Voice of the Hill December 2004 This Month 12 Waterside Mall II 14 Hiring Contractors There's no place like 17 The Arrival of the Atlas 20 Pickup Basketball at home for the holidays- Sherwood 22 Inside Phase One on Capitol Hill 24 A Guide to "Green Business" 28 Sex Sells 30 More Big Badness 32 The Writer's Way 34 You Can Go Home 36 Helping Others This Season 37 Staying Put for the Holidays 38 The Tacky Parade 39 Seasonal Holiday Tips 40 The Foods of Hannukah 41 Writers Share Holiday Memories Departments VoiceMail................................................3 City Desk ...............................................4 News OnSite..........................................8 Business Snapshots ............................10 Ask Judith............................................42 Urban Gardener ...................................44 Designing for Hearth and Home...........46 Ask the Vet ..........................................48 Barracks Row ......................................50 Capitol Hill BID .....................................53 Health & Fitness ...................................54 Computer Corner.................................55 Capital Kids..........................................56 Community Calendar ...........................58 Horoscope ...........................................60 Classifieds............................................60 Business Services ................................61 Vol. 6 No. 9 December 2004 Advertising deadline is the first of coverage, but because I was directly At a recent meeting, ANC6B involved in the incident, I can't write a expressed displeasure over storm water measures and very helpful. But other- the month preceding publication. news story about it. However, the matter management plans of MTFA Architecture, wise?? These checkpoints remind me ofdeserves consideration, and my editors who is constructing a coffee house someone who is only rarely quoted nowa·decided to solicit the attention of the Voice of the Hill NOTE NEW ADDRESS! directly in front of the sink hole, with con-days: Richard Nixon. He once said, "We local ANCs, DC government and the struction slated to begin soon. I'm not Americans never do anything; we overdo PO Box 15874 Washington DC 20003-0874 Capitol Hill community in this letter to an engineer, but it rained all day when it." the editor. this incident happened, and I suspect 202-544-0703 Main office As I was parking near the corner of poor storm water management at the 202-318-7806 Fax 2nd and F Streets Nov. 12, I encoun-property may have contributed to the RUDY HIRSCH www.voiceofthehill.com tered a woman who had fallen through instability of the ground underneath the EDITOR'S NOTE: In mid-November, the the sidewalk into a sinkhole some seven sidewalk. checkpoints around the Hill were discon-editor@voiceofthehill.com feet deep. The woman was desperately Whatever the remedy, something tinued. Mayor Anthony A. Williams bruce@voiceofthehill.com waving her umbrella through the hole and needs to be done and done quickly. It is released the following statement on the patti@voiceofthehill.com calling for help. After initial shock, I the job of our local representatives to decision by the Department of Homeland adele@voiceofthehill.com approached the hole and tried to lift the call on DC government to ensure that an Security to lower the threat level for the dave@voiceofthehill.com woman out. Our first attempt failed, as incident like this does not occur again. financial services sector in Washington, the hole continued to crumble around DC, and the decision by the US Capitol Staff her. On our second try, we managed to D AVID FRANCIS Police to eliminate (for the present time) Bruce Robey, WebMaster get her safely out of the hole. The permanent checkpoints around the US Adele Robey, Design and Production woman wasn't physically injured but Capitol: Scott Shumaker, Editor clearly shaken. She said she was walk· ing home from work and the sidewalk The Purpose of the "On behalf of all residents of the Andrew Noyes, Assistant Editor Dave Francis, News Reporter gave out from underneath her. The next Checkpoints? District, I am extremely pleased that the thing she knew, she was trapped below US Capitol Police have decided to elimi-Patti Shea, Political Reporter the sidewalk, calling for help. To the Editor: nate permanent checkpoints aroundJuilo Arguello, Calendar Editor Two calls to 911 went unanswered. I The Capitol Hill police checkpoints on Capitol Hill. This is an important step on approached a security guard at the Independence and Constitution Avenues the part of the federal government to rec-Publishers Thurgood Marshall Federal Building leave me wondering about what contribu-ognize the disruption that these check-Phoenix Graphics, Inc. across the street, but was told that he tions, other than optical ones, these points caused to average citizens trying to T/A Voice of the Hill could not contact the police because the checkpoints make to the Capitol's carry on the business of living and work-Distribution sink hole was not on federal property. security. ing in the nation's capital. Walling off the Capitol Hill BID, Ready Willing and After two more phone calls to the police, Since they were established this fall, I Capitol, thus transforming this symbol of Able, Gospel Rescue Ministries I finally got through, and a squad car have driven my car through them over American freedom and democracy into a arrived shortly after to rope off the area 100 times. Initially the police officers veritable 'fortress of fear,' was never the Contributing Writers and place flares around the hole. This would look at the people in the car, and answer to preventing terrorism. Julio Arguello, Jr. Jessica Leshnoff week, the area is still roped off, and two also on the front and back floors, at "I am also pleased that officials at the Darrin Broadwater Timur Loynab metal sheets have been placed over the night using a flashlight for that. Only Department of Homeland Security have Patty Brosmer Jeff Marootian whole. once did an officer look into my car's lowered the threat level for the financial Judith Capen Celeste McCall I'm still stunned by the situation. The trunk, and to date no one has looked services sector in Washington as well as Joanne Carey Katie McLeod thought of falling through a sidewalk into underneath the car. Now no one seems in New York City and Northern New Jersey Stephanie Deutsch Bill McLeod a dark hole in a cold and steady rain to do anything other than look at the to Code Yellow, or 'elevated,' as opposed Jill Dowling Michael Meener seems unimaginable. But it did happen, occupants' faces. When a bus comes to Code Orange which indicates 'high' and happened not far from where I live. I through, an officer pokes his/her head alert." Dave Francis Aileen Moffatt fear it could happen elsewhere on the Sara Fritz Linda Norton Hill, with consequences more severe Kara Gerlach Andrew Noyes than a shaken neighbor. Had fate been Coming Next Month: Joshua Gray Shirley Serotsky different, it could have been a child at Mark Holler Patti Shea the bottom of the hole, or a mother with 2004 in Review Jeffrey Howard Scott Shumaker a baby stroller, or the sidewalk could Autumn Kuei Josh Singer have given later in the evening when It's become an annual tradition at The Voice-the year-end wrap-up. It's a synopsis D.Y. LeeErica Stanley most Capitol Hill residents have already of the stories that made the pages of the newspaper; the issues that generated returned from work, trapping a resident the most talk on our website discussion; and the names and places that were on Memberships for hours. In short, the consequences everyone's mind this year. Capitol Hill Association of Merchants could have been disastrous. Take a look back at the issues that meant the most to our community during and Professionals 2004 in the January edition, available Dec. 31. Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington Barracks Row Business Alliance Happy holidays from your friends at The Voice of the Hill. Independent Free Papers of America H Street Merchants Associa tion cityDesk CO VERING THE HILL'S POLITIC A L SCENE AND MORE Local Election Roundup 'Quality Control Problems' Mark ANC Voting BY PATTI SHEA Some familiar faces will be seen at monthly ANC meetings, along with a few new ones. The new commissioners were elected Nov. 2 dur·ing the presidential and congressional elections. Didn't get that far down the ballot? You're not alone. Out of the 26,944 ballots cast in Ward 6, 20,667 were cast for ANC member, or 7 percent. That's a fair amount; however, a good 1,100 were for write-in candidates. Of course, we're talking about the figured final·ized by the Board of Elections and Ethics, which don't include the handful of ballots that were tossed out because the agency printed the wrong candi·dates on the ballot, thus they didn't register with the city's ballot-scanning equipment. That happened in 6D, where a candidate for school board was published on the ballots there- but the problem was the board representative for Ward 6 wasn't up for re-election. Officials said cor·rect ballots were dispersed later in the day. Another common snafu of the day was voters get·ting wrong ballots. Reports of poll workers handing out wrong single member district ballots (SMDs, which is how residents are divided up citywide) were rampant, with some precincts running out of ballots. Gottlieb Simon, executive director of the city's 37 ANCs, said mislabeling at the top of ballot packets were to blame for some of the mistakes. He said one SMD was printed at the top of the packet, however the ballot below was for a different SMD. He said poll workers weren't trained to spot the errors. "It was a quality control problem at headquar·ters," Simon said. ANC 6D decided at its November meeting to send a letter requesting information surrounding its elec·tion mishaps. Putting all that aside, here are the commissioners that will represent you for the next two years. The Voice will introduce you to your new commissioners in its January edition. ANC 6A (i) denotes incumbent SMD 01: Robyn Holden SMD 02: Joe Fengler (i) SMD 03: Cody Rice (i) SMD 04: Nick Alberti (i) SMD 05: Mary Beatty SMD 06: Marc Borbely SMD 07: Gladys Mack (i) SMD 08: Mfon Ibangha (elected by write-in ballots and the only person to submit a declaration of can·didacy for write-in candidates.) ANC 6B SMD 01: Dave Sheldon (i) SMD 02: Mary Wright (i) SMD 03: Julie Olson (i) SMD 04: Scott Cernich (i) SMD 05: Ken Jarboe (i) SMD 06: Will Hill (i) SMD 07: Sandra Thomas SMD 08: Neil Glick (i) SMC 09: Antonette Russell SMD 10: Francis Campbell (i) SMD 11: DC prison commissioner who can't vote or be elected. ANC 6C SMD 01: Lawrence Thomas (i) SMD 02: Mark Dixon (i) SMD 03: Lena Ann Brown SMD 04: Daniel Pernell (i) SMD 05: Anthony Rivera SMD 06: Mike Sherman SMD 07: Bill Crews (i) SMD 08: Karen Wirt (i) SMC 09: Charley Docter (i) ANC 6D SMD 01: Max Skolnik SMD 02: David Sobelsohn SMD 03: Mary Williams (i) SMD 04: Andy Litsky (i) SMD 05: Roger Moffatt (i) SMD 06: Ahmed Assalaam (i) SMD 07: Bob Siegel (i) ANC 6A Meeting Cut Short by Lack of Quorum Commission Acts on Must-Approve Items BY PATTI SHEA The Nov. 11 ANC 6A meeting was short because the panel only had a quorum for 20 minutes. Commissioner Wanda Stevens-Harris attended her first meeting since April, but only stayed for 20 minutes, and since five commissioners are needed for a quorum, the panel had to take action on must-approve items before Harris left. Among the actions taken, the group OK'd a motion to send a request to the city's department of housing and community development to have resi·dents on the selection committee of applicants wanting to purchase the abandoned city properties at 1341 Maryland Ave., NE, and 525 9th St., NE. The commission also approved a $574 grant for the Gibbs Elementary School PTA to buy 40 cheerlead·ing pom-poms and a stunt tumbling mat. Finally, the panel said it will support a liquor license request for The Majestic, 1368 H St., NE, just as long as the establishment signs a letter of under·standing with the commission that it will enter into a voluntary agreement with the ANC. The Majestic will be a full-service restaurant and have live enter·tainment, if approved for all permits and licenses. Comments Heard, But No Votes Taken Since the commission lost its quorum following these actions, it could still hear public comment, although it could not vote on any item. Several community members attended the meet·ing hoping to comment on the agenda item that would ban the sale of singles on H Street and the ongoing negotiations with liquor store owners there. Raphael Marshall, who ran for an ANC seat but lost on Nov. 2, said he collected more than 80 signa·tures in his single member district that support the commission's moratorium on the selling of singles. Commissioner Nick Alberti said that some progress has been made with three of the five stores on H Street that the ANC is trying to get voluntary agreements with. Alberti said owners of Family Liquors, Sun & Moon Grocery and 1101 Convenience Mart are working with the attorney hired by the ANC to handle the contracts. However, he said owners of Northeast Beverage and Me & My Market haven't returned any phone calls. The owner of Me & My Market was present at the meeting. Alberti urged him to work with the attor·ney. Alberti also said the Alcohol Beverage Control board also held its first hearing on Oct. 27 concern·ing the ANC's plan to ban sales of singles along 15th Street, NE. He said eight community members attending the meeting to support the commission. The Alcohol Beverage Wholesalers Association and two out of four store owners showed up to protest the ban. He said the second hearing date hasn't been set. Resident Cited for Illegal Dumping One resident along Maryland Avenue, NE, is $1,000 poorer now thanks to Commissioner Jessica Ward, who turned the resident in for illegal dumping. Apparently the resident dumped a variety of household items along the busy thoroughfare on Oct. 31. The city public works department discov·ered the culprit by paperwork left among the heap, then quickly asked the resident to remove the trash. Since he didn't do so, he was assessed a $1,000 fine. Ward urged audience members to call the Mayor's Hotline, 727-1000, anytime they see illegal dump·ing. "Who knows, sometimes it works," she quipped. Ironically, she added, that if the resident had called the number, the city's trash services would have carted away seven of the larger items for no fee at all. Commissioners Jessica Ward, Cody Rice, Michael Musante, Wanda Stevens-Harris and Nick Alberti were present. Commissioners Joseph Fengler, Gladys Mack and Colleen Harris were absent. The next meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE. For meeting information, go to www.anc6a.org. Contact Patti at patti@voiceofthehill.com. Boys Town Development Plan Well Received by ANC 6B Jenkins Row to be Located on the Site BY DAVE FRANCIS Representatives from the DC Office of Planning and JPI presented plans for the Jenkins Row develop·ment to ANC 6B at the advisory committee's meet·ing Nov. 9. The ANC, after traffic concerns were alle·viated, was receptive of the plan. Jenkins Row will be located at Potomac and Pennsylvania Avenues on the site known as Boys Town. It will contain 247 residential units, a Harris Teeter grocery store and underground parking. The structure will be five levels tall. Joel Lawson of the DC Office of Planning said the large tract review property was complete. Lawson touted the development's accessibility by road and Metro as one of the benefits of the development. "There's safer, more negotiable access to the Potomac Avenue Metro station," Lawson said. ANC 6B members were