Looks like word of our neighborhood’s ongoing battle over the proposed Brookland’s Finest restaurant has spread far enough that WJLA ABC 7 News came out to cover it today. Here is a link to the story. Let’s hope for future news stories about the great things going on in Brookland instead of our divisions.

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We are happy to report that Licking Creek Bend Farm, a sustainable farm located in Pennsylvania will be returning to supply Brookland with their amazing selection of fresh produce.  Every year we swoon for their juicy peaches, heirloom tomatoes, nectarines and corn. In addition to the amazing produce, there are others vendors selling breads, home-made granola, pastries and more. I encourage all  Brooklanders to come out and support our farmers market! The market sets up every Tuesday from 4:00m – 7:00pm under the Drew Bridge (Michigan St.)  north of the Brookland Metro. Here are some photos from last year’s farmer’s market.

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On Saturday, we posted the agenda for May’s ANC 5B meeting, which was held last night. The agenda listed three items: the Metropolitan Police Department, DC Public Works, and the Office of People’s Council. So, we thought it would be a pretty uneventful meeting. Little did we know that ANC 5B-04 Commissioner Steptoe would introduce a resolution, and the Commission would take a vote, to protest the Brookland’s Finest liquor license by the end of the meeting. From what we understand, the resolution was procedurally sound. Commissioners are allowed to introduce resolutions under “new business”, which is always an agenda item (though not listed on the meeting’s notice – as detailed agendas are not required on those).  For those of you interested, here is a video of the portion of the meeting regarding the Brookland’s Finest liquor license.

The vote resulted on a 3 to 1 decision. Commissioners Steptoe, Jones, and Higgins voted to protest and Commissioner Bridge voted against the protest. Many readers have reached out to us asking how they can support the Brookland’s Finest team and make this restaurant a reality. A member of the community created a Yahoo! Group in the support of the restaurant  – you can join here. Really though, to be profitable, a restaurant like this needs a liquor license. The Brookland’s Finest team has applied to DC’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) for a ”Tavern” license. At this point, since the ANC Commissioners have voted already, you may write to ABRA directly expressing your support. ABRA will take the ANC 5B vote result into consideration, but they also consider other factors. ABRA can be contacted at: 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 400S  Washington, DC 20009. Email: abra@dc.gov Phone: (202) 442-4423.

You may want to let your ANC Commissioner know how you feel about their vote.  Most of Brookland is divided into 5 Single Member Districts (SMDs), each represented by a Commissioner. As a whole, it is called ANC 5B.   The ANC 5B Commissioners are as follows and the mailing address of ANC 5B is: ANC 5B Office, 1322 Irving Street, NE Washington DC 20017. Here are their email addresses and a map of ANC 5B so you can figure out who is your ANC Commissioner.

(5B-01) Shirley Rivens-Smith –   5b01@anc.dc.gov
(5B-02) Ursula Higgins –   5b02@anc.dc.gov
(5B-03) Tiffany Bridge  –  5b03@anc.dc.goc
(5B-04) Carolyn C. Steptoe –  5b04@anc.dc.gov
(5B-05) Jenese L. Jones –  5b05@anc.dc.gov

ANC 5B Boundries 2013

ANC 5B Boundries 2013

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Anyone familiar with the playground at the Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy off Irving St. between 13th and 14th knows that the old playground was rusted and in pretty bad condition, to the point that neighbors were making small fixes on the equipment themselves. The great news is that the old playground has been removed and replaced by a new fantastic one!

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This was a true community/school partnership, and as of last Saturday the playground is open to the public. A lot of work went into making the new playground and garden a reality, many thanks go to the following:

  • School founder Dr. Linda McKay, who put the playground upgrade on the school’s front burner.
  • KaBOOM!, the incredible D.C.-based national nonprofit that works to promote play for children.
  • The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. They not only provided a huge financial contribution, but about 100 Marriott employees volunteered on site as part of Marriott’s Global Day of Service.
  • Casey Trees, which not only graciously donated plants, but many wheelbarrows and tools as well.
  • Abbot Klar Real Estate Group came through with a large financial donation that enabled organizer to meet the required community match
  • Brookland Neighbors, who organized, volunteered, lent tools and made donations
This project shows what is possible when our wonderful Brookland community comes together with the help of great organizations and sponsors. GO BROOKLAND!

