East of the River Magazine – April 2020 by Capital Community News

APRIL 2020

E ast of thE R ivER M agazinE A PRIL 2020 N E X T I S S U E : M aY 9

C N E D E R G

SPECIAL

DC 2040: Imagining What The Nation’s Capital Will Look Like In 20 Years by Andrew Giambrone

Our River: The Anacostia – Places To Greet Spring Along Our River by Bill Matuszeski

Atlas Brew Works: Brewing Environmentally Friendly Beer While Being Extremely Good Looking by Catherine Plume

Plastic Tree: Making “Reuse” A Reality by Catherine Plume

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 18

Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner

Coronavirus Myths Dispelled: Epidemiologist Addresses Misinformation by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Changing Hands compiled by Don Denton

Due to the COVID-19 virus, What’s On Washington, Community Calendar, Kids and Family Notebook will not be running this month.

IN EVERY ISSUE 30 31

The Crossword The Classiﬁeds

ON THE COVER: Photo: Art Display on Poplar Point.

The Numbers – Coming Home to Homelessness: Too Many Returning Citizens Lack a Home by Kate Coventry

Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of: Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300. Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com www.hillrag.com

HOMES & GARDENS

Photo Bill Matuszeski. See Our River; pg. 10

MIDCITY

F A G O N

GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL

FAGON

EDUCATION

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissa.ashabranner@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR: Andrew Lightman • andrew@hillrag.com PUBLISHER: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2020 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

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.

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D CN e w s . c o m

N E E R G

C D

H T R A E

DAY

l a i c e Sp

E ast

of thE

R ivER M agazinE

a pRil 2020

C N E D E R G dc 2040

Imagining What The Nation’s Capital Will Look Like In 20 Years by Andrew Giambrone

he bullet train pulls into Union Station around noon. I look up from my laptop-phone and see people grabbing their Smart Bags before shuffling to exit the brightly lit car. The novelty of high-tech luggage never gets old for me, what with its air-compression and efficient-storage capabilities. Perhaps it’s the journalist in me who enjoys observing the outlines of these bags, the shape of people’s stuff, and wondering what’s inside. I’m back in DC for a media conference, slated for tomorrow. It’s been a few years since I last visited, for a series of talks at several independent bookstores across the city. There are more such stores now than I recall there being when I lived here, from 2014 to 2020—the former the year I moved to the city and started covering it as a report-

illustration: Shawn Henderson

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

er; the latter the year coronavirus hit and upended much of the world as we knew it. I’m surprised by this business expansion, given online retailers’ outright dominance in book sales, not to mention the fact that most of us are pretty much constantly glued to our laptop-phones. Then again, it’s 2040, and our remaining bookstores largely serve as event/co-working spaces that sell audiobooks, food, and drink, in addition to the usual literature. At some stores, drones fetch ordered books from nearby storage facilities, as customers sip on shots of espresso and glasses of wine. Bless the readerly Washingtonians who keep the checks coming! I walk into the main hall of Union Station by way of the Amtrak concourse, redesigned 10 years ago. The con-

course is much bigger and more welcoming than it used to be, though the project was delayed for years and went over budget by tens of millions of dollars. Same as it ever was in Washington. Except that it’s not. So much has changed about this city, and I can’t help but feel both amazed and a little wistful about the differences.

Tent Encampments and A Reliable Metro

The main hall is as beautiful as ever, with its arched ceilings and perched statues. Now, though, the floor space is like a bazaar. It’s occupied by vendors whom the station’s directors brought in to enliven the atrium or, as activists alleged,

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

C N E D E R G keep out homeless folks. Every time I pass through, I’m disheartened by the jarring contrast between all the commerce inside Union Station—people buying candles and soaps and cannabis products made in DC—and the privation right outside. Tent encampments cover the sidewalks surrounding the 1907 Beaux-Arts building. They extend tent by tent into NoMa, downtown, and Capitol Hill. I walk by them as I make my way to the Metro station below. The shortage of affordable housing was the most pressing issue facing the region when I lived here, and it’s clear that it hasn’t gone away. Mayor after mayor pledged to see more homes built while lifting low-income residents out of poverty, but none of them moved swiftly or vigorously enough to meet the true need. By 2030, nearly 20,000 people were recorded as unhoused, according to the city’s major hometown news outlet, and the median rent for a two-bedroom unit was more than $3,500. The District’s shelters became so crammed that a coalition of nonprofit advocacy organizations sued the city over their abhorrent conditions, including unhygienic bathrooms and lax security. It didn’t help matters that DC’s stock of public housing, long underfunded and neglected, went by the wayside in favor of mixed-income developments that failed the city’s poorest, who had few living alternatives, if any. It was harrowing to watch, even from afar. A spate of homeless deaths caused by disease and violence, along with a critical mass of constituents fed up with exorbitant real estate prices and visible penury, led the then-mayor (the city’s first white one) and councilmembers to build extra shelters and rewrite the zoning code. The latter action allowed for denser development not only near Metro stops but in residential neighborhoods dominated by single-family homes. Yet, while the zoning update helped stabilize overall housing costs in the next decade, it wasn’t enough to reverse the exodus of large families from the city—some of which had begun after the outbreak of COVID-19, with more people switching to teleworking—or the surge in homelessness. In this respect, even San Francisco and California at large took bolder measures to assuage their own housing crisis than DC and its neighboring states did to alleviate theirs. I wait a couple of minutes for a train to arrive on the Red Line as I ponder this recent history. I’m headed to the hotel I’ve booked in Dupont Circle, my old haunt. It’s incredible how quickly Metro runs these days, especially compared with my first years as a DC resident. Service meltdowns were common, and phrases like “arcing insulator” became part of the lingua franca. Today, the trains come frequently, if not on time, thanks in part to additional funding Metro secured from the local jurisdictions and Congress roughly 12 years ago. In the 2020s, the traffic congestion got so bad that the politicians had no real choice but to invest more money in Metro, lest they look as if they didn’t care about suffering suburban commuters or greenhouse gas emissions. And it’s free to ride. As it should be: I always found charging fares for public transit to be morally indefensi08

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

ble. (Most places don’t charge access for public parks or roads.) While commuters still have to walk through individual entrance gates so Metro can track ridership, it’s a relief that the contemporary gates open in under a second and don’t cause as many bottlenecks as the gates of yesteryear did. I absolutely hated having to come to a near-halt to tap my SmarTrip card at a gate and then hold back as the gate retracted. This was the 21st century—not the 20th— in one of the most prosperous cities in the world. After the coronavirus pandemic abated, I was glad to see ridership bounce back and eventually grow. It meant that people still saw the value of cities.

Climate and Built-Environment Changes

The oncoming Metro train pulls into the station and I board. It’s only midday, but there are a ton of people in the car. “Cherry blossom season,” I think. No wonder the hotel rate was so high. The groups of tourists around me look either excited or like they don’t know what to expect of the nation’s capital in a presidential election year. I bet they don’t realize that for most District residents, it’s basically the same as any other year. Maybe I’ll turn out to be wrong, and 2040 will be a huge deal for DC after all: Congressional hearings on statehood are occurring while Democrats control both the House of Representatives and the White House. I do hope they’ll get it done before November, but I’m not holding my breath with this Senate. You’d think 2016 (and, ugh, 2020) ingrained in us the reality that elections have consequences. I’m honestly not so certain, given the dysfunctional nature of our two-party politics, which seem as American as apple pie. (Lest we forget, even Obama cut a deal with Republicans that frustrated the District’s independence.) Perhaps it’s the journalist in me who’s a cynic. Or at best, a stubborn skeptic. I wonder how many of the visitors I see know what they’re in for as they go to the Mall. They’ll be prohibited from walking near where the old cherry blossoms used to be, before rising tides forced the National Park Service to relocate the trees away from the Tidal Basin. Many of the Yoshinos have been carefully replanted nearby at the Ellipse, and the remainder have been transported to the Arboretum out of an abundance of caution. When flooding is particularly bad along the basin, water reaches the stairs of the Jefferson Memorial. That isn’t so rare anymore, unfortunately. At least DC tourists can still scale the Washington Monument, via glass elevators gifted by the late philanthropist David Rubenstein. There, they can gaze out at the District’s skyline. It hasn’t changed much in the downtown core since I was a reporter at a scrappy local newspaper (RIP, community dead-tree editions), but if they look far enough they’ll see pockets of taller buildings to the northwest, northeast, and southeast. Although the controversial Height Act remains in effect, limiting the scale of buildings based on the width of

