AROUND OUR COMMUNITY

AROUND OUR COMMUNITY
[from November 2007 issue]

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REPORTED STREET CRIMES FOLLOWS NEWS REPORTS

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Sat., Nov. 10 (2pm): A public, MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held at the Source Theatre (1835 14th St.) to honor the life of the highly-regarded neighborhood merchant Noi Chudnoff, owner of 14th Street’s Go Mama Go store, who died unexpectedly on Tuesday, the 4th as a result falling and hitting her head which then resulted in a brain hemorrhage.

Her retail neighbor and friend, the Home Rule housewares store owner Greg Link who inspired her and other retailers to move onto the 1800 block of 14th Street following his own then gutsy move there, told The InTowner, “We will miss not only her pioneer spirit that helped revitalize the 1800 block of 14th Street when she arrived on the scene just a few weeks before 9/11, but also her incredible sense of humor, her endless bounds of generosity and, as everyone knows, that amazing go mama go spirit! Noi was a very special and unique woman and will be forever missed!” A similar sentiment was offered by Jeffrey Johnson, the artistic director of Ganymede Arts who said, “She was the first person to really believe in the company and she gave her whole heart to make it happen. She was just as dedicated to us as she was to her store, and her generosity in time, energy, passion, joy and knowledge that she brought to us here at Ganymede Arts has laid the cornerstone of how we will move forward and 'seize the day.'"
Mon., Nov. 12: Because of the Veterans Day holiday, TRASH & RECYCLING collections will be suspended causing the week’s Monday and Thursday collections to slide to Tuesday and Friday; similarly, Tuesday and Friday collection schedules will slide to Wednesday and Saturday. Leaf collections, however, will not be affected and neighborhood schedules will continue as posted at www.http://dpw.dc.gov. For more info, call the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center at 727-1000.
Tue., Nov. 13 (6:30-9pm): Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham and the MidCity Business Association are jointly hosting at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St.) what is being billed as a Citywide Small Business Tax Relief TOWN HALL MEETING for the purpose of gaining support and raising awareness about the tax burdens and other barriers confronting the city’s small businesses which are facing incredible market barriers and bureaucratic impediments to staying in their longtime locations, expanding into new sites, or just trying to open a business for the first time. To pre-register to testify at the meeting, send an email to the association’s president, Ben’s Chili Bowl owner, Kamal Ali, at info@midcitylife.org.
Wed., Nov. 14 (7pm): Of the six PUBLIC HEARINGS being conducted this month by WMATA to receive comments on the proposed Metrorail and Metrobus fare increases that will take effect on January 6th, only the one scheduled for will be conducted downtown -- at Metro headquarters (600 5th St., NW). Written statements and exhibits may be submitted until close of business on Mon. Nov. 26 to WMATA’a Office of the Secretary, 600 5th St., NW, WDC 20001. Alternatively, individuals may send an email to public-hearing-testimony@wmata.com. It will be important to be sure to include a notation of the hearing docket number, No. 526, with your submission.
Wed., Nov. 14 (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, the commissioners will be considering the report of the Historic Preservation Office staff recommending landmark status for the mid-1970s faux Brutalist-style Third Church of Christ, Scientist at 16th and I Streets, NW; they will also be considering a request to formally reject the proposed landmark nomination.

Also on the agenda will be consideration of a mixed-use (residential/retail) development proposal that would be built largely behind the existing two-story commercial buildings opposite the Reeves Center on U Street (but incorporating the upper floors into the residential portion) that extend from the southwest corner the large building housing the Storage USA facility. The project would also extend south on west side of 14th Street, largely behind the existing older building until about opposite Wallach Place where it would then fill in the now empty lot across from the Post Office.

