Columbia Heights on 14th Street NW. Saturday’s festival is t 11th and Kenyon Streets NW.(Luis Gomez Photos)

From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.

Columbia Heights will celebrate its neighborhood this Saturday, October 6, with the Columbia Heights Day Festival from 10 am until 6 pm at Harriet Tubman Elementary Field (11th and Kenyon Streets NW).

Columbia Heights Day Initiative,  an independent grassroots nonprofit that organizes the Columbia Heights Day Festival, expects more than 12,000 people at the sixth annual event.

The day-long celebration includes everything from yoga workshops to live music, a cupcake eating contest, a KidZone, a petting zoo, local vendors and an entire row of delicious food trucks.

For more information on Columbia Heights Day and for a schedule of events, visit the festival websiste.

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“Urban Fragment” is by ep_jhu from the Borderstan Flickr pool.

Photos of the Day are pulled from the Borderstan Reader Photos pool on Flickr.

Today’s photo, “Urban Fragment” was taken by ep_jhu on November 2010 in Columbia Heights.

If you don’t already have a Flickr account, you will need to sign up for one, and then join the Borderstan Reader Photos group. Already a Flickr member? Join the group! You can submit up to five photos per day in the Borderstan reader pool. We are looking for photos from D.C.’s Dupont, Logan and U Street neighborhoods.

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The Tuesday night march started at IHOP in Columbia Heights and made its way to Cobalt in Dupont. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Luis Gomez and Matt Rhoades

A group estimated at more than 500 people walked from Columbia Heights to Dupont last night to recognize the victims of recent hate crimes against members of the LGBT community in DC, and to call attention to the problem still face gay and transgendered people in DC. The event was organized on Facebook by friends of one of the victims , Daniel, who was shot March 11 at the IHOP restaurant in Columbia Heights after an incident which involved anti-gay slurs. Police have listed the incident as a hate-related assault with intent to kill.

Starting off at the IHOP at 14th and Irving Streets NW, the group walked to Georgia Avenue and Irving Street NW for a second brief ceremony at the site where another gay man was beaten and robbed on March 12; he suffered a broken jaw. According to Kyan Brady, one of the March organizers, both of the men were released from the hospital yesterday, March 20.

What is a hate or bias crime? Wikipedia says: “In crime and law, hate crimes (also known as bias-motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation,disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, sex, gender identity, social status or political affiliation.” What does the term mean under DC law? Check out the DC Police definition of a hate crime.

Patrick Pressman, one of the March organizers said he believed that DC Police had estimated the crowd at 520 people. Pressman said the turnout was definitely in the 50o to 600 range. More than 700 people had said they would attend on the Facebook event page.

Video and Photos of March: More Borderstan photos on our Facebook Page. The march drew a great deal of local media coverage, including The Washington Post, as well as local TV stations. Video of the march is available at ABC-7, NBC-4, CBS-9 and Fox-5. The Washington Blade has posted a photo gallery from last night’s march as has The DC Center on flickr. (A hat tip to Chris Wiggins for organizing media coverage.)

The march ended at Cobalt lounge at 17th and R NW, where  a fundraiser was held for Daniel, the shooting victim at IHOP —proceeds are going to help cover his medical costs. In addition to a donations bucket at Cobalt, Cobalt General Manager Mark Rutstein said the business was donating a portion of bar receipts to Daniel’s medical fund and that the DJs and the evening’s drag show performers were also donating the cost of their time on Tuesday night for the fundraiser. There is also a Facebook Page, Benefit for Daniel, where you can make a donation through PayPal.

MPD Chief Cathy Lanier was at the kickoff at IHOP, along with Councilmembers Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4), and Council Chairman Kwame Brown. The marchers were also joined by some members of Occupy DC who came to show support.

