This walk-up vaccination site is in the District. The other five are spread out among each quadrant of the city.

The library vaccination site is open to all residents ages 5 and up for the Pfizer vaccine. For residents 18 and above, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available and the flu vaccine is available for residents ages 3 and up.

There were nearly 25 people in the basement of the library on Thursday night and a line of a dozen people outside 鈥� around half of them children 鈥� waiting to get in for their shots. Security guards handed people clipboards for them to complete personal information such as addresses and medical conditions. Then residents waited until there was enough room in the basement to get their shot.

When residents were brought inside, they sat six feet apart with masks on while waiting for medical staff to call them over to receive their vaccines. The whole process took about 30 minutes.

Tiana Lawrence, a Petworth resident, brought her two children so they could receive their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. Her son is six years old and her daughter is eight. Lawrence said the new walk-up site is convenient because it鈥檚 close to her home and her children鈥檚 school, so she had time to stop by amid all the holiday planning she has had to do.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me that my kids are protected and same with the rest of my family,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淓veryone in my family ages 12 and up are already vaccinated.鈥�

Lawrence said it was especially important that her children get vaccinated so they can 鈥渞eturn to normal.鈥� She said last week there were only six children in her son鈥檚 class , as opposed to the normal nearly 20 children, because so many of them were not able to get the vaccine and were exposed to COVID-19 or had to be quarantined.

鈥淭his whole thing is really affecting us at home,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淪chool just hasn鈥檛 been the same for them and if this will help, I want to do it.鈥�

Like Lawrence, Tom Pavarini, a 27-year-old Petworth resident, said the new walk-up location was also convenient for him.

鈥淚 just learned about this on Twitter a few hours ago and I was like, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go! Why not?.鈥欌��

NEW: DC Health now has the full schedule for walk-up vaccine sites on so people can plan ahead to get their vaccine or booster!

Note the Start/Last Day for each site so you don’t go on the wrong day.

Thank you for following up on my request!

鈥� CM Janeese Lewis George (@CMLewisGeorgeW4)

Pavarini said he was waiting to get his booster shot and was glad there was a place close enough to do so, especially because he鈥檒l be coming in contact with more people than usual this holiday season. He said the process was 鈥渟uper easy鈥� because as soon as he arrived at the library, he was helped by the security guards.

Pavarini鈥檚 roommate, 28-year-old Andrew Ceruzzi, came with Pavarini to get his booster shot.

鈥淸Pavarini] told me he saw we could get our boosters here, so we just walked over and here we are,鈥� Ceruzzi said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice that it鈥檚 so close.鈥�

Petworth Library will be open for walk-up vaccinations on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m.-7 p.m. The last walk-ups will be accepted 15 minutes before closure. Vaccinations will be offered until Jan. 29, 2022.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad people are here, Lawrence said. 鈥淭his is the right thing to do to keep everyone safe.鈥�

The post First Ward 4 walk-up vaccination site opens at Petworth Library first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Crews are groups of individuals that come from a common block or street and often have tight family connections and roots to the area, said Jasmin Benab, director of community outreach for Mayor Muriel Bower鈥檚 office.

Crews are informal groups compared to gangs. Whereas gangs often have leaders who instruct other members to execute violence, Benab said crews instead carry out their business in a more unorganized manner, often starting on social media.

Washington, D.C., has so far reached 204 homicides this year, a 17-year-high, according to .听Petworth has seen 90 assaults with a dangerous weapon this year as of Nov. 29, surpassing last year鈥檚 78 instances, according to , a data filtering tool offered by MPD.

D.C. has reached a grim milestone: There have been 200 homicides in the District. The city has not seen this many homicides in 17 years.

鈥� Debra Feinstein (@DFeinsteinWTOP)

Benab said the cause of the uptick of crew violence cannot be pinpointed to one concrete source. She said the violence seems to stem from arguments between crews regarding who can sell drugs in certain territories. Unrelated physical fights between crews also spill out into the streets, she said.

鈥淪ome of these kids don鈥檛 even know what they鈥檙e fighting for,鈥� Benab said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really sad.鈥�

Benab said the most prevalent crew in Petworth and Ward 4 is the Kennedy Street Crew, which has existed for multiple generations and was widely known in the 鈥�90s for the of FBI agents and police officeres.

MPD declined to comment when asked the number of crews in the neighborhood and declined to comment on the issue of crew violence as a whole.

Older crews, like Kennedy Street Crew, instigate violence among other crews due to generational differences, Paul Johnson, an ANC representing 4C said.

鈥淭here’s folks who were incarcerated, perhaps from the 鈥�90s or 鈥�80s for very long stretches, that are coming back into the community that have long standing ties to the community and things have changed,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭here may be tension with respect to people coming home, and younger people who are out here.鈥�

Root of the problem

Johnson said crew violence happens as a result of multiple factors 鈥� the most pressing being a disinvestment in communities of color left behind by gentrification.

