COMMUNIT-E
February 1, 2002

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY TOMORROW!
 

UPCOMING MEETINGS IN THE 'HOOD

**** AUPCA Meeting Notification
From:  Donald E McMullin <dmcmullin@juno.com>
The next AU Park Citizens Association meeting will be held on Tuesday, 5
February, at 7:30 PM at the Tenley Library (2nd floor), Wisconsin and
Albemarle.  The agenda will include an update on the AU Campus Plan and
a discussion on the possible presence of  arsenic in the soil in AU
Park, including Turtle Park.
This notice is being sent only via e-mail to active AUPCA members, so
please pass the word to friends and neighbors.  See you on Tuesday!!
 

**** 2D Citizens Advisory Council
2D CAC will meet at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 6. All residents are
welcome. Chief Charles Ramsey was the guest speaker at the last meeting.
This is held at 3320 Idaho Avenue (Newark & Idaho).
 
 
 

IF YOU APPRECIATE RECEIVING COMMUNIT-E. . .
Please help me to reach more of our neighbors. I would be very grateful
if you would print out the item below, between the *'s  and distribute a
copy of this small blurb to each house on your block. Although my
distribution list is nearly 1,000, many residents still are not aware of
COMMUNIT-E. The better our network, the better informed we can all be.
Thank you.
Kathy Smith

*********************************************************************
IF YOU ALREADY RECEIVE COMMUNIT-E, IGNORE THIS...
However, if you are not on the mailing list, you might want to contact
me at Ksmith1804@starpower.net to be placed on the COMMUNIT-E mailing
list.

COMMUNIT-E is a free community newsletter for the area that includes
Police Service Area 202. This is AU Park, Friendship Heights, and
Tenleytown. It comes out approximately once a week and contains
information about local crime and problems, city services, community
meetings, neighborhood events, items for sale or give-away, etc. Much of
the material is submitted by neighborhood residents. One of the most
popular features is the "Community Bulletin Board" where residents swap
tips on home repair specialists, among other items.  COMMUNIT-E also
serves as a rapid alert by the police or other neighbors if a serious
threat occurs.

Back issues of COMMUNIT-E can be viewed on the ANC3F web site at
www.anc3f.org.

Thank you.
Kathy Smith, Publisher of COMMUNIT-E
**********************************************************************
 
 
 

VIRUS ALERT
If you receive an e-mail with the subject line "new photos from my
party" - don't open it.  It is a Russian virus that was discovered in
Singapore on 01/29/02 and deploys when you open the e-mail.
 
 

WARNING AND REQUEST FOR HELP FROM 2D POLICE
From: Pavukmatt@aol.com
Some of the members of Tenleytown Neighbors Assn. have had bushes and
trees vandalized by someone tearing their limbs off.   The reports come
from the following areas:  Reno Road, Albemarle and 39th (2 incidents),
4400 block of 38th (2 incidents), 39th and Yuma, 3700 block of  Alton
Place (at least 3 incidents), 3800 block of Warren, and someone reported
that some newly-planted trees in Fort Reno Park had been severed at the
base and pushed over to the ground.  One person believes it is a man
living on Yuma Street.  Another person reported that their housepainter
caught this man in the act and that he said the bushes were infringing
on
public space.
Cheryl Browning, President, Tenleytown Neighbors Association
------------

>From KS -- Were the above incidents reported to the police? If not, I
would urge the victims to do so and make sure to contact Lt. Mark Carter
at MPDCPSA202@netscape.net.
 
 

MORE ON CHECK AND FRAUD
From:  "Radack, Jesselyn A" <Jesselyn.A.Radack@usdoj.gov>
Today I called the MPD Check and Fraud Unit  and somebody actually
answered the phone!  I dealt with Officer Treadwell, who explained that
I was not really the victim of "fraud," but was the victim of "identity
theft." Technically, MB&A (A bank that issues credit cards) is the
victim of fraud because it's the one that would bear the cost if someone
improperly opened an account with my personal info.  In any event, I
told him I wanted to do a report, so he wrote up an Incident Report for
me.  I called MB&A with this, and they are faxing the relevant
information to the police.

