HAPPY NEW YEAR!  It's a new year so let's try to make the 'Hood better than
ever.

If  you tried to reach me and got no response, over the Holidays,  it's
because I was in London. If you are planning a trip there in the near future
and are looking for some suggestions of where to stay and eat and what to
see, I' be happy to pass on a few ideas.
 
 

CRIME ALERT
At last Thursday's ANC3E meeting, Lt. Mark Carter said that there have been
an unusually high number of armed street robberies since the beginning of the
year. He is placing more of his officers in plain clothes in order to catch
whoever is doing this.  There were four, all with guns, since January 1. This
is about four times what we normally have in this 'Hood. One of them used a
shotgun to break into a door at the Safeway. As far as I know no one has been
hurt.

He also reported that there has been an increase in homeless/vagrants into
the area. Last night, about midnight,  I saw five sleeping at the entrance to
the Tenley Metro. There's real reason to be concerned about what they get
into during the day -- no place to be and plenty of time on their hands.

Lt. Carter also said that he is going to increase traffic enforcement (both
moving and parking violations) in this 'Hood over the next few weeks. So be
warned.

The police have often said that some of the worst offenders are residents:
soccer moms, local commuters, etc. (See next item.)
 

ON SPEEDING FROM A LOCAL POINT OF VIEW
From:   sharip@cs.umd.edu (Shari Lawrence Pfleeger)
I have been thinking about the comments neighbors have made in this
forum recently about cars driving at high speeds in our neighborhood.
At various times, there have been suggestions of more police enforcement,
more speed bumps, more stop signs, and similar measures.  It seems to
me that we can try a low-cost neighborhood effort to discourage speeding:
driving more slowly ourselves.  The speed limit is 25, and in some places
(usually near schools) it is 15.  If each of us makes a concerted effort
to always drive at or under the speed limit whenever we drive, we will
soon give our neighborhood the reputation for being a terrible way to cut
through from Maryland to downtown. If we keep up our slowness campaign,
two things are likely to happen. In the short term, the drivers behind
us will have to drive slowly too.  And in the long term, those who are
cutting through or in a hurry will find an alternate route.

I'd like to throw in a reminder that we should be especially careful to
drive at a snail's pace through the alleys.  I live next to an alley, and
I can assure you that children play in the alleys year-round.  Yet I see
cars racing down the alleys at all times of the day or night.
 
 

RE:  CAR REGISTRATION NEVER TO BE LEFT IN CAR
From:   MPDC2DCMDR@aol.com  (2D Commander Peter Newsham)
In the District, you are required to carry your registration with you when
you operate the vehicle.  It is a ten dollar fine for failing to display a
registration card.

With that being said, I believe that a photocopy would be sufficient.  I
don't know of any officers who would write a ticket if a good faith photocopy
was given under the circumstances presented below:

From:   Burchard.Robert@epamail.epa.gov
I have a question about not leaving the car registration card in the car.
Since both my wife and I drive our car, only one of us will have possession
of the registration card. Is it acceptable to the police if one of us has a
xerox
of the registration card?  I would hate for one of us to get in trouble
during a
police stop (not that we regularly get stopped by the police!) if we only had
a copy of
the registration card.
 
 

HEARING ON ROUND TABLE LIQUOR LICENSE
The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 31st. This concerns the
renewal of the Roundtable Restaurant's liquor license. They have not lived up
to their agreement to ensure that their late-leaving bar patrons don't
disturb the neighborhood on their way out. This is a big problem for the
residents in that immediate area. As I get more information about the time
and place of the hearing I'll let you know.
 
 

AUPCA -- SPECIAL MEETING ON AU CAMPUS PLAN
From:   dmcmullin@juno.com (Donald E McMullin)

The AU Park Citizens Association has been invited to attend the next
meeting of the Spring Valley-Wesley Heights Citizens Association on
Tuesday, 16 January, at 7:30 PM at the Sibley Hospital Auditorium
(separate building next to the parking lot).  The topic of the meeting
is:  American University Ten Year Campus Plan.

AUPCA and five other organizations of residents living near American
University have been negotiating with AU over its proposed new ten-year
campus plan.  This plan proposes major construction on Massachusetts
Avenue across from the main entrance, as well as construction on Nebraska
Avenue at the New Mexico Avenue intersection.  These changes will
obviously impact on our neighborhood with increased traffic, parking
problems, and noise and a greater demand for off-campus student housing.

It is vital that we, the nearby neighbors of the university, be well
informed of the issues that are under discussion -- before it's too late.

The first hearing before the DC Zoning Commission is scheduled for
mid-February.