Other agenda items will include an application by Jack’s Restaurant and Bar (1527 17th St. to increase its allowable sidewalk café seating 28 to 34; an application to add a third floor to the small building occupied by Barmy Wine & Liquor (2012 P St.; to approve the use of a banner sign for Primimoda Gallery (2010 R St.) and to approve Circa Café’s application to install a permanent awning for its sidewalk patio at the northeast corner of Connecticut Avenue and Q Street.
Thu., Nov. 15 (7-9:30pm): Once again the Washington Plaza Hotel at Thomas Circle will be hosting the annual community POT LUCK DINNER event of the Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA). Neighbors are invited to join LCCA members and invited local elected personages and city officials to socialize, greet old friends and make new ones, to witness the giving out of the community awards and either participate or just observe (depending on whether or not an LCCA member) the elections of new officers and board members. While there is no charge to attend, everyone is asked to bring a dish to share along with the light appetizers that will be provided. For more info, send an email to LCCA’s president, Desi Deschaine, at desi.deschaine@logancircle.org.
Mon., Nov. 26 – Mon., Dec. 3: The Oyster/Adams Bilingual School will be hosting its 13th annual BILINGUAL BOOK FAIR at the Oyster School building in Woodley Park (29th & Calvert Sts.). Hours are as follows: Mon., the 26th, 1-7:30pm; Tue.-Fri., 27th-30th, 8am-7:30pm; Sat. & Sun., Dec. 1 & 2, 10am-5pm; Mon., 3rd, 8am-5. For more info, call Oyster/Adams librarian Laura Kleinmann at 671-3035.

In addition to a wide selection of children’s, teen and adult gift books in English, this event offers an unmatched selection of books in Spanish, providing DC area students, teachers and parents with the unique opportunity to browse through more than 500 Spanish and bilingual titles, including translations, U.S. Latino works and the best childrens’ literature from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain.
Thu., Nov. 29 – Sun., Dec. 9: For 10 days in the Goldman Theater of the DC Jewish Community Center (JCC, 16th & Q Sts.) and at five other theaters elsewhere in the city the 18th annual JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL will be presenting 44 films from 11 countries. Kicking off the festival with a 7 pm screening in the JCC’s Goldman Theater on the 29th will be the DC premiere of Brazilian filmmaker Cao Hamburger’s award-winning The Year My Parents Went on Vacation, followed by a dessert reception with the film’s director, Cao Hamburger, in attendance. The festival will close with another award-winning DC premiere, the Israeli film Jellyfish, also to be followed by a dessert reception, which will be co-sponsored by the Embassy of Israel and Israel in DC.

The festival catalog will be available at the at the JCC and other festival venues and will also can be downloaded from the JCC website, www.http://wjff.org.

Ticket prices are as follows: Opening and closing nights, $20 (includes reception). All other screenings, $10 evenings & weekends; $6 weekdays (before 6 p.m.); seniors & students receive $1 discount off regular ticket price except for opening and closing night tickets. Tickets go on sale November 14th (priority ticket purchasing for DCJCC members and Film Fest Funders on Nov. 12th & 13th). No service charge; $1.50 per film handling fee. To order tickets visit www.http://wjff.org or call (800) 494-8497. For more info, consult website or call (202) 777-3248.
Tue., Dec. 4 (6:30-8:30pm): AdamsMorgan MainStreet will be sponsoring a HOLIDAY RECEPTION hosted by BB7T Bank at its Adams Morgan branch (18th St. & Col. Rd.) All are invited to enjoy refreshments and learn about the MainStreet program. For more info, call 232-1960 or visit www.http://AMMainStreet.org.
Thu. Dec. 6 (6-10pm): Eight U Street retailers are hosting a BENEFIT for Sitar Arts Center which offers classes in music, dance, visual art, creative writing, and drama to disadvantaged youth in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mt. Pleasant. (Visit their website at www.http://sitarartscenter.org to learn more.) There will be no charge to attend the event and complimentary wine will be served at each venue. Donations to Sitar Arts Center are welcomed at the event.

