Latest News

Georgetowner • April 18, 2016

The Georgetown-Burleith-Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 2E) will hold its April meeting tonight, Monday, April 4, 6:30 p.m. at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 35th Street and Volta Place NW, in the Heritage Room on the second floor of the main building. The following is the agenda, as provided by ANC 2E.

**Approval of the Agenda**

• Approval of April 4, 2016, ANC 2E Public Meeting Agenda

• Approval of the February 29, 2016, meeting minutes

**Administrative**

• Public Safety and Police Report

• Financial Report

• Transportation Report

• Environmental Report

**Community Comment**

**New Business**

• Traffic signal/crosswalk timing on side streets

• Fillmore School Arts Program

• Concerts in the Park: May 22 (Volta), June 19 (Volta), July 10 (Rose)

**ABC**

Settlement Agreement: GoPuff

No Review At This Time by ANC 2E: The following liquor license renewals, which are on an upcoming ABRA review, have not been added to the ANC meeting agenda for review and we do not propose to adopt a resolution on them at this time. If there are concerns about any of these licensees, please contact the ANC office by Friday, April 1st.

• Unum, 2917 M St.

• The Four Seasons Hotel

• I-Thai, 3003 M St.

• Bistro Lepic, 1736 Wisconsin Ave.

• Bistro Français, 3124 M St.

• La Chaumiére, 2813 M St.

• Cafe Milano, 3251 Prospect St.

• Eno Wine Bar, 2810 Pennsylvania Ave.

• Kafe Leopold, 3315 Cady’s Alley

**Zoning and Planning**

• Club Monaco, special exception for roof equipment

**Old Georgetown Board**

**Public and Major Projects**

1. C&O Canal National Historical Park Industrial Rehabilitate Locks 3 and 4 Concept

2. OG 16-163 (HPA 16-283) 3300 Block O Street, NW Sidewalk and roadbed. Excavation for repair of DC Water sewer line Permit

**Private Projects**

1. SMD 02 OG 16-155 (HPA 16-275) 3324 Dent Place, NW Residence New construction
Concept

2. SMD 03 OG 16-168 (HPA 16-290) 1353-1355 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Commercial Alterations, Replacement windows Permit

3. SMD 05 OG 16-149 (HPA 16-263) 1027 31st Street, NW Commercial Alterations, Sign – Georgetown Golden Chicken. Windows – Existing alterations without review Permit

4. SMD 05 OG 16-161 (HPA 16-281) 3289 M Street, NW Commercial Alterations, Sign and banner – Violet Boutique Permit

5. SMD 05 OG 16-071 (HPA 16-119) 1044 Wisconsin Avenue, NWCommercial Alterations, Roof deck, Signs – Sweetgreen Concept

6. SMD 05 OG 16-169 (HPA 16-291) 1206 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Restaurant Sign, Alley lighting – Sovereign Concept

7. SMD 06 OG 16-177 (HPA 16-299) 1320 29th Street, NW Residence Alterations, Second story addition Concept

8. SMD 06 OG 16-165 (HPA 16-286) 2709 N Street, NW Multi-family residence Fence and gate. Permit

9. SMD 07 OG 16-176 (HPA 16-298) 1815 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Commercial Site work
Permit

10. SMD 07 OG 16-152 (HPA 16-268) 2001 Wisconsin Avenue, NW British International School of Washington Guard booth, Fence, Security elements Concept

No Review At This Time by ANC 2E: The following additional projects, which are on the upcoming April 7, 2016, agenda of the Old Georgetown Board, have not been added to the ANC meeting agenda for OGB-related design review and we do not propose to adopt a resolution on them at this time. If there are concerns about any of these projects, please contact the ANC office by Friday, April 1.

