bad, although I'm sure it will hurt some more than others.

Shot Spotter Mostly Avoids Logan

2008-07-24T21:56:00.000-04:00

The City Desk blog has posted the following image of the boundaries of the areas covered by the long-in-coming-but-finally-here Shot Spotter. Originally billed as the "Shaw Shot Spotter", as you can see, it actually covers a much, much larger area.

On the one hand, it speaks volumes as to the overall crime picture here in Logan Circle that our neighborhood is almost entirely - and, it almost seems, intentionally - left out of the coverage area. On the other hand, with everyone buzzing about the recent murder in the alley behind Vermont Avenue, I have to admit it would have been nice to have coverage there.

(Thanks City Desk for the map!)

Protestors In Front of Studio Theater Hate Opera

2008-07-23T19:36:00.000-04:00

It seems that the opening of Jerry Springer: The Opera at the Studio Theatre has attracted more than the usual dramaturgs. A reasonable contingent from the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (what a mouthful!) is outside protesting the play as blasphemous - complete with banners and bullhorns!

At first, I thought it might have been a publicity stunt, but Studio representatives I spoke with confirmed that it was indeed a real protest. They were a bit confused as to why nobody took the 30 seconds to notify them of an impending protest on opening night. The pair of police officers stationed nearby, to watch the scene, indicates they likely do have the appropriate permits.

So if this doesn't convince you to go see Jerry Springer: The Opera, I don't know what will!

Information on Homicide in Vermont Ave. Alley

2008-07-21T08:52:00.000-04:00

So by now most of us have heard about the homicide in the alley behind the 1300 block of Vermont Avenue. Heck, it even made DCist. Here's what is known, after a few days of processing and information gathering:

The call came in at around 2:00 AM on Thursday, July 17, to this alley.

The victim was dead at the scene, apparently from a gunshot wound to the head.

The victim has been identified as Derrick Green, who was a suspect in many of the robberies around our neighborhood.

It appears he was out in the alley to fight with somebody; and, well, as the saying goes...

If you have any information on this murder, please call +1 202.727.9099 or 1-888-919-CRIM. Or send an anonymous text messaging to 50411. There is a reward of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Picnic Photos

2008-06-09T09:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's LCCA Picnic at Hotel Helix was a great success. There was no official count, but at least sixty people showed up to enjoy the afternoon with their friends and neighbors. We were also honored to have Councilmembers Kwame Brown, Jack Evans, Phil Mendelsen, and Carol Schwartz stop by.

I have a few photos of the event. Sorry I didn't get more - I was too busy drinking beer and mingling with friends.

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

2008-06-04T21:46:00.001-04:00

There was a decent crowd, despite the monsoon outside. Have fun!

A quorum of 3 is present. The small quorum is because of the resignation of several of the commissioners. Present are: Chris Dyer, Charles Reed, Mike Benardo

Announcments

Joe Freeman, Director of Operations to Tender Loving Care. They have been acquired by Amedisys. Located at 1212 New York Avenue.

I announced the LCCA June Newsletter, and the change of venue for the June Picnic from Pepco Park to Hotel Helix.

Crime Report

Officer Caron

Spike in violence - mostly focused in 5D area. Issues are starting over informal craps games. Vice is working on catching them in-the-act. Be on the lookout for this kind of behavior.

Mike Benardo asked about issues behind Shiloh Baptist around 3am. Officer Caron will be looking into it.

A citizen asked about about all the buses and motorcades. It's related to the Israeli Prime Minister, and the presidential candidates being in the area.

Mike Grady asked about the inagural ball security zones, which will be an upcoming concern during election year. You'll need ID to make sure you lived on a block.

I asked about the home invasions. A guy was caught last week in Adams Morgan; he broke into a house occupied by two former Marines. Could be one of the culprits. No other major trends there.

Committee on Crime & Public

Chairman Reed will be meeting with Councilmember Mendelson to allow ANCs to be considered victims for the purposes of allocution, as a matter of law.

EOM Report

Abbey Peterson

Dumpster at 14th & P will be getting tickets for its nastiness.

Helen Kramer has been working with EOM and Mike Smith on a prostitution house.

Commisioner Dyer looked into the parking and right turn restrictions on K Street. He talked with the MPD Prostitution unit, and they still make arresets around there, and don't want to give up that tool.

DDOT Report

Chris Ziemann

A public meeting open house has been scheduled for how the 15th Street reconfiguration should go. Thursday, June 19th, 6-8pm, at the 15th St. Presbyterian Church (15th & R)

Chairman Reed raised a question about the re-paving of Kingman Street, which needs to be done after the re-work of Q Street. DDOT has said it's not on the schedule for at least two years, despite the fact that DDOT is currently doing major work there. Chairman Reed would like to see it re-paved entirely, rather than just patched.

I asked about Smart Bike rack on Rhode Island, which is in total disarray. Chris says the program should be going by the end of the month.

ABRA Matters

Izalco Voluntary Agreement - Moved and seconded to approve the voluntary agreement. Some minor non-material issues were resolved. Motion carried.

CulinAerie was deferred until next meeting, at their request.

Toscana West and Geisha are requested the ABC for substantial changes to their license. Since they're in the business district, and having heard no complaints from any residents about their operations, the ANC chose not to act.

Vegas Lounge - Negotiations are under way with them, with Cooper Lewis condominiums as a party, for a voluntary agreement. Chairman Reed is confidant one will be reached, and should be presented at the next meeting.

HR-57 - The voluntary agreement was accepted by ABRA.

Single Sales Ban - Is Logan Circle in favor of the single sales ban? Chairman Reed asked the matter to be deferred until the next meeting, when more commissioners would be present.

Stoney's - Their sidewalk cafe is probably illegal, there have been serious allegations of illegal construction, and there have been reports of patrons drinking beer on the curb outside of the establishment. Chairman Reed will be investigating, and will speak with the owner. Expect to see this coming up again soon.

CDC Report

Everything on the consent calendar was approved.

New Business

Dustin Cole was appointed as delgate to SMD 2F05.

Morrison Clark hearing - The BZA denied the re-hearing, but did re-consider the motion. They passed it again, and Chairman Reed feels they failed to consider all the issues raised; he wants the ANC to agree to another request for re-consideration. Chairman Reed also feels that the level of proof required of the ANCs by the BZA is inappropriate for the type of organization an ANC is. Chairman Reed moved; Commisioner Dyer seconded; passed unanimously.

Stephen Calcott from HPRB stopped by. He is the primary project reviewer for the Logan Circle neighborhood. Chairman Reed chided him for his mis-speaking that HPRB recommends that applicatants seek input from the ANC, as the ANC act requires the HPRB to seek input from the ANCs. Mr. Calcott agreed, but noted that the laws for HPRB and the ANC are somewhat contradictory, thus leading to some confusion there. In general, all sides agreed that the relationship between the ANC and HPRB is a very good one.

Zip Car - Ellice Pérez from ZipCar was on hand. Chairman Reed noted that, when the ANC advised DDOT to approve their application for public space at 14th and Corcoran, that they would provide screening of the lot from the street, via vegetation or some other means, to help make what is otherwise just a nasty parking lot more beautiful. This hasn't been done. Ms. Pérez noted that, after speaking with Casey Trees, the original plan to plant trees was abandoned, as the site is an old gas station with some serious environmental problems. Chairman Reed suggested they hire a landscape architect, and offered to provide some names. Also, Chairman Reed noted that the church across the street was hoping to use some of their parking spaces on Sundays, but it was explained that that is infeasible due to how ZipCar works. Also, Chairman Reed noted that the issue of parking was likely going to cause pressure to have their public space street permits revoked, and Commissioner Dyer made an impassioned argument against that idea.

Vacant Wading Pool - The wading pool at 11th & R has been a hazard for quite some time. The ANC voted to send a letter to Clark Ray at the Department of Parks & Recreation requesting that it be removed.

Library Survey

2008-05-27T08:48:00.000-04:00

The story of our neighborhood's public Library, the Watha T. Daniel Library, is a tragedy. Though there has been some movement on it in recent years, it hasn't amounted to much. Fortunately, the Library Dynamos group is looking to change that.

They have an online survey that they'll be using to help drive the plans for the new, permanent library. Please take a moment and fill it out.

National Park Service - Memorial Day Cermony - Logan Circle

2008-05-24T17:41:00.000-04:00

OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION News Release

May 16, 2008 For immediate release

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HONORS MEMORIAL DAY FOUNDER WITH WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY

Washington, D.C.—The National Park Service, the Illinois State Society of Washington, DC and the Logan Circle Community Association will hold a wreath-laying ceremony Monday, May 26, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

May 5th, 1868 marks the date when Congressman John A. Logan, serving as the Commander and Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal veteran’s organization, issued General Order No. 11 establishing May 30^th as Memorial Day to honor fallen American war heroes.

The Brass Express will kick-off the event with a pre-program concert starting at 12:30 p.m., followed by, the Joint Armed Forces Honor Guard opening the ceremony with the posting of the colors at 2:00 p.m. The program will include special guest speaker Gary Ecelbarger, John A. Logan Biographer. The ceremony will conclude with a wreath laying ceremony followed by an open house and garden reception at the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site.

This program is part of an ongoing series of public programs offered at the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, to promote public understanding of the history and special places that have been included in the national park system. For more information call (202) 673-2402.

National Capital Parks-East (NCP-East) offers a wide array of historic, cultural and natural and recreational areas that are part of Washington, DC and its eastern environs. The park is comprised of over 8,000 acres of federal land, ranging from community parks and National Historic Sites to unique wetlands ecosystems, meadows and mature hardwood forests.

(nps)

14th Street Study Final Meeting Tonight

2008-04-24T07:56:00.000-04:00

The ongoing saga of the Fourteenth Street Transportation and Streetscape Study draws to a close tonight, with the fourth and final public meeting tonight at the Reeves Center, beginning at 6:30pm. Like the last three meetings, it will be held open-house style.

You might want to check out the draft final report before coming by, and make sure any issues you might have had with it have been cleared up.

LCCA's Spring Fling - Meet Your Neighbors & Community Leaders

2008-04-05T13:28:00.000-04:00

Please join us for LCCA's April meeting on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m. Do you have a neighborhood concern but don't know who to call? Do you want to learn more about your community leaders and local elected officials? Are you interested in meeting fellow condo and apartment dwellers new to Logan Circle? Do you want to learn about special crime and safety tips for your condo or apartment building? Then this meeting is for you! Special guests include Councilmember Jack Evans, and representatives from ANC2F, MPD, and the Executive Office of the Mayor. We'll be meeting outside (weather permitting) at the Icon condos on 13th Street and will have light refreshments. We also encourage you to pass this along to any other condo residents you may know in the area. Details below:

LCCA Spring Fling:

Meet your Neighbors, Elected Officials and Community Leaders:

Resources for Condo and Apartment Dwellers

Date: April 9, 2008

Time: 7:00-9:00

Join the Logan Circle Community Association at a special April meeting to meet your neighbors, learn about neighborhood resources, and meet community leaders.

