Catching up on a few tidbits from the past couple of weeks

News from the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association

1. The Fitlot funded by AARP has been installed on the outdoor field at the Lamond Recreation Center located at 20 Tuckerman Street NE.
2. Pepco has finished its work on Riggs Road NE. A traffic light will be installed at 1st Street and Riggs Road NE in the coming weeks. This traffic signal is part of the plans for the extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Fort Totten to Takoma, but the installation of the traffic signal is being expedited ahead of the rest of that trail extension.
3. Construction work for the Chick-fil-A at 220 Riggs Road NE recently caused power outages nearby. They apologize for the inconvenience.
4. Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George said there will be a Thanksgiving senior luncheon on November 17. Sign up through Hattie Holmes. CM Lewis George’s office will also be hosting a turkey giveaway in Lamond-Riggs.
5. ANC Commissioner Damion McDuffie (5A01) will hold a single member district meeting on November 17, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm.

COVID-19 Vaccinations for Children Ages 5-11

Find information about COVID-19 vaccination shots for children at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/page/get-vaccinated.

Changes to Fort Totten Transfer Station Services and Hours

Effective Monday, October 4, 2021, Fort Totten transfer station will have new residential drop-off hours. Citizen’s drop-off will be available Monday through Friday from 10 am until 2 pm, and Saturday from 7 am until 2 pm.

Beginning October 9, 2021, residents will be able to drop off their household hazardous waste and electronics recycling every Saturday from 7 am until 2 pm at the Benning Road Transfer Station, located at 3200 Benning Road, NE, Washington, DC, 20019. During this change, the Fort Totten Transfer Station will not accept hazardous household items. 

Document shredding will occur the first Saturday of every month at the Benning Road Transfer Station ONLY, from 7 am until 2 pm, beginning November 6, 2021.

Leaf Collection & Pumpkin Dropoff

https://dpw.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-kicks-leaf-collection-season-reminds-residents-compost-old-pumpkins

It’s leaf collection season. DPW will be using a vacuum process for collecting leaves. Residents whose properties are serviced by DPW are asked to rake their leaves for collection to the curb or into the tree box at the front of their residence. To help facilitate the vacuum process, residents are also asked to keep vehicles away from the curb lanes on scheduled collection days.

Beginning the week of November 6, most pumpkins and gourds can be taken to one of nine food waste collection sites in the District for composting, in support of the District’s zero waste efforts. Please note that pumpkins decorated with paint, glitter or other inorganic matter cannot be composted.

Culture Coffee Too Winter Coat Drive

Please continue to drop off new or gently used winter coats at Culture Coffee Too, 300 Riggs Road NE, through November 30, 2021.

From ANC 4B

Vision Zero Committee Meeting 
Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 5:30 p.m. 

Virtual Meeting Details: 

For video participation via Zoom on a computer or mobile device, click this link:https://streetjustice-news.zoom.us/j/83166670715?pwd=V3RDR05ydlc0eFZZUC9EbmFBWkhPdz09. Meeting ID: 831 6667 0715. Password: 488799. 

For voice-only participation on a telephone, dial (301) 715-8592. Meeting ID: 831 6667 0715. Password: 488799. 

To watch (but not participate) via YouTube: https://youtu.be/PbHxKWu8X0s. 

[DRAFT] Agenda 

1. Call to Order & Roll Call  
2. Approval of October Meeting Agenda 
3. Presentation: Will Perkins, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George, Vision Zero in Ward 4 
4. Discussion:  
a. Crosswalk Improvements within Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B 
b. Street Sign Replacement within Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B 
c. Safe Passage to School Expansion Act of 2021 
d. DDOT Fast-Tracking Vision Zero Projects   
5. Questions/Comments
6. Adjournment 

Next Meeting: November 17, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. 

Next time you visit Culture Coffee Too for coffee or tea, drop off a new or gently used winter coat for CCT’s winter coat drive. October 9 – November 30, 2021, at 300 Riggs Road NE.

I am behind in posting, will catch up over the next few days. Starting with this picture I took of a sign at the Five Guys at Fort Totten Square around 8:00 pm during Art All Night on September 24, 2021. The sign stated that the restaurant, not scheduled to close until 10:00 pm, was closed due to short staff.

