‘Washington in the ’80s’: WETA’s Take on the Decade of Barry and Reagan
• November 19, 2014

The 1980s in Washington, D.C., is the focus of WETA’s latest documentary on local history of the nation’s capital. The one-hour WETA production premieres 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 17, at on WETA TV 26; it will repeat at 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, and 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 26.

The Reagan Inauguration. The hostages released. Reagan shot. The Air Florida and Metro crashes of Jan. 13, 1982. John Riggins and the Redskins. Patrick Ewing and the Hoyas. Len Bias overdoses.

“Washington in the ’80s” offers up the images and stories of President Ronald Reagan and Mayor Marion Barry as well as that of the Washington Redskins, Super Bowl champions in 1982 and 1987, and the Georgetown University Hoyas, winners of the NCAA basketball championship in 1984. Go-go and punk music made their splash in D.C., although not throughout all of the city. The local theater scene expanded downtown. And, yes, the use of cocaine was more than mentioned.

It is a fast-paced, broad-brush feature on the social, political and cultural changes of the 1980s that could have totaled at least two hours. The rehabilitation of the Old Post Office and Union Station are talked, but there could have more details on downtown D.C. and Georgetown. WETA has also produced documentaries on Washington in the 1960s and in the 1970s.

For the piece, WETA interviews included Barry and former councilmember and mayoral candidate Carol Schwartz, television journalists Maureen Bunyan and Tom Sherwood, radio journalist Kojo Nnamdi, political commentator Pat Buchanan, entertainment reporter Arch Campbell, former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, musician Kato Hammond, former D.C. police chief Isaac Fulwood and architect Arthur Cotton Moore.

The documentary talks up the good side of Barry with his summer jobs programs along with efforts to increase minority participation in government and business as well as his encouragement of business development — the construction of Washington Harbour in Georgetown is cited. Besides the drug scrounge, the advent of the AIDS epidemic is underscored with a more open and accepted gay community in D.C.

Opening to sounds of “Funky Town” and headlining the optimism and energy of Reagan and Barry, “Washington in the ’80s” ends the decade on a sour note as it highlights the crack cocaine crisis in D.C., which became known as “the murder capital of America” and whose mayor had to deny publicly that he snorted cocaine.
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Open Friday for Ice Skating: Washington Harbour, NGA Sculpture Garden Ice Rink
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November to March is ice skating season, and the cold of Polar Vortex is showing up right on time. Here are two of the best ice skating venues in D.C.

Both the Washington Harbour Ice Rink and the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink will open tomorrow, Nov. 14, and weather permitting, continue through mid-March.

The Washington Harbour ice rink on Georgetown’s waterfront is D.C.’s largest outdoor skating rink. Admission is $10 for adults and $9 for children, seniors and military. Skate rentals are $5. Washington Harbour also offers six week long sessions to learn to skate.

Washington Harbour ice rink hours:

Monday and Tuesday: noon to 7 p.m.

Wednesday to Thursday: noon to 9 p.m.

Friday: noon to 10 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. 7 p.m.

Located on the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden ice rink is one of the best locations for ice skating. Daily admission is $8 for adults and $7 for seniors, students, and children. Season tickets are available for $195. Skate rentals are $3.

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden ice rink hours:

Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Washington Design Center Celebrates New Digs, New Energy
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Guests attending the Nov. 12 opening of Washington Design Center at its new location at 1099 14th St., NW, experienced nothing less than a rebirth of the city’s design and decoration cooperative. The change in locale at the three-floor regional trade market place from its former Southwest D.C. spot was evident. Equipped with 21 charmingly designed showrooms, attendees perused each section, admiring works from such designers as Holly Hunt, Robert Allen and Scalamandré, to name a few.

The Franklin Court Building was chosen for its proximity to the stylish 14th Street neighborhood, which is ideal, as it is quickly becoming known as the D.C.’s design district. “We wanted to be more visible and more accessible,” Ann Lambeth, co-owner of the J. Lambeth & Co. showroom, told the Washington Post.

The design center encourages consumers to stop by and browse the showrooms, while accompanied by a representative of the Franklin Court Management Office. Although purchasing onsite isn’t an option, the WDC management will be more than willing to give referrals.

Ultimately, party-goers and designers alike were very pleased with the new digs. “The energy level is just so different. It feels younger and more vibrant,” David Herchik, president of Washington’s JDS Designs, told the Washington Post.

Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge Diversions
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Repairs on the structurally deficient Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge over Rock Creek Park are supposed to begin next summer. Officials are now considering changes to the traffic plan for the 15-month project.

Officials plan to limit the roadway to two lanes eastbound for eight months, diverting traffic to 26th and M Streets, NW. During the project, DDOT is considering making 26th Street one-way northbound to improve the flow of traffic while preserving a lane of parking. But some community members think it is important to retain both directions of travel. A decision is expected by the end of the month.

Crime and Safety: Armed Robberies Rattle Residents, Students
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A Georgetown University student was mugged two weeks ago at K and 34th Street NW. That and other crimes – involving handguns — in Georgetown’s residential and business districts and near the university have been on the uptick of late and prompted on-camera interviews of students by NBC4’s Derrick Ward at 36th and N Streets Nov. 14.

