King-Greenleaf Pom Poms Are City Champions
Current Waterside Mall Shop Owners Want to Stay
by Carole Early
The
shop owners came out in great numbers to the SWNA meeting on Nov.26th.
They had been invited to attend by Margaret Feldman. The subject was
the re-development of Waterside Mall with a presentation by Gretchen Dudney of
the Kaempfer Company who is working in conjunction with the Forest City
Enterprises to redevelop the project. The project will be renamed Waterfront.
All of the WM Tenants who attended the meeting, expressed the desire to remain
while the project is being built and to be a part of it when it is finished.
Safeway, CVS and the bank are guaranteed places at Waterfront.
This is not true of the smaller tenants even though these people all
talked about their commitment to the neighborhood and spoke fondly of
Southwest. Over twenty years ago,
Jenny of Jenny’s Restaurant took members of the Police Boys & Girls Club
to Taiwan. One day after Senate
Cleaners closed, Sun, the owner found a missing uniform & took it to the
customer who was going out-of-town the next day.
We heard many stories like these. They said over and over that they
feel like a part of the community. Mr. Mosley of Kaempfer Co. said that after
the meeting they became very well aware of the desires of the tenants and that
they were working on ways of
finding interim space for the shop owners – however, no promises
could be made. When asked by this
reporter if they had considered alternate plans such as the MIT proposal which
called for an atrium with stores on either side but did not call for opening
up 4th Street, he replied that an agreement in principle has been
reached with the City for 4th Street to be opened to traffic.
If anyone has any questions, they should call Art Mosley at
202/778-6263.
SW/SE Saved From 4-Story Billboards
A bill that would have allowed billboards to be transferred to SW and SE waterfront areas has been revised to save our area from these eyesores, according to ANC 2D Chair Andy Litsky..
The Washington Business Journal in November had reported:
“Zoning laws prohibit billboards in historic districts and in the
central business district, but the proposed [bill before the council] means
the four-story advertising signs could appear in Southwest, in Southeast near
the Navy Yard and Southeast Federal Center…”
Litsky called attention to the ANC’s opposition in a letter to 6th
Ward Council Member Sharon Ambrose, saying:
“We are currently spending much of our time planning for a billion
dollar Waterfront Revitalization…What a shame to clutter up the most
promising new developments in the City of Washington with multi-story Pepsi
and NIKE billboards.”
Inside
Community
Calendar
p. 2
Mayor
Appoints Ron Collins
p. 2
S.W.
Waterfront Planning
p. 3
Schools
p. 4
Theater
p. 5
Sports
p. 6
Riverfront
Tour
p. 7
SW.
Salutes Ofield Dukes
p. 7
Jenny’s
& Julie’s Greetings
p. 8
Page
2
Community Calendar – Dec. ’01-Jan. ‘02
Southwest Community Calendar
Through January, 2002
MONTHLY MEETINGS
DEC.
20 THURS. Chamber Music, 7:30 p.m. St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church,
6th
& Maine Ave. S.W.
JAN.
5 SAT. PSA 110 Walkathon with police, 11 am - 240 M St. S.W.
JAN.
7 MON. SWNA Board, Waterside Mall, 7 pm
JAN.
8 TUES. Citizens Advisory Council, Police Hdqtrs,
415
4th St. S.W., 7 pm
JAN.
9 WED WWCA meeting at Harbor Patrol, 6th & Water St. 7 pm
JAN.
14 MON. Advisory Neighborhood Commission (number changed to
ANC6D),
7 pm, Westminster Presbyterian Church,
400
I (Eye) St. S.W.
JAN.
28 MON. Public meeting of Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, Inc.
7:30
pm, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 3rd & M St. S.W.
WEEKLY
& BIWEEKLY MEETINGS
Komen
Toastmasters, 10 am First & Third Sat., SW Branch Library,
900
Wesley Pl. S.W.
Fil-Am
Toastmasters, 6:45 pm Second and Fourth Wed., SW Branch Library,
900
Wesley Pl. S.W.
School
Street Toastmasters, noon, every Tuesday, 400 Virginia Ave. S.W.,
Room
88
S.W.
Kiwanis, Every Monday, 6:30 -7:30 pm, SE University,
6th
and I (Eye) St. S.W.
Please
submit calendar items for the next issue by Wed. Jan. 9 to C.W. Hargrave
554-8284.
($1
per word)
Ron Collins Appointed By Mayor
Mayor Anthony A. Williams announced today that he has named Ronald R.
Collins to be the director of the Office of Boards and Commissions. A lawyer,
Collins has extensive experience in municipal public policy in the areas of
contracting and procurement, health and human services, and systems
management. In his new position, Collins will be responsible for facilitating
the Mayor’s appointments of residents to the District’s numerous boards
and commissions.
