The Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild
ANNUAL HERB & PLANT SALE
FRANCISCAN MONASTERY
1400 Quincy Street NE, Washington, DC 20017
Saturday, April 24, 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday, April 25, 8 am to 3:30 pm

A few weeks ago I was working with some friends at the Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild in the Brookland area and they reminded me about the Annual Herb and Plant Sale this weekend. Just take the Red Line to Brookland and walk or bike up the hill to the Monastery. I'm told the prices and selection can't be beat. This is also the weekend for the National Arboretum's Annual Plant Sale. Open to the public, Saturday, April 24, 9 am - 4 pm, 3501 New York Avenue NE.

Bird of Paradise in the Monastery's green house a few weeks ago.

Home grown monastery roses.

Tulips at their peak a few weeks back.

Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild:

300 spectacular roses: HT’s, Floribundas, Climbers, Miniatures, some English and Antiques, Landscapers and Shrubs. More Azaleas and Camellias from the same supplier that provides these products to only the elite nurseries in this area—we are able to offer these at a significantly reduced price. Look for Dogwoods, Crepe Myrtles and Stewartias this year. There will possible be a smattering of additional deciduous trees of high quality available. In addition to small landscaping plants, we will offer Blueberry, Grape, and Raspberry vines. We hope that we have ordered enough as they always sell out.

The organic herbs, so reasonably priced, are a standard — we’ve doubled our order for basil. We have added an additional supplier of annuals to provide a greater variety while maintaining our quality standards. Some new varieties of perennials will be added to the familiar Washington DC standbys.

Our Vendors will offer everything from pottery to handmade dolls, from maple syrup products to gardening paraphernalia. A new food vendor will be another highlight of the sale. You don’t have to worry about being hungry!

There will be a LIMITED SUPPLY of MONASTERY HONEY and BEESWAX SOAP available at 10 AM SATURDAY MORNING!

4pm, Saturday, April 24
Historical Society of Washington, 801 K Street, NW,
DC Council Chair Vincent Gray Mayoral Campaign Kickoff .

Join Vince Gray and supporters from across the District for our campaign kickoff event this Saturday at the Historical Society of Washington. The building is located near the Mt. Vernon/Convention Center stop on Metro’s Green & Yellow Line. Free refreshments will be served. VinceGrayForMayor.com.

The CCCA hopes Mr Gray and other officials running for public office will join for a joint community association candidates forum which will be announced later this year.

Identify - New series of work by Mike Weber
Thursday, April 22 at 6:30pm
Long View Gallery, 1234 9th St NW

"In his first solo exhibition with Long View Gallery, Mike Weber explores concepts of commemoration and heritage (including his own lineage), as he symbolically reinvents the life stories of his unknown or forgotten subjects. He selectively edits and reframes vintage photographs, which derive from both his family's collection and estate sales, into newly composed digital prints on canvas. This process of converting an analog photograph into a digital copy unearths previously overlooked details that shed light on the biography of the sitter and his/her relationship with the faceless photographer. Weber augments these details with layers of paint, unorthodox collage materials, and high-gloss resin, intensifying the mood of the original photograph. The inclusion of scant, stenciled text invites the viewer to speculate the historical importance of the depicted sitter. Ultimately, Weber's artistic praxis ascribes a new narrative to his source materials and re-presents them as glossy, modern images. "

Jazz In The Garden
Marion Street Intergenerational Garden
Friday, April 23
Show starts at 8pm Music starts at 7pm, Art begins at 7:30pm

Several weeks ago banished?productions began exhibiting "ballades mechanique ver 2.0", a wonderful story-telling machine installation that tells three simple stories using shadows projected on one of the garden's walls. These stories of what always is, what used to be and what is to come trace the evolution and the oral history of the empty lot the garden is starting to occupy.

Join CiityBlossoms and local neigbhors for one of the last shows on Friday April 23rd. The art piece will be set up and starting at 7:30pm. From 7-9pm, this event will also feature Live Brazilian Jazz from DC Choro Ensemble: Gigi Macaxeira -- accordeon and vocals, Andy Mocoto -- sax and clarinet, Bryan Mugunza -- harmonica, Pablo Rapadura -- cavaco, Richard Sarapatel -- 7 string guitar.

This will be relaxed potluck-style so bring something to share if you'd like and we'll bring some snacks too! Can't make it in person? Check out pictures on banished?productions facebook page and be a fan!

credits & thank yous, as follows:
Designed & Fabricated by Niell DuVal
Concept & Direction by Carmen C. Wong
Art assistance by Wan Chun Wu
Special thanks to Max Menna
CityBlossoms is sponsoring this event.
The CCCA will be sponsoring the music for this event

THIRD DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL 
7:30-9 pm, Thursday, April 22
3rd District Police Headquarters, 1620 V Street, NW

Commander Jacob Kishter will give his report.
MPD Chief Cathy Lanier will lead a discussion on “MPD and the Community Partners in keeping our community safe!”