Donations

The organizers have also recommended two organizers where you can make donations in addition to the Benefit for Daniel Fund:

• Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence
• DC Trans Coalition

Click above for more images on Facebook from the March 21 march against ant-LGBT violence in DC.  (Luis Gomez Photos)

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Related Stories

• Tonight: Silent March for Recent Victims of Anti-LGBT Violence (Borderstan)
• March to begin Tuesday at IHOP to remember LGBT shooting, assault victims (Washington Blade, March 19)
• March planned in Columbia Heights for victims of anti-gay violence, including IHOP shooting (The Washington Post, March 17)
• 3 hospitalized after spate of anti-LGBT violence (Washington Blade, March 14)
• Two Gay Men And A Transgender Woman Hospitalized After Anti-LGBT Attacks Hit Washington D.C. Neighborhood (Huffington Post, March 15)

A silent march has been organized for 7 pm this evening, March 20, to recognize the victims of recent hate crimes against members of the LGBT community in DC.  The event is being organized on Facebook by friends of one of the victims who was shot March 11 at the IHOP restaurant in Columbia Heights. The Washington Blade has full details on the recent attacks.

14th Street NW in Columbia Heights. (Luis Gomez Photos)

Following the March from IHOP in Columbia Heights (14th and Irving Streets NW) to 17th and R Streets NW, there will be a fundraiser at Cobalt lounge. The fundraiser at Cobalt is to help cover the medical expenses of the man shot at IHOP.

According to news reports, a 31-year-old gay man was shot at 6 am on March 11 at the IHOP on Irving Street NW, just west of 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights after an incident which involved anti-gay slurs; he is still hospitalized. According to the Blade, ‘Police have listed the incident as a hate-related assault with intent to kill.’

A Washington Post story adds more details: “The march also supports the victim of a severe beating and robbery of a gay man March 12 at Georgia Avenue and Irving Street. The beating left the man with a broken jaw. It was classified as an anti-gay hate crime. A day later, a transgender woman was assaulted and knocked unconscious in northeast Washington.”

March Details

Details from the organizers on the event’s Facebook page:

1. Gather in front of the IHOP located 3100 14th Street NW in observance of the gunshot victim who was attacked on March 11.
2. The silent march then continues east on Irving Street to Georgia Avenue.
3. The march will stop for a brief statement recalling the details of the second attack, which happened at that location on March 12.
4. March then continues to Florida Avenue and goes west on U Street. At 14th Street, the march goes south to R Street and continues eastward to Cobalt lounge at 17th and R Streets NW.
5. Wear a solid colored T-shirt of your choice in recognition of the Rainbow flag. If you wish to carry a sign or write on your T-shirt, we ask that you simply put one word such as Sister, Brother, Son, Daughter, Neighbor, Husband, Wife, Boyfriend, Girlfriend , etc. to let everyone know exactly who is being attacked.

Donations

The organizers have also recommended two organizers where you can make donations:

• Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence
• DC Trans Coalition

Related Stories

• March to begin Tuesday at IHOP to remember LGBT shooting, assault victims (Washington Blade, March 19)
• March planned in Columbia Heights for victims of anti-gay violence, including IHOP shooting (The Washington Post, March 17)
• 3 hospitalized after spate of anti-LGBT violence (Washington Blade, March 14)
• Two Gay Men And A Transgender Woman Hospitalized After Anti-LGBT Attacks Hit Washington D.C. Neighborhood (Huffington Post, March 15)

You don’t have to be in Los Angeles or Manhanttan to find a good place to watch Sunday’s Academy Awards broadcast. (Photo by Cesar Perez, New York)

From Eliza French. Follow her on Twitter @elizaenbref; email her at eliza[AT]borderstan.com.

The Grammys were just a few weeks ago, but it’s already time for another round of endless applause. Even if flashy evening gowns, long-winded acceptance speeches, and Brad Pitt don’t pique your interest, you can still make Sunday night an excuse to celebrate. There’s nothing like a good atmosphere, a great crowd, and some well-priced drink specials to ramp up your enthusiasm.

