Author: PoP Sponsor (a)

Looking for a neighborhood tour with a historical twist? Eastern Market Main Street’s upcoming walking and tasting tour of Capitol Hill will feature themed libations from local restaurants, plus a glimpse of what the area was like during Prohibition.

The engaging, self-guided walking and tasting tour takes place on October 20 from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.

General admission tickets include six drink samples, a walking map of Prohibition-era locations on Capitol Hill with fun and historical facts, a commemorative cup and day-of discounts and specials from participating businesses.

With VIP status, participants will get everything in the general admission offerings plus four additional beverage tickets, entrance to a speakeasy after-party with cocktails, light appetizers and party favors.

The after-party locale will be withheld until guests arrive for event check-in. Themed costumes encouraged, but not required.

Participating businesses include Harold Black, JRINK, 3 Stars Brewing, TRUE Syrups and Garnishes, Falls Church Distillers, Beuchert’s Saloon, Hank’s Oyster Bar, Joselito Casa de Comidas, Mr. Henry’s and Republic Restoratives! The event will benefit Eastern Market Main Street, a non-profit working to support small businesses on Capitol Hill and foster a vibrant, neighborhood-serving corridor.

Get tickets and more info here.

This column in written by Randy LiVorsi, of the District Residential Group. A DC resident for 16 years, he is licensed in DC and VA. Randy holds a Masters in Organizational Management and Development and is a certified project manager with a current PMP. Each month he will dig into all things DC area real estate. He is also a General in the KISS Army, so get ready to rock and real estate all night, and party every day!

Thinking of buying but not sure what you can actually afford in the nation’s capital? This month features Part 1 of The Dig’s “What Can 500K Buy You in DC?” For the first part of this series I’ll be uncovering listings in the NW and NE quadrants of the city. October’s column will dig into SW & SE — right smack in the middle of the Fall 2018 market. Bookmark me so you can come back for more next month!

Criteria

• Max list price of 500K
• 400+ sq. ft. (square feet)
• For any condos, fee must be < $400
• Standard Sale (excludes potential foreclosures & short sales)

NORTHWEST

In Northwest, my search uncovered 63 listings. All condos — no fee simple (single family homes). No surprises there!

Let’s take a look at a few that I felt show some level of promise that all is not lost in terms of affordability in NW.

2440 16th St. NW, Unit 203

• Space: 0 Bed, 1 Bath
• List Price: $229,000
• sq. ft.: 400
• Price per sq. ft.: $572.50
• Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Features: Large windows that allow plenty of light to enter and what looks to be a beautiful view. With a modest remodel of the kitchen this unit could truly shine. Condo fee is $305. Listed by Chelsea Traylor with Redfin.

435 Kennedy St. NW, Unit #1

• Space: 2 Bed, 2 Bath
• List Price: $324,500
• sq. ft.: 895
• Price per sq. ft.: $362.50
• Neighborhood: Brightwood

Features: Off-street parking is included in the list price.. This might show better than the photos. With the right agent…”cough, cough…ahem…” (more…)

Celebrating 50 years of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Mayor’s Arts Awards are the most prestigious honors conferred by the city on individual artists, teachers, nonprofit organizations and patrons of the arts.

Artists and organizations are recognized in six categories: Excellence in Visual Arts, Excellence in Performing Arts, Excellence in Creative Industries, Excellence in Arts Education, Excellence in the Humanities and the Larry Neal Writers’ Awards.

Join Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities to recognize DC’s Creative Community on September 25 at the Lincoln Theatre starting at 7 p.m. Entry is free, but click here to RSVP.

There used to be a widely accepted formula for career success: earn a college degree, land a job and work your way up.

That’s still good advice, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. And that’s because today’s professionals, college-educated or not, are encountering a new age of job disruption that is perhaps more radical than anything before.

So what does this mean for today’s professionals?

In a world where competencies are becoming obsolete, adaptability helps you stay competitive. That means being able to regularly respond to and anticipate change by building upon existing knowledge, as well as expanding it to new areas.

