Stead Park Day

Sat., May 9 (11am-2pm): The newly renovated and improved Stead Park (P St., bet. 16th & 17th Sts.) will be celebrated with an outdoors “OPEN HOUSE” organized by the city’s parks & recreation department, Friends of Stead Park, and 17th Street’s Lindsay Reishman Group. Featured during this “Stead Park Day” event will be children’s games, performances by local artists and musicians, and kid-friendly snacks. The celebration will take place in the picnic area fronting on P Street. Improvements to the park include the resurfaced basketball court; two age-appropriate playgrounds for toddlers and children, a climbing wall and a turf picnic zone. For more info, email FriendsofStead@gmail.com.

Dupont Circle ANC to Discuss 17th Street’s “Future”

Wed., May 13 (7pm): The Dupont Circle ANC will be holding its regular monthly MEETING at the DC Jewish Community Center (16th & Q Sts.). Among other items on the agenda in addition to considering a variety of liquor license renewals and applications, the commissioners will discuss the idea of establishing a “working group” on the future of 17th Street. Other items on the agenda will include a presentation by a representative from the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Agency regarding soon-to-be conducted community preparedness sessions. The commissioners will also be considering a Resolution in support of permanent City Council legislation to protect small businesses during public works construction projects.

Artists Studios Open House Event

Sat. & Sun., May 16 & 17 (12noon-5pm): Mid-City Artists continue their twice-yearly OPEN STUDIOS event with 23 artists working in the area east of Dupont Circle, roughly bounded by 18th Street on the west, V Street on the north, 9th Street on the east, and P Street on the south. This is always an interesting and satisfying way to check out the studios of these artists working in various media, including oil, acrylic, pastels, collage, sculpture and photography. A complete listing of the artists and their studios, with addresses, along with a handy map that can be printed out, is available on the Mid City Artists website, www.midcityartists.com — simply click the orange button link at the top of the home page.

A new feature this spring will be a PREVIEW RECEPTION and the 17th Street Coldwell Banker offices (1606-17th St.) between 6 and 9 p.m. on Friday, the 15th at which works by many of the participating artists will present with their works on display to be enjoyed and discussed with those who created the works. For more info about the weekend event, send an email to info@midcityartists.com or call (202) 277-3686.

Mt. Pleasant Daytime Parking Pass Proposal to be Discussed

CANCELED. On Tues. morning, 5/19, we received information that DDOT has postponed this public meeting until further notice. No explanation was provided.

========================

Thu., May 21 (6:30-8pm): The city’s transportation department (DDOT), in coordination with Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham, will hold a COMMUNITY MEETING at Bancroft Elementary School (1755 Newton St.) to discuss the proposed Mt. Pleasant Day Parking Pass Program. Under the DDOT plan, originally announced last October, employees of neighborhood businesses and organizations would be able to obtain special parking stickers allowing for such non-residents to legally park on designated neighborhood streets during weekdays and hours when the residential parking program restrictions are applicable (Mondays-Fridays, 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.). Holders of these passes would be charged at the rate of $160 for three months. The InTowner has been told that there is considerable support among neighborhood residents to allow for this daytime program because it is during those hours that residents with cars generally do not require the amount of on-street parking space as during the evening hours since so many use their cars for their own commuting.

HPRB Nominee Confirmation Hearing Scheduled

Thu. May 21 (11am): City Council Chairman Vincent Gray will hold a CONFIRMATION HEARING on the Mayor’s nomination of architect and developer Christopher Landis to fill a vacancy on the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). He would replace architectural historian John Vlach whose term has expired. This nomination is controversial within the preservation community for the reason outlined by the Historic Districts Coalition in an advisory received just as we were going to press, as follows (in part):

“If Mr. Landis were to be confirmed by the Council and take the architectural historian seat, the result would be a Board that would not be in compliance with city regulations mandating that the composition of the Board meet federal regulations regarding the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The nomination of Landis . . . highlights the requirements of the HPRB as a professional board representing the ‘professional fields of American history, architectural history, historic architecture, prehistoric and historic archaeology, and other professional disciplines.’

“In a letter to Chairman Gray dated May 4, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City expressed its opposition to the Landis nomination, at this time, because it would ‘not only jeopardize a significant amount of funding but [also] compromise the legitimacy of the Board.’ (The city receives almost $500,000 in federal funding for the implementation of the historic preservation program.) The letter made clear that the Committee of 100 was not opposed to Mr. Landis as a member of the [HPRB] as either an architect or as a citizen member, when all the required professional positions were appropriately filled. . . .”