If you’re willing to venture outside of Borderstan territory, there’s still time to catch up on the year in cinema and pick a favorite to root for in the “Best Picture” category. AMC Theaters in Georgetown has shown all nine nominated films. You can see five of them this Saturday for $40.

Black Cat, 1811 14th Street NW. Make your dreams of getting backstage at the Black Cat finally come true. There is no cover Sunday night for the “Stars in Bars: Oscars Viewing Party on the Backstage.” Doors open at 7 pm, and Food for Thought Café will be open during its usual Sunday hours (8 pm to 1 am.).

The Heights, 3115 14th Street NW. Starting at 5 pm., The Heights will host its Second Annual Oscar Watch Party. Check out the Best-Picture-nominee-themed food and drink specials here. Everything is under $10, except for the “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” a pitcher of St. Germain, Jose Cuervo, lime, cucumber, and simple syrup — surely the recipe for a winning night.

Helix Lounge, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW. Helix Lounge, at the Helix Hotel, has also formulated some cinematic cocktail specialties. From 5:00 to 11:00 p.m., you can sip on a “Red Carpet Cosmo” for $8.00 while enjoying a “Spiel-Burger” with fries for only $6.50.

Nellie’s, 900 U Street NW. If you’re looking for an alternative to the red carpet atmosphere, stop by Nellie’s after 7:00 p.m. to watch the Oscars. You can toast to the winners — or drink for the losers — with $4 Mimosas, Nellie draft beer, rail drinks and Bloody Marys or $15 pitchers of select beer.

The proposed five-ANC map, which creates a new ANC along the Georgia Avenue corridor. (Ward 1 Redistricting Task Force)

The following column is from Brianne K. Nadeau. She is a resident of Ward 1 and a former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, representing ANC 1B05 from 2007 to 2011. In June she wrote a column, Redistricting Process Offers Chance to Reunite 14th & U in Ward 1. We welcome similar columns — you can reach us at borderstan@gmail.com.

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From Brianne K. Nadeau

You may have heard about this redistricting thing happening all around the city right now; it happens every 10 years following the results of the U.S. Census. After the City Council redrew ward boundaries to bring each into line with population requirements, each ward began redrawing the boundaries of Single Member Districts (SMDs) within its Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.

Note to data and map geeks: The New York Times has one of the best and easiest to use interactive Census maps out there.

Ward 1 has four Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs). ANC1B (which includes most of the U Street corridor) grew by 3,111 people. This is not surprising given the fact that Logan Circle and U Street have bore the brunt of DC’s population growth in the last decade. (ANC 2F/Logan Circle is faced with a similar task and must create two new SMDs, which will bring its total to eight.) On the other hand, ANCs 1A/Columbia Heights and 1C/Adams Morgan grew by less than 500 people each, and ANC1D/Mount Pleasant lost 1,541 people.

This means that we need to shift some things around. The guidelines for the size of each SMD should include a formula with percentages and deviations; essentially, each should aim for 2,000 people. Beyond that, a ward can have any number of ANCs.

A 5th ANC Good For Economic Development

The Ward 1 Redistricting Task Force, chaired by Alan Roth, is currently choosing between two different maps. One map would keep the existing four ANCs but play with the boundaries (this requires a Shutterfly account to view), and one creates a fifth ANC for the Georgia Avenue Corridor. On Monday, October 3, the Task Force will vote on one map.

My preference is a five-ANC configuration; Georgia Ave deserves the focus and resources that the other commercial corridors have benefited from. U Street is approaching a tipping point that requires community collaboration to help its commercial district continue to positively grow.

Ward lines need to be understood and drawn as the blueprint for the development of Ward 1 over the next 10 years. Now is the time and opportunity to give re-districting the attention it deserves and make sure that resources are allocated throughout each commercial corridor.

