Interested in public policy, the DC budget, research and information to inform and improve the caliber of public policy discussions or advocacy? This is the place for you: information and intelligence that improves advocacy is the stock in trade of this blog.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Opioid abuse/treatment gets boost from Janney/Cregg at White House
.@AllisonBJanney
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 29, 2016
AKA CJ Cregg
AKA Bonnie on @MomCBS
drops by the White House press briefing. https://t.co/TK4NJ7TEyM
DCist wrote about Janney's visit to the White House press briefing room:
Janney wasn't just reliving her days as Cregg walking and talking down halls of power. She used her few minutes at the podium to bring attention to country's opioid epidemic. This is related to her current role as a recovering addict on the TV show Mom. (She even waved to the show's creator Chuck Lorre, who was sitting in on the briefing.)
Friday, April 29, 2016
I Spy: May 2 leg meeting media briefing notice
I spy... notice of @ChmnMendelson 5/2 media briefing on leg mtg! Goooo @councilofdc ! pic.twitter.com/X576z1oI40
— Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) April 29, 2016
April 29: Medal of Honor awardee remembered with new, correct headstone at St. Es
Honoring Noil will be Dr. Tanya A. Royster, Director of the Department of Behavioral Health; Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton; Director of the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs Tammi Lambert; officials from the Embassy of Canada; and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Noil received the honor for saving Boatswain J. C. Walton from drowning while serving on board the U.S.S. Powhatan at Norfolk, 26 December 1872. Noil was a Seaman at the time. Noil is one of the 90 African Americans awarded the Medal of Honor. To date, 3,470 medals have been awarded.
Noil continued to serve in the U.S. Navy with distinction, rising to the ranking of Captain of the Hold, serving on the U.S.S. Wyoming. According to Wikipedia's Joseph B. Noil article,
Joseph B. Noil enlisted in the Navy from New York; when he re-enlisted for a three-year hitch on December 29, 1874, he was described as thirty-four years old, born in Nova Scotia and a "Negro". His civilian occupation was as a caulker, and he was five feet, six inches tall.[1]
In 1881, Noil was admitted to Saint Elizabeths Hospital with paralysis. He died March 21, 1882.
Noil emigrated from Nova Scotia, Canada. He enlisted in the Navy in 1871. [Updated enlistment date 4/29, 10a]
To participate, go to the Saint Elizabeths Hospital Cemetery (1100 Alabama Ave SE); enter the cemetery on Bruce Pl SE.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Flashback: April 2003 Trust budget hearing
Additionally, the board of the Trust will have to roll up their sleeves and embarks on an aggressive fund raising campaign, in order to continue to support those programs that are currently funded, as well as future grantees.
Never happened.
Update: Title updated 4/28, 9p.
Thought you might be interested Thursday: Well-Being, economics and policy
On February 4, the DC Environmental Network (DCEN) held the event "DCEN Networking Event: Beyond GNP? What Well-Being Can Contribute to Economics & Policy." The purpose of the event was to consider a new way of looking at, thinking about the intersection of well-being, happiness, economics, and public policy.
Carol Graham, Leo Pasvolsky Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution and Professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy, played a leading role at the event. She briefed attendees on the emerging trend of measuring happiness and its role in economic progress.
At the meeting, DCEN announced it
will be launching a new campaign to convince the DC government to start its own well-being index project. We believe this approach could show policy makers more clearly how incorporating sustainability principles into decision making may be a more effective strategy for creating happy and healthy communities in the District of Columbia.
Review Graham's presentation (PDF).
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
DC government loses a good one
I'm excited to announce that I'm joining the White House! Tech policy @ the CIO's team. Sad to leave DC gov but so excited for this!
— Matt Bailey (@MattBailey0) April 26, 2016
Here's more from Matt on the new gig:
I'm also very excited about my new opportunity! Starting May 9, I'll be joining the White House, specifically the U.S. CIO's team, as a Digital Services Expert. I'll be working on national tech policy, and you better believe I'll be bringing the lessons I've learned here [in DC government at OCTO], and your collective wisdom, along with me.
