Neighbors,
As you have
probably heard, today, the Mayor's Stay-at-Home order is lifted in
exchange for what she has called 'Stay-at-Home
Lite.'
This means that some of the most stringent restrictions are now
lifted. However, most of the practices that have become our new
normal during the pandemic remain in place, and the coronavirus
threat to residents of DC remains very real.
During phase one:
- Residents and
visitors to DC are no longer ordered to stay at their
residences.
- Residents should
wear masks whenever they leave the house and are unable to
maintain a six-foot distance from other people.
- Large gatherings of
more than ten individuals continue to be prohibited in the
District.
- DC park fields,
tennis courts, dog parks, and tracks will reopen. Pools,
playgrounds, recreation centers, and indoor facilities remain
closed.
- Restaurants may
open for service in already permitted outdoor spaces only and
while maintaining six feet of space between parties. All
people must be seated, and parties are limited to six people
per table.
- Restaurants that
are not already permitted for outdoor space or that want to
expand their outdoor space may
apply for a permit to do so as well as for a
permit to hold parking spots for curbside pickup.
- Nonessential retail
stores may open for front door pickup and delivery. Customers
are still not allowed inside most nonessential businesses.
- Barbershops and
hair salons may open but must maintain a 1:1 ratio of stylists
to clients. Waiting inside is prohibited.
- Full details are
available at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/phaseone
In the same order
outlining the above, Mayor Bowser extended the public health
emergency in the District of Columbia until July 24, 2020, the
maximum duration authorized by the Council. Unfortunately, this
pandemic will not be measured in days or weeks, but months and
possibly years. However, if we continue to support one another and
encourage safe behavior, I remain optimistic that Ward 5 and the
District of Columbia can emerge from this pandemic stronger and
more equitable than before.
In service,
Kenyan
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In this
issue of the Ward 5 Report:
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Three Ways to Engage with the Council on the
Budget
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The Council is currently reviewing
Mayor Bowser's proposed budget through a series of Budget Oversight
Hearings, which run through mid-June. Council committees are each
taking written testimony as well as allowing residents to call a
phone line and leave testimony, which will be transcribed and
included in the official record. Additionally, there will be
limited opportunities to testify before committee hearings held via
videoconference. Check the Council website for the
full schedule of hearings and
additional details for each committee.
The Council Committee on Business
and Economic Development, chaired by Councilmember McDuffie, will
receive input from the public through multiple channels:
Written Testimony:
- Written Testimony shall be submitted by
emailing the document to BusinessEconomicDevelopment@dccouncil.us.
- Written testimony
must be submitted as instructed above by June 3, 2020, 5:00
pm, to be included in the record.
- Public witness testimony will not be accepted
after that date.
Transcribed Oral Testimony:
- Call (202) 430-5122.
- When prompted, ready your testimony (speak
slowly and clearly).
- You may provide up to three minutes of
testimony.
- Your testimony will be transcribed and made
a part of the record.
- At the beginning of the message please
state your name, spell your name, the agency you are
testifying on, provide the name of the organization you are
representing (if any), and then begin your testimony.
Live testimony via videoconference
hearing:
- The hearing will take place via Zoom on
Tuesday, June 16 from 9:00 am – Noon. As with all Council
hearings, it will be streamed live on the Council website and
broadcast on DC cable channel 13.
- Public witnesses are required to complete the
witness form linked from here. The form to sign up
for the virtual hearing will open on June 10, 2020, at 9:00 am
and close on June 12, 2020, at 5:00 pm.
- Participation in the virtual hearing is
limited, and participants will be selected on a first-come,
first-served basis. Each public witness will receive a maximum
of three minutes to testify, and each organization is limited
to one testimony at the virtual hearing.
- Public witnesses selected to participate in
the virtual hearing will receive additional instructions from
the Committee on Business and Economic Development.
- These hearings are official proceedings of
the Council of the District of Columbia, and public witnesses
who will appear live in a virtual hearing must conduct
themselves respectfully and are subject to removal for using
profane, indecent, or abusive language or images.
- All public
witnesses are encouraged to submit written testimony in advance
of the hearing. Written Testimony can be submitted by
emailing the document to BusinessEconomicDevelopment@dccouncil.us.
- Written testimony must be submitted as
instructed above by June 3, 2020, 5:00 p.m., to be included
in the record.
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The Ward 5 Office is Open and Teleworking
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Throughout the public health
emergency, Councilmember McDuffie and staff are teleworking
and remain hard at work on behalf of Ward 5 residents. You can
still call (202) 724-8028 or email any staff.
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Update on Residential Speed Limit and Operations
at the DMV, Library, and Fort Totten Transfer Station
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- On Tuesday, June 2, the DMV Southwest
Service Center will be open by appointment only for limited
services.
- DC Library will take reservations for books
and allow for pickup at initially two locations, eventually
expanding to one library in each ward. Make
reservations using the chat function at dclibrary.org and pickup
currently available at Cleveland Park and Anacostia Libraries.
- DC Department of Public Works Fort
Totten Transfer Station is returning to
normal operations today.
- Effective Monday, June 1, the speed limit
on local roads is lowered to 20 MPH.
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Update on Summer Programs and Schools
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- DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)
will not offer in-person camp to begin the summer and possibly
not all summer. DPR will be offering Camp-at-Home at no cost
for all District families, including a range of activities. If
we are able to enter phase 2 of the reopening, there is
potential for limited, outdoor camps to resume later in the
summer.
- The Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment
Program is going virtual. MBSYEP will work to place young
people doing work such as literacy support for young learners,
tech/IT, and occupational skills training. Organizations that
would like to partner with the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment
Program can go to http://summerjobs.dc.gov.
- DC Public Schools (DCPS) will offer virtual
summer school from June 22 - July 24.
- The Class of 2020 will be celebrated in
virtual graduation ceremonies to take place in June.
- The first day of DCPS this fall - virtual
or otherwise - will be Aug 31, 2020.
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Ward 5's Ivy City Smokehose has been preparing meals
for distribution to those in need on a weekly basis during the
pandemic.
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ANC Commissioner Pierre Hines
reached out to Councilmember McDuffie out of concern for seniors in
the Fort Lincoln community who are at a high risk for COVID-19.
Through conversations, our office was able to connect them with
Ascension Health, operator of Providence Urgent Care, and who
donated 500 masks and 600 pairs of gloves to these Ward 5 seniors.
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DC Hope Grants for Non-Profits to Help with
COVID Outreach and Engagement
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DC HOPE Community Grants will provide up to $50,000
for 501(c)3 non-profits that support relief efforts in a number of
ways:
- Increasing buy-in
and participation in disease
- investigation/contact
tracing process
- Purchase and
distribution of PPE
- Social distancing
protective measures
- Public health awareness
- Connecting
residents to testing sites and health care providers
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The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project Invites You to Take
Part in Gun Violence Awareness Month
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DC is Providing a PPE Care Kit for Small
Businesses
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Small Business Spotlight: NAACP DC Black
Business Directory
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Food Pantry at 20th and Rhode Island Ave NE, 2nd
& 4th Thursdays
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Vote by Mail in the June Primary
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