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

DECEMBER 2020

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E AST OF THE R IVER M AGAZINE D ECEMBER 2020 N E X T I S S U E : J A N U A RY 9

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 12

Participating in A COVID–19 Vaccine Trial by Elizabeth O’Gorek

Opinion / The Old Man of Anacostia: Thank You for Your Service, Chief Newsham

IN EVERY ISSUE 06 42 43

What’s on Washington The Crossword The Classifieds

by Philip Pannell

Making Good on DC’s Climate and Renewable Energy Goals by Catherine Plume

Our River: The Anacostia, Winter Walks Along Our River

KIDS & FAMILY 34

Notebook by Kathleen Donner

by Bill Matuszeski

Meet Meredith Jacobs: Food Truck Vendor and Volunteer by Anthony D. Diallo

The Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE 28

Jay Coleman: Public Artist

ON THE COVER: Jay Coleman with maquette of Loveful Hands

by Phil Hutinet

Changing Hands compiled by Don Denton

Capital Community News, Inc. Publisher of: Capital Community News, Inc. PO Box 15477, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com www.hillrag.com

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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.

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Photo: Mount Vernon

WHAT’S ON W A S H I N G T O N WINTER GLOW AT MOUNT VERNON On Dec. 11 to 13 and 26 to 28, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., see Mount Vernon illuminated with soft lights and holiday patterns as you listen to Christmas carolers and visit an 18th-century winter encampment. Chat with soldiers at the encampment; see sparks fly at the blacksmith shop; listen to costumed Christmas carolers; meet Aladdin the camel; shop for artisan-made goods crafted using 18th century techniques; purchase warm food from the Mount Vernon Inn food truck; and shop for holiday gifts at The Shops at Mount Vernon. Tickets are $30 to $45. mountvernon.org.

CARLA BERROCAL WINDOWS AT THE FORMER RESIDENCE OF THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR Through Jan. 31, Spanish artist and illustrator Carla Berrocal pays tribute to classic and contemporary Spanish culture in her creations on the facade of the Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador in the United States-- the BeauxArts Mansion at 2801 16th St. NW. She says, “This is my tribute to Spanish culture. I planned the project so that the lower windows were classic-art-oriented and the upper ones contemporary-art-oriented.” Read more at spainculture. us/city/washington-dc.

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Craig Wallace. Photo: Carol Rosegg

FORD’S THEATRE PRESENTS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE RADIO PLAY” In time for the holiday season and in partnership with WAMU 88.5 FM, DC’s NPR news station, Ford’s Theatre presents a one-hour radio play adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, featuring acclaimed Washington actor Craig Wallace as Ebenezer Scrooge. WAMU 88.5 FM will broadcast the play on Dec. 25, at noon. The radio play will also be made available to the public on Dec. 14, at fords.org/carol-radio.

VANESSA COLLIER AT THE HAMILTON American blues, funk, and soul saxophonist, singer and songwriter, Vanessa N. Collier is at the Hamilton, 1600 14th St. NW, on Thursday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.). She has been nominated for five Blues Music Awards and won one of them in 2019 and another in 2020. Tickets are $50 to $150. live.thehamiltondc.com.

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CHRISTMAS WITH THE FOLGER CONSORT: A VIRTUAL CONCERT In Christmas with the Folger Consort: A Virtual Concert, Folger Consort presents a program of early music holiday favorites filmed in the nave of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill. Two sections of the program are centered on the German text “Wachet auf” (“Sleepers Wake”), with a performance of J.S. Bach’s cantata BWV140 and Michael Praetorius’s setting of “Wachet auf” from a century earlier. One of Bach’s most intimately scored cantatas, a socially distanced Baroque ensemble playing on historical instruments and solo vocalists bring the work to life. The Folger Consort makes the holiday-themed concert available for on-demand streaming, Friday, Dec. 11, through Tuesday, Jan. 5. Tickets are $25 to $50 at folger.edu/consort.

WELCOME TO NAS’S SCIENCE SPEED DATING The National Academy of Sciences’ Science Speed Dating brings together experts from some of the most hotly contested fields of science: climate change, genetically engineered foods, evolution, and vaccines. Filtered through campaigns of misinformation and political rhetoric, the underlying science of these topics is often obscured or misconstrued. But the science is not just another opinion to add to the mix. So how do they tell that story properly? How do they cut through the noise to achieve impact? Their four experts will give us a sense of the public’s current understanding of their field and the way in which they now seek to communicate effectively to create change going forward. scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/blog/watch-science-speed-dating.

METEORS AND METEORITES: GEMINIDS LIVE On Monday, Dec. 14, 6:45 p.m., join George Mason University Observatory’s Peter Plavchan and geologistturned-meteorite scientist Tim Gregory on Zoom for a night illuminated by meteors and meteorites. When a fragment of rock streaks through the atmosphere as a brilliant meteor (or “shooting star”), it sometimes makes landfall on the Earth. We call these surviving rocks meteorites, and they have inspired legends and lore for millennia. Modern science has shed these celestial rocks with a fascinating light, and from them we have learned the story of our solar system’s deepest history. Meteorites are the only way we can get our hands on pieces of a newly forming system of planets. $25. smithsonianassociates.org. RIGHT: A thin slice of a chassignites, which are pieces of the Martian surface that arrive here on Earth as meteorites.

JOIN THE AUDUBON CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT Since the Audubon Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago, it has relied on the dedication and commitment of citizen volunteers. This year, Audubon’s 121st Christmas Bird Count will be conducted between Monday, Dec. 14, 2020 and Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. Your local count will occur on one day between those dates. Participate in as many counts as you wish. You can stay at home or go farther afield. There is a specific methodology to the CBC, and all participants must make arrangements to participate in advance, but anyone can participate. Read more and sign up at audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count. Photo: Courtesy of the National Audubon Society

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY MARKET DC’s Downtown Holiday Market runs through Dec. 23 (closed Mondays, Dec. 7 and 14), noon to 8 p.m. This year’s market has moved off its previous sidewalk location to take over two blocks of F Street NW, from Seventh to Ninth. The outdoor shopping village’s increased footprint allows for wider aisles on the street and guests can shop confidently in a safe and socially distant experience in accordance with current COVID-19 guidance. The market layout features a single entryway check-in located on the sidewalk of F Street in front of the National Portrait Gallery, streamlined one-way and properly distanced foot traffic managed to ensure circulation around the market’s back-to-back retail vendor tents. downtownholidaymarket.com.

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OTHER OUTDOOR MARKETS FOR HOLIDAY PRESENTS, GREENERY AND CHEER Eastern Market’s outdoors, 225 Seventh St. SE, is open on Tuesdays, noon to 4 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shop for trees and wreaths; gifts; and fall/winter fruits and vegetables. easternmarket-dc.org. Victura Park Holiday Market at the Kennedy Center’s the REACH is a family-friendly, open-air market that features a rotating lineup of local artists and artisans. It is open Dec. 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20; Fridays, 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, noon to 9 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 8 p.m. victuraparkdc.com/holiday-market. Held Saturday mornings year-round for more than 260 years, the Old Town Farmers Market, in Market Square, 301 King Street, 7 a.m. to noon, is the oldest continuously-run farmers market in the US. George Washington even sent his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold here. Free parking. visitalexandriava.com.Photo: C. Martin for Visit Alexandria

BUY NOTHING. GIVE FREELY. SHARE CREATIVELY. The Buy Nothing Project began in 2013 when two friends, Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark, created an experimental hyper-local gift economy on Bainbridge Island, WA. Since then, it has become a worldwide social movement, with groups in 30 nations. Local groups form gift economies that are complementary and parallel to local cash economies. Whether people join because they’d like to get rid of things that are cluttering their lives or simply to save money by getting free things, they quickly discover that a gift economy’s real wealth is the people involved and the web of connections that forms to support them. DC currently has 13 groups (more added continually). Find your closest at buynothingproject.org/find-a-group/#DC.

IN SERIES’S ORPHEE ET EURYDICE EXPLORES LOVE AND LOSS IN THE TIME OF COVID

Capitol Hill resident Rachel Kaplan with Lina whose “outfit” was acquired through the Lincoln Park Buy Nothing Project group. Photo: Meg Levine, justwalkdcportraits.visualsociety.com

ART IN ISOLATION: CREATIVITY IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 Through Jan. 29, 2021, Art in Isolation pays tribute to the experiences and reflections of artists from the Middle East and its diaspora during a period of global crisis. The MEI (Middle East Institute) Art Gallery’s first-ever open call, Art in Isolation, invited regional artists to submit artwork made at the height of the global pandemic around the theme of sheltering in place. Thirty-eight of the 54 works are hanging in the Gallery with the full exhibition featured on the MEI website. All works are for sale. The Gallery, 1763 N St. NW, is accepting in-person appointments to view the exhibition. mei.edu/art-gallery. Ilyes Messaoudi’s HELP, 2020. Mixed media on canvas, 3.28 x 3.28 ft. Ilyes Messaoudi is a Tunisian visual artist working in painting, collage, and embroidery. His work, which is rooted in his North African heritage, connects tradition and modernity to reveal identity struggles, taboos and stereotypes within the Middle East, and critiques on contemporary culture.

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IN Series has returned to the original revolutionary opera, Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice, for an intimate film experience exploring love, loss, and grief during a global pandemic in which millions have lost those they love. For this uniquely personal project filmed during isolation, husband and wife Benjamin Williamson (English National Opera, Bonn Stuttgart) and Paula Sides (English Touring Opera, Royal Opera House) allowed a PPE protected filmmaker into their home to make a cinematographic opera experience about a husband losing his beloved wife to sickness and entering into the unspeakable process of grieving that follows. Orpheus and Eurydice is available, free, at invision. inseries.org/full-feature/orphee-et-eurydice.

