DC Government

Friday Question of the Day – Was the City Right to Make the Pug Remove “The Ward 8 Special – Marion Berry’s Dirty Asian Summer Punch”?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo tweeted by @mikedebonis

Folks have been talking a bit about this in the rant/revel section but I’ve gotten a few requests to start a separate thread on it. For those who missed it, The Washington Post’s Mike Debonis wrote:

The punch, a fruity vodka concoction, was whipped up by the H Street NE bar’s owner, Tony Tomelden, as an admittedly crude but satirical tribute to D.C. Council member Marion Barry’s controversial comments this year criticizing Asian shop owners and Filipino nurses.

On Thursday, the Office of Human Rights delivered a letter to Tomelden calling the sign “racially offensive” and requesting that it be taken down and “Dirty Asian Summer Punch” be taken off the menu.

Tomelden was given 72 hours to remove the “Dirty Asian Summer Punch” sign, lest the agency pursue a “formal charge” against him with the Commission on Human Rights. A commission proceeding can result in a cease-and-desist order and civil fines of up to $10,000 for a first-time offender.

Read the full story here.

Did the the Office of Human Rights do the right thing? Or, whether you found the sign offensive or not, do you think it should have been protected under freedom of speech?


Mayor’s Task Force on Bloomingdale Flooding Announces Short-Term Relief Measures

By Prince Of Petworth


1st and Rhode Island Ave, NW taken by @BoundaryStoneDC

From a Press Release:

Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced three short-term measures to lessen the impacts of flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods. DC Water, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) will implement these solutions as part of their work on the Mayor’s Task Force on the Relief of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park.

The two neighborhoods have suffered from overland flooding and sewer backups on multiple occasions this summer because of heavy rains and outdated sewer infrastructure. In response, Mayor Gray formed the task force to identify short- and long-range solutions to the flooding problem. The Mayor named City Administrator Allen Y. Lew and DC Water General Manager George Hawkins as co-chairs of the task force.

The short-term measures include:

· Analyzing the effectiveness of, and installing additional, storm drains in affected areas;

· Installing stormwater-retention features in the affected area to lessen runoff due to heavy rains; and

· Assisting residents in the neighborhood with installation of rain barrels to collect runoff from rooftops during storms, thereby decreasing the stormwater loads that the sewer system must handle.

“DC Water has been busy analyzing the causes of the problem, working with affected homeowners and doing long-term planning,” said Mayor Gray. “These three mitigation efforts represent the first tangible results from the Task Force, which brings DC Water together with other agencies and neighborhood residents. This is a good first step toward some much-needed relief.”

The stretches of road most susceptible to flooding have been the 500 and 600 blocks of Florida Avenue NW and the 100 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW.

“The District is coordinating all appropriate agencies to address this issue as quickly as possible,” said Lew. “The immediate goal is to intervene and redirect some of the overland water flow that caused the flash flooding and prevent it from threatening the homes in these neighborhoods.”

Continues after the jump (more…)

Marion Barry Getting Fired Up at DNC Convention

By Prince Of Petworth

Welcome from MultoMedia on Vimeo.

@marionbarryjr has been quite active tweeting from the DNC today. CM Barry tweets:

“During slavery, some chose to stay on the plantation.Some chose freedom.What do you choose? Plantation days in DC are numbered. It is time.”

and

“Some accept the crumbs from the table of democracy from which all other Americans dine.NOTHING less than full democracy is acceptableNOTHING”

Aux Armes, Citoyennes?

Dear PoPville – Flooding Hurting Shaw Residents Too

By Prince Of Petworth

Dear PoPville,

Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park have been getting a lot of attention for their flooding, and deservedly so, but the problem with the antiquated sewer systems goes beyond just there.

I live about a mile to the west in Shaw, and here the issue is as much with large condo buildings as it is with English basements. My building (The Rhapsody at Florida and Vermont) just had its second flood of the ground level units this summer. (It’s also the third in two years.) This one was particularly devastating, with nearly every unit on the ground floor affected. Other buildings nearby have also had multiple, destructive incidents. The ground level of the Floridian had a sewer backup on Sunday as well (it was mentioned on NBC 4). And the Beauregard at 11th and V has had multiple floodings of its garage this summer.

Much as in Bloomingdale, the sewer and drainage systems can’t handle the additional wastewater generated by a denser population in these areas. Yet the new systems in these buildings were built to code, and apparently signed off on by city inspectors.

