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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...