DCentric

Good morning, DCentric readers! Here are some links for a soggy gray day:

Women Beating Homeless Men For Cash; DC Advocates Fighting It Local advocates for the homeless say fights are being staged for a website which offers videos of homeless men being attacked by “scantily-clad women”. Each man receives between $25-50 for allowing themselves to be hit, but the videos sell for hundreds of dollars. “Recently, the National Coalition for the Homeless, a DC-based organization, obtained a temporary restraining order barring the site’s producers from approaching homeless people.” (wusa9.com)

Treading On D.C. Adam Serwer points out that neither the White House nor Congressional Democrats had the courtesy to alert Mayor Gray that “they were trading away the city’s autonomy to stave off further budget cuts.” And as for those who characterized the Mayor and certain Councilmembers actions as a mere stunt? “Gray getting arrested was a stunt. But stunts are really all the city has to register its displeasure, since it’s not like we have representation in Congress that might be able to make a difference.” (The American Prospect)

Witnessing the DC Rights Protest via Flickr Eyewitness account of a local photographer, who was at the protest: “In general, I tend to dislike political grandstanding… but this was different. If our council was being arrested by our own police, I’d think it a cheesy photo op… but now our locally-elected officials were being arrested by the very forces we were out to protest: the Feds. This wasn’t a mere photo op arrest; this was actually a legitimate arrest… the kind of thing that goes on your record; the kind of thing you spent a night in jail for.” (flickr.com)
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Good morning, DCentric readers and happy 75-degree Monday! Here’s what we’re reading this A.M:

Demographic Shifts and Black Political Power “In those cities where African-American majorities are being minimized, it is clear that Whites that embrace the concept of civic engagement vote more regularly and more passionately than some African Americans do. Why else is there a White majority on the City Council in Washington, D.C.? White folk vote, and they write, and they show up at meetings. Many Black folk, overwhelmed by the challenges of daily life, don’t vote but emote. Acknowledging income and life experience differences, there are reasons for different voting and civic engagement patterns. The results, however, have long-term political consequences.” (afro.com)

Is Our Children Learning? “The testing industry — which has tripled in size since 2002 — relies on poorly trained temps…At NCS, one of the largest testing companies, the obvious problem of subjectivity — what, exactly, makes an essay good? — was addressed by a blunt rubric that, for some reason, graded essays higher when they contained longer paragraphs. Supervisors at this company were pressured to make sure the aggregated test scores resembled a bell curve. So when the scorers doled out too many 2s or too many 5s, workers alleged that their supervisors simply re-graded the essays so that the scores fell in line. So even as we use tests as the foundation for more of our education policy, can anyone even say for certain what, if anything, we’re actually measuring?” (postbourgie.com)

On Eve of Redefining Malcolm X, Biographer Dies Renowned scholar Manning Marable died last week, spurring many to write their own eulogies. His death came days before his Malcolm X biography went to print. “For two decades, the Columbia University professor Manning Marable focused on the task he considered his life’s work: redefining the legacy of Malcolm X. Last fall he completed ‘Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention,’ a 594-page biography described by the few scholars who have seen it as full of new and startling information and insights.” (New York Times)

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Good morning, DCentric readers! A foolish Friday to you, and may every prank or joke be a gentle one. On to our links!

The changing colour of cities: Black flight | SIR – We are delighted to see that issues like race and migration are being covered by your venerable publication. – DCentric  | “From Oakland to Chicago to Washington, DC, blacks are surging from the central cities to the suburbs. Analysis of 2010 census data by William Frey, chief demographer for the Brookings Institution, shows that more than half the cities with large concentrations of blacks have seen significant declines in their black populations. About half of black Americans now live in the suburbs, up from 43% in 2000.” (Economist)

DC Taxicab Owners Call for Reform of Industry On Wednesday, a rally at the Wilson Building in support of medallions was “overtaken by scores of cabdrivers who oppose the bill.” A reporter on the scene noted that while the crowd of cab drivers shouted, “Shame on you.”, Mayor-for-life Marion Barry responded to them by saying “Many of you are not from America…we do things differently here.” If you’re wondering why drivers are outraged, read The Afro: “In a July 10, 2010 letter to taxicab organizations, Gray wrote he would honor the 1985 law that gives power to the commission as a whole rather than one individual or the office of the mayor. But cabdrivers said Gray has not lived up to that pledge. “He just used us to get elected,” said longtime taxicab owner, William Lucas, 71.” (Afro.com)

