Monthly Archives: July 2012
Friends of Trinidad Recreation Center meeting: Wednesday, August 8
Kidical Mass coming to Joe Cole Spray Park
Joe Cole Splash Park. Photo by Robert Mann-Thompson.
Our friends at Kidical Mass DC host an nearly monthly family-fun bike ride. This month, they’re headed to Joe Cole Recreation Center’s splash park, and we couldn’t be more excited!
We’d also love your help getting the park tidy before they arrive. Please join us at the park at 9:00 am for a quick clean-up. That will give folks time to join the ride at Turkey Thicket (or at another stop as the ride moves east), and a chance to tidy up before it gets too hot out.
From Kidical Mass DC:
Next ride: Saturday, July 21 SPLASHDOWN!
Cool off with us in the splash park at the newly-renovated Joe Cole Recreation Center. Once again, we’ll start out at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center in Brookland and coast downhill along the Met Branch Trail. After a quick swing through Near Northeast, we’ll bike up to the Rec Center for some noisy, wet fun in their new splash park. Afterward, anyone who’s hungry can join us for lunch at The Argonaut, one of H Street’s most kid-friendly dining establishments.
We’ll have three meetups plus one optional meetup (depending on local interest): one at Turkey Thicket in Brookland, one at Met Branch Trail and R Street NE, and one at the southern terminus of the Met Branch Trail. If anyone from Capitol Hill or Near Northeast would like an additional meetup in their neighborhood, we can also make a slight detour to pick up more friends at the front of J.O. Wilson Elementary School at 6th Street NE and K Street NE.
Be sure to bring swim diapers, sunblock, and anything else your family will need for extended outdoor splashtime.
Date: Saturday, July 21, 2012
Destination: Joe Cole Recreation Center and Splash Park, plus optional lunch at The Argonaut
Meetup Times:
- Turkey Thicket (east side parking lot, near the basketball courts): 10:30am
- Met Branch Trail @ R Street NE: 11:00am
- Met Branch Trail @ M Street NE: 11:15am
- [optional] J.O. Wilson, 6th & K NE: 11:25am
Distance: 3.8 miles (plus an optional half-mile extension to the Argonaut for lunch)
Difficulty: Easy-Intermediate. Mainly downhill and on a bike trail. A few short stretches on medium-busy roads.
Route: click here for map
E-mail Megan Odett at kidicalmassdc@gmail.com with questions.
Crossposted at Frozen Tropics
TNA community meeting: Tuesday, July 24
Please join us on July 24th at the Joe Cole Recreation Center!
Councilmember McDuffie’s office and DGS will discuss the recent fire at Webb E.S. and inform the community of the next steps with regard to the damage and the disposition process.
Mike Goodno from DDOT will share a bike lane proposal for West Virginia Avenue NE [pdf] The major change required to install the bicycle lanes per this draft plan would be the removal of the parking lane on the Gallaudet University side of the road. Removing this parking lane would create the necessary 10’ of roadway width to install a 5’ bicycle lane on each side of the road.
Man arrested for killing puppy in Trinidad
The Washington Humane Society sent out the press release below (the original story is here – WARNING: The link contains a very graphic image of the murdered puppy).
Thanks so much to WHS for their hard work. Please consider contributing on the memorial and donations page in honor of King Tut; proceeds will “aid the Washington Humane Society in [its] efforts to educate the community about animal welfare issues, to stop cruelty, and to help prevent future incidents like this, while honoring King Tut.”
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Sean Delontay Branch Arrested on Felony Animal Cruelty Charge in “King Tut” Puppy Case
Man accused of killing a sleeping 6-month-old puppy
Washington, DC – Sean Delontay Branch, 24, of the 1000 block of 18th Street NE, was arrested July 11 in Clinton, Md., on one count of felony animal cruelty. He is suspected of killing a 6-month-old brindle and white puppy by dropping a large 100-lb. block of cement on the dog’s head while he was sleeping. The incident occurred June 29 behind the Circle Seven Express store at 1209 Mount Olivet Road NE. Branch was arraigned July 11 and his preliminary hearing is scheduled July 31. He faces up to five years in jail and a $25,000 fine.
The Washington Humane Society Humane Law Enforcement Department received a report of a dog who had had a brick dropped on its head at a convenience store on the morning of June 29. Upon arrival, officers found the body of the dog, named King Tut, who had died as a result of his injuries.
“A helpless puppy suffered a horrifying death at the hands of a callous human who showed no regard for the life of an innocent animal,” said Scott Giacoppo, Vice President, External Affairs & Chief Programs Officer, Washington Humane Society. “This extreme act of cruelty—one of the worst I have seen in my career—is indefensible, and we look forward to bringing to justice the person who committed this vile crime.”
The Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Department, comprised of four full-time Humane Law Enforcement Officers, investigates over 1,400 complaints of animal cruelty each year. To report animal cruelty and neglect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call 202-BE-HUMANE.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON HUMANE SOCIETY
The Washington Humane Society, the only Congressionally-chartered animal welfare agency in the United States, has been the leading voice for animals in the District of Columbia since 1870. As the only open-access shelter in the nation’s capital, no call for help goes unanswered, and no animal is ever turned away. The Washington Humane Society provides comfort and care to nearly 30,000 animals each year through its broad range of programs and services including: sheltering, adoption, humane law enforcement, spay and neuter, humane education, human – animal rehabilitation programs and lost and found services. For more information, please visit www.washhumane.org.
Mug shot available upon request.
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Webb E.S. fire is under investigation
As you likely know by now, Webb E.S. suffered a 2-alarm fire late Monday evening. The fire is under investigation, and early reports indicate that the building was not secure.
We have been pressuring the Department of General services over the past few months to increase the transparency of Webb’s property disposition. At this time, we do not know what the future of the building or the property will be; we have reached out to Councilmember McDuffie and will update you as new information becomes available.
Rather than attempt to paraphrase the coverage already out there, we will update the links below as we get them (please share any you’ve come across in the comments):
- DC Fire Department posted images and their experience with the blaze – DCFD
- Serious posts from Trinidad’s resident satirist – ToTville
- Webb Elementary School fire ignites in Northeast – ABC7
- Two-Alarm Fire Severely Damages Old D.C. School – NBC4
- Fire department investigates blaze at former D.C. elementary school – Washington Times
- More on Last Night’s Fire at Webb Elementary – Frozen Tropics
TNA receives 2012 DC Community Heritage Project grant!
We are happy to announce that TNA’s short documentary project “Preserving Trinidad: Looking Through the Window of the Past; Opening the Door to the Future” is one of the recipients of the 2012 grants from the DC Community Heritage Project! The DC Community Heritage Project is a program of the Humanities Council of Washington, DC.
Be on the look out for the documentary’s premiere in November 2012! Right now, we are looking for residents of Trinidad, both past and present, who would like to be interviewed.
If you are interested in volunteering and/or contributing your time, talent, and stories, please contact the project director (and TNA board member) Bernadine Okoro at eve_films@yahoo.com as soon as possible, and be sure to provide your contact information (email, phone, address) in your message so she can get in touch with you – the timeline for the project is short, and we want to be sure to include as many voices as possible.
The project scope is as follows:
“Preserving Trinidad: Looking Through the Window of the Past; Opening the Door to the Future.”
The Trinidad neighborhood is located in the northeast quadrant of Washington, DC. Primarily residential, it is bounded by Mt. Olivet Road, West Virginia Avenue, Florida Avenue, and Bladensburg Road. Though not officially designated a historic neighborhood, Trinidad was once home to a number of historically significant attractions, including the Washington Brick Machine Company, the American League Park, and the Florida Theatre. “Preserving Trinidad: Looking Through the Window of the Past; Opening the Door to the Future,” will explore Trinidad’s past, including its landscape and architecture. The documentary component will focus on stories of significant historical events told through the eyes of the residents of Trinidad.
*UPDATED* REWARD: Puppy cruelly killed behind Circle 7
REWARD: NOW $2,500
On Friday June 29th 2012, King Tut, a 6-month old brindle and white puppy, had a large block of cement dropped on his head while he was sleeping. This incident occurred at approximately 9 a.m. behind the Circle Seven Express store at 1209 Mount Olivet Road, NE. The injuries to the puppy were fatal. The suspect is a light-skinned African-American male, medium-build, in his late 20s.
The Washington Humane Society desperately needs the help of the community for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this horrific act of animal cruelty. The Washington Humane Society is offering a $1,000.00 $2,500.00 reward that will be given to any person who provides such information.
Please share this information and the reward poster (WARNING: The poster contains a very graphic image of the murdered puppy and is below the page break) with others in community.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the
Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Department: Officer D’Eramo
dderamo@washhumane.org
202-723-5730 ext.131
Information will be kept confidential upon request.
The Washington Human Society has also set up a memorial and donations page in honor of King Tut, and proceeds will “aid the Washington Humane Society in [its] efforts to educate the community about animal welfare issues, to stop cruelty, and to help prevent future incidents like this, while honoring King Tut.”
*UPDATED LOCATION* Emergency ANC-5B meeting: Saturday, July 7
What: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5B Emergency Meeting
When: Saturday, July 7, 2012, 11:00 am
Where: MPD-5D, 1805 Bladensburg Rd. NE Holiday Inn Express, 1917 Bladensburg Rd. NE, Arboretum Room
Agenda Includes:
· Vote to oppose DDOT street car barn at Spingarn High School
· Vote to oppose intercity buses at Crummell School (add your name to the petition)
· Vote to support the renaming of part of Langdon Park in honor of Chuck Brown
ANC seats in 5B-05 and 5B-11 remain vacant.
ANC-5B generally meets the first Thursday of each month (expect July and August) at the 5th District Police Station (unless an election is being held).
Trinidad Neighborhood Association 