May 21, 2020

Coronavirus Update: ReOpen DC Report

Dear Neighbors,

The ReOpen DC Advisory Group's [1]ReOpen DC Report was released today with
broad guidelines on the phased reopening of the District. Lead by Co-Chairs
Ambassador Susan Rice and Secretary Michael Churtoff, this document is the
product of eleven committees that worked on recommendations and strategies
to safely reopen various public and private sectors, such as our schools,
restaurants, parks, and local businesses. This report was also released on
the District's 11th consecutive day of decline in community spread of
coronavirus. And, should this trend continue and the District's four
[2]reopening metrics are met, the Mayor may consider deploying Phase 1 of
the reopening strategy by next Friday, May 29th.

While there is great content in this report ([3]here is an overview by
DCist), I am disappointed that there wasn't a more specific and detailed
plan for our transportation and public space infrastructure. As the Chair
of the Committee on Transportation & the Environment, I submitted a
[4]letter with recommendations to the ReOpen DC Transportation &
Infrastructure Subcommittee and recently [5]called for a more strategic use
of our road space to allow for expanded outdoor restaurant seating and
safer pedestrian and cyclist travel. I'm sure we've all seen or experienced
instances where a sidewalk is too narrow to pass a neighbor safely and
someone heads into the road to maintain a 6 ft distance.

The District is in a period of low vehicular traffic, and we should fully
capitalize on this opportunity to modify our streets for resident, not
commuter, use. Furthermore, our streets should be reengineered to deter and
decrease speeding and unsafe driver behavior now that the roads have
largely cleared. There are also undeniable environmental benefits to these
traffic reductions. Just today, Director Wells of the Department on Energy
& the Environment notified me that the District's air quality, as we've
seen in cities across the world, has greatly improved during this public
health emergency. We've experienced a 10-30% drop in four major air
pollutants, likely from the transportation sector. The District will soon
head into a period of recovery from this pandemic, and this period will
also present many opportunities for us to rebuild and improve—let's take
full advantage of it.

Regards,

Mary

Please see [6]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

If you know someone who would like to receive these updates directly, he or
she may sign up through [7]marycheh.com or by
emailing [8][email protected]

Ward 3 Virtual Community Drive - [9]Sibley Memorial Hospital is partnering
with the [10]Palisades Citizens Association, [11]Palisades Village, and
[12]American University to collect household items for District residents
in need. This effort, the COVID-19 Virtual Community Drive, is running May
25th through June 1st.

In the District of Columbia and across the United States, a
disproportionate number of people of color are experiencing more serious
illness and death due to COVID-19 than other demographics. To help address
this emerging statistic, the community drive will focus on providing aid
to communities of color across the District.

Please visit the drive’s [13]Amazon wish list to help purchase specific
items ranging from cloth masks to essential household items that are in
great demand in the District’s underserved neighborhoods. Make sure you
select “Sibley Memorial Hospital Community Drive” during the check-out
process to have the items delivered directly to the hospital. Items
purchased from the wish list will be delivered to Sibley Hospital and
distributed to various community partners.

Important Environmental Updates from Attorney General Karl Racine

Grayhound Lines, Inc. - Greyhound Lines, Inc. will now be required to make
company-wide policy changes to reduce air pollution and will prohibit
excessive bus idling nationwide as part of a settlement with the Office of
the Attorney General (OAG). The company will also pay a $125,000 penalty to
the District for allowing buses to idle at Union Station for longer than
the District’s legal limit. This settlement resolves a lawsuit over
Greyhound’s violations of the District’s air pollution control law and
failure to comply with multiple enforcement notices. [14]Read More Here

Monsanto Company - The Attorney General filed a lawsuit alleging that
Monsanto knowingly promoted and sold polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for
nearly 50 years, made false statements to regulators and the public about
the safety of these products, and failed to adequately warn the public that
PCBs caused significant health problems including cancer and liver damage.
Due to their high degree of persistence, the chemicals remain in the
District’s environment today, still accumulating in fish and wildlife.
According to estimates, clean-up and restoration of the District’s natural
resources will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. [15]Read More Here

Vote Safe with a Mail-In (Absentee) Ballot

For information on how to request an absentee ballot, please click the
button below:

[16]Request a Mail-in Ballot

Curbside Pick-Up Pilot Includes Ward 3 Businesses

From DCist -

D.C.’s pilot program allowing some nonessential businesses to reopen for
curbside delivery or sidewalk pick-up now includes beauty supply stores,
sundries, florists, and card shops....When the program announced the first
participating stores on Sunday, three of the four initial businesses that
received waivers were those that had reached out to Cheh about possible
exceptions from the stay-at-home order: [17]Middle C
Music[18], [19]Child’s Play Toys and Books[20], and all three [21]Politics
and Prose locations...

[22]Allan Woods Flowers in Woodley Park has also been added to the pilot!

[23]Read the Full Story

Support Girls on the Run during COVID-19

Support Girls on the Run - Are you looking for a new exercise routine in
quarantine? Train with Girls on the Run-DC in the Spring 5K Virtual
Challenge!

With your registration, you'll not only be supporting our local [24]Girls
on the Run program, but you'll receive equipment-free training plans for
running and strength training (options available for all fitness levels).

Most importantly, you are not running alone. You are running in spirit with
all the young girls in the District of Columbia who trained and looked
forward to their spring 5K race, but whose season was cut short due
to COVID-19.

Register at [25]www.gotrdc.org/5K and get your training on!

Reminder: T&E Committee Budget Process

First Two Hearings Held - Today, the Committee on Transportation & the
Environment (T&E) held its first two budget oversight hearings. The hearing
record will remain open for submissions for one week after the hearing
date. To watch today's hearings, please use the following links:
* [26]Department of Public Works
* [27]Department of Energy & the Environment

Additional Budget Resources - If you would like more information on the
FY21 Budget process and links to FY21 Budget documents and full Council
hearing schedule, please see the [28]May 18th Ward 3 Update. The T&E
Committee's schedule is listed below.

How to Respond to a Bee Swarm

From Erin Gleeson -

If you see a swarm...Don't panic, call a beekeeper! Honeybee swarm season
is NOW. With an early spring, healthy honey bees can quickly outgrow their
hive space and leave in search of a new place to call home. Bee swarms
contain thousands of harmless, homeless honey bees. They will usually ball
up in a tree, fence, or any place that looks safe.

These are local sustainable bees and many beekeepers would love to give
them a hive to call their own, and the DC Swarm Squad can usually gather a
swarm within 30 mins.

To ensure that District swarms are collected in a safe and timely manner,
if you see a swarm, snap a picture and call/text the DC Beekeeper Alliance
Swarm Squad at 202.255.4318.

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

Projections of Appreciation & Gratitude

From the Forest Hills Connection -

Who is behind this “thank you” to essential workers?

Last month, Forest Hills Connection editor Marlene Berlin called Van Ness
Main Street Executive Director Gloria Garcia with an idea: a light
projection that expresses gratitude for the essential workers (including
those working in health care, grocery, restaurants, public safety and
sanitation) working so hard to keep the neighborhood safe, healthy and
livable.

[29]Read the Full Story

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to [30]email the office directly or reach us via phone
through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget
requests, and constituent services requests.

[31]Facebook [32]Twitter

FOLLOW MARY

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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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