Coronavirus Update:

School Readiness, Voting, and the March on Washington

Dear Neighbors,

This week, I met (virtually) with each of the principals from our Ward 3 schools. Even though I couldn't physically tour the buildings as I have in years past, it was important to talk with school officials about how they're handling these unprecedented times and what I can do to support them as the beginning of the school year approaches. In these meetings, I have focused on three topics:

Making sure we have the necessary technology to start the school year virtually
The condition of the buildings (both currently and for a possible hybrid opening in November, though nothing has been decided yet)
Obtaining a waiver from the Department of Agriculture so students can receive meals at any school - not just the school to which they've been assigned - so they don't have to travel across the city

While I know this will be a challenging year for all of us, I also know our principals and teachers are doing the best they can to ensure our children are learning, growing, and thriving, even if that work is done remotely.

As I'm sure you're all aware, this past week has raised many questions and concerns about the United States Postal Service and absentee voting for the upcoming presidential election. While the primary election in June had its own set of issues, the District's Board of Elections has been taking steps to ensure that everyone can vote safely in November. They will be setting up ballot drop boxes in each ward so that you can return your ballot without having to put it in the mail. For folks who want to vote in person, I suggest early voting. I don't know the specific circumstances of what this year will look like, but it's been my experience that relatively few people take advantage of early voting, so it's less crowded and would be easier to practice social distancing. More details on voting and the locations in Ward 3 are listed later in this newsletter.

On Friday, August 28th, the March on Washington will take place. Councilmembers have been asking about this event almost on a daily basis. The March itself will take place on federal property, and so far as we have been advised, the federal government has issued a permit for the March, and it does not include any conditions such as mask wearing. Nevertheless, the District government tells us that they have been in touch with the organizers, and are recommending & encouraging that they follow the rules about social distancing (especially for those attendees who will be seated) and mask wearing. The organizers say that they will encourage mask wearing and have masks to distribute; I have also asked that the District have masks to distribute. We want to make sure that the attendees of the March and the residents of the District are as safe as possible.

Finally, I wanted to let everyone know that a vaccine study is recruiting volunteers in the DMV area. To participate, you must be at least 18 years old, and in particular, they are seeking out essential workers, people with underlying health conditions, healthy individuals who have not had COVID-19, and people over the age of 65. I'm currently a volunteer in the NIH/Moderna vaccine trial, and I'm pleased to do my part to help us end this pandemic. You can find more information and sign up here.

Regards,

Mary

Meeting with Wilson officials to ensure school readiness

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

Metro Increases Rail and Bus Service

Metrorail Service - This week, Metro increased both the frequency and hours of rail service. On weekdays, the Red line is running every 5 minutes during peak hours, and every 12 minutes during off-peak hours. All other lines are running every 8 minutes during peak hours, and every 15 minutes during off-peak hours. On weekends, the Red line runs every 12 minutes, and all other lines run every 15 minutes. The new hours are 5am-11pm on weekdays, 7am-11pm on Saturdays, and 8am-11pm on Sundays. Full details are available here.

Metrobus Service - Beginning this Sunday, August 23rd, Metro will scale up to approximately 75% of bus service. To see specific details for individual routes, please click here. All bus riders should continue to board through the rear doors, and will not be charged a fare.

Remember, masks are required on public transportation.

Read news stories about the increase in service from The Washington Post and WTOP.

Contact Trace Force Begins Home Visits

This week, COVID-19 contact tracers began making home visits. Home visits will be conducted in cases in which individuals were reached but did not complete the contact tracing interview, or were unable to be reached through phone outreach after a period of 1-2 days. To support this effort, DC Health is hiring an additional 175 contact tracers, bringing the total up to 450.

Please Note: DC Health is not currently accepting new applications for contact tracers, but if they do so, the job listing will be posted on careers.dc.gov.

Three Ways to Vote in November

Please Note: The following are the relevant voting locations in Ward 3. You can drop off your ballot at any drop box in the city, and you can cast your ballot at any early voting or Election Day polling place. Click here for a full list of ballot drop box locations, and a full list of early voting and Election Day polling locations.

