#w7cm2012 #dcision12 forum

Conventional wisdom describes Deanwood as "an emerging neighborhood." I for one am tired of being on the cusp. It time for Deanwood to blossom--a return to greatness that recaptures our self-reliance, diverse small businesses, and strong community ties.
Deanwood's historic Contee A.M.E. Zion Church is hosting a town hall and forum for candidates seeking the Ward 7 Council seat. What are we asking candidates about Deanwood's future? - Greater Deanwood neighbors have been fighting oversaturation of liquor stores. Does a candidate have a concrete plan to increase neighborhood-based retail diversity?
- Deanwood is jokingly called Highway to Heaven because there is a church on every corner--traditional and storefront. How do we engage places of worship to include in their faith missions for-profit community improvement proposals?
- How do the candidates view the Eastern Avenue and Southern Avenue border with Prince George's County, MD? a) Can the candidates give an example of working with at least one Prince George's County official or community leader?
- Add your questions to the comment section.
- Bring two more questions and a neighbor to the forum.
Contee AMEZ Ward 7 Town Hall Friday, Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m. Contee AMEZ W7 Forum Final Flyer

#unclelees Owners Plan to Attend ANC7C Public Meeting

According to ANC7C Chair Khaliq Elhillali, the owners of Uncle Lee's Seafood and Liquor, Eun Sun Kim and Peter Jung, have asked to be on the Commission's agenda on Thursday, January 12. This is quite a turn of events since the owners have rebuffed previous requests to attend meetings and to meet with residents and stakeholders.

If you don't come to another community meeting,

you need to be at this one!!

BRING A NEIGHBOR

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 7C

PUBLIC MEETING

THUR., JANUARY 12, 7:00 P.M.

SARGENT MEM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (BASEMENT)

5108 NANNIE HELEN BURROUGHS AVE. NE

AGENDA INCLUDES UNCLE LEE'S OWNERS

(EUN SUN KIM & PETER JUNG)

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7C

4651 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE Suite 2,WDC 20019

202-398-5100, anc7c@verizon.net

Come with your questions, comments, and to meet the owners (and the landlord, Paul Ince). Your presence needs to be seen, heard, and felt.

I'M COUNTING ON YOU!

IDEA PCS EMERGENCY COMMUNITY MEETING #ward7 #deanwooddc #edreform

Shortly before the holidays The Washington Post reported that IDEA Public Charter School, located in Deanwood, was in danger of closing because of poor academic progress.
Mr. Morris Redd, the school's community liaison, alerted stakeholders to a meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the school, 1027 45th Street NE. The email alert is below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Morris Redd	Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 3:17 PM
To: Morris Redd
IDEA PCS EMERGENCY COMMUNITY MEETING Welcome to 2012, Family and Friends: I hope your holiday season was smooth sailing. Additionally, I pray that the best is yet to come! Unfortunately, I returned to rough waters, here at IDEA. I encourage you, however, not to be alarmed. I too believe, the best is yet to come. The purpose of this brief correspondence is to address what ruffled me. You may have heard rumors, speculation, or news reports that IDEA PCS is closing. The truth of the matter is that we were delivered a proposal from the DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB) informing us that our charter is in danger of being revoked. The PCSB has made a preliminary recommendation to revoke the charter of IDEA Public Charter School in 2012 for failing “to meet [our] academic goals and student achievement expectations”. In a nutshell, this means that the school could permanently close its doors after the June 2012 graduation, if we do not immediately and effective address these issues. We are indeed addressing these grave concerns, in house, as we speak. I’ll share some of our strategy with you soon. Right now, we are also seeking your support in this fight to stay open. In addition to the families we serve, you, our partners, friends, and stakeholders, can paint the true picture of the value that IDEA brings and of the good work we do here (in Deanwood, in Ward 7, and throughout the City). On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, we will conduct a Community Meeting to address our supporters on this matter. There, folks will find out what IDEA is doing to address the PCSB’s concerns and how you can help. We will also discuss what we do not want you to do. For now, I would very much like for you (or a representative) to be at IDEA for that important meeting. Secondly, I’m asking that you bring a letter of support from your Office/Organization, sighting the cooperative relationship that we have shared. Specific examples and warm stories are wonderful tools in demonstrating value. I’d be more than happy to assist with your draft, if you’d like. You can give examples such as: Our providing student and adult participants in one or more of your programs; Our bringing your organization into our school to provide a wider audience for your products/services; Student service learning projects, or color guard performances that we have partaken; Our coordinated support of your agency’s programs and initiatives (financially, programmatically, or otherwise; Our opening of our doors for community meetings and other events; Etc. The letter can be addressed to the school’s Executive Director, Norman N. Johnson at IDEA Public Charter School, 1027 45th Street, NE – Washington, DC 20019. NOTE: What we are not asking you to do is petition, lobby, or otherwise antagonize the Public Charter School Board. We do not want letters or calls going to them on our behalf. The PCSB is an independent Chartering Authority who has merely identified some issues that we, as a school community, must address. So, again, PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD FOR ANY REASON ON OUR BEHALF. We are handling this as professionally, comprehensively, and expeditiously as possible. Thanks for your continued support. I hope to see you at the Emergency Community Meeting on tomorrow, Wednesday, January 4 at 6:30 PM. Be blessed, Morris

