A regular summary of irregular news and notes from neighborhood blogs and email lists around the District.

Bribes or Business?: Park View D.C. reports, “Despite a strong community showing protesting additional liquor licenses on Georgia Avenue, the ABRA Board decided to approve King’s Deli’s (3551 Georgia Avenue) application for a Class A liquor license. Since there isn’t a signed Board Order on the application yet, it isn’t possible to know if there will be any restrictions on the license. One possible restriction could be the prohibition of single sales. A signed Board Order could happen as early as May 2, 2012.” A Class A license means King’s can sell beer and wine, and that ABRA will not grant the same license to nearby Aman, which had also applied, to similar chagrin from neighbors. Commenters, predictably, aren’t happy. “Well, the next step is to boycott them. I’ll certainly buy from Lion’s instead,” writes one. Another spits, “What a joke this happened. What purpose does the ABRA serve besides taking bribes?”

Shifty or Safe?: A member of the McLean Gardens email list offers this lengthy plea: “Hi – as I write there’s a group of five adult men at a picnic table immediately outside the back of 3700 39th St. It’s 9:30p and they’ve been out there for a couple of hours – there’s beer and barbecuing – they’re occasionally a bit loud but using LED flashlights, etc. to see their cooking and, I guess, beer refills. This is a nuisance and kind of weird this late in the dark on a weekday nite (these guys have been at that table before, but was only a group of 3 a week ago) – I’m actually afraid to talk to them directly. Are there any rules about this sort of thing – again, they so have a fire going in the metal barbecue unit; I think one of the men is a resident here, he has a small bulldog out there too, not on a lease. I’m afraid to engage with these guys – if appears they know this is inappropriate and are just congregating out there nonetheless.” She continues, “Really – any rules about this? If nothing else, I had left my place w. the windows partially open and now the unit’s filled w. the smell of charcoal (that’s only going to get worse as the night goes on and the wet coals stink. I think this table is becoming a favorite spot because it’s out of sight of the main street. Not good.” One member suggests this may be an overreaction, to which the original poster says, “Even public parks generally have closing times at dark – which was a couple hours ago – esp. for fires – but what I hear you saying is that it’s the accepted practice at MG, even despite the close adjacency to residential buildings (e.g. only about 30 feet away from apartment windows, etc); so be it, I guess.” The second poster counters, “I don’t know if there are rules. I really think it depends on the behavior of the individuals. In this case, it sounds pretty harmless.”

Growlers: A member of the Shepherd Park email list forwards this message from the D.C. Department of Health: ““Please read attached flyers produced by the DC Department of Health to bring rabies awareness in the District of Columbia, phone number to call for reporting any sick or injured raccoon, feral or stray cat, fox that exhibits abnormal behavior in your vicinity. A raccoon was picked up on April 10, 2012 on the 1600 block of Kalmia St. NW and determined rabid after testing. Do not feed or touch wild animals.” Presently, no members have reported abnormal animal behavior.

Tree Time: In an exuberant message titled, “Let’s Get Trees Planted in Petworth!” a member of the neighborhood email list links to a Greater Greater Washington post and suggests, “I am reminded its time to do a tree box survey to make sure the empty tree boxes in Petworth get planted with trees this fall. Who would like to join me on Sunday, May 6th? Have an empty street tree box? Ask for a new tree now.” A second, equally enthusiastic member adds, “Fantastic idea…! I always call 311 to request tree plantings in empty tree boxes I see whenever I walk around the neighborhood. Thanks for suggesting this wonderful idea.”