Book Talk: Senior White House Reporter for the Wall Street Journal Michael C. Bender Discussing His Book, “Frankly We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost”

August 19, 2021
6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Culture Coffee Too
300 Riggs Road NE
Washington, DC 20011

Free registration on eventbrite. Books available for purchase for $30 plus tax

The Rock Creek Conservancy has cancelled the Summer in the Parks event at Fort Circle Park today due to the weather. Join Rock Creek Conservancy the remaining Thursdays in July at Fort Circle Park from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for Summer in the Parks.

ANC 5A held a special public meeting on June 16, 2021. All commissioners were present: Damion McDuffie, Sr. (5A01); Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05); Derrick Holloway (5A06); Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08).

Vacant ANC 5A04 seat

The DC Board of Elections certified a vacancy for ANC 5A single member district (SMD) 5A04, which covers Catholic University. The university identified a candidate, Rev. Michael Witczak, to run for the seat. Originally from Milwaukee, Rev. Witczak is a fourteen-year resident of DC and a professor of theology at Catholic University. He lives on the grounds of the university.

Over the years, the ANC 5A04 seat has been filled sporadically by Catholic University students who sometimes have to leave in the middle of a term depending on when they graduate. University officials hope that Rev. Witczak will be able to provide continous university representation on the ANC, assuming he satisfies the requirements to be elected and remains interested in serving. The petition period to collect signatures runs from June 1 to June 21.

Hybrid in-person/virtual ANC meetings

Commissioner Lucio stated that the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (OANC) has asked the ANCs whether they anticipate being able to return to in-person meetings this fall. ANC 5A uses UDC’s Backus campus for meetings. UDC has not decided yet if the facility will be open to the public this September for the ANC’s use.

A discussion followed of a letter that was circulated among ANCs citywide requesting that the Council permit ANCs to have hybrid in-person and virtual meetings. (Aside: It looks like that letter was sent to the Council on June 10, 2021, see https://twitter.com/Alison6B09/status/1403031272474169349). ANC 5A used this special meeting to discuss whether to support the letter. After an interesting discussion started by Commissioner Washington expressing concern about a few ANCs making decisions for ANCs citywide, ANC 5A decided that they will draft their own letter at some point that I suppose they will send to the Council at some point. (Aside: All of this discussion was taking place without residents knowing what the ANC was talking about because, for whatever reason, the ANC does not make letters/resolutions being discussed available to residents ahead of time. In pre-pandemic times, resolutions would at least be available in hard copy at the meeting).

ANC 5A website

The ANC continues to make progress on updating its website. Each commissioner will have individual pages on the new site where they can post meeting notices and other items, and residents will be able to contact individuals through the site. Send suggestions/questions about the website update to Commissioner Lucio. No date given for launch of the new site just yet.

MPD Police Report

Captain Kevin Kentish is the new captain for MPD’s Fourth District. His email address is kevin.kentish@dc.gov.

Lt. Patrick Schaut gave usual advice–do not leave anything visible in cars. After seeing a slight decrease in car break-ins, MPD is now seeing an increase again. Also, take advantage of the city’s private security camera incentive program to install security cameras on your home.

ANC 5A public safety task force

Commissioner Fletcher is working with residents in ANC 5A08 to fill out a neighborhood safety assessment plan with DC’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE). That led to a discussion of how these plans will be used. Commissioner McDuffie noted that he had some questions about ONSE’s response to the safety assessment plan developed for ANC 5A01, and that is why he has not shared information about outcomes of engagement with ONSE just yet. (Aside: I have a lot to write about all of the various public safety meetings that have taken place over the past two years or so. More to come on that in a separate post). Other commissioners expressed interest in filling out a plan for their areas.

The next ANC 5A public safety meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 30, 2021.

Lamond-Riggs Library

The cost of materials to rebuild the Lamond-Riggs Library at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE has increased significantly, but construction continues. You can see visible progress of construction at the site on South Dakota Avenue and Kennedy Street NE.

The Lamond-Riggs Interim Library, located at 395 Ingraham Street NE, will open on June 28, 2021. Patrons will be able to pick up holds, browse a small collection, and use public computers.

The next ANC 5A monthly public meeting will be June 23, 2021.

