D.C. Primary Will Test Mayor-Council Balance
• June 8, 2016

Guess what? There’s a primary election June 14, the last Democratic presidential primary on the schedule.
By that time …

Volta Park Day Celebrates This Special Village
• June 2, 2016

Before the rain and cooler air swept in, the weather for the annual Volta Park Day was perfect on Oct. 6. Food, music, games, rides and a flea market greeted the young and old who visited and filled the park at Volta Place and 34th Street. It was an easy and fun gathering that showed off the best of Georgetown, especially its youngest residents.

John Lever, a member of the Friends of Volta Park, had this to say about the day: “Generally, Volta Park Day is less about making money than getting the community involved in Volta Park. For the year, the Friends of Volta Park tries to cover $50,000 in needed maintenance and upkeep for our little park which the city would otherwise not provide. Through our Volta Park Gala in the spring and with sponsorships, we have been able to get close to our goal but still need more than $10,000 dollars from the community. This event builds awareness of the great facilities so the public can help. Go to www.voltapark.org to lean more.”

Lever added: the West team of Georgetown’s west side beat the East team of the east side in the annual softball game. [gallery ids="101487,152000" nav="thumbs"]

Glover Park Liquor License Moratorium Lifted
• May 4, 2016

Glover Park has joined the list of District neighborhoods without a cap on new liquor licenses for restaurants and liquor stores. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board decided to lift the cap in Glover Park, effective May 3, just shy of a month after Georgetown’s moratorium was allowed to expire April 9. However, the cap on taverns, nightclubs and multipurpose facilities will remain in effect for another five years.

This is potentially good news for the Rite Aid at 2255 Wisconsin Ave. NW, which has argued for lifting the ban on liquor stores since the pharmacy was rejected for a beer and wine license in January, due to the proximity of the Whole Foods nearby. Regulations require businesses with that license be spaced at least 200 feet away from each other. They then applied for a full-service liquor license, which requires a distance of 400 feet between stores with the same license. The Rite Aid is located right between, and at least 400 feet, from the nearest full-service liquor stores: Pearson’s, at 2436 Wisconsin Ave. NW, and Wide World of Wines, at 2201 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

The ABC board will continue to decide on licenses on a case-by-case basis, despite lifting the ban on new licenses, and the Rite-Aid application continues to face opposition from within the community. After a recent Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3B meeting, chair Jackie Blumenthal told The Current, “We have plenty of alcohol availability in Glover Park. It’s a three-block commercial district. We have 24 liquor licenses — that’s quite enough.”

Both the ANC 3B and the Glover Park Citizens Association voted against issuing the license and responses to a community survey were mostly against it. Approval is ultimately up to the ABC Board, which is planning to decide on the matter soon.

C&O Canal Plans Discussed at CAG Meeting
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At a recent Citizens Association of Georgetown meeting, citizens seemed overall quite pleased with presentations by Kevin Brandt, superintendent of the C&O Canal National Historical Park; Terrie Rouse, executive director of the nonprofit Georgetown Heritage; and Maggie Downing of the Business Improvement District, according to Long & Foster’s Roger Carp, who was in attendance.

Brandt presented a brief history of the canal, including photos of how the canal looked in its prime, and described how the canal walls will be disassembled and reassembled, piece by piece, after a new out-of-view concrete footing is poured to replace the wooden footing. New wooden lock gates will also be constructed as the wood has a life expectancy of only 10 years.

Downing discussed future educational programs, while Rouse talked about improvements to the overall amenities and the canal boat. She said the existing replica canal boat is beyond repair, but could be recycled into such things as park benches. Downing talked about plans to build a new boat that could accommodate small functions.

Minimum Wage Goes to $11.50 July 1
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D.C.’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase to $11.50 per hour July 1 and will be capped at that rate, following $1 per year increases since July 1, 2014, when the minimum wage increased from $8.25 to $9.50. On Jan. 15, 2014, Mayor Vincent Gray signed the “D.C. Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2013,” triggering the raises. Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince William counties also increased their minimum wages to $11.50 in 2014.

During her 2016 State of the District address, Mayor Muriel Bowser called for increasing the District’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020. A voter initiative was approved last July to be on the ballot this November if enough signatures supporting the wage increase are collected.

This year’s increase does not affect the base minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers, which remains at $2.77 per hour, however, if the average earnings (per week) do not equal or exceed $11.50 per hour, the employer must make up the difference.

While labor unions and other progressive groups have praised the moves, restaurant owners and the D.C. Chamber of Commerce have warned that the increases will cause businesses to close and jobs to be cut.

