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Former SEIU president joins GU Public Policy Institute

Andy Stern, the past and trailblazing president of one of the largest unions in North America, will join the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute as a senior research fellow on Aug. 1. Stern is a former Service Employees International Union (SEIU) president.

Stern, 59, will coordinate research at on wage reform, labor policy and retirement security, according to an announcement on GU's website.

Stern maintains his position as an adviser on President Obama’s deficit-reduction commission, a post to which Obama appointed him in February of this year.

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Gray Hosted by Superlawyers at Fundraiser

D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray's mayoral campaign got a boost Wednesday night with the endorsement of superlawyer Robert S. Bennett, a Georgetown University graduate, and his photographer wife, Ellen, at a meet-and-greet fundraiser at their Kalorama home.  The well-heeled event, co-hosted by attorney Stephen Porter and his wife Susan drew about 40 people.

Bennett's client list reads like a Washington Who's Who -- Bill Clinton (during the Lewinsky scandal), Sen. John McCain, former CIA operative Valerie Plame, Paul Wolfowitz and Caspar Weinberger.

Among the guests were Barbara B. Lang, president and CEO of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and her husband, Gerald, a management consultant and a member of the University of the District of Columbia's board of trustees.  The chamber endorsed Gray a few weeks ago.  

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Poplar Street to Verizon: Trampled Again

For those following the efforts Nancy Flinn of Poplar Street, NW, to get someone  to take responsibility for the Verizon utility pole that is threatening her tiny house, will recall that Flinn received a letter from Verizon suggesting that she pay $1,932,880 in estimated costs to correct the problem.   

Subsequent to a post Tuesday, the Dish received an email from Sandra Arnette, Verizon spokesperson who stressed that the "estimate was not for work involving one resident, but the whole square block that's presently served by that aerial run."  The undergrounding would be for service not just for Poplar Street, but also for homes one block south on O Street and one block north on P Street.  The estimate was in answer to a request from Flinn for information to help to get stimulus money from DC to underground the wires. The project would include digging up the street, installing a new manhole system and other work.”

Nancy Flinn considered the Verizon email and still feels misrepresented, manipulated and powerless.  Arnette is just trying to "make Verizon look much more palatable then they've actually been," Flinn said. She points out that the letter is only addressed to her and she has no recollection of any reference to stimulus funds before the letter. The letter "was meant to stop me in my tracks, and it did."

Finn says that the good news is that Christine Kidwell, from the Mayor Adrian Fenty's office, has followed-up to offer further assistance. "That says a lot about her and about Adrian," she said.

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Martha's Table in need of men's clothing

The U Street-area thrift store Martha's Table is low on men's clothing and is asking for donations to help increase their stock. In particular, they need men's pants.

"As you may know, in addition to selling clothes at the store, we have folks in need who are referred to Martha’s Outfitters who can receive clothes for free," a Martha's Table empoyee wrote in an email to the Georgetown listserv, forwarded by Elsa Walsh. "Because they often travel from distant corners of the city, it is very important that we have an inventory of clothes for them."

Those who want to donate to the store, at 2114 14th Street, should bring clean clothes on a hanger, or folded and in a paper bag or box.

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