Yesterday blogger Nikki Peele wrote a long post on her blog, Congress Heights on the Rise, noting several problems with the installation of "new" parking meters in Anacostia.

Today, Peele noted, "It took less than 24 hours" for the District Department of Transportation to move on the meters.

In addition to rates being wrong—the meters charged the downtown D.C. rate of 25 cents for 7.5 minutes, instead of 75 cents for an hour—the meters didn't take credit cards, charged for Saturday parking, and were of "poor, tacky quality." It looked like they were removed from Northwest and installed in Anacostia without a second thought.

I talked to Peele, who says that while she isn't sure what the final solution for paid parking should be, "It probably starts with comment engagement; sitting down with the community and the BID [Anacostia Business Improvement District]." Multispace meters should be an option.

Overall, Peele says the process was "a series of failures and they all track back to things that people here already perceive: That residents of Anacostia deserve lower quality and less engagement."

Besides taking out the meters, DDOT boss Terry Bellamy posted an apology on the agency's blog:

I want to thank the residents and community leaders who have contacted me about the installation of parking meters on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue in Anacostia. Let me begin by saying that I have directed our staff to remove the parking meters today. They were installed without notice to the community, an oversight I apologize for on behalf of DDOT.... Again, thank you for being passionate about your community and for contacting me about this issue. It is our goal to provide equal service to every ward and every resident of the District, and we welcome your help in ensuring we do it right.

Photo courtesy Nikki Peele

Chris Shott

Despite the owner's arrest on Nov. 1, business has carried on as usual at the eatery. Just last week, the venue hosted a viewing party for the premier of Anacostia: The Web Series. Stopping in over the weekend, WaPo describes a pretty typical scene: "A handful of diners sipped iced tea and beer while watching college football on the restaurant’s flat-screen televisions, and a pair of employees chatted at the granite bar."

How long that lasts remains to be seen. A conviction in Dasher's case would no doubt pose serious consequences to Uniontown's future. Regulators tend to frown upon felons holding liquor licenses—though there have been exceptions.

Read the rest at Y&H.

Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place, SE.  Aug. 21st.  BK Adams Exhibition, "Exercise Your Mind".

Bar-Kays and More at Fort Dupont Park, Aug. 6th.  Full Gallery © 2011 Matt Dunn

photo by Darrow Montgomery

Somebody's gotta win.

Remember when Michelle Rhee pronounced the vote against her boss as "devastating for the children of D.C.," the cockiest  utterance from a D.C. public official since Marion Barry's "Get over it!"? (Yeah, Rhee is a public official. I just looked it up.)

Well, it's real tough to view Rhee's leaving, if that's what she's promising us, as much of a loss when looking at tonight's football matchup of Coolidge and Anacostia. The athletic programs at both schools are a mess—neither team has won a game yet, for starters—and their problems are symptomatic of larger ills within DCPS athletics that Rhee, megalomania notwithstanding, has done nothing to cure.

Coolidge, a regular Turkey Bowl contender in recent years, goes into the game 0-5, and has been outscored 125-37. The team is now in the hands of first-year head coach Natalie Randolph, who, much like Rhee, didn't have a fit resume when she was handed the job but looks good on a magazine cover. Coolidge, as a school, isn't really even run by DCPS any more. Rhee turned the school over to Friends of Bedford, some New York-based education reform clique, and they hired Randolph. It's not Randolph's fault she was hired, and Rhee could learn a lot by watching Randolph, who has been humble and hardworking as her squad's taken its lumps.

Anacostia, meanwhile, isn't really even run by DCPS any more, either. Rhee turned its management over to a charter school, Friendship Public Charter School. Anacostia, which had the best football program in the city 20 years ago, is 0-4 and has been outscored 130-12. Anacostia didn't even field a team at the beginning of the 2010 season. The Indians were forced to forfeit their opening game with Gonzaga because there weren't enough kids on the roster.

That's a pretty good indicator of the competence of the Friendship administrators Rhee gave the school to. Nicely done!