Ten percent of all sales from the evening will be donated to the Sitar Center, and each store will offer special holiday sales during the event and at each they will be showcasing the artistic talents of students who attend classes at the Center. Enjoy the unique experience of shopping some of our best and most interesting local merchants while at the same time supporting and learning more about Sitar. The participating U Street that retailers feature men's and women's clothing, women's shoes, vintage and contemporary home furnishings, and ethnic imports from Thailand are the following: Caramel (No. 1603), RCKNDY (No. 1515), GoodWood (No. 1428), Junction (No. 1510), Moojoo Ken (No. 1512), Nana (No. 1528), Simply Home (No. 1410), Wild Women Wear Red (No. 1512).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whitman-Walker Clinic Beneficiary of Donation from Jack’s Restaurant [For photo on page 6 of PDF version of the print edition, go to Current & Back Issues Archive (link at top of home page).]

Dupont East’s 17th Street strip is like a village center in which many of the business owners go the extra mile to “give back” to the community. Jack’s Restaurant & Bar, a recent business arrival, has eagerly joined in on this tradition. For example, whenever customers order a drink of Jack Daniel’s whisky, a percentage of the cost of that drink is donated to the Whitman-Walker Clinic. Since the inception of that program, $2,000 has already been raised.

Then, on October 2nd, owner Latif Guler had the pleasure of formally presenting to the Clinic’s CEO, Don Blanchon, an additional donation of $6,000.

When The InTowner contacted the Clinic’s Director of Development and Community Relations, ReGina Newkirk, to find out more about their partnership with Jack’s, she gushed about how they have been a “fantastic community partner” and how their commitment to the work of the Clinic is so greatly appreciated. Commenting on how Jack’s has been sponsoring “Clinic nights” at the restaurant, Newkirk added, “They have been a very wonderful supporter. . . .”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 20th Annual Crafts America Show at Convention Center Opens November 30 [For photos on page 7 of PDF version of the print edition, go to Current & Back Issues Archive (link at top of home page).]

The 2007 Washington Craft Show will be featuring 190 of the nation’s leading contemporary craft artists and their latest collections. Among the nation’s premier events of contemporary American craft, the juried show takes place over the weekend of November 30-December 2 at the Walter Washington Convention Center on Mt. Vernon Square.

From here in Washington, represented by Logan Circle glass artist Robert Wiener, and 37 states, established and emerging artists will exhibit and sell their inventive works, extending the possibilities of glass, jewelry, ceramics, basketry, wood, studio furniture, fiber, metal arts, mixed-media, paper, and wearable art. Each piece is one-of-a-kind or limited-edition and each an artist-designed and crafted in America.

Three master craftspeople share the distinction of exhibiting at the show each year since it started: ceramicist Cliff Lee and wood-turner Michael Mode, both with pieces in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, and fiber-wearable artist Barbara Perry. Exhibiting artists’ works also are in celebrity collections, including Oprah Winfrey’s, author Danielle Steel’s, and Olympic soccer star Mia Hamm’s.

Weekend talks will be offered, highlighting the show’s anniversary with the theme “Craft Works at 20.” Exhibitors in their 20s and others working in the same medium for 20 or more years will talk about their perspectives. Also featured will be Paul Greenhalgh, director and president of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design, who will provide insights in a talk titled “Craft: Past and Future,” which will be presented on Friday at 2 pm. A panel discussion, “Saved from Destruction: From Salvaged Wood to Objects of Beauty,” will be presented by a group of artists on Saturday at 2 pm. And fiber artist B.J. Adams will discusses her work in “Painting With Thread” on Sunday at 1 pm.