1.SMD 02 OG 16-178 (HPA 16-300) 1544 33rd Street, NW Residence Alterations
Concept

2. SMD 02 OG 16-077 (HPA 16-125) 1661 35th Street, NW Residence Two-story plus basement rear addition, in-fill areaway, one-story side addition, demolition Revised permit

3. SMD 02 OG 16-092 (HPA 16-159) 3300 Q Street, NW Residence Alterations, Replacement windows Permit

4. SMD 02 OG 16-158 (HPA 16-278) 3210 R Street, NW Residence Fence Permit

5. SMD 02 OG 16-140 (HPA 16-233) 3729 Winfield Lane, NW Residence Replacement windows
Permit

6. SMD 02 OG 16-045 (HPA 16-077) 1679 35th Street, NW Residence Two-story rear addition, Porch enclosure, Demolition Concept

7. SMD 02 OG 16-141 (HPA 16-235) 3644 Reservoir Road, NW Residence New window opening
Permit

8. SMD 03 OG 16-159 (HPA 16-279) 1318 33rd Street, NW Residence Alterations, Garage
Permit

9. SMD 03 OG 16-137 (HPA 16-229) 1419 33rd Street, NW Residence Parking pad with overhead door Concept

10. SMD 03 OG 16-172 (HPA 16-294) 3323 O Street, NW Residence Alterations Permit

11. SMD 03 OG 16-173 (HPA 16-295) 3247 P Street, NW Residence Sliding gate, Garden walls, Site work Concept

12. SMD 03 OG 16-151 (HPA 16-267) 3267 P Street, NW (Square 1255, Lot 867) Residence Pool house alterations Permit

13. SMD 03 OG 16-068 (HPA 16-114) 3420 P Street, NW Residence. Addition, Demolition, Replacement windows, Site work Concept

14. SMD 03 OG 16-147 (HPA 16-247) 3251 Prospect Street, NW Commercial Awning, Sign – Morton’s Steakhouse Permit

15. SMD 03 OG 16-154 (HPA 16-274) 3207 Scott Place, NW Residence New window openings, Window wells in public space Concept

16. SMD 03 OG 16-144 (HPA 16-239) 1529 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Commercial Sign – Zannchi
Permit

17. SMD 05 OG 16-156 (HPA 16-276) 1115 30th Street, NW Commercial Back-lit sign – United Bank Permit

18. SMD 05 OG 16-124 (HPA 16-197) 3000 K Street, NW Commercial Alterations to FFB terrace Concept

19. SMD 05 OG 16-160 (HPA 16-280) 3111 K Street, NW Mixed-use Internally-illuminated blade sign – Colonial Parking Permit

20. SMD 05 OG 16-093 (HPA 16-161) 2910 M Street, NW Commercial Roof top HVAC
Permit

21. SMD 05 OG 16-164 (HPA 16-285) 3222 M Street, NW Commercial Metal louvers
Permit

22. SMD 05 OG 16-100 (HPA 16-172) 3222-3236 M Street, NW Commercial Storefront alterations – Anthropologie Concept

23. SMD 05 OG 16-150 (HPA 16-266) 3271 M Street, NW Commercial Sign – Lucky Brand Permit

24. SMD 05 OG 15-239 (HPA 15-449) 2715 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Mixed-use Demolition, New construction Concept

25. SMD 05 OG 16-113 (HPA 16-185) 3302 Prospect Street, NW Residence Replacement windows. Permit

26. SMD 05 OG 16-133 (HPA 16-224) 3348 Prospect Street, NW Residence Alterations, Replacement windows Concept

27. SMD 05 OG 16-157 (HPA 16-277) 1001 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Commercial Back-lit sign – United Bank
Permit