Light refreshments provided

Special Location—The Terraces at the Icon—1320 13th Street, N.W. between N and O Streets

Rain Location: Washington Plaza Hotel

For additional information, please contact desi.deschaine@logancircle.org or visit www.logancircle.org

Street Cleaning

2008-03-10T21:20:00.000-04:00

Heads up! All those "No Parking - Street Cleaning" signs you've been ignoring all winter are about to come back into effect. In two weeks, the city will begin ticketing cars in street cleaning zones.

Weekly residential street cleaning operations resume Monday, March 24, 2008. Alternate-side parking restrictions during street sweeping hours will be in effect once again. Parking citations will be issued to vehicles parked during street sweeping hours in areas posted with “No Parking/Street Cleaning” signs.

For more information, you can check out the online DPW calendar. And thanks to Commissioner Benardo for the heads up!

Theft From Auto in PSA 307

2008-03-08T11:15:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest problems in Logan Circle is the ubiquitous Theft From Auto. According to the DC Crime Map, in the last two months, 84 out of 148 property crimes in our neighborhood were car break-ins. Over half of the thefts in our neighborhood are of valuables from cars. And the problem is getting worse. The statistics show a 15% increase in these crimes over last year. With the summer months fast approaching, I'm guessing we'll see an even larger increase over last year.

The solution to the problem requires a two-prong approach. First, residents and visitors must not leave valuables in their vehicles. Theft from Auto is a crime of opportunity. Unattended items in a car present an easy chance to grab-and-run, and the quiet residential nature of so much of Logan Circle makes for a low risk of getting caught. Look at the crime map above: You don't see many break-ins on 14th Street or in front of Whole Foods! We need a campaign to educate the residents and visitors in our neighborhood to be smart about what they leave in their automobiles.

The other piece of the puzzle is police enforcement. The quick nature of a Theft from Auto means that police don't usually catch the thief red-handed. We only get that lucky once in a while. There are other techniques, though, besides patrolling the streets. The MPD has successfully used bait cars to catch smash-and-grab thieves quite recently on Capitol Hill. Logan Circle is a perfect candidate for bait cars, and if they're not already in use here, let's hope they can be brought to bare soon.

In theory, it only takes a few arrests from a bait car to dramatically bring down the crime rate. The idea is similar to the idea of the LoJack:

The thief's challenge is that it's impossible to determine which vehicle has a LoJack (there's no decal). So stealing any car becomes significantly more risky, and one academic study found that the introduction of LoJack in Boston reduced car theft there by 50 percent.

In this case, though, the thief has to decide whether or not the car is actually an MPD bait car. Even though the number of bait cars is very small, if the thief happens to "win" that lottery, he's absolutely guaranteed to be caught. Making a living stealing from cars becomes much, much riskier. So instead of spending millions of dollars on crime cameras that don't work, perhaps we should consider spending money on more bait cars and officers (or auxiliaries!) to monitor them.

March Newsletter Available

2008-03-06T18:44:00.000-05:00

The March 2008 edition of the Logan Circular is available for download (direct link).

Features include:

House Tour Wrap-Up

2008 Vision and Values Statement

Details on Upcoming Meetings

14th Street Study Recommendations

And much more!

On a related note, some people who are on our mailing list are reporting errors when attempting to download the newsletter. If you happen to be one of them, please try the links above, or contact me. Also, it would be of great help to me to know your browser version and PDF reader version.

Orange Hat Patrol in the Robotic Age

2008-03-06T09:41:00.000-05:00

In the old days, many of the trail-blazing residents of Logan Circle would resort to drastic and dramatic measures to combat the crime, drugs, and prostitution that ran rampant in our neighborhood prior to its revitalization. I love hearing stories from them about blocking the streets to keep johns from circling the block, or donning brightly-colored hats and sneaking up on cars with johns and hookers in flagrante and blasting them with air horns.

The modern Neighborhood Watch, though, has some more sophisticated tools under its belt. Like this armoured robot armed with a water canon!

He flashes the robot's spotlight and grabs a walkie-talkie, which he uses to boom his disembodied voice over the robot's sound system.

"I tell them they are trespassing, it's private property, and they have to leave," he said. "They throw bottles and cans at it. That's when I shoot the water cannon. They just scatter like roaches."

I'm not really sure we need another crime-fighting robot in PSA 307, though. After all, we already have Lt. Smith.

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

2008-03-05T20:43:00.001-05:00

I missed last months ANC meeting, but the wrap-up is back! Enjoy!

Update: Mark Bjorge informed me that I incorrectly had him listed as no longer serving in Ward 2. Fix made. Sorry about that!

Announcments

Lima Restaurant, located around 14th and K, has offered a free meal to members of the community.

The Vegas Lounge liquer license, which the ANC protested, is up at the roll call hearing on March 12th.

The DC Council is holding oversight hearings. ANC 2F is up on March 11th. Chariman Reed is looking for suggestions or comments regarding the ANC structure, duties, and operations. Do you like the ANCs? Hate them? Here's your chance to say so!

A SmartBike kiosk will be installed on Rhode Island Avenue, just west of 14th Street.

The Source Theater renovations are on-going. The black-box theater will remain, and they are also adding a rehearsal space and arts studio. They are trying to raise money for the work, and have currently raised $2.1 million of their $3.5 million goal. They will be holding the Source Festival this June, with various theater-related activities. Every Monday in April, they will be doing hard-hate tours.

The Logan Circle Community Association March meeting will be held next Wednesday, March 12th, at the Washington Plaza Hotel.

Crime Report

Lt. Smith was on-hand to report.

Overall 13% drop in crime for the year. Rough start of the year, but things got much better as the year progressed.

Lower crime rate means fewer personelle. PSA 307 was down to only 13 officers, where we were supposed to have 28-29.

Derek Green was sentenced. Charged as an adult. Convicted of armed robbery at 916 N Street.

Sex offender notification: 1425 N Street. Sex with a minor.

GPS units are getting stolen left and right. DON'T LEAVE THEM IN YOUR CAR!

PSA 307 has lowest number of robberies.

Church parking: The department is ticketing public safety hazards (fire hydrants, crosswalks, etc.), and for complaints from residents who are parked in. Sixteen tickets were issued on March 2nd.

An illegal fetish club has opened at 916 Blagden Alley. Lt. Smith wrote $15,000 worth of traffic tickets, and has contacted DCRA for license investigation. Google "dxs rapture" for more information.

Charles has informed Mike that the residents of the housing at 1400 R Street are complaining of break-ins and vandalism. The ANC supported the takeover of that housing, and Charles thinks that the developer may need to get some better security in there.

Executive Officer of the Mayor

Abbey Peterson has replaced Joe Martin ~~and Mark Bjorge~~, who is now serving in his own ward. She lives in the neighborhood, specifically in ANC 2F03.

DDOT Report

Chris Zeeman was absent.

Charles reports that he has been told that paving may start on Q Street tomorrow.

DDOT Matters

AYT Auto Service, 1630 14th Street - The auto service is looking to open an auto service training center above their store. They are currently waiting for approval of their education license. There is no request for action, but Charles suggests asking for a recommendation from the ANC to the appropriate authority to approve their license. It's turned down, since the process is almost complete.

Street Closures - Approval letters from last month have not yet been sent. Various street closures were all approved.

Crime and Public Safety Committee

No report. There is a meeting of the committee on March 12th. However, Lt. Smith and Chariman Reed are concerned about the lack of cooperation between the US Attorney's office in regard to prosecuting cases.

ABRA Matters

Lima, Public Space Application for a Sidewalk Cafe - Already have a sidewalk cafe, but there was a technical problem with the old license. The ANC approved the old version two years ago, but they are here looking for a do-over to correct the problem. There is no voluntary agreement, but since it's not in a residental area, and there have been no significant other issues. Approved unanimously.

Izalco, Application for an Entertainment Endorsement - No representative from Izalco is present. However, Chariman Reed circulated a re-draft of the Voluntary Agreement originally proposed in February. No action was taken tonight, but the new agreement requires a beefed-up security presence, a log of complaints, and provides for a stop-clause to their entertainment license if there are three or more complaints in a three-month period. The Chairman believes this is one of the strongest Voluntary Agreements ever proposed by the ANC, since there are consistently so many problems and complaints about the establishment.

Olley's Trolley - I'm not sure what the deal is here. But it was unanimously approved.

HR-57, Liquor License Renewal - Negotiations are complete. This is another fairly strong agreement. However, Chairman Reed solicted input from the community, but received no complaints from any direct neighbors of the establishment. One clause, however, is that they cannot serve liquor at their sidewalk cafe without food present. Unanimously approved.

Veranda, Complaints - Resident David Berger (1400 block of 11th Street) spoke: On October 4th, a large exhaust fan was installed next to his patio, and when on produces a lot of noise and awful restaurant smell into his home. He asked for help from the ANC for relief. The Voluntary Agreement with Veranda clearly prohibits that odor and noise from exhaust fans, including on patio areas. The Pegasus Condominium Association (where Mr. Berger lives) is also a party to the Voluntary Agreement. Commissioner Dyer moves that the ANC writes a letter to Veranda, informing them that they are in violation of their Voluntary Agreement, and demanding response within 10 days, or steps to begin a Show Cause hearing will be taken. Passed unanimously.

Other Business

Chariman Reed motions to send a letter to Mayor Fenty expressing the ANC's gratitude for the service of Joe Martin and Mark Bjorge for their excellent service.

Central Union Mission - Still Scouting for a New Home

2008-02-22T08:33:00.000-05:00

The Central Union Mission, currently located on the corner of 14th and R, is in the middle of a move-and-redevelop process. They sold their property to a developer, and obtained property and zoning up on Georgia Avenue. The neighborhood, though, has been less than enthusiastic about a homeless shelter in an area they hope to see go through a growth spurt in the future - although it didn't seem to hurt our neck of the woods much!

Still, the Post is reporting that the Mission is looking and options for property closer to downtown, since more of the homeless population seems to be deeper in the city. I'm not sure where they think they're going to go, but let's hope they find a home soon. They're scheduled to move out of their current location in 2009.

Third Public Meeting - 14th Street Study

2008-02-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

The third public meeting of the 14th Street Transportation and Streetscape Study is scheduled for tomorrow, February 19th, at 6:30pm, at the Studio Theater Atrium.

