Naomi Mitchell – longtime community liaison for Councilmembers Charles Allen and Tommy Wells is retiring at the end of June. Last Monday night, at ANC6D’s virtual June meeting, commissioners were effusive in praise for Mitchell’s work in their community. Commissioner Andy Litsky was eloquent: “How do you say thanks? I’ve been on the ANC a long time. Naomi has served Ward Six for almost 16 years. I was astounded when I heard of her retirement. Naomi Mitchell has been to me and all present and past commissioners a political resource – the go-to person when we needed something done immediately. Someone we all go to when it hits the fan in a real bad way. Her contribution has been incalculable. She has been by far the most important official working with the ANC and Southeast. It will be rough not having you around – thank you.” After tributes from other commissioners, Mitchell said she was “truly humbled. I never thought I’d be able to give what you say I’ve done. It’s emotional for me to leave – it’s been so much a part of my life. At some point you have to say it’s time to go home, and so I will. Keep on doing what you’re doing and I’m so grateful you would have those thoughts.” She pledged to still be around – a presence in the community. She is a resident of Capitol Hill in ANC6B. Mitchell will be succeeded as community liaison by staffer Kimberly Kennedy.
Later on Monday night, ANC6D continued its war with DDOT over the proposal to install protected bike lanes on I Street, SW-SE; 4th Street SW, and M Street. The committee got huffy with DDOT for not providing the ANC with a report on their update prior to the meeting, and cut their scheduled 25 minute presentation short and dismissed them. This didn’t sit well with a number of bikers who had joined the virtual meeting to learn more about new bike lanes in SW. ANC6D is the only Commission among the four which includes or abuts Capitol Hill which operates without committees (except for its ABC Committee). They probably could use more committees – say, a Transportation Committee – and more resident commissioners. On Tuesday night at ANC6B’s virtual June meeting, the owners of Café 8 at 424 8th Street on Barracks Row announced that they had purchased the adjacent building to the north and would be expanding the restaurant into the two retail spaces. The restaurant has been on Barracks Row for 15 years. While the buildout is underway, Café 8 will expand its sidewalk café in front of those retail spaces – 28 additional seats. The ANC voted to support renewal of Café 8’s liquor license and to support the public space application for the expanded sidewalk café, both by a vote on 9 – 0.Also from the ANC6B meeting, an update on Paraiso: As reported in a posting last week, Tahmina Ghaffer, owner of Paraíso Taquería y Mezcalería at 1101 PA Ave, has been butting heads with condo owners above the restaurant who complain that the noise from inside and outside the restaurant is intolerable. The ANC’s Alcohol Beverage Committee recommended protesting renewal of the liquor license given the residents plea for help in resolving their problems which they say is destroying their quality of life and affecting their property values. Ghaffer defended his operation, inviting the ANC for dinner or lunch to see his operation for themselves. Eyebrows were not visibly raised, and the ANC did not acknowledge the invitation. One resident said, “We need the noise to stop – we need sound abatement.” Ghaffer said he had engaged a sound engineer for a consultation later in the week, to which he invited residents. Notably, the operation of the sidewalk café is not referenced in the Settlement Agreement defining the terms of the operation of the restaurant, because the public space permit for the outdoor café was a late addition. The ANC voted to protest renewal of the liquor license on the basis of peace, order, and quiet and the loss of property values. The effect will be to delay the renewal and potentially raise a legal hurdle for the renewal if the neighbors formally protest the license before ABRA. Chair Corey Holman said he supported the protest, but indicated that he hoped the delay would encourage both sides to agree on terms that would mitigate neighbor’s concerns. The vote was 7 – 1 – 1. You can’t find ostrich meat everywhere, but Market Poultry at Eastern Market carries it. According to the American Ostrich Farm Website, “ostrich tastes similar to grass-fed beef but resembles low-fat game meats like venison. The USDA classifies ostrich meat as technically poultry, but it looks and tastes almost exactly like beef…. Ostrich meat is very lean – the ground steak is typically 95% lean and filets can be up to 98% lean.”Triple Candie’s sixth “curatorial riddle” – this one a collage – is on display in the space in the front of the former Li’l Pub at 655 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. The first puzzling assemblage appeared in the space in December. The curious can find details on the first four pieces in the archive at the link below. Triple Candie is a research-oriented curatorial agency run by art historian co-founders Shelly Bancroft and Peter Nesbett. Their purpose is to create alternative exhibition methods making that the object of critical focus rather than what is displayed (which for the most part does not include original artworks). This is a heavy lift – part postmodern, part deconstructionism, part Burning Man Festival. Go deeper here: http://www.triplecandie.org/
Primaries in DC are closed primaries. To vote in the party primary, you must be registered with the Democratic, Republican, Statehood Green, or Libertarian parties. However, all voters, including independents and those registered with other parties, may vote on initiative and referendum measures. Everything else you want to know is here: https://dcboe.org/PrimaryElection2022
ANC6A Transportation and Public Space Committee holds a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
School Parking Zone (SPZ) Program Applications for Maury Elementary School and School-Within-School @ Goding. Haley Peckett, Associate Director, Curbside Management Division, DDOT along with school officials.
Updates on completed Traffic Safety Investigations, pending work orders, and new DDOT guidance on vertical traffic calming. DDOT Ward 6 Community Liaison Abraham Diallo.
“Punch list” for Maryland Avenue Project. Additional requests to DDOT post project completion.
Della Barba Pizza: Plans for outdoor seating, trash management, and other issues of interest to the public.
Friday, June 24
Chess in the Park at Eastern Market Metro Plaza from 1 to 4pm, sponsored by the U.S. Chess Center.
Friday Night Live Jazz at Eastern Market Metro Plaza, 5:00pm – 6:30pm, weather permitting. (Info on the featured artist was not available at press time.)
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
Loved the piece on Naomi! She is and always will be fabulous.
Thanks, Larry