Images from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication
• October 20, 2011

Thousands gathered in West Patomac Park under clear skies on Sunday October 16 to help dedicate the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The event was originally scheduled for August but had to be postponed due to Hurricane Irene. Click on the thumbnails below for our slideshow. (All photos by Jeff Malet).
View additional photos by clicking here.
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Charles Harting Percy: 1919 – 2011
• October 19, 2011

Former Senator Charles Percy died Saturday at the age of 91, succumbing to the effects of Alzheimer’s disease at a local hospice.

In the media much was made of the fact that Percy, who was elected to the Senate from Illinois in 1966 and served three terms, was once seen as a man of enough gravitas and appeal to be a presidential candidate, and that he was a rare breed amongt politicians today, almost invisible to the naked eye, a moderate-bordering-on-liberal Republican.

Even after he was defeated in a grueling bid for a fourth term in 1985 by Democrat Paul Simon, Percy was always referred to as Senator in greetings, meetings and walkabouts in Georgetown, where he and his wife settled happily when he first came to Washington.

Senator Percy had several careers and achievements outside the Senate. In addition to heading up a Washington-based trade and technology investment-consulting firm after his departure from the Senate, he also took on another role, one in which he took great pride. Percy became the good citizen of Georgetown, a role which he embraced with ardor, decency, and a commitment to the idea of community—an ideal that permeated all his efforts, whether working with the nation, a major business, or a self-described village in Washington, D.C.

For Georgetown, Percy provided leadership for the drive to create a livable, viable, ecologically sound and beautiful Waterfront Park. The $24 million, 9.5 acre park, a joint project of the National Park Service, the Friends of the Georgetown Waterfront Park and the District of Columbia, opened officially September 23, even as Senator Percy lay dying, giving the occasion an atmosphere of deep and mixed emotions amidst the celebration.

The occasion showed that a man’s life—even a Senator and presidential candidate—is not lived in one arena, one place and with one heart. Percy’s life was a classic story: he was a World War II veteran as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, he had a newspaper route, and he was a lifelong Republican who believed in the American success story and the virtues of American entrepreneurship that existed in his youth. Small wonder—in 1947 at the age of 29, he had risen to the president’s chair of Bell & Howell, one of America’s largest firms.

He first entered politics in a failed but close attempt to unseat Democrat Otto Kerner, Jr. for the governorship of Illinois. He defeated the venerable Paul Douglas for the Illinois Senate seat in 1966 and won two more terms, before being defeated his fourth term run.

As a Senator, he became what was then called a Rockefeller GOP liberal: pro-business, but moderate-to-liberal on social issues and, unlike many fellow Republicans, skeptical about the war in Vietnam. He called for an independent investigation of the Watergate scandal, going against a Republican president. For this, he had the honor of making Nixon’s Enemies List.

Time Magazine put him on their cover and, as a handsome, articulate and appealing bipartisan spokesman, he was often talked about as a presidential candidate. In an interview with the Georgetowner over a decade ago, he admitted that he had thought about it seriously but refused to challenge Gerald Ford for the nomination. In this, as in many things, he was different from future president Ronald Reagan. He was proud of having created legislation that created NPR, and even more proud of his daughter Sharon, who not only married a Rockefeller, but became president of WETA.
However, tragedy struck at the height of Percy’s success when, during his first Senate campaign, his 21-year-old daughter Valerie, twin to Sharon, was found murdered in her bed at the family home in Kenilworth. The murder was never solved.

“No one would have loved more to be here front and center [than my father],” said Percy’s daughter Sharon at the park dedication. “He would have been thrilled to see this magnificent setting. It is his fondest and last best work.”

A plaque in his honor at the park reads, in part: “Senator Charles H. Percy was pivotal in the creation of the Georgetown Waterfront Park. Senator Percy—a Georgetown resident, lover of the waterfront, and supporter of local high school rowing—chaired the Georgetown Waterfront Park Commission that was so instrumental in the park’s creation.”