Hours will be as follows: Friday, Nov. 30, 10 am to 8 pm; Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, Dec. 2, 11 am to 5 pm. Admission: $15, (seniors and students, $13; children under 12, free). For more information, visit www.http://craftsamericashows.com or call (800) 832-7813.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SELECTED STREET CRIMES Reported for October 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Following is a sampling of reported crimes in the expanded 3rd Police District and the Bloomingdale neighborhood portion of the 5th District. Times shown are when reports recorded by police; actual incidents will have occurred earlier. Occasionally we include reports not recorded by the MPD. Emphasis here is placed, for the most part, on listing crimes against persons occurring in or adjacent to public space. Not generally reported are the extraordinary numbers of burglaries, auto heists, and “smash and grab” from parked cars. These crimes appear to be consistently a problem from Rock Creek eastward and from downtown north, spread fairly evenly throughout affluent, transitioning, and low-income neighborhoods. Also not reported, for reasons of space, are most assaults stemming from verbal altercations nor most of the numerous, random purse & other snatchings that can occur anywhere and at any hour.
Bates, unit blk.: man accosted by 3 others, one of whom demanded that he not move or be shot as he placed his hand to his hip as if reaching for a gun, whereupon man started to flee as he tossed his wallet to the ground [1:45pm, Sat., 10/20] (incident appears to be similar to the one reported below in the nearby unit block of Hanover Place one hour later.)
Brown, 3000 blk.: 2 men, both brandishing guns, entered market & forced employee to empty cash drawer [2:45pm, Fri., 10/19]
Bryant, 500 blk.: 2 persons robbed by another at gunpoint [1:15am, Sat., 10/20]
Calif., 1800 blk.: man robbed by another who came from behind, struck him in his face & caused him to fall [8:30pm, Thu., 10/25]
Chapin, 1400 blk.: man accosted by 3 others who kicked & punched him & then robbed him of his cell phone, credit cards & ID [1am, Fri., 10/26]
Dupont Cir.: man accosted by another who demanded, “Give me that money; you owe me that money,” whereupon he snatched $2 from the man’s wallet [4:30pm, Wed., 10/10]
Dupont Cir.: man accosted by 2 others who demanded money & when he attempted to walk away he was blocked by one of the men & stabbed by the other [4:45pm, Wed., 10/10]
Elm, 300 blk.: person robbed by another at gunpoint of laptop computer, wallet & $240 [9:30pm, Tue., 10/16]
Elm, 300 blk.: man accosted by another brandishing a gun, forced into adjoining alley where second man was waiting, then had the gun placed against his neck & was robbed [10:30pm, Wed., 10/24]
Euclid, 1400 blk.: man followed by 2 others as he walked back to his house & then robbed at gunpoint of his cell phone & $500 [3pm, Fri., 10/26]
Fairmont, 700 blk. (alley): 2 persons robbed at gunpoint by 3 others [3:45pm, Thu., 10/18]
Florida, 1300 blk.: 2 men accosted by 2 others & robbed of wallets, one of the men having been struck on the back of the head & the other grabbed by the shirt [12:15am, Sun., 10/21]
Hanover, unit blk. (alley): man grabbed by 3 others while in alley, placed in a choke hold & robbed [2:45pm, Sat., 10/20] (incident appears to be similar to the one reported above in the nearby unit block of Bates Street one hour earlier.)
Hiatt & Park: man grabbed, turned around & robbed by another who came from behind & who demanded his “wallet and whatever is in your pockets [10:45pm, Wed., 10/10]
Irving, 1300 blk.: person approached from behind by another in a manner that caused person to fall to ground, whereupon the other stated, "I just need it, I just need it," & proceeded to rob the person who had fallen [11:15am, Mon., 10/22]