PLEASE plan to attend the meeting on 16 January.  Also, please inform
your friends and neighbors about the meeting since this AUPCA notice is
only going out via E-mail.  -- Donald E. McMullin
 
 

PARKING FRUSTRATION -- WE NEED TO RETHINK REGULATIONS
From:   dsiegel@cais.com (David Siegel)
I am frustrated by the parking situation as well.  However, I have the
opposite problem.  I have someone who comes in to clean my house once a week
for 4 hours.  Last week she got a ticket.  However there are many parking
spaces in front of my home.  It seems as a resident I have a right to have
people come to my house for more than 2 hours.  I can't get her repeated
guest permits and the non-resident spaces a few blocks away are all taken by
7:30 a.m.

I agree with David. It's silly to have many vacant parking places on a block
and yet not have any place for regular visitors to park. We need to refine
these regulations.
-- KS
 
 

RE:  THE FILTHY STREET IN FRONT OF HECHINGERS
From:   aeichenberger@mindspring.com (Ann  Eichenberger)
FYI:  I spoke to Richard Lake at Madison Retail about cleaning the sidewalk
and area around the Metro.  He promised that the property management division
would clean up the property.

Also I am wondering if other people have had unpleasant experiences when
parking at Fresh Fields lot which is managed by Circle.  I think they are
routinely rude and surly. I also had one attendant kick my car because I
pointed out that he still owned me $2.00 in change.
 
 

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

Job Offer
From: kenanddavida@starpower.net (Davida Perry)
My office (H&R Block Premium) needs a receptionist, or two or three to
time-share.  This is perfect for a neighborhood retired person, since it's
walking-distance and not a career move - it ends April 16th.  The primary
responsibility is answering the phone, booking appointments for about 10 tax
preparers, welcoming clients and calling them when their returns are
finished.  Then it will require learning the (easy, really) computer program
used to take clients' money when they pick up returns.  There is bit of
copying, filing, whatnot.  You can choose the days and hours you want to
work and trade with other time-shares.  We get progressively busier and
eventually will need evening and week-end receptionists as well, so please
call me even if you can't work in January or can only work week-ends, for
example.  We start at $8/hour with the opportunity for a raise.  We're an
informal, friendly, no-smoking office in the shopping center at Wisconsin
and Western.  My name is Davida Perry and my day/evening number is 686-9479.
 

For Sale
****  From:  aajacks@starpower.net (Aaron Epstein)
For sale: A Baldwin Hamilton upright piano, tuned and in excellent condition,
plus storage bench, $2,500. Call Aaron or Jackie Epstein, 362-6309,
aajacks@juno.com

****  From:  RiceO@webtv.net (Rice Odell)
USED CAR FOR SALE:  An '88 Subaru DL, 4-door sedan, silver, 106K
mileage.  It runs great, fully reliable, good for student, etc.  $650.
Call Dean Hauer, 338-3104.

**** From: hier@biddhier.com (Tom Hier)
For Sale: Complete dining room set -- table, 8 chairs, credenza and two
buffets.  Brand:  Fancher.  Style:  Italian (I think).  Vintage:  late
1950s (i.e., that's when it was purchased, but it's not really 50's
retro).  Very good condition.  Any reasonable offer.  Call Tom at
202.966.9711.
 

Looking For
**** From:  sharip@cs.umd.edu (Shari Lawrence Pfleeger)
Does any one know of good day care for newborns in our area or in
Bethesda?  I have a friend who needs it.  Thanks.
Shari Lawrence Pfleeger s.pfleeger@ieee.org   244-3740

**** From monipamp@bellatlantic.net (Monika Pamp)
A very nice couple I know is looking for an affordable place in AU park to
stay from January (or, as soon as possible) to end-May 2001. He is a
linguistics professor, presently studying Educational Administration at
American University. His wife does part-time research in Psychology as well
as some childcare for us and another family. Both are very likable, helpful
and reliable. So, if you can help them, please send me a note. Thanks!
 

Recommending
**** From: Cristine.A.Romano@usdoj.gov (Romano, Cristine A)
I recommend
John C. Dorsey plumbing
6100 Rhode Island Ave Riverdale, MD
(301) 927-7100
Dorsey plumbers did a major ($10,000) job on our old house, replacing a lot
of pipes, etc.  They were polite, on time, always reachable by cell phone,
and their estimate was nearly $2,000 less than the next lowest estimate.
And, they completed the work very close to the time they said they would.

 
In a future issue I plan to run a collection of recommended home repair and
other folks, from past issues. This has become a very popular feature of
COMMUNIT-E.
 --  KS