June 24, 2021

Coronavirus Update

Dear Neighbors,

After no small amount of Council and community advocacy, the Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced this week that it will end the current
appointment system and return to walk-in operations on July 19th. The
agency will honor those appointments secured by residents through next
month and will continue the appointment system for road tests for
commercial and noncommercial driver's licenses. As the DMV shifts to
reopening at full capacity, there will be special in-person weekend hours
at the 95 M Street SW location and Inspection Station on the following
dates: June 27th, July 3rd, July 11th, and July 18th. On these dates, the
95 M Street SW location will be open from 8:15 am to 4:00 pm, and the
Inspection Station will be open from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm.

And in other good news to share, the Department of Public Works (DPW) has
agreed to my request to cease issuing tickets for rush hour parking
violations along the inactive Connecticut Avenue NW reversible lanes. For
some background, residents were being ticketed for parking along this
corridor during rush hour despite the fact that the reversible lanes, which
are the impetus for the restrictions, are not in effect. DPW is now working
with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to reach a common
understanding of what the rules will be moving forward during this rather
[1]unique situation as the reversible lanes undergo reevaluation.
Additionally, rather than have residents go through the adjudication
process, I have requested that DPW rescind those rush hour tickets already
issued, but nevertheless residents should check on the status of their
individual tickets for this location and contest them if they were recieved
for a rush hour violation.

And on a final happy note, I would like to invite my vaccinated friends and
neighbors to join me in walking in this year's 4th of July Parade in the
Palisades. The return of the parade certainly feels like a strong signal of
the District's reopening and recovery efforts, and I would love for you to
join us in this very special community celebration. If you would like to
walk in the parade with my office, please RSVP to Abigail McLean at
[2][email protected].

Regards,

Mary

Please see [3]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

The Public Health Emergency is currently in place through July 25th, 2021

Get vaccinated TODAY at any of the District's walk-up vaccination sites

[4]

(A big 'thank you' to our intern, Cheyenne, for putting this invitation
together!)

Reminder: DC Kids & Teens Eat Free

Summer Meals Begin - This summer, grab-and-go meal services will be
available for local children and teens in need at several public school
locations throughout the District. Youth are not required to be enrolled at
a DC Public School in order to receive free meals at open meal sites. Up to
three breakfast and three lunch meals may be taken home at a time. The full
list of DCPS summer meal sites is available: [5]here.

Ward 3's Summer Meal Site is open from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at

Wilson High School, 3950 Chesapeake Street NW

Mark Your Calendar: Two Community Meetings on Beach Drive

Offer Input on the Future of Beach Drive - The National Park Service (NPS)
has announced that it will begin an assessment on the potential future uses
of upper Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park. This includes the decision as to
whether NPS will reopen segments of the road to car traffic or continue the
pandemic-induced road closure for pedestrian and cyclist use.

There are two upcoming opportunities for the community to offer input:

Congresswoman Norton's Virtual Roundtable:
* Tuesday, June 29th at 7:00 pm
* For more information, please click: [6]Here

The National Park Service's Virtual Public Hearing:
* Thursday, July 8th at 6:00 pm
* For more information, please click: [7]Here

The Van Ness Main Street & The UDC Present

[8]

[9]

City Wildlife Cautions of Unknown Bird Disease

Unknown Disease Threatens Wildlife - In late May, wildlife managers in the
District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia began receiving
reports of sick and dying birds experiencing [10]eye swelling and
discharge, as well as displaying concerning neurological signs. The
specific disease has not been identified at this time and remains unknown.
It is believed that birds congregating at feeders and baths can transmit
the disease to one another.

