Brookland Avenue

DC Board of Elections and Ethics tweeted this afternoon that List of 156 candidates for ANC updated at dcboee.org. 19 contested so far, including two 3-way contests (5B07 & 6B09).

This announcement and recent ANC shenanigans have lit the fire under folks who want a change in ANC leadership.

Many local blogs have been posting since the ANC petitions starting rollin in earlier this month including Congress Heights on the Rise, Life on the Edgewood. and DCist.

What is very interesting as stated by DCBOEE’s tweet is that most of these are not contested including most of the SIngle Member Districts (SMD) in 5A which includes Brookland and surrounding neighborhoods.

After reviewing the DCBOEE’s list of registered candidates in detail it became quite apparent that only a few of the current ANC 5A incumbents have completed their nomination petitions and are registered candidates.

Current Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners

SMD	Commissioner
5A01	Sandi Washington
5A02	Patricia Roberts
5A03	Angel Alston
5A04	Herman “Rip” Preston, Jr
5A05	Stephen O. Mccoy
5A06	John J. Feeley, Jr.
5A07	Carolyn Steptoe
5A08	Timothy Thomas
5A09	Shirley Rivens Smith
5A10	Philip Blair, Jr
5A11	Janae Grant
5A12	Robert “Bob” King

What is also interesting is that there is only one non-incumbent currently included on the list so far. This person is current Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association Vice President John Daggett.

As of today incumbent 5A07 SMD commissioner Carolyn Steptoe is not included in the list of candidates. It will be interesting to see if 5A07 SMD is contested again this year.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission Candidates November 2, 2010 General Election

SMD	Commissioner
5A03	Angel Alston
5A04	Herman “Rip” Preston, Jr
5A07	John Daggett
5A08	Timothy Thomas
5A12	Robert “Bob” King

As you can see 5A at the moment is currently wide open in terms of candidates and it is certainly not too late to get involved and become an ANC commissioner yourself. If interested all you need is to go to DC Board and Elections and Ethics to pick up your nominating petition for an ANC seat and get at least 25 signatures from registered voters in your SMD. The ANC nomination petition and signatures need to be submitted by Septemeber 3rd

It would be ideal for ALL of the 5A ANC seats to be contested, its good way to keep our ANC representatives in check.

Brookland’s street names have changed over the 123 years since the neighborhood was founded. Many of the names were never really used, but survive on subdivision maps from the early years. Developers named the streets, so they could vary from subdivision to subdivision.

The original 1887 plat map of the first subdivision, called simply “Brookland” contained street names based on trees – Elm St., Pine St., Walnut St., etc. Those were soon changed. The street names were altered at least twice before the city officially changed them in 1901 to their present incarnations.

There are discrepancies on different early maps, but the following chart seems to give the best indication of the original names and how they changed. The name of the street that became Lawrence is unreadable on the original plat map:

Linden St. –> Newark –> Fort –> Otis
Laurel St. –> Milwaukee –> Providence –> Newton
Elm St. –> Lowell –> Lansing –> Monroe
Unreadable – Keokuk –> Hartford –> Lawrence
Pine St. –> Joliet –> Frankfort –> Kearny
Walnut St. –> Indianapolis –> Dover –> Jackson
Cedar St. –> Hartford –> Concord –> Irving

The numbered cross streets also changed around this time. According to a 1901 story in the Washington Post, 9th St. was originally Queen St., 10th St. was Wallace St., 12th St. was Duncan St., 13th was Burns St. and 14th was Argyle St.

Also at this time Bunker Hill Rd. was changing to Michigan Ave. as it was widened and paved.

So clearly, even though the city had approved the final name changes in 1901, they weren’t in effect yet as of April, 1902. The 1901 story said the names would go into effect when they were formally recorded in the office of the surveyor, so I guess that took a while. It must have been awfully confusing during those first fifteen years of Brookland.

The following note was submitted by a Brookland Avenue reader about their lost dog.

One of our newest residents is tiny, speedy, and wary in the extreme. The much-distraught owners of Rosie the dog report that she bolted from them just hours after adoption and has set up a loop around their Mount Rainier home that extends well into Brookland, with sightings around 22nd and Taylor and at the Gift of Peace monastery, confirmed by a scent-tracking dog (!)

A Vallhund (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Vallhund) mix with a sad history, she has the perfect mix of small size, high speed, wiliness, and mistrust of people that may make her retrieval and capture a major production.

If you happen to see her, her owners request that you keep an eye on her (but do not chase! Maybe sit down and make happy nonsense dog talk if circumstances permit) and give a call to (703) 517-1276 or (202) 590-8609.

http://findrosie.wordpress.com for more details…

DC Urban Turf posted a recent article on Brookland and the upcoming development that is coming to the surrounding area.

The post called Brookland: New Development Could Shake Up Pastoral Peace is a pretty comprehensive piece about the current state of the neighborhood and some of its history.

Overall I think its a good post however however not sure I would say that Brookland has a “Midwest Vibe”

Please join the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 20th at 7:00 PM. The meeting will take place in Margot Hall of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church at 3400 12th Street, NE (corner of 12th and Monroe Streets, NE).

The Special Guest for this meeting will be Robert Malesky. Mr. Malesky has lived in Brookland since 1970. He graduated from Catholic University and then worked for thirty years at National Public Radio where, among other things, he was the senior producer of Weekend Edition Sunday with Liane Hansen. Mr. Malesky is now a freelance writer and producer and has just completed a book entitled The Catholic University of America.

