"I see nothing but promise in Ward 8"

Happy Sagittarius season to my fellow Sags. It's that time of year when we all ask the same question we asked last December: "How is it the end of the year already?" Time crawls and then it flies; it's as if only yesterday we watched in horror as DCist turned to dust. But somehow it's been two whole months (?!) since we published the first edition of this newsletter. We've got a long road ahead (to say the least), but thanks for being on it with us. Happy two-month anniversary.

This week, we've got a story about a surge of new dining options in Anacostia, a breakdown of resources for local immigrants and their families, a D.C-based gift guide, and more. (And make sure you scroll alllllllll the way down for a chance to shape our upcoming D.C. Council coverage.)

Alright! Read on.
-Colleen

'I see nothing but promise in Ward 8:' Restaurant owners bring new eateries to Anacostia

New sit-down restaurants have been slow to open in Anacostia and other Ward 8 communities in recent years, with typically just one new business debuting annually. So how has an initiative to revitalize the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. and Marion Barry avenues been ramping up dining options in the historic corridor? Contributor George Kevin Jordan digs into it.

Worried about your immigration status amid Trump's 'mass deportation' agenda?

The 51st spoke to immigration legal experts who say preparation — not panic — is your friend. There's still a lot we don't know about the specifics of the incoming administration's immigrant policies, but there are ways for local immigrants and their families to receive support, make a plan, and know their rights. We've rounded up some local resources to help.

Your local gift guide

If you're looking at your calendar and stressing about how little time is left to find gifts for all the special people in your life, fear not. Contributor Cornelia Poku has compiled a guide to ensure your holiday shopping is as stress-free (and D.C.-themed) as possible.

13 things to do around D.C. this weekend

A showcase of embassies, a Burlesque brunch, and a local twist on The Nutcracker.

Review: Throughline Vol. II - An Immersive Art Experience

Conceived as a celebration and homage to the indelible impact of Black women, the interactive art exhibit Throughline Vol. II honors 16 local changemakers through portraits, photographs, and photography. Contributor India Kea toured the show, which is running through Dec. 22 at Auto Shop in Union Market.

This guide now available in Amharic: በዋሽንግተን ዲሲ ከኪራይ ቤትዎ እንዲለቁ ከተፈረደብዎ ምን ማድረግ ይችላሉ?

ያለዎትን ጊዜ፤ ሌሎች አማራጮችና የህግ አገልግሎት መፍትሄዎችን ካወቁና በቂ መረጃ ካለዎት ከቤትዎ ከመባረር የተሻለ ውጤት ያገኛሉ፡፡ (Our reporting on avoiding eviction in D.C. was translated into Amharic by Henok Mengistu and republished on Ethiopique.)

What do you want to ask the new Ward 7 Councilmember?

Next year Wendell Felder, the former chair of the Ward 7 Democrats and an ANC leader, will take over Vincent Gray's longtime post as the Ward 7 Councilmember. What would you like to ask him as he steps into office? Your questions will help guide our reporting.

Some news you may have missed this week:

• The D.C. Council advanced a bill cracking down on fake tags. [Post]
• Plus, what else the Council's been up to during the past two weeks. [Washington Informer]
• One man's trash! [Maddy Brannon/Substack]
• How Reagan created food deserts. [The Atlantic]
• A scheming slumlord is accused of skirting residents' TOPA rights. [WCP]
• D.C. sued Amazon for secretly stopping its expedited delivery in two predominantly Black ZIP codes. [WTOP]
• Maryland lawmakers are wheelin' and dealin' over the Commanders' potential new home. [Post]
• Gig work companies aren't happy about D.C.'s attempts to regulate delivery services. [WCP] 
• D.C. is handing out only 10 housing vouchers a month – the lowest number in nearly a decade. [Street Sense Media]

Washrag

If you don't know who Jack Schlossberg is, don't worry about it. Continue on with your day.

But if you do ... are we surprised?

To think, the city of his Jack-Off doesn't deserve representation? Never bite the hand that feeds you, Jack. That's in Constitution.

Your Civics Download

You’ll find this handy guide to public meetings at the bottom of every edition of The 51st. We’ll refine and improve along the way! So if you think we’re missing resources, please let us know!

• On Monday, Dec. 9, the Committee on Housing will hold a public hearing for a bill that would extend short-term family housing to expecting mothers beginning in the second trimester instead of the third. You can sign up to testify by the end of the day today.
• On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the Committee of the Whole and the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee will host a joint hearing on the SAFE Regulation Act of 2024. Introduced at the request of Attorney General Brian Schwalb, the SAFE Act (or Secure Apartments for Everyone) Act would make several regulatory changes for renters and landlords; it would require on-site security assessments for any property that has recorded a certain number of crimes (like firearm and drug seizures, or violent crimes); expand Schwalb's ability to enforce the Nuisance Act in instances of violence or dangerous crimes; and require all properties with five or more units to maintain self-closing and self-locking exterior doors. You can sign up to testify by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.
• On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the Committee on Public Works and Operations will be hosting a hearing on a bill from Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker that would direct D.C.'s Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection to survey the city's businesses and create a strategy for incentivizing owners to sell to their employees. (Hell yeah co-ops!!!!) Sign up to testify by 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9.
• The D.C. Public Library, which has been criticized in recent months for its treatment of unhoused residents, is in the process of updating its "behavioral guidelines." After an initial round of staff feedback, DCPL is now soliciting advice and thoughts from the community. You can fill out their survey here.

That's all she wrote! We'll see you next week.

Take care,
Colleen