Halloween Party Sunday, October 31 at 3:30 pm

Become bewitched at the Crestwood Halloween Party on the afternoon of October 31st. We promise no tricks and all treats in the “pumpkin patch” also known as The Point at 18th and Shepherd Streets. Bring your costumed cuties for 60 minutes of fun for kids of all ages, beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Crestwood Citizens Association Meeting Sunday, November 14 at 1:00pm

Topic #1: Raising a Family in Crestwood

Crestwood residents face many challenges as they raise their families in the District. At the next meeting of the Crestwood Citizens Association, we will share our stories and learn the latest skills for coping with schools, transportation and the other potential problems of city life.

Note that we are scheduling this meeting on a Sunday afternoon (November 14 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm) at 1761 Crestwood Drive.

There are many other issues of concern as the Crestwood Citizens Association begins its 70th year. We hope to build a solid working relationship with the new Mayor and Council, and plan to invite the Mayor to our May meeting. Other goals include crime deterrence, continued vigilance with respect to improving service from PEPCO, instituting a Seniors Project to help residents age in place, keeping an eye on zoning changes in order to protect our low-density residential character, and identifying priorities for traffic management in and around Crestwood.

The Association is looking into beautifying and enhancing the common green space within Crestwood—including fixing up the Crestwood signs and the landscaping around them. We are working to get ANC 4A to provide funds for benches to be installed on DC property at the Point and the Triangle. The ANC already has funded the new signs and receptacles you have seen around the neighborhood for controlling dog waste.

We also are looking on with concern as dozens of households in Crestwood have been posted for foreclosure or tax sale. Most of these situations were the result of a mistake or oversight. Still, in these tough economic times, the Association urges you to monitor your tax liabilities carefully so that no errors are made. A slip-up regarding the Homestead Exemption, for example, can lead to a $20,000 error and a threat of foreclosure./p>

If you have a community concern, let the Association know. Bring your ideas to the November 14 meeting or contact an officer.

And kudos to the Communications Team for publishing the 2010 Crestwood Directory!

Spotlight Wildlife Survey

Don't be alarmed by spotlights in the woods!

The District Department of Environment will be conducting night time spotlight surveys of the deer population on the nights of November 13, 14, 27, and 28). Thy are done on Saturday and Sunday evenings to reduce traffic problems. They will begin at sunset and will be completed by 9 pm.

Future Calendar

There will be an art exhibit and songfest by the Grace Choir Soloists at Grace Lutheran Church, 4300 16th Street, NW (16th and Varnum), Saturday, November 6 at 4:00pm Contributions are requested, but Crestwood residents can come as Gale Black's guests.

December will be a busy month in Crestwood!

In addition to the tree planting scheduled for December 4th (see story on the Crestwood Tree Project), the Association is considering a community social event just before Christmas - more information to follow. And, as always, The Sheridans will host caroling on Christmas Eve.

Looking farther ahead, the Association meeting on Tuesday, January 18 will address the environmental health of the community.

Crestwood Tree Project Keeps Branching Out

As the leaves fall from the trees throughout Crestwood, the Association is working to make the autumn colors even more spectacular in the future. Work continues on the Crestwood Tree Project, whose ambitious goal is to enhance and protect the neighborhood’s distinctive tree canopy.

The next tree planting is scheduled for Saturday, December 4th from 8:30 a.m. until noon in the 1900 block of Upshur Street. Our Project partner, Casey Trees, will supply free trees, mulch, stakes and digging assistance - but we need Crestwood volunteers to help out.

The most recent inventory of trees in other pilot blocks took place September 25th. Existing tree locations are being entered into the Casey Trees database for those blocks - the 1700 block of Taylor Street and the 1800 block of Shepherd Street. The Green Team will recommend sites for new trees, and homeowners will be able to choose from a number of native species, with a planting date coming in early spring.

Participation in the Crestwood Tree Project is entirely voluntary, and the Association salutes the many homeowners who are working to renew the Crestwood tree canopy. If you have any questions, please contact Doug Barker or other members of the Tree Project working group: Frank Samuel, Peggy Beers, Bill Bentley, Gale Black, Steve Klein, Betsy Kraft, and Beverly and John Ostenso.