Kathy, you may want to tell your readers that you can place a "fraud
security alert" on your credit file if this happens to you.  That means
that you must be called any time someone tries to open a line of credit
in your name.  The numbers are:
Equifax (1-800) 525-6285
Experian (1-888) 397-3742
Transunion (1-800) 680-7289

-------------------
>From KS: If you are unable to reach the MPD Check and Fraud Unit, here
are some police officials to call in addition to the 2D officials I
mentioned several issues ago:
Lt. Eugene Bentley -- 727-9020
Captain Victor Brito -- 727-7003 or 724-4340
They are directly responsible for the Check and Fraud Unit.
 
 
 

REGARDING DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITATION

**** From: Kathryn Ray <kcrdlb@bellatlantic.net>
Do you know if it is true that anyone who solicits money door-to-door
must have a solicitation permit with him/her at the time of
solicitation?

**** From: "tsilv@earthlink.net" <tsilv@earthlink.net> (Tina Silverman)
There have been these door knockers on my street. I never open so I
can't describe anyone. I am in the 5300 block of 43rd Street.
 
 
 

MORE ON THE U.S. MAIL

**** From: "Landis Vance" <lmvance@erols.com>
Re: mail problems. I have had similar problems and have gotten bills 6-8
weeks after they were mailed and AFTER I missed the payments. Of course,
the creditors don't believe my story about not getting the bills.

****From:  FJHDCME@aol.com
I read with interest and a little relief that I am not the only resident
experiencing long delays in receiving mail.  Some of the delays cause
real problems.  My DC auto registration and parking sticker was mailed
by DMV on January 15.  Both expire today, January 28.  To save the
hassle of tickets, I had to go to the bank this morning, get a copy of
my cancelled check (my bank statement and checks have not yet arrived as
they should have five days ago), go down to DMV in Georgetown and wait
for 45 mins to get the stickers.  Merck Medco sent me two prescriptions
and told me they should arrive on January 11.  I got them January 23,
the day that both ran out.  And on January 21 we received a Christmas
card mailed in DC on December 13.  I appreciate that the anthrax scare
caused serious problems for USPS but isn't it about time that they have
figured out a way to correct them?  Frank Haendler

**** From: "Jim Derstine" <jrderstine@erols.com>
I, too have received at least 8-10 pieces of U.S. Mail within the last 3
weeks or so postmarked in early December.  Most were first class and
about 2 were publications that were a month to 7 weeks late.  One of the
post cards was so brittle that it actually broke like "peanut brittle"
candy in clear cut lines.  Other mail was simply very "yellowed".

**** From: look4me@earthlink.net (Vicki Lambert)
I, too, have been getting 1st class mail postmarked in early November. I
have had many bills delivered at least 6 weeks late and I have had to
buy from newsstands journals I subscribe to (and need to read as they
come out) since they do not arrive at my house until the next issue is
already stale.  I have friends in other zips who are receiving them when
they should.  Nobody at Friendship cares.  It is hard not to believe
they have a major problem with management over there.  I don't know how
we go about getting something done about it but it is imperative that we
do.  All manner of important documents are being misdelivered and lost.
Where can we turn?
 
 
 

RESPONSE TO QUESTION ABOUT AIRPLANES

**** From: Carolmath@aol.com (Carol Cameron)
What you are hearing are the military planes that have been flying over
all major US cities on a regular basis (but especially heavily over DC
and NYC) since the Sept. 11 attack. These flights may sound commercial,
but if you listen carefully you will hear the sound of two planes
together. They fly in duos. There has been some discussion of cutting
back on these military overflights, but so far no change has been
decided upon.

**** From KS: Today's Washington Post Metro Section has a story about
airplane noise in the area. Much of the story deals with National
Airport, but it also mentions the military planes and a local
organization called "Citizens for the Abatement of Aircraft Noise Inc."
 