This is the big one. The study will be present its recommendations - that is, what they plan on doing, as well as what would be ideal, given unlimited time and budget. Please come out and participate, and let them know if there is something you don't like! This could be your last chance!

PDF version

Music at National City Christian Church

2008-02-14T09:15:00.001-05:00

A heads-up to all you classical music lovers out there in the neighborhood: The National City Christian Church is hosting the Washington Sinfonietta this Saturday at 3pm. The show is part of their American Music Series, and will feature works composed by Aaron Copland, William Grant Still, and others. Tickets are $10 at the door.

The fine folks at National City are a bulwark of great music in the neighborhood. Many thanks to them!

LCCA Meeting Cancelled

2008-02-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, tonight's LCCA meeting has been canceled. Please accept our apologies, and stay tuned for the next meeting!

Help Wanted: Re-Design LCCA's Web Site

2008-02-06T09:37:00.000-05:00

If you've been over there recently, I'm sure you've noticed that the Logan Circle Community Association's web site, www.logancircle.org, is in need of a major update. Well, we're going to do something about it, but we need some help making it happen!

To that end, we're distributing an RFP to redesign the website. If you're a good web designer and developer, or you know a good web designer and developer, take a gander, put together a proposal, and drop it in the tubes to me.

Download the RFP here.

Stepped Up Parking Enforcement

2008-02-05T13:21:00.000-05:00

Mike Benardo, the commissioner for ANC 2F06, got a note from Mark Bjorge that MPD will be increasing parking enforcement in our neighborhood.

This message is to inform you that MPD 3D has begun full enforcement of posted parking regulations 7 days per week. We ask for your help in ensuring that residents are informed of this increased attention to parking compliance and safety issues, which will begin immediately.

Given the often contentious nature of the parking issue in the past, let's hope that this keeps up over the long haul. Blocked crosswalks and fire hydrants are simply not acceptable, and neither are residents unable to move their cars.

So make sure you park your car in a legal spot!

Seeking Input on Shaw Library

2008-01-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

The DC Public Library is looking for input on the new Watha T. Daniel Shaw Neighborhood Library, and they're holding a meeting tomorrow night.

Join the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) to discuss the design of your neighborhood library. With construction scheduled to begin soon, your input and feedback are encouraged.

Where: Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Interim Library
945 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001

When: Wednesday, January 30, 2008
6:30-8:30 PM

Getting There: The Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Interim Library is located on Rhode Island Avenue, NW between 9th Street, NW and 10th Street, NW and is accessible by the G8 bus.

This is a long time in coming!

Cork About to Open

2008-01-22T19:01:00.000-05:00

Taking over the location on 14th Street, formerly occupied by Sparky's Espresso Café, is a new wine bar and restaurant called Cork. They are supposed to be opening on the 29th of this month. It should be clear from this photo of a private party going on inside that things are definitely falling in place for that to happen. I, for one, am looking forward to it!

El Sauce

2008-01-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in the last ANC 2F Wrap-Up, the ANC is looking for complaints to assist in a protest of El Sauce, at 1227 11th Street. Here's a good one, that just came across the listserv, courtesy of Johnnie Jackson from ABRA, forwarded by Jack Evans:

On 1/18/2008 at approximately 10:30 p.m. a patron who had just left the El Sauce Restaurant and Carryout, 1227 11th Street NW, was attacked by another male a short distance from the establishment. The suspect cut the patron in the hand with a knife, and hit him with his fists. The patron, who was taken to GW Hospital, suffered cuts to his head due to his fall and a laceration to his hand. The suspect was not apprehended. Investigation has determined that the suspect had entered the establishment earlier during the evening and tried to pick a fight with the customers. There is no indication that the suspect had a knife while inside the establishment.

With the information from Lt. Smith that this location is a frequent gang hotspot, El Sauce could be in some hot ... er, sauce.

P Street Roadwork

2008-01-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

DDOT is planning to do some roadwork on P Street, between Dupont Circle and Logan Circle. From the press release that went out today:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is scheduled to begin repairs on the road and sidewalk on P Street, NW from DuPont Circle to 13th Street on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

Repairs will include replacement of damaged sidewalks, gutters, bus stop concrete pads and the upgrade of all wheelchair ramps in the work area.

Work hours are 7am to 3:30pm, Monday thru Friday.

Amusingly, they claim to be doing work from "Dupont Circle to 13th Street". Somebody needs to check their maps more closely.

311/911 Change-Up

2008-01-14T13:22:00.000-05:00

A note from Assistant Chief Diane Groomes just came across the MPD-3D mailing list, detailing a change in how the city would like us to use the 311/911 services. Now, rather than using 311 for non-emergency police calls, we should call 911 for all police-related matters, whether emergency or not, as well as for fire or ambulance. From the email:

I met with the Office of Unified Communications last Friday and it has been discussed that ALL POLICE RELATED CALLS MUST BE CALLED INTO 911…311 will now be used for the Mayors Customer Service Requests

911 – all police related matters – emergency and non emergency, need of ambulance, fires

311- all other governmental agency requests/city services – cars towed, streetlights replaced, streets repaired, animal issues, abandoned vehicles, trees trimmed, trash pick ups, etc.

This all seems rather sudden - usually this type of thing requires months or years of public comment before getting done. And does the new 311 replace the old 202.727.1000 number for city services? Many questions abound...

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

2008-01-11T08:56:00.000-05:00

The January meeting of ANC 2F was held on Wednesday, and your's truly was there for the whole proceedings. While not quite the super-speedy affair that was last month's meeting, Wednesday's meeting came in at just about an hour-and-a-half. Not bad!

Announcements

The ANC commissioners elected their officers for 2008. The election was done by acclimation, yielding the same officer positions as the close of 2007.

Chairman Reed wanted everyone to know that he has received a plethora of information on free in-home Radon testing, which is being conducted by the DC Government. If you'd like more information, let him know.

Greg Cassou (sp?) came by to talk about dog parks in the city. He's looking for good locations for dog parks in the area, and is looking to get the ANC involved in the process - as it seems most of the decisions on the matter are being delegated to the neighborhoods and community. Four sites are being considered, including Bundy Field at 5th & P, Kennedy Field, and part of the playground at Garrison Elementary. Those are all existing dog owner hang-outs, so would be a natural fit for being blessed officially.

Neighborhood Services

Mark Bjorge was on hand to give a neighborhood services report. Joe Martin was over at the Dupont ANC meeting.

There are some problems at 1107 11th Street. The building has been shut down due to lack of potable water, and some twenty people evicted from the property. They have claims on tenancy, and are being placed in hotels by the DC Government pending resolution of their concerns. The building's owner went bankrupt, apparantly, and the building is likely to be condemned.

Mark got a stop signed placed in the alley between 13th and 14th Street. (Somewhere. I'm not sure where...)

A community member asked about the illegal gate on the alley on 10th Street. While either DDOT has jurisdiction to remove it, Mark suggested working with FEMS to have it removed, as he thinks it's probably blocking safe egress from some of the buildings there.

Mark was also asked about the on-going saga of the bus stop on P & 14th. Several commuinity members, especially those from the Cooper-Lewis condominiums, have been trying to get it moved back across to the east side of 14th Street, next to the Studio Theater. They've been making no progress, though, and appealed to Mark to get the wheels un-stuck. Mark said he'd bump this up on some issue lists, to try and get things moving.

Crime Report

Lt. Smith gave the crime report, mostly a year-end summary of 2007.

PSA 307 had an overall 13% reduction in crime for 2007. Nice work!

There were a total of three homicides in the PSA for 2007. Two of those have been closed, but one is remaining open. It seems they "know who did it", but are going to have a hard time proving it, so it may never close. The victim was allegedly beaten to death by his wife, having a blood-alcohol level of .60 (WOW!!) at the time.

Juveniles committing crimes continued to be a problem. The force and the AG are working to prosecute juveniles involved in violent or gun crimes as adults.

I asked Lt. Smith about ShotSpotter, and whether it will be coming to the PSA. He said he doubted it would be coming here directly, because we seem to have relatively little need for it; but it would be coming to PSA 308 (where they clearly have some major problems), and that the areas would overlap significantly with the east side of PSA 307. Since that's where most of our problems are, anyway, it works out pretty well.

ABRA Matters

The protest hearings for Vegas Lounge and Be Bar have been rescheduled. (The ANC decided last month to protest, based on community feedback.)

Tony from HR-57 was at the meeting to inform the ANC of his intention to seek an application for a sidewalk café and an entertainment endorsement, changing the license from a DR (beer & wine only) to a CR (full bar). The matter was referred to Chairman Reed and Commissioner Richardson for negotiation of a voluntary agreement, for later approval.

The ANC is looking to protest the liquor license of EL Sauce, located at 1227 11th Street, and are looking to talk to some neighbors and community members who may have complaints about the establishment. Lt. Smith mentioned that the location is a frequent hangout for MS-13 gang members, and has seen more than its fair share of crime related to their activity. He suggested that the ANC make the hiring of a reputable security guard firm a requirement of any voluntary agreement that may be reached.

DDOT Report

Chris Ziemann from DDOT came to make a report.

The next 14th Street Transportation and Streetscape meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 19th at 6:30 pm, at the Studio Theater. This will be the meeting where the study makes its recommendations, and invites the community to provide feedback on them.

The traffic analysis of the various potential redesigns of 15th Street have been completed. Chris said that they should be posted on the DDOT web site soon, but that none of the alternatives significantly reduce the traffic flow through the neighborhood.

Building at 9th and Naylor Court

A renovation and expansion of a building fronting 9th Street and Naylor Court was discussed. It's being converted into a mixed-use property, with retail, offices, and residential. The ANC voted to recommend the approval of the design, concept, and massing of the property. (Sorry I don't have more details - I missed part of this presentation.)

House Tour Raffle Winners

2008-01-11T08:47:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit late posting this, but here goes. The raffle winners from the 2007 Logan Circle Holiday House Tour have been chosen. They are:

Steven Haber (Washington, DC) - Gift certificate to Rice restaurant

Nesreen Khashan (Washington, DC) - Gift certificate to Rice Restaurant

Chandra Kumar (Oakton, VA) - Small Lofts book

Robbie Misenheimer (Arlington, VA) - a Lekue classic baking sheet

Philippa Motion (Sterling, VA) - a Lekue flexible non-stick fluted bundt pan

L. Radow (Washington, DC) - Duncan's Kitchen Grips heat-resistant glove

Al Sullivan, Jr. (Bowie, MD) - Small Urban Gardens book

The Logan Circle Community Association and the house tour committee would like to give a special thanks to the donors who made this year's raffle possible, including Candida's World of Books, Home Rule, and Rice Restaruant.

