dc armory

Law Enforcement Spaghetti Cook-Off The Second Annual Law Enforcement Spaghetti Cook-Off dinner sponsored by the 100 Club of Wharton County will be today at the Wharton County Youth Fair Hall at the Crescent Fairgrounds. Law enforcement teams will be cooking up their secret recipe spaghetti sauces. Judging will be at 5 p.m. with serving at 5:30 p.m. Tickets at the door $6.

TODAY, OCT. 20

ACS 'Relay For Life' At Ricebird Stadium The Wharton County American Cancer Society units' 2007 Relay For Life starts today and will end on Sunday at 6 a.m. at Ricebird Stadium. Opening ceremonies begin at 6:30 p.m., and will include the naming of the winning campsites, followed by the cancer survivors lap. A luminary ceremony will follow at dusk (8:30 p.m.). The event is help raise money for the American Cancer Society and to help celebrate survivorship. The public is invited to stop by the stadium to cheer on the survivors and the walkers.

Book Signing Party Today The El Campo Museum is hosting a book-signing party today from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. New books from local children's authors Ginger Hollis of Louise, Rachel Ondrias of El Campo, Kaylyn Miska of Wharton and Ann Ryan of Bay City will be featured. Punch and cookies will be served. For information call the museum at 543-6885.

'Fun Day' For Louise-Hillje Citizens A 'Fun Day' for Louise-Hillje Citizens ages 55 and up is today from 1:45-5 p.m. at the Louise Fire Station. Hospital testing from 1:45-2:45 p.m. Bingo, prizes and a hamburger supper can be enjoyed with friends in the afternoon. Call 979-648-2691 for information.

Bake Sale Benefits Students To Washington El Campo Middle School 8th grade students going on the Washington, D.C. trip will host a Bake Sale today at Wal- Mart from 7 a.m.-noon. Disclaimer: The 8th Grade Washington trip fund-raisers are not sponsored by ECISD.

Christian Youth Community Night Christian Youth Community Night will be at the Boys and Girls Club today from 7-11 p.m. hosted by Bible Truth Church and Stand Youth. Ages 12 and up (under age 12 must be accompanied by an adult). Come for fun, food, games and more. Call for details at 979-332-2028.

Carancahua VFD BBQ & Auction Carancahua Community Volunteer Fire Department Annual Barbecue is today. Serving begins at 11 a.m. at the Fire Station on Highway 35 South by Fuzzy's 1 Stop. Plates are $7. Golf cart and quilt raffle at 2:30 with Live Auction at 1 p.m. Live music from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Golf cart tickets are $20 each and only 300 will be sold. Call David Padget at 361-3878 or Dawna Frankson at 361- 972-2964.

SUNDAY, OCT. 21

Knights of Columbus Pickup Drawing KC Truck Give-away - 500 tickets at $100 each - is Sunday at the KC Hall on Armory Road at the St. Robert Bellarmine Parish Picnic. No meal plate service, just food stands available. Auction, raffle, games, food stands, rides, live music, Folklorico Dancers and lots of fun. For questions call the Parish Office at 543-4298.

CDA Annual Turkey Dinner Sunday The Catholic Daughters' Annual Turkey Dinner is Sunday at St. Philip Parish Hall. Serving begins at 11 a.m. Plates are $7 and to go plates will be available on Depot St. There will be no buffet inside.

Presbyterian Halloween Carnival Oct. 21 First Presbyterian Church, 312 Depot, will host a Halloween Carnival Sunday, Oct. 21. Costume contest starts at 2 p.m.; sign in by 1:30 p.m. Carnival activities from 3-6 p.m. Contact church for information at 543-3658.

MONDAY, OCT. 22

Ricebird Band Booster Meeting The Ricebird Band Booster meeting is Monday, Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the El Campo High School Band Hall. For more information call Leticia Mulford at 543-5334.

ECHS, ECMS Fall Choir Concert El Campo's middle school and high school choirs will have their Fall Concert on Monday at the High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

Library Hosts Great Pumpkin Bash The El Campo Branch Library would like to remind patrons ages 3-14 that it is time to pick up entry forms for the Annual Great Pumpkin Bash/Decorating Contest. All pumpkin handlers will find entry forms with rules and guidelines at the El Campo Library. Decorated pumpkins must be turned in Oct. 22-24 to qualify for prizes. For information call the library at 543-2362.

