It’s the first Monday of the month. That means time for another Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association meeting.
From Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd’s Office:
Dear Neighbors,
I would like to invite you to join me at my office hours on Thursday, January 26 from 7:45 AM – 9:15 AM at the Takoma DC Starbucks (232 Carroll Street NW). This is an excellent opportunity for residents to sit down with me one-on-one for up to 15 minutes to discuss important issues in Ward 4 and the District of Columbia. Residents will be seen on a first come, first served basis, and are welcome to discuss any issues important to them and their neighbors.
If you have questions, please contact Jackson Carnes at jcarnes@dccouncil.us or (202) 724-8052.
ANC 5A public meeting
January 25, 2017
6:45 pm
UDC-CC Backus Campus, Rm 129 (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE)
No official notice from ANC 5A, but there is an ANC 5A meeting tonight. Agenda includes election of officers, DDOT presentation, and public safety update from Lt. Ashley Rosenthal.
Guest Post
On Wednesday December 14, 2016, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5A held its last monthly meeting. Commissioners Grace Lewis (5A02), Isaiah Burroughs (5A04), Ronnie Edwards (5A05), and Sandi Washington (5A07) were the only commissioners present. Commissioner Washington, the only executive officer present, led the meeting.
The agenda consisted of the Treasury Report, New Member Transition and Community Concerns.
Treasury Report
The opening third quarter balance was $27,233.48. The fourth quarter allotment of $4,607.82 was received on August 22, 2016, leaving an ending third quarter balance of $31,841.30. Expenditures of $4,874.17 were paid, leaving a fourth quarter closing balance of $26,967.13.
Commissioner Angel Alston’s (5A08) grant documentation is still outstanding. Commissioner Washington, ANC 5A’s treasurer, stated that it can be provided later. A motion to accept the treasurer’s fourth quarter budget report was approved.
New Member Transition
Commissioner Washington suggested that a transition meeting be held to collect ANC material and documentation held by the outgoing commissioners. The materials include, but are not limited to, cell phones, SMD meeting notes, developer documentation, etc. Commissioner Washington will lead this effort.
The swearing-in ceremony for commissioners for the next term will be held on January 2, 2017 in the Walter Washington Convention Center. Invitation letters have been received by some commissioners already.
Community Concerns
Commissioner Lewis provided an update on the flooding that affected the 1200 block of Delafield Place NE. She cited that one house in fully enclosed in white canvas. She said many problems remain since some homeowners have no insurance while others have little funds for repair. She mentioned that city representatives have gone door-to-door to work with residents. The issue of liability has not been resolved yet.
A fire on December 18, 2016, resulted in a lot of damage to the liquor store on Riggs Road, near the corner of Chillum Place NE. Officials say the fire was accidentally started by a cutting torch. One firefighter suffered injuries.
In a blog post, Greater Greater Washington explores the movement of Jewish communities across the District. The post includes a neat interactive map from the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. Riggs Park was home to a sizable Jewish community in the early 1950s, when the semi-detached homes that typify a lot of the older housing stock in the neighborhood were just being developed. Priced to attract families, the homes attracted a large Jewish community to neighborhood. What is now Faith Moravian Church at 405 Riggs Road NE was once the Shaare Tefila Congregation, established in 1951, according to the historical society. In familiar history, there was a large exodus of Jewish residents from the neighborhood in the 1960s. The Shaare Tefila Congregation moved to Maryland in 1965. We know there are residents in the neighborhood who have lived here since the 1950s and 60s and remember this history. It would be cool to capture this history in some way.
From Councilmember Todd’s Office:
I invite you to attend my Annual Ward 4 Holiday Party and Coat Drive on December 10th, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Lafayette Elementary School, and ask for your generosity to ensure that no young person gets left out in the cold this holiday season. To ensure that everyone’s specific needs are met, please contact our office, and we will match you with a student so you know what size coat to purchase. In general, we are looking for boy and girl coats size 2T to size 18. If you are interested in donating, please contact Malcolm Jolly at (202) 724-8052 or mjolly@dccouncil.us. The holiday party will also include a dessert buffet, so if you are a baker, we encourage you to bring one of your delicious treats to share with everyone. To RSVP, sign up to bake a dessert, volunteer, or join the planning committee for our holiday party, contact Dolly Turner at dturner@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8052.
Family-friendly neighborhood event tomorrow with Explore! Children’s Museum:
Saturday, December 3, 2016
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
5455 3rd Street NE
We’re hosting our second FREE backyard fest – and this time we’re celebrating winter! Enjoy family-friendly activities, meet new neighbors, and learn what Explore! has in store for the new year. Families and children of all ages welcome; dress for outdoor weather and bring your own smock or old t-shirt for wall painting.
Activites to include:
Event details and RSVP available here.
Five Guys, 320 Riggs Road NE
Five Guys at Fort Totten Square quietly opened yesterday, October 27. Business seems to be brisk, at least if Friday’s lunch hour is any indication.
The employees are a friendly bunch. We had a chat with the manager Skip Bryant. There are 51 employees at this location, ranging in age from 18-53. Thirty of the employees live in DC. Mr. Bryant owns three (non-Five Guys) restaurants in the DC metro area and will manage this Five Guys location for one year on his way to eventually opening a Five Guys franchise restaurant of his own.
The restaurant is open everyday, 11:00 am – 10:00 pm and serves milkshakes.
Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton will hold a biking and pedestrian roundtable on October 27, 2016. From her newsletter:
This week, I am hosting a roundtable to hear from local bike and pedestrian leaders and D.C. residents on the best ways to use new federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects that I got in the new surface transportation bill. I was one of the “Big Four” House Transportation leaders who wrote the FAST Act and overcame Republican resistance to including bike and pedestrian funding in the bill. Officials from the District Department of Transportation and the National Park Service (NPS) will sit on a panel with me to hear testimony from the D.C. bicycle and pedestrian community.
Sounds like a good opportunity to advocate for completion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail and funding for a pedestrian path through Fort Totten Park.
Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd presents the
State of the Ward 4 Senior Address
October 28, 2016
10:00 am
Riggs-LaSalle Community Center
501 Riggs Road NE
RSVP at (202) 724-8052
On October 20, 2016, Metro will hold an open house and public meeting on its proposal to permanently reduce operating hours once SafeTrack ends. In a survey, Metro asks customers to choose one of four options. However, you can also send written comments to Metro, including a statement that none of the options presented is optimal and the proposed bus alternative is insufficient. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Council have been vocal about their objection to the proposal with their #KeepMetroOpen campaign. Send written comments to writtentestimony@wmata.com by 5:00 pm on October 25, 2016.
Open House: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Public hearing: 12:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Metro Headquarters (600 5th Street NW)
Proposal #1
Mon-Thu: 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Fri: 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Sat: 7:00 a.m. – midnight
Sun: 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Proposal #2
Mon-Thu: 5:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Fri: 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Sat: 7:00 a.m. – midnight
Sun: 7:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Proposal #3
Mon-Thu: 5:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Sat: 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Sun: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Proposal #4
Mon-Thu: 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m.
Sat: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m.
Sun: Noon – 11:00 p.m.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 