Brookland Avenue

Ward 5 Blogger Breakfast

Last Friday Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas Jr, hosted a Blogger Breakfast at the Capital City Diner with a number of Ward 5 bloggers including Frozen Tropics, In Bloom, The Totten Life, The Rhode Island Avenue Insider, and yours truly.

This is the first of many meetings with Ward 5 bloggers that the Councilmember wants to facilitate on an ongoing basis. In this meeting Councilmember Thomas shared his ideas about the future of Ward 5 and discussed what he saw as the future of the Ward.

The format was pretty open with Councilmember Thomas sharing his thoughts and answering questions from the Ward 5 bloggers in a round robin fashion. The councilmember also made it clear to the bloggers in attendance that he didn’t want to interfere with what we would write about and he thought we served an important function in Ward 5 as objective forums for local issues. As important as bloggers are to the Ward 5 ecosystem the Councilmember mentioned that this are only a part of his outreach work as many Ward 5 folks are not online and he is pounding pavement to meet with those folks as well.

A lot was covered in the discussion with the Councilmember ranged for neighborhood issues like crime, youth violence, public safety, and economic development including small business initiatives.

Some of the highlights of the breakfast were:

• Discussion with Councilmember Thomas about crime around Brookland Metro in particular the discussion about Metro Transit police using pepper spray to subdue a youth last week, Councilmember Thomas said that this was excessive, but understood that folks was sensitive because of the recent crime around Brookland Metro including the recent tackling incident.

• Councilmember Thomas wants metro Transit police to take a more active role in patrolling stations in Ward 5 and their bus areas as well. Councilmember Thomas discussed improving communication and cooperation between MPD and Metro Transit to counter crime at and around Metro stations. He stated that he working on legislation to increase penalties for crimes around transit.

• Youth crime was one the other conversations that we had and the councilmember discussed various ways to help prevent youth crime by creating more programs to help mentor and engage teenagers like the summer jobs program.

• Councilmember Thomas discussing development in Ward including answering questions about making the Rhode Island Avenue area an overlay district. The Councilmember also mentioned utilizing Old Town Trolley as an transportation system between the various the developments along Rhode Island Avenue.

• Councilmember Thomas mentioned that he really thinks McMillan can developed in a fashion that would make it appealing for all parties in the ward including those currently against the proposed developed. This is exciting and could be a way to bring true community involvement in a Ward 5 development project.

• Councilmember Thomas talked about the economic opportunities in all of the upcoming development in Ward 5 including the proposed Costco and Walmart and the potential Target developments and the jobs that would bring to the area including setting aside jobs for Ward 5 residents. The bigbox stores are then seen as a way to bring more businesses and jobs to Ward 5.

• The councilmember discussed ways to help small business thrive in the ward including ways to help existing business such as Brookland Hardware on 12th Street stay in business and to create incentives for new small businesses. There is a lot to do on the small business side front to help grow “homegrown” Ward 5 business as well as attracting outside business to come to the ward.

• Since we were eating at successful new small business on Bladensburg Road Councilmember Thomas brought up one the other pioneering businesses right across the street, Jimmy Valentine’s Lonely Hearts Club. Jimmy Valentine’s was one the first new businesses to come to Bladensburg Road and shows how a small business that sells alcohol can be successful and not tick off the neighborhood.

• Other conversations points included improving the workings and communications of ANC, the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and undergrounding of the 12th Street power lines, among others.

I think continuing to encourage Ward 5 the bigbox “hub” of DC is problematic as limits the type of urban development that the Ward needs. Additionally with the industrial parts of the ward it makes sense to look towards brining development much like is happening in Navy Yard, with large companies like Booz Allen Hamilton leasing a large amount of office space among other notable tenants. This type of development could bring real change and could have the ward move beyond retail with a breadth of different types of jobs. Another thought is what about other federal agencies could some of them be relocated to Ward 5?

On a side note one thing that Councilmember mentioned that was interesting is that he mentioned Route 1 is the oldest ( or one of the oldest ) streets in the country. Though Route 1 is old, Bunker Hill Rd (Michigan Avenue) has it beat. Parts of Bunker Hill Road predate Washington DC itself. Look for info about Bunker Hill Road in a later post. .

I felt the Blogger Breakfast was definitively a success and I hope it continues in the future. I would like to thank Councilmember Thomas once again of this great opportunity discuss Ward 5 issues with him and met fellow Ward 5 bloggers. Check out the coverage of the Blogger Breakfast from the The Totten Life and The Rhode Island Avenue Insider for other perspectives.

Lloyd Wolf a local DC area photographer has a very poignant and moving site called Washington’s Other Monuments. This site contains photographs and write-ups memorializing some of the most violent crime in the city. These memorials are erected and maintained by family and friends to remember and honor victims of throughout the city.

Washington’s Other Monuments has documented some of the recent tragedies in Northeast DC, including crimes in Brookland and Edgewood.

Shrine to Goldean Hawkins, 1900 Newton St NE

Shrine to Goldean Hawkins, 1900 Newton St NE

Abdullah Fuller- in a quiet way

Abdullah Fuller- in a quiet way

Sad eyes for Kenyetta Nicholson-Stanley

Sad eyes for Kenyetta Nicholson-Stanley

Lloyd’s site and photography has been featured in other media over the last few years including an NPR discussion and multiple news sites including the Washington Post and Washington City Paper among a few others.

