Photo by ep_jhu.Good morning, Washington. Well, the editors at the Examiner have done it again: “Mayor’s youth program brings fears of London-like mobs to Chinatown,” reads the tabloid’s headline on Freeman Klopott’s story about business reaction to city plans to host a youth engagement event in the neighborhood this Friday. Of course, while the story’s headline and lede — I mean, are we really comparing a “low-key” poetry and music event to what’s happening in London? — are certainly something to talk about, we’re more interested in the reaction to the event by Proof owner Mark Kuller, who told Klopott that he planned to shut down his restaurant’s patio that evening because “it’s a mistake to have a youth engagement even in this area.” Oof.
Summer Policing Efforts Paying Off: I mean, maybe Kuller has a point — crime is spiraling out of control these days in war zones like Chinatown, right? Well, no. Yesterday, Mayor Vince Gray and Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier released statistics which show that, despite a small increase in overall crime, crime in several hot spots has hit the skids. Homicides are down 43 percent so far in 2011, while the city has also experienced marked reductions in robberies. Gray credited the installation of a summer program which targeted neighborhoods with violent reputations and repeat offenders; Gray said the program would be expanded year-round
Letter Wars: Is the latest shot in the budget veto war between Gray and the Council the last? (Here’s hoping.) That shot was fired by Council Chair Kwame Brown yesterday, in a letter that basically concedes that Brown and Gray will have to agree to disagree over the installation of a new tax on municipal bonds, though that doesn’t mean they can’t work together.
Ellington School Gets Boost: Some good news — the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the school in Georgetown with the prestigious alumni list, will be the recipient of a $17.2 million endowment from the Eugene B. Casey Foundation. The grant will allow the school to maintain programs; recently, it has had to cut staff to save money.
Briefly Noted: Search for Bethesda woman missing in Aruba called off…Setting the score in the power struggle over United Medical Center…Proposal for new Ward 3 middle school highlights toothless boundary system…Despite larger than planned participation, summer jobs program comes in $5 million under budget…D.C. challenges Census count, but big boost not expected…Washington region’s personal income up 3.7 in 2010…Report of teen with gun on Washington & Old Dominion Trail turns up nothing…Plan for Alexandria waterfront coming in November… Andrew Beaujon plays mini golf with Olivia Mancini…Buy a piece of Garrett’s.
This Day in DCist: Last year, liens were placed on some D.C. homes to recoup the cost of to a “free” audit offered by the city, contraflow bike lanes were installed at 16th and U Streets NW, and Shake Shack announced they’d be joining the Washington burger fray.
