Right Direction Awards Ceremony

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Office of The Attorney General
441 4th St. NW
Room 1C010 South

Map Your Traffic Concerns- Vision Zero Safety Effort

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is looking for your help to identify traffic safety issues.

 You can add your concerns to the Vision Zero Map (see the link below)

 http://visionzero.ddot.dc.gov/VisionZero/

Walmart Application Sessions

Bass Circle Apartments Recieves Award

Today, Bass Circle Apartments is once again a cornerstone of the Marshall Heights neighborhood and HAND is proud to call it the Best Large Affordable Housing Project for 2015!

HANDS Website

Update on the Progress of the Urban Farm Project - July 25th

7E Commission Special Meeting Notice

Department of Human Resources (DCHR) Offers Free Job-Skills Classes to DC Residents

Free Job Skills Classes for Residents

The District of Columbia Department of Human Resources (DCHR) and Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) are teaming up to offer free job skills classes for DC Residents. DCHR will host free Resume Writing and Interview Skills at the Columbia Heights Recreation Center on July 11th and 25th, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Participants will learn valuable interview tips, and will discover how to create an eye-catching resume. Sometimes the most important part of the job search process is getting noticed by employers, and this workshop will help you do just that. For more information about this event or other career resources and programs, visit DCHR’s website here. 

DCHR Website

Mayor Bowser's Budget for 2015 Targets Eastern Wards

"Bowser apparently learned from that lesson. Reviewing her budget proposals, it appears significant spending, directly or indirectly, is slated for communities that helped usher her into the mayoral suite"

East of the River Article: The Mayor Budget

Returning Citizens How Do We Help?

Here is an account of one person realizing the struggles faced by the formerly incarnated.

LInk to Posting of an Encounter that Revealed the Challenge of Those Returning to Society

There is a large number of ex offenders in Ward 7, the opportunity is to develop opportunities for work. I think entrepreneurial options are the best, if we only would create and fund programs that provide new businesses options the community would benefit from a new small business and a neighbor would gain a livelihood.

DC Office of Returning Citizens Affairs (ORCA)

2100 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, SE, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20020 
Phone: (202) 715-7670
Fax: (202) 715-7672
TTY: 711
Email:orca@dc.gov

Community Policing in Ward 7 Meeting - June 11th

7E Commission Public Meeting - June 9th

Ward 7 Walk on Saturday May 30th

Come out an join your Ward 7 neighbors, Mayor Bowser and Council Member Alexander for a walk.

DC Fire and EMTS Exam - Applicants Can Apply Online

Pavement Restoration Project for B st. between Benning and 46th st. SE

Work is scheduled for later this month to repair pavement and install curb cuts. (See image below)

Maya Angelo's Public Charter School Community Day

Summer has arrived and Maya Angelo kicked off the season with a community event on Saturday, May 16th.

DDOT Invites Public to Meeting on the East Capitol Street and Benning Road intersection project

(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host a public meeting on May 19 to take questions and comments on proposed changes to the East Capitol Street and Benning Road intersection in Ward 7.

The intersection of East Capitol Street, Benning Road, Texas Avenue and Central Avenue is a busy and complex intersection in the District. From 2008 to 2010, there were 102 traffic crashes that injured 54 people, including 8 pedestrians. DDOT began a planning study in 2011 to look at safety and access changes to the intersection and the larger corridor. At this meeting, DDOT will present about proposed changes, present the planning study information and proposals for review.

What:                   East Capitol Street-Benning Road Intersection Project Public Meet 

                              Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 7 pm to 9 pm

Where:                Metropolitan Police Department Sixth District Community Room, 100 42^nd St. NE

Link to:

East Capitol St Pedestrian Safety Project

DDOT Far NorthEast Livability Study

7E Commission May Public Meeting

Ground Breaking for Benning Road DMV Service Center

Work will begin shortly on the construction of the DMV in the neighborhood. The Penn/Branch facility is being relocated to the site on Benning and East Capitol with an anticipated opening in early 2016.

Emergency Medical Service Exam

Opportunity for those interested in openings for EMS training.