Georgetown architect Outerbridge Horsey remembered going to Percy downtown with the late architect Bill Cochran to ask Percy to take on the leadership role in the waterfront project. “He was very amenable and agreeable,” Horsey said. “And he wasn’t just a figurehead with a famous name. He chaired every meeting in the early years until he resigned, and he had that voice and bearing of authority which got people to work together. He was very much a good citizen and member of the Georgetown community.”

He was also a regular and often vocal presence at CAG meetings, once famously calling a meeting to order with an ear-piercing whistle, which, like Percy’s moderation, is a disappearing skill. Sometimes, he would set himself down and start playing the church piano before meetings.

If Alzheimer’s is a disease that robs its victims of memory, then let us remember now Charles Harting Percy, father, husband, Senator, businessman, moderate Republican, philanthropist, and good citizen of Georgetown.

Why Age 65? How About 85?
•

Why is age 65 the retirement age?

Legend has it that when Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Germany in the 1880s, proposed the world’s first retirement insurance program, he asked his advisors, “How long do people usually live?” When told the average life span was 45 or 50 years, he said, “Then, let’s give a pension to everyone at age 65.”

Myths rarely line up with reality. Germany set that first retirement age at 70, certainly no budget buster.

By 1935, when Congress was considering Social Security, Germany had lowered its retirement age to 65. Many states and some large US companies had pension plans with retirement ages ranging from 65 to 70. By then, the average life expectancy was 60 years.

Congress adopted age 65, apparently anticipating that it would not cost much, especially since most people wouldn’t live long enough to receive it.

Thirty years later, Congress passed Medicare. By then, average life expectancy was 70 years.

To offset the cost of these programs, Congress created taxes to be shared equally by employers and employees. Social Security taxes were expected to cover the cost. In 1965, medical expenses didn’t consume 17 percent of the economy as it does today. So, when Congress enacted the Medicare tax, it only covered approximately 14 percent of costs. No tax was enacted to cover Medicaid costs.

After Medicare and Medicaid were passed, federal government spending on health care jumped to 5 percent of total spending.

Today, the average citizen lives to be almost 80. Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs consume more than 25 percent of all federal spending and with projected increases of 10 percent per year, health care will consume 30 percent of the federal budget within five years.

The average cost to insure a family now exceeds $15,000 per year, more than a minimum wage worker earns in a year.

Yes, some of that increase is related to the new health care law. It’s 1 percent of that increase, mostly from allowing children to remain on their parents’ policies until they are 26 years old. The other 9 percent is the inexorable, uncontrollable creep of costs.

The harsh reality is that taxes dedicated to covering health care cover less than 10 percent of the federal government’s costs.

As a nation, we have to ask ourselves: How much longer can we bring in a dime and spend a dollar?
With the average citizen living almost 20 years longer than in 1935 and with 80 million baby boomers over or approaching age 65, ignoring the cost of social security and health care is like following Thelma and Louise – right over a cliff.

The political irony is that both political parties want the same thing: something for nothing. Republicans refuse to consider any new revenue source. Democrats draw the line at changing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

The need for compromise is painfully obvious, but the political cost is equally obvious. Compromise means facing the wrath of voters.

Are there any solutions? No easy ones.

Regulate profits in the medical sector the way utility company profits are regulated by the government. (That’s going to make some enemies.)

Universal health care contains costs in other countries. The U.S. spends double on health care what other countries spend, yet US life expectancy ranks about 40th in the world. Apparently, American citizens prefer to die sooner as long as the government stays out of health care.

Or, take a page from Bismarck’s playbook: Provide benefits for those who outlive the average person by, say, five years. That’s what Congress did when it started Social Security. In other words, with life expectancy approaching 80, begin providing benefits at age 85.

As ridiculous as that sounds, consider that It would be consistent with Social Security’s “original intent.” It would balance the budget. It might even lower life expectancy. And that would further reduce budget pressures.

