The D.C. Council on Dec. 2 extended the juvenile curfew implemented in November until April 2026 in an effort to reduce crime.

However, Navy Yard residents question whether this is a fair public safety measure or will further criminalize Washington, D.C.’s predominately Black and Brown youth—without addressing root causes.

After a large, chaotic fight on Halloween night, the D.C. Council implemented a juvenile curfew in that prohibited large groups of teens under 17 from gathering on the streets after 11:00pm.Ěý Just one month into the curfew, and amid further disturbances, council members voted 10-3 to extend the juvenile curfew until spring 2026.

While some residents praise the measure as a step towards increased public safety, others raise concerns about what this may mean for D.C. youth.

Michael Lewis, a Ward 6 resident and father of a 16-year-old daughter, said that just as deploying the National Guard was not about fighting crime, he’s wary of the curfew.

Brittney Gates, 38-year-old former federal employee who lives in the Navy Yard said, while some residents feel safter, she feels more unsafe by the growing police presence around the kids.

Federal employee Vonni K., who withheld her last name for privacy concerns, has a 17-year-old college son in D.C. She said she’s not as worried about him because he is less inclined to be out late.Ěý She said the curfew also deters the kids who are not out causing trouble since they don’t want the hassle of being stopped by police.

Mixed reactions from residents.

Lewis said he believes the extended curfew is a ploy by the administration to keep residents distracted from the real issues.Ěý He said they want everyone to talk about this issue and advance the narrative about crime in D.C., but he said the curfew alone won’t change it.

Gates concedes she is “genuinely torn” on the curfew issue. As a Navy Yard resident, she said people pay high prices to live in this neighborhood with an expectation of safety.

Gates said she doesn’t fear for her personal safety, but she has seen large groups of kids congregating around the neighborhood. Around the fourth of July she witnessed teens dangerously igniting fireworks near buildings.

She said it’s quieter since the curfew, but the city should focus on programs, jobs and spaces to keep kids productively occupied. If the city doesn’t address the root issues, Gate said, the curfew will be a temporary fix.

Vonni K. said three years ago, in the quiet of the pandemic, she may have had a different, perhaps more self-righteous opinion about the curfew. However, after seeing her son’s experience with crime in the city, she said she supports an extended curfew—and whatever it takes to combat crime.

She recounted how her college-age son and friends—all honor students—had to hide behind cars to avoid drive-by gunfire after a high school football game. Because of such incidents, school officials moved all sports events to the daytime to reduce late-night alterations.

“The gut check is that suddenly, when it’s your kid who comes home telling you about having to dive behind a car, it becomes much realer. What are we willing to do here to make this not happen again?”

As a federal worker, Vonni K. said she’s lived overseas in some dangerous places and has been evacuated three times because of civil unrest.Ěý She said her son was taken to school in armored vehicles, yet it wasn’t until he returned to the nation’s capital that he personally witnessed regular violence.

She recalled when he witnessed a fight at school in which a kid was pummeled to the ground and stabbed. She said considering the situations they experienced living overseas, she couldn’t imagine she would need to prepare him for the violence in Washington, D.C.

Vonni K. lamented the perceived absence of parental curfews and said that if parents had set curfews and boundaries in the home, the city wouldn’t have to.

“I am positive that the word ‘curfew’ does not exist in some houses, and it is the city that has introduced this word,” Vonni said that the curfew may represent the first real restriction some kids have faced.

Profiling is baked in.

According to the Juvenile Curfew Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, the Metropolitan Police chief can declare juvenile curfew areas where large youth gathering pose public safety risks.

Some residents said they were concerned about how the curfew would be declared and enforced and the potential for police to unfairly profile Black and Brown youth.

Taking a pragmatic approach, Vonni K. said, “They would have to profile, right? There is a profile baked in, and the profile is someone who appears to be under the age of 18, so there has to be some degree of profiling for police to apply it.”

Lewis, more wary of profiling, said the curfew is merely a means to target teens.

“I think it really sends a message to young people that they’re not wanted here—it’s a way to corral them and be able to profile them,” Lewis said. He said public trust has been eroded due to the deployment of National Guard and every measure to reduce crime should be met with elevated scrutiny.

Questioning the racial lines of enforcement between predominantly White institutions and historically Black universities, Vonni K. asked

“Would the young people from Georgetown and American University be treated the same as those from Howard University—I don’t know, I would sure hope so,” she said.

