Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Are we kinda sorta keeping it together? No? That’s okay. In other words, it’s okay not to be okay. What’s going on?
Let’s start with Saturday. Were you wondering what was going on with a helicopter circling around Stanton Park on Saturday around 9 a.m.? You were not alone! For those living closest to the area, it felt as though the Park Police chopper would land on their heads at any moment. The 400 block of C Street NE and 5th Street NE between C and D Streets were both closed for about half an hour and there was a sizable police presence due to a thwarted burglary– which was interrupted by the homeowner. The perpetrator fled north and was not caught, despite all the helicopter noise. A senator lives in that block, which might explain the larger-than-usual police presence.
If you have unpaid tickets accruing fees, turn that frown upside down: Mayor Bowser has extended the ticket amnesty period until December 31, 2021. She announced this fact along with some impressive figures in a press conference yesterday. Perhaps the most impressive figure is that the District has already collected $44 million dollars in fines, and 36% of those monies come from Maryland drivers:
Need more information before you pay your fines? Visit ticketamnesty.dc.gov for more.
Hey! Did you love Live on the Hill, the free concert series that took place on Fridays and Saturdays in September? Then you’ll be glad to know the Friday evening concerts will be extended through October! You can expect them every Friday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. this October at Eastern Market Metro Park. October’s lineup looks like this:
October 1, Aaron Myers
October 8, Elijah Balbed
Oct 15, Zach Cutler
Oct 22, Amy Bormet
Oct 29, Imani Grace-Cooper
Are you an artist? Would you like to be an artist in residence at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW)? You can apply here! Best of luck to you.
The Wall Street Journal looks at the pandemic’s effects on the Nation’s Capital’s growth– but not on its real estate’s prices.
Mail woes still rule supreme in the area. Fox-5 takes a look.
The Georgetown Voice reports on the unhoused encampments slated to close, especially those around NoMa.
Breitbart reports that Democrats held a maskless social gathering at “D.C. rooftop Dacha Navy Yard.” (Is there a secret rooftop at Dacha?)
The article cites the masking mandate in the District but also allows that Dacha Navy Yard is an outdoor setting.
Wonder what they make of this Tweet?
Micheal Antonio Smith, who robbed several Wells Fargo branches around the District –including the one at 6th and H NE– exactly a year ago, will serve 51 months in Federal prison. U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Pink Taco, the famous eatery in L.A.’s Sunset Strip, is opening a location in Navy Yard, at 100 M Street SE. Eater DC. Apropos of nothing, I received a list of the best tacos in California from Lawnstarter, and L.A.’s taco scene according to them is not in the top 10 (L.A. proper, that is. Santa Monica is number 2.) So, take that however you want– I’m still a little annoyed that Salinas, California, is ranked at number 100, even though most of your salads and taco components are probably grown in that specific area. Then again, there are no Michelin-ranked restaurants in Salinas. Is this the kind of content we can keep expecting for Hispanic Heritage Month, Lawnstarter?
PoPville shares Toki Underground’s news on their move to 1244 H Street NE.
If you are a long-time resident of the Hill, you may have at least heard Margot Kelly‘s name. She passed away this past September 2, at age 96. The Cape Gazette recently ran her obituary. Margot was instrumental in the revitalization of many areas in the neighborhood, especially Barracks Row.
Bad, immature take of the week: Dissing the culinary scene in DC is nothing new– the New York Times practically has a Ph.D. in the art of putting it down. But when an elected official shares a nasty and ignorant opinion with his 164,000 Twitter followers/constituents, he not only fosters the kind of divisive rhetoric that is killing us as a country: he also gets shut down by everyone– including chef, philanthropist and all-around good human José Andres. Shame on you, Rep. Hardy. No oxtails from Cane for you. (Which restaurant do you think Rep. Hardy should try?)
Have you had aggression directed at you while you were riding your bike? Readers on Twitter are sharing their stories. You may think this is cheesy, but please, please, please: if you’re a driver and feel like your road rage is out of control, take some deep breaths as you drive and try to work on your compassion. Let’s share the road?
If you haven’t read it, it’s news to you: This 2018 article from the D.C. Policy Center on speed cameras, with relevant (if slightly outdated) data, is an excellent read and worth your time.