“Given his extensive experience working for the District government
and his demonstrated interest in community service, Ron Collins understands
the important role that appointed commissioners play in municipal government
and is well-qualified to assist me in seating qualified and interested
individuals on our city’s boards,” said Mayor Williams.
Prior to his appointment, Collins served as the senior policy officer
in the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement. He has also served as the
Agency Chief Contracting Officer for DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services,
the Chief of Staff and Agency Chief Contracting Office for the DC Department
of Health, and the Deputy Director (Acting) and Chief of Staff for the DC
Department of Human Services.
Before joining the Department of Human Services, Collins was the Staff
Director for the DC Council Committee on Human Services where he also served
as Chief of Staff to former Council Member H. R. Crawford.
In 1977, Collins received a bachelor of arts degree from the University
of Scranton, and in 1980 he graduated from the Dickinson School of Law of
Pennsylvania State University. He is a native Washingtonian who currently
resides in Southwest Washington.
The Office of Boards and Commissions is located at Judiciary Square,
441 4th Street, NW, in Room 1050 North. The office will move in January to the
John A. Wilson Building. Collins’ appointment became effective on November
19, 2001.
Page 3
Anacostia/SW Waterfront Planning
Focus group sessions and a public workshop in Southwest on Wed. and Thurs. Dec. 5 and 6 brought S.W. waterfront planning to a head, with a draft urban design plan for the Washington Channel promised for February, 2002.
The lead consulting firm of Hamilton, Rabinovitz & Alschuler, Inc.
reported at a Thursday evening workshop in St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church
“the emerging design concepts” for the waterfront.
Group discussions over the two days covered the following topics:
·
“Living
Near the Washington Channel,” – Should more housing be encouraged along
the Washington channel? Along Maine Avenue? If so, what kind and at what
densities? At what heights and with what adjacent uses?
·
“Living
and Playing On the Washington Channel,” – The live-aboard and recreational
boating community add a unique feature to the waterfront. What role should
live-aboards play in the waterfront’s revitalization? Should maritime and
boating opportunities be made more accessible? How?
·
“Commerce
On, Along and Near the Channel,” – What is the desired mixture of uses in
the Southwest? Which uses create mutual synergies and which are incompatible?
How dense should commercial uses be? Should existing height limits be changed?
What about parking? Pedestrians?
·
“Culture
and Non-Profits Near the Channel,” – How would a Museum or Memorial of
national significance fit into the Southwest? Could it serve tourists and
residents alike? What about other non-profit institutions? What role can these
institutions play in the Southwest community?
The website for the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative is www.anacostiawaterfront.net.
The
telephone number for the D.C. Office of Planning is 202-442-7600.
(caption)
D.C.
Office of Planning Director Andy Altman addressed a progress reporting session
on the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative Nov. 8 at the National Building Museum.
“S.W. Waterfront Underutilized”
On their website www.btagroup.com,
Bing Thom Architects, Inc., consultants mainly responsible for planning a new
Southwest Waterfront, describe the plan they are preparing. They say:
“The
Southwest Waterfront Plan for Washington, D.C., is a part of a larger
initiative, called the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) designed to
re-vitalize the City’s waterfront resources and to establish Washington D.C.
as a great American waterfront city. Today,
the Southwest Waterfront is disconnected formally and functionally from the
National Mall, by the existing street and highway system.
The combination of limited site access and lack of existing waterfront
development has resulted in a grossly underutilized waterfront.
“The Southwest Waterfront, which stretches from the Tidal Basin to
Buzzard Point, is a waterfront worthy of Washington, D.C., the nation’s
capital. In a city composed of
monumental buildings, grand vistas and grand gestures, the Waterfront acts as
a companion to the National Mall. The
Mall is a gesture for the nation, providing a setting for the country’s
institutions and houses of government. The
Southwest Waterfront Plan is a civic gesture, creating a place where the
fabric of the City will join the waterfront resulting in a dynamic and
spectacular setting for urban life.
The overriding principle which guides the Southwest Waterfront plan is
to heal the City. To heal the
scars of regional transportation intrusions to the core and segregation of
neighborhoods. To heal the damage of environmental degradation from water and
air
pollution.
To heal the damage from racial divides, and to heal the damage from
administrative neglect. The overriding aim is to create healthy communities by
creating physical links between communities, and between the communities to
activities on the water.”
Page 4
American Education Week Celebrated
Students from three Southwest public schools performed as part of the American Education Week in November.
(captions)
The
choir of Jefferson Jr. High performed under the leadership of R. Williams.