 

ADDITIONAL NOTICE FROM U.S. ARMY RE: AU PARK
From: "Henry, Theodore J NAB02" <Theodore.J.Henry@nab02.usace.army.mil>
AU Park and Fort Gaines residents please note that the remedial
activities associated with the Spring Valley project do extend into your
neighborhoods. In turn, the existing community RAB members are
particularly interested in receiving applications from residents of
these neighborhoods, as the RAB is currently lacking representation from
this area. Please give serious consideration to applying for one of the
two RAB vacancies. Please do not hesitate to contact the Corps of
Engineers if you have any questions or need an extension for submitting
your application.
Sincerely
Ted Henry
Baltimore District
Public Affairs Office
(410) 962-7522
 
 
 

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

**** From: "Marci Nielsen" <Mnielsen@aflcio.org>
My husband and I are moving back to the Midwest to be near our family
after the birth of our twin daughters.  We currently have  two wonderful
cats (ages 6 & 7 years, all shots updated) _ in fact, one of them is
more like a dog than a cat he is so friendly.  The other is very sweet
and she is a bit shy.  Unfortunately, most of my husband's family is
very allergic to cats, making it difficult  for them to come to our home
to help us w/ the twins.  We would like to leave them w/ a good home
here before we move (I  will not be able to give them to a shelter).  Is
there anybody out there who wants two sweet, well-behaved, loving
kitties?  Please e-mail me at mnielsen@aflcio.org or call 202-637-5157.
Thanks.
 
**** From: AmandaHoya@aol.com
Could you please post a request for recommendations on a good furniture
refinisher?  Thank you!

**** From: Hahagerty@aol.com (Herb Hagerty)
For furnace repair and new furnace installation, I wholeheartedly
recommend the firm of Mindte Furnace and Air Conditioning in Rockville
at 301-424 8786.

**** From: Jacoby@sptimes.com (Mary Jacoby)
Like the anonymous neighbor who complained about Delbe Home Services, I
also had a terrible experience with them. I asked them to send a plumber
to fix a leaky upstairs bathtub drain. The plumbers did not come on the
appointed day, nor did they call to explain why. Instead, they showed up
on a Saturday morning while I was still asleep with a newborn. My
husband let them in. When I woke up, I discovered the plumbers had put a
temporary fix on the drain and charged me something like $375. They said
a permanent fix would require replacing the whole pipe, which they
assumed I would not want to do because it required tearing out the
ceiling in the bathroom below to get at it. In fact, the bathroom below
was scheduled to be completely ripped apart in a renovation a few weeks
later - which they would have know about, had they kept their original
appointment. I did in fact end up completely replacing the pipe just
weeks later. I explained all this to Delbe and they knocked off $50 for
the missed appointment but insisted I pay the rest. In short, a very
aggravating experience.
 
 
 

LETTER FROM RESIDENT RE:  REZONING WASHINGTON CLINIC
From: "Ellis, Susan" <sellis@pd.state.gov>
January 28, 2002
To DC Council members, ANC commissioners. Stonebridge Associates, and
others concerned with rezoning the Washington Clinic

Subject: Opposition to rezoning Washington Clinic site

I am opposed to rezoning the Washington Clinic property and the adjacent
part of the Lisner Home site (Western Ave. and Military Rd., NW)to
permit the building of a large apartment building.

I live at  42nd Street and Military Road -- near the proposed rezoning
site.

The proposed apartment building is out of proportion with the
residential nature of the neighborhood and would exacerbate the serious
traffic problems that already exist on Military Road as exemplified by
an estimated one collision a week at Military and 42nd St., many of
which I have witnessed.

It would also impact very negatively on residential parking.  I rarely
find parking in front of my house now, and that is a great
inconvenience, particularly as I have a knee replacement and other
physical disabilities due to arthritis.

The proposed apartment building would also obliterate one of the only
open spaces in the neighborhood, the area between the Washington Clinic
and the Lisner Home, an area used by Metro commuters, dog-walkers and
families.

Much of the development in our area since I moved here in 1974 is
welcome as we can walk to shopping, but enough is enough!  The charm of
Chevy Chase, D.C. is that it is a small, friendly neighborhood only 20
minutes or so from downtown.  Let's not destroy this rare quality and
put in its place high density rezoning for no other reason than economic
profit for a few.

Thank you for considering my objection to the rezoning of this site.
Susan Ellis
 
 
 

AND FINALLY . . .
Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time,  which
produced an  impressive set of calluses on his feet.  He also ate very
little, which  made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered
from bad breath.  This made him:
A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
 

--END--