Keep It Quiet
Dear Speed Racers:
Imagine a car race so loud that the noise can be heard ten miles
away. Oh wait, you don't have to imagine it; you'll be able to hear it
yourself in two months. The National Grand Prix/American Le Mans Series
race at RFK Stadium on July 19-21 will break every noise and air
pollution regulation in the District and the Metropolitan region -- the
cars have no mufflers, no catalytic converters, and belch gas emissions
straight into the air -- during the height of what is normally our code
red air pollution days of summer. Dorothy wrote about the environmental
problems with the race last September, when it was first announced
(“Start Your Engines,” at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2001/01-09-05.htm).
In the intervening eight months, the city government has simply ignored
all of the environmental issues; it has not done the environmental
impact statement that is required by city and federal laws, and it will
probably hold the race without submitting any EIS for public review.
The Williams administration, true to its usual practice of making the
important decisions behind closed doors and in secret, still refuses to
release the ten-year contract with the race organizers that the city
signed months ago, and it continues to keep the neighborhoods around RFK
Stadium in the dark about its plans. In this case, however, the
administration has gone even further than usual -- it hasn't even
bothered with its usual pretense of listening to citizens by having the
Office of Planning hold irrelevant and inconsequential public meetings.
The Washington Post finally woke up to this issue with Serge
Kovaleski's good article on Monday (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8232-2002May12.html).
Let's hope that this late alarm wakes up the local and national
environmental organizations, and impels them to help the citizens of the
River Terrace, Kingman Park, and Capitol East neighborhoods, who of
course are much less important to our city's government than sports
promoters.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Well, we now know that Marriott has, in effect, bought up the entire
eastern flank of the new Convention Center. Funny. I seem to recall all
those fulsome commitments from both the usual suspects in both the
public and private sector about how the residents of the neighborhoods
immediately adjoining the convention center would still be there once
this monstrous urban Pharaonic exercise was completed.
I cannot pin down the particulars, but the fallout is also beginning
to roll northward from our own little
Ground-Zero-on-the-Installment-Plan with the new owners of Giant Food
having snapped up the O Street Market. As a third-generation
African-American Washingtonian (I don't use the word 'native' because we
already insult the Indians enough), I am reminded of a joke I heard some
years back: “They all got together West of the Park last night and
agreed to make the Official Announcement today that, 'No, there is no
“Plan.”'”
###############
Praise for a DC Council Staffer
Joan Eisenstodt, jeisen@aol.com
I posted a note in themail about frustration in dealing with the
District about a dead tree, a crosswalk that wasn't marked (and a stop
sign that wasn't visible) and other neighborhood problems. Alec Evans,
in Phil Mendelson's office, saw my post and moved . . . well, not
mountains but trees! The dead tree is gone. We miss it and hope to
replace it with something for shade this summer, but no more do we fear
falling limbs. The crosswalk is complete, and the other stuff is in the
works. Alec is now an honorary member of our block and deserves applause
from all in the District for doing what others didn't offer to do and
what we on the block have tried to accomplish for years. Bravo Alec!
###############
At Thomas Circle and Massachusetts to the left side of the Capital
City Church, there is a red arrow signal for cars. I assume this to mean
there is no right turn on a red arrow onto Massachusetts Avenue. The
pedestrians have a walk signal. More times than I care to tell, I have
been practically run over by a car that does not stop for the red arrow,
or may stop and then turn onto Massachusetts. Isn't this illegal? I
thought a red arrow meant no turn.
###############
A DC Family Whose Contributions We Enjoy
Mark David Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
The Noyes family in the history of DC seems fascinating. On May 9,
1976, The Washington Post published, “A Tale of Two
Families,” by Stephen Klaidman, about how Crosby Stuart Noyes and
Samuel H. Kauffman parlayed an investment of $33,333.33 in “a fledging
newspaper called The Evening Star,” and over four generations
turned it into "one of the most successful and solidly respectable
dailies in America." After 100 years, the Star was near ruin
— but provided a century of “the stock for a rich sociological
stew.” Klaidman called Crosby Noyes “the dynastic founder.” I have
been reading about the work of Crosby Noyes' two sons, Theodore and
Frank, and like the two concepts they together highlighted: rights and
responsibilities. These Noyes brothers led two important DC campaigns
— the campaign to pass a Constitutional amendment for national voting
rights, which eventually resulted in the 23rd Amendment, and the
campaign to build the DC World War Memorial in West Potomac Park, where
you can picnic under impressive shade trees today.