“Education isn’t something that stops,” said Dr. Annie Green, a faculty member for the Artificial Intelligence Management Certificate at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. “It continues. Just like the continuous improvement of an organization, it’s the continuous improvement of a person’s knowledge, skills, and abilities.”

More and more professionals today are adopting this “continuous learning” mentality. A smaller commitment, certificate programs offer an accelerated way for professionals to stay relevant. And the higher education world is responding to these shifting demands by making certificates more accessible. Today’s certificates are as varied as the needs of the professionals who earn them.

Take Moe Tun, an engineer who earned a Certificate in Cybersecurity Strategy. Cybersecurity impacts many aspects of Tun’s job, so he assembled the information he learned into a framework, similar to those his team members use to process complex technical information outside their areas of expertise. Earning a certificate in a new subject helped him adapt to evolving technologies.

No matter the industry, motivation, or career level, one thing is clear: maintaining the status quo doesn’t cut it anymore. Today’s professionals must adapt, embrace uncharted territory, and create new ways forward — wherever they may lead.

Calling All Creatives, Visionaries and Entrepreneurs!

Join D.C.’s creative community at Ivy City Smokehouse located at 1356 Okie Street, NE on Friday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. to close out September with an unforgettable celebration highlighting D.C.’s creators and entrepreneurs!

The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature live performances by Ari Lennox and other amazing D.C. artists brought to you by Broccoli City. Additionally, there will be exhibits highlighting photography, vendors and other creative content made in the District.

As many know, D.C. has been coined as the “Capital of Creativity.” Mayor Muriel Bowser launched 202Creates in September of 2016 as a celebration of the District of Columbia’s Creative Community, Culture and Creative Economy. The month-long campaign has showcased the District’s entrepreneurial and creative community through an array of events that took place across all 8 wards.

Led by The D.C. Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment (OCTFME), the D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities (CAH) and the DC Office of  the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the citywide effort celebrates the District’s multi-billion dollar creative economy and its diverse and vibrant creative community, which includes its culinary, cosmetology and fashion industries, as well as musicians, performing artists, filmmakers, tech entrepreneurs, visual artists and production support companies.

RSVP for the 202Creates Closing Event and check out upcoming events on the 202Creates website.

Help us celebrate the “Capital of Creativity” — D.C. and build your network!

By Employment Attorney Tom Spiggle of The Spiggle Law Firm

Whistleblowers, or those who report a person or organization involved with illicit activity, will have better access to judicial hearings, according to a new law.

It was in early July 2018 that President Trump signed into law the All Circuit Review Act, allowing whistleblowers to go to any U.S. Court of Appeals they choose in order to get an appeal heard.

Prior to President Trump making it official, the allowance was part of a pilot program of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012. Now, that portion of the program has been made permanent.

Before the All Circuit Review Act was signed into law, those who were considered whistleblowers only had one option. They had to travel to Washington, D.C. in order to have their case heard by the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

This cost a great deal in time and expense, as often whistleblowers had to travel across the country just to have their case heard. That was a problem, considering that 85 percent of whistleblowers lived a great distance from Washington, D.C.

Many believe that not only will this law make it more convenient for whistleblowers who wish to appeal their case, but it will also help enforce the laws designed to protect whistleblowers.

In Washington, D.C., whistleblowers are more often than not unlikely to find the protection and justice they are entitled to. However, with different locations come different interpretations, and that could greatly benefit whistleblowers.

“This law is a step in the right direction for whistleblowers,” says Tom Spiggle of The Spiggle Law Firm. “The All Circuit Review Act will help ensure that whistleblowers across the country will have increased access to the pursuing the legal justice they deserve.”

The MSPB currently does not issue final decisions on an appeal due to the fact that it does not have a quorum. Currently the quorum needs to be made up of two members before a final decision is made and there is only one member in the quorum as it stands.

While the president of the MSPB has nominated three new members, a significant backlog has collected in the courts waiting for a quorum to be made. This new law will also give hope to those waiting to have their cases heard.