Praise for DC's DMV

A DC resident praises the city's Department of Motor Vehicles. And no we're not making this up.

From Honora of the Cleveland Park Yahoo Group:
The Subject: Pleasant DMV Experience (seriously)
I had a great experience at the DMV office at Brentwood Square today - the address is 1223 Brentwood Road, NE - across the street from Home Depot. The DMV has a separate building in a small shopping center - located about 2 blocks south of Rhode Island Avenue. If you're traveling from Cleveland Park heading east on RI Avenue, 13th street is on the left and Brentwood Street is on the right - turn right - the DMV building is a few blocks down on the left (Depot is on the right). I arrived at 9:30 this morning (the office opens at 10 AM Mon. - Fri.) - brought a good book and had a nice wait outside the building. I parked right next to the building (a few spaces are dedicated to DMV customers - otherwise, park on neighboring streets). There was a short line - about 15 people in front of me. There was a separate line for people waiting to take their driving test. Anyway, I got to the info desk at 10:15 and they assigned my number (I requested a copy of my title) - my number was called before I had completed the request form - I was out the door at 10:20. Sure beats the wait at C Street... It took longer for me to find a faucet at Home Depot. Plus, it's a nice atmosphere - the employees were courteous and professional and there were fresh flowers at each desk. ~ honora

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My friend's project to help sick children

Ok, this is off-topic. My friend Danita is working on a project to uplift the spirits of chronically-ill children. She’s collecting teddy bears from every state for the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis, which services St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. If you’re not familiar with St. Jude, it is internationally known for treating children with the most difficult cases of cancer and other catastrophic illnesses. The hospital is not able to accept toys, but the Ronald McDonald house can. The teddy bears give these children a little piece of home when they’re away from familiar surroundings.

Here’s how you can help. If you travel to any of the states below between now and the end of the year, please pick up a teddy bear that has the name on the state on it. If you have a new bear for the project, please leave a comment on this blog. The goal is to complete this project by January 2006. Thanks.

States needed
New Hampshire
Vermont
Michigan
Ohio
Virginia
Nebraska
Indiana
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
South Dakota
North Dakota
Wyoming
Idaho
Mississippi
Okalahoma
New Mexico

Heard on the forums

Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts brings you 'Heard on the Forums', excerpts from online message boards throughout the city.

Ward 2 health forum includes free health screenings
From the Dupont Forum the DC Department of Health announces
Subject: DC DOH Health Disparities Town Hall Meeting Saturday, October 1, 2 005
On Saturday October 1, 2005 from 10am - 2pm at the Kennedy Recreation Center located at 1401 7th Street NW please join the DC Department of Health in an important discussion of African American health at their Ward Two town hall meeting "Health Disparities & the African American Community". DOH has launched a series of 8 Ward town hall meetings to Focus on Health Disparities in the African American Community. The Ward Two town hall meeting will include a health fair. There will be free health screenings such as lead poisoning, blood pressure, glucose,vision, HIV, dental and height/weight. There also will be valuable information regarding maternal and child health, health insurance, WIC, childcare, substance abuse, nutrition, child safety, sanitation, HIV/AIDS and much more. Food and refreshments will be served. For any other information, or to download a flyer please visitwww.doh.dc.gov <http://www.doh.dc.gov/> or contact the DC Department of Health at (202) 671-5000.

Neighbor provides local movie theatre update
From the Cleveland Park Yahoo Group Judy writes:
Subject: Penguins to leave The Uptown soon
I hope many of you saw the wonderful movie March of the Penguins, and you saw it at our neighborhood theatre, the Uptown. I saw the movie from Uptown's balcony which was a real threat to see the strutting penguins, the penguin eggs, the landscape, just everything about the movie on the theatre's huge screen. The manager said the last day for the movie at the Uptown will be next Thursday, September 29th. The next movie is Oliver Twist. Judy Hubbard Saul

Praise for a City Councilmember

DC elected officials hear the condemnation of their constituents much more often than their praise. From the Adams Morgan Yahoo Group here’s a ward one resident who appreciates her councilmember’s work.

Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 15:02:13 -0400
Subjet: thanks for serving the community's best interests, Councilmember Graham!
I just wanted to thank you, Councilmember Graham, for taking bold steps to alleviate parking problems and reduce pollution in our neighborhood. Setting aside parking spaces for shared cars respects the fact that we don't all need to own cars, and that choosing to own a car is often unnecessary and an undue burden on our neighbors. Truly, car share programs help reduce parking hassles by diminishing the number of us who own cars. At the same time, it reduces pollution by minimizing unnecessary car trips. There will always be naysayers in the face of progress, but we must press on nevertheless. Thank you for helping to make our community a better place to live by moving forward in the face of adversity to do the right thing.
Julie Eisenhardt

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Summer Blowout Sale Ends Wednesday Sept 21

CP Summer Blowout Sale

Summer Blowout Sale starts Sept 14 and ends Sept 21.
$2 off Baby Doll Tee, Jr. Raglan, Jr. Tank Top, Women's Cap Sleeve Tee, and Women's Tank
Coupon code: Breeze2

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Voter fatigue?

Are DC voters already tired of the early mayoral campaigns? One voter voices her concern on the inshaw.com/blog.

