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Gary Tischler • January 11, 2016

It appears that former District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray’s long political and legal nightmare is over.

The nearly five-year investigation into Gray’s victorious 2010 campaign against incumbent Mayor Adrian is over with no charges filed against Gray.

The office of the U.S. District Attorney, headed by Channing Phillips, who took over after then District Attorney Ronald Machen stepped down this year, issued a statement saying, “Based on a thorough review of the available evidence and applicable law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has concluded that the admissible evidence is likely insufficient to obtain and sustain a criminal conviction against any other individuals.”  This means that Gray, although his name was not mentioned, will not face prosecution or charges.

The announcement amounted to a bittersweet victory for Gray.  Federal prosecutors, after all, did uncover a slush fund or “shadow campaign,” presumed to be headed by businessman Jeffrey Thompson, an ally of Gray.  Several Gray campaign aides have already been indicted and await sentencing, along with Thompson, who insisted in negotiations with the prosecutor that Gray knew about the “shadow campaign”.

The investigation into the campaign exploded at the start of Gray’s administration, dogging and shadowing him throughout his tenure, right up to and including his campaign for re-election.  Machen all alone suggested that Gray’s victory over Fenty was suspect and went to great lengths to prove it, snaring aides and Thompson—but without in the end being able to charge Gray.

What the investigation did manage to do was perhaps cause Gray to lose his re-election campaign against Muriel Bowser, who went on to become mayor. Three weeks before the Democratic primary—which is still tantamount to a guarantor of victory in the general election– Thompson pleaded guilty. Prosecutors and Thompson said in court and in public that Gray knew about the illegal funds that fueled his 2010 campaign.  At the time, while Bowser had been surging, the primary still appeared to be in the very least too close to call. That changed quickly with the late-campaign contratemps around Thompson.

While most observers would suggest that Gray’s tenure by and large was a successful one, he was in some ways wounded politically.  With the investigation making constant news as revelations about the “shadow campaign” continuing to erupt in the media and in the courts with every indictment, Gray was dogged by the press and the media about the campaign and had difficulty getting out the news about his policies and programs.

There is probably no question that a slush fund existed—but it also appeared then and appears now that prosecutors had no meaningful or solid evidence against the mayor.

There is an irony in that, of course, several.  Most District political observers suggest that even though it appears that illegal funds were being used, they were most likely unnecessary to defeat Fenty who had been behind in the in the polls for weeks leading up to the election. 

Gray obviously recognized the might-have-been aspects of what transpired, in terms of the 2014 election, in terms of how his tenure was affected.

In a statement released through his former campaign manager Chuck Thies, Gray said, “Here in the District and around the country, many people had had their faith in our justice system tested. Justice delayed is justice denied, but I cannot change history. I look forward to getting on with the next chapter of my life, which will no doubt be dedicated to service.”

The population increase and shift in the  city, and a building boom that came with it, as well the burgeoning reputation of the city as a destination spot can probably be traced back to Mayor Anthony Williams, Fenty and most certainly Gray, who can take considerable credit for the rise of the city. But it was also during his time in office that the investigation put a cloud of distrust over the government.  The convictions of three council members on other matters, did nothing to reduce that impression.

Mayor Bowser released a curt statement Dec. 9 in response to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia’s announcement on the 2010 mayoral election investigation:
 
“The U.S. Attorney is responsible for bringing cases and securing justice.  The new U.S. Attorney for the District has concluded that justice has been secured with seven convictions in the 2010 Gray mayoral campaign and a dozen in total. It is not my job to question his actions but to continue to do the job that the residents elected me to do: expand opportunity to more D.C. residents. And that’s what we do — not just today but every day.”

Peter Murray •

The District Department of Transportation announced Friday that the prices for tickets related to traffic violations are going way up. Under the new proposal, exceeding the speed limit by 25 mph or over could cost you $1,000 while turning right on red without stopping could cost as much as $200.

Other newly proposed fines include $500 for drivers who fail to slow down or move out of the way for emergency vehicles and $100 for going over the speed limit near recreation and senior centers. There’s also a new $500 fine for failing to yield for buses reentering traffic.

The new proposal also includes fine increases for a number of violations regarding car-bike and car-pedestrian interactions. For example, the fine for hitting a bicyclist will increase from $50 to $500, parking in a bike lane will go from $65 to $200, hitting a pedestrian will cost $500 instead of $50, and failing to yield to a pedestrian before turning right on red will run $200 rather than $50.

