Keeping Tabs: Presidents and Pitches

**For the third time since baseball's return to Washington, a sitting President will throw out the first pitch. Last year, President Obama declined the open invitation and instead threw out the first pitch for the All Star Game wearing the colors of his hometown Chicago White Sox. Former President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch for the Nationals in 2005 at RFK stadium. And I was there on the chilly Sunday night in 2008 when President Bush again threw out the first pitch at the just finished Nationals Park, opening the MLB season. If you are going to Monday's opening day game get there early. Gates open at 10:00am, game starts at 1:05. The game is sold out except for game-day $5 grandstand tickets. They go on sale Monday at the ticket booth beginning at 10:00am.

**Another type of pitch will be made this Thursday at a public forum near Mount Pleasant. All Souls Unitarian Church at 1500 Harvard St NW will host one of several Metro open house forums. They're trying to figure out what we think should be done to close the nearly $200 million budget gap for next fiscal year. Reduce services? Eliminate bus routes? Increase fares? I covered some of the worse case scenarios a few weeks ago. Hopefully, none of those will come to pass. But expect changes though. Uncomfortable ones. The hearing will begin at 7:00pm after a half hour open house. Can't make it? At the very least, complete Metro's online survey.

**Usually don't talk politics on the blog, but it looks like there may be serious contenders for two formerly comfortable incumbents. Yes, they are Mayor Adrian Fenty and our Ward One Council member, Jim Graham. Fenty may face the toughest challenge from Council Chair Vincent Gray who has opposed Fenty on some key issues in both substance and style. And Jim Graham may have to face off against Jeff Smith, recently of the DC School Board. They say "all politics is local." And in DC, that's all we really have! Since we're taxed without proper Congressional representation. All the more reason to look at the candidates and make a choice come this fall. Stay off the sidelines people! Democracy is a contact sport.

Qdoba Should Come to Mt P Street; More Taxis, Taxes: Keeping Tabs

**Qdoba, the Mexican fast-food/casual restaurant is opening a new location in Falls Church. That's not nearly as important as the fact that that franchisee is looking for new locations across Washington. Mount Pleasant Street, NW, perhaps? I wish! Take one of our open storefronts, please!

**The Ward One taxi scandal is turning into a DC-wide taxi scandal with the arrest of nearly 40 people in connection with an elaborate bribery scheme. Well, actually not that elaborate. The accused allegedly attempted to bribe DC Taxicab Commissioner Leon J. Swain Jr. for access to taxi operators licenses. Mr. Swain apparently alerted the proper authorities and worked to ensnare the accused. Initially the news reports centered on the arrest of one man, Ted Loza. Mr. Loza is the chief of staff for Ward One council member Jim Graham. He was arrested on related bribery charges. Mount Pleasant is in Ward One.

**If you hadn't noticed, the DC sales and use tax (i.e. sales tax) just went up to 6%, from 5.75%. Council made the change last summer and it officially changed on October 1. Does not affect restaurant or gas taxes.

**The Wall Street Journal labeled DC the hottest "Youth-Magnet City." We're tied with Seattle as the top destination spot for college grads, interns an the like. That's good I guess. I'm not in my 20s anymore, but I was when I moved here. Loved it then and love it now! Go DC!

Adams Morgan Taxi Blackout?

Had a rather good run the last few months not talking about taxi drivers. After the implementation of the metered fare system last summer, all seemed well on the taxi front. The fare seemed, well, fair. Customers like never have to worry about walking the extra few blocks to get out of a zone or being overcharged if they didn't know about the zones. The drivers contend that they're losing up to 30% of their pre-meter weekly income. But Jim Graham says there are as many as 300 new taxi drivers registering per month. I have no idea if that's true. If there are so many new drivers becoming licensed there must be some money to be made. And if I were a driver, I'd want less drivers getting licenses, because that would dilute the product. But moving on...