Get Out and Vote (or maybe you already have!)

Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, but early voting is underway each day from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except Sunday) at five locations: One Judiciary Square and (beginning October 23rd) at Chevy Chase Community Center, Hine Junior High School, Turkey Thicket Recreation Center and Southeast Tennis and Learning Center. The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail is Tuesday, October 26. Applications may be printed from the website www.dcboee.org.

What’s on the ballot? Crestwood voters will be able to cast ballots for Mayor, Council Chairman, At-Large Council Member, Delegate to Congress, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for single-member district 4A08. Our current commissioner and Association President, Gale Black, is running for re-election unopposed. Give her your vote!

There is also a proposed amendment to the DC Home Rule Act which would change how the DC Attorney General is chosen. Currently the AG is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. The amendment calls for an elected AG beginning in 2014. The Attorney General would then serve a four-year term.

As in the recent primary voting, returns may be slow in coming on Election Day since DC officials may need to count write-in votes in the mayoral race.

New Red Light Cameras

Right now, drivers are only receiving warnings. But if you run afoul of three new red light cameras in Northwest DC beginning November 12th, you'll be hit with a $75 fine. The new locations are: southbound Connecticut Avenue at Porter Street, northbound 14th Street at K Street, and southbound 3rd Street at New York Avenue

Meet the Councilwoman

Ward Four Council Representative Muriel Bowser will be meeting within a few blocks of Crestwood on Saturday, November 6.

Crime Log

The latest crime statistics and trends in and around Crestwood are always available on the community website at www.crestwood-dc.org/crime-police-information.

In September, the following crimes were reported in Crestwood:

Thefts from Auto (6):

Theft (3):

Property Damage/Destruction (2):

Assault (1):

Stolen Auto (1):

Other (2):

ANC News

Gale Black, Commissioner for ANC 4A08 and President of the Crestwood Citizens Association, has had a busy season. Among her accomplishments, she:

• participated at a forum on Juvenile Justice.
• raised the issue of foreclosures as an issue of concern for the city and for the neighborhood in an effort to stop more Crestwood families from falling victim to the foreclosure crisis.
• testified on power outages and is working on a position regarding the undergrounding of power lines in targeted areas.
• supported the Open Government proposal.
• supported ANC 4A in urging the District government to restore Klingle Road and in voting to support an exemption request from a resident in the 4400 block of 18th Street.
• pushed for the street repairs along 1900 block of Shepherd which have done.
• supported the request of a resident on 18th Street for an exception to permit a rear addition. The Board of Zoning agreed with the ANC position and approved the request.

In Memoriam

We remember and miss our departed neighbors:

• Judge Harry T. Alexander
• Lois Matthews Dyer (whose daughter lives in Crestwood)
• Rupertha Hunt

Police, Community React to Increase In Crime

Since spring began, crime has been on the rise in Crestwood--including a pair of street robberies, along with a spate of break-ins and thefts from autos.

Representatives from the fourth district of the Metropolitan Police will appear at the Association meeting May 18 to discuss these incidents, the arrests they have made, and their efforts to put an end to these crimes.

Some of the surge in crime has been stemmed with the help of a Crestwood resident who took photos of suspects. If you see individuals who appear suspicious--and you can take a picture safely, without endangering yourself in any way--do so and provide it to the police. For other crime prevention hints, consult the bottom of the "Crime/Police Information" page of our website, www.crestwood-dc.org.

You can also use the website to join the Crestwood Neighborhood Email List. The list-serve has been valuable in alerting residents to recent crimes. Also, since young people have been involved in many of these incidents, there has been a lively discussion about the way the District treats minors involved in crimes.

The crime statistics for April, which can be found on the website, are reprinted below. Incidents in early May have included thefts from auto, a stolen car and the theft of copper gutters from Grace Church and a local home.

CRIMES REPORTED IN PATROL SERVICE AREA 404
From April 1 through April 30, 2010

* Data include 18 crimes in March (one was in Crestwood) that MPD had not previously reported.

