Dr. Julian Robert Daniel Moiseiwitsch, B.D.S., Ph.D.
For over two decades, Dr. Moiseiwitsch (“Dr. M”) has been a trusted endodontist in Washington, D.C., consistently recognized among Washington’s Best Dentists—including “Top of the Top” honors. Known for his gentle approach, Dr. M offers a full range of sedation options, but many patients will tell you his real secret is storytelling and humor— often enough to make people fall asleep in the chair!
Krughoff Pickleball Courts: Open for Play by Alena Martin
We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com. Capital Community News, Inc. PO Box 15477, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com • www.hillrag.com
ON THE TOWN
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
“Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise” at The Phillips
From Aug. 1 to Sept. 20, The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW, presents a major exhibition showcasing 48 artists based in the greater DC region. The result of an open call that drew 1,500 applications, the exhibition brings together an intergenerational group of artists who are grappling with the complexities of the contemporary world. The Phillipa is open daily except Mondays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Third Thursdays, the museum has extended hours with free admission from 5 to 8 p.m. Adult admission is $20; seniors, $15; students with ID, $10; military, $12; 18 and under, free. www.phillipscollection.org
Gail Shaw-Clemnons, “Shorthand Revisited 2025.”
Around the World Cultural Food Festival
On Saturday, Aug. 29, rain or shine, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St., Alexandria, Virginia, becomes a destination of food, music and culture. The Around the World Cultural Food Festival features two beer gardens, live music, dance and cultural performances, handcrafted goods, art, jewelry from global artisans and a kids’ corner with moon bounces and activities. Admission is free; parking nearby. www. visitalexandria.com
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
DC State Fair
The first DC State Fair was held on Aug. 28, 2010, established by food and garden bloggers to showcase the talents of the District and engage artistic, agricultural and culinary-minded residents in friendly competition. This year, the fair is on Sunday, Sept. 6, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Anthem Row, 700 K St. NW. The contest guide with rules, judging criteria and submission instructions is coming later this summer. Registration for contests is also coming later this summer. The DC State Fair is led by a nonprofit organization that is operated entirely by volunteers. www.dcstatefair.org
“Romeo” at the Atlas
This fast-paced, all-male production reimagines Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love and loss through the power and intimacy of dance. “Romeo” unfolds through breathtaking movement and physical storytelling, showing the profound connection between two men whose love challenges the world around them. “Romeo” is at the Atlas, 1333 H St. NE, from Sept. 11 to 13. All seating, $53.75. www.atlasarts.org
My Chemical Romance at Nats Park
This is My Chemical Romance’s first show in the DMV since 2011, making it an especially long-awaited night for local fans. The show comes with a new twist: a theatrical storyline built around the mysterious Grand Immortal Dictator, a larger-than-life figure woven into the concert’s visuals and stage design. My Chemical Romance is at Nats Park on Tuesday, Aug. 18, rain or shine, at 7 p.m. (gates, 5:30 p.m.). Tickets start at $138. www.mlb.com/nationals/ tickets/events
“Gruesome Playground Injuries” at Keegan
In “Gruesome Playground Injuries” by Rajiv Joseph, two kindred spirits find their way back to each other across a lifetime of scraped knees, broken bones and beautifully imperfect moments. With humor that sparkles and a connection that feels achingly real, this production invites audiences to recognize the bonds that shape us all. “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is at the Keegan, 1742 Church St. NW, from Aug. 15 to Sept. 6. Tickets are $55 for adults; $45, seniors, students and under 25. Single tickets incur a $5 service fee. www.keegantheatre.com
Capitol Hill Art Walk
On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12 and 13, noon to 4 p.m., local artists and artisans display their work for sale in their own micro-galleries, in Capitol Hill homestudios, on porches and in yards. Artists are not required to live on Capitol Hill, but their setup location must be on the Hill and not a commercial space or park. There is no age requirement or limit on the type of art or crafts that may be displayed for sale. All are welcome, whether a professional artist, student or someone who likes to work with fabric, found objects or other unusual materials. The artists price and market the art in their own way. No fees or commissions are taken by the organizers. Register by Aug. 10 to be assured that your location is listed. www.caphillartleague.org
1323 East Capitol St. SE. Photo: Lisa Bernstein
The Joshua Redman Quartet appears on Sunday, Sept. 6.
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
Maryland Renaissance Festival
The Maryland Renaissance Festival, 1821 Crownsville Rd., Annapolis, Maryland, is a 25-acre English village with acres of free parking, 140 craft and specialty shops, 42 food and beverage emporiums, games, attractions, 11 stages of entertainment with shows throughout the day and a 3,000-seat jousting arena. Festival days are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 29 and 30; Sept. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27; Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24. Tickets, only sold online, are adults, $31, seniors, $27. Kids 7-15 are $17; six and under free but do require a ticket. Tickets will also be charged an amusement tax. Distance from Washington, DC, is about 30 miles. www.rennfest.com
Care Fair at the Zoo
On Friday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., step into the world of animal care for a free, in-person event at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and meet the experts who make it happen. Watch feeding and training demonstrations and get handson with animal artifacts. Head to Great Meadow to meet staff members and learn about husbandry training with the American Trail team. See how DNA and scientific research keep animals healthy with the Center for Conservation Genomics. Zoo admission is free; parking is $40. Save $10 by purchasing a parking pass at least one day in advance. www.nationalzoo.si.edu/visit/events/care-fair
Labor Day Weekend’s DC JazzFest
This Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5 and 6, from 2 to 10 p.m., both days, celebrate all things jazz and enjoy the bustling Wharf neighborhood along DC’s Potomac River. Find the lineup at www.dcjazzfest.org/lineup-2026. Access to shows at Arena Stage on Saturday and Sunday is only available to holders of preferred seating, VIP and ultimate VIP tickets, who can attend performances on Saturday and Sunday at Union Stage and Pearl Street Warehouse. Every seat at each venue is first-come, first-served. Early arrival is recommended for high-demand shows. Ticket options start at $25. www.dcjazzfest.org
“Merrily We Roll Along” at Signature
Sondheim’s masterwork about friendship, ambition and the compromises that shape life is directed by Matthew Gardiner. Told in reverse chronological order, the musical follows three friends as they navigate idealism, loyalty and disappointment over 20 years. “Merrily We Roll Along” is at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, Virginia, from Aug. 25 to Nov. 1. Tickets start at $47. www.sigtheatre.org
Social Distortion at The Anthem
Social Distortion has become the unquestioned standard bearer for punk bands. Led by Mike Ness, the band continues to reinvent itself while remaining true to its punk rock roots. Social Distortion is at The Anthem, 901 Wharf St SW, on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.). General admission is $70. www.theanthemdc.com
Social Distortion performing at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
Flying Circus Hot Air Balloon Rally
On Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, gates open at 6 a.m. for the Hot Air Balloon Rally. Hot air balloons launch both days, 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Many of the pilots will be giving tethered and/or chartered flights. The balloon rides are not sold by the Flying Circus. Flight arrangements must be made with the pilot and are subject to availability and weather conditions. Free-flight balloon rides are $300 per person. Tethered rides are $30 for adults; $20 for kids 11 and under; two and under are free. Admission to the rally is $20 for adults; $15 for military; kids 5-12 are $10; under five are free. Admission tickets are only sold at the gate. The Flying Circus Aerodrome is 14 miles southeast of Warrenton and 22 miles northwest of Fredericksburg, Virginia, just off Route 17, at 5114 Ritchie Rd. (Route 644) in Bealeton. www.flyingcircusairshow.com
“The Notebook: The Musical” at the National
Based on the novel that inspired the iconic film, “The Notebook” tells the story of Allie and Noah, from different worlds, who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “The Notebook” is at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, from Aug. 18 to 30. Tickets start at $89. www.broadwayatthenational. com/shows
Dear Summer Festival DC at The Bullpen
On Saturday, Aug. 22, from 4 to 10 p.m. (rain or shine), at The Bullpen, 1201 Half St. SE, the Dear Summer Festival experience continues with excitement, food, great music and nonstop dancing. Music is provided by DJ 5’9, DJ BOOGZ and DJ SCHEMES. All attendees must be 21+ with valid proof of ID and have a ticket to attend; no tickets sold at door. Tickets are $84.39, including fees. www. eventbrite.com/e/dear-summer-festival-dc-tickets-1990229318467
AirSpace Live! “Star Trek” at 60 at Air and Space
The original “Star Trek” series only aired for three seasons (1966 to 1969), but it launched a fanbase that transformed pop culture. The National Air and Space Museum celebrates the 60th anniversary on Thursday, Aug. 13, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. A live taping of the museum’s podcast, AirSpace, about the history and cultural impact of “Star Trek” and its fans, features curator and “Trek” expert Margaret Weitekamp and guest Tawny Newsome, known for her work on “Star Trek-Lower Decks” and “Space Force.” Free; registration required. www.airandspace.si.edu
“Marlo Pascual: Making Something Out of Something” at the Women’s Art Museum
The work of Marlo Pascual, who stretched the boundaries of photography, is on view at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW, through Feb. 28, 2027. “Marlo Pascual: Making Something Out of Something,” the first solo museum exhibition of Pascual’s work in 15 years, introduces an artist who developed a practice of manipulating found images to create works that blur the line between photography and sculpture. The show presents 17 works made between 2009 and 2014. www. nmwa.org
from an
of
Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, 1968.
Detail
image
a face printed on Plexiglas that has been shattered in the center.
ZEN RENOVATIONS & THE
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
“The Fruits of Our Labor” by Step Afrika! at Arena Stage
In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, Step Afrika! premieres “The Fruits of Our Labor.” Created in collaboration with artists Jakari Sherman, Conrad R. Kelly II and Vusi Mdoyi, the explosive movement and a bold palette of red, white and blue ask the nation: What have we inherited and what are we still fighting to become? “The Fruits of Our Labor” is at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW, from Sept. 10 to Nov. 1. www.arenastage.org
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
On Saturday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. (gates at 6:30 p.m.), at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, Virginia, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his big band join the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) for the local premiere of Marsalis’ latest work, Symphony No. 5 “Liberty.” Commissioned by the NSO and Wolf Trap Foundation in honor of America250, it joins jazz, blues and orchestral sounds in a celebration of the American story. Tickets start at $51. www.wolftrap.org
Black Pontiac at Comet Ping Pong
Black Pontiac is a Vancouver quartet that balances grit, glam, garage rock edge and indie-pop hooks. A new project, A Danger to Himself and Others, dives into chaos and contradictions. Black Pontiac is at Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 8:30 p.m. $20 at door. cometpingpomg.com
Therapy Gecko at The Miracle Theatre
Comedian and unlicensed therapist Therapy Gecko is at the Miracle Theatre, 535 Eighth St. SE, on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.). Converse with the gecko (also known as Lyle Forever or simply just Geck) live on stage, mixed with personal stories from Lyle’s experience as a world trotting reptile. General admission, $40; premier seating, $63. www.themiracletheatre.com
Explore the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft
Opening to the general public for the first time on June 25, the Lincoln Memorial undercroft invites visitors into a space beneath the monument. The 15,000 square foot exhibit area reveals the concrete foundations that support the memorial and the story of how it was built. The undercroft features interactive exhibits that explore the memorial’s construction and multimedia presentations that trace the memorial’s role in American history and civil rights. Free admission. Advance tickets are available online; same-day tickets at the Korean War Veterans Memorial kiosk starting at 8:45 a.m. www.nps.gov/lincplanyourvisit/undercroftcisit
Mr. Henry’s Celebrates Turning 60!