Gentrification pushes families and individuals out of their homes, Johnson said, causing informal support systems, like cookouts and block parties, to disappear. As a result, youth feel abandoned and often turn to crews, which give them a sense of belonging.

Abdul-Kareem Mohammad is the CEO and founder of , a nonprofit organization helping youth become involved in community programs and preventative activities to avoid violence.

Trauma also instigates crew violence, Mohammad said. By witnessing violence, people can become violent in retaliation or to protect themselves, he said.

鈥淚f you’ve been a victim of crime or your聽 brother鈥檚 been murdered or your family member has been murdered, you鈥檙e on high alert,鈥� Mohammad said. 鈥淚t puts you in a fight or flight mode and these young men are choosing to fight.鈥�

The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated crew violence, Johnson said. He said mental health issues brought on by the pandemic and financial struggles can 鈥溾�嬧�媘anifest itself in negative behaviors or developments.鈥�

Mohammad said the pandemic has caused a 鈥減andemic of violence鈥� as underrepresented communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic may see more privileged communities recover faster from the pandemic. He said this can cause a feeling of exclusion, which can cause people to act out.

Benab, Johnson and Mohammad all said community outreach programs are the best way to address the issue of children becoming involved in crew violence. Providing youth with mental health services, trauma response resources and activities such as sports and clubs are ways they plan to do this.

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George that Cure the Streets D.C. 鈥� an organization dedicated to 鈥渋nterrupting violence鈥� in neighborhoods that present high levels of violence 鈥� will be introduced in Ward 4. She said this program is being introduced in an effort to curb gun violence, especially related to crew violence.

Benab said community outreach programs take time. She said by implementing the right time and effort to the outreach programs, children could really benefit.

鈥淪ome of these kids, if you sit down with them, they鈥檙e the sweetest kids you鈥檒l ever meet,鈥� Benab said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e wonderful and think about what they could be doing if they had the resources. They鈥檇 be doing some really great things.鈥�

The post Petworth leaders say 鈥榗rews鈥� behind surge in violence first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

The initiative is an effort led by , a nonprofit organization branched from programs, which are D.C. government funded programs designed to grow local businesses.

Other parts of Petworth already have support from D.C Main Streets, said Gabriela Mossi, executive director of Uptown Main Street. Mossi said Uptown Main Street helps businesses with retention, it helps strengthen their engagement with the community by tailoring to the specific outdoor needs 鈥� for example creating 鈥溾�� for restaurants 鈥� and it helps them attract customers and investors.

Georgia Avenue NW from Upshur Street north to Missouri Avenue and Upshur Street NW from 8th to 13th Streets is the new 鈥淧etworth Main Street,鈥� Mossi said.

鈥淲e felt that certainly those businesses in that middle part of Georgia Avenue and Upshur Street had been left out,鈥� Mossi said. 鈥淚t made sense to bring cohesion to the area under one organization.鈥�

Mossi said each program that鈥檚 a part of D.C. Main Streets has to apply to become a 鈥渘ationally certified鈥� nonprofit to help local businesses. Once a Main Street essentially receives its 鈥渟eal of approval鈥� Mossi said, they鈥檙e official and can operate accordingly.

There was a competition held earlier in the year that decided what corridor would receive a new Main Street organization, Mossi said.

Zachary Israel, a 4D Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner representing part of Petworth, advocated for Uptown Main Street to come to this part of Petworth. Israel said Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George and other Ward 4 ANCs helped push for the creation of Petworth Main Street.

Israel said the implementation of a Main Street program will provide the 鈥渆xpertise and knowledge鈥� at the very least, to make sure these small businesses are aware of the tools available to them.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e a barber shop on Georgia Avenue, and you’re just getting by day to day, you don’t necessarily have the time or resources to research and apply and do all that work to get that funding even if they’re eligible for it,鈥� Israel said.

Julie Wineinger, owner of the dessert shop Lulubelle鈥檚 and retail store Willow on Upshur Street, said she鈥檚 been fighting for a Main Street organization to come to her street for six years.

鈥淲e鈥檝e sort of just been in this void of Main Streets for a while, so I鈥檓 very excited,鈥� Wineinger said.

Though Wineinger said her businesses didn鈥檛 struggle too badly during the pandemic, she said she is hopeful Uptown Main Street will pull her businesses out of the economic rut they鈥檙e in. She hopes to see this happen through more streateries along Upshur Street and more community events that help small businesses get their name out.

鈥淲e tried to do some things on our own,鈥� Wineinger said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e happy that now there’s sort of a bigger backbone to help us out.鈥�

Since the Oct. 27 announcement, Mossi said Uptown Main Street is still in the early stages of reaching out to businesses who are not aware they will be receiving funding and support, Mossi said.

Martin Amini, founder of Room 808, a comedy and jazz club on Upshur Street NW, said he was not aware of Uptown Main Street鈥檚 programs yet, but said he is excited to gain access to the program鈥檚 support.

