Remembering

Remembering – Master Patrol Officer Brian Gibson

By Prince Of Petworth

From MPD:

Date of Death: February 5, 1997
Rank: Officer
Age: 28
Years of Service: Seven
Marital Status: Married
Children: Two
Location of Death: Georgia and Missouri Avenue, NW

On Feb. 5, 1997, at 3 am, Officer Brian T. Gibson, 27 was ambushed and shot to death while in full uniform sitting in his marked patrol car at a traffic light outside the IBEX Nightclub at Georgia and Missouri Avenues, NW. Within three minutes after the shots were fired, members of the Fourth District apprehended Marthell Nathaniel Dean, who had been escorted from the IBEX club by an off-duty officer just prior to the shooting. Dean was found guilty of First Degree Murder and is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

And from the 4D Listserv:

We have spoken to the family of Master Patrol Officer Brian T. Gibson. They would love to have as many of you as possible join Sunday morning’s Candlelight Vigil to remember the life of their loved one and our law enforcement brother, former Fourth District officer, MPO Brian Gibson, who was tragically killed in the line of duty 15 years ago, just blocks from the station.

You are also welcomed to visit the station over the next few days to send uplifting messages to his family by signing the memorial book.

Here are the details:
Memorial: 15th Anniversary Candlelight Vigil (In Memory of MPO Gibson)
Time: 3am (gathering 20 mins early)
Date: (Sunday Morning- Feb 5th)

Location: Family, friends & colleagues will meet at 2:40am at the Fourth District Station and will walk a couple of blocks to the spot to share memories. Light reception to follow at the station, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police.

Those who are able, please set your clocks for 2am, Sunday morning for this special event.

Tree Box Memorial Marker in Mt. Pleasant

By Prince Of Petworth

A friend of mine had been telling me about a “grave marker” in Mt. Pleasant for a couple of weeks but I was finally able to check it out on Sunday. It is located on the 1700 block of Kilbourne Street, NW. I was able to speak to some neighbors who said that it was just a memorial. It is very small and very easy to walk by without noticing it. I think it is a touching tribute, though definitely the first memorial like this I’ve ever seen on a residential street.

The Origin of the Ben and Sylvia Gardner Foundation and Gerard M. Silverman Foundation

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Hugh Clarke

Ed. Note: Unfortunately Intangible Arts removed the video from his host so the PoPtrekker is no longer available.

I’d like to quickly explain why I called the Washington City Paper’s Jule Banville an idiot. You may recall a few weeks ago the City Paper launched it’s “best of” issue. I know I shouldn’t respond to this but, damn it, I can be weak at times. At any rate, Ms. Banville penned a section called the Best Ridiculous Prince of Petworth Feature [Ha! The City Paper has now deleted Jule’s post but I still have a hard copy. I sure hope they printed a reason for the retraction.] Predictably, she selected the door of the day feature, and oddly a post on the residences at Georgia Ave. For her second “ridiculous” feature, she selected PoPtrekker. While not very witty it was actually quite a compliment to be given my own section. Here’s where I have a problem with what Ms. Banville wrote:

“…he then announces that PoPtrekker is brought to us “by a generous grant from the Ben and Sylvia Gardner Foundation.”…And we have to ask: Journalists are losing their jobs faster than they can say “twitterer” and a foundation is giving money to a blogger for this?”

Well, Jule, while it is clear that you are far cooler than I am, I thought the City Paper was an actual newspaper. Even if this was an obvious attempt at a snarky piece, I imagine you could have done a quick google search on the Ben and Sylvia Gardner Foundation and you would have found – nothing. That’s because the Ben and Sylvia Gardner Foundation is not a foundation. It is a tribute to my grandparents. So keep up the good work Jule and thanks for all the attention. You’ll have to let me buy you a beer sometime so I can properly show my gratitude. And I have to ask: Do you consider yourself a journalist?

Update: The ‘Ridiculously Awesome Album Cover of the Week’ is now dedicated to the memory of my father Gerard M. Silverman – a lover of music and one with a good sense of humor. RIP.