Mr. Henry’s is throwing a 60th-anniversary gala to celebrate our diamond birthday on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The entire two floors and patio will be closed for this private, one-ofa-kind party. Starting with a red carpet entrance under the new side awning. Upstairs, three different entertainers will perform throughout the evening. Downstairs, we will highlight new photos and memorabilia incorporated into the existing wall art. Signature cocktails will flow at both bars (including a mocktail to keep up with the times!), along with wine and beer. Heavy, nostalgic and special-for-thisevening hors d’oeuvres will be featured and celebratory swag given out. Many friends joining us will represent our many years as part of the community on Capitol Hill! It will be an anniversary party not soon forgotten! For tickets, visit www.mrhenrysdc.com/event/save-the-date/
Photo: Tony Powell
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, 2020.
Capitol Cuisine
by Celeste McCall
At long last, Mott’s Market has opened at 233 12th St. SE, at the east end of Gessford Court. To welcome friends and neighbors, Mott’s held a three-day “soft opening,” where folks could sample the cuisine and service while the 17 or so employees got more practice.
But rst, some Mott’s history.
Built in 1916 as a small grocery by Jewish immigrants, Mott’s changed hands over the decades. When the store closed in 2022, the Capitol Hill community purchased the building. Local entrepreneur/bar owner Peyton Sherwood assumed the helm; he then gutted and renovated the space. The process took a long time, wading through government red tape and other challenges including ICE, but Mott’s was nally resurrected.
Accompanied by two friends, I checked out the “new” Mott’s. We were not disappointed. The space has been transformed into a charming country store with funky antiques ‒ including toy cars and a miniature train ‒ lining the walls. A spacious, pet-friendly patio is shaded by pretty white umbrellas and rimmed with herb plants.
Heading the menu is a selection of hot and cold sandwiches, breakfast burritos, Counter Culture co ee and other drinks including a wide array of beer and wine. You can even get wine to go! We’ve also found fresh produce, sodas, canned goods including Sons of Italy beans and pasta sauces, spices, cereals, chips, crackers, household products and even Fancy Feast cat food.
Sipping a glass of rose, I ordered the Italian special, an enormous sesame seed roll stu ed with ham, cheese, salami, lettuce and tomato. My friends chose the eggplant souvlaki sandwich, a focaccia heaped with fresh tasting eggplant, pickled onions, cukes, tomatoes and tzatziki. Among sandwich options are roast beef, Mississippi pot roast, chicken parmesan, chicken salad. Peter loved the roast beef, enhanced by roasted garlic mayo, hot honey and gorgonzola.
I also quaffed cappuccino and chomped on a plump breakfast burrito. The latter was lled with chorizo, scrambled eggs and medium-hot peppers. I could only nish half of it! The rest went to my lunch the next day.
Mott’s ‒ and their customers ‒ enjoyed a successful and fun shakedown cruise. Mott’s Market is closed Monday. For hours and more information, visit www.mottsmarket.com.
Coming Soon
Barracks Row is getting yet another Indian restaurant, Taki Taki Bar de Tapas, set to open later this year at 713 Eighth St. SE, where Crazy Aunt Helen’s used to be. The future two-level endeavor will showcase modern South Asian cuisine along with “global tapas” and “craft” cocktails. The diverse, ambitious menu will offer such exotica as jackfruit dumplings with smoked tomato relish, grilled scallops with yellow curry, Katsu chicken sliders, butter chicken tart,; crab fritters with ghost chili sauce, ghee roast lamb chops, beef kebabs with bone marrow curry, tiramisu with baked co ee cottage cheese.
Taki Taki will join nearby Bombay Street Food (524 Eighth St. SE) and Jab We Met (515 Eighth), which also serve the spicy cuisine of the subcontinent. For updates, visit www.takitakidc.com.
Java Time
Nearby, adding more ca eine to Barracks Row is Llamas’ Corner, which opened recently at 705 Eighth St. SE. The buzzy newcomer percolates with organic java beans, which they roast themselves. Other drinks include mango guava cheesecake matcha, pineapple tamarind iced tea, sorrel & ginger lemonade. To accompany that cup of Joe (or other beverage)
After overcoming various obstacles, Mott ’s Market has opened to rave reviews at the end of Gessford Court.
Mott ’s Market sports a charming ambiance with vintage toy cars, a miniature train, and other antiques.
Guests at Mott ’s enjoy a spacious, pet-friendly patio with pretty white umbrellas and herb plants.
are “loaded” breakfast bowls, bagels, sunrise breakfast paninis, brisket paninis, Swiss ham and apple paninis and more. Guests nd ample indoor and outdoor seating. By the way, a llama (pronounced “yama”) is a domesticated South American animal related to the camel. For Llamas’ Corner hours and more information, visit www.llamascorner.com.
Wine About It
Just up the street at 523 Eighth St. SE, Ambar Balkan Cuisine o ers Balkan wine nights on Wednesdays and Sundays when bottles are half price. For menu, hours and more information, visit www.ambarrestaurant.com.
Market Watch
Husband Peter has discovered Steel Beach Smokehouse LLC at Eastern Market. Based in Maryland, the veteran-owned mobile stand operates in the outdoor farmers lines, usually in front of Rumsey swimming pool. Here’s BBQ a cionado Peter, who ordered the pulled pork sandwich ($8) with a side of coleslaw. “It’s
very good, tender and avorful, similar to the pulled pork we’ve had at Market Lunch in Eastern Market.”
Among Steel Beach’s other smoky options are brisket and pulled lamb, available on a platter or in a sandwich. There’s also BBQ loaded macand-cheese. To drink: lemonade and other soft drinks. You’ll nd Steel Beach Smokehouse most Saturdays.
New Asian Brunch
ZomTum Laos Thai Bistro, at 660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, sports a new menu plus a weekend brunch special. For $19.99 guests may choose between crispy wings and spicy papaya salad or larb (minced chicken salad) and veggie- lled curry pu s. Plus: a glass of sauvignon blanc or a Singha (Thai) beer. Weekdays bring the $15.99 luncheon special, with choice of pad Thai, pad Z-U (rice noodles with Chinese broccoli) or drunken noodles, plus a spring roll. For a complete menu or more information, visit www.zomtumdc.com.
Congrats...
to chef-couple Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss, named “Chef of the Year” at the 2026 RAMMYS gala. The winners are with the Popol Group, which includes Pascual, the innovative Mexican restaurant at 732 Maryland Ave. NE. Sponsored by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), the annual awards honor our region’s dining and hospitality industry. For the rst time, the black-tie event was held at the Arena Stage’s Mead Center for the Performing Arts in Southwest near the District Wharf. For a complete list of winners and more information, visit www.ramw.org. ◆
Adding more caffeine to Barracks Row is Llama’s Corner, a popular coffee and pastry shop.
Theater Night Revolution, Resistance and Rousing Melodies
by Matthew McClure
Keep the Spirit of July 4th Alive in August While Supporting Local Theaters.
Even though July 4th is already a distant, smoke-filled memory, theaters in DC are still contemplating the contested concepts underpinning the holiday and what they mean right now. August is a great month to support local theaters by buying tickets to shows that grapple with ideas of independence, resistance, equality and freedom. Read on for our recommendations.
In the Spotlight
Tucked away on Church Street NW just off the buzzing 17th Street corridor, Keegan Theatre has been dishing up satiating servings of stage art to DMV audiences for 30 years. Artistic director Susan Marie Rhea ‒ who co-founded the mid-sized theater along with creative partner Mark Rhea – says she’s reflecting on three decades of plays and programming that “speak across divides” and “tease out what I want people to be talking about without hitting them over the head.”
From humble beginnings and staging their first
major production (“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”) in what was then the gym for a local high school, Keegan Theatre is now one of the city’s heavyweights. It was their rendition of “RENT,” performed in early 2010, that cemented Keegan Theatre’s place on DC’s performing arts map, and since then the small yet solid team under Rhea’s capable leadership has formed a robust network of connections, programs and partnerships that has seen the playhouse through both tough times and good. What screams resistance to the status quo more than the Tony Award-winning punk rock musical “American Idiot,” part of Keegan’s upcoming 202627 season? Rhea says she’s working on exciting new updates to this very American tale of disaffected youth, alienation and addiction that Keegan Theatre first staged 10 years ago. “I think ‘American Idiot’ will really be loudly speaking to the moment, to what’s happening.”
“The Believers” by Audrey Cefaly will open to audiences for the first time in early spring next year on Keegan’s mainstage. “I wanted a play that was about a small group of people still reaching for each other despite extreme differences,” Rhea explains. “We’ve got a flat-earther, a Christian, a Greta Thunberg type character, all coming together on the Florida panhandle. It’s brilliant. It’s exactly what I hope theater can do.”
Cefaly’s play is part of Keegan Theatre’s Boiler Room Series piloted by artistic director Josh Sticklin, which has become a critical tool for supporting stage work by emerging playwrights from concept through to execution. Rhea says “The Believers” is a great example of how resistance can be both nuanced and layered. “It’s really exciting to birth something that speaks to the moment but does it in a way that’s both subtle and complicated.”
There are many other ways Keegan
Theatre responds to the moment while staying true to its founding principles through the work it stages and the community connections it nurtures. Keegan PLAY-RAH-KA is the theater’s education program for pre-K, elementary and high school students. It gives kids across the region access to important skills like learning to work as a group, cultivating creativity and improving communication through summer camp and after-school programs. “I’m endlessly proud of who we are in every way, as a community partner, as an arts organization, as a mentor and carer of people and artists,” Rhea says. “The most important thing to me are the human beings in the space. That’s there’s unending respect and kindness and that everyone’s idea is worth hearing. It’s the DNA of who we are.” www.keegantheatre.com
On Right Now
“Woody Guthrie’s American Song,” Theater Alliance
Showing Aug. 6-29
www.theateralliance.com
“Woody Guthrie’s American Song” is not a Woody Guthrie autobiography. Neither is it your typical summer musical. Conceived and written by Peter Glazer in the late 1970s and first performed in 1988 with vocal and orchestral arrangements by Jeff Waxman, this infrequently produced yet uniquely American lyrical tale reimagines scenes from Guthrie’s life and career through the perspectives of the eclectic melange of Americans who so often featured in his music.
“It really feels like a play and a concert mashed up with storytelling elements. It’s these cool little vignettes of what inspired him to write his songs,” explains director Tim Seib, who worked with Theater Alliance’s executive artistic director Shanara
Children participating in Keegan Theatre’s PLAY-RAH-KA education program. Courtesy of Keegan Theatre
A still from Keegan Theatre’s 2016 production of “American Idiot.” Courtesy of Keegan Theatre
Gabrielle to make “Woody Guthrie’s American Song” come to life at The Wharf Waterfront Park in Southwest. This performance will cap Theater Alliance’s 2025/26 season and is the nal work the company will produce before moving into the Arts Hub ‒ their shared interdisciplinary space at 340 Maple Drive SW ‒ along with creative partners IN Series operatic theater company and the 4EYE Film Center (see below).