receptive to the plan, but had some concerns about traffic. Lawson told the committee the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) had done traffic studies in the area, and found the development would not adversely affect traffic in the area. "All levels of service will remain the same," Lawson told the committee. The committee asked Lawson for a commitment from the DDOT to cont inue to monitor traffic at the intersection. Members of the community also had concerns regarding a school close to the development. Residents said cars sped past the school, and urged DDOT to consider installing speed bumps near the site. Lawson said he would pass along these con·cerns to DDOT. Existing structures on the property will have to be demolished before construction can begin. The JPI representative did not know when demolition would begin. New Development Planned For 1300 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue A Capitol Hill developer plans on converting the space above the building from 1301-1309 Pennsylvania Avenue to residential units. Craig McLaurin of McWade Properties presented the plan to the ANC at its November meeting. No zoning variances are needed, so McLaurin does not need the ANC to sign off on the plan. McLaurin did hedge this statement, telling the ANC a variance might be needed to build a handicap ramp, which could intrude on public space. The development will contain eight residential units above ground floor commercial space. The plan calls for the renovation of the current ground floor, as well as the addition of two stories on top of the existing structure. McLaurin did not give a time frame for when con·struction on the property would begin. Lack of Voluntary Agreement Prompts Withholding of Liquor License Endorsement Because a voluntary agreement between Rem-ington's on Pennsylvania Avenue and the ABC board was deemed invalid by ABC, ANC 6B refused to endorse a liquor license for the establishment until a new voluntary agreement was signed. The ABC voided the voluntary agreement because the manager, not the owner, of Rem-ington's, was the signatory. ANC 6B was surprised by this development, and plans to ask ABC for fur·ther explanation as to why the agreement was nulli·fied. The owner of Remington's declined to attend the ANC meeting. Until a new voluntary agreement is reached, ANC 6B will withhold their endorsement. Liquor license endorsements were approved for the following Capitol Hill bars and restaurants: Pour House, The Capitol Lounge, Marty's, Il Radicchio/Barollo, The Patio, Lil' Pub and Phase One. The endorsement for Trusty's Bar, a new estab·lishment at 1420 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, was also approved. When Trusty's first asked for the ANC's endorsement, community members objected, cit·ing noise concerns. The owner of the bar then met with some 60 Capitol Hill residents, and communi·ty fears were alleviated. The endorsement was contingent on both a letter and a voluntary agreement stating that Trusty's would not allow live music, music audible from out·side the bar, no dancing, a sign requesting quiet at the front of the bar and a limit to the number of pri·vate parties the bar could hold in a given period of time. Dave Francis can be reached at dave@voiceofthehill.com. ANC 6C Approves PUD Extension For Land at New Jersey and H Streets, NE Office Buildings, Parking, Retail and Daycare Center Part of the Plan BY D ARRIN BR OAD WATER During the ANC 6C meeting Nov. 10, the commis·sion approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD) extension for the parcel of land at New Jersey and H Streets, NE. The PUD calls for the construction of three office buildings totaling 1,731,890 square feet with below grade parking and 8,000 square feet of retail space. In addition, a 9,800-square foot daycare center is planned, as outlined in the amenities package between the ANC and the applicant, New Jersey and H St. Limited Partnership, LLC. A representative for the applicant clarified that the daycare center would be open to the communi·ty as well as to employees of the building's offices. He explained to the commission that the agreement outlines a daycare center for children ranging from pre-kindergarten through age five. The daycare cen·ter will be subsidized by the applicant and will also operate on fees generated from the center. A schol·arship fund will be set up by the applicant for low-income families, and the fees, according to the rep·resentative, will be set by an advisory board that includes community representation. After a short discussion of the amenities package, the commission voted unanimously in favor of the applicant's PUD extension and zoning reconfirma·tion. The commission also voted to support the con·struction of a two-unit apartment building at 430 Third St., NE, after the applicant's architect clarified three issues the commissioners posed to the appli·cant at the Nov. 3 committee meeting. Attendees also got a taste of what the new post·election ANC 6C will look like, with Commis-sioners-elect Anthony Rivera and Lena Ann Brown attending the meeting for orientation. Commis·sioner Bob Morris explained that commissioners-elect would participate in debate for the evening but would not be voting until they are sworn in. He added that the one commissioner-elect not present, Michael Sherman, would be initiated in the same fashion. DDOT Presents Plans for Study The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) presented plans for a study of transportation conditions and potential transportation management improvements in the Mt. Vernon Triangle area. DDOT Project Manager Susan Cheng described the 12-month study of Mt. Vernon area traffic and streetscape, which includes portions of New Jersey Avenue, Mount Vernon Square/7th St, Massachusetts Ave., and New York Avenue. Cheng solicited community volunteers to participate on the Study Advisory Committee, which is looking for realistic input to successfully complete the study. She can be reached at 202-671-2226 or at susan.cheng@dc.gov. Cheng also noted that the New York Avenue study is ongoing, and the results will be made pub·lic at the conclusion of the study. Morris pleaded that the light rail corridor planned for H Street remain on track. Safe Kids Coalition Patricia Lewis from the DC Safe Kids Coalition gave a presentation on fire prevention in homes. DC Safe Kids is recruiting 250 homes in Ward 6 for "one on one education" in fire prevention. Participating families will receive an inspection as well as a brief·ing on fire safety. Lewis also described the previous work done by DC Safe Kids, including their work on proper use of child safety seats and on ensuring chil·dren wear helmets when biking and skating. Morris asked if the police department enforced the District's child restraint laws; Lewis responded that they do-very aggressively. Commissioner Mark Dixon asked if there were still free smoke detectors available from the local fire departments, and Commissioner Daniel Pernell said he thought there were still detectors available for free. ANC Discusses HAZMAT Concerns The commission discussed at length its concerns over the transportation of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) through the District. Commissioner Morris updated the commission that, despite ANC urgings, the DC Council didn't ban HAZMAT trans·portation in the district and the shipments contin·ue on rail lines across Capitol Hill. The commission discussed the reroutes of HAZ·MATS that Congress enacted, with Morris stating that documentation exists proving the material is still being shipped through the city. Citing the unlikely possibility of Congress siding against busi·ness and "costly" reroutes of the materials, Morris urged citizens to contact their council members and let them know of their concerns, citing the poten·tial of 100,000 deaths in the first 30 minutes of a HAZMAT incident. Commission Grants $1,000 to Garden Project After a compelling presentation of the hurdles faced by the Peabody School Garden Project, the commis-sion-led by Pernell-granted $1,000 to the project instead of the originally proposed $500. The com·mission doubled the request after hearing of the hardships faced by the garden in dealing with fickle plants, imprecise bulldozing, thieves, and unli·censed drivers. A representative from the project indicated that the plans have been scaled back considerably after an unlicensed driver wrought havoc on the garden's iron fence, a bulldozer working on the adjacent playground destroyed some of the garden's edging, and a thief stole a memorial bench. No representa·tive from the Capitol Hill Baseball and Softball League was present to accept their grant; however, as several commissioners pointed out, there's plen·ty of time before spring. This meeting was the commission's first in the Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. Darlow Bartha, a volunteer at the muse·um, explained that the museum's exhibits try to take fairly complex subjects-currently they cover climate change and DNA-and make them accessi·ble. As Barlow said, they aim to "help people under·stand so that people don't have to rely on sound bytes." Admission is regularly $5 ($3 for seniors). Commissioners Karen Wirt, Mark Dixon, Daniel Pernell, Bob Morris, and Bill Crews were present, as were Commissioners-elect Anthony Rivera and Lena Ann Brown. Commissioners Charley Docter and Lawrence Thomas were absent. Darrin Broadwater is a DC resident and freelance writer. ANC 6D Wants Answers from Ambrose Will Send Letter to Councilwoman to Get Info on Hotbed Issues BY PATTI SHEA ANC 6D said it will call on Ward 6 Councilwoman Sharon Ambrose to meet with the Southwest com·munity. Spurred by a comment from an audience mem·ber, the commission unanimously voted to send a letter to Ambrose asking her to meet with them and explain her actions. "At which point does this commission take action?" asked Mary Williams, who added that the ANC didn't know about the I Street shelter closing until a story was printed about it in the Washington Post. "Sharon Ambrose has not been cooperative with us." Williams said the commission has been kept in the dark on issues such as the shelter, the fate of the Millennium Arts Center and the baseball stadium. "We're pretty taxed on some of these issues. It seems sometimes we're working against our council member," she said. When contacted by the Voice, Ambrose aide David Grosso said the councilwoman didn't want to comment on what was said about her at the meet·ing. www.voiceofthehill.com Panel Refrains from Commenting on Liquor Licenses Three Southeast clubs won't get any opposition from the ANC for their liquor license renewals since the panel couldn't decide on how to approach the issue. Nexus Gold Club, a gentlemen's club, along with Ziegfield's and Edge/Wet, gay revue clubs, now move to the Alcohol Beverage Control Board for their approval. Commissioner Mary Williams asked Commis·sioner Bob Siegel to recuse himself from the sched·uled vote on the Ziegfield license because Siegel owns the building were the club is located. "We need to try to avoid the appearance of impro·priety," Williams noted. However, Siegel said there was no such thing and refused to back out of the vote. In the past, Siegel had owned several liquor licenses for other establishments he ran while he was a commissioner in ANC 6B, but told the panel he holds no such licenses today. Siegel also told the panel that he has gone before the ABC board to ask if there was any conflict of interest with his commission position and owner·ship of the clubs. He said the board said no. ANC Executive Director Gottlieb Simon backed up Siegel's report. Williams, instead, made a motion to hold off the vote until police reports and possible complaints from neighbors could be collected. There was no second on the motion, so there was no vote. The commission has no alcohol licensing com·mittee that meets regularly to handle such issues. Then Commissioner C. W. Hargrave chimed in, making a motion to "take no action" on Ziegfield's and asked Siegel to recuse himself, which he didn't do. That motion passed, 2-1, with Hargrave and Commissioner Roger Moffatt voting for the motion and Williams against. Commissioner Ahmed Assalaam, along with Siegel, abstained from voting. Separate motions for no action were then made for Nexus Gold Club and Edge/Wet, which weren't announced on the agenda. Moffatt, Siegel and Hargrave voted in favor, which Williams and Assalaam abstained. In cityspeak, taking no action is essentially endorsing the establishment. This means the ANC won't send a letter of support or protest to the ABC board. Commissions usually send either. Hargrave said because the ANC doesn't have a licensing committee that meets regularly and the panel remains uninformed about upcoming liquor licenses, adding, "We are really doing the commu·nity a disservice in this action." However, one audience member said the panel wasn't as tough on the gay and strip clubs as it has been on black clubs in the past. Interviewed after the meeting, Siegel said: "If I heard something bad about [the clubs] I would have recused myself. But I haven't, so I won't." Rec Center on Track Jair Lynch, the contractor refurbishing the King-Greeleaf Recreation Center, 201 N St., SW, said the project is in the homestretch and on budget. Lynch said he is getting a "good buzz" from locals about the architecture and that the city added extra funding to the project so the tennis courts could be redone. He said the ANC should get an update from the city parks department within the next few months. The $5 million project should be finished by mid·winter, he said. Commissioners Ahmed Assalaam, C.W. Hargrave, Robert Siegel, Roger Moffatt and Mary Williams were present. Commissioners Ed Johnson and Andy Litsky were absent. The next meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 13, at the Millennium Arts Center, 65 I Street, SW. Patti Shea can be contacted at patti@voiceofthehill.com. Tell our advertisers you saw them in the Voice of the Hill. newsOnsite ALL STORIES BY D AVE FRANCIS New York Ave. Station Opens Nov. 20 Project Completed One Month Ahead of Schedule The New York Avenue/Florida Avenue/Gallaudet U Metro station opened Saturday, Nov. 20. This red line station, which cost $103.7 million to build, opened one month ahead of schedule. Metro broke ground on the facility on December 16, 2000. The opening of the New York Avenue station marks "another milestone in [Metro's] 28-year his·tory," Metro board member Gladys Mack said. "The opening of this Metrorail station is another step in our commitment to promote economic develop·ment and prosperity in all neighborhoods through·out Washington." The station is known as an "in-fill" station, because it was built between two preexisting lines. This is the first in-fill station in Metro's history, according to the WMATA officials. After causing many headaches for red line riders, with sporadic weekend service and consistent line closing, the opening of the New York Avenue Metro station will surely come as a relief to Capitol Hill res·idents dependent on the red line to get around the District. Funding for the project was provided by the DC and federal governments ($40 million and $25 mil·lion, respectively) and private partnerships ($25 million) According to Metro, the site was chosen because it is an urban area with existing residential, com·mercial, light industrial and vacant land. There are also primes areas for redevelopment, as well as opportunities for community revitalization, eco·nomic development and job growth. ANC6C, the station's home district, has expressed optimism about a resurgence the Metro station could bring to the area. Metro has taken steps to