Theodore Noyes focused on DC's rights, both economic and political,
and worked unremittingly as long as he lived. He was the original
promoter of the DC’s citizens association movement, an early member of
the Washington Board of Trade, and was a longtime president of the
Association of Oldest Inhabitants. He became a reporter on The
Washington Star in 1877. In 1888, he argued for a DC Constitutional
amendment for national voting rights. His amendment proposal avoided the
issue of self-government, for which he is sometimes criticized today. He
was Editor-in-Chief from 1908 until his death. In 1915, he formed the
Citizens Joint Committee on Fiscal Relations between DC and the Federal
Government and in 1916 he formed and led the Citizens’ Joint Committee
on National Representation for the District of Columbia, composed of
about thirty local organizations. He wrote a book titled Our National
Capital and Its Un-Americanized Americans. World Wars I and II
slowed the amendment campaign, but Noyes never failed to highlight the
need to “Americanize” DC residents. Historian John Clagett Proctor
was friends with and wrote a poem honoring Mr. Noyes in 1938 at a dinner
honoring his 80th anniversary. The 23rd Amendment eventually passed,
granting DC residents the right to vote for three electors for
President, equal to the number granted to the least populated state —
fourteen years after his death on July 4, 1946. It was far short of his
intent because it did not include voting rights in the Senate and House
(an important lesson about amendments). Mr. Noyes left the income from a
$25,000 trust for DC suffrage, which was used for the campaign to pass
the amendment. He wrote, “I create this trust in order to continue to
participate in a small way even after my death in the campaign for
District national representation, because I am convinced no other
legislation is so essential to the welfare of the men and women of my
home community.” A plaque was presented on behalf of his service in
1963 to the central branch of the DC Public Library at 8th and K.
Theodore was instrumental in opening the Washington Zoo and in
establishing a free public library for the city — a library that in
2003 will open as DC's City Museum.
###############
Tuition Grant Logic
Susan Ousley, Slousley@aol.com
From a DC Tuition Grant Program poster: “Eligible students must
have graduated . . . and have begun his or her freshman year of college.
. . .”
###############
Another Nail in the Coffin
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
Just when you think that the DC Public School System has reached the
bottom, you find the hole getting deeper. In an announcement, this week
the school system has announced that, because they overspent their
budget this year, the largest majority of kids who need Summer School
will be out of luck. Fewer than half the 20000 kids who attended Summer
School in DC last year will be able to do so this summer. This, in spite
of studies that show that a five-week summer school program is effective
and, nationwide, is being rapidly expanded. Here is another DC agency
that is not in control and cannot provide the services needed by the
kids in the District.
The other announcement, this one by the President, is that he will
support single-sex schools. This is something that will really work (in
spite of the ACLU's opposition). Single-sex schools, particularly at the
secondary level, enable the students to focus on what they are doing in
the classroom. The posturing and distractions of having the other sex in
the classroom disappear and more real teaching and learning take place.
I hope that some of the DC schools will convert and offer, on a
voluntary basis, the opportunity to attend these single-sex schools.
###############
Only a few weeks ago themail contributors were lamenting that neither
the Mayor nor Councilmembers were facing any serious challengers this
year. Now that Erik Gaull is reported to be planning to challenge
incumbent Ward 3 Councilmember Patterson, Ed T. Barron heaps abuse on
him.
Democracy only works for the voters if there is some doubt about who
will win an election. Let's hold the coronation until we see what Erik
has to offer.
###############
Actually Ed, Kathy Patterson's the one with the gall to run for a
third term after casting her self-serving vote last spring repealing the
1994 initiative on term limits supported by 62 percent of DC voters, and
after vigorously supporting Mendelson's ridiculous redistricting plan
that violated nearly every principle of redistricting the Council said
it would follow. Patterson's the one with the gall to place her judgment
over the will of 84,000 DC voters seeking term limits and over the will
of thousands of her own Chevy Chase neighbors who pleaded with her to
keep their community in one ward.
