ABRA has issued a board order in LCA’s protest of Sylvia’s Liquor at Benning Rd. NE. The store will be allowed to continue operations, but must make changes to its security camera system as LCA requested. The cameras must face the direction of most of the recent violent crime and cover the entire front of the store. There are also other stipulations. The order makes clear that establishments selling alcohol are legally required to monitor their immediate vicinity and not cause or exacerbate issues with loitering.
It is also worth noting that unlike a settlement agreement, violating ABRA board orders carries significantly more serious consequences. You can read the full order here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gw8lHP-nCrvAVZj9L62Pq5KQWlNRIQgg/view?usp=sharing As many of you know, the Langston Civic Association launched a protest against Sylvia's Liquor earlier this year after the store committed a series of violations including selling alcohol to minors and failing to appear at various ABRA proceedings. Holding the store accountable for these infractions is one of several strategies to help reduce crime on the 1800 block of Benning Rd. NE. The store has long been a hub for violent crime and drug activity. We are still awaiting a final decision from ABRA as to whether the store will lose its liquor license or at least be asked to provide private security and additional cameras angled toward the location of the recent murders and shootings.
In light of the tragic murder of Randall Francis, which took place on November 26. The civic association has sent a follow-up letter to ABRA requesting the immediate closure of the store. You can view that follow-up letter as well as a transcript of the Oct. 17 protest hearing using the link below. In addition to these efforts, the civic association has also: 1. Asked DCRA to improve security for nearby vacant properties 2. Requested that MPD put more proactive officers on the 1800 block of Benning Rd. NE with an emphasis on foot patrols rather than parked cars 3. Contacted the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement about getting violence prevention services on the 1800 block of Benning Rd. NE 4. Scheduled a community meeting on Wednesday Dec. 5 at 7 PM at the Patsy Hartsfield Center. Whether you are a member of the civic association or live in a nearby community that borders Benning Rd. please plan to attend. Updated: November 28 5:48 PM Neighbors, I am sad to report that we have had yet another murder in front of Sylvia’s Liquor on the 1800 block of Benning Rd NE this afternoon just before 2 PM. Two men were shot. One man, Randall Francis, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene and another was transported to the hospital. The second man is expected to survive his injuries. A suspect has now been identified as 20-year-old Malik Morris, of Northeast, DC. He is described as a black male with a medium complexion. Morris is wanted on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant for is First Degree Murder While Armed (Premeditated). See Photo. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Malik Morris, or who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411. The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. For more information about efforts to improve safety on the 1800 block of Benning Rd. NE and information about the current status of LCA’s protest of Sylvia’s Liquor please read the following blog posts: Ongoing Safety Requests: http://langstoncivic.weebly.com/news/a-letter-from-the-president-on-recent-violence-on-the-1800-block-of-benning-rd-ne ABRA Protest: http://langstoncivic.weebly.com/news/sylvias-protest-update I'd also like to share my condolences with family of the victims. It seems like every day in Carver Langston, there is a new construction project being started. Homes are being renovated at lightning speed. And with all that activity comes a few downsides: increased traffic, construction noise and lots of dust! It can be quite a headache for the folks who already live here. Recently, former D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Director Melinda Bolling attended a meeting of the Langston Civic Association to discuss residents’ property concerns, including illegal construction. She said that any concerns should be reported to 311. But how can you tell if the construction on your block is illegal? Here are a few things to look for. IF YOU SEE: Any form of construction. THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE: A permit posted in a conspicuous place. D.C. requires a construction permit be obtained through DCRA for workers to do any of the following:
If that type of work is happening and there aren’t permits posted, you should definitely report it immediately. Also note the dates allotted for the construction on the permits. If construction begins before the permitted period or after it’s supposed to end, the construction company is in violation and could face a hefty fine. IF YOU SEE: Construction happening after 7 p.m. or on Sundays/holidays. THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE: A special permit for after-hours work. In general, construction is only allowed to happen from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. If you see or hear construction happening outside of those hours, it’s illegal unless they’ve applied for a special work permit. You can check to see if the construction site received a special permit through DCRA. IF YOU SEE: Any work that affects an adjacent property. THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE: Notification letters sent to the neighbors. This is a big one. If construction is happening right next door, you should have been notified about it with a letter. In the letter, you also have a right to respond to the construction, particularly with how it affects your property. You have the right to allow the construction access to your property, allow access with conditions, or deny access altogether. If you didn’t receive this letter in advance of construction beginning next door, the construction company is in violation of D.C. law. IF YOU SEE: Your street or sidewalk being blocked. THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE: A public space permit. If there’s a big trash bin, sidewalk construction or other debris that encroaches on public space, the construction company needs to have gotten a permit to occupy public space. These are issued through the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and you can look up public space permits on their website. IF YOU SEE: Large construction vehicles parked on your block. THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE: Emergency No Parking signs. You’ve probably seen these types of signs. They’re pretty prevalent around town, and they look something like this: The city requires that construction staging areas on the street get these permits. Parking in our neighborhood seems to be at a premium these days, so if you don’t see these signs hung up on street poles or trees around where the construction vehicles are being parked, report it to 311! IF YOU SEE: Sedimentary run-off (liquid running down your street). THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE: A plan approved by the D.C. Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE), curb inlet protection and tree protection. Any work that could cause environmental havoc has to take special precautions. “Curb inlet protection,” for example, is something that looks like this: It’s used to prevent run-off from contaminating the Anacostia River. “Tree protection” takes the form of a chain-link fence around any trees in the area, and it’s another thing designed for environmental protection. This blog post is not all-inclusive by any means, but these are some of the major things that are relatively easy to spot that should be reported to 311. Help your neighbors out and keep your eyes peeled for violations. Together, we can keep our community a pleasant place to live! The Langston Civic Association will be hosting a small holiday party at the Patsy Hartsfield Center (2026 Maryland Ave. NE) on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 4-6 pm. Come and greet your neighbors while enjoying a full buffet.
Anyone in the community is welcome whether you are a member of the association or not, but space at the Patsy Hartsfield Center is limited so please buy a ticket in advance. Tickets are only $5. |
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