East of the River Magazine – May 2023

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissa.ashabranner@gmail.com

MANAGING

Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com

We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.

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When the Trees Leave

Ward 8 is Losing Tree Canopy at Twice the Rate of DC Overall

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

When Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) Laneice Moore (8A04) started receiving calls from constituents worried about trees being cut down on the 1900 block of U St. SE near Fort Stanton Park, she was concerned. She wasn’t aware of any development planned for the block. A search of tree permits, available online through the District’s Urban Forestry Division, also came up empty for the address.

“The neighbors were worried someone was in there, stealing trees,” she recounted.

But, as Moore discovered, everything being done was by the book – or, to be more accurate, DC’s laws on tree removal. The former owner and now developer of the property, Anthony Boticello of IDS Community Devel-

opment, had applied for the permit using the property’s official address, 1808 Woodmont Pl. SE, and had paid over $152,000 in District fees to remove the trees in preparation for development of the site.

DC has some of the toughest urban tree protection laws in the nation and its efforts to develop canopy cover is laudatory. In 2020, the District government and its partners exceeded their goal to plant 10,000 trees by nearly 3,000.

But according to Casey Trees, a non-profit organization established in 2001 to restore, enhance, and protect the District’s trees, the tree canopy peaked at 38 percent in 2016. It dropped to 37 in 2020. That’s a loss of about 565 acres of trees, approximately the size of the National Mall. And the wards with the highest number of Black residents —Wards 5, 7 and 8 —are losing trees the fastest.

Ward 8, where Fort Stanton Park is located, is losing tree canopy at an even faster rate —two percent, or just over 121 acres between 2015 and 2020. And it is at risk of losing more.

One needs to look at the situation on the ground and the District’s tree protection laws to understand why that is happening, why it is a problem and why stopping that loss might become a bigger challenge in the future.

Trees Important to Good Health

Most people understand that trees are beneficial. They help manage stormwater and reduce erosion. They clean the air we breathe and provide shade, reducing heat islands. They increase land value and reduce stress. These benefits are even more important in Ward 8, where residents are more vulnerable to extreme heat as well as health impacts from poor air quality, due to the higher rates of asthma.

Casey Trees collaborates with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Urban Forestry Division, the primary steward of the District’s trees, on tree planting throughout the city. They also monitor the tree canopy, issuing a report card on the status of the urban canopy every year.

“We really should be prioritizing tree canopy growth to support the health and resilience of the Ward 8 community,” said Kelly Collins Choi, Director of Policy and Land Conservation for Casey Trees.

Nathan Harrington agrees. He is the founder of Ward 8 Woods Conservancy, which works to rejuvenate and enhance the more then 500 acres of public forest in Ward 8. The aftermath of tree removal, he said, is sad and shocking. “You can talk about deforestation, you can read statistics, but there’s nothing like seeing it,” Harrington said.

Harrington says that trees in lower income, prominently Black communities are more likely to be removed, citing examples in cities like Atlanta, GA.

“Imagine if this were Rock Creek Park or land

Ward 8 Woods’ Founder Nathan Harrington said he was “shocked and saddened” to see the results of forest removal at the site near Fort Stanton Park. Courtesy: Ward 8 Woods

adjoining Rock Creek Park. I think there would be a lot more attention and controversy, and probably it would be less likely to be approved,” Harrington. “And we see that in a lot of other places as well —that urban forests are more valued the more affluent the area is.”

Protecting The Canopy

Under DC Law, both individuals and government entities must have a permit to remove special and heritage trees. Trees with a circumference of 100 inches or more are considered heritage trees. A heritage tree cannot be removed unless a DDOT arborist certifies it as hazardous, although in some situations they can be relocated.

Trees with a circumference of 44 to 99.9 inches are special trees and can be removed, but at a cost of $55 per inch of circumference.

In 2022, amendments to the law newly empowered the city to require a Tree Preservation Plan where construction work might disturb the critical root zone of one of those types of trees. Now, the city can issue a stop work order in cases where trees are being unlawfully removed, issue fines of $300 per inch of the trees removed, and even revoke the license of any developers or businesses involved in the unapproved removal of trees for up to two years. Thus the minimum fine for removing a heritage tree illegally is $30,000.

“DC has the most comprehensive tree protection, preservation and relocation regulations of any major US city,” said a DDOT spokesperson. “We are, after all, known as the City of Trees.”

While DDOT enforcement powers have been increased, DDOT can only deny permits that impact trees in public space or heritage trees on private space. The city can collect fines for the unpermitted removal of special trees on private property but cannot forbid owners from removing them. It has no power over the removal of trees smaller than 44” around on private property.

Losing The Canopy

The funds from tree removal are put to-

wards planting to renew the tree canopy. The feeper-inch is intended to fund su cient planting to replace the total circumference that was cut —so if a 60-inch tree is removed, between 6 and 10 trees could be planted.

But then why has the District lost so many of its trees?

There is no guarantee that a new tree will survive to maturity, notes Casey Trees Conservation Planner Spenser Balog. Trees face multiple challenges such as being hit by cars, salt on roads and soil impaction. They are also not protected by the law until they reach the status of special trees.

In addition, while the money from fees and nes goes into the regeneration of the District’s canopy, District Law does not require that the new trees be planted in the same ward as where the older trees were removed.

However, as a partner of the District government, Casey Trees prioritizes wards 5, 7 and 8 in their work. “I can tell you that over 50 % of the trees that we plant throughout the city are in wards 5, 7 and 8,” said Collins Choi.

Trees on private land are particularly vulnerable. Though Ward 8 has some of the highest ratios of publicly-owned land in the District, a signi cant amount of the tree canopy —perhaps as much as 35 percent of it — is growing on private land, wherenancial interests could prevail over public interest.

In their 2021 Tree Report Card, Casey Trees hypothesized that tree loss in Wards 5, 7 and 8 was likely fueled by lower land prices in these wards coupled with increased development, spurred by invest-

ments at St. Elizabeths East Campus, the new Cedar Hills Regional Hospital and Skyland Town Center. As development heats up, property in the area is relatively inexpensive compared to other wards.

Is The Trade Off Worth It?

Ward 8 Woods’ Harrington said that the fee for tree removal doesn’t equate to the value of the trees, although it does provide some funding for planting. “Ecology isn’t really measured in dollars and cents,” Harrington said. Fees to cut these trees are high for regular homeowners but nothing for the developer of a multi-million dollar project, who might spend that amount on oor tile. “So it’s not a deterrent,” he said.

In their 2021 Tree Report Card, Casey Trees proposed that fees and nes should be higher to keep pace with in ation, pushing for $70 per inch and nes at $375 per illegally removed inch.

There is a fair amount of vacant built properties in the area, including nearby on Good Hope Road SE. But developers often prefer to start from scratch, building to suit the purpose and avoiding potential structural problems and updated zoning requirements.

But that can lead to costs that can never be recouped for the community. Much of the undeveloped and even vacant land in Ward 8 is home to a whole ecosystem on a few acres. They are lost forever when property is purchased and built up.

What Commissioner Moore learned was that IDS Community Development is clearing the lot

A design rendering of the Community College Preparatory Academy slated for Woodmont Place SE. Courtesy: IDS Community Partners

on the 1900 block of U Street SE to build a $25 million LEEDS-certified adult charter school. District records show that IDS Properties bought the lot, with an official address of 1802 Woodmont Pl SE in December 2003 for $157,500. They sold it in April, nearly 20 years later, for $2 million, more than six times its 2023 assessed value of $386,670.

In planning the school, IDS worked extensively with DDOT Urban Forestry, said Andy Botticello, President and founder of IDS. The school and the parking lot were designed around the heritage trees on the site, although one was moved.

Asked if $125,000 is enough to compensate for the loss of tree canopy, Boticello said that was a public policy question better posed to the District.

But he does think that DDOT regulations adequately protect both the trees and the land they are on. “I think their rules right now make developing these kind of [forested] sites fairly difficult,” Botticello said of DDOT. The District has been clear about the importance of the tree canopy, he said. “Everybody knows now that you have to work with the District on the trees.”

A Question Of Kind

Many in Wards 7 and 8 welcome development. For those watching the tree canopy, part of it is a question of what is going there, and if the benefit balances the loss of trees to the community.

Botticello agrees. “There’s always a trade off. I think in this case, this one leans towards a viable asset for the public,” he said. “This is an adult charter school that wants to help citizens of the District that need additional education. So I think that people will be supportive of what they’re doing.”

