Posts from June 2013
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Summer air and a new challenge in the Flickr pool
We’ve been getting some great new photos from around the region in the Flickr pool, but just a reminder, we want pictures from all over the region, not just our most photogenic neighborhoods. This week, we’re challenging you to get outside and capture a photo (whether it’s with your DSLR or your phone) of outdoor food and dining — whether that’s… Keep reading…
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For David Adjaye’s DC libraries, seeing is believing
Among all of the new DC public libraries, the Bellevue and Francis Gregory branches east of the river have the strongest design. Without sacrificing functionality and accessibility, they put sophisticated works of architecture in historically underserved neighborhoods. But photos don’t tell the whole story. You have to go see them yourself. Keep reading…
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Local history teaches students to be Washingtonians
As a teacher at Washington Latin Public Charter School, one of my greatest challenges is motivating and inspiring the young minds that enter my classroom each day. However, I’ve found a remedy in DC History, a class that engage students about the cultural, social, and political history of their city while preparing them to one day lead it. When the semester starts, students… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: What Republicans don’t want
Republican for speeding; TIGER endangered; Foxx populi; Vote for the road, or else; Late night track work gets later; DCPS violating Title IX?; Park complex; Less default near public transit; And…. Keep reading…
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Montgomery’s experiment with school choice really isn’t
Each fall, thousands of 8th graders in Montgomery County participate in Maryland’s oldest experiment in school choice, the Northeast and Downcounty consortia. Intended to prevent the school system’s growing segregation, the consortia’s 8 schools are not only more isolated than before, but academic performance has suffered. Keep reading…
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“It must have been your fault. C’mon. You are a biker.”
Getting in a crash is one of the scariest things that can happen to a cyclist. Even worse is when police assume that bicyclists are always at fault, even if they’ve got evidence to the contrary. On a pleasant March morning in 2011, I was on my way to work, biking south on 14th St NW in the center of the right lane. As I approached W Street, I looked to make sure I had ample time to cross. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Legislative action
Higher wages, lower taxes; Funding battles restart; What’s “AMI,” anyway?; Lawsuit to stop lawsuits; Park the park and rides?; Seeing is believing; Next stop: Kennedy Center?; And…. Keep reading…
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De facto segregation threatens Montgomery public schools
Montgomery County Public Schools are often regarded as one of the best school systems in the nation, with schools routinely topping regional and national rankings. But as the county grows more diverse, MCPS is becoming a system of haves and have-nots. Keep reading…
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In 1854, TOD meant proximity to “omnibus”
Today, DC area real estate revolves around proximity to Metro. But transit-oriented development is nothing new here. 150 years ago, owners of boarding houses used access to the city’s omnibus lines to appeal to antebellum urbanists. This ad appeared in the Daily Evening Star on June 26, 1854. That year, 3 omnibus lines ran throughout Washington, serving the Capitol,… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: “Glacial” progress on trails
Rock Creek Trail fixes slowly moving; Will MoCo CaBi lead to sidewalk riding?; More bike bits; Major Red Line problems; DC will cut sales tax, some fares; DC boom might slow?; Narrow Wilson Boulevard?; Air travel and DCA redux; Young adults still want libraries; And…. Keep reading…