Amini said he started Room 808, a comedy and jazz club, in the middle of the pandemic so his business had a challenging start. But he said they are doing well and have increased their shows from twice a week to five times a week. He said other businesses in this block could also benefit from Uptown Main Street because of financial turmoil caused by the pandemic.

鈥淲e’d love to get some help because it’s tough. It’s really tough,鈥� Amini said.

Amini said he鈥檚 looking forward to receiving help from the District, because he knows small businesses face threats from both the pandemic and the colder weather, which often urges people to stay home.

鈥淥n behalf of the street, I think everyone’s trying their best to just survive and make it through this winter and a pandemic at the same time,” Amini said.

The post Nonprofit supporting small businesses creates 鈥楶etworth Main Street鈥� first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Alex Torrey, founder and CEO, said he decided to start The Rounds because the process of getting essential household products such as shampoo, soap and kitchen necessities like olive oil was 鈥渃ompletely broken.鈥�

鈥淧etworth, like other neighborhoods, has a big problem with waste,鈥� Torrey said. As more people rely on e-commerce to get everyday products, especially during the pandemic, it鈥檚 creating a tremendous amount of waste, Torrey said. According to the , packaging accounts for nearly 30% of municipal waste.

Alex Torrey, CEO and founder of The Rounds, talks about how E-commerce is not sustainable.听

In order to combat this, The Rounds鈥� products come in refillable containers, eliminating packaging waste. Torrey said they鈥檝e also created an algorithm that generates the most efficient delivery routes depending on which customers need what products that week.

Members who subscribe to The Rounds鈥� services can save up to an average of 50 pounds of trash from their homes every year, according to .

The Rounds, along with other alternative waste services, are all part of how the District will meet its goal of hitting a 80% residential waste diversion rate by 2032. A residential waste diversion rate is the amount of waste from households that doesn鈥檛 go to landfills and incinerators. Instead, it鈥檚 converted to energy, composted or recycled. The residential waste diversion rate in the District as of June 2021 was 25.25%.

Additionally, when waste is sent to landfills, it is often incinerated, producing harmful methane gases in the atmosphere and contributing to climate change, Catherine Plume, the chair of the Sierra Club D.C. chapter, said.

Plume said though the waste diversion rate is 25.25% and there are almost 11 more years to meet the 80% goal, the current diversion rate is cause for concern. The waste diversion rate in 2015 was 20.93%.

鈥淲e just didn鈥檛 move the needle very far in the first 10 years,鈥� Plume said. 鈥淪o, with that track record, I just say the progress that we鈥檝e made is very minimal.鈥�

Plume said the city needs to do more in order to meet this diversion goal. She said the District鈥檚 Office of Waste Diversion has to implement any aspect of the which requires funding in order to increase the city鈥檚 waste diversion rate.

She said she鈥檇 like to see the Benning Road power plant reconstructed to allow for a composting facility 鈥� an improvement not currently included in the Department of Public Works鈥� plan.

鈥淐omposting just really reduces a lot of unnecessary waste from waste streams and can help regenerate soils and do all sorts of good stuff,鈥� Plume said.

She said the city should implement free composting services because it will motivate more people to compost, which is one of the best ways to raise waste diversion.

鈥淚f I鈥檓 already on a tight income, I’m not going to be spending money on a composting service, it鈥檚 not going to be high on my priority list,鈥� Plume said.

Though Plume said the problem of excess waste is not an issue unique to one ward, K茅thia Clairvoy, a Petworth resident, said since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic she鈥檚 seen more trash on the streets of Ward 4 than before. Clairvoyant said this is due to people being stuck at home and producing more trash, hence putting waste management services .

鈥淭he biggest culprits, most people can ascertain is, from the lack of waste management,鈥� Clairvoyant said. 鈥淓ach month of the pandemic there are fewer services.鈥�

Clairvoyant said the overflowing trash on her street has caused issues such as rodent infestations. She said she鈥檚 been trying to produce less waste because she鈥檚 scared of rodents and had a few run-ins with mice while taking her trash out in the past few months.

For Torrey, experiences like these point to the need for The Rounds, which was so popular at launch people had to join a wait list in Petworth.

鈥淧etworth is definitely one of those places where people are busy and are looking for convenient ways to get their essentials and because they’re producing and creating a lot of additional waste,鈥� Torrey said.

鈥淧eople are very open to a more sustainable alternative.鈥�

The post Zero-waste bike delivery service comes to Petworth amid waste management issues first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Zachary Israel, a 4D advisory neighborhood commissioner representing part of the neighborhood, . The collision happened on Oct. 6 at the corner of Farragut Street and Illinois Avenue NW.

The problem with the intersection, Israel said, is that it鈥檚 not a four-way stop, and people often speed through it. Drivers traveling on Illinois Avenue don鈥檛 have to stop while those crossing on Farragut Street do. Additionally, parked cars on Illinois Avenue can create blind spots for crossing traffic.

鈥淚 got flooded with emails and phone calls and text messages after this happened,鈥� Israel said. 鈥淚 immediately went to the scene, and, you know, people are just fed up.鈥�

Israel said he saw the woman in the flipped vehicle being rushed to the hospital after the collision.

