Celebrate Bastille to be Celebrated in Adams Morgan

Tue., Jul. 14 (4-10 PM): AdamsMorgan MainStreet Group will be presenting BASTILLE DAY in Adams Morgan featuring live music and special events, including demonstrations by the National Capital Club de Pétanque of the French sport of pétanque (similar to Bocce Ball) between 4 and 6 pm. All are welcome to join teams and play. Free, live music begins at 6 pm. All ages will enjoy the French and world music presented by the Kamel Zennia Band between 6 and 8 pm in front of the Marie Reed School in the 2200 block of 18th Street. And, starting at 8 pm in front of Napoleon Bistro at 1847 Columbia Road, don’t miss L’Enfant Cafe’s famous French Maid Relay Race with hosts King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. For more info, send email to AMMainStreet@aol.com or visit www.AMMainStreet.com.

Sherman Avenue Preliminary Plans to be Presented

Tue., Jul. 14 6:30-8pm): Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham and project engineers from the transportation department (DDOT) will be holding a PUBLIC MEETING at Howard University’s Blackburn Center (4th St. & Howard Pl.) to inform the community about the major Sherman Avenue Streetscape improvements project planned between Florida Avenue and Park Road. At this time, about one-third of the design plans have been developed; feedback and comments from those in attendance will be solicited. Among the improvements will be a reduction in the number of traffic lanes in each direction; enhancing pedestrian safety by widening the sidewalks to make them ADA compliant, including upgrading wheelchair ramps and crosswalk markings; planting trees and shrubs along the avenue, upgrading street lights and traffic signals. For more info see the Sherman Avenue Project page on DDOT’s website by visiting http://tinyurl.com/lnkhyf.

Annual U Street Dog Days Sales Event Planned

Sat. & Sun., Aug. 1 & 2 (10am-7pm): 14th and U Streets will once again be the epicenter of the annual (this year, the 10th) Dog Days of August Sidewalk Sale. Organized by the MidCity Business Association, galleries and restaurants will open out to the sidewalk, feature performers and special events will all be welcoming shoppers and browsers. As Greg Link, the owner of the Home Rule store on 14th Street and Dog Days founder says, “It’s a true DC event, where seasoned local shoppers — those used to a little heat — are awarded with huge savings and tons of MidCity fun!”

In addition to the bargains to be offered by the merchants, the weekend will feature cultural and arts events. Studio Theatre will hold its annual Garage Sale on Saturday and on Sunday Source Theater will host a family Open House featuring performances and classes for people of all ages. Words, Beats and Life, a local youth organization, will hold DJ training and mural-painting demonstrations at different locations along 14th and U Streets. Cultural Tourism DC will be offering free heritage tours throughout this historic neighborhood.

The weekend event’s sponsors Café Saint Ex, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Miss Pixie’s, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, the JBG Companies, Whole Foods, Pulp, Studio Theatre and Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1B. As best expressed by John Snellgrove of Café Saint Ex, “MidCity is a community where residents, retailers, arts groups and restaurant people really come together to build a strong community and a great city neighborhood. Dog Days is a great, fun event. It also shows how committed we are as a community to supporting our daytime retail and arts groups.”

Urban Tree Walk Tour to be Conducted in U Street Area

Sat., Aug. 8 (9-11am): Join one of the certified arborists from the city’s Urban Forest Administration (UFA) at 13th and W Streets for an URBAN TREE WALK around the U Street area for an informal discussion about the about the trees that grow in our neighborhoods and to answer any nagging questions about why trees do what they do.  For more info, call the UFA at 671-5133.

(While the arborist can discuss any tree-related issues, the intent of the walks is not to simply collect service requests; those should continue to phoned into the city’s call center by dialing 311 to report dead or damaged trees, or to request the planting of street trees.)

The UFA, an agency within the DC transportation department, has a staff of 14 certified arborists, seven of whom are Certified Municipal Specialists. The agency is responsible for the management and care of more than 200,000 trees on growing on public space, and responds to over 8,000 service requests each year. The UFA also seeks to partner with neighborhood organizations that can help with its Tree Steward Program through which volunteer Tree Stewards agree to water a newly planted street tree for the first two years and are key to helping the next canopy to be established. For more info about how to participate in this program, call 671-5133.