COMING

Rising Star Baptist Church Revival Region VI revival host church is Rising Star Baptist Church of Louise with the Rev. Berry on Oct. 24-26 at 7 p.m. nightly. Guest speaker will be the Rev. G.P. Taylor of Canaan Baptist Church in San Antonio.

Adult, Infant/Child CPR Classes American Red Cross will sponsor an Adult, Infant/Child CPR class at First Baptist Church in Wharton on Saturday, Oct. 27. Adult course from 8:30 a.m.-noon and Infant/ Child course from 1-5:30 p.m. The cost is $35. Registration fees payable by check or money order and must register no later than 48 hours prior to start of the class. For information call the American Red Cross office at 979-245-3056.

Boxing Program Fund-raiser The Boxing Program at the Boys & Girls Club will host a Barbecue Chicken Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Plates are $7 and can be picked up at 713 Fahrenthold St., the Boys & Girls Club parking lot.

St. Andrew Turkey Dinner Plates St. Andrew Altar Society will host a Turkey Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 28 at St. Andrew Parish Hall in Hillje. Serving begins at 11 a.m. Plates to go or dine in at $7 each. Raffle, country store, bake sale and music by Richard Staha will be available throughout the day.

Halloween Carnival At Danevang Hall Danevang Lutheran Church will host a Halloween Carnival at the Danevang Community Hall on Sunday, Oct. 28 from 5-7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the carnival which will include games, a costume contest, a spook house, door prizes and refreshments. There is no charge for the carnival. Call Winnie Engle at 578-0292 for more information.

Wharton County 4-H Fun Day Wharton County 4-H will host a 'Fun Day' on Sunday, Oct. 28 from 3-6 p.m. at the Wharton County Fairgrounds in the Directors Room. This is a great opportunity for 4-H members to bring their friends to let them experience what 4-H is about. Call the Extension Office for more information at 979-532-3371.

Veterans Service Office Hours The office of Wharton County Veterans Service Officer Harvey H. Stelzel Jr. is open every Tuesday and Wednesday during October. Office hours are 7:30 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. The office is located at 1017 N. Alabama Road in Wharton. Phone 532-1311.

BEEs Sell Decorative Street Lamps The BEEs have eight new decorative street lamps for sale. They will be placed on either corner around Walgreen's. To purchase a lamp or for information call Carolyn Kelly at 543-2397 or Ruth Sacco at 543-5339.

Trick or Treat Bag Decorating Contest The El Campo Museum is having a Trick or Treat Bag Decorating contest during the month of October. Children will be divided into four age groups: 2-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12. Prizes will be awarded to the top three in each group. Bags and decorating materials will be provided, the children will supply the imagination. The bags will be on display at the Museum until Oct. 27. For information call the museum at 543-6885.

Youth Fair Taking Live Turkey Orders Any 4-H or FFA member interested in raising turkeys for the 2008 WCYF must order their turkeys by Thursday, Nov. 1 at a cost of $2.50 per bird; minimum order of 10 birds per exhibitor. Turkey exhibitor cards must be sent to the Fair Office on or postmarked by Nov. 1. An entry fee of $15 must accompany your completed entry card.

CROP Walk Registration Meeting The First United Methodist Church and other community churches are participating in the 2007 CROP Walk Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. to raise money for those who have to walk for food, water or other necessities. To organize a team, attend the recruiters' meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9 at the FUMC fellowship hall. A light meal of sandwiches and chips will be served. For information call Jackie Condra at 543-6838 or the church office.

West WC Habitat For Humanity Meeting A West Wharton County Habitat for Humanity steering committee meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the First Christian Church of El Campo. The public is invited. Civic organizations, churches and businesses are encouraged to attend. For more information call Bryan Hale at 543-1958, Keith Gibbons at 543-4790 or Lois Eck at 578-8116.

Circus Coming To El Campo The El Campo Chamber of Commerce will host the Carson & Barnes Circus Sunday, Nov. 4 at the lot by the El Campo Civic Center. Showtimes are 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Call the Chamber at 543-2713 for more details.

Homemade Dressing/Turkey Dinner San Roberto Bellarmine Catholic Daughters of The Americas Court 2275 will have a Turkey Dinner with homemade dressing on Sunday, Nov. 4. Serving from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Plates are $6.50. Plates to go only. For tickets call Elma Escobar at 543-6771, Terri Beltran at 543-7067 or Adelma Martinez at 543-4272.

