tree

“Dear PoPville,

Shaw is undergoing a lot of construction for the DC Clean Water act. This morning, left my house btwn 6th and Rhode Island ave to a tree debacle.

Why would the tree have a protective barrier around the base, only to be smashed in half via a hydraulic excavator? Doesn’t seem to make sense.

Isn’t there a permitting process for tree removal?

Sure — “it’s just a tree” , but there’s only so many older and larger oak trees east of rock creek park. It’ll only take another 30 years to get a similar tree canopy back.”


pee
Photo by PoPville flickr user Victoria Pickering

“Dear PoPville,

After work I was walking home from the Metro in Shaw yesterday talking on my phone when a man was standing behind a car. He waved one hand and started talking at me so being the polite person I am, I took out my headphone’s and asked him to repeat what he said. He then responded with “I just wanted to say I’m sorry, I’m peeing” and then pointed his genitalia at me. This is an extremely open area surrounded by various public establishments with working facilities, so there is absolutely no way that this was accidental.

I’m a young female in my early 20’s, so I’m not quite sure what to do when a situation like this occurs. Even though I’ve lived in the District for nearly a decade, This is the second time in two weeks that I’ve encountered men who have deliberately put me in very uncomfortable situations, to put it mildly, and I worry about the frequency with which it now seems to happen. Do I call the police?

(This occurred at 9/27/2016 at 5:50pm on 8th Street NW between P St. and O St.)

Thanks for the input!!”


petworth metro

“Dear PoPville,

Yesterday my husband had just gotten off the metro at Petworth about 7 pm and was going up the escalators when he felt something hit him in the back of the head. It was a green slushy, lovingly hurled at him by a group of about ten teens. It got all over his head, suit and shirt. Needless to say he was pissed, but there was no one else around and not much he could do.

I am sure this was likely a one-off incident, but I just wanted to let people know in case this becomes a “thing.” It was certainly benign when you think about what other vile things can happen in an empty subway, but it was frustrating and annoying at the very least.”


pchicken

From an email:

“Last week I (along with a business partner) launched Prescription Chicken. Our goal is to deliver four homemade soups for whatever may be ailing you/a friend/ a co-worker/ neighbor/ family member/ boyfriend or girlfriend/ stranger/ etc. Whether you’re sick, hungover, stressed, or just plain hungry, we’ve got the cure! Prescription Chicken is offering a traditional Grandma Style chicken soup with matzah balls or egg noodles, a Chickenless (vegetarian) with egg noodles or matzah balls, bone broth, and an amazing hangover soup that comes as a package.

Currently we bring soup directly to your door via UberEats, Door Dash, and Postmates. If you can’t get it from these platforms (out of range, etc), you can email us directly at [email protected] and we can coordinate deliveries and such for you.”


poop free

“Dear PoPville,

Throughout the summer our lovely home at Girard and 13th NW has been targeted by irresponsible dog owners who let/ lead their pets to defecate on the lawn in front of the property. I find and have to clean dog poop at various times throughout the week, ranging from 7 am to 7 pm. It’s just sad that someone would continuously abuse another person’s property like this and disregard both common courtesy and public health. If by any chance the person(s) responsible are reading this, I’d like to let them know that eventually they’ll be caught on camera, publicly shamed and dealt with by the law enforcement. I also wonder if others in the neighborhood have dealt with anything like this.”

Ed. Note: I wonder if the OP has been targeted or if there are just some incredible lazy/inconsiderate dog walkers who use this route?


fst-summary-large-e1450888130853

Thanks to a couple of readers for passing on the First Street Tunnel Community Update from DC Water:

“DC Water is diligently working towards making the First Street Tunnel operational by late September 2016. Construction is behind schedule due to the excavation of the frozen ground taking longer than anticipated and delays in the delivery of some key custom fabricated equipment. Major remaining work includes the testing of the system, demolition of temporary works and street restoration. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as we move to project completion.

Updates at Construction Staging Areas (CSAs)

Channing Street CSA: Finalizing construction of the shaft cover and ventilation control vault, backfilling and landscaping.

Adams Street CSA: Installing surface access on the shaft cover, demolition of temporary works, backfilling and site restoration is ongoing. Adams Street NW and Flagler Place NW are expected to reopen at the end of October 2016. The CSA on Flagler Place has been reduced, the street partially repaved and most of the sidewalk restored.

V Street CSA: Finalizing construction of the shaft cover, demolition of temporary works, utility relocations, backfilling and site restoration is ongoing. First Street NW is anticipated to open in mid-October 2016 and V Street NW by the end of October 2016.

Pumping Station CSA: Testing of the Pumping Station is underway, construction of permanent power, utility connections and site restoration ongoing. Thomas Street NW is anticipated to reopen at the end of September 2016.”


good people
Photo by PoPville flickr user Jim Havard

“Dear PoPville,

I’ve read many stories here about the kindness of strangers in times of trouble. I myself experienced this last week after a car hit me head-on while biking home near the National Mall. At least half a dozen people stopped to make sure I was ok, offering names and numbers as witnesses to the accident. An out-of-uniform cop make sure I had the information of the driver and asked a least of dozen times if I needed medical attention.

I thought this would make a good question at some point. Something like “When have you experienced the kindness of strangers/neighbors in a time of need?”

tree
Photo by Paul B Jones

A very good example arose yesterday – Paul wrote us:

“@PoPville rock creek pkwy closed because of crash below Calvert. Photo looking at Connecticut bridge”

Mike Lenahan filled in some details:

“@PoPville I was directly behind the car that got hit. Came out of nowhere. Tree simply went from standing to horizontal in a second.”

“Car was crushed. I pulled over, called 911, & helped lift the tree off the car with maybe 15 other people.”

Dozens of people helped. Runners, commuters, a NPS ranger, and – of course – first responders.”

“A jogger who happened to be a doctor spoke to the man through the shattered window and kept him talking.”

“EMS starting tearing into the vehicle to get the man out. A bystander had a chainsaw that he used to cut up the massive trunk.”


quality-of-life
photo by PoPville flickr user DCbmyers

“Dear PoPville,

I wondered if you had any suggestions for my problem.

From midnight to 3am my neighbors around the corner (who moved in a few months ago) will shout loudly and argue while swearing at the top of their lungs with each other, on the back porch and in the alley outside the house they live in. My bedroom abuts the same alley and it’s impossible to escape the noise.

If it was just an occasional party I wouldn’t make it a big deal but it’s seriously loud, regular, pretty aggressive, and very late at night.

I have a new baby coming soon and the situation is not improving.

What do you think? Can the police do anything or do I just have to hope those folks move or calm down once the heat passes? I don’t want to cause problems for the neighbors but it’s becoming a serious problem for the quality of life in the neighborhood. I hate to involve the police but I don’t know what else to do.

Would appreciate any thoughts on how best to proceed.”


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