My failing in this is that I can’t seem to find the confirmation number of my submitted illeagal dumping complaint, which I filed a week or two ago.
Here is the sad history of these dumped mattresses.
June 13th I led a Flower Power tour. Amongst the people I led was a DPW mucky-muck. When we walked past these mattresses, and he saw that he and his assistant did some furious Blackberrying. So I figured that was that and the offending trash would be gone in no time. He also spotted one of my neighbor’s big truck (for hauling crap) parked on the street and said that would get ticketed. As far as I know, it didn’t figuring on L. eventually moving said truck.
So a week or two passes and the mattresses are still there. I do an on-line request to have them removed. As of yesterday evening, they are still there.
Mayor Fenty is scheduled to walk through my neighborhood today. I’ve informed my SMD ANC commissioner of the matter. I’ve also let it be so you can get the mapped coordinates of where this picture was taken, so that hopefully the mattresses can go bye-bye.
But on the bright side, the illeagal dumping in my alley has improved over the years. Before, whole rooms would get dumped in people’s backyards. Couches, beds, dressers, construction debris, and so on. Since people have fenced off their yards the trash is limited to what can be lined up on the fence.
Month: July 2009
Bundy Lot Meeting
By golly I hate meetings, but you wouldn’t know that because I keep attending them.
These are my quick points to keep from rambling. The rambling will be in another post:
* Office of Property Management (OPM) won’t be handling how the land will be used. It will be Park and Rec’s problem.
*There is approximately 37,000 sq ft in the building.
*OPM will have a clearer assessment of the building’s parking needs in 30 days.
*OPM Director stated that she was, “not trying to over park anything.”
*The land transfer from the Federal to the District government is expected to go through sometime this fall.
*After several promises of other locations, the DC government settled on the Bundy School as a location for the multidisciplinary team response to child abuse in 2004.
*Prior to Home Rule in 1973, DC school land was owned by a mix of the municipal body and the federal government, so the assumption that the lot belonged to the DC government was a natural error.
*(not from the meeting) Up until recently the DC government had no clue as to what land it owned, best illustrated in the case of vacant residential properties.
*Si, from MVSQ neighborhood association stated that we welcome Safe Shores and (okay memory fuzzy) as a neighbor? hoping they will be a good neighbor? Regardless, we welcome Safe Shores, and her comment got a good round of applause from the pro-parking and pro-green space folks.
*Martin of the CCCA neighborhood association mentioned there are plans in the works for playgrounds/parks (didn’t write this down) at Scott-Montgomery and NJ and O.**
*The proposal for a dog park was pushed forward by a group, not the ANC.
*When the land transfer occurs then Parks & Rec can evaluate the dog park application.
Now if there is anything factually wrong with my notes, please inform me with comments. No anonymous comments, those are deleted at whim.
**It will be interesting to see how the proposed people parks/ playgrounds get used. There was play equipment in the park near the other Northwest Co-Op here in the TC. However, no parent in their right mind would let their kids play on it because of the bad adult behavior in and around that equipment. That’s changing, but still more adults, hang out in that area than kids.
Beware of Craigslist Scams
Seems someone was trying to rent out 429 Warner St NW as part of their scam. I’ve mentioned the various Craigslist housing scams here, here, and here.
For the love of G-d, or whomever/whatever you hold dear use common sense when conducting a house search. If Ms. Future Landlord is off away in London or Leeds or the deepest darkest part of Angola, and can’t show you the DC place, MOVE ON, IT’S A SCAM! Think, if someone can’t even show you inside, how would they handle the AC not working or other landlord duties? They won’t because IT’S A SCAM. On of my neighbors was sent to Bangledesh, has a local real estate company doing the management. So in a real life situation you’d be talking to a real estate office, not emailing some scammer. No excuses if you’re out in BFE, Nebraska and you can’t physically take a look at it. Stay in a hostel for a week or work with a real estate office/ management firm that has a number in the phone book, crash with your sister’s ex-roommate’s second cousin, but don’t just hand money over to a complete stranger for a place you haven’t seen.
Tonight! The Big Bundy Meeting
The image shown is a suggestion posted by a Mr. E. Smith where there is parking close to the Bundy building and a greenspace on the P Street side. I like it.
The meeting regarding the proposed parking lot is tonight (July 9, 2009) at 7pm at the Scott Montgomery Elementary School (421 P Street NW).
I got the flier today regarding the meeting. I do have some criticism of it, but keep in mind I am pro-dog park. One it doesn’t mention the dog park idea at all. It just mentions greenspace. I understand why this was probably done, but full disclosure may be the best thing in the long run. Last criticism is the mention of shootings near Bundy Park, considering all the other factors in that general vicinity, I fail to see how it links up with problem. Otherwise there are wonderful and very valid points, such as the 600sf of building space to 1 parking spot code, meaning only 25 spaces are needed and pointing out that the 400 block of P is deserted and needs eyes and feet.
Also contact Eleanor Holmes Norton about this and express you concern as this involves a federal land transfer.
Shaw Homestead Report
No, that’s not my yard, but the amazing front yard garden on 8th Street near the Giant. Comparatively, my yard is sort of disappointing. The tomatoes are just plants. A few sport some small green globes. So far I’m doing very well with arugula and I’ve been giving away the salad to friends and neighbors. Another salad item I’ve got going gangbusters in the yard is purslane. I saw it at the Mexican Fruit Stand and found out it is called ‘Verdolagas’. But no need to buy it as I have tons of it. I just have to avoid steeping on it, and the arugula.