SELECTED STREET CRIMES

Reported for May 13-26 & June 18-30 2009*

*Note: Reports covering the period between May 27 and June 17 were not available for editing in time for press due to data access failure.

Adams Mill, 2700 blk.: man assaulted & robbed inside Walter Pierce Park by several others [3:15am, Sat., 5/16]

Belmont, 1800 blk.: man robbed by several others [3am, Sun., 6/28]

Calif., 1800 blk. (alley): man carjacked & robbed by 2 others [2:30am, Sat., 5/23]

Calvert, 1900 blk.: woman waiting for bus grabbed by another by the neck & dragged away from the sidewalk area to where she was assaulted & robbed by several other women [2:15am, Sun., 6/28]

Center, 3500 blk.: man robbed of wallet & cell phone by 2 others [1:15am, Sun., 5/24]

Euclid, 700 blk.: 2 persons accosted by 2 men, one of whom brandished a gun & robbed one person while the other fled [10:45pm, Sat., 6/27]

Farragut, 1300 blk.: cab driver sitting in his parked taxi approached by 2 men, one of whom demanded money while the other who had a gun opened the door & took the cash despite cabbie’s attempt to take the gun, whereupon he was struck with it [1:15am, Sat., 6/27]

Florida, 1300 blk.: man robbed of scooter at gunpoint by 2 others [9pm, Mon., 5/18]

Georgia & Kenyon: man accosted by another who placed him in a headlock while another struck him in the face with a rock & then robbed of a bag of clothes [11pm, Mon., 5/18]

Georgia & W: man accosted by 3 others demanding cash but got none & fled when man ran into adjacent building for safety [3:45pm, Tue., 6/30]

Georgia, 2300 blk.: woman’s property snatched from her by man who first asked for cash but was refused [3:15pm, Mon., 6/29]

Hobart, 1600 blk.: man assaulted & robbed by 2 others [12:30am, Sat., 6/27]

Logan Cir.: man robbed of cash at gunpoint by another [10pm, Thu., 5/21]

M, 400 blk.: 3 persons sitting in car accosted by 2 men with guns who forced them out of the car & onto the ground, robbed them, then told them to stay down & count to 200 & at same time removed the car keys & threw them away [1:30am, Fri., 6/26]

M, 900 blk.: woman forced to the ground & robbed by man [2:15am, Sat., 5/23]

M, 1100 blk.: man on bicycle asked by 2 others for a cigarette & as he started to pull one out was hit in the face, knocked to the ground & robbed of the cigarettes & cell phone [9pm, Thu., 6/18]

Monroe, 1300 blk.: man approached by 2 others on bicycles who hit him & attempted to rob him but failed to take anything [5:45am, Fri., 6/19]

Ontario, 2200 blk.: woman accosted by man brandishing a gun & demanding her purse & cell phone [3:15am, Sat., 6/27]

N, 900 blk.: man robbed of cell phone, iPod & wallet at gunpoint by 2 others [10pm, Wed., 5/13]

New Hamp., 1700 blk.: woman accosted by man from behind, struck in the face during struggle & robbed of cell phone & cash, following which man fled in a waiting SUV being driven by another [12:45am, Sun., 5/24]

New Jersey, 1300 blk.: woman accosted by 2 boys who attempted to rob her of her purse by failed after a short struggle [2:15am, Sun., 5/24]

Newton, 1400 blk.: man accosted at gunpoint by another demanding money then fled when man refused [11:15pm, Wed., 5/13]

P, 1400 blk.: woman inside Whole Foods store successfully snatched a customer’s purse from a shopping cart [7:15pm, Tue., 5/19]

P. 1700 blk.: woman carrying shopping bag containing pillows accosted by man & 2 women, one of whom pulled 2 of the pillows out of the bag & all 3 fled [6pm, Mon., 5/18]

Park, 1600 blk.: 2 boys, age 12 & 13, attempted to rob man of cell phone (case closed with arrest) [5:15pm, Tue., 5/26]

Q, 400 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by another [1am, Fri., 5/22]

