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Friday June 26, 2009
Week of June 22, 2009
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You can build a sea wall. You can dump tons of sand on the beach. But sooner or later, mother nature is going to do what she wants to do. As we wrap up the first full week of summer, we consider two Maryland beach communities that follow two very different approaches to battling beach erosion. First - we head to the Atlantic coast.
Along the Mid-Atlantic, one of the most popular beaches is Ocean City, Maryland. And the ocean IS the star attraction here. But for years, engineers have been at war with the sea - in a struggle to save the beach and the town. As Tamara Keith reports, that fight is only going to get tougher and more expensive if predictions of sea level rise from climate change become a reality.
Erosion is a constant concern if you live near the coast - especially when you factor in rising sea levels. But not everyone characterizes efforts to save shoreline from the sea as a 'war.' Next, Tamara Keith heads to Woodland Beach, Maryland - located about 30 miles east of the District - where some people are trying to work WITH nature rather than resist it.
From a more natural approach to shoreline restoration, we head to Virginia to meet a 'green' entrepreneur. While economic downturns can make things very difficult for businesses, they can sometimes open a creative space for entrepreneurs and new businesses. Sabri Ben-Achour spoke with one young entrepreneur who's hoping to get rich with bug spray.
Not everyone will launch their own 'green' business this summer - but 800 District residents between the ages of 14 and 21 will connect with green summer jobs. DC Mayor Adrian Fenty kicked off the second year of the city's Green Summer Job Corps this week. At the launch, Patrick Madden spoke with George Hawkins, Director of the District Department of the Environment - and head of the Green Summer Job Corps.
Commentator Fred Fiske says it's natural for Americans to feel pride about the nation's position of prominence in the world. But, he says, being the world leader in incarceration... stands as a major embarrassment.
Throughout the month - and into the first week of July - we're bringing you tips and planting ideas to help you have a successful summer in the garden. We're joined every week by Kathy Jentz, the editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine. This time - everyone's favorite topic... weeds.
For 15 years, DC WritersCorps has been leading writing workshops and hosting poetry slams. At its height, the organization served people in settings ranging from schools and rec centers to homeless shelters and prisons. These days, the group has been forced to tighten its belt and restrict its focus to high school and middle school students. But in honor of its 15th anniversary, DC WritersCorps is celebrating the publication of its fourth anthology. Andrew Hiller reports.
Summer is here. And even though we traded in the flip-flops for galoshes and rain coats for much of June... that doesn't mean we can't pretend to be lost in a tropical paradise when we go out for drinks. Fritz Hahn writes about nightlife for the Washington Post and the Going Out Guide on washingtonpost.com - and he's here to help us get in the spirit of summer.
The news of Michael Jackson's death stopped writer Reuben Jackson in his tracks. Then... sent him off to an unlikely location - the coffee shop.
Reuben Jackson is a writer living in the District.
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