make sure the new sta·tion is accessible to consumers by constructing por·tion of the Metropolitan Branch Bike Trail on the station's grounds. This will increase access by pedes·trians and bicyclists, WMATA says. The station also contains two pieces of art: one a mural by the Perry School Community Center, and the other a collaboration among the community, businesses, cultural organizations, DC government and area artists to capture the diversity of the area. Report Finds Ruinous Pollution Calls on Local Governments to Take the Lead in Anacostia River's Cleanup Despite recent efforts to improve its condition, the Anacostia River remains in horrible shape, accord·ing to a report from a local conservation group. The group calls on federal and local governments to commit to cleaning the river. In The State Of The Anacostia River: A Health Index, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation found that the river scored 17 out of a possib le 100 points in tests devised by the foundation. "A river that divides the city, full of chemicals, bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorous, low on life-giv-ing oxygen, and without its natural wetland nurs·eries, is not a river that can contribute to the quali·ty of life in the nation's capital," the report states. "Nor is it a river that has a healthy effect on the downstream Potomac or the [Chesapeake] Bay." The foundation calls on the federal and local gov·ernments to provide funding to update an outdated sewer system dumping waste into the river; employ new techniques to stop urban pollution from runoff; and restore wetlands and other natural fea·tures. The report also enlists private landowners to uti·lize up-to-date runoff prevention techniques. "CBF's vision for the Anacostia is both ambitious and simple: by the year 2020, the Anacostia will be a river from which fish are safe to eat and in which children are free to swim. The residents of the Washington area, west and east of the Anacostia, deserve no less," the report states. The report says rehabilitation is especially impor·tant in light of recent and planned developments around the area, including the Anacostia Water·front Initiative and the proposed baseball stadium. The Foundation examined eight criteria in the report: trash, fecal coliform, suspended solids, toxic chemicals, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, wetlands and government action. Each of these criteria was graded on a scale of 100, and then averaged to deter·mine a health index for the river. Government action received the highest mark with 35, while suspended solids received the lowest score with 14. The report does suggest methods for improving the river. There are no large factories polluting the river; instead, the pollution comes from Wash-ington residents. Personal responsibility is an important part of improving the river. But the report concludes that government must take the lead cleaning the Anacostia. "If there is any hope for a healthy Anacostia River, the very urban questions of pollution, impervious surfaces, and the sewer and stormwater systems must be addressed by the governments responsible for them." Mixed-Income Housing, Non-Profit at Abandoned Properties Desired DHCD Refuses to Rule Out Zoning Variance, But Promises Community Input will be Considered District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) officials prom·ised to take the views of the community into account when making a decision on what to do with abandoned properties at 525 9th Street, NE, and 1341 Maryland Avenue, NE. "Based upon the strength of the project...the ANC [Advisory Neighborhood Committee] holds great weight," DHCD official Vanessa Akins told a packed community room at Sherwood Recreation Center at an Oct. 27 public meeting. DHCD officials said no decision has been made on what the city is looking to do with the buildings, but said community input, community and city needs and economic viability will all play a factor in the decision. "The proposed use must be economi·cally self-supporting," Akins said. Proposed uses for the property include mixed-income housing and an office for a non-profit cater- Capitol Hill's only do-it-yourself Frame shop custom framing also available Serving Capitol Hill for 20 years Monday, Friday, Saturday 10-6 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10-9 Sunday 12-6 522 Eighth Street, SE 202.543.3030 www.frame-of-mine.com ing to community needs. Some residents expressed concern that one or both of the properties would become a halfway house. DHCD officials, while noting that current zoning of the properties allows "mostly for resi·dences," declined to rule out the possibility of a zon·ing variance allowing a halfway house or similar facility. ANC6A chair Joe Fengler, however, assured the community that any zoning variance would first have to go through the ANC. "The maximum public interests [will be considered] for any variance on these properties," Fengler said. Residents also expressed interest in seeing the request for proposal before it is issued to the public. DHCD officials did not rule out the possibility, but said it was not standard practice to get community input before releasing a proposal. The RFP is currently scheduled to be issued in early 2005. Medlink Compromise Reached Restrictive Covenant Abandoned in Good Faith Agreement The Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) and Medlink owner Dr. Peter Shin have come to a com·promise on the Medlink property, ending a long and sometimes contentious fight over the future of the building. However, one CHRS member is not pleased with the agreement, worried that Shin will not abide by the terms, and has expressed her concerns to CHRS. Under the new agreement, CHRS will allow Shin to develop the property according to the Holladay Corporation plan, which was previously approved by the Historic Preservation Review Board. According to CHRS, the development of the prop·erty will take place in two phases of renovation. The first phase includes the hospital itself and the southern portion of the property. The second phase includes the rest of the property and will begin once Shin has found a new location for healthcare activi·ties currently taking place at the property. The new agreement abandons the idea of a covenant restricting construction on the site, instead using the Holladay Corporation plan as a guide. "The discussion centered around making the design more sympathetic to the surrounding build·ings, the number of units to be built, and parking," according to an email circulated by CHRS member Gary Peterson. "Since the plans are very prelimi·nary, no exact design or numbers were proposed." CHRS will have a chance to review more fully developed plans for the property in February. However, CHRS member Bobbi Krengel disagreed that the agreement limits construction to neighbor-hood-friendly structures. In a September letter to the CHRS board, Krengel calls certain terms of the agreement "a complete anomaly, and contrary to the principles of the DC Comprehensive Plan." Krengel also feared Shin will not abide by the agreement. "Dr. Shin has already demonstrated a history of violating current covenants and orders issued by the Board of Zoning Adjustments," Krengel wrote. "This was a shotgun wedding-style solution. We had no real leverage, and took any crumbs we could get," Krengel wrote to CHRS following the announcement of the agreement. Please check the Voice of the Hill website for more information as this story continues to develop. Dave Francis can be reached at dave@voiceofthehill.com. BusinessSnapshots BY MICHAEL MENEER Baby Boutique Opens at Eastern Market Dawn Price at work getting Dawn Price Baby on 7th Street ready to open. he storefront window below Randolph Cree was attracting a lot of attention throughout November. Moms pushing strollers with toddlers in tow couldn't help but stop and look at the huge posters announcing the opening of Dawn Price Baby. The posters featured photos of store owner Dawn Price's 20-month old twins Tyler and Sydney. The California native had been eyeing the space her store will occupy for quite some time. The 1,046-square foot shop is located next door to Montmartre French Restaurant, and occupies the ground floor of a townhouse shared with Randolph Cree hair salon. Price is an accountant and lawyer, and had long planned to open an antique store. After she gave birth to twins, she said her priorities shifted. Her experience as a mother influenced all aspects of the store's design. "My stuff is a combination of form, function, and quality," Price said, while sanding down the cashier's counter five days before the store's grand opening. Nick Cho, owner of neighboring Murky Coffee, said he's looking forward to Price's new store. It's a good sign for the direction of the Hill from a business standpoint, because there aren't many baby boutiques in the DC area, Cho said. Price said her store will feature a range of high quality baby merchandise, from durable everyday clothes to heirloom attire for special occasions. And the store will be f un too. Price is planning to sell a plaster of Paris kit that allows expectant mothers to make a three-dimensional commemo·rative cast of their pregnant belly. Price also designed a nursery where children can play with a variety of old-fashioned toys that will also be available for purchase. And none of the toys will be made of plastic, Price added. Dawn Price Baby is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tues·day through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The boutique is located at 325 Seventh Street, SE. Learn more at www.dawnpricebaby.com. The Voice welcomes Mike Meneer, who will write about business news each month in this newspaper. Smokey's Barbershop and Oldies Offers More Than Just Haircuts ll right young player, sit up tall as you can." "With that, 12-year old Miles Ray hops into the barber chair of Smokey the barber. But Smokey is more than a barber. He's like family, says Miles' father, David Ray. Smokey has been lowering Miles' ears since the boy was about a year old, Smokey says. Which is nothing out of the ordinary at Smokey's barber·shop, located at 1338 H Street, NE. Smokey proudly points to an old picture taped to his mirror. It's of a little boy squirming in his barber chair as a younger Smokey looks on with a mischie·vous smile. The boy is now 40 years old, and Smokey still cuts his hair. Miles' father David is a program manager at the United Negro College Fund. Smokey has been cut·ting his hair for about 15 years, the elder Ray says. He used to live near Eastern Market, and became a customer when Smokey had another shop on the Hill at Kentucky Avenue and E Street, SE. The Rays have since moved off the Hill, but every other Saturday they come back for their regular appoint·ment with Smokey. "Very friendly," says the elder Ray when asked why he keeps coming back to Smokey's. "It's a family friendly atmosphere, and I could tell Smokey and one of his many regulars. men came often," Ray remembers thinking after his first few visits. A Venue for Conversation and Life Lessons And Smokey's is a place where everyone has an opinion, Ray says. He said it's a "venue that provides a chance for folks to speak openly on a wide range of issues, including sports, politics and religion." Ray says he doesn't do much talking. Listening to the conversation in Smokey's is thoroughly enter·taining, he says. But Smokey's is more than a friendly place to get a haircut for the Rays. Their visits play an important role in the upbringing of young Miles. "He's an astute observer of his dad. I'm trying to show him what's important, and this is just a small part of what I'm doing to raise my son," Ray says. He pauses for Smokey to trim his already neatly groomed mustache. "Among the complexities of becoming whole, this is very important," Ray adds. Personal grooming and attending to one's appearance is indicative of a person's self-worth, according to Ray. He says he learned this lesson as a young man, and he's trying to instill the same val·ues in his son. Miles Ray gets a "fade" cut during his sessions in Smokey's chair. The haircut provides a close shave around the temples, ears, and back of the head, with a slightly longer, yet tightly trimmed, crown. But father and son don't need to tell Smokey what kind of cut they want. "I just get in the chair," the elder Ray says. Smokey prides himself on remembering what style of haircut his customers prefer. The Rays are two of about 200 customers who regular·ly sit in Smokey's chair, and the barber guesses about 90 percent of his customers are regulars. For young Miles Ray, explaining what style of cut he wants isn't an option anyway. David Ray says he's a father who still parents his son, and that includes what kind of haircut his son gets. "Not a lot of Miles' around," Smokey says. And Smokey agrees with Miles' father that par·enting is an issue of concern. Smokey estimates he has about 1,000 audiocassettes and compact discs avail·able for purchase in his store. "So many parents are so young they don't know how to parent," Smokey says. A lot of kids get to do what they want, including whether they should get a haircut, according to Smokey. He says kids aren't getting haircuts any·more, instead opting for longer, braided hair. Smokey recalls a time when Saturday used to be the day kids came in for their cuts. Kids used to take up the whole shop, Smokey says. On this Saturday in November, Miles is one of only two kids in the shop. But despite the change, Smokey's is still a barber·shop bustling with business. And Don't Forget the Oldies And Smokey has a time-tested strategy for recruiting customers: Smokey's is also an oldies music shop. Smokey estimates he has about 1,000 audiocas·settes and compact discs available for purchase in his store. And like his $8 haircuts, the selection of music that lines the wall of his barbershop is reason·ably priced ($5 for an audiocassette, and $10 for a CD). And if customers can't find the old-time music they're looking for? Not to worry. Customers can order from Smokey's catalog of almost 10,000 musi·cal selections. He's been selling music since the 1960s, and says the music draws customers into his shop. And once inside, Smokey says they're more likely to take a seat in one of ten barber chairs. "The more things you have to buy, the better your business," Smokey says. A Long History, Looking to the Future Smokey moved his business to H Street, NE, six years ago. But his connection to the shop extends back more than 35 years. In 1967 the shop was called Jake's. It was the first barbershop Smokey worked in after moving to the nation's capital from Wilson, NC. In Wilson he'd been cutting hair under his father's tutelage since he was eight years old. Some of his current cus·tomers include Wilson natives who have since moved to DC. H Street, NE, was a bustling business and cultural center when Smokey first arrived. That all changed after the rioting precipitated by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the spring of 1968. Smokey says he was in the shop he now owns on the day the riots started. It was spared physical dam·age. Efforts to revitalize H Street are long overdue, and Smokey says he supports bringing more businesses to the area. "I think competition is good," Smokey says. His business philosophy is that more people com·ing to the area will give him more of an opportuni·ty to draw new customers into the shop. Smokey says he thinks the H Street corridor will get to the point when all of the shops on the street will again be full. Smokey's block is peppered with retail and business space under renovation. But much work remains to be done. Inadequate street lighting on his block of H Street is a problem, especially at night, Smokey says. Like Smokey, David Ray says he supports the idea of an H Street renaissance. But with the renaissance comes the concern that long-time renters and busi·ness may be displaced, Ray says. He says he hopes Smokey's, and places like it, will have a chance to enjoy the renaissance. "Smokey's is an extension of a neighborhood, providing a family friendly, safe feeling...it's like being in a time capsule," Ray says. 