Gates, understanding that curfew implementation will lead to profiling, said, “I recognize that this disproportionately affects the Black community and our Black youth to be able to congregate in spaces.” Gates said the curfew would create a false sense of security in the community and disenfranchise the youth.

Vonni K., recounted an incident two years ago when an off-duty law enforcement officer shot a and killed a 13-year-old boy who tried to carjack him.Ěý She said the juvenile had been arrested several times prior, “These are the dire scenarios the city is up against.”

A safer D.C.

Residents remain united in need of a safer D.C.; they debate whether the curfew will reduce crime or criminalize youth.

Gates said kids are not outside as much in the winter, so she is cautious of statistics indicating incidents have decreased since the extended curfew was implemented.

Vonni K. said she’d like to see the data to understand how the curfew is affecting crime.Ěý She said if there is a better way to contain crime—she’s open, but for now, she supports the curfew to bring crime down.

“For folks who are, like, adamantly opposed— which I am in principle, but not in practice. What would you suggest?… Because what we’re doing so far is not working,” she said.

“But I think sometimes, you know, we forget that we were once kids too,” Gates said.

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Once threatened by development, the club’s recent historic designation now offers it protection and potential partnerships as the 11th Street Bridge Park and the reimagined Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium development transforms the Anacostia waterfront.Ěý

In a prime, almost hidden corner of Boathouse Row, Seafarers was founded by mariner and educator Lewis Thomas Green in 1945 with the support of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. ĚýAt a time when boat clubs were exclusively “white-only,” Seafarers stood as a haven for Black boaters and a symbol of resilience. Ěý

“It’s not about nostalgia. It’s about protecting what still serves the people,” said Roger Legerwood, Seafarers Yacht Club historian and 30-year member.

Historical designation offers legal protectionsĚý

Seafarers gained its historic designation in 2022, sponsored by the D.C. Office of Planning—shepherding in new protections against emerging developments.Ěý

“We’re not scared, we’re historic. We’re in partnership with the D.C. government,” said Seafarers Yacht Club Commodore Tony Ford. Ěý

Seafarers falls within Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal projects to assess and mitigate adverse effects on historic properties. Ěý Ěý

“If the review identifies potential adverse effects, the parties will coordinate to resolve them,” the D.C. Office of Planning said.Ěý

Legerwood began documenting the history of the club about 25 years ago, almost by accident. ĚýHe said he found the history fascinating, and his chronicled account eventually became the basis for filing historic preservation.Ěý

“They just can’t run through here without checking,” Legerwood said. “When we see or hear of threats, we look at it as an opportunity to engage.” Ěý

The designation opens new doors for grant funding and restoration support. Seafarers partnered with the 11th Street Bridge Park team—the project to transform the abandoned 11th Street Bridge piers into a state-of-the-art park—to ensure the club’s legacy is cemented in the future of the waterfront. ĚýĚý

“Connecting to the river has always been one of our key goals,” said Scott Kratz, director of the Bridge Park project.Ěý “Seafarers started the Anacostia River Cleanup in 1985.Ěý They’ve been critical to restoring and healing the river.”Ěý

Kratz’s team secured a U.S. Coast Guard permit to maintain the navigational envelope—increasing visibility for organizations like Seafarers. ĚýThe new park will include an environmental education center, which could feature Seafarers’ history and community programming. ĚýĚý

Ford, who has led the club for seven years, said he views the Bridge Park partnership as a model for respectful collaboration. Ěý

“We’re already partners,” Ford said. “We offer free boat rides during cherry blossom week and talk about the history. ĚýIt’s not adversarial; it’s community.”Ěý

Ford is less certain about the RFK Stadium development, a $3-billion project expected to generate thousands of jobs and billions in tax revenue. Ěý

“We haven’t had a mutually respectful conversation with those developers,” Ford said. The club’s relationship is only through the mayor’s office, he said.Ěý

Over the years, Ford said developers have used intimidation tactics. In one case, Ford said a developer sent an email alluding that Seafarer would sell its property before even having a conversation. Ford said he is used to the tactics—and some have already begun.