For more information, contact:
STANLEY J. MAYES, 3D CAC CHAIRMAN (202) 328-1368
Marco Santiago, 3D Outreach Coordinator (202) 671-6604

DPR is working on installing new lights in the New Jersey Ave & O Street park. Lights should make the area much safer for those walking near the park at night, allowing fewer hiding places for nefarious activity while making it easier for the MPD to do surveillance in the area at night. DPR may be installing two additional light posts to the that already exist in the park. Plans include installing new energy efficient LED fixtures (like the one on four the left) that will provide a clean, bright light that will flood areas that are currently shroded in darkness. The existing light posts might even be replaced with 14-16 ft posts. All of the new lights will have “house-side shields” to limit light shining into the adjacent residences.

Earth Day Climate Rally
National Mall – Sunday, April 25, 2010

Earth Day Network will organize a massive climate rally on The National Mall to demand Congress pass strong legislation as the 40th anniversary of Earth Day is quickly approaching, but the United States has failed to enact a comprehensive climate bill. The Climate Rally will include notable speakers Reverend Jesse Jackson, film director, James Cameron and feature entertainment by Sting, John Legend, The Roots, Jimmy Cliff, Joss Stone, Mavis Staples and many others.

Volunteer with WABA.org to be support the free BikeValet that will be available at the event.

PSA 308 Lt Jefferey Carroll made an announcement and passed around a detailed flier at the MVSNA meeting last night about an additional person, listed on the MPD Sex Offender Registry, now residing on the 1500 b/o 8th Street NW. This seems to bring the total to 9 persons currently listed on the registry as living on the 1500 block of 8th St NW.

In the interest of public safety and awareness, it would be interesting and helpful to see the gun offender registry — currently being considered by the DC Council in the "Neighborhood and Victims Rights Amendment of 2010' — also made public. Residents and those looking to buy or rent in the area might be interested in knowing how many gun offenders reside in an area before they spend their money and commit to housing and bringing their families into the area. A person who is guilty of threatening, doing injury or taking the life of another person while using a gun should not be deserving of more rights and privacy than a person listed on the sex offender registry. It would be helpful if such a gun offender registry included juvenile gun offenders since they are just as likely to take away human life with a gun as an adult.

http://sexoffender.dc.gov
The Sex Offender Registration Act of 1999 established a sex offender registration program for the District of Columbia and authorizes the Metropolitan Police Department to release sex offender information to the public. A list of Class A and Class B registered sex offenders is provided on this website as a service to the community. The public may review the entire sex offender registry by visiting one of the Police Districts or the Sex Offender Registry Unit. Address information is provided at the block level only; no specific addresses are provided. As a result, users should note that, at times, it may appear as if multiple offenders reside at a specific address. This is not always the case. You are cautioned that information provided on this website is information of record and may not reflect the current residence, place of employment, school, status, or other information concerning the registrant (offender). Please note that unless specifically indicated, these individuals are not wanted by the police at this time. Unlawful use of this information to threaten, intimidate, harass, or injure a registered sex offender will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

At the MVSNA meeting tonight, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells stated that he is opposed to the use of the Bundy vacant lot for parking and suggested that the tenants of the Bundy School be encouraged to use the abundant transportation options in the vicinity as alternatives to using individual cars.

It seems that Wells was informed by the ANC6C decision last year, in support of the vacant lot being used as a community amenity, and he has stayed engaged with the local community and vocal on related issues. His statements reflect the documented concerns of several hundred (and still counting) residents in the area as well as that of the elected ANC Commissioner who officially represents at least 2000 residents in the surrounding SMD. Councilmember Wells offered an excellent perspective on the topic since he is a leader on such issues all over the city as a member of the Committee on Public Services and Transportation.

Ironically, Mr Evans and Mayor Fenty have been less vocal on the public nuisance, crime magnet and blight caused by the vacant lot currently being used for parking. Evans has been silent about and ignored the plans that date back to the 1960's which suggest the lot be used as a community amenity, not a parking lot. (It seems only fair that Ward 6 Councilmember comment on a vacant lot in Ward 2 since at the previous MVSNA meeting, Ward 2 Councilmember Evans was supportive of residents who did not want a parking lot at 5th & I in Ward 6. '' PARKING LOTS DO US NO GOOD, '' were Mr Evans exact words about the parking lot in Ward 6. [ See: http://ccca-online.org/EvansMarchMVSNA ] )

The lot at Bundy should be secured and closed off to all use until it can be converted into the community amenity it was meant to be. Hopefully, Mr Evans will show the same concern and leadership for Ward 2 residents that he expressed on behalf of Ward 6 residents.

Stars&Pipes: Addiction
8pm-2am, Tuesday, April 20
1314 9th Street NW

The owners of the Cre8 Space/Studio/Gallery are presenting a new show, Stars&Pipes, tonight through May 19. The exhibition will include a variety of events from panel discussions, a movie night, community debate and other events related to the current exhibit. Contact starsandpipes@gmail.com for more information.

Gallery owners Francis and Erwin