Assistant artistic director Aria Velz says that producing the play was motivated by wanting to stage an outdoors summer musical while the permanent home was under construction, in addition to presenting a work that corresponds with Theater Alliance’s view of art as a tool of social justice. “We’ve never done a musical before. There’s something joyous about gathering people together to enjoy music outdoors. Woody Guthrie’s work is also aligned with a lot of the values of Theater Alliance in terms of speaking for and uplifting marginalized groups.”
Radical neighboring – curating activations for the surrounding community outside of conventional performance spaces and letting them decide how much they’re able to pay for a ticket – is also one of Theater Alliance’s core values, and something that
Guthrie himself would no doubt have approved of.
Widely acknowledged as an American folk music icon and the forefather of artists like Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, Guthrie was born in Oklahoma in 1912 and grew up in the heart of the American Dust Bowl. While his early life was beset by tragedy (his home burned down, his sister perished after setting herself alight and his mother died of Huntington’s Disease), he got his rst break after moving to California and performing on a local radio station. It was also in California that Guthrie acquainted himself with communism and socialism, movements that would in uence his music and life forever.
“Woody Guthrie’s American Song” follows “the Oklahoma Cowboy” from Oklahoma to Texas, then on to California and New York, where he immersed himself in the pro-worker movement and wrote perhaps his most recognized song, “This Land Is Your Land,” penned as a critique of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” Seib says that each member of the ensemble plays a role in telling Guthrie’s story. “We explore the idea that a diverse group of storytellers can all embody Guthrie’s persona and voice. They’re using his words and voice but through the lens of a group of modern people.”
All the action takes place in a purpose-built outdoor set that incorporates the wind, sunshine and water that Guthrie himself found endlessly inspirational. “There’s a wonderful scene when Guthrie’s on a train and he feels rain for the rst time in a long time. I can’t help thinking, wouldn’t it be great if it started raining at that moment?” Seib laughs.
As right-wing nationalism and democratic socialism sweep across the nation and the world, Woody Guthrie’s legacy has never been more relevant. Go watch it now. ◆
Woodrow “Woody” Guthrie with his famous guitar, “This machine kills fascists.” Courtesy Theater Alliance
Art on the Hill Artists at Work in Public Spaces
by Rindy O’Brien
In the art world, open air painting is called En plein air. Zehra Tuncel and Galen Summers, the artists featured this month, create art in very different styles. But both work in public spaces letting us see them transform a blank canvas into a work of art. They are both also in the beginning of their art journey and look forward to sharing their work with you.
Zehra Tuncel’s Ice Cream Scoops
Lincoln Park residents have enjoyed watching Zehra Tuncel create her art over the past few months. The long-awaited opening of the Hill’s newest ice cream shop, Le Petite Scoop, at the corner of East Capitol Street and North Carolina avenue SE, is even more special thanks to Tuncel’s vivid paintings. Her
American friends call her Sarah, easier than the Turkish pronunciation, and she is in love with the Hill and NOMA communities. A relative of Wine and Butter’s owner, Attila Suzer, Tuncel happily agreed to transform the white walls on the side of the building into a charming ice cream world.
“I am not formally trained in painting,” she says, “but have painted since I was five years old and painted the walls of my parent’s home.” She has been a member of the NOMA women’s rugby team for the past five years, which is an extension of her love of sports that includes seven years as a kick-boxing champion. “Art is how I express myself, she says, “and while my family aren’t artistic themselves, they have always been so supportive of my work.”
Her family is from the region of Circassia between the Black and Caspian seas. After the 19th century Russo-Circassian war, the population was displaced, with many living in Turkey, Jordan and Syria. “It is my traditions that draws me to subject matter like painting horses, dogs and other animals.” She is currently painting a very large canvas of horses and says she “can feel the souls of these animals as I paint.”
Tuncel experiments with mixing oil and acrylic paints to get the colors she seeks. “It also dries faster,” she notes. Her work includes indoor and outdoor murals. She would love to expand her art by adding pet commissions to her portfolio. You can see her work on her Instagram account, www.instagram. com/zehratuncel.art/, and she can be reached by email at zehratuncel@gmail.com.
Galen Summers – Observer Extraordinaire
Another local artist, Galen Summers, uses public spaces to create art in a very different setting. Galen can often be found at Union Market’s Songbyrd Music House and other venues, sketching the musicians and their environment.
Hill Rag’s own Andrew Lightman says Summers is a fixture in the area’s punk music scene, where he has been doing live sketching for a few years. Also called by his formal name, George, he says he is just one among artists and photographers who enjoy this interest.
Summers came to the DC area three and half years ago to attend Georgetown University for his master’s degree in international relations. While a student, he began attending music venues and found he enjoyed bringing his sketch book and pencils. “I think it makes me much more aware of my surroundings, and it helps me become an extraordinary observer.”
Galen Summers sketches the local punk rock scene and especially enjoys Union Market’s Songbyrd scene.
Photo: Rindy O’Brien
Zehra Tuncel creates her ice cream scoop murals at the new Le Petit Scoop near Lincoln Park. Children especially like to see how many scoops tall they are. Photo: Rindy O’Brien
Zehra Tuncel captures the fun of licking an ice cream cone in her painting at Wine and Butter coffee shop. Photo: Rindy O’Brien
“I like to get to the venues a little early and take a good look around. Suddenly you notice the decorations on the guitar strap or the design on the drum sets.” He adds that he can also find a good spot for his drawing. Summers wouldn’t call himself a musician, but he did play the sousaphone in his Lexington, Kentucky, marching band. A sousaphone is a large musical instrument that is part of the tuba family. “It wasn’t that easy to play and march at the same time, but it did give me an appreciation for music.”
Summers makes his sketches
with a variety of mechanical pencils that he has organized in a zip pouch, and ones he has experimented with to find the right kind of lead that can be shaded and smeared to create better shadows. He tends to do quick sketches although he says he is beginning to appreciate doing architectural sketches of the venues he is visiting. “If you look closely,” he notes, “there are all kinds of shapes and angles in the spaces you are in that make a very satisfying sketch.”
Summers enjoys drawing cartoons, something that connects him his family in Kentucky. “My father
COOKING CLASSES & TASTINGS
On the Noodle Road Featuring Jen Lin Liu: Chinese Dinner Party II SOLD OUT!
Saturday, August 1 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Discover the Terroir: A Maryland and Virginia Wine Journey featuring Wine Expert Leslie Frelow
Sunday, August 2 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Kitchen 101: Knife Skills w/ Chef Wendi James Monday, August 3 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series: Thai Street food, Tom Yum Ka, Pomelo Salad, Thai Popcorn, Red Curry Chicken
Saturday, August 8 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Chicken 101 with Chef Wendi James
Monday, August 10 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Vacanza Italiana with Chef Mark Haskel
Tuesday, August 11 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series: Easy Indian Samosas
Wednesday, August 12 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series: Ethiopian Doro Wat, Collard Greens and Red Lentil Stew
Monday, August 22 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series – Turkish Lahmacun
Wednesday, August 26 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
CONCERTS
King Bullfrog Hoppy Hour 2026
Friday, August 28 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Programmatic support provided by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.
Horses are part of the Circassian lifestyle and tradition. Zehra Tuncel feels a close relationship to horses and enjoys capturing them in her paintings, as well as riding them in the Shenandoah Valley. Photo: Courtesy of Zehra Tuncel
A sketch of Union Market, the home of Songbird Music House. Photo: Courtesy of Galen Summers
Poetic Hill
Mark
Dawson
by Sandra Beasley
Mark Dawson has lived in Ward 6 on Capitol Hill since 2000. A Tennessee native, he holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of Alabama, where he was editor of Black Warrior Review. He has published poems in Willow Springs, Nimrod, Colorado Review, North American Review, Antioch Review, Poet & Critic and elsewhere.
“10 P.M.” first appeared in One, an online journal. Dawson’s “clover Milky Way” can sometimes be seen in the grassy island where North Carolina Avenue meets First Street SE.
10 P.M.
It’s 10 P.M. again. I really love this hour. To bed? No! I’m too awake for that. But yes ‒ we are in double digits now. Right now is the last moment to embark on some original plan and fold it, neatly done, before midnight, when the earth’s curvature divides my thoughts into half-moons. But glorious 10 P.M.! Only those of us with special permission venture out of doors. A woman up the hill smokes the day’s last cigarette, standing still at the apex of her tall streetlight shadow, a heroic sentinel. And me? I walk to carry trash to a street basket. I turn and see that clover has formed a river in green grass. I have to think of myself thinking up a clever thought before I wonder if a buried sewage-line has broken. I do not, do not, want to greet the happy couple approaching as smoothly as skaters on ice. It’s 10 P.M.! And under its waning spell, I make my way back across the grassy expanse to the curb, and turn to gaze at the clover Milky Way….
Southwest resident Sandra Beasley is the curator of “Poetic Hill” and the author of four poetry collections. If you live in DC and are interested in being featured, you can reach her at sandrabeasley@earthlink.net for questions and submissions (1-5 poems). u
has a great collection,” Summers says. He enjoys using his imagination to draw scenes and comment on things happening in the world around him, a skill he developed during his years in the Los Angeles area. His attention to detail with a twist of humor make the cartoons fun and entertaining.
Summers is interested in finding more ways to share his art and invites folks to visit his Instagram account to see his work. He is happy to have other music fans ask to see his sketches while he works. He invites you to see his art on Instagram at www.instagram.com/dmvrovingsketcher/. He can also be reached at dmvrovingsketcher@gmail.com.
Rindy O’Brien writes about Capitol Hill’s art and cultural scene and can be contacted at rindyobrien@gmail.com. u
Upcoming Exhibits
Celebrating Monet. This year is the one hundredth anniversary of Monet’s passing, and there are numerous special exhibitions around the world to celebrate.
Here in DC, you can experience an immersive exhibition of Monet at the Rhode Island Center, 524 Rhode Island Ave. NE, that lasts 90 minutes and gives you a 360-degree view of his world. Tickets prices are online. There will also be a special exhibit in Richmond at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts this fall called “The Impressionist Revolution.”
“Abstract 2026,” Capitol Hill Art League members-only show at the Capitol Hill Art Workshop Gallery, 545 Seventh St. SE. The 26-piece show was juried by Kelly MacConomy and runs through Aug. 22.
“Wall Mountables,” the DC Arts Center in Adams Morgan. One of DC’s largest open arts exhibits features square mountable art works that are a summer tradition. Great chance to purchase small works of up-and-coming artists. It is open Wednesday through Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m., at 2438 18th St. NW.
“Out of Chaos,” Honfleur Gallery in historic Anacostia, features artists who have been making street art for 15 years or more and bring their professional visual art to a gallery setting. The show is curated by hip-hop artist Luis Del Valle. Opening reception, Aug. 22, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., and the show runs through Sept. 26. The gallery is located at 1241 Marion Barry Ave. NE.