their streets, new multifamily apartment buildings are going up on once low-density thoroughfares: Wisconsin and Georgia avenues NW, Rhode Island Avenue NE, Benning Road NE, East Capitol Street, and Pennsylvania and Martin Luther King Jr. avenues SE. The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium was demolished in the early 2020s and has since been replaced by a patchwork of recreational fields, riverfront parks, mixed housing types, and office buildings. The Armory was repurposed into a multi-use events/entertainment venue, including for e-sports exhibitions. When I was growing up, these were called video game tournaments. What’s happened across the Anacostia River simply stuns me. The St. Elizabeths Campus was completely transformed, by the mid-2030s, into a walkable enclave featuring townhouses, small businesses as well as big-box stores, and public plazas. While it took a few years after the initial redevelopment phase for people and employers to move there in significant numbers, the name “St. Elizabeths” now has the kind of buzzy draw that The Wharf did after debuting in 2018. (Like the Tidal Basin, The Wharf also experiences high tides. The project’s developers erected five-foot seawalls several years back, but this exigency didn’t discourage others from continuing to build up the Buzzard Point waterfront—nor did the swarms of mosquitoes. What can withstand grand ambitions coupled with the pursuit of the almighty dollar? Poplar Point and the old Kenilworth Dump are the next hot spots to redevelop: They’re the only major plots in the city left to fill in, now that the McMillan Sand Filtration Site has finally cleared the courts. Shovels probably would be in the ground already, had the area not recently entered a recession due to federal budget cuts and the diminished government sector. Manifest destiny when practical, in other words.

Economic and Population Growth

As the train glides through the tunnel, my mind wanders west. Across the Potomac River, Amazon’s second headquarters gleams in the sunshine, attracting newcomers and college graduates to its lucrative jobs. I remember covering all the hullabaloo that emerged after the company announced it was looking for a new headquarters site, and the elation and worry born when it chose Northern Virginia. Its total footprint spreads farther out than publicly proposed at the time, encompassing about a dozen buildings and a handful of satellite offices. No doubt Amazon’s presence has driven economic growth. But as many people expected, it’s also gentrified what used to be vibrant communities of color in South Arlington and Alexandria. When the tech giant unveiled ferries that would shepherd its employees and others across the area’s rivers, community activists organized protests on the grounds of the headquarters’ main towers. (The protests subsided shortly thereafter because it had become obvious that Amazon, one of the region’s largest employ-

ers, had plenty of allies—and customers— among residents.) Still, the ferries were signs of other Amazon-led changes to come: In 2036, Nationals Park was officially renamed Amazon Field. The nameswitch was said to be a multimillion-dollar deal that entailed Jeff Bezos receiving private stadium suites connected by secret tunnels to his massive estate in Kalorama. My train finally reaches Dupont Circle and I hop off the Metro. The neighborhood bustles with delivery workers riding electric scooters and bikes, and even novel hoverboards being piloted under a city transportation program. I guess they’re on their way to pick up or drop off lunches with office employees, or groceries for people’s homes. At first, I’m astonished to notice only a few ride-hailing vehicles around the circle, but then I recall DC enforces congestion pricing in its business districts, which effectively takes many such vehicles off the streets. Thank the Lord. The driverless cars and trucks on the arterial roads and highways are enough to back things up. Luckily, downtown curbside parking has been supplanted by dedicated bus and bike lanes. The transportation network still has gaps, but it’s good that more people can get around more easily because of these improvements. I check into my hotel, a former embassy with podlike rooms. My non-smart luggage is whisked away by a pneumatic tube in the lobby. When I enter my room, it’s standing there in the corner. That never gets old for me either. I should prepare for my conference in the morning—I’m supposed to give remarks. However, I can’t resist the urge to explore this city I once called mine. DC’s population is now well over one million people, and I want to see how they’re shaping the place. Pausing for a moment, I muse on a simple question: How many of them recall the District’s days as either the “Murder Capital” or “Chocolate City”? A shrinking number, I imagine. As I head downstairs, it strikes me that I likely won’t be back again for a while. Then I summon an electric bike with my laptop-phone, and I’m off. Andrew Giambrone is a freelance writer who has covered local Washington since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter @AndrewGiambrone. u

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

C N E D E R G Our River: The Anacostia Places To Greet Spring Along Our River Article and photos by Bill Matuszeski

his is a particularly interesting year to welcome the spring. The winter was mild so nature is coming out early. And the corona virus is making us get out and away from others. So where along the Anacostia are those special places to find your way to? Do you want gardens, nature recovering, projects underway, history or places to take the kids? Starting near the Nationals’ Baseball Stadium and heading upstream, here are eight places I recommend. Frederick Douglas Bridge – Old and New

The Site of the Frederick Douglass Bridge

The construction site of the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, taking South Capitol Street over the Anacostia, is a great place to take the kids and something no adult should miss, as the existing bridge is replaced by a towering set of arches and roadways. You can safely walk the entire site by taking the sidewalk along the south side of the existing bridge, looking up at the cranes and arches hundreds of feet above you and the trucks and machinery way down below. The sidewalk is well-protected from the traffic alongside and the construction is all in clear view downstream from where you stand and look out. Don’t miss it!

Art and Calm Along Poplar Point

Starting at the Douglass Bridge on the Anacostia side and walking under the 11th Street Bridge and up to Pennsylvania Avenue take a quiet stroll along the River, There is little traffic and you are surrounded by natural vegetation emerging from the winter. There are a few art billboards along the way, attractive composite creations capturing nature and river history by Eastern and Ballou High School art students under the direction of artist Tendani Mpulubusi El. 10

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

Alone in the City Along Pope Branch

One of the quietest and most remotefeeling spots in the City is in the midst of Anacostia. Pope Branch Park attaches to Fort Davis and Fort Dupont Parks, and the beautifully restored stream flows down to the Anacostia through deep woods and a series of pools and riffles. The only sounds are of running water and wildlife all the way to Minnesota Avenue at M Place NE, where it tunnels below and emerges in a restored Park for a block until dipping below the freeway and entering the River. Last time I entered, I was greeted by a buck and his doe friends, plus an owl luring me upstream with his calls to me. Best to park, enter and head upstream right above Minnesota Avenue. The restoration work was inspired by Dolly Davis and carried out by the same firm that did Springhouse Run in the National Arboretum.

trees that will fast seem native to the Island. Plenty of places to poke around in nature’s gardens.

The Riches of the National Arboretum

The Arboretum (accessible from either New York Avenue or Bladensburg Road via R St. NE) is filled with displays that attract many folks in spring, such as the collection of many different colors and bloom times for cherries and other fruit trees (compared to one shade and a few days along the Nature on Heritage Island Tidal Basin). But the Arboretum’s 450 acres provide numerous opportunities to find peace and quiet. Among my favorites are the view of the City and the Capitol from the top of Mount Hamilton, accessible by paths through the azalea collection or a parking area on the other side; the wilderness woods on the other side of the road from the azalea collection, which feel as though you’re the first to plow through in a Finding Nature on very long time; Fern Valley; the reHeritage Island stored Springhouse Run and the Arboretum Magnolia Heritage is a small island in the trail alongside from New York Aveshadow of Kingman Island. Walking nue to Hickey Run; and the random in from the parking area north of RFK Stadium, most of orchards of flowering trees of all sizes, colors and bloom which has been contimes. For those who can take on the crowds for some real verted to soccer fields rewards, the annual Garden Fair is April 25-26 this year; for local use, Heritage Saturday morning purchases in the tent of the Friends of begins after crossthe National Arboretum are limited to Friends (you can ing the first pedestrijoin on the spot), and Saturday afternoon and Sunday for an bridge. It is much anyone. Incredible offerings and prices! smaller than Kingman, but much more in its natural state, surThe Kenilworth Aquatic Garden rounded by tall grass This is the ultimate peaceful place. These gardens are enorbeds emerging from mous and spread out among many acres of ponds, inlets the River and filled and marshes. They are late-bloomers, but there is always with natural seeps something to please the visitor. Access is from the Anacosand ponds. At the far tia Freeway near the Maryland line, the Deanwood Redline end is the only sign of Metro Station or the Anacostia River Trail. There are selhumanity, a small area dom many visitors, and the paths around the flower ponds recently planted with and wooden walks out over the marshes are a delight. evergreens and other Art Display on Poplar Point

Sandy Spring â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Furthest Source of Our River

Deep in the Woods

There is one special place where you can be surrounded by forested hillsides and the only sounds are the birds and the rushing stream alongside. This is on the Northwest Branch, starting at the Adelphia Mill Historic Site on Riggs Road and continuing along the stream to the Beltway. It is about a five mile round trip, with only one road crossing high above your head. To bike it you can start at the West Hyattsville Station of the Green Line Metro and head north for about a 15-mile round trip.