UDC Wards 4 & 5 Virtual Listening Session on Green Infrastructure & Gentrification
June 8, 2021
6:00 pm-7:30 pm
Register at https://green-infrastructure-community-listening-session45.eventbrite.com
Send questions in advance to Elizabeth.Gearin@udc.edu

ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) single member district (SMD) Meeting
April 27, 2021
6:30 pm-8:00 pm

Agenda

1. Recap of last SMD meeting
2. Recap of ANC 5A meeting
3. Update on Art Place at Fort Totten developent
4. Update on Rocketship Public Charter School
5. Update on Social Justice Public Charter School
6. Update on ANC 5A Public Safety Task Force
7. Community concerns

Who: All D.C. Residents

Speakers: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and National Park Service representatives

What: A joint community meeting with the National Park Service

Where: Please email NortonEvents@mail.house.gov to RSVP for the event and receive the Zoom link

When: Thursday, March 25

Time: 7:00 pm  

This event is open to the public. Please feel welcome to share this information widely as you deem fit.

Today at 11:00 am, the Crush Funk Brass Band will be playing on the front lawn at DC Bilingual Public Charter School (33 Riggs Road NE).

Neighborhood breweries continue to provide food options in this neighborhood with very few.

Hellbender Brewing Company (5788 2nd Street NE) currently has a regular lineup featuring Grassfed Griddle on Thursdays, Timber Pizza on Fridays and Saturdays, and We Rise Bread Company on Sundays. You can stay warm at one of the outdoor tables with firepits and newly installed patio heaters nearby. Or stop by and order your food to go.

In Lamond, 3 Stars Brewing Company (6400 Chillum Place NW) has teamed up with Rose’s Luxury for pickup options. In addition, you can find a rotating cast of popup options.

And as always, our neighborhood coffee shop Culture Coffee Too (300 Riggs Road NE) is open Tuesday through Saturday for coffee, tea, and sandwiches.

By Robert Oliver (Contributor)

Did you know that the District of Columbia government has been working on dramatically increasing access to free W-Fi since January 2017? This work is being done through the DC Smart Street Lighting program to replace approximately 75,000 streetlights bulbs with energy-efficient light emitting diodes (LEDs). This project also includes “installing wireless access points across the District, improving the DC-NET Wi-Fi program.” More detailed information on the Smart Street Program can be found here.

On January 24, 2017, the District of Columbia government hosted an industry forum to discuss the concept of the Smart Street Lighting program. The information flyer is available here. Today, the program is still ongoing. However, the capacity of DC-Net has been increased with the installation of new wireless access hubs throughout the city.  DC-Net now offers an online map of its free Wi-Fi network.  By just entering your address, you can see the Wi-Fi access hubs nearest you. 

While the digital divide still exists, DC-Net has made free Wi-Fi more accessible through the DC Smart Street Lighting program.

I don’t even know what to say. When throngs descended on Washington, DC, at the invitation of Donald J. Trump, to take over the Capitol to disrupt the electoral process.

Here’s some local coverage

• Washington Post, January 6, 2021 & January 7, 2021

• DCist, January 6, 2021

This Thursday, the DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking (DISB) is holding a virtual meeting on flood and water damage that some may find useful.

Flood and Water Damage – Prevention, Protection and Programs
December 10, 2020
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Location: Online

Details: 

Please join the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking for a virtual Flood and Water Damage Forum. Learn how to protect your property from water damage due to flooding, as well as resources and complaint processes available if damage occurs.

Join by Phone: 1-650-479-3208
Access Code: 172-803-5464

Join by Computer: bit.ly/385VQBq

Phone line and website open at 3:45 pm on December 10.

Contact: Idriys J. Abdullah
Email: idriys.abdullah@dc.gov
Phone: (202) 442-7832

3 Starts Brewing in Lamond is hosting a nonperishable food drive this Saturday, November 21, 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Drop off nonperishable foods and get one dollar off beer. Special request for low-sodium and whole grain products. Local vendors will also be selling unique holiday gifts from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The brewery is located at 6400 Chillum Place NW.

Get out the vote at Hellbender Brewing Company

On Sunday, November 1, 2020, the Tischa Cockrell for ANC 4B-09 Campaign will gather (socially distanced, outside) at Hellbender Brewing Company from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The brewery will open an hour early at 12:00 pm for Tischa’s campaign, and a food truck will also be available. 

This is a great chance to meet the candidate and learn more about the race to represent 4B-09 as ANC Commissioner. 

Hellbender Brewing Company
5788 2nd Street NE, Washington D.C. 20011
Just up 2nd Street behind Walmart