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Umkhathi Theatre Works – Photo Courtesy of Dance Place

From May 28 – June 2, Dance Africa will be back. Amanda Blythe of the Marketing Department at Dance Place told us a little bit about this popular annual event:

Now in its 26th year, Dance Africa, DC is roaring down 8th St NE again! A full week of events celebrating the music, dance, and culture of the African Diaspora, Dance Africa, DC 2013 will feature master classes, an outdoor African Marketplace, and some of the best African dance companies in DC with special guests Umkhathi Theatre Works from Zimbabwe! We want the whole neighborhood to join us out in the summer sunshine for this event!

You can buy tickets, view related videos and download the events calendar here. Here is a rundown of the events and info:

Master Classes - Register on line

African Marketplace - June 2- 3 from noon to sunset with arts and crafts, food and free performances:

Saturday, June 1
12:00-12:15pm: Dance Place Step Team
12:30-1:15pm: People, Objects, Play
1:30-2:00pm: Ethiokal
3:30-4:15pm: Balloon Art & Stilt-Walking
6:30-7:00pm: DC Casineros
7:00-7:30pm: Greater Little Zion Church Choir

Sunday, June 2:
12:00-12:15pm: Dance Place Step Team
12:30-1:15pm: Hula Hooping
1:30-2:00pm: Tam Tam Mandigue
3:30-4:15pm: Balloon Art & Stilt-Walking
6:30-7:00pm: Line Dancing with Lorenzo Evans
7:00-7:30pm: Greater Little Zion Church Choir

Indoor Performances

Saturday, June 1
2pm – Ezibu Muntu & Umkhathi Theatre Works
5pm – Coyaba Dance Theater’s Village Celebration
8pm – Coyaba Dance Theater & Umkhathi Theatre Works

Sunday, June 2
2pm- KanKouran West African Dance Company & Umkhathi Theatre Works
5pm – Coyaba Dance Theater’s Village Celebration
8pm- Farafina Kan & Umkhathi Theater Works 

Tickets:

2pm Matinee Performances
$20 Advance Sales (ends midnight on Sunday, May 26)
$25 General Admission
$10 Children (17 & under)

5pm Village Celebration
$5 General Admission
Family Series – Free for children 12 & under

8pm Evening
$25 Advance Sales (ends midnight on Sunday, May 26)
$30 General Admission
$10 Children (17 & under)

Dance Place is located at 3225 8th St NE

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Logo Courtesy Of Langdon Dog Park Association

Logo Courtesy Of Langdon Dog Park Association

Brookland dog lovers are lucky to have Langdon Dog Park so close to our neighborhood. But while it is relatively new and one of the largest dog parks in DC, users complain that  they often find the park to be empty. This sort of negates one of the benefits of bringing your pooch to the park, the social interaction that well adjusted dogs need. So, some neighbors came with a solution; if  there was a designated time that neighbors take their dogs to the park, it would help to better utilize the park. So, the Langdon Doggie Happy Hour was born. The Happy Hour will be every Wednesday from 6:00 – 7:00 pm at Langdon Dog Park. The park’s entrance is the unpaved road off 20th St NE between Franklin and Hamlin Streets.

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901 Monroe (Col. Brooks’) Development Court Case Remanded Back To Zoning Commission

May 19, 2013

It has been a while since we learned anything new about the ongoing legal battle between the 901 Monroe Development and the “200 Footers” – a group of residents who filed a court case seeking to overturn the Office of Planning’s decision to allow the development. We listened in on the oral arguments of the court case on April 11th, and [...]

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ANC 5B May Meeting This Wednesday – MPD, DC Public Works, People’s Council On The Agenda

May 18, 2013

The Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5B Monthly Community Meeting will take place this Wednesday, May 22, 2013 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. Here is the flyer for the meeting:

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Art Enables Call To Ward 5 Artists – Submission Deadline Is June 12th

May 17, 2013

Those of us who follow the Ward 5 arts scene know that Art Enables is a local powerhouse of positive vibes with a fantastic mission. The non-profit organization represents over thirty artists with developmental disabilities and provides them with the resources they need to become visual artists, and 60% of revenue from sales. However, Art Enables also has interesting and [...]

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Brookland/Ward 5 LGBT Fundraiser For Councilmember McDuffie’s Pride Parade Participation

May 16, 2013

For this year’s Capitol Pride Parade, many of us are out to show the rest of DC that Ward 5 has a strong LGBT community and that it is a gay friendly place to live. For about three years now, a Brookland-based  group of LGBT residents have been getting together about once a month to socialize and  by [...]

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