The whole DC taxicab industry seems sleazy and corrupt, from the drivers gaming the old zone system to the recent FBI probe of an official in Graham's office over taking a bribe on behalf of taxi legislation. Taxi drivers were incensed over the bill which would add another layer of regulation to the registration part of the business. A move that could eventually limit the number of cabs through medallions or another identifying marker. They had planned a strike for last Tuesday, which apparently was carried out.

This weekend, there is talk of another strike, this time in Graham's district, Ward One. Taxi drivers are planning to boycott Adams Morgan on late-night Friday and late-night Saturday. The "service blackout" could encompass the area from 16th Street to Connecticut Avenue and Florida Avenue to the Duke Ellington Bridge. Basically all of Adams Morgan, especially the 18th Street strip. I guess it's an effective strategy?! Or not really, considering the only people left without a ride those nights will most likely be people who don't live in Ward One.

Somehow, I don't think this will work. But just in case they somehow pull this off, all you folks who haven't mastered the mass transit route back to your place of residence better brush up on it. Or carry along a DD with you. Or walk home. Whatever happens, let me know. I'd like to see how this "strike" works out.

10-Year Tax Bill Helped Bring Grocer to DCUSA

The Ellwood Thompson's Local Market decision to open a store at Columbia Heights' DC USA was helped along by an emergency bill passed by DC Council. Ward One Councilmember Jim Graham an Ward Two Councilmember Jack Evans co-sponsored the bill.

The new emergency bill (NEIGHBORHOOD SUPERMARKET TAX RELIEF CLARIFICATION EMERGENCY DECLARATION RESOLUTION OF 2009 - PDF [updated 2009 version of the bill]) clarified an existing piece of legislation which gave stand alone full service supermarkets ten years of property tax and sales tax incentives for operating in DC. The new legislation broadens the scope to include supermarkets which open as a part of a larger development. Ellwood Thompson's will occupy 15,000 square feet on the first floor of DC USA, a 500,000+ square foot development at the corner of 14th and Irving Streets NW. The face of the store will be on the Irving Street side under Best Buy.

Ellwood Thomposn's joins YES! Organic Market stores in Adams Morgan and U Street, Whole Foods on P Street, and Everlasting Life at Howard as another health food store option for mid city residents. They will to employ about 100 staff members and offer credits to customers who bike/walk/mass transit to the store and for those who use their own bags. Ellwood's was one of the first, if not the first grocery in Richmond to give a bag credit (5¢) to its customers. Also, mimicking the policy of the Richmond store, Ellwood's will buy local produce and other products from within a 100 mile radius. Luckily it looks to be a vegan/vegetarian paradise with the choice of vegan cookbook author and chef Jannequin Bennett to head the prepared foods section. The store should open late 2009 or early 2010.

Photos: A Fuss Over DC USA

On a day when Target promised to open early (today!) and Lane Bryant quietly beat everyone to the punch by opening before any other DC USA store, there was much fanfare on 14th Street. Wednesday's excitement will certainly dwarf Tuesday's activity. Yesterday, Jim Graham, the mayor and many media outlets descended upon Columbia Heights to celebrate and report on the opening of the District's first Target while reflecting on the event's significance to the surrounding neighborhood. Wednesday, the shopping starts, for better or worse. Here are a few photos form the scene Tuesday.

Transportation Study Meeting Tonight

The District Department of Transportation will be holding a public meeting tonight at the Mount Pleasant Branch Library. The meeting will summarize the input of residents about the Mount Pleasant Transportation Study, which is ongoing. Currently the Final Report will be released in February or March of 2008 with actual work beginning sometime after that. I'll be happy if DDOT reduces double parking on Mt Pleasant Street (maybe more of an enforcement issue) and makes the roads safer for bikers (dedicated lanes please!). The Library is located at 3160 16th St NW and the meeting begins at 6:30PM. Ward One City Councilmember Jim Graham will be present.

Fiesta DC: Photos

Update: See photos from the 2008 Fiesta DC