Washington City Paper: Contents for Feb. 25

Helter Shelter
After 16 years and $15 million, is it time to turn out the lights at the Federal City Shelter?

Cover Story

After 16 years and $15 million, is it time to turn out the lights at the Federal City Shelter?

Photographs by Charles Steck

Marsha Gordon didn't get to sit for an exit interview when she finally left the shelter. There was no unloading of her locker, no packing of her personal effects, no returning of the donated wool blanket, no waving goodbye out the double doors of the three-story Federal City Shelter, the place she had called home for three months. The Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), which staffs the building, will never find out that she liked to sing in the morning, treat herself to breakfast at Burger King before heading over to the methadone clinic, and then spend an afternoon window-shopping through Chinatown. And the workers will never find out that Gordon had finally kicked a big-time heroin habit.

All that remains of Gordon is a four-page intake sheet. She moved into the shelter Nov. 1. Her bed number was C6. Her signature glides confidently across the appropriate lines, after the appropriate sobriety pledges and insurance clauses. No reason is listed for her coming to live among the 150 other hungry women and children on the 2-South women's floor.

The staff can only muster "She had a sweet smile," and "She was a beautiful person"--nice words, but descriptions as generic as carnations.... Continued

Issue of Feb. 25 - Mar. 2, 2000

News and Features

Helter Shelter
After 16 years and $15 million, is it time to turn out the lights at the Federal City Shelter?
Cover Story By Jason Cherkis
Phoning It In
Tony Williams makes a recording. We dig up the outtakes.
The City By Michael Schaffer
Unreal Estate
Charter schools find that there's little room for them in D.C. Public School buildings--even when the buildings are empty.
The City By Laura Lang
Greyhound Bus Station
The City By Judith Larsen
Now in Theaters
The Mail By Caroline Polk
Deep Background
The Mail By William Foote
Recovery Room
The Mail By Thomas C. McDaniels Jr.
Making the Law Review
The Mail By Bob Summersgill
Upper Crust
The Mail By Eric Brody
Co-Op America
The Mail By James Decker

Columns

The Cat in the Hat
Cheap Seats By Dave McKenna
School's Out Forever
Loose Lips By Erik Wemple
Late Night With Arlene
City Desk By Laura Lang
Guilding the Lilith
City Desk By Laura Lang
10-4 on Mayhem
City Desk By Andrew Katz

Eats

Pho Your Own Good
Young & Hungry By Brett Anderson

Movies

Stab Imperial
Film Review By Mark Jenkins
You Would Even Say It Blows
Film Review By Arion Berger
Portrait of the Artist as a Big Mess
Film Review By Joel E. Siegel

Music

Oswego Crazy
Acts Locally By John Davis

Theater

Prep Shop Boys
Theater Review By Bob Mondello

Arts and Events

Just for the Record
The Outsider Click says: Don't believe the hype--even about the band.
Arts By Elissa Silverman
Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
Art Review By Jessica Dawson
Makes Me Wanna Shout
Dance Review By Ayesha Morris
Children of the Grave
Artifacts By Brett Anderson
Rites and Wrongs
Artifacts By Holly Bass
The PC Ate My Homework
Artifacts By Louis Jacobson