Ward 5 Blogger Breakfast

Last Friday Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas Jr, hosted a Blogger Breakfast at the Capital City Diner with a number of Ward 5 bloggers including Frozen Tropics, In Bloom, The Totten Life, The Rhode Island Avenue Insider, and yours truly.

This is the first of many meetings with Ward 5 bloggers that the Councilmember wants to facilitate on an ongoing basis. In this meeting Councilmember Thomas shared his ideas about the future of Ward 5 and discussed what he saw as the future of the Ward.

The format was pretty open with Councilmember Thomas sharing his thoughts and answering questions from the Ward 5 bloggers in a round robin fashion. The councilmember also made it clear to the bloggers in attendance that he didn’t want to interfere with what we would write about and he thought we served an important function in Ward 5 as objective forums for local issues. As important as bloggers are to the Ward 5 ecosystem the Councilmember mentioned that this are only a part of his outreach work as many Ward 5 folks are not online and he is pounding pavement to meet with those folks as well.

A lot was covered in the discussion with the Councilmember ranged for neighborhood issues like crime, youth violence, public safety, and economic development including small business initiatives.

Some of the highlights of the breakfast were:

• Discussion with Councilmember Thomas about crime around Brookland Metro in particular the discussion about Metro Transit police using pepper spray to subdue a youth last week, Councilmember Thomas said that this was excessive, but understood that folks was sensitive because of the recent crime around Brookland Metro including the recent tackling incident.

• Councilmember Thomas wants metro Transit police to take a more active role in patrolling stations in Ward 5 and their bus areas as well. Councilmember Thomas discussed improving communication and cooperation between MPD and Metro Transit to counter crime at and around Metro stations. He stated that he working on legislation to increase penalties for crimes around transit.

• Youth crime was one the other conversations that we had and the councilmember discussed various ways to help prevent youth crime by creating more programs to help mentor and engage teenagers like the summer jobs program.

• Councilmember Thomas discussing development in Ward including answering questions about making the Rhode Island Avenue area an overlay district. The Councilmember also mentioned utilizing Old Town Trolley as an transportation system between the various the developments along Rhode Island Avenue.

• Councilmember Thomas mentioned that he really thinks McMillan can developed in a fashion that would make it appealing for all parties in the ward including those currently against the proposed developed. This is exciting and could be a way to bring true community involvement in a Ward 5 development project.

• Councilmember Thomas talked about the economic opportunities in all of the upcoming development in Ward 5 including the proposed Costco and Walmart and the potential Target developments and the jobs that would bring to the area including setting aside jobs for Ward 5 residents. The bigbox stores are then seen as a way to bring more businesses and jobs to Ward 5.

• The councilmember discussed ways to help small business thrive in the ward including ways to help existing business such as Brookland Hardware on 12th Street stay in business and to create incentives for new small businesses. There is a lot to do on the small business side front to help grow “homegrown” Ward 5 business as well as attracting outside business to come to the ward.

• Since we were eating at successful new small business on Bladensburg Road Councilmember Thomas brought up one the other pioneering businesses right across the street, Jimmy Valentine’s Lonely Hearts Club. Jimmy Valentine’s was one the first new businesses to come to Bladensburg Road and shows how a small business that sells alcohol can be successful and not tick off the neighborhood.

• Other conversations points included improving the workings and communications of ANC, the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and undergrounding of the 12th Street power lines, among others.

I think continuing to encourage Ward 5 the bigbox “hub” of DC is problematic as limits the type of urban development that the Ward needs. Additionally with the industrial parts of the ward it makes sense to look towards brining development much like is happening in Navy Yard, with large companies like Booz Allen Hamilton leasing a large amount of office space among other notable tenants. This type of development could bring real change and could have the ward move beyond retail with a breadth of different types of jobs. Another thought is what about other federal agencies could some of them be relocated to Ward 5?

On a side note one thing that Councilmember mentioned that was interesting is that he mentioned Route 1 is the oldest ( or one of the oldest ) streets in the country. Though Route 1 is old, Bunker Hill Rd (Michigan Avenue) has it beat. Parts of Bunker Hill Road predate Washington DC itself. Look for info about Bunker Hill Road in a later post. .

I felt the Blogger Breakfast was definitively a success and I hope it continues in the future. I would like to thank Councilmember Thomas once again of this great opportunity discuss Ward 5 issues with him and met fellow Ward 5 bloggers. Check out the coverage of the Blogger Breakfast from the The Totten Life and The Rhode Island Avenue Insider for other perspectives.

