Thank you for the outstanding response to my request for streets and hundred
blocks. With this information I will be able to determine which blocks still
need to learn about the existence of Communit-E. You might be pleased to know
that the e-mailing list is now up to 385 and growing every day. I understand
it also gets on to some local web sites and other e-mailing addresses. I hope
that community organizations in PSA 202 will make good use of it.  -- KS
 

UPCOMING NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS

AUPCA Meeting
From:   dmcmullin@juno.com:
The next meeting of the American University Park Citizens Association
will be held on Tuesday, 4 April, at 7:30 PM at the Tenley-Friendship
Library (second floor), Wisconsin Avenue at Albemarle Street.  This
notice is being sent only to those of you for whom we have E-mail
addresses, so please pass the information along to friends and neighbors
who do not have this service.  Hope to see you there.

CAC Meeting
The Citizens Advisory Council meeting on Wednesday, April 5 at 7:00 pm
will host the Honorable Robert R. Rigsby, Corporation Counsel for the
District of Columbia. His office handles all juvenile arrests and matters
involving the homeless and vagrants, as well as a number of other quality of
life issues. The meeting is at 2D Headquarters, 3320 Idaho Ave.
Commander Peter Newsham will give his monthly report and answer questions.
 
 

TWO LOCAL BUSINESSES OF NOTE
I would like to thank the bicycle department of Hudson Trail Outfitters at
Brandywine and Wisconsin. I went in with a loose mirror which they fixed
cheerfully and at no charge. They were very pleasant and helpful.

I also discovered the music store next door. If you haven't found it as yet,
check it out. They too were very helpful to me.

The 'Hood is that much better for nice stores like these. Hope we can soon
get a hardware store in the Sears/Hechingers building.
 
 

BE ALERT AND ON THE LOOKOUT FOR:
According to Detective Neal Jones, a man has walked into the dorms at
Tenleytown AU and stolen things from the rooms. He is described as 5'5" to
5'8",  medium complexion,  160-170 lbs. and stocky, possibly homeless,
probably close cut hair - always wears a baseball hat, no facial hair. He
wears dark nylon sweat pants that look puffy -- is believed to be wearing
them over other pants.
 

>From Beat26 - Kirsten Oldenberg -- Credit Card Alert
... I had a credit card problem earlier this year.  We deduced that someone
went through my trash and found the number on a receipt.  The person ordered
from several mail order catalogs.  One shipment was delivered to my
neighbor's address.  When I contacted the catalog company about the order, I
found out that someone placed the order over the phone.  They left a phone
number that was traced to an address in the greater Capital Hill area.  The
lesson is this: shred all credit card statements, bank statements and
receipts before discarding them in the trash. -- Suzanne and Joe.
 

From:   QuirkMK@state.gov (Quirk, Mary K)
I am quite concerned about the large number of armed robberies of the bakery
& flower shop at Wisconsin and Fessenden.
 
 

IN PRAISE OF CASA AND JOHN KELLEY ET AL.
From:   Mikistebb:
Thanks to John Kelley.  If each of us would take one child what a difference
that would make!
 

From:   mhavilland@worldnet.att.net (Michele Havilland)
Really impressed by the work done by CASA. It is heartwarming to learn of
the difference some people can make in a child's life.
 

From:   TwoDeacons
I loved the note from John Kelley.  CASA is a fine program and I wanted to
note one other tutoring/mentoring program that I worked with for five years
that is also a good opportunity for people to assist inner-city children.
The program is called College Bound and it has three sites all over the city
where mentors provide one on one tutoring and mentoring once per week.
College Bound also raises money to provide each of its successful graduates
with $1,500 per year for four years of college.  The program works with over
75 kids and is always looking for tutors and other assistance.  Contact
Rustin Lewis at (202) 842-0857 and tell them Tad sent you!
 

From:   MEHOLLA
Teach 2-3 promising and motivated 5th-8th graders in mathematics or
literature on Tuesday or Thursday nights from 6:15-8:00 p.m. No teaching
experience required. We supply the curriculum and the training; you supply
the creativity and enthusiasm. For more information, contact the Higher
Achievement Program, 202-842-5116.
 