28. SMD 06 OG 16-120 (HPA 16-192) 1308 28th Street, NW Institution Security elements Permit

29. SMD 06 OG 16-134 (HPA 16-226) 1313 28th Street, NW Residence Alterations, Replacement windows and doors Concept

30. SMD 06 OG 16-153 (HPA 16-272) 1423 28th Street, NW Residence Roof replacement
Permit

31. SMD 06 OG 16-174 (HPA 16-296) 1231-1235 31st Street, NW Residence Revision to Permit – alterations
Permit

32. SMD 06 OG 16-166 (HPA 16-287) 2715 N Street, NW Residence Site work
Permit

33. SMD 06 OG 16-170 (HPA 16-292) 2723 N Street, NW Residence Alteration
Permit

34. SMD 06 OG 16-121 (HPA 16-193) 2801 N Street, NW Kesher Israel Security elements Permit

35. SMD 06 OG 16-104 (HPA 16-176) 3048 N Street, NW Residence Replacement windows
Permit

36. SMD 06 OG 16-171 (HPA 16-293) 2807 O Street, NW Residence Rear addition, Alterations
Permit

37. SMD 06 OG 16-146 (HPA 16-245) 2804 P Street, NW Residence. Alterations at rear Permit

38. SMD 06 OG 16-148 (HPA 16-259) 2812 Dumbarton Street, NW Residence Alterations
Concept

39. SMD 06 OG 16-175 (HPA 16-297) 3025 Dumbarton Street, NW Residence Alterations, Demolition, Parking pad and gates Permit

40. SMD 07 OG 16-142 (HPA 16-237) 1525 29th Street, NW Residence Pool Permit

41. SMD 07 OG 16-145 (HPA 16-243) 1703 32nd Street, NW Institution Facade Illumination
Permit

42. SMD 07 OG 16-101 (HPA 16-173) 2512 Q Street, NW Multi-family residence Alterations, Demolition, Replacement windows Concept

**Government of the District of Columbia: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E**

3265 S St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

202-724-7098 anc2e@dc.gov www.anc2e.com

Juliana Zovak •

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop on the corner of 34th and M Streets NW has closed. The location had only been open for less than a year and a half, since December of 2015. It now sits vacant with its tables still arranged and the Capriotti’s logo on the wall.

Other Capriotti’s shops can still be found in D.C., at 18th and M Streets NW, and in Rosslyn. The chain originated in Delaware in 1976 and first came to the District in 2013. It is said to be a favorite of Vice President Joe Biden, formerly a senator from Delaware.

Capriotti’s has become well known for its signature sandwiches, including the Bobbie (said to be named for an aunt of the original owner), a Thanksgiving-inspired sub made with roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayonnaise.

Gary Tischler •

Another Tuesday, another chasm, another cliff, another turning point, another do-or-die, another shape shift.

The interminable 2016 presidential race, which actually began and also turned completely upside-down way back in 2015 — when Donald Trump announced he was running for sure and for certain and seriously — hits another landmark Tuesday.

This is no longer Super Tuesday, which was quite some time ago and was not, as it turned out, quite so super. This is the Tuesday “that could reshape the GOP race,” according to one headline, a headline that was probably used before Super Tuesday, and the SEC Tuesday, and the Southern Tuesday and last Tuesday. Come to think of it, this could still be the Tuesday that could reshape the Democratic race (although maybe not).

This is all about Wisconsin, where both the Republicans and the Democrats are holding primaries.

The Republican field — once a fat and noisy field of 17 or so — has now been whittled down to three: a suddenly stumbling and reeling Donald Trump, the front runner nationally but trailing in the Wisconsin polls; a confident-looking but still unappealing Ted Cruz; and Ohio governor John Kasich.

On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders is like the uninvited ex-husband at the wedding; he just won’t go away until they pass out the cake and he has a head of steam, enough so that the polls show him winning in Wisconsin over Hillary Clinton.

You can look at this in several ways, and God knows we all do. Trump, in ways that always seem shocking and astounding, has managed to have a very bad time of it lately, but in entirely Trumpish ways.

Can Trump trump this? The question is asked after every gaffe and misstep and foot-in-mouth comment week after week. The answer is always yes. This is usually followed by a sentence that begins with “Maybe this time…” (not to be confused with the song from “Cabaret”). Maybe this time Trump has said too much, gone too far, insulted too many and offered up one too many lies, exaggerations, falsehoods and unbelievable claims that are passed off as facts.