“Making Something Out of Something,” 17 photograph works of Marlo Pascual at the National Museum of Women in the Arts through February 2027. The work blurs the boundaries between photography and sculpture and transforms what is familiar into something uncanny. Admission to the museum is discounted for DC residents and seniors and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum is located at 1250 New York Ave. NW. u
Galen Summers stands in music venues and does quick sketches of the musicians on stage. He says the hazard of doing art this way is sometimes you have to get out of the way before you become part of the mosh pit. Photo: Courtesy of Galen Summers
Music for the World St. Germain’s “Rose Rouge”
by Jean-Keith Fagon
Rose Rouge – St. Germain Ludovic Navarre - composer, producer, electronic musician and arranger. Featuring Pascal Ohse, trumpet, and Claudio de Queiroz, baritone saxophone
Some recordings belong to their moment. Others seem to exist outside time. More than 25 years after its release, St. Germain's Rose Rouge remains as exhilarating, original, and emotionally resonant as it was in 2000. It reminds us that great music never grows old because it speaks to something permanent within us.
Released as the opening track on Tourist, Rose Rouge is widely regarded as one of the dening recordings of the electronic jazz movement. French producer Ludovic Navarre, recording as St. Germain, achieved something remarkably rare: a seamless fusion of deep house, jazz, electronic music, and world rhythms. Rather than treating jazz as a source of samples, he placed it at the heart of the composition.
That spirit lies at the heart of The Jazz Project. Its purpose is not simply to review remarkable recordings but to explore how jazz deepens our understanding of one another. Great jazz reminds us that listening is itself an act of generosity. Every solo depends upon those who accompany it. Every musician leaves space for another voice. The performance becomes a model of community.
Rose Rouge revolves around a memorable vocal sample from Marlena Shaw's live 1973 performance of Woman of the Ghetto. Her repeated invitation—"I want you to get together, put your hands together one time"—becomes both its rhythmic anchor and emotional center. Around those words unfold trumpet, baritone saxophone, double bass, percussion, and
subtle electronic textures riding atop an irresistible groove.
Critics praised Rose Rouge for preserving the integrity of authentic jazz while embracing electronic dance music. The recording helped propel Tourist to the top of Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, contributing to worldwide sales of more than four million copies and establishing St. Germain as an international artist.
What makes Rose Rouge so compelling is its balance between repetition and evolution. The rhythm never wavers, but everything around it breathes and changes. Horns enter gradually. Percussion converses with the bass. Layers build until the music reaches an exhilarating climax before gently receding. Rather than following a traditional verse-and-chorus structure, the composition unfolds like a live jazz performance, rewarding attentive listening as much as dancing.
Perhaps that explains why the recording still feels so contemporary. The technology belongs to another era, but the humanity does not.
Listening today, one quickly realizes that Rose Rouge feels like music composed for the entire human family. Within its hypnotic pulse are echoes of salsa, Afro-Cuban rhythms, samba, African drumming, Indian musical traditions, New Orleans jazz, and Mediterranean celebration. None of these in uences compete. Instead, they recognize one another like old friends, each contributing its own voice to a larger conversation.
That conversation is jazz itself.
Jazz has always been a conversation rather
than a monologue. Born from African traditions, shaped by European harmony, and enriched by Latin rhythms, blues, gospel, classical music, and countless other in uences, it has never stopped absorbing new languages while remaining unmistakably itself. Rose Rouge extends that tradition into the twenty- rst century, proving that jazz is not a museum piece but a living art form capable of embracing new sounds without losing its soul.
Why does music born from so many different histories feel immediately familiar? Perhaps rhythm reaches a place within us that existed before language, borders, politics, and religion divided humanity. Beneath our di erences lives the same longing—to celebrate, to love, to belong, to be understood, and to feel fully alive.
That may explain why this recording still connects listeners decades after its release. The world has become faster, louder, and more divided, yet Marlena Shaw's simple invitation remains timeless: "I want you to get together."
For a few luminous minutes, the boundaries disappear. We become one people—listening, remembering, and dancing together.
That is why Rose Rouge still matters. More than 25 years after its release, it continues to accomplish one of music's highest callings: not simply entertaining us, but connecting us. Before we spoke di erent languages or lived in di erent nations, we answered rhythm together. Few recordings remind us of that more beautifully. ◆
LOCAL CALENDAR
“CrazySexyCool: The TLC Musical” at Arena. Through Aug. 9. TLC blazed a trail and changed the game. The trio stormed the ‘90s music scene, not only topping the charts but creating the look, sound and soul of a generation. Tickets start at $83. www.arenastage.org
DC Puzzle Challenge at SW Library. On Mondays through Aug. 23, all day, drop by the Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW, to help construct a 5x5-foot puzzle that will be incorporated into a 23-foot puzzle to be exhibited at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Then join others on Aug. 29 at MLK Memorial Library for the final assembly. www.dclibrary.org
Live! At the Library. On Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m., the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress is open for extended hours. Visitors are
invited to enjoy happy-hour snacks and drinks available for purchase in the Great Hall, while immersing themselves in the exhibits, collections and programs. The series regularly features special conversations, music, performances, films and displays that showcase the holdings. Tickets for Live! At the Library are required and are available on a first-come, firstserved basis. www.loc.gov/live
Free Outdoor Vinyasa at Eastern Market Metro Park (800 Pennsylvania Ave. SE). Saturdays, 10 a.m., through Sept. 26. Register at www.barracksrow.org/ events.
annual summer concert series.
Military Bands Capitol Summer Concert Series. Navy Band concerts are Aug. 3, 10, 17 and 24; Air Force Band concerts are Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25; Marine Band concerts are Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26; Army Band concerts are Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28. All concerts are on the west side of the Capitol and start at 7 p.m. Setup begins at 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Lawn chairs are allowed on the stone terrace in front of the band. Food is permitted; however, no alcohol or glass bottles are allowed. www.aoc.gov
Free Outdoor Movies at The Wharf. Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.: Aug. 5, “Roman Holiday”; Aug. 12, “10 Things I Hate about You”; Aug. 19, “F1, The Movie”; Aug. 26, “Project Hail Mary”; Sept. 2, double feature of “When Harry Met Sally” and “First Wives Club.” The movies are family-friendly. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Closed captions are available upon request. Limited Adirondacks chairs are available on a first-come first-served basis starting at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket or folding chair. www.wharfdc.com/sunsetcinema
August 20, 2025, DC United vs. NYCFC.
DC United at Audi Field. Aug. 1, vs. Nashville SC; Aug. 13 vs. New England Revolution; Aug. 23 vs. LAFC; Sept. 13 vs. Charlotte FC; Oct. 14 vs. New York Red Bull; Oct. 24 vs. FC Cincinnati; Nov. 7 vs. NYCFC. Tickets start at $23. Audi Field, 100 Potomac Ave. SW. www.audifield.com
America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration. Through Oct. 12, the US Botanic Garden blooms with the flowers each US state and territory has chosen as its official flower. Explore the living plants, artistic displays, botanical illustrations and herbarium specimens. www.usbg.gov
Live at the Library: Summer Movies on the Lawn. Aug. 6, “Apollo 13”; Aug. 13, rain date, if needed. The annu-
DPR Movies on the (Yards Park) Great Lawn. Aug. 6, “Super Mario Galaxy”; Aug. 13, “Smurfs Lost Village”; Aug. 20, “Michael.” 6 to 9 p.m. There are themed activities at 6 p.m. followed by a movie at 7 p.m. 355 Water St. SE. navyyarddc.org
The United States Air Force Band performs on the West Front of the US Capitol as part of the
al Movies on the Lawn series returns to the Library of Congress. Free outdoor screenings with pre-show performance at 7 p.m. (movie at sundown) are offered Thursdays on the southeast lawn of the Thomas Jefferson Building. www.loc.gov
Movies on the Pitch. Aug. 6 and 13, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. This free series invites attendees to sit on the grass at Audi Field to watch family-friendly blockbusters on the Jumbotron. 100 Potomac Ave. SW. www.navyyarddc.org
“Piece by Piece” Outdoor Screening on the DC Armory lawn. Aug. 7, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Screening “Piece by Piece” by Pharrell Williams, with themed activities, snacks and onsite activations. Bring a lawn blanket or chair to watch the movie. www. eventsdc.com/venue/dc-armory
Salsa Dance Night at The Wharf. Aug. 7, dancing begins at 7 p.m., followed by open dancing at Transit Pier, 970 Wharf St. SW. This event is family-friendly; all ages are welcome. www.wharfdc.com
Used Book Sale at NE Library. Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (second Saturday of the month). Shop a wide range of donated titles, most are $1 to $2. At 330 Seventh St. NE. www.dclibrary.org
Drive-In Movies at Union Market. Aug. 14, “F1, The Movie”; Sept. 4, “Mean Girls”; Oct. 5, “The Addams Family.” www. unionmarketdc.com. Get tickets to watch from your car ($25) or bring chairs and blankets for a picnic-style setup in front of the market. No tickets are needed to watch on Neal Place. Summer movies start at 7:30 p.m. www. unionmarketdc.com
Turning the Page Book Sales in the Park. Aug. 16 and 20;
Sept. 20 and 27; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. www. barracksrow.org/events
Summer Evening Hours at the Botanic Garden. Aug. 20 and Sept. 17, the Conservatory stays open until 8 p.m. for visitors to explore the plant collection while enjoying live music beginning at 5 p.m. Refreshments for purchase. www.usbg.gov
Soul Line Dance with Sean at SW Library. Aug. 24 and Sept. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Move your body while learning new steps and practicing some favorites at Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. www.dclibrary.org
King Bullfrog Hoppy Hour. Aug. 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. Bring the family to Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, to enjoy a Friday evening filled with live music perfect for all ages. $14 for kids; $7 for adults. Register at www.hillcenterdc.org.
Fall Music Series in Canal Park. Sept. 4, 18 and 25; 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in Canal Park, 200 M St. SE. www.navyyarddc.org
Friday Night Fireworks at Nats Park. Sept. 11, after 6:45 p.m. game vs. Angels. www.mlb. com/nationals/schedule/2026-05
NoMa in Color Mural Festival. Sept. 11 to 18. Every fall, the NoMa in Color Mural Festival transforms the neighborhood into a living canvas, filling walls with imaginative works that celebrate creativity and community. www. nomabid.org
H Street Festival (Save the Date). Sept. 19, noon to 7 p.m. Along 12 blocks on H Street NE. It has 15 staging areas that are themed and programmed to target different segments of audiences. www.hstreetfestival. org ◆
The RFK Master Plan
Six New Neighborhoods Planned
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
The District’s draft master plan for the RFK Stadium Campus (https://dcgov.app. box.com/v/RFKcampusdraftplan) attempts to answer a question Washington has been asking for decades: What should replace the acres of asphalt and fenced-off land around the old stadium site?
The answer, in the plan released June 30, is not only a football stadium. It is an entire new riverfront neighborhood with housing, retail, hotels, recreation, parks, a sportsplex and a restored edge along the Anacostia River. The 180-acre site would be organized
into six districts, each with a different role in the long-term buildout of the campus.
