The new proposal, Initiative 82, aims to incrementally raise the minimum wage of workers who receive tips to full parity with the District鈥檚 general minimum wage by 2027.

Under D.C. law, minimum wage is $15.20 per hour. Yet tipped workers only make $5.05 per hour, with the assumption that tips will make up the difference. Ryan O鈥橪eary, an organizer for the national advocacy group One Fair Wage and spearhead of the initiative, said the challenges caused by COVID-19 made people rethink that dichotomy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 clear that the pandemic changed a lot of peoples鈥� perspectives when it comes to work,鈥� O鈥橪eary said. 鈥淚 think it really gave people pause to think about what they really want to do for work and what their time is really worth.鈥�

O鈥橪eary said the support his group is receiving for Initiative 82 already seems to outweigh that of Initiative 77, the 2018 bill that passed as a ballot initiative but was ultimately voted down by council.

Though it faces criticism by some in the service industry, O鈥橪eary said the initiative is well on its way to receiving the roughly 26,000 signatures it needs by March to appear on D.C.鈥檚 June 2022 Democratic primary ballot.

Raise wages or decrease wages?

The last time the federal minimum wage for tipped workers was raised was 30 year ago, to $2.13 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

鈥淭o me, that鈥檚 absolutely ludicrous,鈥� said O鈥橪eary, who is also a former service industry worker.

Initiative 77 relied on a similar argument during its campaign in 2018. Yet while it passed via city-wide referendum 55% to 45%, it was criticized for having the potential to decrease wages rather than raise them.

D.C. law mandates that employers must compensate tipped workers the difference between their wages and the $15 per hour wage if the workers don鈥檛 make the difference in tips.

, according to reporting by Axios. The only difference is language in the new proposal that tips are property of workers and that they will be in addition to their guaranteed wages.

According to O鈥橪eary, many tipped workers in the District already earn more than $15 per hour with tips. Some of those workers argued in 2018 that raising their minimum wage to $15 an hour would dis-incentivize customers from tipping altogether, ultimately costing the workers money compared to their current wages.

Brian-David Daigle, director of operations for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, said he worries Initiative 82 could have the same effect. The Neighborhood Restaurant Group represents 27 businesses in D.C., Virginia, Maryland and New York, including The Roost in Capitol Hill.

Daigle said the current labor shortage has been the biggest challenge for restaurants recovering from the pandemic. If the initiative is implemented and customers are dis-incentivized from tipping, Daigle said, it may be even harder to find workers.

, Daigle worries that businesses may be forced to raise prices to accommodate for the increased guaranteed wages, a prospect that harms all parties.

鈥淎nything that would pay people more is a direction I want to go in. There have been too many years of inequality in the workforce in restaurants,鈥� Daigle said. 鈥淸But] I think there should and could have been more thought and discussion put into the development of the initiative, as it may help some businesses, but will cause catastrophic situations for others.鈥�

Yet O鈥橪eary said one just has to look at states without sub-minimum wages to counter those views.

In California, for example, O鈥橪eary said workers make $13 or $14 per hour in addition to tips, depending on the size of the business. He argued the wage increase there had little-to-no effect on the willingness of customers to continue tipping.

While he also sympathizes with restaurants that may be forced to change business models if the initiative passes, O鈥橪eary said similar accommodations already occur on a regular basis in the service industry.

鈥淏usiness owners have to make logistical changes all the time, for things like seasons, weather, low-business months, and especially for things like the pandemic,鈥� O鈥橪eary said. 鈥淚 have no doubt they鈥檒l adjust.鈥�

Increasing support

Marci Greene is a former waitress who lives in Capitol Hill. She said she didn鈥檛 support Initiative 77 in 2018 because she was concerned that her wages would ultimately decrease if it passed.

While Greene said she鈥檚 still researching the new initiative, she said she鈥檚 become much more open over the past several years to raising the guaranteed wage.