But what needs to happen as a city is a cohesive plan, a way to preserve trees in areas most in danger of canopy loss. Trees are as much of an amenity as a school, bridge or road, noted Casey Trees’ Collins Choi. “Our tree canopies are green infrastructure —[it’s] the only type of infrastructure that actually appreciates over time,” she said. “But just like our roads, [trees] require care and maintenance, and that’s something that we’d like the city to prioritize over the coming years.” u

Happy 100th at Eastern Senior High School

by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Sheila Carson showed off her 1979 class ring outside Eastern High School (1700 East Capitol St. NE). Behind her, the school’s noted marching band stood at attention, having just finished a performance with the Lady Gems dance team. Clusters of people in white and blue exclaimed joyfully as they met old friends for hugs and photographs.

“It has not come off my finger, and I got it my 11th-grade year,” Carson said, looking at the ring, before remembering her wedding. “As a matter of fact, it came off. I put on my wedding band, and then I put it right back.”

Eastern is part of Carson’s family in more than one sense. Three of her siblings, three of her own children and one of her grandchildren also graduated from the school. She returns whenever the school needs her, whether to advocate for new windows (as in the late 1990s) or to celebrate Rambler Pride.

And she isn’t alone. Carson was one of hundreds who gathered outside the school as the pride of Capitol Hill celebrated 100 years on East Capitol Street. The Story of Our Schools and Eastern High School presented the anniversary celebration beginning 6 p.m. on Friday, March 31. The exhibit’s opening was followed by a ceremony honoring 14 new inductees to the Hall of Fame.

The current building opened March 6, 1923, but the school itself dates to 1890, making

it one of the District’s oldest high schools. After the performance by the Eastern marching band and the Lady Gems, the Eastern US Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) raised a new centennial flag. Knots of people dressed in blue and white circulated around the exhibit, reconnecting with old friends. The museum-grade exhibit features a replica of the Greensboro lunch counter where civil rights activist and Eastern alum Franklin McCain joined others for the famous sit-in.

A photographic timeline honors Eastern’s academic, athletic and creative accomplishments over the last 100 years. “Kids come through the front door, this is the first thing that they see,” principal Steven Miller said of the exhibit, which tells the history of Eastern via images, film and objects. Seniors will walk ninth-graders entering for their first day of school through the exhibit, Miller said, showing them “what it means to be an Eastern Rambler.” Eastern is the first high school to participate in the Story of Our Schools program, which helps students develop storylines about their school community. According to Jennifer Harris, the program’s founder and executive director, the exhibits become learning tools and inspire additional projects and engaging conversations.

Unlike elementary or middle school students, who participate for over a year, high school students spend a term on their project, working with the executive director of the District’s Charles Sumner Archives. Students researched, wrote and created mini-documentaries about aspects of the school’s history. “These are high school kids,” Harris said. “They can do really cool stuff.”

Rodney Red Grant of the anti-violence program Don’t Shoot Guns, Shoot Cameras came in to give students an overview of making films on smartphones. The films, once integrated into the digital component of the ex-

Inaugural inductees and representatives of inductees to the Eastern Senior High School Hall of Fame.

Photo: Mark Roy

Sheila Carson shows off her Eastern class ring. Photo: E. O’Gorek

Guests look at the new “Story of Our School” exhibit, the first thing seen by those entering the school.

Photo: Mark Roy

hibit, play in a loop on 50-inch screens. QR codes will allow visitors to upload their own photos to the digital archives to be included in the loop. “The idea,” said Harris, “is that we get alumni photos, parent photos, and our kids’ films will be in the exhibit.” It’s a living exhibit and keeps the display fresh.

“It’s a hundred years of history,” noted Harris. “How could there not be interesting facts?” The most obvious thread throughout the past 100 years, Harris remarked, is advocacy, the way students have spoken out against wrongs and used their voices to create change and a better school environment.

Advocacy

Eastern High School has a tradition of advocacy for equity, both in education and society. That includes McCain, who participated in the Greensboro protests that helped change America. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame on March 31, when Franklin McCain Jr. accepted the award on his father’s behalf.

When his father began the sit-in, McCain Jr. recounted, “he said that it was at that moment that he felt like he had truly reached his standard; he had become a man. That was his way of standing up to the injustices of that time. Little did he know, or any of the gentlemen, that they had truly made a change that would affect almost everyone.”

In acknowledging the Hall of Fame honor, McCain Jr. said his father would have reminded the Eastern community “not to make decisions that are popular, but instead those that are right.” He would also have told the audience how proud he was that they have continued the traditions that Eastern High School represents, not only for the city but for the nation.

Eastern students have also focused on inequity in the District. Eastern High School students formed the Modern Strivers in the 1960s, when they saw a need for coursework that reflected the Black experience and Black culture. “Many groups were formed to bring awareness of racial inequality in this coun-

try during my time at Eastern,” said Sheila Stevens, of the class of 1970 and a member of the Modern Strivers.

They created the Freedom School in 1968, using money raised by the community to hire full-time teachers. Eastern students were permitted to leave school and attend classes that focused on Black history and culture. The exhibit memorializes the group with photos of students as well as fliers circulated for the classes.

Integration

The Freedom School was a sign of a big change in the school and its mission. Eastern had been an all-white school until integration came to the District in October 1954. Ann Hopewell Batiste graduated in 1957. Speaking at the Hall of Fame ceremony, she noted that integration came with social, cultural and academic challenges. “Socially, we had each other,” she said. “And culturally, thanks to our many years in all-Black schools, we knew who we were and took pride in our heritage,” she explained. “The question was, Would we be able to compete academically? And the answer was a resounding yes.”

Many of the white students transferred out, Batiste said. But many stayed. “Eventually, we did become a cohesive group ‒ as classmates, but not so much in the social realm,” she remembered. “Notably, there was great congress between our minds. Our community, our shared pride in being Eastern Ramblers transcended many other categories of division.”

The Hall of Fame ceremony was a new idea, capturing the momentum of the 100-year celebration. Principal Miller, who took on his role last year, said he wants to continue the legacy of the school captured in the exhibit and at the event. “I want to make sure,” he declared, “that as the school begins to change ‒ in terms of population and life experience ‒ that we are still tightly connected to the legacy of those who have come before us.”

Learn more about Story of Our Schools and donate to the exhibit at https://www.storyofourschools.org/schools-exhibitions/ eastern/. Learn more about Eastern High School by visiting easternhighschooldcps.org/. u

Eastern High Hall of Fame Inductees

• Anthony Boyd, longtime Director of the Eastern High School Marching Band.

• Dwight S. Cropp, George Washington University Professor of Public Policy.

• Linda Washington Cropp, atlarge council member and first elected female Chair of DC Council.

• Isaac Fulwood Jr., chief of the Metropolitan Police Department and later chair of The US Parole Commission.

• Dr. Joyce Garrett, founder of The Washington Youth Choir.

• Admiral Cecil D. Haney, one of the first Black four-star admirals, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet and later the US Strategic Command.

• Franklin McCain, one of The “Greensboro Four,” who staged a 1960 sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter.

• William Richard (Dick) Mentzer, who coached the school’s football square to nine interhigh school championships and two city titles.

• A nita ‘Ma’ Nance, biology teacher and student mentor.

• Eastern Principal R alph H. Neal, known for his consistent high standards.

• Vinna L. Freeman, physical education teacher and first Black female to oversee DCPS athletics.

• Dr. Constance Roseberry Clark-Snead, former Deputy Superintendent of DC Public Schools.

• Dr. Estelle W. Taylor, English teacher during racial integration and the first Black woman awarded a PhD in Renaissance English Literature from Catholic University.

• Eastern Principal Madison W Tignor, the first Black woman to hold that position.

Hall of Fame Committee

Steven Riddick, Phyllis Anderson, Johnnie Rice, Ann Batiste, William Chesley, James Wesley, Tina Short, Kathryn Gray, Ella Holloway, Tyrone Parker, Rita Peyton Nelson, Dorothy Darbouze, Ralph Jones, Sheila H. Gil-Mebane, Aona Jefferson, Rahim Jenkins, Donna Gardner, Deanne Flournoy, Steven Jamison, Tedrick Bonds

The Hall of Fame Committee. Photo: Mark Roy

Visitors seated at the replica of the Woolworth’s counter. Eastern alum Franklin McCain was one of the Greensboro Four who staged the 1960 sit-in. Photo: E. O’Gorek

Our River: The Anacostia Special Places to Visit Upstream along Our River

by Bill Matuszeski

We all love our river here close to home, but some very special places upstream have vistas and histories you don’t want to miss. Here are four to the north in Maryland, starting with the closest and taking you to the place that has been designated the very source of the Anacostia. Obviously, there are many sources and they are all along the river, but one has been designated as the farthest upstream and it has played a real part in our nation’s history.