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a n a c o s t i a a r t s c e n t e r. c o m

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Participating in A COVID–19 Vaccine Trial “We Can Live in the Past or Die in the Future.” Ambrose Lane Jr. by Elizabeth O’Gorek

fter nearly a year in which COVID-19 has ravaged the District and the United States as a whole, infecting nearly 15 million Americans and carrying a quarter of a million to their graves, the nation and the world are pinning their hopes for the future on a vaccine. The development of that vaccine depends on the participation of volunteers for the clinical trials, proving the efficacy—or discovering side effects—of the vaccine. One such volunteer is Ambrose Lane Jr. Lane, a Ward 7 resident, community organizer and health advocate said he saw participating as a duty as a leader in the Black community. “We have to participate if we want this to work for us as well,” he said. “You have to go on the science.” Lane has signed up to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine trial, still in the planning stages at Howard University. He is the Chair of the Ward 7 Health Alliance Network as well as a member of the District Committee on Health Equity. He is also one of the members of the Steering Committee of the Black Coalition Against COVID, an organization that has created a national infrastructure for conversations about clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine and its eventual acceptance.

Lane said he was told that the Howard trial would involve two doses of the vaccine, as well as periodic screening over a twoyear period. In most trials, half the subjects are given the vaccine, and half are administered a placebo. Lane won’t know which he has received, leaving him exposed to infection even as multiple vaccines move closer to release. It’s a risk he’s willing to take to fill the need for diversity in clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines, in which black participants are under-represented. In September, Moderna reported that 26 percent of clinical participants Ward 7 resident Ambrose Lane Jr. has volunteered overall were people of to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials. color. As of Oct. 21, with 30,000 participants enrolled in trials of their two-stage COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna reported that number had increased to 37 percent, 10 percent identifying as Black or African-American. Hispanic/Latinx participants accounted for another 20 percent, and 7 percent were from other communities of color.

The Importance of Diversity

Dr. Reed Tuckson is also a member of the Black Coalition Against COVID, an organization established to provide factual, science-based information about vaccines as well as a framework for discussion about the vaccine and clinical trial process for the Black community. He is also the former President of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and was Commissioner of Public Health for the District of Columbia during the AIDS/HIV crisis. Tuckson said diverse clinical participation is critically important for two reasons. First, although human beings are remarkably similar overall, there are sometimes subtle differences in the way different populations process substances introduced into the body. “We want to make sure there are not 12

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trends in how any subpopulation might react,” Tuckson said. Secondly, diverse participants provide proof that a vaccine will be safe for everyone. “We want to be able to remove doubt and anxiety about the safety of the vaccine for any subpopulation group,” Tuckson said, “so people are clear and comfortable that people like them have been included in the trial.” Polling shows that trust of the vaccine is an issue in the Black community throughout the U.S. and in the District. A study released in October by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 49 percent of Black respondents were unlikely to get a COVID-19 vaccine deemed safe by scientists—even if it were free. This is despite the fact that according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Black people are being infected by the disease at nearly twice the rate of white people and are more than two-and-a-half times more likely to die of the disease. In the District, the Black community accounts for 47 percent of COVID cases, and 74 percent of deaths due to the disease. Both Tuckson and Lane say that there are good reasons that people of color feel distrust for health enterprises as a whole and for government officials who lead the dissemination of vaccines. Both

G E T YO U R B E A N S DELIVERED

Dr. Reed Tuckson is Managing Director of Tuckson Health Connections, a former Commissioner of Public Health and is one of the founders of the Black Coalition Against COVID. Photo Courtesy Dr. R. Tuckson

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PUBLIC NOTICEPUBLIC OF AVAILABILITY NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

National Park Service seeks public comment National Park Service seeks public commenton on proposed planKenilworth for the Kenilworth Park LandfillSite Site proposed plan for the Park Landfill The National Parkinvites Service the (NPS) invites public to on comment on the proposed planthe forKenilworth the Kenilworth The National Park Service (NPS) public tothe comment the proposed plan for Park Landfill Site (the site) in Washington, DC. NPS, in consultation with the District of Columbia Park Landfill Site (the site) in Washington, DC. NPS, in consultation with the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), has investigated hazardous substance contamination at Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), has investigated hazardous substance contamination at the site, assessed the associated risks to human health and the environment, and evaluated alternatives to the site, assessed the associated risks to human health and the environment, and evaluated alternatives to address those risks using its authorities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, address those risks and using its authorities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Liability Act (CERCLA). In addition, the NPS has updated the Administrative Record File for the site. Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). In addition, the NPS has updated the Administrative Record File for the site. NPS has evaluated the following options to address site risks: • Alternative 1: No Action. • Alternative 2: Limited Action /site Institutional NPS has evaluated the following options to address risks: Controls. • Alternative 3: Selective Placement of Clean Fill Barriers and Institutional Controls. • Alternative • Alternative 1: No Action. 4: Site-wide Clean Soil Barrier and Institutional Controls. • Alternative 5: Landfill RemovalControls. and Revegetation. • Alternative 2: Limited Action / Institutional

• • •

AlternativeIn3:the Selective of CleanAlternative Fill Barriers Institutional Controls. proposedPlacement plan, NPS identified 3 as and the preferred alternative for the site. However, welcomes comments onBarrier all the evaluated alternativesControls. and will select the final plan in a Record of AlternativeNPS 4: Site-wide Clean Soil and Institutional Decision (ROD) based on all the information contained in the Administrative Record File, including Alternative 5: Landfill Removal and Revegetation.

comments received from the public. NPS may select a plan other than the preferred alternative based on public comments, new information, 3oras a reevaluation of existing information. In the proposed plan, NPS identified Alternative the preferred alternative for the site. However, NPS Location Administrative Recordand File:will Theselect Administrative File welcomes comments on all of thethe evaluated alternatives the finalRecord plan in a comprises Record ofthe documents that will form theinformation basis for NPS’s selection in of the a final cleanup plan forRecord the site. File, The Administrative Decision (ROD) based on all the contained Administrative including Record File is available for review at the following location: comments received from the public. NPS may select a plan other than the preferred alternative based on

public comments, new information, or a reevaluation of existing information. Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library 3935 Benning Road, N.E.

Location of the Administrative Record File: The Administrative Record File comprises the documents Phone: (202) 281-2583 that will form the basis for NPS’s selection of a final cleanup plan for the site. The Administrative Record Email: benninglibrary@dc.govhttps://www.dclibrary.org/benning File is available for review at the following location: Monday to Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: Closed The Administrative Record File is also available on a compact disc upon request. Key project documents Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library are also available on the Kenilworth Park Landfill Site webpage: https://www.nps.gov/anac/learn/ 3935 Benning Road, N.E. management/kpls.htm

Phone: (202) 281-2583

Public comment period: The benninglibrary@dc.gov 90-day public comment period begins on November 12, 2020, and will close Email: on February 10, 2021. The ROD will include a summary that responds to all significant comments received https://www.dclibrary.org/benning during the comment period (including comments received at the public meeting).

Monday to Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Providing your comments: Comments on the proposed Saturday and Sunday: Closedplan and other documents contained in the Administrative Record File can be submitted to NPS in three ways:

The AdministrativeMail: RecordVHB FileMetro is also on a compact disc upon request. Key project documents DC,available LLC are also available on the Kenilworth Park Landfill SiteComments webpage: Attn: KPL Proposed Plan Public https://www.nps.gov/anac/learn/management/kpls.htm 1001 G Street, N.W., Suite 1125 Washington, DC 20001

Public comment period: The 90-day public comment period begins on November 12, 2020, and will Email: Donna_Davies@nps.gov close on February 10, 2021. The ROD will include a summary that responds to all significant comments (202) 359-3234 received during thePhone: comment period (including comments received at the public meeting).

Please note that all comments received, as part of the Administrative Record File, will be made available

for inspection by the general public, and copies may beother provided to members of the public. If you submit Providing your comments: Comments on the proposed plan and documents contained in the a comment that includes personally identifiable information, you may request in your comment that NPS Administrative Record File can be submitted to NPS in three ways: withhold that information from the public. However, NPS cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

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point to distrust rooted in centuries of racist behavior, such as the 1932 Tuskegee Syphillis study. However, Tuckson said, the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine has been heavily scrutinized by medical professionals from the historically Black medical schools and professional societies to ensure safety. Black professionals are participating at the highest levels of decision-making. For instance, President and CEO of Meharry Medical College Dr. James E. K. Hildreth sits on the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will review the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for approval this month. Two of the four historically black and minority-serving medical schools, the Morehouse School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College, were identified as clinical trial sites and by September were in the early stages of volunteer recruitment. But critics, including the presidents of the two other schools, the Charles R. Drew College of Medicine and Howard University College of Medicine, pushed for researchers and the medical industry to engage the remaining schools as well. All four medical school presidents co-authored an editorial for the New York Times in which they argued for increased engagement with the schools and more diversity in trial participation as key to the acceptance and ultimate success of the vaccine. “The paucity of diversity in these clinical trials creates problems on two fronts: treatment and trust,” the authors wrote. A spokesperson for Howard confirmed that plans were underway for a clinical trial, but was unable to disclose the name of the pharmaceutical company or the vaccine involved. “Since the pandemic began, Howard has been working to help get care to the Black community,” she said, noting that Howard had

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established two testing locations in Wards 7 and 8. “We will continue our service to the community through the participation in a vaccine trial to reassure everyone that the process is safe and that we are being represented in the research.” Tuckson said that he hopes people will consider the consequences if a vaccine is not available soon. He points to the approximately quarter of a million people who have died of the disease as of December 1, and the misery and suffering caused by a pandemic that he said is out of control. “With people of color so disproportionately affected by this, if there’s any community that ought to be rooting for a safe and effective vaccine, it’s the African American community, because we’re dying in such high rates,” Tuckson said. Lane is ready to take the vaccine before it is approved, saying leaders in the Black community need to step up to demystify the science behind vaccines. He said he has received mixed reactions to his decision to participate in the trial, from expressions of distrust to gratitude that he is willing to put his own health on the line. Many have thanked him for showing leadership by example. He said he understands the reservations, many of which he shares. But, he said, he advises members of the African American community to balance their needs against their fears, and to follow the science. “Don’t listen to rumor; find the truth,” Lane said. “Because if we live in the past, then we will die in the future.”

