Dear Neighbors, As September comes to a close, a new fiscal year for the District and the federal governments commences. In this newsletter, I discuss public safety, including this week’s public roundtable on the nomination of the new MPD chief, and provide information on how the impending federal government shutdown will and will not affect our community. I’m also excited to talk about one of my favorite events of the year, Art All Night, to celebrate Karen Feinstein’s many years of service to Ward 4 families, and to share that ERAP will be re-opening soon! Public Safety and the Role

Dear Neighbors, It is officially fall this week and the Council is back in session! We passed several bills at our first legislative meeting, including a free Master’s of Social Work program at UDC, stronger tenant and worker protections, and a new e-bike rebate program that will launch next year. In honor of Public Lands Day, I also introduced major legislation to improve how DC maintains our forest land and combats invasive plants in our parks. I also warn residents about heavy winds on Saturday as Tropical Storm Ophelia makes its way to our region. Unfortunately, Celebrate Petworth is cancelled

The bill will transform now DC maintains its 500 acres of forested land, spearhead community partnerships, and launch a strategic vision for conservation in the District. Ward 4 Councilmember and Chair of the Council Committee on Facilities and Family Services Janeese Lewis George introduced legislation to establish a new office to overhaul how the District manages and conserves its approximately 500 acres of forest land. The bill is co-introduced by a supermajority of Councilmembers and with support from the District’s leading conservation organizations. “Across DC, invasive plants are overtaking our natural forest areas and making our parks less accessible, less

Dear Neighbors, Legislative meetings and hearings resume next week, and we have a packed fall schedule! In this newsletter, I preview some of our most important upcoming Council hearings, update you on the new playground at Barnard Elementary, highlight the first community meeting for Upshur Rec Center and Pool modernization, share important public safety information, highlight new leadership at MPD Fourth District and the Ward 4 Mini-Commission on Aging, and share Ward 4 news, city services, and local events in our community. New Playground at Barnard Elementary Thursday was a particularly happy day at Barnard Elementary, since the school celebrated

Dear Neighbors, I hope you have been keeping cool this week and looking forward to the cooler days we have ahead! In addition to community events, local news, and updates on city services, I want to try something new this week and shine a light on some great but under-appreciated DC programs: DC Programs We Should All Know Throughout the year, we work on improving DC government through Council oversight, legislation, and budget investment so we can better meet the needs of our communities. Today I also want to highlight great DC programs and services that are already in place

Dear Neighbors, Happy September and happy First Week of School! I’m writing ahead of Labor Day Weekend to update you on what’s happening in our community: Raymond Elementary’s modernized building, changes to city services due to the holiday, a simpler and better new sign-up process for Council hearings, updates on public safety in Ward 4, multiple Green Line Stations reopening for Metro service, your last chance to vote on a Ward 4 Commemorative Project, our final weekend of Upshur Pool being open for the season, plenty of neighborhood events, and local news you may have missed. Celebrating Raymond’s New Home

Dear Neighbors, The last weekend of August is always one of the busiest of the year with back-to-school giveaways, community events, and block parties across Ward 4! Check out everything happening in our community and updates on school immunizations, the KIDS Ride Free program, public safety, and your final chance to vote on a Ward 4 Commemorative Project. To all our parents and students out there: whether you’re a few days into the new school year or preparing to start school next week, we are rooting for you to have a great start to the year! I have been visiting

I’m excited to share that we have three open positions to add to our Ward 4 Council team! Click on each position for the full job posting, a description of the position, and instructions on how to apply. You can also find the postings under the DC Council’s list of job openings. If you have any questions about the openings, please email our Chief of Staff, Kelly Hunt, at khunt@dccouncil.gov. We are excited to welcome individuals to the team who are committed to serving Ward 4 residents, supporting our communities, and advancing justice and equity in the District. If you

Dear Neighbors, We made it to the weekend! This time of the year my focus is on ensuring our schools are ready to welcome back students for the new school year – both in Ward 4 as your Councilmember and across the city as Chair of the Council Committee that oversees facilities. This week I visited MacFarland Middle School to assess progress on needed repairs, and I will continue checking in on more of our schools next week. I am grateful for the significant progress being made in school repairs, while also recognizing that there is much more to do.

Dear Neighbors, We have an action-packed weekend coming up with back-to-school giveaways, Emery Heights Community Day, an outdoor jazz concert at The Parks, a kickball game in honor of Linda Harllee Harper, and Councilmember office hours at Petworth Community Market. I also report back on how DC government is responding to the unsafe living conditions in some apartment buildings and what more needs to be done. We also have a new ANC Commissioner in Riggs Park and DPR Fall Program registration starting next week! Back-to-School Giveaway at Emery Heights Community Day This Saturday, August 12 all roads lead to Emery Heights Community