Photo by PoPville flickr user John Sonderman
First let me say – yes change the name – the name should be changed. Just so I’m clear and officially on record. It’s just so bizarre to read a press release where the mayor of a city won’t say the name of the team. It’s bonkers. Right? Having said all that – go Burgundy and Gold!!
Now read the prose of one writer in a precarious situation – from the Mayor’s office: (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user John Sonderman
From Council Member Allen’s Office:
“At today’s legislative meeting of the DC Council, Councilmembers voted unanimously to pass Councilmember Charles Allen’s bill, the Private Security Camera System Incentive Program Emergency Act of 2016, to create an incentive program for residents and neighborhood establishments to purchase and install security camera systems.
Councilmember Allen said, “It is clear that security cameras deter crime and help MPD hold individuals accountable for criminal acts by adding extra eyes on the street. This program will put cameras where they’re needed most by targeting the highest crime areas in each Ward and nearly doubling the number of maximum rebates available.” (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user LaTur
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Please join Mayor Muriel Bowser at the entrance of the Eastern Market Metro Station at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, January 6th for a press conference to discuss public safety and the new Robbery Intervention Partnership Task Force.
The Bowser Administration is launching the Robbery Intervention Partnership Task Force to help combat an increase in robberies and to stop those repeat offenders who go on robbery sprees targeting several victims in a short period of time.
The Metropolitan Police Department will work with Metro Transit Police Department, the Office of the Attorney General and the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that all resources in the criminal justice system are working together effectively to focus on robberies.”
Updates after tomorrow’s briefing.
The Mayor tweets:
“In August, I proposed #SaferStrongerDC, a comprehensive public safety agenda to combat violent crime.
All these months later, the Council has failed to act. Today I will make stops across the District to highlight the need for action.”
From a press release:
“On Monday, January 4 starting at 10:30 a.m., Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Kevin Donahue will host a “Safer, Stronger DC Tour” to highlight the legislative package proposed by Mayor Bowser in August. The proposal includes increasing police presence on streets and in communities, getting tough on the relatively small number of repeat violent offenders who continue to bring harm to the DC community, and providing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with the tools and resources it needs to protect neighborhoods. For more information on Safer, Stronger, visit here.
Mayor Bowser will start the day by visiting the Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS), where she will meet with Director Jenifer Smith and two of the city’s crime scene investigators. Passage of the legislation would provide incentives for MPD officers nearing retirement to join DFS without the risk of negatively impacting their retirement benefits. (more…)
From a press release:
“December 30, 2015 – Starting January 1, 2016, District businesses and organizations that serve food will no longer be able to use containers or other food service products made of expanded polystyrene, commonly known as foam or Styrofoam™. Passed by the DC Council in June 2014, the ban will reduce trash pollution in the District’s waterways. Foam litter is consistently one of the most prevalent types of trash pollution in the Anacostia River.
“Foam is easily blown by wind or washed by rain into our storm drains and waterbodies,” said Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) Director Tommy Wells. “Over time, foam litter breaks into small pieces that are difficult to remove from the environment and are harmful when eaten by wildlife. Other pollutants like oil, grease, and heavy metals can adhere to these small pieces, causing the contaminants to bioaccumulate in the food chain. The foam ban is an important part of the District’s ongoing efforts to reduce litter in our communities and to restore our rivers and waterbodies.”
Another provision of the law requires businesses and organizations to only use recyclable or compostable disposable dining products by 2017, which will help the District achieve its Sustainable DC Plan goal of 80% waste diversion by 2032. (more…)
via Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser)
From a press release:
“Mayor Bowser believes that Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) increase accountability, improve police services and strengthen policy-community relations. In her first budget, Mayor Bowser proposed funding to equip 2,800 MPD officers who regularly interact with the public with cameras. The legislation strikes an important balance between transparency and individual privacy and will make the District’s BWC program one of the most innovative and transparent in the nation.”
Woodley Park.
Via MPD
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (@SafeDC) tweets:
“MPD’s holiday visit to the “Kushgod” did not involve the bearing of gifts.”
From MPD:
“The Metropolitan Police Department’s Narcotics and Special Investigations Division have announced that two arrests have been made in reference to a narcotics operation in the areas of 14th and U Street, Northwest and 8th and H Street, Northwest.
On Tuesday, December 22, 2015, 30-year-old Nicholas Cunningham, of Birmingham, Alabama and 18-year-old Evonne Lidoff, of Northwest, DC, were arrested and charged with Distribution of Marijuana.
Members of the Narcotics and Special Investigations Division also seized three vehicles, pictured below, in reference to the investigation, which all were painted depicting the logo and business information of “kushgod.com.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering
From the Mayor’s Office:
“The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the District of Columbia’s population gained another 12,392 residents between July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2015. The District’s 2015 population estimate is now at 672,228, a 1.9 percent increase over the revised 2014 population number of 659,836. These numbers mean the District is again adding just over 1,000 residents a month.
The continued growth in residents demonstrates that the District remains an attractive place to live and work. The District has added more than 70,000 residents since the 2010 census and just over 100,000 residents in the 15 years since the census in 2000. This trend puts the District on track to bypass its previous peak population in 1950 of 802,000 within the next two decades. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Josh Bassett
“Dear PoPville,
I just opened my mailbox and, to my delight, found TWO speeding tickets notifications. They are identical in many ways, both have $100 fines for speeding. They were also issued mere moments apart, the first at 9:53:42 am and the second at 9:54:53 am, for a time differential of 01:11. Given the shortness of the time period, I strongly feel that I have been double-fined for a single offense, and am interested in addressing this with city officials. However, I have had limited success in addressing traffic issues with the city, and I definitely want to avoid the additional fines that arise from non-payment (I would hate to pay $400 for this rather than the $200!).
I have unsuccessfully disputed parking tickets in the past, with photos and other evidence, and have always lost when sent in by mail, and had then the additional whammy of fines placed on those tickets. So, to make a long story short, I am looking for words of wisdom on this. How would you deal with a situation like this? Any advice? Does anyone know the legalities surrounding this? Do any of the city laws say anything about multiple tickets in neighborhoods where cameras are ubiquitous? Speaking of, questions like this might become more ubiquitous as the city moves towards blanketing the city with cameras.”