I also have growing cucumbers, beans, sage and a bunch of other herbs. The cukes are weird. I bought a particular variety of cucumber that formed softly furred baby cukes. The other plant (I swear from the same seed) has fruit with hard spikes.
I, like many it appears, have started experiementing with canning. My excuse is, I’m running out of room in my freezer and would like to remove the things that can be canned. I ordered a hot water canning kit from the 5th Street Hardware Store, then went back later to pick up the last set of 1/2 pint canning jars they had on the shelf. I’m hoping that if and when my tomatoes do come, I can can them. So far I’ve canned a banana rum jam and some peaches from a neighbor’s yard. I’m still looking at the jars carefully to make sure I did it right. 72 hours and so far so good. I would can the cherries, but my favorite form of preservation is to soak them in vodka. I’m trying to see if the drunken cherries are somewhat shelf stable. Problem is I keep eating them.
Speaking of canning there are a few articles in today’s Post’s Food Section. One on 14th & U and Bloomingdale farmer’s market vendor, Stefano Figerio. Stefano’s pastas are taking up space in my freezer, which is why I must can.
And some dissappointing news about food, organic isn’t as organic as we’d like. And if you really want to depress yourself (or not, depends on you) here’s a big ole organic agri-business chart. Last word, which makes this mess so sad, I was overhearing a conversation between a shopper and one of the farmers at the farmer’s market. She wanted to know if the veggies were organic. The farmer tried explaining that he couldn’t use that word “organic” because of the USDA rules and what not, but yes, no pesticides or unnatural fertilizers.
Fringe Festival Item: A Tactile Dinner
Weird but good. I enjoyed it.
There was an announcement that went up on the MVSQ blog about a preview for this… thing. So I went, not really knowing what to expect except that it was about food. I like food.
Food was deconstructed and the audience was the participant. No sitting back and just observing. It was a futurist meal. We “ate” beef (or mushroom if vegetarian) air, had salad (locally grown) without the aid of forks and knives, had a sugar cube course, and ended the meal with a spray of coffee or tea. Throw in some dance, and wrap it in futurism and a good time was had.
Dream Non-Profit Thread
I had another post in mind, but figured I should take a picture of the subject. So until I do, let’s play a game. I call it, “Make Up A Non-Profit”.
Pretend you’ve been given 3 million dollars to set up a non-profit that needs to last at least 5 years. The 3 mil is for operational (staffing, office rent, supplies) and other expenses (grants). And the mission can be a little off the wall or unusual. And major rule, it cannot already exist. No homeless shelters unless it’s a homeless shelter for people and their pets.
Lots of you work for non-profits, and I onced worked for a non-profit, so you know, 3 million doesn’t go very far. So what would you create?
Me? The Tom Bard Scholarship for tall guys named Tom and the “Oh Crap I Lost My Scholarship” Scholarship Fund. For people, who like me, lost their scholarship because they did something stupid like take ‘challenging’ classes their first year.
For Little/Big Boys Who Like Trucks
DC Government to Host 2nd Annual “Truck Touch” Event Sat., Jul. 11 at RFK, Lot 7
Mayor Invites Public to Free Event to Explore City Vehicles
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty invites the public to the city’s second annual
citywide “Truck Touch” event Saturday, July 11, 2009, from 10 am to 4
p.m. at RFK Stadium, Lot 7. A host of DC government agencies will
present nearly 30 vehicles-including fire and dump trucks, one-stop
mobile health and employment vans, and police vehicles-used to provide
vital city services. This is a free event.
The event will feature vehicles from the DC Departments of Public Works,
Transportation, Health, Employment Services, Parks and Recreation, and
Fire and Emergency Medical Services; and also the Homeland Security and
Emergency Management Agency, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the
DC Water and Sewer Authority. Information on various government services
also will be available.
WHAT: District of Columbia Government “Truck Touch”
WHEN: Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE: RFK Stadium, Lot 7 (off of Oklahoma Ave., NE next to the
playground)
COST: FREE
Nancee Lyons
Public Affairs Specialist
DC Department of Public Works
2000 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 671-2637, 671-0642 (fax)
www.dpw.dc.gov
Bundy School Meeting July 9th
The BACA blog has the meeting info here.
Hopefully, it will be a constructive meeting where the actual needs of Safe Shores, dog owners, and the community at large will be addressed.
What do I need? A safe block that doesn’t become a dead zone after the sun sets. P Street is a straight shot from the Giant and the G2 stops along there. The lack of life on that block is quite noticeable at night when you’re lugging groceries, which is why I no longer do that.
July 4th, not that bad
I looked at last year’s post and it seems that there has been little change, except no spent firecracker wound up on my roof this year. There was a large crowd that gathered at the corner setting off things that couldn’t have been legal.
Call the cops?
Ha, ha, you’re funny.
It looked like there were fireworks being set off in the direction of the Cook school and somewhere in Bloomingdale. I was on the ground, so I couldn’t tell. Big and very, very loud fireworks went off on my corner. No one set off anything in front of their houses, nor the alley. And it was less smokey than last year, however there was that eau de gunpowder smell lingering in the air the next day.
Our great BACA leader Jim Berry sent out an email about a post-firework clean up on Sunday and I did see people the day after picking up trash. Speaking of BACA there isn’t a meeting today, but rather July 13th. The winners of the BACA Flower Power walk are to be announced and awarded then.