The new Commanders Stadium would anchor the Stadium District. But planners describe the broader campus as a “365-day” place meant to thrive outside of a football game. The plan calls for 5,000 to 6,500 homes, at least 30% of them affordable, along with 6-8 million square feet of mixed-use development. District officials said the project could generate about 14,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs.
The Framework
Brian Hanlon, director of the District’s Department of Buildings and
lead RFK project executive, said during a June 30 webinar that the plan would be “more than a stadium development” and “more than a gateway to the city.” He described it as a new neighborhood linking Wards 6 and 7, bringing jobs and housing while opening the Anacostia waterfront to the public.
Six districts are meant to transform the site from stadium parking lots to urban neighborhoods:
1. The Stadium District would include the stadium, entry plaza and related event spaces.
2. The Plaza District would be a mixed-use entertainment and retail area closest to transit and gameday activity.
3. The Riverfront District would put housing, restaurants, commercial uses and public access along the water.
4. Kingman Commons, north of C Street and along Oklahoma Avenue, is envisioned as a largely residential and recreational area tied to the sportsplex and nearby fields.
5. The Recreation District would preserve and organize athletic fields and community open space.
6. The Anacostia Commons would create a 30-acre natural riparian zone with trails, landscaping and water access.
Office of Planning officials said the master plan is not a construction document but a framework that will
A Future H Street BID
ANC 6A REPORT
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A was supportive of e orts to create a business improvement district (BID) along H Street NE. Organizers say a BID would complement rather than replace H Street Main Street.
Phil Coppage, the owner of Cynthia Bar and Bistro at 502 H St. NW, is spearheading a Greater H Street BID Association (www.hstreetbid. com). He said many residents mistakenly believe H Street already has a BID. The H Street Main Street provides business support and organizes events, including the annual H Street Festival. A BID would create a separate organization funded through an assessment on commercial properties to support services such as street cleaning, landscaping, public space improvements, marketing and government relations.
Coppage said the proposed BID is being organized di erently from many existing BIDs because it began with small businesses rather than large commercial property owners. Organizers are considering a boundary from Third Street to 15th Street NE, from the Hopscotch Bridge up to but not including the Starburst Plaza, though the boundaries could change as outreach continues.
The Greater H Street BID Association has formed a 501(c)(6) organization and a founding board that includes Atlas Performing Arts Center executive director Jarod Bennett, commercial property owner and developer Gail Montplaisir, Lit-
could help amplify communications through its community forums and announcement lists. There
forums and announcement lists. There was no vote.
Farewell to Commissioner Kolb
tle Miner Taco owner Kathy Voss and Adru Pescod of Cane and St. James restau-
rants. Coppage said organizers are working with an urban planner to develop an assessment model and map before beginning the petition process required to establish a BID.
Councilmember Charles Allen included $100,000 in the FY2027 budget for an H Street BID feasibility study, which the association intends to request through the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED). The study could examine potential pilot projects and ways a BID could address issues including commercial activity, transportation, public space management, cleaning services and marketing.
A future BID budget could range from approximately $600,000 to $1 million annually. Coppage emphasized that the BID would work alongside H Street Main Street, noting that successful corridors in the District often have both organizations operating together. For example, Barracks Row and Eastern Market Mainstreets operate alongside the Capitol Hill BID.
Chair Amber Gove encouraged BID organizers to continue engaging with ANC committees, including potentially adding BID representatives to committee discussions. She said the commission
Commissioner Stephen Kolb is leaving Single Member District (SMD) 6A07 as of July 20, after his family purchased a home in Ward 7. DC Code mandates that commissioners live in the SMD they represent. Kolb said the ANC’s ABC Committee chair, Je Gierst, is preparing to qualify for the ballot.
Kolb was elected in 2024. His term ends with the calendar year. He thanked the commissioners for their work and Gove for her mentorship.
Capitol Hill Village Highlights
Volunteer Work, Sidewalk Safety
Mary Bloodworth, director of operations for Capitol Hill Village (CHV), reminded residents that the organization helps older adults remain in their homes through volunteer support. She encouraged neighbors to check on seniors during extreme heat, ensuring that air conditioning and fans are working and helping with errands.
Bloodworth announced a vaccination clinic scheduled for Oct. 15 at Eastern Market’s North Hall, from 1 to 4 p.m., in partnership with Grubb’s Pharmacy. The event will o er vaccines to attendees who bring insurance information and identi cation.
She also discussed a CHV sidewalk safety advocacy. Bloodworth said the sidewalk safety committee reviewed District data from scal years 2021 through 2025 and found 22,013 sidewalk repair submissions during the study peri-
od. She cautioned that closure rates may be overstated because multiple requests can be submitted for the same location, and the data does not clearly show whether duplicate requests are removed.
DC Dank Cannabis Appeal Rejected
ANC Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Committee chair Jeff Gertz reported that the District’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis (ABC) Board rejected an appeal from DC Dank, a proposed cannabis retailer at 712 15th St. NE.
The dispute centered on whether the location violated District law prohibiting new cannabis retailers within 400 feet of a school. The DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) had previously rescinded the establishment’s placard after determining the location was within the prohibited distance from Miner Elementary School. The ABC Board upheld that finding, meaning the proposed retailer cannot proceed unless there is a further appeal. There was no vote.
Transportation Committee Reviews
Micromobility, Gold Line and G Street NE
ANC 6B Transportation and Public Space (TPS) Committee Chair Patrick Bloomstine discussed the Gold Line bus rapid transit proposal. Bloomstine said members remain concerned that early discussions have focused heavily on the portion connecting RFK redevelopment to downtown rather than building the full transit corridor envisioned by planners. The proposed line would eventually connect Benning Road to Georgetown. Bloomstine said the committee will continue discussions on the
Gold Line, including a possible future appearance by Councilmember Allen and WMATA representatives. The committee will also revisit a request to convert the 1400 block of G Street NE to one-way traffic, an issue residents and the ANC have raised with DDOT for several years. There was no vote.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A met July 9 with chair Amber Gove (6A04) presiding. Commissioners Scott Burger (6A01, interim secretary), Roberta Shapiro (6A03, treasurer), Morgan Conley (6A05), Ben Hammer (6A06) and Stephen Kolb (6A07) attended. Kimberly Stanley (6A02) was not in attendance.
ANC 6A generally meets on the second Thursday of each month, except in August. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10. Visit www.ANC6A.org for meeting details. u
Roberta Flack Circle
ANC 6B REPORT
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B unanimously recommended the District name the new traffic circle under construction at the intersection of Potomac Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street SE Roberta Flack Circle, in honor of the late singer. Flack got her start in the music business by performing in the upstairs room of Mr. Henry’s (601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE).
Commissioner Karen Hughes reported that 1,003 residents partic-
Representing the Capitol Hill/Hill East, Eastland Gardens, Kenilworth, Kingman Park, Mayfair,
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Virtual Login: https://dc-gov.zoom.us/j/82241
895770?pwd=30xgxP1oqOWhDHUuXw1vbrC1 rYieSe.1 and enter password: anc7d
Brian Alcorn, Chairperson 7D08 – Capitol Hill 7d08@anc.dc.gov
Dom Pacheco, Secretary 7D06 – Rosedale 7d06@anc.dc.gov
Artilie Wright 7D03 – Parkside 7d03@anc.dc.gov
Katie Murphy 7D04 – River Terrace 7d04@anc.dc.gov
Ebony Payne 7D05 – Kingman Park 7d05@anc.dc.gov
Ashley Schapitl 7D09 – Hill East 7d09@anc.dc.gov
Vacant SMD 7D02 – Mayfair 7d02@anc.dc.gov
Dev Myers 7D10 – Hill East 7d10@anc.dc.gov
ipated in the ANC’s ranked-choice community poll. Flack received 501 rst-round votes and secured 682 votes after tabulation, making her the overwhelming community preference. Hughes said the ANC would forward the results to the DC Council along with a letter describing the polling process and neighborhood participation. A councilmember must introduce legislation to make the naming o cial.
Commissioners also discussed coordinating with Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen’s o ce and the Capitol Hill BID on a future dedication ceremony after construction is complete.
draft more than a week earlier and only minor typographical changes had been made since.
Transportation Recommendations
ANC 6B approved recommendations to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) regarding a proposed contra ow bicycle lane on the 500 block of Second Street SE.
Library Closure
The commission voted to request that DC Public Library o cials and members of the DC Council maintain book pickup and return services at the Arthur Capper Recreation Center after the interim library closes on July 31.
The commission asked DDOT to study relocating the proposed bike lane from the west side of the street to the east side and to consider additional improvements to intersection visibility. Commissioners removed an earlier proposal involving a raised crosswalk near Capitol Hill Day School (210 South Carolina Ave. SE) after determining it should not be included in the comments.
The 10th Street Project
Commissioner David Sobelsohn said the newly renovated Southeast Neighborhood Library (301 Seventh St. SE) is scheduled to reopen Sept. 10, leaving nearly six weeks during which neighborhood residents would lose access to the holds shelf and exterior book returns that operate from Arthur Capper. While the library has said equipment must be moved and sta trained before reopening, Sobelsohn questioned why those services could not remain available, noting they require minimal sta ng and are among the interim site’s most heavily used features.
Commissioners said maintaining the holds shelf and book drop would help residents continue borrowing books during the nal weeks before the library reopens.
Cannabis Settlement Approved
The commission approved a settlement agreement (SA) with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) supporting Lotus Wellness’s application to open a medical cannabis retailer at 1430 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.
Although one commissioner expressed concern that the nal agreement had not been included in the meeting packet, members of the ANC Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Committee said commissioners had received the
The commission voted to support a proposal to convert a long-vacant ve-unit apartment building at 513 Tenth St. SE into a singlefamily residence with an accessory dwelling unit, subject to several conditions requested by neighbors.
ANC Planning and Zoning Committee chair Vince Moreno said the applicant agreed to provide a shade study and a written construction schedule and to consult the Historic Preservation Review Board on revisions to a proposed front canopy. Several nearby residents attended the committee meeting, and the project ultimately received neighborhood support after commitments were made.
Crime Declines
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) First District Commander Adam Crist reported that violent crime in ANC 6B is down 63% compared with the same period last year, including a 70% decline in carjackings and a 52% reduction in motor vehicle thefts.
Crist said police are investigating two recent burglaries, one involving an unlocked residence and another in which a faulty business door was forced open. Commissioners questioned MPD about vehicle thefts, complaints of suspected drug activity, illegal auto
repair businesses and department policies related to recent interactions between MPD officers and National Guard personnel.
Representatives from the mayor’s office also encouraged residents to comment on the draft RFK Campus Master Plan before the Aug. 14 public comment deadline. Do so online at ourrfk.dc.gov/ page/rfk-campus-master-plan.
ANC 6B met July 14 at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE and via Zoom. Chair Samuel Pastore (6B05) presided. Also in attendance were Tyler Wolanin (6B01, parliamentarian), Gerald “Jerry” Sroufe (6B02), David Sobelsohn (6B03, secretary), Brian Gorman (6B04), Anna Krebs (6B06, treasurer), Vince Mareino (6B07) and Karen Hughes (6B09).
