October 23, 2020

Coronavirus Update: Contact Tracing App, New Climate Bill, & Voter
Resources

Dear Neighbors,

This week the District gained a new and valuable tool the effort to prevent
the spread of coronavirus: a COVID-19 exposure notification app for iPhone
or Android users known as the DC COVID Alert Notice (DC CAN). This
technology is the result of a collaboration between Google, Apple, and
public health departments across the country that will provide users who
opt-in to receive phone alerts if they've been exposed to or in contact
with another user who tested positive for coronavirus. Not only is this a
helpful tool for DC Health's contract tracing process, but it can help
inform a resident's decision to self-quarantine to further reduce the
exposure risk to others.

DC CAN works through a key-protected Bluetooth signal, it is not a GPS or
location tracker, and the data collected by the software is only shared
with DC Health. More on this technology's user privacy protections and how
it works is available [1]here and in the [2]video linked below. Residents
with an iPhone or Android phone will receive a push notification (an
automatic notification on your smartphone) to opt-in or decline this
resource. At any time, residents can opt-out or add the DC CAN app through
the Google Play Store (for Android users) or in the settings tab (for
iPhone users). With a vaccine in development and early questions as to how
long the production and distribution of the vaccine will take, this
technology will be invaluable in monitoring the spread as local services
expand and and business reopen during the recovery period. I will be
opting-in to DC CAN, and hope you will too.

Regards,

Mary

[3]

Please see [4]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

The Public Health Emergency has been extended through December 31st, 2020

If you know someone who would like to receive these updates directly, he or
she may sign up through [5]marycheh.com

Low-Flying Helicopters Are Assessing Radiation Prior to Inauguration

From DCist - "Residents of the D.C. area may spot helicopters flying at
rather low altitudes above the city and surrounding region ahead of the
presidential inauguration.The helicopters are part of a Nuclear Emergency
Support Team (NEST) fleet of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) that “will measure naturally
occurring background radiation” to help ensure public safety at the day’s
events...Such surveys are standard practice when it comes to emergency
preparedness, NNSA says in the release.

Residents can expect to see daytime flights that may last about two hours
each. Helicopters will fly in a grid-like pattern at an altitude of 150
feet or higher, and at about 80 miles per hour."

[6]Read the Full Story

Legislative Update: Fighting Climate Change with Food

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Time and time again, the District has
been a national leader in environmental policy, but there is one major and
underutilized tool in the fight against climate change: our purchasing
power in the food procurement process. On Tuesday, October 20th,
Councilmember Cheh introduced the “[7]Green Food Purchasing Amendment Act
of 2020” to make sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHS) reductions a
priority within the District’s food purchasing process.

Here's how we can fight climate change with food:

The food system, including the natural resources required to produce,
transport, and distribute food, is inextricably [8]linked with
environmentalism. And numerous District agencies, from the Department of
Parks and Recreation to the Department of Corrections (including 3rd party
vendors), purchase massive quantities of food each year.

Every step of the food procurement process within local management should
be working toward the District's environmental goals and priorities. To
achieve this, the "Green Food Purchasing Amendment Act" will direct the
Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) to determine the greenhouse gas
emissions from the life cycle of certain foods and beverages so that, with
a baseline emissions measurement, DOEE can provide agencies with purchasing
guidance to meet goals for greenhouse gas reductions along a specific
schedule:
* 10% greenhouse gas reductions by FY25
* 18% greenhouse gas reductions by FY27
* 25% greenhouse gas reductions by FY30

This bill will make sure that the money the District is already spending on
food procurement is working toward measurable reductions in food-related
greenhouse gas emissions. Below are the 31 local food and justice
organizations that support this effort:

Vote Safe DC

Ballot Drop Boxes - Residents may drop ballots off in any ballot drop box
in the District at any time until 8:00 pm on Election Day, Tuesday,
November 3rd. The Board of Elections will collect ballots from drop boxes
twice per day. Read more on how the Board of Elections verifies ballot
signatures: [9]here.

Ward 3's ballot drop box locations:

[10]Guy Mason Recreation Center

[11]Chevy Chase Library

[12]Tenley-Friendship Library

[13]Cleveland Park Library

[14]Palisades Library

[15]Second District Police Station

Voting In Person - For voter registration, early voting, and Election Day
voting information, please see the [16]September 17th Ward 3 Newsletter.

Important Dates:
* October 27th through November 2nd: Early voting period, early vote
centers will be open from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm
* Tuesday, November 3rd: Election Day, all voting centers will open from
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Frequently Asked Questions:

What if I receive someone else’s ballot? Mark the outer envelope as “Return
to Sender” and drop it in the mail or ballot drop box.

How will I be able to track my mail-in ballot? The Board of Elections will
provide a secure tracking feature on its website [17]here. Residents will
be able to live-track their ballots as they move through the US Postal
Service system using [18]BallotTrax.

By what date should I plan to vote in person if I haven’t received a
ballot? The Board of Elections recommends that if a voter hasn’t received a
ballot already (by October 21st), he or she should make a plan to vote in
person.

How many Vote Centers will be open during Early Voting and on Election
Day? The Board of Elections will be opening 32 Vote Centers for Early
Voting and 90+ Election Day Vote Centers.
* Do I have to vote in my Ward or at a particular Vote Center? No. Voters
can vote at any Vote Center during Early Voting or on Election Day.

What do I need for same-day registration? Registered voters do not need to
present proof of residency to vote. However, if you will be registering
during the Early Voting period or on Election Day, you will need to
provide [19]proof of residence in order to register and vote.

