“Dear PoPville,
Just passing along a strange sight in Columbia Heights yesterday…Evil Frosty in Columbia Heights. A person in a snowman costume posed like a statue outside the DCUSA center yesterday evening and then randomly lunged towards passersby trying to scare them. There were many screams and laughs!”
“Dear PoPville,
We found this dog near 11th & Harvard around 3am this morning. He has a collar but no tags. Will keep for a couple hours before taking to the Humane Society. Hoping to find the owner in the neighborhood if possible.”
If you recognize this dog please email columbiaheightscrib(at)gmail(dot)com
Update: Owner Found!
“Dear PoPville,
If I’m not mistaken, DC has a poorly enforced law on the books stating that residents, business owners, etc, must shovel the sidewalks within 8 hours after snow stops falling. So that should apply to DC schools, too, right? Cardozo High School does a terrible job with this. In previous storms this year, they have made an effort to salt the sidewalks, but I observed none leading up to this most recent storm. Cardozo takes up an entire city block, and as of this 9:15 this morning, this is what the sidewalks looked like on the very steep hill on 13th. No attempt to shovel had been made, and the many pedestrians through the area had pounded the snow down to thick, dangerous ice. The same was true after Snowmageddon a few years ago. The ice stayed for forever, long after temperatures rose.
I’m a renter in a large building across the street from Cardozo, so maintenance staff handle the snow around where I live, but after digging out my car yesterday, I did shovel out the crosswalks/handicap ramps at 13th and Clifton. Shoveling more around Cardozo was just beyond my abilities. Do you know who I can contact at the school to urge them to take care of this?”
Photo by PoPville flickr user pablo.raw
Thanks to Pablo for sending the wild photo above from Meridian Hill Park. Not exactly clear how they got there.
And after the jump, check out a snow sculpture that looks very very different depending on the angle. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user wolfpackWX
I’m getting a few reports of a power outage in Columbia Heights. If you are affected make sure to report it 877-737-2662. I’ll update when more info is known. @PepcoConnect tweets “The cause is currently under evaluation. Please call 1-877-737-2662 or use our mobile app to track the status.”
@salbal09 tweets:
“Whole block of 11th and Park has lost power (Meridian Pint, KBC, The Coupe) Fire truck on the scene. Snow day drama!”
Thanks to @HollyTheDawg for tweeting us the “Meridian Hill Park snowcat”. Awesome.
“Dear PoPville,
My friend and I launched Capital Hustle to empower local underserved entrepreneurs in DC. For the inaugural campaign, we are helping Columbia Heights based Mexican Cowboy Tamales. Ofelio Crespo makes delicious homemade tamales and delivers them to one’s home or office.
We shot a western movie trailer style video in Rock Creek Park and on Connecticut Avenue. Ofelio grew up in a ranch in rural Mexico but he says it had been 30 years since he had rode a horse. We also upgraded his website. We hope this helps Ofelio reach new demographics and increase his sales. Someday, I hope his business becomes a household name in DC. For the time being, his tamales remain a hidden gem.”
Check out the menu here.
3229 14th St, NW
Thanks to @MrTinDC for first letting us know about Pollo Campero getting renovated in the Columbia Heights plaza. You can see their menu here. Any fans?
For the fans – fear not – take out remains open during the remodel:
“Dear PoPville,
Why has this house 1334 Irving St. NW (in very desirable Columbia Heights) sat empty for 3 years?
It was renovated by DCHA with HUD funds, supposedly to be sold to low/moderate income DC residents through a homeowership program.
I first contacted Jim Graham about it on Marcy 30, 2011.
Dear Mr. Graham,
Could you please find out what DCHA is doing with the property at 1334 Irving St. NW? There is a sign out front proclaiming a joint project with the “Greening Initiative” and it is currently being gutted and renovated. I spoke to a person working on the renovation who said it will be 2 apartments, but didn’t know anything more.
There is nothing on the DCHA website about this project. Nearby residents would like to know what the plans are for this property.
He forwarded the email to DCHA, with no reply. I emailed again on July 7, 2011, which Graham again forwarded. We received a reply on July 12, 2011 from DCHA.
We received stimulus funding from HUD to repair several scattered site units. The repairs to this address is a part of that effort. The plan for this unit is to sell it to a low/moderate income family participating in DCHA’s Homeownership program.
Adrianne Todman
Executive Director, D.C. Housing Authority
But the place continues to sit empty. My last inquiry was January 6, 2014 and I have again received no reply from either Jim Graham’s office or DCHA.
With so much need for affordable housing it seems criminal to see these two apartments sit empty for 3 years.”
3224-3226 11th Street, NW looking north towards Lamont Street and Room 11
Per a reader’s request, the new Filipino restaurant coming to the former El Rinconcito Deportivo space on 11th Street is on track for a May/June opening. I bumped into co-owner Nick Pimentel who told me that initially the restaurant will only be located in the 3226 11th Street space, though it could later expand into the 3224 11th Street space which he is also renovating. Stay tuned a name, menu and more details when they get closer to opening.