Walls of Books is your next neighborhood bookstore

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Walls of Books is your next neighborhood bookstore

Besides staying up late to write blog posts, I also stay up way too late to read. For me, being in a bookstore, surrounded by books of all shapes, colors and sizes is a favorite past-time. I even managed a bookstore back in college for a few years. That’s why I was an early Kickstarter supporter of our first, very excellent neighborhood bookstore, Upshur Street Books. And it’s why I’m really interested and excited about the new Park View bookstore opening in January, Walls of Books.

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Police barricade at Oglethorpe and 14th Street (Updated)

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Police barricade at Oglethorpe and 14th Street (Updated)

It's a nervous world out there, so reports that MPD has shut down multiple roads due to a "barricade" gets people's interest right away.

According to MPD, there is a "barricade situation" at 14th and Oglethorpe, with the 1400 blocks of Oglethorpe and Nicholson Streets NW closed, as well as 14th Street between Military Road and Montague Street NW.

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Traffic, bad driving and two children struck by cars - what will DC do to break its impasse near Powell?

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Traffic, bad driving and two children struck by cars - what will DC do to break its impasse near Powell?

Upshur and Taylor Streets between 13th and 14th Streets surrounding Powell Elementary are a mess in the mornings and afternoons when children are being dropped off and picked up by parents. The problems on both streets come from cars driving too fast and parents double-parking. This ends up with side-swipped cars, broken side mirrors and the very real potential for a tragedy. According to residents, it's been an ongoing issue for years.

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Give to DC SCORES and help young students feel empowered

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Give to DC SCORES and help young students feel empowered

It's #GivingTuesday, and DC SCORES is asking for your support. This worthy non-profit teaches middle-school DC students physical and emotional strength through soccer and poetry. May sound like an odd combo, but soccer teaches teamwork and leadership, while poetry helps students understand who they are, and learn to express themselves.

This year, you can help the only middle-school soccer league in DC by donating to DC SCORES.

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President Obama visits Petworth for the third time

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President Obama visits Petworth for the third time

Upshur Street Books got its most prominent customers today around 1pm when President Obama and his two daughters stopped by the local bookstore to shop for books on Small Business Saturday.

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How to register for a visitor parking pass for 2016

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How to register for a visitor parking pass for 2016

When you have guests staying for more than two hours, you can do them a solid and let them use a visitor parking pass to avoid parking tickets in your RPP area (residential parking permit). Passes are free, one per households with existing RPP.

Read more about visitor parking passes and how to register, after the break:

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Fighting to clean up vacant properties, one house at a time

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Fighting to clean up vacant properties, one house at a time

Walk around Petworth and you'll see houses being renovated on block after block, dumpsters parked on the street with duct-taped "no parking" signs on the trees. Inside you'll hear tools and men's voices as walls go up, floors are redone, new landscaping put in. 

Walk around Petworth, and you'll see many examples of houses that are sitting untouched and empty, slowly falling apart with trash strewn yards and a construction permit on the window -- with no signs of construction.  

Neighbors are fed up with developers buying properties and leaving them to rot while waiting for housing prices to rise. The city loses out on taxes, and everyone loses out when those properties attract rats and illegal activity. 

But KSDA and ANC 4D Commissioner David Sheon are working to fix it.

Read more about the plan to fix the problem of vacant and blighted properties >

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Pepco Exelon merger one step closer to reality

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Pepco Exelon merger one step closer to reality

It looks like Exelon is one step closer in its bid to merge with Pepco and take over the DC energy market. This has been a topic that has been frustrating many local residents who are opposed to the merger. Multiple ANCs have offered their opposition to the plans, yet it looks like the Office of the People's Counsel (OPC) have come to an agreement regarding the merger.

Read more about the settlement agreement >

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Metro train loses power near Petworth, DCFD has to rescue passengers

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Metro train loses power near Petworth, DCFD has to rescue passengers

What a circus tonight, thanks to WMATA. A metro train broke down south of the Georgia Avenue / Petworth station during rush hour. From what I hear, the train just lost power and stopped. They had lights for a while, then lost them. Read more and see a photo gallery >

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Annie's Hardware robbed after closing, MPD seeks person of interest

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Annie's Hardware robbed after closing, MPD seeks person of interest

Some brazen fellow robbed our local Annie's Ace Hardware store (1240 Upshur St NW) after closing on Wednesday, September 16, around 10pm. Luckily, Annie's has cameras throughout the store and has video of the robber. Watch a video to see if you know the robber, after the break:

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4D Inspector Parker to become 7D Commander

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Inspector Vendette Parker poses for a selfie with Drew, June 3, 2015

4D substation commander Inspector Vendette Parker is headed off to be the 7th District's newest Commander. Her promotion is effective Sunday. She's going to have a busy workload. 

Inspector Parker has been a great resource for me and has worked hard for the Petworth and Ward 4 community. 

I wish her the best of luck!

Inspector Parker's email is below:

It is bittersweet that I must send this email. Effective Sunday I will take command of the Seventh District. I have really enjoyed my time at the Fourth District. The relationships and partnerships are irreplaceable. I hope that in my short time here, I have had as much of a positive impact on you as you all have had on me. This is not goodbye but instead, until I see you again. 

Inspector Vendette T. Parker, CPM
Fourth District

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Drew

Hyperlocal community journalist in Petworth, Washington DC.



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Chief Lanier shares crime stats and sources

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Chief Lanier shares crime stats and sources

Chief Cathy Lanier responded to an email from a resident the other day about the recent surge in violence, and confusion as to the reasons cited by MPD, the Police Union and the media. The Chief followed up today with another email to the MPD listservs with citations for her responses. See her email from August 26th after the break:

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Connect with a Petworth area listserv to stay informed

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Connect with a Petworth area listserv to stay informed

If you’re already a member of a listserv, then you know about the plethora of information out there from neighbors, some useful, some not so much. But some people, long-time residents and new comers alike, don’t know all the different options available to stay informed on events and information in the area. To help that, I’ve put together a new page on Petworth News with a list of area listservs that you might find useful. Read more about area listservs... 

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Chief Lanier responds to a resident's email and questions

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Chief Lanier responds to a resident's email and questions

Popville posted an interesting email exchange between a resident who lives in MPD's 3rd District and Chief Cathy Lanier. The resident emailed the Chief asking for clarification on a number of items that have been bouncing back and forth in various listservs, police union messages and the news. 

In a series of well-written emails to the Chief, the resident asked for clear answers on the reasons for the surge in violence and homicides, and wanted evidence to back up MPD's publicized answers.

Read more after the break...

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