1. Lake Artemesia

Starting with the closest of the places, Lake Artemesia is a beautiful water surrounded by paths and natural landscapes and served by two tributaries, Indian Creek and Paint Branch, which form the Northeast Branch just below it. The lake is named after the daughter of a couple who, beginning in the 19th century, used the land and ponds to raise and package fish. It is a great place to escape to. It is difficult to believe you are inside the Beltway!

It is not completely wild. One side of the property is bordered by the railroad and Metro. But the only way to cross that barrier and enter College Park is to take a low tunnel for bikes and walkers at the south end of the property.

The current lake was formed in the mid-1970s, when the sands, soils and rocks were needed for Metro construction. The deal was to convert the site to a large lake and a

natural recreation area. Today we have a 38-acre lake with 2.4 miles of loop trails as well as superb picnic spots, changing rooms and restrooms. The number of visitors varies from few to many, depending on the day and the time, but the walking, biking and fishing are ongoing. It is a great place for youngsters to learn to fish, but a tidal angling permit is required for those 16 years or over. Prince George’s Audubon hosts bird walks the first and third Thursdays of each month.

The trails to and from Lake Artemesia offer a range of options. You can bike up the Northeast Branch Trail from Bladensburg. You can walk from the Metro station. Or you can park north of the park and take a short walk to the northern trails around the lake both ways. However you come and go, you will come back!

2. A Trail for Hiking or Biking

The next two places are connected to each other along the same trail but they will almost surely be separate visits. The first is a beautiful and quiet trail for hiking or biking. It is the most northerly part of the Northwest Branch still inside the Beltway. Three things make it special. First, the section begins at the Adelphi Mill Historic Site, a beautiful piece of stream-side architecture that now serves as a community meeting place and has a first-class playground for youngsters. Second, since the trail at the Beltway becomes impassable for bicycles, it is never crowded. And third, as the stream valley moves north it narrows with taller and taller trees, so that all signs of civilization disappear until you hear Beltway traffic high above you. At that point you turn around and return along the stream. If you are walking, you have the option of continuing under the Beltway and entering the next special place (see below), but it is quite a

walk to what draws us there.

The best route to the Northwest Branch at Adelphi Mill is to bicycle up from Bladensburg. Watch out for the left turn up to the roadway after you cross the stream; if you miss it you are on Northeast Branch. By car, take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to the Beltway and west to New Hampshire Avenue, the first exit after I-95 leaves. Left on New Hampshire Avenue and left again at Adelphi Road right away, then right on Riggs Road to parking at Adelphi Mill.

3. The Fall Line

Next is the fall line, where the Northwest Branch tumbles over eroded rocks and enters the coastal plain. Two old mills sit right above the fall line, one on each side of Columbia Road. Bring good boots and a walking stick for your exploration. The next half mile or so downstream will be a series of rocks and waterfalls squeezed into a narrow gorge that is barely passable.

It is a spectacular place, worth exploring! Teddy Roosevelt used to ride by with his mother, on horseback, and considered it second only to Great Falls in the region. Although the scale is about 1/20 that of the Potomac fall line, you are much closer to the crashing water here and feel about to fall in. There is much to explore here, and once it begins to level out, hiking options open up, including a trail over the wooded hills and back to the parking lot if the rock climbing is too much.

Map of the lake and activities along the shoreline at Artemesia.

The Northwest Branch rushes between the Beltway and Adelphi Mill.

The best way to reach this spectacular fall line is to take the Beltway west to University Boulevard, then north to take a right at the rst major intersection, onto US 29 (Colesville Road) and the Columbia Pike. After about half a mile the road will begin to head downhill to cross the branch. Pull into parking behind the old mill on the right side and follow the signs to walk to the fall line a short way downstream.

4. Sandy Spring

The last special place has the most interesting history of all. Sandy Spring is a

small town in Montgomery County that is named for the farthest place where the river emerges from the ground. This is a pleasant little area at the edge of a woods with the gurgling of the spring surrounded by a stone marker and a few flowering plants. The stream moves into the woods and grows as it heads south.

A century and a half ago, this was a critical point in the Underground Railroad to help escaped slaves reach safe areas. The Quakers were associated with the railroad, so it is not a coincidence that a Quaker meeting house stands along the road, not far from where the river springs from the ground. Quakers provided facilities to sleep, eat, clean clothes and plan safe routes to the north.

Today, the whole area is a beautiful mix of forests and farmlands rented from the government. As public land it is open to all. If you have a vehicle you must leave it at the Quaker meeting house or the gate at the eld that starts down the street. The walk to the spring is about a quarter-mile from the gate along a dirt road; where the road turns right look left to the edge of the rst woods to nd a fenced area within which the Anacostia springs forth among trees and owers.

To get to Sandy Spring may seem complicated, but it is a pleasant trip. Take the Beltway west to Route 650, New Hampshire Avenue north. Follow this interesting road all the way to Sandy Spring Road (108) west (an intersection with a light). Sandy Spring comes up fast; look for a left turn to the Quaker meeting house and follow that to the eld entrance.

Bill Matuszeski is a member of the Mayor’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River and the retired director of the Chesapeake Bay Program. He also serves on the board of the Friends of the National Arboretum and on the citizen advisory committees for the Chesapeake and the Anacostia. ◆

The Northwest Branch tackles the fall line above the Beltway.

The most distant emerging of the Anacostia River, the Northwest Branch, appears at Sandy Spring.

ANC Reports

7D Report

by Sarah Payne

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 7D met April 11 via WebEx. Commissioners Siraaj Hasan (7D01), Wendell Felder (7D03, chair), Ebony Payne (7D05), Marc Friend (7D06), Brett Astmann (7D07, treasurer), Brian Alcorn (7D08, vice chair) and Ashley Schapitl (7D09, secretary) were in attendance. Commissioner Milton Hardy (7D04) resigned from the commission on April 7. Single Member Districts 7D02, 7D04 and 7D10 are vacant.

Hill East Development Discussed

In 2021, Mayor Muriel Bowser selected R13 Community Partners to lead a team consisting of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group LLC, BRP Companies, H2 Design Build, Broughton Construction, A. Wash & Associates and U Street Parking to develop a section of Reservation 13 in Hill East. Their proposal, in addition to a Marriott Hotel, includes 1,246 residential units: 407 deeply affordable units, 334 middle income, 500 market rate and 5 reserved for building superintendents. Of the units, 1,116 would be rentals and 125 for sale. The hotel includes approximately 150 rooms and about 60,000 square feet of retail space. A triangular park celebrating the legacy of Robert F. Kennedy is envisioned, as well as a historical and cultural walk to recognize the history of Reservation 13.

“We see this as a community hub,” stated landscaper Sharon Bradley of Bradley Site Design, “so we would like to design it with a lot of community input.” Friend said he appreciated that commitment and hoped that the developers would stay true to it. Schapitl questioned the timeline, given the amount of required utilities work. Construction is slated to begin in a year and a half and take about two and a half years to complete. Community resident Francis Campbell questioned the sufficiency of planned off-street parking, particularly for the hotel, and the height of the proposed development.

The commissioners held no vote on the matter.

Mayor Bowser Visits

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) attended the meeting to discuss her FY2024 budget proposal with both commissioners and residents. Bowser emphasized her “firm” belief that the District’s “renaissance” has been tied to investments in public schools and public safety. She high-

lighted a bargaining agreement with teachers, capital improvements for schools, the increasing number of officers in the Metropolitan Police Department and “the full spectrum” of violence prevention services.

The mayor took comments and questions related to the proposed improvements at the RFK Stadium campus, proposed cuts to the Circulator bus service across the city, specific traffic enforcement and safety issues on Ward 7 streets, recent shootings and carjackings in the neighborhood and the proposed increase in traffic enforcement cameras across the District, among other concerns.

Bowser spoke about several tough decisions made throughout the budget process as the District reports a downturn in revenues while simultaneously experiencing an increase in costs for the first time since 2009. Representatives from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and members of the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) plan to follow up with commissioners and residents regarding specific concerns and updates.