Learn About WCJC Nov. 6 WCJC's coordinator of recruiting, Julie Aaronson, will be at Northside Education Center on Tuesday, Nov. 6 from 46 p.m. Mr. George Lehnert from Financial Aide office will also be available for any financial aide question. Anyone interested in attending WCJC can visit with them regarding admissions, registration, educational programs, testing, etc. Catalogues and class schedules for all courses will be available. Northside Education Center is located at 707 Fahrenthold, directly behind the library.

Nominate Your Citizen of the Year It is time again to nominate a Citizen of the Year. Entries must be turned in by Friday Nov. 9 by 5 p.m. The meeting for the past Citizen of the Year will be Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. Nominations should be give as many details as possible about the person nominated.

Derby Dolls Sell Engraved Bricks The Derby Doll Booster Club is selling engraved bricks to be displayed in front of the new practice gym on the high school campus. These bricks may have your name, class, organization or business on them. They can also be in honor of someone, in memory of someone, a current or past student. Bricks sell for $40 for two lines and $50 for three lines. To place an order contact Shree Roddy at 979-578-1796 or Lisa Altenhoff at 543-0151. Order forms available from any Derby Doll member.

Smoked Turkeys Sold by Eastern Star El Campo's Order of the Eastern Star is selling smoked turkeys for Thanksgiving as a fund-raiser. Turkeys will be approximately 10 pounds and will be prepared and smoked by local members. Turkeys are available for $25 each by pre-sale only and will be delivered Nov. 20. Orders must be placed and paid for by Monday, Nov. 5. To order, contact any
The D.C. government is seeking a developer to transform 67 acres now known as Hill East, an area of federally owned land that includes the former D.C. General Hospital and the city jail, into a mix of offices, health facilities, housing and parkland.

Neil Albert, deputy mayor for economic development, said a request for proposals or expressions of interest from developers would be issued by the end of the year.

Known previously as Reservation 13, the area is south of RFK Stadium and the D.C. Armory, bordered by Independence Avenue to the north, 19th Street to the west and the Congressional Cemetery to the south. It lies adjacent to the southern entrance of the Stadium-Armory Metro station and faces the Anacostia River.

The D.C. Council in 2003 had approved a plan by the now-defunct Anacostia Waterfront Corp. for the area that included a 1.2 million square-foot health care center, 700 to 800 housing units, 35,000 square feet of retail, about 2 million square feet of office space and a 16-acre park along the Anacostia River. Kicked to the Curb: Soccer Stadium Blues
Victor MacFarlane makes no secret of his dismay. The wealthy developer who bought the D.C. United soccer team and devoted a couple of years of his life to building a soccer stadium and residential-retail development in Southeast Washington feels double-crossed.

After all, it was the D.C. government that came to him a few years ago and asked him to plan and build a soccer stadium at Poplar Point, the picturesque spot where the Anacostia River and Washington Channel come together. But that was a different administration, a mayor--Tony Williams--who loved the big deal, the dramatic gesture, who fancied himself a master builder. Now, there's a new guy in charge, and Adrian Fenty came to office as the dynamo who focuses on the little stuff, the neighborhood concerns. Fenty was the guy who opposed the city's new baseball stadium every step of the way.

So while it came as a big surprise to MacFarlane when Fenty pulled the plug on the cozy sole-source deal that the developer had been talking about with the Williams staff, it was actually entirely in keeping with Fenty's approach to governing. Under tremendous pressure from neighborhood groups to pull back on the practice of making sweetheart deals with developers, Fenty has opened the Poplar Point development process to any and all, and the District is now fielding proposals from various parties.

MacFarlane says D.C. United won't be one of those parties. The city's new concept of the size and scope of the development precludes the deal that MacFarlane spent years working out, and the developer says he's out. Except that maybe he's in: Moments after telling a meeting of Washington Post editors and reporters that he won't participate in the mayor's competition to get the development rights for Poplar Point, MacFarlane says that he may well team up with another developer to put in a proposal.

That's not the only contradiction in MacFarlane's current position. He is appalled and frustrated by the Fenty administration's actions, yet he still says he wants to and can work with the mayor's people to get a stadium done. MacFarlane has hired a consultant to identify suburban sites for a soccer field--and Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot wants the state to make a good offer--yet MacFarlane says he is resolutely an urban developer and he above all wants to keep the team in the District.

"Our name is D.C. United," says team president Kevin Payne.