'I Couldn't Pick a Better Place' Mike Price is another customer who sees Smokey's as more than a barbershop. He calls Smokey a mentor. "Everyone needs a mentor, someone to tell the truth," Price says. Price recently retired after 20 years with Safeway. He says Smokey advised him on the difficult deci·sion to retire, and also encouraged Price to buy his own home 25 years ago. Price makes a ten-mile drive from Seabrook, Md., to Smokey's every Thursday for his haircut. And more. The 53-year old bachelor says he spends about three hours each week hanging out at Smokey's, and agrees he's earned a reputation for being a talk·er. "I make people happy, and I make people mad," Price says. But he says he's found a place where he's accept·ed. "How many barbershops do I pass? I couldn't pick a better place," Price adds. Reclining in his barber's chair during a break between customers, Smokey just laughs. Smokey's Barbershop and Oldies is located at 1338 H Street, Northeast. It's open seven days a week, every day except Christmas. Hours of opera·tion: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Telephone: 202-396-2377. Hill resident Mike Meneer is one of the Voice's newest contributors. SOUTHWEST REPORT Waterside Mall Plans Gain Community Support Construction Set to Begin in Summer 2005 BY SARA FRITZ esidents of Southwest many residents registered their it occupied by employees of Fannie Washington have a long approval when the proposal was Mae. One of the last buildings to be history of opposing explained in October to a meeting of completed will be a 10-story apart-change. In the 1950s, they the Southwest Neighborhood ment building with 400 units, strongly resisted the mas-Assembly. 400,000 square feet of living space sive redevelopment effort that lev-Perhaps the biggest reason the new and underground parking. eled many substandard houses in the development is winning support in As one of the first steps in con-area. And at present, they are mount-the community is that the existing struction of the new complex, the ing a petition drive to stop St. facility is considered to be a drag on developers will reopen a one-block Matthews Lutheran Church from rapidly rising home values in the stretch of 4th Street, which was building new apartments on its land area. As Bea B. Paget, a local real closed in the early 1970s to make way at 222 M Street. estate agent, puts it: "That Waterside for the current complex. Fraley said Thus it comes as something of a Mall has got to go!" Most of the the Waterfront Metro Station will not surprise that the neighborhood office space in the existing mall has be moved, and therefore will be seems to be reacting positively to the been empty since the Environmental located on the median of 4th Street plans to redevelop the site of the Protection Agency moved out more near M. "The road will go around the aging Waterside Mall at 4th and M than two years ago, and many retail Metro station entrance on both Streets into a new commercial com-shops have closed. sides," he explained. plex including offices, apartments Although this project has been dis-and retail shops. Waterfront Mall cussed on and off for several years, it Ward 6 Councilwoman Sharon Construction did not appear to be moving ahead Ambrose says she is "supporting it until officials of Fannie Mae offered to wholeheartedly,'' according to a If everything proceeds according to consolidate some of their operations plan, construction work will begin in the new mall. Alfred King,spokeswoman. Gordon Fraley, next summer on the newly named spokesman for Kaempfer Company, "Waterfront" mall, which will com-spokesman for Fannie Mae, decided it one of the firms involved in develop-prised of six new buildings with 2.5 wants "to be a part of the revitaliza·ing the project, says he believes "the million square feet of space, most of tion of Southwest" because it is a community is excited about it." And Washington, DC-based company A glimpse of what's in store in Southwest. with a commitment to the city. The developers and Fannie Mae officials signed a letter of intent last spring. The developers, Kaempfer, Forest City Enterprises and Bresler & Reiner Inc., have already surmounted a number of hurdles. They have nego·tiated the right to purchase the prop·erty for $17 million from the National Capital Revitalization Corp., and they have won tentative approval from the city zoning com·mission. Fannie Mae spokesman King was quick to note, however, that his organization has yet to com·plete a formal agreement with the developers. "We don't have a deal worked out yet," he said. The devel·opers are depending on Fannie Mae to provide a $55 million line of cred·it. According to Fraley, the developers also will be seeking the support of the local ANC and the city council for the new mall. The final plans also must be approved by the zoning commission. Anchor Stores, New Retail Local residents were particularly pleased to hear that developers want the new complex to be occupied by the two companies that already are located there, Safeway and CVS. In addition, they are looking forward to the arrival of a wide variety of new retail establishments, including a book store and restaurants. Under the new plan, the retail shops will face both 4th and M streets, and all will be accessible from the sidewalk. Many shops in the old mall were accessible only from inside the build·ing. Safeway would occupy about 50,000 square feet on the first floor of the new apartment building on the northwest corner of the proper-ty-about 20,000 more square feet than it now has at 4th and M. Fraley said the developers hope the Safeway can continue to operate throughout the construction of the new mall. But he added it might be difficult to achieve. Because many residents of the area do not own automobiles, they are anxious to have uninterrupted access to a super- www.voiceofthehill.com market or a pharmacy. As 4th Street is being reopened next year, Fraley said, the first con·struction work will be devoted to three new office buildings on the west side of 4th Street that are sched·uled to be completed in 2008. Meanwhile, he said, the builders will also be preparing the underground infrastructure for the three addition·al buildings on the east side of the street. He could not predict when the entire project would be finished, but he said the developers promised to have the apartment building (the final piece) in place within 10 years, and possibly sooner. Residents' Concerns Judging from their comments during the recent public meeting, local resi·dents have two concerns about the new mall. First, they are worried that it will vastly increase automobile traf·fic in the area. Second, they would prefer a condominium apartment building instead of rental units. Some critics also have questioned whether $17 million is a sufficient price for the property. Ambrose estimates the new mall will bring about 4,000 new jobs into the area. It is not clear, however, whether Fannie Mae intends to move its headquarters to Southwest from its current location on Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest. King declined to say whether the headquarters would move to 4th and M. He said some satellite operations will be con·solidated in the new buildings at 4th and M, but "it is not designed to be our only facility.'' Ambrose sees the new mall as an important element in the revitaliza·tion of the entire city waterfront. "It will bring some vitality to that space that has been lacking vitality for a very long time,'' Ambrose told the Washington Post. "Once EPA left the building they had occupied, it became a wasteland. The Safeway and CVS are used, but they're a small part of a very large space. The devel·opers have been seeking a tenant without much success until now. Fannie Mae will come with their employees and they will come with a pledge to build housing around the site. It's going to be wonderful for the neighborhood." Freelance writer Sara Fritz is a Southwest resident and one of this news-paper's newest contributors. I NEED Y OUR HELP All my listings are SOLD or Under Contract I'm Ready to work for YOU! The market is as hot as ever and will continue to be so throughout the Holiday's. Call for The most Comprehensive Market Analysis in the business. Thank You For Your Business And Have A Happy Thanksgiving The District's Home Improvement Tips for Hiring Contractors, and a Look at the Law BY KATIE MCLEOD t's time for another Capitol Hill says about contractors in the District. censed contractors working in the winter. "If they're willing to break the laws, District, Mahoney says. The cold seeps through those what else are they willing to do?" Hypothetically speaking, he says, old storm windows. Pipes are "It's so bad that I could find 10 to 15 frozen. The weathered roof is leaking, Some Definitions illegal contractors in one day in a and the stately brick chimney is sud-Applicants for a Basic Business very short period of time. It's a free·denly backed up. The inside paint job License must comply with certain for-all in DC." is peeling just weeks ahead of that DC code requirements. These The Office of the General well-planned New Years Eve party. requirements include providing a Counsel's Regulatory Complaint It's time to hire a home improve-certified copy of a Police Criminal Intake Staff "will inform consumers ment contractor. History Report from the jurisdiction about previously reported com- As a Capitol Hill homeowner, in which the applicant resides, post-plaints against particular businesses," options come to mind. You received ing a Surety Bond in the amount of DCRA's website says. "This includes a flyer in your door about roof repair. $5,000 for the duration of the busi-information on whether a previously You saw a crew working on your ness activity's two-year license peri-filed complaint has been resolved or neighbor's gutters down the street. od, and having a Public Liability and is currently pending before the You read some advertisements in the Property Damage Insurance agency." local newspapers. But how do you Certificate, according to DCRA's If homeowners take the time to know who you can trust to come into application requirements posted on find a licensed, reliable contractor, your home? its website. Mahoney says, they can save them- Home improvement contractors "A home improvement contractor selves a lot of headaches and a lot of are required to obtain a Basic is defined as one who agrees on the money. Business License through the performance of home improvement District's Department of Consumer work for a contract price of $300 or An 'Emotional Strain'and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) to more," McCarley writes. "Thus, if a Rosemary Harold, 46, has been a work legally in DC, Joseph McCarley, handyman (or anyone) were to agree Capitol Hill resident since 1999, spokesperson from DCRA, writes in to these compensation terms, he when she bought her house in an email. would need to apply for a Basic Northeast. Harold's house needed And without hiring a properly Business License for a home improve-some renovations, so in 2000 she licensed contractor, homeowners put ment contractor." decided to hire a contractor. themselves at great risk for running In the District, 1,246 home The previous homeowner had into trouble, says David Mahoney, improvement contractors are cur-legally rented out the basement as a president and CEO of The David rently licensed, McCarley writes. separate apartment that was separat-Mahoney Painting Company that Addressing the number of com-ed from the main house. Harold, does contract work on Capitol Hill plaints DCRA receives about unli· who lives with her husband and two and is licensed in the District. censed contractors, Chris Bender, cats, wanted to take back the base-With 17 people working under DCRA spokesperson, says, "We don't ment by reconnecting it to the him, Mahoney has 10 years of experi-get any more or less complaints than house. This called for doing some ence painting on the Hill. In total, he jurisdictions that are comparable to has 29 years of experience, mostly in our size or neighboring jurisdic-work to the staircase and moving painting. During the years before he tions." around some dividing walls. After not hearing back from con- started his own business he did some Complaints are tracked by the tractors in "the book," Harold went roofing, wielding and carpentry DCRA Office of the General Counsel, with one who had been doing some work. and the number of complaints can quality work on the windows in her Besides painting, Mahoney edu-be obtained by contacting the office home, she says. cates his clients and prospective and requesting a Freedom of clients about the importance of hir-Information Act, McCarley writes. During a conversation with the contractor, Harold learned that his ing legitimate contractors. "You've Many Unlicensed Contractors business was not properly licensed. got to have a license to do work," he There are high numbers of unli-"He said, 'I'm not licensed in DC; I'm only licensed in Montgomery County." Harold let the contractor go ahead with the project, she says. When the job was finished, the work itself was basically OK, she says, but it took far too long to complete because of additional work that unexpectedly needed done. It was the way the contractor con·ducted his business that was such an emotional strain, Harold says; she had to call him to "harangue" him to finish the job. The contractor was running out of money, and it was "his inexperience with business prac·tices that was a problem," she says. In 2003, after Hurricane Isabel took down some gutters, she again needed to hire a contractor to replace them, she says. Her husband ended up hiring a company he found that wasn't listed in the phone book, she says, because they could come quick·ly to do the work. In the end, the contractors fastened on the gutters improperly, causing them to twist away from the house and dump water directly into the basement after a good rain storm, she says. The couple had to replace the carpet and hire another company to come in and replace the gutters. "Frankly, there aren't a lot of options if you need something done quickly," Harold says about hiring contractors in an emergency situa·tion. "So if you need something done quickly, you go with what you can find." Harold has not gone so far as to check with DCRA yet about a con-tractor's licensing, she says. "But before I hire the next contractor for major restoration, I certainly will do that," she states. Checking and Verifying Driven to educate homeowners after witnessing the aftermath of poor quality contract work at his clients' homes and in their neighborhoods, Mahoney urges homeowners to fol·low four main tips to search for con·tractors: Get clear, detailed specifications of exactly what kind of work the con·tractor is planning to do. Mahoney advises to find out what kind of paint will be used and how many coats, for example, as well as what kind of war·ranty, if any, they are offering. Do not simply learn that they plan to paint and that's it, he says. "Definitely ask questions," he insists. "Clear communication is key." Mahoney also stresses the impor·tance of getting the deal in writing. Make sure the contractor is licensed to do work in