###############
I Vote for a Ward 3 Election
Alan Schwartz, arsdc@yahoo.com
I can't decide whether to laugh or cry at Ed Barron's remark that
Erik Gaull is on a fool's errand to challenge Kathy Patterson for the
Ward 3 Council seat. Barron says she should win easily; he protests too
much. What is he afraid of? The Jarvis syndrome? Patterson already voted
to repeal term limits, maybe Barron would go a step further and not have
elections at all. Barron may not have heard of Erik Gaull before, but a
lot of us in Ward 3 never hear back from Kathy Patterson when we ask for
her to stand up for us. When we do hear from her, it is usually to
dismiss our concerns. She was especially good at this during last year's
redistricting fiasco, and, of course, she thinks she knows better on the
“big issues” like term limits. Ugh.
###############
Parking in DC Sucks
Mark Richards, mark@bisconti.com
It is clear. Parking in DC sucks. I, like Wendy Stengel who posted a
parking rant in the last issue of themail, had a car for the first
couple years in DC. I was so infuriated so many times that I actually
decided to rid myself of the troublemaker, and haven’t had one since.
But sometimes people need to have a car. (Not everybody wants to arrive
at their next appointment sweating from their bike ride, now, do they?)
My issue is parking garages -- there aren’t enough of them. From a
market point-of-view, this doesn’t make sense, does it? Is the issue
the cost of parking? There seems to be a monopoly. I can imagine
building parking lots under things and can think of one ballpark in my
neighborhood that would be a good place to put an underground lot. The
people who live around this area and who are constantly looking at the
license plates to try to estimate how many Virginia and Maryland tags
are taking their potential spaces, could buy yearly spaces, and many
would thank the Buddha in some new yearly rite. What did Barney Frank
say? People in his area know he is responsible for a bridge or
something, so they reelect him every year and he gets to do what he
wants on other issues. Parking — the new frontier in DC electoral
politics.
###############
James Treworgy repeats the Dick Armey/Washington Times propaganda
about red light cameras being installed at intersections where the
yellow lights have been shortened in order to trap motorists. I'd be
curious to know which DC locations Mr. Treworgy could identify where
that is the case. From everything I've read and heard, the cameras were
installed at those intersections that have had the greatest number of
traffic fatalities over the years. Guess it depends on how one defines
public safety.
###############
Security and Protecting Historic Documents
Mark Richards, mark@bisconti.com
I’ll have to say that I’ve observed the same thing as Paul
Williams regarding security at MLK. You really can carry your cell phone
through the metal detector? The Washingtoniana collection is great, and
people who work there are very nice and helpful, but I don’t think
they have the staff they really need. All types of people use the
library, and that is an understatement. At the Arlington County Central
Library, there is no security guard, but there are some sort of
detectors at the entrance on at least one side that go off periodically
due to the weather. I set it off not long ago and dutifully read the
sign and went to the desk to report the incident, but they weren’t
very concerned (that’s how I learned about the humidity issue). Their
library is very nice and well kept; fairly new. Many of the original
county records are in Richmond. The National Archives probably sets the
standard when it comes to protecting historical documents one would like
to have available in 200 years . . . the paper in the photocopy machine
has National Archives written on it, so it would be hard to confuse a
copy with an original, and the people at the front desk actually look
for the seal. Other rules are very strict and enforced. I marvel and
LOVE the fact that we have a tradition of keeping many records for the
curious people who appear down the road. It is no small pleasure to hold
a Memorial sent to Congress by DC citizens in 1803 with hundreds of
original signatures.
###############
I received this from Plez Jenkins, the head of MLK Security, in
response to my triad over lack of security at MLK in the last issue of
themail. While I'm impressed that he responded, I'm also disappointed
that he didn't address the lack of anyone at the machine that I have
documented eight times in the past few months. Also, I believe the
sensitivity of the machine should sound an alarm when I have a large
cache of coins, pens, electronic equipment, and the like . . . much
larger combined than a specific illegal item that he claims his machine
can detect. In any event: his response:
“First, I want to say since my arrival approx. 3 yrs ago this
department has made great strides in training, customer service, and
overall its professionalism. These officers who you refer to as being
'pathetic' on a daily basis go out of their way to help our customers.
