Black Friday at Culture Coffee Too
November 23, 2018
10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Culture Coffee Too is hosting Black Friday 10 am – 4 pm. Jewelry, skin care products, candle, plants etc will be available. Come and enjoy CCT holiday cocktails while you shop.

Lots of questions about X-Sport Fitness. We reached out to the developer and this is what we can share: The developer of Art Place at Fort Totten terminated its lease with X-Sport Fitness and is negotiating with another health and fitness club to take that space.

Here’s hoping they close the deal soon. I for one am looking forward to being able to walk to a gym in the neighborhood.

At last week’s ANC 5A meeting on August 1, Ruth Pollard, Chief Strategy Officer at Providence Hospital, provided a little more information about the hosptial’s press release that stated the hospital is ending acute care services by December 2018. Acute care include inpatient care and emergency care, so Providence will be closing its emergency room by December 2018. Providence plans to continue outpatient care for the remaining services that it offers. Recall that Providence has ceased providing several areas of care. The Carroll Manor skilled nursing facility will remain on the Providence campus and will likely become part of Ascension Living. The retired priest campus will likely move. Ms. Pollard said the retired priest campus will likely move in the future.

With respect to the health village concept floated by Providence last year, Ms. Pollard said the hospital has decided to “pause” solicitation for health village concepts. Ms. Pollard made it a point to say Providence will always have a “presence” in Ward 5 and the District. They just are not sharing what that presence looks like, and maybe they really do not know what that presence looks like at this point. Ms. Pollard talked a lot about social determinants and working to keep people healthy rather than just focusing on serving people once they become actutely ill.

Given that the mission of the hospital is to serve the poor and vulnerable, it is still unclear how all of these changes align with that mission. Ms. Pollard noted that there are other nearby hospital networks that people can use, specifically mentioning MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Children’s Medical. She made it a point to say that most nearby residents do not utilize the hospital. Ms. Pollard did mention that the hospital is looking at opportunities to provide services in Wards 7 and 8. According to Ms. Pollard, the hospital draws the highest number of its patients from Wards 4, 5, and 7. District officials have been working to open a hospital to serve residents in Wards 7 and 8.  So it sounded like Providence is exploring maybe being part of that endeavor. It is all still very unclear.

Because Providence has not been super transparent or forthcoming about what it is doing, there are lots of rumors floating around. The hospital now has a very short set of FAQs relating to its restructing on its website. It does not answer a whole lot, but it is a start. Hopefully the hospital will see value in adding more meaningful updates in the future.

Fridays at Fort Totten continues this week with music by the Ron Holloway Band and eats by CapMac. Takes place Friday, August 3 at the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Sponsored by On Tap Magazine and The Modern at Art Place. Bring a lawn chair for seating.

Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series continues tomorrow with the JoGo Project, a funk, hip-hop, and jazz group. Eats by Swizzler Foods. On the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Hosted by On Tap Magazine and The Modern at Art Place. Keep an eye on the weather; if it’s raining too hard, they may cancel. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.

Exciting! Remember all updates are located on the project website at https://www.metbranchtrail-forttotten.com.

• Mayor Muriel Bowser
• DDOT Director Jeff Marootian
• Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie
• WMATA Representative
• NPS Representative

Fridays at Fort Totten Concert Series continues tomorrow with reggae band Feel Free and eats by Luv Plates. Takes place 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE. Sponsored by On Tap Magazine and the Modern at Art Place. Bring a lawn chair for seating.

Update: Boil Water Advisory has been lifted

Parts of Riggs Park experienced low water pressure/no water last night. See full text of precautionary boil water advisory from DC Water & map of affected area below

DC Water Issues Precautionary Boil Water Advisory

July 13, 2018

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) advises customers to boil their water for cooking and drinking until further notice if they live within the area that is bounded by the following:

Fridays at Fort Totten free outdoor concert series continues tomorrow with live music by Black Masala and eats by CapMac. Sponsored by On Tap Magazine & The Modern at Art Place at the plaza on the corner of South Dakota Ave. & Galloway St. NE, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.