This time, his campaign manager — noted for letting Trump be Trump — was charged with assault after an incident with a female reporter. Trump, even after videos clearly showed that there was physical contact, stood by his man. Trump also claimed that women who had abortions ought to be punished, then quickly retreated like a man trying to pick up and put back together an egg he dropped on the sidewalk. In various interviews, he said he might use nukes, or wanted Korea (South, not North) and Japan to have nukes; claimed we were paying too much for NATO; and sundry other questionable long-term visions of foreign policy. If you enlarge the timeline, he and Cruz fought over each other’s wives.

It’s clearly not a banner time for Trump. Cruz has a lead in Wisconsin and it’s said that, if he wins, the race might be irrevocably changed, that no one would come to the convention with the necessary delegates and that there would be a brokered convention. Maybe this time…

Cruz has benefitted from all this of course, and the so-called Republican establishment appears to be rationalizing itself into possibly backing a man the entire Republican side of the Senate, not to mention the other side, dislikes. He may not be — as Trump repeatedly calls him — Lying Ted, but he has yet to reach likable, trustworthy status either. Lindsay Graham, who’s reduced to backing Cruz, said the choice between the two is like choosing to die by gunshot or poison, or something like that.

It may be that some people are noticing that neither emperor-aspirant has clothes, but then that observation has been there for anybody who wants to look. It’s not a pretty sight, to be sure. You can also bet that the Trump followers who have packed his rallies (he has promised to reduce their number) will stick with him, because in truth, there is no one else that speaks, if not for them, at least to them. Which means that Trump will have to remain Trump no matter how many position papers he reads on a teleprompter, written by statesmen from the Bush (that would be Senior) days.

And, lest we forget, there’s John Kasich. And that’s just the problem: We have forgotten John Kasich. By any rational thinking, the establishment types ought to be flocking to him. He’s a classic conservative in most ways, he’s pragmatic, he knows his stuff, he’s got experience that even a wayward Democrat or two could vote for.

But even though Cruz has Governor Scott Walker’s endorsement, Wisconsin appears ideal for Kasich. Except you can’t even smell the tiniest smoke of a brushfire for Kasich. Somebody give that man a match or they’ll be lighting a candle for his campaign.

Meanwhile, something odd is happening to the Clinton campaign. She’s moved on to New York without bothering too hard to try to win in Wisconsin. Hillary has more super-delegates than God, but even at this late date Bernie (some people think, especially Bernie himself) has a shot. At the very least, he’s become a major painful pebble in Hillary’s presidential shoes.

So what will happen tomorrow, on, let’s call it, Wisconsin Tuesday.

Maybe this time…

Georgetowner •

Trafficking Cultural Materials: Appropriation of Mankind’s Property

APRIL 7TH, 2016 AT 06:30 PM | FREE | INFO@WASHINGTON.GOETHE.ORG | TEL: 202-588-8230

Alexander Nagel, a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, will moderate a panel including: Iris Gerlach, an archaeologist with a focus on Near Eastern Archaeology, Classical Archaeology and Assyriology; Tess Davis, executive director of the Antiquities Coalition; and Douglas Boin, an internationally recognized authority on the archaeology, religion, and history of the Roman world.

New York University in Washington, DC 1307 L St. NW.

The Sadies

APRIL 7TH, 2016 AT 09:30 PM | $12 | INFO@HILLCOUNTRYWDC.COM | TEL: 202-556-2050 | EVENT WEBSITE

Acclaimed Canadian rock/country/western group The Sadies return to Hill Country DC on April 7th. Sadies are as tight and as capable as anyone walking into a recording studio these days. Their style is all but flawless, fusing prairie soul with a high lonesome sweetness and a subtle but expressive sense of aural adventure that turns their interpretations into something truly special. Formed in 1994, the band has released 16 studio albums.

