Washington DC Local News

The Miss DC Organization, a preliminary to Miss America, has extended the deadline for applicants for its June 13 competition to this Friday, April 16 at 5 PM ET. Please consider sharing this message with someone who might be eligible and interested. There is no entry fee. Winner receives a $10,000 scholarship and represents DC at the 100th anniversary Miss America competition in December. Candidates must be 18-26 and live, work full-time or attend school full-time within boundaries of Washington, DC. Those attending college outside DC are eligible if their family maintains a home in the District. Scoring is as follows: Talent 35%, Private Interview 35%, On-Stage Interview/Social Impact Pitch 15%, and Red Carpet 15%. There is no swimsuit or physical fitness competition. Simply complete this form and email to MissDCAmerica@aol.com by Friday.
https://www.missdc.org/uploads/7/4/7/8/74789587/miss_dc_2021_preliminary_fact_sheet.pdf Questions? Contact MissDCAmerica@aol.com

Equine Collaborative International, Animal Wellness Brands, Monty Roberts, and Others Team Up in Webinar Series to Provide Scholarships for Young Equestrians

The New York-based Equine Collaborative International (ECI), Animal Wellness Action, the Animal Wellness Foundation, Monty Roberts, Dr. Maria Katsamasis, Frank Lovato, Jr., and Bernice Ende have teamed up to produce an equine educational webinar series that begins this evening at 7:30 PM EST and opens with Katsamasis on “Rethinking Riding.”

The webinar series has limited availability and access to the entire series can be purchased for one small fee $25.00 for adults or $15.00 for youth under the age of 18-years-old. Each year including 2020, ECI has held an in-person March Meet-Up in Western New York to raise scholarship funds for young equine enthusiasts in need, but in 2021 is replacing the annual in-person event with this webinar series in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very excited to have this great lineup of presenters for our first webinar series,” said Phyllis Jensen, President of Equine Collaborative International, LLC. “The diversity of their topics allows us a truly ‘something for everyone’ situation as these dedicated horse people share many years of expertise and experience.”

“We’re elated to offer such an outstanding panel of world-class speakers that will help Equine Collaborative International live up to its name by making this series available around the globe,” said Marty Irby, a Director of Equine Collaborative International, LLC and Executive Director at Animal Wellness Action. “Horse enthusiasts will have an opportunity to ask questions and our iconic American equines will be represented by one of the most diverse and talented panels assembled since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.”
Event details can be found below (All funds received will go directly to Equine Collaborative International, LLC)

REGISTER AT: www.paypal.me/eci2021
Single registration fee gains you entrance to all 6 webinars!
$25 for adult non-members $15 youth non-members
$15 for adult members $10 youth members
$0 for 2021 New Members
Please message with PayPal payment your e-mail address so you can receive the link to the webinars and if you are submitting for webinar only or for membership as well.

For all Questions or Concerns: e-mail 411eci@gmail.com
Or call: 716-912-2100

All presentations begin at 7:30 EST except where noted.
WED. MARCH 24 - Dr. Maria Katsamanis, RETHINKING RIDING
WED. MARCH 31 - Scott Beckstead, MUSTANGS, America’s Wild Horses and Burros, the Bureau of Land Management, History, Current Status, and the Future
WED. APRIL 7 - Marty Irby, HORSES, AND THE LAW- the latest legislation, what is coming up, and how you can be effective advocating for the horse and horse business
WED. APRIL 14 - Monty Roberts, METHODOLOGY, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCES.

*****This event begins at 6:00 PM EST on 4/14/21*****
WED. APRIL 21 - Frank Lovato, Jr., EQUICIZER
WED. APRIL 28 - Bernice Ende, TRAVELS, TRIALS, AND TALK- Lady Long Rider discusses 30,000+ miles riding and setting records. Sharing her concern for others that ride and what her motivation was for riding, writing, and filming experience.