DDOT proposed the new changes without the District Council’s input, a development that auto club AAA Mid-Atlantic questions. “DDOT is doing this through the regulator process,” said AAA’s John B. Townsend II. “Why not do it through the legislative process, where you can have public hearings?”

DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo told the Washington Post that there is no formal vote required by the Council on the changes, which are part of Mayor Bowser’s Vision Zero plans, but members can ask to amend or reject the proposed rules through the legislative process.

Bicycle and pedestrian advocate groups supported the proposal as a part of the larger Vision Zero initiative. They argue that stricter penalties will make D.C.’s roads safer for all users, whether they are pedestrians, bicyclists or drivers.

Under D.C. law, regulations can be changed after they are published in the D.C. Register twice, with a comment period of 30 days in between publications. So, while these rules are not final, they are currently in effect.

Robert Devaney • January 10, 2016

That fellow at Dog Tag Bakery just might be a veteran who has quite the story to tell. Some are more intense than others.
Lizandro Mateo-Ortiz and his wife Milena were part of the inaugural class of Dog Tag fellows. Army veteran Mateo-Ortiz barely survived being pulled under a Humvee in Iraq in 2007 and required many surgeries. He still walks with a brace and works with his wife of nearly 25 years. They have been in stories about the bakery.

Another story recalls the days of “Shock and Awe.” The newest Dog Tag fellow is 32-year-old Ayad Ahmed, who got swept up during the Battle of Baghdad in April 2003 . . . actually and harshly. His life changed forever. A bunker-busting bomb hit his street in the Mansour district, looking for Saddam Hussein on incorrect intelligence. The shock bombing killed his girlfriend and left his mother bleeding and grandfather in a coma. Eleven were killed. Ahmed was the only local who could speak English. Tough special operations soldiers grabbed Ahmed, tossed him in a Bradley fighting vehicle, threw a bullet-proof vest at him and told him to translate. None of the Americans spoke Arabic. Ahmed thought to himself: “You came all this way with no translator? What is Saddam doing in my garden, dude?”

His language skills saved the lives of some of his neighbors, whom he never saw again. “Everyone in the neighborhood hated me,” he said. There remains a bounty on his head, and he has never returned to Iraq. He lived with U.S. forces from 2003 until June 2009, when he left for Fort Riley, Kansas, for five years. “I was stuck with them.”

Ahmed became a U.S. citizen in November and wanted something more, he said, perhaps in Washington, D.C. While visiting the Pentagon, he stood in first of the office of Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pondering his future. In a moment, Ahmed’s life would change again, when he was urged to contact Dog Tag, Inc. He began working at the bakery last week.

Georgetowner •

Dog Tag Bakery’s Can-Do Spirit Provides Jobs for Disabled Veterans, Along With Sweet and Savory Treats for All

“True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence.”—President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

FDR could have been speaking about Dog Tag Bakery, located on the perfectly named Grace Street, just past the C&O Canal below Wisconsin Avenue and M Street.

It’s an airy place, busy, with room enough to sit in style and ponder the world, take in really good cup of coffee, order up sandwiches, scones, sweets and soups, all while supporting veterans. You can see the bakers, the cooks, the people manning the cash register, the kitchen itself.

Here, the baguettes are exceptional, the chocolate cake great, the ginger pear torte exquisite and the soups super. This place is among the best in the city.

Yet this is more than your neighborhood coffee shop. When you step into Dog Tag Bakery — with its wide entrance for easy wheelchair access — you become a part of something larger than the time of the day, the aroma of coffee, the pleasantries, and stories shared around a table. Becoming a customer at Dog Tag Bakery lets you see the results of a unique program in action.
One of its slogans is “Baking a Difference.”

Dog Tag Bakery is part of Dog Tag Inc., which operates a six-month training program aimed squarely at “driven, entrepreneurial-minded wounded veterans and their spouses.” The program, through Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies, concludes with a group of fellows — all wounded veterans, or their spouses, and other professionals who have served in combat zones — well on their way to perhaps owning their own businesses or finding sustainable slots in the workplace. Its inaugural group of fellows has already graduated, and a second group started last month.