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Get data and learn more about District efforts to control the Coronavirus by visiting https://coronavirus.dc.gov/. Get information from the Black Coalition Against COVID-19 by visiting https://blackcoalitionagainstcovid.org/. Register for more information on clinical trials by area, and register to participate in a trial for a COVID-19 vaccine by visiting The National Coronavirus Volunteer Screening Registry at https://www.coronaviruspreventionnetwork.org/ ◆ E AST

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The Old Man of Anacostia Thank You for Your Service, Chief Newsham by Philip Pannell

fter 31 years of being on the DC police force, three of which he served as chief, Peter Newsham is stepping down this month. Throughout the nation many police officers and chiefs are either retiring or leaving the profession. However, Chief Newsham is not one of them. He is leaving DC to become police chief in neighboring Prince William County. These are tough times to be a police officer. Because of the too many murderous actions of some rogue cops over the years, the revulsion and horror of most African Americans hit the boiling point this summer and Black Lives Matter became a movement. However, some activists have exploited the justified calls for justice and policing reforms to sharpen their anti-police rhetoric and engage in actions that are damaging to the community. These words and actions of some socalled community activists have reached the point that it borders on the pathological and some of them are in immediate need of psycho-social interventions. Earlier this year a DC activist posted on social media that businesses should not allow police officers to use their restroom facilities. Have police/community relations broken down to the point that such a recommendation should be taken seriously? Recently former president Barack Obama characterized defund the police as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;snappy sloganâ&#x20AC;? that is turning off voters in droves. Although Joe Biden has won the presidency, conservative Republican candidates across the country effectively used that slogan in political attack advertisements across the nation and the Democrats experienced down ballot losses in droves. It is time that our community be realistic about the need for the police while at the same time demanding that all force used be justified, recorded, investigated and, if necessary, litigated. Policing is an honorable profession and most cops are not bad people. Cops should be expected to do right for the community and those who go beyond the call of duty should be acknowledged and awarded. Not all police deserve our respect, but not all police deserve our scorn. While there are many residents, activists and elected officials who have had problems with Chief Newsham, he, like so many DC police, deserve the courtesy of being thanked for putting their lives on the line for the community daily. In the case of Chief Newsham, it has been 31 years. I thank him for his service. Philip Pannell is a long time Ward 8 community activist. He can be contacted at philippannell@comcast.net. u

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Making Good on DC’s Climate and Renewable Energy Goals by Catherine Plume

f you had to pick a color for DC, what would it be? While some US cities balk at action to mitigate global warming, other are embracing carbon reducing strategies - creating jobs and cleaner air for their residents. Often, residents aren’t aware of these changes that are improving the quality of life – for humans and wildlife. DC is a case in point. In January 2019, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018, one of the most ambitious clean energy bills in the US today. The bill sets a mandate of 100% renewable electricity use by 2032. The Sierra Club DC Chapter is just one group working to ensure that DC meets these goals. Lara Levison, the Chapter’s Clean Energy Committee Chair notes, “This groundbreaking law gives us an enormous boost toward achieving the District’s ambitious but essential climate and clean energy commitments. The Sierra Club DC Chapter is working with the Council and DC agencies to implement these policies and build upon them as we face up to the climate crisis.” Specific bill goals include: • Mandating 100% of electricity sold in DC comes from renewable sources. • Doubling the required amount of solar energy deployed.

It’s easy to moped yourself to a greener DC! Photo: C Plume

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• Making improvements to the energy efficiency of large (new and existing) buildings. • Providing energy efficiency, weatherization, and energy assistance to low/moderate-income residents. • Requiring all public transportation and privately owned fleet vehicles to be emissions-free by 2045. • Funding the DC Green Bank for private investment in clean energy projects. Despite the pandemic and its economic set-back, DC is making progress on these goals.

Renewable Energy Options

Solar arrays can be installed on many DC roofs and have a payback period of only four-six years. A number of DC-based compaThere’s solar everywhere in DC! Photo: C Plume nies provide solar array installation services. Improving Building Energy Efficiency While homeowners with these soThe Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 also relar arrays see an immediate reduction quires that large buildings that currently fall below mein their electricity bills, income-chaldian energy efficiency increase their efficiency 20% by lenged residents often can’t afford the 2027. DC’s energy efficiency standards will be released upfront installation costs. DC’s Solar in early 2021, and these requirements could pose a chalfor All program covers these costs for lenge to affordable housing units as the energy savings lower income households. Meanwhile may not entirely cover the cost of the needed investthose DC residents who can’t install ments. To address this issue, the clean energy law sets solar arrays (due to shading or because aside $3 million per year starting in 2022 to assist afthey don’t own a house) can purchase fordable housing providers and rent-controlled buildrenewable energy through a renewable ing owners in making these upgrades. energy provider while Pepco continues to deliver electricity to their home. And Pepco itself is slowly getting into Greening the Fleet the game and will be adding a small DC is also making investments in a greener fleet. The percentage of renewable energy to its DC Circulator began purchasing electric buses in 2018. electricity sources by 2024.

The 3000 Series electric Proterra E2 Catalyst buses are US-manufactured and 100% battery powered. Each of these buses has zero emissions, eliminating thousands of gallons of diesel use while reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and noise pollution. Meanwhile, the District is adding hybrid and hybrid-electric vehicles to its fleet while low/no-carbon transportation options such as Capital Bikeshare, scooters, and mopeds are ever more available in DC neighborhoods.

A Green Bank

Finally, DC’s Green Bank is a reality! This bank will leverage private investment, remove up-front costs, and accelerate energy efficiency improvements that will deploy clean energy in DC. An Executive Director has been hired, and the bank is now in its startup phase. Tommy Wells, Director of DC’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) is pleased with the District’s progress on these goals, noting, “The Clean Energy DC Act was our down payment on achieving Mayor Bowser’s goal to make DC carbon free by 2050. As of 2018, we have already cut carbon pollution by 27% since 2006 and thanks to policies to save energy in our buildings and transition to cleaner sources of electricity, we are on track to achieve our goals while creating jobs, cutting air pollution, and improving the health of our residents.” So what color is DC? There are many right answers, but it’s certainly getting greener. Catherine Plume is a lifelong environmentalist, a writer, and 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, however, perspectives expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent the positions of that organization. ◆

CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THROUGH COVID19

• Face-Mask Donation Program

• ‘Wellness on Wheels’ every Wednesday: General Health//COVID19 Testing// Free HIV Screening

Wellness on Wheels FREE Flu Shots

• Provision of Perishable and non-Perishable Groceries • Virtual Youth Arts and Tutoring Programs

FACE-MASK PRODUCTION INITIATIVE Donation of Reusable Face-Masks: Most of our efforts are focused on making masks for donations, with a focus on Ward 7 and Ward 8 seniors and families in need. place your order here for your contactless delivery https:// faunteroycenter.org/covid19-response/ or contact the Center. Commercial Reusable Face-Mask Orders: Proceeds from commercial orders will be put back into the mask donation initiative. Order your custom masks to show your pride and brand for family events and activities, church groups, company branding, schools for children and staff, etc. We are able to add logos, names, slogans and designs you provide to us, numerous colors are available in comfortable PolyCotton or Black Muslin. You can place your inquiry here https://faunteroycenter.org/commercial-face-mask-orders/ or call the Center.

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Our River: The Anacostia Winter Walks Along Our River by Bill Matuszeski

f the level of COVID-19 and political anxieties make you feel like you need some quiet time, consider a relaxing walk along the Anacostia either alone or with a friend. There are five suggestions.

Frederick Douglass Bridge

First, you should see close-up the progress being made in construction of the new Frederick Douglas Memorial Bridge. Beginning this spring, the bridge will take South Capitol Street over the Anacostia in six lanes of traffic and separated double lanes for bikers and wide walks with overlooks. The walkway over the south side of the old bridge is still open and as you walk or bike across you get spectacular overlooks of the construction and what to expect. Other parts of this $441 million project will be removal of the old bridge and the addition of large traffic ovals surrounding active park areas at each end. Enter from Anacostia by following the signs in the park along the River to the path under the old bridge lanes and curving to the left onto the old bridge walkway. From Capitol Hill enter the bridge on the right side walkway at the intersection of Potomac Avenue and South Capitol Street below the baseball stadium. The views over and through the construction are themselves spectacular and extend out over the Potomac and beyond. Frederick Douglas Bridge – The New from the Old

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Buzzard Point

Nearby the bridge is an area that is undergoing remarkable and long-overdue change. Starting at about P St. SW and heading south is Buzzard Point, a longneglected and underused part of the city. Among the many stories giving Buzzard Point its bad name is the claim that it is where, in the time before cars and trucks, the dead horses were dragged and left for the buzzards and their friends to dine on. True or not, it has a long history of underdevelopment with a few industrial sites and little more, even though the western portion down to Greenleaf Point is comprised of the very attractive Fort McNair. There are Buzzard Point Mural two existing anchors – the new Audi Field Soccer Stadium on the north and the attractive James Creek Marina on the south. Between these is a level and pace of development that is remarkable to see. New apartment complexes are underway with plans to provide over six thousand units. With broad riverside walks and planned “bustling gathering spots”, the new development is being pitched as “The Final Jewel in the Riverfront Crown.” New elements are arriving at quite a pace. One recent addition is a spectacular block-long mural painted by Kaliq Crosby and Rose Jaffe. Located at the end of the old PEPCO substation north wall facing the soccer stadium., it honors iconic figures in DC history, including Frederick Douglas, Marvin Gaye and Eleanor Holmes Norton. By the way, the plan is to keep the huge stacks on the PEPCO site, which will become a type of community center. There is a lot to see and a lot going on in old Buzzard Point.