Emancipation Day Events

I was invited to attend the Emancipation Day Prayer Breakfast by At Large Council Member Anita Bonds. Thank you Ms. Bonds for the opportunity!

Reverend Al Sharpton and Mayor Bowser shared spirited speeches highlighting DC's history and its future with full representation.

Another Two Vehicle Accident at East Capitol and Benning

East Capitol and Benning rd. intersection is one of the dangerous in the city, today a two vehicle collision block the road for most of the morning. Fortunately it appeared that no one was seriously injured.

I will continue to work on getting DDOT to implement the East Capitol Pedestrian Safety Plan by raising the question at every opportunity with city leadership.

Council Chair Phil Mendelson at Denny's this Saturday!

Saturday, April 18

4445 Benning Road, NE
10:00 – 11:00 AM

Area residents were able to share their concerns with the Chairman of the Council. I raised the need to improve the safety of ward 7 corridors, specifically East Capitol and Benning rd, funding  projects that enhance access across the river for all modes of travel.

DC Pedestrian Advisory Council (DCPAC)

Robin Murphy of DCPAC and I took a brief walking tour of of 46th st and East Capitol/Benning rd. identifying issues that will form the basis of an action plan to address sidewalk and street problems.

DC Pedestrian Advisory Council

Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Ground Breaking

The ground breaking for the Benning rd.(at East Capitol) Service Center will take place April 20th at 9:30AM.

National Association of Minority Contractors Expo

Ward 7 Budget Summit II

Our Collective Mission:

Between April 15th and May 7th, our City Council will conduct 33 specific budget hearings under the jurisdiction of 8 different Council Committees to get OUR input on the budget.  Those Council Committees are:

1.  Committee of the Whole  (Chairperson Mendelson)

2.  Committee on Health and Human Services  (Chairperson Alexander)

3.  Committee on Transportation and the Environment  (Chairperson Chey)

4.  Committee on the Judiciary  (Chairperson McDuffie)

5.  Committee on the Housing and Community Development  (Chairperson Bonds)

6.  Committee on Education  (Chairperson Grosso)

7.  Committee on Finance and Revenue  (Chairperson Evans)

8.  Committee on Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs  (Chairperson Orange)

7E Commission Public Meeting for April

Spring is here so I do anticipate more members of the community to come out to the commission meeting on Tuesday, April 14th at 7:00PM. There is still unfinished work from the prior commission to bring to a close and work to set a path forward for this new commission to address the needs of the community effectively.

Please invite your neighbor to attend.

Press Conference: Deputy Mayor for Economic Development - East of the River

Mayor Bowser introduced the one time at-large council candidate and ward 7 resident, Courtney Snowden as the new Deputy Mayor focusing on the issues in Wards 7 and 8.

Smart Growth Training

The Coalition for Smarter Growth provide a training session for ANC's with speakers covering what make communities livable.

Well sad to say we have a ways to go before the principles like pedestrian friendly walkable streets, traffic calming features like parking and plantings. But maybe the group will take my offer of coming out to discuss ideals that would help improve the area corridors of East Capitol, Benning and Minnesota...

Link to Coalition for Smarter Growth

Opportunity for Young Artists

Please if anyone knows a young aspiring creative person let them know this opportunity exist.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS 

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) in collaboration with the DC Department of Public Works (DPW) seeks graffiti artists and artist teams to design, create and install aerosol murals that inspire the various communities in which they will be placed. Selected artists will be required to work with the young apprentices (ages 14-23) by introducing and refining each student's artistic skill in the discipline of graffiti style sketch work and aerosol mural painting. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE 

Friday, May 1, 2015 

All materials must be received no later than 4:00 PM. 

This is not a postmark deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

APPLICATION 

To obtain a copy of the prospectus and application, please visit dcarts.dc.gov

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Call 202-724-5613 or email Keona.Pearson@dc.gov 

Ward 7 Leadership Council Meeting March

Council member Alexander invited the DC School Chancellor Kia Henderson to Kelly Miller Middle School to speak to the commissioners, civic association and non-profit organizations leaders and answer questions around education in the city and Ward 7 specifically.

