At-Large Candidate Suggests a Challenge to Cheh

Tim Craid of the Washington Post reports on a failed back room deal that would have ANC3E member Frumin drop out of the At-Large Council race to garner support for a potential challenge to Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh.

According to the article, Frumin rebuffed the overtures and desire to challenge the incumbent next year.

The Annual Cheh Memo

See this Greater Greater Washington piece on the annual joke budget memo. Particularly memorable is this line: Some residents simply are not well suited to live in a major city. They fear sidewalks, bicycles, traffic, noise, parking, and university dormitories. To address their growing list of concerns, we shall establish the Resident Relocation Fund, which will subsidize the costs of these folks moving outside of the District and include a complimentary municipal bond, untaxed, from the jurisdiction of the ex-resident's choice.

A New Middle School in Palisades?

The Examiner covers the prospects of a new Junior High School in Palisades, as proposed by Mary Cheh.

Welcome Back, Woodley Park

In a stunning reversal, the City Council approved a late amendment to the Redistricting Bill bringing precinct 136 back to Ward 3. The area, generally east of Connecticut Avenue between Devonshire Place and Calvert Street had been in Ward 1.

City Paper: Cheh Investigates the Mayor

A recent Loose Lips column about Mary Cheh and the Executive Office investigations.

Cheh Injured in Fall

According to reports, Councilmember Mary Cheh suffered injuries to her arm while running. The required surgery will force her to miss a budget vote, but more important are the good wishes to a speedy recovery.

Cheh Pushes for Rhee

According to Bill Turque, Councilmembers Cheh and Wells are pushing for DC School Chancellor Michelle Rhee to continue on in the Gray Administration.

This could be an interested development which would satisfy the urgings of the Northwest Current endorsement of Mayor-Elect Gray.

Cheh Endorses Gray

The DC Wire Blog of the Washington Post has announced that Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh has endorsed Council Chairman Vince Gray in the Mayoral Primary race.

And more from the City Paper.

GOP Ward 3 Candidate to Endorse Fenty

Mike DeBonis of the Washington Post has publicized GOP Ward 3 Candidates support for Mayor Adrian Fenty.

According to Debonis,

The thin line that Cheh has tried to straddle separates her ward's overwhelming preference for Fenty (or, more to the point, schools chief Michelle Rhee) from her own well-publicized disdain for the way Fenty governs the city.

So in steps Hedgepeth. "I just think it will be a way to contrast my position on the mayor's race with Ward 3 voters," he says -- and this position in particular: "Fenty has shown that he is truly 100 percent behind Chancellor Rhee. ... I support the candidate that's shown he's 100 percent behind Chancellor Rhee."

Cheh, it should be noted, has generally been a supporter of Rhee -- it tends to be Attorney General Peter Nickles who attracts the bulk of her invective. But in a race where a vote against Fenty is a vote against Rhee, Hedgepeth sees a wedge issue for the city's most affluent ward.

What say you, does this, or will this make a difference either in the Mayoral race or in the Ward 3 General Election in November?

City Paper on Adrian Fenty

The City Paper has a profile of Mayor Adrian Fenty in this week's edition. In it, there seems to be a series of telling quotes from Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh:


Not every political insider wants contracts for their buddies. A little bit of well-timed butt-kissing, for instance, might have salvaged Fenty’s relationship with Councilmember Mary Cheh, whose Ward 3 is the city’s most pro-Fenty jurisdiction.

Cheh, who joined the council at the same time Fenty became mayor, says she had high expectations for working with the young chief executive. And, she says, those hopes were quickly dashed after he made it clear that he expected a quid pro quo type of relationship, where she would support him from the council in return for favors in her ward.

Now, she says, Fenty doesn’t even extend the most routine of political courtesies, like inviting her to ribbon cuttings in her ward. “He’s his own worst enemy,” Cheh says, going a little over the top by comparing Fenty to a “Shakespearean” tragedy. “The idea that you have such promise, you had such potential, you had all that wind at your back and yet because of your own internal failings you squandered it.” In this version, Fenty’s personality doesn’t cut through the bullshit. It creates more bullshit—in this case, a feud that slows down his own agenda.

I think Many Ward 3 voters would be interested in knowing what kinds of "quid pro quo" items we lost out on due to the Mayor's alleged pettiness?

Ah, the political season, the gift that keeps on giving.

Solar Capacity in Ward 3 Doubles

Thanks to this installation on Reno Road, the Solar Capacity in Ward 3 has doubled.

Reno School Saved?

According to the City Paper the Reno School in Tenleytown will receive close to $1 Million in city monies to help stabilize the structure.

