Ward 5 Report (dated 09-01-2016)

From: Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie [mailto:KMcDuffie@public.govdelivery.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 1, 2016 12:41 PM
Subject: The Ward 5 Report

Get CM McDuffie's report on what's going on in Ward 5 and the DC Government

September 1, 2016   John A Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 506 (202) 724-8028 The Ward 5 Report Dear Resident, Summer is coming to an end, and schools are back in session.  This summer has been a busy one for me and my team.  With no Council hearings on the schedule I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to be out of the Wilson building, and in the Ward on a daily basis. Great things are happening in #OurWard5, from Chuck Brown Day, the soon to be opened Woodridge Library, the upcoming Edgewood Recreation Center, and to great summer eating and shopping. #OurWard 5 is home to the best District residents and small businesses in the city, and it is my privilege and honor to serve you. However, we also have challenges that we must continue to address.  As noted in the newsletter below, PARCC scores were released this week, and though the overall data shows a slight increase in performance for the District, Ward 5 schools are lagging behind their counterparts.  Additionally, crime continues to be a concern.  From July 3, to date, total crime in Ward 5 is down approximately 5.67% as compared with the same time period last year.  Though that is a positive sign, it does nothing to make those neighbors of ours who have been victims of crime feel safer.  I will continue to push for policies and resources that address the root causes of crime and proactively prevent it from occurring.  In Service, Kenyan          Metro Safetrack will bring major red line shutdown in October If you have taken the Red Line in the month of August, you have probably noticed some delays. Unfortunately, things are going to get worse before they get better. Safetrack work continues throughout the system and continues to affect Ward 5 residents, but the major disruption is yet to come: From October 10 – November 1 there will be no red line service between Fort Totten and NoMa. Brookland and Rhode Island Avenue NE-Brentwood stations will be completely closed. Both WMATA and the D.C. government have information available. Our office will continue to push for more information and ways to accommodate those who rely on WMATA.                                  Ward 5 Constituent Services Though the Council is on recess, we continue to get, and love to help resolve, constituent services requests.  This summer our team has been extremely busy resolving requests quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately there are some outstanding requests that are still pending because they are awaiting action by an agency (sidewalk repair for example). We also have a new Deputy Chief of Staff / Constituent Services Director and Communications Director.  Ms. Demetris Cheatham (dcheatham@dccouncil.us), our Deputy Chief of Staff / Constituent Services Director comes to our office with years of leadership experience, and most recently served as the Executive Director of the North Capitol Street Main Street organization. Mr. Nolan Treadway (ntreadway@dccouncil.us), our Communications Director comes to our office with years of digital media experience, and is also the current Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5C07 Commissioner.  If you have not met Ms. Cheatham or Mr. Treadway out with the Councilmember yet, chances are you will see them soon. As always, if you are having difficulty getting a response from an agency, have a general concern, or are in need of utility assistance, please contact our office so that we may do our best to assist you.  Councilmember McDuffie sends letter to Alcohol Control Board in support of a liquor license moratorium around Queens Chapel/Bladensburg area On August 2, Councilmember McDuffie sent a letter of support to the Alcohol Beverage Control Board (ABC Board) for the proposed liquor license moratorium centered around the nightclubs in the Queens Chapel/Bladensburg area. The proposed moratorium would prohibit establishing any new nightclubs in that area for a period of five years. The Councilmember’s letter continues his strong support for quality of life issues and parallels several letters he has sent since 2012 in opposition to new clubs and license renewals, and in support of more community-serving uses of industrial land as identified in the Ward 5 Works plan. Below is an excerpt from the full letter which can be read online. “Based on my review of the petition; extensive conversations with the impacted community; letters of opposition I have submitted since taking office to license renewals and new license applications of Class C/N and C/X licensees [nightclubs] in the proposed area; ABRA’s investigative history; and the dozens of complaints my office has received regarding the impacts of the licensees, I strongly support the amended petition. “The existing Class C/N and C/X establishments in the proposed moratorium are open into the early morning and accommodate hundreds of patrons, and there is little buffer between adjacent residences. When the establishments close each night, these patrons exit the establishments en masse and cause significant disruptions. This concern is not speculative. I have witnessed firsthand and receive calls from constituents on a weekly basis concerning the noise, disorderly conduct, and sometimes criminal activity of patrons