All the best, Matt!
Council adds meetings to, cancels one hearing on #dcfy17 budget schedule
April 29: (Add-on) Committee of the Whole - Council Chamber-Room 500 (FY 2016 Second Revised Budget Request Emergency Adjustment Act of 2016, FY 2016 Second Revised Budget Request Temporary Adjustment Act of 2016, and the FY 2016 Second Revised Budget Request Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016)
and
May 11: Budget Work Session - Conference Room 502 (9:00am-Noon & 2:00pm- 6:00pm)
In addition, the schedule has been modified to remove the Committee on Health & Human Services' budget hearing on the Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation. As reported in Mismanagement has bankrupted a D.C. nonprofit, endangering programs for at-risk youths, board members say, Brenda Donald, "the deputy mayor for health and human services, would field questions at another hearing that day about how the administration will move forward." "That" hearing is for the office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and takes place Thursday, April 28 in Room 412 at JAWB. The hearing starts at 10:00 am with consideration of the United Medical Center budget.
Social media TA from Sprout Social
Need help creating images? 36 Free Tools for Creating Unique Images, again from Sprout Social, is a good place to start. Some of what you will find on the list: image design tools, quote makers, profile picture makers, and meme creators.
Sprout Social has its own free image creator and editor, Landscape.>
New report: Review of Summer Youth Employment Programs in Eight Major Cities and the District of Columbia
directing ODCA to "conduct an evaluation of multiple years of the summer youth jobs program to assess whether the program has met and is meeting program objectives." This report, which reviews the structure, eligibility rules, services, costs, and outcomes of summer youth employment programs in the District of Columbia and eight other large cities, is part of ODCA's effort to fulfill the Council's directive and inform discussions of how to make the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) as effective as possible.
The report also includes 11 recommendations.
Perhaps the most damning and troubling finding is about the evaluation, or lack thereof, of SYEP:
Several other cities have commissioned independent evaluations of their summer youth employment programs, including studies that have randomly assigned youth to program and control groups in order to isolate the impact of the program on youth well-being. By contrast, DOES has not commissioned an independent evaluation of MBSYEP since 2010 despite a statutory requirement to do so annually.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Melissa Bradley leads new AU Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative
The new initiative is designed to make AU a player in the region. According to the article,
The innovation center will offer access to resources like pitch competitions, a speaker series, mentorship and research partnerships to students across AU, not just business students, Bradley said. The goal is to teach more innovative thinking whether the students plan to start a business or no.
Bradley was DC Action for Children's first paid executive director back in 1996-1997. I had the pleasure of working for her during my second year MSW placement while at Howard University School of Social Work.
Trust does bad again according to WaPo
BREAKING: Mismanagement has bankrupted a D.C. nonprofit, endangering programs for at-risk youth, board members say. https://t.co/sgqWH7LrVw
— Aaron C. Davis (@byaaroncdavis) April 26, 2016
Free Comic Book Day, May 7
Who's HYPED for Free Comic Book Day? @FantomComics is the place to be on May 7th! See you there! #FCBD2016 pic.twitter.com/cTlCTy8G95
— Chris Scott (@ChrisJamesScott) April 20, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
ICYMI: R. Calvin Lockridge has died
Sad to learn R. Calvin Lockridge, 81, has died after lengthy illness. A former DC school board member & fighter for his Ward 8 community
— Tom Sherwood (@tomsherwood) April 23, 2016
ICYMI: Lydia DePillis has left WaPo
The rumors are true: I'm gutted to leave the @washingtonpost, but super excited to join the @HoustonChron. More: https://t.co/J07UC3tt84
— Lydia DePillis (@lydiadepillis) April 4, 2016
As she wrote in this Facebook post,
It sounds like a weird move, I know. The Post is a dream place to work in many ways, and I have fabulous colleagues whom I'll miss very much. But ever since I took a bus down here after graduating from college in 2009, I've maintained a strong belief that few serious reporters spend their entire 20s holed up in the capital of the free world.