R, 1400 blk.: person hit on the head with an unknown object by man & as he started to walk away to find a police officer another man snatched his cell phone from him [7:15pm, Mon, 6/29]

R, 1600 blk.: man’s iPhone snatched from him by teenage boy & then assaulted when he demanded that it be returned to him [1am, Fri., 6/19]

R, 2000 blk.: man accosted from behind by another who knocked him to the ground, breaking his wrist & robbing him [3:30am, Sun., 5/24]

Ridge, 400 blk.: man accosted by another who attempted, but failed, to rob him [11:30pm, Sat., 5/23]

S, unit blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by another [8:30pm, Sun., 5/17]

S, 1400 blk.: person robbed of cell phone & cash at gunpoint by 2 others [11pm, Sun., 5/24]

Sherman, 3300 blk.: man attacked & robbed by 2 teenage boys [4pm, Sun., 5/24]

Spring, 1300 blk.: woman grabbed by man around her neck & robbed of cash (case closed with arrest) [4:45am, Fri., 5/15]

T, 1000 blk.: woman robbed of purse at knifepoint [4:45pm, Thu., 6/25]

U, 1200 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by another [12noon, Wed., 5/20]

U, 1600 blk.: woman’s purse grabbed from the back of her chair in restaurant by boy, age 15 (case closed with arrest) [5:45pm, Mon., 5/25]

V, 1400 blk.: man accosted by 3 others who were unsuccessful in robbing him of wallet [10pm, Fri., 5/15]

V, 1400 blk.: man robbed of cash by another (case closed with arrest) [4:30pm, Fri., 6/26]

4th, 800 blk.: woman accosted by 3 men, knocked to the ground & robbed of cell phone [1:15pm, Mon., 5/25]

5th & Rhode Is.: man grabbed & robbed by 2 others [2pm, Sat., 5/16]

7th, 700 blk.: man’s cell phone snatched from him by another, whereupon he chased & caught up with him, asked for his phone back, to which robber countered with a demand for money & when handed to him he returned the phone (case closed with arrest when man got assistance from police officers) [7:45pm, Mon., 5/18]

8th, 1800 blk.: person accosted by 2 men demanding cash, following which a struggle ensued, whereupon one of the men pulled a gun & robbed the person [3:45pm, Thu., 6/25]

10th & M: woman robbed of purse by 2 men [9:45pm, Wed., 5/20]

10th, 1200 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint of cell phone by 2 others [11:30pm, Sat., 5/23]

11th & T: person robbed at gunpoint of cell phone, iPod & wallet by 3 men [8:30pm, Sun., 5/17]

11th & Vermont: person accosted & robbed by 3 men [2:30am, Mon., 5/25]

11th, 1300 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 2 others [10:15pm, Thu., 5/14]

13th & Riggs: 2 persons robbed at gunpoint of wallets & iPhones [6:30am, Sun., 5/17]

13th, 1700 blk.: woman pushed to the ground & robbed of cell phone & purse by teenage boy [8:45am, Mon., 5/25]

13th, 1700 blk.: person robbed by another who produced an unidentified sharp object [10:30pm, Fri., 6/26]

13th, 1900 blk.: 3 persons robbed at gunpoint of cell phones, iPod & cash [10pm, Sat, 6/27]

14th & Park: cabdriver’s cell phone snatched from him by man while sitting in his cab (case closed with arrest) [1am, Sun., 5/17]

15th & Swann: man accosted & robbed by 3 teenage boys [9:30pm, Thu., 5/21]

15th, 3000 blk.: man knocked to ground by another with a baseball bat & robbed of wallet, belt & sandals [10:45pm, Wed., 5/20]

18th, 1500 blk.: woman approached by 3 others, one of whom asked about her handbag and, ignoring the woman & her question, opened up her cell phone to call the police, whereupon her bag was snatched & all 3 fled [5:45pm, Mon., 5/18]

18th, 2200 blk.: 3 persons attacked & robbed by 2 others who fled after having stabbed one of victims with an unknown object [3:15am, Sat., 5/16]

18th, 2400 blk.: man accosted & robbed by 3 others [2am, Sun., 5/24]