In the most recent iteration of the four-ANC configuration, ANC 1B would gain a seat in the U Street area. As a former chair to the U Street ANC,I can tell you that it is unwieldy enough to have 11 voices in the mix — let alone one more. It’s time-consuming enough to manage the bustling commercial districts of 14th and U Streets.

That’s not me whining about how much work ANCs have to do, boo hoo. That’s me recognizing that with all of the upcoming development on Georgia Avenue, it will be critical to give all parts of ANC1B its due and proper attention.

This is also not a commentary on the leadership in these areas. What I am saying is that if we can draw these boundaries to focus on each of the five distinct commercial districts, then we will be able to better serve our neighborhoods in the short term and the long term.

Commercial Corridors Important to SMDs

What hasn’t been discussed at the public meetings yet ― and hopefully is being hammered out by task force members as I write this — is how the SMDs will be drawn in the commercial districts. For example, 1B02, which is the heart of U Street, grew immensely and needs to be divided up. We can’t just look at population in this case. We need to review where the liquor establishments are, and which streets might make better boundaries than others.

The majority of licenses now are all in one SMD; this is not only an incredible burden for that Commissioner, but it’s also a raw deal for those being served by that Commissioner. I don’t have the answer to where those lines should be, but that conversation — and similar ones in other commercial districts — needs to be had. And the feedback needs to be taken very seriously.

My preference is for the creation of a fifth ANC in Ward 1. Barring that, I hope that the Commission will at least give careful consideration to how the commercial districts are divided among SMDs. The Ward 1 Task Force is required to submit its recommendation to the City Council the week of October 10 — let’s see whether they are willing to shake things up with a fifth ANC. I believe it would benefit everyone in Ward 1.

Wisconsin and M NW: This area has a low crime rate, except for thefts: 331 thefts were recorded during the past year. (MPD Crime Database)

How does crime in three major commercial corridors of the Dupont-Logan-U Street area compare with some similar areas in DC?

Are you safer at 12th and U NW than at at Eastern Market at 7th and E SE? How does 17th and Q NW compare to Wisconsin and M NW in the heart of Georgetown? Is there more crime in Adams Morgan at 18th and Columbia Road NW than at 14th and Q NW? How does Columbia Heights compare to all the rest?

The crime statistics for each of the seven areas are from the MPD Crime Database. Each one covers a circular area that radiates 1,000 feet from the address. See the list below that summarizes the number of crimes in each of the seven areas; complete crime states for each of the seven areas are below the fold.

Each month Borderstan runs stories on crime statistics for three areas in the neighborhood: 12th and U NW, 14th and Q NW and 17th and Q NW. Along with these three areas, four additional intersections were selected and then all seven were compared for both violent and property crime for the past year, Nov. 18, 2009, to Nov. 18, 2010.

14th and Irving NW: Of the 101 violent crimes reported in the past year, 55 were robberies and 41 were assualts. Of these, 14 were committed with a gun. (MPD Crime Database)

Of the seven intersection-areas, the safest is Pennsylvania and 7th SE. Coming in at Number 7 (last place) is 14th and Irving NW. Results are the same for both violent and property crime: the Capitol Hill intersection has the least of each and the Columbia Heights intersection the most.

In addition to the three intersections in Dupont-Logan-U Street area, the four additional intersections are:

• 14th and Irving Streets NW/Columbia Heights: This intersection is on the south side of the DC USA mall (Target, Best Buy, Staples, etc.) and is now a shopping and nightlife area.
• 18th Street and Columbia Road NW/Adams Morgan: Possibly the heart of Adams Morgan, it’s both daytime shopping and nightlife.
• Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW/Georgetown: This Georgetown hub is a major draw for tourists and the bridge-and-tunnel crowd as well as locals.
• Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street SE/Capitol Hill: Just south of Eastern Market and north of Barracks Row, this Capitol Hill area has shops, restaurants and nightlife.