Where It All Begins

The most distant origin of the Anacostia is Sandy Spring, located outside the town of the same name in Montgomery County. Look for signs to the Quaker Meeting House and turn south on Meeting House Road. Follow the road past the Meeting House (which was part of the Underground Railroad to help guide escaped slaves to freedom) until it curves left and stops at a gate. Walk through the gate into a series of beautiful open fields, county lands used to raise grains, proceeding for about a half mile where the path turns right and a small fenced area on the left contains the spring. The spring seeps out and drains into the woods, creating the first waters of Our River. Worth the experience! Bill Matuszeski is a member of the Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River, and the retired Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program. u E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

C N E D E R G Atlas Brew Works

Brewing Environmentally Friendly Beer While Being Extremely Good-Looking by Catherine Plume

ustin Cox, the founder and CEO of Atlas Brew Works, really likes beer. A native of Kingsport, Tennessee, he became a self-professed “beer nerd” after drinking his first “noncrappy” macro lager while an undergrad at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He eventually moved to the DC area and received a law degree from George Mason University in 2009 – honing his microbrewery skills between exams. Cox began entering his beers in competitions, and started to win awards. His passion for brewing grew while his interest in his day job at the General Services Administration waned. As he puts it, “I decided to open a brewery to avoid being angry at myself when I was older for not giving it a try. The name Atlas came from the brewery’s proximity to the Atlas District, and then, generally, I just like the short and strong name.” And he provides a non sequitur with a snide smile, “I also like to

Atlas Brew Works’ impressive solar array. Photo: Atlas Brew Works

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

answer questions about how we manage to produce the best beer in DC and still be extremely good looking.” Atlas Brew Works opened in 2013, and the rest is history. The brewery hosts a portfolio of 16 brews, ranging from the ever-popular District Common Lager to the more eclectic Silent Neighbor Pumpernickel Stout. Six brews are available year-round and another 10 are available seasonally. You’ll find an eclectic set of drawings on Atlas beers, including one of John Hancock’s pen, a nod to the brewery’s past as the drawing was included on the can of Atlas’ first draft beer. But Atlas goes beyond brewing good beer, as it has a strong environmental ethic to its work. Since 2015, the Ivy City location has been powered by a 68 kW solar array located on the brewery’s roof that was installed by DC-based Solar Solution. According to Cox, “We decided to go solar for a few reasons. One is to keep in with our environmental stewardship ethos, but it also makes good business sense. There is a financial benefit to cheaper green energy. Oh, and, by the way, we did not pay for the solar installation in beer, though the guys did spend a lot of time checking out our production system.” While Atlas is proud of its solar-powered beer, it also employs other green practices. Atlas beer is packaged in 100% recyclable aluminum cans. As these cans weigh significantly less than bottles, Atlas uses less fuel in its beer distribution system. Atlas also reclaims the water from the brewing process, and it donates the spent grains from brewing to local farmers for animal feed and compost. The grains come from many places, including Britain, Germany and the Czech Repub-

lic, but the majority is grown in the American Midwest. You can buy Atlas beer in reusable glass growlers – either their own or even one from another brewery. Just make sure they’re clean before you bring them in. Atlas’ good green ethic is paying off. It will soon be opening a second venue, a brewery and tap room at 1201 Half St. SE. The opening date is pending due to the coronavirus outbreak. Just a few of Atlas Brew Works’ beers – packaged in 100% According to Cox, “We’re recyclable aluminum cans. Photo: C. Plume fortunate. People in DC and in the great DC area really enjoy our beer! We put a lot of efworks/v2/online-order#!/order). Gift cards fort into creating, brewing and marketing are available: https://www.toasttab.com/atour beer, and the response has been great. lasbrewworks/giftcards. We’ve been looking for a new production As of this writing, Atlas is taking orders home as we outgrow our Ivy City space. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and making deliverWe came across this Half Street location in ies in batches between 4 and 6 p.m. Note Capitol Riverfront. As big DC sports fans that customers must show a valid 21+ ID to ourselves, a location just outside Nats Park the driver and meet them curbside. and not too far from Audi Field was just too Cox notes, “We are open! The best good to pass up.” thing about running a brewery is that we alThe Half Street brewery and tap room ways have plenty of delicious beer on hand, will be just that, a 10-barrel brewhouse and we’re doing what we can to make sure along with a large bar and pizza kitchour customers have access to it. It’s a great en. While the roof lacks the space for sofeeling to make a tangible product that peolar panels due to the size of the building’s ple enjoy, and see your dreams come to frumechanical systems, the site will eventually ition and be enjoyed by others.” have solar panels installed over the awning How does Atlas brew such good beer and a solar canopy over the patio space. and still be extremely good looking? Once According to Cox, the Half Street locathe current coronavirus restrictions are lifttion will get the remainder of its electriced, tours will be available at the Ivy City loity needs from offsite renewable wind and cation on most Saturdays at noon, 2 p.m. solar sources. and 6 p.m., staff time permitting. Stop by Atlas Brew Works is still operating deand find out for yourself – and buy a beer spite the coronavirus. While the brew pub made from solar power! itself is not open to the public, in line with Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a DC’s Alcohol Beverage Regulation Adminwriter and a blogger for the DC Recycler: www. istration (ABRA) recent regulations, Atlas’ DCRecycler.blogspot.com; Twitter: @DC_RecyIvy City brewery is offering onsite pick-up cler. She is also the chair of the DC Chapter of the of cans and draft beer growlers. It is also Sierra Club, but the perspectives expressed are her providing delivery in the Ivy City, H Street, own and do not necessarily represent the positions Trinidad, Carver/Langston, NOMA, Capiof that organization. u tol Hill and Kingman Park neighborhoods (see https://www.toasttab.com/atlasbrew-

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

C N E D E R G Plastic Tree:

Making “Reuse” A Reality by Catherine Plume

ver wonder where those goods you put in the recycling bin actually go? With all the news about China restricting US recycling imports and cities across the country downsizing their recycling programs, you certainly aren’t alone. DC resident Lara Ilao decided to take this matter into her own hands. “Like many others, I was aware of the waste I produced. But, frankly, it’s difficult to reduce waste when you need to run an errand after work but before you pick up your kids from school, and you’re multitasking homework and meal prep among other things. I realized I was throwing items in my recycling bin – jars, cardboard boxes, flower planters – things that could be reused in their current state. Instead, these goods were being compacted and broken down into supposedly recyclable elements. I suspected others shared my frustrations. I decided to find out if there was a way to collect and actually reuse these items. In January 2019, I established Plastic Tree LLC” (https:// plastictree.com/). With a Plastic Tree subscription, customers receive a 32-gallon heavy duty “REUSE!” bin. Anything that can be reused for its original purpose – think empty beer and wine bottles, takeout containers, bubble-wrap – can be placed in the bin. Plastic Tree collects the goods weekly and seeks end markets for them. In a further commitment to the environment, Plastic Tree operates a 100% zero-emission fleet for its waste collection services.

Ilao notes, “We had a soft launch in September 2019 and began our REUSE collection in October. Currently we’re servicing single-family homes as well as apartment and condo buildings across nine DC neighborhoods.” So far, Plastic Tree has recovered a lot of padded envelopes, beer bottles, icepacks and polystyrene (Styrofoam) coolers. But it also receives some unusual items. According to Ilao, “One customer gave us a box of plastic reels left over from an architectural firm project. It’s fun to get these sort of items as it forces us to be creative as we think about reuse opportunities. We’re still noodling on how to reuse those reels! A STEM class project? A local artist?” Plastic Tree is storing collected goods in a 1,200-squarefoot warehouse, accumulating inventory and determining what products and volume it has to offer. A partner in the food service industry has provided access to commercial dishwashers to sanitize materials. Ilao is beginning to reach out to local businesses about the products they have available. “Plastic Tree is focused on a reverse logistics supply chain,” she explains. “We also want our service to encourage more circular schemes for reuse across the District – and elsewhere. We’re focused on collecting used materials and getting them from point A to point B so they can be reused.” In response to COVID-19, Plastic Tree is also collecting medical supplies – face masks, plastic gloves, soap, paper towels, disinfectant wipes and dishwasher and laundry detergent pods, which it will donate to hospitals and clinics, shelters and food kitchens across DC. “Plastic Tree is coordinating pick-up and drop-off of donated items to minimize face-to-face interaction.” Waste reduction has long been a part of Ilao’s DNA. “I’ve cared about the environment from an early age. In high school, I started and ran our aluminum can recycling program for four years. I organized a group of grade 7-12 students to crush cans after school every Thursday, and found parent volunteers to drive the cans to the recycling center. The money we earned went back to the school.” Ilao wanted to show her children her commitment to the environment and her gumption to start her own business. She notes, “Prior to Plastic Tree, I worked in emergency management law. We touched on environmental issues such as climate change and rising sea levels, but I always wanted to focus on waste. When China announced its recycling import restrictions policy in July 2018, I started thinking more A Plastic Tree bin full of reusable items and ready for pick up. Photo: C. Plume 14

