ANC 5A sent notice today that the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) extends an invitation to join in a ministry of praying at the site of the shooting resulting in the loss of Ryan Realbuto, a Capuchin Franciscan Volunteer Corps member.
Date: Thursday, February 1, 4:00-4:30 pm
Place: 5000 block of South Dakota Ave NE (near the McDonald’s)
In addition, “Cap Corps has also planned a memorial mass and reception to honor Ryan’s life on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10:30am at Immaculate Conception Church, 1315 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001.”
This event will be an opportunity for families to meet directly with middle schools across the city and organizations supporting student academic learning. Attendees will learn about school programs, how to enroll your child, and have the opportunity to ask questions directly to representatives present at the event.
Updated 2/3/2024 to correct time for Faith United Church
List of free nearby food pantries/marketplaces
DC Bilingual Public Charter School Family Food Market (1st Friday monthly, October through June) 33 Riggs Road NE 11:00 am-1:00 pm Produce & shelf stable items February 2, 2024 March 3, 2024 April 5, 2024 May 3, 2024 June 7, 2024 For more information, email uejimofor@dcbilingual.org Sponsored by Capital Area Food Bank
Impact DMV Church(1st Saturday monthly) 5335 1st Place NE 11:00 am-1:00 pm Groceries
Faith United Church of Christ (3rd Wednesday monthly) 4900 10th Street NE 9:00 am (food usually runs out by 11:30 am) Produce market and diaper bank
For more information, contact faithuccdc@gmail.com or 202-635-7777
LaSalle-Backus Elementary School Family Food Market(Typically 3rd Thursday monthly, October through June) 501 Riggs Road NE (enter on Madison Street side of campus) 3:30 pm-5:30 pm (people start lining up as early as 2:30) Produce & shelf stable items February 15, 2024 March 21, 2024 April 11, 2024 (2nd Thursday due to spring break) May 16, 2024 June 13, 2024 (due to last day of school) Sponsored by Capital Area Food Bank
Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center(3rd Saturday monthly) 501 Riggs Road NE (enter on Nicholson Street side) 11:00 am Fresh produce, canned goods, & fresh quarter chicken Sponsored by Andre Lee (Lee Little League)/Feed My People Ministry
Neighbor Gavin noted that a recent newsletter from Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George shared information about the District Department of Transportation’s Sidewalk Gap Program. DDOT has a scoring system in place for missing sidewalks, which you can view on the sidewalk gap dashboard. In 2024, DDOT plans to install sidewalks on the even side of 3rd Street NE, from Oglethorpe Street to Peabody Street and from Quackenbos Street to New Hampshire Avenue.
There are of course lots more missing sidewalks around the neighborhood, including along Kennedy Street, 4th Street, 5th Street, Nicholson Street, Jefferson Street, Jamaica Street, Oglethorpe Street, Rittenhouse Street, Chillum Place, 1st Place, 2nd Street, Sligo Mill Road, and Galloway Street.
We have been waiting for a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street NE from South Dakota Avenue to 4th Street for a long while now. There is a plan for a 10-foot-wide multi-use path (this is separate from the planned pedestrian trail between Gallatin and Galloway). The Galloway Street sidewalk had to be redesigned after a couple of missteps. Complicated by the grade changes and large tree roots, the design required the collaboration of the National Park Service and DDOT. The project is being funded partially with federal funds. Construction is planned for 2025-2026.
View of south side of Galloway Street NE looking west towards 4th StreetView of south side of Galloway Street NE looking east towards South Dakota Avenue
There is still a vacancy in ANC single member district 5A06. Petitions are available starting today, January 29, and are due on February 20, 2024.
ANC 5A06 generally covers the area just west of Fort Totten Park between Crittenden Street and Varnum Street. It includes several of the apartment buildings along Hawaii Avenue NE and Webster Street NE that are the subject of development discussions (see BZA case nos. 20507, 20507(A)).
Councilmember Parker’s office is also accepting emails and letters from residents, civic association, PTAs, and ANCs “highlighting concerns in more details.” Send those emails/letters to Conor Shaw at cshaw@dccouncil.gov by February 9, 2024.
If you prefer to share your priorities with Councilmember Parker’s office by phone, contact 202-724-8028.
As a reminder, Councilmember Parker will be holding a Ward 5 budget forum on February 3, 2024, at UDC Lamond-Riggs Campus. Register to attend the budget forum at ward5.us/budgetforum.