In any case, it’s nearly impossible to sue DC Water for such instances. They’ve basically got to admit their own negligence before you can sue them. And it’s unclear how their backflow preventer rebates will apply to large buildings.

Anyone else outside of Bloomingdale/Ledroit been affected by recent flooding?

Mayor Gray Establishes Flood Prevention Task Force for Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park

By Prince Of Petworth

From a press release:

Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced that he was establishing a flood prevention task force that will study the causes of, and short- and medium-term solutions to, frequent street flooding and sewer backups in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods. In early July the area was inundated with flood waters three times, resulting in damage to dozens of homes and businesses.
“Residents of the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods deserve to enjoy a high quality of life and should not have to bear a disproportionately negative impact because of an aging infrastructure,” Mayor Gray said. “Just as I have done in asking a task force to look at solutions to frequent power outages, I am now asking officials, utility representatives and residents to work together to address the flooding and sewer back up issues that happen all too often in these neighborhoods While D.C. Water has already been working on long-term solutions, this panel will help us bring about short- and medium-term mitigation strategies.”

The task force will be co-chaired by City Administrator Allen Y. Lew and D.C. Water General Manager George Hawkins. The panel will investigate the causes of flooding in the affected areas and work to develop actions that may be taken by D.C. Water, other District agencies and residents to reduce the likelihood or severity of flooding and its consequences.

“As a member of the D.C. Water Board, I am acutely aware of the impact of the floods on the community. The task force will monitor the interim steps taken by D.C. Water to prevent or mitigate the flooding problems in the short term,” said Lew. “DC Water has already initiated closed-circuit inspections of sewers and, along with the Department of Public Works, is distributing sandbags for any impacted residents who want them. I look forward to working with the Task Force to examine these issues and to develop possible long-term solutions.”

The task force will transmit a written report to the Mayor no later than December 31, 2012. The task force will also estimate the costs to implement the necessary remedial measures and the time periods within which those actions may be implemented.

The task force will include four members drawn from residents of the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park communities. Mayor Gray has appointed one resident to the panel from each neighborhood, and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham – whose wards include the affected area – will each appoint one additional representative to the panel.

Other members of the task force include: Councilmembers McDuffie and Graham; District Department of Transportation Director Terry Bellamy; District Department of the Environment Director Christophe Tulou; Department of Public Works Director William Howland; D.C. Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Geldart; Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs Director Nicholas Majett; D.C. Department of Health Director Dr. Saul Levin; and Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking Director William White.

You can read about the recent floods in Bloomingdale here and look at a sewage and plumbing map of DC here.

DDOT Seeking Public Input on Parking in the District

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

From DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hosting a series of community conversations, called Parking Think Tanks, to gauge the state of parking and to solicit public input on the future of parking in the District. DDOT envisions that these conversations will contribute to the development of a comprehensive curbside parking management plan.

In the ten years since DDOT’s establishment both the District and the role of transportation have changed dramatically. The population has grown; vehicle ownership has declined; transportation options and choices have greatly expanded; and more people are taking advantage of these new options. DDOT is asking for citizen input to develop strategies and recommendations to better balance the parking needs of everyone -employees, residents, and visitors – who competes for a share of the limited curbspace.

The goal of parking management in the District is to improve mobility and convenience by:

× Preserving access to parking in residential areas for residents;

× Promoting and facilitating commerce by prioritizing customer and commercial vehicle access in commercial areas; and

× Ensuring the safety of all transportation users including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists.

DDOT is seeking comments and recommendations on a number of its current parking programs such as the Residential and Visitor Permit Parking (RPP) programs, Performance Based Parking, parking meters, the management of reserved / restricted spaces (such as commercial loading, car sharing, ADA parking, etc.) and bicycle and scooter parking accommodations. Details about DDOT’s current parking programs are available online. In addition, DDOT is seeking suggestions for future parking enhancement opportunities

Anyone who visits, lives or works in the District is invited to attend a Parking Think Tank and/or to share their input via an online survey. The input received will help shape future parking policies and programs to create a more efficient use of parking resources.

The following Parking Think Tanks are scheduled to take place as follows:

× Tuesday, August 28, 2012
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
One Judiciary Square (Old Council Chambers)
441 4th Street, NW

× Tuesday, September 18, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Ora Glover Community Room
1800 Good Hope Road, SE

The schedule for the additional Parking Think Tanks, the online survey and the information that will be presented at these meetings will be made available online at ddot.dc.gov/ParkingThinkTanks. The same DDOT presentation will be made at each Parking Think Tank.