Is it any more ridiculous than refusing to face the reality that retirement and health benefits for 80 million baby boomers can be provided without a revenue source, without any government regulation, and without a meaningful change in the retirement age?

And, most importantly, without compromise?

Jam-packed NOLA Visit Serves Up Many Lessons
•

Four days in New Orleans to work the exhibitor booth, to attend some seminars and speeches, to take in the sights and sounds of this city along the Mighty Mississippi and to meet clients and a great, old friend, David Roffman, retired editor and publisher of The Georgetowner. Too much? Hey, it’s N’awlins, baby. “Laissez les bon temps roulez,” and let’s find the time to greet and to eat.

It was Mitchell Davis of Broadcast Interview Source, Inc. and the Yearbook of Experts, who invited Roffman to the combined journalists’ convention – the Radio, Television and Digital News Association and the Society of Professional Journalists – at the Sheraton on Canal Street. A Georgetown University alum, Davis worked for The Georgetowner more than 30 years ago as a photographer and was delighted that Roffman had given him a darkroom back then.

On Sept. 25, while others stopped to speak with us, Roffman drove into the city from the Gulf shores of Alabama, got his convention badge and met us in the hall, ready to work. But this was more a learning rather than selling show, packed with speakers, sessions, book signing, critiques and receptions. Our retired publisher could simply relax, enjoy the show and explore the city.

We listened to Soledad O’Brien of CNN explain her work in documentaries, balancing family life, while admonishing newbie journalists to solve problems for themselves and their bosses, creatively and without complaint. Jeff Fager, CBS News chairman, proudly showed off “60 Minutes,” advising writers and producers not to cover too much but to focus and tell a story.

During the RTDNA awards ceremony for Lara Logan of “60 Minutes” and Linda Ellerbee of Nickelodeon’s Nick News, the room fell silent after the video introduction for Logan showed a base in Afghanistan and then Tahrir Square in Cairo, site of her brutal rape. She looked away from the screen and then spoke about how the attack seemed easier to live with then than now. “I am the model of imperfection,” said Logan, who lightened the mood and talked about the New York office. “If you are looking to go corporate, this is not the place for you,” the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News said. “The same old offices have housed ‘60 Minutes’ for years. The diligent Logan said she strove for a good story at the end of the day and would ask herself: “How can I not f–k this up?”

On her recovery, Logan said she had felt “broken into one thousand pieces” but was “grateful for letters from people across America” and had expected more push back about the assault. “What we stand for as a Western society and America is free speech,” Logan said. “There is a war around the world against free speech. We are fighting for the survival of our civilization.”

Longtime TV news reporter and anchor Linda Ellerbee, now reporting the news to children with Nick News, showed she was a seasoned keynoter, tossing out such punch lines as “A journalist is an out-of-work reporter.” After double knee replacement on Sept. 15, she stood at the podium with her signature red Converse sneakers and admitted she could “get lost following a river.” Before she moved to her first TV reporting job, she was asked, “Have you ever done TV?” Ellerbee replied: “No, I’ve seen it.” Any job advice? “Don’t confuse change with motion.” “If you shove a microphone in someone’s face to convey tragedy, you’re a moral dwarf.” Her writing, she said, is the same for kids as when she wrote for the networks.  “I’ve morphed into some kind of raggedy-assed big bird,” Ellerbee said. “I love it. It’s good to laugh any time you can.”

Also available were training sessions on freelancing, videotaping, backpack journalism, Google, social media ethics, Facebook and journalism, transformational newspapers and narrative form in the age of tweets — not to mention the tour of post-Katrina levees or volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank. Was it too much? Of course, it was. And perfect to be in New Orleans, where print and electronic journalists and other media types were getting a handle on the changes all around them.