Props to DePillis for making this huge decision. I, for one, will miss her local reporting.
Good luck, Lydia!!
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Prescription Drug Take-back April 30
The latest blog post: Reminder: April 30 Drug Take-back in Ward 7 https://t.co/GFhJrxYuWj @DCPoliceDept pic.twitter.com/2IrvajAeY7
— Ward7SafeDrug-free (@Ward7sdcc) April 25, 2016
Reminder: #eotr has a community calendar!
Wards 7 and 8 residents, and stakeholders, can easily find out what is happening in their neck of the woods by referring to the Wards 7 & 8 Community Board! Adding events is easy; the instructions are on the East Bank DC website (link above).
Kale and Andouille Soup recipe
Kojo Nnamdi on Anacostia
Saturday, April 23, 2016
#dcfy17 budget sked updated Apr. 19
WAMU switches up newsroom to achieve new vision
Read WAMU 88.5 Unveils Ambitious New Vision For A Growing Multiplatform Newsroom for the details.
Friday, April 22, 2016
ICYMI: Diane Rehm Show on girls, sex, and contradictory messages
More data from Data Is Plural
- Commuting Zones; Level of Life Expectancy
- Commuting Zones; Annual Change in Life Expectancy
- Counties; Level of Life Expectancy
Like baseball? Journalist Sean Lahman is rather fanatical and maintains a database of data on teams, players, and other (I guess) interesting information. See Lahman’s Baseball Database.
The Political TV Ad Archive "is a project of the Internet Archive. This site provides a searchable, viewable, and shareable online archive of 2016 political TV ads, married with fact-checking and reporting citizens can trust." The data can be used for various purposes, including educating students (see Ten engaging ways educators can use the Political TV Ad Archive). I wish this had been available when I was in college! It would have saved time and allowed for better analysis!
Thursday, April 21, 2016
DGS has installed community-based bike repair stations
Great new road resources available for cyclists: @DCDGS is installing bike repair stations across the District: https://t.co/U8JCYTPRAM
— Mary M. Cheh (@marycheh) April 20, 2016
Locations of the first eight stations:
- Banneker Recreation Center (2500 Georgia Ave NW) (Ward 1)
- Takoma Aquatic Center (300 Van Buren St NW) (Ward 4)
- Rosedale Recreation Center (1701 Gales St NE) (Ward 6)
- Francis Gregory Library (3660 Alabama Ave SE) (Ward 7)
- Reeves Center (2000 14th St NW) (Ward 1)
- Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave NW) (Ward 3)
- Penn Center (326 R St NE) (Ward 5)
- Department of Employment Services (4058 Minnesota Ave NE) (Ward 7)
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Ward 7 flower featured on stamp
A local photographer’s shot of the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is featured on a new stamp. https://t.co/IX6RxA8oJq pic.twitter.com/7tcFa52Xmu
— Washingtonian (@washingtonian) April 19, 2016
CAAB's new address
1100 H Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
Their phone, etc. remain the same:
Tel: (202) 419-1440
Fax: (202) 419-1447
Email: via email, info@caab.org
Web: www.caab.org
Twitter: @CAAB_GreaterDC
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapitalAreaAssetBuilders
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/capital-area-asset-builders
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
April 25: "The Blunt Truth" Town Hall: Youth living in changing & challenging times
The Ward 7 Safe & Drug-Free Communities Coalition is sponsoring "The Blunt Truth" Monday, April 25, 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Department of Employment Services (4058 Minnesota Ave NE).Topics to be covered at the event:
- Is marijuana harmful?
- Is marijuana legal to have and use?
- How does marijuana impact the community?
Candace Montague, health reporter for Capital Community News and freelance journalist, will interview experts on the law and the health impacts of marijuana. A question and answer period will follow.
All interested in addressing the child and youth drug challenge in Ward 7 are encouraged to attend.
