“Dear PoPville,

I’m writing to you as a friend of John Chambers and BLOOMBARS, his wonderful, family-friendly art space in Columbia Heights. Things have been rough on small arts organizations since Covid, and John is in immediate danger of losing not only Bloombars but his home, because he sunk everything into keeping his small non-profit art center alive.”

From Spotfund:

“Fifteen years ago, my friend John Chambers quit a great job to follow a dream. He turned an old building into a community art space in the up-and-coming Washington D.C. neighborhood of Columbia Heights. He called it BloomBars. The intention was never to serve alcohol but to serve art and build community. Over the years, singers, musicians and writers of all types came together to be nurtured as artists and human beings. Toddlers learned how to play drums there. Teenagers became poets there. Musicians stood on a stage for the first time there, and went on to celebrated careers. It’s the kind of family-friendly place that every parent wants in their neighborhood. With a social justice mission, no one was ever turned away for lack of funds. (more…)



via google maps

Ed. Note: A reader reported to me at 12:11am “Just heard what sounded like 30+ gunshots near 11th and Irving. Never heard that many in my entire life in dc”

From MPD:

“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a fatal shooting in Northwest, D.C.

On Thursday, April 25, 2024, at approximately 12:08 a.m., Fourth District officers responded to the intersection of 10th and Spring Road, Northwest for the sound of gunshots. Officers located three victims near the listed location. An adult male was found suffering multiple gunshot wounds, and after all lifesaving efforts failed, he was pronounced dead on scene. An adult female and a teenage male were also located suffering gunshot wounds. (more…)


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