NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE COORDINATORS
Mayor Williams has appointed a coordinator for each Ward to see that service
requests are handled, and to try to resolve some of the more complex and
chronic problems. There was a story on this in the February 15 Washington
Post. They work with teams of representatives from DPW, MPD, DCRA, Fire,
health, transportation, etc. If  there's a problem that doesn't seem to be
getting fixed, the person to call for Ward 3 is Phil Heinrich, 3310
Connecticut Ave, 282-7952,
e-mail -- phil.heinrich@dc.gov.
 
 

FUNDRAISER FOR THE LIBRARY
From:   Marthans@aol.com (Martha Saccocio)
A fundraiser for the Friends of the Tenley Library will be held on Thursday,
March 8 from 5-8 pm at the just-opened Chipotle Mexican Grill at 4301
Wisconsin Avenue (across the street from the Fire House).  Adults $10, kids
$5 (under 2 free).  Come have a burrito, hear some live Mariachi music, and
support your local library.
 
 

BE ON THE ALERT
**** From: Infomang@aol.com (Carla)
A gentleman who introduced himself as Mr. Newman just came to my door
offering to rake my leaves.  He was pretty insistent, saying he was  just
trying to make ends meet....I just wanted to let you know in case he is one
of the people who we are watching out for.  Black, about 6ft., nice looking,
wore a stocking hat and had a cigarette in his hand.

The police warn us over and over to not hire folks like this who come to the
door. Too often they are scammers and crooks, and may even turn violent.
-- KS
 

**** From: maudlin@alum.mit.edu (Robert V. Maudlin)
Since the beginning of the year PSA 201 (Chevy Chase and Forest Hills)
has recorded thefts from 43 vehicles of area residents.
While working in conjunction with the  Montgomery County
Police Department, we have developed the following lookout for two
suspects and their vehicle. These suspects are targeting vehicles parked
around
houses under construction, or being remodeled, most often stolen during
these thefts are power tools and other construction equipment. The
thefts are occurring Monday thru Friday, between 9:00am and 4:00pm, but they
have been known to strike as late as 6:00pm.

Suspect #1. Black male, 30 to 39 years old, 5' 10" to 6', about 175lbs,
he has a mustache and was last seen wearing a black jacket and thin brimmed
hat.
Suspect #2. Black female, 5' 5", Light skin with a round face.
Vehicle: Mid to late 1990's green Honda, with a dent/rust on the right
front fender, possibly having DC tags.
PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
 
 

WHERE SHOULD WE DRAW THE (DISTRICT) LINE?
From:   anc3b@att.net (Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3B)
ANC3B invites you to discuss plans for redistricting in Ward 3 and across the
city with Phil Mendelson, At-Large Councilmember and Chair, Council
Subcommittee on Labor, Voting Rights & Redistricting and Kathy Patterson,
Ward 3 Councilmember on Thursday, March 8, 2001 at 7:30 p.m at the Guy Mason
Recreation Center on 3600 Calvert Street, NW.
 
 

LOCAL FLORISTS
From: sarahbarnett@msn.com  (Sarah Barnett)
In response to the Flowers from FTD.com, may I suggest in the future, you
use one of our two excellent local florist shops, Johnson's or York.  My
son telephoned Johnson's from NYC, told them what kind of flowers he wanted
included; my beautiful flowers arrived on Saturday, the day before my
birthday and they were exactly as he had asked them.  Johnson's Flower &
Garden Center is 202-244-6100; York Flowers Inc has two numbers:
202-726-2700 and 202-363-1150.  Their prices have to be competitive or they
would not be able to stay in business.
 
 

REMINDER: ANTENNA TOWER HEARING MONDAY
From:   CooperJM@aol.com
On Monday, March 5, at 7 p.m. the DC Zoning Commission will hold a
public roundtable on the issue of antenna towers.  The roundtable will
be held in the Zoning Commission hearing room, room 220, 441 4th St., NW
(1 Judiciary Square - right at Judiciary Square Metro stop). This is a
citywide rulemaking case that will determine the zoning regulations on
antennas and antenna towers for the entire District.  Zoning regulations are
one of the few tools citizens have to control the proliferation of antennas
and antenna towers. Please sign up
ASAP by calling 202-727-5372 or 727-6311.  Individuals get 3 minutes and
ANCs and organizations get 5 minutes to speak.
 