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Washington DC Flag

The September 3rd deadline for the filing as an ANC commissioner for 2010 has passed and the list of ANC 5A candidates is listed on the DC Board of Elections and Ethics site

The list hasn’t changed all that much as some SMD are such as 5A04, 5A05, 5A06, 5A08, and 5A09 are still uncontested and 5A11 does not have any candidates registered for the seat. However there are four races that will be interesting to watch.

ANC SMD 5A03 and 5A12 both have incumbents facing challengers to existing ANC commissioners Angel Alston and Bob King.

The races for ANC SMD 5A07 and 5A10 are heating up as two three way races.

First 5A10 has three new potential candidates as current 5A10 commissioner Phillip Blair is not running again this year. Instead folks in 5A10 get to chose between Jehan Ashley Carter, Corey Arnez Griffin, and Allen L. Tillman, Jr.

ANC SMD 5A07 will once again be race to watch as the candidates include current ANC 5A07 Carolyn Steptoe who was previously making a run at one of the At-Large council seats, John Daggett current Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association Vice President, and neighborhood activist Mary Melchior.

I am biased in watching the 5A07 race since it is not only my own ANC SMD but also will certainly being an interesting race will all the personalities involved.

Which ANC SMD election is everyone interested in? Which do you think will make a good race?

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Registered Candidates

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1. ANC 5A 2010 Candidates (So Far) DC Board of Elections and Ethics tweeted this afternoon that...
2. Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association Meeting Tuesday 02/16/2010 Next Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association meeting is Tuesday 02/16/2010 Please...
3. Reminder ANC 5A07 SMD Meeting 1/20/2010 5A07 Single Member District Community Meeting Agenda Welcome Moment of...

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Brookland-CUA Metro Station

Last night once again there was an incident that affected passengers using the Brookland-CUA Metro station. As reported on the Brookland Listserv and Twitter A suspect was subdued using pepper spray which created strong noxious fumes and made it very difficult to breath.

One Brookland Listserv member experienced the fun herself

There were flashing lights EVERYWHERE – police cars, emergency personnel, and an ambulance. There also was a young black man in handcuffs. I have no idea what he’d done, but another passenger told us that they’d had to pepper spray/mace him to subdue him…and that’s what we had inhaled in the station. All those fumes – mixed with bleach they’d used to clean the station floors – had created quite the ‘place to be’ for us. And, to boot, all below-ground METRO personnel at Brookland had left the station to come outdoors – leaving us unsuspecting passengers to fend for ourselves. When I approached a METRO employee outside and asked him why hadn’t there been some METRO employees in the station – and, why isn’t there someone down there now – to tell passengers coming off the train to not take the elevator, exit the station as quickly as possible, etc. he told us “…..I’m not going back down there!”.

She always asks the questions

Why wasn’t the station temporarily closed? Or, how about an announcement on the PA system to warn disembarking passengers what they were about to walk into? What about passengers with compromised health conditions?

Seems pretty ridiculous that riders where put in this type of danger without any warning , announcements, or direction on where to go and no metro personnel to be found inside.

This type of neglect isn’t new to the Brookland-CUA Metro station even recently a local Metro rider relates his experience of being chased and tackled by rowdy teenagers last Saturday. Over there years riders have been harassed and mugged going to and from the Brookland station with WMATA and Transit Police doing little to deal with it long term.

The Brookland side of the Metro station is also still without an escalator cover even though it is notorious for having problems with escalator not working for long durations of time. In fact it seems a visit from the Pope is the only time the escalator is fixed.

WMATA really needs to get on the ball and stop ignoring the Brookland-CUA Metro station, first by dealing with the security problems at the station, second by making sure the escalators is in working order, and third by installing a cover over on the Brookland side of the station.

Brookland residents deserve to have a safe working station especially with all the fare increases.

Related posts:

1. Brookland / CUA Metro: Rider Struck and Killed by Train DC Fire and EMS is reporting via their twitter feed...
2. Underground-only Metrorail and limited Metrobus service expected Monday WMATA has announced that Metro will continue to run underground...
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Tree Tagged

Another Brookland Avenue Reader sent in the following photograph for a tree that was tagged by “Rez” near the Franciscan Monastery by14th and Perry.

It’s bad enough when cars get hit by graffiti as they did on Taussig a few weeks ago. But when mature tree’s get hit it takes it to a new level.

The question is what will be tagged next?

Related posts:

1. Taussig Tagged Last week local Brookland resident and Twitter user Jonthan Smith...
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Washington DC Flag

There will be a forum for Ward 5 Councilmember candidates today at 6:00pm at Turkey Thicket Rec Center.