Among other reasons, Greene said the pandemic helped her realize just how low the wages are for such a physically and emotionally demanding job.

released by One Fair Wage and other advocacy groups in September found that 88 percent supported the new initiative. A fact that O鈥橪eary said he鈥檚 encountered regularly throughout the campaign thus far.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 encountered a single worker yet who regretted supporting Initiative 77,鈥� O鈥橪eary said. 鈥淏ut I have encountered many workers who regretted not supporting it.鈥�

The post New initiative to raise DC鈥檚 tipped minimum wage gathers steam, despite familiar criticism first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

鈥淚鈥檓 happy to hear they鈥檙e finally doing something with it,鈥� said Watson, who moved to the area five years ago. 鈥淎nd if the people building it up are doing right by the neighborhood, then all the better.鈥�

After a lengthy selection process, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced earlier this month that three developers were chosen to convert a large swath of Reservation 13 into a vibrant neighborhood, replete with affordable housing, retail spaces and a park. Both the District and some members of the local community say the project is right for Hill East鈥檚 future.

Formerly the site of D.C. General Hospital, the roughly 67 acre lot stretches from 19th Street SE to the banks of the Anacostia River, with RFK Stadium situated nearby. Other than an ill-fated homeless shelter housed in the former hospital, the site remained largely unused since D.C. General closed in 2001.

The District built smaller shelters around the city after finally .

Following their year-long search for developers, the District announced earlier this month that it chose Donatelli Development and Blue Skye Development to jointly build up one section of Reservation 13. R13 Community Partners, a collection of African American-owned companies, was selected to develop another section of the site. The District refers to the plans as 鈥淗ill East Phase II Development.鈥�

Chris Donatelli, president and CEO of Donatelli Development, said he believes his company was chosen, at least in part, due to its ongoing relationship with the District. The company signed an agreement in 2015 to build other mixed-income housing nearby as part of 鈥淗ill East Phase I Development.鈥�

Yet Donatelli said the needs of the community is prescient in both his and the District鈥檚 minds.

鈥淭he city is trying to get as much affordable housing out of this as they can,鈥� Donatelli said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 certain economic consequences for requiring as much as they are, but it makes sense because it’s what the community wants and deserves.鈥�

Donatelli said that about two-thirds of the housing in the entire Phase II project will likely be marked as income-restricted (middle income or lower), with about one-third marked as affordable.

Although the city is not required to receive the local ANC鈥檚 permission, Donatelli said community groups were consulted on what they wanted done with the site.

While the site is now part of Ward 7 due to redistricting, ANC 6B hosted a public presentation of the proposed designs in June.

Capitol Hill Village, a volunteer advocacy organization for seniors, has called for 鈥溾�� 最新蜜桃影像ington Interfaith Network has advocated for the creation of a 鈥溾��

Kelly DeStefano, who has lived in Hill East for three years, said she believes the parties invested in the project are attempting to do right by the community despite the project鈥檚 scope and complexity.

鈥淲e may disagree on how we get there, but I think everyone wants to do what鈥檚 best for the neighborhood,鈥� DeStefano said.

Other plans to develop the area were attempted in the years following D.C. General鈥檚 closure. , a plan by the city to transform the area into a 鈥渧ibrant, mixed-use waterfront community鈥� was shut down in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

as a potential candidate for its second headquarters, but ultimately did not move forward with the idea.

The area fell under Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen鈥檚 jurisdiction until it was redistricted into Ward 7 in 2011. Allen said in a statement earlier this month that the companies with the winning proposals committed to building more housing at affordable price points.

Allen said that while he is still reviewing the plans, he is heartened by the progress made for the site.

鈥淭oday is a major step forward for a project that has stretched on for nearly two decades, offering more concrete details of the vision and hope Hill East neighbors have long held for Reservation 13 to extend the neighborhood from 19th Street to the Anacostia River,鈥� Allen said.

For Andre Watson, the site鈥檚 rock and grass-filled lots and empty buildings represent 20 years of lost potential for the neighborhood.

But, at the end of the day, he said it also represents a big eyesore for him and his neighbors.

鈥淚鈥檓 just glad I don鈥檛 have to look at it anymore.鈥�

The post Development of Reservation 13 is right for community, locals and officials say first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Roughly one in four veterans experienced at least some difficulty in adjusting to life after the military, a rate that nearly doubles among the post-9/11 generation, according to a .