And congratulations to the winners!

Homicide in PSA 307

2007-12-31T10:22:00.000-05:00

From Seargent Maradiaga of PSA 307 -

On Wednesday, December 26, 2007, members of the department’s Violent Crimes Branch were notified that a man who had been hospitalized for treatment of head trauma since Saturday, December 22, 2007 was pronounced dead at 9:43 Wednesday morning.

The decedent, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of his next of kin, was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia where an autopsy was performed on Thursday, December 27, 2007. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head and torso.

On Saturday, December 22, 2007, at approximately 8:50 PM, members of the Third District and D.C. Fire Department emergency medical personnel responded to an apartment in the 1200 block of M Street, NW to investigate the trouble. Upon arrival, they found a 29-year-old male suffering from head trauma. He was transported to George Washington Hospital and admitted for treatment.

Detectives assigned to the department’s Violent Crimes Branch (VCB) were notified and responded to the hospital to monitor the victim’s injuries. VCB investigators were informed that the victim would be admitted in critical condition with facial fractures.

At some point, the diagnosis of the victim’s injuries was upgraded and his injuries were believed to be non-life-threatening. Consequently, the Third District Detectives Office became the lead investigative unit. Now that the Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the death a homicide, the case has been turned over to detectives assigned to the Violent Crimes Branch.
Anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to call 202-727-9099.

The Metropolitan Police Department offers a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.

Hearing on 311/911

2007-12-12T17:34:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest complaints around the neighborhood is the often abysmal response citizens receive after calling 311 and/or 911. It's frustrating to be told, "Keep calling until they send somebody." It sort of defeats the purpose.

Here's your chance to let the city know how you feel.

Councilmember Phil Mendelson, Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, announces a public oversight hearing on the Office of Unified Communications. The hearing will be held on Friday, December 14, 2007, at 12:30 pm, in the 5th Floor Chamber of the John A. Wilson Building located at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the oversight hearing is to hear from the public, providers, and the government on the operations, management, and overall performance of the Office of Unified Communications.

If you'd like to testify, contact Victor Bonett at +1 202.724.4865.

Gas Outtages

2007-12-06T19:35:00.000-05:00

I mentioned this in the wrap-up from last night's ANC meeting, but it deserves more attention.

The area around 9th Street, 10th Street, Rhode Island Avenue, and Columbia Street are having intermittent gas outages. Washington Gas is looking to identify how widespread the problem is, to determine how much pipeline they'll need to fix. If you know anyone whose heat is going out unexpectedly, please contact Joe Martin as soon as possible!

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

2007-12-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

The ANC 2F meeting tonight may have set a new speed record, finishing some forty minutes early, despite stalling for time to make quorum. Here's the wrap-up:

Announcements

The ANC Commissioners held their retreat between the last meeting and tonight, and are planning on addressing the following items in upcoming months:
- A revision of the goals statement, which is some four or five years old now;
- An investigation into the Arts Overlay, which has beguiled everyone with questions as to its scope and enforcement;
- The crafting of a policy for communications with DDOT over street closures, as many times they just seem to pop up out of nowhere;
- Creation of a better way of notifying the community of meetings, and distributing agendas; and
- A survey of problem buildings and properties in the ANC.

The 14th Street Transportation and Streetscape study delivered its finding on existing conditions to the ANC.

The LCCA Holiday House Tour was this past weekend, and was a great success. Thanks to everyone involved!

Crime Report

Lt. Smith was back from his vacation, and on hand to give us a crime report for PSA 307.

PSA 307 is leading all of the Third District in over reduction in crime since the summer. Lt. Smith attributes this to several key arrests of repeat offenders.

A registered sex offender is working on 15th Street; his picture was distributed, as per the sex offender registration laws.

Also on hand was U.S. District Attorney Roger Kemp, who was on-hand to answer some questions he had received by email about some cases his office is handling:

The infamous Gregory Teal is being held without bond, pending a trial on January 23, 2008. His case is assigned to supervisor Ronda Redwood.

Three of the offenders involved in the recent home invasions (from December, 2006, I believe), have been sentenced, or are awaiting sentencing. I think he said one of the got 13 years. (I apologize for the confusion, there was a lot of information flying around, and some conversation.)

Neighborhood Services

Joe Martin and Mark Bjorge were on hand from the Mayor's Office. They discussed several things:

The area around 9th Street, 10th Street, Rhode Island Avenue, and Columbia Street where having intermittent gas outages. Washington Gas is looking to identify all reports of these problems in the area, so they can determine how widespread it is, to determine how much pipeline they'll need to fix. If you know anyone whose heat is going out unexpectedly, please contact Joe Martin as soon as possible!

The buildings on 14th Street are still being gutted. To answer a question I had last time: It's not entirely clear what's being done on the property, other than tearing out non-load-bearing walls, and possibly putting in some new housing units. A question was asked if the unit would be assessed back taxes for vacant properties, but Mark didn't know. Both buildings are under historic preservation, but the one at 1316 has been referred to the Board of Condemnation - but hopefully just to get some serious problems fixed, not to have it razed.

Joe said that the awful bus shelter on the southwest corner of P and 14th is definitely going to be torn out, and not replaced with another shelter.

DDOT Matters

The only item here was 1101 K Street NW, seeking an outdoor sidewalk cafe. They weren't present, so this item was skipped.

ABRA Matters

The ANC is going to be doing a revision of its ABC policies, which currently date to 2003, and they are seeking volunteers from the community to help. Drop them a line if you're interested.

Ollie's Trolley - Ollie's Trolley is seeking some sort of change to their Voluntary Agreement. I'm not sure what change, but part of it is that they want to have the neighboring properties dropped from the official agreement, because they are unable to be located, or unwilling to negotiate anything at all. The ANC voted to approve the VA with the removed names, and to assert their status as the primary party of interest to ABRA.

Liquor License Renewals - The renewal of the licenses for several establishments was on the table. None were protested, except for two.
- Vegas Lounge - They have no Voluntary Agreement with the ANC, as they've been around for some 34 years. However, neighbors in the new Cooper Lewis building have complained of noise and problems. The ANC will protest the renewal, with the expectation it will be withdrawn pending a successful Voluntary Agreement negotiation. The negotiation will be spearheaded by Charles Reed, in whose SMD they operate.
- Be Bar - There have been complaints from neighbors about the late closing hours on Sunday night. The ANC will protest the renewal, with the expectation it will be withdrawn pending a successful negotiation of an amendment to their Voluntary Agreement relating to their Sunday hours. The negotiation will be lead by Mike Benardo, in whose SMD they operate.

CDC

The Community Development Committee met the week before, and all of their recommendations were approved by the full ANC.

Hotel Washington - They are adding some new air handling units to the roof, and the new units do not comply with the setback requirements with respect to the walls facing their interior courtyard. The CDC recommended the ANC support a variance to those requirements.

Central Union Mission Condos - The developers were seeking a variance on the lot coverage requirements, since they will be beyond the allowed coverage. However, during their construction, they will actually be reducing the coverage from its present amount. They also sought a variance to allow for two different roof heights on the mechanical penthouses, which is necessary because of the differing roof heights of the development. The CDC recommended that the ANC support both variances.

Down-zoning - A group of citizens were working to have an area of NE Dupont and a small contiguous section of our ANC down-zoned, to be more in accordance with the actual property usage. The CDC recommended that the ANC support the request.

Public Art

A guy named Jason Clark was on hand to make a presentation to the ANC about a public art project he's trying to win a grant for. The piece is a metal tree, made from materials recycled from buildings torn down around the neighborhood. The trunk is iron, and will rust into a tree-trunk-ish brown, and the leaves are copper, which will patina into a nice leaf-ish green. Overall, it looks really cool, and he was looking for a letter from the ANC in support of his grant.

The ANC asked him to come back when he had a more specific location in mind, and he promised to do so. He also put out a call to the neighbors for ideas as to a good location. Feel free to put them in the comments - he has my card, so hopefully he'll get in touch with me.

And that's it!

2007 Logan Circle Holiday House Tour

2007-12-04T09:56:00.000-05:00

The 2007 Logan Circle Holiday House Tour was a resounding success! Homes, new and old, around the neighborhood were on display, and despite a little bit of drizzle, the turnout was great. The numbers aren't all in yet, but this was one of the most successful tours ever.

Eight different homes were toured, including a unit in the famous #1 Logan Circle, two units in the brand new Cooper Lewis buildling, and the newly renovated sanctuary of Luther Place Memorial Church. The styles and architectures ranged from traditional Victorian to modern loft penthouse. Check out more photos here.

If you couldn't make it this year, make sure to pencil it in for next year! The upcoming season will mark the tour's 30th anniversary, so it's sure to be a great one.

Thanks go to all of the homeowners who so graciously opened their doors to us, and to all the volunteers, without whom this even would never be possible. And an extra special thanks to Tim and Walter, the co-chairs of the House Tour Committee: The excellence of the tour is a direct result of the excellence of your leadership. Thank you so much!

Why Downzoning is a Good Idea

2007-12-04T08:40:00.000-05:00

At the most recent CDC meeting (of which I happen to be a member), there was a request for support brought to us regarding a particular chunk of Dupont/Logan where they are looking to down-zone the area to match the homes that are already there. During the discussion, the question was brought up: Why are you doing this? Doesn't the Historic Preservation District already prevent this?

Well, I think we have our answer. Anything done to throw up more walls against that kind of monstrosity can only be a good thing.

Volunteers Needed-LCCA's Annual Holiday House Tour

2007-11-12T09:28:00.000-05:00

LCCA is seeking volunteers to serve as hosts for thisyear's Holiday House Tour on Sunday, December 2, 2007. We need 50+ volunteers to staff the homes on the tourand the Wassail that concludes the tour at StudioTheatre. http://www.logancircle.org/

In-home hosts provide a presence for security andtraffic control, and are provided with informationabout highlights of their assigned home to helprespond to questions. Wassail volunteers set uprefreshments, refresh them as necessary, and helpguide traffic from the sidewalk to the appropriateentrance and reception area.

This is a full, fun day. While the tour itself is heldfrom 1 to 5 p.m., the day begins in the morning withbreakfast and a "pre-tour" so all volunteers have theopportunity to see the homes. The reward comes after the tour concludes at 5pm, with details to come later. Trust us, the day will end on a celebratory note youdon't want to miss!

This is LCCA's only annual fundraiser and we need youto help make it a success. Please note that allvolunteers must purchase a ticket for $15. If you're interested in volunteering for this year'sHouse Tour, please contact Anne Marie amd93@yahoo.com. Don't miss out on a great time!