Crestwood Crimes By Block:

Crestwood & Area Trends:

Members To Elect Association Leadership

The Crestwood Citizens Association will hold its annual elections at the meeting on May 18th--as members vote for officers of the Association and delegates to the Citizens Federation, and designate block contacts.

The Association has issued several calls for nominations for officers and Board members. Most of the neighbors currently in office have agreed to serve for another year. However, we need a candidate for Secretary, and we encourage members to step forward for that office or for any of the leadership posts. Please contact the Association's Communications Director, Tom Chused.

The Board governs the Association, and officers serve for one-year terms which continue until a new officer is selected. More information may be found online. Here is the proposed slate for 2010-2011:

Author to Discuss Peirce Family History
More Than the Mill

Throughout most of the history of our neighborhood, the Peirces and their descendants have lived right next door. We will learn about this fascinating family at a special presentation at the May 18th Association meeting by Steve Dryden, vice-president of Friends of Peirce Mill. An environmental and preservation activist, Mr. Dryden is the author of the recent book, Peirce Mill: Two Hundred Years in the Nation's Capital.

Only photos remain of the mills that operated on the estate that became Crestwood. But soon the millstones will be grinding once again a short walk down the creek at Peirce Mill, one of the few buildings still standing that can attest to DC's agrarian past. Mr. Dryden will tell the story of the mill, and describe how the Peirces went on to build a lucrative horticulture business that brought many visitors to our area. Family members then joined with Thomas Blagden in pushing for improvements that led to the development of Crestwood and its environs. And Peirce descendants went off in other directions, as well--including Hollywood.

Have Your Say about the Neighborhood's Hot Issues

Quite a few topics have been sparking conversation on the Crestwood list-serve. The May 18th meeting will give you an opportunity to give the Association your input on such issues as:

• Our recent spike in crime, and reforms that might keep juveniles from becoming repeat offenders;
• The city's efforts to put sidewalks on at least one side of the street on every block which does not have them;
• Zoning regulations that are now being updated; and,
• The District's attempts to tack on new fees to help pay for necessary services such as street lights and electricity.

Green Team Report

A Good Spring Cleaning;
Then Helping the Crestwood Tree Project Branch Out

The Crestwood Citizens Association's Green Team had another successful clean-up on April 10th. More than 20 volunteers from the neighborhood and beyond picked up all the trash along Piney Branch from the area beneath the 16th Street bridge to Rock Creek, and also along the stream beside Blagden Drive. The spring event was part of two wider efforts: the second annual Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup sponsored by the Friends of Rock Creek's Environment (FORCE) and the Alice Ferguson Foundation's Trash Free Potomac River Watershed Initiative. Volunteers collected 30 bags of trash and 7 bags of recyclables that the National Park Service collected after the event. The amount of trash found along Piney Branch was somewhat less than in previous years. This same positive trend was reported from many of the other 50+ cleanup sites along the 33 miles of Rock Creek from Laytonsville in upper Montgomery County to the Potomac River.

Our Trees

The Green Team's Crestwood Tree Project Working Group is gearing up for a new planting season and the next phase of the neighborhood's partnership with Casey Trees. This is a ten-year initiative to restore and protect the trees of Crestwood that add so much to the beauty, health and value of our community.

At a recent meeting, the Working Group developed a schedule for 2010 and reviewed what was learned from last year's pilot project, which included a tree inventory and planting activities in the pilot areas.

The review showed that the 30 homeowners who received the more-than 40 trees donated by Casey Trees were satisfied with the tree specimens and with the planting assistance. Support from Casey Trees was not only available, but also positive, knowledgeable and results-oriented. As we go forward, ongoing tree maintenance will be a significant concern in order to make the most of the trees that were planted and keep the neighborhood's existing trees safe and healthy. The Tree Project process could be streamlined to make it easier for homeowners to participate. And, finally, the tree inventory prepared in September was under-utilized in planning and executing the tree plantings.

