DC Blogger Skeeball Tournement

  Come out tonight, April 22nd, and support The Totten Life as we "roll over" the competition in the First Annual DC Neighborhood Blogger Skeeball  Tournament.  The festivities kickoff at 7 PM at The H St. Country Club, and it's $5 at the door for drink and food specials. Hope to see you all there...to cheer The Totten Life Racoons on to Victory!!!!!
---Leave a comment below if you want to join the team, we have a few spots left!!!---

WASA Warning: Don't Drink the Water...Again

WASA Sent out the below email minutes ago:
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The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) is advising customers in a specific area of Northwest not to use water until further notice because of a higher-than-normal chlorine concentration.
The boundaries of the area in question are indicated below:

West Boundary: MacArthur Boulevard, NW
North Boundary: Western Avenue and Eastern Avenue, NW
East Boundary: Amtrak railroad
South Boundary (east side of Rock Creek): Upshur Street, NW
South Boundary (west side of Rock Creek): Calvert Street to Observatory Circle to W Street

The spike happened early this morning at DC WASA’s unmanned Fort Reno facility when it was offline for routine maintenance disinfection. At 7:30 this morning, operators at the DC WASA Bryant Street Pump Station identified a drop in the reservoir at Fort Reno, which indicated the possibility of a chlorine spike. DC WASA immediately dispatched staff to confirm a higher-than-normal chlorine concentration in the water, which they determined had happened at approximately 5 a.m.
Customers who used water with excess chlorine may have noticed taste and odor problems. While unlikely, the chlorine may also cause a reaction in individuals with sensitive skin. Anyone who observes such a reaction should contact a physician.
DC WASA notified the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region III immediately upon learning of the chlorine spike. Water-quality crews are monitoring the system across the entire affected area and will advise the public when the water supply has returned to normal. Our staff is also assessing the causes of the problem.
Customers with questions can call the DC WASA 24-hour Command Center at (202) 612-3400.
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 It is amazing that when WASA isn't trying to kill us with lead or waste contamination, they are trying to bleach us to death with Chlorine.  WASA claims they will have the problem fixed by the end of the day, but this only serves to be yet another example of our fine Public Works in action.

UPDATE 5:40 PM
WASA has lifted entire water warning.

The Red Vests Are Coming: Costco is Coming to NE DC

   Bring on the behemoth.  Costco is preparing to be the first free standing Box Store in the District, and is landing right in NE DC's back yard.  Mayor Adrian Fenty's office sent out a media release stating that the Retail giant and Shoppers Food Warehouse would be opening on Ft. Lincoln Dr. near South Dakota and the BW Pkwy on ramp.  The media announcement scheduled for yesterday, was canceled due to logistics issues.  A new date has not yet been set.  But do not worry fair citizens, you will be buying 50 lb sacks of rice and 5 gal buckets of relish in no time. 
  Another interesting twist, is the possibility of Target opening another DC location in the same shopping center.  This could do amazing things for the lonely outpost neighborhood of Ft. Lincoln.  Currently the Dakota Crossing Town homes and Goodwill Industries are the only structures located in far N.E. besides a few industrial complexes.  The only possible issue is a complete lack of public transportation servicing the proposed sight. Although, as frequent patrons of the Costco in Pentagon City will note, bulk pallets of ketchup and mayo are a rare sight on the Metro.  More big things taking place in the best corner of the Capitol City!

Read the Full Washington Biz Journal Article Here

The Renaissance Development Groups Plan

 

Development PlanAnnounced for R.I. Ave Metro Station

The Post ran an interesting article about a newly approved project to take place at the R.I. Ave metro.  The proposed plan would add 274 apartments and 70,000 sq ft of retail space.  The article can be found HERE. Yet another big development announcement for the N.E. section of the city!

Riggs Rd and South Dakota Intersection Update

Finally some information from the District regarding the road construction at the intersection of Riggs and South Dakota!  Deborah Crain Kemp, the Ward 5 Neighborhood Planner for the District's Office of Planning, was nice enough to give us a breakdown of the major roadway reconstruction.
  Originally slated to coincide with the construction of the Ft. Totten Square Site, the plan is to transform the unique intersection into that of a standard 4-way style.  Currently the intersection utilizes highway-eseque entrance and exit lanes to get traffic on and off of South Dakota and Riggs.  This combined with the extremely large footprint of the intersection, leads to some very unique rounds of Frogger that pedestrians need to play.  There is also an issue with poor signage and lack of crosswalks allowing safe traversing by pedestrians.  The other major issue seems to be poor traffic light timing leading to some major backups down Riggs and into Maryland in the mornings, and a complete lack of overhead street lamps.
  DDOT's plan will initially relocate utilities, and then focus on road widening and reconstructions.  The new curb and utility pole locatoins have already been determined, and indicate much wider streets heading into and out of the intersection. Not only will the new plan create a much more commuter friendly intersection, it is also attempting to modernize and beautify the area as well.  All new crosswalks, crossing and traffic signals, granite curbs, handicap accessible sidewalks (finally) and street lamps (similar to the ones found on 12st. in Brookland) will be installed.  The plan also expands the green space of the area, and plans are in place to increase the number of trees and also allow for bike racks and actual multi-space parking meters (similar to the green boxes found throughout the city).
  This ten million dollar, eighteen month project currently underway is already causing major traffic issues at the intersection.  DDOT's plan to keep one lane of traffic open on each street at all times, however, does not allow for the timely passage of this volume of traffic.  Combine this with the temporary, but necessary, total closure of the intersection for logistic reasons and you have a real nightmare.  The best advice to anyone having to take this route is...stay away for at least one year.  Take either New Hampshire down to Military, or cut through Brookland...the added travel will not only save you some time, but aggravation as well.

“This isn’t a high speed highway interchange, it’s the intersection of two neighborhood streets.  That will be reflected in the improvements DDOT is making, and those improvements will complement the exciting mixed-use development that is taking place in this community.”

-Mayor Adrian Fenty-

Yes They Can: The CUA Presedential Search Continues

CUA has released it's March update on their search to find a new University President (Click Me!).  The current CUA President, Reverend David M. O'Connell, is the 14th president for the institution and has been in the position since 1998.  Announcing his resignation in October of 2009, O'Connell has increased enrollment an amazing 23 percent, to 6,768 students. The Brookland campus has expanded from 127 to 193 acres through the addition of a state of the art athletic complex, new dorms and Legal College expansion.  The Universities relationship with the surrounding community was also strengthened under O'Connell.  The search is expected to end in the comming months, as the candidate pool continues to be withered down. 

Construction Delays: Brokland Elementary To Stay Closed

 More delays and lack of funding has caused the renovation of Brookland Elementary to remain incomplete.  DC Chancelor of Schools Michelle Rhee, closed the community school adjacent to Turkey Thicket in 2008 for modernization.  The construction was supposed to be complete in order to accept students in the coming school year.  However, budget issues and construction delays have led to an indefinite delay in the reopening date.  The $200 Million capital revitilization project to renovate aging schools has been impacted by decreasing tax revenue and the country wide recession.  The massive school revitalization project has currently balloned to an outrageous $1 Billion...with no end in sight.   Students who had attended Brookland Elementary are currently enrolled in the cramped and aging  Bunker Hill Elementary on Michigan Ave.  For more information the Washington Post had a great article on the sad state of affairs cause by school construction czar Allen Y. Lew.