Last chance to vote for your favorite DC park

Cast your vote for your favorite DC park. Our poll (yep on the right sidebar) is ending soon.

Petworth bakery to open soon

According to Marc Fisher, Ken Rubotzky is set to open his Petworth bakery in two to three weeks. What's significant about this is Rubotzky has been trying to open Torta Bakery for four years. Credit the DC government bureaucracy for the delay. Hopefully, we'll be eating Petworth pie soon.

Blinded Veterans Association (BVA)

The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), headquartered in downtown DC, promotes the welfare of blinded veterans. If you or someone you know is a blind or visually impaired veteran, contact BVA. Membership is not required for service.

Overheard

Overheard at a DC grocery store

Son: Dad, can we get one of those running for mayor signs?
Dad: Why? None of us is running for mayor.

DC Decision '06

DC, it's an election year! Who will you choose for mayor? The choices are Linda Cropp, Adrian Fenty, Marie Johns, Michael Brown & Vincent Orange. Let's get out the vote.

Top 10 Great Things About Living in Brookland

Brookland's Top 10
1. Good Neighbors
2. Great Gardens
3. Great Poetry
4. Good Eats
5. The Gardens at the Monastary
6. Our Noble Peace Prize Winner
7. Brookland Hardware
8. In the city, you can actually hear birds in the morning
9. No hordes of tourists
10. Everyone thinks you live in New York

DC parks poll ends soon

Our March poll (it's to your right on the sidebar) ends in a week. Don't miss your chance to weigh in on your favorite DC park. Your favorite park didn't make the list? Tell us about it.

Last night's ANC 5A07 Meeting

We interrupt this normally positive and optimistic blog to mention serious issues that were discussed at last night's ANC meeting. We're not going give a play-by-play, just mention a few interesting points.

The majority of community concerns focused on crime and public safety. Neighbors talked about speeding, robberies and lack of police presence. There was not an officer in attendance to give a police report. Commissioner Boston said he had called both Commander Green and Lt. Stroud to request an officer for the meeting, however, his calls were not returned.

Councilmember Adrian Fenty was spoke. One of his remarks provided another reason DC needs statehood. He mentioned that federal law prevents the District from requiring police officers to live in DC, although many other cities have such a law on the books. (Again our congressional overseers have deprived us of our autonomy as citizens of these United States.)

Carrie Barton is a grad student who is doing her master's thesis on the history of activism in Brookland and the disconnect between institutional and community values. She's looking for Brookland residents to participate in her research. E-mail us if you'd like her contact information.

DC's True Unclaimed Property Revealed

Why wait for the DC government to publish its annual list of unclaimed assets? Use your shirt to show DC where the true unclaimed property is.

Were you born in DC?

It seems like every time we tell someone we're from DC we get an incredulous response. If you're a native Washingtonian, you know what we're talking about. People will tell you things like 'Really? DC is so transient I never meet anyone who grew up here.' Or my favorite 'DC is a town where everyone is from somewhere else.' Not true, we were born and raised here. And there were lots of other kids at school with us who were also growing up in DC. Yes, really.

Commissioner Boston to host ANC 5A07 meeting

ANC 5A07 Single Member District Meeting
William Boston, SMD 5A07

Tuesday, March 21, 2006
6:30 – 8:30

Slowe School Library
1404 Jackson Street, NE

Invited Guests:
5th District Police
Adrian Fenty, Ward 4 Council member
Francine P. Edmonds,
Ward 5 Neighborhood Coordinator
Community Concerns

Three Orange Hat Groups in NE DC

From the Brookland Yahoo Group:
The Brookland Orange Hats are walking Tuesdays and Thursdays for about two hours with police officers. They meet up at 8:30 at the corner of 14th and Irving Sts. NE. One of their main goals are to increase visibility and police presence in the neighborhood, note and report any city maintenance issues (broken street lamps, dirty alleys, etc.), and stop crimes actually in progress. There are two other Orange Hat programs in the area, the NOMA Orange Hats and Woodridge.

Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association Meeting

Brookland Neighborhood
Civic Association

Community Meeting

Tuesday, March 14th, 2006
6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

Turkey Thicket Recreation Center
1100 Michigan Avenue, Northeast
Washington, DC 20017

Agenda

· Opening Remarks / Announcements
· OLD BUSINESS: Crime Report, Metro Station Construction Update, CSXT-Toxic Trains in Brookland Overview
· INVITED GUEST: Chief C. Ramsey, 5-D Commander G. Green, Lt. G. Stroud, City Councilmember Kathy Patterson, Congresswomen Eleanor H. Norton, DC School Board Vice Chair. Carolyn Graham, Ward 5 Councilmember Vincent Orange and Fred Millar
· Community Concerns
New Business
Adjournment

March poll asks your favorite DC park

Our March poll (the one to your right on the side bar) asks what your favorite park in DC is. Your choices are Rock Creek Park, the National Arboretum, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, the National Mall and Fort Dupont Park. Feel free to leave a comment on why your favorite is your favorite. Or tell us about the park that's not listed but should be.

Looking for Cherry Trees? Skip the Tidal Basin

And head over to the National Arboretum at 24th & R Streets NE. The arboretum has cherry trees, azaleas, and many other blooming beauties. Like the tidal basin, the arboretum is right at the river. That would be the Anacostia River.

Don't miss the Koi fish outside the administrative building, which visitors are sometimes allowed to feed.

The arboretum is also accessible by Metrobus from Union Station. The arboretum is over 400 acres, however, they do offer tram tours.

February Poll Participants Want Clinton for Mayor

The results are in for our February poll. An overwhelming 91% of participants want Bill Clinton to enter the DC's mayor race. The remaining 9% chose perennial mayoral candidate Carol Schwartz. If your chosen candidate doesn't run, you can always write him or her in!

Our March poll is coming soon.