the District by verifying with DCRA. Advertisements in newspapers alone are not a good enough determination of quality, he says. He also stresses that if the gen·eral contractor uses subcontractors, check to make sure all involved par·ties are properly licensed. "Anyone can advertise in the Yellow Pages. An ad should not be considered as an indication of the quality of a contractor's work," the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) website says. "Contractors who are required to be licensed often list their license number in their ads." The FTC enforces federal consumer protection laws and provides tips for consumers on its site (www.ftc.gov). Check that the contractor has the appropriate insurances for consumer protection. The FTC's website says a contractor should carry personal lia·bility, worker's compensation and property damage insurances: "Otherwise, you'll be held liable for any injuries and damages that occur during the project." Workman's compensation is not required for DCRA licensure, spokes·person McCarley writes in an email. Get references. "Definitely com·pare apples to apples." Mahoney adds, "It's important to determine what product you are getting." Mahoney provides homeowners with a "Contractors Checklist" that can be found on his company's web-site (www.mahoneypainting.com) and in flyer form that he passes out to prospective clients. Between calling DCRA, using its website or going there in person, "you should be able to get all the business information you need as a consumer to make an informed deci·sion on hiring contractors," Bender, DCRA spokesperson, says. "We are always trying to help the resident." McCarley writes that "it is impor·tant for the consumer to contact DCRA prior to hiring a contractor in order to determine if they are licensed and in good standing." Voice of Experience David Levine is a Capitol Hil l resi·dent who says he has hired a good number of contractors in the almost 30 years he has lived on the Hill. "In general, my experience with contrac·tors has been fine," he says. Despite experiencing a "chamber of horrors" when he worked with a company that changed owners in the middle of the work they were doing on his home, Levine has had good experiences with contractors because he makes sure to check qualifications and references, he says. Levine thinks it is not only a good idea to get references from friends or neighbors, he says, but also to get referrals from contractors with whom he's had positive past experi·ences. Levine trusts their opinions because they are aware of the specific needs of his home, he says. Before following recommendations from friends or neighbors, he would ask them a series of questions to make sure what they think is a good con·tractor is congruent with what he thinks is a good contractor, he says. As far as verifying qualifications with DCRA, Levine says, "If I had any reason to suspect licensing or bond·ing, I would certainly check that." Levine has used "folks who have knocked on doors" for things like estimates, and he might consider using them for small jobs, but he says he "would certainly not hire anyone just wandering the neighborhood for substantial work on the house." If the contractors come to his door and say they've worked on three houses in the neighborhood, Levine says he certainly would not hire any of those contractors without checking with the neighbors first. "You should also be wary of con·tractors who tell you your job will be a 'demonstration;' pressure you for an immediate decision; offer excep-David Mahoney tionally long guarantees; and ask you to pay for the entire job upfront," the believes DCRA needs to change the tractor is entitled to a hearing, or can FTC's website says. laws so that if a company advertises, pay the fine outright. If caught a sec-it must display its license number. ond time, the fine doubles, and con- Law Enforcement and 'Cost' He's a big believer in strict fines, he tinues to double with each addition-Mahoney wishes the District's cur-says. al infraction." rent laws would be changed to "The initial fine is $300," DCRA McCarley also says, "The DCRA's enforce more stringent penalties on spokesperson McCarley writes. "The Office of Investigations Weights and unlicensed contractors, he says. He unlicensed home improvement con-Measures (OIWM) conduct compli- Re/Max Allegiance To all of Our Clients and Friends We Wish You a Wonderful Holiday Season! OUTSTANDING AGENTS, OUTSTANDING RESULTS! 202-547-5088 or vitis us at www.jackiev.com ance investigations on an ongoing basis. Presently, there are investiga·tions underway for alleged, illegal home improvement contractors." Problems go beyond poor quality work, Mahoney says. He cites a time he's seen workers on the street - who he later found out were not properly licensed - not wearing protective gear to guard themselves against haz·ardous conditions. After addressing this problem with the workers, he deduced that the employees were ignorant about the harmful condi·tions because they did not have prop·er training. Bad contract work on one home can harm the neighborhood, as well, Mahoney says. In one instance, he witnessed the results of contractors improperly removing lead paint off a house. When lead paint is not han·dled correctly it can spread into the air as dust particles and into the neighbors' yards, he says, which is harmful for the areas and people affected. A spokesperson for the Department of Health could not be reached for comment regarding the health affects of the improper removal of lead paint. Unlicensed contractors underbid licensed contractors, Mahoney says. "It's definitely a cost to me." Mahoney stresses that the process to obtain a Basic Business License through DCRA is more difficult now because of the need to be "internet savvy." DCRA "used to send a packet. Now they say, 'Go to the Internet.'" DCRA's website explains the appli·cation process for a Basic Business License and provides the application instructions and forms, which includes a fee schedule. "Once the application has been approved, meaning that all of the documentation submitted is com·plete and accurate," McCarley writes, "a new applicant can pick up their license within a 1-2 business day period." The minimum total costs of licen·sure for a home improvement con·tractor in the District is $212, says the fee calculator located on DCRA's site. DCRA does educate the public about not hiring unlicensed contrac·tors, spokesperson McCarley writes, "through the media, through EBIC seminars, via informational sympo·siums at Home Depot on Brentwood Road and by providing seminars in the different wards." Katie McLeod works in journalism in the Washington, DC, area. She earned a Master's degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University in 2003. She is originally from Barnstable, Mass. The David Mahoney Painting Company's "Contractors Checklist" Questions to Ask Prospective Contractors · Are you licensed and bonded in DC as a home improvement contractor? If so, what is your license number? · Do you carry worker's compensation as well as public liability insurance? If so, who is your carrier? · Do you employ full-time workers or do you use day laborers and/or sub·contractors? If so, be certain that these workers are insured, licensed and bonded in the District. · Do you run background checks on your employees? · Do you offer a warranty or any guarantees? · Does your proposal detail the specific work and time lines? · Do you have references in DC whom we may contact? · How many years have you been painting? · Do you belong to any professional organizations? · Do you implement any safety programs and/or training? This list can be located at www.mahoneypainting.com for printing. On the Web · The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs www.dcra.dc.gov · The Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov · Old City Capitol Hill Neighborhood Association Posts a message board where residents exchange information on contrac·tors http://www.oldcitycapitolhill.org THE ARRIVAL OF ATLAS The Long-awaited Atlas Performing Arts Center Prepares for its Debut on H Street BY SHIRLEY SER OTSKY Below left, heavy equipment digs out for the Atlas. Below right, award winning designers Tony Cisek and Dan Covey check out the progress. n March of 2003 I had the pleas· ure of speaking to Jane Lang about the then fledgling Atlas Theatre Project. Lang, a promi· nent lawyer in DC, had envi· sioned renovating and operating a performing arts space since she'd donned the hat of theater pro·ducer in the summer of 2000 and dis·covered that most of the rental the·atre spaces in Washington were not equipped for full-scale productions. In summer 2002, Jane and her hus·band Paul, under the auspices of their family endowment, The Sprenger Lang Foundation, acquired the property that would become the arts complex, located on the 1300 block of H Street, NE. A capital cam·paign aiming to raise the $7.6 million necessary to complete Phase One of the construction (out of a total $17 million needed to complete the proj·ect) was launched that fall. Lang aspired to open the space within two years time. Judging by the condition of the building at the time-once a regal urban movie the·atre in the days of palatial movie houses, but by 2002 suffering the effects of decades-long neglect-the proposition seemed wildly optimistic at best, and more likely something akin to a pipe dream. Never underestimate the power of a vision. Results in Record Time "As they say-we've come a long way baby!" Jane tells me on a sunny day last month. "[Atlas] is happening, and it's happening in record time." But what exactly is this "Atlas" we speak of? If you've been over to the H Street corridor in the past six months, you can't help but have noticed the conspicuous fencing shrouding a flurry of construction in the middle of the block. When the dust settles at 1333 H Street, phase one of the renovation will be com·plete. That includes a number of dance studios and two lab theatres (flexible spaces designed to fulfill a variety of needs, including serving as rehearsal spaces and as settings for informal readings, workshops, poetry readings, and less traditional theatre pieces). Each lab theater will seat approximately one hundred patrons. Next in the construction lineup are the two professional theatre spaces, one flexible seat theatre that will be equipped for 250 audience members, the other a fixed seat space with seating for 267. When the renovation process is complete, the 58,000 square foot space will include the two laboratory theatres and two professional the·atres, dance studios, classrooms, offices, a costume and scenery shop, dressing rooms, a café, and a box office, and will lay claim to its title as the "only community-based per·forming arts center in DC." The official opening for the first phase of completion is anticipated for January 2005. "We lost about a month of time (in the schedule) because during the course of renova·tion we discovered new historic detail on the façade, " Jane explains. Because the building is a historic property on the National Register of Historic Places (dating from late 1938, the structure is an example of art moderne), all renovation efforts must be performed in accordance with the National Trust on Historic Cement is poured for one of the Atlas spaces. The historic marquee will be restored to light up the night. Preservation. "The façade will be fin·ished this winter, and restored according to all of the historical clues we can find," says Jane. Catering to the Community The first activity brewing in the long-vacant structure will be dance classes offered by the Joy of Motion Dance studios, scheduled to begin in February 2005. Joy of Motion is one of several resident companies that will eventually call Atlas home. As of this fall, Washington DC's premiere professional black theatre company, The African Continuum Theatre (ActCo) and Joy of Motion have scheduled classes or perform·ances at the Atlas Space. In the spring ActCo will present two one-act plays by Pearl Cleage, a popular African American writer, in the lab theater space. Several other DC arts groups have also reserved the space for readings. "We expect the site to be extreme- Marty's FAMILY RESTAURANT AND BAR Rings in theNewYear Smoke Free ly active in the future," Jane predicts. And judging by the exploding arts scene in metropolitan Washington, her prediction sounds spot on. But Atlas aims to be more than just a rental facility. The focus on com·munity involvement is a facet to the project that makes Atlas unique. And surely, the near Northeast neighbor·hood of Capitol Hill is one worth get·ting involved in. The activity level along the H Street corridor is invigor·ating, with restaurants and shops fill·ing in many of the previously desert·ed and dilapidated storefronts. "[All of the construction] is chang·ing H Street," says Jane. "If you walk along the Eastern end of the quarter you see a lot of renovation going on... we expect that this is going to accelerate once we open." The Atlas Theatre press materials offer up this growth and rejuvenation as evidence that "the arts fuels revitalization." If what has been happening in the neighborhood around the new con·vention center (home to the new Woolly Mammoth theatre space, as well as the Warehouse theatres, and the soon to be renovated Shakespeare Theatre) and the corridor of 14th Street, NW, (location of the newly renovated Studio theatre) is any indi-cation, then the formula is solidly in place for H Street. Further community involvement has manifested itself in the Atlas Access Fund, made possible by a number of generous corporate and foundation grants. The access fund will provide scholarship money to students, to enable low and moder-ate-income children and adults to participate in classes, programs and events at the Atlas. The fund will also provide aid to local arts groups who would otherwise have trouble meet·ing the rates required for space rentals. Future News Speaking of space rentals, Atlas antic·ipates that a brochure will be avail·able to interested arts organizations, which will include policies and rental rates, soon after the New Year. Companies and individuals who wish to be kept abreast of advance·ments in Atlas development can send an email to skenison@sprengerlang.com and request to be added to the Atlas mailing list. At the time of this arti-cle's publication, the fourth issue of a Community Newsletter published by Atlas will be in circulation. That newsletter is currently sent to all residents in the 20002 zip code and to mailing list members. In addition to construction updates, the newsletter will also announce plans, as they solidify, for an Atlas community day in early spring 2005. This will offer an opportunity for members of the near northeast community to par·ticipate in free trial classes and to attend complimentary perform·ances. Until then, keep an eye out for further Atlas developments. A box office, which for the time being will also serve as the Atlas Business Office, is scheduled to open at the end of January. An executive direc·tor has been hired, which will be announced to the press before the New Year. Jane tells me that she is "very, very confident that [the space] will be done by 2006." And judging from what she has managed to accomplish thus far, I have little doubt that if Jane Lang says it will be done, it will be done, and it will be done well. Hill resident Shirley Serotsky is a fre·quent contributor to this newspaper. www.voiceofthehill.com Pickup Basketball at Sherwood Rec Center Offers Competition and More BY JOSH SINGER very Saturday at 11 a.m., a group of men gathers at the Sherwood Recreation Center at 640 10th Street, NE, to play pickup basketball. Men