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

Lara Ilao, Plastic Tree founder, picks up some reusable goods. Photo: C. Plume

seriously about my business idea. When China officially stopped accepting our waste, I launched my company.” If you’re interested in learning more about Plastic Tree and perhaps even signing up for a subscription or becoming a business partner, drop a line at info@plastictree.com. Earth Day is turning 50 this year, and maybe this is your way to celebrate! Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer and a blogger for the DC Recycler: www.DCRecycler.blogspot.com; Twitter: @DC_ Recycler. She is also the chair of the DC Chapter of the Sierra Club, but the perspectives expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent the positions of that organization. u

SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! bat

10% OFF

Ava U ilab l

$25 OFF

LIST PRICE ON ANY EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS *Exp.4/30/2020

Any Service Call *Exp.4/30/2020

18 Month, 0% Interest Financing

FAST SERVICE FAST INSTALLATION

Serving Washington DC Since 2001 • Residential & Light Commercial • Roof Top Package Units • Highly Experienced Technicians • Low Prices • Free Estimates On Replacements • Convenient Financing • Licensed, Bonded & Insured

Specializing in:

Equipment: Change outs & Complete Ductwork Systems + High Velocity Systems WE SERVICE & INSTALL ALL MAKES & MODELS

202-333-1310

www.polarbearairconditioning.com All Credit Cards Accepted

E ast

of thE

R ivER m agaziNE

a pRil 2020

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

EAGLE ACADEMY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL E A

EAGLE ACADEMY PCS at

Congress Heights | Capitol Riverfront

Eagle Academy Public Charter School’s mission is to build the foundation for a promising future for all students in a rich, robust learning environment that fosters creativity, problem-solving abilities, emphasizing cognitive, social and emotional growth by engaging children as active learners, in an inclusive learning environment.

Visit us today, learn about our programs and educational environment. CONGRESS HEIGHTS

3400 Wheeler Road SE • Washington, DC 20032 (202) 544-2646

CAPITOL RIVERFRONT

1017 New Jersey Avenue SE • Washington, DC 20003 (202) 459-6825

www.eagleacademypcs.org @eagleacademypcs

E ast

of thE

R ivER m agaziNE

a pRil 2020

neighborhood news

Support Community Farmers

The C.R.I.S.P. CSA or Community Supported Agriculture program is a member-based program where community residents pay an income-based fee and receive access to a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs and value-added products (like Ward 8 Honey!) at their Saturday Farmer’s markets. Pricing is on a slidingscale and they offer different share sizes (single or family) depending on how much produce you would like to receive. Due to COVID-19, they will be running the CSA ONLY during the spring session (May 16 to June 27) and will continue the open Market in the summer. Read more and sign up at bbargc.org/csa/.

Free Meals for Kids ry Blossom Photo: Courtesy of the National Cher

Festival

DC has 29 meal sites for lunch and shelf-stable breakfast, weekdays, for all residents under 18. East of the River locations, days and hours, can be found on coronavirus.dc.gov/mealsites.

Field of Greens Farmers Market

The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy’s most recent Field of Greens Farmers Market was held on April 8, 4 p.m. Families were able to purchase a bag full of fruits and vegetables for $5, based on demand. Interested in purchasing a produce bag from the next Market? Email Maya Walker, who is managing the orders and distribution, at Maya.Walker@nationals.com. Prepackaged produce bags will be reserved on first come, first served availability. The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is at 3675 Ely Pl. SE. There is also a free meal pick up weekdays, 2 to 6 p.m., for every child in your family. These meals are also first come, first served. If interested, please reach out to Coach Charlie at Charles.Sperduto@nationals.com so that they can be sure to accommodate.

DC Circulator Is Free

cheduled Anacostia River Festival Resresch Take a canoe out to explore the River. eduled from April 5 to Aug. 9, 1 to 5 p.m.

e. Free. Anacostia Park, The Anacostia River Festival has been Experience Southeast DC’s local arts scen ly. fami the with es gam lawn Play de. up for updates at bbardc.org.arf. Ride in the bike para ive the latest news and information, sign rece To SE. d Roa e Hop d Goo and e Anacostia Driv

The DC Circulator has suspended fares on all routes during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Passengers should board the bus from the back door in support of social distancing practices recommended by the CDC. Passengers who require wheelchair access may still use the front door. Additionally, the Circulator has suspended service on the National Mall route. For more information, visit dccirculator.com.

DC Streetcar Adjusts Operations

DDOT is temporarily modifying DC Streetcar operating hours through April 24. DC Streetcar will operate weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. O weekends, it will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., for 18

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 0018-2020

DCHA 2020 PHYSICAL NEEDS ASSESMENT The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires a systematic review all of the major physical components of property to prepare a comprehensive Physical Needs Assessment (PNA) and Energy Audit of its portfolio. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Monday, March 30, 2020 on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under Business and Solicitations. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Friday, May 01, 2020 at 11:00 AM. Contact Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist by email at lwashing@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for additional information.

essential trips only. Passengers are encouraged to allow extra travel time as DC Streetcars will arrive approximately every 20 minutes. Once onboard, passengers are encouraged to practice social distancing. For more information, visit dcstreetcar.com.

Call for Mural Artists

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), in partnership with the DC Department of Public Works (DPW), seeks graffiti and aerosol mural artists and artist teams to design, create and install aerosol murals as part of the MuralsDC program. Selected artists will be expected to engage designated youth aged 14 to 18 to help them understand the art of aerosol graffiti mural painting. The program also provides youth with opportunities to assist in activities such as site preparation and mural outlining. This is an international call with preference given to DC residents. Submission deadline is April 17, 4 p.m. For more information and application instructions, visit dcarts.dc.gov/ page/fy2-muralsdc-artists-rfq.

Virtual Storytime

On March 21, DC Public Library hosted its first virtual storytime featuring “What’s Going on in There” by Geoffrey Grahn on the Library’s Facebook page-facebook.com/dclibrary. Led by Librarian Theresa Wang, “What’s Going on in There” takes readers to Grahnville, USA, a town where nothing is as it appears. With each page, silhouettes prompt the question, “what’s going on in here?” The answers follow in full pictures that are certain to elicit comparisons and laughs. The text, beautiful drawings make a great guessing game for early readers. The event is the part of the special online programs and activities the DC Public Library is hosting to help people remain connected as the District encourages social distancing. To see all of the library’s upcoming online virtual programs, visit dclibrary.org/libraryathome.

DC Water Restores Disconnected Residents

DC Water has announced that disconnected residents will have their service 20

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

restored upon request, assuring that every residential customer in the city has access to clean water. The announcement comes days after DC Water offered every residential customer flexible payment terms for the duration of the health emergency and halted disconnections for non-payment. Customers whose water has been shut off should email restore@dcwater.com or call DC Water at 202-354-3750. Customers requesting restored service can leave a message and DC Water will return their call. dcwater.com.

Free DPR Urban Grower Webinar

During this time of social distancing, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Urban Grower Course has been converted into an all online webinar course called the DPR Urban Grower Webinar Course. It is a free online course focused on teaching all the basics of gardening from building a home garden to cooking and preserving the harvest. The course is 12 twohour classes and meets virtually twice a week for six weeks Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. from until April 30. Each class will be recorded as well for those that cannot attend the scheduled time. To receive a webinar invite and recording afterwards, all participants must register at eventbrite.com/e/ dpr-urban-grower-webinar-course-tickets-100443786068. Questions? Contact Joshua.singer@dc.gov.

#StayHomeDC: DPR is Closed

During the District’s Public Health Emergency, all DPR facilities including recreation centers, aquatic centers, playgrounds, parks, athletic fields, courts and all other outdoor spaces are closed until further notice. DPR’s stay-at-home order will remain in effect through April 24. During this time, the following facilities and outdoor recreation amenities will remain closed: athletic courts, athletic fields, all parks, including dog parks, recreation centers, indoor pools and permits and programs. DPR thanks you for understanding DC’s commitment to the safety of our community, patrons and staff. For more information

FREE DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATIONS

FOR AGES 3-5

Do you have questions about your child’s development?