The proposed budget, Bowser explained, is focused on “the basics” and her mission to deliver on long-promised projects and programs.

Protected Bike Lanes for 19th Street

Representatives from DDOT provided an overview of the proposed 19th Street NE redesign project which aims to expand protected bike lanes for cyclists. Some of these protected tracks have been built along 19th Street between D and East Capitol streets NE. The section in discussion has a left-side bike lane which would be modified by the project to be a protected bike lane and would include a crossover into a “more traditional” right-side bike lane.

The public comment period is open for the next month. Representatives expressed interest in feedback pertaining to the best location for the crossover.

Other Matters

The commissioners approved the appointment of community members to serve on five committees: Housing, Economic Development and Economic Justice, Transportation and Public Space, Grants and Community Outreach, Environment and Public Safety. Felder invited other residents to consider joining a committee.

The commission has posted a draft of its bylaws to www.7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1 and will solicit feedback next month.

ANC 7D will meet on May 9 at 6:30 p.m. via WebEx.

Learn more about the commission and register to attend the meeting at https://7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1.

Sarah Payne is a reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com. u

8F Report

by Andrew Lightman

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8F (ANC 8F) met on April 25. Commissioners Nic Wilson (8F01), Rick Murphree (8F02, treasurer), Brian Strege (8F03, secretary) and Edward Daniels (8F04, chair) were in attendance. Clayton Rosenberg (8F05, vice chair) was absent.

L Street Shooting Dominates Discussions

Capitol Quarter residents turned out for the meeting. Outraged by a recent shooting at their courtyard on the 300 block of L Street SE, they demanded action by both Councilmember Charles Allen (D) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) captain Elias Danho, both of whom were in attendance.

For the last several years, the block has been the locus of summer parties that can number upwards to 300 attendees. Residents complained that the parties go into the wee hours and feature loud music, with public consumption of alcohol and marijuana. Illegally parked cars, many with paper tags, often block driveways. Most of the partygoers are not local but have ties to the area that predate its redevelopment.

“It’s like an open-air drug market,” stated Daniels, who said he had worked on this issue for many years, even holding meetings in the private courtyard of the Capitol Quarter Home Owners Association (CQHOA) in the middle of the block. Strege and Wilson, who represent the area, concurred in his assessment.

“When the shooting happened, no one was surprised,” stated one resident.

Commissioners, the DC Councilmember and the MPD captain discussed approaches to solving the issue. Commissioners considered authoring a letter demand-

ing the adoption of new anti-loitering legislation. Allen spoke against the move, cautioning that such laws are unconstitutional and have been used racially in the past.

Allen suggested using the incommoding law. Danho proposed working with the DC Housing Authority, which is responsible for the affordable units in Capitol Quarter, and the CQHOA to gather names of partygoers for barring orders that would give the police a lever to remove them. Allen doubted that the US Attorney, responsible for District prosecutions, would charge such arrests, citing recent reporting on the office’s 67% declination rate. He cited this as one reason officers are reluctant to make such arrests.

Danho promised to raise the issue with his superiors. The location receives “special attention,” he stated. Questioned by residents about the details, he said the area is one where police are encouraged to park between calls for service, but that MPD resources are constrained by staffing shortages.

The difficulties of police staffing, Allen observed, are not a budgetary issue, because even large signing bonuses and significant other financial incentives have not resolved the matter. The solution, he believes, lies in the new police cadet academy.

Commissioners decided to table consideration of their letter.

Charles Allen Visits

Councilmember Allen discussed the coming District budget. DC’s financial situation is difficult for three reasons, he stated: the decline in value of downtown commercial properties, which has reduced tax revenues, rising inflation and 12 labor agreements recently signed with city workers.

Allen is concerned about the slashes in funds that Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget makes for emergency housing assistance and legal assistance for housing court. He vowed to restore funds for the SW Circulator.

As head of the DC Council Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Allen spoke about plans for his new assignment. He wants to craft legislation and hold hearings on building out the infrastructure for electric vehicles. He also promised a “brainstorming” hearing on traffic enforcement, citing the increase in reckless driving and decreasing pedestrian safety.

The DC Department of Transportation

(DDOT) and the Department of Public Works (DPW) are not using technology effectively to catch ticket scofflaws, Allen stated. The Council has funded an increase in DPW traffic-enforcement staff responsible for such offenders, but Allen was unable to move legislation for withholding driving license renewals from scofflaws.

Allen wants to change the city’s strategy of reducing the use of natural gas from one relying on tax credits to a direct subsidy system friendlier to low-income earners.

Other Matters

Neighborhood carjackings are up while car theft is down, stated Danho in his public safety briefing. Many carjackings involve firearms and target idling cars. Residents should remain vigilant when unloading vehicles or waiting for passengers.

Murphree asked why MPD does not chase carjackers. The issue is an operational rather than legal bar, Allen observed, but, according to Danho, MPD does chase those involved in incidents involving weapons.

The commissioners voted unanimously to petition DDOT to restrict its traffic control officers from using official vehicles to travel to their posts, noting the high incidence of illegal parking by such cars.

Representatives of Brookfield, the owner of The Yards Development, said the owner is working with other stakeholders to repair broken lighting in Yards Park and adjacent streets.

The Zoning Commission (ZC) followed the commission’s lead in opposing the design of the One K Street development in SE, reported Daniels. The ZC asked the developer to return with a proposal that added affordable units.

Daniels informed the commission about DDOT’s plans to replace parking at 20 M St. SE with a taxi zone. He wants to encourage the broadening of the pickup/dropoff zone’s use to include other for-hire-vehicles.

The commission has established a bank account and is procuring an audio system, stated treasurer Murphree.

ANC 8F meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is scheduled for May 23 at the DDOT headquarters, 250 M St. SE. For more information and links to the meetings, visit www.ANC8F.org.

Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival Returns

Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival, a full day devoted to visual, musical and culinary arts on May 13, noon to 8 p.m. Hosted by miXt Food Hall, Studio 3807, Portico Gallery, Artisan 4100 and the Arts Annex at Artisan 4100 (all one block apart) visit their vibrant arts district in Brentwood, MD, right over the DC line. Musicians from Just Rock will have live music throughout the day at their studios and at miXt Food Hall. Free and open to the public. Street parking only. artsbeatseatsdmv.com.

Back-in-the-Day Game Night (Old School Games, 1970-1990s)

On Thursday, May 11, 4 to 8:30 p.m., players over 18 can compete in nostalgic games from the past. There are a variety of games to participate in from cards, to yo-yo’s to marbles, and more. There are games to play individually and a trivia competition about movies and television from the period. Francis A. Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE. dclibrary.org/francis.

Weekly Bird Walks at Kenilworth Aquatic Park

There are bird walks at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1900 Anacostia Ave. SE, every Tuesday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Anyone interested in walking the gardens and identifying birds is welcome, including advanced birders and people with no birding experience. Bring water, sunscreen and binoculars if you have them. Meet in front of the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens visitor center at 8:30 a.m. to join the walk. nps.gov/keaq.

The Great Brookland Yard Sale

The Great Brookland Yard Sale is a day for Brookland residents to host concurrent yard sales. This year the sale is on Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rain date is

Sunday, May 14. The Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association has an interactive map on its website and printed ones will be available.https://brooklandcivic.org/yard-sale-map/ brooklandcivic.org.

East of the River Farm Stands Open

Lotus and Water Lily Festival (save the date)

The 2023 Lotus and Water Lily Festival at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens will take place from Saturday, July 15 through Saturday, July 22. nps. gov/keaq.

The FRESHFARM Minnesota Avenue Farm Stand operates on Thursday afternoons, starting on June 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to the East River Park Shopping Mall parking lot near the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road (by Safeway, the library, and CVS). freshfarm. org/markets/minnesota-ave.

The FRESHFARM Kenilworth Rec Center Farm Stand operates on Saturdays, starting June 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to Kenilworth Rec Center, 4321 Ord St. NE. freshfarm.org/markets/kenilworth-rec-center.

The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand operates on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Nov. 18. It takes place on the outdoor plaza of the Smithsonian’s Anacos-

tia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. freshfarm. org/markets/anacostia-community-museum.

The FRESHFARM Cezar Chavez Farm Stand operates on Saturdays, starting on June 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to Cezar Chavez High School, 700 Parkside Pl. NE. freshfarm. org/markets/cesar-chavez.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens May Volunteer Event

On Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., join Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens for a morning of stewardship.

