FIGHTING CRIME -- ONE CHILD AT A TIME
From:   john.kelley@wap.org (John Kelley)

        I'd like to chime in on your "next great social revolution" theme.
Last year I decided to light a candle instead of just cursing the darkness.  I
signed up to become a CASA, a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for the DC
court
system.  It's an amazingly easy and rewarding way to make a difference with an
inner-city kid (or in my case, two inner-city kids, plus their cousins).
These
are kids who are victimized twice, first by their family environment, and then
by the system that is supposed to protect them.  A CASA represents only the
interests of his kids, both in court and with the Child and Family Services
Agency.
        As a CASA, you do battle, sometimes serious battle, to get your kids a
fair shake from the system.  People who know how to deal with a bureaucracy
can
sometimes make a real difference for these kids.  You also do battle with
neglect and abuse.  You agree to see your kids at least once every two weeks.
In my case, I have been able to do just that, but no more, and it still makes
a
visible difference.  In less than a year I have seen a ten-year-old boy stop
acting out violently and settle down to his studies.
        Just a few weeks ago, I took him and his brother to see Stuart Little,
bought them the book afterward, and he read the thing from cover to cover
before my next visit, and read me his favorite passages.  You should have seen
his face light up as he read to me and I praised his progress in reading.  It
brings tears to my eyes even now when I think about it.
        My point is that our neighborhood is full of people like me, recently
retired with all of the money that they need, some time on their hands, and
doing things that don't really make a difference to the problems that they all
know are crucial to making this city the great place we all know it can be.
        There are more than three hundred kids in this city that judges want
to
appoint CASAs for and can't, because not enough people who have the time
will give up some of it for a kid.  Once every two weeks is a piece of cake,
and the rewards are as immediate and satisfying as chopping firewood.
You get to see the results of your work right before your eyes.  Try doing
that
in a government job.
        The CASA program provides all the support and training that a
volunteer
needs.  You can even get periodic update training on changes in the law, if
you
want.  I know that some people will have all kinds of doubts about the risks
of
getting involved with black kids from the inner city.  I've dealt with those
doubts myself, and if I, as a rock-ribbed Republican, can do it, anybody can.
        If you agree with me that this is a way that our neighborhood can make
a difference, please tell your readers that I will be happy to try to respond
to any of their e-mail questions about this program.
 
John Kelley

PS:   The need for male CASAs is particularly acute.  Most of the
single-parent
families are headed by single mothers, and most of the volunteers are women.
Many young boys in the inner city  are desperate for the guidance that
can be provided by a male role model, and the men in our neighborhood could
make a real difference.
 
 

BOOK SALE AT TENLEY LIBRARY THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 1, AT NOON
 
 

POTOMAC WATERSHED CLEANUP
(From G.Imhoff's DC Watch)
From: Paul Nahay, Paul@TrashForce.org

Trash Force's next will be this Saturday, April 1, 2000, meeting 10:45 am
at Fletcher's Boathouse just outside Georgetown. We'll be joining in
to help the 12th Annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup; many other groups
will be cleaning up watershed areas in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia, and Pennsylvania at the same time. It's an important effort,
and we're glad to help out! Directions and info are at
http://home.sprynet.com/~pnahay/tforce.htm#Apr1.

If you've not been to Fletcher's Boathouse before, PLEASE allow at least
20 minutes more time than you think you'll need, as almost everybody
gets lost trying to get there, esp. when the road is blocked off and you
have to take confusing detours! Please let me know if you're planning to
attend (and also if your plans change), and don't forget to bring lots
of plastic bags (at least a dozen) and gloves, if you want them!
 