On one hand, the MacFarlane team says that they've looked at every possible stadium site in the District and have concluded, as Major League Baseball did, that they are all severely flawed. On the other hand, MacFarlane says he's open to building a soccer stadium on the grounds of the RFK Stadium complex--even if Redskins owner Dan Snyder decides to build a new football stadium at the same place. "There's enough land there that both stadiums could be built," MacFarlane says, and he's obviously looked into that possibility.

(Amazingly, the D.C. Armory site adjacent to RFK is considered off-limits for new construction because the Armory, a vile pit of a building that begs to be blown to smithereens, is landmarked as a historic structure--yet another example of the city's willy-nilly preservation mania.)

The developer's frustration is understandable. He came into the city, bought a team that doesn't make money, and volunteered to pay for a stadium--putting him in the category of sports owner as good citizen, like Abe Pollin, rather than sports owner as hard-charging dealmaker, like Major League Baseball. For his troubles, MacFarlane gets a boatload of uncertainty and a hobbled relationship with the mayor.

But from Fenty's perspective, there are two issues at work that trump the desire for a permanent home for the soccer team: 1) The mayor wants to show his supporters among the various neighborhood groups around town that he is operating above board and is opening development opportunities to all, not just to a hand-picked, sole-sourced rich builder. 2) Fenty is under significant pressure from environmentalists--another important piece of the coalition that elected him--to reserve far more of the Poplar Point site as parkland than MacFarlane or Williams had originally planned for.

"They want less density, less dollars, less profit and more parkland," MacFarlane says of the city's new course on Poplar Point. After he spent years planning for an 80-acre development on a 150-acre site, the builder is now being told to come up with plans for a 40-acre development on a 110-acre site.

So MacFarlane is playing the age-old sports owners' game of threatening to move. Except that he's too honest and straightforward to play the game right. So he's talking to suburban governments that would be thrilled to have United call them home, even as MacFarlane still sings a love song to the big city. And he has forsworn the notion of moving his team to another metro area entirely.

MacFarlane has become a darling of many Ward 8 activists, including council member Marion Barry. But while the developer has done admirable work persuading the community of the value his project could bring to Anacostia, he has neglected to work the council and Fenty administration with the same verve and conciliatory manner. Some D.C. council members still don't see much value in a soccer stadium--even one built largely with private money. One big stadium project is more than enough for them (though we all know how fast they'd come running if Snyder were to announce he's ready to come home to Washington.)

"We're going to get a stadium," Payne says, and of that there can be little doubt. The District would be smart to embrace MacFarlane and assure him that a site for a stadium will be part of the Poplar Point plan--though there's no particular reason the stadium has to be on what is now federal parkland. There's plenty of privately-owned--and city-owned--empty land immediately adjacent to the park.

Despite MacFarlane's bluster, he's a dealer, and when the time comes for him to work together with whatever other developers win the right to take on the Poplar Point project, MacFarlane will be ready to do business. What you're hearing from him now is an effort to hold onto as much of the overall project as he can keep for himself. But just as he is working nicely with other developers on his projects near the baseball stadium, he'll do the same for his soccer field. The rest is just tactics.
The Marine Corps Marathon hits Washington this week, and the competition offers plenty besides a foot-pounding spectacle and mind-boggling traffic (human and car), even for those not running the 26.2-mile course.

Race-related fun starts Thursday afternoon with the Health and Fitness Expo at the D.C. Armory and doesn't quit until the Post Race Celebration on Sunday afternoon in Crystal City. Throughout the weekend, non-marathoners can mix with the 30,000 hopefuls from 55 countries who will be competing in three races. Between contests, festivals such as Crystal Run in Arlington will keep families active.

The marathon, in its 32nd year, is nicknamed "The People's Marathon" because of its relatively easy course and zero prize money. First-timers will account for nearly 40 percent of racers, but the event also draws serious athletes. Ruben Garcia, for one, returns to defend his 2005 and 2006 wins. And spectators will want to watch Carl Rundell, who finished second to Garcia both times.

The race route differs a little each year. For example, in 2007 construction has forced a detour away from Rock Creek Parkway, usually a favorite stretch. Yet cheerleading opportunities still abound, race director Rick Nealis says. Another cause for applause: Extended daylight saving time means slightly cooler conditions than usual. "This should keep some runners out of the medical tents," Nealis says. Now that's something to cheer about.