The Fewer Terrorists, the Better
•

When the virulent and high-ranking al-Qaeda leader Anwar Al-Awlaki was killed in target drone strike in Yemen last week, most Americans applauded the action, figuring it was another top terrorist out of the picture and no longer plotting terrorist operations against the United States.

There seemed little opposition to the strike, approved by President Barack Obama, and planned by the CIA. Al-Awlaki was considered a key strategist, as well as motivator, for al-Qaeda, calling repeatedly for Jihad or holy war against the U.S. and for the killing of Americans.

He was a key figure in the U.S. war against terrorism, and as such almost as much a prime target for American military and intelligence efforts as Osama Bin Laden, who was killed earlier this year.

Yet Republican Congressman Ron Paul condemned the killing and charged that because Al-Awlaki was born in the United States and therefore was a U.S. citizen, he had been denied due process and a trial. Later, he hinted that President Barack Obama could and perhaps should be impeached for the decision to kill Al-Awlaki. Another GOP presidential wannabe, Herman Cain, suddenly hot after winning a couple of straw polls, also questioned the killing as did some legal scholars and politicians.

But in general, and especially in the ranks of the GOP, the strike was applauded as necessary and successful.

Speaking as someone who’s been opposed to the death penalty most of my life and who’s not too keen on previous attempts by the U.S. to topple governments (Chile comes to mind), or take out political leaders (Lumumba comes to mind), I can only say, due process for what? Al-Awlaki had inspired and worked with bombing suspects, three of the 9/11 terrorists, and helped plan numerous operations. He clearly believed in the holy war against the United States and was an active and prominent player in terrorist plots against the U.S.

Furthermore, while this organization has insisted that it is at war against the United States, sometimes presuming to speak and act for or work with the radical elements in the Middle East, it is not a state. It is a very dangerous, damaged, and violent terrorist organization. Eliminating Al-Awlaki when the opportunity arose—like killing Osama Bin Laden and other high-ranking members of al-Qaeda over the years, was necessary and in the interests of the United States. It would have been irresponsible not to act on the hopes that we could capture him at some time in the future, leaving him free to plot and implement more acts of terror.

It seems to me that Al-Awlaki, with his status as a high-ranking al-Qaeda member, has forfeited any rights given by U.S. Citizenship. He has forfeited his status as a citizen by acting against his country.
Was the killing cold-blooded, brutal and less than admirable? Sure. But let’s consider this: we were all dancing in the streets when Osama Bin Laden was killed, in less than glorious fashion. Should we have given Osama Bin Laden an opportunity at due process?

One might question the use of drones and missile strikes for this sort of thing. In war, all sorts of horrible things happen. Drone strikes, to me, seem to distance us from the seriousness of our actions, and the brutality of our acts. We all recall the use of blockbuster bombs—boom and more boom not to mention shock and awe—in our attempts to kill Saddam Hussein at the beginning of the Iraqi war. Missile strikes are rarely as clean as this one was—there’s always what we so euphemistically call collateral damage.

But this particular act probably saved the lives of American soldiers and may have prevented any number of future terrorist acts.

The less terror, the better. The fewer terrorists there are in the field, the better.

Jack Evans Report
•

I thought it would be most appropriate in this newspaper to express my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Frank Kameny. Dr. Kameny, who passed away on Oct. 11, was a leading figure in the LGBT movement and remained a strong advocate for equality up until his death.

Dr. Kameny’s contributions to the gay rights movement here in D.C. and around the country simply cannot be overstated.  Dr. Kameny, who lost his federal government job due to his sexual orientation, not only risked everything for what he knew was right but also blazed a trail for those who came after him in an effort to lessen their struggle.

LGBT issues have been a major focus of mine ever since I joined the Council.  As the District’s first elected official to support same sex civil marriage, I led the fight to repeal the District’s anti-sodomy law and fought hard for the passage of domestic partnerships. I also co-sponsored the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act, leading to the passage of marriage equality in the District.  In June 2010, I was pleased to join then-Mayor Adrian Fenty and other city and community leaders to rename a section of 17th Street in Dupont Circle “Frank Kameny Way,” which was only a small token of the honor Dr. Kameny deserves. 