Bill to Regulate ANCs Rankles Commissioners
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In an effort to make advisory neighborhood commissioners more accountable to residents, At-large Council members Anita Bonds and David Grosso introduced “The Advisory Neighborhood Commission Omnibus Amendment Act of 2016” on April 5 to change the way ANCs operate.

Commissioners are elected to represent their neighborhood residents on issues such as zoning, parking, public safety and public works, liquor licenses and economic development, but calls for reform of the system have been rumbling for years amid scandals of abuse, most recently highlighted by the conviction of commissioner William Shelton in Ward 5 for embezzling more than $28,000 from ANC funds.

The bill — which among other things, would require commissioners to share office space and equipment, provide commissioners with a $500 per year stipend and simplify financial reporting — has a number of critics from ANC commissioners such as Kathy Henderson of Ward 5, who said, “The bill is outrageous,” and Mary Cuthbert of Ward 8, who said, “It’s horrible.” Commissioner Gary Butler of Ward 7 said, “I think if commissioners are compensated at perhaps $5,000 or $10,000 a year, you would get a better pool of candidates for the positions.”

C&O Canal Set for 18-Month Restoration, Limiting Access
• April 20, 2016

With a goal of replacing the (replica) canal boat and making things happen along the C&O Canal in Georgetown, the National Park Service revealed it has pegged $5.5 million to fund the repairs to Lock 3, set to begin in October and end in April 2018. The 18-month reconstruction will require an unusual scale of disruption, and the canal boat tourist attraction will still require an additional $1 million of less-intrusive repairs to Lock 4, as yet unfunded.

The canal will need to be drained east of Lock 5 and access, including the sidewalks and towpaths between 30th and Thomas Jefferson Streets, will be limited. Salvageable material from the canal will be stored on adjacent NPS property and used to restore the canal to its original condition, with a few modern improvements to the structure.

At the April 4 meeting of the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission, C&O Canal National Historical Park superintendent Kevin Brandt said that customers trying to access businesses with their main entrances near Lock 4 will still be able to get through. He pointed out that many of the leaks into residential property along the canal will be reduced.

As restoration of the canal has been a top priority for the commissioners, they unanimously supported the project, though it still must be approved by the Old Georgetown Board. Brandt said he is working with the Georgetown Business Improvement District to temporarily offset some of the disruption by planting wildflowers along the canal bed.

Downtowner Town Topics
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Jonathan Banks’s Battle for D.C. Statehood

Folks watching the AMC hit series “Better Call Saul” have probably seen the D.C. Statehood commercials that play during the show. The initiative, intended to reach the program’s national audience, was in part the product of D.C.-native Jonathan Banks. Banks plays Mike Ehrmantraut, a terrifyingly stoic enforcer who works occasionally as a “fixer” for the show’s main character, Saul Goodman. Banks has been working closely with D.C.’s shadow senator Paul Strauss for quite some time now. The D.C. Statehood delegation went to Iowa to push D.C. statehood as an issue to be included in caucus voting. Two commercials starring Jonathan Banks played in Iowa during the caucus urging viewers to contact their congressman and demand a change.

Second 15-year-old Murdered at Deanwood Metro in Two Weeks

The day after a stabbing at Deanwood Metro Station on April 12, police arrested 18-year-old Javonte Hall in connection with the incident. The victim, John Rufus Evans III, 15, was the second killing at the Deanwood Metro in two weeks. On the Saturday before Easter, Davonte Washington, also 15, was fatally shot while standing on the Metro platform. Police have charged Maurice Bellamy with Washington’s murder. Police have promised to step up patrols at the Metro station.

New Metro Chief Safety Officer appointed

The General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Metro, Paul J. Wiedefeld, announced on April 12 that Patrick Lavin has been hired as Metro’s new Chief Safety Officer. Lavin’s previous position was at the New York City Transit where he was the second in command of the Office of System Safety. One of Lavin’s previous positions in New York Transit involved managing signal system reconstruction after the attacks on September 11, 2001. With over 30 years of experience in transit safety, Lavin remarked in a press conference “I look forward to making a difference in Washington,” and with the shutdowns, delays, and malfunctions that have been occurring in recent months, change is something D.C.
desperately needs.”