Be it a handicap person who is unable to clean-up themselves in a
restroom to preventing a verbal argument from turning into a physical
assault, these devoted (not highly paid) servants work very hard at
maintaining the peace. There is not a week that passes that they are not
threatened, or put in harms way in carrying out their duties. Secondly,
this detection system that you say allows you to bring in keys, watches,
etc. My comment to you is none of these items are illegal. My equipment
is set-up to prevent illegal weapons from entering, not nickels and
other such items. I do admit it is a challenge to maintain balance in
terms of sensitivity levels that do not make overly unbearable for the
customer.
“Lastly, we are proud that we are able to maintain an environment
that is relatively safe of violent crime. As always we do seek to
improve. That's why I would like to extend and invitation to you to
visit my department at earliest convenience so that any other issues or
concerns can be conveyed in person rather through E-mail. Sincerely,
Plez Jenkins, Head, Security Department”
###############
Self-Government and Other Values
William Haskett, gollum@earthlink.net
I listened to Mr. Gandhi, the District's Chief Financial Officer, at
the monthly meeting of the Palisades' Citizens' Association the other
evening. I heard what he said about the District's favorable financial
situation at the moment (we have a little more than $200 million in
cash) but at the same time can only hope that Congress will give us $400
million in Federal Payment.) The two most expensive parts of the coming
budget are "health" costs, and education (especially special
education for students with a variety of learning disabilities) which
together take up 40 percent of the budget.
I asked whether it was not obvious that the District, as presently
populated and taxed could not afford the putative costs of statehood.
This means that several state functions are, I believe, carried by the
Federal government under arrangements worked out with the former Control
Board. At least some departments of the District government are still in
receivership, I believe, to underscore this proposition. At the same
time, the District government is required by its own constitution (as
well as by law) to present to Congress a balanced budget, defined as one
where expected income precisely offsets projected costs. The product of
this convergent series of hopes, expectations and calculations is
either: a District government which is bound to be bankrupt, sooner or
later; or a tax-burden which must be higher than it is now and placed as
a simple cost on the District's present population.
This combination has enormous repercussions upon the future, upon
relations with Congress, and upon who can afford to live in the
District. Statehood without some fundamental alteration in the terms of
at least some elements of this puzzled equation can solve nothing.
Indeed, it merely sharpens the dilemmas. Until we have some prospect of
an answer to some of these questions. . . . I leave it to your readers
to finish the sentence.
###############
Constitutional Amendments
Michael Bindner, mbindnerdc at aol dot com
The proposed constitutional amendment we have been discussing must
have a “statehood/retrocession” escape clause, so that it is
automatically repealed in case of either.
###############
Easier Compared to What?
Timothy Cooper, Worldright@aol.com
Mr. Sobelsohn's argument against the Equal Constitutional Rights
Amendment (ECRA) boils down to this: DC statehood and DC retrocession to
Maryland are legislatively easier to accomplish than the ERCA, and
should therefore be embraced. His subjective assumption, however, belies
the objective facts. After a successful hearing in the House in 1993, DC
statehood legislation was soundly defeated along party lines in the
House of Representatives. No further hearings have been held in the
House since. Del. Norton has declined to introduce a statehood bill in
the House since 1995. There have been no hearings held on DC statehood
legislation in the US Senate -- ever. Moreover, hearings have never even
been held on DC retrocession, notwithstanding a bill introduced each
year since 1992 in the House of Representatives by Rep. Ralph Regula
(R-Ohio). No hearings have ever been held on DC retrocession in the
Senate. As a result, it has never come up for a vote in Congress.
Significantly, though, hearings were held in both the House of
Representatives and the US Senate on two previous constitutional
amendments in support of DC voting rights (the 1960 presidential voting
rights amendment and 1978 congressional voting rights amendment). Both
amendments were then passed by majority votes in both houses, where they
enjoyed considerable bipartisan support. One of the amendments was later
ratified by the requisite number of state legislatures, the other was
not.