Join the DC Departments of Energy & Environment and Parks & Recreation to give input on an environmental restoration project happening at the North Michigan Park Recreation Center. The project is in the beginning of the design phase.
There are existing drainage problems onsite with stormwater from the adjacent properties to the south, which include Boy’s Town of Washington and St. Anslem’s Abbey School. A brick retention wall, rip rap swale, and grass swale were installed in the SE corner of the property during initial development in 2003. However, since then, a historic stream has resurfaced, and/or stormwater has developed a gully from the adjacent properties to the south, carrying silt, plant debris, and trash. The stream/stormwater empties into an inlet, which is often clogged causing erosion to the baseball field and soil by the ramp.
Possible solutions may include evaluating the contributing drainage area(s) for potential stormwater solutions at their sources. Bioretention systems are a potential option to treat drainage coming from the playground and adjacent properties. A Bioretention is a vegetated stormwater management system that mimics the natural environment to reduce stormwater volumes and pollutants for the purpose of restoring our streams and rivers.
Help inform CM Lewis George’s legislation, budget priorities, constituent services, and community initiatives. These listening tour sessions have been useful in the past, so please attend a session if you can. There is space on the registration form to enter questions/comments in advance of the session.
A virtual session will also be held on February 7, 2024, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm for those who cannot or do not wish to attend an in-person session.
Do you live in the neighborhood that is just west of Fort Totten Park between Riggs Road and Crittenden Street NE? Consider running to represent ANC 5A07. Petitions are now available.
The boundaries for ANC 5A07 cover 1st Place NE by Fort Totten Metro station. This includes Metro’s large parking lot that is slated for future development. Also, I have been told that DMV Impact Church may be interested in doing something with the lot across the street from the church that is being used as overflow parking. ANC 5A07 also covers portions of the Met Branch Trail currently under construction along 1st Place and along Riggs Road NE. It also includes Mary’s Center, DC Bilingual, the Mamie D. Lee community garden, and a nice chunk of National Park Service parkland.
This seat has been vacant for several months. It would be great to have a representative on ANC 5A to have a handle on these issues.
The chairman of the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) postponed the hearing on a proposed gas station at 4975 South Dakota Avenue NE to April 3, 2024 (BZA case no. 17963A). Instructions on how to participate in the virtual hearing are in the hearing notice.
This is the proposal to put a gas station in front of the DC SuperMart/Z-Burger, which is next to a Sunoco gas station and across the street from the McDonald’s. The property is located in ANC 5A08.
The hearing was previously scheduled for January 17, 2024. This is the third time the hearing has been postponed.
The hearing was originally postponed after the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) stated that the agency needed additional information from the applicant, the owner of the convenience store, in order to make a recommendation about the plan. The Office of Planning (OP) stated the agency could not make a recommendation without DDOT’s report. The applicant sought a second postponement in order to have time to meet with the ANC and the North Michigan Park Civic Association.
At his single member district (SMD) meeting on January 22, 2024, ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) stated that the applicant is considering installing an electric vehicle charging station instead of a gas station. Residents and the ANC have expressed strong opposition to a gas station at this location. In its report, DDOT did note that the agency is working to build out an EV charging network in DC. In public meetings, at least one resident raised the idea of an EV charging station instead of a gas station.
Nothing has been filed with the BZA yet to indicate a change of plans.
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker invites residents to join his next Monthly Public Safety Call on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
Guests will be Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety; representatives from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA); Brian J. Hanlon, Director of the Department of Buildings (DOB); and Sylvan Altieri, MPD Fifth District Commander. Please join to share your observations, concerns, and questions.
Register to receive the meeting link at ward5.us/monthlycall. The meeting will be livestreamed on CM Parker’s YouTube channel. It will be recorded, and slides will be shared afterwards.
Reach out to CM Parker’s office to share questions or specific concerns you would like to be addressed at the public safety meetings by emailing ward5contact@dccouncil.gov or calling 202-724-8028.
There have been a few recent public safety incidents in and near the neighborhood. Local news reported on the homicide that took place during an alleged robbery attempt near the 5000 block of South Dakota Avenue NE on January 18, 2024, around 10 pm. Condolences to the family of the young man who was killed.
Over the past couple of weeks, there have been a few carjackings in North Michigan Park, Riggs Park, and Manor Park. There were also a couple of reports of individuals in vehicles exchanging gunfire as they passed through neighborhood streets.
Please see the interactive map at dcwater.com or call the 24-Hour Command Center at 202- 612-3400 to verify if your address was in the affected area.
