Join Metro Transit Police Department for their annual Holiday Bus event at Fort Totten Metro station on December 18, 2025, 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. Enjoy festive bus decorations, music, and holiday treats.
DPR Ward 4 Capital Projects Community Meeting
December 4, 2025
6:00 pm
Join the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) for an update on park/rec center construction projects in Ward 4.
Register for the meeting link at dpr.dc.gov/wardmeetings.
Update 10/27/2025: Beginning the week of October 27, World Central Kitchen food trucks will distribute meals to federal workers. For more info, visit https://wck.org/news/first-alert-shutdown-25.
| Tuesdays 12pm-2pm No Limits Outreach Ministries: 7721 Barlowe Rd, Hyattsville, MD, 20785 | Wednesdays 10am-11:30am So What Else: 6116 Executive Blvd, North Bethesda, MD 20852 |
| Fridays 11am-1pm United Community: 7511 Fordson Rd, Alexandria, VA 22306 11am-1:30pm Urban Outreach: 5343 C St SE, Washington, DC, 20019 | Saturdays 1:00pm-2:30pm LindaBen Foundation: 10739 Tucker St Beltsville, MD 20705 |
Anyone in need of food assistance can find the times and locations of additional food distributions among the Capital Area Food Bank’s partner network by visiting the Get Help page. If you have any questions about food assistance or these distributions, please call the Hunger Lifeline at (202) 644-9807.
Neighborhood Food Distributions
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
For more information, email uejimofor@dcbilingual.org
Sponsored by Capital Area Food Bank
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
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)
Plymouth Congregational Church Community Festival
October 4, 2025
Noon-5pm
5301 North Capitol Street NE
Join Plymouth Congregational Church & New Hope Baptist Church for their annual community festival.
Moon bounce, fresh produce giveaway, arts & crafts, music & more.
ANC 5A01 Community Meeting with ANC Commissioner Keith Sellars (5A01)
September 18, 2025
6:00 pm-7:30 pm
Lamond-Riggs Library (5401 South Dakota Avenue NE)
Agenda
Please let your neighbors know.
[Ed. Note: Construction report distributed to North Michigan Park Civic Association by McDonald’s Area Construction Manager Eileen Seeburger. Send questions to NPMCA President Carmen Williams at carm8954@aol.com.]
South Dakota Avenue McDonald’s Construction Report – 9/5/2025
TWO items to note, both included in the attached weekly report:
1 ITEM NOT NOTED ON THE REPORT:
ANC 5A held a special meeting on September 4, 2025. Commissioners present: Keith Sellars (5A01); Tim Thomas (5A02) – Vice Chair; Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) – Chair; Valeria Sosa Garnica (5A07) – Secretary; Elaine Alston (5A08); Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) – Treasurer.
The ANC voted in support of a resolution to condemn the Trump administration’s federal overreach and deployment of National Guard for police purposes; urge Congress to reject any extension of Trump’s emergency request; and demand the restoration of approximately $1 billion of locally raised funds to DC’s budget. All of the commissioners present voted in support except Commissioner Alston who abstained.
On August 28, 2025, Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker held a townhall on the Trump administration’s federal overreach in DC law enforcement and local affairs. We know that federal agent presence is heavy in Ward 5. They are hanging around federal parkland. They have detained people working as landscapers and construction workers and detained people as they take their children to school. They are showing up to MPD scenes to check people’s immigration status.
CM Parker shared that he was told that the low flying helicopters people had questions about last week were CBP helicopters.
We know that this far-reaching incursion is not limited to MPD though. Even though Trump’s “Crime Emergency in DC” executive order and the Home Rule Act speak to federal request of MPD services, Metro is “cooperating” with federal law enforcement and has permitted a mass presence of federal agents (e.g., HSI, FBI, IRS-CI, CBP) at Fort Totten station (and other stations) along with MPD and Metro Transit Police (MTPD) almost daily for the past two weeks.
CM Parker invites residents to share questions, thoughts, ideas, or concerns at ward5contact@dccouncil.gov or 202-724-8028.
Let’s continue to look out for one another.
At a community meeting on August 26, 2025, DC Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) and Department of General Services (DGS) presented an updated concept plan for the Riggs & South Dakota Park that will be located on the southwest corner of Riggs Road & South Dakota Avenue NE in Riggs Park.