ranging from their late teens to early 30s filter into the gym and change into shorts, basketball shoes, and accessories such as wristbands and do-rags. They chat, stretch and practice their shots. On the Saturday that I show up, one player completes his warm-up by stepping outside to smoke a cigarette. At 11:15 the 10 men on the court are quickly divided into teams of five, and the first game begins at a brisk pace. Most points are scored on fast breaks that are touched off by long baseball passes. Games run for nine minutes or until one team has scored nine points (unlike official scoring, each basket is worth only one point). During the first game, a pair of toddlers on the sideline keeps fling·ing a white rubber ball onto the court. According to Derrick Corly, a Sherwood regular who works as a physician's assistant at the nearby Children's Hospital, "There are always kids here." Even though the players are loud and intense while they're playing, they toss the ball back gently to the kids. The only admonishment is very quiet: "Y'all can't keep throwing the ball on the court." The children's mother sits on the bleachers, watching the on-court action of the boys and the men. As more guys enter the gym they sit down, too, and wait for their turn to play. A few of them have brought a snack of fast food to fuel their game fire. In pickup games, players call the fouls and various violations instead of relying on the whistle of a referee. At one point during the first game, a player calls a traveling violation against one of his opponents. His call earns prompt support from the guys on the bleachers, who join in a loud Pickup basketball at Sherwood Rec Center attracts players and spectators of all ages. ken, Trevor says, "The challenge is kind of gone." As Trevor described, from 1 to 2 p.m., the games wane in intensity. Players who had arrived before 11 to warm up begin to exit the gym. Those remaining, however, are still running up and down the court. During the last hour, there's more gratuitous dribbling and careless passing, but everyone nonetheless exhibits obvious joy for the game and its motion. Not 'Under the Whistle' Derek Watson, who played power for·ward on the team that won six straight, seems surprised when I ask him if he ever played in high school. "What?" he asks. "You mean under the whistle?" He readjusts the orange bandana that he's been wearing over his hair. "No, I've been playing here with these guys ever since we were kids." Basketball is one of the few sports in America that children still learn through casual immersion rather than coaching. Watson and most of the players who show up at Sherwood to play Saturday pickup are not reliving old glory days. They're enjoying the exercise and fun and sense of community that basket·ball has always brought them. During the last game I snap a pic·ture of a long-range jumper. "Tell me something," says the shooter. "Did he get the shot, or did he get the release?" No one is paying too much attention to the clock or the score·board anymore. By 2 p.m., play has evaporated. Players dress back into jeans or sweats and their street shoes. Some take a few parting jump shots. There are seven more days until the next Saturday. This is Hill resident Josh Singer's first contribution to The Voice of the Hill. Capitol Hill Art & Frame · Expert custom designs · Museum quality materials · Superior frame selection We now have vintage Edward Curtis photographs for sale in addition to silkscreens by Joseph Craig English. 623 Pennsylvania Ave., SE 202 546-2700 10-6 Tues-Sat · Eastern Market Metro THOMAS JENKINS and COMPANY A Professional Corporation Certified Public Accountants Corporation, Partnership, Trust, Individual Income Tax & Financial Planning 202-547-9004 Washington, DC 34 Years in Phase Community, Fun, and a Bit of History at 8th Street's the lesbian community and DC at large, Phase One gives back to the city, with participation in neighbor·hood cleanup days, contributions to the Whitman-Walker Clinic, and events hosted in the bar to benefit The Mautner Project, a local organi·zation providing health and social services to lesbian women. The bar also contributes to and participates in Pride Day events, as well as other events and charities. The spot fre·quently plays host to fundraisers for various organizations and causes. The Phase is open Thursday through Sunday, the crowd a mixture of regulars, occasional drop-ins, and first-timers. There's a DJ every night, and Thursday night entertainment is hosted by Ginger, who brings in her own DJ and her own predominantly younger, African-American crowd. The second Sunday of every month features Drag King Shows. Co-owner Carroll, who, along with Jansen, also co-owns the Ziegfeld's/ Secrets gay entertainment complex on Half Street, SE, keeps a hand in daily operations, going in every night. Although the block has changed tremendously, he sees most of the changes as having happened in the last few years-until recently, he says, the neighborhood remained much as it was when the bar opened on Feb 27, 1971. "It's had its ups and downs," he reflects, noting that their simple plan for the future is to "just keep rolling." At the bar, Kristen hints that the future could hold some new enter-tainment-karaoke or theme nights are possibilities. Whatever tomorrow brings, The Phase seems secure in its long-held niche-disco-infused dancing if you want to get out on the floor, comfortably cozy if you don't. If you're not drinking, though, just ask for club soda. Phase One's sense of history and atmosphere of easygoing fun makes it a bedrock of the Hill community. Joshua Gray is a freelance writer and longtime DC resident. His work has appeared in The Washington City Paper, Veteran Magazine, and else·where. He can be contacted at jgraywdc@yahoo.com. This is his first contribution to Voice of the Hill. www.voiceofthehill.com Lesbian Hangout BY JOSHUA GRAY Kristen Day, manager. here's no sparkling water at Phase One, and that's just fine. There's no espresso maker in sight either, but DC's only and oldest lesbian bar hasn't lasted 34 years on the Hill playing to the whim of passing trends. Unpretentious in the best possible way, "The Phase's" unassuming 8th Street façade perfectly suits its com·fortable interior, a place with a neighborhood bar feel. Pool tables, TVs, and a modest dance floor make an ideal spot for women-or men- to share a drink with friends, dance the night away, or meet someone new. "It's always been a girls' bar," enthuses co-owner Allen Carroll, who, with business partner and good they've been important years, as recent neighborhood changes have been reflected in the club's changing clientele. "It used to be mostly older white women, but nowadays it seems to be definitely progressing toward a broad[er] range of ethnic, race, gen·der, age...later in the evening it changes to the twenties, thirties crowd." Although we've got the place to ourselves for now, it's easy to imagine a line for drinks and a packed dance floor. Dark and woody with a classic local pub/nightclub ambience, The Phase's long bar and numerous smaller tables give equal opportunity to patrons looking for a quiet bever·age, and to those who want to be closer to the action. The drinks are generous, the music's energetic, and, at this subdued moment, Kristen is excellent conversation, filling me in on the club's past, present, and future. Unofficial Landmark Status With the closing of Dupont Circle's Hung Jury, Phase One is the only dedicated lesbian bar in town. Other gay clubs host ladies' nights, but women seeking an exclusively women's club automatically look to The Phase. Arguably the oldest les·bian bar in the country, Phase One's successful formula made it a favorite even before it attained unofficial landmark status. Although the city's gay and lesbian nightlife centers mainly around Dupont Circle, Phase One's sense of history and atmosphere of easygoing fun makes it a bedrock of the Hill community. Mindful of its place within both friend Chris Jansen, opened the club at the dawn of the 1970s-before much of their current clientele was born. At the time acquainted only for a few years, Carroll and Jansen remain good friends, and their club, named at an associate's whimsical suggestion, has become a fixture in the local gay community. In a town where nightspots come and go with each passing administration, this Capitol Hill stalwart's simple formula of drinks, DJs, dancing, and fun has conferred remarkable staying power. Early Thursday evening is a slow time, but it gives manager and some·times bartender Kristen Day a few spare moments to talk. Outgoing and personable in the way we'd all like our bartenders to be, Kristen's been at The Phase for only a few years, but Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Announces New January Arts and Movement Classes he Capitol Hill Arts Workshop is now registering students for a series of new adult work·shops beginning January 10, 2005. Workshops in the visual and performing arts will be offered in two-week and four-week sessions. "We've been hearing from people throughout the area that they would like to try a shorter class," says Arts Workshop Director Jonathan Darr. "This is a great opportunity for peo·ple to try out a new class or to learn about the different movement and arts programs at the Workshop with·out having to commit to too many weeks. It also gives our teaching artists a chance to try out some more specialized classes." January workshops include an Intensive Audition Training, Jewelry Making, Mosaic, Introduction to Oil Painting, Collage, Acrylic Painting, Exploring the Japanese Tea Bowl, Sculpting with Your Senses, Ceramics Open Studio, Tap Dance, Hip-Hop, Ballroom & Latin Dance, Yoga, Pilates, Photography and more. Workshops are taught by faculty members who are experts in their fields with many years of combined experience. For a complete list of workshops, classes or registration information, please visit the Arts Workshop's website at www.chaw.org or call 202-547-6839. Gift Certificates are available.The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop is a non-profit multidisci·plinary arts education facility, locat·ed on the corner of 7th and G Streets, SE (just two blocks south of Eastern Market). For more information about classes, performances, exhibitions, and programs, visit www.chaw.org. Holiday Ope n House featuring Nicky Original Jewelry and Dan Finnegan Pottery (This will be the only 2004 Washington showing of the wood-fired and salt-glazed work of Fredericksburg master-potter Dan Finnegan.) Saturday December 4th and Sunday December 5th 10am to 6pm Open Daily 10-6 417 East Capitol Street, SE 202-543-4342 Paul Cymrot riverby@erols.com Steve Cymrot Becoming More Eco-Smart DC Consumers Choose 'Green' BY AUTUMN KUEI ccording to Global ence on sustainable businesses. He is tea in US to carry the Fair Trade logo. Exchange (internation-jubilant because HT has made Inc's The tea comes from Makaibari tea al organization dedicat-Top 500 fastest growing private com-plantation in Darjeeling. Workers on ed to promoting social, panies for the second year. The com-the estates receive a fair share of prof-political and environ-pany will make $6.5 million in sales its, and the joint body of workers mental justice), socially this year and arrive at the break-even decides how to reinvest profits from responsible investment managers point. tea to support community develop-control $2.16 trillion. The U.S. organ-Five years ago, HT was no more ment projects. First Nation ic food market is worth $10.38 bil-than a string of ideas between co-Peppermint is created in partnership lion. founders Goldman (former VP of with a woman-owned company This past September, DC Metro Calvert Social Investment Fund) and based on a Crow reservation in consumers flocked to places such as Barry Nalebuff (Seth's former busi-Montana. HT works with the Crow the Washington, DC Green Festival ness school professor), which community to develop capacity and to become more eco-smart. It attract-stemmed from a class discussion that funding to harvest the peppermint ed 15,334 attendees-an example of involved a Coke versus Pepsi case growing on reservation. HT makes a the demand for eco-friendly compa-study. Today, HT is available in all 50 donation to City Year, an inspiring nies whose mission involves the P3 states and available in the local area non-profit that brings together (People, Planet, Profit) bottom line. at places such Whole foods, My diverse 17 to 24-year olds to build So when the Green Festival is not Organic Market, Balducci's, Giant stronger communities (www.cityyear. in town, how does the eco-savvy and Safeway. It's the best-selling Washingtonian support businesses organic tea on the market and is that care about the community, available in 100percent recyclable engage in fair trade and protect the PET-1 plastic bottles and tea bags environment? To aid the eco-con-(dioxin free and biodegrable) in fully scious shopper, Voice of the Hill devel-recyclable packaging. HT markets to oped a DC Metro-based product consumers who are looking for a guide to provide our readers with healthy alternative to sweet soft options to "choose green." The guide drinks - unsweetened and slightly was created using two leading green sweetened. education sources: Co-op America (a As we move into 2005, Goldman national nonprofit providing eco-wants to focus more on the broader nomic strategies, organizing power mission of how HT's staff of 18 con-and practical tools for businesses and tinues to create a fair and honest rela·individuals to address social and tionship with the environment and environmental problems) and the its suppliers, expand HT locally and Green Festival (a two-day party that have more of a leadership presence in brings together green movement the DC area. leaders, businesses, and attendees to On the corporate front, HT has address economic, social, and envi-collaborated with Timberland on an ronmental challenges). organic cotton shirt and partnered To introduce this guide, The Voice with Ford on educating the public interviewed Seth Goldman, "TeaEO" about the Escape Hybrid car. On the of Honest Tea (HT) and Josh social responsibility front, Goldman Dorfman, CEO of Vivavi. HT and says, "Tea is inherently healthy and Vivavi were among the 350 helping with the obesity problem by exhibitors, advocates, artists, speak-offering a healthier alternative to soft ers, and businesses at the Green drinks. Producing organic teas help Festival. Both entrepreneurs are part reduce use of chemical pesticides in of DC Net Impact, a group "which the picking and consuming. Tea is supports individuals committed to produced by the poorest societies using the power of business for a bet-and consumed by the wealthiest. We ter world." can create wealth in economically challenged communities without An Honest Success Story economic inefficiencies." We catch up with Goldman, 39 on a When it comes to directly helping crisp Thursday morning via cell economically challenged communi-phone as his train heads to New York ties, the Teas speak for themselves. City, where he is attending a confer-Peach-Oo-la-long is the first bottled org) with every bottle of Community Green tea sold. For new entrepreneurs, Goldman says, "Whatever you work on you will have to have a tremendous dedi·cation and energy. The reward itself is working on something you believe in. I stay fired up about selling by keeping an eye out on the broad impact our business is having on the community." For more information, go to www.honesttea.com or call 301-652-3556. Embracing Your 'Inner Eco' "Vivavi" (pronounced Vivaavee) rolls off the tongue like an ultra-chic European perfume, but offers so Josh Dorfman of Vivavi much