#UncleLee's Part IV...the saga continues #deanwooddc #ward7

Yes, it's me again. Back with another riveting edition of "Deanwood Plays Hardball with Liquor Stores."

You'll remember from previous episodes community members fought valiantly to STOP Uncle Lee's from getting a class A liquor license. The store would be the twelfth liquor store in the greater Deanwood neighborhood (Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7C). While that effort was not successful, we did get rid of the illegal vendor. We've also gotten much needed police and government attention at the Eastern-Sheriff-Division intersection. Since April, Commissioner Sylvia C. Brown, Commissioner for the area in which Uncle Lee's is located, has established relationships with the Prince George's County Police Department District III and with Maryland State Senator Joanne Benson (D-24) who represents the area across from Uncle Lee's. Brown has become a regular at the police's monthly Coffee Chats at Wegman's and Senator Benson's monthly Greater 202 Coalition breakfast.

The backdrop to the community's hardball civic activism was the District's fiscal year 2012 gap closing. One of the proposals to close the gap was a one percent increase on alcohol taxes, up to 10%. The trade-off was liquor stores could stay open until 12 midnight. In light of the extended hours and community members' vocal and persistent opposition to the liquor store, conventional wisdom would take that Uncle Lee's owner(s) would be on it's p's and q's--working with the police and the community to report and stop negative behavior, such as litter, loitering, and public drinking. The store, however, has not been very...let's say forward-thinking.

In late November, the store owner representative, contacted Commissioner Brown offering "to make peace" because of intentions to file the Application for Minor Modification with the Board of Zoning; the store is requesting to extend its business hours to 12 midnight. According to the application, Uncle Lee's is now "very clean and safe."

Au contraire, mon frere...

Beer cans, containers, and broken railing

Leftover hard liquor singles

According to MPD's Calls for Service Report there are over 50 calls for service to the store's address and that's starting the count from April 2011. Additionally, I wouldn't say these pictures give credence to the clean claims.

The Board of Zoning Adjustment is scheduled to hear the extended hours application on January 10, 2012. Fortunately, the 7C Commission voted to oppose the modification application. Community members will be represented in full force at this hearing. If you'd like to weigh-in opposing extended hours for Uncle Lee's email Board Secretary Clifford Moy or call him at (202) 727-0348.

Contact the Commission at 202-398-5100 or by email to confirm the hearing. All Hands on Deck to improve and promote our quality of life.

