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Friend --
Once we hold the Brickies, every December just seems to fly by. In
part, that's because Ward 6 shifts into a stunning holiday mode that
fills up the calendar and brings
a little sense of wonder to our neighborhoods. From decorated
houses to holiday markets to concerts to annual parties, it certainly
is a great time of year. I'd like to run through a few things
happening around Ward 6 and provide a quick update on what I've been
working on at the Council.?
 Ward 6 Brickies! Annually, the Ward 6
Brickies are one of my favorite evenings of the year. It's neighbors
spending time together, enjoying some food and drink donated from some
of our favorite local businesses. And then we have some fun handing
out awards (that are real sidewalk bricks) as a way to recognize and
celebrate some of our neighbors who went above and beyond for their
community. I want to say a great big thank you to everyone who made it
out, to DC Water for hosting, and to all of our sponsors who made the
event possible. Check
out photos and read more about the 2019 Brickie Winners here.?
Related: Let's not gloss over Thanksgiving too fast! Cora
and I had a great time at the annual Safeway
Feast of Sharing Thanksgiving meal?that feeds thousands of DC
residents at the Convention Center and we
joined James Creek residents for a special Thanksgiving meal as
well. Thanksgiving deserves some love!
Council's Ad Hoc Committee Recommends Expulsion for
Councilmember Evans: Earlier this week, the Council's Ad Hoc
Committee completed our work by formally voting unanimously on a
report to expel Councilmember Jack Evans. This is not something any of
us wanted to have to do, but it was necessary to show residents the
Council is willing to take steps to earn back the trust that has been
lost. The
Hill Rag has a recap and video of my remarks (text
here)?if you'd like a more full explanation for why I voted in
support of expulsion.?
Ensuring All Students Can Apply to Selective Public High
Schools: Part of fighting for a better school system is
ensuring every student has an equal shot. And sadly, we know that's
not true. When it comes to high school, we need to remove barriers,
especially for students already facing hurdles. For some, they can't
even get in the door to apply to the District's top selective high
schools. We put too much weight and value in the results of
standardized test scores that tend to reward students and schools with
more resources. And that leads to the inequality we see in our school
outcomes. This
Post article is a good foray into the challenges with offering
selective public schools that serve all residents of the District.
Mentioned in there is legislation I introduced that would do away with
application minimums (meaning a barrier to being considered for entry,
not a guarantee of admission) that I think was impractical and
problematic.??
Study to See If Making Public Transit Cheaper for
Low-Income Riders is Helpful: The District and WMATA
announced this week a pilot program that would provide for 2,500
qualifying low-income DC residents to be part of a study looking at
how their travel habits change if they receive discounted or even free
public transit rides. I am really glad to see the District government
is partnering with WMATA to look into this and I hope the study is
approved by the WMATA board. But I'll say also this: I don't think we
need to wait on the results of the study to take action. We know that
if people have access to affordable or free public transit, their
ability to get to work, school, day care, doctor's office, the grocery
store, or anywhere else will be improved. Still, it's an encouraging
start on what is an important investment and source of success for the
region -- and critical at highlighting what
transit inequity looks like. Read
more in the Post.
Peterbug Matthews is Still Here Thanks to
CPR:?Many, many Ward 6 neighbors know and love PeterBug
Matthews, owner of PeterBug Shoeshine and Repair on Capitol Hill. Not
as many know PeterBug suffered a heart attack back in May. Thanks to
the quick work of a neighbor who called 911 and then performed CPR
until an ambulance arrived, PeterBug is doing well today. DC Fire and
EMS held a press event where the neighbors and first responders were
recognized for their fast action and used the moment to remind folks
that
Fire and EMS offers regular CPR training. You never know when you
might be called on to save a life. More
from the Hill Rag and on Facebook.
Council Looking Into 295 Speed Camera: I wanted to
share a quick update because I've heard from many residents who
regularly use 295 and have received tickets for an area they believe
is being enforced unfairly. My office has been working with these
residents, DDOT, and my colleague, and Chair of the Transportation
Committee, Councilmember Mary Cheh. As of yesterday, DDOT has removed
the work zone signage, since we heard from many Ward 6 residents who
believe they were ticketed in a work zone where there was no actual
work. I will send a letter to the DMV to ask they consider the signage
in ticket appeals. I think many speed cameras successfully slow down
drivers and save lives, especially in our neighborhoods. But I also
want the District to be more dynamic in employing cameras to make our
streets safer -- that's why I'm working with Councilmember Cheh to
move the speed camera program out of MPD and into DDOT, where a more
data-informed approach can help improve safety.
