Latest News

Kelly Byrnes • August 17, 2015

The fourth annual Day of Archaeology Festival will dig up both fun and facts at Dumbarton House Saturday, July 18.

Presented by the local non-profit organization Archaeology in the Community, the free event will feature family-friendly activities like face painting, live music and crafts as well as mock-excavations of artifacts.

To bring the festivities to life, the D.C. Historic Preservation Office will be nearby at 3324 Dent Place NW, the site where the current Yarrow Mamout Archaeological Project is underway. The project aims to answer the question of whether the man it’s named for, a freed Muslim slave, is buried on the Georgetown property which he owned following his 1796 emancipation. Mamout is believed to have been born in West Africa in 1736 before being shipped to Annapolis, Md., where he lived as a slave for more than 40 years.

Information sessions will be held at the property throughout the day to teach visitors about the local history behind the site and give them a glimpse into the hands-on archaeological investigation taking place, in addition to volunteer opportunities to help with the dig. The project has been in talks since 2012 and is now closer than ever to discovering the truth behind the local legend.  

The Day of Archaeology Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Peter Murray •

The keepers of the Historic Congressional Cemetery brought in the goats for another, 24-hour round of heavy landscaping today. The goats, officially called the Browsing Green Goats of Prosperity Acres in Sunderland, Maryland, come in every year to clear out invading vines, poison ivy, weeds and other unwanted vegetation from the cemetery, which was established in 1807. In the process, they drop their own brand of organic fertilizer which helps grass grow in the lot. Check out photos of the Historic Congressional Cemetery clearing below.
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Peter Murray •

A woman is in serious condition MedStar Washington Hospital Center after threatening police officers responding to a fire in Northeast with a knife on Saturday. The woman, who has been identified as Renita Nettles, 22, by the Washington Post, is being charged with assault with a deadly weapon and arson, according to a police report. She suffered a single gunshot wound to the shoulder, according to the Post.

The police officer who shot Nettles has not been identified by the Metropolitan Police Department, but a spokesman said he has been placed on administrative leave, which is routine in cases like this one.

The source of confrontation in the Clay Terrace neighborhood is unknown, but many bystanders took photos and videos of the shooting, sharing them on social media, too. One of those videos, which is graphic in nature, can be seen (here)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQjh_nsMI1Q]. Viewer’s discretion is advised.

Robert Devaney •

The partial collapse May 1 of the Watergate parking garage was caused by human error, according to D.C.’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. It determined that workers had put too dirt on top of the three-story structure and that the added weight caused the the collapse. It then issued notices of infraction to the Grunley Construction Company, which is working on the $125-million renovation of the Watergate Hotel, next to the garage, and to the Chapel Valley Landscape Company. The two fines — “for exceeding the allowable loads on top of the structure” — by DCRA are $500 each.

The collapse hurt two persons, prompted the evacuation of the office and other buildings and a massive D.C. Fire Department response along Virginia Avenue NW. It destroyed or damaged about 30 vehicles parked in the garage. Broken water pipes flooded businesses.

Grunley Construction and Developer EuroCapital Properties for the hotel responded to press inquiries by saying their investigations are still undoing.

Closed since 2007, the Watergate Hotel is slated for a fall 2015 reopening.

The Watergate complex, known for the 1972 burglary that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, lies along the banks of the Potomac River next to another Washington landmark, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Georgetowner •

Mad Fox Breweries is finally set to open its D.C. gastropub, Max Fox Taproom, at 2218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, between the Subway sandwich shop and De Vol Funeral Home, after finding additional work was required in renovating the building.

Mad Fox CEO and executive brewer Bill Madden and business partner Rick Garvin started Mad Fox in 2007 and since have become very active in the craft beer and brewpub community. Falls Church will remain the hub of the whole operation, as all of the beers will be brewed there in its 16-barrel brewery. The new location will showcase Mad Fox’s award-winning handcrafted beers with draught and English-style cast service, including up to 24 draught and cask options.

“We have plenty of capacity in our brewery and we’ll be able to serve all of our Falls Church fans, wholesale clients and the Glover Park tap room without any compromises,” Madden said.

Robert Devaney •

President Barack Obama spoke at American University’s School of International Service, making his case for the Iran nuclear deal agreed upon his administration and the Iranian government. Evoking President John F. Kennedy who made a major foreign policy speech at the same university in 1963 and also President Reagan in his dealings with the Soviet Union during the 1980s, Obama gave a history lesson and reasons why the deal ought to be approved by Congress in September.