Amidon
Elementary School’s choir sang. It was directed by Ms. P. Perry.
Adolfo
Washington, a student at Bowen Elementary School, played the violin,
accompanied by teacher J. Burrell.
S.W. Schools On Stanford 9 Tests
Public schools attended by Southwest youth did better than average D.C. schools on the annual Stanford 9 Math and Reading tests, but still have a large number of students scoring “below basic.”
Wilson Senior High, attended by over 100 Southwest students, scored 4th
highest of the 18 high school in math and 3rd highest in reading,
but 30% of the students were below basic in reading and 50% in math.
Jefferson Jr. High is the 3rd best in reading of the 21
middle and junior high schools, and 5th best in math. Only 10% are
below basic in reading and 32% in math.
Bowen was in the bottom half of the 105 elementary schools, with 45% of
the students testing below basic in math and 40% in reading.
Amidon Elementary school scored 25th highest in math of the
105 elementary schools, with 37% of Amidon’s students either proficient or
advanced. In reading Amidon is 33rd highest, with 35% either
proficient or advanced.
(caption)
Jaymal
Carroll, a S.W. student at the University of the District of Columbia, poses
with Westminster Presbyterian Church’s co-pastor Rev. Ruth Hamilton, after
receiving one of the two annual grants awarded by the church to S.W. college
students.
Officers
of the Jefferson Jr. High PTA pose for a picture.
Page 5
Desiree Urquhart At Arena Stage
A former fellow at Arena Stage during the 199/2000 season, Desiree Urquart has returned to the theater as associate executive director. She will be the theater’s primary liaison with Washington’s Southwest community.
Arena Stage Executive Director Stephen Richard announced the
appointment.
“Blues in the Night” at Arena Through Feb. 3
Blues and jazz classics by Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Vernon Duke and Billy Strayhorn will bring a “dazzling night of music” to the Kreeger Theatre at Arena Stage for two months through February 3.
Sheldon Epps conceived and directed “Blues in the Night” on
Broadway and in London, where the productions earned both Tony and Olivier
Award nominations for Best Musical.
Jazz Events In January
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday all day jazz concert at Howard University will be held in 2002 on Monday, Jan. 21.
The free concert draws dozens of jazz artists giving tribute to Dr.
King.
In Southwest, D.C., Friday Night Jazz at Westminster Presbyterian
Church will celebrate its third anniversary – over 150 Friday Night live
concerts since it began in 1999 – on Friday, January 25 from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Admission to the weekly concert is $5; children are free. Food is for sale in
the church hall.
(caption)
One
of many jazz groups that perform at Friday Night Jazz in S.W., and on Jan. 21,
2002, in honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday.
World Bank Is A Good Neighbor
By Dale MacIver
Go to the Southwest Branch Library for a copy of the World Bank’s
“Community Outreach” report if you want to see how a large corporation
based in Washington, D.C., can be a good citizen and good neighbor.
As Word Bank President James D. Wolfensohn puts it, “We are
passionate about being good citizens in our host city, recognizing our
corporate and individual responsibility to contribute to the well-being of our
neighbors.”
That commitment translates into tens of thousands of volunteer hours by
employees, hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to non-profits and
innovative programs of mentoring and training.
The World Bank is the third-largest employer in the District of
Columbia, with 8,000 employees representing 135 nationalities. Their worldwide
mission is to reduce poverty in economically developing countries.
Active on World Bank’s local outreach team is Thelma Jones, Southwest
resident whose twenty years of experience in dozens of volunteer neighborhood
programs equips her well for community outreach by a large corporation.
“Christmas Carol” At Ford’s
Performances of this classic run through December 30th. See
the Charles Dickens’s story of the cold-hearted miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who
mends his ways and learns the true meaning of Christmas.
Although wealthy in gold, he has to learn that it is better to give
than receive.
Ford’s Theatre is at 511 – 10th St. N. W. Box office
202-347-4833.
(caption)
Steven
Crossley plays Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” at Ford’s Theatre through
Sun. matinee, Dec. 30.
Sports
Bowen Bobcats Prepare For ‘02
By Alvin Hudgens
An afternoon visit to the newly renovated gymnasium at Anthony Bowen
Elementary School will find the Bowen Bobcats busily preparing for the
upcoming 2002 basketball season.
The Bobcats, are fresh from a very successful 2001 season that included
11 wins and one loss, an undefeated record at home and East Division and
Region “A” championships. They
have high expectations for this season, including again challenging for the
City Championship.
Under the direction of veteran teacher/coach Melvin Mayo, the bobcats
stress strong fundamentals, a fast-breaking offense, and ball-hawking defense.