202-698-8037 www.earlystagesdc.org

O’CONNOR PAV I N G & M A S O N RY

Let us PAVE the way to your DREAM home 4 Paving 4 Patios 4 Driveways 4 Steps 4 Railings

4 Tuckpointing 4 Painting 4 Remodeling: • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Basements

www.oconnorpavingandmasonry.com 202.956.8307 - FREE ESTIMATES Licensed & insured in DC & MD

E ast

of thE

R ivER m agaziNE

a pRil 2020

WIDE SHOE OUTLET Men’s and Women’s sizes up to 15 EE Brands: Naturalizer • Soft Spots Ros Hommerson • Propet Walking Cradles • Easy Street Slingshots are Back

Wide Calf BOOTS

All Day Comfort

4279 Branch Avenue Marlow Heights, MD 20748

301-702 1401 www.simplywide.com

Free Gift With Ad

3 0 ,

E B

RESIDENTS LL UR AD RIG CO I H YO U HT LD 0 G N 0 EIN O W 0 E

Arena Stage’s Civil Dialogues Online

Arena Stage’s Civil Dialogues provide are civil discourses about social and political issues where people of diverse viewpoints have fruitful conversations. Each Arena Civil Dialogue featured prominent Dialogue Starters. They are curated and moderated by Amitai Etzioni, a professor at The George Washington University. The conversations focused on current events. A full YouTube playlist is at youtube. com/playlist?list=PL99W0x dGnAKT2xCypDy7CkUCzltXsD2nn on the District’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19), visit coronavirus.dc.gov.

To advertise, contact Kira 202.400.3508 or Kira.Hillrag@gmail.com

COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance

Lost a job or had work hours significantly reduced with a DC-based employer because of COVID-19? Apply for unemployment insurance benefits. Anyone who has received a layoff notice from a DC-based employer is eligible. Those who have received a significant reduction of work hours from a DC-based employer or are in quarantine that led to a temporary separation from work. Apply online now by visiting dcnetworks.org and click on “Claim Unemployment Benefits” at the top. You can also call 202-724-7000 for further assistance.

Online DMV

The District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provides several driver license or identification card, vehicle, ticket processing and general transactions online. Using these services, “skip the trip” to service centers. The DMV website and online services are secure and encrypted. dmv.dc.gov/service/dmv/online/service.

Apply for SBA Disaster Assistance Loans

The US Small Business Administration has accepted the District of Columbia’s declaration for assistance in the form of economic injury disaster loans following the advent of the novel coronavirus 22

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

Photo: Courtesy of Arena Stage

(COVID-19) and DC businesses can start applying now. While the SBA directly administers this loan program, the Department of Small and Local Business Development will liaise with the SBA on behalf of the District of Columbia. The SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will provide targeted, low-interest loans to Washington, DC small businesses that have been severely impacted by COVID-19. Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay. For more information on the District’s response and recovery, visit coronavirus.dc.gov.

Small Business Recovery Microloans

DC Government has announced that a $25 million fund is available for small businesses loans. Businesses must be in DC;\ have up-to-date business licenses; and at least a 25 percent revenue loss from COVID-19. The application is available at coronavirus.dc.gov/recovery.

New Community Forklift Marketplace Shop the new Community Forklift Marketplace online for architectural salvage, furniture knobs & pulls, lighting and home decor. Shop their Ebay store (25 percent off ) to see a broad range of unique items, funky gifts, vintage bathroom fixtures, machinery, tools, commercial appliances and hard-to-find parts. Their online store includes designer lighting, decor and furniture and antique

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP TODAY For existing & inspiring District businesses - the Small Business Resource Center is here for you!

and specialty items for the home. Browse thousands of new and vintage items, from appliances and art to tile and tools. They have shipping, no-contact and loadingdock pickup. Visit communityforklift. org/our-store/online-store/. Community Forklift, 4671 Tanglewood Dr., Edmonston, MD, is still open but with reduced hours.

Goodwill Stores Close: Donations Accepted

DC’s Goodwill retail store, 2200 South Dakota Ave. NE, is closed but still accepting donations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Place items in the bins directly outside the donation doors. These donations will be collected periodically by Goodwill associates. goodwill.org.

Grant Panelists Wanted

The DCCAH relies on volunteer citizen panelists to evaluate and rate grant applications at various times throughout the year. Panelists review applications, provide comments and score applications in order to advise on proposals submitted to the agency’s various grant programs. DC residents are encouraged to apply. G rant programs will be paneled during the spring, summer and fall of 2020. Apply at dcarts.dc.gov/page/be-grant-panelist.

Residential Street Sweeping Suspended

DPW has suspended residential street sweeping indefinitely to provide continuous residential parking for those residents working from home. For more information about street sweeping, go to dpw.dc.gov.

ONE-ON-ONE CALL SESSION: BASIC STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (By appointment) Phone Call Session Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events

WEBINAR: MARSHALL HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION PARTNERSHIP: BASIC STEPS TO OBTAINING A BUSINESS LICENSE Wednesday, April 8, 2020 Two time slots available between: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Skype/Conference Call Between 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/49109 Between 3:00 pm & 5:00 pm Register: dcrasbrc.ecenterdirect.com/events/49110

VISIT DCRA’S WEBSITE TO USE OUR DIGITAL TOOLS! Need to do business with us? Visit dcra.dc.gov/onlineservices to get started today! Jacqueline Noisette | (202) 442-8170 | jacqueline.noisette@dc.gov Claudia Herrera | (202) 442-8055 | claudia.herrera@dc.gov Joy Douglas | (202) 442-8690 | joy.douglas@dc.gov Tamika Wood | (202) 442-8004 | tamika.wood@dc.gov

Free Bikeshare for Essential Workers

Capital Bikeshare will provide free 30day memberships to essential DC workers in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. Those eligible include workers in healthcare, food service, food retailers and other essential industries. For enrollment information, email HeroBikes@Lyft.com. Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Emil bulletinboard@hillrag.com. u E ast

of thE

R ivER m agaziNE

a pRil 2020

neighborhood news

Coronavirus Myths Dispelled Epidemiologist Addresses Misinformation by Elizabeth O’Gorek Social distancing in the line at Frager’s Hardware, March 21, 2020. Photo: A. Lightman

here are lot of rumors flying around in regard to COVID-19 (aka the coronavirus). Are dogs safe? Take-out food? Jogging past neighbors on the sidewalk? The East of the River decided to ask an expert to separate fact from fiction. DC resident Dr. Pedro Kremer is a lead scientist with Booz Allen Hamilton working in public health programs and policy evaluation for clients including the US Federal Government. A family physician for 15 years, Kremer was with the Argentinian Ministry of Health during the 2009 SARS outbreak before coming to the US in 2015 to pursue a PhD in public health and epidemiology (the branch of medicine dealing with how and why diseases emerge, are transmitted and can be controlled). Kremer has been providing neighbors with answers to their questions on social media sites such as NextDoor. “One of the reasons I jumped into some of the social networks is that I am very concerned about the amount of misinformation and conflicting information that is out there,” he said. “it’s doing a lot of damage. I believe those of us that are privileged enough to have access to good information have a responsibility to disseminate it, particularly in cases like this.”

The Facts

Here are a few of those basic facts: COVID-19 is transferred inside little drops sprayed out of the respiratory system as someone coughs, sneezes or talks (usually called “respiratory droplets”) which infect people by getting in their eyes, mouth or nose. This can happen because the droplets are inhaled by another person standing nearby, usually within six feet or so (hence the recommendation of six-feet distance as part of social distancing). It can also happen because people touch surfaces on which droplets have landed (including their own bodies and faces) or surfaces infected people have touched. With these facts in mind, the East of the River asked Kremer to address some of the rumors about COVID-19 circulating on social media.

Can The Coronavirus Be Transmitted Via Takeout And Delivery Packaging?

It’s not impossible, Kremer acknowledges, but the risk is very low – so low that he’s been ordering in himself. “In terms of the overwhelming damage that the outbreak is producing, not just in terms of health care but also socially and economically, I think that the risk is low enough for us to support small businesses by ordering take-out and delivery,” Kremer said. The virus affects the body through the respiratory system rather than the digestive system, he said, meaning the risk is the 24

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

CORONA VIRUS (cheat sheet)

WHAT SHOULD I DO !? How do I protect myself, family & community? Yep! ok. Let’s figure this out together

no.