Looking ahead to activities this summer and fall, the Tree Project Working Group made a number of decisions that build on last year's experience. First, the preparation schedule will be simplified. It calls for neighborhood meetings in July, an inventory in September, and plantings in late October or early November. The Tree Project will be extended to three new blocks: Upshur Street west from Argyle Terrace, the 1800 block of Taylor Street, and the 1800 block of Shepherd Street. Tree Project captains for these blocks are Betsy Kraft for Upshur and Steve Klein for Taylor, with the captain for Shepherd yet to be determined.

More information on planned events will be forthcoming later in the year. Anyone interested in helping with the plans and activities should contact any of the following members of the Tree Project Working Group: Doug Barker (Quincy Street), Peggy Beers (Quincy Street), Bill Bentley (Crestwood Drive), Gale Black (Crestwood Drive), Steve Klein (Taylor Street), Betsy Kraft (Upshur Street), Beverly and John Ostenso (Varnum Street), Frank Samuel (Randolph Street).

The Green Team would like to thank the many volunteers who helped make 2009 a very successful first year for the Crestwood Tree Project!

Kids Team Serious About Having Fun

As pictured above, the Association's Kids Team had another successful Easter Egg Hunt. Planning is underway for this year's Fourth of July Kids Parade, which will likely be on the Third of July this year. Stay tuned!

The Crestwood Directory:
A Great Perk of Association Membership 

The 2010 Crestwood Directory is nearly ready for distribution to members of the Crestwood Citizens Association. This information, which is not available online, will help you connect with your neighbors.

Who has interests like yours? Which families have kids the same age or at the same schools? How do you contact someone on your block in an emergency? The answers are all in the 2010 Crestwood Directory.

Joining the Association is easy. Contact Treasurer Ellen Wormser (Upshur Street) with your dues: $25 per family or $20 for a single person household. While the boundaries of the Association reach only as far north as Varnum Street, the membership is available to residents on adjacent streets who wish to participate.

A Year of Results

The annual May meeting brings the Association's year to a close.

Looking back, we have had a positive impact on the neighborhood and the District.

In addition to the Green Team and Kids Team projects described above, and the printing of a new Crestwood Directory, the Association and ANC 4A have spoken for the community on a number of issues:

• The efforts of the Association and ANC 4A helped to finally get the pathway built down Blagden Avenue and get new paving on Broad Branch Road. The next step is to keep pushing to extend the path further up Blagden, add safety features for pedestrians near Beach Drive, and get Broad Branch Road rebuilt so that it doesn't fall into the creek.
• The city has proposed rulemaking (see the 4/30 DC Register) to eliminate the hourly restrictions on parking after 6:30 pm. The Association encouraged ANC 4A in its vote to support that change.
• The Association submitted a list of DC budget priorities, which was relayed through the ANC to the Council.
• Association President Gale Black testified twice before the Council on water quality and urged the city to do more to address contaminants in the water and to implement storm water standards. The city has just released a list of impaired waters--and it was no surprise to us that we live right next to the filth that can flow into Rock Creek and Piney Branch at a number of sites.
• The Association has closely monitored PEPCO's performance in the neighborhood. ANC 4A opposed the utility's request for a distribution rate hike and was partially successful.
• In recent ANC action, the commissioners have opposed efforts to open a new pawn shop within the 4A area. At the May 4th ANC 4A meeting, the commissioners voted to support the request of the YuYing School to open in Ward 4 (likely at Walter Reed). The ANC also heard from Howard University Hospital on its request to relocate to the Walter Reed site.

  We look forward, with your active participation, to a 2010-2011 Association year that will make Crestwood an even better place to live!

Association Meeting Tuesday, January 19, 7 - 8:30 PM
at the home of the Chastang family 1720 Varnum Street, NW 
It came out of the sky!!!!

   That would be the snow from our December blizzard, of course. We learned a great deal about how prepared—and unprepared—we are to deal with a major storm. For example, many of us never realized that the District government does not plow alleys. That created a double whammy: not only were the alleys impassable, but snow piled up by the plows blocked the exits from the alleys onto city streets. We also were lucky that power outages were not widespread. Let's talk together at the January meeting of the Crestwood Citizens Association. Are there things we should be doing as individuals, as neighbors and as an Association to get ourselves ready for a similar emergency? Are there some changes we’d like to press the DC government to take?
   You can also take your concerns to the January ANC meeting. By the way, ANC 4A has been focusing on deer management. After hearing the views of many residents, the Commissioners voted for the non-lethal method as the first step in controlling the deer population. We are now awaiting a decision from the Park Service.