“Forming, storming, norming and performing, that’s how we figure out where we fit in,” Ford said. He added this is a teambuilding process that goes through different stages to understand their relationship and roles in the development projects.Ěý

Despite concerns, Ford said he remains optimistic.ĚýĚý

“We are the oldest African American boat club in the country—not DC—in the country,” Ford said. Ěý

Seafarers started the Anacostia River clean up, and we will continue to do what serves the community, Ford said.Ěý

It’s about the communityĚý

For longtime D.C. resident and recreational fisherman Derick Jones, this is personal.Ěý Fishing on the Anacostia River for over 20 years, Jones acknowledged that the RFK development is good for the city.ĚýĚýĚý

“I hope they don’t mess it up—a lot of young brothers come here to fish instead of getting in trouble,” Jones said.Ěý

Jones urged developers to protect community spaces.ĚýĚý

“This is my fishing spot,” Jones said while laughing. “This is my peace of mind.” Ěý

Seafarers Business Manager Captain Anthony Hood echoed the sentiment.Ěý

“We are a working club. Members bring their skills—woodwork, law, electrical—to keep things going.” ĚýĚý

Hood joined the club in 2020 after his wife passed. He said she always had encouraged him to buy a boat. ĚýĚý

“It has occupied my time and helped me heal—now I’m part of something bigger,” Hood said.Ěý

As the business manager for Seafarers, Hood focuses on infrastructure and restoration efforts. ĚýPartnered with Anacostia Riverkeeper and the Council of Governments, Seafarer received a grant to remove abandoned boats as part of an initiative for cleaner waterways, Hood said.Ěý

With work-in-progress projects all around the club, Hood said the infrastructure needs attention. ĚýMembers are replacing old dock woods themselves, but with development funds, Hood said. Ěý

“We could rebuild the docks, the rail system and even the clubhouse,” Hood said.Ěý

Legerwood said the club wants to amplify Seafarers’ legacy and make boating more affordable and inclusive. Ěý

“Inclusivity was our original mission,” Legerwood said. “Mr. Green built boats by hand but couldn’t find a place to dock because of his race—that’s why this place exist.”Ěý

The D.C. Preservation League, which maintains the city’s historic inventory, said it added Seafarers to its public database after the designation and is now part of the public record. Ěý

D.C. Preservation League said, “That visibility matters.” Ěý

“We’re not just a boating club.” said Legerwood. “We’re a living archive of Black maritime history.”Ěý

The post This last Black institution along the Anacostia is navigating development with intention first appeared on 91ÇŃ×Ó.

If you didn’t, you are not alone. It’s been 50 years since the first ANC elections, but D.C. residents are unaware that these neighborhood commissions administer community grants.ĚýĚýĚý

While a lot of confusion remains about the role and power of ANCs in the District, the community grant program can have visible impact, if you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that offers them.ĚýĚý

ĚýAccording to the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions FY 2025 , the role of the ANCs is “to advise the District government on matters of public policy,” which range from planning and social service programs to health, safety, and sanitation.ĚýĚý

The ANCs provide advice and recommendations to the D.C. Council, the mayor, and various agencies, boards, and commissions of government. Some ANCs also award grants to help their communities.Ěý

“ANCs do a tremendous amount of work,” says Executive Director, Kent Boese. “We are in a much better city because of them.”Ěý

The OANC oversees each of the District’s individual neighborhood commissions. When it comes to grants, both the OANC and the ANC receive the applications.ĚýĚý

The OANC reviews the grant for fiscal compliance and makes a recommendation on if they feel it would be an appropriate expense. The ANC can then decide if it still wants to support it, Boese said. Ěý

For community members who want to apply for a grant, there are rules, of course. Grants can be as much as $3,000 and are available to organizations, not individuals, based on D.C.ĚýĚý

Organizations can’t receive more than one grant in a year.Ěý

Can’t duplicate a city service.Ěý

Also, for a group to receive a grant, it can’t be for a program that duplicates a city service. Boese said that line is clear, but there is nuance.ĚýĚý

“For example, the city has a program where you can ask for free tools during the fall for community clean-up. However, the city doesn’t operate a program for that during the winter,” he said. A grant for a winter program would be allowed, but the ANC would need to retain ownership of the tools, he said.Ěý

Additionally, grants can’t be used for things such as food, must benefit the community (not a person or organization), and must be for a future event, Boese said. Ěý

Ward 1 resident Wendy Singleton, a board member and logistics coordinator for , has helped her organization get an ANC grant for the past five years. The organization, founded by Ransom Miller III, has used the money to support their annual Thanksgiving food distribution. This event, celebrating its 30th year, helps Project Giveback support over 5,000 families with bulk food distribution throughout the city.