This intersection has been 鈥渆xtremely dangerous for years, and years and years,鈥� Israel said.

According to D.C. Open Data crash reports, there have been six accidents in the last six years at this intersection. However, there are reports from the D.C Policy Center stating MPD鈥檚 data on crash reports is flawed and .

Israel said he鈥檚 been trying to get community leaders such as Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George and DDOT representatives to visit the intersection for months. After this accident, Lewis-George and Everott Lott, interim director of DDOT, came to the scene of the accident to evaluate what safety improvements could be made.

鈥淚 actually had planned this weeks ago before the accident happened because there’s been so many accidents there,鈥� Israel said on Oct. 7. 鈥淲e were supposed to meet on Nov. 3, and we actually bumped it up to today.鈥�

In order to add safety measures such as a stop sign or speed bump, a request for a study must be submitted to DDOT and they have to complete the study to determine if safety measures need to be implemented. Israel said the community has expressed frustration to him and across social media that implementing safety measures on the streets takes too long because DDOT isn鈥檛 as involved as constituents would like.

I’ve seen sooo many crashes at that intersection. It should be a 4 way stop.

鈥� Nick Casey (@NickCasey)

Israel said community members and advocates propose ideas such as more stop signs, stop lights, speed cameras and speed bumps to prevent collisions, but there鈥檚 been no luck getting these features implemented. He said residents all around Petworth face challenges in carrying out traffic safety improvements.

There have been four children hit by cars across the District in the last four weeks, according to . Faith Hall, co-chair of the District chapter of , said this statistic is 鈥渁trocious,鈥� especially because people have become desensitized to car accidents, she said.

Open data from the city鈥檚 Vision Zero initiative there have been three fatalities, 21 major injuries and 350 minor injuries caused by car accidents in Ward 4 so far in 2021.

Tom Bridge, a 43-year-old product manager, has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years. He said he鈥檚 seen traffic safety concerns worsen over the past few years and he鈥檚 fed up with the way DDOT handles traffic concerns.

Bridge said he and other community members have asked the DDOT to put in stop signs at certain intersections that have frequent accidents. He said the process is often drawn out and doesn鈥檛 result in any changes.

鈥淭he city will say things like, 鈥極h we’ll study that,鈥� but the study takes a year,鈥� Bridge said about asking DDOT for stop signs. 鈥淭hen they’ll come back and say 鈥楴o, we don’t think we need anything here.鈥� So they just wasted all of our time.鈥�

It feels like every neighborhood in DC has this same story. DDOT doesn鈥檛 believe reports of serious problems, trusts incomplete & inaccurate data, does nothing.

Why should we confirm Dir Lott, if we鈥檙e just going to get more of the same?

鈥� Tom Bridge Is Out Ahead AAAAAAHHHHH (@tbridge777)

Additionally, Bridge said he and his wife have a son who crosses a number of streets to get to school, increasing his concern for traffic safety in the area.

鈥淭here’s no way I trust the streets of D.C. right now. It’s because DDOT doesn’t put the effort into making D.C. a safer place.鈥� Bridge said.

DDOT did not respond to multiple inquiries for comment.

There are some amazing people at DDOT trying to do big things to transform the District into something safer for everyone. They get just as angry when people are hurt. My frustration is with the agency’s leadership blocking those staff members from doing what they know is right.

鈥� More Speed Tables (@ANCJonah)

Though adding stop signs, traffic lights and other safety measures is one way to prevent collisions, Hall said implementing a holistic approach to traffic safety may be more effective. Instead of putting blame on the individual, she said whole systems need to be reevaluated.

鈥淚n our legal system people are very unlikely to lose a license for being a bad driver in court,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淔requently the justification for that is that you are denying an individual their economic livelihood, so we鈥檙e trying to change that, [having a car] shouldn’t be a prerequisite for living a full life and having access to quality of life.鈥�

Bridge agreed the system surrounding traffic safety needs to change. He said people who look at it from the outside don鈥檛 understand the severity of the issue.

鈥淭he fact is that everyone who says the system is okay, doesn鈥檛 know the system is producing child fatalities,鈥� Bridge said. 鈥淭he system is producing increased rates of accidents, the system is producing all of these things. We need to change the system.鈥�

The post Viral video of Petworth crash intensifies traffic safety concerns first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

There have been 72 assaults with a dangerous weapon, one of the categories MPD uses to track gun violence, in Petworth as of Sept. 28, compared to 78 in all of 2020, according data from

The spike in gun violence isn鈥檛 unique to Petworth. As of Sept. 27, the Metropolitan Police Department reported there have been 156 homicides 鈥� already more than the 140 for all of 2020. Additionally, the FBI Monday that 2020 was the deadliest year in homicides in the past 60 years, and reports suggest that 2021 will be even .

