Dear PoPville

“Folks this is frightful. You read and hear about it but there’s nothing like experiencing it.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by John Sonderman

“Dear PoPville,

Not wanting to wear a mask? then please read my experience with COVID symptoms. I arrived at the emergency room at 1:30 PM in the afternoon and was told that there were no beds and there was a shortage of doctors due to critical patients arriving by ambulances. I would not get to see a doctor until 12:55 AM; nearly 12 hours later. After describing my symptoms to the doctor, a quick blood test that revealed an issue with my liver, then a CAT scan of my liver showed a blood clot. The conclusion was that I had COVID. I would have to wait several hours for a bed in the COVID unit. During my wait, I was given a COVID test. A bed opened up around 5 AM where I was transported to the COVID unit. Six hours later the COVID test showed that I was COVID negative but that I did have COVID anti-bodies meaning somewhere along the line I was exposed to COVID.

Inside my body, some infection had gone wild and the source of that infection has yet to be found. Though I was COVID negative, I did possess some of the COVID symptoms which I wish to share with you readers so you’d understand the experience I endured. When you read about COVID symptoms, there will be a mention of headaches, body aches, chills, fever, and sweats all of which I possessed. When you read the list, it sounds routine as if one had the flu but now let me described what those words actually mean: (more…)

“Registering a Used Vehicle in DC during COVID??”

By Prince Of Petworth

Ed. Note: We spoke about a similar situation in the beginning of June but things appears to have worsened as I continue to get many queries similar to the one below.

“Dear PoPville,

My partner recently purchased a used motorcycle from an individual and is now trying to get it registered. DC DMV is saying they are operating on an appointment only basis, but appointments are not available until December. We called 311 and connected us to the DMV who informed us our only options are to make sure to park the vehicle not on a public road and to keep checking the system for canceled appointments. (more…)

“Has anyone not been receiving their mail regularly the last few weeks?”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by slatifolia

“Dear PoPville,

Has anyone not been receiving their mail regularly the last few weeks? I just found out why. I went into the post office to drop off something I needed to send out because the mail carrier hasn’t come for the last three days. I asked to file a complaint and to get my mail and they told me that a new postmaster general was appointed by the Administration recently and apparently will not approve overtime for carriers. When the carriers asked what they should do if they can’t get the mail delivered by 5 pm, the answer was to “not deliver the mail and bring it back to the post office.” The station manager said they are encouraging people to write their cogressmen/women about the issue.”

Another reader writes:

“I have no idea who or how to report this but we have not received mail in over a week on our 100 U St NE block despite daily emails from USPS showing me pics of the mail ‘scheduled’ to be delivered.”

“I am offering a $25 and/or several adult beverages on our front porch as a reward for the safe return of this hydrangea.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

WANTED: Plant Theft Caught on Camera. I need to preface this post by saying that this is a bit tongue in cheek. There are genuinely horrendous crimes committed across this city and nation daily, especially against our neighbors, friends, and family members that are people of color. This is a petty and ridiculous crime, but this man deserves some mild ridicule from his community for what he did.

Neighbors, even our plants are not safe these days:

At 2:53 AM on Wednesday, this man, approximately 30 years old, beard, wearing a polo shirt, baseball hat, and shorts that say, “I don’t care how I look, even when stealing plants,” walked through our gate and ripped a hydrangea out of the ground in our front yard. The bluish/purple hydrangea, weighing in about 15-20lbs (root ball and all), was last seen being dragged westbound on T ST NW.

Pictures are attached, but the videos are way better: (more…)

“I don’t know if this Dad will see this. But if he does, you made me smile and gave me hope.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

As I was out grabbing lunch Saturday, a protest against police violence was coming up 14th. Cops were closing streets, redirecting traffic, and the chants of “No racist police” echoed over the sirens.

As I walked up 14th, I saw a man speaking to his young daughter as she sat in her stroller watching the protest. I didn’t hear their whole conversation, but I heard the words “Isn’t this cool . . . In other countries, you couldn’t do this.” (more…)

“I was verbally assaulted by a man because I asked him to keep his distance on the sidewalk”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

30 minutes ago [around 1:30pm] I was verbally assaulted by a man because I asked him to keep his distance on the sidewalk- he was not wearing a mask [in Meridian Hill/Malcolm X park.] He replied with “What did you say B*tch” and “I will kill you.” I was so scared that I started running. He started running after me. Then I turned around and said, “how dare you say that.” A young man man got in the middle and told him to calm down but I was so scared for my life, I was seeing tunnel vision that I sprinted off – to later collapsed and start crying. I want to report this first, to see if one of your readers was the young man with a dog that tried to stop the attack so that he could maybe help identify the crazy man. Second, to warn other women, to be aware no matter what neighborhood, and no matter what time of day. Anti maskers are among us and they are angry.”

Ed. Note: If you are the man with the dog please email me at [email protected] and I’ll put you in touch with OP.

“I’ve tried to join but have been rejected twice because I live two blocks outside of their defined boundaries”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Has anyone here become a member of the Capitol Hill listServ “Moms on the Hill”? I’ve tried to join but have been rejected twice because I live two blocks outside of their defined boundaries, but they share posts from families in Chevy Chase and Bethesda. I can’t help but wonder if they’re just actually trying to keep their “community” free of very specific demographics.” (more…)

“Missed Connection — Good Samaritan”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Jim Havard

“Dear PoPville,

This past week, I was lost in thought on an early Monday morning run near the Mall when I tripped and came down hard on the sidewalk (2020, man). A nice man happened to be running by and stopped to help me up. He offered to walk me to the nearest fire station to get the wounds cleaned up, waited with me, and then walked me most of the way home. (more…)

“Does the PoPville Community have any dentists they recommend?”

By Prince Of Petworth


I just love this name

“Dear PoPville,

I saw you have a dental appointment and it made me wonder. Does the PoPville Community have any dentists they recommend? Bonus points if they focus on TMJ or cosmetic dentistry as I have done a number to my teeth from stress grinding over the years!”

Probably time for a refresh from our recs done in 2018 here.

“How do we get them to understand that what they see as an innocuous bag of fertilizer is infringing upon us?”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Miki Jourdan

“Dear PoPville,

For the past few months, with both the heat and our working from home, we’ve been noticing a foul, poop-like odor coming from the front yard. It’s overwhelming, and because of it we haven’t been able to enjoy the outdoors. We couldn’t quite figure out what it was; after searching a bit, we discovered that the neighbors had a bag of organic fertilizer in their yard, hidden from our sight, behind the wall we share with them. They’re never next door, and we haven’t ever spoken with them. We know that they’ve rented their basement out in the past because we’ve talked to their tenants (who, since then, have seemingly moved out). (more…)

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