Author: Mari

There is nothing to knock down your pride about your hood when you talk to other people and they give you this blank stare, as if you mentioned some rare medical disease, when you say “I’m from Shaw.”
Stare.
Then I go to explain where Shaw is and there is a slight effort to try to map it out in their heads. This is more depressing when the people you are talking to are other Washingtonians.
Suburbanites I can totally understand. Really, I do the same thing. My excuse is most of suburbia lacks a metro, thus I don’t go there. So anything along Quaker Lane in VA, I got no clue. Seminary Road. I’ve heard of it. I think there is a seminary on it. Duke Street? Yes, I know Duke Street, well at least the parts near the King Street metro, and Nora Bombay’s condo. Rockville Pike? Just the parts near Grovsner and White Flint. My familiarity with MD has more to do with having the stable of friends & family with cars living out there.
Maybe we gotta do more PR work to help suburbanites and Washingtonians who know nothing past 16th Street, NW. Maybe throw in phrases like, “There is a great play over in Shaw at the Studio Theater.” Or, “I’m going to Shaw to catch M.I.A. at the 9:30 Club.”

Okay kids, don’t hang out in front of my house, late at night, talking loud, ’cause I’ll write about you.
One of the neighborhood teenage kids was hanging out last night (within curfew) with two of his school associates out on the sidewalk. Maybe the nature of their discussions was the reason why they weren’t in front of neighborhood kid’s (NK) house.
From what I could make out (ah the joy of a house with no insulation) was NK’s friends was trying to convince him that he should join up with them for his own protection against other gangs of kids who would jump him. NK was evasive and confident that he could handle his own.
The funny thing is these kids no older than 16 were calling each other ‘son’. I realize that ‘son’ is a form of address used by popular rap artists. But really, what are you? 15? 14? Calling someone son? Well it is at least better than the ‘N’ word. But they were using a lot of that too.
Anyway, I digress. NK’s mom has stepped in before to shoo gang recruiters, like the kids hanging out, away. I think, observing NK, that she has possibly instilled in him a good reason to rebuff his little gang friends.

Shaw Main Streets, in conjunction with Georgetown University Law Center’s Harrison Institute for Public Law, will present the fourth in a series of Small Business Development Workshops on 10 consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6:30PM to 8:30 PM, beginning on October 4, 2005 at the Kennedy Recreation Center, 1401 7th Street, NW.
Topics covered will include:
* Developing Your Business Plan
* What Type of Business Entity to Form
* Getting Capital
* Finding, Leasing, and Buying Space
* Hiring Employees
* Permits, Licenses, Insurance, and Taxes
* Basic Accounting
* Marketing
Two graduates from the class held this spring have already opened new businesses. Perhaps you’ll be the workshop’s next success story. There is no charge to enroll in the class. A $25 materials charged will be collected upon acceptance into the program. Similar classes cost $250 or more. Advance registration is required.
Enrollment is limited, so register today! Attendance is required in order to receive a certificate of completion.
For more information or to register, call Shaw Main Streets at 202-265-SHAW or email info@ShawMainStreets.com.

Alex

Alexander M. Padro
Commissioner, ANC 2C01
1519 8th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3205
Voice: 202-518-3794
Fax: 202-518-0078
Email: PadroANC2C@aol.com
Website: www.members.aol.com/PadroANC2C

Gas is going up and this is one of the few moments when I’m happy not to be dependent on a car. Of course the high price of gas makes everything that has to get shipped here via truck & plane higher, but I don’t fret over the daily changes in the price of gas.
I am thankful that there is a grocery store blocks from the house to complain about. Thankful that there is a bus system that can get me from various parts of the city streaming through the hood. Even more thankful for a subway system. Basically, thankful for all the things here that make it so I haven’t needed to own a car for over 10 years.

From Jim

Neighbors,

A series of initiatives are being contemplated for implementation this year by the BACA on behalf of the elementary-aged children who attend John F. Cook School. In the past, you have been asked to donate book bags and other school supplies to give to neighborhood children for use at the beginning of the school year. However, this year we thought it might be useful to take another approach to this situation.

Specifically, we ask that you purchase a number of composition books, some three hole ruled paper, and boxes of pencils to donate to John F. Cook School for use by the children throughout the course of the academic year.
All too often, book bags and other materials are made available to needy children at the beginning of the year, but these essential resources become in short supply as the semester and the year wears on.

So, we will accept donations of these items (again, composition books, three hole ruled paper and boxes of pencils) at every monthly meeting of the Bates Area Civic Association, Inc. throughout the year. For those of you who don’t have children, now is a good time to purchase these items fairly cheaply because of the annual sales that normally accompany the opening of school each year.

It is our hope that this admittedly small, yet signficant, gesture of support for our neighborhood kids will eventually translate into a closer relationship between community residents and the school as well as an enhanced belief on the part of the students that we are seriously interested and invested in their productive educational growth and development.