The unemployment rate among veterans is also increasing, according to . Since the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, unemployment among veterans rose in October from 3.9% to 4.2%.

鈥淔inding a job isn’t as easy [for veterans] as it is for my civilian friends,鈥� said Varintorn Wandeevong, U.S. Navy cook based in Bethesda, Maryland. Wandeevong described himself as an advocate for people exiting the military.

Advocates like Wandeevong say access to opportunities and commitment to new life paths is vital to success after leaving the service. But they say some veterans struggle with transferring their expertise into marketable skills, as well as finding purpose or passion for vocations outside of the military

Redefining identity

Part of the problem is the severed emotional connection some veterans have to the military lifestyle, according to Eileen Huck, a government relations official for the National Military Family Association.

Most civilians understand the financial hardships some veterans face when leaving the military, Huck said, but issues stemming from the loss of that connection are not as widely acknowledged.

One such issue, Huck said, is the need for veterans to redefine their personal identities.

鈥淓ven after a short period in the military, the sense of mission and camaraderie is so strong that it can be difficult to establish who you are and what you want after you leave,鈥� Huck said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a challenge to think what comes next.鈥�

Huck, whose husband recently retired after 29 years in the Navy, said part of that challenge is due to the amount of newfound freedom.
Where one lives, wardrobe and hairstyle choices, daily social interactions – decisions that active duty personnel generally don鈥檛 grapple with on a regular basis, Huck said.

鈥淭he ability to make those personal choices is freeing, but can also be intimidating,鈥� Huck said.

Federal services make help available

U.S. Navy veteran Ray Meinhardt uses services offered at the VA, but said he frequently experiences high wait times. He argues the amount of available services is crucial to help veterans succeed.

鈥淎ccessibility is the most important part,鈥� Meinhardt said.

According to Wandeevong, one such overlooked federal program aims to help the thousands of former service members secure jobs. The Veterans’ Employment & Training Service, or VETS, provides free workshops for veterans and military spouses with the goal of reaching consistent employment.

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) first enrolls veterans in a one-day employment preparation workshop, according to its website.
鈥淏efore a service member transitions, they are taught everything that was provided within the military, what the civilian counterparts are and how to apply,鈥� Wandeevong said

The Department of Labor-funded program typically takes place two or three weeks before service members process out of the military, according to Wandeevong. Veterans participate in the workshop with their peers, allowing them to coordinate with each other or their instructors.

Following the initial mandatory workshop, veterans have the opportunity to participate in two additional TAP programs, according to the program鈥檚 website. One program is for career exploration and technical career preparation, while the other is for general employment preparation.

That preparation is crucial, Huck said, because a hurdle that veterans often face when searching for employment is converting their military experience into relevant skills.

An Army infantry veteran for example might have trouble explaining to employers how their tactical or leadership expertise might translate to daily office responsibilities, Huck said.

鈥淢ilitary culture is just different from corporate culture,鈥� Huck said. 鈥淚t takes understanding from both sides to make that transition work.鈥�

Another federal program with the goal of aiding the transition is HIRE Vets Medallion Program, which recognizes more than 800 businesses that invest in recruiting and employing veterans. According to the program鈥檚 website, it is the only federal veteran鈥檚 employment award that honors organizations鈥� commitment to veteran employee retention and professional development.

Wandeevong says that while he advocates for peers to have an employment plan upon exiting the military, job opportunities are not always accessible.

鈥淎ll I can understand right now is that the job market isn’t as open as it’s put out on the news,鈥� Wandeevong said. 鈥淚t’s like pulling teeth sometimes to get an interview.鈥�

Wandeevong said he encourages veterans to use services like VETS and HIRE, which work in tandem to find solutions veterans may need.

The post Life after service: 鈥業t鈥檚 a challenge to think what comes next鈥� first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Fiske, who currently lives with his young family in Virginia, said the situation has not deterred them from looking at Capitol Hill, but has definitely made them think twice.

