Behind the Scenes With Dupont Circle's Own Freestyle Rhyming Shoeshine Man "Dr. Shine"

Submitted by Simon Landau, Community Web Producer

Monday, November 15th, 2010, 6:15pm

Bernard Gray, also known as "Dr. Shine", is not your standard shoeshine man. Gray, a D.C. native, was raised in Southeast and now lives in Shaw. But he doesn't just shine shoes---he recruits potential customers at his Dupont Circle post with catchy lines in a bizarrely creative blend of freestyle singing, stand-up comedy, and street marketing.

To give you some kind of idea of what I mean, Gray once successfully reeled in Muhammad Ali as a shoeshine customer by shouting: "Maybe you sting like a butterfly and float like a bee, but you need to come get a shoeshine from me."

Yeah yeah, maybe Gray got Ali's famed phrase wrong, but it's the thought that counts, and Ali sat down and let Dr. Shine go to work.

We went behind the scenes with Gray, who has shined shoes in D.C. since 1980. In our interview, Gray shows us his customer recruitment tactics and talks about a range of topics, from his Ali experience to almost getting stabbed in jail.

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Community Sponsors

Calvert Woodley Fine Wines & Spirits

Direct Importer & Retailer of Fine Wines & Spirits

New District measure requires six-months of mediation before foreclosure.

Submitted by Jennifer Streaks, WUSA9 Consumer Finance Writer

Monday, November 15th, 2010, 2:41pm

The District Council recently passed a measure that requires that mortgage lenders work with homeowners for six months through mediation before they will be able to foreclose on a home in the District. Mediation allows the borrower and the lender to negotiate with the guidance of a neutral third party possible alternatives to foreclosure.

What this means for struggling homeowners is that they now have an opportunity to work with their lender and possibly save their homes from the auction block. This is especially helpful in the District since there isn't a requirement that courts review foreclosure cases. In the District alone, there are more than 3,000 homes in the foreclosure process.

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Road Construction Begins Today

Submitted by Anonymous on Monday, November 15th, 1:44 pm

Beginning Monday, November 15, the NPS will begin the first phase of a seven-phase, 18-month project to repair and reconstruct various portions of the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway from P Street, N.W. to Calvert St. N.W., including portions of Cathedral Ave.

During this phase, construction crews will close 1) the northbound lane of Shoreham Drive from Cathedral Avenue, NW, to Calvert Street, NW, and 2) the southbound lane of Cathedral Avenue from south of Woodley Road, NW to Shoreham Drive, NW.

This work will affect traffic patterns. For AM rush hour, traffic will be able to enter Shoreham Drive from Calvert Street, NW. and proceed to Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. During all other times, including PM rush hour, traffic will be able to proceed northbound only on Shoreham Drive to Calvert Street, NW. There will be no entry to southbound Shoreham Drive and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway from Calvert Street, NW except during morning rush hour.

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Road Construction on Rock Creek Parkway between P and Calvert Streets

Submitted by Simon Landau, Community Web Producer

Monday, November 15th, 2010, 10:34am

A NOTICE FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:

Beginning Monday, November 15, the National Park Service will begin the first phase of a seven-phase, 18-month project to repair and reconstruct various portions of the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway from P Street, N.W. to Calvert St. N.W., including portions of Cathedral Ave.

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C.A.S. Driving School

You tried the rest now try the best, C.A.S.

Cheapest Gasoline We Could Find Near Where You Live

Submitted by Manny Fantis, WUSA9 Executive Producer of Digital Content

Friday, November 12th, 2010, 12:21pm

$2.87

Hess
1739 New Jersey Ave NWCross:Florida Ave NWWashington - NW, DC

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DC Area's Film Scene: "Underground Hollywood"

Submitted by Manny Fantis, WUSA9 Executive Producer of Digital Content

Friday, November 12th, 2010, 11:43am

In 1998, Eduardo Sanchez and Neal Fredericks, two Montgomery County Community College alums, shot a film in the woods of Maryland called “The Blair Witch Project.” It went on to gross nearly $250 million at the box office, making it one of the most successful independent films of all time. “The Blair Witch Project” was a perfect storm of a clever idea and a shrewd marketing campaign that capitalized on the budding new medium of the internet. It's a good possibility that you've heard this story before.

It's an equally good possibility that you haven't heard of the army of filmmakers in the D.C. area that has been growing in the decade since “The Blair Witch Project” captured the country's imagination. I should know. I'm one of them.

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French Deer

Submitted by Washington Humane Society, Washington Humane Society

Friday, November 12th, 2010, 10:52am

Last weekend, two deer tried to move in with the French ambassador. The animals wandered on to the ambassador’s property in Northwest, DC and refused to leave. Several Animal Control Officers were called to help relocate the two deer back to Rock Creek Park where they originally came from. The ambassador's home, while very nice, was not deer friendly. The property was too small, there was not enough grass or leaves for the deer to eat, and if they tried to jump the tall fence they could get hurt.

It took the ACOs nearly five hours to safely sedate both deer and transport them back to Rock Creek Park. Once back home, the animals were woken up and released back into the woods.

The deer may not have understood what we were trying to do for them, but they are now safe. We would like to thank the wonderful staff at the French Ambassador’s home for assisting us in this rescue.