Crime Initiative

Note: Please continue to be the extra eyes and ears on your block for the Metropolitan Police Department. Call the Office of Unified Communication’ s (OUC) non-emergency hotline (3-1-1) to report suspicious activity and nuisance issues in our neighborhoods, and dial (9-1-1) for emergencies. Remember, neither of these phone lines are answered by police officers, they are answered by the city’s OUC operators, who dispatch calls to either fire or police services.
Around the country, 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 calls are prioritized and responded to, based on life-threatening emergencies. So if it takes a little longer to respond to a non-emergency call, you will know the reason.

THIS WEEKEND’S CRIME INITIATIVE:

This weekend’s crime initiative (which kept more than 3,000 sworn and civilian staff on the city’s streets during 12-hour shifts) was not just about cracking down on crime. It was also about getting to know members of the community and having officers (whose police beats (PSAs) include patrolling their neighborhoods) work in partnership with the people they serve.

This past weekend, MPD engaged in:

– community cookouts,

– open houses at police districts,

– community walks,

– outdoor roll calls,

– vehicle compliance checkpoints (similar to road blocks),

– CSOSA accountability tours (checking on the status and compliance of former inmates who are on probation in our neighborhoods) ,

– conducting search warrants in connection with recent crimes,

– DUI Enforcement,

– youth summits,

– bike registrations,

– joint patrol programs [i.e. Assisted with compliance checks with members of the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA)]

– visits with the local Boys & Girls Clubs & Recreation Centers,

– posted materials in the community to promote next week’s Last Day of School/Summer of Safety program,

– border patrol footbeats,

– registering kids for police-run summer camps,

– Asian Liaison seminar in Chinatown

– Intel mediation with local crews (formerly called gangs)

– emergency drills

– police ride-alongs (by community members)

– nuisance abatement with members of the mayor’s Core Teams.

In addition, two Commanders attended local graduations and presented special awards from MPD to teens. These awards coincide with the Chief’s Summer of Safety program, designed to give the city’s youth structured and supervised activities this summer to reduce juvenile delinquency. (4 huge last day of school/summer of safety block parties will be held this Thursday, June 14th around the city, beginning at 12noon) to continue the outreach efforts to youth (details at the bottom of this message.)

The award letters for free summer camp and summer employment with MPD were provided to students who may not ordinarily have these opportunities. The commanders (Commander Joel Maupin & Commander Robert Contee) presented the students with personal letters during their graduation ceremonies. The letters that were written by Chief Lanier and contained introductions stating the following:

Summer Employment

“It is with great pleasure that I offer you a Summer Youth Employment position with the Metropolitan Police Department for the Summer 2007. Your work will include planning events for teens, just like yourself all summer long as part of the department’s Summer of Safety Outreach to Youth program.”… …

Free Summer Camp

“It is with great pleasure that I offer you an opportunity to attend a free summer camp. You can attend a local District camp, during the summer months, beginning June 25, 2007 to August 10, 2007 or you can attend a free one-week get-away as a Camp Brown Camper.”…. .

Info about the four block parties this Thursday (June 14th) & the coordinators are below:

1) Bancroft Elementary School for Districts 2, 3, and 4. (Marco Santiago, 671-6604, Alicia Rucker, 576-7247) Sgt. Gwen Mapp (2D) will assist.

2) Hechinger Mall Parking Lot for Districts 1 and 5 (Fayette Vaughn-Lee, 698-0188)

Sgt. Yvonne Tidline (1D) will assist.

3) #14 Boys and Girls Club for the 6th District, (Benning Rd) (Officer Dixon, 698-0849)

4) Malcolm X Elementary School for the 7th District (Lendia Johnson, 698-1454)

WE WILL HAVE:

1) MORE THAN 1,000 SOS TEE SHIRTS WITH THE LOGO FOR 202-IM-BORED;

2) OVER 1,000 CANVAS BAGS,

3) FREE FOOD AND DRINKS,

4) ENTERTAINMENT (MOON BOUNCE, LIVE BANDS, DEE-JAYS, ETC.)

5) REGISTRATION FOR LOCAL POLICE CAMPS AND CAMP BROWN,

6) AN EXTENSIVE CALENDAR FROM MPD OF OVER 300 ACTIVITIES PLANNED BY LOCAL PSAS AND POLICE PARTNERS (Including exclusive visits to certain hot spots by the Skate Mobile with MPD and DPR.)