more. It is a web portal where consumers to embrace their "inner eco" by offering planet friendly prod·ucts like stylish organic cotton cloth·ing, minimalist sustainably harvested furniture, messenger bags and purses made from discarded highway bill·boards, and rugged footwear made from recycled materials. Josh Dorfman, 32, is in New York City on a Saturday afternoon, con·ducting business meetings to "increase the spread of products that create a cleaner, healthier environ·ment and diminish our reliance on non-renewable natural resources for manufacturing." In 2003, Dorfman left a doctoral program to start Vivavi, which he considered a more concrete way to implement his inter·ests in sustainable development. His eco-possible mission was to "energize and grow the eco-design economy." How does Dorfman intend to wean us from living in a "throw away" society? He is contemplating open·ing a retail store to augment Vivavi's dazzling web presence. Vivavi carries unique lines of eco-products that have received an overwhelmingly positive response at festivals and fashion shows. Providing an interac·tive salon where consumers can touch the billboard bags, feel the sturdiness of the corrugated fibre·board shelves, sit on arbor furniture made of solid maple wood and seat webbing from post-industrial auto·motive seat belts, try on the "cool·notcruel" line of clothes, and test drive an eGO cycle would only add to the impact that Vivavi is having on the eco-conscious community. As the eco-possibilities form in his mind, Dorfman is rubbing green shoulders with an entrepreneur in California making stylish desert gear out of hemp and organic cotton. He is working with Earthpak out of Texas, a company that makes high quality backpacks made of fabric from 98 percent recycled soda bot·tles. He is communicating with another entrepreneur on Long Island who is partnered with European and Chinese colleagues to create 4X8 ply·wood boards out of bamboo for fur·niture. He recently hosted "Four on the Floor," a contemporary display of sustainable style, art and urban living at its loft-like showroom in Dupont Circle and an eco-fashion show at George Washington University fea·turing student models. The next steps Dorfman takes will move his young company beyond dot com status, but no matter what the outcome, he will not be written off as "just another kooky treehug·ger." The coming year may hold plans for a Vivavi salon in the DC Metro area to offer local residents the most innovative and environmental·ly conscious products available any·where; ultra stylish options for mak·ing green products part of our lives; increased selections of high quality products; and a stake in empowering fast growing, planet-consci ous com·panies to hire more people. For more information, go to www.vivavi.com or call 202-986-1611. DC resident Autumn Kuei is a frequent contributor to The Voice of the Hill. Green Products Guide Looking for an environmentally-conscious holiday gift? Clip and save this guide to use year-round to "choose green." DC Africancraft.com: Provides e-commerce solutions for vendors of African crafts, as well as producers and product designs. 800-859-8028. www.africancraft.com. City Bikes: Full range of bikes, gear, and services for transportation, sport, or fun. Operates retail locations. 202-265-1564. www.citybikes.com. Community Forklift, LLC: Recovered building materials store that fosters com·munity revitalization, environmental responsibility, and job creation. 202-544-0069; www.suscomini.org. Contribucheck: Recycled personal, business, and laser checks. Support social issues such as homelessness, wildlife, education, and the environment. Non-dues income for non-profits. 800-782-0206; www.contribucheck.com. dZi, The Tibet Collection: Designs, imports, wholesales, and retails clothing, gifts, and ritual items made by Tibetan refugees. 800-318-5857; www.tibetcollection.com. Eco-Artware.com: Gifts from recycled, reused, and natural materials. 202-232-9032; www.eco-artware.com. The SuperMarket Coop Alternative trade network based on social justice and environmental values of small farmers and artisans in the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, and Canada. 202-628-7160; www.supermarketcoop.com. MARYLAND The Basic Feast: Organic catering hand-cooked from scratch. Vegetarian and omnivore options, local produce, pasture-raised meat, eggs, poultry. 301-891-6966; www.thebasicfeast.com. CHRIST CHURCH-a welcoming community of faith and fellowship with a big heart and room to grow. 620 G Street, SE Just two and a half blocks CHRISTMAS SERVICES south of Eastern Market DECEMBER 19 Children's Christmas Pageant Metro station and Greening of the Church DECEMBER 24 Sunday Worship Schedule Christmas Eve Services at 5:30 pm and 10:30 pm 8:15 am Holy Eucharist - spoken DECEMBER 25 9:15 am Breakfast Christmas Day Service at 10 9:45 am Adult Forum - Bible am study and discussion of special issues 10:00 am Church School See our web site 11:00 am* Holy Eucharist - music Coffee Hour and www.washingtonparish.org 12:00 pm Fellowship Phone (202) 547-9300 Nursery care for children under 3 The Rev. Dr. Judith A. Davis, Rector available at 8:15 am Seth Goldman (center), CEO of Honest Tea. Community Supported Agriculture: Locally grown food directly to consumers. Blueberry Hill Vegetables/Wildflower CSA. 301-842-2870. Calvert's Gift Farm: 410-472-6764. Clagett Farm: 301-627-4662. Cromwell Valley CSA: 410-887-8303. Ehrhardt's Organic Farm: 301-834-7520. House-in-the-Woods House Concerts and CSA: 301-607-4048 Maryland Certified Organic Growers Cooperative: 410-257-0134 Common Market Co-op Natural foods co-op providing organic produce, bulk and packaged foods, perishables, frozen foods, fresh breads, herbs, health and beauty aids and deli items. 301-663-3416; www.commonmarket.coop. Fair Trade Certified Coffee: Clear Mountain Coffee: 301-587-2233. Daily Roast Coffee Company: 301-498-7787. Java Journey Coffee Company: 410-332 0133. Glut Food Inc: More than 40 varieties of cheeses, nuts, dried fruits, cheap spices, organic produce. 301-779-1978; www.glut.org. Green House Framing: Handcrafted picture frames and mirrors recycled from reclaimed wood and animal/earth friendly materials. 410-752-1331; www.recycledframes.com. Hardwood Artisans: Furniture built to last long enough for trees to grow back made from certified, sustainably produced wood. 800-842-6119; www.hardwoodartisans.com. Junk To Jewels: Unique, fun, ecological jewelry crafted from recycled wood and glass, vintage, semi-precious stone beads, used bike parts, etc. 301-360-0699; www.junktojewels.com. Make Piece/Peace, Inc.: Nonprofit organization selling exquisite original jew·elry. Fine metals, semiprecious stones, and other interesting components. 301-320-5278; www.mkpeace.com. Mayan Hands: Fair trade company working with impoverished Mayan backstap loom weavers. High-quality crafts like table linens, tablerunners, hand-embroi-dered T-shirts, accessories, judaica, clerical stoles, etc. 301-515-5911; www.mayanhands.org. Message! Products: Personal checks, address labels, hemp and cotton covers. Royalties go to the nonprofit you choose: Co-op America, Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign, etc. 800-CHECK-OK; www.messageproducts-a.com. Mt. Airy Bicycles: Touring, racing, mountain, hybrid, triathalon, framesets, children's, tandem, recumbent, folding, used, rentals, repairs, parts, acces·sories, trainers, collectibles, trailers. 888-732-8623; www.bike123.com. Nicaraguan Cultural Alliance: Nonprofit promoting works of Nicaraguan artists. Greeting cards, calendars, business cards, T-shirts, designer plates, carvings, and paintings. 301-864-5218; www.quixote.org/nca. Really Raw(r) Honey, Inc.: Honey in its original form with honeycomb, pollen, and propolis. Unheated and 100 percent live enzymes. Naturally spreadable. 800-REAL-RAW; www.reallyrawhoney.com. Renewed Materials, LLC: Manufacturer of recycled alternative solid surface materials, ALKEMI (min 60percent aluminum post-industrial scrap). 301-320-0042; www.renewedmaterials.com. Skooter Commuter: Green transportation solutions like electric scooters and electric bikes. 301-657-3050; www.skootercommuter.com. Sunflower Soapworks & Sundries: Handcrafted 100percent natural herbal soaps and Earth-friendly bath and body products. Biodegradable. No animal testing. 800-333-1834; www.sunflowersoapworks.com. Talisman Tribal Arts: Sells fairly traded products from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 301-920-0241; www.talisman-tribal-arts.com. Upavim Crafts: Committed to creating a better life for women, their families, and their communities. 301-515-5911; www.upavim.org. Wild Boar Creek, LLC: Wholesale Cambodian handicrafts, including silk tex·tiles (shawls, scarves, table runners, and fabric); reed floor mats, picnic/beach mats, and placemats; and silk and reed bags, pouches, and cases. 301-499-0604; www.wildboarcreek.com. VIRGINIA Austria's Finest, Naturally: 100 percent extra virgin Austrian pumpkin seed oil. Natural fruit vinegars, black currant juice, nectar, jelly, and honey. 800-630-5766; www.austrianpumpkinoil.com. 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Capitol Hill Author Proves 'Sex Sells' Rodger Streitmatter Investigates Media & Sexuality BY ANDREW NOYES cursory glance at Rodger Women in Journalism, Dissident been really about news media, Streitmatter's syllabus for one Media and How the News Media and this one is obviously of his most popular classes at Shape History. much different." American University is the A few years ago, as a barrage of sex-The book was formulated first clue that this is not your ual content infiltrated network TV- over two years, during which stodgy, old-school ivory tower lecture sending a wake-up call to viewers time Strietmatter gathered his course-nor is this Capitol Hill resi-that the steamy stuff wasn't just for ingredients from books, tele·dent your run-of-the-mill, buttoned-cable anymore-the professor was vision, newspaper and maga·up pedagogue. itching to develop a new course. zine articles and the World Early in the fall semester, students Media & Sexuality seemed like a nat-studied Playboy magazine's charge to ural choice. his chapters, he incorporated them bring pornography into the main-There's no denying that into his students' coursework. stream and the James Bond-induced Streitmatter's class is titillating and Inevitably, he would get feed-sexual revolution on the big screen. enlightening-to say the least-and back-both good and bad-from his The following week, the class exam-one can presume that there's nary an disciples, and he'd rework portions of ined rock musician Jim Morrison's empty seat in the house. The trouble the text. As the semesters wore on, influence on sex and the music with teaching such a groundbreaking he had a chance to reread and refine industry and the pivotal role that the subject is that no standard "deadly his essays, as well. TV series All in the Family had in sex dull" textbook does the topic justice, "It's really helpful to write some-and the small screen. he muses. thing, put it in packet, go on to other Subsequent sessions included in-"I think you have to find materials things and come back to it, and you depth discussions of Madonna's siz-that engage students," he says. So, as say, 'Oh my God, look at all these zling and often controversial music the resourceful Streitmatter has done mistakes I made,'" he says. "It's also a videos, the underlying sexual themes several times before, he inked his great resource to have 20 or 30 stu-on the show Three's Company, own volume, Sex Sells, from the cozy dents who pretty much have to read President Bill Clinton's libido and second-floor office of his 5th Street, this material. It's like having 20 the proliferation of Internet porn. NE, home. reviewers out there. It's really a "We have lots of courses and ulti-treat." A Natural Choice mately lots of books about things like Streitmatter, who has taught at AU's politics and the media, but I didn't Not Such a Bad Thing School of Communication since know of anything about the role that What surprised Strietmatter as he 1979, has engineered a handful of the media play in helping to shape dug deep into the multifarious topics imaginative classes, including attitudes toward sex, and maybe even that make up the theme sex and the to some degree sexual behavior," he media, is that at first, he wholeheart·says. edly believed that as a culture, "we've gone over the top and it's just obses-A Researcher's Dream sive and it's just sex for the sake of Although he trudges to AU's upper sex-for the shock value." However, Northwest DC campus countless the more he reviewed the racy con-times weekly to teach classes and tent with analytical and critical eyes, meet with students, living on the his opinion changed. "The more I Hill proved invaluable for got into it, I realized that it's really Streitmatter's research for this book not a bad thing," he says. and previous projects. First things first-the citizenry "It's really wonderful to live on must realize that the sex content in Capitol Hill and have the Library of the media is not going to stop and we Congress a 10-minute walk away," he must accept that, he states. "There says. "I go there a lot, and it's a are a lot of good things about it," he dream for a researcher. It's a vital buzzes, adding his belief that all this resource that I don't always appreci-sexual content helps some young, ate as much as I should." impressionable teenagers decide for Writing this book was "a little themselves how they're going to odd," the former award-winning chart a course toward sexual maturi-Roanoke Times & World News ty. Rodger Streitmatter reporter admits, because it forced Take the critically acclaimed HBO him to stretch his skill set and go series Sex & the City, for example. beyond his comfort zone in scope Streitmatter says underneath all the and content. "Before my books have booze and shopping and gossiping- gals depicted in the show exemplify "some wonderful sexual messages," such as sexual responsibility, routine HIV testing and habitual use of birth control. "They make logical deci·sions, and you see the process where they make decisions about different kinds of sexual activities." Speaking of birth control, the author dedicates an entire chapter to the pill that started the sexual revo·lution in the United States. Newspaper articles from the time show a surprising number of stories actually promoting birth control. "At the time, the idea of a woman choos·ing not to give birth by taking some kind of precaution was a pretty dicey decision," Streitmatter explains. The Ads Have It There simply had to be a chapter on advertising, he said, reminiscing about the controversial advertise·ment that then-budding actress Brooke Shields did for Calvin Klein in 1980. The ad used the catchphrase: "What comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing"-admittedly a pretty bold move given the fact that Shields was only 15 years old at the time and was hocking jeans in a very sexual manner, he says. Then there's Calvin Klein's ad campaign with "underwear man," a former Olympic pole-vaulter who struck a pose in a pair of white cotton briefs and appeared on a giant bill·board in Times Square. "That was the beginning of the idea that it was not just women being used as sex objects, but men, too," he says. Streitmatter also tackles the "The gay 90s," although it wasn't until the millennium when this "embracing of gay people in the media" began to take shape. He dissects the Showtime series Queer as Folk and dishes about www.voiceofthehill.com Will & Grace, but his lesbian content is lacking. There's a reason for this, Streitmatter attests-"men always do it first, and I don't mean