Following the Parking Think Tanks, DDOT will host a public summit to report on the input received from the public; how the input may potentially shape the outcome of comprehensive curbside parking management plan; and the agency’s next steps.

We recently spoke about the Visitor Permit Parking program here.

Do You Think You Can Tell The Difference Between DC Tap Water and Bottled Water? Prove It!

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Christopher Michael Poole

From My DC Water:

Can you tell a difference between tap water and bottled water? Test your drinking water preferences and learn how you can save money and the environment by choosing clean, affordable DC tap water.

DC Water is promoting tap water, protecting the environment and saving people money. Hundreds of water samples are tested each week throughout the District to ensure the delivery of high quality tap water. Bottled water involves significant economic and environmental costs. DC tap water is only a penny per gallon and bottled water costs 100 times more.

Join DC Water during a series of blind taste tests that will challenge people’s knowledge about tap water. Taste test challenges are scheduled in each Ward of the District.

Locations after the jump. (more…)

“Mayor Gray Announces Members and First Meeting of Power Line Undergrounding Task Force”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user UrsulaAntares

From a press release:

Today, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced the membership and that the first meeting of the newly formed Mayor’s Task Force on Power Line Undergrounding will be held on Thursday, August 23rd at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in Room G-9 of the John A. Wilson Building, located at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and is open to the public.

“I called for a ‘game-changer’ after the repeated power outages caused by this summer’s severe storms and delays in restoring power to many District residents. The undergrounding task force will finally develop long-term solutions to these all-too-frequent disruptions,” said Mayor Gray. “This group will be tasked with gathering information to develop plans that will, over time, greatly reduce the impacts of severe weather on our power grid.”

The task force will be co-chaired by City Administrator Allen Y. Lew and PEPCO Holdings Chairman Joseph Rigby. Other task force members will include Herb Harris of Ward 7 and Matt Frumin of Ward 3, representatives of two areas that routinely experience the highest number of outages.

Aditionally, task force members will include: Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette M. Alexander, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs; Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Paul Quander; Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi; District Department of Transportation Director Terry Bellamy; District Department of the Environment Director Christophe Tulou; Department of Public Works Director William Howland; Mayor’s Office of Budget and Finance Director Eric Goulet; D.C. Public Service Commission Chair Betty Ann Kane; People’s Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye; Verizon Vice President for Government Affairs Karen Campbell; and Comcast Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Donna Rattley-Washington.

The meeting agenda includes a public comment period. Members of the public with disabilities or possible language barriers and those who wish to speak during the public comment period are requested to register at least three (3) business days before the meeting.

To register, please provide your name, your telephone number or email address, and organizational affiliation (if any) to Phyllis Love by telephone at 202.478.9200 or by email at [email protected]. The time limit for speakers is three (3) minutes. Public speakers are also requested to submit at least two (2) written copies of their testimony at the meeting.

The Task Force is committed to making its meetings and vital documents accessible to the public. All non-proprietary documents will be posted to the special task force section of the Office of the City Administrator website at www.oca.dc.gov.

Citizenship Requirements for DCPS Afterschool Programs Suspended by Kaya Henderson

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user rockcreek

From a press release:

The District of Columbia Public School System (DCPS) announced August 14, 2012 that parents that wish to enroll their children into afterschool programs must provide proof of citizenship for the 2012 academic school year. DCPS informed the public that the notice was initiated from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) met with DCPS superintendent Hosanna Mahaley to discuss DCPS initiatives that must provide educational and after school programs to every child in the District.

“These requirements possess a president danger for public offices. It discriminates against children and families that are undocumented, destroying the trust between teachers, and families. It discourages participation of many programs and educational rights. It also creates a level of hesitance to obtain services from many other agencies that do not have the same requirement. Education is a human right that should be offered to everyone without reservation” Said Roxana Olivas director for the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs

“Effective immediately, I have told our folks (after school team and coordinators) to suspend/not enforce the citizenship requirement. If counsel concludes we need to, we can go back and communicate that” Said Kaya Henderson Chancellor for Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

On August 15, 2012 DCPS notified all afterschool coordinators informing them that they must suspend the order to request citizenship requirements for enrollment of children into afterschool programs. OLA will continue to work with DCPS and OSSE until an agreement is reached and ensure that students in the district receive education and afterschool programs.

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