7) Summer Curfew Reminders & Info on Next of Kin Meetings.

8) THE CITY’S DC SUMMER FUN GUIDE, WITH LISTINGS OF OTHER CAMPS IN THE CITY.

9) LAST-MINUTE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (DOES).

PURPOSE: All of this (including the award letters to graduating students) will be done to show that MPD is playing a significant role in making sure youth are involved in structured summer events to reduce juvenile delinquency.

Let’s make Summer 2007 the best Summer yet for our city’s youth. Take a child under your wings this summer. We encourage members of the clergy and their congregations to pray for the city’s youth and their safety this summer. We encourage community groups to host activities that are kid-friendly; and we encourage you all to do something positive in the lives of our youth!

Share your community’s kid-friendly activities with us so that we can include them on our Summer Activity Hotline, 202-Im-Bored.

Yvonne Smith, Community Outreach

Executive Office of the Chief of Police

202-727-8809

Semi-Lazy Sunday at the Big Bear

Big Bear CafeDisclaimer: I write this owing Stu $4 plus tax.
For a place that had a soft or quiet opening it was plenty busy when I walked in. Saturday I popped by and got an iced tea and ran into some folks I knew from the Alley Cat Allies adventures with feral kittens episode. I came again Sunday morning with a newspaper and a want for hot tea. Like the day before, I ran into three sets of people I knew from the area.
The space is lovely. Even better the little outside seating area where folks with dogs can enjoy their coffee beverage in the sun. Inside, you can sit at a stand alone comfy chair, small tables or the counter. I overhead that some of the art on the wall came by a local neighborhood artist who came by and asked if the Big Bear owners needed art. Maybe this may be the start of a wonderful public art space, who knows?
Now I am not a coffee drinker. I hate the taste of it. So, I cannot judge the coffee. All I know, looking at the boards, was there were several coffee choices. I had tea, there were two black tea choices. I dislike Earl Grey, so for me, one choice of tea. I had an iced tea on my first visit, that was good. Second visit, I had hot tea. My only complaint, was the tea was too hot when I got it. But a lot of restaurants serve tea that’s way too hot in my opinion. I had it with the prosciutto and gruyere croissant, and it was good. I’d have it again. Right now the menu is limited. Hopefully, that will expand.
The hours, if I remember them right, will be 6:30AM to 7:00PM. That may change depending on how things go. After 7, the Bear will be serving as a meeting space for at least one community group, and thus closed for business. The early morning hours will allow morning commuters and early birds to stop by and pick up a cup of joe for that walk to the metro. In the middle of the day at home parents, telecommuters, retirees and you odd people with the odd work hours can hang out there an make use of the wi-fi.
I am quite curious to see how the area develops around the coffee shop. Next Sunday, the Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market will be right in front of the Bear from 10AM to 2PM, and I can see how the two can feed off each other. During the week, I wonder if lounging outdoor coffee drinkers will have any impact on the tiny triangular park between Florida and R in how residents and others use the space.

Big Bear Cafe– 1st and R St NW. Sat & Sun 7:30AM-evening, M-F 6:30AM-evening
Stu- I will repay you your money Monday after work.

Renovation 2007: Gone for broke

A number of people have mentioned that this renovation must be stressing me out. Up until last night it was just annoying…. now I’m stressed. Last night I got the latest bill. If this keeps up I’ll run out of money in two weeks.
Completely tapped out. No other reasonable sources of money. Savings, wiped out. Stock, just selling the last bits today. Piggy bank, that was raided early, it no longer exists. I maxed out on the 2nd mortgage. Relatives, the older ones are still working because they can’t afford to retire, the younger ones are young and broke. There is a ‘do not exceed’ amount in the contract, but I swear he doesn’t believe me when I tell him once he hits that amount there is no more money. None. Zip. That’s it. Pack up and go home. No, dude, really, I got nothing.
The end is sort of in sight but the problem is there are three things not in the house that is stressing me out. Toilet, bath tub and radiators. I was hoping to maybe have some money for AC as the stuff behind the walls have been put in, but now I’d be happy if I get my 3 plumbing needs.

