DC Government

Ed. Note: Muah haha haha ha.

From DPW:

“With the holiday season coming to a close, thousands of DC residents will be looking for an environmentally friendly way to dispose of their holiday trees and greenery. The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) is pleased to provide District residents with two easy options for having their holiday trees and greenery recycled (no artificial trees). (more…)

Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans

This bomb dropped around 7pm last night from the Washington Post:

“A consulting firm owned by D.C. Council member Jack Evans received 200,000 shares of stock in a digital sign company just before Evans promoted legislation that would have benefited the company by allowing it to operate in the District, emails and other documents show.”

It is worth reading the entire jaw dropping report.

Initial reactions: (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Lorie Shaull

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser vowed to keep DC Government open in the event of a partial Federal Government shutdown. During the partial shutdown, which would begin on Saturday, December 22 at 12:01 a.m., DC Government will remain open to serve all District residents, businesses, and visitors.

“As we said when this happened earlier this year: Leadership is about stepping up, not shutting down,” said Mayor Bowser. “Regardless what happens at the federal level, DC Government will be open for business.”

In the case of a shutdown, the Department of Public Works will take over litter collection for the National Parks Service’s (NPS) 126 properties across the District that would otherwise not be serviced during a shutdown. In the event of inclement weather, DPW will also treat and clear NPS roadways.

As part of the District’s preparation for a potential government shutdown, each agency has reviewed funding sources and guidance provided by their federal agencies. Thanks to the efforts of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District enjoys “shutdown protection” so that local operations may continue during a federal shutdown. Residents and visitors should expect no service changes or lapses in benefits through District agencies. This means that the District’s education and public safety agencies will continue operating as usual.

The following agencies have provided service clarifications to residents and clients: (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Edward Hoover

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, the U.S. Census Bureau released new official population numbers that put the District’s population at 702,455 as of July 1, 2018. The District’s population has risen every year since 2006 and has soared by more than 100,000 people since the 2010 Census. In February 2018, the month that the DC Office of Planning (OP) predicted the District would reach the 700,000 milestone, the Mayor celebrated the city’s continued growth with families at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

“Over the years, we’ve made big investments in making DC a great place live, do business, raise a family, and grow old. Our continued growth shows that those investments are paying off,” said Mayor Bowser. “As our growth continues, we’re going to stay very focused on finding new ways to ensure residents across all eight wards–those who just moved here and those whose families have lived here for generations–have access to the amenities and opportunities that make DC such a fantastic place to live and work.”

Data from the State Data Center at OP show that the District added 6,764 people from July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018. Population growth in the District during this year-long period was due to gains from net natural increase (births minus deaths; 4,104) and net migration (2,656). During this period, more than 9,700 babies were born in the District, continuing the increase in DC’s population of young children. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Joe Newman

From the Office of the Attorney General:

“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today sued Facebook, Inc. for failing to protect its users’ data, enabling abuses like one that exposed nearly half of all District residents’ data to manipulation for political purposes during the 2016 election. In its lawsuit, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) alleges Facebook’s lax oversight and misleading privacy settings allowed, among other things, a third-party application to use the platform to harvest the personal information of millions of users without their permission and then sell it to a political consulting firm. In the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, some Facebook users downloaded a “personality quiz” app which also collected data from the app users’ Facebook friends without their knowledge or consent. The app’s developer then sold this data to Cambridge Analytica, which used it to help presidential campaigns target voters based on their personal traits. Facebook took more than two years to disclose this to its consumers. OAG is seeking monetary and injunctive relief, including relief for harmed consumers, damages, and penalties to the District. (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

DPW’s DC Leaf Collection Brochure, sent to all DC residents several months ago, proudly proclaims the dates of leaf collection. My 5 day period for pick up in Ward 6 ended on November 17. Now, 29 days later, the leaves continue to pile up. The Director of DPW proudly says the program is working. I beg to differ. Where are you, DPW? Anyone have a similar/ better story?”

Last week DPW reported:

“Leaf Collection Update: December 13, 2018

While our crews are working hard to service everyone, due to heavy rain and some snow earlier in the season, leaf collections are slightly behind schedule in some parts of the District. Below you will find updates for each ward. Please continue to rake your leaves into your tree box (or at the curb if there is no tree box) according to the original schedule, so that our crews can collect them as soon as possible. We thank you for your understanding and patience.

Ward Schedule Updates: (more…)