Is ANC 4C going through the motions or will they actually take community input? (Community Opinion)

/
Is ANC 4C going through the motions or will they actually take community input? (Community Opinion)

A Community-Submitted Opinion Article
Today, after significant pleading from a long standing community resident, three ANC commissioners released the draft resolution.  While I am grateful that the ANC Commissioners finally heeded the advice of community members to be more transparent, the proposal continues to fall short and does not sincerely address the concerns of those most impacted by the DDOT proposal.

Read More

Honeymoon Chicken addresses facilities issue, hosts Community Social Hours to engage with the neighborhood and answer questions

/
Honeymoon Chicken addresses facilities issue, hosts Community Social Hours to engage with the neighborhood and answer questions

“As some of you may know, we encountered pest challenges six weeks ago. We extend our sincerest apologies to each and every member of our community as we understand this may have impacted your trust and confidence in us and we want to address the situation directly and openly.

We invite you to join us next week for Community Social Hours, Monday 10/2 through Thursday 10/5 from 4-5 pm. You'll get to enjoy a free meal (either a 2-piece combo or your choice of sandwich), meet our team and get all your questions answered.”

Read More

What's going on with the election in 4C05?

/
What's going on with the election in 4C05?

The election for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Single Member District 4C05 is the only competitive race in 4C, pitting current Commissioner Paul Johnson against newcomer Brittany Kademian. Johnson serves as the commissioner for ANC 4C07, but his SMD will change to 4C05 with the changes to the boundaries next year.

Without question, this is a race filled with controversy and disagreement.

Read More

Either DGS lied or they can't figure out how to explain a "fix" (Editorial Op-Ed)

/
Either DGS lied or they can't figure out how to explain a "fix" (Editorial Op-Ed)

On Wednesday, August 25th, staff from the Department of Government Services (DGS) led by Director Keith Anderson, took Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and some of her staff on a tour of Powell Elementary to review a new, “temporary fix” for the school’s broken HVAC system. But when asked to clarify the fix… DGS has no answer.

There is no HVAC fix.

Read More

Op-Ed: A fact-based plea for those hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine

/
Op-Ed: A fact-based plea for those hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine

I’ve been listening to their various concerns and have put together a list of facts from reputable sources that hopefully can be used to dispel some fears. If you’re on the fence, I hope that you can use this list to either change your mind about getting a COVID-19 vaccine or share the information to your family and friends so they can change their minds.

Read More
/ /
, , ,


submit to reddit

We're hyperlocal-only news, but are you kidding me?

/
We're hyperlocal-only news, but are you kidding me?

I take it as both pride and necessity to only cover local Petworth area news, avoiding national and citywide news. There’s plenty of news outlets who cover both, and they do amazing work. Petworth News is most definitely not my full time job: it’s a hobby, a way to give to my community, and what I call my “bad habit keeping me up at night” writing articles, sharing tweets, etc. I have a full-time job, a family, other things I do. If I covered more than local, it would take all my time. So, I draw a line. Local new only, and only when I can.

As so many are, I was horrified by George Floyd’s murder. I felt powerless, angry, disgusted, frustrated, depressed.

Read More

Op-Ed: Parents succeed in getting DC to install a safer surface for Petworth playground

/
Op-Ed: Parents succeed in getting DC to install a safer surface for Petworth playground

Thanks to the advocacy of parents in our community, the renovation of the Petworth Playground will include a wood fiber surface instead of a poured-in-place rubber surface. We couldn’t be more excited for the expected reopening this summer. I know my family is going to appreciate the two adjacent playgrounds for different ages, the shade structures and birthday pavilion. The new surface will fit the nature theme nicely. And yes, for the first time, we will have swings!

Read More

Op-Ed: Why neighborhood parents need to speak-up for a safer Petworth Playground

/
Op-Ed: Why neighborhood parents need to speak-up for a safer Petworth Playground

So like many parents, I was shocked to see news reports surfacing this past spring that independent testing had found extremely high levels of lead in the synthetic rubber “poured in place,” or PIP, playground surfaces at several DC schools – the same type of surface my kids play on at Petworth Park.

Read More

Op-Ed: The DC Council must include Howard University Hospital in the United Health Services agreement

/
Op-Ed: The DC Council must include Howard University Hospital in the United Health Services agreement

The DC Council should reconsider the current plan for the East End hospital as it does not include provisions for Howard University’s doctors, residents and medical and other health professions’ students to provide services and training. (Opinion)

Read More
/ /
,
,


submit to reddit

Op-Ed: A special election and a special opportunity to improve our democracy

/
Op-Ed: A special election and a special opportunity to improve our democracy

Low voter turnout in DC elections has myriad causes. From the lack of competition within the dominant Democratic party to the influence big donors have on politicians’ priorities, there are deep systemic issues that need to be addressed. While we do that work, there are immediate changes we can make to our elections that are likely to increase participation.

Read More

Socialize and exercise with evening walks to help clean up Petworth

/
Socialize and exercise with evening walks to help clean up Petworth

I’ve worked in national parks and volunteered with hiking clubs to clean up natural areas. In these settings, there’s no question that litter cleanup is a good and noble thing to do. So why do we have such a problem doing this where we live? Why do we close our eyes to the wrappers and cans lining the sidewalks we walk everyday?

A guest op-ed by Erin Gleeson.

Read More

Here’s to Roosevelt High: an alum looks at the school’s opening

/
Here’s to Roosevelt High: an alum looks at the school’s opening

On Friday, August 19th, I drove north on 13th Street towards Roosevelt Senior High School for the official ribbon-cutting. There ceremony was set up to unveil, as Councilmember Brandon Todd described the newly renovated school, the city’s “$140 million investment.” As I got closer to my destination, the steeple of the school came into view; I was filled with mixed feelings. I knew it would be the beginning of a new era for my alma mater. 

Read More

Op-Ed: If a tree falls in Petworth and nobody hears it

/
Op-Ed: If a tree falls in Petworth and nobody hears it

(Ed note: Local resident Tom Burnett writes the following op-ed, with the hope to share thoughts about an old tree that he loved — and what it means to be a good neighbor.

Every day on my way to work I pass a beautiful, enormous black walnut tree in a back alley of Petworth. It stands watch over our rowhouses like a gentle giant, residing here since before our neighborhood was built over a century ago. Its trunk is so stout that it would take two people to wrap their arms around it.

To my horror, on my way home this week, I observed a work crew hauling away its decapitated branches, leaving nothing but a twelve foot tall stump in the ground.

Read More
/ /
, ,
,


submit to reddit