Canvassing for Marriage Equality

Last weekend my wife and I were proud to take our son out for his first taste of social justice when we canvassed for Marylanders for Marriage Equality. There were about two dozens volunteers there, young and old, giving up their Saturdays for the cause. After the "how to canvass" talk from the organizers, College Park council member Patrick Wojahn and state Delegate Justin Ross fired up the crowd.

College Park council member Patrick Wojahn, my family, and Delegate Justin Ross

Barricade at 31st and Perry Streets

In July the Neighborhood Design Center presented a concept plan for making the barricade at 31st and Perry permanent. (At the time of installation, the council promised to make the barricade permanent if it worked as intended - now we are trying to follow through.) The barricade has reduced cut through traffic to basically zero, which is terrific given all the kids who have come to Perry Street in the last few years. It has also significantly reduced MRPD service calls for suspicious activity, and we think a permanent barricade that can't be moved will reduce shady activity even further.

Schematic of proposed improvements to public space around 31st and Perry Streets

The city hopes to accomplish multiple goals with this plan: 1) replace the ugly barricade with something permanent and more attractive, 2) address stormwater runoff resulting from the grade of the intersection and inadequate drainage, and 3) beautify the corner area and the triangular "park" so it's more than just an weed choked empty lot. We currently have money that can only be used for public safety purposes and hope to use that plus grant funding to support this project.

September 8 Cleanup & Celebration Along Rhode Island Ave

Come out Saturday, September 8 and show Rhode Island Ave some love! Mount Rainier is working across Eastern Ave with DC's Friends of Rhode Island Ave (FoRIA) to clean up our mutual main street. At 10am Mount Rainier volunteers will meet at Bunker Hill Fire Station, and FoRIA volunteers will meet at South Dakota Ave, to commence picking up litter along Rhode Island before coming together at the corner of Eastern Ave and Rhode Island Ave at noon for a cross-border celebration!

The celebration will be in conjunction with the Mount Rainier Farmer's Market (in front of the Citizen Paint Project at the corner of Eastern and Rhode Island Aves) and will include food trucks, live music, and socializing with our neighbors from across the way. Thanks to the Mount Rainier Youth and Recreation Committee for providing activities for children! Working together we can make the Rhode Island Ave we all want - bike and people safe and filled with vibrant commercial spaces!

Come to the clean up, come to the celebration, or come to both!

10am-noon - clean up along Rhode Island Ave starting at Bunker Hill Fire Station and working toward Eastern Ave
12-2pm - celebration at the corner of Eastern & Rhode Island with food trucks, live music, and friends!

Sign up at the new Gateway Arts District volunteer page on Facebook!

And the Facebook event is listed here: Rhode Island Avenue Clean Up