GAS LEAK! at 3rd and R


Gas Leak at 3rd @ R
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

There is a Haz-Mat crew (orange jumpsuits) and cops and firemen all over the place. From the small band of Latino workers under a shaded tree and the small backhoe on the corner, it may seem that some construction work was going on and a gas line was hit. I wonder if the GC called 811 before digging? Anyho I had to leave the smell of gas (or something) was irritating my nose something fierce.

Drink up, it’s for the kids

Truxton Circle Happy Hour is tonight at Vegetate. I guess we are going gather upstairs near the bar. The webdudes of TruxtonCircle.org are going to pass the hat around to help fund this Saturday’s Fun Fair at 1st and Florida. The Fun Fair will have a moon bounce, hot dogs/ burgers, fire safety for the kids, and some health stuff.

Also my lousy notes from the BACA meeting is up at the supersecret site. And once again the user name is “thismeeting” and psw is “neverhappened”.

Renovation 2007: Paint

Today we are going to pick up tile I dislike. The sooner I get this over with the sooner I’m back in my house.
I am homesick. The that’s what the writing on the wall says. Of course you need a flashlight to see that writing because I wrote out my frustrations on my flat white wall…. with white semi-gloss paint. Low VOC semi-gloss paint.
I did go over to Monarch Paints to grab a gallon of their eco-friendly paint. The negative to that paint, besides being $40 a gallon, is it only comes in the lighter colors and no hi-gloss. So maybe half the house will be done with this paint.
Picking paint isn’t easy. I took two samples and tried them out and they were too dark. The first floor may wind up with 3 or four paint colors and they sort of have to work with each other and the very neutral color in the kitchen. The brick wall will be white.
I really want a nice dark blue, somewhere but I don’t know where that won’t be overwhelming. I was thinking the 1/2 bath, but when I put a sample in there it just seemed too blue. Really, really blue. Blue. Maybe if I had a lot of white shelves and the white sink and white toilet and white towels that would balance out the BLUE!
By the end of this week I will need to know what colors I’m painting the house. So far I know it is some combination of black, white, red, blue, brown and shades of gray. No purple, no lavender, and no peach. Though I really like peach, but all the peach samples I showed to co-workers look pink to them.

Curves needs women volunteers

Stolen from Scott Robert’s list:
Curves on North Capitol Street Seeks Volunteers

See this request from Karla Saunders, business owner of the Curves on North Capitol Street NW:

I’m going to be conducting a fitness study and would appreciate your posting an advert for it.
Curves on North Capitol Seeks Volunteers!

Female volunteers sought for a 21-day, 3-times-a-week, supervised study at Curves on North Capitol. Volunteers should be 25-65, not currently exercising on a regular basis, and seeking to lose 15 or more pounds.
A $20 refundable deposit is required at the beginning and will be returned at the full completion of the study. Call 202-332-2241 for more
information.

Renovation 2007: Good news, Bad news

Okay first the bad news. Whilst chatting with the contractor about tile, he mentioned with happiness and glee that my house should be completely white because they put the primer down.

Me: Oh, okay. Except that one wall upstairs in the bedroom?
Contractor: Oh, sh*t.

Then he quickly got off the phone to see if he could stop the painters. Alas, he was too late.
I know everyone and their grandma has the red brick exposed in all of its red brick glory. I wanted to be different but then thought, it might be nice to leave one wall unpainted. So much for that idea.
When we got back in contact with each other he then mentioned maybe I could paint my walls this weekend. Huh? Wha? Paint? Now? So some of you, my dear, dear, friends, have received an email calling for a paint crew. I know I will need people next weekend, as I still haven’t settled on a tile still and was planning on picking a tile this week. The contractor would like me to paint before the carpet goes in, and it would be even better if I could get to it before the wood floor comes back (HA!). I haven’t picked out a paint color for any part of the house, except the brick wall, which will be a white egg-shell or semi-gloss. Worse yet, I want to use a low voc paint, and honestly I know of two places in car-accessible Maryland where I can get it. Please if anyone knows where I can get metro-accessible eco-friendly paint inside the city that can customize the color, tell me.
The good news? As soon as the tile goes in, the toilet goes in, and I get closer to moving back into my house.