Washington, D.C., Ranks in Top 3 for Rat Population
• October 24, 2014

Rats are no strangers to Georgetowners, notorious for their scurrying around the neighborhood’s sidewalks and waterfront when the sun sets.

Washington, D.C., was ranked the third rattiest city in the country, according to a recent study completed by insect and pest control company Orkin. While the rankings are based solely on the number of rodent treatments the company carried out in 2013, it is not an all-encompassing rat census.

According to the rankings, the District of Columbia, which was grouped with Hagerstown, Md., came in just above New York City in terms of rat infestation. Chicago came in first and Los Angeles beat D.C. out for a close second. The study additionally reported that in the past year at lead one-third of Americans spotted rodents in their homes.

In the past year, the D.C. government has hired a rat consultant, Robert Corrigan, and held a number of workshops to help educate the public on how to lower the number of rodents in and around their homes. The best way to eliminate rats is to get rid of their food sources. Simple things like closing the lid on trash containers and scraping your grill when you are finished using it can be very effective.

Cowboy Express Startles D.C. Commuters
• October 22, 2014

At the height of rush hour at Key Bridge and M Street, protestors on horseback from out West entered the nation’s capital Oct. 16 with a set of grievances against the Bureau of Land Management.

Their right to assembly and protest was assisted by the Metropolitan Police Department and other federal police agencies with Homeland Security as cop cars and motorcycles blocked intersections for the group of 20 riders, a wagon and their horse trailers. The spectacle briefly stopped traffic and turned heads. Commuters were first surprised but then smiled and waved at the ranchers.

Riding horseback from coast to coast, demonstrators from the Grass March and Cowboy Express made their way to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness for ranchers’ grazing rights. The group left Bodega Bay, Calif., on Sept. 26, riding more than 2,800 miles by horseback to deliver petitions to Capitol Hill.

Crime & Safety Report
• October 13, 2014

Overview: Nine people were shot over the Oct. 4 weekend in and around Washington, D.C., including an eight-year-old boy who continues to fight for his life, WJLA reported.

A bicyclist was hit by a car Oct. 4 in the intersection of 34th and N Streets, NW. The Metropolitan Police arrived at the scene; the cyclist was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Assault with a knife: Sept. 25, 10:25 p.m., 1800 block of Wisconsin Avenue, NW.

Burglary: approximately 8:30 p.m., Sept. 23, 3600 block of O Street, NW; 5:15 p.m., Sept. 25, 1400 block of 31st Street, NW.

Car theft: 10:54 p.m., Sept. 27, Wisconsin Avenue and Q Street, NW; 9:45 p.m., Sept. 26, 31st and K Streets, NW; 6:38 p.m., Sept. 26, 3300 block of Dent Place, NW; 2:16 p.m., Sept. 22, 3300 block of Volta Place, NW.
(Crime details from reports by the Metropolitan Police Department, Second District.)

CommunityMeetings
• October 9, 2014

Wed., Oct. 8
Tudor Place Neighborhood Liaison
Committee Meeting and candidate forum
for the single-member district 7 (SMD07) of the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission. ANC candidates are Ellie Budic and Monica Roache’. Contact Leslie Buhler of Tudor Place at 202-965-0400 or Robert Devaney of The Georgetowner at 202-338-4833.

Wed., Oct. 15
Georgetown Business Association Monthly Reception;
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; GBA Invites you to network and mingle while enjoying cocktails appetizers at the Graham Hotel; GBA member, free; non-members, $25. RSVP is required. Please send name and company affiliation by Mon., Oct.13. 1075 Thomas Jefferson St., NW

Mon., Oct. 20
D.C. Circulator Transit Development Plan and Semi-Annual Open House
the District Department of Transportation will host an open house at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. DDOT will present current operations and performance, solicit feedback from riders and present information about the 2014 Transit Development Plan at Pinstripes, 1064 Wisconsin Ave., NW.