Logan Circle House Tour - The InTowner

2007-11-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't had a chance to pick up your own copy, check out this month's InTowner, which features a front page story on the annual LCCA House Tour. The House Tour will be held on December 2, 2005 from 1-5. For more information or if you are interested in voluneteering, please contact Tim Christensen.

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

2007-11-08T06:25:00.000-05:00

Last night's ANC 2F meeting was a real humdinger! Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but here are the high points for those of you who couldn't make it:

Community Announcements

DCCA is trying to have portions of Q Street zoned down, and part of that they want re-zoned extends into our ANC. They dropped off some information for the ANC. I'm guessing we'll be hearing more about this soon.

Mr. Barnes, from ROOT (Reaching Out to Others Together), Inc., stopped by to let us know that he is holding some monthly meetings on the topic of crime and public safety, and offered to provide monthly reports to the ANC. He was referred to work with the ANC's Committee on Crime and Public Safety.

Mark Bjorge mentioned the building on 14th street, that's finally getting cleaned out, does have permits from DDOT to block the street. It was noted, however, that the ANC was never contacted by DDOT for commeent on the Traffic Control Plan.

Crime Report

Lt. Mike Smith gave the crime report. The highlights included:

There have been several reports of increased prostitution in the neighborhood. The Prostitution squad was re-assigned back here, and made three arrests. Lt. Smith, though personally on the prowl for Johns and Walkers, hasn't really seen any out there. He (jokingly) attributes it to the word spreading among the girls on the street that he's working midnights again.

Robberies were up significantly over this time last year, jumping from five to fourteen!

Burglaries are down some 50% compared to this time last year.

The MPD will be providing some food to needy families, so please contact him if you know of someone who needs help to make this holiday season special.

MPD lost two officers recently.

DDOT Report

Chris Ziemann was there for the monthly DDOT check-in.

The 14th Street Transportation and Streetscape Study is on-going. They are just finishing up the report and existing conditions, and expect to have it up on the net next week. The next public meeting will likely be some time in January. (On a related note, your's truly is the LCCA rep on that group, so contact me if you'd like anything addressed.)

The draft of a final report on whether to make 15th Street two-way, with the addition of bike lanes, is circulating internally at DDOT, and should surface to the public relatively soon. Regardless, due to budget issues, nothing will likely happen there until 2009.

There will be construction starting on 11th St., from L St. to O St., in a couple of months.

The bus stop on the northwest corner of 14th St. and P St. continues to be a hot issue. Chairman Reed, and other community members, expressed some anger at being stonewalled by DDOT on this, and there also seems to be some confusion from DDOT on where, actually, the bus stop was originally positioned. There were some promises made to figure everything out over email. On a related note, the bus stop shelter on the south west side of that same intersection, which is owned by WMATA, may be removed entirely, due to its very poor condition.

1402 12th St.

There have been reports and complaints, which have bubbled up to various ANC commissioners, and Chairman Reed in particular, regarding possible illegal use of the house at 1402 12th Street. There have been reports of several issues, including:

Rowdy, late-night parties disturbing the neighbors;

Many people living in the house and paying rent, without the proper permits; and

The owners claiming the DC Homestead deduction, despite not actually residing in the house as a primary residence.

Mr. Steve Silva, the owner of the property, appeared before the ANC to present his side of the issue. He admitted to having a handful of parties over the years, and apologized for any disturbances - especially one particular recent night.

However, he was quite angry over the statements as to the people living in the house and his claim on the homestead deduction. He stated several times that he pays taxes in the city, and has spent considerable time and money in improving the property. While commendable, it really was not apropos to the issues at hand. He stated that "his clothes are there", but seemed to dodge the question as to whether he actually live in the property.

Chairman Reed noted that he had received conflicting statements as to the property in his various conversations with Mr. Silva, which further aroused suspicion. He
moved to refer the matter for investigation to the U.S. Attorney and the Inspector General, which passed 4-1, with one abstention. Commissioner Dyer voted against the motion, objecting to the ANC's involvement in what he thought should be a matter for individuals to take up with the proper authorities on their own volition.

Crime and Public Safety

Helen Kramer gave the report of the Committee on Crime and Public Safety.

There have been reports of increases in prostitution and drug dealing in the alleyways around the neighborhood. She is working with some businesses, notably Mr. Wash on 13th Street, to chain off their lots at night to prevent Johns parking there.

There are patterns of hot spots of problems around the neighborhood. She mentioned several, but all I had time to note was 9th and O.

Ms. Kramer emphasized the importance of being aware of one's surroundings, which means turn off your iPod when walking!

When the report ran a little long, Chairman Reed chided Ms. Kramer to finish the report before "his clothes went out of style". Commissioner Dyer asked the Chairman, "What do you mean 'out of style?'"

ABRA Matters

Izalco Restaurant, at 1228 11th Street, will be seeking an entertainment endorsement to their liquor license. They have not filed yet, but merely wanted to inform the ANC that they intend on working with them to amend the voluntary agreement to all parties' satisfaction. It was nice to see a business taking such a constructive and proactive approach to dealing with the ANC. Stoney's should take notes.

Several months back, Whole Foods had its voluntary agreement amended to allow singles sales of a slightly smaller size (still within the public policies set by the ANC), in conjunction with their newly opening sushi bar. The agreement included a sunset clause, which would allow the agreement to revert if complaints of increases in litter or public drunkenness occurred. Jim Richardson, Commissioner for 2F02, in whose SMD Whole Foods resides, noted that he had received no complaints from any citizens. In light of that, the ANC voted to make the change permanent.

And that's all she wrote!

LCCA Annoucments

2007-11-07T21:56:00.000-05:00

At long last, LCCA has a new edition of its newsletter, which can be viewed at http://www.logancircle.org/news/November2007.pdf. We are very excited about two upcoming events – the Annual LCCA Community Dinner on November 15 and the Annual LCCA House Tour on December 2. More information about each can be found in our newsletter or on our website at http://www.logancirlce.org/.

We are pleased to announce that both Mayor Fenty and Councilmember Evans will be dropping by our awards dinner, which will be in our traditional “pot luck” style with neighbors bringing dishes to share. This year, we’ve added a few special twists – first, some of our area restaurants have graciously donated appetizer or other food plates to share, and second – LCCA has entered into a special arrangement for discounted beverages from the Washington Plaza. In addition, each member will receive one complimentary drink ticket.

As is our tradition, we’ll be presenting our annual LCCA awards. This year’s awardees include two of our familiar MPD faces – Lieutenant Stuart Emerman and Sergeant Jeff Carroll, both who have been promoted out of the Third District. In addition to the awards we’ll present them, we will also have a brief opportunity for community members to share a few words of thanks and appreciation for their service and commitment to the Logan Circle Community. We’ll also be recognizing several others who have contributed to our community, including the Washington Plaza Hotel, National City Christian Church, Studio Theatre, Modern Liquors, and Office Catering. We hope you’ll come out to show your support and thank them in person.
Even with the upcoming November elections, we have a few board seats open. If you or someone you know may be interested, please contact Heather Vargas at heather.vargas@logancircle.org.

We also encourage you to mark your calendar now for this year’s House Tour, which will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2007 from 1 - 5pm and will feature a variety of Victorian homes and extraordinary condominiums. To volunteer, sponsor, advertise, or for general questions, please contact Tim Christensen at housetour@logancircle.org. Additional information is available on the website and in our November newsletter.

Proprietor of Go Mama Go! Dies

2007-11-07T07:39:00.000-05:00

An email to the Logan Circle News list informs us that Noi Chudnoff, owner of the great little shop Go Mama Go!, died yesterday morning.

Chudnoff sustained a brain hemorrhage after falling and hitting her head last night and was kept on life support until her son could arrive in town from New Mexico this morning.

The Blade Blog has the full story.

Our deepest sympathies go out to her friends and family.

Farmers Market Face Painting

2007-10-26T08:56:00.000-04:00

If you haven't checked out the U Street Farmers Market yet, tomorrow might be a good time. Though the predictions still show a light drizzle, that's easily offset by fresh food and face painting!

Rain or shine or drizzle, we are open. ( And dry under the tents) Get a Halloween Painted face for yourself or your child -- much more original and fun than a mask! Pumpkins and lots of great food, too.

On the list of great things there are pumpkins, cider, honey, jams, and all the various organic vegetables, meats, and fruit you could want. Since it's finally feeling (sorta) like fall, I'm definitely going to pick up some cider.

Saturday October 27th
14 & U Farmers Market outside the Reeves Center
9am - 1pm

Bike Lanes on 14th Street

2007-10-26T06:36:00.000-04:00

One of the items being considered by the Fourteenth Street Transportation and Streetscape Study is the reconfiguration of 14th Street itself. How many bike lanes? One way or two way? Turn lanes? Close the street entirely and turn it into one giant pedestrian walk? If you weren't at the meeting, take a gander at the take-out menu they provided, and the associated posters. You'll not only find out I made up that last option (about closing the street), but you'll get a really solid idea about what options are being tossed around.

One possibility that wasn't on the list, but was sort-of hinted at by a picture at the bottom of the poster, was the reconfiguration of 14th Street bike lanes on the curb side of the parking lanes. I'm fairly enamored with the idea, as I cannot count the number of times I've seen a bicyclist nearly murdered by passing cars. Worse, the bike lanes turn into impromptu parking lanes, forcing the bikes out into the street anyway. I have to imagine a buffer of steel between the bikes and the traffic would be a welcome relief for anyone riding the corridor.

The idea isn't without precedent, either. The New York Times City Room blog reports that New York City is experimenting with this exact idea on 9th Avenue. The picture is great, and there's also a link to a presentation by the New York Department of Transportation on their plans.

Now, I'm not a biker, I'm a walker. So I'd be really curious to hear opinions from the bicyclists in the neighborhood. Would a buffer like this be a good thing, or just a waste? Drop me a note, or post a comment, with your thoughts. I'm the LCCA representative to this study, so I would certainly appreciate the advice.

Dalai Lama Vists N Street Village

2007-10-25T18:55:00.000-04:00

If you felt a bit more centered on Friday, and were wondering why, then I might have the explanation for you. Mary over at N Street Village let us know that the Dalai Lama paid them a visit this past Friday.

