This Week’s Highlights
Dear Neighbors,
We’re in the midst of another heat wave, with temperatures approaching the triple digits over much of the past week. On days like these, remember to look out for neighbors and call the shelter hotline at 202-399-7093 if you see someone in need. You can also find other resources and a map of nearby cooling centers by visiting heat.dc.gov.
This coming Saturday, I’ll be joining Mt. Zion Baptist Church for an official street designation for the late Pastor John W. Davis on 14th Street. All community members are encouraged to join as we honor a community leader who left a lasting impact on Ward 4.
Last Friday, DDOT issued a notice of intent to reduce the speed limit on Georgia Ave from 30 mph to 25 mph. DDOT is now accepting feedback from the public on this change, which can be submitted now until August 26th.
On Monday, I sent a letter to WMATA following the end of the comment period for their new bus network proposal. My letter summarizes conversations and feedback from community members and outlines the changes WMATA must make for this bus plan to work for Ward 4 residents. You can read it in full below.
Finally, last weekend, I was honored to join for the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Stevens, joining with community members to commemorate a solemn and pivotal moment in DC’s and our nation’s history.
Community News
Pastor John W. Davis Way
On Saturday, July 20th, from 2:30 to 4:30pm, I’ll be with community members at Mt. Zion Baptist Church to officially designate 14th Street NW between Gallatin Street NW and Hamilton Street NW as Pastor John W. Davis Way.
Pastor Davis served as the Senior Pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in 16th Street Heights for 40 years before passing away at the age of 99 in 2021. Pastor Davis was a cornerstone of our community, and at the time of his passing, was the oldest and longest-serving pastor in the District. I look forward to honoring and sharing his memory.
Georgia Ave Speed Limit Change
On Friday, DDOT released a notice of intent (NOI) to change the speed limit on Georgia Ave NW from Kalmia Rd NW to Barry Pl NW from 30 mph to 25 mph. This change is part of DC’s Vision Zero commitment to reducing traffic accidents and road fatalities. I’m glad to see DDOT taking action to make Georgia Ave safer for all travelers and look forward to hearing more about how it will be implemented to align with our community’s needs.
DDOT is now accepting public feedback on the change until August 26th, 2024. Comments can be sent to kelly.jeong-olson1@dc.gov. For more details on the notice of intent, click here.
WMATA Bus Network Proposal
Prior to the comment period for WMATA’s bus network plan closing on Monday, I sent a letter to the WMATA Board of Directors detailing some of my biggest concerns with the current plan. The letter is the product of conversations I’ve had with community members over the last several months, written feedback I’ve received, and input shared by neighbors during our bus network town hall in June. You can read the letter in full here, which details some of the changes WMATA must make for this plan to work for Ward 4 bus riders.
Thank you to each and every community member who shared their feedback on WMATA’s proposed bus network over the last few months. Your feedback has been crucial to making sure our community’s voice is heard as WMATA moves towards implementing a new bus route network next year.
Commemorating the Battle of Fort Stevens
Over the weekend, I was humbled to join for the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Stevens, which took place right in Brightwood. Fort Stevens is an important part of our shared history and is where President Abraham Lincoln famously witnessed fighting take place and came under direct fire from Confederate troops.
Another poignant part of the annual commemoration is telling of the story of Brightwood’s Elizabeth Proctor Thomas, who lived on the land now known as Fort Stevens. Thomas had her home destroyed by Union troops to construct the fort, and remained on the land, caring for Union soldiers stationed there. Thomas spent the rest of her life adjacent to the fort fighting for compensation, and her life remains an inseparable part of the story of Fort Stevens and DC. Her story and many others were brought alive by the historical storytelling of speakers including Alliance for the Preservation of the Civil War Defenses of Washington President Gary Thompson and the National Parks Service’s Bryan Cheeseboro.
Thanks to everyone who makes this event possible year after year, including APCWDW, NPS, and ANC 4A, particularly Commissioners Candace Tiana Nelson and Patience Singleton.
Community Resources
Ward 4 Pop-Ups
This summer, we will be holding a series of pop-ups throughout Ward 4 to bring together agencies and residents, share important resources, and answer constituent services questions from community members. The first pop-up will take place at Georgia Ave and Hamilton St NW on Thursday, July 25th from 3 to 4pm.
Resources for Heat Emergencies
Over the past several weeks, DC has experienced several heat emergencies as temperatures approach the high 90s. These temperatures can be extremely dangerous and require us to all look out for neighbors who may be in need. For weather like this, here are a few helpful resources to have on hand:
- Sign up for alerts here.
- Find cooling centers in your neighborhood here.
- For free, accessible transportation to a cooling center, call the shelter hotline at 202-399-7093 or dial 311.
- For all animal emergencies, call the Humane Rescue Alliance at 202-723-5730.
Sharing Feedback for DPW Community Conversation
In anticipation of their August 21st virtual Quarterly Community Conversation, DPW is taking submissions from community members of questions about DPW services and concerns. Questions will be accepted until Tuesday, July 30th at 11:59pm, and can be submitted here.
SUN Bucks
SUN Bucks is a DC government program that helps qualifying families pay for groceries while schools are closed during the summer. Families are preapproved for SUN Bucks if their student is between 5 and 18 years old and received SNAP or TANF benefits between July 1st, 2023 and March 22nd, 2024. Learn more about program requirements and apply here.