from nearby licensees. As was referenced during the Board’s public hearing on the moratorium petition, my office has received numerous complaints of public intoxication, urination, defecation, sex, littering, destruction of property, noise, and not infrequently, violent crime. Establishments with liquor licenses, and those who operate them, must comply with the law and be respectful of the integrity of the community in which they operate. Moreover, licensees within the proposed moratorium portion already have a lengthy history of violations.” Thanks to the efforts of many residents who testified before the Board and called the Councilmember’s office, and in particular, the hard work of ANC 5C, the Langdon Park Community Association, the Woodridge South Civic Association, and the members of the Ward 5 Industrial Land Transformation Task Force, we have brought significant attention to the challenges associated with the over-concentration of nightclubs                        DCPS and PCSB PARCC Scores Released On August 30, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the Public Charter School Board (PCSB) released the 2016 PARCC test scores.  The PARCC is taken online by students in grades 3 through 8 and once during high school.  Unfortunately, despite the slight overall gains, the data shows that we still have a long way to go to ensure that our children are prepared for their future. Overall, the PARCC reflected an increase of 1% in the number of students that met expectations in English, and a 2% increase in the number of students that met expectations in Math.  As a result, 27% of students are meeting or exceeding expectations in English and 25% are meeting or exceeding expectations in Math. Despite these small increases, the data from the PARCC reflects both that 75% of D.C. students are below grade level and unready for higher education or employment and that stark and distressing achievement gaps remain. Only 19% of African American students are meeting expectations in English and 17% of African American students are meeting expectations in Math.  Meanwhile, 74% of white students are meeting expectations in English and 71% are meeting expectations in Math.  Male students under-perform their female peers, with 22% meeting expectations in English and 24% meeting expectations in Math.  Only 5% of special education students met expectations in English and 6% met expectations in Math.  14% of ELL students met expectations in English, while 19% met expectations in Math. Below are the results for Ward 5 schools: Keep #OURWard5 Clean The Councilmember and his Constituent Services team have been crisscrossing the Ward all summer long.  One concern that has been raised over and over by residents is trash.  Whether it is a candy bar wrapper, a used tire, or an old mattress, it should not be on our sidewalks, roads, or the grass in our parks.  Let’s all make a concerted effort to keep #OurWard5 beautiful. If you see trash around the Ward, please call 311 and report it so that the Department of Public Works can send a team to address it.  If it has not been addressed in a reasonable amount of time, please call or email our office so that we can follow-up on the 311 request with the agency. Bulk trash removal requests can also be made through 311, or you can bring the items to the Fort Totten Transfer Station. The Fort Totten Transfer Station, located at 4900 John McCormack Dr NE, offers: Solid Waste Disposal Drop-off Mon – Fri: 1 – 5 pm Sat: 8 am – 3 pm Monthly Hazardous Waste / E-cycling / Document Shredding Every Saturday (except holidays), 8 am - 3 pm (Shredding on first Saturday of each month only) First Thursday preceding the first Saturday of the month (except holidays), 1 pm - 5 pm (HHW/E-cycling Only) Closed Sundays and Holidays What you need to know about the Zika virus We’ve all heard about the Zika Virus on the news, but what should we be concerned about right here in Ward 5? The answer, thankfully, is nothing for the moment. There are a small number of Zika cases here in Washington, DC but they are all traced to people who travelled to areas known to have the Zika virus. For more information on Zika Virus, check the resources on Zika on either the District of Columbia Department of Health site or the federal Centers for Disease Control. Councilmember McDuffie in the Community: Councilmember McDuffie has been out and about all over Ward 5 and DC since the last newsletter in early July, here’s just a taste of what he’s been up to, via the Councilmember’s Instagram and Twitter. Check below for links to personally follow the Councilmember and the office on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Stay connected to Councilmember McDuffie and the Ward 5 office: Main office telephone number: 202-724-8028 Website: http://www.kenyanmcduffie.com Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KenyanRMcDuffie Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on Twitter: @KenyanMcDuffie Councilmember McDuffie’s Office on Twitter: @CM_McDuffie Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on Instagram: www.instagram.com/krmcduffie Update your subscriptions, modify your e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. Council of the District of Columbia 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004 www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us This email was sent to scottroberts01@outlook.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: Council of the District of Columbia · 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington D.C. 20004