The Catholic University of America tells the story of CUA’s early founding and development into a world-renowned University. It is a fascinating history and one that is entwined in many ways with Brookland’s contemporaneous development as a neighborhood. Mr. Malesky will share stories from his book of those early years and will present a slide show of old photographs. Copies of his book will be available for purchase and a book-signing will follow.

When:	July 20th, 2010
Where:	Margot Hall of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church at 3400 12th Street, NE
Time:	7:00 PM

 

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church

This month the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association launched their brand spanking new website.

The BNCA website contains a monthly meetings schedule, ways to volunteer, and information on neighborhood topics and issues including:

• Persevering Green Space
• Development
• Metropolitan Branch Trail
• 12th Street Powerlines
• Brookland Community Kiosk
• Fort Bunker Hill Park
• Specials Events

Don’t forget to join the BNCA. If you are not yet a member and need to review membership complete the BNCA membership form.

Also I can’t wait for the BNCA to expand their online presence by including Facebook and Twitter accounts

Don’t forget to stop by the Tuesday Brookland tomorrow from 4-7pm. Once again Mike Tabor will have lots of delicious locally grown produce.

Our recently harvested garlic is cured and will be featured at our market. Peaches are in full swing and people have been raving about the variety we’ve been featuring…Century. Plus we should have apricots, sugar plums and the earliest of the summer apples.

There are three varieties of snap beans – green, royal burgundy and yellow sweet waxed beans. Parents tell us the kids love the royal burgundy because when cooked they turn green!

We’re finally into basil season and we’ll have plenty at each market.

We’ll also have plenty of vine ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and loads of zucchini, yellow and sunburst squash.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING PLASTIC BAGS, AND ANY EXTRA BAGS YOU CARE TO RECYCLE.

See you Tuesday! Mike

 

Where:Under the Michigan Ave by the Brookand-CUA Metro
When: Every Tuesday
Time: 4pm-7pm

 

Brookland Farmers Market

Today at noon Great Space Development is having an Open House at 1707 Irving Street, NE, in charming BROOKLAND. It is a great little farmhouse in the city.

Great Space Development is in their second year of re-doing houses in DC. The open house will also have yummy sandwiches from MGM Roast Beef!

If you’re free and can drop by, RSVP at great.space.development@gmail.com

The next meeting of the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 7:00 PM in upstairs Studio B at the Brooks Mansion at 901 Newton Street, NE.

This meeting’s special guest will be Anya Schoolman of the Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative. The Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative is an association of Mt. Pleasant residents working to bring solar energy to DC neighborhoods. By working together to purchase and negotiate as a group, they hope to cut the costs of residential solar in Mt. Pleasant and develop a model there that can be rolled out anywhere in the city. If you’ve ever thought about striking your own blow for energy independence, then this is the meeting for you!

We’ll also hear from Laurence Jones from the Office of Peoples’ Counsel’s Consumer Services Division. Mr. Jones will provide information on

1. A recent decision on Pepco rates
2. The revised Utility Consumer Bill of Rights
3. Verizon’s Disconnection for Non-Payment policy.

And, lastly, we’ll hear an update and discuss several important Brookland issues including the Brookland Green, undergrounding the utility lines on 12th Street, and the development planned for the block containing the Colonel Brooks Tavern.

Contact: Caroline Petti carolinepetti@yahoo.com
President, Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association

When:	June 15th, 2010
Where:	Brooks Mansion 901 Newton Street, N.E.
Time:	7:00 PM

It’s not too early to mark your calendars for BNCA’s July 20th meeting. Our Special Guest for July’s meeting will be Robert Malesky. Mr. Malesky is a 40-year Brookland resident who has just completed a book on the history of Catholic University entitled The Catholic University of America. Mr. Malesky will describe the history of Catholic University and its relationship with Brookland, will share slides of historical photographs, and will be available to sign copies of his book.

 

Brooks Mansion

The Greater Brookland Garden Club are once again putting on the Brookland House and Garden Tour this Sunday June 6th from 12pm – 5pm.

This is the the tenth year anniversary of the House and Garden Tour — first started in 2000. This year there are more tour stops than any other year since the tour’s inception and we hope you enjoy the terrific variety of homes and gardens that Brookland has to offer. As a special feature this year, we are focusing on things “New Along 12th Street.” Our business corridor has recently received a face lift and there are new businesses and organizations popping up along its path.

The Brookland Fire House has recently completed renovation of its building. Aunt Bea’s B & B is up and running in a period bungalow. Casey Trees has moved its headquarters to Brookland and is moving towards completion of its office building. Make sure you stop by the Casey Trees staging area (tour stop #10) and learn about their many programs. Also be sure to talk to the Casey Trees representatives at each house to learn about the Trees of Note program. Finally today, please join us for a light picnic-style refreshment at our Tour Reception from 5 to 7 pm.

A big surprise is that The Brookland Fire Station will be displaying their antique steamer engine during the House and Garden Tour. Other great reason to attend the House and Garden Tour

Brookland Home and Garden Tour Flyers

• Brookland Home and Garden Tour Postcard
• Brookland Home and Garden Tour Program
• Brookland House and Garden Tour Host Site Trees

When: Sunday June 6th

Where: All over Brookland

Time: 12pm-5pm

Tickets: Are $10 and can be purchased at Petals, Ribbons & Beyond, 3906 12th St. NE (corner of Quincy St. NE), Washington DC 20017.

Call (202) 636-2408 for more information.