 

CRIMES IN PSA 202 FROM MARCH 1 TO MARCH 26
ROBBERY
-- gun,  4100 Jenifer,  3/13,  1942,  sidewalk
-- gun,  4200 Fessenden,  3/10,  1730,  bakery
-- fear,  4200 Fessenden,  3/21,  1400,  bakery
-- P/P,  4200 Davenport,  3/25,  1700,  supermarket
BURGLARY
-- 4200 37th St.,  3/16,  1400,  house
-- 4400 Grant,  3/5,  1945,  house  (closed)
-- 4400 Albemarle,  3/14,  2300,  house
-- 4600 Alton,  3/3,  1630,  house
-- 4200 38th St.,   3/5, 1250,  house
-- 3800 Van Ness,  3/13,  1800,  house
-- 4900 46th St.,   3/16,  0830,  house
-- 5300 43rd St.,  3/21,  1320,  house
THEFT
-- 5200 Western,  department store
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  clothing store
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  storage area
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  clothing store
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  discount store
-- 4200 Wisconsin,  carry out  (closed)
-- 4300 Jenifer,  retail store  (closed)
-- 3900 Chesapeake,  school
-- 4500 Chesapeake, attempt, house
-- 4200 Wisconsin, restaurant
-- 4200 Wisconsin,  dorm room
-- 4500 Wisconsin, shoplifting, drug store (closed)
B&E (breaking & entering)  Vending,  4500 Wisconsin,  sidewalk (closed)
THEFT FROM AUTO
-- 4200 Reno
-- 4100 Brandywine
-- 4000 Davenport  (closed)
-- 4600 Wisconsin  (closed)
-- 4300 44th St.
-- 4300 Wisconsin
STOLEN AUTO
-- 4500 Harrison
-- 5300 Wisconsin
ARSON
-- 4400 Jenifer,  office
SIMPLE ASSAULT
-- 4800 38th St,  school
-- 4000 Garrison,  house
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
-- 4400 Wisconsin,  Library
-- 3700 Veazey,  street
-- 4100 Ingomar,  Street
FRAUD
-- 4500 Wisconsin,  clothing store
FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE WARRANT ARREST
-- 4300 River,  school (closed)
 

SUMMARY- Starting January 1, 2000
Sex Abuse -- Jan- (non rape) 1; Feb-0; Mar
Robbery -- Jan-8; Feb-1; Mar-4
Assault -- Jan-1; Feb-0; Mar
Burglary -- Jan-2; Feb-6; Mar-8
Theft -- Jan-27; Feb-15; Mar-13
Theft From Auto-- Jan-18; Feb-33; Mar-6
Stolen Auto -- Jan-5; Feb-7; Mar-2
Arson -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar-1
Simple Assault -- Jan-1; Feb-7; Mar-2
Destruction of Property -- Jan-5; Feb-0; Mar-3
Fraud -- Jan-2; Feb-0; Mar-1
Breaking & Entering Vending -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar
Drug Possession Arrest -- Jan-1; Feb-0; Mar
Unlawful Entry Disorder -- Jan-1; Feb-0; Mar-1
Carrying Pistol Without License Arrest -- Jan-0; Feb-1; Mar
Fugitive From Justice Warrant Arrest -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar-1

Total To Date: 183
 
 

ONE-HANDED DRIVING -- AT MOST
From:   Viking1101

Any way we can get our council member to introduce legislation making it
illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving in the District of
Columbia?  Driving home today became an obstacle course -- a very dangerous
obstacle course -- all because folks were paying more attention to their
phone conversations than to their driving.  Traffic blocked at the G'town end
of Key Bridge because a woman in  a van didn't pay attention and wound up
stopped in the middle of the intersection, blocking the  left turn lanes; a
guy on Foxhall Road varying his speed from 10 to 40 miles an hour having an
animated conversation and gesturing with his hands; a woman pulling out on to
Nebraska at rush hour, one hand on the wheel, the other on her phone, and
nearly taking the front end off my car...the litany goes on.
P.S.  I feel better now...thanks for letting me vent...
 