I will continue to work closely with the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit of the District’s Metropolitan Police Department to ensure that enforcement and education remain priorities of the department. I will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s office to make sure that hate crimes are identified quickly and criminals prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I will also continue to work with our Department of Health as we identify solutions to combat HIV/AIDS in our community, an issue of great importance to all District residents.

Dr. Kameny will be missed greatly, but his contributions and life’s work undoubtedly will live on. I have served Ward 2 with pride since 1991 and will continue to fight on behalf of the LGBT community to ensure that everyone enjoys equal rights and privileges.

Business Ins and Outs
•

The Saloun, the live music and dance bar at 3239 M St., N.W., closed Oct. 15. The 20-year-old watering hole sustained some damage from the June 29 fire at Hook Restaurant next door, but no direct reason for its closure was given by its owners.

Ella Rue, the secondhand, name-brand dress boutique, owned and run by Krista Johnson, is moving across the street to a bigger space. The new address is 3231 P St., N.W.

Ledbury is “popping” up on M Street next week. The Richmond, Va.-based high-end mensware line will open for just three days, Oct. 27 through 29, at 2805 M St., NW. The venue will hold a launch party Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. celebrating this whirlwind business venture with a whiskey bar and some old-school funk music.

For the rest of the store’s duration, Ledbury will sell its wares, which are fitted shirts in all styles, at a 20 percent discounted rate. Customers who visit the store can also meet the designers and founders of the line, Paul Trible and Paul Watson, who will be on hand throughout the three days.

The anticipated Fleurir Hand Grown Chocolates will open this weekend on Oct. 22 with a Grand Opening Extravaganza from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The opening event will provide samples of some of their “hand-grown” chocolates and hot cocoas, as well as a gourmet s’mores station with homemade marshmallows, graham crackers and, naturally, chocolate.

P Street Pictures will be moving to a new location at 3204 O St. where they will continue their custom framing service. Now the only question is, will they keep their name? The store’s new location will open in December of this year.

Archer, a “20th Century Design + Modern Furnishings showroom,” opened its store in Cady’s Alley last weekend. The flagship store will be a gallery for fine contemporary furniture and art.

Weekend Roundup, Oct. 13, 2011
• October 17, 2011

Oct. 14

Fall Tasting / Open House

J. Chocolatier will host a complimentary fall tasting at their shop on 33rd St. at 7 p.m. Taste samples of their seasonal fall truffles while drinking chocolate and freshly baked cookies. J. Chocolatier, 1039 33rd St. NW. 202-333-4111. Click Here for more info.

Oct. 15

Spooktacular Halloween Costume Tea

Traditional Halloween Treats will be served as children get to try on traditional outfits and bake their own treats this Saturday at Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW. The event will take place at 1 p.m.; children’s tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Tickets for accompanying adults are $10. Click Here for tickets.

FILMPROV Rewind, The 80s

Party like it’s 1985 with FILMPROV Rewind, The 80s in Alexandria, Va. This show will feature locally-produced independent short film Beta to the Max written and directed by Chris Sheridan, followed by an 80s music DJ Dance Party. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at Alley Cat Restaurant, 2 S. Whiting St., Alexandria, Va. 22304. Tickets range from $7.50 to $12.50. Click Here for tickets.