Are you Freaking out!?

hmmm. are you still saying “What’s the fuss? It’s just like the flu.”

That’s great. But Still, Let’s figure this out together

Are You

ok. WRONG! The Corona Virus, A.k.A. ‘COVid-19’ is more contagious & more Dangerous than the flu. a bunch of people have it and more will get it. some will even die. The only way to minimize that is through education & behavior change. so...

SICK? yeah

nope.

Well, you shouldn’t go out if you’re sick anytime, & especially NOT now. Let’s review your symptoms. do you have: • anxious • irritable • stressed • constant media checking

yeah, that’s called 2020, ugh. • practice good hygiene and social distancing

• Runny nose • no fever • dry cough

that’s a cold. stay at home & practice, • good hygiene & social distancing. (so you don’t freak out others)

!! NOte !!

if you’re having trouble breathing or keeping food down, or feel too weak to stand, then go to the hospital or call 9-1-1. (like you always should if/when that happens. duh.)

• fever • dry cough • exhaustion sweats • malaise • shortness of breath

could be the flu, but it could also be corona virus.

Yes You’re probably fine, But you must • call your healthcare provider or 3-1-1. • Self isolate • Wear a mask • practice good hygiene and social distancing

Especially if you’re over 65 and/or in poor health. kids, you’re gonna be ok! But you all have to call your healthcare provider or 3-1-1.

Glossary of Terms:

Have you had CLOSE CONTACT with anyone diagnosed with corona virus?

Are you currently in or have been in a high risk area?

nope. nope.

Yes

Have you had CLOSE CONTACT with anyone who has been in a high risk area?

Are You

SICK?

nope.

nope. That means you’re at risk. That’s ok, you just need to:

• Cancel nonessential travel • work from home when you can • practice good hygiene and social distancing

close contact: being within 6 feet of someone, or two seats between you and another on planes, trains, etc. and living with or caring for another person. high risk area: A region, country, or city where is reported to have sustained transmission or community spread. social distancing: avoid mass gatherings and maintain a 6 foot distance from others. self isolation: stay indoors and completely avoid contact with others. stay away from family members, including pets, and call ahead before visiting a doctor. wear a mask.

Cool! Let’s keep you and everyone else healthy. But at the same time you should: • Minimize all non-essential travel • Practice good hygiene & social distancing. and if you can, find a way to support and volunteer in your community.

We’re all in this together.

Note: This is but a humble flow chart. for the latest updates go to http://cdc.gov created by eliah aranoff-pencer, md, phd, infectious disease doctor & researcher at univ. of California san diego school of medicine & design lab

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

possibility of transfer via surface. “For the most part, we can rely on the measures taken by restaurants,” Kremer said. If we don’t want do that, Kremer advises you immediately put delivered food in your own dishes, dispose of the containers and then wash your hands without touching your face. If you want to exercise hyper-caution, you can also sanitize containers with soap and water where possible and spray sanitizers where this is not possible.

So, Can The Coronavirus Be Transmitted Via Package Delivery? YOUR DAILY ONLINE NEWS SOURCE

WARDS 7 & 8

EAST OFTHE RIVER DCNEWS .COM Do you remember what good old-fashioned corn tastes like?

Recent reports indicate that some delivery personnel have recently tested positive for COVID-19, raising concerns that the virus could be transmitted through the mail. Even though these workers would be quarantined, any packages they handled with unwashed hands or unclean gloves could possibly have virus on them, Kremer said. The virus can be viable for between 24 hours and 5 days on paper, so deliveries that take less time could theoretically carry coronavirus. “For the population, the recommendation is to wash hands immediately after handling and disposing the envelopes and boxes,” Kremer said. Can the virus be transferred via reusable bags (and what about smart phones)? Some surfaces get touched a lot, Kremer acknowledges, and that includes some reusable shopping bags. It includes lots of other things, like door handles, remote controls, light switches and elevator buttons. Kremer said that since washing some of these things can be complicated, it might be most efficient to sanitize the areas touched most frequently, and that goes for the bags, too. “I wouldn’t wash the entire bag. I really wouldn’t,” he said. “That reasoning would lead me to wash the entirety of everything in my house,” he said. Washing your hands prevents the virus – and other germs, too – from getting into your respiratory system.

Wash Your Phone

Extra sweet, tender & juicy. You can taste its quality in every bite!

100% ALL NATURAL!

NO added sugar, additives, coloring or preservatives

Available at IN THE FROZEN VEGGIES SECTION

More info and recipes at: larrysweetcorn.com 26

EastofthERivERDCNEws.Com

Every day, people put their phones on all sorts of surfaces, in their pockets and against their faces. You touch it frequently, and so it is as dangerous as your hands are. You can sanitize your phone with an aerosol solution or gel sanitizer. If you can wash an object with soap and water, do that, Kremer said. For other surfaces, a bottle that says ‘kills 99.99 percent of germs’ is not necessarily sufficient to kill the virus. Kremer recommends consumers check labels for active agents like ethanol (not less than 62 and

not more than 95 percent) or sodium hypochlorite bleach (concentrated between .001 to .21 percent). But, again the most effective step is to WASH YOUR HANDS.

Can Pets Get Or Give People The Coronavirus?

There is no evidence of a human getting coronavirus from an infected dog or pet, Kremer said. “Dogs and cats can get a strain of coronavirus, and have for ages, but it is a different variety than the one we are currently seeing in humans,” he said. Where pets are dangerous is where they act as a surface for transmission: if someone with COVID-19 sneezes or coughs onto a pet, or touches their fur or skin with unclean hands, that virus can be conveyed to the next person who pets him, similar to any other surface (including your own skin and hair!), Kremer said. So refrain from petting animals outside you household. Kremer echoed the CDC in noting that it is wise to wash your hands after touching pets.

Can I Use Ibuprofen If I Have Symptoms Similar To The Coronavirus?

Short answer: most likely, yes. Kremer said the whole fear of ibuprofen is based on ‘speculation’, rather than a scientific study. Long answer: the ibuprofen-COVID-19 discussion started with a letter written to respected British medical journal The Lancet, in which the writer wondered if ibuprofen might mix poorly with a specific drug family used by a small population of elderly people suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes. That letter triggered warnings from organizations and governments before there was any actual scientific evidence either way. A few days later, organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) clarified that there was no evidence against the use of ibuprofen even in people with COVID-19 or similar symptoms. Obviously, those who are taking prescription medication or have underlying conditions should always consult with a physician before taking medication, but for everyone else ibuprofen is probably as safe as for a headache, although acetaminophen or paracetamol are just as good.

Can I Get The Virus From Standing Near An Infected Person?

Two things on this, Kremer said. First, if you’re in a close environment, such as a retail or service line, where people are not keeping social distance (i.e., standing six feet apart), you have the responsibility

to let someone in authority know so they can take measures to allow everyone to keep social distance. “I truly believe that we all need to be agents of change here,” he said. “We all need to not be afraid to speak up, gently, tell everyone around us that this is not okay and that we need to organize ourselves.” Being spaced six feet apart makes it impossible for people to touch one another, and makes it harder for the respiratory droplets from a cough or sneeze to reach you. However, Kremer said, being within six feet of another person for the time it takes to pass them on the sidewalk is not likely to be a danger unless they sneeze or cough on you, or for some reason should touch you.

Mr Henry’s is here for you! Limited menu for takeout and delivery Monday through Friday!!

Please give us a call! 202-546-8412

check out all of our happenings at www.Mrhenrysdc.com

601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE

LIVE MUSIC Returns In May!

The Key Recommendations Remain The Same: Stay home if you are sick.

Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze with your elbow or a tissue. Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth. Sanitize frequently touched objects and surfaces. People without risk factors or pre-existing conditions should call the doctor if you have symptoms of COVID-19 BEFORE you go in to a doctor, unless you are experiencing difficulty breathing or blueness in the face or lips. Finally, and critically: Wash your hands frequently, before and after eating or using the bathroom and after sneezing, coughing or handling objects from outside your home. Connect with Dr. Pedro Kremer via Linkedin, NextDoor or via Twitter @pedrokremer. Get the latest on COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/, and from the DC Department of Health at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/ Comments on articles should be directed to Leads@HillRag.com u

E ast

of thE

R ivER m agaziNE

a pRil 2020

neighborhood news / bulletin board

The Numbers

Coming Home to Homelessness: Too Many Returning Citizens Lack a Home

any folks who are incarcerated look forward to their release date and life on the outside – from spending time with loved ones to eating the foods they’ve been craving to even just feeling strands of grass between their toes. Returning to DC from incarceration, however, too often means coming home to homelessness. In fact, when you ask individuals in DC what led to their homelessness, more than one-third of them point to their incarceration. If the District is to meet its goal of ending this problem, policymakers must improve housing and services for returning citizens to help them avoid it whenever possible and move into housing quickly if they do experience homelessness. Being homeless often leads to a life that is cut short. People who don’t know where they’re going to spend the night struggle to get the medical treatment or counseling they need. And often they must stay in places that make their illnesses worse. The current COVID-19 crisis has put a spotlight on this awful reality. People living outside can’t wash their hands frequently because they don’t have sinks, or protect themselves from exposure by staying home. Housing makes our entire community safer and healthier.