Poplar Point

For those seeking a more peaceful walk with more exposure to nature, there is another site in the same neighborhood as the new bridge and Buzzard Point. On the Anacostia side of the bridge and north along the River to the 11th Street Bridge is an area called Poplar Point. Over the years it has seen a lot of use: it was a Navy depot from the mid-20’s until 1993, with other parts used to grow trees. For decades there have been plans to develop the area with housing, but nothing has emerged. It is also the location of the Park Service offices that oversee all the agency lands and facilities along the River. But whatever the future holds, for now the most pleasant aspect of Poplar Point is that the Park Service has allowed the natural meadows to return undisturbed to the riverfront, in many places a hundred feet or more between the walk and the River, with occasional paths through the grasses and other growth to the river’s edge. In the winter especially, it is a remarkably pleasant mix of plants in shades of brown and tan and green in a variety of sizes and shapes and natural groupings. The sidewalk along the meadows is straight along the road and there is little traffic. All is calm, all is bright!

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Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on the Anacostia side of the River is the only National Park Service site focused on water plants. Since most of the attention is to the lotuses and related plants when they are in bloom in summer, the Gardens are quite and peaceful in winter with respect to the number of visitors. But they are alive with bird and animal life, the animals mostly in the ponds and the birds out over the marshes, which are accessible by wooden boardwalks. The latest bird count is 236 species! These are the largest isolated marshes in the area so they attract both native and migrating birds of all types. There is also a very pleasant quarter mile trail out to the Anacostia from the center of the Gardens.

National Arboretum

The National Arboretum is comprised of 440 acres of plants of every kind. There are three different places where the winter wanderer will get a special reward for seeking out nature. First, there is the trail to Mount Hamilton, the high point of the Arboretum that is reached by turning right at the R Street entrance and heading up the grade a short distance to the parking lot on the left and the trail to the top. Because Hamilton is covered in thick forest, there is no view from the top while the trees have leaves. But in winter the leaves drop and the spectacular view of the city

opens up, with the Capitol and the Washington Monument in the distance. Definitely worth the climb. Second, there is Springhouse Run, a recent project by staff and volunteers to take an old drain for a storm sewer coming under New York Avenue and heading for the Anacostia, and recreating a natural stream valley where it can cleanse itself and spread out and attract all manner of fish and other animal life, all on its way with the now cleaner stormwater to the Anacostia. There are trails throughout the stream valley and much to see and learn about what we can do to capture nature’s ability to do good. Finally, there are the Asia Gardens in the area overlooking the Anacostia. These are fun to explore in winter for the views that open up and for the collections of rare Asian plants that are often in flower when nothing else can be found. Plus there is a nice trail down to the River for those who want to extend their visit. Those are all places waiting for you to brighten your winter days and show you many things you might not otherwise see in the course of a year. And just getting out and away is a big part of it! So enjoy! 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 Friends of the National Arboretum and on Citizen Advisory Committees for the Chesapeake and the Anacostia. ◆

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neighborhood news

Meet Meredith Jacobs Food Truck Vendor and Volunteer

s a Georgetown University graduate, Meredith Jacobs did not plan to become ensconced in Ward 7 and morph into an entrepreneur within the food industry. It just sort of happened. “I came to D.C. to go to college and only became interested in the food business and this specific area after interning at the Southeast White House,” said Jacobs, 29, who has resided East of the River for the last seven

Meredith Jacobs and Babette Williams.

by Anthony D. Diallo

years, first in Fort Davis and most recently at her present address in Penn Branch. This spot has proven to be an ideal location to live, practice philanthropy and operate her growing food truck business, Granny’s Kitchen.

Early Life

Jacobs was born in South Carolina to parents who originally hailed from Alabama, which remains the home of Jacobs’ beloved seventy-something year old grandmother, Lill Allen, who is heralded as a gifted cook and who was instrumental in developing Jacobs’ love for creating mouth-watering southern cuisine. Her time in South Carolina was brief as Jacob’s parents, international missionaries, moved the family to Nepal, an exotic Asian country nestled between China and India. Jacobs did not return to America until she arrived at Georgetown U. in 2009 where she earned an undergraduate degree four years later in International Business.

L to R: The Granny’s Kitchen food truck. Southern breakfast. Satisfied patrons of Granny’s Kitchen with Meredith Jacobs (left).

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The Southeast White House – DC Dream Center

Jacobs began volunteering at the Southeast White House after graduation after she was introduced to the nonprofit through her church. DC Dream Center (DCDC), housed in 10,000 square feet of new construction, opened in 2017 as an extension to the Southeast White House located at 2909 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Where the Southeast White House concentrated on providing meals and mentorship to families in Ward 7, DCDC offers the same services plus legal aid, an after-school program, community computer lab, indoor basketball court and a dance studio among other services. DCDC is located behind the Southeast White House at 2826 Q Street, SE. Jacobs honed her culinary skills by working in three restaurants between the years 2014 and 2019. She started as a team member and eventually worked her way to manager at the Shake Shack. She was a server and trainer at Farmers and Distillers and a server at All Set. It was during a chance encounter at the Southeast White House that Jacobs met another volunteer, Babette Williams, the main cook. They quickly became friends. Jacobs knew that she had found a culinary kindred spirit after tasting the retired Howard University caterer’s scrumptious homemade meals. “I met Meredith one night after cooking for all the volunteers that were working for the Southeast White House,”

said Williams. “That night we sat down and talked and talked. She liked my cooking and asked me if I would help her when she finalized her plan to get a food truck. I said sure!” The women have formed a solid partnership and have worked together ever since as food truck operators.

Granny’s Kitchen

That was the impetus for Granny’s Kitchen and the two women working together to bring southern comfort food to a Ward 7 clientele. Jacobs and Williams rolled out the food truck in January 2020, naming the business after the woman whose “food and spirit inspired me to go into hospitality.” The food truck has become quite popular with Ward 7 residents. On Sundays, it is located at 3200 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, on the side of the Shops at Penn Branch from 8 to noon. Their breakfast menu—which can be found on Instagram (@grannyskitchendc), their website (www.grannyskitchendc.com) and Facebook (Granny’s Kitchen)—consists of such tasty options as salmon cakes, turkey sausage, pancakes and different types of omelets. In addition, Granny’s Kitchen caters events. To make an order, contact Jacobs at meredithj@grannyskitchendc.com. “We take this food seriously. Not all food is nutritious. It is very important for young people to develop a palate for fruits and vegetables. Granny’s Kitchen

Babette Williams and Meredith Jacobs

exists to provide nutritious meals, foster an atmosphere of reconciliation and offer holistic economic opportunity to the (Ward 7) surrounding community,” Jacobs said while emphasizing the company’s three mottos: nutrition, reconciliation and opportunities. Retired university professor and native Washingtonian Judy Walton has known Jacobs for five or six years and appreciates the fact that “it is southern cooking but not with the health challenged ingredients. I use little, if any, salt in my own cooking. Meredith and Babette do not use any (unnecessary) salt. That would be detrimental to the needs of our people. She’s very sensitive to the community and the customers’ health needs. The quality of the food is good and tasty, the portions are a good size and the prices are affordable.”

Next Steps

The pandemic has delayed but not derailed the ultimate dream that both Jacobs and Williams envision for Granny’s Kitchen. The plan was to have a physical brick and mortar establishment that would allow Williams to expand her menu to include African, Caribbean, Chinese and Mexican cuisine along with the additional soul food entrees like chicken and dumpling, catfish, pepper steak, liver and onions, meatloaf and perhaps even chitterlings. “Our original goal was to have a permanent location in Ward 7. We were talking about having a rental commercial kitchen space, like an incubator, that would help start other businesses…COVID-19 has definitely altered the hospitality business. There is so much good community work going on by so many different organizations East of the River, but we also need businesses that will step up and offer real world employment opportunities, on the job training and mentorship to those in our own neighborhoods that are ready and willing to learn and grown professionally,” Jacobs said. But while the team’s plans may have been delayed, they are determined that they will go forward in 2021. u E ast

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Left photo: Courtesy of DC Department of Parks and Recreation

#FITDC3 Campaign Empowers Residents to Take Control of Their Health

Development Team for Parcel 13 Selected

The Neighborhood Development Company proposal for the development of Parcel 13 on the St. Elizabeths East Campus has been selected. The proposal from NDC envisions a mixed-use project that consists of 421 rental apartments, including 126 Affordable Dwelling Units, that will serve households earning within the 30% AMI and 50% AMI ranges. The project also includes walkable connections to the Congress Heights Metro Station, the proposed Plaza Concept at Parcel 15, and the Entertainment and Sports Arena. The commercial program includes 20,865 gross sq. ft. of land area, with 240 spaces of underground parking. NDC has identified at least two potential tenants, including local restaurant HALFSMOKE and workforce development provider, A Wider Circle. A Wider Circle intends to extend its Workforce Development Program to St. Elizabeth’s for Ward 8 residents.