The commission will not meet in August. Its next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8. Get details at www.anc6b.org. u
The National Guard Resolution
ANC 6C REPORT
by Sarah Payne
Following months of frustration and “lack of engagement” from District government agencies, commissioners are shifting focus from their unanswered Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to advocacy. Last fall, commissioners submitted several FOIA requests to Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety
and Justice and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) concerning National Guard activity and immigration enforcement across the city. To date, they have not received a response.
In June, commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution expressing concern about the National Guard presence and immigration enforcement in the neighborhood. The resolution, and associated press release, called for an end to the postings and patrols. “We’re done with FOIA and we’re on to advocacy informed by FOIA,” secretary Andrew Hayes said at the July meeting.
Hayes expressed the commissioners’ “disappointment” with the “state of cooperation between the city and federal government” and said the commission is now eagerly awaiting “substantive responses” to its resolution, not the FOIA requests.
Hayes remains hopeful that the agencies will respond and work with commissioners to modify patrols to be “less burdensome” for community members. Despite the lack of direct response to the inquiries, Hayes is encouraged by the mayor’s office, which has “repeatedly disavowed cooperation with local immigration enforcement.” The commission took no vote on this matter.
Other Matters
Commissioner Hayes will step down from his position following the July meeting due to relocation outside of his single member district (SMD). Hayes plans to support the commission in a “secretarytype role” through the end of the year. Chair Wirt noted that, depending on the needs for secretaryspecific responsibilities, commissioners may elect a new secretary at the September meeting.
The commission voted to:
• support the Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA) permit application for a cargo bike warehouse installation at 640 Orleans Pl. NE that would take up a single parking space;
• approve a $7,000 grant to J.O. Wilson Elementary School for a homecoming event to celebrate the return from a temporary swing space to the newly renovated school in September;
• support an application to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) to allow special exceptions for rear addition, occupancy, a residential conversion to construct a third story plus cellar rear addition, as well as convert a two-
story existing dwelling to a three-unit apartment building.
Commissioners Jeremiah Foxwell (6C01), Karen Wirt (6C02, chair), Jay Adelstein (6C03, treasurer), Mark Eckenwiler (6C04, vice chair), Daniela McInerney (6C05) and Andrew Hayes (6C06, secretary) attended the ANC 6C commission meeting on Wednesday, July 8. Commissioner Tony Goodman (6C07) was absent.
ANC 6C will not meet in August. The commission will meet next on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m., via WebEx. Learn more about the commission and register to attend at www.anc6c.org. u
Transwestern to Develop Townhouses on M Street
ANC 6D REPORT
by Andrew Lightman
Gia Haley, vice president of Transwestern Development, briefed the commission on the company’s plan for the vacant parcels at 375 and 475 M St. SW. The plan is to develop approximately 69 townhomes on the site, with 15% of the units affordable under DC’s inclusionary zoning regulations. This is more than what is required, said Haley.
The units will range from 1,600 to 2,100 square feet and will be located at the curbside, with parking in the back and internal alleys. The parking lot will be removed. No District subsidies are involved, she said.
Transwestern is not planning to provide any retail on the site, and is developing the parcels “by right,” which requires no zoning approval, said Haley. She promised to attend the commission’s September meeting with a full site plan.
“It would have been nice to have a robust community discussion before you set your plans,” said secretary Rhonda Hamilton. Haley responded, “We had to work through some issues with the District first.”
Long Bridge Update
Consultant Kimberly Manning briefed the commission on Virginia Rail’s Long Bridge Project. Construction has commenced with utility relocations. The ramp to the 14th Street Bridge is closed until early 2028. In August, there will be lane closings and reconfigurations on the bridge and I-395.
All the plans have been approved by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). What about emergency access? asked Hamilton. Both the Metropolitan Police (MPD) and DC emergency services have plans to provide services during construction, said Manning. Treasurer Kramer voiced frustration that the community was not consulted before plans were approved.
Community members raised concerns about the construction’s impact on the availability of emergency services and school transportation. Maine Avenue will lose one inbound eastern lane. Pedestrian access will be maintained between The Wharf and the Tidal Basin, stated Manning. For more information, visit www.vapassengerrailauthority.org/projects/longbridgeproject.
Other Matters
The commission voted to send a letter opposing any demolition of Officer Quarters 13, 14 and 15 at Fort McNair. The structures are part of a row of two-and-a-half-story Colonial revival structures constructed in 1905 as part of the redesign of the War College.
The commission also voted to apply for consulting party status regarding any demolitions at Fort McNair and any proposed changes to East Potomac Park.
Chief administrative and program officer Jonathan Pannell briefed the commission on the programs his nonprofit, Changing Perceptions, has offered to justice-impacted individuals. For more information, visit www.changingdcperceptions.org.
Commissioner Fast briefed the commission on the Alcohol and Cannabis Committee proceedings. The commission lost its protest before the Alcohol and Cannabis Control Board (ABC Board) regarding East of the River Liquors at 1800 Half St. SW. The committee is negotiating a settlement agreement with the applicant. Treasurer Fredrica Kramer will attend the upcoming protest hearing before the ABC Board.
The commission voted to ask chair Phil Mendelson (D) to be a party to the discussions regarding legislation before the DC Council that would fund one-third of the roo ng for Audi Field and its expansion. The commission is concerned about PN Ho man’s plans for Parcel B. The letter took no position on the merits of the proposal.
The commission voted to support the SWBID’s application before the DC Arts Commission for an installation in the park adjacent to the Southwest Library. The commission approved its Q3 FY26 report.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D met in person on July 20. Commissioners Marquell Washington (6D01), Gail Fast (6D03), Bruce Levine (6D06, vice chair), Fredrica (Rikki) Kramer (6D07, treasurer) and Rhonda Hamilton (6D08, secretary) attended. Gottlieb Simon (6D02, chair), Andrea Pawley (6D04) and Chearie Phelps-El (6D05) were absent.
ANC 6D meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month. The next meeting is on Sept. 22. For more information, visit www.anc6d.org. ◆
Rwith Foote Street NE, according to the project website. These e orts would close a gap in the local street network and add pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
The proposed corridor crosses federally owned land and utility property. Therefore, the project must undergo environmental review and coordination with several agencies before construction can proceed. In February, the commission voted to support the extension of Anacostia Avenue through transfers of jurisdiction on various parcels and a part of a reservation north of the intersection of Benning Road and Anacostia Avenue NE.
The project is “a critical artery for [the] community,” Commissioner Wright said, noting the limited access available for residents to enter and exit the neighborhood. She expressed concern about the project’s timeline being “significantly behind what was presented” and questioned why the project was pushed back “so dramatically.” “It makes it feel like we’re going to get an extension when we get a stadium, which is absurd,” she added.
Project representatives reported that the delays resulted from the land transfer and coordination with the nearby transfer station. An accelerated timeline, the representatives said, is dependent on permits.
Chair Alcorn echoed Wright’s concerns and underscored the importance of improving accessibility for neighbors. “We are very motivated to see these improvements done as they are foundational,” Alcorn said. “Still, to this day, it confounds the mind that there’s only one way in and, e ectively, two ways out of Parkside.”
Rerouting tra c patterns around the concurrent Benning Road Transfer Station Modernization Project was also of concern. In June, members of the transfer station project’s advisory team shared plans to divert construction trafc to Foote Street to ensure construction access.
epresentatives from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) briefed commissioners and community members about the Anacostia Avenue Extension Project. Delays to the construction timeline and the project’s impact on nearby residential areas dominated discussion.
The project plans to provide “much-needed circulation improvements to the Parkside and Mayfair communities” through the construction of a new roadway connecting Anacostia Avenue at Benning Road NE near Bridge 78
The use of Foote Street, particularly for large trucks, was a signi cant concern to commissioners given the access limitations. Citing concerns about noise, vibrations and the foundations of nearby homes “that sit right at the foot of the curb,” tra c, particularly large and heavy trucks, will have a signi cant, and potentially long-term, negative impact on residents.
“It doesn’t seem like there was any consideration for this,” she added.
The project team reported that contractors plan to conduct pre- and post-construction surveys to ensure that any damage will “be taken care of” and discussed the possibility of installing speed humps.
According to Wright, many neighbors are not in favor of installing speed humps due to concerns that it could amplify the issues they hope to mitigate. “These houses aren’t set back like a lot of homes in the city are where you have very deep front yards to absorb some of the [impact]” she said. “A speed hump on Foote Street would cause a vibration to someone’s window and front door.”
The commission took no vote on this matter. Visit www.anacostia-avenue-extension.ddot.dc.gov to learn more.
Other Matters
Representatives for the RFK redevelopment project briefed commissioners and community members on the project’s master plan and how to submit feedback. The 45-day public comment period began on June 30 and will remain open through Aug. 14. Residents and community members are encouraged to submit feedback and comments at www. publicinput.com/ rfkmasterplan. Learn more about the project and view the master plan at www.ourrfk.dc.gov.
The commission Voted to:
• adopt a resolution to rename the 1500 Block of 45th Street NE in remembrance of Kentrell Devaughn;
• support the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) application to construct a third story and a three-story rear addition to an existing, attached, two-story principal dwelling unit with special exception relief from the rear
addition and roof top requirements at 443 17th St. SE;
• support the BZA application to construct a two-story rear addition to an existing attached, twostory principal dwelling with special exception relief from the rear yard and lot occupancy requirements at 222 17th Pl. NE;
• send a letter to the DC Department of Public Works in opposition of any construction management plan for the Benning Road Transfer Station that would route construction tra c along Foote Street NE and request DPW adopt a different construction route across the Pepco property when necessary;
• send a letter to the Department of Buildings and the Department of General Services in support of an extended hours permit to expedite reconstruction and renovation of the outdoor running track at Eastern High School (1700 East Capitol St. NE)
Commissioners Artilie Wright (7D03), Katie Murphy (7D04), Ebony Payne (7D05), Dominic Pacheco (7D06, secretary), Brett Astmann (7D07, treasurer), Brian Alcorn (7D08, chair) and Ashley Schapitl (7D09) attended the ANC 7D commission meeting on Tuesday, July 14. Commissioners Joshua Taborn (7D01, vice chair) and Dev Myers (7D10) were absent. SMD 7D02 remains vacant.
ANC 7D is not scheduled to meet in August, but Alcorn proposed a potential special meeting to discuss the RFK Master Plan. A date has not been announced. The full commission will meet next on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., via Zoom. Learn more about the commission and register to attend at www.7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1.
Bulletin Board
Old Post Office Building Clocktower Reopens
The historic Clocktower at Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, again welcomes the public. Visitors can take in panoramic views from atop a gem that has been a favorite among locals and visitors alike. The tower is open to the public from Wednesdays to Saturdays, 9.a.m.to noon. Admission is free. www.hilton.com
Sports Fans Asked to Help Mark Washington’s Biggest Sports Moments
DC Public Library has announced “Hail to the Fans: The Spirit of DC Sports,” a citywide exhibition opening April 2027. It asks residents to contribute the memorabilia, photographs and personal memories that will populate the show. Anyone whose life has been touched by DC sports may contribute. Items loaned for the duration of the exhibition remain the property of the owners and will be returned when the exhibition closes. Each contributor’s name will appear on the wall beside their object or story, becoming a permanent part of the public record of Washington sports. The exhibition runs April through October 2027 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and all 25 neighborhood locations. Submit items and stories at www.dclibrary.org/hail-fans.