At 9/19/2005 10:55 AM, Denise said...
"Cropp had kids canvassing in Cardozo and Columbia Heights yesterday afternoon, with lit left on every door. Then this morning someone was handing out her fliers at the Columbia Heights metro entrance. Can this level of effort really be maintained for the next year? For the sake of everyone's sanity I hope not."

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Heard on the forums

Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts brings you another edition of our occasional series, "Heard on the Forums". Here's what people are talking about on neighborhood message forums.

Attention Mayoral Campaigns
From Laura of the Brookland Yahoo Group
Subject: Mayoral Candidates
One of my goals for the next year is to do some volunteer work for a mayoral candidate. I've been looking over websites, etc., of candidates but would really like a little more before deciding who to support. I don't expect the candidates to sit down with me, and definitely don't want to start a campaign on the listserv, but am hoping supporters of candidates would be able to give me a little more personal view over a cup of coffee (I'll buy). If you are familiar with any of the candidates and willing to give an hour of your time, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

Helping those in need
From Margaret of the Cleveland Park Yahoo Group
Subject: donations
Several people have asked for lists of places that accept donations, both clothing and furniture. So here goes, not an exhaustive list but a start: These groups work with low income and homeless families :
* Community Family Life Services, 347-0511, will pick up large contributions of clothing and furniture and other household items. Or you can take items to their office at 305 C Street NW.
* Bread for the City will not pick up at this point but will accept gently used clothing and household items at their clothing "store" at 7th and P NW, 1525 7th street NW..
* Hope and a Home and the Manna Community Development Corporation,both based in Shaw, sometimes can use furniture and other household items for their families, who are moving from homelessness into transitional and then permanent housing. They are moving offices, so I don't have the best phone number, at the moment.
Goodwill and Salvation Army sometimes pick up , but only for large quantities, and both have drop off sites throughout the metro area, mostly in the suburbs. Value Village used to come through the neighborhood regularly, calling to see if anyone had donations. They have been less reliable, but you can check with them, through the National Children'scenter. Hope this is helpful.

Say it aint so
From Christopher of the East of the River Yahoo Group
Subject: The Big Chair is no longer there...
So where did it go? Did it take a long overdue vacation? Is it the latest victim of gentrification? Or did it find a nice single family lot in Charles County? Seriously, there is a sign there that says, "I will return", but if anyone knows where it actually went, I'd be interested to know.

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Helping Hurricane Katrina Survivors - Part 2

Back on September 3, we suggested via this blog that people who wanted to donate clothes to hurricane Katrina survivors should reconsider. As an alternative, our advice to those well-intentioned souls was to sell the clothing in a yard sale and donate the proceeds to the hurricane relief effort.

We're happy to report a family is doing just that. (We can't take credit, since we don't know the family.) Here's a copy of their post from the Brookland Yahoo Group:
"Hi folks, my 5 and 9 year old girls have decided to help the victims of Katrina by hosting a yard and lemonade sale. Please stop by and pick up stuff for your little kids, clothing, books and lemonade.... AND LEMONADE! All proceeds will go to help pregnant victims of Katrina with thebarefootdoctorsacademy. This academy helps send midwives to the area to helpwith birthsand pre and postnatal issues.

Saturday, September 24th 12-3pm 1531 Otis St, NE
Thanks, Heidi"

Bravo Heidi and family! May many support your worthy effort.

The Mayoral Race: Yard Signs

Yard signs for the mayor's race are sprouting across DC. What's interesting is while the Fenty campaign has its signs primarily in private yards, the preponderance of Orange campaign signs are in public spaces. In fairness to that campaign, we've spotted 3 Orange signs on private property. All of them were in Ward 5, the area Mr. Orange represents on the City Council. We won't make much mention of the Think Cropp signs, since they were not posted by the council chair's campaign, but by a political action committee.

Foggy Bottom is the newest Best of Washington DC Community

We're happy to welcome Foggy Bottom to Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts. Here's a sample on what you'll see when you visit your Foggy Bottom store today.

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Hurricane Katrina Relief Shop now open

Cafepress, the affiliate of Best of Washington DC T-shirts and Gifts has opened the Hurricane Katrina Relief Shop. All profits from the shop will be donated to Americares and the ASPCA for the benefit of the survivors. Please spread the word about this relief effort.

Hurricane Katrina Relief Shop Url: http://www.cafepress.com/communitycares/

Back to School Sale ends Tuesday

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Back to School Sale
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Helping Hurricane Katrina Survivors

Yesterday DC sent 10 buses to Louisiana to bring Hurricane Katrina refugees back to DC. They'll stay temporarily at the DC Armory.

Today my neighbor asked me where to take clothes for the hurricane victims. I repeated what city administrator Robert Bobb said Friday on WAMU's DC Politics Hour. He said DC is not yet ready for citizens to start bringing donations of clothes to the Armory.

However, I had a suggestion for her and for everyone who's planning to donate things to the Katrina survivors. And please read the entire idea before deciding that I've lost it. Instead of donating things to the Hurricane Survivors, try selling your things. Then donate the cash to an organization that's helping the survivors. So everyone clear out those closets, and empty those basements. Then have a yard sale, or get on E-bay and raise some cash to help this cause.

Here's a Red Cross Article about clothing donations.