Dear Ward 8 Residents,

The holidays are upon us and with them come family gatherings and social events that are both fun and festive.

These gatherings are the perfect time to engage in intergenerational activities, connecting the elders to the youngest ones in the family. What better time than the holidays to capture the stories of loved ones about their favorite childhood holiday memories?

Multi-generational conversations are a great way to share family history and traditions, connecting both generations to the past and present.

Children are often curious about what it was like when family members were their age. The adults can turn to ask the youth about their dreams and aspirations.

This holiday season, I encourage you to have meaningful discussions with your family and friends. Put down the cellphones, disconnect from the TV, and sit around to reconnect to one another.

Enjoy the holiday season,
Trayon White, Sr.
Councilmember, Ward 8
Events DC ([link removed][0]=AZUD74sDhx-Oj5z-gmUbXbXhhWeXB9befOOm_5NwfLw4UJ90JeT0hXkdTkMJciNbWEQ0YcFbVCuY0K-m5dzM8egRC6oZFKh-HwTXlp0-iUd1DJKcggQI0fn-DEGZ26NHASwJ0KO3B1xHcJ5xX5U2lk8LslQAmWs1pzuqk7ymUygxRsqoy9tmm7GNlY0JYlVBoXY&__tn__=-]K*F) would like to invite all Ward 8 residents to celebrate the holidays at the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center, 2730 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue SE in the St. Elizabeths East community for Jolly Jamboree!

This event brings families together to enjoy a winter holiday atmosphere. Youth participants can engage in several festive activities for all to enjoy along with a special gift and pictures with Santa himself.

Giant will provide community resources and goodies for Jolly Jamboree.

The event is free, but RSVP is required via [link removed] ([link removed])
Legislative Updates ()

This week, the Council will not hold a legislative meeting. At last week’s legislative meeting, Councilmember White introduced temporary and emergency legislation to ensure that the Office of Independent Juvenile Justice Facilities Oversight (OIJJFO) will remain open for the remainder of the fiscal year. The OIJJFO provides important publicly available information regarding safety conditions and events at juvenile facilities managed by the District.
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On November 21, during the legislative meeting, Councilmember Trayon White introduced an amendment to establish a new Office of Independent Juvenile Justice Facilities Oversight. The amendment specifies that it would be established on an emergency basis, coinciding with the sunset of the operations of the current Office of Independent Juvenile Justice Facilities.
Committee Updates ()

On Wednesday. November 15, the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs held a public hearing on the following bills:
* B25-0133 – Weekend Equal Access to Swimming Amendment Act of 2023
* B25-0199 – Department of Parks and Recreation Program Priority Registration Act of 2023

The “Weekend Equal Access to Swimming Amendment Act of 2023” calls for the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to increase access to indoor swimming pools throughout the District.

The “Department of Parks and Recreation Program Priority Registration Act of 2023,” which was introduced by Councilmember White, calls for DPR to allow for residents within a one-mile radius of a recreation and/or community center to have priority in registration for DPR programs at their local center.

On Thursday, November 16, the Committee held an additional meeting to markup the following bills:
* PR25-0192 – Board of Library Trustees Maria Peace Confirmation Resolution of 2023
* PR25-0421 – Director of Department of Parks and Recreation Thennie Freeman Confirmation Resolution of 2023
* B25-0427 – Fairness in Use and Negotiation (FUN) for All Recreational Property Act of 2023

The Committee voted in favor of all three pieces of legislation. The first two resolutions will be voted on by the Council soon, while the “Fairness in Use and Negotiation (FUN) for All Recreational Property Act of 2023” has been referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development.

The DC Public Library reached a new milestone this year with more than 2 million digital items borrowed by customers in 2023 so far. This record high reflects significant growth in digital borrowing through the Library's online services.

"District residents are demonstrating an increasing reliance on our online offerings," said Richard Reyes-Gavilan, executive director of the DC Public Library. "This trend was evident prior to the pandemic but grew dramatically in 2020 and 2021. What we're seeing is less of a shift in use and more of an expansion in how libraries are used, requiring that we focus as much on the needs of those who visit us online as those who visit us on site."

Customers access the digital collection through the Libby app and OverDrive platform. These services allow convenient browsing, borrowing, and reading of ebooks, audiobooks and magazines. Digital titles can also be sent to personal devices like Kindle eReaders.

As online engagement remains strong, the Library will keep monitoring digital trends and adapting to meet the evolving needs of the District's readers - through both online services and Library locations.
HEARING NOTICE
Upcoming hearings at the DC Council
Councilmember White hosts his annual Ward 8 Turkey Drive and serves over 2,200 residents.

November 21, 2023

Councilmember Trayon White hosted his annual Ward 8 Turkey Drive with the support of dozens of sponsors to ensure 2,200 residents received a turkey for the Thanksgiving holiday.

In addition to residents picking up turkeys from one of 8 host sites, Councilmember White and his team organized the delivery of over 700 turkeys to seniors throughout Ward 8.

Johnson Middle School Win Football Game to become the Middle School State Champions.

November 20, 2023

The John Hayden Johnson Middle School Panthers football team took home the Middle School State Championship. This team has a phenomenal track record. The last time they lost a game was in 2018 and have won eight city championships in recent years.

Congratulations Johnson Middle School Panthers!

Councilmember Trayon White's Constituent Services Team joins book launch with the REACH program.

November 17, 2023

The Constituent Services team supported the REACH Program. The REACH program seeks to empower DC seniors to mentor second and third-grade students through reading. Together, they work on vocabulary, storytelling, and fact-finding. The REACH program collaborated with seniors and students to write and publish a book, "We Are Stronger Together." The Constituent Services team reflected on the event, stating it was terrific to see the talent and passion of the mentors and mentees.
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** Quick Links
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* Check out the 2020 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])
* Check out the 2021 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])
* Check out the 2022 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])
* Visit our website w ([link removed]) ww.trayonwhite8.com ([link removed])
* CM White's Social Media Facebook ([link removed]) | Instagram ([link removed]) | Twitter ([link removed])

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