Petworth News

Rec Center pics

photos © Bill Crandall

Rec Center grand opening

[from the Editor]

DC Dept of Parks and Recreation, the Mayor's office, and ANC 4C07 Commissioner Shanel Anthony have confirmed that the Petworth Rec Center's grand re-opening will be this Saturday 7/28 at 2pm. Bring a bathing suit, the spray park should be up and running as well.

Click here for a PDF of the event flier.

Charter school open house

[from Bill Murray, Development Officer, ABC Public Charter School]

ABC Public Charter School, the District’s only full-immersion English/Spanish public charter school, is holding an open house for prospective parents:

Wed 8/1, 7:00-8:30pm
Petworth Neighborhood Library
4200 Kansas Ave NW (at Georgia Ave & Upshur St)
202-541-6300

Please call the school at 202-822-6301 for more information or visit our website at www.abcpcs.org. ABC Public Charter School is a sixth through eighth grade middle school. It is currently located in Mount Pleasant but will be moving to a new facility at 209 Upshur St in Petworth in mid-August.

Rec Center progress

[from Susan Minnemeyer]

It's like they carpeted the park yesterday...

[click on images to compare at full size]

ANC 4D July meeting

ANC 4D monthly meeting
Tuesday July 17 (third Tuesday of the month)
7:00-9:00pm
4th District Police Station
6001 Georgia Avenue NW

map of ANC 4D

4100 Georgia Ave

[from the Editor]

Today was the official groundbreaking ceremony for 4100 Georgia Avenue, at the NW corner of Georgia and Taylor. It's a shame the event wasn't better publicized, I only heard about it thanks to a last-minute call from ANC 4C Chair Joe Martin.

According to Karl Jentoff of Neighborhood Development Corporation, actual construction is expected to begin in mid to late August. He said it should take about 16-18 months, they're hoping for a Jan '09 opening. The building will have 72 moderate-income rental units and a Yes! Organic Market on the ground level.

Click here for more info about the project.

photos © Bill Crandall

3rd & Farragut fire

[from DBA]

We had a bad scare Sunday night. Around 9:30pm we discovered flames coming out of a neighbor’'s garage roof in the alley at the corner of 3rd & Farragut. Thank goodness no one was hurt and the fire did not spread. The firefighters arrived less than 3 minutes after calling 911 and quickly put the fire out! Whew! Thank God! And thank you to the neighbors that ran over quickly to help people out of the house. So, does anyone know if the fire fighters or police investigators found out what caused the blaze?

Rec Center opening

[from the Editor]

I've been informed that the grand opening of the renovated Petworth Rec Center (at 8th and Taylor) is being scheduled for next Saturday (7/21). Watch this space for any official announcements or details as I get them.

11th St deli

[from the Editor]

This was just forwarded to me from one of the CH listservs, sorry it might be old news:

The 11th Street Deli (formerly Franklins Deli, at 11th and Lamont) is now open:
Tuesday-Friday, 11am-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 8am-8pm
Closed Mondays
202-234-7020

Weeknight Specials 5-8pm
Tuesday - Pasta
Wednesday - Taco
Thursday - Kabobs
Friday - Fish or BBQ
Saturday & Sunday - Breakfast all day

I know, Columbia Heights is sure getting a good run over the last several posts. But I figure it's going be a kind of downtown Petworth, at least until Georgia Ave catches up.

Shepherd Rd cleanup

[from Gadi Ben-Yehuda]

Yesterday, a clean-up crew came to Shepherd Road NW, the alley between Longfellow St and Madison St, to do a major operation. They cleared away a lot of overgrowth, pruned trees, cleaned up the alley, which is used by the city garbage service and had accumulated a lot of detritus over the years. They had on hand chainsaws, rakes and the backhoe in this picture.

A representative from the Mayor's office, Ayana Rockett (pictured second from left) said that this effort is a part of a larger city-wide "Fix It" campaign that is targeting certain areas for renovation. Also on site (though not pictured) was Kamaria Mabry from Councilwoman Bowser's office. Kudos both to Adrien Fenty and Councilwoman Bowser for beautifying Petworth, one street at a time!

New parents group

[from Marni Leikin]

We are parents of babies under 3 months in the Petworth area who would like to start an informal group for (similarly sleep deprived) new parents.

If you are interested, please join us for coffee/lunch at Domku cafe next Tuesday (17th) at 2pm (821 Upshur St NW). If this time doesn't work for you but you would like to join us, or for more info, please email us.

Hope to see you!

Emily, Chad & Bronwyn (6 1/2 weeks)
Marni & Alex (7 weeks)

Indie film at Mayorga

[from Richard Chu]

PMG Filmworks of Columbia Heights, Washington DC is proud to present a Little Red Engine Production: "Innocent Lives - the Unspoken Casualty of War Follies" -- a short films program.