Fri., Oct. 24
Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG) Gala, enjoy a “Fly to the moon” theme evening equipped with cocktails, dinner and dancing, 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.cagtown.org/content/georgetown-gala. Embassy of Italy, 3000 Whitehaven St., NW, 202-337-7313.

Catania, Solo at CAG Mayoral Forum, Commands Room and Issues
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The Citizens Association of Georgetown invited the three major candidates running for mayor in the Nov. 4 general election to its debate and candidate forum Sept. 24. Only At-large Councilmember David Catania showed up, as Muriel Bowser declined and Carol Schwartz could not attend because of the Jewish New Year celebration.

At-large Councilmember David Catania — who entered the fray back in April right before the Democratic Primary which Bowser won going away over scandal-plagued Mayor Vincent Gray — was for one night the only mayoral candidate on the dais, as he talked and answered questions from a panel that consisted of Georgetowner editor-in-chief Robert Devaney, David Kennedy, publisher of the Current newspapers, and Topher Matthews of the Georgetown Metropolitan before a packed audience at Dumbarton House of Q Street.

Catania turned the turn of events into an opportunity to show off his ability to articulate policy matters and issues with sometimes long, but often revelatory explanations, along with some humor and warmth. Given Catania’s reputation for having a sharp temper—which never materialized—this was an experience-rich, smart, even visionary performance by a tough candidate who seemed to have the talents and strengths to run a credible campaign against Bowser.

Faced with a question on how it felt to be the only candidate to show up at the CAG event, Catania resisted the temptation to take a shot at Bowser and instead said only that these events are an important part of democratic elections that allow people to have contact with the candidates. “These debates are an obligation that we owe to the voters,” he said.

Catania showed himself to be a walking encyclopedia on issues facing a Washington, D.C., which is blessed with a booming economy, about which he was not quite so sanguine. “We can look at all the cranes on our horizon and think that we’re doing really well,” he said. “The truth is that we’re in the middle of something of a recession. Our economy is based in large parts on government jobs and government activities, and that part of the economy is shrinking. We’ve lost government jobs, and they’re very difficult to replace without the proper education and training. We have a shrinking economic component.”

“Our biggest priorities—in addition to education—are to narrow the achievement gap, to address the fact that we have an affordable housing crisis and to safeguard our economic future,” Catania said.

He then launched into a fully detailed talk about health care, new economy jobs, infrastructure, human capital. He may be, as he asserted, “a convener and a generalist,” but Catania also showed off a gift for attention to and articulation of details. All of which can be found in his campaign book “David Catania’s Vision to Security Our City’s Future,” a full-color, fully illustrated, 126-page tome.

ANC REPORT: Dumpsters Need to Be Restricted
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Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E at its Sept. 29 meeting voted to ask D.C. government to consider banning curbside dumpsters. Lead commissioner on the dumpster issue, Tom Birch said of the neighborhood eyesores and parking space grabbers, “They’re available for long periods of time. The permits are cheap. They’re easily renewable.” The ANC is looking for District-wide solution to problem of dumpsters and will be asking about other neighborhood actions and how they coordinate with residents, contractors and the District government.

Volta Park Day
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Volta Park Day drew in the crowds of young and old Oct. 5. There were rides, hot dogs and hamburger, a flea market, a small lending library near the tennis court, dedicated to the late Timothy Downs — with the West team beating the East team in the annual softball team — and with all proceeds benefitting the continued maintenance of the park. Also honored was the late Ed Lara, owner of Georgetown Hairstyling, by his band, renamed Basement Riot, to recall the times band members practiced in the basement of the 35th Street barber shop.

Georgetown Gala to Honor Jack and Michele Evans, Oct. 24
• October 8, 2014

The Georgetown Gala, the annual black-tie soiree of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, will honor Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and his wife Michele Seiver Evans on Friday, Oct. 24, at the Italian Embassy.

The gala will bring together more than 400 residents, organizations, businesses and politicos to celebrate Georgetown and CAG’s mission of historic preservation and improving the life of the community. Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero and his wife Laura Denise Bisogniero have opened the embassy, which is at Whitehaven Street and Massachusetts Avenue, NW, for the town’s big bash.