The Region Needs to Invest in Trails: The
Washington Post highlighted an issue that rarely makes its way
into the news, but one I believe deserves greater investment from
regional governments: additional trails for walking and biking away
from busy streets. At some point soon, we need to recognize as our
region continues to grow, we badly need to invest in alternatives to
driving if we're going to avoid even worse congestion and massive
environmental impacts. Until we provide safe, reasonable, and useful
alternatives, it's hard to expect many people to change
behavior.?
Related: In case you missed it, DDOT has
issued permits and regulations around who
can operate scooters in the District of Columbia.
Reminder Lead Pipe Replacement Funding is
Available: Just a quick reminder the Council set aside funds
to cover anywhere from 50-100% of the cost to replace lead service
pipes to your home from the street. The pipes connecting DC Water's
service lines to your house might be lead, even if your internal pipes
are not. It's worth checking into while these funds are available.
Here are the links you need:
Holiday Recycling Tips: Zero Waste DC is a great
year-round resource on what goes in the trash
and what can be recycled. And they've come out with a special
holiday edition with guides to decorations, wrapping paper, and more
that's worth keeping
handy this holiday season. And as a reminder, if you don't have
your own compost pile, DC
offers free food waste collection year-round at Eastern Market
every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
Related: If you're
worried about your carbon footprint, but really love those holiday
lights, make the switch to purchase
clean energy for your home.
 Where to Shop Local This Holiday Season:
Just a reminder that there are really wonderful small and local
businesses in every corner of Ward 6 that deserve a visit as part of
your holiday shopping. Eastern
Market?and Barracks Row are always great choices, but there are
also great stores in Shaw, H Street, The Wharf, Capitol Riverfront,
Mt. Vernon Triangle. Many of the makers you know and love have
storefronts at the Downtown
Holiday Market near the Portrait Gallery. Washingtonian
Magazine dedicated its cover story this month to Made In DC (a
brand I am proud to say I wrote the bill to create) and shopping
local.?We've recently seen a few beloved businesses close in Ward 6,
so it never hurts to remember to support the businesses that help make
your part of Ward 6 special.
Familiar Policies in Neighboring Jurisdictions:?I
recently discovered two different bills of mine have siblings in
nearby jurisdictions. First, did you know our next door neighbor to
the east,?Prince George's County, has
their own Books from Birth Program? Earlier this year in DC, we
celebrated the 1,000,000th book being mailed to kids under the age of
five -- I'm so grateful to see this program keep spreading. And in
Richmond, 1st
District Councilmember Andreas Addison introduced a Vision Zero
bill that incorporates much of the changes I introduced earlier
this year in DC's Vision Zero Omnibus Bill. Great to see the region
taking steps together to improve early literacy and make streets
safer.
DCRA Office Hours this Friday: If you have
questions or concerns for DCRA, they'll be holding public office hours
at the Northeast Branch Library (330 7th Street, NE) this Friday from
2-5 pm.
Friday Night at Atlas Performing Arts: As part of
the launch of their new production "Eureka Day," Atlas Performing Arts
is offering discounted tickets to Friday night's show to Ward 6
neighbors. Order
online here for Friday, December 13 and use the code "ward6" at
checkout for a $10 ticket! And, keep an eye out for a special cameo by
someone you might know during the show. Here's a little background
about the play from
the New York Times.
257th Army Band Holiday Concert: Join me as the
District of Columbia National Guard hosts the 257th Army Band at Holy
Comforter Church (1357 East Capitol St., SE) on Monday, December 16 at
7pm. I'll be there to do a reading from "The Night Before Christmas"
as part of the performance. The event is free, though guests are
encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation. More
here.
 Last Office Hours of the Year: My
final office hours of 2019 will be at Lot 38 in Capitol Riverfront /
Navy Yard this Friday. Stop by for a cup of coffee and let's chat
about what's going on in your neighborhood or the District. My staff
and I will be there from 8:00 am until 9:30 am. Hope you can make it.
We'll finalize our Spring office hours schedule shortly and will share
it on my website.
Charles Allen
Upcoming Events:?
Capitol
Riverfront Office Hours: Friday, December 13, 8-9:30 am |
Lot 38 Espresso
DCRA Office Hours: Friday,
December 13, 2-5 pm | Northeast Branch Library
Ward
6 Night at Atlas Theater?- Eureka Day: Friday, December
13, 8 pm | Atlas Performing Arts Center?
257th
Army Holiday Performance: Monday, December 16, 7 pm |
Holy Comforter Church
Capitol
Hill Menorah Lighting: Sunday, December 22 | Reformation
(212 East Capitol St., NE)
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