The president arrived at Nebraska Avenue NW late, just before noon, apparently because someone could not print out a crisp copy of his speech. “Even presidents have problems with toner,” he began. The day before was his 54th birthday, and he, first lady Michelle Obama and others dined at the hard-to-get-into Rose’s Luxury restaurant at Barrack’s Row near Capitol Hill.

Today’s almost hour-long speech before about 300 people, excluding press, was deadly serious: how to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of Iran. Among the VIPs in the first row, front and center in the audience, was Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Interrupted by polite applause from time to time and a bit of laughter once or twice, Obama argued how diplomacy averted nuclear war in the 20th century and how the Iran Deal was an either-or decision: “The choice we face is ultimately between diplomacy and some sort of war — maybe not tomorrow, maybe not three months from now, but soon.”

He said the same crowd against the Iran Deal was the same one which pushed for the Iraq War in 2003. He warned about walking away from the current agreement trying to get a better deal for the U.S. and its allies: “What’s more likely to happen, should Congress reject this deal, is that Iran would end up with some form of sanctions relief without having to accept any of the constraints or inspections required by this deal.  So in that sense, the critics are right:  Walk away from this agreement and you will get a better deal — for Iran.”

At the same time, while acknowledging Iran’s terrorist activities, past and present, Obama appeared to insult those opposing the administration’s deal: “I realize that resorting to force may be tempting in the face of the rhetoric and behavior that emanates from parts of Iran. It is offensive. It is incendiary. We do take it seriously. But superpowers should not act impulsively in response to talks… Just because Iranian hardliners chant ‘Death to America’ does not mean that that’s what all Iranians believe. In fact, it’s those hardliners that are more satisfied with the status quo. It’s those hardliners, chanting ‘death to America,’ who’ve been most opposed to the deal. They’re making common cause with the Republican Caucus.”

At the end, the 44th president pulled back and circled back to the 35th president, saying, “John F. Kennedy cautioned here, more than 50 years ago, at this university, that ‘the pursuit of peace is not as dramatic as the pursuit of war.’  But it’s so very important.  It is surely the pursuit of peace that is most needed in this world so full of strife.”

After a quick TV commercial-quality appeal — “My fellow Americans, contact your representatives in Congress.  Remind them of who we are.  Remind them of what is best in us and what we stand for, so that we can leave behind a world that is more secure and more peaceful for our children.” — Obama left the stage and made it back to the White House in time for lunch.

See the full text of the Aug. 5 speech, as provided by the White House, here.

Chuck Baldwin •

A new hospital has been officially proposed at Georgetown University, replacing a parking lot next to the main hospital. MedStar Health filed a letter of intent with regulators on July 30, which states the $400 million hospital is “intended to address current and future needs for additional care capacity and overcome the structural limitations … that impede additional medical surgical delivery upgrades.”

Approval of the plans requires numerous internal and external reviews and a public hearing before the District’s State Health Planning and Development Agency can act.

Construction is intended to begin by the end of 2016 and finish in 2020.

Robert Devaney •

Georgetown University accepted the resignation of Pat Henner, director of the track and field and cross country programs at the university after 16 years of service. The university also issued its findings July 31 concerning allegations of racial bias by the school’s track program and misconduct by student-athletes in the track and field program. Henner and other coaches were found to have no knowledge of misconduct by student-athletes.

The university statement reads, in part:

“The Office of Institutional Diversity Equity and Affirmative Action, which conducted the investigation into racial bias, found no racial bias in the track program. The investigation included a systematic review of equity among athletes and involved dozens of interviews with current and former team members and coaching staff. … Georgetown has also concluded a thorough review of allegations relating to reports of hazing and sexual misconduct among members of the men’s track team. The investigation included dozens of interviews with coaches, current and former members of the track program, and others with knowledge of the climate around the track program.

“The investigation found that inappropriate locker room behavior and the creation of offensive materials relating to unofficial team events violated the university’s policies regarding sexual misconduct, harassment, non-discrimination and hazing. It is clear that not every student-athlete engaged in misconduct, and the investigation found no wrongdoing by the coaches. Nonetheless, these behaviors and actions created a culture that is inconsistent with the university’s values and did not meet the expectations Georgetown has set for members of its community and for its student-athletes.

“As a result of the misconduct investigation’s findings, and in order to build a positive culture in the men’s track team that is both respectful and inclusive, the men’s track team will be sanctioned with a mandatory, university-imposed reduction in competitive opportunities during the 2015-2016 academic year.

“Georgetown’s participation will be canceled in seven weekends of competitions. In lieu of competition, student-athletes’ time will be used for reflection and discernment, for mandatory training and for dedicated efforts to building an inclusive and respectful team culture.”