It comes in our water & air!!

   That would be Crestwood's serious environmental concerns — and they will also be a major subject of the January meeting. On the one hand, we are active in working to improve the environment ourselves through our Green Team initiatives, including the Crestwood Tree Canopy Project (in cooperation with Casey Trees) and the Rain Garden Project. We will get updates on both of these. Trees were planted in November as part of step one in the tree project.
   But we’ve also invited George Hawkins, Director of the DC Department of the Environment. Get your questions ready about our water and air quality — and other environmental concerns. Other invited guests include representatives from DC Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Councilmember Muriel Bowser’s office, and the Mayor’s office. You can make your voice heard on subjects such as sidewalks and the home improvement permit process. And we’ll get into transportation issues—from the Blagden Avenue path to upkeep of Crestwood streets, Broad Branch Road and Klingle Road.

Greetings from the Association

   On behalf of myself and our fellow officers of the Crestwood Citizens Association, thank you for your show of support and participation at Association events. We are honored to be a part of this vibrant, innovative civic organization. The Association is fun — and a great way to connect with the community. Even if there were no perks (like the Crestwood directory, notices of events, the Green Team, the Kids Team, the Social Team and a network of block contacts), it has lasted because of the camaraderie and the bonds between families.

   Yes, there are issues that perpetually confront any urban community—like crime, traffic, tickets, PEPCO, the need for good schools and clean water and air. Our goal is to address those issues, along with zoning, transportation and the environment for the benefit of all of us. To be our most successful, we need an informed group to help guide us toward a positive outcome. Our aim is to preserve and protect and enjoy the great quality of life here in Crestwood. We can accomplish this by working together.

   Our Kids Team, Social Team and Green Team have been active throughout 2009. At our monthly Association meetings, we have shared views on the issues that continue to affect Crestwood—plus some new ones. For example, at our November meeting, we heard from the Department of Health on the H1N1 threat and how to protect ourselves.

   We have also been effective within the ANC. Here are some of the ways that ANC 4A08 has been working for all of us:

• ANC 4A voted to expedite the repair of Broad Branch Road and the installation of the path down Blagden Avenue.

• ANC 4A sent a letter to the Mayor requesting an update on the status of the repairs to Klingle Road. The city is planning to maintain an access route at the right-of-way. ANC 4A is asking whether we will get to use the road—especially if it is being funded with public money.

• ANC 4A08 also testified on water quality and continues to urge that more be done to address the city’s infrastructure needs, including the long overdue fixes to the combined storm sewers. This is a huge public health issue.

• ANC4A opposed the Board of Zoning Adjustment’s request for a consent calendar that would permit (without review) one-story additions on residential single family homes.

• ANC 4A testified in opposition to PEPCO’s request for a distribution rate increase.

• ANC 4A08 also testified on proposed changes to the Zoning Regulations. These could potentially modify the required set-back and set-aside areas between houses.

• ANC 4A voted to allow funds for neighborhood projects – which are available upon application to the ANC 4A, which meets on the first Tuesday of each month.

   As the late Rochelle Rowlette said in 1989, “When we work together on an issue, all of us benefit and the entire community gains.”

   If you are not already a member of the Crestwood Citizens Association, we invite you to join us. Visit our website at www.crestwood-dc.org or call 202-997-3300.

Gale Barron Black, Association President and ANC 4A08 Commissioner

Special Thank You To Vaugn-Cooke Family 

   The Vaughn-Cookes hosted the joint Crestwood Citizens Association and Neighborhood League holiday potluck on December 5th. Thanks to all our guests — hope you had a great time! The Association requested that participants bring gloves, mittens, scarves and toiletries for the less fortunate. We are pleased to report we were able to deliver donations for 30 children to Martha’s Table on December 10th.

What is an ANC SMD?