The increase in gun related crimes in Petworth is predominantly caused by crew violence, said Zachary Israel, a 4D Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner representing part of the neighborhood. According to the , crews are neighborhood groups that are similar to gangs, but less formal. The crews often have 鈥渢urf wars鈥� over territory or arguments over drug markets.

These arguments between crews often start on social media, Israel said. The fights then sometimes result in crew members killing members of another crew.

鈥淚 think from my vantage point, it’s just the violence comes from a disregard for human life and bystanders and people that actually live and work and play in the community,鈥� Israel said. 鈥淲e need to understand why these folks involved in this have that mindset, and what we can do to give them other options so that they don’t wind up in this situation where they’re using a gun to solve their problems.鈥�

Police presence has been in Petworth as a result of the uptick in gun violence, said Jonah Goodman, a 4C ANC member. Officers from other wards, FBI and ATF agents have been deployed to police Petworth on top of a stronger MPD presence from District 4 officers, according to Goodman, who said he learned about the escalation at a Ward 4 ANC and Civic Association public safety meeting.

Goodman said the escalation of law enforcement officers in Petworth came immediately after a shooting on Sept. 4 that on Longfellow Street.

Following the Longfellow shooting and additional officer deployment, there was a separate shooting eight days later in broad daylight while a squad car was stationed . That shooting is part of the reason why some Petworth residents don鈥檛 believe a higher police presence is effective in stopping the shootings, Goodman said.

From the residents he鈥檚 talked to in the community, Goodman said they鈥檝e seen the heavy law enforcement as a way to investigate the shootings but not prevent them from happening.

鈥淚f you put a police car on 8th Street, and somebody wants to shoot somebody, they’re gonna go to 9th Street,鈥� Goodman said. 鈥淚t stops the violence at that one possible location and pushes it further away.鈥�

Paul Johnson, an ANC representative of Section 4C, said while some community members are adverse to the idea of a higher police presence in the area, others are supportive. He described this situation as a 鈥渢ug of war鈥� over the issue.

鈥淚 think there’s a tension to sort of balance those needs for immediacy to deal with an acute crisis, but also to search for a durable solution into measure,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 think that’s hard when you know there’s primal emotions of people’s safety and the safety of their family and loved ones.鈥�

Sonali Rajan, an Associate professor of Health Education at Columbia University, studies gun violence in young people. Rajan said she hasn鈥檛 seen any indication that heightened policing combats gun violence.

鈥淚 do not think there is any evidence that shows that increased presence of police reduces gun violence,鈥� Rajan said. 鈥淚 do not think that that’s a solution.鈥�

Rajan said an increased deployment of police can add to the amount of gun violence in an area, as demonstrated by the number of police shootings in 2020.

Johnson, the ANC representative, said he and others in the community continue to propose ideas that don鈥檛 involve police presence to stop community violence. For example, Johnson said they鈥檙e putting on the festival and implementing other programs to build a stronger sense of community.

Johnson said with the increase in gentrification, some residents feel isolated, which causes them to be violent toward other members of the community.

鈥淚 mean if you look in Petworth and in our community, there is an explosion of buildings, an explosion of pricey condos and luxury apartments,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭he contours of the neighborhood are changing and I think that that contributes to a feeling of who is a part of Petworth and who is not a part of Petworth.鈥�

Johnson also said promoting education and job-related skills is a good place to start. He said this will help discourage young people from taking part in crew related violence as they鈥檒l have a greater sense of purpose.

Like Johnson, Rajan said one of the ways to prevent gun violence among young people is to promote education. However, Rajan said on top of this education, there needs to be a discussion on how gun violence isn鈥檛 an individual’s fault but rather of failed systems that have led to this point.

鈥淭he solution cannot be to place the onus of this responsibility on that individual,鈥� Rajan said. 鈥淭he solution needs to be that we are investing in our neighborhoods, to make sure that that neighborhood is safe… There’s a tendency I think to blame individuals for what are largely systemic failures. I think gun violence is a very good example of that.鈥�

The post Uptick in gun violence causes 鈥榯ug of war鈥� in Petworth community first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Alex Clark, physical education teacher at Dunbar High School and founder of , an organization using mentoring and sports training to reach young people of all ages, realized the dilemma kids were facing and went on a hunt to find bikes and funding to start his Stay Prime biking program.听

鈥淛ust staying in the house and thinking that you鈥檙e going to stay out the way and not get in trouble is easier said than done when you have so many distractions in your face,鈥� Clark said.

Through the program, every Monday and Wednesday afternoon since Sept. 14., kids in the Petworth community and surrounding areas meet up at Dunbar high school to cycle to different locations in the District.听

Sky Mabry,17, junior at DHS, said riding with her Stay Prime family is more than just riding bikes 鈥� it has given her a new perspective on life.

