National Night Out 2008

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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!