DISTRICT BRIEFING

Saturday, September 30, 2006

FOOD STAMPS

Program Nets Over $600,000 in Bonuses

The D.C. Department of Human Services has received more than $600,000 in bonuses this year under the federal food stamp program, interim DHS director Kate Jesberg said yesterday.

The announcement came on the day that she retired. She led the Income Maintenance Administration, which administers food stamps and other programs for poor and low-income residents. The District received a $350,003 bonus for the timely processing of applications and $293,222 for customer service in the food stamp program.

-- Elissa Silverman

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Chaplain Quits Amid Campus Ministry Woes

A minister with Georgetown University's Protestant chaplaincy, which has been in turmoil since ejecting several private evangelical ministry organizations last month, has quit saying he had problems with the way the program was being run.

The Rev. Derrick Harkins, a pastor at the historic Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, had also been a part-time minister at Georgetown.

Georgetown was criticized after rescinding the private groups' freedom to operate on campus, saying it wanted to control what spiritual programs Protestant students were offered.

Harkins said the Campus Ministry staff was now too small for its needs and that the decision to rescind was "very strong-handed."

-- Michelle Boorstein

NORTHEAST

6 Buildings Warned of Nitrite Levels in Water

High nitrite levels have been found in water at six buildings near Eighth and Varnum streets NE. The buildings get service from a privately owned main, the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority said last night.

As a precaution, building residents were advised against drinking the water. A similar notice was issued in the same area in August.

-- Clarence Williams and Martin Weil

SUPERIOR COURT

In Fourth Trial, Man Convicted of Murder

A 44-year-old man was convicted in Superior Court yesterday of murder after being tried for the fourth time on charges that he killed a roommate almost three years ago in Southeast Washington.

Antonio Clark of the 3600 block of Sixth Street SE, whose first three trials ended in mistrials, was found guilty yesterday in the death of Kevin Turner, prosecutors said.

Clark, who was on parole for a 1983 murder, killed Turner on Oct. 24, 2003, the U.S. attorney's office said.

-- Henri E. Cauvin

SEWER REPAIRS

Line Collapse Might Have Triggered Backup

Excavation of and repairs on a 102-year-old sewer line on Pennsylvania Avenue NW will begin early today, officials said.

The D.C. Water and Sewer Authority officials said they received complaints about a backup and found that part of the line serving the avenue between First and 12th streets might have collapsed.

-- Clarence Williams and Martin Weil