鈥淐rime seems like it鈥檚 up everywhere, but three shootings in a residential area is a big deal, especially the ones so close to a school,鈥� Fiske said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e keeping our options open.鈥�

are indicative of , along with rising rates of robberies and carjackings. Yet, while Fiske is hesitant, other residents and professionals living and working in the neighborhood say they do not expect the crime to derail the area鈥檚 growth.

, more than 700 homes were sold in Capitol Hill from September 2020 to September 2021, compared to more than 800 during the same period in the previous year. Eric Shirvani, a leasing specialist with Alternative Property Management, said he doesn鈥檛 expect that interest to wane anytime soon.

鈥淭he crime we鈥檝e seen recently is a shame and of course a bad thing, but I think it鈥檚 hard to cite it as a market issue,鈥� Shirvani said. 鈥淭he Hill is still very attractive to people.鈥�

Although he鈥檚 only been working in the area for about two years, Shirvani said he鈥檚 only seen greater year-over-year interest in buying and leasing property in Capitol Hill, even during the pandemic.

Much of the reason, Shirvani said, is because Capitol Hill has many homes within a large residential area. Gentrification and redevelopment in the neighborhood has also caused a groundswell of interest, he said.

While rising crime is a point of concern for the housing market in a particular area, Shirvani said he鈥檚 still very comfortable showing Capitol Hill off to potential new residents.

鈥淒ifferent neighborhoods are impacted in different ways by crime, but in general I think higher crime is also something that needs to be understood and acknowledged before moving to a large city,鈥� Shirvani said.

Brian Ready, chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6B, which oversees Capitol Hill, agrees with the sentiment.

Ready said unemployment, general frustration and declining mental health caused by the pandemic are to blame for the recent crime uptick.

But Ready was quick to emphasize that the rise in violence and thefts is not just a Capitol Hill issue or even a D.C. issue 鈥� it’s a national issue.

鈥淲e had a lot of people displaced and out of work over the past 18 months, and idle hands are the devil鈥檚 workshop,鈥� Ready said. 鈥淚 understand why some people are concerned, but I think it鈥檚 an anomaly.鈥�

Ready said however that both ANC 6B and police are aware of the rising crime and are taking it seriously. Just two weeks ago on Oct. 19, the ANC hosted a gun violence prevention panel where D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, police officials and others engaged with residents on how to address the situation.

Whether efforts by police will satisfy the community remains to be seen, Ready said. But he said steps are being taken to mitigate the violence.

Ready also said it鈥檚 important to note that the crime currently happening in Capitol Hill is nowhere near the level it was during the 1980s or 鈥�90s.

In response to the recent crimes, MPD spokesperson Alaina Gertz said police have deployed visible patrols, engaged with the community through outreach and will continue to work alongside government partners to prevent more incidents of violence.

Gertz said the department also deployed its Community Focused Patrol Unit, a data-driven unit that helps supplement existing patrols in areas that are experiencing higher rates of crime and emerging crime trends.

鈥淲e have seen an increase in gun violence in our city. It is not known, in all cases, what the motive is behind the violence,鈥� Gertz said in an emailed statement. 鈥淣onetheless, MPD is working tirelessly and building upon relationships with the communities we serve to make them safer.鈥�

R. Kevin Mallinson, a 30-year resident of Capitol Hill and recently retired nurse, said the crime increase doesn鈥檛 seem to be affecting the sheer amount of interest in the neighborhood.

Mallinson said homes in his area are going on and off the market at a rapid-fire clip 鈥� three properties near his were sold seemingly within 24 hours, he said.

That competitiveness is also driving Fiske and his family to make a decision on their new home as soon as possible.

鈥淓vents of the past month aside, we really like Capitol Hill, it seems like a nice neighborhood with nice people,鈥� Fiske said. 鈥淲herever we end up, I just hope things will calm down crime-wise before we move in.鈥�

The post Despite rising crime in Capitol Hill, residents and officials say growth of the neighborhood not in jeopardy first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

鈥淎fter the first four or five, I realized it wasn鈥檛 firecrackers,鈥� Teresa said. 鈥淭hen I heard screams.鈥�

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, 26-year-old Aaron Wiggins, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was pronounced dead due to the gunfire on a football field adjacent to the school in Washington D.C.鈥檚 Capitol Hill neighborhood. Just two days later, on the night of Oct. 8, 23-year-old Giovanni Lovelace, of Northeast, D.C., was killed on the 1700 block of Independence Ave. in a shooting that also wounded three others.