Dog Tag Bakery is a kind of physical, practical and workaday manifestation of the program, where veterans put their new business skills into practice: managing, keeping the kitchen running, preparing food, handling the counter. A chandelier of 3,456 dog tags is both a reminder of purpose and an additional way for customers to get involved. A $125 donation lets you hang one there too.
The program — which also features a lecture series and opportunities for wounded veterans to tell their own stories — is the first of its kind, a pilot program which its founders and operators hope to see duplicated in other cities.

Dog Tag has gotten a lot of attention from media, local and national, from the get-go. Its goals and the stories of the veterans are compelling. Retired Army Ranger Sedrick Banks, who had his neck broken in Iraq, told CBS News: “Dog Tag was my first major step back into the working mindset. Before the program, I didn’t have confidence. I didn’t feel like I had the ability. Now, I’m confident in myself, you know?”

The mission of Dog Tag has also earned the confidence and support from the likes of Mark and Sally Ein, Steve and Jean Case, Tammy Haddad, Roy and Kelley Schwartz, just to name a few.

Among the many human ingredients that go into Dog Tag’s operation are co-founders Rev. Richard Curry, S.J., and Constance Milstein; Chief Operating Officer Meghan Ogilvie; General Manager Justin Ford; Head Baker Rebecca Clerget; and Director of Development Simone Borisov.

Yet the most critical human ingredients are the fellows, the wounded veterans themselves, seeking doorways to enter the workforce, learn new skills, become entrepreneurs, become a part of the American mainstream. And that’s where the 72-year-old Father Curry comes in.

“He is the Jesuit father, and I am the Jewish godmother,” Milstein, one of Washington’s — and the country’s — leading philanthropists, told the crowd at the bakery’s grand opening in December. The attorney and real estate developer said she considers their partnership “a match made in heaven.” She is committed to helping veterans — her involvement with Blue Star Families is one example — and has also set up nonprofit bakeries in New York.

“It is because of my father, friends I lost in Vietnam, and those who continue to defend our freedom today that I am dedicated to our military and to helping empower and care for our military families,” Milstein has said.

It is Curry — a Jesuit brother who was ordained a priest at age 66 — who brings with him just what is needed to help disabled, wounded veterans. If there were degrees and medals in empathy, affinity, the ability to listen to and tell stories, Curry would have a fistful of them.

Curry founded, and headed for three decades, the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped, a nonprofit theater-arts training institution for persons with physical disabilities. Reaching out to disabled combat veterans, especially amputees, he began the Writers’ Program for Wounded Warriors, which encourages wounded veterans to tell their stories.

And, not to put too fine a point on it, he is technically disabled himself, having no right forearm. “I was born this way,” he told us in an interview at Dog Tag Bakery. He laughed. “I’m still wrestling with that. It still hurts.” But it also lets him understand with deep feeling, intellect and sometimes humor the plight of wounded veterans.

“Many people faced with a loss of a limb or internal organ internalize things. They can’t let it out,” he said. “And they think they won’t be able to do anything in life, all the things they could have done, all the tools to provide for a family. And that’s not true.”

“I don’t think of myself in terms of my disability,” Curry said. “And it’s important that our wounded warriors not be defined by their disabilities. This program is about confidence.”

Curry himself is a lot about building confidence — he exudes not so much strength as a kind of viability. He has that air of Irish curiosity about him, a conviviality that comes naturally, a love of the human race and its individual spirits.

In many ways, he is the heart of the Dog Tag enterprise, or at least its warmest cheerleader. The veterans themselves are the real stories, of course, and over the years Curry has managed to get them to tell their stories, time and again, in school and on stage; the stage at Dog Tag is one of his innovations.

“That was one of the reasons I started the wounded veterans’ writing program. There is this need for them to tell and write their stories,” Curry said. “Look what happened during the course and aftermath of the Vietnam War. The veterans, many of them badly wounded and maimed, and just as much psychologically, couldn’t tell their stories. Nobody wanted to hear them.

“This is about their stories as much as learning how to run a business, how to be part of a business,” he said. “So many buried their stories in silence and they have made us realize that war has its price.”

The need is obvious. Nearly 120 veterans applied for spots in the first group of fellows. Ten were chosen.

Curry decided to enter the priesthood after many of the wounded veterans he dealt with asked him to hear their confessions.

According to one story, a veteran asked him why he wasn’t a priest and Curry said he felt he had not been called. “Well, I’m calling you,” the man said to him.

Beyond his ability to administer the sacraments, Curry has written two books, “The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking” and “The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking.”