Hoping to lead the Bobcats are students Hasante Carson, Nelson Long,
Rico Hines, Antonio Byrd, Katrina Watkins and Derrick Savoy.
2002 Season Approaches At MPB/G Club 4
by Alvin Hudgens
With three teams having won city championships in 2001, Metropolitan
Police Boys & Girls Club #4 is looking forward to repeating in 2002. The
super peewee, 10 and under and 16 and under basketball teams hope to repeat,
while a second super peewee team, a 12 and under, 14 and under boys as well as
a 15 and under girls are starting practice with an eye to the playoffs and
championship games.
At 6:30 pm weekdays two new cheerleading teams of 10 girls each are
practicing at the club.
New basketball players and cheerleaders are welcome.
A registration fee of $50 must be paid to headquarters for each player.
Donations are welcome. Checks should be made out to MPB & G Club #4 and
mailed to Al Hudgens, unit director, at the Bowen School address of Club #4,
101 M St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024.
Jefferson Trojans
The Jefferson Junior High School football team completed a successful season in early November. The final record for the Trojans was 3-2.
This is the first team at Jefferson in three years.
Beginning in August, the team worked extremely hard. After losing to
Hine Junior High School in the first week of the season, they rededicated
themselves to the program and won their second game over Eliot in overtime.
The Trojans went on to win their next two games before losing their
last game in the playoffs.
The coaching staff, school officials and student body are very proud of
their team.
(caption)
Jefferson
Jr. High’s football team.
Jefferson Was Post’s “Team Of The Week”
Jefferson Jr. High is starting the basketball season defending the DCIAA junior high school city championship.
In the championship game they defeated Hine 67-50, for a record of
20-3. They went to New York City,
where they won a holiday basketball classic tournament.
(caption)
Top
row, from left: Marquis Turner, Troy Haliburton, Brian Kendrick, Brandon
Young, Zachary Bagwell.
Front
row: Aaron Hall, Jarret Simpson, Brian Thomas, Darryle Kennedy, Jeffery Owens,
Jason Green, Steve Alfaro.
Riverfront Tour Aboard “Finished Business”
Fifty Southwest residents toured the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers on a fundraising trip to benefit the History Task Force of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA).
Captain Eric Slaughter supplied his yacht “Finished Business” and gave a running description of the rivers and their history.
(caption)
A
view from the Anacostia River shows two buildings of the Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA) of the Navy Yard on the right, and a building in the
Southeast Federal Center on the left.
At
the foot of Half St. S.E. where it reaches the Potomac River, new piling is
being driven into the ground for the Florida Rock Properties development of
office and residential buildings. The land is currently occupied by Virginia
Concrete, which mixes and batches gravel and stone aggregates brought by barge
from the lower Potomac River.
Margaret
Feldman poses with Captain Eric Slaughter in front of his charter yacht
“Finished Business,” after the trip that raised several hundred dollars
for the History Task Force of the SWNA, Inc.
Another
view of the new buildings at the Navy Yard.
Southwest Salutes Ofield Dukes
By Thelma Jones
Congratulations to long-time Southwest resident Ofield Dukes, a veteran
in the field of public relations. Dukes was recently awarded the 2001 Gold
Anvil Award by the Public Relations Society of America.
The award is the PRSA’s highest individual honor and is presented to
public relations professionals whose accomplishments have advanced the
profession and its positive visibility. He
also received PRSA’s Silver anvil Award in 1975.
Dukes relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1964 to join the
Johnson-Humphrey administration, and later served three years on the staff of
Vice President Humphrey. He is
also credited for being instrumental in persuading Humphrey to live in
Southwest.
Dukes started his public relations firm in 1969 with Motown as his
first client and Lever Brothers as his second.
He has been tabbed by the Washington Post as “one of the top public
relations persuaders in the city.”
He helped organize the first Congressional Black Caucus dinner and
served on the boards of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the
Martin Luther king, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
He has also been a communications consultant for every Democratic
presidential campaign since 1972. In
1993, he founded the Black Public Relations Society of Washington and
presently serves as president of that organization.
For the past 17 years, he has taught at Howard University, in addition
to teaching at the American University for eight years.
In Southwest, Dukes has served on the board of Directors of the
Southwest Community Council, Inc., the former fiduciary funding arm of the
Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, and other community projects.
Chinese
Restaurant and Stage Lounge
A
most joyful holiday season and
The
very best to come
In
the New Year
Dining
Room Open Daily – Featuring All U Can Eat Lunch Buffet Mon-Fri.
And
Carry Out Seven Days A week – 202-554-2202
202-863-0770
401
M Street, SW Inside
Waterside Mall
at
Metro’s Waterfront Station
on
the Green Line