11.12.2009

News Bullets, November Rain Thursday;

Well, the remnants of Ida are giving everyone an excuse to break out those damned golf umbrellas again.



Violent Wednesday in Northeast. Yesterday afternoon a man was shot and killed as he boarded the X2 Metrobus in the 1400 block of H Street, NE. The victim was identified as George Rawlings, the brother of Deonte Rawlings, who was shot and killed in 2007. It appears George Rawlings, 21, may have been targeted as a witness to a shooting on Halloween. There was another shooting late Wednesday in Deanwood that killed one and wounded another.

NTSB to hold hearings regarding the Metro crash. I'm not holding my breath that this will mean much, since the NTSB has no official oversight role. The more important part is what Congress does about this... there is legislation floating around that would work to establish better oversight. Whether it passes or not, remains to be seen. In any event, these hearings will prove interesting to anyone following the story.

Sidwell Friends School attracts crazy protesters, students respond. A group of fringe protesters showed up outside Sidwell Friends the other day. How did the school respond? The students made their own signs and offered a counter-protest.

When five anti-Obama, anti-gay protesters appeared in front of the school's Wisconsin Avenue NW entrance Monday morning, they were met by 150 Sidwell students waving signs ranging from "There is that of God in Everyone" to "I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It."

"I guess they think they can influence what we think because we're young and vulnerable," said Daniel Edminster, a Sidwell junior. "They can't."

Nice! I like that. I'd also like to see protesters with signs that say, "why not send your kids to public school, Obama." Harder to counter-protest against that.

Kennedy Center flouts DC their own smoking ban? The Reliable Source has it that Cate Blanchett and her co-stars are smoking authentic cigarettes for the Kennedy Center's production of A Streetcar Named Desire. The article notes the Kennedy Center has a non-smoking policy, but an exemption is being allowed for authenticity. I get that, but I'm wondering how they are getting around the District's smoking ban. (There is an exception for 'theatrical productions.' Does this mean you can smoke at open mic nights?)

Garden District filed bankruptcy. 14th & You notes the 14th Street garden shop has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This perhaps proves the point that opening a second location mere blocks away is not always the best idea. The recession, as well, did not help. The future of the remaining location near 14th and S is unclear... though I'd say it's even money it will be replaced by a wine or cheese shop.

6 comments:

  1. The smoking ban has an exception for theatrical productions.

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  2. Ooh, I see that some bars try to have 'theatre nights' to allow smoking... interesting.

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  3. Can't really get on the Obamas' case for not sending the kids to public school. Let's be honest: DC teaches like Billy Joel drives.

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  4. For the record, the crazies did happen to also come to a public school (BCC) which got less coverage because it lacked the whole "Obamakids" hook.

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  5. Not completely true, Most theatres are supposed to use Herbal Cigarettes in DC so as not to promote smoking, but also because many of them have a lower burning temperture and are approved by the Fire Marshall. Theatres are allowed to apply for exemption from said smoking law and the Fire Marshall must agree to this as well.

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  6. I think the rule is, "Cate Blanchett can smoke or do whatever she wants, in general"

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