As environmental and wildlife departments across affected states continue
to work with diagnostic laboratories to investigate the cause of mortality,
it is recommended that those in outbreak areas do the following:
* Cease feeding birds until the wildlife mortality event has concluded
* Clean feeders and bird baths with a 10% bleach solution
* Avoid handling birds (wear disposable gloves and a mask if handling is
necessary)
* Keep pets away from sick or dead birds
* If you must remove dead birds, place them in a seal-able plastic bag to
dispose with household trash

For sick or injured birds found in the District of Columbia, please contact
City Wildlife at 202-882-1000.

Please Support Ward 3's Food & Cleaning Supply Pantry

Helping Ward 3 Neighbors in Need - The International Women's Democracy
Center and Ward 3 Mutual Aid are looking for volunteers for the Feed the
Family Pantry in Ward 3! The [11]Feed the Family Pantry focuses on offering
fresh produce and cleaning supplies to neighbors in need every Sunday from
1:00 to 4:00 pm at 4225 Connecticut Ave NW (the former Walgreens site right
across from the UDC-Van Ness Metro Station).

For anyone looking to volunteer in-person or to help out remotely, please
email: [12][email protected].

Celebrate Senior Pride with AARP

Pride with AARP - Join AARP DC and volunteers Wes Morrison and Ron Swanda
on Tuesday, June 29 at 5:00 pm for a conversation about coming out in the
70s and 80s, the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Pride in DC, and what
life is like now as an elder LGBTQ individual.

Watch Online Here: [13]www.facebook.com/aarpdc/posts/3992360207480226

Metro Announces Summer Red Line Work Schedule

From Metro - Construction will begin in July on the first of two major
capital projects on the Red Line that will [14]upgrade the tunnel
ventilation system and repair deteriorating platform canopies. The work is
expected to cause significant impacts for customers, with around-the-clock
single tracking and station closures. Beginning Saturday, July 17, and
continuing through Sunday, August 29, Metro and its contractor will install
new, more powerful fans in the tunnels between Woodley Park and Cleveland
Park as part of a pilot project to improve tunnel safety in the event of a
smoke or fire emergency.

The 24/7 schedule will help Metro reduce the duration of the project and
minimize the impact to customers. During construction, trains will
continuously single track between Dupont Circle and Van Ness. Crews will
install the necessary infrastructure and new evacuation fans at the base of
the ventilation shafts.

Two weekend shutdowns will also be needed, with free shuttle buses
replacing trains this summer. Additional weekend closures will be necessary
in 2022 to complete the project, commissioning, and safety testing.

July 17 – August 29
* Continuous single tracking between the Dupont Circle and Van Ness
stations
* Trains will operate every 18 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont
* Customers may also wish to use Metrobus Route L2 which runs along
Connecticut Ave between Chevy Chase Circle and Farragut Square as an
alternative

Weekends of August 7-8 and August 28-29
* Red Line trains will operate in two segments: Shady Grove to Van Ness;
and Dupont Circle to Glenmont
* Free shuttle buses replace trains between Dupont Circle and Van Ness
stations
* Cleveland Park and Woodley Park stations closed

Join The Brooks Families Block Party!

[15]

You Are Invited! - The Brooks is hosting a block party for Ward 3 families
next Tuesday, June 29th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. The free community event will
feature lawn games, food, music, and plenty of family fun! If you have any
questions about the event, please reach out to:
[16][email protected].

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

The District Ranked Among Best in Nation for Tree Canopy Equity

[17]

From DCist - D.C. Gets High Marks For Tree Equity — A ‘National Success
Story’

"Nationwide, wealthy areas have 65% more tree canopy compared to
lower-income neighborhoods, according to a new “tree equity” project
created by the nonprofit group American Forests. The new project, which
includes [18]interactive maps, shows D.C. does have a disparity in tree
cover, but the city is doing better than many other cities, and much better
than it was doing 20 years ago. The project gives D.C. a tree equity score
of 91 out of 100 — among the best in the nation."

[19]Read the Full Story

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to reach us via phone through our main line at (202)
724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services
requests.

[20]Facebook [21]Twitter

FOLLOW MARY

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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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