In other reports:

Three robberies early Saturday morning, Nov. 8, were reported in or close to Georgetown, and another took place Oct. 31 farther up Wisconsin Avenue, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. The area is not known for many crimes involving guns or knives.

All four incidents occurred in MPD’s Second District, which includes Georgetown, Dupont Circle and most of Northwest Washington. Two happened within three or four blocks of Second District headquarters at 3320 Idaho Ave., NW.

A robbery occurred at 33rd and P Streets, NW, at 1:40 a.m., Nov. 8. Police are looking for two black males, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8, both of thin build and dark complexion. Also on Nov. 8, an armed robbery took place at 2:26 a.m. in the 3000 block of Idaho Avenue, NW. MPD is looking for two black males, 5-foot-10 to 6-foot, slim build, dark clothing. One was armed with a silver gun.

Again on Nov. 8, around 2 a.m., at Rhode Island and Connecticut Avenues, NW, there was an assault with a deadly weapon, a knife. The suspect was arrested.

On Oct. 31, an armed robbery was committed just after midnight in the 3700 block of Macomb Street, NW, which intersects with Wisconsin Avenue.

Stewart and Bahari Preview ‘Rosewater’ in D.C.
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Jon Stewart, the host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” screened his new movie, “Rosewater,” at the Newseum on Nov. 9 and at Georgetown University on Nov. 10. Written and directed by Stewart, the film is based on “Then They Came for Me,” Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari’s book about his 118-day incarceration by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in Tehran. Bahari joined Stewart on his trip to Washington, with the duo discussing the film at both preview screenings. Released nationwide on Nov. 14, “Rosewater” is currently playing at the AMC Loews Georgetown and at Landmark Theatres’ E Street Cinema.

Crosswalks at Cross Purposes
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In an attempt to improve pedestrian safety in and around Washington Circle, where Pennsylvania Avenue, New Hampshire Avenue and K Street converge, the D.C. Department of Transportation tripled the number of signalized crosswalks, from six to 18, and increased the number of crosswalks in and out of the circle, from four to six.

With all the new crosswalks, drivers are now getting backed up. The recent change from one-way to two-way traffic on a portion of New Hampshire Avenue has exacerbated the problem.

DDOT is trying to address the complaints from drivers while accommodating the needs of pedestrians and the adjacent George Washington University hospital, adding temporary crossing guards to the circle during rush hours. Also, traffic-signal technicians have been working on the lights to try and ease the congestion.

West Heating Plant’s Structural Integrity Questioned
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Structural engineers disagree on the state of the empty West Heating Plant on 29th Street next to the C&O Canal and near the Fours Seasons Hotel. One says that the old heating plant is too far gone to be saved, while another says that the building could be preserved and revitalized. The structure, built in 1948, has been unused since the mid-1990s.

These conflicting views have stalled plans to convert the building into 60 luxury condos, as the developers wait for a decision from preservation authorities. The building was bought from the federal government by Levy Group, the New York-based Georgetown Company and the Fours Seasons nearly two years ago.

The Old Georgetown Board offered comments Nov. 6 about the conflicting reports. The amount of demolition needed on the plant depends on how the building will be reused. In addition, the building’s structure has been damaged by water and rust, making it vulnerable to wind and earthquakes.

Digital Eyes on Drivers
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D.C. police have set up new speed and stop-sign cameras in the District to crack down on reckless driving in areas where pedestrian safety has become a concern. Stop-sign cameras have been activated at the intersections of Fessenden and 44th Street, NW, and North Capitol Street and Chillum Place. In addition, new speed cameras have been installed on the 3600 block of Park Place, NW; the 2600 block of Lincoln Road, NE; the 3100 block of 4th Street, NE; and the 4000 block of 12th Street, NE. In the first 30 days of operation, which began Nov. 4, police will issue warning citations for violations. After that, violators will be ticketed for moving violations years ago.

Georgetown to Get Lit for a Weekend, Dec. 12 to Dec. 14
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This just in from the Georgetown BID:

Georgetown will be aglow for one weekend only during Georgetown Glow, Dec. 12 to 14, the new, signature winter event celebrating the holiday season organized by the Georgetown Business Improvement District. The weekend includes an innovative exhibition of light-art installations and lighting of major structures. The works will be on view from Friday, Dec. 12, to Sunday, Dec. 14, and lit nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Georgetown BID will host a neighborhood-wide public art exhibition that will feature the work of local, regional and international light artists in public and privately owned spaces. The site-specific works will use light in surprising, modern and impactful ways, transforming and activating spaces along M Street, the Book Hill section on the 1600 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Washington Harbour, and in office building plazas south of M Street. The Georgetown BID has retained Deirdre Ehlen MacWilliams, a public art expert and curator, to curate the exhibition. Citelum, the Paris-based global lighting firm that in 2012 established its North American headquarters in the District, is a major partner and technical advisor. Other key partners to date include Jamestown Properties, Eastbanc, Inc., The JBG Companies, MRP Realty, LSM, and M.C. Dean.