Get out your calendar – here’s the run down on this month’s community meetings. If you’re curious what’s going on in the neighborhood, these meetings are the perfect place to get informed and add your two cents to the mix. Check out our Community Meeting Calendar for events each month.
- Thursday, June 3rd – PSA 106 is meeting at 7PM at Tyler Elementary School, 1001 E Street, SE. The Rosedale Citizens’ Alliance is gathering for their monthly meeting at 7PM at Langston Bar & Grille, 1831 Benning Road, NE, 2nd Floor.
- Tuesday, June 8th – ANC6B (7PM at The People’s Church, 535 8th, SE) will be considering a number of agenda items of interest to you foodies, including Planning & Zoning for a sidewalk cafe at Acqua Al 2; the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Committee will be reporting on license renewals for a number of restaurants and a new license for Senart’s Oyster House on 8th Street, NE (they’re also planning a sidewalk cafe and summer garden, BTW!). Also on Tuesday is the Trinidad Neighborhood Association meeting, 7PM at the Trinidad Recreation Center, 1310 Childress St, NE. Finally, the Sherwood Recreation Center at 10th & G, NE will host the PSA 102 monthly meeting at 7PM.
- Wednesday, June 9th – ANC6C will be holding it’s monthly meeting, 7PM at the Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE. Also on Wednesday is the PSA 103 monthly meeting, 7PM at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE.
- Thursday, June 10th – ANC6A will have their monthly meeting, 7PM at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th Street, NE.
- Monday, June 14th – ANC6D will hold their regular meeting, 7PM at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 600 M Street, SW.
- Thursday, June 17th – PSA 107 meets at 7PM at Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue, SE.
- Thursday, June 24th – Councilmember Tommy Wells hosts his H Street, NE Office Hours from 8-9:30AM. At this time, location is TBD.
- Saturday, June 26th – PSA 105 holds its monthly meeting, 10AM at 500 E Street, SE.
- Monday, June 28th – The Barney Circle Park Neighborhood Association meets at 7PM at Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue, SE. Also on Monday, at 7:30PM the Stanton Park Neighborhood Association will meet at Northeast Library, 330 7th St, NE.
Information from the June 17, 2010 PSA 107 (Police Service Area) meeting follows.
ANC Will Hill hosted the meeting. By my count, 24 adults were in attendance. MPD was represented by Lt. Thorton, Sgt. Irving Curry and Officer Anna Ewald.
1. MPD Lt. Thornton (michael.thornton@dc.gov cell 202.425.7659) shared many pieces of important information. There was a homicide on Benning Road earlier today at the check cashing establishment. No further details were available. Overall, crime is down across PSA 107. But, he promised that regardless of what happens in the courts or with DYRS (Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services), MPD will continue with its due diligence in tracking crimes and arresting perpetrators. Bikes and other items from yards continue to be stolen in the areas of PSA 107 bordering PSAs 103 and 106. Thefts from autos continue as well. Over the past week, thefts have risen 200%. 18 were at Harrris Teeter; 6 were at Safeway. Year to date, stolen autos have overall been down but recently have increased. Lt. Thornton gave an example of getting one guy who was stealing autos into a CSOSA (Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency) drug treatment. Thefts were down during his treatment. Now that he’s been released, they’re working to get a gps device on him.
2. MPD is still seeking leads about the AWIK (assault with intent to kill) stabbing at 15th & Pennsylvania, SE on January 19, 2010 after an altercation on the bus. If you have information about this incident, please contact Detective Thomas Smith (202.258.2592). There will be a media campaign concerning this crime soon.
3. Shaeda Ahmadi shaeda.ahmadi@dc.gov 202.340.3813), a Ward 6 Outreach & Service Specialist in the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations & Services, introduced herself. She and her partner Will Mohring (william.mohring@dc.gov 202. 251.5049) organize an “Operation Fix-it” each week in Ward 6. They are tasked with fighting blight. Recently they worked on a property in the 1500 block of E Street, SE. Shaeda can be contacted with issues in your neighborhood that need attention.
4. Many residents are frustrated by the lack of a stop sign at the corner of 14th & South Carolina Streets, SE and the high speed of traffic down that one-way street. In the last two weeks there have been three accidents. One ended with a car upside down atop another. The residents are also very concerned about a light pole on that corner which dangerously sways in the wind or when someone touches it.
5. MPD’s Sgt Curry introduced himself. He works evenings and said specifically thefts from auto are typically GPS devices. He said when people are absorbed in phone conversations while walking they look vulnerable and are targeted for crimes. He said we can help by calling 911 and being specific about the description of the suspicous person acting criminally. Hair and shoes are improtant to notice and describe. Because 911 calls are audio recorded, they help get convictions in court when officers can refer to the description provided by citizens. He said every effort should be made to get the tag number from cars, too when calling 911.
6. MPD’s Officer Ewald is on the midnight shift on a bike. She said it helps her do her job when we leave our porch lights on all night. Some suspicious people actually sit in the dark on our furniture on our dark porches as a place to hide. She said a lit up block is univiting for someone looking for easy crime targets. She also said that although crime statistics are down overall in our PSA, experiencing crime is traumatic so we should ensure we’re not victims and to protect others. She asked that friends drinking alcohol at your home either stay the night or are kept safe as they travel. If we see an inebriated person, we’re asked to call 911 as a disoriented person is particularly vulnerable to crime. She said sometimes neighbors tell her they didn’t want to bother the police. But she said even calling two days after a crime happens is helpful. There may not be any evidence available, but it helps the officers track patterns. She mentioned the book_The Gift of Fear_ and said fear can tell us something’s wrong, that we need to get out of a situation, that we need to get help, and that we need to call 911.
7. Lt. Thornton commended ANC Commissioner Will Hill for not allowing a basketball tournament to take place at Watkins. Last year the organizer violated some of the agreements and neighbors complained about the very late and loud music and public urination.
8. National Night Out will be on August 3 this year. Planning for the event will continue at the July PSA 107 meeting.
9. Free Red Cross adult CPR/AED training and certification will be offered next Friday night June 25, 2010 from 6-10 p.m. at The Word of God Baptist Church, 1512 K Street, SE. RSVP by Tuesday, June 22 to me, Jared Critchfield @ zhunbei2day@gmail.com or 202.525.9350.
See you at the next PSA 107 meeting at Liberty Baptist Church basement, 527 Kentucky Ave, SE on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 7 p.m. The entrance is to the left as you face the building; the meeting is downstairs.
Best,
Jared Critchfield