鈥淚t鈥檚 actually really fun, and it鈥檚 basically like an escape from reality, just riding a bike and feeling the wind blow past you,鈥� Mabry said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 eye-opening and life-changing.鈥�

Student Sky Mabry, on how the program has impacted her:

Every week Clark creates a new route for the high schoolers to bike, and recently they biked their longest trail from Dunbar to Anacostia Park and back.听

Clark also encourages an overall philosophy for the cyclists called H.E.A.R.T., which stands for humility, effort, ambition, respect and teamwork. At each meetup, he focuses instruction on one of those five words, coaching the students through what it means and how to apply it to their daily lives.

鈥淭he kids are not just learning about cycling and about themselves but learning valid communication skills and networking skills that are going to help them propel as they journey throughout high school and into their professional lives,鈥� Clark said.

Clark also said the program helps improve their fitness and physical ability, but the kids look at it as an opportunity to be better. Eighteen-year-old student-athlete Chris Mateo agrees.

鈥淚t helps me stay in shape but actually coming to this program makes you feel motivated like I can do anything and it keeps me busy,鈥� Mateo said.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, since 2019, there has been a 20% and a 5% increase in assaults with a dangerous weapon in the District. After two kids from DHS were killed last year, Clark said he knew he had to do something within his organization, specifically for kids at DHS and in high-crime and -poverty neighborhoods surrounding Dunbar, such as Sursum Corda and Saratoga.

鈥淥ne kid had just graduated, and he got shot on a Monday and he was leaving to go to Temple University on Thursday,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淭wo days later, we had another kid who got shot and killed. He was going to be a senior this year and worked his butt off to get back on the football field because he was ineligible last year. He was just trying to make the best of his life.鈥�

Clark began his program by introducing it to his students as extra credit. In just a short time, Stay Prime has increased its cycling participation by at least 30% and now has a total of 120 kids in the biking program. Clark’s success may be due to his character.听

“He’s courageous to start a program like this, not knowing if people will show up or not,鈥� Mabry said about Clark. 鈥淗e’s persistent. He tries to get people to come out just to experience it no matter what.”

Clark said he had received a great deal of support from volunteers and created partnerships with organizations such as and to teach kids about bike safety and how to fix bikes. But Clark said his most prominent supporter has been Dunbar High School Principal Nadine Smith.听

“My principal has been monumental in this whole process. I’ve never dealt with a leader in my entire career that has supported me as much as she has,” Clark said. 鈥淪he texts and emails me all the time to see how we can make this better.”

Stay Prime wrapped up its first cycling season on Nov. 18 with a socially distant end of season celebration at DHS. The program will resume on March 15. The next step for the organization is to get more exposure, engage with city officials and get funding to expand the program.

“The next challenge for our program is to make it bigger and be into more schools,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淪o that we can challenge more students.”

Student-athlete Chris Mateo, on how he views Prime Ability mentor Alex Clark:

The post Dunbar High School teacher changing lives one bike ride at a time first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Owner Matt Croke said a group had bought out the restaurant for a bar mitzvah in addition to three other parties that weekend. But after the pandemic hit, all the events were canceled.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 gone,鈥� Croke said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just sales that you鈥檒l never see again.鈥澛犅�

Restaurants in the United States have lost $165 billion since March, according to a study by the . The same study estimated the sum will total $240 billion by the end of the year.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like being dunked in a pool, and you can kinda see the air, you might get a quick breath of air then it鈥檚 back down again,鈥� Croke said.

There have been 11.3 million COVID-19 cases in the United States since the beginning of 2020. Washington, D.C., has seen 19,309 cases, with Ward 4 leading the District with 3,505 of the illness.

In Phase 2 of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser鈥檚 reopening plan, restaurants are allowed to operate indoor dining services at 50% capacity, but Croke said he wasn鈥檛 comfortable with allowing diners inside the restaurant. Instead, Moreland鈥檚 Tavern has relied on outdoor dining, take-out and now delivery services.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like being dunked in a pool, and you can kinda see the air, you might get a quick breath of air then it鈥檚 back down again,鈥� Croke said.

Winter ahead

Croke said that Moreland鈥檚 Tavern may begin to offer limited indoor seating as the weather gets colder in addition to winterizing the outdoor dining area.听

Moreland鈥檚 Tavern received $6,000 from the District鈥檚 program, which assists local restaurants in outfitting their outdoor eating spaces for winter. Croke said his restaurant will use the grant money to buy heaters, tents and other necessities for the outdoor space.听

Croke said even though the grant helps with the initial costs of winterizing his space, there will be some long term costs like increased electricity usage and the cost of propane for gas heaters, if they should use gas.听聽

Peter LaPuma, associate professor of environmental and occupational health聽at George Washington University, suggests that electric heaters are a safer option.

鈥淧ropane or kerosene or anything that鈥檚 going to burn a fuel need not be in the tent at all as a heat source. There is carbon monoxide poisoning and a variety of other related issues,鈥� LaPuma said.