Viewed from an objective, historical perspective then, the
constitutional amendment appears to have enjoyed a significantly higher
success rate than either of the two alternatives posited by Mr.
Sobelsohn. This is a point worth considering as District residents
review legislative strategies for obtaining equal political rights under
law. The central point here, however, is that there is no easy way to
challenge a major constitutional inequity. Each approach will be
difficult and will require, among other things, a consensus of District
residents to make any of them workable.
###############
An Equal Constitutional Rights Amendment and Statehood would
essentially achieve the same things; keep the area now known as DC
together, provide full Congressional representation and full local
self-government. There is an important distinction between what an ECRA
and Statehood would achieve and Retrocession in that the first two keep
the area we all know (and love?) as DC as an unique area. Amongst DC
residents the slightly more popular solution seems to be Statehood, but
amongst those who have studied the Constitution, a constitutional
amendment is far and away the preferred solution. That is just my
feeling, nothing scientific. Congressmen and Congresswomen, in general,
are also keen students of the Constitution.
Theoretically statehood is easier to achieve, as it only needs a
majority of Congress. Realistically that may not be the case. Statehood
came to a vote in the House in 1993 and lost. Two amendments have so far
passed the three quarters margin of Congress needed, the 23rd amendment
(admittedly somewhat flawed) and the 1978 amendment (which only dealt
with Congressional representation). The 23rd amendment flew through the
states, the 1978 amendment did not have the backing needed. Americans
are also much more in favor of an ECRA than statehood. Mark David
Richard's poll data reveals some interesting things; 72 percent of
Americans are in favor of voting rights for DC. Of those 72 percent, 82
percent would support an ECRA and 57 percent would support statehood.
Read the full survey: http://www.dcwatch.com/richards/000412.htm.
Statehood also has a big problem with the 23rd amendment. Virtually
all proposals for statehood include shrinking the District to an area
with no population; however, this area would still have three electoral
college votes. When this issue came up in 1993 it was not dealt with
cleanly and was one of the reasons for Statehood’s defeat. A component
of any ECRA would be the repeal of the 23rd amendment. Of the six
countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, Venezuela) that
have closely copied our constitution, five (all except Australia) of
them have either have it in their constitution or ratified a
Constitutional amendment to give the capital district voting rights;
none has granted statehood. (Australia granted voting rights via
legislation.) An equal rights constitutional amendment would end up with
the District achieving the same main goals of Statehood. Many of DC's
fine, impassioned statehood advocates have said any step toward voting
rights that is not statehood is a step backward. I disagree. It's time
to try again for an ECRA, which is a real step forward and one we should
all agree on.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS -- EVENTS
Letters about Literature
Patricia Pasqual, changedc@yahoo.com
Local Winners of the Letters about Literature national essay contest
will read their award winning entries on Saturday, May 18, at 10:30 a.m.
at Borders Books and Music at 600 14th Street, NW. The contest is hosted
locally by the DC Center for the Book, the Junior League of Washington,
and Borders Books and Music. The public is invited to attend. For more
information about the event, call 727-2313.
###############
Washingtoniana Division Slide Lecture Program
May 20th!
Jerry A. McCoy, sshistory@yahoo.com
The following illustrated slide lecture will be held in the program
room of the Washingtoniana Division, Room #307, Martin Luther King Jr.
Memorial Library. We hope to see you there! “Vintage DC Postcards:
Then & Now,” Monday, May 20, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. In honor of
National Postcard Week (May 5-11), Jerry A. McCoy will present a slide
lecture of vintage postcards depicting downtown Washington, DC,
establishments and the sites as they look today.
###############
Spruce Up at Ft. Bayard Park
Maria Alonso-Vazquez, malonso@pf.com
Friends of Fort Bayard Park, Inc., invites all neighbors to its third
annual park spruce up this Saturday, May 18, from 9 to 11 a.m. The park
is located at the intersection of River Road and Western Avenue in
Northwest DC. Please bring work gloves and clippers. For more
information, please call Tad DiBiase at 514-7679.