Work alongside Park Rangers as they complete projects to help beautify this natural oasis. This event is free. However, registration is required. NO WALK UPS. kenaqgardens.org.

Free Legal Clinic at Benning Library

On the fourth Monday of every month, 10 a.m. to noon, lawyers from the Neighborhood Legal Services Program will be at Benning Library, 3925 Benning Rd. NE, to help with criminal sealing, disability and other public bene ts, protection from debt collection, student loans, unemployment and wrongful placement on the child protection registry. Neighborhood Legal Services Program is a nonpro t law rm that provides free legal information to lowincome District of Columbia residents. For more information, call 202-832-6577. dclibrary.org/benning.

White winter hardy water lily. Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service

For the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in 2015, the Climate Justice Alliance invited communities across the country to contribute fabric squares representing their environmental justice work to this quilt, a “symbol of solidarity with the people of the Gulf Coast.”

Photo: Courtesy of Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum

To Live and Breathe: Women and Environmental Justice in Washington, DC Opens

On Friday, May 19, 7 to 9 p.m., join the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE, in celebrating the opening of their exhibition “To Live and Breathe: Women and Environmental Justice in Washington, DC.” Enjoy self-guided tours of the exhibition, a caricature artist, environmental justice-inspired poetry, music, and their “Find Your Voice” sel e corner. anacostia.si.edu.

Register for the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy Workshop

On Tuesday, May 16, 6 to 7:30 p.m., learn about hosting and tourism entrepreneurship on the Airbnb platform. You will participate in an immersive 90-minute education program that explores entrepreneurship, experiential learning, and fostering community while providing a pathway to hosting with con dence. Register at wacif.org/events.

Springhouse Run Volunteer Days

On Saturdays, May 6 and 20 and Thursday, May 11, join Friends of the National Arboretum for a volunteer day on the grounds. Help keep the restored Springhouse Run stream healthy by pulling invasive vines and weeds. No experience necessary. You must be 16 or older for this event. Wear comfortable outdoor clothes that can get dirty-layers are good. Bring a hat, sunscreen, water, and work gloves (if you have them). They’ll supply guidance, tools, gloves and a small snack. Read more and register at fona. org/events_programs.

Community Day: Hidden No More –Outstanding Classical Vocal Artists

On May 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (doors open at 10:30 a.m.), the National Museum of African American History and Culture hosts two extraordinary musical programs that highlight talented youth and uncover the history of overlooked African American classical artists. Shared Voices, a program of the Denyce Graves Foundation, is a collaboration between HBCUs and top schools of music that promotes equity and inclusion in American classical vocal arts by championing the hidden musical gures of the past while uplifting diverse young artists. This year’s students, from eight outstanding academic institutions, will present their capstone projects in the Museum’s Heritage Hall. As part of its mission to encourage young musicians, the United States Navy Band inaugurated the Alton Augustus Adams Sr. Award for Emerging Composers. Adams was the rst African American Bandleader in the US Navy. Free but registration required at etix. com/ticket/p/7321395.

NGA’s Jazz in the Sculpture Garden

Concerts return on Fridays, May 19 through Aug. 4, 6 to 8:30 p.m. with new lottery system for registration. The twelve concerts will explore the American soundscape, including jazz, Latin fusion, zydeco, Indigenous fusion, and funk. Due to high demand, they are instituting a free lottery system so anyone interested in attending Jazz in the Garden has an equal chance to participate. Each concert will have its own lottery, which will open the week prior on Monday and close that Friday at noon. nga.gov/calendar/concerts/jazz-in-the-garden. html.

MLK Library Poetry Open Mic

If you are a poet, they want to hear it. Not a poet? Recite your favorite poetry. On the second Thursday of every month (May 11, June 8, etc.) from 6 to 7:30 p.m., in the MLK Dance Studio (level A), MLK Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW, welcomes the community to their poetry open mic night series. This is a free event and attendees of all ages are encouraged to attend. Participants are asked to keep their poet-

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF DC: Public Conversations

The Committee of 100 on the Federal City is marking their 100th anniversary by hosting public conversations on topics of interest to all who care about our nation’s capital and call it home. Remaining conversations are Reclaiming the Commons--The Value of Public Space on Wednesday, May 24, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Before Development is a Done Deal…Empowering Residents with ArcGIS Visualization on Wednesday, June 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; and Does DC’s Planning and Zoning Need an Overhaul? In September. Date and time TBA. All programs are in person and will be recorded at First Congregational UCC, 945 G St. NW. Light refreshments afterwards. Read more and register at committeeof100.net/centennial-conversations.

of Friends of the National Arboretum

Friends of the National Arboretum Summer 5k

On Saturday, June 3, 8 a.m., enjoy the US National Arboretum in full swing during FONA’s Summer 5k. This race will take you past garden collections in full bloom, over tree-lined rolling hills, and along streams winding their way to the Anacostia River. All roads are closed to cars during this race so you can safely enjoy running through this 451-acre urban green space. Come early to enjoy the tunes of their 5k DJ. Strollers and dogs are welcome, but dogs must stay on a 5’ non-retractable leash. All in-person participants will be required to pick up their race packet on Friday, June 2 between 2 and 6 p.m. at Pacers 14th St. or on race morning at the starting line from 6:15 to 7:55 a.m. Race registration is $40. Register at fona.org/events_programs

Photo: Courtesy

Photo: Kurt Kaiser

Toni Morrison Fiction Book Club at SW Library

Club members will read and discuss one of Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison’s 11 ction novels on the third Tuesday of every month, 7 to 8 p.m. Whether you are a well-read fan of Morrison or have never read her work, all are welcome. The remaining 2023 schedule is May, Beloved; June, Jazz; July, Paradise; Aug., Love; Sept., A Mercy; Oct., Home; Nov., God Help the Child; and Dec., Special Reading. Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. dclibrary.org/southwest.

ry to no more than three to ve minutes and keep content PG-13. For questions or concerns, contact them at adultservices.dcpl@dc.gov.

Community Forklift’s First Fridays Return

Community Forklift’s popular First Friday returns on May 5, 5 to 7 p.m. The reuse warehouse will be open late and they’ll have local artists and vendors, live music, refreshments, and modern and vintage salvaged materials to enjoy. Community Forklift is at 4671 Tanglewood Dr., Edmonston, MD. communityforklift.org.

Streetscape Design Guidelines: Small-Scale Elements Online Public Meetings

On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday, May 17, 6 to 7:30 p.m., the National Capital Planning Commission invites the public to join a discussion on Streetscape Design

Guidelines. These guidelines inform the placement and characteristics of streetscape furnishings and civic infrastructure, including benches, waste receptacles, bicycle racks, and utility boxes, among others, in downtown Washington, DC’s monumental core in and around the National Mall. The updated guidelines are available for review and comment through June 20. The online public meetings will be on Zoom. RSVP requested. Free and open to the public. Presented by the National Capital Planning Commission at ncpc.gov/ event/438 or 439.

Public Art Building Communities Grant Request for Applications

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is soliciting applications from qualified individual artists or organizations for its Fiscal Year 2024 Public Art Building Communities Grant Program (PABC). Multiple awards may be made under this RFA. Award amounts vary. Submission deadline is July 17, 9 p.m. CAH sta contact is Kerry Kennedy, Public Art Program Coordinator at kerry.kennedy.dc.gov.

Hiring Bonuses for New MPD Recruits Increased

The hiring bonus for new Metropolitan Police Department recruits has increased from $20,000 to $25,000. The increase will make the department more competitive and support the goal of getting MPD back on the path to 4,000 sworn o cers. To learn more about how to become a MPD o cer, incentives for new hires, and the Cadet Corps Program, visit joinmpd.dc.gov. ◆

Toni Morrison, 2008

Meet Your Neighbor East Washington Baptist Says, “Yes We Can!”

by Anthony D. Diallo

“Ifwe can teach our youth to respect the elderly, it would be good, observed Senior Pastor Dr. Kip Bernard Banks of the East Washington Heights Baptist Church (EWHBC) at 2220 Branch Ave. SE. “If we can teach them basic manners and how to be of good service and contribute [to society], it would bring about a positive change.”

“The church cannot be so heavenly minded as to be no earthly good,” Pastor Banks said. It must teach and train, not just complain. “We have to take an active role with our children in the community,” he said. The church has created the “Yes We Can” (YWC) program to do just that.