Changes to DCCAS Following Testing Concerns While Valerie Strauss over at the Post argues that we should subpoena everyone in D.C. who was potentially involved with or knew about what happened to those much-erased, standardized answer sheets and points out that “high-stakes testing” explains why some might be tempted to cheat, WUSA 9 reports that current schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson took action to prevent future test-tampering: after D.C. students finish the DCCAS (D.C. Comprehensive Assessment System) tests, their booklets will be sealed. (WUSA Washington, DC)
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Good morning, DCentric readers! It may be chilly outside but these morning links are sizzling.

One of District’s Deadliest Shootings Leads To New Legislation Bill would reorganize truancy and mental health services. Four of 13 council members support it: “But this is not a crime bill. Catania’s proposed legislation would create a comprehensive system to provide mental and behavior health screenings for children in the District’s head start and early head start program, as well as public and charter schools. It would create a Behavioral Health Ombudsman to act as an advocate for residents seeking behavioral and mental health services.” (myfoxdc.com)

MetroAccess drivers paying out of pocket for disabled riders “The transit agency has been trying to find ways to limit a massive surge in ridership: tightening the eligibility rules for riders, limiting the service area and raising fares. Driver Carla Brooks said she’s paid for riders three times recently. “It comes from my money, which comes out of my kids’ mouths,” said the single mother of four. But she said she’ll keep doing it, especially when riders have dialysis treatments. “That’s life-threatening. They need this treatment to be able to live,” she said. “I’m not going to keep them from going.” (Washington Examiner )

Marion Barry driving with ‘inactive’ D.C. license tags, records show The silver Jaguar is not registered with the DMV, has inactive tags and was booted this month after accumulating more than $700 worth of unpaid parking tickets. Barry initially refused to comment, saying he had “better things to talk about”, but last night, he communicated that the car’s dealer was to blame for the lack of title, and as soon as that is resolved, the car will be registered. The Post says the records it examined “raise questions about how Barry has continued to use his vehicle without it being scrutinized by police or city parking control officers. (The Washington Post)

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Good morning, DCentric readers! Here are the five things I’m reading this morning:

D.C. Circulator fares may double The popular, easy-to-use Circulator buses have charged riders a dollar per trip since they started circulating in 2005. That fare makes it easy to use cash– and it’s cheaper than Metrobus, which is why some people choose the Circulator over its older peer. “The proposed increase would equalize the fares, though, so both buses cost $1.50 for SmarTrip users. It also would make the Circulator more expensive for cash-paying riders, who would then pay 30 cents more than if taking a Metrobus.” (Washington Examiner )

Suspect in slaying of D.C. man was ordered deported in 2007, prosecutor says The suspect, Alexis Pineda, is 24 and a native of Guatemala. Pineda allegedly shot the victim, Jose Hernandez-Romero, early on Sunday morning; witnesses detained Pineda until the police could arrive. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder for shooting and killing Romero, who was also 24. Both men were at the El Sauce bar near the Convention Center, on 11th street in northwest. Immigration officials have wanted to deport Pineda since 2007, when they discovered that he was here illegally.  (The Washington Post)

How will day laborers fit at the Ward 5 Walmart? Lowe’s is rumored to be coming with Walmart, so the problem may worsen: “Currently in Ward 5, there is a robust market for day laborers in the parking lot shared by the Home Depot, Giant, and TJ Maxx. Everyday there are dozens of guys hanging out in the parking lot and on the edges of the property, looking for work.” (Greater Greater Washington)

Modern Census Fun and Gentrification “But really the most interesting thing I found…between 1990 and 2000 a whole bunch of people left prior to the wave of gentrification between 2000 and 2010. So black folks were trending out of the neighborhood, making me wonder if there was no influx of non-blacks into the neighborhood would Shaw have continued to lose people, like some parts of Ward 8.” (blog.inshaw.com)

Efforts to hire Brown detailed “A former D.C. government worker said Monday he was directed by D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s chief of staff to find a job for controversial mayoral contender Sulaimon Brown. Talib Karim said he was directed by Gerri Mason Hall, the mayor’s recently fired chief of staff, to find a place for Mr. Brown in the agency that matched his qualifications.” (Washington Times)