Take the following precautions before returning to normal water usage:
Run the cold water taps for 10 minutes (if water was not used at all during the advisory).
If known sources of lead are present, if possible, continue to filter the water using a NSF/ANSI Standard 53 lead-certified filter before using it.
Discard food, beverages or ice prepared with water that was not boiled during the advisory.
Consult the owner’s manual to find out how to sanitize appliances and home filtration systems if used during the advisory.
DC Water will work with customers to answer questions and respond to additional issues following the Boil Water Advisory. Customers with water quality questions should contact the Drinking Water Division at (202) 612-3440 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
All other questions or suggestions should be directed to DC Water Customer Service at 202-354-3600 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or the 24-Hour Command Center at 202-612-3400. Information is also available at dcwater.com and Bilingual FAQs are provided at www.dcwater.com/boilwaterFAQ.
Updated with bottled water distribution information
DC Water has issued a boil water advisory affecting part of Lamond-Riggs and other neighborhoods. Visit the interactive map for impacted areas. Free bottled water for impacted residents available at Catholic University Athletic Center (8:30 pm-11:30 pm, Jan. 19) and at UDC Van Ness Campus Building 44 (9:00 pm-11:30 pm, Jan. 19). If you are not able to visit a pickup location, call 311. https://www.dcwater.com/whats-going-on/news/bottled-water-distribution
DC Water Issues Boil Water Advisory for Customers in Some District Neighborhoods
January 19, 2024
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) issued a Boil Water Advisory today for some customers that are or have had loss of water pressure on Friday, January 19, 2024. This is a precautionary notice to customers in the impacted area to boil water that may be ingested due to water of unknown quality in this localized area of the system. Do not drink the water without boiling it first. This advisory will remain in place until follow-up testing confirms the water is safe to drink.
DC Water advises customers to search their address on the interactive map at dcwater.com or call the 24-Hour Command Center at (202) 612-3400 to determine if they are in the impact area of this advisory. Customers in the impact area should boil water used for drinking and cooking.Customers outside this area can continue normal water use.
Customers in the impact area should follow this guidance at this time:
Discard any beverages and ice made before Friday, January 19, 2024 11 am.
Run cold water until clear (if discolored) prior to boiling.
Run cold water for 2 minutes if known sources of lead are present prior to boiling.
Bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute and let it cool.
Store cooled water in a clean, covered container.
Cooled, boiled water or bottled water should be used for:
Drinking
Brushing teeth
Preparing and cooking food
Washing fruits and vegetables
Preparing infant formula
Making ice
Giving water to pets
*Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiled or bottled water.
What happened (Background)
On the afternoon of January 19, 2024, DC Water received a number of calls from customers in Northwest DC who were experiencing low or no water pressure. DC Water assessed the system and confirmed low pressure at multiple locations within the impacted area. Crews are still investigating the cause and working to restore system pressure.
Due to the loss of pressure in the distribution system, this may cause backpressure, backsiphonage, or a net movement of water from outside the pipe to the inside through cracks, breaks, or joints in the distribution system that are common in all water systems. Pressure loss could result in a high potential that fecal contamination or other disease-causing organisms could enter the distribution system. These conditions may pose an imminent and substantial health endangerment to persons served by the system. We are still investigating the cause of the pressure loss and will test the water once the cause it identified and corrected.
Bacteria and other disease-causing contamination such as viruses and parasites can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems.
The symptoms above are not only caused by microbes in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
We have no information that the water was contaminated by this incident, but issue this advisory as a precaution while we test the water. DC Water will collect samples in the impacted area. The advisory will be lifted when tests on two consecutive days show no bacteria are present and all customers can continue normal water use, which we anticipate will be on Sunday, January 21 at the earliest.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
Customers with water quality questions should contact the Department of Water Quality at (202) 612-3440 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). All other questions should be directed to DC Water Customer Service at (202) 354-3600 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the 24-Hour Command Center at 202-612-3400 or the Office of Marketing and Communications at (202) 787-2200 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Hygiene and Handwashing: CDC provides guidance on alternative hygienic practices when water is not available or is contaminated.
Keeping hands clean during an emergency helps prevent the spread of germs. If your tap water is not safe to use, wash your hands with soap and water that has been made safe to use. See the handwashing section below for more information on how to keep hands clean during an emergency.
How should you wash your hands?
Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Consumer Information: EPA provides information and guidance about drinking water quality, emergencies, contaminants, public health issues, and treatment and storage.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 