The slayings account for the third and fourth homicides within the boundaries of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6B so far in 2021, and the first since May, according to MPD data. But in a neighborhood, and where the rate of homicides is on the rise, local residents say they aren鈥檛 surprised by the sudden back-to-back incidents of fatal violence.

Speaking to ANC 6B commissioners and residents during a virtual meeting on Tuesday night, MPD First District Captain Tatjana Savoy said the shootings are representative of a recent, general increase in crime within Capitol Hill.

Incidents of robberies, burglaries, assaults and homicides in Capitol Hill have all seen upticks within the past month, Savoy said, and police are playing catch up.

Savoy said during the meeting that police in Capitol Hill will make strides in getting guns off of streets, “but then something else just comes along and smacks us in the face.”

Yet the increase of fatal violence within Capitol Hill is the most visible aspect of the recent crime wave.

Between Oct. 12, 2019 and Oct. 12, 2021, the amount of homicides within ANC 6B more than doubled over the previous two year stretch, from four to nine, according to MPD data.

Homicides involving firearms in the area meanwhile more than tripled in the same time frame, from two to seven.

In regard to the shooting near Watkins Elementary on Oct. 6, Savoy said the incident is currently under investigation by MPD鈥檚 violent crime branch. Wiggins and the suspect of the shooting were playing a game of pick-up football together, she said, when the suspect brandished a handgun and fired at Wiggins after an argument broke out between the two.

Savoy added that the firearm used by the suspect was recovered from the scene and that officers working the case are 鈥渕aking positive strives for an arrest.鈥�

ANC Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg also lives about a block away from the field where the Oct. 6 shooting occurred. Unlike Teresa S., Oldenburg said she was asleep in her home when the shots rang out.

In an interview, Oldenburg said an increased police presence in the area may help to dissuade future incidents, but acknowledged that police cannot be everywhere within the neighborhood at once.

鈥淚鈥檝e known for years that there can be problems with pick-up games at the field, especially when there鈥檚 large groups of people,鈥� said Oldenburg, who has lived in the same home for about 30 years. 鈥淏ut we really need to identify why the use of guns is so prevalent in our community.鈥�

Oldenburg emphasized however that while D.C. has seen an increase in crime in recent months, cities across the U.S. are struggling with the same issues.

Teresa Adams, a teacher鈥檚 aid at Brent Elementary School who lives near Watkins, said the shooting is sad, but not shocking.

Adams, whose children used to attend Watkins, said she believes the effects of isolation and worsening mental health caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in the incident.

But, Adams said, the increase of violence in the district is palpable. Both her and her neighbor鈥檚 car were hit by stray gunfire in recent weeks, she said. The shots shattered one of her rear-seat windows and riddled the chassis with bullet holes.

At the end of the day, she said, D.C. is D.C.

鈥淚 grew up on 17th Street, and back then even though there was crime there was a strong sense of community 鈥� people took care of each other. It鈥檚 not like that anymore,鈥� Adams said.

Now, outside Watkins Elementary on Capitol Hill, 鈥渆veryone knows to leave the playground when it gets dark.鈥�

Teresa S. agrees. She said she鈥檚 lived in her neighborhood for about 12 years, and while she usually feels safe, she acknowledged that she鈥檚 become slightly desensitized to crime in the area due to constant alerts from MPD and her Ring doorbell.

Teresa has no plans to move out of the neighborhood anytime soon – she said she enjoys living close to the school, in a normally nice, residential area.

But, she said, she does worry sometimes about neighborhood kids growing up around violence so close to their homes.

鈥淜ids should be able to play without having this sense of danger,鈥� Teresa said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sad – but it is D.C.鈥�

The post After two deadly shootings, Capitol Hill residents, police reflect on crime spike first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

From off-leash dog walking and ghost tours to , Congressional Cemetery on E Street SE in Capitol Hill appears more like a park than a place where relatives are laid to rest. The resemblance is not accidental, according to Jackie Spainhour, Congressional Cemetery鈥檚 incoming new president.