“The Declaration’s Promise” Opens at Library of Congress
This exhibition explores the foundational principles of the Declaration of Independence and their impact on American history over the last 250 years. It presents treasures drawn from across the library’s collections, including Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence with edits from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin; Frederick Douglass’ speech on “The Meaning of July Fourth” and Abraham Lincoln’s handwritten Gettysburg Address. The exhibition will be on view in the Thomas Jefferson Building through July 3, 2027. www.loc.gov
Draft Master Plan for Transformation of the RFK Campus
The DC Office of Planning has published the draft RFK Campus Master Plan, a milestone in the efforts to transform the site into a flourishing community with housing, retail, entertainment, recreation spaces and a world-class stadium. Th plan reimagines 180 acres of land along the Anacostia River as a connected series of neighborhoods, parks and civic spaces. The public is invited to review the plan until Aug. 14. The draft plan is available at www.OurRFK.dc.gov.
SE Library Reopens on Sept. 10
The Southeast Library, 403 Seventh St. SE, has undergone a renovation that preserves and restores the building’s historic character while expanding the amount of usable space and introducing modern elements. The many enhancements include a universally accessible entrance, environmentally friendly design and more meeting, collaboration and study space. dclibrary.org
DDOT Now Accepting Park(ing) Day Applications
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hosting PARK(ing) Day 2026 on Friday, Sept. 18. Residents, businesses and community organizations may temporarily convert on-street parking spaces into pop-up parks. Running from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., PARK(ing) Day is an annual event that encourages residents to reimagine the possibilities of public space. Participants are required to sign a release form and provide a certificate of insurance, along with the concept and site design of the proposed activity. Applications must be submitted by Friday, Aug. 21 at www.tops.ddot.dc.gov/DDOTPERMITSYSTEM/ DDOTPERMITonline/landing.aspx. For more information, visit www. public-space-activation-dcgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/parking-day or contact Paige Leddy (paige.leddy@dc.gov) for assistance.
Parade on Pennsylvania Avenue in 1987 celebrating the Washington Redskins’ victory in the Super Bowl.
DC Open Doors
DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.
DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust
DC Open Doors
DC Open Doors
DC Open Doors
DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust
DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.
HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.
DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust mortgages.You are not required to be a first-time homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.
DC4ME
HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.
homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia Visit www.DCHFA.org
HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.
DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District governmentbased instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/ borrower’s employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.
years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to
DC4ME VA Loan Product
homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia Visit
years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to
years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to
DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.
DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.
COVID-19
DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.
The DC4ME VA Loan Product is a VA mortgage product offered by the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). In addition to the traditional VA benefits, like no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance, this product includes 3% assistance, funded by DCHFA, that can be used toward eligible closing costs or prepaid items. This makes the DC4ME VA Loan Product one of the most affordable and accessible loan options for qualified militaryconnected borrowers.
DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.
HomeAdvantage DC
COVID-19
COVID-19
DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.
DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.
makes homeownership in Washington, D.C. more accessible by offering eligible buyers below-market mortgage financing with flexible assistance options. The program provides qualified homebuyers with a choice of financing structures, including options with and without down payment assistance, to support the purchase of a home in the District of Columbia. Qualified home buyers may be eligible for financing with or without down payment assistance, depending on their needs.
DC Central Kitchen Graduates 2,500th Student
On June 26, DC Central Kitchen graduated the 180th class of students in its Culinary Job Training program. Launched more than 35 years ago, the program has now produced 2,500 graduates through its “knife skills and life skills” curriculum. The ceremony included the presentation of a ceremonial resolution from the DC Council honoring DC Central Kitchen and a special photograph featuring the new graduates of Class 180, the current students of Class 181 and nearly 100 attending alumni representing more than two decades of graduating classes. Learn more about DC Central Kitchen’s Culinary Job Training program at www.dccentralkitchen.org.
Kingsman Dog Park Reopens
Kingsman Dog Park, at D Street NE, between 13th Street and Tennessee Avenue, has reopened after months of construction. The city is now restoring water access to the park. www.dgs.dc.gov
Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity in Housing
In Washington, DC, discrimination in the housing market on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity is prohibited. Sexual harassment by a housing provider or employees of a management company is also considered a fair housing violation. If you believe a landlord or housing provider is discriminating against you based on any of these factors, contact Housing Counseling Services at 202-667-7006 to learn more about fair housing rights and get free assistance filing a fair housing complaint. www.housingetc.org
DC Quit for Life Program
The Quit for Life Program is offered by the DC Department of Health to help residents quit tobacco for good. The free program combines medications (the “patch,” gum, lozenges), counseling and daily advice and support. The chances of quitting are eight times better with the program. Call 800-QUIT-NOW. www. dcquitnow.com
Volunteer Opportunity at National Museum of African Art
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art is the only museum in the world dedicated solely to the collection, conservation, study and exhibition of Africa’s arts across time and media. The collection of over 13,000 works includes media spanning 54 countries, as well as a world-renowned photographic archive and library. Volunteers provide visitors with information about exhibitions, public programs, services and more. Must be 18 or older. www.OVS-CISServices@si.edu
2026 Circular Showcase: Creative Reuse
Design Competition & Celebration
Community Forklift’s 2026 Circular Showcase invites artists, designers, builders and makers to transform salvaged materials into original works of furniture, lighting, art and functional design. Works in the creative reuse competition will be featured at the Circular Showcase Celebration on Oct. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m., when Community Forklift’s reuse warehouse hosts an evening of inspiration, live music, food, drinks, community voting, an awards presentation and bidding in an optional auction of some of the pieces. www.communityforklift.org/events/circular-showcase-2026
Friends of the National Arboretum Fall 5K Announced
On Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., there will be a 5K run (or walk) through the grounds of the National Arboretum, ending at the Capitol Columns. This race is scenic, safe and secure. All roads will be closed to cars through this 451-acre urban green space. A professional race announcer will call out runners as they cross the finish line and there will be music before and after the event. Tickets are $45; ages 12 and under, free. Strollers and dogs are allowed, but dogs must stay on a six-foot, non-retractable leash. A virtual 5K option enables offsite participation. Sign up at fona.org.
The Library of Congress National Book Festival
The Library of Congress hosts the 2026 National Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This year the library features an expansion of programming to celebrate the nation’s anniversary and to showcase offerings beyond books to include film, music and American folklife. The festival is free and provides a full day of conversations with authors, poets and illustrators from a variety of genres. The festival offers readings, giveaways and activities for children and young adults, as well as the opportunity to purchase books from the official bookseller. Updates on plans for the National Book Festival will be shared at www.loc.gov/bookfest.
H Street Festival (Save the Date)
The annual H Street Festival, on Saturday, Sept. 19, noon to 7 p.m., is 12 blocks long on H Street NE. It has 15 diversely themed and programmed staging areas featuring music of different genres, dance, youth-based performances, interactive children’s programs, fashion, heritage arts and poetry. The festival has grown into a 150,000-participant event. hstreetfestival.org
Do you have a notice for the Bulletin Board? Bulletin Board includes event notices, volunteer opportunities and other community news. Send your notice to bulletinboard@hillrag.com. u
In the Weeds
by Capitol Hill Garden Club
Iam considering installing a minimal maintenance, full sun garden that will not require constant seasonal mulching. Could you suggest a few basic details on gravel gardens?
Gravel gardens are an excellent choice for small-space gardens. Perfect for the gardener who wants to highlight specimens, collections or for minimal maintenance. The first step is selecting the garden site. A full sun, open site will perform best. Once the area is selected, remove the top 5-6 inches of soil and replace with gravel. Use granite chips, pea gravel or ¼ inch quartzite as the planting medium. Larger gravel will allow weed seeds to find a space to grow. The smaller gravel minimizes this, resulting in less maintenance.
Bulbs, drought-tolerant, and deep-rooted plants are best for gravel gardens. Each will require minimal soil and water. When planting, push aside some of the gravel, water the hole, remove the soil from the roots of the seedling and plant using the gravel as soil. This way of planting urges the plant roots to go down into the earth for water and nutrients.
As our climate evolves, gravel gardens are trending. The plant selection for a gravel garden is growing in the world of horticulture. Consider using xeric (drought-tolerant) plants such as Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and assorted grasses. Some of the plants we are familiar with do quite well in a grav-
el garden. Coneflowers (Echinacea), native quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) and Coreopsis lanceolate are commonly found in most garden centers. Alliums, daffodils, specialty bulbs and garden art are great additions to add seasonality as well as interest to the garden. Maintenance involves cutting back in early spring and checking for unwanted plants. A gravel foundation makes weeding easy.
I understand this is the year of the container garden. How many containers are too many? What is the best practice for maintenance throughout the season? Small-space gardens are the perfect setting for a potted garden. Using odd numbers of containers, such as three or five, makes a statement depend-
ing on the space. Each container should have plants with similar water and sunlight requirements. The right size pot is important. Here is a basic pot to plant ratio:
10-12-inch pot – 3-4 plants
14-16-inch pot – 5-7 plants
18 inches or larger usually accommodates more plants, shrubs and small trees.
Larger containers are easier to maintain and require less watering. Consider the mature size of the selected plant material and desired e ect. Reading the plant label will provide this information.
Xeric potted plants are easier to maintain, especially with the changing weather. Try a diverse selection of ornamental grasses or sedum in pots. Sedum is in the succulent family and holds moisture in the leaves. Mid-height sedum cultivars are great used as a ller with an underplanting of purslane trailing over the side. Ornamental grasses make quite a statement and add height to a potted plant composition. Covering the soil of any potted plant with mulch will hold moisture where it is needed.
Decide on one to two days a week to check on the containers. Using your index nger, check the soil. If the top 1-2 inches is moist, there is no need to water. Unless there are temperature extremes, once a week deep watering is su cient for most container plants. Fertilize annuals monthly during the growing season. Using a garden journal makes this easy to remember.
Changing Hands
Changing Hands is a list of residential sales in Capitol Hill and contiguous neighborhoods from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, Associate Broker at Coldwell Banker Realty on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.
727 Massachusetts Ave NE 7BR/2.5BA/ENGLISH BASEMENT $1,850,000 GRAND SEMI-DETACHED VICTORIAN BUILT IN 1900, perfectly positioned between Stanton Park and Lincoln Park. Five original mantels, soaring ceilings, leaded glass doors, extraordinary millwork, rare semi-detached side light, and gracious entertaining rooms throughout 3,600 SF. Three-bedroom English basement with Certificate of Occupancy — ideal for rental income, guests, or multigenerational living. Two blocks to Pascual, steps to Eastern Market, Walk score 90, Bike score 99.