“Fly Me to the Moon” is the theme of the gala and will give the evening, which begins 7 p.m., “a cool Rat Pack-’Mad Men’ vibe,” CAG assures – with cocktails, gourmet Italian dinner buffet, music and dancing, live auction items – along with an after party.

The honorees are long-time Georgetown residents and well known throughout Washington, D.C. Jack Evans is the longest-serving member of the District Council, representing Ward 2 since 1991. Chair of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, Jack Evans is closely involved with decisions on D.C. taxes and budgets. He was in the forefront in pushing for approval of the Verizon Center and Nationals Park. Most recently, he ran for Mayor of the District of Columbia. Michele Evans is very active in CAG and the Georgetown Gala, the main fundraiser for the community non-profit. She strongly supports the Georgetown House Tour and several groups which help maintain community parks.

Co-chairs Jennifer Altemus, Colleen Girouard and Robin Jones along with their committee are putting together the evening’s entertainment to include Danny Meyers and his D.C. Love band, playing dance music during cocktails and dinner, a live auction that features Fox News commentator Griff Jenkins and an after party – starting at 10 p.m. – with deejay Trophy Brothers and lots of dancing.

Georgetown Breaks Ground on Thompson Athletics Center
• September 25, 2014

Georgetown University broke ground Sept. 12 on a new state-of-the-art athletic facility, named after legendary Hoyas men’s basketball coach John R. Thompson Jr. Although the tennis courts next to McDonough Arena are gone, they will return in the four-story, 144,000-square-foot John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletics Center, slated for completion in August 2016.

Here are more details from Georgetown University about the groundbreaking and the facility:

The $62-million project will be completely supported through philanthropy. The Thompson Center will be constructed adjacent to McDonough Arena and include practice courts, team meeting rooms, men’s and women’s basketball coaches’ offices, and weight-training and sports medicine rooms for all varsity athletes. The new facility also includes a Student-Athlete Academic and Leadership Center, an auditorium, team meeting facilities for varsity programs and a new venue for the Georgetown Athletics Hall of Fame.

More than 500 people – including former players such as Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning and Allen Iverson, all of whom played for Thompson, Jr., and more recent players ranging from Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert, Otto Porter Jr. and Henry Sims, who played for current Head Coach John Thompson III – came to the site for the official groundbreaking of the facility.

John Thompson Jr.’s name is synonymous with success. From 1972 to 1999, he compiled 596 wins, the most of any coach in the history of Georgetown University. On the court, he amassed league-leading records against all Big East Conference opponents (233-122) and captured 13 Big East Championships, seven regular season titles and six tournament championships. Thompson’s Hoya teams earned 24-consecutive invitations to postseason play, appeared in three NCAA Final Fours (1982, 1984 and 1985) and won the NCAA Championship in 1984.

“Without the help of a lot of people that are in here now, it would’ve been impossible to succeed,” said Thompson, who added that he gains the most satisfaction in seeing the success that many of his players have had off of the court.

BID Transportation Working Group Update
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At the Georgetown Business Improvement District meeting on Sept. 15, the Transportation Working Group updated the community on a number of projects relevant to the neighborhood. First up, the working group updated BID on negotiations with the District Department of Transportation around subsidizing Circulator trips from Union Station and K Street NW to Georgetown. BID expects free service to start in the spring. Next, BID discussed DDOT’s environmental assessment process in Georgetown for streetcars. BID expressed support for an engineering solution that could extend service to Georgetown University. In addition, BID presented consolidated community support for a 2028 plan that would bring Metro to Georgetown by splitting the blue line, building two or more stops in Georgetown and creating a new tunnel under the Potomac. BID also announced that it is nearly finished studying an aerial gondola that would run from Georgetown to Rosslyn. The aerial gondola could be constructed in one year, BID reported. Lastly, the Circulator line that runs between Dupont Circle and Rosslyn will expand service to U Street. The Circulator that runs between Union Staton and Georgetown will also expand, up to the area around the National Cathedral. Another extension will bring the Circulator to the National Mall.