Posts by Geoff Hatchard — Editorial Board Alum
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New paint helps makes Florida Avenue NE a safer road
A few months ago, I made a plea to DDOT to spend a few dollars on road paint, specifically to make crosswalks and bike lanes more visible for drivers. Here are some examples of visible progress. At the corner of Florida Avenue and New York Avenue NE, DDOT repainted the crosswalks. Before, they had been marked with a type of thermoplastic tape which had rubbed off and rendered the crosswalk… Keep reading…
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Better Ward 5 ANC plan puts residents, neighborhoods first
Rather than being forced to accept a plan for 10 years that violates good redistricting practices, residents of Ward 5 can choose a redistricting proposal that puts neighborhoods first and treats voters fairly. Keep reading…
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Thomas plan would split McMillan from affected residents
While the Ward 5 Redistricting Task Force executive committee’s plan dilutes the voices of many voters and splits communities, one from Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr.‘s office has major problems of its own. Thomas’s plan would separate residents near the McMillan Sand Filtration Site from involvement in decisions around development at that site. It… Keep reading…
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Ward 5 redistricting plan hurts voters and neighborhoods
On October 6th, the Ward 5 Redistricting Task Force approved an Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) redistricting plan (despite having limited information about the details) that splits apart communities and distorts voter power. Keep reading…
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New York Avenue bicycle thief caught, then released
At the beginning of October, I caught a young boy in the act of stealing a bicycle wheel at the New York Avenue Metro station. Last night, I helped police finally catch him. But he wasn’t arrested. Jaime and I were taking a quick walking tour of NoMa with ANC 6C04 commissioner Tony Goodman when we saw the boy ride his bike past us. An extra bicycle wheel was hanging from the handlebars. Keep reading…
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Mayor Gray must refute mediocrity, or fall victim to it
Members of Vincent Gray’s administration have been both quoted and sourced on background as being unhappy with a city employee going above and beyond the call of duty on the job. The mayor must explicitly quash such thinking if he doesn’t want to send a signal to all other city employees not to work very hard. Lon Walls, the communications director for DC’s the… Keep reading…
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Gallaudet doesn’t want its name in Metro station subtitle
Gallaudet University students are mobilizing to oppose the idea of moving their university’s name into a subtitle on the nearby Metro station. They’re creating a petition in favor of “NoMa-Gallaudet U.” At lunchtime on Monday, students gathered on campus for a brief talk by student body government leaders and Fred Weiner, the Executive Director… Keep reading…
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Ward 5 task force chooses more ANCs
Last night, the Ward 5 Redistricting Task Force met for the last time and voted to change the makeup of the ward’s ANCs from one with 3 large ANCs of 12 commissioners each, to one with 6 smaller ANCs with 5-8 commissioners in each. The task force met for the first time in early August. I was a member. From the beginning, we were informed that we would be approaching redistricting… Keep reading…
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To address bicycle crime, Metro PD should take it seriously
WMATA is trying to fight bicycle crime, the Examiner reported last week, and theft has declined somewhat this year. My experience with an a vandalized bike shows a few ways they can continue to improve. On Thursday, September 22, on my way home from work and a community meeting, I stopped to pick up my bicycle at the New York Avenue Metro station. Nearby was another bicycle, with many… Keep reading…
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Our 2012 DC election coverage will focus on issues
Washington, DC’s next primary election is scheduled for April 3, 2012. With roughly 7 months until that day, candidates and story lines are beginning to emerge. This post will explain what readers can expect from Greater Greater Washington throughout election season. Our goal will be to examine the issues and races with the same depth and passion that we apply to our everyday… Keep reading…