Light refreshments and prevention information will be available.
RSVP by April 21: info@w7sdcc.org; questions: info@w7sdcc.org.
Download and share the event flyer (PDF).
Abigail Hauslohner swaps desks
Reporter Abigail Hauslohner has moved to the national desk at The Washington Post to cover Islam, Arab affairs and America. She previously covered local DC politics, government and city hall since 2015 and joined the newspaper in 2012 as Cairo, Egypt bureau chief in 2012. Prior to that, she was Middle East correspondent for TIME.
DCPS School Year 2016-2017 calendars
Eleven DCPS schools operate on an extended year model starting the upcoming school year. The 11 extended-year schools are:
- Garfield Elementary School (Ward 8)
- H.D. Cooke Elementary School (Ward 1)
- Hart Middle School (Ward 8)
- Hendley Elementary School (Ward 8)
- Johnson Middle School (Ward 8)
- Kelly Miller Middle School (Ward 7)
- King Elementary School (Ward 8)
- Randle Highlands Elementary School (Ward 7)
- Raymond Education Campus (Ward 4)
- Thomas Elementary School (Ward 7)
- Turner Elementary School (Ward 8)
Important extended-year school calendar dates:
- First Day of School*: August 8, 2016
- Fall Break: October 10-14, 2016
- Winter Break: December 22, 2016 – January 2, 2017
- Spring Break: April 17-21, 2017
- Last Day of School: July 13, 2017
Here is the calendar for traditional DCPS schools; important dates are:
- First Day of School*: August 22, 2016
- Winter Break: December 22, 2016 – January 2, 2017
- Spring Break: April 17-21, 2017
- Last Day of School: June 14, 2017
*Preschool (PK3 and PK4) students typically have a modified schedule the first week of school to help transition to the school environment. Check with your principal about the exact schedule for your preschool child.
Monday, April 18, 2016
ICYMI: Twitter polls
They are easy to use. Start with the question; you have 116 characters. Add the responses; the default is two but you can have up to four. Answers can only be 20 characters each. Then Tweet. The poll will be live for 24 hours.
Ward 7's struggle with economic development according to Jonetta Rose Barras
READ: Igniting Economic Development in Ward 7 https://t.co/X1UoYOUVYq #ward7 h/t @BridgingWard7
— Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) April 15, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
WAMU doubles down on technology
Read more, including about Bertrand's extensive background, in Meet Rob Bertrand, WAMU’s New Technology Head.
Changes to SY 2015-2016 calendar
- June 16, 2016 will become a full instructional day. The Professional Development day previously scheduled for this day will be cancelled.
- June 17, 2016 will become a half-day for students with dismissal at 12:15 PM. This will be the last day of the school year.
In January, DCPS shared with parents their "two-day" plan to account for the 2.5 snow days.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
DCEN has moved!
Cass Sunstein, June 13: The World According to Star Wars
Signed up to see @CassSunstein at the @ConstitutionCtr June 13th @starwars @HamillHimself https://t.co/TDmzv0Amce pic.twitter.com/2OhJsFswCB
— Tom Kozlik (@tomkozlik) April 15, 2016
Friday, April 15, 2016
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Kojo Nnamdi on “Chocolate City”
Tune in to Take Kojo's Audio Tour of "Chocolate City" From 1963 To 1975 to listen to Kojo Nnamdi tour the Anacostia Community Museum exhibit Twelve Years that Shook and Shaped Washington: 1963-1975.
Monday, April 11, 2016
April 5 DC Council #dcfy17 budget hearing sked
News from Carol Joynt
I have joined MSNBC as a producer for Chris Matthews at "Hardball." I've been there two weeks and it is a pleasure to be back in the career I abandoned when my husband died and I took over his business, Nathans, and a lot of other stuff related to that. I have to admit, I love the smell and feel of a TV studio in that moment when a show goes live, and all the hyper activity involved in getting to that moment. After almost 18 years I'm home again. It may last only through the election, but what an election it is!My job is full time and the hours are long. The show airs at 7pm on MSNBC, and most nights we are live, and we do wrap-ups to midnight and beyond on primary and debate nights.