Free Guided Neighborhood Walking Tours Event

Sat. & Sun., May 30 & 31: Cultural Tourism DC will be osting another of its twice-yearly “WalkingTown DC” event featuring over 100 FREE WALKING TOURS in all parts of the city. Now in its sixth year, this popular offering provides, as Linda Harper, Cultural Tourism’s executive director, states, local residents “a fun and alternative way to explore their own city.” The tours will be conducted by professional guides, community leaders, and knowledgeable neighborhood residents who will be donating their time and expertise.

A complete schedule of all the free tours, along with meeting places, times, and tour lengths is available by visiting www.WalkingTownDC.org. Browse the on-line schedule, pick your favorites, and join the group at the specified time and place. Bike tours and some of the walking tours will require advance reservations, and those are so designated. For more info or to request a brochure, call (202) 661-7581.

Katzen Arts Center Exhibition Closing Soon

Fri., Jun. 5 (4pm): This will be the closing day of a most engaging ART EXHIBITION, “On Normality: Life in Serbia,” currently on display at American University’s Katzen Art Center on Ward Circle (4400 Mass. Ave.), which was organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade. Open to the public at no charge Tue.-Sun., 11am-4pm. For more info, visit www.american.edu/museum or call (202) 885-1300. To understand the works being shown one needs to understand their context, well explained by the curators’ statement:

“It was the summer of 1989. The Cold War was sounding the death knell for Communism and as a result, Serbia and Montenegro were on course to become the new Yugoslavia. The art exhibition “Yugoslav Documenta” then on display in Sarajevo would become the last major exhibition of Yugoslav contemporary art before Slobodan Miloševic seized power.

“Miloševic launched a new era — an era of war, ethnic cleansing, economic sanctions, and a decline in all aspects of daily life in the country once known as Yugoslavia. In Serbia, two parallel worlds emerged: a dominating world of warmongering and nationalist ideology, and a world of marginalized opponents.

“Miloševic did his best to quash the voices of those he oppressed but artists continued to express themselves even though between 1989 and 2001, virtually no one saw their works. During that time, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade became a passive tool of nationalist ideology and was effectively closed to ambitious, contemporary art. . . . Now, the works reflecting those troubled, controversial years are being shown to the world through [this exhibition].”

Textile Museum Free Weekend Open House Event

Sat. & Sun., Jun. 6 (10am-4pm) & 7 (1-5pm): The Textile Museum (2320 S St.) will hold its 31st annual OPEN HOUSE, “Celebration of Textiles.” Free and open to the public event is for visitors of all ages explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through hands-on activities and artist demonstrations in the museum’s gardens and historic former mansions and to view the current exhibitions.

This year’s event will feature a special focus on quilting, a deeply-rooted American tradition. In colonial times, quilting might have been used to extend the life of old blankets and demonstrate skill in sewing and patterning. Handmade quilts today not only ward off chilly nights, but tell stories, adorn various interiors, express evolving aesthetics and provide a sense of heritage and community. As visitors will be able to learn through quilting demonstrations, musical performances, interactive activities, and more, quilts have come a long way in terms of materials, function, aesthetic and patterns.

Some of the highlights will include the opportunity to experience weaving, knitting, rug restoration, dyeing and more through hands-on activities with the Baltimore Embroiderer’s Guild, the Chesapeake Region Lace Guild, the Needlechasers of Chevy Chase, and the Woodmont Weavers. On both days, visitors will be able to try their hand at woodblock printing, basket weaving and the creation of paper quilt blocks. There will again be the event’s traditional live sheep shearing demonstrations that will take place on both Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting). For more info, call (202) 667-0441.

Citizens Association Contested Election Leaves Leadership Uncertain Due to Tie

The Dupont Circle Citizens Association (DCCA) annual elections meeting on Monday evening, May 4th left the organization’s leadership temporarily in limbo. Of the 110 members casting ballots, 51 were for Ron Clayton, the nominating committee’s pick for president, and 51 were for Robin Diener, who had been nominated from the floor at the April meeting. The remaining eight ballots cast were contested and deemed provisional; their validity will be determined during the final tally to be conducted on Saturday, May 9.