“It’s not a hard process,” she said. “You have to get in early. The ANCs want to make sure their constituents are being served.”Ěý

ĚýNot all commissioners offer grants.Ěý

Since the ANC’s have final say if an organization or event gets funded, single member district representatives can sponsor a proposal for an organization that is based outside of their ANC. This is important because not all ANCs offer grants.ĚýĚý

For example, Anna Krebs, commissioner and treasurer of ANC 6B06, represents one of those districts.ĚýĚý

“6B does not currently have grants available, but it is something that we are actively working on,” she said. Ěý

She said her neighborhood commission is working with the OANC to see what kinds of grants have been approved for other neighborhoods.ĚýĚý

Before becoming an ANC commissioner, Krebs said she hadn’t heard of the grants either. However, she added that she does see the value of them.

Ěý“Part of why we want to bring back grants is so we can put money back into the community,” she said.ĚýĚý

So who decides if an ANC will offer grants or not? According to Boese, that’s up to the ANCs as well.Ěý

Ěý“It is important when reading the Code to pay attention to the words ‘may’ and ‘shall.’ ‘May’ means that a Commission is allowed, but not required, to do something. ‘Shall’ means that a Commission must so something,” Boese said.Ěý

Boese is referring to section 1–309.13(l)(1) of the D.C. Code, which says “Expenditures may be in the form of grants by the Commission for public purposes within the Commission.”Ěý

Some commissions have elected to start creating programs themselves, rather than issue reimbursements to organizations, Boese said.Ěý

According to the OANC Annual Report for FY24, ANCs receive an approved allotment in the D.C. budget by the mayor. For the last two years, that amount was $915,688, which comes to $1.327 per District resident based on the 2020 census.ĚýĚý

The OANC can also recommend that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer withhold a portion of an ANC’s allocation if that commission has spent money for something that is not allowed (e.g. a committee luncheon) or is not in accordance with the procedures for spending money (e.g. the expenditure is not recorded in the minutes, or the check does not have two signatures). It is the OCFO that makes the quarterly allotments to the ANCs.Ěý

ANC budgets are restricted to two main uses: administration and community support. Admin can be office supplies, business cards, signs, advertising, or rent for office space or community meetings. The commissioners themselves are not paid, however.Ěý

A common theme is a lack of awareness. “Even if people don’t get involved, they should know we exist,” Krebs said.ĚýĚý

Singleton said she found out about the grants from a member of her church.ĚýĚý

“They don’t publicize,” she said. “You need to be active in the ANC, and you need to go to meetings.”ĚýĚý

Boese said his office is working to fix the lack of awareness of the grant program. In addition to improving individual websites, his office is working on an initiative in conjunction with local libraries to bring more attention to the commissions, and the work they do, before next year’s election.ĚýĚý

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Initially deployed to combat crime, the National Guard is now turning to advisory neighborhood commissions seeking a community to-do list; not everyone is on board.

Picking up trash is not the reason they came to D.C., but it’s now part of the Guard’s new mission.

With crime in D.C. at a 30-year low, President Trump in August declared a crime emergency invoking the Home Rule Act to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department and activate the National Guard from D.C. and six Republican-led states.Ěý Just weeks into the deployment, the National Guard is seeking beautification projects across the city—a move that has sparked mixed reactions from caution to collaboration.Ěý Leaders and residents are divided on whether to collaborate or stand firm on the Guard’s departure.

“If you want people to do beautification projects, why not rehire the people that were just fired from the National Park Service,” Adams said.

A shift in direction happened Sept. 8 when D.C. National Guard Director Marcus Hunt sent a District-wide letter to advisory neighborhood commissioners “requesting help identifying projects on neighborhood beautification efforts.”

Hunt, a native Washingtonian and Ward 8 resident, appealed to commissioners with a sense of partnership and urged leaders to work “alongside” the National Guards as a community.

The response has been mixed. Earlier this month, 93 different ANCs penned a published in The 51^st opposing the deployment of National Guard troops in D.C. “It is a direct attack on the freedom and independence every community deserves,” the commissioners wrote.

Commissioners in Ward 8 were among the first to reject Hunt’s request to help, voting unanimously to refuse the offer. “We don’t need the National Guard in the community to help with beautification” they said.