 

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

**** From: seemark@worldnet.att.net (W. Geoffrey Seeley)
W. G. Seeley & Assoc.
Fine Woodworking Since 1977
4040 Fessenden St, NW
Washington, DC  20016-4216
voice & fax:  202-363-4151
shop:  202-882-8001
www.wgseeley.com
I was recently flattered to learn that I am on your list of neighborhood
tradesmen and indeed, I have received phone queries as a result of it.
Unfortunately, I am apparently listed as a carpenter/handyman, when in fact I
am a cabinetmaker, and have been one exclusively for a number of years.  If
you can change this in your listings, I would appreciate it.  If you would be
so kind as to list my website and e-mail address as well, that would be
splendid.
Sincerely, Geoff Seeley
 

**** From: sellis@pd.state.gov (Ellis, Susan)
Excellent home repair, carpentry, painting and plastering.  Jaime Barrera
has worked for me for 10 years, doing everything from building a deck over
my garage to plastering and painting my hall and upstairs and many smaller
tasks.  His phone number is: (home) 301/587-2410; cell phone: 301/442-4138.
He's a U.S. citizen and speaks good English, originally from El Salvador and
his family has recently suffered greatly from the earthquakes.  His brother
and kids and wife are living in a tent in that country.
 
 

REGARDING LEAVES STILL IN THE STREET
**** From: ray@usp.org (Buddy Yingling)
>From a previous item in COMMUNIT-E, it sounds like his neighbor raked the
leaves into the street.  You are not supposed to do this.  You are supposed
to leave the leaf pile in the grass area between the sidewalk and the curb
(the city calls it the tree-box).

**** From: kcrdlb@bellatlantic.net (Dennis Beaufort and Kathryn Ray)
The POST recently ran an article about Service Liaisons.  Maybe Ward
3's liaison could help with the leaf pickup problem.  Ours were picked
up - late - but they were removed.  For Ward 3 the POST listed Phil
Heinrich, 3310 Conn Ave. 20008, 282-7952,  phil.heinrich@dc.gov

CRIMES IN THE 'HOOD
CRIMES IN PSA 202, February 1 to 25, 2001
ROBBERY
4200 Yuma, gun, 2/3, 2250, sidewalk (closed)
5300 Wisconsin, snatch,  2/24, 1900, restaurant
4200 Jenifer, snatch, 2/7, 2218, sidewalk
5300 Wisconsin, PBS, 2/11, 0030, sidewalk
5300 Wisconsin, PBS, 2/5, 1815, restaurant
ASSAULT
5300 Wisconsin, 2/22, 1215, department store (closed)
4800 Wisconsin, 2/26, 0145, bar (closed)
5300 Wisconsin, 2/14, 1045, restaurant
BURGLARY
5300 Wisconsin, 2/10, 1900, restaurant
THEFT -- 21 (6 closed)
THEFT FROM AUTO -- 9 -- 4 on Wisconsin, 1 on 3600 Warren, 1 on 4500 40th St,
1 on 4300 Military, 1 on 4700 Ellicott, 1 on 47-- Belt.
STOLEN AUTO
3800 Alton, street
SIMPLE ASSAULT
4200 Wisconsin, 2/11, 0400, sidewalk
3900 Chesapeake, 2/9, 1515, school (closed)
THREATS
5300 Wisconsin, 2/6, 1530, office
5200 Wisconsin, 2/22, 1331, barber shop or hair dresser
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY -- 11
5100 Wisconsin, 2/15, 1050, automobile
3700 Cumberland, 2/9, 1500, carport
FRAUD
5300 Wisconsin, 2/8, 1400, department store
5300 Wisconsin, 2/11, 1745, department store (closed)
5300 Wisconsin, 2/19, 2015, department store (closed)

SUMMARY -- Starting January 1, 2001
Robbery -- Jan-10; Feb (25th)-5
Assault -- Jan-3; Feb-3
Burglary -- Jan-4; Feb-1
Theft -- Jan-15; Feb-21
Theft f/ Auto -- Jan-11; Feb-9
Stolen Auto -- Jan-2; Feb-1
Simple Assault/ Threat -- Jan-4; Feb-4
Dest. Property -- Jan-11; Feb-2
Fraud-- Jan-2; Feb-3
Uttering -- Jan-3
Fugitive Warrant Arrest -- 2
Unlawful Entry Disorder -- 1

Total - 117

Of the 15 robberies: 5 used guns; 3 used force & violence; 6 were snatches; 1
was a pickpocket.