###############
Fight for the Blues tradition; maintain the Blues mission. Keep
CareFirst nonprofit! Health Care Now! opposes the conversion because it
threatens increased premiums, loss of coverage for thousands, closure of
open enrollment, and increased ranks of the uninsured. There is no
public benefit, only windfall profits for management and shareholders.
Let the DC Council and the DC Insurance Commission hear from you at
public hearings at 1 Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, on Wednesday,
May 22, and Thursday, May 28, at 6:00 p.m. For more information, call
Health Care Now!, 452-5999.
###############
TasteDC.com’s Mid-May/June 2002 Calendar of
Wine and Food Events
Charlie Adler, wine@tastedc.com
1) June 4, Tuesday, “Great Steak and Wine Out at Nick and Steph's
Steakhouse” 601 F Street, NW, at MCI Center, 7-9 p.m., $55/person, tax
and tip inclusive. If you love great steak and wine, you're going to
love this event! We've rented out Nick and Steph's Steakhouse for a
night of food samplings off their menu and lots of wine to taste as
well. You'll get to taste a wide variety of steaks as well as barbecued
shrimp and the whole assortment of side dishes, and don't forget their
12 sauces: Hollandaise, Bearnaise, tomato-chile chutney, Napa red wine,
lemon-garlic compound butter, olive tapenade, pepper trilogy, world of
mustards, roasted garlic and extra virgin olive oil, field mushroom,
creamy horseradish and caramelized onion nage, and soya-lemon ginger.
Please note this is a stand-up/reception style event, no seating. You
can also check out their web site at http://patinagroup.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00464.28.2668561688615646167.
2) June 11, Tuesday, “Wine Basics 101,” Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 2121
P St., NW, limited valet parking, Metro Dupont Circle (Red Line), 7-7:30
p.m. reception, 7:30-9 p.m. tasting, $40 per person. Washington, DC's
most popular wine tasting: over 4,000 people have attended this event in
our five-year history! 3) June 18, Tuesday, “Cocktails 101: Drinks for
Summer!” Ozio Restaurant and Lounge, 1813 M St., NW, Metros: Farragut
North or Dupont Circle (Red Line) within three blocks, 7-9 p.m., $40.
All new drinks! Learn how to make and taste ten different cocktails, all
produced by Ozio's experienced bartender! We'll be making and tasting
mixed drinks for entertaining and sipping outdoors in the heat.
Reservations: https://labyrinth.dgsys.com/clients/tasteusa.com/order.cgi?X_DC
or telephone 333-5588 ($5 surcharge per person for telephone
reservations).
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
House Sitting Position Wanted
Jerry Williamson, Jerry.Williamson@dc.gov
I need a place to live. Will house sit for the summer.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
I would not recommend the following moving company -- Smooth Movers.
They were to move a my fiance on Thursday April 25th, and were to show
up between 12 and 1 p.m. They called him at noon to say they'd be late,
that the job they were working on was taking longer than they planned.
They never called my fiance back again. I called them and finally got
hold of them. I said we could not do it that evening, as our storage
unit closed at 7 p.m. sharp. I spoke with the owner himself, who said he
would give me $10 off per hour (from $85 to $75) if I gave him my
business. Since my back was against the wall, I rescheduled him for
Monday the 29th. They arrived at 9:30 instead of 9 a.m. They started
taking stuff out of the apartment and stacking it in the hall, which is
a very serious fire hazard. They did not have written on the top the
hourly change from $85 to $75, but when I talked to one of them on his
cell phone he said that he'd honor it since I "sounded like an
honest lady." They then accused us of not telling them the delivery
address; my fiance pointed out that it was written right at the top of
their work order. They did not have directions to get to the storage
unit and had no idea how to get there. When they were instructed to
follow my fiance closely and stay in the right lane, they flew over two
lanes of traffic on the Key Bridge. Telephone calls made by me from 9:45
a.m. until they were through at 1:30 p.m. were unanswered on two
telephone numbers. I was told that the owner was on vacation in Florida.
I would not recommend these people for all the aggravation they caused
and I feel they are extremely unprofessional.
###############
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