The 110 cast ballots represented, as of early April, approximately two-thirds of the organization’s total membership of 166 (based on the then most current available active member roster).

In the other contested races, the nominating committee’s candidate for Second Vice President, Susan Dunn won over outgoing board member Phyllis Klein, by 60 to 40 votes; for the two, three-year board member slots open, James Dudney received 66 votes, Marisa Uchin 66, and losing was Dave Mallof with 49 votes; and for the single open slot for two-year term, Maureen McLellan received 53 and Lex Rieffel 47, meaning that this election will also not be conclusively decided until the eight provisional ballots are tallied.

In response to a question directed to Acting President (and now elected as First Vice-President) John Hockensmith about how they will handle this situation, he replied that the board “plans to resolve the . . . races in an expedient and fair fashion. Since this is a new situation for DCCA, the Board, together with external advisors who are well-versed in parliamentary and electoral processes, is currently reviewing best and fair practices used by other citizens associations in tie voting situations. We will decide on appropriate procedures before Saturday, May 9 at noon when our Election Monitors will conclude the verification. . . . In the event of another tie situation, we will apply our pre-determined procedure to fairly identify the winners of the two unresolved races.”

Note: The short report above appeared in the issue that published on May 8th. The certifying and counting of the provisional ballots took place the following day. At that time it was determined that the winner of the tied election for president was Robin Diener, who won by a single vote over the nominating committee’s candidate, Ron Clayton, according to unofficial information received by The InTowner. (As of the posting of this report on May 13th, DCCA members had yet to be informed.). As for the close election for the two-year term, Maureen McLellan prevailed over challenger Lex Rieffel, by six of the eight votes.

SELECTED STREET CRIMES

Reported for April 13-22 2009*

*Entries for this report are limited to the second week and part of the third due to not having been able to obtain complete information in time to meet press deadline.

Champlain, 2300 blk.: man accosted & robbed by another of wallet [6:15pm, Wed., 4/22]

Columbia, 1300 blk.: 2 men robbed at gunpoint by another [1:30pm, Tue., 4/21]

Conn., 2600 blk.: woman robbed at gunpoint of cash by man who approached her on a bicycle [12:30am, Tue., 4/21]

Elm, 300 blk.: man accosted & robbed of cell phone by several other who then left the scene in a waiting car [12:30am, Tue., 4/21]

Euclid, 1600 blk.: man’s iPod snatched by another who then ran to a waiting car but was grabbed by the one he robbed, whereupon he turned & beat the man following which he got into the car and was driven off by an accomplice [11:45pm, Sat., 4/18]

Irving & Sherman: man accosted & robbed of wallet at gunpoint by 2 others [2:45am, Thu., 4/16]

Irving, 1300 blk.: man accosted & robbed of cell phone, watch & cash by 3 others [11:15pm, Thu., 4/16]

Irving, 1400 blk.: man accosted by 2 others, one of whom placed a rope around his neck while the other placed a knife to his neck & robbed him of iPhone & cell phone [1:15am, Sun., 4/19]

M, 400 blk.: man & woman accosted by 2 men who robbed the man [12mid, Fri., 4/17]

Old Morgan School (Pl.), 2200 blk.: man approached by several persons asking for directions, whereupon he was assaulted & robbed [3am, Sun., 4/19]

Ontario, 2200 blk.: 2 persons robbed at gunpoint by 2 others [12:15am, Sat., 4/18]

P, 1600 blk.: man robbed of cell phone by 2 others (one of the robbers, 18 years old, subsequently arrested) [7pm, Thu., 4/16]

U, 100 blk.: male student robbed of laptop, cell phone and wallet containing ID, credit & debit cards, among other items contained in his bag by 3 men who then left the scene in waiting car [12:45am, Tue., 4/21]

11th & Vermont: 2 persons approached by man who asked for $1 & when man took a dollar bill from his pocket the man asking grabbed it from him, whereupon there was a struggle but the man who snatched it got away with the bill (man was subsequently arrested) [12:45am, Mon., 4/13]

15th & R: man on bicycle accosted by 2 others who forced him off & robbed him of iPhone & wallet [4am, Sat., 4/18]

18th & Kalorama: man assaulted & robbed of 2 cell phones & keys by group of men & women [3am, Sat., 4/18]

19th, 2000 blk.: woman’s purse grabbed by man, causing her to fall and then be dragged when she refused to let go [2:15am, Sun., 4/19]