“Dear PoP,
Around 11pm last night [Saturday] heard gun shots on Marion St and woke up to find the glass shattered at the bus stop (7th and P St, NW) and a bullet hole. Police think it may be related to the gang shootings in the last few weeks.”
Uncategorized
Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. He launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. You can follow People’s District on Twitter @PeoplesDistrict, and can read his previous columns here.
“As parents, my partner and I were looking for a different kind of educational experience in this city for our kids. It saddens me to see that the trends in education are away from the concept that learning can be great fun and towards solely the acquisition of knowledge. I think that learning should be fun. When you do that for kids, they will want to continue to learn as they grow up.
“While there are lots of strong schools in D.C., we wanted a place with project based learning that related to the real world. Before Two Rivers, there was only one other school in D.C. doing that, Capital City Public Charter School, which was not in this neighborhood.
“We organized a grass-roots effort with other parents to open this school. As they say, it really does take a village. There were a large number of people who gathered and volunteered their time and resources to get this started. It took a lot of time and effort, but we worked together to create this place out of love seven years ago.
“For me, it is a dream come true to be able to help found and run a school that has as its critical components, all the things that I care most about. I have always felt that it is important that kids learn more than just the nuts and bolts. For example, we live in an amazing city and part of our job at the school is to take advantage of those resources when teaching our kids.
“One of my favorite parts of what I do is standing at the door in the morning with the other administrators to greet the kids. It’s important for me because it reminds me of why we are here – to connect with these amazing kids. We want kids to be excited about learning and realize how fun it can be.”
Jessica Wodatch is the Executive Director of Two Rivers Public Charter School.
I received a number of texts and emails around 10:20pm Wed. evening along the following lines:
“Dear PoP,
So I’m currently at Meridian Pint and there are tons of cops outside, some with assault rifles and riot gear. There’s a police van and at least 10 police cars parked in the street. According to management, no one is not allowed to leave. The police presence seems to be concentrated here at 11th and Park, but there have been roadblocks reported in the area for at least two hours. Any idea what’s going on?”
MPD assures me as of 10:36pm that the situation is under control. Apparently there was a man with a bb gun that looked like a military rifle in the window of a home on Park Rd between 11th and 13th St, NW. There are very few further details at the moment but folks are allowed to leave and the situation is under control.
Ed. Note: In situations like this, I report on twitter first if I’m not near a computer. You can follow my tweets on @PoPville here.
Though my favorite still remains “Fresh” Kosher Meats & Cheeses from Brookville Supermarket in Cleveland Park.
These great porches are from Mt. Pleasant. I really like the double skylights up top and the porch fan below. On a sidenote – are porch fans like this powerful enough to get rid of mosquitos?
Photo by PoPville flickr user sciascia
Just last week Officer Pujols contributed to the arrest a burglary suspect while he was off duty.
Today MPD writes:
Last night, Officer Pujols received information that a male subject in the 1300 blk of Spring Road was in possession of a handgun. Officer Pujols along with Officer’s LaFrance, McCloskey and Amador responded to the area and set up an observation post. The male subject was observed and began to flee on foot when officers moved in. The subject discarded a loaded handgun which was recovered by officers. The adult male subject was located and apprehended. He has been charged with illegally possessing a firearm.
I’d like to commend the efforts of not only these officers but all 4D members as we continue to work to make our streets safer.
Congrats to Officer Pujols along with Officer’s LaFrance, McCloskey and Amador.
From an email:
The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said today that the D.C. Commission on Black Men & Boys, chaired by Isaac Fulwood, former D.C. Police Chief and well-known mentor of D.C. youth, will hold a Roundtable hearing entitled Crews, Cliques, & Gangs: Are they on the Rise? on Thursday, May 5, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW. The Roundtable will feature formal rival gang members, violence intervention workers, and testimony from residents. Among the invited witnesses are Darius Robinson, a business owner and former member of “Simple City Crew,” who helped the Alliance of Concerned Men broker a truce between two warring factions of the crew; and Trayon White, founder of Helping Inner City Kids Succeed.
“In light of the increased number of recent shootings and stabbings involving young men, the Commission will try to help residents learn just what D.C. gangs, cliques and crews are, whether the rise of serious youth violence is related to such groupings of youth, and what can be done,” said Norton. “By hearing directly from young men who know our mean streets and from the audience who attends, the Commission hopes to increase public understanding and bring gangs, cliques and crews out of the shadows.”
“Dear PoP,
Just a heads up that on the 1500 block of T St NW a homeowner painted his/her house an awful shade of shiny, lipstick red. It ruins a really nice block. Oh well.”
Back in March we looked at a house on the 600 block of Florida Ave, NW that went from fire engine red to a more muted color. A neighbor tells me that this house has been this color for years, it was just getting a new coat.
Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour
Ed. Note: Reuben Jackson shares poems and other commentary with us from time to time. Today he writes, “I began playing with this variation on Wallace Stevens’ “Thirteen Ways of Looking At a Blackbird” and decided to use the pit bull as a (ahem, ahem) metaphor for the yin and yang of urban existence.”
Thirteen Ways of Looking At a Pit Bull
I. Among twenty sleeping houses, The only restless thing Was the voice of the pit bull. II. I was of three headaches Like a neighborhood In which there are three pit bulls. III. The pit bull paced in the dealer’s yard. It was but a small part …of my anxiety. IV. A man and a dog Are one. A hustler and his stash and a pit bull Are frightening. V. I do know which to prefer, The disdain of neighbors Or the disdain of neighbors, The pit bull breeding Or the policeman rolling his eyes. VI. Raindrops filled the long window With a posse of teardrops. The ghosts of battered pit bulls Crossed it, to and fro. The mood Traced in the shadow Followed me into sleep. VII. O portly brothers of Brightwood, Why do you secretly long for Chocolate Labs? Do you not see how the pit bull Sits at the feet Of the hustlers around you? VIII. I know quieter cities, And black men with unconquered livers; But I know, too, That the pit bull is involved In what I wish I didn’t know. IX. When the pit bull strode into the shadows, It turned the asphalt Into a pungent river. X. At the sight of pit bulls Galloping down Madison, Even the most ardent dog lover Would cry out sharply. XI. He rode over the District of Columbia In a crowded subway. Once, a fear pierced him, In that he mistook A red-headed sister’s ringtone For a pit bull. XII. The block is silent. The pit bull and his owner must be away. XIII. It was evening all afternoon. It was raining And it was going to rain. The forlorn pit bull sat In his dog house.
Reuben Jackson 5/1/11
From Frozen Tropics via dcalerts on Sat. night/Sun. morning:
“Shooting 0101 hours 12th and H St NE LOF: (2) B/M suspect 1: heavy weight, black turtle neck, tan shorts, black skull cap; suspect 2: gray tee shirt, blue jeans DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911 W/EVENT #”
From MPD Sat. Afternoon:
At approximately 4 O’clock today and adult male walked into to the Fire station located at Georgia Ave and Gallitan St NW and reported he was approached by a subject on a mountain bicycle who produced a dark colored handgun and attempted to rob him. A struggle ensued and the victim sustained a graze gunshot wound to the shoulder. The subject did not obtain anything and fled on the mountain bike. The victim has a non-life threaten wound to the shoulder.
Detectives and patrol officers are on the scene attempting to locate a crime scene and any witnesses or evidence to this alleged crime.
The suspect is described as a Black Male in 30s wearing a black T-shirt,blue jeans and armed with a dark colored revolver hand gun. He was last seen leaving southbound on Georgia Ave. on a orange and white mountain bicycle.
No further information at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call (202)727 9099