Residents can submit a question for the candidates between 6:00pm and 6:45pm.

The forum will focus on how each candidate proposes to meet the needs of low-income Ward 5 residents.

Come and hear what the Ward 5 Councilmember candidates have to say.

The event is sponsored by American Federation of Government Employees District 14, DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, DC Jobs Council, DC Jobs with Justice, Defeat Poverty DC, District Alliance for Safe Housing, Empower DC, Fair Budget Coalition, Latino Economic Development Corporation, Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Wider Opportunities for Women.

Where: Turkey Thicket Rec Center

When: Thursday September 2nd

Time: Doors open at 6:00. Forum starts at 6:30

Turkey Thicket Recreational Center

Related posts:

1. Ward 5 Blogger Breakfast with Councilmember Thomas Last Friday Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas Jr, hosted a...
2. Ward 5 Democrats Straw Poll Monday 8/23 This coming Monday August 23rd from 6pm to 830pm the...
3. Ward 5 Democrats “Meet and Greet” Fundraiser Tonight Meet and Great with the elected leadership of the Ward...

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Washington DC Flag

The Ward 5 Democrats posted the unofficial results from the Straw Poll / Endorsement vote that was held last Tuesday at the Michigan Park Christian Church.

There wasn’t many surprises in the poll the biggest one being Michael Brown ( not the current At-Large member) beat out Phil Mendelson and Clark Way. Who says name recognition doesn’t matter?

August 23, 2010 Ward 5 Democrats Straw Poll Results

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Taussig Tagged

Last week local Brookland resident and Twitter user Jonthan Smith tweated A bunch of cars were tagged during the night on Taussig and Six cars tagged with “Riggs Park Crew”, “Big 30″ and the like.

Riggs Park Crew

Jonathan was kind enough to snap a couple of photos to share of the August 17th graffiti spree of Taussig Street NE.

Tag 30

Tagging on cars is certainty annoying and bad enough but local resident Jess Hanff tweated they have tags on TREES. Seems like there is a tag REZ by the dogwood on 14th and Perry.

This begs the question is this new pattern something to be concerned about or is it just one of the things we have to deal with for living in the city limits?

Has anyone else seen the work of Riggs Park Crew, Big 30, or REZ?

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ANC 5A07 Commissioner Carolyn Steptoe

After posting about the ANC 5A 2010 Candidates (So far) a reader informed me that current Brookland resident and ANC 5A07 Commissioner Carolyn Steptoe is circulating a petition for the November 2nd 2010 general election for At-Large member for the Council.

The DC Board of Elections and Ethics does indeed have Commissioner Steptoe in their List of Candidates Circulating Petitions for the November 2, 2010 General Election as of August 2, 2010 *.The DC Office of Campaign Financing have Commissioner Steptoe on their Candidate List 2010 as well.

Commissioner Steptoe ran for council previously in 2006 as a green candidate for Ward 5 winning 7.91% of the vote. In 2008 Commissioner Steptoe won election as ANC Commissioner of SMD 5A07 with 59.95% of the vote (530 votes). She is registered this year as an independent candidate for At-Large.

Carolyn Steptoe has been involved in local activism over the years including the opposition of Brookland as a Historic District, the closing of Ward 5 schools, opposition of marriage equality, among others.

What do Brookland and Ward 5 folks think about Commissioner Steptoe running for an At-Large seat?

Related Links:

• Mike DeBonis on Local Politics
• Washington Post 2006 Profile
• Elect Steptoe 2006

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The Straw Poll and Endorsement will include votes on:

• Delegate to the U.S. House of Representative
• U.S. Representative
• Mayor of the District of Columbia
• Chairman of the Council
• At-Large Member of the Council
• Ward 5 Member of the Council

When: Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Where: Michigan Park Christian Church
1600 Taylor Street NE, Washington DC 20017

Time: 6:00pm-8:30pm

Michigan Park Christian Church

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It seemed to pass through the area pretty quickly after leaving a trail of lightning and destruction. Twitter is abuzz with reports of metro outages including:

• Silver Spring single tracking it because of a tree on one of the tracks
• Foggy Bottom has flooding
• Forest Glen is closed with no power
• Cleveland Park is closed because of flooding

Pepco is reporting 76,398 power outages so far.

Lots of trees down, and localized flooding throughout the area including on Rhode Island Avenue which is closed between 5th Street and 9th Street NE with cars stranded.

Follow DC Fire and EMS on Twitter and your local news for more info.

Be careful out there.

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