Kalorama, 1700 blk.: man accosted by 3 others who punched him about his face & body & when he started to break free & attempted to run his jacket & backpack was grabbed from him [11pm, Wed., 10/31]
Kingman, 1500 blk.: carjacking--person accosted by 4 others who demanded car keys then struck person, grabbed the keys & drove off in the car [1:15am, Sat., 10/13]
Lanier, 1700 blk.: carjacking—-man who had just backed his car out of his garage into the alley & had gotten out approached from behind by another on a bicycle pointing a gun to his face, whereupon he fled back into his house at which time the gunman got into the car & drove off [5pm, Wed., 10/31]
M, 500 blk.: man approached from behind by another who attempted to snatch his briefcase but failed as the man grabbed it tightly, though was dragged to ground but retained the briefcase [4:45pm, Thu., 10/18]
Newton, 500 blk. (alley): 2 persons robbed by 3 men who got our of a passing jeep, one of whom had his hand inside his shirt as if he had a weapon [11:15am, Thu., 10/18]
North Capitol & S: man chased down the street by 2 others until he tripped & fell, whereupon the 2 men punched him in his face & robbed him of his cell phone [7:45pm, Sat., 10/27]
Otis & Warder: 3 persons accosted by several others who demanded the “wallet and money” of one of them, but when the person told the other 2 who were accompanying to call 911, they started getting beaten before the others left without taking anything [7:45pm, Sat., 10/20]
Otis, 700 blk.: woman accosted by man demanding her purse & when she responded, “no way,” he pulled a gun & robbed her of the purse [11:45pm, Tue., 10/9]
Otis, 700 blk.: carjacking--2 men about to get into their car accosted by another brandishing a gun & demanding the keys while another pointed his gun at the other man, ordering him to ”sit your . . . on the ground [10:15pm, Thu., 10/25]
Otis, 1000 blk.: man robbed by another who came from behind & placed an unknown object to his head which may or may have not been a gun [7:15pm, Tue., 10/23]
P, 100 blk.: man accosted by 3 others, one of whom asked if he “had a light,” whereupon he was hit in the face causing him to fall & was then robbed [2:30am, Sat., 10/20]
P, 1400 blk.: CVS store robbed by gunman demanding, “Gimmie all the money -- I swear to God I'll kill everybody!” [6am, hu., 10/11]
Rhode Is., 1600 blk.: person grabbed & robbed of cash & credit cards by 2 others who threatened that each had a gun [1am, Fri., 10/12]
S, 900 blk.: 2 persons walking to their car accosted by man who robbed them at gunpoint [11pm, Wed., 10/24]
Sherman, 2700 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint of backpack, work clothes & cash by 2 others who had emerged from car at curb [2:15pm, Fri., 10/10]
T, unit blk.: 2 persons approached by 3 others, one of whom said to the man with a cell phone in his hand, “Where you from? Nice phone, can I see it,” and at the same time the man with the phone observed his questioner’s hand in his waistband as if he had a gun, whereupon he turned his phone over [2pm, Fri., 10/28]
T, 1200 blk.: person robbed by 3 others, all of whom were brandishing guns [1am, Sat., 10/27]
T, 1400 blk.: T, 1400 blk.: 4 persons accosted by 3 others brandishing a rifle, ordered down on the ground & robbed [3:15pm, Fri., 10/19]
T, 1700 blk.: man robbed by another of laptop computer & wallet at gunpoint [10:15pm, Mon., 10/29]
U, 100 blk.: woman robbed by man at gunpoint [7:45pm, Fri., 10/12]
U, 400 blk.: woman’s purse snatched by one of 4 men who approached her [7pm, Sun., 10/21]
1st & Rhode Is.: woman robbed at gunpoint by man who first came up & put his arm around her [9:30pm, Sat., 10/27]
4th, 1900 blk.: woman approached by 3 persons, one of whom snatched her purse from her grasp [6:45pm, Fri., 10/12]
5th & M: man accosted by another demanding money & man then gave him a dollar, whereupon he was punched in the face, knocked to the ground, had his jeans ripped & more was taken, followed by a parting punch from the robber [10:15pm, Sun., 10/28]