Holiday Cheer in Congress Heights

On Saturday afternoon, Dec. 19, holiday cheer will bloom through a special visit from the Go-Go Santa Express, which will travel through the streets of Congress Heights with gifts for the community. The Congress Heights Main Street organization and Congress Heights Community Association have invited Community-Based Organizations from all over Ward 8 to come together to create a driving route accessible by families in their cars to view themed decorated Christmas trees across St. Elizabeths. Themes will include an Angel Tree to memorialize our loved ones 24

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

The Bowser administration has launched the #FITDC3 campaign to prepare residents for 2021 and beyond by offering an online health and wellness resource guide designed to make healthy living easier. As the District continues its coronavirus (COVID-19) response and recovery efforts, the need for comprehensive approaches to strengthening immune systems, improving mental health, and adapting to a new and healthier lifestyle is clear. Powered by AETNA, a CVS company, and executed by the Department of Parks and Recreation, #FITDC3 will be a year-long campaign featuring: online fitness content and nutrition information for the body; monthly mental health checks and good habits to adopt for the mind; and virtual fitness events that unite and inspire communities to be their fittest selves. All content and programming are available on the newly launched, FITDC3.33com.

lost to violence, The Cat in the Hat, Healthy Food, Harley Davidson, Women Who Lead, and many more. Residents and visitors alike are invited to drive through the Winter Wonderland, between Fourth Street SE and Sycamore Street, specially curated to bring some socially distanced joy during a tough season. At 2 p.m., two Go-Go Santa Express caravans will depart the Parcel 15 parking lot on St. Elizabeths and travel throughout the neighborhood to bring music and holiday gifts to Congress Heights residents. Santa and the other celebration hosts will make a special drop-off of care packages at 801 East Men’s Shelter & Housing before the event ends at 4 p.m. For more information, visit chctdc. org/HolidaySoul.

Feed the Fridge Provides Free Meals to DC Residents

Medium Rare restaurant owner Mark Bucher has partnered with DC Department of Parks and Recreation to launch the Feed the Fridge program at select DPR facilities. Feed the Fridge places refrigerators stocked with free and fresh restaurant-provided meals across the city to help residents in need. Feed the Fridge meals are “grab-n-go” and no registration or ID is required. Feed the Fridge has installed an initial eight of a planned 20 refrigerators inside

of DPR locations. Refrigerators are sanitized and stocked with 25 meals daily. Ultimately, each fridge will be stocked with up to 100 meals per day. Currently Feed the Fridge locations are Takoma Aquatic Center, Rumsey Aquatic Center, Arthur Clapper Recreation Center, Fort Stanton Recreation Center, Bald Eagle Recreation Center, Raymond Recreation Center, Emery Heights Community Center and Columbia Heights Community Center. dpr.dc.gov.

Holidays at the Capitol Riverfront

The holidays are not cancelled in Capitol Riverfront. 12 Days of CapRiv, through Dec. 20, brings an exciting lineup of festive activities to safely celebrate the holidays in a fun and socially-distanced way during a time when many holiday traditions and events are not possible. From holiday-themed drive-in movies and virtual winter cocktailmaking classes with local restaurant bartenders, to a holiday family photo pop-up and pet portraits with Santa, these two weeks of remixed holiday traditions will keep the reason for the season alive at the riverfront. Activities are open to the public—some free and some

Do you need mortgage assistance due to the effects of COVID-19? DC MAP (Mortgage Assistance Program) COVID-19 is here to help District homeowners stay in their homes during this pandemic. As businesses in the Washington, D.C. region have had to close or reduce staff, the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) recognizes the need to provide assistance to those impacted by the pandemic. DC MAP COVID-19 provides zero- interest monthly mortgage assistance loans that now include the coverage of condo and homeowner association fees up to $5,000 for up to six months for qualified homeowners.

Borrower Qualifications: • Must be borrower’s primary residence and must be located in the District of Columbia • Must have been current as of the March 1st payment (prior to being affected by COVID-19) • Must be able to document income affected due to COVID-19 • Borrower must be the borrower on the home loan, not just a member of the household • Must show proof that the borrower is not eligible for forbearance or other types of relief offered through the servicer and/or Hardest Hit Funds • If borrower is still affected after the CARES Act ends, then relief may be offered at that time (See additional terms)

For a full list of borrower qualifications and loan terms, visit

www.dchfa.org/homeownership

DC MAP COVID-19 financial assistance will be granted on a first come, first served basis until the program allocation has been exhausted. Homeowners seeking assistance through DC MAP COVID-19 should call 1-833-429-0537 to begin the process of applying. Questions regarding DC MAP COVID-19 may also be emailed to DCMAP@dchfa.org.

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ticketed, with proceeds going to local neighborhood charities and food-support charities throughout the District. capitolriverfront.org/ do/12-days-of-capriv.

National Christmas Tree is Open to Visitors

The National Christmas Tree at President’s Park was lit on Dec. 3. Due to COVID-19-related public health concerns, the National Park Service and National Park Foundation did not host a live audience this year. The tree area is open to visitors through January 1.

WINTERFEST at Wunder Garten

Through Sunday, Dec. 20, Wunder Garten, 1101 First St. NE, hosts its fourth annual WINTERFEST holiday pop up festival. Find everything

from Christmas trees, holiday craft activities, Santa Pet Photos, seasonal beers and warm cocktails. The Giving Tree Christmas tree lot is back selling a wide variety of fresh-cut trees-from Frasier Firs, Balsam Firs, Douglas Firs, White Pine, Scotch Pine and Blue Spruce. Parking is available through PMI (entrance on L Street). Giving Tree hours are Mondays thru Thursdays, 4 to 8 p.m.; Fridays, 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 9 p.m. There will be Drag Queen Bingo, Drag Queen Trivia, and Holi-gay parties hosted by DC’s very own Queens, Crystal Edge and Katrina The Hurricane Colby. Also, WINTERFEST will host a variety of popup restaurants throughout the season. Masks are required for entry and no more than six people at a table. Wunder Garten hours of operation are Mondays to Thursdays, 4 to 10 p.m.; Fridays, 3-to 10 p.m.; Saturdays to Sundays, noon -to 10 p.m. wundergartendc.com.

“As a painter, I find that I can communicate without talking, but through feeling and emotion. As a self-taught artist, my work can be categorized in different forms, but is frequently classified as abstract.” Dwyane Eugene Martin

Rise at Honfleur Gallery

The exhibition Rise features the work of Dwyane Eugene Martin, a DC native whose art focuses on the connection between feeling and color, highlighting the emotions they invoke. Rise is a word he uses to describe his journey as an artist thus far. Breaking through the constraints of self-doubt, hopelessness, and fear, he continues his rise. At the Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE, through Jan. 9, 2021. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday by appointment. Contact Jess Randolph to schedule appointments via email at jess@thedchive.com.

Temporary Lane Closures Pennsylvania Ave SE

Perri Gaffney

The Essential Theatre Presents The Resurrection of Alice

The Essential Theatre has launched the first in a series of virtual performances. The Helen Hayes Award nominated one-woman show, “The Resurrection of Alice,” is its first presentation available thru Jan. 10, as a Pay-What-You-Can on-demand performance run. Written and performed by two time Helen Hayes Award nominee, Perri Gaffney, the play is an exceptionally heartwarming, funny and poignant exploration of a young girl’s journey into a pre-arranged marriage with a much older man to financially sustain her family during the great depression of the 1930’s. Recommended for audiences aged 17 and older for its mild sexually suggestive situations. Tickets are available at theessentialtheatre.org or call 800-868-3006. 26

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM

DDOT is scheduled to temporarily close lanes of traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue from Fairlawn Avenue to 27th Street SE for roadway repairs. The contractor is authorized to work Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Construction is scheduled to be completed by Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020, weather permitting.

Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period

DC residents are urged to enroll in the Affordable Care Act state-based health insurance marketplace. Open enrollment runs through Jan. 31, 2021. For coverage to be effective Jan. 1, 2021, residents must enroll by Dec. 15, 2020. There are 25 private health insurance options from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente for residents to fit all budgets--15 of the available 25 health plans will have lower premiums than in 2020. District residents can enroll in a health insurance plan online through DCHealth-

Marshall Heights Community Development Organization reaches out to Ward 7 with:

DC HOPE DC STRONG Link.com, or by calling 855-532-LINK [5465]. Some residents will qualify for reduced premiums. Small businesses--as well as individuals and families eligible for Medicaid--can enroll through DCHealthLink.com throughout the year.

Updated DC Travel Guidance

Mayor Bowser has issued Mayor’s Order 2020-110, which modifies the requirements for visitors coming into Washington, DC and District residents returning to DC from any state or country that is not considered “low-risk.” Requirements for visitors coming into Washington, DC from a jurisdiction with more than 10 cases per 100,000 people include: Before you travel, get a test. If you test positive, don’t travel. Get tested within 72 hours of traveling. If you are a close contact of a confirmed positive case, don’t travel. If you are visitor to DC for more than three days, get tested within three to five days of arrival. Exceptions are visitors from Maryland and Virginia, essential workers and family emergency. coronavirus.dc.gov.

