Good March 16, neighbors. It’s the two-year anniversary of life as we knew it officially shutting down for a little while. Now, two years later, the sun is shining and, oh, what’s that? Did someone mention some fun convoy friends taking laps around Stanton Park?
Even though today DC Public Schools officially relaxed their mandatory mask policy and you can go pretty much anywhere except public transportation without a mask on, these men and women insist on protesting… something. Well, guys, you made it. How did it feel to pay hundreds of dollars in gas to make a point?
Anyway, what else is going on?
Today, Mayor Bowser released her budget for next year. You can take a look at the slides from the presentation here and you can listen to the broadcast here. Perhaps the most exciting item for us as a neighborhood is below:
Having a training and indoor sports facility is an incredible step forward for District families. For years, families in the District have had to rely on Maryland and Virginia facilities for this kind of programming, so having this come to the RFK grounds is absolutely a welcome development. The panel below also has a great list of developments. It’s hard to envision what 60 miles of protected (how protected?) bike lanes will pan out. But certainly, having more crossing guards — at least two per every school in the District– seems like an excellent priority. More crossing guards! They are the heroes of the morning commute.
If you want the District government to prioritize a safer H Street NE corridor, ANC 6A commissioners Robb Dooling and Keys Chatterjee have started a petition to make sure H Street stops being a place where people lose their lives simply walking or biking around. You can read and sign that petition here.
Larry Janezich has a round-up of local government meetings over on Capitol Hill Corner. Of special interest are the proposed boundaries for ANC 6C, as well as ANC 6B’s efforts to rezone the DoorDash facility in the 1300 block of E Street SE.
Speaking of local government, ANC 6A commissioner Sondra Phillips-Gilbert invites the community to be part of tonight’s 6A zoning meeting to discuss the future of the Trinidad Baptist Church, which is a prime piece of real estate in the 1600 block of Benning Road NE. More information here.
In crime news, there was a broad-daylight shooting in the 700 block of 13th Street SE on Monday. MPD reports that both shooting victims, 22 year-old Antoine Jenkins, of Capital Heights, MD, and 62 year-old Antwan Brown, of Southeast, DC., have died. If you have a tip, call 202-727-9099 or send a text message to 50411.
A man who harmed and killed homeless neighbors here and in New York City has been arrested less than 24 hours after the mayors of both cities announced a task force to find the man. Gerald Brevard III was arrested early Tuesday morning in Southeast DC. NBC
Neighbor Jody Kent Lady wrote an opinion on The Washington Post on how tough-on-crime policies do more harm than good, even as crime rates increase. A very interesting read, in case you missed it. A poignant quote:
The tough-on-crime approach fails to keep us safe, and, equally dangerous, it requires us to accept the notion that some children are unworthy of being seen and treated as children. Violent crimes are most often linked to economic insecurity and past trauma and victimization (and their rates are often reported incorrectly or without nuance).
If you’ve ever wondered how we can make parts of the District more affordable, this opinion from the Southwest DC action in The Southwester breaks down what CLTs (Community Land Trusts) are and how they can make a real and concrete difference in our area.
The Flea Market at Eastern Market is losing its founder. Tom Rall is retiring from running the beloved weekend outdoor emporium, after looking after it for over 40 years. Fair winds and following seas, Tom! Hill Rag
Remember how the Wisdom space in the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE was taken up by folks from Republic Cantina and Sloppy Mama’s? The concept is out! It’ll be a burger place. Our friend @Eat_DC reports:
Exciting times for burger fans! And for not-a-burger fans, Fare Well has reopened officially today as Sticky Fingers Diner in the 400 block of H Street NE. What’s particularly great for a beautiful day like today? They have a lot of outdoor seating and are open Wednesday-Sunday until 9 p.m. Get your vegan on!