By documenting these curbside tributes to violent tragedies , Lloyd help us to remember lives cut short are not soon forgotten.

Lloyd’s photography can be seen LloydWolf.com and LloydWolfPhoto.Blogspot.com and he be reached by email at LloydWolf@LloydWolf.com

The Washington Post has a brief article, found in the Regional Briefings

Man Found Fatally Shot in Northeast

A 35-year-old resident of the Brookland area of Northeast Washington was found fatally shot within three blocks of his home early Sunday, D.C. police said.

They said Abdullah R. Fuller of the Newton Street NE was found about 5 a.m. with at least two gunshot wounds in the 1300 block of Perry Street NE. The spot where he was found is relatively secluded and near a Franciscan monastery and Fort Bunker Hill park.

A neighborhood resident reached Sunday night called Fuller a likable, easygoing husband and father who worked at a large grocery store in the District. The killing, he said, “just shocks me.”

– Martin Weil

This morning Commander Greene of MPD 5th District posted a message to the MPD-5D listserv about a homicide on the 1300 block of Perry St NE. According to the email; Sunday September 20th at about 5am MPD were called to 14th and Perry Street NE. When they arrived the found the unconscious victim lying in the street in the 1300 block of Perry St and was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, the victim was later pronounced dead.

MPD is requesting that if anyone has information related to the homicide to call 202-727-9099 immediately.

Below is the complete email from Commander Greene.

The Homicide Branch of the Criminal Investigations Division is currently investigating a homicide that occurred in the Fifth District.

On Sunday, September 20, 2009, at 0508 hours, members of the Fifth District were dispatched to 1400 Perry St., NE for the sounds of gunshots. Upon their arrival, they located the decedent lying in the street in the 1300 block of Perry St., NE. The victim was unconscious and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead.

If anyone has information relative to this shooting please call MPD at 202 727 9099 immediately.

Editors Note: This posting was written by longtime Brookland resident Alex Matthews who works as a tour guide in the DC area. Alex was giving a guided tour to a group of 7th and 8th graders at the United States Holocaust Museum on June 10th 2009 when a lone deranged gunman entered the museum and started shooting. This is his posting about that day.

A version of this post was originally submitted to the Brookland Listserv.

On Wednesday June 10th, I took my WorldStrides group of 7th and 8th graders for a
visit to the Holocaust Museum at around 12:30 p.m. Their visit was to be a
brief one to visit the Daniel’s Story exhibit. We entered the Museum on the
15th Street side where, as I always do, I pointed out the Eisenhower
statement about Holocaust deniers. I then sent them into the exhibit. My
lead teacher needed to use the rest room but the other two teachers went
into the Daniel’s Story exhibit with the students. I positioned myself on
the bench at the exit of Daniel’s Story to wait for my group. Suddenly,
there was a clamor sounding almost like something large and metal may have
fallen down the stairs. Once I processed the sound, it became clear that it
was gunshots. I told all the students surrounding me (none of whom were in
my group) to get down and get under the benches. They did so immediately.
Soon thereafter, we could hear the voices of a number of individuals who
would turn out to be plain cloths security. It appeared that they did not
feel that they had secured the Museum. After a bit, I decided that I needed
to be with my group so I ran the few feet to the exit door of Daniel’s Story
and began to work my way backwards through the exhibit in search of my
charges. I informed museum goers of the goings-on as I went. When I
finally reached my group, the police had begun to direct groups out the 15th
Street door and we were ordered to run out and then run to Independence Ave.
My group was assembled at the corner and I walked them across the street to
the green space along 15th Street where the teachers and I counted them. We
had everyone except the lead teacher but we soon made telephone contact and
within a couple of minutes we were reunited. As our bus was parked just
outside of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (next door to the Holocaust
Museum), I walked the group through the grassy area and then across to the
bus. The driver arranged with the police to leave the area via Maine Ave.
and were at Union Station by 1:30 p.m. At no point did we know any of the
particulars of who had been shot or the extent of the violence. A security
guard was uncharacteristically emotional. I could tell from her behavior
and some of the things she said that one of her colleagues had been injured
and that evening we were sad to hear that he died of his wound.

This experience occasioned a lot of emotion among my teachers and the
students. We urged all the students to call their parents to let them know
that they were well. My lead teacher called WorldStrides (the tour company)
to let them know that we were all safe. After lunch, on the way to the
Capitol, we all sat on a stand near the Russell Senate Office Building to
talk about and process what had occurred. Each student was given the
opportunity to speak as were all the adults. When I spoke, I told them how
pleased I was to be with this particular group who had behaved just as they
were asked and cooperated at every turn. I added that there are people who
would, through such acts of violence, have us alter and limit our lives. I
asked, “do we want them to win?” The students gave a resounding “no.”

We then visited the Capitol, the Library of Congress and did a picture stop
at the Supreme court and the students were attentive and profited from the
experience. After dinner, the teachers decided that the students had lost
their ability to absorb any more information and needed to go back to the
hotel.

The next day we were unable to walk past the south side of the White House
(this usually happens when the president is on the move) — a disappointment
erased by the passing motorcade of the president which occasioned much
excitement (especially as my group was from Illinois). Mr. Obama was waving
not from his usual limousine but rather a well armored SUV. I suspect, in
light of the previous day’s events, that the Secret Service advised against
using Marine 1 (helicopter) to go to Andrews AFB for his flight to Green Bay
so they had a motorcade to the airport.

–Alex