Take a Survey to Shape Future of Parks and Recreation

DPR has released a citywide survey to gather public input to create, “Ready2Play”, a new 20-year parks and recreation master plan for the District. Now live on ready2playdc.com, the survey will be available until Dec. 20, 2020. Residents can also find in-person survey copies at all open recreation centers and aquatic centers. The Ready2Play plan will take a holistic view of parks and recreational opportunities throughout the District, not just at DPR’s existing parks and recreation centers, but also at federal parks, school sites and other locations. Ready2Play will also identify key priorities and initiatives for DPR to pursue, set long-term goals, establish metrics to track progress and help prioritize where and what types of amenities, programs and investments are made. DPR will host community meetings citywide in January 2021. More information on the plan and expected timeline is available at Ready2PlayDC.com. Residents can send any comments, questions, or concerns directly to DPR by emailing ready2play@dc.gov. (continued on pg 33)

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east washington life

Jay Coleman

Jay Coleman with maquette of Loveful Hands

Public Artist by Phil Hutinet

ost of us have seen Jay Coleman’s work around DC probably without even knowing it. From the bronze casts along DC’s Walk of Fame at the Howard Theater to his large-scale mural of Marion Barry in Historic Anacostia overlooking I-295, Coleman has left his mark all over town. The former DCPS educator and full-time artist has lived east of the river his entire life—well, almost. Coleman took his first breath in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, in a small steel town called New Kensington. Coleman’s out-of-state birth had been planned all along. His mother sought the medical services of New Kensington’s town physician, who also happened to be her father. But Coleman, who, briefly played goalie for the Fort Dupont youth ice hockey league, is no Pittsburgh Penguins fan! He is a DC native through and through. “I represent DC and wear it on my chest! The majority of my work is here and it gives me a lot of joy to give back to this city,” he says. Coleman lives in Eastland Gardens. A graduate of the Corcoran School of Art, Coleman is focused mostly on two-dimensional work. A prolific artist grounded in representing the human figure, Coleman’s work is sought after by public art commissions and collectors alike. Coleman’s studios are located in Brentwood, Maryland just over the DC line in the Gateway arts district in an old mid-century warehouse that backs to CSX’s commercial rail line. It is here where Coleman began his explorations into sculpture, working closely with the late sculptor Joanna Campbell Blake. Blake worked on a number of monuments around the country including the World War II Memorial and “Undaunted in Battle” which commemorates the War of 1812 at the intersections of Route 1 and Route 202 in Bladensburg, Md. With the help of Blake’s mentorship, Coleman’s transition into three dimensional mediums filled him with newfound confidence to try his hand at creating large-scale, three-dimensional public art. Coleman’s first large-scale sculptural work, titled “Communessity” took several years to complete and faced several delays caused mostly by red tape and finding a local foundry to cast the bronze sculpture. Anchored in concrete and centered prominently in the outdoor courtyard of Barry Farm’s rec center, “Communessity” depicts the “fist bump,” popularized by President Obama. Coleman found inspiration in the African proverb “The youth can walk faster but the elders know the way.” Seeking to inform the community of the importance inter-generational understanding, sympathy and cooperation, “Communessity” depicts two fists, one of a child and one of an adult, in motion, bumping, indicating a partnership between young and old. For Coleman, the bumping also represents the transition from youth to old age and ultimately, humanity’s longevity. Just last month, Coleman was awarded a commission for a large sculpture that will prominently occupy the public plaza at Eastern Market Metro. Titled “Loveful Hands,” the work depicts two hands “Communessity” at Barry Farm Recreation Center. Photo: Phil Hutinet 28

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that create a heart shape. Coleman explains, “I thought about the times that were in. We need to see something that we relate to. We need to have a conversation about unconditional love.” Both “Communessity” and “Loveful Hands” use fists and fingers to create manual gestures as expressions of unity and love. In describing the use of hands in these works, Coleman says, “Hands are just as expressive as eyes. With hands there is no ethnicity. When another human sees another human being there is a cognitive response that is familiar.” While Coleman is enjoying his success as a sculptor, he continues to produce murals. DC Department of Government Services has commissioned Coleman to create a series of works in elementary schools east of the river. Coleman’s experience and passion as a pedagogue resonates in this series. For example, in his mural at Houston Elementary School, prominently centered in the painting, a quote from the school’s namesake, Charles Hamilton Houston, reads “Without Education, there is no hope for our people and without hope, our future is lost.” In November, Coleman completed a mural on a commercial building at the behest of the owner who sponMarket Mother. Photo: Courtesy Jay F. Coleman sored the work. Located on Elmira Street SW just off South Capitol Street, the mural takes up the entire length and height of the sprawling building. Still not titled as of this article, the mural exemplifies Coleman’s mastery of portraiture. Set on a black background, Coleman rendered four of DC’s beloved figures--Marvin Gaye, Petey Greene, Chuck Brown and a younger Marion Barry. Painted in white, the four ghostly figures seemingly emerge from the wall. The only element Coleman painted in full color is a fist, undeterred by shackles and a wire ties, rising defiantly from the middle of the mural. It should be noted that Coleman can just as easily scale his work to fit gallery walls. This summer, a dual exhibition at Honfleur Gallery curated by Duane Gautier alongside painter Eglon Daley titled “Convergence” served as a sort of retrospective of Coleman’s paintings. It included multi-generational themes, an acknowledgement of the African Diaspora and hope for the future seen through the city’s youth. You can learn more about Jay F. Coleman and his work by visiting www.jayfcoleman.com. Learn more about the EMMP “Loveful Hands” project by visiting https://dgs.dc.gov/page/eastern-market-metro-park-project Phil Hutinet is the publisher of East City Art, DC’s alternative art source. For more information visit www.eastcityart.com. ◆

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east washington life

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

170 Elmira St SW 415,000 127 Danbury St SW 414,000 700 Bonini Rd SE 407,000 FEE SIMPLE 166 Forrester St SW 403,000 ANACOSTIA 837 Yuma St SE 385,000 2116 15th St SE 578,888 3 4049 Martin L. King Jr Ave SW 305,000 1348-1350 U St SE 450,000 4 404 Orange St SE 305,000 1350 Talbert Ter SE 435,000 3 DAKOTA CROSSING 1635 R St SE 363,000 2 3300 Theodore R Hagans Dr NE 635,000

CAPITOL HILL 620 A St NE 232 9th St SE 125 12th St NE 126 3rd St SE 317 5th St NE 127 North Carolina Ave SE 644 5th St NE 914 C St NE 310 5th St SE 1225 Constitution Ave NE 920 South Carolina Ave SE 430 10th St NE 106 4th St SE 529 14th St NE 1107 D St SE 1230 C St SE 208 11th St SE 648 G St NE 21 7th St NE 1346 D St NE 726 6th St NE 1358 North Carolina Ave NE 608 E St SE 17 15th St SE 534 13th St NE 631 L St NE 825 E St SE 1828 Potomac Ave SE 711 A St NE 1367 E St SE 1011 C St NE 530 4th St NE 617 Lexington Pl NE 1233 Maryland Ave NE 219 14th Pl NE 1 Walter Houp Ct NE

2,800,000 1,850,000 1,600,000 1,500,000 1,400,000 1,307,500 1,253,000 1,250,000 1,235,000 1,225,000 1,195,000 1,190,000 1,155,000 1,137,500 1,124,500 1,100,000 1,069,000 1,020,000 1,015,000 1,005,000 920,000 913,500 899,000 890,000 890,000 880,000 878,500 840,000 825,000 800,000 791,000 761,000 750,000 710,000 675,000 662,500

CAPITOL HILL EAST 623 14th St NE 1649 C St NE 1407 K St SE

1,389,000 800,000 710,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 129 Raleigh St SE 32

440,000

6 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 4 3 4 4 5 3 3 3 3 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 1 4 3 2 4

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3 3 4 3 5 2 3 3

DEANWOOD 5905 Eads St NE 4408 Gault Pl NE 125 57th St SE 5308 Central Ave SE 801 55th St NE 5116 Sheriff Rd NE 139 57th Pl SE 50 53rd St SE 4717 Eads St NE 928 52nd St NE 4403 Hayes St NE 4512 Eads Pl NE 5101 Sheriff Rd NE 5086 Jay St NE 851 50th Pl NE 5512 Blaine St NE 840 52nd St NE 302 55th St NE 207 54th St NE 929 48th St NE 5337 Hayes St NE 4119 Gault Pl NE 4252 Dix St NE 4228 Eads St NE

606,000 560,000 540,000 539,990 525,000 505,000 504,000 502,500 455,000 435,000 430,000 430,000 418,000 415,000 415,000 389,000 385,000 375,000 360,000 350,000 349,000 327,000 305,550 299,900

FORT DUPONT PARK 1301 46th St SE 4203 H St SE 1703 Fort Davis St SE 4373 F St SE 1233 44th Pl SE 3236 E St SE 1311 SE 45th Pl SE 4351 G St SE

489,900 449,900 429,000 356,900 325,000 276,000 275,000 272,000

FORT LINCOLN 3642 Wright Ter NE 3716 Hansberry Ct NE

675,000 665,000

H STREET CORRIDOR 657 K St NE 825 8th St NE 812 12th St NE

1,300,000 1,275,000 920,000

4 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 4 4 3 2 4 4 4 3 3

729 K St NE 327 K St NE 1226 Linden Pl NE 1312 I St NE

915,000 900,000 827,500 780,000

HILL CREST 2210 30th St SE 2132 31st St SE 3311 Carpenter St SE 3344 Alabama Ave SE 3012 Alabama Ave SE

755,000 695,000 650,000 610,000 480,000

HILL EAST 235 16th St SE 272 15th St SE 1009 15th St SE 1342 K St SE 1637 Kramer St NE

980,000 860,000 799,000 734,000 649,900

KINGMAN PARK 516 24th St NE

550,000

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

LILY PONDS 648 Barnes St NE 327 34th Pl NE 198 35th St NE

510,000 439,250 330,000

MARSHALL HEIGHTS 5028 B St SE 5096 Kimi Gray Ct SE 4715 B St SE 5445 B St SE

455,000 415,500 412,000 385,000

NAVY YARD 1029 5th St SE 927 5th St SE

1,057,100 647,000

OLD CITY #1 1300 I St NE 501 L St NE 1315 Corbin Pl NE 900 10th St NE 636 15th St NE 1029 6th St NE

1,420,000 1,100,000 829,000 816,500 812,500 800,000

3 3 3 4 3 3 2 4 2 0 5 3 3 4 4

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DCPSC Offers Free Home Weatherization

325 18th St NE 1420 South Carolina Ave SE 1527 Constitution Ave NE 706 4th St SE 1611 Massachusetts Ave SE 822 13th St NE 1652 F St NE