Presentation: Riggs & South Dakota Park Community Meeting Presentation – August 26, 2025.
Project website: https://dgs.dc.gov/page/riggs-south-dakota-park1-0.
Instead of a straight path through the row of mature trees, there will be a plaza area on the corner of the green space at Riggs & South Dakota. The plaza will be buffered by plantings of evergreen shrubs. Two benches sit in front of the shrubbery to orient the gaze to the existing mature trees and open green space and a planting bed of native plants. The addition of two trees on the western and eastern edge of the plaza will eventually provide shade for the plaza. There will be two solar powered lights, waste/recycling receptacles, bike racks, and a park sign. Right now the design-build team is planning for brushed concrete for the plaza.
Public Art
The team requested ideas for community-driven public art. Most people seemed supportive of some type of vertical sculpture as opposed to something like a ground mural. Some ideas included having a more playable/interactive artistic element reminiscent of the LOVE sculpture in Philadelphia but perhaps spelling out “Riggs” or something to that effect.
The team suggested that the community come to a consensus about themes/inspiration for the art piece and have that incorporated into the design now because the money is available rather than waiting. Seems like something The Parks Main Street, Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, and the ANCs can work together on.
Other Ideas
Residents requested a water fountain with bottle filler along with a spigot. The team stated they will need to determine whether there are already water pipes underneath the space. If there are not, building out infrastructure for water would be cost prohibitive.
The team asked about interest in a community garden club for the native plants but residents pointed out that without a water source, it would be difficult for residents to maintain plantings. Residents have asked for a hose bib from the very beginning. We know that the city will not do a good job of maintaining the planting areas given that the city does not do a good job of even mowing the grass on regular basis. So we really want to make sure that anything planted will be able to be maintained.
Commissioner Bocoum asked about having a sign directing people to walk their bikes through the plaza area.
The team stressed again that this is what the budget of $337,000 will support. Residents can certainly work down the line to request more tree plantings and work with the DC Council on funding for additional elements for the space.
Timeline
The new park should be substantially completed by the end of summer 2026.
Winter/Spring 2026: Finalize design
Spring 2026: Start Construction
Spring/Summer 2026: Substantial completion
Visit https://dpr.dc.gov/stakeholder to sign up to receive updates about this project.
For questions/concerns, contact Rasheed Jibreel at rasheed.jibreel@dc.gov or (202)-341-0158.
A local coffee pop up will offer hot and iced coffee and fresh roasted coffee beans for sale on Saturdays & Sundays, 8am-1pm, in front of One Life Fitness, 5198 South Dakota Avenue NE.
The District Department of Transportation has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for proposed changes to 3rd and Kennedy Street NE (NOI-25-159-MSD). Submit comments to miheret.dirirsa@dc.gov by September 4, 2025.
Proposed changes
This is years overdue. There are three schools in this tiny section of the neighborhood. School staff and parents often park along Kennedy as it curves around to 3rd Street creating a blind curve that is dangerous to people in cars, people on bikes, and pedestrians. A school bus was hit at the end of the school year.
Residents have been asking for years, literally, for DDOT to address this issue. We knew it was going to be a problem when DDOT requested that the Cafritz Foundation pay to open up 3rd Street and three charter schools opened up years ago. DDOT shrugged and insisted everything had to be funneled through their ever-changing 311 system. Glad this is finally being addressed, but city officials really need do a lot better about not waiting years to address foreseeable and known problems created by DDOT and development projects.
As of July 25, 2025, several units remain available for leasing at the recently constructed Riggs Crossing Senior Residences located at 307 Riggs Road NE.
The building is dedicated to individuals aged 55 and older, and all units are income-restricted at 50% of median family income (MFI) or below.
To avoid long wait times, the leasing team recommends scheduling an appointment through the Riggs Crossing Senior Residences website. Floor plans are available online.
Applicants should be sure to bring the requested items listed in the application disclosure to their appointment.
From North Michigan Park Civic Association
The Mayor’s Office of the Clean City will host its Roll Off of “Bulk Trash” this Saturday in front of the North Michigan Park Recreation Center, access via Delafield Place NE. The event begins at 10:00 am. The notice does not indicate an end time, but it normally ends about 1:00 pm.
A neighbor passed along this info.