 

TAX ASSESSMENT APPEAL
From:   sposniak@clark.net (Stephen Posniak)

Contrary to the deadline described in the following letter, it turns out
that the assessment administration has not complied with ANY of the
requirements for providing appeal information.  Not only is the proposed
assessment roll not in any of the DC libraries, it is not even at the
assessment administration's information center, nor is it accessible on
their computer system.  They have stated that the appeal period will be
extended for at least a month past April 1 (the info won't be available
until after April 1.)  It is quite conceivable that (leaving aside bus and
infrastructure protest issues) the entire set of proposed assessments for
the next tax year will be thrown out if someone does a class action court
challenge because of the flawed process.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: NORTHWEST CURRENT
Stephen G. Posniak
 
 A very large portion of residential and commercial properties in the AU Park
 area are undergoing reassessment this year by the Assessment Administration,
 which is part of the D. C. Office of Tax & Revenue, Office of the Chief
 Financial Officer.  If your property was included in this group, you should
 have received a Notice of Proposed Assessment earlier in March.  To be on
 the safe side, you should check the actual Assessment Roll (which lists all
 proposed assessments in the District) at the OTR, 841 N. Capitol St. NE, in
 the Customer Service Area located on Level One.  (Market data and lists of
 recent sales by region is also located in the same area.)  Contrary to what
is
 required in Sec. 47-823(d) of the D. C. Code, the Mayor has failed to
publish
 the assessment roll in a "newspaper of general circulation" or in any of the
 District's libraries, and this in it self is grounds for an appeal.
 
 In addition to details about your specific property and market data, it is
 pertinent to introduce information about changes in public infrastructure
and
 service levels (such as Metrobus service) which have a tangible,
quantifiable
 impact on the value and attractiveness of specific locations.  The American
 University Park Citizens Association has performed a financial and economic
 analysis of the cumulative impact of the cuts in Metrobus service in the AU
 Park area over the past five years.
 
 Specific cuts include the following:
 
        Elimination of the N-1 and N-3 peak period (M-F) service to the Foggy
        Bottom and State Department area (3/95);
 
        Elimination (except for peak periods) of separate N-2 and N-4 service
        from Friendship Heights to Farragut Square, replacing it with
        repetitive, double-loop N-6 resulting in increased travel time and a
        total cut in number of trips (3/95).
 
        Elimination of H-line service between Westmoreland Circle and
        Tenleytown Metrorail Station, replacing it with the N-8 (Wesley
        Heights Van Ness/UDC Loop), with 50 minute headways on evenings
        and weekends. This route is the only one in the entire
        District of Columbia Metrobus system with headways longer than 30
        minutes (9/99).
 
        Rerouting of the N-2 via Wisconsin and Nebraska Avenues instead of
        via Western and Mass. Avenues between Friendship Heights and Ward
        Circle, effectively cutting AU Park's weekday (6 am to 7pm) N-line
        service by 50% (to take effect in April, 2000, after re-construction
of
        Cathedral Avenue is completed).
 
  We estimate the impact of these cuts in infrastructure on single-family
 residential assessed values to be approximately $20,000 per property.  This
 should be added to any other reductions claimed due to property condition,
 market sales data, etc.  In addition to residential appeals, the property
 manager for Superfresh and adjacent businesses has stated his intention to
 file an appeal.
 
 It was (and still is) hoped that the D. C. Office of Mass Transit (DPW), the
 Mayor, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority would make
 some specific efforts to respond to the requests of AUPCA, ANC-3E and
 ANC-3C that evening and weekend service on the N-8 be improved by
 reducing headways to no more than 30 minutes.  However, the WMATA FY
 2001 budget does not include any funds (estimated by WMATA at
 $220,000) for this request.  (By comparison, DC has agreed to pay $99,340
 to change the name of the Mount Vernon Sq. Metrorail Station!)  There is a
 possibility that the N-1 and N-3 may be revived, but our basic analysis
 (including the impacts of the additional N-line cuts scheduled for next
 month) remains valid.
 
 The deadline for a first stage appeal is April 1.  (It is suggested that you
 
 mail your appeal no later than March 31, return-receipt requested, to: Real
 Property Appeals Section, Office of Tax & Revenue, P. O. Box 176,
 Washington, D. C. 20044.)  Add the $20,000 to the other reductions which
 you are requesting.  For more detailed information about the AUPCA analysis
 and appeal, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to 4640 Windom Pl. NW
 DC 20016, or request the information via e-mail at <sposniak@clark.net.