Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
There is a lot to share with you about the holiday weekend, inauguration, and several Ward 5 community events coming up soon. But first, I want to celebrate new staff members who have joined my team! Please join me in welcoming Thomas Franco, who will be the Committee Director for the Committee on Youth Affairs, and Joe Dweck, who will join my committee staff as Legislative Counsel. Thomas comes to us having recently served with the U.S. Department of the Interior, and was formerly a councilmember of a jurisdiction in Vermont. Joe previously served as legislative staff for another office in the Wilson building, and has experience with the inner-workings of Council committees. I am thrilled to have both Thomas and Joe tackling the challenges ahead as we oversee the agencies under the purview of the Committee on Youth Affairs. Please join me in welcoming them!
In addition to these two new hires, there are some other internal shifts on my team. Neferteria Brown, who has been serving as my office’s Senior Policy Analyst, will now serve as Legislative Director. I am grateful for Neferteria’s thorough engagement of our legislative portfolio and am excited to have her in this role. Sam Bonar, who has long served as a Constituent Services Coordinator, will be shifting to the policy side of our work in a new role as Policy Analyst. Sam’s robust coordinating across Ward 5 equips him with helpful insights on relevant policy issues, and this is a meaningful addition to my office’s policy work. Oliver Stoute, also a Constituent Services Coordinator, will now serve as the Director of Constituent Services as he has excelled in responding to countless constituent requests and coordinating with District agencies. Sam will continue working in constituent services until we have filled positions for new Constituent Services Coordinators. If you’re interested in joining my office’s dynamic team working to build healthy communities in Ward 5, please apply!
Snow Removal and Trash Delays
We’ve heard from many neighbors about ongoing issues with snow removal throughout Ward 5, along with many missed trash and recycling pick-ups. We continue to escalate these concerns with the relevant agencies, primarily the Department of Public Works (DPW). DPW has shared that at this time, they are working to get back on schedule following significant disruptions from last week’s inclement weather. You can file a 311 ticket for missed trash/recycling pick-up if needed, and share your ticket request number with our office so we can follow up directly on your behalf: ostoute@dccouncil.gov.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and when I think of his remarkable legacy, I am reminded of how he stood with District neighbors in the fight for Home Rule. Though much of what he stood for seemed improbable at the time, his insistance that “the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice” remains a reminder to not give up, even in dark times. There are many ways to celebrate this weekend, include the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Walk and Parade, which will take a new form this year indoors at the Entertainment and Sports Arena (1100 Oak Dr SE) including a wellness fair. Learn more and register to attend here!
Inauguration
Monday is also the day of the Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. Plans for the inauguration have changed significantly due to the weather forecast, with the 12:00 p.m. swearing-in ceremony moving indoors, and the Presidential Parade down Pennsylvania Ave NW being cancelled. The below map shows the location of relevant street closures, no parking zones, pedestrian checkpoints, and pedestrian restricted zones. Note that some road closures originally planned to begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, January 19 will now close at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 18. Comprehensive traffic plans and maps can be found here.
The Ward 5 Wave – Season 2 Begins
The Ward 5 Wave is back for another season and we have some special guests coming to the show soon! In this week’s episode, I share a little bit about snow removal efforts around Ward 5, what neighbors can expect downtown for the inauguration, new staff members on my team in the Ward 5 Council Office, and several upcoming Ward 5 events you won’t want to miss. Tune in now at ward5.us/podcast.
This edition of the Ward 5 Weekly newsletter also includes public safety updates including the next Ward 5 Public Safety Call with guest MPD Chief Smith on January 29, the rescheduled Ward 5 Awards at Ivy City Smokehouse on February 11, a Meet the Ombudsman event on January 28, details about the Taylor Street Bikeway Open House which has been postponed to February 1, news that DDOT’s E-Bike Incentive Program returns on February 1, Notices of Intent modifying traffic/parking requirements in Ward 5, a school lottery parent mixer in Brookland on February 3 along with a reminder that the My School DC lottery registration is open, news the DC’s Attorney General is suing the federal government for polluting the Anacostia River for 150+ years, programs to benefit from including a youth poetry contest accepting submissions until March 28, and community events including a community clean-up in Eckington, the MLK Day of Service at the Langston Golf Course with the Anacostia Watershed Society, and a Commanders vs. Lions Watch Party with DPR, all tomorrow. Keep reading for more!