Join DC Water’s Lead Free DC (LFDC) team for a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, July 9, from 6:00–7:00 PM to get the answers you need.
This session will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we prepare for lead pipe replacements—starting with door-to-door outreach, digging test pits, and inspecting pipe materials. You’ll learn how these steps help us plan safe, efficient replacements.
Get the latest updates on the LFDC program
Learn how we confirm lead lines and prepare for replacements
Ask questions and share your feedback
Agenda Highlights:
Where:
Join via Microsoft Teams: http://bit.ly/4k9Zqfl
Or call in: +1 202-753-6714, Phone Conference ID #: 748 459 077#
When: Wednesday, July 9, 2025
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Aldi is open at 5300 South Dakota Avenue NE. A van caught on fire in the parking garage yesterday. The parking garage was closed this morning. Unclear how long the parking garage will be closed.
DC Youth Meals Program Summer 2025
Youth 18 years old and younger can eat free meals at a number of sites across the city, including a few in the neighborhood and nearby.
View the Ward 4 Summer Meals sites here
Open June 23, 2025 through August 15, 2025
Meals served Monday-Friday
Breakfast: 9:00 am-10:00am
Lunch: 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Open June 30, 2025 through August 15, 2025
Meals served Monday-Friday
Breakfast 8:00 am-10:00 am
Lunch: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
View the Ward 5 Summer Meals sites here
Open June 23, 2025 through August 15, 2025
Meals served Monday-Friday
Breakfast: 7:00am-9:00 am
Lunch: 12:00 pm-1:00 pm
Open June 23, 2025 through August 15, 2025
Meals served Monday-Friday
Breakfast: 7:00am-9:00am
Lunch: 12:00 pm-1:00 pm
Open July 7, 2025 through August 9, 2025
Meals served Monday-Friday
Breakfast: 8:30 am-8:50 am
Lunch: 12:15 pm-1:10 pm
Art Sparks! at Art Place installation on South Dakota Avenue & Ingraham Street NE
The northwest corner of South Dakota Avenue & Ingraham Street NE is now the site of a new Art Sparks! at Art Place installation.
From the Art Sparks! website:
Every facet of life, every gesture, every moment has the potential to inspire. Art sparks something in all of us. Washington, DC has many museums whose collections are a mirror to our lives and an inspiration for beauty, escape and curiosity.
The Art Sparks! project at Art Place brings 30 works of art from 15 world-class museums to the corner of Ingraham St and South Dakota Avenue, NE. Artwork spanning 300 years of history are organized into seven themes. Art Sparks! is presented as a gallery for the community and a reminder of the great institutions we share here in Washington, DC.
The large-scale visuals are grouped around seven themes. It is an interesting artistic presentation, particularly along South Dakota. The visuals along Ingraham are a little less accessible because the fence blocks the sidewalk on that side of the street.
Enjoy the visuals as you walk along the corridor and listen to the live music at the Fridays at Fort Totten concert series.
Follow Art Place on instagram.
From the District Department of Transportation
Traffic Impacts on Blair Road NW Beginning Saturday, June 21
(WASHINGTON, DC) — The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will complete milling/overlay asphalt work beginning Saturday, June 21. During this work, DDOT will implement a temporary roadway detour which will change north/south bound traffic patterns on Blair Road NW starting at McDonald Place NE continuing thru to Aspen St NW. The work will start at McDonald Place NE and continue to Aspen St NW. Please note that this work will be permanent for the installation of the new Metropolitan Branch Trail extension.
The milling/overlay asphalt work will continue for approximately four weeks.
These lane closures and traffic pattern changes are necessary to complete final paving of the roadways for installation of the multi-use trail in the most efficient manner as a part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project. For the least amount of public inconvenience, this work will be performed as quickly as possible. During this work a single north/south bound lane of travel will be maintained at a minimum.
Traffic controls, including signage and temporary traffic control barrels/cones will be in placed to guide motorists and pedestrians safely around the work zone. All users of the roadway are advised to stay alert and be observant of signage and work zones while traveling in this area.
Once complete, the Metropolitan Branch Trail Fort Totten to Takoma Project, will include improvements such as new multi-use trail section, sidewalks, streetlights, green area revitalization, and other streetscape elements.
For more information about this project and to stay up to date on traffic related impacts and construction progress, please visit https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 