Coronavirus Update: New Middle School, the Fall Election, & COVID-19 News

Dear Neighbors,

This is a busy and important week in the District. Yesterday, the Council held its final vote on the Budget Support Act. And now members, myself included, are holding our final hearings ahead of the summer recess period, and on Friday the Mayor is expected to announce the details of her final student learning plan for the 2020-2021 school year. In my last newsletter, I noted how disagreement over a proposed 3% advertising tax resulted in the adjournment of our Legislative Meeting. After examining how to balance the budget without implementing the tax, the Chairman successfully introduced a proposal to redirect cash funding from capital improvement projects, agency reorganization, and a redistribution of funding from a number of the Council's enhancements to the Mayor's proposed budget. The Chairman's memo on these funding changes is available: here.

One important development in this year's budget was the opportunity to purchase the Georgetown Day School's (GDS) Lower/Middle school property. Just as the new Foxhall Elementary School will help address overcrowding issues in our neighborhood elementary schools, the GDS property would help alleviate overcrowding at the middle school level. Alice Deal Middle School is at 110% enrollment capacity (and growing) and is, for example, forced to schedule some students to a 10:30 am lunch period in order to accommodate the student body in the building's limited common spaces. This is a once in a generation opportunity, and if the government doesn't act to purchase the property now, it will surely be sold by next year. Notably, the funding identified for this purchase did not affect the budgets of any other schools or modernizations (it was generated through borrowing within the current debt cap) and, importantly, it will enable area middle schools to continue to welcome out of boundary students. Providing funding for the purchase of this site is the first step in the acquisition process. Now, the property experts in the Executive branch must analyze offer options and determine whether or how to move forward. I will keep residents updated on this project.

On a final note, I would like to offer my condolences to our Attorney General Karl Racine who lost his mother, Dr. Marie Racine, earlier this week. Those of us who have lost a parent know this heartbreak and unique type of loss, and indeed Dr. Racine's death is also a loss for the broader District community. Dr. Racine was a loving mother and generous grandmother, and a beloved professor at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) where she taught for 45 years. Please keep Karl, his family and loved ones, her former students, and the UDC community in your thoughts and prayers as we celebrate her life and lasting legacy.

Regards,

Mary

Please see 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 marycheh.com

Honoring Congressman John Robert Lewis

Good Trouble - This week thousands of Americans paid their respects and bid farewell to Representative John Lewis as he lie in state at the U.S. Capitol. Today, Representative Lewis was further honored with a ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol Rotunda. PBS will has broadcast his casket arrival and the ceremony in Georgia for those who wish to watch his return to his beloved home state.

More from WJLA - Thousands attend public viewing as Congressman John Lewis lies in state

"It was a tribute unlike any this nation has seen: a public viewing on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, during which masks were required and social distancing was enforced. Yet despite coronavirus concerns and extreme heat, thousands of people showed up to say goodbye to congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis."

Read the Full Story & View the Photo Gallery

Vote Safe DC: General Election Update

General Election Update - Yesterday, in coordination with Mayor Bowser, the Council passed emergency legislation to require a minimum of 80 in-person polling locations for the November 3rd General Election. This effort aims to increase in-person voting safety and avoid the long wait times and the logistical failings of the June 2nd Primary Election. There will also be early voting options.

In an article by WAMU/DCist, the DC Board of Elections (BOE) announced some planning details and anticipated challenges ahead of the Fall election. Below are some highlights summarized from the story:

Voting by Mail - To address the previous ballot mailing issues, BOE will contract with a specialized mail house to handle the logistics of sending out almost a half-million ballots, and plans on placing between 40 and 50 ballot drop boxes around the District for voters who don’t want to rely on the mail *Please Note: the mailing date for ballots has not yet been announced
80 In-Person Polling Places - There will be a minimum of 80 in-person polling places available for the General Election. BOE warned that even with an increased number of polling places available, voters could still see long lines because of high turnout and social distancing requirements
Vote Anywhere - Any voter will be able cast a ballot at any polling place
Super Vote Centers - BOE is working to open “super vote centers” in large-scale facilities like the Capital One Arena

For more on the safe elections effort, please read further in WAMU/DCist.

New Signage & Re-Striping for the Chevy Chase Circle

From NBC4 - Chevy Chase Traffic Circle Gets Safety Makeover

“We’ll be adding new signage that makes it clear where drivers should and should not enter and exit the circle,” said Jeff Marootian, the head of DDOT.

The biggest change is that if drivers want to continue around the circle, they can only do that from the inner-most lane. All lanes can still leave the circle, so drivers don't have to merge into a different lane to exit. The design is meant to eliminate drivers from cutting one another off."

