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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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

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)

Special Meeting on Proposed Senior Apartments and For-Sale Affordable Housing for 4700 Block of East Capitol St.

A date has been set for a public presentation by the developer of the Carver project slated for the 4700 block of East Capitol St. to the neighbors surrounding the proposed development.

Saturday, February 7th at 10:30 to 12:30pm at Capitol View Library

The DC Zoning Board Hearing is schedule for February 10th at 9:30am at the Zoning board offices located at 441 4th St. NW (Judiciary Square metro stop) and open to neighbors who would like to share their thoughts.

Marshall Heights: One of DC's Top Transitional Neighborhoods

WAMU radio recently ran a story on the Marshal Heights neighborhood as part of its Metro Connections series.

"The hilly Ward 7 neighborhood is bordered by East Capitol Street on the north, Southern Avenue on the east, and Benning Road on the west."

See the link below:

Article: The Ups and Downs of a Neighborhood East of the River

2015 Swearing In Ceremony

It is official, today I was sworn in to serve as the Commissioner for Single Member District 7E04.