Through YWC, students from Anacostia Senior Highschool, Frank W. Ballou Senior Highschool and Bard High School Early College DC obtain service hours mowing lawns, raking leaves, shoveling snow and cleaning up trash for local seniors. After completing an assignment, which typically lasts two to three hours, they return to the church for lunch and enrichment exercises. These include resume writing, nancial literacy, etiquette lessons, college preparedness and health classes. The students also are paid a $40 stipend.

“It’s great! It’s fantastic!” said senior Carroll Dyson when asked to describe the program and the services o ered by the youth. “It is good because the ve kids are very well-mannered. They do an excellent job in my yard,” said the 81-year-old retired educator who resides in Bellevue. “My neighbors are pleased with them too. They really save

pleased seniors like me a lot of work and I am grateful to them for raking my leaves, trimming my bushes, and all the planting they do.”

“I think it is a good program and convenient for us to receive community service hours,” said 15-year-old Nia Arrington who lives across the street from the church in Hillcrest. The ninth grader at Bard High

School Early College DC started YWC in December 2022. She appreciates making a little money for participating and wishes the program was more extensive.

“They bring us breakfast and lunch and we don’t have to go too far for the community service,” said Arrington. YWC is funded through church donations and grants from the DC Baptist Convention Foundation and the Wesley Theological Seminary.

Rev. Banks hopes that the YWC will eventually become self-su cient and not rely on outside grants. The program’s greatest need, aside securing additional funding, is for additional volunteer chaperones. Those interested in volunteering or supporting YWC nancially call 202582-4811 or email ewhbc@aol.com. ◆

Students raking leaves and disposing of trash and debris in the Bellevue neighborhood in southwes

Rev. Dr. Kip Bernard Banks, Sr. - Senior Pastor of the East Washington Heights Baptist Church and Leader of the “Yes We Can” Service Program

The Eastsider Celebrate Deanwood on May 20!

by Leniqua’dominique Jenkins

In 2018, I moved to Deanwood. A charming neighborhood located on the edge of Ward 7, it isone of the city’s oldest African-American suburbs. On May 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., we celebrate Deanwood Day at Deanwood Recreation Center at 1350 49th St. NE.

Deanwood was established when a White landowner named Levi Sheriff divided farmland among his three daughters: Margaret Lowrie, Emmeline Sheriff and Mary Cornelia Dean. To this day, several streets still bear the names of these former enslavers.

Unlike most slave-owning states, the District permitted Blacks to learn to read and write, allowing them to thrive and build resilient communities. Deanwood is a prime example. It is a community long characterized by strong family bonds, selfreliance and deep traditions, one of which is Deanwood Day.

I have attended Deanwood day for several years. It is a time to celebrate the neighborhood’s rich history with neighbors and friends. Often, we are joined by current and former elected officials such as May or Muriel Bowser (D), former Mayor Sharon Pratt (D), Attorney General Brain Schwalb (D), At-Large Councilmember Robert White (D) and others. The event also highlights local, minority owned businesses and vendors.

To get the lowdown on this year’s celebration, I spoke with Patricia Stamper. She is President of the Deanwood Citizens Association, ANC Commissioner for 7C06, and owner of Simply Stamper, LLC.

Stamper has lived in the DC area since 2004 and in Deanwood since 2017.

Why should folks attend this year’s Deanwood Day, I asked Stamper?

“This year we have more offerings, more sponsorships, such as the American Red Cross, and a blood drive! We are showing our kids a way to stay active and be involved throughout the year,” Stamper enthusiastically responded.

Organizers, Stamper said, are encouraging folks to come out and celebrate all things Deanwood. The Deanwood Citizens Association (DCA) and MY Fit Fam have been working hard to put together a day of community service. Participants can also expect youth sports demonstrations. There will be lots of local vendors and community partners. Don’t miss The Deanwood History Talk. There is something for everyone, she said.

“I am really excited about the greeters,” Stamper said. “This year, all of the Ward 7C Neighborhood Advisory Commis - sioners will be greeting neighbors!” This gives Deanwood residents the opportunity to meet their elected officials and personally connect with the leaders that represent them, she said.

Interested in having a table, or volunteering? Visit www.deanwoodcitizens.org/about-3 for details.

Leniqua’dominique Jenkins works on the DC Council but the views expressed here are her own. She can be reached at jenkinseastoftheriver@ gmail.com. u

The Man from Anacostia

Mental illness is Hiding All Around

by Philip Pannell

On May 19, 1993. I received a midday, emotional phone call from a friend informing me of DC Council Chairman John Wilson’s suicide.

My phone continued to ring for the remainder of the day. Like most Washingtonians, I was shocked. As the weeks went by and more information surfaced concerning his death, it sparked a community conversation about mental health.

Known for his wit, humor, sartorial style, candid speaking and ashes of anger, John Wilson was one of the most colorful gures in DC politics. Although not a personal friend, he and I were acquainted due to my work with several community organizations.

We shared a birthday, and we were two chainsmoking Librans with New York City connections. I went to high school and college there. John spent time in The Big Apple as a community organizer, working with Malcolm X. We both had a passion for progressive Democratic Party politics. John was the DC Democratic National Committeeman. I had served as the DC Young Democrats National Committeeman.

After his suicide, I found out that we also share something else, clinical depression.

In 1982, I was diagnosed with manic depression. My bipolarity wrecked my scholarly ambitions. During the ensuing years I experienced several hospitalizations and survived two suicide attempts. I treated my mental illness with medication and psychotherapy.

Embarking on treatment, medical professionals informed me that people who are bipolar may have to take medication for the rest of their lives. The illness could “burn out,” they said. Alternatively, patients lose the struggle much as John Wilson lost his.

Although my illness appeared to “burn out” during my fties, my past experiences haunted me. Some physical problems led me to the United Medical Center hospital emergency room in March 2022. During intake I was asked if I had been feel-

Us

ing depressed and I answered yes. I agreed to be placed in the psychiatric unit. I stayed there for two days then signed myself out.

I left the psychiatric unit not because I felt better, but because I was afraid. Most of the patients in the ward were there involuntarily, because of arrests. On my rst day while waiting to use the hospital phone, a large, menacing patient approached. I was intimidated. A few weeks earlier a patient at Saint Elizabeths hospital had killed another in his hospital room. If the new arrival decided to target me, I could not expect immediate sta assistance, I feared.

Progressive friends have argued the city should defund the police and route the savings to mental health services. But there I was in a psychiatric ward feeling vulnerable, because there was no security guard in sight.

How is that for irony?

The day after John’s death, I was listening to Cathy Hughes’ morning radio show. Her callers’ comments about his suicide prompted me to call in and share my own experience with mental illness. Cathy invited me back several times to talk about the subject. My radio appearances helped organize a Black depression support group that met weekly at Howard University Hospital for nearly a year.

Malcom X considered John Wilson “one of the funniest guys in the movement,” The Washington Post reported. John Wilson, civil rights activist, hanged himself, a form of self-lynching, on the birthday of Malcolm X, May 19th.

A building named after a man who lost his battle with depression houses our city’s leaders. Hopefully, they will do more within those walls to aid those with mental illness.

Long-time Ward 8 community activist Philip Pannell can be contacted at philippannell@comcast.net. Pannell is the Exbcutive Director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council. Help Make Wards 7 & 8 Great! Become a Member of the Anacostia Coordinating Council: Visit http://www.anacostiacc.org/join-us.html. ◆

Whatcha Gonna do about the Electric Vehicle Charging Blues?

by Catherine Plume

Its 2023, and “electric” is in – and gas is out—for leaf blowers, stoves, and especially cars. There are now more than 7000 electric vehicles (EVs) registered in DC (about two percent of all registered vehicles in the District), and that number is growing daily. Unfortunately, as that number increases, so too do the headaches of finding a charging station to recharge that EV. DC’s vast housing stock of rowhouses, condos, apartments, and narrow alleys makes EV charging even more difficult. Where feasible, some residents are installing their own charging stations. DC’s Department of Transportation (DDOT) has published suggestions and accommodations for residential and commercial EV stations (see https://ddot.dc.gov/page/electric-vehicle-charging-station-program), but while the program is making EV charging easier, it’s not keeping up with the fastgrowing need for charging stations across the District.