5th & R: person robbed by another at gunpoint of $120 [5:15pm, Fri., 10/26]
6th, 1800 blk.: man robbed at gunpoint by 3 others of gold chain, backpack & music CDs [9:15pm, Sat., 10/13]
7th, 1200 blk.: person assaulted & robbed by 3 others [6:45pm, Sun., 10/14]
8th, 1900 blk.: 2 persons robbed at gunpoint by 2 others 10:30pm, Tue., 10/30]
9th & T: man accosted by 6 others, one of whom punched him in his face & robbed him [4:30pm, Mon., 10/29]
9th, 1400 blk.: 2 persons accosted by 2 others who proceeded to knock one of them to the ground, then forced both into adjoining alley & robbed them [11:45pm, Fri., 10/26]
9th, 2100 blk.: carjacking--while parking car person accosted by 2 others, ordered out of the car & had pockets gone through, robbed & then the car was driven away [8:15pm, Fri., 10/19]
10th & N: man walking past woman grabbed her purse but after brief struggle she held on to it & he fled [8:30pm, Sat., 10/13]
10th, 1200 blk.: man accosted from behind by 2 others who grabbed him around his neck & then robbed him of his wallet containing $250 & IDs and of cell phone [6:30pm, Fri., 10/26] (one of the perpetrators possibly the same as the one in the reported incident, below, at the same location the following night.)
10th, 1200 blk.: man accosted from behind by another who grabbed him around his neck & then robbed him after kicking him in the shin [9:30pm, Sat., 10/27] (the perpetrator possibly the same as one of the 2 responsible for the reported incident, above, at the same location the previous night.)
10th, 1700 blk.: 2 men & 2 women robbed at gunpoint of wallets & purses, respectively, by 3 men [10pm, Sat., 10/13]
13th, 3500 blk.: man accosted by 4 others, one of whom displayed gun tucked into his waist band, and robbed while being held in a chokehold by one of the others [10pm, Tue., 10/23]
14th & P: man robbed by another who accosted him & demanded his wallet [1:30am, Sun., 10/14]
14th & U: man accosted by another brandishing a gun demanding to know what he had in his pockets & when told he had nothing man pointed the gun at his stomach & ordered him to empty his pockets [7:15am, Tue., 10/23]
14th, 1700 blk.: gay man accosted by 3 other men who spewed epithets referencing his sexuality, then knocked him to the ground & robbed him of his pda & cell phone [11:15pm, Fri., 10/12]
15th & Irving: man accosted from behind by 2 others, one of whom placed him in a headlock while the other robbed him of $900 cash [6:15pm, Fri., 10/12]
15th, 1600 blk.: man accosted by 2 others, one from the front & the other from behind who grabbed him & threw him to the ground, threatened to shoot him if he moved & then robbed him [1am, Sun., 10/21]
16th, 1600 blk.: man surrounded by 3 others riding mountain bikes who demanded money but rode off when told he had none [5pm, Sat., 5/20]
16th, 3600 blk.: 2 persons accosted by another & while one was being robbed at gunpoint the accomplice was approaching the other person [2:15am, Wed., 10/10]
17th & Fuller: man robbed at gun point by 2 others who came from behind [12:15am, Thu., 10/25]
18th, 1700 blk.: person robbed of $10 by another who approached, demanded money & threatened to shoot [1:15am, Fri., 10/26]
19th & T: man robbed by another at knifepoint [12:15am, Sun., 10/14]
19th, 1700 blk.: 2 persons accosted by 3 others brandishing a gun, ordered down on the ground & robbed [10:45pm, Fri., 10/19]
20th & Belmont: person robbed by 2 others at gunpoint of cell phone & money [10:45pm, Wed., 10/24]
20th, 2400 blk.: person robbed at knifepoint by 2 others [8pm, Fri., 10/19]
22nd & Newport: woman’s book bag snatched from her by 2 men who approached her [4:30pm, Sat., 10/27]

Copyright (c) 2007 InTowner Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited, except as provided by 17 U.S.C. §107 (“fair use”).