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Coronavirus Update: Persistent Issues, DCFACES, & Rock Creek
Dear Neighbors,
On August 1st, the Council entered into the summer recess period. This is a time where committees conduct much of the research and legislative drafting for new bills to be introduced in the fall as well as continue work on existing bills, committee projects, and Councilmember priorities. Until the summer recess concludes on September 7th, we will be unable to hold any hearings or introduce new legislation. Of course, my office remains open during this time, constituent services are available, and I will continue to share coronavirus and Ward 3 updates. On that note, I wanted to share some information on the more persistent and continuing issues that residents report to me:
Confusion over the Mask Order - There has been some confusion over the exact legal requirements of the Mayor's mask mandate. And while there is some nuance to the text of the order and scenarios where you wouldn't be required to wear a mask (such as working alone in a closed-door private office), the simplest way of communicating its intent is to say that when you leave your home, wear a mask. When in doubt, wear a mask. Infection rates among those dining out and those in the workplace are on the rise, so there is no harm in wearing a mask beyond the legal requirement. It may help keep you, and others, safe.
COVID-19 Test Result Delays - As with the rest of the country, the District has experienced delays in the turnaround time for residents to receive their coronavirus testing results. While this is primarily due to the extreme influx of tests at processing labs, there have been some recent improvements and the District-wide average turnaround time is now 3-5 days. Once you are tested, CDC guidelines recommend that you self-quarantine while awaiting results. To inquire about your testing results, please contact: [email protected].
Licensing Concerns & the DMV - All Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) documents with an expiration date on/after March 1st will remain valid until 45 days after the public health emergency concludes. Eligible documents include driver's licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, inspections, ticket payments, and ticket adjudication responses. Your license, registration and inspection are still valid and have been automatically granted a waiver (without penalty) until the DMV reopens at full operating capacity. If you are traveling, it is recommended that you print out and carry the DMV's extension memo with you for verification purposes.
Voting Safely in November - Unlike in the Primary Election, ballots will be automatically mailed to every registered voter in the District. To help with this process, please ensure that your mailing address and voter registration is up to date. Not only will residents be able to vote at any voting center, but a minimum of 80 voting sites will be open for the General Election. The Board of Elections (BOE) will also open a number of early voting centers, which, if you choose to vote in person, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of as they traditionally have the shortest (if any) wait time. BOE has not yet announced when they will begin mailing ballots, but I will continue to share details as they are released (including information about the new ballot drop-off boxes).
Regards,
Mary
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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
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A Sneak Peek at the Newly Renovated MLK Library |
Beautiful Renovation Almost Complete - Last week, Councilmember Cheh toured the newly renovated Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library that is scheduled to reopen to the public this September. Not only will the building be better situated to host local groups and provide community spaces, but it features stunning artwork, a green roof, outdoor seating, expansive children's areas (including a wooden slide!), and numerous community labs for resident projects--such as a 'Memory lab' where residents may digitize old VHS tapes, photos, and CDs. This historic building has undergone a beautiful transformation. To learn more about this project, please see: MLK Jr. Library Modernization. |
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DCPS Parents: Please Take the Technology Survey |
Technology Needs - Public schools will be all-virtual for the first term of the fall 2020-2021 school year. The first term runs from Monday, August 31st through Friday, November 6th, at which point the Mayor, DC Health, and DC Public Schools (DCPS) will reevaluate the District's coronavirus data to determine whether it will be safe enough to introduce a hybrid model of virtual and in-person learning for students. Access to technology will be critical to the fall term's success.
To help DCPS evaluate student access to laptops and tablets for full time virtual learning, parents are asked to share their children(s)'s technology needs through the following online survey: Request A Technology Device.
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Back to School: Support The Homeless Children's Playtime Project |
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Ready to Learn - Every fall, the Homeless Children's Playtime Project (HCPP) ensures Playtime children receive brand-new backpacks stuffed with grade-appropriate school supplies so they can start the new school year prepared and confident. While the upcoming school year is starting online, children living in shelters still need school supplies—including masks and hand sanitizer—to ensure they have what they need to rise to the challenge of distance learning during the pandemic. For everyone's safety, HCPP is not able to receive backpacks from the community and hold their yearly backpack-stuffing event. However, there are plenty of ways to support their back to school support efforts. Click on the link below to learn more:
Play Equity & Back to School
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The District's COVID-19 Statistics at a glance |
Protect Others, Protect Yourself - While the rapid spread of coronavirus in other states may make headlines, it is important to remember that coronavirus is also very much present in the District of Columbia.
As of yesterday, August 5th, the District experienced 75 new positive cases, bringing our overall positive case total to 12,518 people. To date, 587 District residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19. In Ward 3, we have lost 33 of our neighbors to this virus. These statistics only underscore the importance of reducing the spread by wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, and frequent hand washing.