Beloved Petworth Resident Passes: Jason Glance

By Prince Of Petworth

GLANCE JASON DOW GLANCE (Age 44) Beloved husband, son, brother, and friend to many died on Sunday, August 31, 2008, at Georgetown University Hospital from complications of colon cancer. Jason was born and spent his young life in Winston-Salem, NC. He received his undergraduate degree from New College in Sarasota, FL and his MFA in painting from George Washington University. Jason spent a year in Taiwan teaching English and then made his home in Washington DC for the past 21 years, working most recently as the graphic designer for the journals of the American Psychiatric Association. Jason was a gifted painter who also enjoyed playing the flute, saxophone, and the piano. He also amassed an impressive collection of jazz and classical recordings and his knowledge of jazz of the 20’s to the 50’s was extraordinary. Jason was cofounder of a neighborhood magazine, the Grant Circular, and was a loved member of the Petworth community. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Arendse; his mother and father, Bill and Bette Glance of Winston-Salem, NC; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jeff and Tricia Glance of Raleigh, NC and Jonathan and Cindy Glance, of Macon, GA; seven nieces and nephews, and in-laws, Basil and Coral Arendse of Easton, MD and Avril Arendse of Philadelphia, PA. A graveside funeral service will be held at Rock Creek Cemetery, Rock Creek Church Road and Webster Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011 (www.stpaulsrockcreek.org ) on Friday, September, 5, 2008 at 10 a.m. Friends and family are invited back to Jason’s home afterwards. All correspondence of condolence and friendship can be sent to 4206 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Washington, DC, 20011. A memorial service will also be held at the Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem on September 13, 2008. In lieu of flowers, any memorials can be donated in Jason’s name to “3 Bles Nursing Staff” Georgetown University Hospital, 3 Bles, 3800 Resevoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, for the nurses on 3 Bles, Georgetown University Hospital to use for the cancer patients they care for on that ward. These nurses are truly gifts to the sick and their families at the most difficult time of their lives. They made Jason’s last days joyful, comfortable, and peaceful and for that we will always be grateful.

PoP Reader, Reuben Jackson, Remembers April 4, 1968

By Prince Of Petworth

“I remember April 4, 1968 as if it were this morning. I was kneeling in the makeshift on-deck circle in the alley behind my parent’s house in Northwest DC. It was opening day for what my friends and I dubbed the ABL- Alley Baseball League. It was a new year, a new spring. But some things hadn’t changed. Like Harold Talley’s fastball. It remained as mysterious as Mona Lisa’s smile.

Bat after bat made contact with the warm spring air. It was the bottom of the 7th, and my team-the 5th Street Maulers- were behind 3-1. But a rally was underway. Big Joe’s line drive eluded the second baseman’s glove for a double. The very powerful Greg Walker was in the batter’s box. The count was 3 balls, no strikes. I tried my best to strike an impassive, Willie Mays-like pose in the on-deck circle, but Diane Washington and her equally beautiful sister were standing to my immediate right. I thought my 12 year old heart would explode.

Just before Harold delivered the fateful pitch, my Mother threw open the backdoor and screamed to no one and everyone in particular, “They’ve shot Martin Luther King in Memphis!” Everything seemed to stop. Baseball. Spring itself. My selfish desires. My Mother remained on the back porch, staring. I placed my bat on the ground. Everyone-fans, players- gathered balls, gloves, jackets, and headed home.

When I got inside, I joined my parents in front of the TV. He rolled his eyes upon hearing that the FBI had conducted an internal investigation, and concluded that they were not involved in what was now an assassination. My Mother began crying.  There were reports of arson and looting in downtown DC, and in several cities across the country.

About an hour later, my Father and I stood on the roof of our house. Looking South, you could see thick, dark smoke through the still bare trees. 14th Street, 7th Street, H Street, Northeast- America itself, was on fire.

Sirens cried all night. My Mom did, too.”

Remember the troops

By Prince Of Petworth


photo by jdcdc

I was searching around flickr to see if anyone had posted some neat Petworth pictures when I came across this photo taken at the old soldier’s home national cemetary on Memorial Day by “jdcdc”.

Whatever our feelings are on the war we should remember those who are making the real sacrifices.