Come celebrate Petworth Citizen's 2nd anniversary tomorrow

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Petworth Citizen turns two years old on Tuesday, September 22nd, and they're celebrating with an all-night happy hour from 5pm until closing.

Paul Ruppert opened up Petworth Citizen at 829 Upshur St NW in 2013, replacing the problematic "Island Cafe" that had been there previously and closed after numerous violations, fights, stabbings, etc. It's now a much better place to meet friends, have dinner and grab a few drinks.

They turned the back room (which once featured mirrored walls and couches) into a small library, and made it the Reading Room (now home to many social gatherings and a Comedy Hour on Sundays). Read a recent interview I did with Paul Ruppert.

I'll be at the Citizen tomorrow night after 9pm or so, stop by to enjoy a drink and say hi! 

Colin / Russ: It's time to collect those beers I owe you for finding typos! ;)

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Drew

Hyperlocal community journalist in Petworth, Washington DC.



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Don't miss: last Petworth Jazz & Dance Projects this Saturday

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Don't miss: last Petworth Jazz & Dance Projects this Saturday

You know Summer is coming to an end when the Petworth Jazz Project has its season finale show. But don't frown, this show sounds like it'll be awesome. 

It's also a combo show with the Petworth Dance Project, which was rained out a couple of weeks back. Between Baba Ras D for the kids (and c'mon, you like him too), Dance, Jazz and some tasty Timber Pizza, Petworth Park is going to be THE place to be on Saturday night, September 26th. 

Read more >

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KSDA keeps up the pressure on vacant properties (updated)

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KSDA keeps up the pressure on vacant properties (updated)

Here's some good investigative work by neighbors in the Kennedy Street Development Association on vacant and blighted property in the area. It's bad enough that good homes are sitting vacant and are unsafe (or being used by squatters or for other uses), but the city is losing millions in taxable revenue that could be used for good purposes, like homelessness and affordable housing, perhaps? Good job to the KSDA folks for their tenacity on this issue... Read more >

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Join Friends of Grant Circle, NPS and your neighbors to keep the Circle beautiful

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Join Friends of Grant Circle, NPS and your neighbors to keep the Circle beautiful

The National Park Service is turning 100 next August, and they’re kicking off their centennial celebrations on September 26th with a city-wide celebration — cleaning parks.

They’re looking to work with community members to help maintain and improve the parks in our area, including Grant Circle. Petworth neighbors Carol Herwig and George Morgan are partnering with NPS to launch a new Friends of Grant Circle group that will team up with NPS to help maintain the park in the Circle. The Friends will take care of things that don’t fall under “normal” maintenance and be the “eyes and ears” of the Circle for NPS.

Read more about the Friends of Grant Circle and the upcoming celebration on September 26th, after the break:

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How to read Petworth News in iOS 9 Apple News app

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How to read Petworth News in iOS 9 Apple News app

If you upgraded to iOS 9 on your iPhone or iPad, you can now get Petworth News in your Apple News app. Pretty neat. Obviously, the best way to read Petworth News is on the website. But since I'm a geek, here's another option for you.

Read how to set up Petworth News in the Apple News app in iOS 9:

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Meeting about 3701 Georgia Ave redevelopment (Sweet Mango Cafe)

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Meeting about 3701 Georgia Ave redevelopment (Sweet Mango Cafe)

ANC 4C Commissioner Timothy Jones is holding a Single Member District meeting (SMD) tonight at 801 Shepherd St NW at 7pm along with Rooney Properties, the new owner and developer of 3701 Georgia Avenue, which used to be Sweet Mango Cafe.

Read more about the meeting and links to the backstory, after the break:

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CAC public safety meeting on September 17th

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Ron Austin, the Chairman of the Citizen's Advisory Council for MPD's Fourth District, sent me a note that the CAC is meeting on Thursday, September 17th at 7pm to discuss crime and public safety issues with the community and MPD. The meeting, like all 4D CAC meetings, will be at the 4D headquarters at 6001 Georgia Avenue NW.