Vote on Caribbean Carnival Memorial
DC is currently planning several new memorials to celebrate diverse community members across the city. The memorial in Ward 4 will be located at the park at Georgia Avenue and Arkansas Avenue NW, and will honor Ward 4’s legendary Caribbean Carnival. Residents can vote on which of the designs they’d like to see built here.
Summer Ready DC Giveaway
On Wednesday, July 24th from 3:30 to 6pm, the DC Public Service Commission will host a giveaway at the Juanita E. Thornton-Shepherd Park Library. Residents will receive one free item to boost their homes’ energy efficiency and take an important step towards saving energy and reducing energy bills. Giveaways will only be available while supplies last. Register here.
Neighborhood Events
Shepherd Park Invasive Removal
On Saturday, July 20th from 9 to 11am, join the Shepherd Park Weed Warriors to work on invasive removal at Shepherd Field behind Shepherd Elementary. Your help is needed keeping invasive vines and other invasive plant species off of our native trees and flowers! Bring water and work gloves, and hand tools if you have them. Hats, long pants, and long sleeves are also recommended.
Shepherd Park Library Teen Game Space
On Tuesday, July 23rd from 3pm to 5pm, the Juanita E. Thornton-Shepherd Park Library will be hosting an after-school program for teens to play Nintendo Switch, socialize, and have fun. Participants ages 13-19 are encouraged to attend!
Happy Hour at The Parks
The next Happy Hour at The Parks is on Friday, July 26th from 5:30 to 7:30pm, complete with dancing and mingling on the Marketplace Plaza! This month’s theme is Line Dancing, and the happy hour will feature an instructor to teach the basic favorites like the Church Clap, the Barn Dance, and the Canadian Stomp. The event is free, with beverages to purchase. You can pop into Whole Foods Market or JINYA Ramen Bar for some bites as well. RSVP here.
16th Street Heights Neighborhood Movie Night
On Saturday, July 27th, the 16th Street Neighborhood Association will hold a neighborhood movie night and ice cream social. There will be ice cream and toppings for everyone from 7pm until supplies last, followed by a showing of “The LEGO Movie 2” starting at 9pm. BYO blankets and chairs! The event will be at Piney Spring Green, a green space accessible via 15th Street NW between Varnum and Webster Streets. This event is free and open to everyone.
Kids’ Day at the Mubadala Citi DC Open
On Saturday, July 27th, the US Tennis Association, the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, Children’s National Hospital, and the Mubadala Citi DC Open will host a Kids’ Day. Kids will get the opportunity to play tennis games, learn new skills and have fun on and off the tennis court. Kids ages 5 to 12 are free with registration.
Important Reminders
Office Hours in the Community
Every Wednesday afternoon from 1:30 to 2:30pm, our incredible Ward 4 constituent services team holds office hours at Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center on 324 Kennedy St NW. Community members can stop by and speak one-on-one with a member of our team about DC government services or our work in the Ward 4 community. As of this week, we are also adding office hours at Fort Stevens Rec Center from 12 to 1pm every Wednesday.
Sharing Traffic Safety Input
DDOT will be pausing the Traffic Safety Input Program to new submissions until October while they focus on completing their current workload of TSI reviews and installations. While TSIs are unavailable, my team has created a form for residents to submit traffic safety input. Note that this form should not be used to report maintenance issues related to existing roadway signs, traffic signal issues, sidewalk repairs, roadway markings, tree pruning, or roadway repairs (including speed hump repair requests).
Ward 4 Faith Leaders Peace Camp
Registration is open for Ward 4 Faith Leaders’ Peace Camp, a program for kids ages 9-13 to counter violence in our communities. The program runs from August 5th to 23rd, and focuses on building self-esteem, teaching conflict resolution, and promoting anti-bullying to help kids maintain healthy, constructive, and balanced lifestyles. Learn more about the program and apply online at www.ward4faithleaders.com.
For more local events, check out DPR, DC Public Library, and NPS.
Ward 4 in the News
Petworth News: Midtown Youth Academy on Georgia Avenue offers “Safe Haven” to youth
Axios DC: New D.C. memorials in the works to honor diverse locals
PoPville: Seta Oasis coming to Petworth in the old Chez Billy space
Ward 4 Dispatch: Ward 4 Dispatch: Better Bus Network Feedback, School Readiness Tours, and Tenant Resource Fair
Lastly, over the weekend, ANC 4B organized a Tenant Resource Fair at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library downtown, with over two dozen government agencies and community organizations. Thank you to ANC 4B for their work to keep tenants informed about affordable housing resources and tenants’ rights and thank you to everyone who stopped by our table to learn about resources available to Ward 4 tenants!
This week, I was saddened to learn that the Northampton Oak — a beautiful heritage oak tree in Chevy Chase which was thought to be over 400 years old — fell on Monday morning. The Northampton Oak made headlines more than a few times over its lifetime, including being named the largest tree in DC in 2006. But more than that, it was a fixture of the Chevy Chase community, and brought neighbors together countless times over many generations. I’m grateful to have witnessed its grandeur and have shared in the memories it made for so many people.
Have a wonderful weekend, Ward 4.
Yours in Community,
—Janeese
