Photo by PoPville flickr user ep_jhu
“Dear PoPville,
We park in a public garage in Penn Quarter that used to be fine but once the commercial building was fully occupied we noticed a regular (several times a month) overwhelming and disgusting sewage smell. Complaints to the building owner have not resulted in any action. Is there a city agency that looks into these things?”
Stock photo by PoPville flickr user Ranpuba
“Dear PoPville,
My neighbor has decided that the best way to spread her business is to have a CONSTANT (read every day and night for the last two weeks) yard sale. She is selling some books and random clothing items, and taking up half of the sidewalk. Other neighbors have talked to her, but nothing has changed. How can we fix this?”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr.TinDC
From MPD:
“On August 1, 2014, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) launched citywide enforcement of the District of Columbia’s anti-littering laws, expanding it from a pilot program used in the Fourth and Sixth Police Districts, and allowing officers to issue $75 Notices of Violation (NOV) to any pedestrian observed littering.
Throughout the month of August, MPD officers will issue only warnings to violators in the First, Second, Third, Fifth, and Seventh Districts, as the Department works with community partners to educate the public about littering enforcement. Officers in the Fourth and Sixth Districts will continue to issue actual tickets.
Beginning Monday, September 1, 2014, anyone in the District of Columbia violating the littering law may be issued a $75 ticket.
If an officer sees a person dropping waste material of any kind on public space, in waterways, or on someone else’s private property, the person may receive a $75 NOV for littering. Anyone issued the NOV is required to provide their accurate name and address to the officer. Those who refuse or fail to provide their accurate name and address can be arrested and, upon conviction, be fined an additional $100 to $250 by the D.C. Superior Court. Failure to respond to a littering ticket by either paying the fine or appealing the ticket to the Office of Administrative Hearings will result in a doubling of the fine.
MPD officers will continue to issue $100 traffic tickets to the driver of any vehicle where an officer observes either the driver or any passenger toss trash of any kind onto someone else’s private property or onto any public space, such as streets, alleys, or sidewalks.”
6th and P St, NW
“Dear PoPville,
I live on the eastern side of Shaw, where there are a dearth of grassy parks that my 7-month-old baby can crawl around on. I noticed a potentially nice space near the playground at Kennedy Rec Center at 7th and P NW with tall trees, winding paths and lots of grass. Yesterday, we tried it out. The only other group was a triad, sitting by the fence, chatting, surveying the park and giving me a suspicious look.
I set the blanket out, kicking away bottle caps, bandaids and pieces of glass. When we looked over to the other group, we noticed a man stumble up, hand over some cash, and take a little baggie from them. Lots of weary side eye was directed our way.
Needless to say, we felt a little unwelcome. My husband later pointed out that the glass may have been intentionally thrown around to deter the likes of me.
So, what to do? Should we forget about the park, leaving the space for the group to conduct business? Should I keep coming back, but mind my own business? Should I round up my parent friends and have a ‘baby sit-in’? What’s the protocol here? What do other neighbors think of that space?”
“Dear PoPville,
My car has been the victim of a hit and run while parked on the street three times since moving to DC three years ago, twice in the past 6 months alone! Has anyone else experienced this frequently in DC?
I don’t use my car to commute to work so it doesn’t get used every day, but I still use it at least once a week and leave it parked on the street in my neighborhood. This isn’t in just one neighborhood either – the first one occurred in October 2012 in Woodley Park, the second in February of this year in Mount Pleasant, and the third last week in Adams Morgan. All three times there was no note or anything, just me arriving at my car to go somewhere and finding it a wreck. I’m sure my insurance company hates me by now.
Sincerely,
A frustrated car owner”
I loved the use of the space of the lot where that house collapsed way back in the day on Quincy Street.
Sad update:
Photo by PoPville flickr user Cheikh.Ra
Thanks to @detectedbeats for passing on this article from Smarter Travel:
“Factors like cost of living and weather (warmer winters had a link to higher happiness levels) could explain why Richmond–Petersburg, VA, was ranked as the happiest city.”
Third happiest? Washington, DC
Nice.
The least happiest? New York, NY
You can see the complete rankings here and read the full study here.
Photo by PoPville flickr user ep_jhu
“Dear PoPville,
One of our neighbors is running an unlicensed BBQ business in an alley near Kennedy Street and 8th NW. He has a giant smoker in his backyard, which runs most days (always on Saturday and Sunday) from 10-5 or so. Cars come and park, blocking the alley. Trash overflows from the cans in his backyard, attracting vermin. We have witnessed the owner and patrons relieving themselves in the street (not at the same time, fortunately). But worst of all is the smoke, which comes in our window and makes our entire place smell. We have complained to the DC police and our city councilperson multiple times. DCRA knows about it, and claim that the owners have even been fined once, but the grill just keeps on going. Any ideas? (And no, we have not tried the meat.) Thanks!”
“Dear PoPville,
The Car2Go that this note was on was parked at 14th and Roxanna St. NW, near Eastern Ave. and downtown Silver Spring, MD.”
Ed. Note: Another reader told me they heard the exact same debate in Brookland. Have other folks heard this debate?
“Dear PoPville,
A bunch of hipsters decided it was really cool to burn the American flag on the 4th of July.
It was around 7ish and the alley between Fairmont and Girard was in full party mode with loud music and BBQ. Then about 10 to 15 individuals, a mixed group with black and white in their late 20’s early 30’s came out on the deck over the garage with a flag upside down and then set it on fire. The property is a rental with constant change and the owner lives in New York.
The flag took a long time time to catch on fire and eventually caught the attention of the many parties going on in the alley. Many people started yelling at the flag burners. The flag burners then started shouting about US imperialism and suppression of the blacks. Somewhere in the yelling there was also comments from them about how bad Obama was. Eventually, the flag caught on fire and started blowing chunks of flames very close to the cable and electric wires. At this point I called 911.
Eventually 911 sent police over and at which point the flag burners went inside except for about two of them who then denied setting the flag on fire. Most of the neighbors came out and a rather heated argument ensured. I am not sure what occurred after but the flag burners went inside.
I am quite aware one allowed to burn the flag as freedom of speech. It was ironic that they decided to do it in the alleyway to incite the local crowd and then run in when the police came.”