410 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

Caravan Beirut

APRIL 8TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | ISOBEL@TAAPR.COM | TEL: 202-625-8370

A handpicked selection of Lebanese designers will showcase their talent and collections hosted by digital retail platform Bucolik and Mariana Wehbe Public Relations, in partnership with the American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce. Featuring fashion, accessories, jewelry, homeware and photography, Caravan Beirut is inviting guests on a curated tour of Beirut, right in Georgetown Park. Opening night April 8, 6 to 9 p.m. Pop-up shop hours, April 9-11: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closing night April 12: 6 to 8 p.m.

3222 M St. NW.

Paint Ball!

APRIL 8TH, 2016 AT 07:00 PM | FREE | NPGTEENS@SI.EDU | TEL: 202-633-8300 | EVENT WEBSITE

The teen-only dance spectacular will have free food, a DJ, arts and crafts, dancing, a photo booth and more. This dance event is aimed towards teens in grades nine through 12. Attendees must bring a student ID to get in.

National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW.

Family Afternoon: Newspaper Fort Challenge

APRIL 9TH, 2016 AT 12:00 PM | FREE | EFILAR@NBM.ORG | TEL: 202-272-2448 | EVENT WEBSITE

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! The Museum is hosting a newspaper fort challenge in the Great Hall! Bring your family and collaboratively construct an awe-inspiring fort made entirely of newspapers and tape. Learn about the triangle, the strongest shape out there, and create tetrahedral caverns small enough for one, or big enough for your clan.

National Building Museum, 401 K St. NW.

Simply Cecily Spring 2016 Collection Trunk Show

APRIL 9TH, 2016 AT 12:00 PM | $0.00 | INFO@SIMPLYCECILY.COM | TEL: 202.887.6638 | EVENT WEBSITE

Designer Cecily Habimana honors the spirit and legacy of Somalian model and actress Iman, first African American supermodel Donyale Luna, international, multi-lingual singer and actress Eartha Kit and the illustrious actress Dorothy Dandridge. Simply Cecily will again fuse her signature style of “traditionally African with a modern American twist” that includes high-waisted skirts and shorts, form-fitting dresses and tops as well as a line of tees that celebrates who we are.

1231 Good Hope Road SE.

Tour: National Museum of African American History and Culture Construction Area

APRIL 9TH, 2016 AT 12:30 PM | $35 | TEL: 202-347-9403 | EVENT WEBSITE

The District Architecture Center is offering this tour of the Smithsonian’s newest museum, opening in September, as part of Architecture Week.

1500 Constitution Ave. NW.

Artist and Entomologist: Panel with Jennifer Angus and Seán Brady

APRIL 10TH, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | FREE | AMERICANARTPROGRAMS@SI.EDU | TEL: (202) 633-8490 | EVENT WEBSITE

Hear artist Jennifer Angus discuss her Renwick installation In the Midnight Garden with Seán Brady, chair of the Entomology Department at the National Museum of Natural History. The two discuss the brilliantly colored insects in Angus’s display and the importance of insects to the natural world.

1661 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

“Shakespeare and Purcell” Concert

APRIL 10TH, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | $25 TO $40 | TEL: 202-544-7077 | EVENT WEBSITE

The Folger Consort performs songs, choruses and instrumental music of Henry Purcell’s celebrated “The Fairy Queen” along with other memorable settings of Shakespeare by Purcell.

Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE.

Conservatory Project: The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

APRIL 10TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 800-444-1434 | EVENT WEBSITE

Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center presents students from the Peabody Institute, who will perform a varied repertoire including Brahms and Waxman. The ensemble features the Trio Mesama — composed of clarinet, piano and cello — as well as baroque violin, baroque flute, harpsichord, violin, viola and mezzo-soprano.

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, 2700 F St. NW.

Georgetowner •

The 2016 Georgetown House Tour and Tea, on Saturday, April 23, will showcase 10 homes. View them all here.