Ward 1 ANC leaders also declined to respond, calling the offer “uncomfortable and concerning.”

However, Ward 7 Commissioner John Adams said, “We invite and embrace” the help.

ANC 6B, which represents Capitol Hill and Hill East is still pondering the decision.

David Sobelsohn, ANC 6B secretary, said that ANC Commissioner Edward Ryder considered holding an emergency meeting on the request but ultimately decided to wait until the full body meeting on Oct. 15 when the public can weigh in.

The troops will be here until December, so we have time to make a “measured decision,” Sobelsohn said.

Sobelsohn said some constituents would like to see the ANCs work more collaboratively with the National Guard. ĚýHe said his commission conferred with the Home Rule Caucus, an informal group of roughly 75 ANCs that advocates for D.C. self-governance.

Sobelsohn said the alternative responses falls into three camps: reject the offer outright, find collaborative ways to work with the troops or ignore the offer and don’t respond. “One and three are essentially the same,” he added.

While all ANCs agree in principle that the troops should go home, Sobelsohn said there is a school of thought that says, “if they are going to wander the streets aimlessly, we should let them do something.”

Former federal contractor Ryan Donaldson, who said he has witnessed crime first-hand, deemed the National Guard as a necessary deterrent and supports its presence for both safety and beautification efforts.

Donaldson, a Capitol Hill resident, said as a federal city, D.C. represents the pride of the nation and “we need to put our best foot forward.”

Donaldson said he has had his bike stolen a few times, witnessed a resident assaulted by a homeless person and even found a discarded handgun at a D.C. Metro station.Ěý “So yes, I support more police and National Guard presence—not just for me but for everyone who lives and works here,” he said.

However, Adams said she sees the beautification efforts as a political move.

“If this was really about crime, we’d see the National Guard in high-crime areas—not picking up trash near $800,000 homes and monuments,” she said. “This feels more like a test of presidential power than a public safety mission.”

Adams, a remote tech employee, added, “We don’t need troops to beautify D.C.—this money could be going toward schools and school programs, instead it’s being spent on a military presence we didn’t ask for.”

Pentagon civilian employee Mark T., who declined to provide his last name due to privacy concerns, has lived on Capitol Hill for 20 years; he offered what he described as a pragmatic approach. “If the situation has been imposed on us, let’s make the best of it,” he said.

If handled correctly and the contributions are meaningful, Mark T. said it won’t legitimize federal overreach but rather help the community. “If not, we run the risk of sounding like hyper-liberal complainers,” he added.

Home Rule Caucus Chairman Miguel Trindade Deramo coordinates advocacy across the commissions and urged the National Guard to remain focused on its mission of “readiness to respond to security threats.”

On Sept. 18, the Home Rule Caucus published a to Hunt thanking him for his offer but expressing “collective disapproval.” The letter cited a misuse of federal resources and warned of a troubling precedent.

Trindade Deramo told 91ÇŃ×Ó there is a lot of work to be done around the city, noting the inappropriate use of the Guards.

“They are trained soldiers; we don’t need them picking up trash and laying mulch, Trindade Deramo said.” The federal government needed to properly fund the National Park Services and the other agencies trained for these matters, he said.

Trindade Deramo said he didn’t fault wards who accepted the National Guard’s offer but stressed the principle of local autonomy outweighs the short-term service they provide.

Adams admits her children are amused and curious about the Guards posted in the neighborhood, but she cautioned this political environment is a slippery slope.

“Leaders should be standing up and pushing back and not playing along to make the troops look more useful,” she said.

D.C. leaders are navigating a delicate dance asserting local authority while responding to federal pressure and oversight.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and Council Chair Phil Mendelson spent five hours testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Sept. 18.Ěý While Bowser did not push back on the National Guard, she emphasized public safety must be managed locally.

“Let us do our job,” she told committee members.

Even with differing opinions on beautification projects, there is consensus that the Guards must be treated respectfully. Adams said, “They didn’t ask for this mission, but they are here to serve.”Ěý Mark T. added “Let’s treat them with the pride and decorum the uniform deserves.”

The post National Guard wants to help; ANCs not so sure first appeared on 91ÇŃ×Ó.