With health in mind, Moreland鈥檚 Tavern will continue to take phone numbers of those who eat on the patio to notify them if there鈥檚 ever an outbreak at their restaurant.

on 3rd Street in Petworth also received funds from the District鈥檚 grant program. But Owner Jay Butler said there is a possible downside to a continued emphasis on outdoor seating — longer wait times.听

鈥淲e ran into some days where people wanted to sit on the patio, and it鈥檚 an hour wait, or so,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 expected that as winter picks up and more people come in that one of the restrictions is the number of seats we have on the patio given that we are social distancing.鈥�

Despite his concerns, an increase in foot traffic inside the restaurant this past weekend gives Butler a reason to believe people are becoming less fearful and more likely to take a risk.听

鈥淭here was definitely a big fear in the beginning of people leaving their house, let alone a restaurant and now even with the spike which is almost twice what it was in April or May, you still see people coming out,鈥� Butler said.

The risk factor

LaPuma, the GW professor, said pandemic fatigue could have contributed to an increase in customers willing to eat inside. He said he wouldn鈥檛 recommend someone risk their health so close to a vaccine becoming available in the next few months.

鈥淚f you鈥檝e made it this far, you鈥檝e made it nine months without being sick,鈥� LaPuma said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e already three-quarters of the way, why would you blow it now?鈥�

LaPuma said things like maintaining stable social circles in addition to masks and keeping social distance are still important. He worries that outdoor dining may give people a false sense of security and encourage people to add additional members to their social pods.听

Despite this, restaurant owners like Butler and Ana Quinones, co-owners of the on Upshur Street, said they rarely have issues with customers complying with the CDC regulations.

鈥淥ur customers have been awesome. They always comply with face covering and social distancing when they come in and they keep coming, they don鈥檛 stop,鈥� Ana Quinones said.

Quinones鈥� approach to winter weather is to winterize her space with a custom tent and heating like others who received the grant. However, while planning for the winter she鈥檚 thinking of her employees if D.C. goes back to Phase 1.

鈥淲e鈥檒l continue with delivery and maybe with our own private delivery service rather than the apps and balance out employees,鈥� Quinones said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l have one employee at a time to balance out our shifts.鈥�

Although hoping for the best, Quinones is almost certain things will change this winter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to slow down. It鈥檚 definitely going to slow down, so we鈥檙e just bracing ourselves and preparing,鈥� Quinones said. 鈥淥ur employees know they could be cut, so we told them to save their money.鈥�

Whether the District goes back to Phase 1 or implements another local lockdown will likely be determined by the number of cases.听

LaPuma said encouraging results from both early vaccine trials indicate that restaurants will see improved foot traffic next summer. In the meantime, LaPuma said restaurants should try to stay afloat this winter with outdoor dining, takeout and delivery.

The post Brightwood, Petworth restaurants brace for winter weather amid COVID-19 first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Schneider is the owner of , a neighborhood news blog, which is the sponsor of the parade. Although Petworth has had a few Halloween parades in the past, Schneider said this year the community requested it, so the outlet sent a survey to parents last month to see if they had any plans or suggestions.

Schneider said the main takeaway from the survey was parents 鈥渨anting to ensure that kids could still enjoy Halloween considering the chances of a normal Halloween鈥� are slim.

The parade will take place at Sherman Circle, starting at the Critten street entrance and ending at Illinois Avenue.听

On Facebook and Twitter, Petworth News posted the link to reserve free tickets. Tickets allow kids dressed in costume to march alongside their parents in the parade and receive a sanitized bag of candy at the end.

Schneider said the reservations were a way to see how many people would attend the event. More than 100 parents registered 150 children within an hour of Schneider posting the registration.

Once sold out, Schneider decided to reopen registration, which sold out again by the end of the night. Petworth News capped participation at 425 people.

Unregistered people aren’t allowed to walk in the parade and bystanders will not be permitted in order to maintain social distancing. But residents are encouraged to watch from their porches.

The Petworth News Socially Distant Halloween Parade is officially “sold out” of free tickets!

Volunteer to help set up, direct participants, enforce social distancing & clean up at the end!

Or… Donate to cover costs:

鈥� Petworth News (@petworthdcnews)

However, with such a large crowd, Schneider said his main focus is COVID-19 safety, which is why participants will arrive for one of four time slots to avoid overcrowding.听

It will take each group no more than 10 minutes to complete their march and collect their candy, Schneider said. Then, the next group will begin.

Dr. Caleb Alexander, professor of epidemiology at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of public health, said Halloween celebrations can be done safely, but more people will pose a more significant challenge.

He said the most important principles are ensuring events take place outdoors, maintaining social distance and wearing masks.

Schneider said his event adheres to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Volunteers will be sure everyone is wearing a mask and are six feet apart.

Petworth resident and parade volunteer Clara Botstein said safety will not be an issue at this event.

“I know a lot of kids in the neighborhood look forward to it,鈥� Botstein said. 鈥淎nd it’s the kind of event, based on what I’ve been reading, you can do safely.”聽聽

The modifications to the parade are an example of how the pandemic has upended everything from education to work life and now how we celebrate holidays too. Some Petworth residents have opted out of handing out candy in the name of social distancing. Others, like Botstein, are building a candy chute to limit the number of physical contact residents receive from each other.