For just over an hour, the Dalai Lama charmed 150 residents and supporters of N Street Village. After meeting meditation program participants in our Wellness Center, the Dalai Lama spoke before an assembly in our Multipurpose Room, commenting on a host of topics related to homelessness and poverty. His Holiness said that he identified with our women, because he was homeless, too, having lost his freedom at the age of 16 and his country at 24. Stressing the universality of humankind, the Dalai Lama told the crowd that only compassion and infinite love can bring internal peace. He emphasized that material wealth does not bring happiness, which elicited a nodding of heads from the first two rows, where our women sat. The Dalai Lama, speaking directly to the women, called them “his gurus” in teaching others about the importance of what matters.

We are just so proud of N Street Village. They've done a great job, especially in recent years, and this honor only adds to their ever-growing list of accomplishments, including winning the 2006 Washington Post Award for Excellence in NonProft Management. Nice job, all!

Here's some links to the Post coverage, the Washingtonian article, and to a Flickr Photo Set of the event, with lots of great pictures!

Veranda Finally Open

2007-10-25T18:50:00.000-04:00

I got word that Veranda Restaurant on 11th and P is finally open. Has anybody been yet? How's the food? The atmosphere? I can't wait to go check it out myself...

Housing Downturn Means Higher Taxes?

2007-10-18T08:18:00.000-04:00

The New York Time has an article about one of the side effects of the downturn in the housing market. Since flattening property values means flattening tax revenues, some cities are starting to talk of raising taxes to compensate.

It seems almost certain that this problem is eventually going to touch us here in DC, too, and that makes me worry about our city's continuing struggle to improve its services. Nobody disputes that we have a long way to go in a lot of areas, including fixing the public schools, improving and enlarging MPD, and continuing to work on revitalizing our neighborhoods through things like the 14th Street Transportation and Streetscape work; and in some of those areas, we've continued to struggle despite throwing more and more money and resources at the problem.

But if we haven't been able to achieve success in these areas during a time of massively increasing year-over-year revenues for the city, how can we hope to succeed when those revenues inevitably take a dip? Are our leaders prepared for this scenario? Are they ready to make tough choices about efficiency and triage, or will their solution be to hike up the tax rates to make up for budget shortfalls?

Bank On It

2007-10-15T12:09:00.000-04:00

Cue music.

Begin voice-over by that Movie Trailer Voice-Over Guy:

They're coming. You thought they were limited to suburban sprawl and strip mall stand-alones, but they're not. They've evolved, adapting to thrive in the revitalized urban neighborhoods, consuming blocks at a time with sterile storefronts of glass, proclaiming "The End of Fees", "Totally Free Checking", and "Interest Bearing Checking Accounts". They're coming - you can bank on it.

The continuing economic improvements in our neighborhoods have prompted a proliferation of bank branches in our city, and not everyone is happy about it.

So what's coming to Tenleytown in Northwest Washington and angering neighbors?

Not a liquor store or a nightclub, the usual sources of any community's agita, but a veritable pillar of the economy, one that is commandeering storefronts across the city: a bank branch.

Not unlike the seven branches already open within a half-mile of the Outer Circle theater's former site on Wisconsin Avenue.

Banks are some of our best neighbors, and have supported the neighborhood (particularly the LCCA!) in a myriad of ways. And a bank is certainly better than empty or abandoned storefronts. And who are we to tell a company where they can or cannot open businesses to maximize their profits?

But still, I find myself agreeing with the concerns of the people in article. Really - how many banks do we need in a particular area? Do we need multiple branches of the same bank within blocks of one another? I would imagine that the squeaky-clean, almost scrubbed-and-disinfected, look and feel that might be caused by too many banks in one strip could do as much to ruin a neighborhood commercial district as anything else.

I think the problem is that banks aren't really interactive in the same way as other businesses. You can't window-shop at a bank. You can't just duck inside to try on that fancy suede jacket in the window. You can't wander the block, perusing the menus, until the Chocolate Fudge Death Cake convinces you to grab a table for dessert. It takes intention to go to a bank. You've got to be prepared - ready for a discussion about seriously non-fun things like Accounts and Interest and Fees. If you're not really prepared to talk about things like that, you just ignore it and walk on by.

So while it's great to have them around and easily accessible, especially when you need them, it seems to me that too many banks in a tight area can easily make the neighborhood unapproachable.

What do you think? Would a restriction, like that proposed in Chicago, limiting banks to a radius of 600 feet from one another be a good idea? Something else? Or are we just naively complaining about a good thing?

New Dog Park Regulations

2007-10-12T11:45:00.000-04:00

Via the Logan Circle News mailing list, there are new dog park regulations afoot - er, a-paw? - for the city, and they have been published for public comment in the latest DC Register.

A revised version of the final proposed dog park regulations has been published by the DC Office of Documents and Administrative Issuance and will appear in the DC Register on October 12, 2007 for a 30-day public comment period.

Copies may also be obtained from the Customer Service Desk at the Department of Parks and Recreation located at 3149 16th Street, NW, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

All persons wishing to comment on the subject matter of the revised proposed rulemaking shall submit comments, in writing, no later than the thirty (30) days after the date of publication (November 10, 2007) of this notice in the DC Register.

Now, I don't personally own a dog, but there are lots of people in our neighborhood who do. Heck, I'm not even sure where there are any dog parks in our neighborhood. Still, you might want to check them out. Since finding the DC Register online is kind of a pain-in-the-rear, I've saved you the trouble and posted a direct link here. The relevant sections are pages 140 to 146.

Another Whole Foods Coming to the District?

2007-10-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

Not exactly in our neighborhood, but:

Via DCist, it seems that our local neighborhood grocery chain is looking to expand its presence. There are talks in progress with Whole Foods to open a store in Gallery Place. The addition of grocery stores in the city - especially in newly revitalized urban residential centers - is always a good thing. The opening of Whole Foods in Logan Circle is widely regarded as one of the major catalysts that dramatically sped up the ongoing neighborhood turn-around.

Sure, their prices can be a bit high, but an expensive grocery store is better than no grocery store at all. At the very least, it proves to the other major chains in the area that a clean, safe, well-stocked urban grocery store can be quite profitable; maybe prompting them to finally clean up some of their more blighted stores.

Studio Theater Weekend

2007-09-30T13:01:00.000-04:00

In case you didn't know, Studio Theater is celebrating their 30th anniversary this weekend. The events started yesterday (more on that in a moment), but continue on today with backstage tours, a live band, open rehearsals for an anniversary production of the first show ever staged by the Studio, and various other things going on.

This is all going on during the run of the magnificent production of My Children! My Africa!, by Athol Fugard. I was privileged to see yesterday's two o'clock matinée showing, and I am compelled to state emphatically that this is one of the best shows I've seen in a long time, Caroline, or Change notwithstanding. The script is powerful and eloquent, and is delivered masterfully by an excellent cast. I highly recommend you take some time to see it.

The production preceded an ceremony held by the Studio Theater, at which I was quite honored to accept an award of recognition on behalf of the Logan Circle Community Association, thanking us for our many years of public service, working to improve the neighborhood. I was privileged to stand alongside so many great people and organizations, including Luther Place Memorial Church, Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, N Street Village, the Whitman-Walker Clinic, ANC 2F, the Mid-City Business Association, and Councilmember Jack Evans.

Additionally, a proclamation from the Mayor was read, declaring September 29th and 30th, 2007 as "Studio Theater Days" in the District of Columbia. Not to be outdone, the Council voted unanimously to declare the entire week "Studio Theater Week".

So many thanks to everyone yesterday, especially to the Janet Dewar, and the entire Studio Theater Board of Trustees; and to Melinda, for making sure I got there on time.

Fourteenth Street Meeting Follow-Up

2007-09-26T21:07:00.000-04:00

The Fourteenth Street Transportation and Streetscape meeting last night, at National City Christian Church was quite a success! It was really less of a meeting, and more of an informal mingling, information bazaar, and feedback generator. It was pulled off quite well, and was exactly the kind of public participation that gives me confidence the project will end up a success.

Upon arrival, I received a sort-of "take-out menu", which was collected in a drop-box at the end of the evening. The menu was divided into sections, according to the type of proposed improvement or change, such as type of tree cover, material for sidewalks, or signage on the street; boxes provided a place to rank my preferences from most desirable to least. Did I prefer my sidewalks brick, London pavers, concrete, or cobblestones? Is the configuration with turning lanes better than that with bicycle lanes? What do I think about public art: permanent, functional, or transient?

You might think I was overwhelmed, but large poster boards surrounding the room offered detailed explanations and diagrams for each of the options; and experts were always hovering nearby, always eager to explain the pros, cons, and facts regarding a particular choice. I found myself asking questions and getting good answers from virtually everyone present.

Hopefully they'll post the menu on their site - and if they don't, I've sent a message to the project leader requesting it so that I can post it here. More input can only be a good thing, and it will help disseminate the plans and options for the future.

Fourteenth Street Meeting Tonight

2007-09-25T13:52:00.000-04:00

Tonight is the second public meeting for the Fourteenth Street Transportation and Streetscape meeting. This ongoing study is intended to produce a plan for a long-term plan dramatically affecting the length 14th Street, from Thomas Circle up through Florida Avenue. If you are interested in helping guide the future of our neighborhood, this is an extremely rare chance to make a huge direct impact.

2nd Public Meeting
September 25th, 2007
7:00-9:00 PM
National City Christian Church
5 Thomas Circle NW
Washington, DC 20005

Come on out and have your say!

HGTV Looking to Help You Sell Your House

2007-09-17T09:05:00.000-04:00

Did video kill the radio star? Who cares?

I got a note from producer Allison Tom at HGTV that they will be in and around the DC area over the next few weeks, filming a new show about the ever-tricky process of pricing your home for sale. And given what seems to be continually glum news from the DC Home and Condo Prices blog, I'm sure there are more than a few people out there who'd love to get some help - and some airtime to boot!

Now, they're only looking for owners of single-family homes; and while I personally think that's a bit short-sighted, I'm sure there are good television-format-reasons for the limitation. I've reproduced part of the email I received below. Please don't mistake the all-caps for E-D spam.

HGTV is producing A new and exciting real estate reality show that WILL HELP YOU EVALUATE the value of your house BEFORE YOU LIST IT. We are looking for homeowners who currently live in A single family home in the WASHINGTON DC, MD (Montgomery County & Prince George County) & VA (Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun County & Northern VA) area. You must be ready to sell your house but haven't listed it FOR SALE YET.