No successor has been announced for Henner.

Georgetowner • August 13, 2015

FREE at Artists Proof: ‘How Drama’ performance

August 6th, 2015 at 5 p.m. | contact@aproof.net | Event Website

Join Artist’s Proof as Singapore theater group, How Drama, offers a free smorgasboard of Asian theater experiences that will transport you to the other side of the world.

How Drama was founded in 2007 and is proud to be a Singapore-based theater company, which provides new and exciting theatre experiences for audiences here and around the world.

Address

1533 Wisconsin Ave. NW

United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps Concert

August 6th, 2015 at 07:30 PM | Free | acourtney@susandavis.com | Tel: 2024080808 | Event Website

Join us for a fun night of entertainment and a performance by the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps is part of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The Fife and Drum Corps is stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia. The musicians of this unit recall the days of the American Revolution as they perform in uniforms patterned after those worn by the musicians of General George Washington’s Continental Army.

Address

18900 Jefferson Davis Highway

THE PIANO GUYS

August 6th, 2015 at 8 p.m. | Event Website](http://www.wolftrap.org/)

Inspiration ensues when these piano and cello YouTube phenoms bring their beautiful compositions to the stage, with original works and classical/pop mashups ranging from Swedish House Mafia to Vivaldi.
Address

Filene Center; 1551 Trap Road; Vienna, VA 22812

Civil War tours at Tudor Place

August 8th, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. | Members: $8/one tour, $12/ both house and walking tours Non-members: $10/one tour, $15/both | [Event Website](https://12200.blackbaudhosting.com/12200/tickets?tab=3&txobjid=9d04e55d-0d48-4aad-a344-05ad50d7ff56)

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, choose house tour, walking tour, or both to see Tudor Place through the eyes of previous owner Britannia Peter Kennon who saved her family home by boarding Union officers during the Civil War.

Join the expert guided walking tour of historic Georgetown and see in person relics of the war’s turmoil, including a Union hospital, grave sites of Confederate spies, and a mansion at the heart of the tragic slave escape ship, The Pearl.

Address

1644 31st Street, NW

Farmers Market at the Capella Hotel

August 8th, 2015 at 09 a.m. | Event Website](http://www.capellahotels.com/washingtondc/georgetown/)

Shop like Chef Ruta at the Capella Farmers Market , taking place the second and fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October. Shop produce from Northern Neck Farms, the same farmers Chef Ruta uses to make his fabulous dishes. The market is located at the entrance of the hotel. Look out for locally sourced, fresh, and seasonal flavors!

Address

1050 31st St. NW

Spies on Screen; OSS 117: Lost in Rio

August 11th, 2015 at 06:30 p.m. | 10 | lhicken@spymuseum.org | Tel: (202) 654-0932 | Event Website](http://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/detail/oss-117/2015-08-11/)

It’s 1967, and a former Nazi is hiding out in South America holding a damaging list of World War II French collaborators. France can trust one man to track down the evil Professor Von Zimmel: agent Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, codename OSS 117. Cosponsored by the Alliance Française de Washington. Tickets: $10; members of the alliance or The Inner Circle, $8. For member tickets, email Laura Hicken at lhicken@spymuseum.org — includes screening, soda, and popcorn.

Address

800 F Street, NW

Robert Devaney •

With the resignation of its president, Charles Camp, the Georgetown Business Association’s board of directors voted in a new president and vice president July 15 and then gathered at Dog Tag Bakery for its monthly networking reception.

The new GBA president is Sonya Bernhardt, formerly its vice president. Bernhardt is the CEO of Georgetown Media Group, which publishes The Georgetowner Newspaper and The Downtowner Newspaper.

The GBA vice president is Hope Solomon, who works at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and previously worked with the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms. Solomon also is involved with the family business on P Street, Wedding Creations & Anthony’s Tuxedos.

“I wish Sonya and Hope and the GBA, of which I remain a corporate member, all the best in the future,” former GBA president Charles Camp told The Georgetowner. Camp heads the Law Offices of Charles H. Camp, P.C., located on Thomas Jefferson Street, NW.

Meghan Ogilvie, chief operating officer of Dog Tag Bakery, which opened a little more than six months ago, thanked the GBA for its award of “New Business of the Year.” Ogilvie spoke about the bakery’s commitment to educate veterans on how to run a business besides learning how to bake and make soup and sandwiches. The program runs through Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education. The Dog Tag non-profit on Grace Street was co-founded by Rev. Rick Curry, S.J., and Connie Milstein, both Georgetowners.
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