“MURDER” on Connecticut Avenue NW of old tree
The city comes at you raw. Most nearly every block and neighborhood of the known city has been touched by street stories of murder that have involved the loss of human life. Less infamous areas of the city are not immune from the loss of life, albeit tree life.
Recently we observed trees being cut down at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia and now we see the same happening on a city street on the opposite side of town.
WASH SYNDICATE
DC Library Newswire_Petworth & Benning
circa summer 2006 courtesy Wash Syndicate
DC is home to countless cultural and learning institutions, but none more important than the DC Public Library system. The Syndicate does not debate this indisputable fact.
Despite reducing operating hours last March across all branches citywide and at the flagship 901G, the DC Public Library remains as integral to city life as ever before.
Last week DC Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper, Mayor Fenty, and Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser all rocked hard hats and put their weight behind sledgehammers to “celebrate the end of demolition at the Petworth Neighborhood Library with a wall-breaking ceremony,” according to the DC Public Library.
“Today, we break the interior wall through 70 years of history to revive this library to meet the needs of this community while maximizing the historic landmark’s use,” said Mayor Fenty.
Originally designed by Nathan C. Wyeth, the Georgian revival-style library first opened January 27, 1939 at 4200 Kansas Avenue NW. The library, which closed December 19 last year, plans to re-open in Spring 2011 after undergoing $12 million in renovations that began in June 2009. Improvements include a 100 person meeting room and a full restoration of its original interior.
While the library undergoes renovations, services such as free WiFi Internet, circulation, and 20 computers are accessible at the interim library next door.
circa summer 2006 courtesy Wash Syndicate
Meanwhile, crosstown the Benning Neighborhood Interim Library, at 4101 Benning Rd. N.E. will close Saturday, March 13, 2010.
* 80,000 books, DVDs, CDs and other library materials
* Separate reading areas for adults, teens and children
* 32 public access computers, free Wi-Fi Internet access and a
mobile laptop cart with 20 computers
* Comfortable seating for 200 customers
* A large program room for up to 100 people and two 12-person
conference rooms
* Parking for 14 vehicles (no longer open to the public at 901 G)
During the transition to the new location, library users can return or
renew books checked out at any other DC Public Library location or
online at dclibrary.org.
The library nearest Benning is the Capitol View Neighborhood Library at 5001 Central Avenue, SE.
UPDATED: 15 yr. old shot and killed Uptown
Taken years ago on the back of a city bus. Courtesy DreamCity News Corporation.
NBC4 is reporting on their morning broadcast a 15 year old was shot last night between 9:15 pm and 9:30pm in the 6200 block of 7th Street by Rittenhouse St. He has since died. More details surely to come during the day.
The Syndicate came up Uptown and knows the rep of Rittenhouse Street.
Basic limited info from ABC7 here.
Found this 2002 District Chronicles article about the then “new” condos at 1000 and 1008 Rittenhouse Street, on the Southwest corner of Georgia Avenue.
From the Post (2.23.10) here.
15-year-old D.C. youth was fatally shot Sunday night in Northwest Washington.
Police said Joel Watkins of the 600 block of Jefferson Street NW was shot about 9:30 p.m. near Seventh and Rittenhouse streets. He apparently is the youngest person slain this year in the District.
No motive in the killing in the Brightwood/Manor Park area could be learned Monday night.
“We don’t know a lot about what happened,” said D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4).
She said she did not know what the youth was doing in the neighborhood where he was shot, about a mile north of his home.
Several residents of that neighborhood said they heard shots in rapid succession.
“I heard three shots,” one neighbor said. “That shook me up.” He said the sound made him ask, “What is happening here in this neighborhood?” which he described as relatively quiet.
He said he watched as police with shovels dug for hours in the snow, apparently for evidence.
According to Bowser, Joel attended the Transition Academy at Shadd, which the D.C. Public Schools Web site describes as a special education school for grades 9 through 12 in the 5600 block of East Capitol Street SE. A neighborhood resident said he was one of three siblings.
2010 Snowtorious B.I.G cont. & DC Jam of the Day_ “Unibomber 97″
The Snowtorious B.I.G. is surely dropping ‘Da Bomb on the entire greater DC and Baltimore areas, and mid Atlantic seaboard with the storm reaching as far as New Jersey over the weekend. The Syndicate does not think people will begin returning to work until, at best, Thursday. We will see.
Area Totals: Colesville, MD: 40" / American University, DC: 27.5" / National Park, NJ: 28.5" Most of New York City & Long Island did not get snow. Map Courtesy AccuWeather.com.
Looks like Mother Nature will continue to drop ‘Da Bomb on the area. Snow in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. Will Snowtorious B.I.G. be one of the Top Ten Worst blizzards of all-time?
It is being widely reported that Colesville, Maryland received 40 inches of snow. Also to note, Washington Hospital in DC declared a snow emergency, because workers could not get to work through the heavy snow. Staff is currently spending the night.
The snow reminds us of a previous era when the DC area would occasionally get blasted with snow. To honor this memory, “Unibomber 97″ from Backyard Band’s Hood Related album.
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