Deshawna Bowman, a worker at a restaurant White frequents and a Ward 8 resident, said, “I just feel as though he has honestly been sort of a target when it comes to legal troubles simply because he’s a young Black man.”Ěý

Since his arrest in August, White has enjoyed continued support from residents. Shortly after White was released from jail, tweets surfaced on the of supporters shielding White, still in his bathrobe, from the press cameras. The crowd chanted, “We love Tray!” and “Ward 8!”

Trayon White just left the federal courthouse flanked by supporters. Said nothing.

— Nick Iannelli (@NickWTOP)

“I definitely feel like he was baited in,” Bowman said.Ěý

Councilmember White was indicted and pleaded not guilty to bribery charges. According to the, White is accused of taking over $156,000 in kickbacks and cash payments in exchange for extending contracts between non-profit Life Deeds, Inc. and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), and the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONES).

According to the , On August 9, 2024, at approximately 10:30 am, White allegedly met with aĚý “Confidential Human Source 1” (CHS1) who allegedly gave him a $5K payment. On the same day, after meeting with White, the CHS1 signed a plea deal.ĚýĚýĚý

Bowman told 91ÇŃ×Ó in response to the indictment, “It’s just so crazy because the things that they were saying were part of the bribery case; These are things that could potentially help the community.”Ěý

Bowman was referring to the violence interruption and prevention programs District agencies oversee. One of White’sĚý roles on the council was overseeing the DYRS and ONES agencies as a council member. DYRS and ONES contracted with Life Deed Inc. Violence interruption has gained popularity as an alternative to – often – heavy-handed policing among communities that often experience high rates of violence.Ěý

Jordan Payne, a Ward 8 resident and small business owner in the Anacostia neighborhood, expressed critical support for White, and said there’s more to be done in Ward 8.

“I still find myself seeing a lot of kids in the community bored, having nothing to do. There’s not the type of activities and program set in place to make sure the kids stay off the street and are doing something more constructive with their time,” said Payne.Ěý

Ward 8 resident Keon Hill said he is familiar with White’s work in the community. Hill mentioned that White had launched several initiatives to end youth violenceĚýand bring to Ward 8. Hill, who admits he is not a particularly interested in politics, knows a good leader with good intentions when he sees one.Ěý

“The things he’s done can’t put out the positive things he’s done,” Hill said, noting that the work White has done for the Ward 8 community and the city has bought White some social grace.Ěý

“They know we wit ’em.” “They know he’s got that kind of power, but they don’t want to see it, for real,” Hill said

Payne, however, wants his elected officials to be accountable for their actions, stating,“I don’t think we should show them grace. I think we need to set an example out of them to try to make sure people don’t make those same mistakes because we see it time and time again.”Ěý

Bowman feels White is being targeted, but admits the evidence has yet to play out in court. “Sometimes you do the crime, you have to do the time,” Bowman added.ĚýĚý

In an op-ed to East of the River news, Phillip Pannell, a longtime community activist and president of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, wroteĚý“All of the immense good that our Ward 8 Council Member has done for our community is in no way negated by the photos and recounting of his alleged illegal activities. What is so sad is that his upward vocational, economic and political mobility was accompanied by an ethical and moral decline.”Ěý

Pannell also announced his race for the Ward 8 council seat as a write-in candidate last month.

White is not the only elected official accused of misusing their political position for financial or personal gain.Ěý

In August, the same month of White’s arrest, now-former Navy Yard Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC8F) Commissioner Clayton Rosenberg was sentenced to five years and three months for misusing COVID-19 relief funds, according to a from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.Ěý

His fellow commissioners removed Clayton Rosenberg from his position in a special August meeting of the 8f commission. Members of the ANC issued formal statements earlier this month.Ěý

Edward Daniels, ANC8F Chair, wrote, “There is no place for corruption and misuse of public funds as an elected official.”Ěý

“All of us should expect more from our elected officials, and we can do better as a city,” ANC8f Secretary Brian Strege stated.ĚýĚý

Bowman told 91ÇŃ×Ó that White should be held to a higher standard.“When you do get into these higher roles like a council member, it’s just a different kind of ethics you have to follow,” he said.