The athletic problems at these schools, and all of Rhee's DCIAA high schools, run way beyond the football field. Both Coolidge and Anacostia, like all of Rhee's schools not named Wilson, treat girl athletes like they don't exist. For all the years she's held the title chancellor—somehow, even her title is obnoxious—the utter absence of girls' sports teams is on Rhee, too.

What's devastating, again?

The citizen crime fighters are revving up to, among other things, continue patrolling Metro this summer.

As founding member John Ayala points out in an email, riders could certainly use the safeguarding:

"In the month of May, there was a 17 yr old shot on a metro bus, a grandmother ass[a]ulted on a metro bus, a 15 yr old girl sexually ass[a]ulted outside a metro station, a 21 yr old man was fatally stabbed at a metro station and there have been several fights on Metro buses and trains and the summer has not begun."

Ayala says this summer the Angels will be keeping an eye on on both trains and buses, and also conducting "foot patrols in Chinatown, Anacostia and other places thoughout the city."

If you're not familiar with the do-gooder group, it consists of trained volunteers, armed with nothing but radios, who help out cops when they need it, break up fights, and generally protect those who need protecting. All while wearing a red beret.

Unfortunately for Ayala and crew, they'll likely be doing so completely broke. That's no exaggeration. Ayala tells City Desk: "Our account in DC is actually zero."

Ayala founded the local Guardian Angel chapter 21 years ago, when drugs and violence plagued D.C. streets with an intensity that makes many who experienced that time shudder.

One reason the organization is broke, he says, is that in the two decades they've been fighting for DC, the city hasn't given the group a single dime.

Ayala says he's tried to get money from the District in the past but was discouraged by all the "red tape" he has to go through.

That the city has never chipped in to help the Guardian Angels would seem amazing, as the bereted criminal stoppers have rarely shied away from putting themselves on the line for their city. Ayala has a wound to prove it.

Back in the 90s, when the Angels were running an operation they called "Crack Down on Crack," Ayala took an ice pick to the back.
"We got into a big throwdown," he recalls of the incident in Southwest D.C. Around the same time, he says, another Angel was clobbered with a baseball bat, and had to have a steel rod put in his arm.

Still, none of the blood spilled by Angels has earned them any cash.
Ayala says it's been hard to get by. The Angels can't afford an office right now, and have a hard time paying for uniforms. New recruits need to be outfitted with pants, t-shirts, and boots, plus a jacket with the angel logo on it.

The cost can run more than a $100 per recruit. Ayala once hoped to cover the expense through citizen donations, but that hope has fallen flat.

The last public donation the group got was for $200, he says, and that was a year ago. That means the expense of getting a uniform and paying bus and train fares comes out of the pocket of the individual crime fighter. "Sometimes it discourages the guys who go on partol," says Ayala.

Despite the shallow pockets, Ayala sometimes thinks the lack of public funding is a blessing, considering how other nonprofits have gotten millions from the city, and squandered it. "The guys are messing it up for other nonprofits," says Ayala.

It's obvious that Ayala is talking about the Peaceaholics organization, an anti-violence group made up of reformed criminals. The organization–which works with at-risk youth–has enjoyed municipal support in the form of multiple grants.

Ayala says the Angels have run similar programs for youth without getting much support for it. He says the Angels have done school presentations that teach youth about issues like bullying and date rape.
Ayala scoffs at the idea that the ex-offenders have supposedly been given so much help because, regarding violence, "they've been there."

"Well, we're Angels," he says, "We've been there, too."

Metro Deputy Police Chief Mark Olson says reports of violence and disorderly conduct on the transit system are actually down this year. But trouble spots remain. Olson lists the District's most unruly transit hubs as Tenleytown/AU, Minnesota Avenue, Anacostia, Brookland-CUA and Fort Totten.