For most EV owners, charging their EV in the District requires some flexibility and creativity. Hill residents Joe Britton and Katie Ehly know this all too well. They wanted to cut their carbon emissions, so they bought a Tesla Model X three years ago. While they love the car, charging it has been more challenging than anticipated. Joe notes, “I’ve only found only two places on the Hill to charge my car: the Trader Joe’s at Eastern Market and the Whole Foods, just south of 395. I almost always park overnight in the Trader Joe’s parking lot. You pay to park, but then there are three free-to-use Sema Connect chargers. We rarely have trouble accessing a charger there.” Katie notes, “We were surprised—and disappointed—that the Safeway on 14th Street (SE), with its huge new basement parking garage, hasn’t installed EV charging stations yet.”

A map of EV charging stations across the District highlights the lack of charging stations. Currently, most charging stations are clustered in parking garages downtown—while many DC residents are still working from home.

Fortunately, there’s pending legislation—includ-

(Continued on pg. 37)

Changing hands is a list of most residential sales in the District of Columbia from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list,based on the MRIs, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.

NEIGHBORHOOD PRICE BR

(Continued from pg. 34)

ing incentives for DC residents and business owners—before the DC Council that will lead to the installation of at least 7,500 dual port charging stations across the District by 2027 and help the District meet its goal of at least 25% of DC registered vehicles being zero-emission by 2030. In January 2023, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen introduced the “Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Access, Readiness, and Sustainability Amendment Act of 2023.” In a nod to the bill’s overwhelming popularity, every member of the DC Council signed on as a co-introducer. In addition to signi cantly increasing the number of EV charging stations across the District, if passed, this bill would create a wide array of EV charging opportunities and requirements including:

• requiring the installation or consideration of installation of EV chargers in all major streetscape projects;

• establishing an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Grant Program for DC residents, nonpro ts, businesses, and others to incentivize the purchase, installation, and upgrades of EV charging stations;

• requiring all new or substantially upgraded commercial and multi-unit dwellings with parking lots to include even more EV charging infrastructure than the law currently requires; and

• creating a permitting requirement for newly built or renovated single-family homes with driveways or garages to be EV-charging ready.

Importantly and as written, the bill would even give renters and condo owners the right to install EV charging stations at their place of residence, with reasonable requirements, safety restrictions, and landlord approval.

Councilmember Allen designed this bill with an eye to promoting the implementation of EV infrastructure across the District. He notes, “Transitioning from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones is a signi cant step towards decreasing emissions. However, DC has nowhere near the number of EV charging stations to create the type of access that’s needed to make this switch feasible or realistic. My bill will help rapidly scale the necessary infrastructure vital to increasing access and is designed to ensure an equitable and sustainable network of EV charging stations across the District in every neighborhood.”

A rst hearing on the bill is tentatively scheduled for early summer. With such broad Council support, it’s all but sure to pass. And, as this bill will use federal money, there will be no need to allocate DC taxpayer revenue to fund the bill in the FY24 budget. But in the meantime, DC EV owners will need to keep those creative juices owing as they look to keep their EVs charged and on the road.

Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and an active member of the Sierra Club DC Chapter. Perspectives expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent the positions of that organization.

kids & family

by Kathleen Donner

Free Chess Tournaments for Kids in Grades 2-8

The US Chess Center, in partnership with Barracks Row Main Street, is presenting free chess tournaments at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Students in grades two to eight who know the rules of chess and understand tournament etiquette are invited to participate in one or both of the remaining chess competitions on Saturdays, May 20 and June 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Free, and at each event students may play one or more games. Space is limited; register in advance and arrive at 10:20 a.m. to ensure a place. Drop-ins are allowed. Families may wait in designated areas during the games, but parents and other spectators are not allowed in the playing area. www.chessctr.org/play/ easternmarketmetro

International Family Equality Day

On Sunday, May 7, celebrate family diversity with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Visitors will have the chance to speak with zoo nutritionists, attend keeper talks and see animal demonstrations. Free entry passes are required; parking is $30. www.nationalzoo.si.edu

DC Sail Youth Programs

Through Kids Set Sail and the High School Racing Program, DC Sail provides fun and educational sailing programs to area children. Each of the programs follows the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum and uses the sport of sailing to develop self-respect and sportsmanship and foster teamwork, as well as cultivate sailing skills and an appreciation for maritime-related activities. Read more at www.dcsail.org/youth.

Tutor Tots at Tudor Place

On Wednesdays, 10:00 to 10:45 a.m., Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW, presents Tudor Tots ‒ activities for learners aged 18 months to four years and their caretakers. Here are the upcoming programs: May 10, from 10:00 to 10:45, “Where Are You Going? How Do People Travel? Where Do They Travel to?” Discover the answers in this globetrotting program. On May 31, “Who’s Hopping?” Learn about the u est inhabitants of the garden. On June 14, “What’s Waving?” Learn about ags from around the world and create a colorful craft to celebrate Flag Day. On June 28, “Are You Ready for Summer?” Celebrate the start of summer by learning about how to keep cool. $6.50 per child; accompanying adult free. Pre-registration required. www.tudorplace.org

Flying Circus Airshow Kid’s Day

Every Sunday, May through October, gates open at 11 a.m. for the Flying Circus Airshow just o Route 17, at 5114 Ritchie Road (Route 644) in Bealeton, Virginia. On Kid’s Day, May 21, kids under 16 enter free. Vendors and special activities are from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pre-show starts at 2:00 p.m. Airshow is from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. www. yingcircusairshow.com

DPW’s Annual “Truck Touch”

The DC Department of Public Works invites the public to a free “Truck Touch” on Saturday, June 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at RFK Stadium, Lot 8. DC government agencies will present and demonstrate nearly 30 vehicles used to clean and repair streets, change tra c lights, collect refuse, clear snow, provide emergency services, administer mobile healthcare and more. Last year, more than 3,000 residents came out to climb on sweeper and boom trucks, sit atop MPD’s Mounted Unit’s police horse and maneuver the levers of a police chopper. Residents also received information about vital city services. www.dpw.dc.gov

Photo: DC DPW

kids & family

Capitol Hill Classic Kids’ Fun Run

The NCB Capitol Hill Classic 10k race, on Sunday, May 21, is a major annual fundraiser for the Capitol Hill Cluster School. This 42nd annual running includes a 10k race, a 3k race and a kids’ run. It is the only race run exclusively on Capitol Hill streets. The races start at Peabody Primary School, 425 C St. NE, at Stanton Park. The Fun Run starts at about 11 a.m. (immediately after the 3k) and is a single lap around Stanton Park (approximately a third of a mile). Fun Run registration is $12. Read more and register at www.capitolhillclassic.com.

Andean Bear Cub Brothers Now on

View

The Family-Friendly Anacostia River Festival

On Saturday, May 20, from 1 to 4 p.m., the 11th Street Bridge Park and the National Park Service present the ninth annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the 2023 National Cherry Blossom Festival at Anacostia Park, Good Hope Road and Anacostia Drive SE. Join to celebrate Breaking New Ground: 100 Years of Innovation at Anacostia Park, a family-friendly event lled with outdoor activities, local performances, food trucks and more. Visit www.bridgepark. org/ARF for more information.

at the Zoo

Two male Andean bear cubs born Nov. 15, 2022, at the National Zoo made their outdoor debut Thursday, March 23. The rst cubs born to four-year-old mother Brienne and nine-year-old father Quito are on exhibit near the lower entrance to American Trail, weather permitting. Same-day passes will be available on site. Zoo admission is free; parking is $30. www.nationalzoo.si.edu

Saturday

Morning

Live! at

the National Fun takes center stage at the National Theatre for Saturday Morning Live! Kids are invited to the Helen Hayes Gallery space on select Saturday mornings at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. for entertainment of all sorts, from interactive performances and puppets to dance and music. On May 13, see “Mangos to Apples Tumbling Tumbling from a Filipino Rainbow” by Regie Cabico, who takes audiences through a spoken word poetry experience. On June 10, see “VIORE: An Adaptation Story” by Regan Linton. Shows are best enjoyed by ages three to six, but anyone is welcome to

Photo: Djenno Bacvic

join. Tickets are free, but advance registration is advised. Walk-up tickets are subject to availability. Masks are highly recommended. The National Theatre is at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. www.nationaltheatre.org/saturday-morning-live