Similar to HGTV's popular series House Hunters, YOU'LL go on house tours, but this time YOU'LL be looking at how other homes in YOUR AREA compare WITH YOURS. We'll size up closets, granite counter tops, backyards and find out HOW HOME FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS CAN IMPACT THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOME. YOU'LL GET TO See firsthand who your competition is and DETERMINE whether you've priced your house right. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO decide whether YOU need to adjust your price and in the end we¹ll see HOW YOUR HOME FARES ON THE MARKET! Please be sure to include your name, phone number, email address, a recent photo of you and your immediate family along with a photo of the front of your house and a few of the main interior rooms to: atom@edelmanproductions.com

U Street Farmers Market

2007-09-14T10:49:00.000-04:00

This summer brought a new farmer's market to the area. Instead of trekking over to Eastern Market, or hiking over to Dupont, you can now head up to the 14 & U Farmer's Market, on the sidewalk outside the Reeve's Center.

14 & U Farmer's Market
Saturdays, 9am - 1pm
Reeves Center Sidewalk

Hope to see you there!

Great Meeting Last Night

2007-09-13T10:37:00.000-04:00

The Logan Circle Community Association had a great meeting at the Studio Theater last night. The agenda included a crime update, a House Tour update, an update on the 14th Street Transportation & Streetscape Study meetings, a backstage tour of the Studio Theater, and some wine, cheese, and snacky cakes.

It was great to see so many friends, new and old; and I was especially glad to see some of the brand-new-to-the-neighborhood faces.

Classic Lt. Smith

2007-09-08T22:08:00.000-04:00

Logan Circle's favorite Lieutenant made some print in the City Paper this past week.

A few minutes later, the officers’ boss pulled up. Lt. Michael Smith ran down into the station and jumped through the closing doors of a car with the suspects inside. During the ensuing melee, Smith injured his right pinkie, and the main suspect punched out a Metro car window.

It's stories like these that remind us how valuable he is, not just to our PSA, but to the entire Metropolitan Police Department. He leads by example, and what an example it is! Consider this our official Get Well! for your pinkie finger, Lt. Smith.

Read the rest of the Candy Slapped story over at the City Desk blog.

Classical Music in the Neighborhood

2007-08-22T07:44:00.000-04:00

I received a note from National City Christian Church regarding their classical music agenda coming up for September. The big event is the Second Annual Beethoven Festival and Silent Auction, on September 8.

Washington Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra
2nd Annual Beethoven Festival Concert/Silent Auction Saturday, Sept.8, 8:00p.m.
Jason Love, conductor.
Beethoven program features Leonore Overture No.3 and Eroica Symphony No.3
Silent Auction review at 7:00pm.
Tickets: $10(available at door). Children 18 & under free.
Parking: Washington Plaza Hotel (Thomas Circle) reduced fee parking ($4) for concert guests.
www.washingtonsinfonietta.com

Other upcoming events include their Music at MidDay Lunchtime Concert Series, featuring the church's 7,592 Moeller pipe organ. (That's a lot of pipes!)

Sept.6 - "Battle of 2 Pipe Organs", Charles Miller, organist
Sept.13 - "The Improviser's Art", Stephen Kalnoske, organist
Sept.20 - "The Majesty of the Trumpet", Mary Mozelle, organist;Chuck Seipp,trumpet
Sept.27 - "Terrifically Tantalizing Trio", Grace Cho, pianist, accompanied by String Trio

Bicycle Thief, Car Thief

2007-08-21T08:48:00.000-04:00

Here's a great story posted to the MPD-3D mailing list by Officer Andrew Zabavsky. It highlights the difficultly of prosecuting even a criminal caught red-handed stealing a bicycle chained to a sign, and later items from a car.

Some back-story is in order: The suspect mentioned below was caught by Officer Edwards stealing a bike from a street sign to which it had been locked. He removed the sign face from the post, and then was in the process of lifting the bike and lock over the top of the sign! The man was arrested, but that's not the end of the story. Officer Zabavsky picks it up:

Unfortunately Mr. Teals [sic] case was "No-Papered" by the US Attorneys office the following morning. The US Attorney stated that since there was no complainant for the bicycle theft, they would not go forward on that charge, and as for the Destruction of Property charge, the attorney stated that since Mr. Teal carefully unbolted the signs using a wrench and placed the signs down, that they would not go forward with that charge as well and he was released.

On the bright side, I happened to be traveling in the 1200 block of Massachusetts Ave on Friday night and heard a car horn beep several times. As I looked over at the car, I observed an individual leaning through the right rear passenger window of the vehicle. The individual then looked up and observed my police car, exited the window and walked off. I exited my car and approached the parked vehicles window and observed that the window had been smashed and the vehicle was ransacked. I then got back into my car and stopped the individual around the corner on 13Th Street. The individual that was stopped was no other than Mr.Teal. He had stolen several CD's from the vehicle which had New Jersey license plates. After leaving numerous voice mail messages with his family and friends, using phone numbers that were located in the car, the complainant, who was visiting friends, called me back in the morning as I was heading into court and he wants to go forward with the prosecution. The case was "Papered" with the attorneys and Mr. Teal is being held in jail pending a detention hearing on 8/29/07. I also asked for a stay-away order for most of PSA 307.

Most of the Theft from auto suspects target out of state vehicles because it is very difficult for the police to locate the owner before the case has to be papered. In this case, the owner made himself a very easy target by leaving his I-pod, two large CD cases, 2 suits and other assorted items out in plain view inside his vehicle. Please remind your friends when visiting to make sure all items of value are removed from the vehicle or at least placed out of sight and into the trunk.

Major thanks go out to both Officer Edwards and Officer Zabavsky!

Old Convention Center Site

2007-07-01T23:20:00.000-04:00

First it was an ugly behemoth, hated by all. Then, it was turned into a giant parking lot, albeit one with fancy environmentally-friendly water control and fun public art. Now, it's scheduled to become Yet Another High-Rise Mixed-Use Development.

That's right! We're talking about the site of the Old Convention Center, and they have a web site all about their plans. While it may be outside our boundaries as a neighborhood, the sheer enormity of this plan will certainly have impacts on us, too.

Construction anticipated to begin: 2008

The project will include the following:

Retail: 280,000 square feet

Office: 450,000 square feet

Housing: 690 units

Parking: 1,700 spaces

In addition:

Civic/Open Space: Park, Plaza, Pedestrian Alleys

111,000 square feet are reserved for uses to be decided upon by the District

Off the top of my head, all I can say is: Wow. That's big. I hope they make a good chunk of those housing units Offical Affordable Housing. The entire area desperately needs it!

The Future of 14th Street

2007-06-14T09:42:00.000-04:00

There have already been numerous announcements, postings, and emails about the 14th St. Streetscape Study, but here's one more in case you missed it:

DDOT is performing a study on the 14th Street corridor, ranging from between 13th Street to 15th Street, from Thomas Circle up to Florida Avenue. (See the map here.) A major part of this study is community involvement and comments obtained through public meetings, and the first meeting is scheduled to be held next Wednesday, June 20th.

Share Your Vision for the 14th St. Corridor

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

6:00pm - 8:00pm
Source Theater

1835 14th Street NW

Washington, DC 20009

This is the first of four meetings, and will "outline the project, discuss existing conditions and develop a shared vision for the future of the corridor." The next three meetings have yet to be scheduled.

Logan Circle in the Wall Street Journal

2007-06-13T09:31:00.000-04:00

We made some heavy print on Monday! The Wall Street Journal ran an article on urban renewal, with our own neighborhood as the focal point. Unfortunately, the article is only viewable by subscribers, but here are some excerpts:

Drawn by the cheap housing and the beautiful
architecture, a few pioneers braved the high
crime in the 1970s and '80s and decided to go
into the neighborhood as investors. Connie Maffin
was one of them. She and her husband, Bob, bought
a brownstone in 1974. When they would come home
late at night, they would occasionally hear a
prostitute and her client cavorting under the
stairs leading to their front entrance.

Ms. Maffin united with others willing to change
the neighborhood. They spent years working with
local police and took turns standing on the
street corners on weekend nights to deter the
Johns who drove in from northern Virginia.

Slowly, as crime waned, businesses began to take
a look. Today, the neighborhood hosts a number of
successful, locally owned businesses along with
that symbol of yuppie living: a Whole Foods
Market. Houses that sold for less than $500,000
in 1997 are now selling for $1.8 million.

And:

Logan Circle residents had been urging Whole
Foods to open a store there for several years.
Finally, in 1998, Michael Besancon, the company's
regional president at the time, agreed to go in,
believing that violent crime was starting to wane
-- even though drug addicts were passed out in
the former auto dealership building where he
located the store. It became the first major
grocery store to open in the District of Columbia in 20 years.

The article covers several other success stories, too, including New York, Los Angeles's Skid Row, and even Detroit! It's a pretty good read if you can find a copy. Drop me a note if you can't find a copy, and I might be able to help you find one.

Graffiti Removal Shindig This Saturday

2007-06-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

If you have taken a stroll around the neighborhood, you've certainly noticed the increase in graffiti. It seems like anything that is immobile for more than thirty seconds gets tagged. I was walking my dog last week in Logan Circle, and when he stopped for a break, I turned away - to respect his privacy, of course! Imagine my surprise when I turned around and found him sprayed with "MAGIC" in big, bubble-gum letters.

Well here's your chance to fight back. This Saturday, June 16th at 10:00 AM, the ANC 2F Committee on Crime and Public Safety, lead by the venerable Helen Kramer, is inviting everyone out to Thomas Circle to help clean up some of the grime. Jack Evans will even be along for the fun!

So come on out and help your friends and neighbors clean up Logan Circle!

Disclaimer: I don't really own a dog, nor was my fictitious dog spray-painted. Heck, I wasn't even in town last week!

Logan Circle Community Association Annual Summer Picnic

2007-06-07T09:42:00.001-04:00

Sunday June 10, 2007 from 4-8 p.m.
Pepco Park, Corner of 12th & O Streets NWEntrance on 12th Street NW

While burgers and hot dogs will be provided we ask that you bring a dish or beverage to share.

We've scheduled our picnic to be the perfect way to top off a week of Capital Pride celebrations going on city-wide. As the weekend also focuses on public safety, with the Mayor's Total Deployment Days, we'd like to also take this opportunity to honor our MPD PSA 307 Lt. Mike Smith and his dedicated PSA 307 officers who protect us every day.

For questions please contact Desi Deschaine at desi.deschaine@logancircle.org.

P.S. We'll provide tables and chairs.

LCCA June Events

2007-05-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

We wanted to let you know of several great events coming up in June. Please mark your calenders for the following:

June 4
Please join LCCA and DCCA at DCCA's final membership meeting of the season, to be held at Studio Theatre on June 4, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.. The details are below this email, but the meeting will focus on crime and public safety issues. This is a great way to meet and mingle with our neighboring community association and its members and to address broader public safety issues.