   An Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) is a non-partisan, neighborhood body mode up of locally elected representatives called Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. They are a unique feature of the District’s Home Rule Charter. The ANCs were established to bring government closer to the people and the people closer to government. In addition to providing people with a greater say in the matters that affect their neighborhoods, ANCs were intended to end the duplication of effort caused by the proliferation of special advisory groups.
   There are 37 ANCs. Each ANC area is subdivided into a number of smaller areas or districts. Since only one Commissioner is elected per district, they are called Single Member Districts (SMDs). The ANCs’ main job is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government and Federal agencies on things that affect their districts. DC law says that agencies cannot take any action that will significantly affect the district unless they give the affected ANCs 30 days’ advance notice. This includes zoning, streets, recreation, education, social services, sanitation, planning, safety, budget and health services.
   The Association’s area falls within ANC 4A08, which includes Crestwood and most of Crestwood North. ANC 4A covers the area from the Park up to and including Allison Street and some of Colorado Avenue, NW. Both Crestwood and Crestwood North also fall in Census Tract 26.

Crestwood History

   2010 will mark the 100th anniversary of the building of the oldest surviving homes in the greater Crestwood area. Their story is just part of the surprising history of our neighborhood, which is available on the Crestwood website. Choose to read the brief history — or click on links to the longer slide show or the full 133-page story of Crestwood. All three histories are available at http://www.crestwood-dc.org/history.

Crime in Crestwood

   The latest information is always available on the Crestwood website at http://www.crestwood-dc.org/crime-police-information.

Neighborhood Notes

• The Association is proposing funding for beautification projects that will enhance the neighborhood – like landscaping around the Crestwood sign. What are your thoughts?

• ANC 4A08 is considering bringing in a shredding machine for neighbors to safely dispose of documents and avoid identity theft.

• The city is about to embark on a major revision of the zoning laws. We need to stay on top of this issue. It’s up to all of us to protect the residential nature of our neighborhood.

• We encourage our block contacts to coordinate at least one social event at the block level each year. It’s useful especially to welcome new families to the block. Progressive dinners work well. Entrée at one spot…dessert at another. Would you like to serve as a block contact? Do you know who your block contact is?

• Help keep the streetlights shining throughout the winter. 311 is the new number to call to report a dark streetlight —o r use the DC government website.

• Please look out for your neighbors, especially seniors.

Upcoming Dates on the Association Calendar
Mark these events down on your calendar at home — or, for the more technologically inclined, put them in your PDA, smartphone or whatever:

Tuesday, January 19 – Association Meeting

Tuesday, March 16 - Association meeting - Location TBD

April – Park Clean-up TBD

Tuesday, May 18 - Annual meeting – Grace Church

Sunday, September 12 – Annual Crestwood Street Picnic

Tuesday, September 21 - Association Meeting

Please attend the ANC 4A meetings held the first Tuesday of the month at Fort Stevens Recreation Center, 13th and Van Buren Streets, NW

Crestwood Citizens Association Board of Directors

Join Us for a Crestwood Tradition:
Our Four th of J uly Kids Parade

Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 9:30 am

Gather at 1810 Shepherd St. NW. We will enjoy muffins, bagels, coffee, and juice while the kids decorate their bikes, scooters, strollers, wagons, and anything else they want to bring!
The parade will begin around 10:00 am.

Parade Route: start at 1810 Shepherd St heading east, then left onto 18th Street, left onto Taylor, left onto Argyle Terrace, left onto Randolph Street, left onto 18th Street, left onto Shepherd to finish at 1810 Shepherd.

Bring your children, who will have a wonderful time and bring yourselves to see a great show!

If you would like to contribute food or beverages, please contact Nicole Ruman Skinner at nrumanskinner@aol.com. If you are able to assist with decorations or a flier, please contact Kara Morgan at karam1@verizon.net.

History Project Set to Go On Line

Within about a week or so, you’ll be able to go to the Crestwood website and learn more about the history of our neighborhood. The story begins with Native Americans who came here to quarry stone, catch fish and gather walnuts. It continues through hundreds of years in which the greater Crestwood area was a single estate. Development finally came about—but only rather recently, since our o ldest homes still standing were built less than a century ago.

