NEWS · 6

The store at 3301 M St. NW. Courtesy Georgetown Cupcake.

NEWS BYTES

BY ROBERT DEVANEY

BODY OF DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOLER RECOVERED FROM RIVER

D.C. police have identified the body of a teenager found in the Potomac River on the morning of Aug. 5. Ceph Christie, age 17, drowned when witnesses said he was trying to swim to a small boat before he disappeared near Thompson’s Boathouse, next to Georgetown. Search crews looked for Christie for nearly two hours, according to WTOP. The Dunbar High School student was a promising star baseball player and often posted on social media about his passion for the sport.

EXPIRED BUSINESS LICENSE CLOSES GEORGETOWN CUPCAKE

The world-famous and popular Georgetown Cupcake at the corner of 33rd and M Street NW was shut down Aug. 10 by the D.C. Health Department. Of course, local, mainstream and social media lit up with past images of customers lined up outside the store and the yellow notice on the door.

The department’s Division of Food notice read in part: “This establishment is closed until further notice for a violation(s) of the District of Columbia food code regulations, which presents an imminent health hazard(s) to the public.” No specific reason was cited on the notice.

Georgetown Cupcake later responded: “Hello. Our business license had expired and that was the cause of the closure. We filed to renew it and hope to be open again as soon as possible. There were no other health code violations. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers.” (The license expired in November 2021.)

WTOP reported, “According to DC Health records, inspectors came to the location for a routine inspection on July 13, and that inspection returned several safety violations, including the presence of mouse droppings on shelves and mold on a Bailey’s Irish Cream container. The business was also told its license was expired and needed to be renewed.”

DC Health later told WTOP: “DC Health returned on August 10, 2022 for a follow-up inspection and noted that all health and safety violations had been addressed; however, they had not renewed their business license causing DC Health to close the establishment.”

Georgetown Cupcake reopened late last week.

Crime and Public Safety

BY CHRISTOPHER JONES

D.C. COUNCIL CONSIDERS ENDING RIGHT-ON-RED TURNS AND ALLOWING BIKES, SCOOTERS TO TREAT STOP SIGNS AS YIELD SIGNS

Following the July 20 death of 40 yearold female bicyclist Shawn O’Donnell of Northwest D.C. who was stricken by a Mack truck at 21st and I Streets NW – the city’s third cycling fatality this year – the D.C. Council’s Transportation Committee approved legislation entitled the Safer Streets Amendment Act of 2022 that would permit bicyclists and scooter drivers to treat stop signs as yield signs, allowing them to roll through intersections, as many already do, rather than come to a complete stop. The practice, known as the “Idaho Stop” and named after the state that first legalized the intersection roll-through – is intended to allow bikes and scooters to keep their momentum up in traffic and be seen more clearly by vehicles near the intersection. The measure is also designed to cut the city’s auto traffic through boosting bike and scooter ridership by reducing ticketing infractions against bike and scooter riders.

More controversial, the same legislation would also ban right-on-red turns for cars in D.C. beginning January 1, 2025, unless DDOT determines the intersection is safe for such turns. Since many vehicle-bicycle or scooter crashes involve drivers looking to their left to merge with oncoming traffic as they turn right where bikes and scooters tend to be, the proposal is intended to cut down on such collisions.

Despite DDOT’s Vision Zero Initiative championed by Mayor Muriel Bowser which seeks to reduce transportation fatalities in the city to zero per year by 2024, fatalities have continued. The Council’s DDOT Committee Chairperson, Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) is hoping this new legislation will help boost safety. “Despite the Vision Zero commitment, our streets remain far too dangerous,” Cheh said in a statement, according to the Washington Post. “This bill takes several important steps to reprioritize streets for people over cars and increase traffic safety for all, no matter how you get around the District.”

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

AUG. 20

DOLLEY DAY AT DUMBARTON HOUSE

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. - Food, ice cream and games in tribute to Dolley Madison, Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW.

AUG. 20

VEGAN DAY, BAKESHOP

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 3210 Grace St. NW.

AUG. 20

SUMMER SATURDAYS: OUTDOOR ART

5-6:00 p.m. – Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW.

AUG. 21

BELLRINGER TRAINING RIDES, CASUAL

8:00 a.m. - (bike touring, all abilities) to prepare for Oct. 22 fundraising ride for Georgetown Lombardi cancer research, National Landing. And, Aug. 28, 8:00 a.m., Bethesda. Contact Ride@BellRinger.org.

AUG. 21

SUNDAY SERENITY YOGA

10-11:00 a.m. Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW.

AUG. 23, 30, SEP 6

GEORGETOWN SUNSET CINEMA

7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Georgetown Waterfront Park.

AUG. 29

NEXT MEETING: ANC 2E

6:30 p.m. – The GeorgetownBurleith-Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission will hold its September virtual meeting. For details, visit anc2e.com.

SEPT. 1

NEXT MEETING: OLD GEORGETOWN BOARD

9:00 a.m. – 401 F St. NW, Suite 312. Filing deadline: Aug. 11, 2022.

SEPT. 13

LANDMARK LECTURE: ENSLAVED AND FREE BLACK ARTISANS AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF D.C.

6:30-8:00 p.m. – Tudor Place, 1644 31st ST. NW.

SEPT. 15

NEXT MEETING: COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS

10:00 a.m. – 401 F St. NW, Suite 312. Filing deadline: Sept. 1.