Posts by Ken Archer — Contributor
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Have DC’s black unemployed become invisible?
More than 1 in 4 workers in Ward 8 are unemployed, the result of an alarming increase in the rate of joblessness that is now one of the highest of any community in the nation. The only thing more alarming is the apparent invisibility of the black unemployed to the rest of the city. The DC Council has not held a single hearing about it all year. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity… Keep reading…
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Car-free family trip idea: Harpers Ferry
If you have young children, and don’t own a car, you know what a pain weekend trips can be. For a relatively painless alternative, Harpers Ferry fits the bill. In the foothills, just a short train ride from Washington, Harpers Ferry offers plenty for the whole family. My wife and I have taken our 2-year-old to Harpers Ferry twice without a car, and we all had a blast. It’s… Keep reading…
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Evans still doesn’t understand parking limits
Since 2008 DC Council member Jack Evans has used Constituent Services Funds to reimburse members of his staff for 29 parking tickets totaling $3,341.19. The office of the DC CFO says that’s taxable income. No other council member has used the fund for that purpose except Michael A. Brown, who paid for 2 tickets totaling $255.38 during the same time period. The revelation… Keep reading…
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Cheh appoints self to school board by giving up on Hardy
DC Public School leaders were caught by surprise this week when DC Council member Mary Cheh tried to intervene in the school planning process by demanding a new middle school be built in Ward 3. The proposal for a new Ward 3 middle school represents an about face on the part of Ward 3 parents and Cheh. For the past 2 years, they called for changes at Ward 2’s Hardy Middle… Keep reading…
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Speeding suburban driving to DC won’t fight unemployment
The good news: Mayor Gray has announced in recent months several large projects that will create new jobs in DC. The bad news: while these projects make a small dent in DC’s unemployment rate, the reality is that only 28% of DC jobs go to DC residents. The new jobs are tied to projects like CityCenterDC and the Marriott Marquis convention center hotel, as well as to retail… Keep reading…
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Poorly researched Post article scares customers about chicken at farmers markets
My wife and I have been purchasing organic chicken from local farmers at a market for years. But this past weekend, those told us they have stopped selling chicken at DC farmers markets. The reason? A poorly researched Washington Post article that scared consumers from buying food at farmers markets. The headline: “DC farmers markets highlight an… Keep reading…
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Will the DDOT brain drain and low morale continue?
Councilmember Tommy Wells announced late Friday night that Scott Kubly, the official in charge of the streetcar, Circulator, and Capital Bikeshare, is leaving DDOT. This contributes to a worrisome pattern of good officials quitting amid declining morale. Kubly is leaving only 2 months after the departures of Karina Ricks, head of DDOT’s Policy and Planning department,… Keep reading…
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Knocked on our heels, it’s time to broaden the urbanist tent
The DC Council vote to strip Tommy Wells of his chairmanship of the Transportation Committee and his seat on the WMATA Board of Directors is a reality check for urbanists and smart growth advocates. While it’s true that council chairman Kwame Brown was exacting revenge for Wells’ report on the SUV scandal, simply blaming Brown misses the deeper point. The sad… Keep reading…
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Better service jobs are the path to fixing unemployment
Training is often touted as the solution to the growing skills mismatch that separate the jobless from growth sectors like health care. But training is an unrealistic solution when 36% of DC residents are functionally illiterate. As we move to a post-industrial economy, are the jobs that had previously provided avenues to the middle class for less educated Americans… Keep reading…
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Georgetown businesses and residents don’t support Evans’ parking meter rollback proposal
Councilmember Jack Evans says he wants to roll back parking meter rates and hours of enforcement in commercial corridors, including Georgetown, because of complaints from businesses and residents in his ward. But after speaking to organizations representing residents and businesses in Georgetown, I found no support for Evans’ proposal. The proposal passed out of… Keep reading…