The area around 12th and U NW recorded 152 thefts from autos in the past year, the highest number of the seven areas compared. (MPD Crime Database)

Total Crime: The Best and the Worst

Of the seven intersection-areas we compared, the safest is Pennsylvania and 7th SE on Capitol Hill. Coming in at Number 7 is 14th and Irving NW in Columbia Heights. Looking at only violent crime or  property crime, the results are the same: the Capitol Hill intersection has the least of each and the Columbia Heights intersection has the most of each.

The Dupont intersection of 17th and Q NW comes in at Number 2 in both violent and property crime, making it the second most safest area of the seven compared. Number 3 is 18th and Columbia NW; it is Number 5 for violent crime and Number 3 for property crime. Right in the middle at the Number 4 spot is 14th and Q NW; it is Number 4 for both violent and property crime.

17th and Q NW comes in at Number 2 in both violent and property crime… 14th and Q NW comes in at Number 4 for both violent and property crime… 12th and U NW is Number 5, but comes in at Number 6 for Violent Crime and had the most gun crimes.

At Number 5 is 12th and U NW; this U Street intersection is Number 6 for violent crime and Number 5 for property crime. Coming in at Number 6 is the intersection of Wisconsin and M NW. This Georgetown intersection is actually Number 2for violent crime (second safest to the Capitol Hill intersection), but it has a huge number of thefts in the property crime category, which drives its overall ranking down. Number 7, last on the list, is the Columbia Heights intersection of 14th and Irving NW; it is in last place for both violent and property crime.

Crime in Past Year

1. Pennsylvania & 7th SE: 158 crimes (18 violent, 140 property); 0 gun crimes.
2. 17th & Q NW: 186 crimes (35 violent, 151 property); 4 gun crimes.
3. 18th & Columbia NW: 287 crimes (62 violent, 225 property); 8 gun crimes.
4. 14th & Q NW: 307 crimes (43 violent, 264 property); 15 gun crimes.
5. 12th & U NW: 355 crimes (73 violent, 282 property); 21 gun crimes.
6. Wisconsin & M NW: 404 crimes (38 violent, 366 property); 2 gun crimes. Note: The huge number of thefts (331) at this intersection-area skews the results.
   
7. 14th & Irving NW: 504 crimes (101 violent, 403 property); 14 gun crimes.

Violent Crime

Robberies. Robberies are categorized as with and without a gun. The fewest robberies were at Pennsylvania and 7th SE (11) while the most occurred at 14th and Irving NW (55). The intersection of 12th and U came in at Number 3 (49), but actually had the most robberies with a gun (16).

Assaults. Assaults with a Deadly Weapon are categorized as with and without a gun. The fewest number of assaults occurred at 14th and Q NW (five) while the Pennsylvania & 7th SE came in at Number 2 (seven) and 17th and Q NW was Number 3 (eight). The most assaults took place at 14th and Columbia NW (41) while the second highest number was recorded at 12th & U NW (22).

Gun Crime. Gun crimes are homicides, robberies and assaults committed with a gun. The fewest gun crimes in the past year were at Pennsylvania and 7th SE, which recorded zero gun crimes. At Number 2 was Wisconsin and M NW with two gun crimes. While 14th and Irving NW had the most robberies and assaults of the seven areas compared, it did not have the most gun crimes in the past year (it has 14).

The most gun crimes were at 12th and U NW (21) followed by 14th and Q NW (15). The one homicide recorded in the past year for all seven areas was the Sept. 28, 2010, shooting death of Jamal Coates at 11th and U NW.

Property Crime

Auto Crimes. Auto crimes are major quality-of-life crimes in the city. The area with the most stolen autos in the past year was 12th and U NW (30) followed by 14th and Irving NW (27) and 14th and Q NW (23). The fewest? There were only six stolen autos at Wisconsin and M NW. Much more common are thefts from autos (“smash and grabs”). The hands-down leader was again 12th and U NW (152) followed by 14th and Irving NW (104) and 14th and Q NW (88). The fewest smash and grabs were at Wisconsin and M NW (18) followed by Pennsylvania and 7th SE (32). The complete list is below the fold.