No special guests, just MPD 4D leadership will be on-hand to take your questions, listen to your concerns and address recent issues.

From the CAC flyer:

Please join us for this month’s Citizen’s Advisory Council meeting on Thursday, September 17, 7:00 PM at 4D headquarters, 6001 Georgia Avenue, NW. This meeting will have no guest speaker. In light of the recent spike in crime, especially violent crime, it was felt that a meeting solely devoted to public safety was appropriate. It is our hope that this meeting will be different from other recent events. At this meeting members of MPD will be on hand to hear your issues and concerns and at the end, we hope to establish an action plan with measurable goals and milestones that will be revisited regularly for review and where necessary, adjustment. (Download a PDF of the flyer.)

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Drew

Hyperlocal community journalist in Petworth, Washington DC.



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The opposite of a Slim chance: an interview with Paul Ruppert

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The opposite of a Slim chance: an interview with Paul Ruppert

You can’t talk about the recent resurgence along Upshur Street in Petworth without mentioning Paul Ruppert. The Ruppert family has lived and owned businesses in DC since the 1890s when his great-grandfather opened up a hardware store. An entrepreneur at heart, Paul has run several successful restaurants in DC since he opened his first one on 7th Street with his mother in 1992. Paul has made a career of opening businesses in areas of DC that are on the cusp of change, and then lending support to those communities. It’s no different with Petworth.  Read more about Slim's Diner and Paul Ruppert, after the break...

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Petworth Dance Project has been canceled for tonight

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Alas, the rain is chasing the dance away. This evening's Petworth Dance Project has been canceled. They're looking to combine it with the Petworth Jazz Project on Saturday, September 26th. Should make for an outstanding show at Petworth Park at the end of the month!

I'll post more about the final Jazz Project show of the season as we get closer to it.

Notes from ANC 4C September 9th meeting

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Notes from ANC 4C September 9th meeting

This meeting looked liked a pretty tame agenda at the outset, but had some interesting moments with community concerns around requiring notice to ANCs about public space use permits, an argument about a grant for a block party, a long back and forth about a small deck and a few other items. You can read them all, below. Grab a drink, it's a long one (and truly a joy to read). 

Read more about the meeting and see pictures, after the break:

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Thai restaurant at 845 Upshur Street gets a name

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Thai restaurant at 845 Upshur Street gets a name

The southeast Asian / Thai-inspired restaurant coming to 845 Upshur Street NW is going to be named after a friend of Chef Alex McCoy (well, a friend's nickname, really). It's going to be called Alfie's. 

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Don’t miss Petworth Dance Project’s last performance on Saturday

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Don’t miss Petworth Dance Project’s last performance on Saturday

The Petworth Dance Project is one of the best gems in the Petworth cultural crown, and the last performance for this summer is this Saturday, September 12th. (Read my first article about the Dance Project and what it means to live in a neighborhood.)

This wonderful event has drawn a small but dedicated crowd that grows each performance. It would be great to give them a big send-off for the last show of the season. So bring a picnic meal and some drinks and enjoy a great experience.

Read more about the free dance program after the break:

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A new store for Upshur: DC Treasure antiques & collectibles

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A new store for Upshur: DC Treasure antiques & collectibles

Upshur Street is getting another new business, this time on the 200 block next door to Slash Run. Noah David is opening DC Treasure, an antiques and collectibles store in the old Louisiana Gumbo Express at 205 Upshur St NW.  Read more about the new store coming to Upshur:

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CM Brandon Todd visits Petworth Park, meets parents & staff

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CM Brandon Todd visits Petworth Park, meets parents & staff

Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd and his staff made a visit to the Petworth Park (801 Taylor St NW) and Petworth Recreation Center this afternoon, along with John Stokes, the chief of staff for the Department of Parks and Recreation. 

CM Todd was there to meet with local area parents to hear about concerns and requests for improvements at the park, as well as meeting with Recreation Center staff Clarence Anderson and Karla Kelley. Read more about the visit after the break:

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