Saturday, July 14th at 8:00pm at Mayorga Café & Lounge (14th St and Park Rd NW)

The program starts at 8:30pm with the screening of "Return of the Cicadas" about the reuniting, and spiritual reconciling, of a Vietnam vet and the Amerasian daughter he abandoned after the war. At 9:00pm, the premiere screening of "The Wish of Harriet", a modern day fable about how a Iraq War vet suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder heals, and redeems himself with his family, when he makes the wish of a young orphan girl come true.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
8:00pm - priority admittance for RSVP guest list and industry/press members
8:15pm - public admittance
8:30pm - screening of "Return of the Cicadas"
9:00pm - screening of "The Wish of Harriet"
9:45pm - Q&A session with Writer/Director and cast & crew panel

Space is limited – for priority admittance, please e-mail the number of guests to be on the RSVP guest list. We do hope to see you at this free screening in support of local DC independent filmmaking.

Grant Circular July/Aug issue

[from Jacqueline Arendse, Editor, Grant Circular]

The latest issue of the GC is available for free download at www.grantcircular.com. Enjoy, and let me know what you think! Watch your mailboxes for the print edition, which can also be found at local businesses.

The deadline for the September/October issue is August 3. So please get your ideas, announcements, and articles to me by then.

RedRocks opening

[from Beth Guerard]

Owner and local entrepreneur James O’Brien is proud to announce the official opening of his latest venture, RedRocks FireBrickPizzeria, located in DC’s booming Columbia Heights neighborhood. The 95 seat, 1,800 square foot restaurant will offer both traditional and gourmet pizzas straight from the 800 degree brick oven, as well as café fare including fresh panini with housemade bread, salads and starters, wines by the bottle and the glass, Chimay Triple and Allagash White on tap and 30 beers and microbrews by the bottle.

O’Brien is also pleased to work with Executive Chef Edan MacQuaid, a longtime chef at two acclaimed local pizzerias and an expert in the precise art of brick oven pizza-making. “The brick-oven pizza is special because in about 90 seconds it turns out a pizza with a crisp, wood-smoked crust that holds up to toppings in a way you can’t get from conventional pizza ovens,” said O’Brien. “I grew up on the Jersey Shore and attended school near New Haven, Connecticut, where pizza is a local obsession, so it’s fair to say that I’ve had a lifelong passion for great pizza. The brick oven makes the best, most flavorful pizza, with just the right amount of ‘bite’ in the crust.”

With spacious rooms on two levels for inside seated dining, a takeout section downstairs for carryout customers, and a gorgeous patio seating 35 people, RedRocks invites diners to stop in for dinner or weekend brunch.

In addition to serving some of the best pizza in DC, the eclectic and casual menu will feature items such as warm olives with garlic and herbs, baked panzarotti, wood-fired fresh fish, mussels marinara, white bean and tuna salad, and an array of grilled panini on homemade bread.

O’Brien is eager to become an integral part of the local community. “You can’t beat Columbia Heights for history, character and charm—it is really a neighborhood on the rise,” said O’Brien. “But until now, there was literally no place to get a beer and brick-oven pizza right in the neighborhood. I hope locals - and people from all over who are into wood-fired pizza - will stop by to check the place out, have a drink, and say hello. We’re so glad to be in the neighborhood.”

Situated in a restored rowhouse on the corner of Park Road and 11th Street NW (1036 Park Rd NW), RedRocks is just one block from the historic Tivoli Theater.

RedRocks officially opens for dinner service this evening at 5pm and will offer late-night dining seven days a week. In addition, RedRocks will feature Sat-Sun brunch starting at 11am on Sat, July 21. Once brunch begins, dining hours are:
Mon–Thurs, 5pm to 12am
Friday, 5pm to 1am
Saturday, 11am to 1am
Sunday, 11am to 12am

Ward 4 Democrats Elections

[from Shanel Anthony]

Let Your Voice Be Heard!!!

This Tuesday, July 10
Ward 4 Democrats Elections

We represent the rich diversity of the people and great neighborhoods of Ward 4. Our team will work to unite all neighborhoods of the ward - north, south, east, and west – to work together on issues that are important to our communities, including voter education, DC voting rights and educating our youth. We need your help, and your vote on July 10 to accomplish our mission.

Neighborhoods United 4 A Better Ward 4 slate

DEBORAH ROYSTER - PRESIDENT (202-882-4787)
JOSHUA LOPEZ - 1ST VICE PRESIDENT (202-386-2103)
TERRY GOINGS - 2ND VICE PRESIDENT (202-486-3646)
AYANA ROCKETT - RECORDING SECRETARY (917-865-8512)
SHANEL ANTHONY - CORRESP. SECRETARY (202-291-6455)
LAMONT HARRELL - TREASURER (202-378-4433)
SAMANTHA NOLAN - FINANCIAL SECRETARY (202-244-2620)

Vote Tuesday, July 10!
Where: 4th District Police Precinct
6001 Georgia Avenue NW @ 7pm

Contact us at UnitedWard4@gmail.com

ANC 4C July meeting

ANC 4C monthly meeting
Tuesday July 10, 6:30pm-8:30pm (2nd Tuesday of the month)
ROC-North, 801 Shepherd Street

Fireworks 2007

[from Annys Shin]

Anyone else find the fireworks noise intolerable?