DC Government

Think the DMV will issue FU Series License Plates?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by #PoPville instagram contributor @jww_color

“Dear PoPville,

I’ve started to notice the sequencing of DC-issued license plates has now hit FT and once DMV issues FT-9999, the question becomes will it issue FU-0000 or will they skip FU (and hopefully FV) and go directly to FW-0000. Hopefully someone in DMV has already thought this through, but any idea if DC government has any foresight to avoid an embarrassing snafu in an election year?”

Ed. Note: “an embarrassing snafu in an election year?” hahaha about that whole is D.C. cool debate…but now I am curious if there will be an FU series of plates. Let me rosin up my bow.

U Street ANC Objects to Later Open Hours for The Mediterranean Spot

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.


1501 U Street, NW

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 1B/U Street, at its regularly-scheduled monthly meeting May 3, voted to protest a request by Pal the Mediterranean Spot, a restaurant at 1501 U Street NW, to be allowed to serve alcohol until 2am Sunday-Thursday, and 3am Friday-Sunday. Currently, the restaurant must cease serving alcohol at midnight, seven days a week.

At the ANC meeting, the owner of Pal the Mediterranean Spot testified that he had been operating the restaurant in its present location for six years, and had been doing business in the area for 20 years [Ed. Note: previously as 24 Seven down the block.] The restaurant had not had problems “with any neighbor except one”. The owner challenged anyone to show that his restaurant had been anything but a law-abiding operation, “if you have any picture”.

A head of a tenant’s association of a nearby property testified the restaurant was a good neighbor. “I’m shocked,” he said, about the complaints about the restaurant. “I don’t notice any problem.”

A neighbor who wished the ANC to protest the request also spoke. She said she has a residential property that shares a common wall with the restaurant.

“We’re not trying to put them out of business,” the neighbor said. (more…)

“Lanier Heights Continues to Battle Popups”

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.


via Office of Zoning files

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 1C/Adams Morgan, at its regularly-scheduled meeting on May 2, voted unanimously to oppose an attempt to increase the height of a residential building at 1766 Lanier Place NW. The proposed expansion requires the developers to get zoning relief, which is what brought the matter before the ANC.

The property is in an area which was “downzoned” in 2016, after residents successfully persuaded the DC Zoning Commission to change the area’s zoning designation (today called “RF-1”) so that buildings were limited to three stories of no more than 35 feet total. (more…)

Here are the 53 Recipients of the 2018 Great Streets Small Business Grants

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Lorie Shaull

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser today awarded over $2.6 million in Great Streets Small Business Capital Improvement Reimbursement Grants to 53 small businesses across all eight wards. This investment continues the Bowser Administration’s efforts to support local businesses, create new job opportunities for DC residents, and grow the District’s emerging neighborhoods.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy – they create jobs and business for DC residents and neighborhoods and help us give Washingtonians in all eight wards a fair shot,” said Mayor Bowser. “It is fitting that we celebrate the Great Streets grantees during Small Business Week, highlighting all they do to create opportunity and drive innovation in Washington, DC.”

The competitive grants were awarded to small business owners who represent the District’s diverse business community, from restaurants and retail to fitness centers and creative spaces. The Fiscal Year 2018 grantees include: (more…)

“Crowdy Court” to be Mt. Vernon Squangle’s Newest Address

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.


photo via Wikipedia by AgnosticPreachersKid

At its regularly-scheduled meeting May 1, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E/Shaw voted to support a proposal to name a set of Mt. Vernon Squangle alleys “Crowdy Court”. After the vote, Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward Six) told the ANC that he would introduce a law to the City Council to make the name official.

“I’ll proudly introduce that legislation,” Allen said.

The alleys are located in the interior of the block bordered by Fourth Street, M Street, Fifth Street, and New York Avenue NW. They will be named in honor of William Saunders Crowdy, who was born into slavery in Maryland, escaped, served in the Union Army, and became, in 1896, the founder of The Church of God and Saints of Christ, a Black Hebrew Israelite religious group, according to Wikipedia. (more…)

Anti-Semitic Fliers Found in Mount Pleasant; “Voices With Vision will address Zionism and political persecution of DC council member Trayon White”

By Prince Of Petworth

Ali writes:

“A neighbor in Mount Pleasant found this poster on Irving Street this morning. It is rather disturbing. Does anyone know who is posting these anti-semitic posters?”

Unfortunately these fliers have been posted around D.C. for years.

Samantha also writes:

“This was posted in my neighborhood group. Someone is putting these anti-Semitic fliers up around D.C. Comes on the heels of @councilofdc looking the other way from hate speech.”

Sadly it comes in many forms.

Melissa writes:

“This happened this morning. This sucks so bad, I can’t believe that our council and Bowser won’t stand against this in any definitive way.”

Update:

Regarding the Council: (more…)

Councilmember Silverman’s Response to Being Called a “Fake Jew”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Joseph Gruber

“Dear Mayor Bowser and D.C. Council colleagues:

The hateful words spoken outside the Wilson Building have absolutely no place in our city. It is unconscionable that event supporters brush off these repugnant words of prejudice simply as “wrong things” to say and speakers going “rogue.” Not at all: This was a deliberately misleading, intentionally designed attempt to stir up division and hatred, particularly for me as a Jewish, At-Large Council member, who represents the entire city including Ward 8.

It is part of a disturbing tolerance within our city for anti-Jewish hate speech, which has made these last several weeks increasingly hurtful and difficult for me and others at the Wilson Building who are Jewish, as well as for the entire D.C. Jewish community. (more…)

Also Disconcerting? Calling Jews Termites at a “Unity Rally”

By Prince Of Petworth

There’s a lot going on below and it may require a lot of clicking around but damn.

“The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) on the rally held outside the Wilson Building on April 26, 2018:

“I am extremely alarmed by the disgusting anti-Semitic rhetoric used to attack both the Jewish Community and a Council colleague yesterday, right on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building. This type of hate speech must be immediately denounced and cannot be given a safe space to be heard in our city.

“This rally was organized by Joshua Lopez, who was appointed by the mayor to serve on the District of Columbia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.When Mr. Lopez’s nomination came up for a vote this year, I joined the concerns raised by some of my colleagues about Mr. Lopez’s temperament and qualifications and ultimately voted against his appointment. And now this. Mr. Lopez should personally apologize to Councilmember Elissa Silverman and resign his seat on the D.C. Housing Authority Board immediately.“

“These spots are still going unused and have been for years”

By Prince Of Petworth


12th and H Street, NE

A reader reports:

“These spots are still going unused and have been for years. That DDOT has not taken any action has closed off two parking spots to neighbors who cannot park there because the disabled residents have since moved.

This is my original message from 10 January: “I am contacting you about three reserved disability parking spots in the front of 808-818 12th St NE. A number of these houses have sold in the past year, and the handicapped residents who occupied them have moved, yet the reserved parking remains unused by the neighborhood because the signs are still up. I am requesting a review of these three reserved spots (which take up this half of the block) to determine which are still in use by residents.”

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