 

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
From:   HBRAZIL@dccouncil.washington.dc.us (BRAZIL, HAROLD)
EMAIL: hbrazil@dccouncil.washington.dc.us

There was a public hearing in Council Chambers last week
sponsored by the Advisory Commission on Sentencing.  The Commission was
chartered by the Council in 1998 to make recommendations to the Council on
sentencing changes needed to conform with Federal requirements.  The
Commission outlined a series of proposed changes last week in a report.  The
proposed changes are to be voted on by the Commission before they are passed
on to the Council, which will then enact legislation.  Brazil, a former
prosecutor and current Chairman of the Council's Judiciary Committee,
represents the Council on the Commission.  The Commission recommends the
abolition of parole for all offenses, which is to be replaced by supervised
release beginning the day an offender is released from prison.  Supervised
release will focus on programs for offenders coming out of prison, including
job training, substance abuse treatment, and educational programs.   The
recommendations also call for life without parole sentences to be changed to
life without release sentences.  Meanwhile, first degree murder would
receive a 60-year term, second-degree murder would receive a 40-year term,
and 30-year services would be meted out for all other offenses which
currently mandate a term of life imprisonment.  These recommendations are
driven by the automatic change from an indeterminate system to a determinate
one mandated by Congress.  "The Commission will continue its work to gather
data on present and future sentencing practices, provide training for
judges, attorneys, and other court personnel in implementing the new system,
and hopefully develop a system of structured sentencing to prevent disparity
in sentencing for similar cases," said Councilmember Brazil.

Legislative Summary
Councilmember Brazil recently introduced the following bills:

Bill 13-608-The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act of
2000, which enacts the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement
Act in the District of Columbia.

Bill 13-639-The Uniformed Controlled Substances Amendment Act of 2000, which
amends the District of Columbia Uniform Controlled Substance Act of 1981 so
to re-classify dronabinol from a Schedule II drug to a Schedule III drug.
This would reduce the penalties related to this drug from felonies to
misdemeanors.

Bill 13-647-The Tax Deed Issuance Act of 2000, which authorizes the Mayor to
charge a fee for identifying and notifying parties of their right to redeem
property which was sold at tax sale, and to authorize the Mayor to permit
private persons to perform these services in lieu of the District
government, and to collect a fee for their services in the same amount the
District would have collected.

Legislative Update:
The following bills have been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

Bill 13-633-The Miranda Codification Act of 2000, which codifies the
"Miranda Warnings" in the District of Columbia and requires that custodial
interrogations be recorded.

Bill 13-634-The Misdemeanor Trial Jury Act of 2000, which requires that
trials where the cumulative maximum penalty is more than 180 days and/or
$1,000 fine be jury demandable and to require that a jury determine non-jury
demandable offenses where they are deciding jury demandable offenses at the
same trial.

Councilmember Brazil conducted a Judiciary Committee hearing last Saturday
on cruelty to animals legislation.  Approximately 100 residents attended the
hearing.  In its current form the proposed legislation would amend the Acts
of the Legislative Assembly to add the actions of continually chaining any
animals, failing to provide light, space, and veterinary care to the
definition of cruelty to animals, and to add enhanced penalties if the
offenses are committed with the intent to commit serious bodily injury or
death.  Making serious crimes against animals  a felony would call for a
maximum penalty of a five-year sentence and a $25,000 fine.  This bill will
be refined at a markup next month, with a vote as early as May.  On May 1st,
Councilman Brazil will chair a Judiciary Committee hearing on "dangerous
dogs" legislation.

PS: I don't usually rerun Councilmember Brazil's newsletter. It would be a
good one for you to get on for future information. -- KS.
 
 

A SEASONAL TALE
An Irishman moves into a tiny village in County Kerry, walks into the pub
 and promptly orders three beers. The bartender raises his eyebrows, but
serves
the man three beers, which he drinks quietly at a table, alone.  An hour
later, the
man has finished the three beers and orders three more. This happens yet
again.
The next evening the man again orders and drinks three beers at a time,
several times. Soon the entire town is whispering about the "Man Who Orders
Three Beers." Finally, a week later, the bartender broaches the subject on
behalf of the town.  "I don't mean to pry, but folks around here are
wondering why you always order three beers?"
 
"Tis odd, isn't it?" the man replies, "You see, I have two brothers, and one
went to America, and the other to Australia.  We promised each other that we
would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank as a way of keeping
up the family bond." The bartender and the whole town were well-pleased with
this answer, and soon the "Man Who Orders Three Beers" became a local
celebrity and source of pride to the village, even to the extent that
out-of-towners  would come to watch him drink.

Then, one day, the man comes in and orders only two beers.  The bartender
pours them with a heavy heart.  This continues; for the rest of the evening
he orders only two beers. The word flies around town.  Prayers are offered
for the soul of one of the brothers.

The next day, the bartender says to the man, "Folks around here, me first,
are sorry
for the death of your brother. You know - the two beers and all...."
The man ponders this for a moment, then replies, "You'll be happy to hear
that my two brothers are alive and well.  It's just that I, meself, have
decided to give up drinking for Lent."