In related news: The Examiner reports that Metro's recent fare hike isn't doing enough to cover the rail system's budget shortfall:

The reason why Metro is in such straits is because it fell short of its ridership estimates in each of the first nine months in the current fiscal year, for a 9 percent ridership drop below expectations...

Perhaps they should start charging riders extra to watch all these "Metro Gladiators" in action.

The city's new 5-cent fee on them—save the Anacostia!—has GOPers picketing, residents running into Maryland and Virginia to shop, and Politics & Prose ditching the mints.

But on any given Sunday, residents can still find an abundance of free plastic bags (free bags for the elite!) at the Dupont Circle Fresh Farm Market, writes Ed Bruske at The Slow Cook. Why? Because farmers markets are exempt from charging a bag fee, says Bernie Prince, co-director at the Fresh Farm Market. Where does the irony end?   

Charles Allen, chief of staff for Tommy Wells, Ward 6 councilmember and the lead sponsor of the bag fee legislation, was surprised to hear this. “When you shop at the farmers market, green beans inside a bag, there’s no fee on that bag," he says. But since there still is a transaction going on, or a so-called "point of sale”—like, when you go to pay for those beans and you walk away with them in a plastic bag—it would seem there should be a charge, he says.

Ultimately, the District Department of Environment (DDOE) is responsible for the interpretation and implementation of the bill, Allen says. So City Desk contacted DDOE. But DDOE had to contact the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) for a bit of assistance: Under the act, a business is required to charge a bag fee if it has to hold a public health and retail license, and that's DCRA's purview. DCRA did not respond to a request for comment.

“We encourage our customers to bring their own canvas bags or baskets, which many of them do.…To be honest, I am uncertain why they [Fresh Farm Market] have not instituted the 5-cent charge,” says Nick Lapham, who sells his produce at Fresh Farm.

Says Prince: “We want to be part of the action here.” But inquiries from Fresh Farm on how to implement the program have gone unanswered by DDOE, Prince says. “We have 40 farmers, it’s not like CVS, with one store with a central checkout.”

So grab those free plastic bags before they disappear. But, hey, bringing your own buckets for those blueberries may not be so bad.

Like politics, coffee needs heat
Which comes when you choose to compete
And speaking of chairs
(Arriving in pairs)
This coffee shop's new on the street

What I want to know: Has Gray's very public waffling on the subject hurt him? Has it slowed down legislation as everyone at the Wilson Building waits for Gray to make his decision? And what other local leaders should people be pushing to run? Yesterday's Post story on Gray sure didn't help him. What was he thinking, what were his advisers thinking?

The Washington Teacher gives a thumbs down to Rhee's interview with Anderson Cooper last week [video link]. Blogger writes:

"Just more of the same of Rhee on her soap box with unedited teacher bashing . Many who watched Michelle Rhee on Cooper's Thursday evening show were infuriated about the production of 'What's Next -Education ?' If you were watching, the answer to that question is more of the same. Stay tuned for more firings, more firings and more firings by Chancellor Michelle Rhee."

And Now, Anacostia reports on the opening of Big Chair Coffee. DCist was there too. And so was our resident real estate expert! The shop looks like it sure beats the grocery-store Starbucks.

The Heights Life has the rundown on Columbia Heights' top Netflix rentals. Pretty mainstream! Benjamin Button? WTF. Seven Pounds? Slumdog Millionaire? Not very hipster! Where's the fuckin' mumblecore!?

Frozen Tropics has the agenda for tonight's PSA 102 meeting covering youth violence.

"In numerous staff meetings, my administration has told teachers that our students are failing because we're not using engaging instruction or making meaningful c onnections. My response, rather than acknowledging that there are times when my lessons aren't engaging, is to blame student failure on others by saying, "the kids don't come and the administrators don't support us on discipline issues." Of course, the latter comment is true — attendance is terrible and administrators at my school often do nothing with discipline issues that have been referred tot hem. But sometimes the former is true, too."