Both the Most Important Need and the Biggest Challenge

Securing housing is returning citizens’ most important need and biggest challenge. Those who aren’t able to find housing may turn to homeless shelters, benches or tents, often under a bridge – pushed into the shadows. Housing not only provides one of the utmost human rights, it also has broad individual and societal benefits by establishing stability for employment, substance abuse assistance and mental health treatment. Individuals who face multiple barriers and are not able to meet basic needs are more likely to return to crime, contributing to a relentless cycle between jail and homelessness. Returning citizens typically have low incomes and face the same housing challenges as other District residents with low incomes, living in a city with rapidly rising rents and costs that far exceed what people can afford on minimum and low wages. However, returning citizens also face 28

E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m

by Kate Coventry

unique challenges that exacerbate their hurdles to finding safe, stable and affordable housing. Being separated while incarcerated leads to weaker bonds with family and friends, leaving many with no one to stay with upon release. Most are released from prison without savings or a job, and thus lack funds for housing application fees, security deposits and rent. Returning citizens also face high rates of discrimination in the housing market, even though this is illegal. Many landlords do not want to rent to returning citizens. Finally, returning citizens experience mental health problems at higher rates than other residents. It is likely that many with mental health needs do not receive adequate services while incarcerated. The federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), which manages the federal prisons that DC residents are incarcerated in, classifies just 3% of its inmates as having a mental illness serious enough to require regular treatment. This is much lower than the 20% to 30% who receive regular treatment in the state prison system, and suggests that BOP underestimates the extent of this need.

A Matter of Racial Justice

Returning citizens in DC are overwhelmingly black, as are residents experiencing homelessness. This reflects a long history of racial discrimination and disparities in housing markets, employment, police interactions, arrest and sentencing. “Black and White Americans encounter the police at different rates and for different reasons, and they are treated differently during these encounters,” according to the Sentencing Project, both because of formal policies and the choices police officers make. Officers are more likely to stop black drivers and, once stopped, more likely to search them as well. “Stop and frisk” policies, in which officers search individuals for contraband, are often implemented in black neighborhoods against black residents. As a result, people of color are also more likely to be arrested than whites. Additionally, people of color are HYPERLINK “https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/black-lives-matter-eliminating-racial-inequity-in-the-criminal-justice-system/” more likely to be charged with a crimeconvicted and receive harsher sentences for the same crimes than whites are.

Returning Citizens Experience Particular Hardships

The strong link between incarceration and homelessness is ultimately a policy failure at the local and national levels. That’s because the District has a unique criminal justice system, involving a complicated mix of local and federal facilities and agencies. Individuals who have violated a DC law face additional obstacles because they are incarcerated by the BOP, rather than by a state prison. This means DC has no control over where individuals are housed, and isolates them from their loved ones and local service providers. DC also has no control over services provided in the federal prisons or at the federally managed halfway houses that citizens return to. In addition to not receiving needed mental health services, many returning citizens miss out on education or training. The vast majority of halfway house residents report there is no exit planning, leading people to become homeless when their mandated time in the halfway house is over.

The District Can Act

After reviewing research and getting direct input from DC’s returning citizens, service providers and government officials, DC Fiscal Policy Institute offers the following housing and shelter recommendations: • Create a new program to connect returning citizens with loved ones and offering financial assistance and services to support these living arrangements. • Create medium-term housing options, in recognition that the first years following incarceration are especially important and that the risk of recidivism is highest in this period. • Prioritize returning citizens with high service needs and high likelihood of recidivism for DC’s Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program for residents with high service needs. • Create shelter beds especially for returning citizens with services to meet their unique needs. Beyond housing, we recommend: • Strengthening mental health services by providers as part of discharge planning and ensuring that servic-

homes & gardens / changing hands

es are available for all who need them. • Helping individuals find and keep employment. • Preparing individuals for return by connecting them to loved ones and DC service providers while still incarcerated. The days and months following release are key to success, so these connections need to be available immediately. Finally, the District needs a strategic plan to tackle homelessness among returning citizens that includes a needs assessment and assigns roles and responsibilities to the many government agencies involved in reentry. While it would be an expensive undertaking, taking full control of our criminal justice system would make it easier to solve many of these problems. DC would create its own courts, prison, halfway houses and parole system. The city would also control prison and halfway house programming to ensure that each inmate has access to mental health services, education, employment and housing location assistance. By implementing these recommendations, the District can put returning citizens on the path to success. Kate Coventry is an Senior Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org). DCFPI promotes budget and policy solutions to reduce poverty and inequality in the District of Columbia and increase opportunities for residents to build a better future. u

Changing Hands 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 1499 Fort Davis St SE

425,000 3 4358 F St SE 409,900 3 1658 Fort Dupont St SE 409,000 3 ANACOSTIA 1 Ridge Rd SE 389,500 4 1427 22nd St SE 590,000 4 3932 Burns Pl SE 375,000 3 2262 High St SE 582,500 5 4206 Gorman St SE 351,000 2 1309 Maple View Pl SE 490,000 5 656 Chaplin St SE 350,000 2 1430 V St SE 474,900 3 4024 Southern Ave SE 280,000 3 1814 18th St SE 465,000 3 4653 H St SE 275,000 3 1718 16th St SE 440,000 3 4020 Q St SE 270,000 3 1661 U St SE 399,999 3 3956 Pennsylvania Ave SE #204 215,000 2 1900 Curtis Ct SE 384,900 3 4115 Massachusetts Ave SE #5 208,000 3 1431 Ridge Pl SE 360,000 3 1640 V St SE 305,000 3 FORT LINCOLN 2226 Prout St SE 305,000 2 5015 12th St NE 580,190 3 1350 Talbert Ter SE 250,000 2 3140 Cherry Rd NE #38 377,000 3 2110 16th St SE 230,000 4 2745 31st Pl NE #2745 330,000 3 3124 Berry Rd NE #23 315,377 3 CONGRESS HEIGHTS 624 Farragut Pl NE 445,000 2 511 Alabama Ave SE 510,000 3 3926 1st St SW 481,000 4 HILL CREST 125 Xenia St SE 415,000 3 2613 Q St SE 750,000 6 831 Xenia St SE 405,000 3 3700 Bangor St SE 685,000 4 4308 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SW 405,000 3 3439 Massachusetts Ave SE 587,500 4 3315 6th St SE 395,000 3 2423 32nd St SE 485,000 4 103 Danbury St SW 385,000 3 3232 Pope St SE 478,000 3 1238 Barnaby Ter SE 365,000 3 1651-1/2 38th St SE 440,000 3 3334 10th Pl SE 325,000 2 2139 Suitland Ter SE #A 275,000 3 411 Mellon St SE #3 315,000 2 3679 Alabama Ave SE #B 227,000 2 411 Mellon St SE #4 305,000 2 151 Wilmington Pl SE 305,000 3 IVY CITY 404 Newcomb St SE #2 293,000 2 1828 Providence St NE 669,900 3 1232 Barnaby Ter SE 216,200 3

LILY PONDS DEANWOOD 5132 Lee St NE 5100 Brooks St NE 123 57th St SE 5307 Gay St NE 5309 Gay St NE 4709 Dix St NE 3934 Clay Pl NE 3930 Clay Pl NE 5632 Blaine St NE 5230 Karl Pl NE 264 57th Place NE 5078 Just St NE 711 56th Pl NE 4920 Blaine St NE 5063 Just St NE 5219 Clay St NE 4322 Hayes St NE 119 36th St NE 4112 Hayes St NE 118 49th St NE 320 61st St NE #B2 928 52nd St NE 5512 Blaine St NE 5207 Just St NE 4810 Quarles St NE #402

557,000 556,000 521,388 492,000 485,000 473,000 470,000 467,915 429,900 410,000 409,000 400,000 390,000 385,000 385,000 369,900 365,000 334,500 330,000 320,000 260,000 254,000 236,000 233,000 140,000

3 5 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 3 3 4 6 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 2