Absentee Ballots - The Board of Elections will be mailing every registered voter an absentee ballot for the presidential election in November. Please take a moment to confirm your registration status here. The ballots will be mailed the first week of October, and can be returned via mail, or at one of the following ballot drop box locations:

Chevy Chase Library (5625 Connecticut Avenue NW)
Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Avenue NW)
Palisades Library (4901 V Street NW)
Second District Police Station (3320 Idaho Avenue NW)
Tenley-Friendship Library (4450 Wisconsin Avenue NW)

Early Voting - The following early voting centers will be open from Tuesday, October 27th, through Monday, November 2nd, from 8:30am-7pm:

Omni Shoreham Hotel (2500 Calvert Street NW)
University of the District of Columbia (4200 Connecticut Avenue NW)

Election Day Voting - The following polling places will be open on Tuesday, November 3rd, from 7am-8pm:

Capitol Memorial Church (3150 Chesapeake Street NW)
Chevy Chase Community Center (5601 Connecticut Avenue NW)
Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Avenue NW)
Guy Mason Recreation Center (3600 Calvert Street NW)
Horace Mann Elementary School (4430 Newark Street NW)
Janney School (4130 Albemarle Street NW)
Murch Elementary School (4810 36th Street NW)
Oyster School (2801 Calvert Street NW)
Palisades Recreation Center (5200 Sherrier Place NW)

Healthy Habits and COVID-19

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I recently met (virtually) with Dr. Neal Barnard from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and he shared these health recommendations with me. It's always a good idea to do what we can to improve our health, especially during this pandemic.

Take the DCFACES Survey

The District of Columbia Facilities and Commemorative Expressions (DCFACES) Working Group is evaluating named DC Government-owned facilities and making recommendations as to what, if any, actions need to be taken if the person for whom the facility is named has a history inconsistent with DC values. Examples of these facilities include:

DC Government-owned buildings (libraries, schools, rec centers, etc.)
DC Government-owned parks
DC Government-owned streets
Statues in DC Government-owned parks

Take the survey and submit your ideas here, and visit the DCFACES website for more information. The survey closes Monday, August 24th.

Comprehensive Plan Update

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The Committee of the Whole has scheduled a two-day hearing on the Comprehensive Plan. The hearing will begin at 10am on Thursday, November 12th, and continue the next day, Friday, November 13th, starting at 9am. There are three ways to testify:

Email written testimony
Call (202) 430-6948 and leave a voicemail, which will be transcribed
Sign up to testify live (virtually)

More information about the hearing is available on Chairman Mendelson's website. You can read more information about the Comprehensive Plan as it stands right now on plandc.dc.gov.

COVID-19 Testing

Get Tested! - DC Health is offering COVID-19 tests and antibody tests at locations across the city. You do not need a doctor's note to get a test. Locations and times are listed below, and more details are available here.

Please Note: Testing availability is subject to change due to inclement weather. Stay up to date at coronavirus.dc.gov.

Free Public Testing Sites

Antibody (Serology) Testing

E-Cycling in Ward 3

What is E-Cycling? - E-Cycling is the recycling of unwanted electronic equipment. This prevents dangerous substances, like lead and mercury, from being released into the environment. Accepted e-cycling items are listed here.

eCYCLE Collection Events - On Saturday, September 19th, from 10am-2pm, DOEE will host an eCYCLE collection event in Ward 3 at the Chevy Chase Library (5625 Connecticut Avenue NW). There will be additional events on Saturday, December 5th from 10am-2pm at both the Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Avenue NW) and the Palisades Community Center (5200 Sherrier Place NW).

E-Cycling at Ft Totten - In addition to the events that occur across the city, the Ft. Totten Transfer Station (4900 John F. McCormack Drive NE) accepts e-cycling every Saturday from 8am to 3pm, and on September 3rd, October 1st, November 5th, and December 3rd from 1pm to 5pm.

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

Panda Pregnancy at the Zoo!

Mei Xiang, a giant panda at the National Zoo, is pregnant! A recent ultrasound showed a giant panda fetus kicking and swimming. Zoo officials predicted we could have a new panda cub neighbor as early as this weekend. Read the full story here.

The panda house at the Zoo is currently closed to provide quiet for Mei Xiang, but the Giant Panda Cam is still operating.

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.