DC Government

“Matchbox Food Group, LLC, which owns and operates Matchbox restaurants, will pay more than $142,000 in unpaid wages to over 100 workers as part of a settlement with the Office of the Attorney General”

By Prince Of Petworth

From the Office of the Attorney General:

“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced that Matchbox Food Group, LLC, which owns and operates Matchbox restaurants, will pay more than $142,000 in unpaid wages to over 100 workers as part of a settlement with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). The settlement resolves OAG’s wage theft investigation into allegations that the company failed to pay some types of workers, including bussers and runners, the District’s minimum wage from 2016 through 2018. The settlement also resolves alleged minimum wage violations at Ted’s Bulletin restaurants, which Matchbox formerly operated. In addition to paying restitution to affected workers, Matchbox will make a $5,000 payment to the District and implement new policies and systems to ensure it is in full compliance with the District’s minimum wage laws. (more…)

“The House’s vote, scheduled for June 26th, will be the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on the D.C. statehood bill since 1993.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Elvert Barnes

From Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Office:

“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today the date of the House floor vote on her District of Columbia statehood bill (H.R. 51) in a joint press conference with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) this morning. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson also spoke. The House’s vote, scheduled for June 26th, will be the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on the D.C. statehood bill since 1993. Norton got the first-ever vote on the D.C. statehood bill in 1993. The bill currently has 224 cosponsors.

Norton’s remarks follow. (more…)

“Introduced today, the District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act, would redesignate the Mayor of the District of Columbia as the Governor”

By Prince Of Petworth

From Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office:

“Bill comes after Trump administration deployed federal police and out-of-state troops on D.C. streets and as momentum builds for D.C. statehood

Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act, which would redesignate the Mayor of the District of Columbia as the Governor, the D.C. Council as the Legislative Assembly, the D.C. Councilmembers as Representatives, and the Chair of the Council as the Speaker. These are the titles used in the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth constitution, which the District adopted in 2016 in anticipation of passage of a bill to make D.C. the 51st state. Fudge and Norton introduced the redesignation bill to highlight to the American people and Members of Congress that there would be a seamless transition to D.C. statehood because D.C. already operates as the functional equivalent of a state, providing state-, county- and city-level services, despite being denied congressional voting rights and full local self-government. (more…)

“It never fails that in the national discourse people ignore those killed right here in DC by police while protesting police brutality and muder in our city.”

By Prince Of Petworth

From Black Lives Matter DC:

“Black people are allowed to be joyful or feel seen with DC renaming a street after Black Lives Matter. It’s also our responsibility to let you know what we are fighting for, who has the power to change things and that power concedes nothing without demand.”

 -Kiki Green, a Core Organizer with Black Lives Matter DC

Today Black Lives Matter DC stands in solidarity with freedom fighters all over the world to honor the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Dreasjon Reed, and as always those we have lost to police here in DC:

These are the names of the people that performative Black Lives Matter street art leaves out. (more…)

“AG Racine Sues DCHA for Endangering 5,000+ Tenants at 10 Public Housing Properties”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Tim Brown

From the Office of the DC Attorney General:

“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) for endangering over 5,000 tenants at 10 public housing properties–as well as the surrounding communities in Wards 1, 5, 6, and 7–by failing to confront drug- and firearm-related nuisances at the properties. DCHA is an independent District agency that provides housing for low- and moderate-income residents. Between January 2019 and May 2020, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has responded to over 5,270 incidents that occurred at the properties, including homicides, shootings, and drug offenses. DCHA has failed to respond to both resident complaints and Office of the Attorney General (OAG) notices and requests for action, including recommendations to increase security presence, lighting, and security cameras. Following DCHA’s inaction, OAG filed suit seeking a court order compelling DCHA to make immediate security improvements to its properties to protect District residents. (more…)

“Mayor Bowser Announces Seven New ‘Slow Streets’ as DC Continues to Reimagine Public Space – Slow Streets are restricted to local traffic only and the speed limit is set at 15 miles per hour”

By Prince Of Petworth

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced the first seven locations for the new Slow Streets initiative, which will give residents more space to social distance while moving around outside. The locations are spread across all eight wards of the District.

“Like the streateries and other expanded dinging areas that are now on roads, alleys, and sidewalks throughout the city, the Slow Streets initiative is one way we can reimagine public space to make it easier to enjoy the outdoors and stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Mayor Bowser. “We want people to be able to move around and be outside, but it is important, as we continue through Phase One and into the summer months, to remember the importance of social distancing, face masks, and frequent handwashing.”

Slow Streets are restricted to local traffic only and the speed limit is set at 15 miles per hour to support neighborhood-based safe social distancing while walking, running, or cycling. The first seven slow zones will be implemented in the following locations: (more…)

“Deadline for public testimony re: protests to official record of Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety is June 16.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Victoria Pickering

Thanks to all who passed on from Council Member Charles Allen’s website:

“Due to the importance of the protests around the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Councilmember Charles Allen, Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, is rescheduling [the] virtual Committee budget oversight hearing on the Metropolitan Police Department’s FY 2021 proposed budget. The remaining, scheduled agency hearings for tomorrow will take place as announced.

Originally, given the limited time available for committees to hold virtual budget oversight hearings, MPD’s hearing was scheduled for 90 minutes and restricted to government witnesses, with public opportunities to submit testimony via phone, email, video, and Facebook Live.

From Councilmember Allen:

“I am rescheduling the hearing for two reasons. First, tomorrow morning, MPD leadership will be engaged in real-time response to the First Amendment assemblies taking place today and tomorrow. In order to have a productive and meaningful oversight hearing with Chief Newsham and his team, a delay is necessary.

And second, thousands of District residents are calling out injustice, racism, and police brutality against Black Americans. It is clear to me the public needs more opportunities to testify directly before the Council on the issues of policing communities of color, excessive force, freedom of speech, and public funding for law enforcement agencies and violence prevention.

Our budget is a document that reflects our values, including around law enforcement and how to improve public safety. I welcome our residents to share their recommendations for change and their budget priorities with the Council, and I will find an additional time for District residents to testify on MPD’s budget with the Committee.”

MPD’s FY21 proposed budget documents are available here: https://cfo.dc.gov/node/1462961

How DC residents can submit testimony to the Committee

The deadline for receiving public witness testimony for the official record is June 16, 2020. Public witnesses can currently testify on the FY21 proposed budget by: (more…)

View More Stories