鈥淚 think people will give some cheer and try to provide candy safely to the kids,鈥� Botstein said. 鈥淚 do think people are stepping it up given the conditions and the fact that people have been in the house a while.鈥澛�

Botstein plans to attach cardboard boxes together to make a makeshift pipe and then slide the candy to children who will be waiting on the other side.听

Julie Wineinger, Lulabelles Sweet Shop owner, will offer other alternatives. Located on Upshur Street NW, the shop has partnered with the Fourth Ward Mutual Aid to provide 150 candy bags for those who come for grocery pickup at the location.

鈥淚鈥檓 a pretty strong believer that businesses who are working in the community should be helping and serving those people that are also helping you by coming into your business,鈥� Wineinger said.

Wineinger will also give out candy bags for anyone who swings by the shop on Saturday in costume. She said the kids in the community deserve it after the year they’ve had.听

“They’ve given up school, they’ve given up a lot of things, even just socializing and being out, so this is just a small thing to give them something special and safe.”

The post Not a trick: Petworth residents treat neighbors to a socially-distant Halloween first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

The Department of Parks and Recreation said only rec centers with the most amenities will reopen in Phase Two. But even after almost three years of planning and renovations, the Petworth Rec Center is not complete, and residents still can’t enjoy the outdoor amenities.

In 2017, Mayor Muriel Bowser passed a $2 million to the Petworth Recreation Center. The budget was specifically allocated to a playground, basketball court, field and a new splash pad.

Sarah Gabriel, a member of the community group , which pushed for several changes, said the rec center is unwelcoming. She said she hopes Petworth will get the opportunity to renovate the interior as well in the next couple of years.

“Our youth, especially the teenage kids, need a building where they feel it represents how they’re cared about,” Gabriel said.

The Department of General Services had five meetings before the start of renovations, the last being on Dec. 3, 2019.

Gina Toppin, deputy director of DPR, said the meetings consisted of feedback from the community on their needs and what changes they wanted to see.

In February, Gabriel and other active community members pushed for a last-minute renovation.

After plenty of community feedback, they thought it would be best for kids鈥� safety if DPR used engineered wood fiber instead of poured-in-place rubber on the playground.

“A study came out in D.C. showing the high levels of lead that had been found across the city in what they believed was in that rubber surface,” Gabriel said.

The playground was expected to reopen on Memorial Day. However, renovations didn’t begin until May 11, though community members expected it would open by the end of summer.

Some community members were told the delay in reconstruction was because of their last-minute request.

However, Toppin said capital plans take time and that there weren’t any obstacles in getting renovations complete at Petworth Rec Center, not even from COVID-19.

“Based on the rec centers that were under construction, under renovation and those that we have planned, we don’t have any great challenges right now with funding or any interference,” Toppin said.

Residents and parents like Alice Mckeon weren’t surprised by the wait.

“Everything seems to take a long time in D.C.,” Mckeon said.

Though Gabriel believes the park is much needed, she said she admits that the deadline was a bit ambitious.

“Traditionally, DPR rec centers don’t meet their construction timeline. I think we all had a feeling it wasn’t super realistic,” Gabriel said.

Despite the lengthy timeframe, Toppin said her team is 鈥渃onfident that the mayor is dedicated to recreation in the District.鈥�

The field and playground are scheduled to be completed by the end of the month, but Toppin said it will be unusable until the end of the year, when the grass is fully developed.

Gabriel said she believes it鈥檒l be worth it.

“We need an outside space to safely engage in our neighborhood, and I think it will be huge to have a nice space to do that,” Gabriel said.

In the meantime, Mckeon and other parents have been taking their children to play at Sherman Circle, Parkview playground and other nearby parks and fields.

Although there is no definite date for the rec center’s reopening, Petworth residents don’t have to miss out on programs this fall.

Program registration started on Oct. 1 and all centers are open to anyone who lives in the District.

“We do not limit registration within the District. We prioritize District residents to use our amenities, but I could go to a rec center in the southeast if I wanted to or in upper northwest,” Toppin said.

Toppin suggested that Petworth residents take advantage of or rec center, both of which are less than a mile from the Petworth rec center.

The two are larger centers in the area that offer interactive programs such as cheer, boxing, after-school meal programs, learning hubs and .听

Fall Program registration is live!Fitness centers and indoor pool reservations are available for DC residents. Reserve your spot at select locations to open for programming and limited services on Tues., Oct. 13. Register today

鈥� DC Parks &Rec #WhereFunHappens Safely (@DCDPR)

DPR officials aim to make the District鈥檚 return to programs as safe as possible by promising frequent wipe downs on high-touch areas by rec staff and the Department of General Services.

Toppin said that in keeping with Phase Two guidelines, guests must wear a mask and be registered to come into the building. She encourages people not to come early to their program. There will also be a separate entrance and exit when possible and no locker room use.

The post After 3 years, delays continue on Petworth Rec Center renovations first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.