FORT DUPONT PARK 3932 S St SE 4309 Gorman Ter SE

449,000 440,000

3 3

411 34th St NE 1612 Olive St NE 3313 Clay Pl NE 4215 Meade St NE

470,000 435,000 246,000 198,000

3 3 2 3

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5029 A St SE 5518 C St SE 5106 F St SE #2 5014 H St SE #303

540,000 260,000 210,000 175,000

4 2 2 1

RANDLE HEIGHTS 3021 P St SE 1890 Savannah Pl SE 1609 Minnesota Ave SE 2725 Knox Ter SE 3525 21st St SE 3512 21st St SE 2002 Tremont St SE 2822 Bruce Pl SE 1719 Gainesville St SE #101 1907 Good Hope Rd SE #2 1907 Good Hope Rd SE #109

800,000 400,000 399,999 397,500 390,000 364,000 359,000 250,000 124,100 120,000 80,000

5 2 2 3 4 3 3 3 2 2 2

WASHINGTON HIGHLANDS 22 Brandywine St SE 20 Brandywine St SE u

487,000 480,000

4 4

E ast

of the

R iver M agazine

A pril 2020

XWORD

www.themecrosswords.com • www.mylesmellorconcepts.com

“Celeb Pairings” by Myles Mellor Across:

1. Raise Cain 5. ‘Neath opposite 8. Jovial 11. Local entrepreneurial orgs. 15. “La la” preceder 18. Hand lotion ingredient 19. Take for granted 21. In an inescapable position 23. Celeb pairing 26. Sounds of woe 27. ___ Cruces, N.M. 28. Cavaliers and Indians, on scoreboards 29. Hindu clerk 30. Director Welles 34. Contract need, abbr. 35. Hindu god of war and weather 37. Abbr. at the bottom of a letter 38. They moved to Citi Field in 2009 39. Huskies’ vehicle 41. H.S. biology topic 42. Smallest American dollars 45. E.R. order 46. ___ chi ch’uan 47. Quitter’s cry 49. Fools 53. Celeb pairing 57. Earth sci. 58. Switch settings 59. “Uh-huh” 60. Great report card column 61. Disgust 64. Like Beethoven 67. Rep’s forte 69. Noted artist Jean 72. “All over the world” singers, for short 73. Draft classification? 75. Master 76. Mayo, por ejemplo 77. Passed on 79. Apt. balcony 80. Tippler 81. Too fussy

82. Poacher’s collection? 85. Partakes of 87. Beef-grading govt. agcy. 91. Celeb pairing 98. Sushi offering 99. Wheels setting 100. ___ pinch 101. Large lake 102. Old French coins 104. Ring org. 105. Championed 106. Indian tourist site 107. Compass point 110. Indian dish 112. Bearded revolutionary 113. Welcome 114. Brad, for one 117. Vow words 118. Arles assent 119. Grayish brown 121. Celeb pairing 129. Sheer fabric robe 130. African pests 131. Down in the dumps 132. Sample 133. Mercury measure 134. One engaged in, suffix 135. Be off base 136. Kind of blocker

Down:

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com

1. Rule opposed by Gandhi 2. UN working conditions agcy. 3. “Sweet!” 4. It’s an honor 5. Grand Ole ___ 6. Notable times in history 7. Clergyman’s address 8. Soviet Union labor camp 9. Nos. on checks 10. Biblical assent 11. Burn 12. Ravel classic 13. Flood escape vessel 14. Arrogant person

15. Group of people 16. Military information gathering, for short 17. For the “specific purpose” 20. Assured 22. Actress/model Mendes 24. Freight weight 25. Mapmaker Andrew 30. City in the SW Russian Federation 31. Put a new price on 32. Say 33. Bone: Prefix 34. Timex alternative 35. Machu Picchu builder 36. Willy Loman, for one 39. Sault ___ Marie 40. Quebecois water 41. IV league?

43. Suffix with west 44. Agave rug fiber 47. Not mailed 48. Ample shoe width 50. Demand 51. “The Family Circus” cartoonist 52. Bachelor parties 54. Like the sky 55. Prefix with European 56. The Stepford Wives 62. Organized chorus 63. One of Samuel Johnson’s cats 65. Broke bread 66. “Honeymoon travels” director, first name 68. Formula One car 69. Kaffiyeh wearers

OFFERING FUN VIRTUAL EVENTS

Including virtual Boozy Board Game Night and Intro to D&D www.labyrinthgameshop.com/calendar To stay in touch or support our ability to pay staff and bills, please see the following outlets:

We are closed temporarily until at least April 24th 645 Pennsylvania Ave SE (Steps from Eastern Market Metro)

202.544.1059

We love our community and can’t wait to see you again!

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

Website: www.labyrinthgameshop.com Buy a Gift Card or make a donation: labyrinth.games/help Facebook: www.facebook.com/labyrinthgameshop/ Twitter: twitter.com/labyrinthdc Instagram: www.instagram.com/labyrinthdc/ Discord: discord.gg/JUVfmJ Event calendar: www.labyrinthgameshop.com/calendar

70. “Chicago” star, abbr. 71. Costa del Sol section 74. Beseech 78. Medicinal plants 83. Heater 84. Con 86. It’s a piece of cake 88. Say “@#$%!” 89. Dreary sound 90. Burning 92. Matrix character 93. Figure skater Thomas 94. Hispanic aunt 95. “The loneliest number” 96. Cool in the 80s 97. Milk source 103. 2000 Martin Landau film 105. “I can take ___!” 107. Barely enough 108. When haroseth is eaten 109. Plaintive piece 111. Venomous snake 112. More attractive 113. Econ. indicator 115. Corner piece 116. “So ___” 118. Seine tributary 119. Textile worker 120. It dissolved in Dec. 1991 122. “Long, long time ___” 123. No. for a drive 124. Vane direction 125. “Chicago” lyricist 126. Hearty brew 127. Groove 128. Type of voyage

AIR & HEATING

HAIR SALON P D EL E H NT A W

Look Fabulous

To place a classified in East of the River, please call Carolina at Capital Community News, Inc. 202.543.3503 or email Carolina@hillrag.com

UNISEX HAIR SALON

PAINTING

Men’s Haircut - $15 Locs/Twist Specials - $50 Weaves Sewn - $100 1ST TIME CUSTOMER ONLY

Nail Technician on Site MANICURES • PEDICURES • FULL SET

CLEANING SERVICES 202.581.1700 | 2203 Minsesotta Ave. SE / lookfabulousunisexhairsalon

MASONRY

G G ROOFING

CHIMNEY REPOINTING, LINING & REPAIRS!

GEORGE HALLIDAY

MASONRY CONCRETE & BRICKPOINTING

PLUMBING

Just Say I Need A Plumber®

Dial A Plumber, LLC®

• Licensed Gas Fitter • Water Heater • Boiler Work • Serving DC • References John • Drain Service • Furness Repair & Replacement

Historic Masonry Repointing & Repairs Restoration Cleaning on Historical Brick and Stone Basements & Waterproofing

ELECTRICIAN

Experts in New and Traditional Masonry NO Job Too Small! We Do it All!!

202.637.8808 Licensed, Bonded & Insured

Licensed Bonded Insured

Flat Roof Specialists Modified Bitumen • Skylights • Shingles • Slate • •

Chimney Repairs Roof Coatings • Gutters & Downspouts • Preventive Maintenance • Metal Roofs • •

10% OFF WITH THIS AD

WWW.GANDGHOMEIMPROVEMENTS.NET

Kenny

L U M M E R

’

I C E N S E

#707

ROOFING

FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST WE STOP LEAKS! • Roof Repairs • Roof Coatings • Rubber • Metal • Slate

• Tiles • Chimneys • Gutters • Waterproofing • Roof Certifications

We Do Everything!

BOYD CONSTRUCTION INC.

Contact CARO at 202.400.3503 & carolina@hillrag.com

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED • “50 YEARS EXPERIENCE”

202.425.1614

202-251-1479 DC P

AWARDED BEST WASHINGTON, DC CONTRACTOR OF 2012 BY ANGIE’S LIST

LIC. BONDED. INS

75 years in service

BBB

Member

202-223-ROOF (7663)

Licensed & Insured | All Work Managed & Inspected by Owners

East of the River Magazine – April 2020

Articles inside

Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner

DC 2040: Imagining What The

Our River: The Anacostia – Places To Greet Spring Along Our River

The Numbers – Coming Home

Atlas Brew Works: Brewing Environmentally Friendly Beer While Being Extremely Good Looking by Catherine Plume