633 Constitution Avenue NE 2BR/2.5BA/Garden
$1,150,000
COTTAGE FACADE HIDES DEEP FOOTPRINT WITH FRESH FEATURES! Behind its historic 1880 clapboard façade and rare peaked metal roof, this cottage has been expanded to four rooms deep with a chef’s kitchen and custom primary suite. Positioned between Stanton Park, Lincoln Park, and Eastern Market — one of the neighborhood’s most walkable addresses.
The distinctive “thunk” of the paddle hitting the Wife Ball can be heard over the rushing of cars and occasional trains passing as you approach the new pickleball courts under the I-695 overpass along the southern edge of Gar eld Park. When you come around the bend on Second Street SE, directly under the overpass, ve pickleball courts sit ready for use. On a Sunday morning at 10 a.m., 40 people stood waiting for their team’s opportunity to play. Many more were already on the courts.
The Robert M. Krugho Pickleball Courts (www.washingtondcpickleball.org/krugho -pickleball-center) are the result of years of community work and advocacy that has transformed an unused access road into public recreation space. The area has been used for pickleball for years, though players began on cracked pavement with lines drawn in chalk. As the courts developed, a community grew with them.
Krughoff Pickleball Courts Open for Play
by Alena Martin
Led by the Krugho Center, fundraising for the courts began in October 2025 to cover the costs of resurfacing, nets, the storage container and maintenance, with a goal of $75,000. In the end, more than $100,000 was raised. The permit for the courts was approved in July 2025 as part of the Gar eld Park/Canal Connector Project, with a skate park, basketball/futsal court and walkway.
Growth of Community
The players on this day in mid-July range from their 20s to their 80s, from beginners to competitive experienced players and across all races. Despite the diversity, strong friendships and a sense of community have emerged. “What starts as playing pickleball turns into social relationships,” said David Nguyen, one community player.
Over the sound of paddles hitting the ball, a Bluetooth speaker plays music, players cheer for each other and conversations happen on the sidelines. “I love the energy here,” said Nate Goodman, who started playing at the Anacostia Rec Center. “Everybody’s always so happy to be out.”
Players can be as competitive as they want since the goal is to play, not necessarily to win. Regardless of the game’s outcome, the four players
the court are swapped out for four new players to have their turn.
Courts are not restricted to the organized games participated in by a majority of the players. The courts are dedicated to the community at large, with people encouraged to use them for their own play.
Open Play
Most players show up at designated open play
on
Players come from all experience and skill levels to play pickleball at the Robert M. Krughoff Pickleball Courts. Photo: Paul Dougherty
Paddles lined up in order of play on the folding table. Photo: Alena Martin
The District Vet Return of New World Screwworm
by Dan Teich, DVM
We have a “new” bug to worry about. An actual insect (not really a bug) and one that isn’t quite new. For more than half a century, the New World screwworm was considered one of veterinary medicine’s greatest success stories. After causing enormous losses to livestock throughout the southern United States, the parasite was eradicated from this country in 1966 through an innovative international control program. Unfortunately, after spreading north through Central America and Mexico over the past several years, the screwworm has again reached the United States.
Despite its name, the New World screwworm is not actually a worm. It is the maggot of a metallic blue-green colored fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax, a blowfly. Unlike most flies, whose maggots (larval stages) feed on dead tissue, screwworm larvae invade living flesh. Adult female flies are attracted to even small wounds, surgical incisions, tick bites, navels of newborn animals or mucous membranes such as the prepuce or even mouths. They lay hundreds of eggs, which hatch within about a day. The larvae burrow head-first into living tissue using screw-like mouth hooks (hence their name), creating painful, rapidly enlarging wounds that become deeper as the larvae feed. Untreated infestations can be fatal. It’s the stuff of horror movies.
Through a comprehensive effort, the parasite was eliminated from the United States using a remarkable example of biological control: the sterile insect technique. Millions of male flies were raised in specialized facilities, sterilized using radiation, and released over infested areas. Because female screwworm flies mate only once during their lifetime, mating with a sterile male produces no offspring. Releasing enough sterile males causes the wild population to collapse.
This program progressively pushed the fly southward through the United States, Mexico and Central America until a permanent biological barrier was maintained in Panama. For decades, this
barrier protected North America.
But it’s back. Why? Since 2023, the parasite has spread rapidly north through Central America into Mexico. Epidemiologists and veterinarians believe the principal driver has been the movement of infested livestock across borders, allowing the parasite to travel far faster than adult flies could disperse naturally. Former USDA officials have stated that the loss of experienced personnel complicated early response efforts, although experts agree that the resurgence resulted from multiple factors, including infected livestock movement through Central America and insufficient sterilefly production capacity. At the same time, only one major sterile-fly production facility remained in operation in Panama, limiting the number of sterile flies available to contain the outbreak.
The United States has responded by expanding sterile-fly release operations, establishing additional dispersal facilities and planning new production capacity, but rebuilding this capability takes time.
We are talking cattle, but what about here in Washington, DC? The fly can’t survive the winter but can infect any mammal, including dogs and cats. With national and international travel of pets, the infection and return of the parasite to DC is a possibility. Dogs with recent surgical wounds, skin injuries, tick bites, ear infections or draining skin lesions are at greatest risk. Reports from affected countries have described dogs developing rapidly enlarging wounds containing numerous active larvae. Because the larvae continue feeding on living tissue, the damage progresses much more quickly than with ordinary maggots. Prompt treatment is essential and usually includes removal of the larvae, wound care and treatment of secondary bacterial infections.
Pet owners and livestock owners should watch carefully for wounds that fail to heal, enlarge rapidly, produce bloody or foul-smelling discharge or seem unusually painful. This is especially important in indoor/outdoor cats. Animals may
constantly lick or bite at the area, appear restless or become depressed. In some cases, tiny white larvae may be visible deep within the wound. Any suspicious wound in an animal that has recently traveled from an affected region ‒ or that occurs while the parasite is spreading ‒ should be examined by a veterinarian immediately. Early recognition greatly improves the outcome and helps protect other animals.
The New World screwworm is considered an animal disease of major importance. Anyone in DC who suspects an infestation should immediately contact the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) Area veterinarian in charge or notify the District of Columbia Department of Health, Animal Services Division.
Do not attempt to discard larvae before consulting a veterinarian, as laboratory identification is essential for confirming the diagnosis and initiating an appropriate response. Keep them in a sealed bag or jar to prevent loss.
The return of the New World screwworm is a reminder that disease control requires constant vigilance. While today’s risk to pets in the District remains extremely low, rapid reporting, prompt veterinary care and continued international cooperation remain our best defenses against one of veterinary medicine’s most destructive parasites.
Dan Teich, DVM, is the founder of District Veterinary Hospitals. u
CROSSWORD
Devices and gadgets
by Myles Mellor
Across:
1. H.S. math
4. Theory
7. Six-year VIP
10. Lock sites
16. Short-billed rail
18. Top secret?
19. ___ lunch
21. Land on Lake Victoria
22. Multipurpose tool
25. Aka cell
26. Back roads
27. Get ready to drive
28. Shaq’s sch.
30. 60s rebel singer
31. Wall St. letters
32. Choose
36. “It’s Impossible” singer
40. Env. extra
42. Atmospheric phenomena
45. Waiter’s need
48. Stuffed chicken
50. World War II important event
52. Source of DNA evidence, often
53. Houston stadium
55. Make the calls
57. Entreat
58. Carpenter’s tool
59. Pix maker
66. Zap
67. “....___ magic”
70. Yemen seaport
71. Plunges into liquid
72. Pan, e.g.
74. John, to Ringo
75. Ringlet
76. Mame, for one
77. Simpsons’ character
79. Nabokov novel
80. Montgomery of jazz
83. Desktop go-with
86. Modern-day tablets
88. K-O connection
89. “What did I tell you?”
90. Theoretician
94. Emblem of victory
98. Some cameras, abbr.
101. Genesis brother
102. Chest muscle
103. Makes possible
105. Permit
106. Andes tubers
108. Supple
110. Feathery scarves
113. Cut-glass object
118. Richard Bach novel
119. Guitar stroke
121. Come back again
122. Health gadget
127. Online essential
130. Cast out
131. Picks up
132. Familiar address for a man
133. Useless, in batteries
134. Wholly
135. Female sib, briefly
136. Stomach muscles
137. Numbered hwy.
Down:
1. Syrian leader
2. Menial
3. Give the third degree
4. “___ a Teen-age Werewolf”
5. Polite address to a customer
6. People in charge, abbr.
7. Allowance
8. Spider is one
9. Christmas carols
10. Dense, puffy cloud
11. History-textbook adjective
12. Catch in the act
13. Daw’s cousin
14. Blood test letters
15. Envelope that comes back to you
17. No longer in port
19. ___-doke
20. Brand new
23. Harmony
24. Monetary unit of Japan
29. Word after Red or Black
33. Geological time span
34. USMC rank
35. Families
37. Accepted
38. Padua possessive
39. Original manufactured item
41. Golfer’s transport
43. Assert as a fact
44. It’s a long story
45. Autocrat until 1917
46. Wee
47. Canada’s Grand ___ National Historic Park
49. Sacred Hindu writings
51. Fermentation agent
53. Furry alien comedy
54. East
56. Goes with fauna
60. Lazybones
61. Hollow crystal lined stone
62. Combined
63. Reminded
64. Attack violently
65. Spanish for month
68. Cosmonaut, Dennis
69. Prods
72. Police blotter abbr.
73. Nods
76. Occurring every year
78. Liquorish flavor
80. Undertake
81. Cabinet dept.
82. Compass point
83. M.’s counterpart
84. Middle-eastern kingdom
85. Hive component
87. Make a sharp explosive noise
91. “In excelsis ___”
92. Lister’s abbr.
93. 80s group who sang Take on Me
95. Baseball score
96. Chicago transports
97. South African nation
99. Snubs
100. “Quit that!”
104. Many a delivery
107. Description
109. Whimpers
111. Kindergarten instruction
112. Jack of ‘’Barney Miller’’ 114. On a pension, abbr.
115. Cooler
116. Young hog
117. Paris newspaper, with “Le”
120. Org. with the Sun and Sky
121. Civil War soldiers
122. G-men’s org.
123. McKellen who played Gandalf
124. Dynamite acronym
125. C.V.
126. Philosopher suffix
128. Third guy with the same name
129. Gist
THE POWER
OF COMMUNITY
Esther Woodfolk recalls many happy days living in southeast DC after her father took a job at the Navy Yard. But she also reflects on the less-than-happy reality that her family home and hundreds of other homes and shops no longer exist, destroyed to make way for the Southwest/Southeast Freeway. Read Esther Woodfolk’s oral history at CapitolHillHistory.org. Help preserve Capitol Hill history by becoming a volunteer.
Photo by Gayle Krughoff
349 L Street SE
Magnificent 3BR w/garage
Steps to NATS Park and SE Waterfront
NEW LISTING: $999,000
Listing Agents: Don Denton (202) 256-1353
1323 Massachusetts Ave SE
Spectacular Victorian SOLD: $1.550M
Selling Agent: Don Denton (202) 256-1353
2BR/2BA
Listing Agent: Don Denton (202) 256-1353
101 North Carolina Ave SE #G
Perfect studio for son/daughter starting new career on the Hill! Beats renting!