Tonight’s Fridays at Fort Totten concert is cancelled due to rain.

From DPR:

The DC Free Summer Meals Program will run from Monday, June 18 to Friday, August 17, and is open to all children in DC ages 18 and under. There is no registration, no identification, and no parental guidance required to participate. The program helps to fill the nutrition gap for low-income children who depend on free and reduced-price meals during the school year by providing nutritious meals and snacks. The summer food program is paid for through federal funding from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered in D.C. by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).

• The C.H.I.L.D. CENTER
  202 RIGGS ROAD NE
  Phone: 202-269-6805
  Date Open: June 14, 2017
  Date Close: August 17, 2017
  Days Open: M,T,W,TH,F
  Breakfast: 7:00-9:00
  Lunch: 12:00-1:00

• LaSalle-Backus EC
  501 RIGGS ROAD NE
  Phone: 202-604-5883
  Date Open: June 25, 2017
  Date Close: August 3, 2017
  Days Open: M,T,W,TH,F
  Breakfast: 8:00-9:30
  Lunch: 11:30-1:00

• Lamond-Riggs Library
  5401 SOUTH DAKOTA AVENUE NE
  Phone: 202-541-6265
  Date Open: July 2, 2017
  Date Close: August 10, 2017
  Days Open: M,T,W,TH,F
  Breakfast: 
  Lunch: 1:00 – 2:30

• DC Bilingual PCS/Kids and Culture Camp
  33 RIGGS ROAD NE
  Phone: 202-643-8787
  Date Open: June 25, 2017
  Date Close: July 20, 2017
  Days Open: M,T,W,TH,F
  Breakfast: 7:45 – 8 :30
  Lunch: 11:15 – 1:30

Hopefully everyone knows by now that there will not be any Metro red line service between Fort Totten and NoMa from July 21 to September 3, 2018. The Brookland and Rhode Island Avenue stations will be closed. Red line trains will operate in two segments: (1) between Shady Grove and NoMa and (2) between Fort Totten and Glenmont. Consider using the green line at Fort Totten to get downtown and give yourself plenty of time to get wherever you need to go because this sounds like it will be kind of a mess.

At the ANC 5A special meeting on June 13, 2018, Metro officials provided additional information about the closure. See the fact sheet here: Metro Rhode Island Avenue Capital Project Fact Sheet (pdf). More information will be provided by Metro in the coming weeks.

The project is being done to “complete structural repairs at Metro’s oldest outdoor station and lower[] rail elevations to achieve ‘ADA Compliant’ boarding.” It will also include “track bed repairs and improvements to lighting and CCTV systems at Rhode Island and Brookland stations.”

Metro is asking ANCs for a resolution to support permitting Metro to work 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on the stations in order to get the work done in the allotted 45 days. Metro will need an after-hours work permit to do so. According to Metro, without the ability to work 24/7, it may need to extend the closure period. ANC 5A voted to support a resolution in favor of permitting Metro to work around-the-clock. We will update the post when we get a copy of that resolution.

From Metro’s handout:

Schedule

• June 18 to July 21 – pre-shutdown work
• July 21 to September 3 – shutdown
• July 28th weekend: Fort Totten red line closed

Customer Impact

Buses replace trains between Fort Totten and NoMa

Free shuttles

• Local (serves all closed stations)
• Brookland – Union Station
• Brookland – Gallery Place (9th & F Street NW)

Expanded Metrobus Service

• MetroExtra G9 (weekday service)

Regular Service

• Metrobus Route P6
• Metrobus Route G8
• Metrobus Route 80

Station Access

• Pedestrian Walkthrough at Brookland station will remain open
• Pedestrian bridge over CSX tracks will remain open
• Rhode Island Avenue pedestrian bridge open but may need to close temporarily depending on structural work

Free registration for the Explore! Children’s Museum June Art Jam on June 16 is open!