“New Squid on the Block” at Discovery Theater

On June 1 and 2, 10:15 and 11:30 a.m. (each day), kids can see “New Squid on the Block,” a show from Barefoot Puppets that celebrates creative thinking, problem-solving, friendship and fun. The show takes the audience on an epic journey to Antarctica. Featuring handcrafted puppets and an original score by Ned Haskins, this comedic, wordless performance celebrates the ability to create connections despite our di erences. $8 for

adults; $7 for kids; $3 for kids under age two. Tickets are on sale now. Recommended for ages four to eight. Discovery Theater’s Ripley Center is at 1100 Jefferson Drive SW (on the National Mall). www.discoverytheater.org

Kids Run the Bases at Nats Park

Kids ages 4-12 can run the bases after every Sunday Washington Nationals day game. This season’s remaining dates are April 30, May 14 and 21, June 4 and 18, July 9 and 23, Aug. 13 and Sept. 3, 10 and 14. An adult must accompany runners to the eld. Kids and parents/guardians can line up at the end of the seventh inning, but fans who want to watch the entire game will be able to line up once the game has ended. Participants must

Kids Welcome at NoMa’s Weekly Outdoor Movie Nights

On Wednesday evenings, May 3 to 31, NoMa BID presents CiNoMatic, an outdoor movie series at Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE. The theme of CiNoMatic’s spring season is Villains We Love. Here’s the lineup: May 3, “The Devil Wears Prada”; May 10, “Black Panther”; May 17, “Hook”; May 24, “Men in Black”; May 31, “Cruella.” Movies begin at sunset, with seating on the lawn at Alethia Tanner Park opening one hour prior to showtime. Seating is rst-come, rst-served. Moviegoers are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs and picnic dinners. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from food truck partners. Leashed dogs are welcome. For more information and weather-related schedule updates, visit www.cinomatic.org.

Photo: Courtesy NoMA BID

National Zoo’s Renovated Bird House Opens

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo invites visitors to soar into its renovated Bird House, which opened on March 13. The innovative exhibit explores the world of migratory songbirds, waterfowl and shorebirds native to North, Central and South American ecosystems. Bilingual (English and Spanish) panels tell the story of how migratory birds connect communities and contribute to healthy ecosystems across the Americas. Multi-sensory, immersive aviaries mimic natural ecosystems important to the life cycles of migratory birds. Free timed-entry passes are required to enter the new Bird House for the first several months. Same-day passes will be available on site. Zoo admission is free; parking is $30. www.nationalzoo.si.edu

Visit the Children’s Garden at the Botanic Garden

Get hands-on in the Botanic Garden Children’s Garden, where kids can care for plants, dig in the dirt, use gardening tools and watering cans and more. Located in the Conservatory, the Children’s Garden is a favorite exploration space for local families and visitors. The Children’s Garden is seasonal, opening after near-freezing temperatures are fully past in the spring and before near-freezing temperatures set in in the fall. www.usbg.gov

exit the ballpark through the right field gate. The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First Street. www.washington.nationals.mlb.com

Family-friendly Live Music at Occoquan

Music on Mill is a free summer concert series featuring family-friendly entertainment. Concerts are held one Saturday evening a month at River Mill Park, 458 Mill St., Occoquan, Virginia, from 7 to 9 p.m. Guests are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy live entertainment as well as views of the Occo-

RIGHT: Shorebirds stroll on the beaches of the Delaware Bay aviary. Visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute can see these migratory birds up close at the renovated Bird House.

Art Museums for Colonial Williamsburg Kids

Explore items from the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg’s collection. Learn cool facts, have fun with at-home craft projects and find out where to see these items in person when you visit. www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/learn/art-museums-cw-kids

quan River. Here’s the summer schedule: May 20, Mystery Machine (rock); June 17, Maggie Shot Burns (covers); July 15, Hand Painted Swinger (rock); Aug. 12, the 257th Army Band (traditional). Free. www.occoquanva.gov/ summer-concert-series

“Jack and the Beanstalk” at Glen Echo

Through May 21, this multimedia production with rod puppets and full masks and costumes tells the story of a lazy lad whose life changes because of magic beans. The show runs Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Recommended for ages four and up. $15; free for under age two. “Jack and the Beanstalk” is at Glen Echo Park, 7300

MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Maryland. Other upcoming shows are guest artists Dino Rock, June 1 to July 9; Beauty and the Beast, July 20 to Aug. 20; Magic Mirror, Aug. 31 to Sept. 17. www.thepuppetco.org

Children’s Village at Gaithersburg Book Festival

The Gaithersburg Book Festival, on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is a free annual celebration of great books and writing. At the festival’s Children’s Village, award-winning children’s and YA authors speak about their books and give an inside look into what inspires them. All books are available for purchase from Politics and Prose Book Store on site. Writing workshops and storywalks engage and stimulate book

“Big Daddy’s House at Hickory Hill” by Bernice Sims, ca. 1996, acrylic on canvas.

curiosity and interest in reading and writing. The festival is in Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, Maryland. Admission and shuttles from Shady Grove Metro and Lakeforest Mall are free. www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org

Disney Princess in Concert at Wolf Trap

On Wednesday, July 12, at 8:00 p.m. (gates at 6:30 p.m.), immerse yourself in Disney magic with larger-than-life animation and theatrical e ects as acclaimed stars sing favorite songs and share behind-the-scenes stories from stage and screen. $29, up. www.wolftrap.org

Unleash Your Inner Child

You and your child can experience the wonders of the natural and cultural worlds at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Family memberships at the museum open the door to unique adventures for the entire family. Members have exclusive access to special events and programs and insider knowledge of exhibitions and collections. An annual membership is $250. Read more at www.naturalhistory.si.edu/events/family-programs. ◆

Live on the Hill: The Great Zucchini

The Great Zucchini is an award-winning preschool and kindergarten children’s entertainer who has been a staple in the DC metro area for over 25 years. He performs his hands-on, interactive magic shows for more than 700 groups a year. He will be at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, on Saturday, June 3, Sunday, July 2, and Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. www.barracksrow.org

Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap

Across from the Filene Center, in the woods at Wolf Trap National Park, the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods has been a summer tradition for generations. Performances range from music and dance to puppetry and storytelling. All shows are about an hour long. Performances are interactive. Here’s a list of early summer shows: Jumpin’ Jamie, June 20, ages 2-12; “Musiquita,” June 21, ages 2-8; David Engel, “Captain Nemo’s Adventure Academy!” June 22 and 23, ages 4-12; The Alphabet Rockers, June 24, ages 4-12; Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards, June 25, ages 4-12; Starr Chief Eagle, June 27 and 28, ages 4-12; Mister G, June 28, ages 2-12; Sova Dance & Puppet Theater, June 30 and July 1, ages 4-12; Michael Hearst, July 6, ages 4-12; and the Rainbow Fish, July 7 and 8, ages 4-12. All shows are at 10:30 a.m. (gates at 10:00 a.m.). Tickets are $12. After each performance, children and parents are encouraged to enjoy the free and open space in the park. Theatre-in-the-Woods, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, Virginia. www.wolftrap.org

ABOVE: Eric Knaus, better known as the Great Zucchini, specializes in performing for children ages two to six in the Washington metropolitan area.

XWORD

“Ones to Follow”

by Myles Mellor

Across:

Down:

2.

3.

4.

5.

7.

Common female middle name 32. Krazy ___

Happening

Must, slangily

Start to fall

Cabinet dept.

53. Stole 56. ___ Canals 57. Smear 58. Post-Q queue 59. Mosaic work 60. Watchdog’s warning 64. Proper home maintenance 65. John or Paul 66. Flipper 67. Has lunch 68. Remain sullen 69. Spider, e.g. 70. Part of an ear 71. Land of the brave and free 73. Pop music’s ___ Vanilli 74. Tiny battery size 76. Ave. crossers, perhaps 77. Dance, e.g. 78. Takes to the water!

79. “Bye now”

80. Pre x meaning “water”

81. Sonny’s partner

82. Salad fruit 83. Appear 84. G.I. with chevrons 88. Rap doctor 90. Dignify 91. Relaxing 92. Greets with respect

Judge 94. ___ Victor 97. Egyptian king, colloquially 98. Reddish brown 100. Italian article 101. Some Monopoly bills 104. Crackerjack 105. Do a practice round with Tyson 106. Lions’ prey 107. Powerful D.C. lobby 108. Human physiques (slang) 109. Fort attacked in “Gold nger”

110. Pot-builder

111. ___ Martin (cognac)

112. Trap

113. Dance type 114. Pub staple

116. Genetic initials

117. Popular Mattel game