At Dog Tag Bakery, he’s already sharing his finely tuned Jesuit gift for compassion, hitched to intellectual curiosity and empathy, linked to worldly action. [gallery ids="102126,133741,133739" nav="thumbs"]

Peter Murray • January 9, 2016

After weighing a number of redevelopment options for the Franklin School at a special meeting on Nov. 16, the Advisory Neighborhood Commission, or ANC, with jurisdiction over the area, voted unanimously to support Georgetown University and Thoron Capital’s plan to turn the old school into new academic center focusing on technology and multi-media art. Previously, the school was slated to host a contemporary art museum but Mayor Muriel Bowser shelved those plans in February shortly after coming into office.

Four companies presented redevelopment proposals for the school, built in 1869, to the ANC. The crop of proposals included plans to turn the space into a co-working office space or a boutique hotel, with a focus on either the arts or on fine dining.

Georgetown’s plan, on the other hand, involves turning the space into “a technology, arts, and media center envisioned as the ‘Y Combinator start-up model meets Juilliard with live performance, educational activity, and a dynamic space where technologists, artists, and entrepreneurs come together,” according to the ANC. Robert Taylor, founder of Thoron Capital, explained to the Washington Post that the plan is based off “the idea of bringing different arts disciplines together and letting them play off of one another.”

Included in the plans are a performing arts hall run by the operators of Bohemian Caverns, a live music staple on U Street, an outdoor performance courtyard, and a restaurant facing 13th Street NW. According to Urban Turf, “there will also be community-based courses for Georgetown students which the public can audit, as well as a partnership with various public high schools in the city to teach and train youth and provide college students with community-based learning credits.”

Randall Bass, Georgetown vice provost for education, suggested to the Washington Post that a new university center at the Franklin School would help connect the school’s other downtown programs, like its continuing education campus near Mount Vernon Square and the Georgetown Law premises close to Union Station.

“We think that this is a really unique opportunity to be able to bring the music and film studies work to the heart of downtown,” he said to the Post.

Under the ANC’s recommended plan, Thoron would lease the old school from the city and undertake renovations, while Georgetown University would be the primary tenant. Thoron will consult with a number of experts on historic preservation for the project, but Taylor called the project a “comfortable undertaking” because it will not seek to “radically change the layout of the building.”

A panel within the Deputy Mayor of Planning & Economic Development’s office is in charge of the final decision on the building’s redevelopment. Bidders anticipate a decision by the end of the year and the Bowser administration aims to begin construction in 2017, around the same time that the National Park Service will be putting the finishing touches on its overhaul of Franklin Square Park.

Robert Devaney • January 6, 2016

Pre-parties, post-parties and brunches, as usual, surrounded the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue April 27. Friday night parties involved a Creative Coalition Coalition and Lanmark Technology, Inc., dinner at Neyla, a Vote Latino reception at the Hay Adams and a People-Time party at the St. Regis. On Saturday afternoon, Tammy Haddad’s brunch at Mark Ein’s place on R Street created more buzz. At the Hilton, several receptions went on before the dinner bells chimes. Afterwards, Bloomberg-Vanity Fair, Capitol File and MSNBC parties commenced. On Sunday, more brunches by Politico on Q Street and Reuters and Yahoo at the Hay Adams. Besides the parties and dinners, Georgetowners spied WHCA dinner headliner Conan O’Brien on P Street and Korean rapper Psy in front of the Four Seasons Hotel. [gallery ids="101272,148463,148457,148451,148445,148438,148431,148425,148419,148413,148475,148406,148480,148399,148485,148490,148469" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney • December 22, 2015

Cardinal Donald Wuehl, Archbishop of Washington, was the main celebrant of the Dec. 6 Mass, which formally installed the 52nd pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Rev. C. Kevin Gillespie, S.J. Founded in 1787, Holy Trinity on 36th Street NW is the oldest Catholic parish in Washington, D.C. Formerly the president of St. Joseph’s University, Gillespie also taught religious studies and coached baseball at Gonzaga College High School and Georgetown Prep.

Robert Devaney •

At the Nov. 30 meeting of the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission, representatives of DC Water, also known as the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority, stood in front of a table of commissioners and were scolded like schoolboys.

What was the problem? If you live or drive along P Street on the east side of Georgetown, you have no doubt experienced the slow progress of the water work, digging and repaving.