that in a sexist way." "I think part of it is that people are more fascinated with gay men. The whole concept of male to male sex I think is more repugnant to a lot of people than the idea of two women having sex-it doesn't get them as riled up," he quips. "We had Morrison before we had Madonna, we had to have Playboy before we had Cosmo, we have to have a male presi·dent before we have a female presi·dent. Rightly or wrongly, men get more attention first." The bottom line, he says, is that when it comes to sex, TV, movies and advertising industries will always push the envelope. But what's the next sexual phenomenon that will likely hit the airwaves? Streitmatter says interracial sex in the media has not yet had its heyday. Also, regar d·ing gay content, there still is not much physical contact between gay characters. "Will virtually never has physical contact of any kind with a boyfriend, and I feel like that's got to be coming here pretty soon." Streitmatter's next book, which will address the ways in which gay and lesbian people have been treated in the media, is already in the works. He has already written essays that will become chapters that his stu·dents will inevitably be compelled to read and critique. All this media monitoring, howev·er, takes a toll on the professor at the end of the day, when he wants to sit back, relax and flip on the TV with his partner Tom. "It's no longer as much fun to watch because you're always looking for messages," he chuckles. Streitmatter's hardcover book- with a cover image that leaves little to the imagination-was officially released at the end of September. Prior to publishing Sex Sells, Streitmatter wrote Voices of Revolution: The Dissident Press in America and Mightier than the Sword: How the News Media Have Shaped American History, and several other titles. Andrew Noyes is assistant editor of Voice of the Hill. Rodger Streitmatter is fondly remembered as one of his most inspiring, encouraging graduate school professors-despite the fact that Media & Sexuality was not a part of his course·work. Eastern Market 327 7th St., SE · (202) 546-CAKE Le Renovation HANDYMAN SER VICE Free Estimates No Job Too Big or Too Small · Plumbing· Painting · Electric· Decks · Carpentry · Fences · Masonry · Patios · Tile Want to fix your house, but lack the funds? Call us. 202.359.9971 More Big, Badness Hill Writer Lawrance Binda Expands Book Series with a Look at Political Rascals BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Lawrance Binda It's not hard to find political books in Washington. But Lawrance Binda, Capitol Hill writer, has written and published two "Big, Bad" books that will appeal to readers on both sides of the great partisan divide. Voice readers may remember Binda has authored a series of books in the past several years-each of them detailing scoundrels, rascals and gen·erally bad guys who share a common name. The Big Bad Book of Bill led to books about villains named Bob, Jim, John and Mike. Each featured a series of irreverent, short essays on these nasty and notorious dudes. Binda published the first five books through an internet-based self-publishing company. The works got him noticed not only on the pages of this newspaper, but in a feature arti·cle in the Washington Post in autumn 2003. Inspired by the success of the first series, Binda wanted to continue to document these historical nasties. "My girlfriend suggested writing about Democrats and Republicans," he recalls. Fortunately, his research for the other books garnered him a good head start. In his preparation for the books, politicians weren't too hard to locate among the scoundrels and rogues. So in January, readers can pick up copies of The Big, Bad Book of Democrats and The Big, Bad Book of Republicans to uncover some dirt on the Grand Old Party and America's Senior Party (folks looking for Christmas gifts can log on to ama-zon.com now to order these new col·lections). For this new series of Big, Bad books, Binda decided on a different approach in terms of publishing. He formed his own company, Pazzo Press (pazzo translates roughly to "crazy man" in Italian); worked through the necessary bureaucracy to set up the process; called on his friends at Swim Design, a Silver Spring-based graphics firm to design the cover; received a Library of Congress serial number; and pursued avenues to print and market the books. Utilizing the National Book Network (NBN) and its small press division, Biblio, as his national dis·tributor, Binda was able to establish Pazzo Press as a vehicle for his work. It's a rewarding, yet challenging move to set up one's own publishing company, he admits. With the graphic assistance of Swim Design, and his own skills as an editor, Binda was able to present the company with a manuscript that effectively matches the final product. Biblio will begin selling the books in major bookstore chains come January; Binda himself has taken copies to the Hill's own Trover Books, where they are currently available. It's obvious that Binda enjoyed putting together these new books. They feature fun-to-read, tongue-in-cheek accounts of some of the most notorious folks (and yes, there are some women profiled) to hold public office. "I've always been interested in pol·itics," says the former journalist and political science major who makes his home near the Supreme Court in Northeast Capitol Hill. "I profile many of the people in these books because they represent certain trends in American political history." Some of the Republicans high·lighted in their book include David Duke, Joseph McCarthy, Strom Thurmond and Richard Nixon; on the Dems' side, Marion Barry, Jim Traficant and Huey Long are among those exposed for their bad sides. Lesser-known names are also men·tioned here; although they may not be famous, per se, their laundry list of heinous activities are no less, well, heinous. Both books also feature interesting compilation chapters with titles such as "Chairmen of Misappropriation," "Ku Klux Kongress," and "Booty Call Capitol." Readers are liable to learn quite a bit from glancing through these books. In addition, shorter bits called "Briefly Bad" highlight even more crimes, misdemeanors and generally deplorable behavior from the annals of political history. And although it's sometimes hard not to stifle a chuck·le at Binda's choice of words (not to mention the outright ridiculous stunts some of these officials have pulled), there is also plenty of serious commentary in the Big, Bad books. "It makes me angry how people don't recognize how they've been manipulated" over the years by those they elect to office, Binda says. In order to prevent these volumes of documented badness from overflow·ing, educated voters with a sense of history need to make their voices known, he believes. What's in the future for Pazzo Press? Binda would like to re-issue the original five Big, Bad books and continue his own work. If he intends to continue covering rogues and ras·cals, chances are he'll never be strapped for material. Scott Shumaker is the editor of The Voice and profiled Lawrance Binda in the October 2003 issue. SMOKEY'S BARBERSHOP We Sell CDs and Cassette Tapes Open 1338 H Street, NE Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Washington, DC 20002 Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (202) 396-2377 Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (202) 399-9726 finding a voice BY JILL DO WLING Writer's Way Workshop on the Hill Provides a Forum for Expression The letter asked, "When was the last time you had a whole afternoon to pursue your thoughts, to indulge in ideas?" Certainly not recently, I thought. I was reviewing a package of infor·mation I received after making a web-based inquiry to Writer's Way Workshops (www.dcwritersway.org) while looking to enroll in a creative writing class. Reading on, I was pleasantly sur·prised to learn that in addition to offering Sunday afternoon work·shops in Adams Morgan, Writer's Way had recently started a Saturday morning session on Capitol Hill, just blocks from home. I immediately decided to log back on and sign up through the website, fearing that over-thinking the decision would result in procrastination. My practi·cal self would easily prevail if given extra time to consider how I could possibly fit this into an already bloat·ed schedule. A few short weeks later, I sat amongst a group of ten as introduc·tions were made through a writing exercise. Each participant was instructed to write a short biography to read aloud, inserting a single untruth within an otherwise non-fic-tional account. Members of the group then guessed what element of the "story" was false, encouraging group interaction while laying a foundation for members to later con·verse during the mid-session break. For the next two and a half hours, a facilitator led writers through a series of timed exercises with prompts or instructions to stimulate creativity. When "time" ran out, each participant was encouraged to read what they had written to receive feedback from the group. One of the few ground rules of Writer's Way workshops is that all comments must be positive and constructive. It became easier and easier both to write and to read as the morning pro·gressed. Listening and responding to others who read was an unforeseen bonus of the workshop's format. Provided the same instruction, a room full of writers might respond in many voices- through poetry or prose, comedy or tragedy, dialogue or narrative. Our workshop group soon evolved into a close knit core of collaborators. Katy could be counted on to take a fresh, comic perspective in her writ·ing. Alex could be dark and intro·spective. Nicky's work was often dis·tinguished by a sudden twist or sur·prise ending. Stylistic familiarity did not diminish our interest in hearing each other's work or lessen the value of the exercises. Rather, it seemed to make it easier to constructively respond in ways that helped each other improve. I am now a veteran Writer's Way participant, contemplating joining a fourth workshop this winter. Beyond classes, Writer's Way publishes a quarterly Journal and invites partici·pants to share their work at quarterly readings held at coffee shops and the Hill's own "Corner Store." Writer's Way has also facilitated workshops for underserved populations in coor·dination with the Community Action Group through an outreach effort. In a community alive with arts opportunities, Writer's Way offers an accessible, positive and productive way to explore creative writing. Best of all, as the letter implied, the work·shops provide a valuable chance to shut out the stresses of external life and invest some time exploring and developing your own ideas. Following are some examples of the work created by Writer's Way partici·pants from the Capitol Hill commu·nity. Hill resident Jill Dowling is a former reg·ular contributor to The Voice. It's Hard to Cry BY JAMES ED WARDS Thirty-five years later, I feel the pain and it still seems like yesterday. I see a man of 18 in a strange land so far away. He wears a uniform and carries an M-60 machine gun-the best of its kind for killing. The prey is man. He is a combat marine, brainwashed with pride and tradition. Yet his eyes reflect the truth. The eyes are lifeless and cold from having seen so much death, on both sides. He is angry and confused because his government says he is a man, but treats him like a child. He's old enough to carry a gun and kill, but not old enough to vote or buy alcohol. Now I am home; I was one of the lucky ones. I came back alive, but so many of my comrades did not. As time passes by, slowly at first and then not at all, I begin to see the real picture. I see the best years of my life stolen from me, and I wonder what I could have become. At the Wall with so many dead names and so many out-of-place men that are old now, I ask "Why?" But no answer comes to my mind, and no tears come to my eyes. It's hard to cry. The pain does not outweigh the nonsense and the theft of young lives. It's hard to cry when a part of you is still lost in another place in time. After William Carlos Williams BY VINCENT BAXTER There is only so much that depends upon three shorthaired brothers in blue jeans and farmer's tans tossing a tattered football in a triangle around a haystack where two girlfriends and one sister bathe in the last hour of July day· light, for when the sun sets over Colorado then upon California and eases across the Pacific, the starry host A Flood of Memories You Can Go Home Again, Just Drop the Attitude Before You Do BY SCOTT SHUMAKER homas Wolfe was only par-concept is easy to grasp. But usually, tially right. Sure, you can we only stay as long as we need to- go home again...anytime. then it's back to reality. Whether you But the real enlightenment relish time in your hometown, or comes when you realize look at it as simply a check mark on a just how much you've changed-and list of holiday must-do's, you can't how much your memories haven't. deny that returning shows you just Philosophy aside, it's no easy feat how far you've come. to take the person you are today back But I was in a sense forced to stay to the place you were then. With the much longer than my comfort zone holidays approaching-drawing allows in mid-October, when, as part many of us back to our roots-that of my "day job," I was assigned to travel back to my part of Pennsyl·vania to work on the presidential election for three weeks. I took a break from editing this newspaper, packed enough warm clothes for 21 days, made some mix CDs to play in the car, and took along The New Yorker and some books I knew I couldn't find there. "Have you heard of Johnstown, Pa.?" asked the coordinator of the program to which I was instructed to report on Oct. 15. "Um, yeah," I replied. I grew up about 40 miles south of that city, traveled there often as a child to visit relatives and to shop, and attended several years of college at a nearby branch campus of the University of Pittsburgh. I knew Johnstown. Johnstown History Johnstown was ravaged by a horren·dous flood in 1889, wiping out most of the city, killing over 2,000 of its residents, and going down in U.S. history as one of the most devastat·ing natural disasters of the past two centuries. And even today, you couldn't for·get about the flood if you wanted to. A film about the flood won an Oscar in 1990. There is a flood memorial to the north of the city, at the site where the dam broke that sent the waters into Johnstown. There is a flood museum downtown in one of the few surviving buildings that endured the disaster. On many, many buildings are plaques showing the high water marks (21 feet on City Hall) from that flood. But the floods didn't stop with the turning of the century. In 1936 and again in 1977, Johnstown was again flooded (the '77 deluge was a result of a freak storm; the 1936 event was due to the dam once again breaking). But Johnstowners are a hearty folk. They cleaned up, rebuilt, and even the massive layoffs that essentially devastated the region's steel industry in the late '70s and '80s didn't dis·courage new development-yes, it was slow and labored, but it was development nonetheless. Today Johnstown and its surround·ing county survive, in some opin·ions, in spite of itself. It is undeniably a beautiful area-a city surrounded by lush green hills (when I was there, the green was replaced by a lovely spectrum of fall colors unrivaled in our neck of the woods) with some pockets of beautiful architecture. Some of these houses would make anyone who's into old houses sali·vate. The city is clean and safe. Its citi·zens have pride in their communi·ties, in supporting local arts, and there is a fierce loyalty to local and regional sports teams (for example, we cut our cam