On The Look Out
Georgetown Block Watch for Public Safety
May 2, 2013Part of the larger Public Safety Program at the Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG), Block Watch includes the hiring of the private guards who patrol the neighborhood five nights a week, keeping an eye on things, providing an escort to people who request it, and communicating suspicious activity to the police.
CAG is also placing cameras on some residential streets to provide the police department with an additional way to identify criminals. Crime decreased last year in Georgetown, and is down by more than a third this year. The police believe that the block watch program and the rest of the Public Safety Program activities are important contributors to this reduction. The costs of the private patrols and cameras are paid from residents’ dues to CAG and from their specific contributions to the Public Safety Program.
For those who might be interested, statistical and mapping information about crime is available at Crime Map. We are lucky to have MPD Officer Antonial Atkins - Officer of the Year! - assigned to us.
Officer Atkins and the other MPD members who were there emphasized the importance of being aware (walking alone at night while talking on your cell phone puts you at risk) and of calling 911 whenever you have concerns about possible criminal activity. Even if something just doesn’t look right, they urge using 911.
Written by Kenny Kraft, Block Captain - 2500 Block of Que Street
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Will Muriel Bowser Be Our Next Mayor?
March 18, 2013Last May, The Georgetown Dish conducted a poll and 69% of readers said D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser should be D.C.'s next mayor.
Monday, Mike deBonis of The Washington Post reported Muriel Bowser will announce Saturday that she is launching a run for mayor, two people involved in the campaign said, making her the first to officially enter the 2014 race. Read more here.
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New Georgetown Zoning?
March 12, 2013A Georgetown business working group, spearheaded by Philippe Lanier, Georgetown Business Improvement District (GBID) and Janine Schoonover, Georgetown Business Association (GBA) has been working in concert with the Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG) to agree on a Customized Commercial Zone for Georgetown.
Jennifer Steingasser, Deputy Director of Development Review & Historic Preservation with the District of Columbia Office of Planning (OP), recently met with them to answer their questions on the zoning process as it pertains to Georgetown and the rest of the city. Steingasser stated that OP is aiming to post revised proposed new zoning for the city at the end of March on the OP website.
Their task force will then take comments from the community in April before handing over final recommendations to the Commission in May.
Other members of the business working group include: Jim Wilcox, GBA; Joanna Schmickel, GBA; Greg Casten, GBA; Britt Swan, GBA; Sara Mokhtari, GBA; and Joe Sternlieb, GBID. ANC Commissioners Bill Starrels, who also serves on the GBA Board, and Tom Birch have also been participating in recent meetings with GBA, GBID, and CAG. CAG representatives working with the business working group include: Pam Moore; Richard Hinds; Michelle Jacobson, and Outerbridge Horsey.
Jennifer Steingasser may be contacted at Jennifer.Steingasser@dc.gov or 202. 442. 8808
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