The Week Ahead….6B Chair Steps Down & Some Photos from the Past Week

The Week Ahead….6B Chair Steps Down & Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Posted March 16, 2025

Edward Ryder 6B08 (right) resumes Chair of ANC6B as Chair Vince Mareino 6B07 (center) steps down, and Karen Hughes 6B09 (left) becomes Vice Chair.

Last week, at its regularly scheduled March meeting, ANC6B elected a new Chair and Vice Chair after Chairman Vince Mareino announced that he was stepping down after leading the ANC for two months because of professional and family obligations.  Former Chair and current Vice Chair Edward Ryder agreed to resume the office and nominated Commissioner Karen Hughes to be Vice Chair.  The nominations were agreed to by acclamation of the ANC. 

On Monday, March 10, more than a thousand people representing DMV – DC, Maryland, and Virginia – rallied on the West Front of the Capitol to protest firing of government employees.  Representative Jamie Raskin (D) MD spoke on the authoritarian approach to goverance.  He ended his remarks with a quote from American Founding Father Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis:  “Tyranny like hell is not easily conquered, but we’ve this saving consolation.  The more difficult the struggle, the more glorious in the end will be our victory.” 

This view gives a better sense of the crowd size.

Also on Tuesday, March 11, Free DC sponsored a community meeting in Northeast Library, following up on the social get together and celebration it sponsored at As You Are a week ago last Sunday.  Keja Chattergee, former ANC6A Commissioner and one of the five co-founders of Free DC was the spokeswoman who encouraged attendees to join Free DC’s efforts in the following days to lobby Senators to vote against a Congressional funding bill that would limit DC budget spending to the 2024 Fiscal Year levels – resulting in a $1.1 billion reduction in spending for the next six months.

Here’s a wide shot of the crowd – more than 100 residents turned out for the meeting.

MTP says enforcing Metro fare evasion has helped reduce serious crime.  Metro Transit Police Commander Aaron Donald told the First District Citizens Advisory Committee on March 4 that when DC decriminalized fare evasion, crime rates went up and “when they brought back criminalization and we started to enforce it crime rates immediately took a nose dive – we finished 2024 with a 33% decrease in part one (very serious) crimes.  In 2023 we issued 7000 fare evasion tickets in DMV and closed out 2024 with about 17,000 fare evasion tickets.  Through that we arrested more than 400 – not just for fare evasion alone – and recovered 81 guns – some thru fare evasion and some thru other police work.  So we saw a drastic decrease in crime numbers – so far this year we’ve seen a 62% decrease in part one crimes compared to last year which also had a drastic decrease.  Our Criminal Investigation Division did a study on those individuals arrested for very serious crimes – 97 % of those individuals failed to pay their fares.”  

Update on Lobby Bar.  Here’s a peek at the current buildout of The Lobby Bar.  Owner Adam Shulman hopes to open in April and says his goal is for the 2000 square foot restaurant to be a gathering place for all, with 18 bar seats, booths, a communal table for larger parties, and a sidewalk patio.  The menu will feature modern American cuisine while the beverage list will lean toward classic and creative cocktails.  The restaurant is across the street from Eastern Market, at 224 7^th Street, SE, the location of the former Boxcar Tavern.   

The Week Ahead

Monday, March 17

ANC6A Transportation & Public Space Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

• For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/

Among items on the draft agenda: 

• Old Business.

• West Virginia Avenue NE. There is a pending signal installation to attempt to streamline the West Virginia Avenue, 8th & K Streets intersection which causes most of the queueing but a community member expressed continued concern.
  • Capitol Hill Sidewalk Safety Update. Scott Price from Capitol Hill Village will provide an update.

• New Business. 

• Open Streets Capitol Hill. This is slated to occur on Saturday June 28, 2025 taking place mostly in ANC 6B but running through Lincoln Park.
  • DDOT Public Space Permit.  This is a sidewalk application from Ben’s Chili Bowl at 1001 H Street NE. 

ANC6B Parks & Public Spaces Committee will hold an IN PERSON ONLY Meeting at 7:00pm

• The meeting will be on the second floor of 700 Pennsylvania (Conference Room #1).

Among items on the draft agenda: 

• Review and potential comment on the DPR presentation on RUMSEY ACQUATIC CENTER.  What is too much?  What is missing?

• Review of the revised Mission Statement. 

• Possible discussion items: 
  • Park Manager at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park.
  • Missing sculptures at the Eastern Market Metro Park.
  • Physical improvements at Seward Square to increase activity there.

Tuesday, March 18

ANC6D will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

• For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://www.anc6d.org/virtual-meetings/

Among items on the draft agenda:

• Public Safety Report (PSA 103,105,106)

• Government Announcements (Executive and Legislative Branch)

• DOEE Briefing on RiverSmart Homes

• DDOT Update on 2025 Traffic Operations and Parking Plan

• Consent Agenda

• ABC Matters

• Shall the ANC ask DPR to look into transferring Banneker Park to District control?

• Shall the ANC allocate $600 for a DC government email account for the ABC committee?

• SMD Updates

• Chairman’s Report

Wednesday, March 19

ANC6A Economic Development and Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

• For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/

Among items on the draft agenda: 

• Old Business
  • 1355-1359 H Street, NE.  Zoning Adjustment Application to combine five lots (2 facing H street NE, 3 facing alley) and convert to a retail and eating and drinking establishment,
• New Business
  • 917 Constitution Avenue, NE.  Zoning Adjustment Application to construct a second story addition to a detached garage, in the rear of an existing, attached, two-story plus cellar, principal dwelling unit in the RF-1 zone.
  • 901 H Street, NE.  Zoning Application.  Informational presentation for proposed fast casual restaurant.

Capitol Hill Corner Would Also Like You to Know About

Tuesday, March 18 – 5 to 6:30pm/

Telephone Town Hall for the DC Federal Workforce.  

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is hosting this town hall, where residents can dial in to 833-408-1990. It will also be live-streamed at https://norton.house.gov/live.

Wednesday, March 19 – Northeast Library – 6:00pm. 

Capitol Hill Restoration Society Board meeting.