TONIGHT: W4 WMATA COMMUNITY MEETING #eotr

Metro seeks input on W4 Route

Riders are encouraged to attend one of the following public meetings to provide your input on the services that are being evaluated:

• Thursday, December 8: 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Contee AME Zion Church, 903 Division Avenue NE.
• Tuesday, December 13: 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Petey Greene Center, 2907 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE.

The meetings will take place in an “open house” format where participants can stop by any time between the beginning and end of the meeting to offer their input. 

If you cannot attend the sessions you can provide your input and feedback through WMATA's online survey.

WMATA Begins North-South EOTR Bus Line Study

Metro seeks input on W4 Route Service

Join neighbors and WMATA at the community forum on December 8, 2011, 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Contee AME Zion Church, 903 Division Avenue NE. The W4 route (Deanwood-Alabama Avenue) is the only north-south, one-seat ride connecting Ward 7 and Ward 8. 

In early spring neighbor Veronica Davis convened an east of the river transportation summit.  At the summit, WMATA bus planner James Hamre shared the agency was considering changes to the W4 line that included,

• Improve frequency of weekday off-peak service from 33 minutes to 22 minutes
• Improve Saturday frequency of service from 31 minutes to 25 minutes
• Reduce crowding and waiting time
• Annual operating cost=$0.5 million
• No fleet change

WMATA wants to hear from stakeholders, like you, about these proposed enhancements.  Are they spot-on?  Does the agency need to go back to the drawing board?  Does the agency need to add more enhancements?  Some of the changes I'd like to see include moving from a schedule to a headway, putting fare boxes at stores (e.g., 7-11, Uncle Lee's or Jock's), and requiring Wal-Mart/A&R Development to pay for improvements.

Bring your kudos, criticisms, needs, and wants for better transit service for Deanwood and East of the River.

Deanwood Recreation & Library Center...9 months later

Last week, Councilmember Muriel Bowser, Chairman Committee on Libraries, Parks, and Recreation, toured the nine-month old Deanwood Recreation Center and Library.  Bowser, who is also Ward 4 Councilmember, was taking the opportunity to talk with community members and frontline staff to gain perspective on upcoming budget and planning hearings.

Public Oversight Roundtable: Summer Programs and Aquatics Readiness of the Department of Parks and Recreation

Monday, April 11, 11:00 a.m.

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Room 123

(Federal Triangle Metro)

The roundtable will inquire into the Department of Parks and Recreation’s preparations for the efficient administration of the agency’s summer programs, including arrangements to commence operation of all 31 outdoor aquatics amenities. As soon as District schools adjourn for summer, the utilization rates of our DPR facilities greatly increase. As safe, productive environments for District children, it is vital that we ensure DPR is ready to provide first-class recreation activities at first-class recreation facilities during this time. To that end, the roundtable will inquire into the agency’s efforts to hire sufficient staff, especially lifeguards; to prepare physical facilities like pools, spray parks, fields, and tennis courts; the mowing schedule; agency plans for engaging with stakeholders; and a description of all summer programs and camps for
youth, adults, and our seniors. The Committee will also review pending capital projects, Unity Park, summer hiring and other DPR vacancies.

THURSDAY, April 14, 10a - Budget hearing for DPR, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, COUNCIL CHAMBER (ROOM 500)

MONDAY, April 18, 10a - Budget hearing for DCPL, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, ROOM 412

Deanwood Recreation and Library Center's Opening Day June 2010 was a celebration (and joyous madhouse)!

Deanwood computer lab on grand opening day, June 2010

L-R: Bowser, DCPL Chief Ginnie Cooper, Deanwood resident Beverly Goode, and Deanwood Branch manager Winnell Montague

Bowser's tour coincided with the Deanwood Library's reading time.

CM Bowser listening intently to concerns raised by Deanwood neighbors Yvonne Johnson and David Smith.  Recreation Center Manager Orvin Wright joins the tour.

CM Bowser (c) with Deanwood Neighbors and DCPL Chief and Staff and DPR Manager