Below are some charts that include the District's latest COVID-19 data:
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Aggregated Total COVID-19 Cases Sorted by Age & Gender |
Total Deaths due to COVID-19 Sorted by Race |
Total Deaths due to COVID-19 Sorted by Age |
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Stay Safe & Stay Out of Rock Creek |
From WAMU - Can you swim in Rock Creek? Washingtonians aren't waiting for an answer
"Public pools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and many D.C. residents don’t have other options for relief from this summer’s stifling heat...Nearby, newly installed signs in English and Spanish warned about the reason why swimming is outlawed: Bacteria...There are lots of culprits for Rock Creek’s pollution, depending on where you’re standing.
North of Piney Branch (near the National Zoo), stormwater pipes in D.C. and Maryland funnel untreated runoff from yards, sidewalks and homes into the creek. That water can be contaminated with dog poop, goose poop, deer poop...Runoff from agricultural land in Montgomery County and century-old leaky sewers in the park also contribute to contamination.
Below Piney Branch, there are more than two dozen combined sewer outfalls. Essentially, stormwater gets funneled into the same pipes that carry raw sewage. After a heavy rain, those pipes, by design, overflow into Rock Creek.
All these sewer and runoff issues combine to create one very dirty creek, particularly after storms..."
Read & Listen to the Full Story
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Wilson High School Name Change & Survey |
Looking Forward - Amid the national call to remove Confederate statues and better use public spaces to celebrate diverse figures in history, the Mayor has convened a Facilities and Commemorative Expressions (DCFACES) working group to evaluate the names of District-owned facilities and make recommendations for sites that warrant a name change. DCFACES will consider/evaluate all DC Government-owned streets, buildings (libraries, schools, recreation centers, etc.), parks, statues, and other named public spaces.
The goal of this working group greatly compliments the work already started by the Ward 3-based DC Justice and History Collective to rename Woodrow Wilson High School. To aid in the Collective's efforts, last month Councilmember Cheh introduced a Sense of the Council Resolution (with all of her colleagues signing on in support) on the name change proposal. A hearing for this legislation has already been scheduled for September 15th.
DCFACES has released a community survey for residents to note any locations and priorities for the working group. Please help us flag Wilson as a community priority (and make your own additional recommendations) by filling out the survey here:
DCFACES Survey
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Summer COVID-19 Testing Schedule |
Free, Walk-Up Public Testing - For the remainder of the summer, the Anacostia, UDC-CC Bertie Backus, and Judiciary Square public testing sites will open from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, Monday through Friday. 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.
Please Note: If the heat index hits 100 degrees, the daytime walk-up sites will close. If a heat emergency is declared or there inclement weather in the evening, firehouse testing sites may also close. Closure decisions will be made by location, so please check online before heading out for testing.
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Anacostia, UDC-CC Bertie Backus, and Judiciary Square Testing Schedule: |
Firehouse Testing Schedule: |
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Metro's COVID-19 Recovery Plan |
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More Buses, Trains, & Extended Hours - This month, Metro will restore most of its Metrorail and Metrobus service to pre-COVID-19 levels. Customers are required to wear masks/face coverings when traveling with Metro, a requirement that extends to stations, trains, buses, and MetroAccess vehicles. As ridership increases, social distancing may be increasingly difficult on trains and buses, so residents should consider traveling during off-peak hours and using other travel alternatives (such as walking or biking) whenever possible. Upcoming service changes are listed below:
Effective Sunday, August 16th: Metrorail will open at 5 am weekdays, 7 am on Saturdays, and 8 am on Sundays. Metrorail will close daily at 11 pm.
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Weekday Red Line trains will operate every 5 minutes during peak periods and 12 minutes off-peak; all other lines will operate every 8 minutes during peak periods and 15 minutes off-peak
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Weekend Red Line trains will operate every 12 minutes; all other lines will operate every 15 minutes
Effective Sunday, August 23rd: Metrobus service will operate beginning at 4 am and end at midnight daily with rear-door boarding remaining in effect.
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Ending this Update on a Happy Note:
Humane Rescue Alliance & A Little Soap Save the Day
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Sly as a Fox Stuck in a Fence - On Wednesday morning, the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) received a call that a fox was helplessly lodged in a fence off Albemarle St, NW. The key to helping the fox squeeze his head out of the iron? Soap! After assessing that he was unharmed by the incident, animal control officers released him back into the wild. A very big 'thank you' to Senior Animal Control Officer Elesha Young and Animal Control Officer Christina Best for responding to the call and helping protect our local wildlife!
If you see an animal in need, please contact the Humane Rescue Alliance at 202-576-6664
Animal Control Officers are able to respond to emergencies and coordinate with City Wildlife to provide care and rehabilitation to injured/orphaned wildlife in the District. To read further on other recent wildlife rescue efforts, see DCist's piece, D.C. Strangers Banded Together To Help A Struggling Squirrel And Her Babies.
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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.
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