For that reason, after the Julia Reed interview, The Q&A Cafe will be on a summer hiatus. We'll resume in the fall when my little show celebrates its 15th anniversary. Remarkable, isn't it?
Sunday, April 10, 2016
April 12: Juvenile justice town hall
Join neighbors, @ANC1B's #PublicSafety Cmte. & @AGKarlRacine on Tues 4/12 for a #Juvenile Town Hall🇺🇸
— Matt Abbruzzese (@MattAbbruzzese) April 8, 2016
7pm @TMCSH_✌🏽️ pic.twitter.com/XkerHcydVW
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Friday, April 8, 2016
Mayor Bowser on economic development on WPFW Monday, Apr. 11
Join me on Monday 4/11 at 9AM @WPFWDC 89.3FM for a frank discussion with @MayorBowser #education #housing #economicdevelopment and more.
— Andy Shallal (@andyshallal) April 8, 2016
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Thought you might be interested Thursday: Free the Kids - Dirt is Good
Learn more about how the video came to be in Children Spend Less Time Outdoors Than Prisoners, According To New Persil Ad.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
TA: Social media tips
Image by mkhmarketing.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Council updated #dcfy17 budget hearing sked Apr. 5
April 5 COW and leg meeting on video
The video of this morning's Committee of the Whole meeting is now available at https://t.co/nxwJXiYMak
— Council of DC (@councilofdc) April 5, 2016
The video of today's Legislative Meeting is now available at https://t.co/zAZ31M5kte
— Council of DC (@councilofdc) April 5, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
CFO Jeff DeWitt's #dcfy17 testimony before DC Council Apr. 4
Testimony of Jeffrey S. DeWitt, Chief Financial Officer 4/4/16 #dcfy17 https://t.co/Afd07Sudau
— Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) April 4, 2016
#dcfy17 budget schedule updated Mar. 30
DC Council hears details of #dcfy17 budget from Mayor Bowser Apr. 4
Can't make it to JAWB? Watch online.
Mayor Bowser's April 4 sked
10:00 AM
Present and Discuss Fiscal Year 2017 Budget at the Council of the District of Columbia
Location: John A. Wilson Building, Council Chambers
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Sunday, April 3, 2016
April 4: Legislative Media Briefing
COUNCIL CHAIRMAN MENDELSON TO HOLD LEGISLATIVE MEDIA BRIEFING WHO/WHAT:
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will hold a Media Briefing to preview the Council's upcoming Legislative Meeting.WHEN:
Monday, April 4, 2016
2 p.m.WHERE:
John A. Wilson Building, Room 412, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20004BACKGROUND:
Chairman Mendelson will hold a media briefing to discuss major actions to be taken at the Council's legislative meeting on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. or immediately following the Additional Meeting of the Committee of the Whole.
Additional information is available by calling (202) 724-8032.
Unable to make it to the Wilson Building? Watch the briefing streaming live on the council website.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
What's next in federal health policy
Friday, April 1, 2016
COW and legislative meeting, Apr. 5
Tuesday-10AM-Rm 500: Council meets as Committee of the Whole & for a Legislative Meeting https://t.co/yWrbZ6Wnow & https://t.co/fTJRihvzEg
— Council of DC (@councilofdc) April 1, 2016
The Potomac River is on the mend! What about the Anacostia?
It’s a first! The Potomac River scores above a C in our latest #PotomacReportCard https://t.co/UWYb4K2gt5 pic.twitter.com/T8euEZ1FzT
— Potomac Conservancy (@TheNationsRiver) March 30, 2016
Potomac River Gets A 'B-' For Overall Health, On Its Way To Recovery. It's time for #Anacotia to get some attention https://t.co/hhbDKNUqWf
— Anacostia Trust (@AnacostiaWater) March 31, 2016