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A regular summary of irregular news and notes from neighborhood blogs and email lists around the District.
Hood Rats, II: Following the weekend’s discussion of rats living in cars on the Dupont Forum email list, a member sends a long missive. “What the messages below, and others, have in common is an attitude that it is someone else’s problem to solve. The DC government is serious about rat control but more often than not, it is the neighbors who sit back and do nothing yet expect the city to solve their problem. It takes effort,” they write. The message continues, “Does the City know your block(s) have problems? DC will come but you have to call them and you have to obtain permission for them to bait on private property. Yes, it takes effort. Two of us on my side of the street bait in the alley regularly using professional grade bait. I used to see rats daily when I looked out my kitchen window. Now it is quite rare. That’s not to say we don’t have a problem, because we do, but we keep it under control. Our neighbors across the street who share an alley with U Street businesses are not so lucky. With the exception of one neighbor it appears no one else much cares and so the rats run rampant when they are not busy making more rats.”
Lilac Wreath Thief: New Columbia Heights relays from the Spring Perry email list that someone on Spring Place NW had a Christmas wreath snatched off their front door. “Who steals a Christmas wreath? That’s the question I’m wondering after somebody took a nice wreath off a door on Spring Place NW. Pretty lame. The wreath-owner thought maybe it was because there were gold bells on it, but it’s a reminder that if you have decorations to somehow fasten them down,” writes the blog.
Wreath Mail Thief: “Yesterday morning (Dec. 17)in the 3800 block of Yuma Street I found an empty box with its packaging materials thrown along the sidewalk and an empty padded envelope from Amazon which I first thought was just loose trash. Both were addressed to residents on Yuma but after checking with the residents it seems they never received these packages. I suspect they were delivered and left in full view on their front porches by USPS, FED EX,UPS etc. where they were easy pickings for a thief. Keep an eye out,” advises a member of the Tenleytown email list. Another member notes a similar incident nearby: “This apparently happened on my block too- 5300 Belt Road NW—similar packaging was found in the alley by a neighbor, some items still in the box, returned to addressee on a nearby block. Not a good trend.”
Available in Cleveland Park: “Free: open bag of Espoma Bulb Tone, all-natural plant food for bulbs and tubers. I bought this 25 lb. bag at least five years ago. There are 19.5 pounds remaining. I understand it has a decent shelf life!”; “my favorite baby items” (which include a “Tummy Tub: This is an inventive alternative to the regular infant bathtub. It’s shaped like a bucket and you put your baby in so the are up to their shoulders and they wind up being more comfortable. We read about it and ordered ours from the UK but I think they are now sold in the U.S.,” “Gymini Super Deluxe Lights and sounds playmat,” “Frog Bath Tub Toy Organizer,” and “Tan Down Non-Gender Specific Snowsuit size 6-12 months”)