So, please remember to bring your donations to the next BACA meeting on 9/12/2005!

Best,

Jim Berry
BACA

NEIGHBORHOOD HAPPY HOUR ON FRIDAY, SEPT 2 TO BENEFIT
RED CROSS RELIEF EFFORT FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE
KATRINA

Dear Neighbors,
You are invited to a attend a neighborhood happy hour
to benefit the Red Cross relief effort for the victims
of Hurricane Katrina. As you know, the hurricane left
many people homeless and they need help. Details are
as follows:

Event: Happy Hour to Benefit Red Cross Relief Effort
Date: Friday, September 2, 2005
Time: 7 pm to 10 pm
Location: 2211 First Street, NW
Suggested Minimum Donation: $20

A representative from the Red Cross will be present to
accept the donations, which can be made by check
payable to the American Red Cross.

In addition, the following businesses have pledged to
match the funds our community raises at this event:
* XM Satellite Radio
* Douglas Development
* CRA Urban

Hosted by:
Andrew Acker
Corey Potter and Anson Harrison
David Lippe and Valentine Garcia
Sara Kaufman and Gordon Errington
Shane Wolfe

Why is the store a tad busier at 8:30am on a Saturday? Or is it just me? I go to the Giant early in the morning on Saturdays to get my weekly groceries and to avoid lines. I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but it seems busier. The lines seem longer. Not crazy long, going halfway down the aisle long, but longer than usual.
If I’m not imagining things and the lines are getting longer at the Giant, I guess more people are shopping there. It could be a consequence of gentrification or greater density residential buildings popping up in various parts of Shaw? I know we all don’t go to the Whole Foods for regular shopping. I don’t. Love the products, hate the prices. So maybe two Shaw grocery stores might not be enough.
Hopefully a new Safeway, slated to pop up on the other side of the road of death I call New York Ave in the NoMa area will get built and take some of the pressure off the Giant. Yet if I’m reading it right, that won’t be until 2008. Doesn’t do me any good now. And besides, they keep building these condos and apartments with people, and at some point, they too will want to buy groceries.
I guess I could always go the route of Peapod, but the store is right there. A short walk, an even shorter bike ride. I’ll just bring a book, and read while waiting to get rung up.

Addition:
Thinking some more I guess all those new apartment and condo dwellers along Mass Ave and over in Gallery Place gotta pick up milk, TP, salad somewhere. I wonder if the grocery stores in Dupont and Shaw are enough to support them? Then what of new projects to come that will add even more people?

OT Addition:
I’ve added a charity to the side there. Being episcopalian, I chose Episcopal Relief and Development. There is also a link to the New York Times’ list of other charitable organizations helping the vicitms of Hurricane Katrina.

Also from Jim

Neighbors,

Saturday, October 22, 2005 is being looked at as the date of Octoberfest 2005. As you may recall, the Octoberfest tradition was established last year and, speaking for those of us who were in attendance at the day’s events, I feel it safe and accurate to say that a good time was had by all.

Inasmuch as the proposed date of this activity is rapidly approaching, please let me know if you are interested in being a member of the planning committee for the event as soon as possible. There is much work to be done between now and 10/22/2005, if we are to match last year’s success.

Best,

Jim Berry
BACA

From Jim

Neighbors,

I have just been asked to provide a listing of sites where major illegal dumping is taking place in my Single Member District because the city is considering a plan to put up cameras in certain sites around town in order to catch the violators. I have been told that I need to provide this information to the “powers that be” by tomorow afternoon. I would like your input into the compilation of this list, so please forward your recommendations to me as soon as possible.

Thanks in advance for your assistance with this matter!

Best,

Jim Berry
ANC 5C

I’ve debated about writing on this because:
a- everybody else has
&
b- it’s not in Shaw
oh & c- the timeliness that most bloggers and MSM journalists pride themselves on, I don’t posses. It would help if I cared to be timely. I’m an archivist, the older the better.
Anyway, Nora Bombay has mentioned the place we call YuppieLand, aka Cameron Station in Alexandria VA on Duke Street, which used to be a military barrack, now expensive RE. Could Walter Reed be the next YuppieLand? YuppieLand II? For one, that’s a lot of land. Cameron Station, from Nora’s window looks tiny.
The US govt would need to give it up. They might hold on to it for some department of something or another, or be a bunch of meanies and sit on it and let it rot and decay for a couple of adminstrations. Right now it’s all speculation.
It is so big I can’t imagine what could go there. If it were up to me….. theme park with 12 roller coaster rides. But no, that isn’t practical and second, it isn’t neighborhood friendly. Another idea, make it into a large park, a greenspace. Also not practical. I guess in 10 years maybe it will be a mixed development deal, with parking.