790,000 699,950 690,000 647,000 635,900 625,000 520,000

RANDLE HEIGHTS 1821 T Pl SE 1444 Smith Pl SE 2000 Trenton Pl SE 3447 24th St SE 2031 Alabama Ave SE 3413 21st St SE 1889 Alabama Ave SE

505,000 450,000 430,000 419,500 405,000 354,000 350,000

3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 3 3 3 3 3

FAIRFAX VILLAGE

3925 Pennsylvania Ave SE #301 125,000

FORT DUPONT PARK 3960-3960 Penns. Ave SE #108 229,900

H STREET CORRIDOR 1000 I St NE ##1 714 11th St NE #302 660 Morton Pl NE #5 1111 Orren St NE #100

899,000 465,000 450,000 275,000

HILL CREST 2032 Fort Davis St SE #B

224,000

NAVY YARD 70 SE N St SE #406

70 SE N St SE #408 TRINIDAD

545,900 537,900

1255 Owen Pl NE 901,000 4 OLD CITY #1 1109 Owen Pl NE 824,900 4 1105 7th St NE #2 799,900 1405 Trinidad Ave NE 815,000 4 1526 Massachusetts Ave SE #1 745,000 1228 Orren St NE 795,111 3 254 15th St SE #3 565,000 1245 Owen Pl NE 788,000 4 1025 1st St SE #104 439,900 1210 Owen Pl NE 788,000 4 1007 Maryland Ave NE #101 435,700 1422 Morse St NE 786,000 3 14 15th St NE #14 415,000 1347 Queen St NE 750,000 4 410 15th St NE #26 350,000 1336 Levis St NE 720,000 3 1209 G St SE #4 128,146 1515 Queen St NE 640,000 3 1832 L St NE 515,000 2 RANDLE HEIGHTS 1228 Owen Pl NE 475,000 3 1725 28th Pl SE #B 355,000 1026 18th St NE 405,000 4 1723 28th Pl SE #A 295,000 2472 Alabama Ave SE #B1 65,000 3107 Naylor Rd SE #201 56,450 CONDO

BARRY FARMS 3287 15th Pl SE #102

247,500

CAPITOL HILL 1341 Maryland Ave NE #103 1,000,000 901 D St NE #206 844,000 56 15th St NE #56 701,000 615 D St NE #1 680,000 1391 Penns. Ave SE #309 650,000 900 11th St SE #405 507,500 1449 A St NE #B 456,000 408 Seward Sq SE #5 448,000 410 15th St NE #14 429,000 1209 G St SE #6 425,000 1710 Gales St NE #5 402,500

CAPITOL HILL EAST 1832 D St NE #1 1220 Potomac Ave SE #8 1821 I Street NE #13

613,000 560,000 540,000

CONGRESS HEIGHTS 3874 9th St SE #102 742 Brandywine St SE #303

120,000 90,000 239,000 160,000

3 4 1 2 0 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 1

moveDC 2021 Feedback Sought

Do you drive, walk, bike, ride a bus, or take a train in the District? DDOT needs your feedback for moveDC, the District’s long-range multimodal transportation plan, which will set the 25-year vision for the transportation system. Share your vision for the city’s transportation system by providing comments on interactive network maps, participating in telephone office hours, watching a recording of their virtual town hall, and participating in an online survey. Visit movedc-dcgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/resources. You can also learn more and share your ideas by email at movedc@dc.gov or phone at 202-599-7371.

$100 Million “Bridge Fund” to Support Hospitality, Entertainment, and Retail Industries

Mayor Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development have announced the Bridge Fund, a $100 million investment in businesses and workers grappling with the COVID-19 public health emergency in the hospitality, entertainment, and retail sectors. Through the Bridge Fund, the District will strategically invest to sustain the hospitality, entertainment, and retail industries to help mitigate the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on workers and businesses. Funds will be disbursed via four programs: Restaurant Bridge Fund, $35 million; Hotel Bridge Fund, $30 million; Entertainment Bridge Fund, $20 million; and Retail Bridge Fund: $15 million. For more information, visit coronavirus.dc.gov/page/recovery-businesses.

DOEE Guide Helps District Residents Weigh Solar Financing Options

The Bowser Administration, through the Department of Energy and Environment has TRINIDAD 3 3 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 1

issued a guide that shows District residents how to use solar energy to reduce their util1315 Trinidad Ave NE #2 700,000 3 ity costs. The Consumer Solar Finance Guide, developed in partnership with the Clean 1267 Penn St NE #B 694,000 2 Energy States Alliance (CESA), can help residents make informed decisions in a mar1255 Penn St NE #4 650,000 2 1255 Penn St NE #1 599,900 2 ketplace where the price of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system is dropping dramatically, 1244 Raum St NE #4 550,000 3 but there are myriad installation and financing to sort through. The guide does not cov1714 West Virginia Ave NE #4 425,000 2 er technical considerations related to photovoltaic system siting, installation, and inter1016 17th Pl NE #404 414,900 1 connection with the electricity grid. As part of the Guide’s launch, DOEE is holding a 1230 Meigs Pl NE #4 410,000 2 Solar Financing 101 informational webinar for residents Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. 1016 17th Pl NE #500 390,600 1 Register at eventbrite.com/e/solar-financing-101-tickets-128678606175. doee.dc.gov. 1016 17th Pl NE #403 354,900 1 1104 Holbrook Ter NE #1 350,000 2 1016 17th Pl NE #205 339,900 1 DC’s COVID-19 Hotline 1016 17th Pl NE #206 339,900 1 District residents who are homebound due to COVID-19 can request support from 1016 17th Pl NE #103 329,900 1 1016 17th Pl NE #6 284,900 1 the District for food and other essential items. Call 1-888-349-8323 or visit coronavi1830 I St NE #1 283,250 1 rus.dc.gov/gethelp.

Nationals Park is now a COVID-19 Testing Site COOP CAPITOL HILL 516 A St NE #101

590,000

CAPITOL HILL TOWER DEANWOOD 4407 Gault Pl NE #1 210 43rd Rd NE #303

The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia kicks off its annual Winter Ready DC campaign from November to March to encourage District residents to prepare their homes for winter to help avoid high utility bills. District residents can receive a free weatherization kit and learn about resources and assistance programs to help manage their utility bills. To receive a kit, you must be a District resident and sign-up at dcpsc.org/winterreadydc. Kits will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. The free weatherization kits are designed to help seal air leaks in your home, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency and comfort in your home. The kits include door/window weatherstripping, foam pipe insulation, foam switch and outlet gaskets and a window insulation shrink kit.

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1000 New Jersey Ave SE #202 500,000

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Nationals Park has opened as a new COVID-19 testing site. You can get tested in the GEICO Garage, 16 N St. SE, on Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. If you are going to any District testing site, please pre-register at coronavirus.dc.gov/register. You will provide your insurance information when you pre-register online and you will not need to show your insurance card at the site. If you provide insurance, you will not be charged a copay. Testing remains free, and no one will be turned away or denied testing if they do not have insurance. u E ast

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kids & family

by Kathleen Donner

Season’s Greenings in 2020

The United States Botanic Garden will have expanded online programming and limited holiday decorations this year. Festive adornments, winterberries, lights, and greenery will be placed in the Terrace Gardens and Bartholdi Park through Jan. 10, 2021. There will not be a train display this year, and the Conservatory and gated outdoor gardens remain closed time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Audubon for Kids

In many ways every child is born a scientist--exploring their world, leading small experiments, asking questions, searching for answers. That innate curiosity and drive to inquiry is what Rachel Carson, the groundbreaking conservationist and author, called a sense of wonder. “A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement,” she wrote. “It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.” Audubon.org/get-outside/Audubon-for-kids aims to bring together activities from across Audubon’s national network of environmental educators. These activities can be done at home or in a yard or park, sometimes with the help of a computer. The goal isn’t to teach a child how to name and identify bird species, but rather to give them space to explore and feel connected to the natural world. If you’re a parent or caretaker, that means you don’t need to worry about your own knowledge of birds or plants. All you need to be is a companion to your child’s curiosity. u

The Garden’s free annual holiday concerts will stream online this year. Festive concerts of seasonal music will feature Chelsey Green (classical, R&B, and hip hop fusion) on Dec. 8; Cantor Arianne Brown (Chanukah and world music) on Dec. 15; Chris Urquiaga “JChris” (pop, R&B, and Latin) on Dec. 22; and Veronneau (acoustic jazz with a global twist) on Dec. 29. The concerts will premiere at 5:30 p.m. on the Garden’s website at USBG.gov/HolidayConcerts and on the USBG Facebook and YouTube channels.

ZooLights Express Visits DC’s Eight Wards

ZooLights Express—powered by Pepco—will bring the colorful glow of Washington, DC’s beloved Smithsonian’s National Zoo holiday tradition into the community. Festively decorated with light displays and featuring “Panda Claws,” the 24foot ZooLights Express truck will hit the road, visiting one Washington, DC ward each Friday and Saturday night from 6 to 8 p.m. Here’s the remaining city schedule: Dec. 5 (Ward 4), Dec. 11 (Ward 5), Dec. 12 (Ward 6), Dec. 18 (Ward 7) and Dec. 19 (Ward 8). Usually held onsite at the Zoo for the past 13 years, ZooLights has been reimagined into ZooLights Express, a distanced and safe way to bring joy and bit of holiday sparkle. Specific ZooLights Express routes are posted on nationalzoo. si.edu and shared on social media encouraging people to watch for the truck in their neighborhood. u 34

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Mosaic Theater’s Inaugural High School Playwriting Contest

Submissions are now being accepted for Mosaic’s Inaugural playwriting contest which is open to all students in grades nine through twelve currently enrolled at DC and Prince George’s County public and public char-

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SPECIAL ISSUE/ PRE K- 12 COMING JANUARY 2021 A Resource for the Education and Enrichment of Students in Washington, DC

ter high schools. Students may compete in as many as three categories of any genre and topic (though a student can only win in one), determined by length and cast size of play: a monologue of up to 10 minutes; a multi-person play of up to 10 minutes; and a multi-person play between 10 and 20 minutes in length. Each category will award first, second and third prizes, accompanied by $300, $200 and $100, respectively, to be announced Jan. 28, 2021. The top three plays in each category will enjoy a live-

End Meeting

Greater DC Diaper Bank Celebrates a Decade of Diapers

PUBLICATION DATES: HILL RAG 1/2 | EAST OF THE RIVER & MIDCITY DC 1/9

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING?