Burglaries and Thefts. The most burglaries in the past year were at 14th and Q NW (34) followed by 12th and U NW (21). The remaining five areas all had between 10 and 15 burglaries each. The number of thefts for the Georgetown intersection of Wisconsin and M NW skewed this areas crime stats: it had 331 thefts in the past year. (It would be interesting to know how many were purse and cell phone snatches on the street.) This is substantially more than the 270 for 14th and Irving NW. The fewest thefts were reported for 17th and Q NW (67).

Complete crime states for each of the seven areas are below the fold.

Read the full story

Good morning, Borderstan. A few things from other blogs and online that caught my eye… as I sat around drinking coffee at my mom’s house.

• Free in DC has info on The Sacred Festival this Sunday to celebrate the
  Summer Solstice… “Festivities from 10:30am – 7:30pm in Malcolm X/ Meridian Hill Park between 16th and 15th at Euclid and inside of the Josephine Butler Parks Center from 10:30am – 5:00pm.” The group’s Web site is Sacred DC.
• dcist has more information on the double shooting outside the Columbia Heights Metro station yesterday. CP’s City Desk blog has photos.
• The Washington City Paper has the “Young & Hungry’s 50 Best Restaurants.” The list is interesting… and I need to get out more; I won’t even tell you how many I recognize, let alone how many I have tried.
• 14th & You notes that two Borderstan establishments were in the Washington Post guide to eateries (a word I just love).
• Speaking of 14th & You, this blog’s posting earlier this week about the brouhaha over Cafe Saint-Ex on 14th Street NW— “Partner of ANC Commissioner Attempts to Scuttle Saint-Ex Agreement; Goes After Policy Employees,”—got so many comments that comments are now closed!
• The Triangle has an update on the Level Lounge, which is slated for 315 H Street NW.

Hmmm…. interesting. I only hope that Edward Delgado, former inspector in the MPD Third District, wasn’t punished for proactive action that got much-need results in Columbia Heights earlier this year. But, I wouldn’t want to bet he wasn’t. I will let neighborhood blogger New Columbia Heights tell the story, but I will add that I don’t like what I read and what I suspect. From New Columbia Heights:

Turnover and controversy with neighborhood MPD officials. Looks like there’s something afoot with MPD’s officials in the Third District Substation, which covers the Columbia Heights area – a couple days ago, there was a message on the Substation listserve welcoming a new commander, Inspector Jacob Kishter. The message had no mention of very popular Inspector Edward Delgado, and shortly afterwards a couple of people asked what happened to him.

Turns out, Delgado was demoted and reassigned to the very violent 7th District, apparently stemming from his complaints about DC’s juvenile justice system — in particular, MPD in Columbia Heights had three times arrested a teenager who had committed 21 robberies, and each time he was released by the Attorney General’s office, only to commit more robberies. A frustrated Delgado urged citizens to email DC Attorney General Peter Nickles, and Nickles didn’t like that at all – he refused to read the emails and complained about Delgado’s response. The robbery suspect kid was later released again but I think he was recaptured.

Read the full story

The MPD Third District headuarters are at 1620 V Street NW. A substation in Columbia Heights serves PSAs 302 and 304. East Borderstan (east of 15th St.) is in PSA 307.

From MPD’s Inspector Edward Delgado on the MPD Third District listserv on Yahoo! Groups:

I am happy to report that the murder that happened in the 1300 block of Columbia Road NW earlier this month has been closed with the arrest of a juvenile male. I thank all partners within the community that helped with the closure of this case. In addition I want to thank members of the United States Police for the recovery of key evidence in this crime.  I can assure you that we will continue our presence in Columbia Heights Village Apartments. - Edward Delgado