Congress Heights On The Rise asks the inevitable question: Where's a good place to eat in the neighborhood? Options are still slim enough that the blogger must mention the "hot bar at Giant." Checkout our own roundup from a few years back; fuck it, our archive search sucks. One last complaint: DO WE REALLY HAVE TO CALL YOUR PATCH OF REAL ESTATE, RIVER EAST? Readers want facts, not marketing schemes. Or maybe they want marketing, I don't know.

DCmud diligently and expertly chronicles the latest twists and turns in the Skyland Town Center development proposed for Good Hope Road and Alabama Ave. This is a must read for development junkies. Apparently a zoning hearing ran to three hours with people airing complaints regarding the massive mixed-use project:

"ANC-7B submitted a letter of support, but it listed approximately 20 concerns or items that needed further discussions, including concerns over traffic mitigation, litter control, and promised transportation enhancements. One group of neighbors, the Ft. Baker Drive Party, remains in complete opposition citing concerns over, naturally, the proximity of the planned development to their homes."

Frozen Tropics recounts their holiday travel hell.

The Georgetown Metropolitan offers New Year's Eve recommendations.

"So even in a case where there's photo, video, and lots of twitter-tastic participants, it was still a struggle to get the media to get the story right.

Does the Post care that MPD told it a story that wasn't true? Will this affect how the Post sees allegations from MPD in the future when there arern't cameras there?"

If you haven't already, you should read And Now, Anacostia's story of their Christmas Party Holdup.

The Washington Teacher has some very interesting analysis of those much hyped math scores.

Frozen Tropics has a good rundown of old theaters on H Street.

Life In Mount Vernon Square has problems trying to get a car towed:

"If you live in a building, what is the towing policy? I spent my entire weekend trying to get the police to ticket the car illegally parked in my underground spot. The police never came (hopefully because of the snow), so I had to wait 48 hours until the driver left my building and my owned spot. Any advice on how to deal with these situations?"

The Georgetown Metropolitan gets all wonky on a Metro bus line.

The 42 reports that Mount Pleasant Main Street has been awarded a DDOT grant worth $240,000.

"From the looks of the online comments on The WaPo website, it seems like Rhee has lost favor with many of her former supporters. I remember when Rhee first came to DC to reign as Chancellor of our public schools over two years ago. At that time Rhee's support base consisted of many willing to give her the benefit of the doubt despite her obvious lack of credentials and experience in public education . Fast forward to 2009 and take a look at the latest newsworthy event about Rhee's de-throning of another favored DC principal, Patrick Pope who has been principal at Hardy middle school for over a decade."

Barry Farm (Re)Mixed reports on their own real estate issues: "My property is 'underwater' or for those of you who don't know...I owe more than my house is worth (negative equity).  I just did the math off of a recent sale in my association of a foreclosure, and I can't even bring myself to say out loud, just how underwater I am.  But I can afford my monthly payments, so being in negative equity should have no material impact on my life.  My house is my home, and since I need a roof over my head, I should be ok...right?"

Southwest...The Little Quadrant That Could reports that the Market Inn has been demolished.

And Now, Anacostia reports that a historic building has been saved from the wrecking ball.

The Vinyl District wants you to know that there are four awesome D.C. record stores within a 15-20 minute walk. Blogger is offering cash to anyone who writes in the sweetest appreciation.

The Georgetown Metropolitan has the complete rundown of the Hardy PTA meeting with Rhee over the principal change:

"Rhee began her remarks by stating that Hardy’s arts integration program is a model both for the city and the nation. She further stated that not withstanding any personnel changes at Hardy, the arts program will remain. She then segued into announcing that a new performing arts magnet school would be created and that Patrick Pope was offered the position to design, plan, implement and lead the new school. He will remain principal through this school year. Next year Dana Nerenberg would take over the principal function of Hardy on top of her responsibilities at Hyde-Addison. Patrick Pope would then take a year to create the new school. While implied, it was not 100% clear that he will actually be the principal of the new school when it opens in 2012."

The 42 covers the recent art sale that supported an area nonprofit.