Global Haiku Competition Winners Announced as Words of Hope Spring Up on the Streets of Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 19, 2021) – As reliable as the seasons, the return of spring to downtown Washington, D.C., again brings with it the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District’s (BID’s) annual Golden Haiku poetry competition. Emerging from 200 planter boxes throughout the central business district alongside the tulips and daffodils, Golden Haiku offers a glimpse into a return to normalcy for those who work, live, and visit the neighborhood.

The Golden Triangle BID announced the winners of its eighth annual Golden Haiku poetry contest today with a record-breaking number of entries from 60 countries, 49 states, and the District of Columbia. Over 2,800 haiku were received, including 200 submissions from talented poets under the age of 18, as part of this year’s new Youth category. Winning poems can be seen on colorful signs throughout the Golden Triangle starting this week through April.

“Golden Haiku has been putting smiles on the faces of passers-by for close to a decade. This is perhaps more important now than ever,” said Leona Agouridis, Executive Director of the Golden Triangle BID. “In a time when the world has been brought together in unprecedented ways, it is an opportunity to connect globally by celebrating hope through words.”

Golden Haiku follows the Haiku Society of America’s guidelines for modern haiku, which does not require the traditional 5-7-5 structure. Removing the strict structural requirements for syllables frees the author to use evocative language to capture a moment or expression of beauty in a short, descriptive verse.

All entries were reviewed and judged by a distinguished panel of published haiku experts including Abigail Friedman, Kit Pancoast Nagamura, and John Stevenson.

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About the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District:
Formed in 1998, the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) enhances Washington, D.C.’s central business district, the 44-square-block neighborhood stretching from The White House to Dupont Circle. Home to roughly 6,000 businesses, the BID provides a clean, safe, and vibrant environment for hundreds of thousands of workers, residents, and visitors, and encourages economic development through capital projects, public art, sustainability, and events. The Golden Triangle has been awarded LEED Platinum, the highest level of LEED certification, by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the first BID in the world to be certified through the LEED for Communities program. For more information, visit: goldentriangledc.com and connect on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Washington D.C.’s First 100% Self-Pour Taphouse to Open this Spring

“99 bottles of beer on the wall” may be an age old saying, but for 24-year-old Jason Cherry, it is the inspiration for 99 self-pour taps in Tap99, a new taphouse and restaurant located directly across the street from the Nationals Park main gates.

Set to open this spring, Tap99 will be the first fully self-pour taphouse in Washington D.C. The 2,800 square foot concept will include 99 self-pour taps offering beer, wine, ciders, and pre-mixed cocktails, with options being constantly rotated with new, seasonal selections from local craft breweries and distributors. The location will have 98 seats and will have an outdoor patio with seating as well. Tap99’s kitchen will focus on artisan pizzas made in a handcrafted Marra Forni brick oven, in addition to other small and shareable plates.

“I’m thrilled to bring DC’s first fully self-pour taphouse to the vibrant Navy Yard neighborhood,” said Tap99 owner Jason Cherry, who also owns Mission Escape Rooms, the largest escape room business in Maryland. “Not only will our self-pour experience translate into shorter wait times, it will allow customers to sample small amounts of a variety of our 99 beverages on tap. We look forward to welcoming Navy Yard residents, visitors and Nats fans alike to experience this unique concept.”

Self-pour taphouses are a new concept, offering a unique and different customer experience than a traditional bar setting. Upon entering, customers are given an RFID card that is connected to their form of payment. Patrons use the RFID card to activate the electronic self-pour taps of their choosing. Customers are charged by the ounce, meaning they can pour as little or as much of their beverage of choice. Self-pour technology creates a fun, interactive experience for consumers, and in addition, wait times and touch points with staff are reduced.

About Tap99
Set to open in Spring 2021, Tap99 is an innovative drinking and dining experience that allows patrons the freedom to self-pour the drink and amount of their choice from 99 self-pour taps. Located directly across the street from the Nationals Park main gates at 1250 Half Street SE, Tap99 is Washington, D.C.’s first fully self-pour taphouse. Tap99 can be found on Instagram and Facebook @tap99dc. For more information, visit Tap-99.com