Two versions of the history project will be available at crestwood-dc.org. One is a slide show, similar to the program David Swerdloff presented at the May meeting of the Association. The other version is a full 130-page account of Crestwood through the years, with many more photos and maps.

Both versions include the two images we see here. At the top left is a portrait of Thomas Blagden, who in 1853 purchased the estate that became Crestwood. [Photo courtesy of great great grandson Allen Blagden]Thomas Blagden lived in a lovely manor house, which  unfortunately was torn down in 1934 to make way for development. In the bottom right photo of that house (taken just a few years before the structure was destroyed), we are looking north across Varnum Street, just east of 18th Street. [Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Washington DC]

Association Elects New Officers

Here is the slate of officers approved at the May meeting of the Crestwood Citizens Association for the 2009 to 2010 term:

Delegates to the Federation of Citizens Associations:

Gale Barron Black, Jeff Hildebrand, Pat Hildebrand (alternate) 

We are also looking for additional block contacts to help with communication and to assist in projects like updating the Crestwood Directory (a project that is already being organized). Please contact any officer.

Association/ANC/Police Service Area Calendar

Mark these events down on your calendar at home — or, for the more technologically inclined, put them in your PDA smartphone or whatever:

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A meets on the first Tuesday of each month (except July and August) at 7:15 pm at the Fort Stevens Recreation Center at 1327 Van Buren Street, NW. The next meeting is Tuesday, September 1.

Police Service Area (PSA) 404 holds community meetings on the 4th Thursday of every month at 7 pm at 801 Shepherd Street, NW.

Association Begins Tree Project on Pilot Blocks in Partnership with Casey Trees

Three blocks in Crestwood have been selected for the “pilot” phase of a neighborhood-wide effort aimed at renewing our neighborhood’s canopy and understory trees. The Crestwood Tree Project was initiated last fall under the guidance of the Association’s Green Team, and the pilot phase was approved at the Association’s annual meeting in May.

"Canopy" trees are the really tall ones—like oaks, beeches and maples — that are typical of the mature trees in Rock Creek Park. "Understory" trees are the lower trees that often have an impressive show of spring flowers — like dogwood and redbud. Renewal of both types of trees does not occur naturally in an established neighborhood like ours — and the D.C. Government doesn't have responsibility for anything other than street trees, which it replaces only as budgets permit. So the Tree Project Working Group thought that a long-term effort was called for and has established the year 2020 as the target date for completing the Project

There are many benefits of a mature canopy of trees: lower energy costs, higher property values, environmental advantages like oxygen production and decreased storm water runoff—and last, but certainly not least, the special character of the Crestwood neighborhood that comes from the feeling and appearance of being "in the Park."

Fortunately, there is an organization that supports Washington neighborhoods in improving their trees. This group, Casey Trees, helped the Association’s Green Team with replantings at the Point (where Shepherd Street intersects with Crestwood Drive and 18th Street), and has expressed an enthusiastic willingness to help the Green Team and its Tree Project Working Group develop a long-range plan and assist with tree plantings. This will be one of Casey Trees’ first long-range neighborhood partnerships.

The schedule for this year includes the following steps:

• June-July: Education meetings with Casey Trees in each of the three "pilot" blocks. The blocks (and meeting hosts) are: Crestwood Drive (Gale and Bill Bentley and Sue and Alan Houseman); the 1700 block of Varnum (Bev and John Ostenso, Steve Klein); and the "interior" block bounded by Quincy Street, Argyle Terrace, Randolph Street and 18th Street (Doug Barker and Jacqueline and Frank Samuel).
• August-September: inventory of canopy and understory trees in the three pilot areas, conducted by Crestwood volunteers assisted by Casey Trees experts and volunteers.
• October-November: planting of selected trees in the three pilot areas, again by Crestwood volunteers assisted by Casey Trees. Depending on the number of trees needed, this phase may not be completed until the spring of 2010.

The Crestwood Tree Project Working Group is composed of the following neighbors: Doug Barker (Green Team chair), Peggy Beers, Gale Black, Steve Klein, Betsy Kraft, Bev and John Ostenso, and Frank Samuel (Working Group chair). If you would like to volunteer or learn more about this important Crestwood activity, contact Doug (dougabarker@yahoo.com) or Frank (fsamuel39@sbcglobal.net>/a>).