June 9 -

As part of the Mayor's Total Deployment Weekend for MPD, LCCA and ANC2F are participating in a community walk-through/fight back to identify public safety issues that need to be addressed in . We hope you can come out with us - we'll meet at Dakota Cowgirl at 9 a.m. and divide into groups to go through our individual SMDs. More information to follow.
DC's annual Capital Pride Parade will be coming through Logan Circle on Saturday evening from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. and will head east on P Street and then south on 14th, ending at Thomas Circle. We hope you'll come out and celebrate with us. For more information, please see: http://www.capitalpride.org/

June 10

Also, please mark your calendars for June 10, 2007 from 4-8 p.m. for LCCA's annual picnic, to be held this year at Pepco Park on the corner of 12th and O. We've scheduled our picnic to be the perfect way to top off a week of Capital Pride celebrations going on city-wide. As the weekend also focuses on public safety, with the Mayor's Total Deployment Days, we'd like to also take this opportunity to honor MPD, and in particular Lt. Smith and our PSA 307 officers who protect us every day. Stay tuned for more information.

Hope to see you soon!
-Jennifer

* * * * * *DUPONT CIRCLE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION NEXT MEMBERSHIP MEETING—JUNE 4TH at 7:30 PMPUBLIC SAFETY AT THE STUDIO THEATRE1501 14th Street, NW (northeast corner of 14th Street, NW)Please join other folks from the Dupont Circle and Logan Circle communities for DCCA's final membership meeting of the season. Take this opportunity to raise your concerns about crime and law enforcement with our public officials. In addition, Rick Busch and Anne Sellin will make a presentation about a project aimed at reducing zoning in an east Dupont neighborhood to align it with present-day use. We will be meeting at The Studio Theatre. Founded in 1978 and led by Founding Artistic Director Joy Zinoman, Studio has built a national reputation for the production of area premieres of bold American and European works, innovative revivals, and arresting performance art and has received nearly 200 Helen Hayes Award nominations for artistic excellence. The Studio Theatre helped pave the way for the revival of the Greater 14th Street Historic District and continues to strengthen its foothold as an economic cornerstone in this neighborhood, which Joy Zinoman describes as "urban and alive and a place where people from all communities of this area come together. And you should see it at night with the lights of the theatre shining!"

Should DC Allow Skyscrapers?

2007-05-02T09:05:00.000-04:00

An article in today's Post discusses the argument over the 130 foot building height restriction in the District. This is certainly an issue that greatly affects Logan Circle, as well as the surrounding communities.

On the one hand are those who feel that the city is simply running out of development-worthy land, and that the restriction unfairly limits the density an area can achieve - robbing the city of tax dollars. On the other hand are those who retort that not only is that anathema to the city "plan" by L'Enfant, and that there is plenty of land that could be suitable redeveloped.

Personally, I think I fall into the latter category, if only for the fact that much of the re-birth of the neighborhoods like ours would have been delayed if there had been less pressure to build out instead of up. And there seem to be plenty of half-renovated row houses sitting vacant, just begging to be torn down and replaced.

What do you think?

April LCCA Meeting

2007-04-09T21:29:00.000-04:00

Dear Neighbors and Friends:

Please join us on Wednesday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Washington Plaza Hotel for our next LCCA meeting.

As many of you know, April 16 is DC Emancipation Day We are pleased to announce that Kevin Kiger, Communications Director and Logan Circle resident for DC Vote on DC Voting Rights and the upcoming Voting Rights March, will be speaking.

In keeping with our longstanding tradition of our April meeting's environmental focus, we're also excited that representatives from LCCA Business Member, Garden District, will give a presentation on tree box maintenance as well as general tips for planting in the city. We'll discuss what to plant, when to plant, how to maintain your plantings (watering, fertilizing, etc.), tools to make your job easier, and any city requirements that may apply.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday

Walking Tour of Logan Circle

2007-04-06T09:41:00.000-04:00

Among the many free walking tours offered later this month by Cultural Tourism DC is one of Logan Circle. On Saturday, April 21st at 11 a.m., professional tour guide Carolyn Crouch will lead a two-hour tour of our "enclave of architectural splendor," departing from McPherson Square Metro station.

Altogether, Cultural Tourism DC has organized more than 60 free walking tours this spring, including several in adjacent neighborhoods like Shaw and U St. Click here for more details and a complete list of tours.

March 2007 ANC Wrap-Up: Crime Down in PSA;

2007-03-08T13:48:00.000-05:00

At last night's ANC 2F meeting, Sgt. Emmerman reported that crime in PSA 307 was way down from January to February. Specifically, there was a 51% reduction in overall crime, with a mere two robberies reported. Furthermore, an astounding 23 arrests were made on prostitution and related offenses, and a similar number of arrests were made in the red-light hot-zone south of L Street. (The exact numbers weren't available because that area is in the First District.)

The Sergeant also showed us a crime map highlighting the occurrences of Theft-from-Auto in our neighborhood. There were blotches of light shading throughout the area, but M Street from 10th to 13th were a disturbing, deep red. That certainly jives with my own personal observations. Good news, though! On February 21st, a thief was apprehended red handed on the 1300 block of Massachusetts Avenue - climbing out of the vehicle! These guys tend to be one-man crime waves, so hopefully we'll see a major down-tick next month. And if you're one of the unlucky car owners, please drop a note to the Committee on Crime and Public Safety. They would love for you to allocute against this guy! The CCPS is also talking about setting up a neighborhood watch in Theft-from-Auto hot zones.

In other business, the clubs on K Street are requesting that DDOT look into removing the parking restrictions. These restrictions were put in place as anti-prostitution measures, back in the mid-90s, and they want the parking for club-goers. There was some minor debate as to whether or not the clubs there are enough of a deterrent against prostitution, but the issue is going to be discussed. Prostitution is a hot topic here in Logan; so if any of you feel strongly, please contact your commissioner with your opinions.

Chris Zeeman from DDOT stopped by to give an update on road work in the neighborhood. He seemed a bit nervous, especially when Helen nailed him on the long-overdue, long-promised stop light at 11th and O. He promised to find out. Hold his feet in the fire, Helen!

Joe Martin, our new Neighborhood Services Coordinator, is asking for help in compiling a report of any problems you have with getting services from the city. Specifically, if you call 727-1000 or put in a service request on the web, and nothing gets done, drop him a line.

In ABRA matters, Whole Foods request for amendment to their voluntary was modified from a complete removal of the ban on singles to a ban on singles of less than or equal to sixteen ounces. This would bring their agreement into accordance with the stated policies of the ANC. Furthermore, it seems that Whole Foods ban is more restrictive than any other agreement in the neighborhood. Finally, talk of a price floor was dismissed outright as classist, which was the original argument against simply lifting the ban.

And then I had to leave. So I missed some of the meeting. If anyone was there for the rest and would like to add on, please do so in the comments.

It Ain't Not Easy Being Green

2007-03-06T12:05:00.000-05:00

Can you deal with that double-negative?

If you're interested in decreasing your carbon footprint - and who isn't? - the DC Government will help subsidize the cost of installing renewable energy sources. From an email blast I received today:

The District of Columbia Renewable Energy Demonstration Project (REDP) provides qualified applicants up to 50% of the costs associated with installing a mechanism to produce electricity using a renewable source of fuel. Eligible projects include District residences, hospitals, and commercial or institutional buildings where construction has not begun. Projects may include, but are not limited to, installing photovoltaic arrays, fuel cells, biomass-fired CHP systems, and small wind turbines.

Project proposals must be mailed or delivered to The District Department of the Environment's Energy Division, 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009. Proposals can also be faxed to 202-673-6725 Attention: LaKeisha Estep. Proposals must be submitted by April 2, 2007.

For more information, call the District Department of the Environment's Energy Hotline at(202) 673-6750, or visit: http://dceo.dc.gov/dceo/frames.asp?doc=/dceo/lib/dceo/REDPGrant3.pdf to obtain project proposal requirements.

So now you have no excuse. Go make Al proud.

Logan Circle News - Community Issues and Events

LCCA Annual Picnic Is Sunday, June 12!

2011 Memorial Day Activities in Logan Circle

LCCA Needs Your Support for the 32nd Annual Holiday House Tour

Logan Circle Holiday House Tour Tickets Now on Sale at Retailers, OnlineThe

LCCA Mourns Loss of Desi Deschaine

Lost Dog: Molly

Lost Puppy

Durval Martins Candlelight Vigil

Public Safety Walk-Around

Celebration of Connie Maffin's Life

LCCA Mourns Loss of Long-Time Member Constance "Connie" Maffin

Update on Shooting

Shooting at Q and Rhode Island

30th ANNUAL LOGAN CIRCLE HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR 2008

Dog Park Opens

DDOT Public Meeting

Illegal Parking and Unpaid Tickets

Strategies to Combat Prostitution - Oversight Hearing

Upcoming LCCA Events: Candidate Forums, Parties, Awards, House Tours, and More!

October Membership Meeting - Candidates Forum

2008 LCCA Membership Drive & October Meeting

Reminder - LCCA Meeting Tonight

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

Commissioner Announcements

Crime Report

Exuctive Office of the Mayor

DDOT

Crime & Public Safety Committee

Street Closures

ABRA Matters

CDC

Shaw Dog Park

ZipCar

Single Sales Ban

Treasurer's Report

What *IS* Up With All The Stolen Cars?

Blagden Alley / Naylor Court Picnic Tomorrow

Happy Birthday, Bens!

Shaw Library - Will We Ever Get A Say?

Former Dakota Cowgirl/Hamburger Mary Location

Cafe Salsa

National Night Out 2008

Borderstan - Public Safety Meeting on Wednesday

Logan Circle is Ranked Second Most-Walkable Neighborhood

Whole Foods on Half Paycheck?

Rising Gas Prices - ZipCar Raises Rates

Shot Spotter Mostly Avoids Logan

Protestors In Front of Studio Theater Hate Opera

Information on Homicide in Vermont Ave. Alley

Picnic Photos

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

Announcments

Crime Report

Committee on Crime & Public

EOM Report

DDOT Report

ABRA Matters

CDC Report

New Business

Library Survey

National Park Service - Memorial Day Cermony - Logan Circle

14th Street Study Final Meeting Tonight

LCCA's Spring Fling - Meet Your Neighbors & Community Leaders

Street Cleaning

Theft From Auto in PSA 307

March Newsletter Available

Orange Hat Patrol in the Robotic Age

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

Announcments

Crime Report

Executive Officer of the Mayor

DDOT Report

DDOT Matters

Crime and Public Safety Committee

ABRA Matters

Other Business

Central Union Mission - Still Scouting for a New Home

Third Public Meeting - 14th Street Study

Music at National City Christian Church

What IS Up With All The Stolen Cars?