Tour hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $50 ($5 more at the door) and include the house tour magazine and tea at St. John’s Episcopal Church, tour headquarters, between 2 and 5 p.m. St. John’s is located at 3240 O St. NW.

St. John’s members Jill and Scott Altman are co-chairing the event, which dates to 1931. Scott Altman, who flew F-14s in the film “Top Gun,” spent more than 50 days in space and commanded the final two Hubble servicing missions.

The 2016 patrons’ party will take place Wednesday, April 20, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the residence of Bill Dean, 2819 P St. NW. Sponsorship levels are $200, $500, $1,000 and $2,500, with the proceeds benefiting the St. John’s ministries to homeless adults and children, the unemployed, senior citizens and young children in D.C. schools.

For details, visit georgetownhousetour.com.

Juliana Zovak •

As of today, April 11, D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has opened the liquor license application process for restaurants in Georgetown. Businesses can start the application process online by visiting abra.dc.gov/node/676542.

Since Georgetown’s 27-year-old liquor license moratorium expired April 9, there is no longer a limit on the number of restaurant licenses that can be issued in the neighborhood.
The board tweeted out the link to the application this morning.

Interested candidates must first complete the application with the necessary documentation, then submit it for approval. The process could take several months from start to finish.

While Georgetown’s moratorium has ended, tavern and nightclub licenses in the neighborhood are still limited by a separate law.

There remain four moratorium zones in the District. Adams Morgan has restrictions that severely limit the number of licenses for taverns and restrict them entirely for nightclubs within the moratorium zone (restaurants and hotels are exempt). The East Dupont moratorium zone specifies two licenses for taverns and no licenses for nightclubs. In the West Dupont zone, no nightclubs can be issued licenses. Set to expire May 3, the Glover Park moratorium zone has several limits on new retailer’s licenses.

Percy Metcalfe •

Vice President Joe Biden delivered a speech March 24 at Georgetown University Law School on the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.  Biden was introduced to a full room by Georgetown Law Professor Victoria Nourse, who has served as a senior advisor to the vice president.

Biden called Garland “eminently qualified” and a voice of “moderation.” He urged Republican members of the Senate to  hold a hearing on the nominee’s potential promotion to the bench.


The vice president took the opportunity to refute claims that he had schemed to block a George H. W. Bush nominee to a potential opening on the bench in 1992.

Republicans have referred to then-Sen. Biden’s speech as the “Biden rule,” when he appeared to be arguing that the Senate did not have to act on a Court nomination during a presidential election year.

“There is no Biden rule,” said Biden, formerly a chairman of the Senate the Judiciary Committee. “It doesn’t exist. There is only one rule I ever followed in the Judiciary Committee. That was the Constitution’s clear rule of advice and consent.”

He said that Senate Republicans were “quoting selectively” from his own remarks on the issue to legitimize their intransigence over Garland’s nomination.


“The longer this high court vacancy remains unfilled, the more serious a problem we will face — a problem compounded by turbulence, confusion and uncertainty about our safety and security, our liberty and privacy, the future of our children and grandchildren,” Biden said. “In times like these, we need more than ever a fully functioning court.”


Biden called on Senate Republicans to prevent the dysfunction on Capitol Hill from spreading to another branch of the government. 

Gary Tischler •

“May you live in interesting times,” goes the ancient Chinese curse, which may not be Chinese at all.

Chinese or not, that the saying is a curse feels right. The times are certainly interesting, and it’s not a pleasant experience. Over the last month or two, we have seen events that are certainly impactful, perhaps epochal.

We’ve seen the death of a long-standing, often controversial Supreme Court justice.

We’ve seen a sitting president make a historic — and controversial — trip to Cuba.

We’ve seen yet another devastating terrorist attack in Europe.

You’d think that events like this would dominate the news for days on end, and to some extent, they have — but perhaps not in the way you might prefer.

In one way or another, all of these events have become grist for the political mills of our times. We are living, after all, in a presidential campaign year.