鈥淚鈥檝e never seen its like before,鈥� Spainhour said. 鈥淚 think the cemetery is a neighborhood staple. It really works as an anchor for the Capitol Hill community.鈥�

Spainhour, who has acted as director of the Hunter House Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, since late 2015, said she intends to keep the spirit of community engagement at the cemetery alive once she takes over for outgoing President Paul K. Williams on Nov. 1.

Spainhour was selected following a months-long search for Williams鈥� replacement. After leading the cemetery for nearly a decade, Williams will step down in October to become superintendent of Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown.

Spainhour said the staff and board at Congressional Cemetery, which she described as feeling 鈥渓ike a family,鈥� also personify that community spirit. Many live in Capitol Hill or nearby, she said, while a majority of board members own plots in the cemetery for when they shed their own mortal coils.

Though already attracted to the macabre, Spainhour said that what truly drew her to the cemetery was her interview with the Rev. John Kellogg, rector of Christ Church, Washington Parish, which owns the cemetery.

According to Spainhour, Kellogg told her that he envisioned the cemetery as one of 鈥渞adical welcome.鈥� As a mother to a 6-year-old son with autism, Spainhour said she was sold immediately.

鈥淚 want to reach out to, and create more programming, for people with intellectual disabilities because I think the cemetery can really be a safe space for them to be without judgement,鈥� Spainhour said of her presidency. 鈥淭he cemetery is a calming place for everyone, but I think it’s especially well positioned for people like my son to be and learn in a calm and serene environment.鈥�

Yet the cemetery, founded in 1807, wasn鈥檛 always such a community hub.

According to Director of Sales and Funerals Crystal Palmer, the cemetery was originally the final resting place of many congressmen and their families during the early 1800s. By the late nineteenth century, the cemetery had become neglected and overgrown.

By 1997, the cemetery was in such disrepair that it was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation鈥檚 list of most endangered historic sites, according to the cemetery鈥檚 website.

Yet according to Palmer, the local community knew that the cemetery was full of potential.

Palmer said that what started as a group of concerned citizens cutting the cemetery鈥檚 grass themselves in the early 1990s eventually became the cemetery鈥檚 K-9 Corps, a dedicated group of hundreds of members who pay an annual fee to walk their dogs off-leash on cemetery grounds.

Palmer said the K-9 Corps is much more than just a weekend program for enthusiastic locals, however.

The more than 900 dogs that make up the corps can be seen walking the grounds of the cemetery from dawn until dusk, seven days per week, except during funerals and Saturday afternoons for family visits, Palmer said.

Membership fees from the program currently make up about 25 percent of the cemetery鈥檚 entire operating budget, according to Palmer, and the waitlist for membership can swell to hundreds of individuals depending on the time of year.

鈥淥ur membership here allows the cemetery to thrive, and for the dogs this place is like Mecca,鈥� said Phyllis Young, a K-9 Corps member who has walked her dog Samantha in the cemetery for the past six years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great for dogs, great for socialization and I think it’s great to tell the people buried here that they aren鈥檛 forgotten.鈥�

Spainhour echoes the sentiment.

In addition to greater community outreach and developing more robust fund-raising initiatives, Spainhour said one of her main goals as president is to revamp the cemetery鈥檚 volunteer program for stone preservation.

Preservation is difficult, Spainhour said, and often expensive. To combat the cost, Spainhour said she hopes to draw in experts who can assist with the cemetery鈥檚 preservation program long-term.

Although she initially intended to stay at the Hunter House Museum, Spainhour said her ambition eventually outgrew the facility. In Congressional Cemetery, Spainhour said she feels she found a historic site large enough where both she and it can thrive when she takes over as president next month.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be a placeholder, I want to stay as long as I can be helpful and relevant,鈥� Spainhour said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also important to remember that this truly is a special place. It feels like a duty to keep it going for the neighborhood.鈥�

The post New Congressional Cemetery president to honor site鈥檚 commitment to community outreach first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.