Oct.16

Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause 8k and 1-Mile Fun Run

The Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause is another example of our commitment to maximize the impact of our community initiatives. This year’s race will benefit 10 local non-profit organizations. Participants are encouraged to become more aware of each of these worthwhile organizations and their contributions to the community. Each racer gets to select the cause they wish to support. The race will begin and end on North Quincy Street, near the intersection of Wilson Boulevard in Arlington. It begins at 8 a.m. and costs $20 to $35 to participate. For more information, call 703-600-4032. For more information Click Here

Oct. 19

A Roast & Toast of Councilman Jack Evans

Roast & Toast of DC Council member Jack Evans featuring an Original Hexagon Performance
To Raise Money to Support Hexagon, A Roast & Toast of Councilman Jack Evans will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel located at 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. $50 Per Person (Hexagon/GBA Members) $60 Per Person (Non-Hexagon/GBA Members). Includes Open Bar Reception & One Reserved Show Seat. For more information:Email friendsofhexagon@aol.com or call 202-333-SHOW (7469) Ext.8.
For more information, Click Here

Oct. 20

2011 KEY TO THE CURE KICK-OFF EVENT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE CHEVY CHASE

Please join us at 06:00 PM for an evening of shopping, entertainment, cuisine from local restaurants and the Key To The Treasure Raffle to kick-off a fabulous shopping weekend benefitting Women’s Cancer Programs at Suburban Hospital (a Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine). $75/ticket; sponsorship levels available. Event Website

Event Co-Chairs Maura Fitzgerald Shannon and Nina Snow

Address

Saks Fifth Avenue Chevy Chase

5555 Wisconsin Avenue

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Helen Hayes Awards Adopts New Name
•

The Helen Hayes Awards announced today the completion of the re-branding of their organization, unveiling their new name, theatreWashington, which will continue to promote Washington-area theaters. The change in name comes with a new system of governance, a rearranged staff and a revamped website. The Helen Hayes Awards will continue one part of theatreWashington’s main focuses. The 2012 Helen Hayes Awards is set for April 23 at the Warner Theatre.

The organization is now structured into five branches, Theatre Services, Communications and Audience Development, TheatreWashington.org, Operations and Development, all overseen by President and CEO Linda Levy Grossman.

According to a recent press release: “theatreWashington will be governed by a 25 member Board of Directors led by Chairman Victor Shargai, (President, Victor Shargai and Associates); Vice Chairman Betsy Karmin (Partner, DLA Piper); Secretary Robert Winter (Partner, Arnold and Porter); and Treasurer Kurt Crowl (Vice President, Connoisseur Travel. The Board of Directors will also include four members of the professional theatre community.

The Helen Hayes Awards will be overseen by a 20 member Board of Governors comprised of members of the professional theatre community and knowledgeable theatre supporters.”

The new website, TheatreWashington.org, will be completed in phases through the end of the year and will feature a “Find a Show” function which will allow users to search and filter productions.

“It is wonderful to finally do the things we have envisioned for so long,” said Grossman in a press release. “So many partners have worked tirelessly for more than two years to bring theatreWashington to fruition. We are fortified with a great team so the combination of our expanded capacity along with the collaboration and involvement of our Washington theatres, makes for endless possibilities.”

Navigate Your Columbus Day
• October 13, 2011

Parking enforcement will be suspended for the duration of Columbus Day, meaning that ticketing for expired parking meters and residential parking will not take place. Happy parking!

Trash and recycling will not be collected today and will instead be shifted one day back for the remainder of the week, meaning that Monday’s trash will be collected on Tuesday and so on. If you live in a neighborhood where trash is collected twice a week, Monday and Thursday collections will be made Tuesday and Friday while collections made Tuesday and Friday will be made Wednesday and Saturday.

Metrorail and Metrobus services will run on Saturday schedules. The following late night trips, however, have been cancelled: G2 from Georgetown at 12:58 a.m. and 1:34 a.m., G2 form LeDroit Park at 12:30 a.m. and 1:06 a.m., D2 from Glover Park at 1:12 a.m., 1:52 a.m. and 2:32 a.m., D2 from Dupont Circle Station at 1:35 a.m., 2:15 a.m. and 2:55 a.m.

All D.C. Public Schools and offices will be closed, as well as the Public Library and the Department of Motor Vehicles.