CONTACT YOUR SALES REP TODAY: 202-400-3508 KIRA X16 I CAROLINA X12 I ANDREW X19 I MARIANA X20 A CAPITAL COMMUNITY NEWS PUBLICATION I CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM 36

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

The Greater DC Diaper Bank has just marked its 10th anniversary and is inviting individuals, families and groups to help celebrate and support their work to provide essential goods for babies and families throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia. Interested individuals, families and groups can help by hosting its first Give A Little, Change A Lot! Virtual 5K event, which can be run, walked, skated or danced. The only rules are to complete a 5K through the end of this year and have fun. Individuals and businesses can host a diaper drive or spend a few hours volunteering. Since its founding in 2010, Greater DC Diaper Bank has served tens of thousands of families and has distributed more than 12 million diapers. This year, GDCDB is on track to distribute more than seven million diapers. For more information, visit greaterdcdiaperbank.org. u

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Inspiration: Big Ideas Make for Big Music

The National Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts are full orchestra concerts for school groups, grades 3-8. Each season, these performance demonstrations introduce students to the instruments and musicians of the orchestra, as well as musical concepts and curated selections from the orchestral repertoire that connect to educational themes. Hear/view them at kennedy-center.org/ypc. u

streamed performance hosted by Mosaic in late February, featuring a company of professional actors and directors. For a list of rules, formatting guidelines, writing prompts and to submit, visit mosaictheater.org/on-the-move. Submission deadline is Dec. 15, 11:59 p.m.

Natural History’s Perish or Evolve Board Game

Natural History’s Perish or Evolve Board Game was developed by artist-illustrator Hannah Bonner and the Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems Program, Smithsonian Institution. The set-up is similar to Chutes and Ladders--you use chips and a die

Lights on the Bay at Sandy Point State Park

Through Jan. 2, daily, 5 to 10 p.m., Lights on the Bay features a two-mile scenic drive along the Chesapeake Bay with approximately 70 animated and stationary displays illuminating the roadway, including traditional Maryland-themed favorites, holiday and children’s displays. Enjoy from your car at $20 per car; $30, passenger vans; $50, buses. Lights on the Bay benefits the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. Sandy Point State Park, 1100 East College Pkwy. (off Route 50, at exit 32, near the Bay Bridge), Annapolis, MD. lightsonthebay.org. u 38

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DC Prep campuses now accepting applications for the 21-22 school year in ward 5, 7 & 8. We’re the highest performing public charter schools serving PK3 – 8th grade.

Call 202-780-5126 for more information or visit:

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Pre-K 3 through 5th grade Building a strong foundation for learning

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR ALL GRADES FOR 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR ADDITIONAL LOTTERY FOR STUDENTS WITH HIGH LEVEL SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS.

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Open Houses School Year 2020-2021 *All sessions will be virtual using ZOOM video conferencing. To register please call (202) 695-2393 or email info@bridgespcs.org to get information on how to join the session.

English

Friday 10:00 am - 11:00 am January 15th & 24th February 5th Tuesday 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm January 26th February 16th

Tuesday 10:00 am - 11:00 am February 23

Spanish

Friday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm January 15th Tuesday 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm January 26th Tuesday 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm February 16th

Tuesday 9:00 am - 10:00 am February 23rd

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to reach the finish. Evolve or Perish, however, also takes you through 630 million years of evolution from life in the sea to life on land. The guidebook explains all the organisms and events in more detail and supports learning about the history of life on our planet. The game can be played by two to four, at two levels--beginner and advanced—and takes 15 to 30 minutes. Download the game, instructions and guidebook at naturalhistory.si.edu/education/teaching-resources/paleontology/evolveor-perish-board-game.

Serve DC Says “Make Fire Safety Fun with Kids”

Build a Kid-Free Zone in the kitchen. Make your own STAY OUT OF THE 36” KID-FREE ZONE sign and serve up safety in the kitchen by following the family cooking safety checklist at nfpa.org. Lead the conversation about fire safety with kid-friendly activities. Go to sparky.org for kids’ games, videos and activities.

National Cathedral (online) Family Christmas Service

On Thursday, Dec. 24, noon to 1 p.m., come one, come all for this joyful service of carols, prayers, and the Nativity story in the Bishop’s Garden—including live animals! Free. Register at cathedral.org. ◆

Virtual Spanish Class Special

To Register Visit: eotrlingokids.com / Programs / Pricing / COVID19 Virtual Dates: Wednesdays | Dec. 16th - Jan. 20th Time: 1:00-2:00 PM Rate: $50 Spanish Classes Dates: Saturdays | Jan 9th - Feb. 13th Time: 1:30 - 2:15 PM Rate: $50

*Or $95 for BOTH DAYS* *Starting March 17th class times will change to: 2:00-3:00 PM and 2:30 - 3:15 PM, respectively for Wednesdays and Saturdays.

FROM US AT EAST OF THE RIVER

Ages: 4 -11

202-599-2251 info@eotrlingokids.com E AST

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D ECEMBER 2020

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XWORD “Singing Greats” by Myles Mellor Across: 1. Shooter’s setting 6. One of TV’s ‘Friends’ 12. Evenings 15. Shameless and corrupt 17. “We, the Living” novelist 19. Dancers move them a lot 21. She beat Bo Bice 24. Cartographic speck 26. Stumbling expressions 27. Celebrity 28. Roman moon goddess 29. Make a quest for 30. Sill of a window 33. Via for office jokes 36. Bauble 37. Tickable things 38. “El Capitan” composer 40. Discourages 43. Basement 46. Flavonoids-rich berry 47. Daytime operas 48. Famous singing duo 53. Gothic author Radcliffe 54. Deli need 55. Crack, so to speak 56. Bridge declaration 61. Cloaked in vine 62. Insult 64. Birchbark 65. “Dream Girls” singer 70. Former Dodger pitcher, Carl __ 72. Daughter of Juan Carlos I 73. Unduly curious 77. Practice piece 80. Less 81. Corinne Bailey ___ Grammy nominee 82. Negligent 84. Not many 87. “The Voice” coach 92. Tiny creature 94. Chemical suffixes

95. Andean animals 96. Nonconformists 99. Flower section 101. Canadian poet, Edwin 102. Sleep (slang) 103. Maj.’s superior 105. Bank vaults 109. Sumptuous 110. Sicilian smoker 112. Jaime Murray, on “Dexter” 114. International Bollywood star (last name) 115. Willow 117. Singers of “Roses” and “Closer” 122. “Chicago” character, Roxie 123. Garage floor blemish 124. Dreams 125. Google Maps dir. 126. Deliberately precious 127. Sounding right

Down: 1. Stands up to 2. On the ball 3. Body area shown in exercise machine ads 4. NHL great 5. __ gow poker 6. Hat 7. Mythical serpent 8. Next to nothing 9. Behave like a human? 10. Sob 11. “Stop right there!” 12. Greek letter 13. Error 14. Organs 16. Guitarist Paul 18. Beneficiary 20. Looks like 22. Beehive State athletes

Look for this months answers at labyrinthgameshop.com 23. Fancy patterned fabric 25. Acknowledgment, for short 31. Sonja Henie’s birthplace 32. Student’s financing 34. Badge 35. Yarn spinner 37. Writing styles 39. Hungarian, Finnish and Estonian 41. Sorts (through) 42. Egg 43. Letters on some Civil War buckles 44. Freud’s one 45. Letter run 46. James who wrote “A Death in the Family” 49. David of ‘’Casino Royale’’ 50. Early 7th C. date 51. Web address

52. Manhattan sch. 57. Neighbor of Iran, abbr. 58. Keel-billed bird 59. Junior, e.g. 60. Date 63. Make even deeper 65. Steeler’s Big QB 66. Rock group from the 70s 67. Furthermore 68. “Bird ___ Wire,” 1990 film 69. Developing 71. Spring (from) 74. ‘Either she goes -- go!’ 75. Lander in Stockholm 76. Abominable snowmen 77. Famous Papa’s first name 78. Earl Grey and Darjeeling 79. “Kill Bill” star, Thurman 83. “The Da Vinci Code” albino 84. Opposite of masc.

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85. Gothic time, for example 86. Extinction verb 88. They produced “Angels of America” 89. Illegal enterprise 90. Like some flights to LAX, abbr. 91. Land for out-of-touch folks 92. Mimosa family shrubs 93. Those who give birth 96. March marchers 97. Graph starter 98. Causing suspension of breathing 99. Having a sharp tip 100. Building extensions 101. Golf Club employee 104. Advertising awards 106. “Super ___” (Rick James hit) 107. Country rocker Steve 108. Cream puff 111. Censorship-fighting org. 113. Parisian pal 116. Road map abbr. 118. Presidential monogram 119. Do like 120. ___meter 121. Knowledge

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East of the River Magazine – December 2020

Articles inside

Notebook

The Bulletin Board

Making Good on DC’s Climate and Renewable Energy Goals

Our River: The Anacostia, Winter Walks Along Our River

Meet Meredith Jacobs: Food Truck Vendor and Volunteer by Anthony D. Diallo

Opinion / The Old Man of Anacostia: Thank You for Your Service, Chief Newsham