Ms. Henderson led by collecting all questions from the audience and systematically addressed every concerned raised. Also in attendance was Council Chair Phil Mendelson, Commander Taylor and the principle of Kelly Miller, Abdullah Zaki (pictured below).

Public Safety Monthly Meeting for the Sixth District

Tonight at 6:30pm is the monthly PSA meeting.

Please join us this evening to partner to problem solve public safety concerns at KIPP Academy on Benning Road at 630 pm for residents of Benning Heights, Benning Terrace, Benning Park, Capitol View (SE side), Glen Crest, and Marshal Heights. This is an opportunity to meet officers and officials working in your community and residents who share similar concerns.

In Service,
Julia Irving
Community Outreach Coordinator
Sixth District-Metropolitan Police Department
 202.698.1315-desk
202.489.9942-mobile

Capitol Gateway Presentation at Capitol View Civic Associationn

The construction of a neighborhood Walmart on East Capitol st. is one step closer to becoming a reality according to the presentation last night.

In approximately 24 months from the March 24th ground breaking the retailer should be opening its doors to a superstore including grocery and products.

Ward 7 Citizens Budget Summit

Residents of Ward 7 gathered on Saturday morning, March 14th at the Deanwood recreation center to discuss topics important to the community as it relates to the city's $10.9 billion budget.

Small groups were formed based on topics and residents shared ideas and then presented them to the full group, this prove efficient and a productive. On Saturday April 11th, a followup meeting is planned at a location that has yet to be determined.

Note to Mayor Bowser - Vision Zero Needs to be Implemented at East Capitol st and Benning SE

The Mayor's office, Director of Planning Eric Shaw, DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo and Deputy DDOT Director Greer Gillis  announced the implementation of a multi-million dollar project to improve the intersection of MLK and Malcolm X Aves. which is great. I will encourage the 7E and neighboring commission 7F to make the same request for the intersection of East Capitol and Benning rd.

Vision Zero Initiative

Vison Zero Discussion KojoNamda Show

Most dangerous Intersections

Capitol Gateway (Walmart) Ground Breaking

The ground breaking for the construction of The Capitol Gateway project, at 58th st and East Capitol NE which includes a Walmart is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24th at 2pm.

The developer of the project, A&R and Walmart representatives will share the latest news on the project on Monday, March 16 at 6:30pm at Hughes Memorial, 53rd and Ames NE, during the Capitol View Civic Association meeting.

7E Commission Meeting - March 10th

On Tuesday the 7E commission met, unfortunately I was not able to attend due to a prior commitment.

But from what I understand it was a lengthy meeting with councilmembers Alexander, Orange and DMV director Lucinda Babers sharing information with those in attendance.

Commission meeting are held every second Tuesday of the month, come out to meet neighbors, share and receive information about are neighborhood.

Mayor Bowser Takes a Fresh Look at Fletcher Johnson School

On September 30, 2014, a Request for Offers (RFO) was released on the Fletcher Johnson School, located at 4650 Benning Road, SE.  That RFO did not yield an award. To continue the commitment to Ward 7, Mayor Bowser has charged Deputy Mayor Niles and Acting Deputy Mayor Kenner to take a fresh look at the project. The Deputy Mayor for Education  will host a community meeting to discuss the new Fletcher Johnson solicitations and get feedback from the community in the coming weeks. Please stay tuned for details on this meeting.

Flexipave Demonstration Project

The District of Columbia’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) has begun a demonstration project to repair sidewalks that are in poor condition and have been damaged by street trees at locations citywide.  This work will be completed using a new sidewalk material, a flexible porous paving , that is commonly called flexipave.  These locations have all been identified by a UFA Urban Forester or Ward Arborist and were selected based on the damage to the sidewalk and the necessity of using alternate materials to preserve the street tree.  

The location selected for this project in SMD 7E04 is located at 4601 East Capitol SE. This site is in serious need of repair, not date has been identified as to when the work will start.

