“Have you ever wanted to learn how to play African drums, change a bike tire, or fry a turkey? Or do you have a secret skill that you’re dyingto share, like “How to Juggle”? On April 28th, you’ll have a chance to
do this all and more, for free:

Learn-a-Palooza DC is a first-of-its-kind community organized event happening on Saturday, April 28th, 2007. From 10AM-6PM businesses, homes, and community centers in Adams Morgan, U St, Dupont, and Columbia Heights will open their doors to hold short “workshops” on
every topic under the sun, from “Intro to Yoga”, to “Beat the Sugar Blues”, to “How to Learn 19 Languages”, to “Acting 101″, to “Buying Your First Home”, to “Understanding Your Camera”.

Participating venues so far include the DC Arts Center (DCAC), Potter’s House, Transformer Gallery, City Bikes, Emergence Community Arts Collective, Red Onion Records and Books, Patricia M. Sitar Center, Affinity Lab, City Fitness Gym, and many more.

For B. Stanley, Executive Director of DCAC, Learn-a-Palooza is a chance to not only give back to the community but also attract new people. “DCAC has served the Adams Morgan neighborhood and Washington area for eighteen years presenting high-caliber, challenging works of art and theater. We hope to get some new faces in the door who will come for a Learn-a-Palooza class and then make a point to come back for an exhibit or show.”

Just now i see two black security cars–the kind that gum up traffic when some admninistration bigwig wants to go to lunch– slowly driving next to a group of runners. Perhaps they are famous. Or rich. When they drop over from exhaustion, they can be whisked away quickly to the nearest emergency room. Or to Elizabeth Arden for a massage.

I think this is fairly far in the race, cause they are coming by just a few at a time. As i watch, i make note of the many possible running styles: the shuffle, the high step, the tip toe, the slide, the forward lean, the backward lean, the flat foot back slide, the prance, and my personal favorite, the prance-knee high-on toes-with a wave.

I guess i should get to the gym today.

“Among the proposed rules: A dog park must be at least 200 feet from businesses, school playgrounds and houses. The area must be 10,000 square feet — a quarter of an acre — or more, take up no more than 25 percent of a park and have a slope of no more than 5 percent. And the Health Department must certify that there are no rats within five blocks.”

I know of no human resident of the district that doesn’t live within five blocks–nay, five feet–of the nearest rat. Ward 1 councilman Jim Graham had proposed creating specifications for dog parks but even he says these aren’t exactly what he had in mind.

There is an ongoing debate about whether the city should foot the bill for enclosed dog runs. They are great for neighborhoods, and neighborhood property values, and are definitely preferable to non-sanctioned, unofficial runs where owners let dogs off leash without fencing or boundaries. I am a dog owner who lives in Adams Morgan, and the fenced dog run there is very popular. People drive from around the city to let their dogs play there. There are rules for poop pick up and aggressive behavior. Not only do dog owners have a place to take their pets for exercise, but always people bring their kids to look at the dogs over the fence. Some elderly people come every day to watch the goings on. It is a community gem. My dog loves it there, as do I.

On a list serve discussing the issue of financing, one member summed up the situation quite eloquently, and I reprint it here:

“I think a key point being lost here, over the debate about who pays for dog parks and what ideal urban dog conduct should be, is that dogs parks are a significant neighborhood amenity to a significant fraction of the resident population. Both dog owners and those who like having dogs separated from other recreational space value and benefit from having a dog park nearby. Like greenery, or playgrounds, or the convenience of a metro stop, or attractive retail opportunities, or a good school, a dog park is something that makes people say, “oh, what a fine thing to have within walking distance of where I live,” and makes them willing to pay more rent or invest more in the purchase of property to live there. Not every resident has to equally value every amenity. People without children pay taxes that support schools and playgrounds. People who don’t drive cars pay for the maintenance of the streets. And people who do drive cars have to subsidize the bus and metro system nonetheless. As far as I know, the provision of amenities that residents value has always been an accepted function of local government. Around here, many (e.g. schools, parks) also need to be supported by private contributions.

The regulations under discussion do not, as far as I know, address the subject of financing, but rather the possibility of siting dog parks at all. The question is, do we want to be able to have them at all in neighborhoods where people want them? Or do we want to just regulate them out of existence? Whether or not it pays for dog runs, government should at least ALLOW them.”

Dear fellow citizens of the last continental colony,

Next Thursday (2/15/07) if you have any extra love for DC left in you from Valentines Day, take one-third of a
day off work to lobby for one-third representation in Congress with DC Vote’s “Congress Day” Come and tell Congress what it’s like to live in America when you are forced to sit at the back of the bus of Democracy!

Congress Day 2007

Join DC Vote, our coalition partners, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Chairman Vincent Gray, elected officials and
other citizen advocates as we educate members of Congress to support DC voting rights.

Where: Cannon Caucus Room, (Room 345)
Cannon House Office Building
Independence & New Jersey Ave., SE
(Closest Metro Stop: Capitol South)

When: Thursday, February 15, 2007
- 8:30 AM: Meet for continental breakfast
- 9:00 AM: Welcoming remarks from Mayor Fenty, Chairman
Gray and others
- 9:30 AM-Noon: Congressional visits

Please RSVP by e-mail to congressday@dcvote.org with your contact information including a telephone number.
If you have questions, please call Eugene D. Kinlow at 202.462.6000 x13 or http://www.dcvote.org

I can’t stand, though, that the old Comet Liquor–the cornerstone and meeting place of Adams Morgan life for a zillion years–has been replaced by a cheap sports shoe company.

Regional broadband would be a service available to every household at a tiered cost based on the level of service. This cost could be far less than that of dialup, cable or DSL once implemented because it would be looked on as a service to residents. It also would provide the ability to access the internet where ever you are, similar to what you do with your cell phone now. This has great implications for our community as we constantly struggle to bridge the ever widening digital divide. This forum is designed to discuss the impact of such an action.

A number of regional leaders will be there discussing their plans and goals in this arena and this could provide information on future contracts and business opportunities. Free lunch but you have to register.

For more information follow this link and then register to attend. http://www.mwcog.org/news/press/detail.asp?NEWS_ID=229

What: Regional Broadband Forum
Where: COG Board Room, 777 North Capitol St, NE, When: October 30, 2006
9:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m.

Just to give you a little background, Becca was a former Camp Fantastic camper who died of a brain tumor in 1997. Her family and friends created this run and have coordinated it every year since. This is the 10th Anniversary of the run, and some say it may be the last. If you want to read more about Becca, there was a great series written about her in the Post that you can access from the Becca’s Run/About Rebecca Lilly website.

A little something about the line-up: Roy Hargrove is a hard bop trumpeter, and mixes it up with some funk. Poncho Sanchez is one of the latin jazz greats — this will be hot salsa. Dr. John, that piano dude from new orleans. John Scofield, who played with Miles Davis, now touring behind a CD that is the music of Ray Charles…he also is a favorite at festivals and among jam band people. Mavis Staples just won a national heritage award — formerly Bob Dylan’s girlfriend, formerly of the Staples Singers (she’s Pops’ daughter) and doing some gospel/folk/R&B-tinged stuff now. Nasar Abadey, I believe is a local jazz artist. “