It's been a banner week for Christon "Christylez" Bacon, who last week joined Muhsinah as the second D.C. artist to receive a Grammy nomination for 2010. He is also one of the artists that the D.C. Commission on the Arts recognized with a Young Artist Award for 2010. DC CAH awarded more than $59,000 to a combined 29 artists, whose ranks include performance artist Mary Coble, fashion/able photographer Nicole Aguirre, and one-man band Matthew Hemerlein. more ›

It's hard to get too interested in the MPD's "no one really knows what good this does" All Hands on Deck weekends anymore, but just in case you start to wonder why there appear to be more cops around today and Saturday, be aware that the latest AHOD actually started early this morning. It'll last through to 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 7. Part of this weekend's effort will include four MPD-sponsored community clean-ups on Saturday: at Florida Avenue Park (1st and Florida Avenue NW); in the 4300-4400 blocks of Livingston Place SE; at Parkview Community Center (693 Otis Place NW); and Benning Stoddert Community Center (100 Stoddert Place SE). The clean-ups will be taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the second two events, happening at community centers, will also offer services such as job training and referrals, information about permanent supportive housing, substance abuse treatment and managing diabetes. more ›

Some 15,000 people showed up on a cold day at D.C.'s RFK Stadium Monday to answer President Barack Obama's call to service, in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty encouraged District residents to participate in the massive event, where volunteers helped assemble 75,000 kits containing food and personal items for soldiers serving overseas. more ›