DC Government

“Dear PoPville,

Am I the only one that noticed Mayor Bowser is in China this week to promote Sino-DC commercial relations but is using promotional materials that highlight U.S.-Japanese friendship (ie, the cherry blossom trees)? Given the fraught relationship between China and Japan, isn’t that a major cultural faux pas?”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erin

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser will lead a District delegation on an economic development mission to China from November 7th-14th. The goal of the trip is to increase investment in the District; highlight ongoing and emerging partnerships between industries in DC, Beijing and Shanghai; and create more pathways to the middle class for District residents.

“This mission will demonstrate to our partners in China that the District is a thriving economy and a great investment,” said Mayor Bowser. “Our delegation represents the best of the nation’s capital, and we have an opportunity to both strengthen ties abroad and create more pathways to the middle class here at home. Our goal is to attract more direct foreign investment, generate jobs for DC residents, further diversify our local economy, and bolster tourism in the nation’s capital.”

Mayor Bowser will be accompanied by other District officials, including Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner. The delegation will also include leaders from Georgetown University, Children’s Medical Center, Federal City Council, DC Chamber of Commerce, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Destination DC, and the DC Economic Partnership. Collectively, the delegation represents the strength and diversity of the District’s economy, and demonstrates that DC is a global leader in innovation, international trade and development. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jennifer

From Ward 4 Council Member Brandon Todd’s Office:

“The Targeted Ward 4 Single Sales Moratorium Amendment Act of 2015, introduced by Councilmember Brandon Todd, amends the current moratorium on single sales of alcohol. The proposed law would require that sales of containers of beer, malt liquor, or ale be sold at a minimum of four per package by off-premises retailers located in a targeted area of Ward 4.

“I not only want to continue the single sales ban—I want to strengthen it”, said Councilmember Todd. “Despite the ban of single sales of beer, malt liquor, and ale in Ward 4, we have recently seen bad actors come up with creative ways to get around this prohibition because they sell two of these types of alcoholic beverages at a time.”

Photo by Flickr user Street Sense Photo By Sabrina Caserta

From the Mayor’s Office:

“We Cannot Delay Closing DC General

Fixing the District’s broken homelessness system has been a top priority of my Administration.  Our team of nationally recognized homelessness and housing experts developed a plan to end homelessness in the District by 2020.  And we put our money where our mouth is, with historic investments of $145 million in homeless service programs.

At the top of our agenda is to close DC General, the District’s largest family shelter.  If you’ve heard anything about DC General, you know it’s not a place for families.  DC General is located near our jail and other treatment facilities.  It is a bureaucratic, institutional behemoth – with capacity for 268 families.

Our community deserves better.  So we’re going to do something others have failed to do:  we will close DC General once and for all.

Our plan is to replace DC General with small, neighborhood-based, emergency family housing across the city. (more…)

reader submitted photo after a shooting homicide in Ward 1 back in September

Thanks to a reader for recording and passing on:

Attached is an audio recording of the Safety Meeting held by Brianne Nadeau this past Tuesday. At the 57:16 mark, she discredits your blog as not factual and promotes Borderstan. I feel that both blogs represent the community well. What the majority of people took away from this meeting is “it is what it is and you should get used to it” and “I’m working on it”.

Update: thanks to a friend of mine for uploading to youtube – it’s a bit hard to hear so put the volume up as high as it goes.

Unfortunately I haven’t figured out a way to upload the audio here but I’ve listened to it and the claim is indeed on the recording. It is now my phone’s ringtone. So allow me to respond. I and the blog have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of many accolades – most recently voted Washington Blade’s best local blog for 2015 last week. But let me say this accusation from Council Member Nadeau is by far the best endorsement the site has ever received.

So what is PoPville?

I’ve said time and time again that I am not Edward R. Murrow and have no desire to become some crackerjack crime reporter, personally on the scene with a pencil behind my ear. PoPville is many things. One of the things is a platform that provides the people a voice and a place to ask questions. Now nevermind the fact that approximately 3/4 of my crime posts come directly from MPD crime reports. Nevermind the fact that nearly all of the reader reported shots fired/shootings etc. are later confirmed by MPD. The important thing is that apparently the Council Member doesn’t want you to know what is really happening in your neighborhoods.