P Street resident and commissioner Monica Roache criticized DC Water representatives, who said they were also frustrated and wanted the pace of work quickened — and put the blame on their contractors. Roache and her neighbors got the noise and parking restrictions reduced. After months of disruption, streets around 27th and P were fully paved and smooth this week.

Georgetowner • December 17, 2015

Holiday Living Room Live – Jazz & Holiday Tunes by the Fireplace (FREE)

December 17th, 2015 at 07:00 PM | Free | info@artsoiree.com | Tel: 202-470-2642 | Event Website

Take a break from the holiday season’s hustle and bustle, as you cozy up by the wood burning fireplace and enjoy the best of merry tunes in the company of friends and music lover.

Thursday, December 17th will feature Holiday & Jazz Tunes by Sally Linderma, who is a classically trained vocalist and is equally at home singing cabaret, show tunes, pop and jazz.

Seating is on the first come basis. Doors open 7pm. Live Performance start 8pm. Meet & Mingle w/ the artist 10:30pm

Address

The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown; 3100 South Street NW

IMPROV ACTUALLY

December 18th, 2015 at 10:00 PM

Drawing inspiration from the movie “Love Actually,” the Christmas-themed show takes place in Washington, D.C. Improv Actually introduces us to an eclectic mix of Washingtonians who are falling in love, falling out of love, and (quite possibly) falling back in love again.

Address

Source – 1835 14th St., NW

Star Wars Dance Party!

December 19th, 2015 at 08:00 PM | FREE WITH RSVP | carol@artwhino.com | Tel: 301-567-8210 | Event Website

Storm troopers and Jedis from galaxies far and near rejoice for Art Whino’s: Star Wars Dance Party! Show us your best moves as you traverse through our intergalactic 9000sqft terrain as we celebrate the release of the much anticipated movie. Grab a frosty beverage at Chalmun’s Cantina while you watch Star Wars themed live painting. Get ready to capture your fun with a photo booth ready for you to take your memories as you continue your adventures to other galaxies.

Address

WHINO on H St; 700 H St NE

Washington, DC 20002

Washington Bach Consort presents “Christmas with the Consort”

December 20th, 2015 at 03:00 PM | Tel: 202-429-2121 | Event Website

Washington Bach Consort presents “Christmas with the Consort”

Consort Chorus

Todd Fickley, organ

Join the Consort Chorus for a dynamic program of choral and organ music, featuring the stupendous virtuosity of Todd Fickley on the world-renowned Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ at National Presbyterian Church. Experience the Consort in a diverse program of magnificent repertoire, both old and new, written for this special time of year.

All programs are subject to change without notice.

Address

National Presbyterian Church; 4101 Nebraska Avenue NW

A Choral Arts Christmas

December 20th, 2015 at 08:00 PM | $15 and up | choralarts@choralarts.org | Tel: 2022443669 | Event Website

Capture the joy of the season with a beloved Washington tradition! A Choral Arts Christmas celebrates the holidays with a magical mix of seasonal classics, favorite sing-alongs, and popular Christmas standards. Featuring Terry Bingham, trumpet, as a guest soloist.

Repertoire includes I Wonder as I Wander, Sleigh Ride, O Holy Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Jingle Bells, Silent Night, and more from Choral Arts and our special guests!

Address

2700 F St NW

Carols & Cocktails

December 20th, 2015 at 08:00 PM | $79 and up | youngpatrons@choralarts.org | Tel: 2022443669 | Event Website

Join us for a festive evening of music and holiday celebration!

Attend Choral Arts’ “A Choral Arts Christmas” holiday concert featuring Terry Bingham on trumpet, and a carol sing-along in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

Followed by our exclusive after-party featuring light hors d’oeuvres, desserts, beer, and wine at the Hamilton!

Tickets include two free drinks. Additional drinks will be available via cash bar.

Ticket packages are limited and will sell out!

Address

Concert:

Kennedy Center Concert Hall; 2700 F St NW

Party:

The Loft at The Hamilton; 600 14th St NW, Second Floor

Holiday Cocktails and Christmas Flowers

December 21st, 2015 at 06:00 PM | $69 | iricchi@aol.com | Tel: 202-835-0459 | Event Website

Sip sparkling holiday cocktails while you craft a floral arrangement for your Christmas table. Floral designers from Palace Florists will provide expert tips for creating a beautiful arrangement. Keep it for yourself or give away as a gift!

Address

Ristorante i Ricchi; 1220 19th Street, NW