June 16, 2018
10:00 am – 1:45 pm
The Modern at Art Place
400 Galloway Street NE

Description from the event page:

Come learn about Explore! Children’s Museum while you enjoy arts and music activities with our neighbors. Participate in another exciting Mad Science Show! Visit Cowboy Barry’s petting zoo, Color with Luna and friends, have your face painted by Fairy Jennabelle and create art to take home and enjoy. The first 100 children will receive a watercolor paint set!

Show Schedule

10:00 – Tom Noll’s Story time
11:00 : Things That Go Boom! A Mad Science show
12:00 : The Groovy Nate Music Show!

Our festivals have been funded in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts

From UDC:

The University Of the District Of Columbia is pleased to announce the opening of a farm stand at our Bertie Backus Campus. All our or produce is sustainably produced, local, organic and will be sourced from our Firebird farm in Beltsville, MD and our Urban Food Hubs in Washington DC.  Our produce offerings will vary as the farm season progresses so look out for a list of what we will have to offer each month.  If you are interested in helping make opening day June 9, 2018 a community event please contact Maryam Sabur at bertiebackus.farmstand@gmail.com. We are looking for volunteer musicians, help with children’s crafts and games and any suggestions that will enhance our farm stand.

Location

Bertie Backus Urban Food Hub
5171 South Dakota Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017

Time 
9:00am-12:00pm

Dates
June 9, 2018
July 7, 2018
August 11, 2018
September 15, 2018
October 6, 2018
November 10, 2018

Riggs Park Day
May 19, 2018
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Riggs LaSalle Recreation Center
501 Riggs Road NE

12:00 pm – Free food (1st come, 1st served)

Nationals Tickets Raffle & Hat Giveaway

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Capoeira Foundation Class & Demo by Capoeira Malês DC

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
The Uncle Devin Show Children’s Music & Percussion Petting Zoo

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Adventures with Luna & Friends Storytelling & Coloring Book Giveaway
Explore! Children’s Museum Games
Lamond-Riggs Library Storytelling
Face Painting

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Live Music: Crossfire

Riggs Park Day is still on tomorrow! Come on out to the Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center, located at 501 Riggs Road NE, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Free food and beverages will be served starting at 12 :00 pm. Come early and get it while it lasts. Snacks will be available throughout the day.

National tickets will be raffled off throughout the day. Pick up a free hat as well.

Take a foundation capoeira class with Capoeira Males DC at 1:00 pm. Capoeira is a Brazilian art form that combines martial art, dance, and music. This class is suitable for any level, and is specifically designed for beginners completely new to the art form.

The Uncle Devin Show will be providing live music for children from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.

Coloring, storytelling, and children’s games will be available courtesy of Adventures with Luna & Friends, the Explore! Children’s Museum of Washington, DC, and the Lamond-Riggs Library children’s librarian from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Information tables will be set up to provide information from several District government agencies, Job Corps, and the Anacostia Watershed Society. Sign up for a tour of the Anacostia River and provide suggestions for environmental projects in the neighborhood. The DOES mobile van will be on hand to assist youth and other residents with employment opportunities.

The day will conclude with live music from DC band Crossfire at 2:30 pm.

Hosted by ANC Commissioners Barbara Rogers (4B08) & Tischa Cockrell (4B09), Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association, and DC Department of Parks & Recreation

Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association
Public Meeting
May 7, 2018
7:00 pm

Location: LaSalle-Backus Education Campus (501 Riggs Road NE, enter on Madison Street)

Guests:

• DDOT – Met Branch Trail extension from Brookland to Fort Totten
• EYA – Fort Totten South mixed-use townhome project South Dakota Ave. & Riggs Rd. NE
• Candidates for DC Council At-Large & DC Council Chair Meet & Greet (confirmed: Marcus Goodwin; Jeremiah Lowery; Ed Lazere)

Pepco Open House
April 26, 2018
LaSalle Backus Education Campus
501 Riggs Road NE
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
RSVP: capitalgrid@pepco.com

Receive information about the Capital Grid Project and the Takoma to Sligo Underground Project. Learn how these projects will affect your travel throughout the neighborhood.

Due to the winter weather that refuses to make way for spring, the Human Rescue Alliance event that was scheduled for April 7 has been rescheduled for June 9, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.