Flexipave Locations in 7E04

Opportunities to Participate on a DC Commission

The Mayors Office of Talent of Talent is looking for residents interested in provide direction and input that supports the administration'so fresh start initiative.

Link to Mayors Office of Talent and Appointmaents

Citywide Reentry Assembly Program

Yesterday those supporting the efforts of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) celebrated the mentors and mentee's who are working to make the transition back home successful.

CSOSA Wedsite

DC Zoning Board Hearing for Carver Senior Apts. and Habitat for Humanity Townhomes

On Tuesday, February 10th the DC Zoning hearing for the Carver Senior Apartment and Habitat for Humanity townhouse projects were moved forward by a decision of he board.

The developer of the Carver Project will work with DDOT to produce an acceptable traffic impact assessment report for approval as stipulated by the board.

Permit to Raze Garage at 4501 Bowen Rd. SE

A permit was filed with the Department of Consumer Affairs on February 11 to raze (remove) the garage at the intersection of Southern and 4501 Bowen SE.

Raze Application Link

This is within ANC 7E, but is in single member district (SMD) 02  which is in Commissioner Green's juridiction.

ANC 7E February Meeting

The Commission met for the first time since October 2014, and the election of four new, two returning commissioners and vacancy kicking off the 2015/2016 term.

Thanks goes out to the community members who patiently sat throught the election of officers, which were as follows:

Chair - Commissioner Nightingale  (1st half of the year)
Vice Chair - Commissioner Green  (2nd half of the year)
Secretary - Commisioner Bent
Treasurer -  Commissioner Hamlett (1st half of the year)
Treasurer - Commissioner Smith (2nd half of the year)

The terms of the chair, vice chair and treasurer were split as a result of an agreement among commissioners in order to break a dead lock, in which votes were split three to three.

The only other business completed was a vote to submit the 2014 quarterly treasurer report due at the end of February.

Recommended Reading: "The Soul of a Citizen"

Thanks Loretta for pointing me to this book, "The Soul of a Citizen", a narrative on how individuals can make a difference in their community.

"Yet for all the perceived frustration, when we do get involved, we find that we get a lot back: new relationships, fresh skills, a sense of empowerment, and pride in accomplishment. "A rich life," writes philosopher and theologian Cornel West, is fundamentally a life of serving others, "trying to leave the world a little better than you found it. . . . This is true at the personal level. . . . [But there's also] a political version of this. It has to do with what you see when you get up in the morning and look in the mirror and ask yourself whether you are simply wasting time on the planet or spending time in an enriching manner.""

EXCERPTS FROM THE SOUL OF A CITIZEN: LIVING WITH CONVICTION IN A CYNICAL TIME

Link to Amazon Books

Youth Summer Employment Opportunity

Mayor Bowser announced The Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) on January 30, 2015. Since the launch, approximately 13,500 applications have been received. 

The steps are as follows:

1) submitting your application online at www.summerjobs.dc.gov

2)  submitting all required eligibility documentation, and attending a mandatory orientation session. 

3) Youth may log into their youth portal atwww.summerjobs.dc.gov or check their emails for inquiries about participation status, updates and next steps.

There's still time to register.  Registration ends February 20th. 

Proposed Development: Five Townhouses at 23 46th St. SE

Habitat for Humanity of Washington DC has proposed constructing townhouses on 46th St. SE, this project is scheduled to be reviewed by the DC Zoning Board on February 10th.

Information on the proposal can be found at:
dcoz@dc.gov (case 18876)

Public Meeting: Carver Senior Apartments Project

Today, the Caver Tenant Association, the principle of Chapman Development LLC and the neighbors surrounding the proposed second phase of the Carver project gathered at Capitol View Library.

All were able to discuss the plans, ask questions and express concerns leading up to the hearing before the DC Zoning board on Tuesday, February 10. The hearing can be view live online,  along with other documentation information at: dcoz@dc.gov (case#18916)

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7E Monthly Meeting

The monthly meeting for ANC 7E is scheduled for every second Tuesday of the month, 7:00 to 8:30pm at Jones Memorail Church at 4625 G St. SE.