Terrapins Dance Video Goes Viral

Nobody really knows why things like this get so popular, but it is, in a big way. It all began when Maryland sophomore basketball player Jared Nickens posted an Instagram video of himself and teammate Jaylen Brantley dancing to “My Boo,” a song that came out in 1995. The Terrapins performed this song and dance in the locker room, in an office, on the street and even in a convenience store. Now players from schools like Villanova, Marquette, Seton Hall and Virginia Tech have picked up on the trend. Internet denizens will likely be pummeled with dozens of “My Boo” videos.

900 Arrested So Far in Democracy Spring Protests

Last week protesters from D.C. and every corner of the country marched on Capitol Hill and were peacefully arrested with the aim of getting money out of politics. From the beginning of the protests, on April 11, to the end of the week, on April 16, over 900 people were cuffed and charged. Police spokeswoman Eva Malecki said the protesters arrested were charged with violating a D.C. statute prohibiting “crowding, obstructing or incommoding.” On their second day of protesting the police had to stop arresting the protesters sitting in front of the Capitol because they ran out of space to put them. Those arrested are only detained for a brief time and levied a $50 fine, unless they cause damage or act violently. The fine is paid in order to waive the right to a trial and cover administrative costs. It makes the process of being arrested easy for everyone.

National Cannabis Festival coming to RFK on April 23

An all-day festival to listen to music and get educated on the topic of weed is coming on April 23. Festivities begin at noon and last until 8 p.m. Music performers include Jesse Royal, Congo Sanchez, Backyard Band and Nappy Riddem, with the hip-hop trio De La Soul headlining. There will be food and drinks, games and educational talks. The festival was established at the beginning of 2015 by business owners, policy advocates and enthusiasts in order to recognize the spirit of the marijuana movement and the organizations who fought for the cause. Tickets for the event are $35 and you must be 21 or older to get in.

Farewell to Jose Antonio Salinas? Or Picketting &pizza?
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One of Georgetown’s most distinctive smiling faces may soon be fading from the neighborhood. Jose Antonio Salinas, a Bolivian-born man, who operates the stand outside the former Five Guys burger outlet, at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Dumbarton Street, has been a feature of the neighborhood for more than 15 years. His stall sells necessities, such as hats, watches, scarves and sunglasses.

He told The Georgetowner that before his tenure on the corner, his table had been held by a woman who handed it over to him. He speculates that the table itself has been there for around 30 years.

However, the building behind Salinas’s stall, which is currently empty, has recently changed hands, and moves have been made to eject Salinas by April 30.

Some neighbors told The Georgetowner that they are thinking of picketing the new business planning to open there, &pizza.

When asked about this news, the longtime Georgetown business owner simply said, “This place, it doesn’t really belong to me.”
Salinas has watched different stores come and go over the last decade and a half from his unique vantage point. Come rain or shine, he’s been at his corner to watch the neighborhood evolve. Nobody knows the area better than he. The permanent residents of Georgetown, he says, have gotten used to his familiar face.

“I know them. They know me.”

The people of Georgetown to some extent owe a debt to Salinas, who in the past has been known to intervene to stop crimes. He cited his good relationship with the police in the neighborhood.

“I always do whatever I can do,” Salinas modestly declared.

When asked about the prospect of finding a new way to earn a living, should he have to, the 68 year-old Salinas said he was considering retiring or returning part-time to his previous job as a cook.

Reflecting on his favorite aspect of his time in the neighborhood, Salinas said he had enjoyed meeting and talking with people from all over the world from behind his table. When asked how he felt about the possibility of leaving his spot, he nostalgically murmured that “15 years is 15 years.”

D.C. Real Estate Marketing Firm Joins Long & Foster
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Urban Pace, a D.C.-based firm that provides real estate developers with sales, marketing and advisory services on new residential projects, will become part of the Long & Foster group.

The partnership, representing an investment in Urban Pace by the Long & Foster Companies — the parent of Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s largest privately owned real estate firm — was announced last week.

“In regions like Washington, D.C., urban developments — whether they’re high-rise or townhouse-style condos — are thriving, and our team at Long & Foster recognized the opportunities for our company’s and our agents’ growth by partnering with a firm like Urban Pace,” said Jeffrey S. Detwiler, president and COO of the Long & Foster Companies.

“In addition to our base office in Washington, D.C., we now operate in New York City and Philadelphia as well,” said newly appointed CEO of Urban Pace Lynn Hackney, previously the firm’s president. “We’ve noticed that several successful firms using our business model — working directly with real estate developers — have been strengthened substantially by their affiliations with large residential real estate brokerage firms.”

Urban Pace will continue to operate under its same brand and team at the current office location at 1919 14th St. NW.