Since Councilmember White’s arrest in August, the D.C. Council has launched its own investigation through an ad hoc committee. On September 17th, in a closed-door session of the ad hoc committee, White was removed from his committee positions pending his trial.Ěý

“We owe it to the residents of D.C. to conduct an independent investigation,” said Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie just before the meeting was closed to the public.Ěý

Many people interviewed for this article label White as humble and from notoriously difficult beginnings. His continued presence in his community has bought him social credit and buoyed his political career. Yet, curiosity over the details surrounding White’s FBI case continues to grow even among his most ardent supporters.Ěý

His case is also being compared to former Mayor Marion Barry and his legal troubles. Barry,Ěý the city’s two-time mayor and three-time Councilmember, was perhaps D.C.’s most pivotal political figure in the 1980’s. His summer youth empowerment program, placing the city’s youth with government and private sector summer jobs, is credited with improving many young people’s lives for the better. Barry’s positive influence and politics came with controversy.Ěý

Barry was arrested on cocaine charges in a 1990 FBI sting operation that many thought was a setup. Barry’s political comeback, however, became a part of his enduring legacy. Like Barry, White has focused most of his political career on championing programs that impact Ward 8’s most vulnerable residents.Ěý

In its seeming embrace of Ward 8 residents, maybe White can find support, and accountability. White is running for a third term on November 5th. U.S. District Judge Randolph Contreras has given White’s defense team until Nov. 13th to review evidence in his case. Prosecutors have asked that Jury selection begin July 7, 2025. The city council’s ad hoc committee is set to deliver the findings from their independent investigation on December 16th.

The post Councilmember Trayon White faces bribery charges amid community support. first appeared on 91ÇŃ×Ó.

Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser and GW University leaders announced a partnership to bring comprehensive medical care to residents in Wards 7 and 8 at the new St. Elizabeth’s East hospital.

United Health Services, GW Hospital’s administrator, will operate the 136-bed academic hospital under a 75-year lease. At the same time, physicians from the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and GW Medical Faculty will serve as staff for the hospital, said hospital spokesperson Susan Griffiths.

Resident Travis Swanson described the current state of healthcare services in Ward 7 as “a tragedy.” There is no urgent care, and the closest hospital is Washington Medical Center, so it can be difficult for residents to access basic medical care, he said.

The new St. Elizabeth’s hospital will include maternity and pediatric services, a trauma center, primary care services, specialty services like cancer, diabetes, cardiac and general surgery, and specialty care based on community needs, among other services, Griffiths said.

Hospital construction breaks ground in 2022, with a planned opening in 2024.Ěý Griffiths told 91ÇŃ×Ó hospital planners will take steps to improve medical access before then. Two urgent cares are scheduled to open in 2022 (one each in Wards 7 and 8) to supplement essential health services.

Although the hospital will increase resources and access to medical care, some residents say they are skeptical the community will use them.

An urgent care would be “a win,” at this point, said Tiffany Brown, a Ward 7 resident, but providers must consider if residents are willing to go to the doctors.

Similarly, Salim Adofo, the 8C Advisory Neighborhood Commission chairperson representing part of the neighborhood, said he has encountered the “entire spectrum” of feelings towards using health services in Ward 8. Some people want a top-tier hospital, while others don’t go to the hospital when they’re sick or for regular checkups, he said.

Healthcare disparities have persisted over time, said Dr. Jonathan Respress, M.B.A., a director in medical affairs. There’s more access but maybe people aren’t doing it, so “we have to take a step back and look at reasons for these disparities — management specifically.”

There are provider-related factors that contribute to this, Respress said. Providers have bias and clinical ideas about treating patients based on background and ethnicity and may have their own beliefs about the behavioral health of minority patients.

“Patient prep” is also a factor, he added. This includes why patients are using treatment, what their care is like, whether they understand the disease, what needs to be done to address it, and their perception of others getting treated.

Brown said one of the things she sees residents struggle with is being heard. “They are talked at, instead of to,” she said.

Adofo said that the culture of healthcare east of the river must be considered. “Historically, for many Black people, their relationship to the healthcare system is not a good one. Look at the Tuskegee study and how people felt about that.”

“Here we are in 2021, and folks are looking at healthcare as something that is friendly to Black people,” he said, “So any plan to address healthcare must include a plan for how to build the trust of a community that has been done wrong for so many years.”

Anne Banner, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences spokesperson, said there is already a community advisory board being formed to discuss community education and outreach initiatives.

As academic physician faculty, GW believes patient-centered care will optimize healthcare services, Banner explained. “A key element of patient-centered care is focus on continuity and community.”

