The Ward 5 Report:
Office of Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie
April 26, 2013
Ward 5 Highlights:
Councilmember McDuffie Facilitates H Street Main Street Expansion into Ward 5
Over the past several weeks, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie worked with the H Street Main Street program and the Department of Small and Local Business Development to enlarge the boundaries of H Street Main Street to include Ward 5.
“Extending the Main Streets program to include Bladensburg and Benning Roads will allow us to enhance the visibility of this corridor and give local businesses the opportunity to connect to services that support their growth,” said Councilmember McDuffie.
For more information on the H Street Main Street expansion, click here.
DCHA, One Economy, and Rent-A-Center Team Up to Provide Ward 5 Residents with Free Internet Access
The D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA), One Economy and Rent-A-Center recently announced that they will be providing free Internet service and laptops to the residents of the Montana Terrace Apartments. This week, Councilmember McDuffie joined Mayor Gray, DCHA, One Economy and Rent-A-Center to celebrate the wiring of the final units and to announce digital skills training for the residents.
“The ability of a household to participate and prosper in today’s economy will be severely restricted if the household is cut off from technology,” said McDuffie during the announcement. “For many of us, the internet is something we take for granted. Access to the internet provides us a way to connect to all kinds of information — and for low-income families especially, that access has the power to change their lives.”
Now complete, nine D.C. housing developments were wired with Internet service. All now have broadband Internet connection, along with a year of free service provided by Comcast. One Economy will also be providing training to residents at several DCHA locations. During the event, Ward 5 resident Lorain Pitman was the winner of a free laptop provided by Rent-A-Center.
Councilmember McDuffie Tours Ward 5’s Industrial Land with Government and Resident Leaders
This week, Councilmember McDuffie, along with the members of the Ward 5 Industrial Land Task Force, toured segments of the industrial land in the Ward to see first-hand how the overconcentration of industrial–zoned land can create a bleak landscape, while providing a way for the group to see positive uses of industrial space.
The Task Force, spearheaded by Councilmember McDuffie, looks to develop a strategic and forward-looking plan to transform industrial areas into a magnet for green and creative businesses, create jobs for a variety of skill levels, and provide the amenities and services desired by residents. The Task Force is expected to submit a draft report to the Mayor and the Council by December 31, 2013.
To see additional pictures from the tour, click here.
Councilmember McDuffie Visits Polling Locations during the Special Election
Recently, Councilmember McDuffie, Chair of the Council’s committee with oversight of the Board of Elections (BOE), visited various polling precincts to observe the voting experience during the special election held on April 23.
“It was important that I see first-hand the experience that voters received when they cast their ballots,” said Councilmember McDuffie. “I was pleased to see that polling places were adequately staffed. However, moving forward, I am interested in finding out from BOE what the agency could do to boost voter turnout in future elections.”
Announcements:
Ward 5 Town Hall Meeting with DC Water
Councilmember McDuffie and D.C. Water General Manager George S. Hawkins will co-host a town hall meeting to talk about water projects and issues impacting the Ward. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 30 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at McKinley Technology High School in Room 150, located at 151 T Street, NE.
Age-Friendly City Senior Symposium
On May 10, the D.C. Office on Aging will hold a symposium to gather input from the community on ways to make D.C. a more age-friendly city. Seniors, family member, caregivers, providers, advocates, and community stakeholders are invited to attend. The symposium will take place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, located at 2500 Calvert Street, NW from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (202) 724-5626.
D.C. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Business Plan Seminar
The D.C. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, with the support of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, will host a free business plan seminar on May 21 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. The seminar will be located at the D.C. Chamber of Commerce Business Resource Center at 7059 Blair Road, NW, Suite 203. For more information, please contact the Chamber at 202-545-0220.
DDOT’s Office of Civil Rights to Host a DDOT 101 Orientation Webinar for DBE Firms
The District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) Office of Civil Rights is hosting a DDOT 101 Orientation webinar on April 30 from 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE). The webinar is part of DDOT’s Office of Civil Rights’ webinar series on “How to Do Business with DDOT.” The webinar will provide an overview of DDOT's organizational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as key details on the agency’s contract and procurement process. Endrea Frazier, Vice President of Legion Design/Campbell & Associates, will facilitate the webinar.
This training is free of charge and is required for all newly certified and re-evaluated DBE firms. It is also open to other small businesses who are interested in conducting business with the Agency. Advanced registration is required no later than April 29, via https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/136738902. For more information, contact Chloe Miles at cmiles@mhmiles.com or 202-525-2740.
DPR Announces Registration for the 30th Annual D.C. Senior Games
The Department of Parks and Recreation will conduct open registration for the 30th Annual D.C. Senior Games. Registration continues through May 1. The D.C. Senior Games are scheduled to take place May 6 – May 13 at various locations throughout the District of Columbia. Registration for the D.C. Senior Games can be completed online by visiting the 2013 Senior Games web page or seniors may apply in person at one of DPR's recreation centers.
Open House for the McMillan Sand Filtration Site
Come see the building designs for the park, community center, grocery store, apartments, townhouses and offices from the Vision McMillan Developers and project architects. The open house will be on Saturday, April 27, from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the St. George’s Episcopal Church, located at 160 U Street, NW.
**Ward 5 Events:
Councilmember McDuffie, or a member of his staff, will attend the following events:
Saturday, April 27 – ANC 5B04 will hold its monthly meeting at the ANC 5B office, located at 1322 Irving Street, NE, beginning at 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30 - The Ward 5 Council on Education will hold its monthly meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Lamond-Riggs Library, located at 5401 South Dakota Ave, NE.
Wednesday, May 1 – The North Michigan Park Civic Association holds its monthly meeting at the North Michigan Park Recreation Center, located at 1333 Emerson Street, NE, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
** Councilmember McDuffie’s public schedule is subject to change.
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