Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
Before we dive into this week’s newsletter, I want to share that we’ve heard from several neighbors and businesses about major power outages in Ward 5 this evening. My team is in touch with Pepco, and we’ve heard there are two primary outages – one in the Eckington area affecting appoximately 175 customers, and another along North Capitol St NW in the Bloomingdale, Truxton Circle, and NoMa areas affecting almost 1,000 customers. Pepco has crews out assessing the outage. Unfortunately, their timelines have shifted several times and we are not currently confident of a restoration timeline. I will share what we hear from Pepco through my social media (X, Instagram) as we receive updates.
New Staff in the Ward 5 Council Office
As the Ward 5 Council Office team grows, I am thrilled to introduce to you Neferteria Brown, our new Senior Policy Analyst. Neferteria is a native Washingtonian whose career has focused on public service, specifically through protecting the rights of a wide range of neighbors, including crime victims, veterans, September 11th survivors, and tenants facing eviction. She most recently worked as a Supervising Attorney in the Housing Unit with the Neighborhood Legal Services Program. Neferteria is excited to tackle policy issues as a part of our office, helping us make legislative changes that positively affect our city’s beautifully diverse population.
Please join me in welcoming Neferteria! You can reach her at nbrown@dccouncil.gov.
Oversight: Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS)
As Chair of the Subcommittee on Libraries and Youth Affairs, I am executing a comprehensive plan for oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). While I will be holding several hearings on the agency this fall, another important aspect of oversight is site visits (announced and unannounced). Today, I visited DYRS’ Youth Services Center located in Ward 5. This visit allowed me the opportunity to explore operations at the facility, engage directly with some of the young people in DYRS’ care, and to engage with staff, all to see what’s working and what’s not working. Next week, I will tour DYRS’ New Beginnings Youth Development Center, located in Laurel, MD. Experiencing DYRS’ operations first-hand will allow me to dig deeper at the Roundtable and Public Hearing scheduled for November 18 and 22, respectively. Check out the video I shared following today’s visit in the newsletter.