More specifically, we’re living in the age of Donald Trump, and the degradation of our election process, which has hyper-elevated and showcased the divisions in our country.

Consider, for instance, the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Upon the news of his death, at warp speed, Republican stalwarts from the Senate majority leader to the GOP presidential candidates at that time flatly stated that they would not consider a nomination to the empty slot on the court by President Barack Obama, even though it is his constitutional duty to do just that.

This obdurate stance comes in spite of the fact that almost every national poll shows that a majority of the American people want a candidate nominated and voted on. The president has actually nominated a candidate who appears to be a moderate, non-ideological and highly qualified, who was approved by the Senate for his current position.

It’s likely that this will be a major and volatile campaign issue through the remainder of the election year (unless, of course, there are leaked nude pictures of John Kasich).

President Obama was blasted for his trip to Cuba, which was almost a given. His tango dance in Argentina also came in for criticism.

Last week, in Brussels, Islamic State terrorists killed 35 people in attacks at the airport and at a train station. Several of the dead were Americans. Donald Trump had said that he had predicted this catastrophe and blamed Belgium for intelligence failures. This was followed by an attack in Pakistan on a Christian enclave during Easter, killing more than 60 people.

It was a horrible reminder of the times we live in.

In Campaign 2016, however, the news was about the candidates’ wives, or rather, how they were being treated by the campaigns. A pro-Cruz PAC had published semi-nude pictures from a GQ photo shoot some years ago of Trump’s wife Melania. This appeared to incense Trump to the point where he threatened to “spill the beans” about Cruz’s wife Gretchen, releasing an unflattering photo of her alongside one of Melania. Then the National Enquirer printed a story claiming that Cruz had conducted several extramarital affairs. Cruz called the claims “garbage” and said Trump was behind it. Trump denied that.

While Bernie Sanders is still carrying on an all-in, all-out battle against Hillary Clinton almost unnoticed, this is what Campaign 2016 has become on the GOP side. We have found the cellar door in the basement. It should be noted that the media is aiding and abetting this process even while complaining about it on the air.

Amazingly, it appears that no one saw Trump coming, now that he’s within reach of the Republican nomination. And, as yet, no one has figured out a way to keep him from marching on. It’s likely that the only candidate who can undo Trump is Trump. (God knows, he’s tried.)

There is a hiatus now before the next big primary in Wisconsin next Tuesday. Maybe, instead of stoking incipient scandals that aren’t scandals, we ought to look around us. This week, in Washington, we’ve been blessed with the gift of cherry blossoms. Let’s take a deep breath. Let’s imagine a day without a tweet from Donald Trump or a scolding from Ted Cruz or a hug from John Kasich.

Maybe then the curse will be lifted.

Georgetowner •

From April 2 through November 2016, the Georgetown Business Improvement District reports that it “will implement sidewalk widenings each weekend on the 3200 block of M Street, NW, and offer free D.C. Circulator bus rides in Georgetown along Wisconsin Avenue. … Visitors and residents will enjoy eight more feet of space for an improved pedestrian experience.”  

Sidewalks are temporarily expanded by eliminating parking spaces and placing pedestrian railings on the street along the 3200 block of M Street, just west of the major intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. Vehicular traffic will continue unimpeded.

According to the Georgetown BID, the sidewalk widening will occur “Saturdays, starting at 6 a.m., through Sundays at 6 p.m., weather permitting, April 2 to early November 2016, weather permitting.”

There will also be discounted parking — $6, all day — at the PMI Garage at 3307 M St. NW on Saturdays and Sundays during the sidewalk widenings. 

In addition, the BID will sponsor free, northbound D.C. Circulator rides on the Union Station-Georgetown route along Wisconsin Avenue, NW, from K Street stops in Georgetown to the top of Book Hill (30th/K, Wisconsin/K, Wisconsin/M, Wisconsin/N, Wisconsin/Q, and Wisconsin/R).