A Note from the Humane Rescue Alliance:

Operational Changes - The success the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) has
experienced with increasing its capacity to house more animals in foster
homes in response to COVID-19 has allowed the organization to transition
many of its services to the community and consolidate others to its 71
Oglethorpe St. NW location; thus, reducing services at DC Health’s Animal
Care and Control Facility on New York Ave. NE. Only a few, limited services
will remain at the New York Ave NE location. For specific service changes,
please see: [20]HRA's Blog.

Whether you have an animal emergency or need to drop off a stray animal,
you can reach HRA 24/7 at 202-723-5730.

All the animals pictured in this post are currently [21]available for
adoption!

Council Acts to Seal Eviction Records & Tamp Down Serial Eviction Filing

From Street Sense - By Annemarie Cuccia

"While the District has had an eviction moratorium in place since
mid-March, tenants have still been feeling the threat of eviction–and the
long-term consequences of eviction filings...

It’s not just these notices that are causing harm to tenants—landlords have
also filed over 1,800 eviction actions with the court since the moratorium
was put in place. Even though these residents are protected from losing
their housing currently, the action itself could affect their future.

“The numbers are staggering. And this record follows you around, making it
devastating to a person to be able to rent in the future,” Cheh said. Of
the eviction actions filed between 2014 and 2018, only 5% resulted in
eviction, but every single one created a permanent record."

[22]Read the Full Story

Community Input Needed: Wilson High School Renaming Nominations

Submit Nominations for New Name - DC Public Schools (DCPS) is seeking
public input on potential new names for Woodrow Wilson High School in Ward
3. The public nomination period will remain open until October 30th. DCPS
will vet nominated names and provide a shortlist for additional public
input, however the final name will be selected by the Chancellor and Mayor.

Please use the form below to propose any potential new school names that
you feel should be considered:

[23]Submit a Nomination

DCPS has published a [24]general timeline for the renaming process that
indicates that a new name will be formally selected in December.

For more on this effort, please see either [25]The Wilson Beacon (for a
student perspective) or DCist's piece on the recent passage of a Council
Resolution in support of the name change introduced by Councilmember Cheh
in July:[26] D.C. Council Passes Resolution Supporting Renaming Of Woodrow
Wilson High School.

Virtual Community Event: Friendship Walks 2020

Friendship Walks - Friendship Walks is the annual walk focused on ending
homelessness in the Washington region. This year, participants won't be
walking together on the National Mall, but will be walking virtually
towards the common goal of bringing awareness and resources to the fight to
end homelessness.

This year, walkers are [27]committing to taking 9,763 steps a day from
November 14th to the 21st (Homelessness Awareness Week). 9,763 represents
the number of our community members experiencing homelessness on the
streets and in shelters.

All proceeds benefit[28] Friendship Place, a Ward 3-based nonprofit
organization that offers the most effective model for addressing
homelessness. Friendship Place's innovative programs empower participants
to rebuild their lives, find homes, get jobs, and reconnect with friends,
family, and the community.

Last year, through the support of Friendship Walks, Friendship Place
prevented or ended homelessness for over 1,437 people, including 562
veterans, and 482 children.

Learn more or join the Friendship Walk today: [29]Friendship Walks 2020.

New Protocol for Leaf Collections

2020 Leaf Season - This year, the Department of Public Works (DPW) is
asking residents to bag their leaves for leaf collection. Due to
coronavirus safety concerns, the agency is unable to deploy the large crews
needed to operate the leaf vacuums, but DPW will be able to collect bagged
leaves left in the abutting tree boxes.

Because leaf collections are composted, residents should only bag leaves in
paper bags. DPW will be providing each household that receives collections
with 20 free paper bags for the season beginning October 30th.

If you are in need of assistance bagging leaves, please reach out to Serve
DC.

For more information, please see the [30]video below and/or [31]2020 Leaf
Collection Changes.

[32]

Extending Unemployment Insurance Benefits

[33]

Extend Benefits - Unemployment Insurance (UI) offers workers 26 weeks of
initial benefits, but compensation can be extended for up to a year through
two 13-week extensions.

However, the 13-week extensions are not automatic and UI claimants need to
apply and file an application to receive extended support.

For additional application information and UI program details from the
Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, please see: [34]Extending UI
Benefits.

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

Celebrating Woodley Park Businesses & the Iconic Marilyn Monroe Mural

Toast to Marilyn - Last Saturday, the [35]Woodley Park Main Street hosted a
dedication ceremony to celebrate the recently restored Marilyn Monroe mural
in the Woodley Park commercial corridor. The mural, painted above [36]Salon
Roi, is 39 years old and was a gift to then-owner Roi Barnard by his life
partner, Charles Stinson. After noting years of fading and sun damage,
Councilmember Cheh dedicated funding for the mural's restoration in last
year's budget. The restoration was done by local graffiti artist Kevin
"Jazi" Irvin.

To celebrate the restoration, numerous businesses in Woodley Park are
offering special drink promotions and products through the end of the
month. For promotion details, please see: [37]Toast to Marilyn.

To read more about Roi, his deep personal connection with Marilyn Monroe,
and the history of the neighborhood's iconic mural, please see:
[38]Restoring Marilyn Monroe in Woodley Park.

Pictured Above: (Top Left) Restoration artist Kevin Irvin in front of his
work. (Top Right) Councilmember Cheh and Woodley Park Main Street Board
Chair David DiSantis join Roi Barnard for the mural dedication ceremony.
(Bottom Left) Roi Barnard with Marilyn Monroe impersonator Ryan Eubank.
(Bottom Right) The newly restored Marilyn Monroe Mural in Woodley Park.

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.

[39]Facebook [40]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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