Let me tell you a quick story – on more than one occasion – I have emailed with MPD about reader reported shots fired. Please note that shots fired (vs a shooting when someone is hit) aren’t disseminated in MPD crime alerts (with the exception that I’ve occasionally seen them when there is property damage reported). On a few occasions they have replied to my emails that they have no confirmation of shots fired – then the readers email me photos of actual bullet holes and then MPD confirms. On more than one occasion this has happened. I’m not necessarily saying it happens because of malicious intent, I’m sure there are a variety of reasons. But it has happened to me, so take that for what it is.

The fact of the matter is that crime reported on PoPville is not some masochistic fantasy. I dare say I and most readers wish they would never see another crime post again. However, I am not going to ignore what is happening in our neighborhoods. I am not going to ignore the emails and tweets I receive after every shooting/shots fired or major crime that happens in Council Member Nadeau’s Ward. People want answers. They want leadership that listens to them. And of course people want the truth. It’s clear where people don’t get that but that’s what they get at PoPville – the good, the bad and the ugly. I pray for the good but refuse to ignore the bad.

Update from Council Member Nadeau’s office:

“Councilmember Nadeau is deeply committed to ensuring her constituents have access to all the information they need about public safety and other issues in the ward. In fact, the recording referenced in a recent POPville post was taken at a public safety meeting she had convened for constituents to receive additional information from MPD. The Councilmember was responding to a question about the best way to receive information about public safety. She referred the constituent first to the MPD Yahoo group, then indicated that her personal preference for local news was Borderstan, given their approach to reporting the news. She also noted that while POPville is a forum that posts information, it does not do reporting. I should note that the Councilmember’s characterization of the blog is affirmed by its editor in today’s post, although she was not given the opportunity to comment.”

Ed. Note: “the Councilmember’s characterization of the blog” as not being factual is not affirmed by the blog’s editor.

The Council Member’s office has a standing offer to comment.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erin

From DPW:

“The fall leaf collection program runs from the first week of November through the second week of January. Collecting leaves reduces potential accidents and injuries caused by slipping on wet leaves, and prevents catch basins (storm drains) from clogging and causing street flooding during heavy rains.

DPW will collect leaves at least twice from each residential neighborhood by “vacuuming” loose leaves residents rake into their treebox(es). Loose leaves will be sent for composting. In neighborhoods with alley trash/recycling collections, bagged leaves may be placed where trash and recycling are collected. These leaves will be collected with the trash as space in the truck permits. Bagged leaves, whether they are placed in the curbside treeboxes or in the alley at the point of trash/recycling collection, will be composted. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Josh Bassett

“Dear PoPville,

On Saturday, I went to the DC DMV Inspection Station on Half Street to have my vehicle inspected. My car passed the inspection but it seems the inspector did not write down the correct VIN, which means my car’s inspection is not in the DMV’s system and I’m unable to renew my car’s (now expired) registration. Absent returning to the Inspection Station, does anyone have advice that could help remedy the error? I called the DMV, which directed me to call the Inspection Station, but no one picked up. I registered a request for help via the 311 website and emailed [email protected], but have not received anything other than an automated response.”

From DC Department of Housing and Community Development:

“DC Residents Input on Housing Programs and Services Requested

On October 28, 2015, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will hold a community forum open to all District residents wishing to provide input to the DHCD’s Consolidated Plan for Fiscal Years 2016-2020.

This will also be an opportunity for community members to connect with DHCD managers, learn about existing programs (i.e. homeownership, vacant and blighted properties, etc.), and make recommendations directly to DHCD leadership regarding the agency’s programs.

Who: The Department of Housing and Community Development
What: Public Forum
When: October 28, 2015, 6:30 P.M.
Where: Shaw Library at 1630 7th St, NW, Washington, DC 20001
Why: Fiscal Year 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan

RSVP for Forum to [email protected].

For more information call 202-442-7275 or visit our website at dhcd.dc.gov. (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

Sanitation Dept issue (kind of graphic image – apology in advance)

My mom lives in the Palisades and found this earlier this morning on 4462 MacArthur Blvd. Anyway, she called the Dept of Sanitation to have them come get it and they said it would take four days. Doesn’t that seem like a huge public health issue? Anyone else experienced something like this or have suggestions?”