With United Health Services’ support, GW will launch a family medicine residency program at St. Elizabeth’s to develop and train a group of physicians on that campus that are fully aware of the needs of residents in Wards 7 and 8.

As part of this undertaking, Respress said it is important for United Health Services to work with grassroots initiatives.ĚýĚý“Work with local community organizations that are really willing to take part and drive to mitigate issues that are going on in their community — because they know what those specific issues are.”

The last health disparity concern Respress noted is the healthcare system itself, namely the geography and availability of healthcare institutions. “When you look at GW or Johns Hopkins versus your area, of course, people are going to have access to different levels of care,” he said.

United Medical Center is the only hospital east of the Anacostia River residents have access to, and Poya Carmichael, VP and Public Relations and Corporate Secretary, said “the reputation of the hospital has not been the best” in recent years.

Adofo said there’s a “terrible stigma” surrounding United Medical Center in the community, and it’s decreasing services – there’s no trauma center or prenatal care.

“If I needed to go to the hospital, I would go someplace other than the community,”he said.

Dorothea Barnes, a school teacher who lives across from the hospital, said, “It’s really not a good hospital. I had some bad experiences here.”

Carmichael said United Medical Center’s turnover in leadership and management is reflected in the quality of care the hospital provides.

United Medical Center decided to close its maternity Ward permanently three years ago after a Health Services inspection found faults in the quality of care.

“You can’t have a baby east of the river,” said Brown.

She remembers her 13-year-old daughter watching the closure announcement on the news and saying, “Does this mean you can’t have a baby over here?” Brown said seeing her daughter make that connection at such a young age showed her that healthcare accessĚý“definitely is an issue.”

Both the District and United Health Services will invest significant resources in the construction and operation of St. Elizabeth’s hospital. The district will fund the in construction, and United Health Services will invest $75 million in healthcare in Wards 7 and 8.

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The ten “family success” centers are part of a created by Bowser in 2019, and will exist as dedicated rooms in churches, libraries, and schools and as entire units in mixed-use buildings. They will serve as a place for families to connect with a myriad of programs the government offers, such as food and employment services.

“These centers represent the District’s commitment to making each neighborhood a place where families can thrive and where everyone in our great city gets a fair shot at success,” said Kim Ford, the president of Martha’s Table, during an Oct. 7 launch event. Martha’s Table is one of that will run the centers.

The areas where the centers are located violence prevention priority areas, reports on child abuse and neglect and social determinants of health data. The D.C. Child Family Services Agency is spearheading the initiative. Nearly 75% of the families the agency serves live in Ward 7 and Ward 8.

The centers were always supposed to open in October, but leaders had no way of knowing they’d have to launch during a global pandemic. More than in the District have died from COVID-19, and Ward 7 and Ward 8 have been among the hardest-hit areas of the city. More than 75% of COVID-19 deaths in the city have been Black residents.

But Smart from the Start, which operates the Woodland Family Success Center, felt well-equipped to follow through on its launch.

“We’ve been kind of in the trenches with our families since pandemic first hit,” said Cherie Craft, the director of Smart from the Start. During the pandemic, the organization has delivered groceries to families, provided tele tutoring, helped people with rent and bill pay and provided other services on Zoom such as counseling, Craft said.

“We were already well versed in safety protocols and what the directives from the Department of Health were,” Craft said.

The Woodland Family Success Center opted for a virtual launch event and a socially distanced celebration to follow a few days later.

Both events were well-attended. The outdoor event, called a “Party n Parade,” was located outside in a parking lot. Thirty tables were spaced 10 feet apart, and just two families were allowed to be at a table at one time.

Families had the opportunity to do arts and craft and trivia activities, sign up for programs and take home brand-new books, water bottles and T-shirts. And health groups provided health screenings.

The group decided to include an in-person event because the community had been waiting with “bated breath” for the center to launch, Craft said.

“Given the fact that the community was so invested and so excited about the launch of the center, we figured that we would have to provide some access to the center and some opportunity for folks to celebrate this new set of programs and services to the community,” Craft said.

Community members helped put together the program plan and even helped interview and hire staff for the center. Craft said the community breathed life into the project and gave the center authenticity.

The goal of the centers is not only to help people with their current needs but also with their future needs, Mayor Bowser said during the launch event.

“We’re going to help people deal with their needs for right now but everybody has an aspiration and a hope and a goal, and that’s what we also want to focus on,” Bowser said.

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