Compared to 2000:
Robbery -- Jan-8; Feb-1
Assault -- Jan-1; Feb-0
Burglary -- Jan-2;
Theft -- Jan-27; Feb-17
Theft From Auto-- Jan-18; Feb-34
Stolen Auto -- Jan-5; Feb-7; Mar-5
Simple Assault/ Threats -- Jan-1; Feb-7
Destruction of Property -- Jan-5; Feb-0
Fraud/Uttering -- Jan-2; Feb-0
Drug Possession Arrest -- Jan-1; Feb-0
Unlawful Entry Disorder -- Jan-1; Feb-0
Carrying Pistol Without License Arrest -- Jan-0; Feb-1

Approximate Total For Year 2000: 763
Jan - 73;  Feb - 73;  Mar - 59;  Apr - 65;  May - 64; June - 46;  July - 51;
Aug - 84;
Sep - 64; Oct - 55; Nov -64; Dec - 65
 
 

MORE ON CROWS AND OTHER LOCAL WILDLIFE

**** From: Lberger728@aol.com (Lisa Berger)
Re Crows : I know the birds around my house don't like them, particularly one
afternoon when a crow raided a bird nest packed with newborns and proceeded
to eat them.  Needless to say, the parent went crazy with screaming, wing
flapping, and dive bombing the crow, but it kept eating.

**** From: rlp@wamu.org (Richard L. Paul)
I used to produce a radio program with a host who was an expert on
crows.  When people would call asking questions like the one that
came "**** From: Anonymous" he used to say things like the following:

There are two ways to get rid of crows: shoot them or poison them.
You can't scare them away with banging pans or putting out statues of
owls.  Crows are much too smart for that.  But what do you have
against crows?  They are the smartest, most interesting birds
you will find around here.

(This next part is from memory) Crows have a tendency to form roosts
-- large agglomerations of birds that can get bigger before they
reform someplace else.  If you have a crow roost where you are learn
to love it or wait for it to go away.

**** From: greenhunter@starpower.net (Elinor Green and Joel Hunter)
I was so happy to see a message defending crows in the last issue. Had been
meaning to add my two cents and am glad I have company. In the first place,
the crows are not newcomers. They, many, many more of them, used to roost in
the Lisner Home trees every late afternoon as long ago as 1980, in
convention assembled, as it were, and cackle loudly for several hours. Not a
very pretty noise, perhaps, but it and they never hurt or drove away any
creature that I know of and I, for one, am pleased to share the neighborhood
with them -- and the cardinal pair who spend part of every spring and summer
in our back yard even as the crows perch above.

**** From: vwheeler@erols.com (John & Valerie Wheeler)
I'd like to weigh in on the song bird discussion.  We have a number of
feeders for
different sizes and types of birds.  A few months after we moved in, we began
to
see a rat near our feeder every morning. I hired an exterminator who put
out a bait station.  Soon after that we had the huge blizzard, about 3
feet of snow, and very cold weather.  The combination of weather and
poison seemed to do in the rats. We've seen no evidence of them since,
and I have a very active compost operation in my yard. (by the way, the
bait container is designed so that pets and squirrels cannot get to the
bait. The rat can and takes it back to its den and dies, which
may cause other rats to die or leave.)  One of the causes of DC's rat
problem has been pretty mild winters since the 95-96 Winter. Very cold
weather kills most rats.  If you have a bird feeding operation using
seed, I recommend keeping the ground below the feeder free of shrubs for
6-8 feet.  That will make it less likely that a rat will make it a
regular haunt.

Recently I've noticed that several birds have been killed and eaten in
my yard. I suspected my neighbor's cat until  I noticed that the feathers
were pigeon
feathers. I doubted that a cat, especially my neighbor's small cat,
could catch and kill a pigeon, and even if it could, I doubted it could
eat all of it, leaving nothing but feathers.  Well yesterday, I think I
solved that mystery.  I was working in my front yard when I saw a hawk attack
a pigeon on the ground. The pigeon managed to get away, but I suspect the
evidence of pigeon killings in my back yard are being caused by hawks.
Because of nearby shrubs and trees, song birds are much more protected
from hawks.  By the way, song birds prefer our type of environment because of
the protection of shrubs.  Most song birds do not like open fields or large
lawns because of the lack of protection. We have a healthy diverse animal
culture here, but I wouldn't mind seeing a reduction in the rats and pigeons.