Read the Full Story

New Mayoral Order: Self-Quarantine after Non-Essential Travel

High-Risk States Identified - Beginning Monday, July 27th, anyone coming into Washington, DC from a high-risk area who was not traveling for essential activities will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. States are determined to be a high-risk area are when the seven-day moving average of daily new COVID-19 cases is 10 or more per 100,000 people. Individuals traveling from high-risk states after essential travel or arriving in the District for essential travel are required to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days and, if they show signs or experience symptoms, they are to self-quarantine and seek medical advice or testing.

Please Note: This order excludes Maryland and Virginia

DC Health will publish a list of high-risk areas online and update it every two weeks. The current list is valid through August 10th.

Current high-risk areas include:

Arkansas
Arizona
Alabama
California
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Iowa

Kansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina

North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin

Councilmember Cheh Joins the Ask Rayceen Show

The Ask Rayceen Show - Last Wednesday, Councilmember Cheh joined Rayceen Pendarvis and Krylios on the 'Ask Rayceen Show' to discuss LGBTQ+ funding highlights in this year's budget, coronavirus resources and community needs, civil rights demonstrations, and the removal of Confederate statues and renaming efforts.

Click here or on the video above to watch the show.

Updated Summer Testing Schedule

Summer COVID-19 Testing Schedule - For the rest of the summer, the Anacostia, UDC-CC Bertie Backus, and Judiciary Square sites will open from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, Monday through Friday. This schedule is listed in the top graphic.

Firehouse testing will continue to operate from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday, and 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturday. This schedule is listed in the bottom graphic.

Please Note: If the heat index hits 100 degrees, the daytime walk-up sites will close. If there is inclement weather in the evening, firehouse testing site closure decisions will be made by location.

Event Thursday: Financing Food

Creating an Equitable Food System - Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) play a critical role in providing funding, capital, and other resources to hyper-local District food businesses. Join the Food Policy Council for a dynamic conversation with CDFIs and local business owners on local access to funding and financing. The discussion will also address the new DMV Good Food Fund’s Innovative Response Fund, which is providing much-needed support during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Moderator: Ona Balkus, Food Policy Director at DC Office of Planning

Panelists:

Olivia Rebanal, Capital Impact Partners
Daniel Friedman, Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC)
Lucien Smith, Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif)

And in conversation with DC food business owners:

Giuseppe Lanzone, Peruvian Brothers
Jeff Miskiri, Po Boy Jim

Resources for Reducing Food Waste in Your Kitchen

From the Washington Post - Your food scraps deserve another shot. Here's how to use peels, stems, and more in your cooking.

Rachael Jackson, founder of EatOrToss.com, which helps consumers evaluate “questionable-looking” food and provides recipes for reducing food waste, details some options for those who wish to reduce their food waste by re-purposing fruit and vegetable peels, rinds, seeds, stems, and more in her latest piece for the Washington Post.

Below is an excerpt from the article:

"Bean water. Aquafaba, essentially the liquid left over from draining a can of chickpeas, is kind of magical. It whips up like egg whites, making vegan mousse, meringue and mayonnaise as accessible as an appointment with your hand mixer. However, mastering the liquid can be a little tricky, which is perhaps why the Facebook group Aquafaba (Vegan Meringue — Hits and Misses!) boasts nearly 100,000 members. For precise recipes, Washington Post Food and Dining Editor Joe Yonan notes in “Cool Beans” (Ten Speed Press 2020) that the water from canned chickpeas is more consistent than what you might drain off garbanzos soaked and cooked at home (which is excellent for storing them). When baking, about three tablespoons of the stuff is equivalent to a whole egg. Try it in Chocolate, Red Bean and Rose Brownies."

Read the Full Story

Please Do Not Suffer Alone: Mental Health Resources Are Available

Monsanto to Pay D.C. $52 Million Over Chemical Pollution in Rivers

From DCist - "The chemical giant Monsanto will pay the District of Columbia $52 million dollars, as part of a settlement over toxic contamination in D.C. waterways. It’s one of the largest environmental settlements ever in the city.

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine filed suit against Monsanto in May, alleging the company had polluted all 36 waterways in the city with toxic polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. The company knew how harmful the chemicals were for decades, according to the lawsuit, but continued to promote and sell them...

...The majority of the $52 million will help fund cleanups of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, per the suit. The District is currently working on a lengthy and expensive plan to remediate PCB contamination in the sediment of the Anacostia River."

Read the Full Story

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

Volunteers Brave the Heat to Help Rock Creek Park

Love Rock Creek - Volunteers have been braving the heat and high humidity (while safely social distancing and wearing masks) this summer to help restore and preserve our Rock Creek Park lands. Their efforts have included litter and discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) clean ups, "social trail" removal to support vulnerable vegetation, and clearing invasive species (such as growth) that overtake natural wildlife habitats. A big 'thank you' to all the volunteers who have given your time and efforts to Rock Creek Park so that we may all enjoy this wonderful natural resource!

To learn about future volunteer opportunities, please see: Love Rock Creek.

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 reach us via phone through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services requests.