Latest Crime Statistics

May, 2009 – Police Service Area 404

Crestwood Crimes By Block:

Thefts from Auto (4):
3900 16th Street (Sat, 5/2, 8:30pm)
4700 17th Street (Tue, 5/19, 12:30am)
1600 Shepherd St (Fri, 5/1, 6:00pm)
1600 Shepherd St (Sun, 5/24, 12:30pm)

Stolen Autos (2):
3900 16th Street (Sun, 5/3, 3:00pm)
3900 18th Street (Fri, 5/1, 11:00pm)

Theft (1):
1600 Buchanan St (Sat, 5/23 10:00am)

Burglaries (3):
3900 16th Street (Mon, 5/18, 11:15am)
4000 16th Street (Fri, 5/1, 3:00pm)
1700 Shepherd St (Wed, 4/15, u.r.)*

Robbery (1):
4300 Argyle Ter (Tue, 5/26, 1:15pm)

Shots Fired (1):
1800 Upshur St (Mon, 5/25, 1:40pm)

Assault (1):
3700 16th Street (Mon, 4/27, 11:15pm)*

Crestwood & Area Trends:

--In Crestwood (16th St. & west), 13 crimes were reported in May, up from 12 in April.

--Four Crestwood crimes were thefts from auto (versus two in April); three were burglaries (versus six the previous month).

--Near Crestwood (PSA 404, 14th St. & west to 16th St.), 18 crimes were reported in May, up from 11 in April. Eleven were on or near 14th Street.

--In PSA 404 as a whole, 118 crimes were reported in May, down from 123 in April. Three categories increased (assault, theft & homicide), and five were down or even.

Special Election May 1

Meet the Ward 4 Candidates

In Person

Ward 4 Candidates Forum
Tuesday, April 24, 6-9 pm
Takoma Park Baptist Church
Aspen Street at Piney Branch Road

On the Web and on Paper

Association Meeting May 15

Meet the Mayor

    Mayor (and neighbor) Adrian Fenty will speak at the Crestwood Citizens Association’s May meeting. We are also inviting the winning candidate for the Ward 4 Council seat. Forward any questions you’d like answered to this email address: crestwood@chused.com
    At the May meeting, the Association also elects officers and Board members for the coming year. We always need new leaders for elected positions and as members of our various Teams. Email to crestwood@chused.com to volunteer your energies or to nominate others in advance of the May meeting.

Crestwood Citizens Association meeting:
Mayor Fenty & Association elections
Tuesday, May 15, 7 pm
Grace Lutheran Church, 16th Street
at Varnum Street (side entrance)

    Splish, Splash, Green Team at work
    The Association’s Green Team was proud to participate in the Potomac Watershed Clean-Up Saturday morning, March 31. 22 volunteers picked up 45 bags of trash and 12 bags of recyclables along Piney Branch and by the creek along Blagden Avenue.
    The next big Green Team event is the Rock Creek Park BioBlitz May 18-19, a 24-hour inventory of the species in Rock Creek Park. Learn more at www.nationalgeographic.com/bioblitz.

• Gale Black, President - Crestwood Drive
• Tom Chused, Director of Communications & Website coordinator - Randolph Street
• Doug Barker, Vice President & Green Team - Quincy Street
• David Swerdloff, Vice President & Newsletter - Trumbull Terrace
• George & Deborah Chaconas, Vice Presidents & Social Team - Quincy Street
• Thomas Calhoun, Vice President & Emergency Preparedness Team - Argyle Terrace
• David Cichanowicz, Vice President - Randolph Street
• Ellen Wormser, Treasurer - Upshur Street
• Pat Hildebrand, Secretary - Taylor Street
• Kids Team Captains: Nicole Ruman Skinner - Shepherd Street, Sarah Moghdam Pietra - Upshur Street, Kara Morgan - Upshur Street
• Public Safety & Police Team Captains: Melvin Baker - Shepherd Street, Gale Black - Crestwood Drive