The Reno School received landmark designation recently from the Historic Preservation Review Board after the Tenleytown Historical Society submitted an application. The structure served as the school for the African American enclave, Reno City, which was in the Tenleytown area in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The development was cleared out to make room for the Alice Deal and Woodrow Wilson schools. Councilmember Mary Cheh was able to get the City Council to reprogram the monies after savings were found in another area.

Cheh Proposes Soda Tax

DCist reports on a $.01/ounce soda tax proposed by Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh.

Cheh Challenger

According to sources, Mary Cheh will have a Republican challenge in the November election. The candidate is David Hedgepeth, a litigation manager whose twin daughters attend Murch Elementary School.

Unknown at this point is the fate of any potential primary election challenge.

Wash Post Magazine on Mary Cheh

The Washington Post Magazine has run a nice profile interview with Councilmember Mary Cheh.

Cheh Introduces Calming Legislation

Presumably in response to the acrimony over the installation of speed humps in Chevy Chase and Cleveland Park, Councilmember Cheh has introduced legislation requiring studies and community input prior to the installation of traffic calming measures.

WTOP coverage provides a little more insight.

Cheh Hosts Annual BBQ

WHAT: Ward 3 "Back to School BBQ"
WHERE: Friendship ("Turtle") Park located at 4500 Van Ness Street, NW
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, from 11am-4pm

For information please contact (202) 724-8062.

Councilmember Mary Cheh will host the 3rd annual "Back to School BBQ" at Friendship ("Turtle") Park located at 4500 Van Ness Street, NW, on Saturday, September 26 from 11am-4pm. The event will feature the District's own award-winning firefighter barbeque team and information tables from the DC government and public and private organizations. The BBQ will be filled with activities for the entire family including a moon bounce, wacky family races, and great giveaways from our local ward 3 business community and area professional sports teams. The Joy of Motion Dance company will also be on hand to energize the crowd and teach a little hip-hop dance with music played by Ward 3's own DJ Moosic.

The day will end with a game of kick ball between Team Cheh and the Hearst Recreation Center teen club. Come out and enjoy a day of fun, great food, and exciting activities.

Sidewalks in Palisades

DDOT appears to have backed of the proposal to install sidewalks on University Terrace in Palisades. According to the City Paper, despite support from Councilmember Mary Cheh, DDOT has postponed the construction to continue to study the issue.

Isn't this public property in a city, no less?

Wash Post on the State of Cleveland Park

Katherine Shaver suggests in this article that Cleveland Park has seen better days from a retail standpoint. Shaver suggests that, contrary to reports by many longtime residents that the broader economic situation is at fault, the Commercial Overlay , as implemented and enforced in 1989 is the culprit.

She cites the example of Yenching Palace, a former notable Chinese Restaurant which is soon to reopen as a Walgreens, yet is still counted against the food limit despite being closed for an extended period. Similarly a former McDonalds, vacant for several years has suffered the same fate.

Fortunately, Councilmember Mary Cheh has been able to secure monies to help improve the neighborhood infrastructure, including seed money to create a business association, or other community mechanism to better improve the situation. Further, as the article notes, the AWARE group, which was born out of frustration at continued delays for a neighborhood grocery store appears to have morphed into a bona fide community organization as the pending elections for the local community association near.

Cheh: Crime Update in the Ward

Neighbors,

My office has been monitoring the reports of crime in the Ward. In response, I asked 2nd District Commander Matthew Klein to help me understand the crime situation in Ward 3 as well as explain what actions are being taken to address these problems. Commander Klein provided a detailed message to me explaining crime statistics in Police Service Areas (PSA) 202 and 204 as well as the Metropolitan Police Department's plan to address crime in these areas. Below are some highlights from that report. Please keep in mind that these statistics refer to the last 30 days compared to the same period of time last year.

I am thankful to Commander Klein for taking seriously our neighborhood's problems with crime. Like many of you, I find some of these trends to be very concerning. My office will remain in contact with Commander Klein to ensure that crime in the Ward continues to be addressed.


Best regards,

Mary Cheh






Crime Statistics


1. There has been a reduction in burglaries: 30% reduction in PSA 202 and 12% reduction in PSA 204.

2. Instances of stolen autos have increased in both PSA 202 (18 this year compared to 11 last year) and 204 (38 this year compared to 27 last year).

3. Instances of theft from autos have increased in both PSA 202 (183 compared to 131 last year) and PSA 204 (26 compared to 20 last year).

Police Actions


1. Second District crime analysts are tracking burglaries, stolen autos, and thefts from autos to identify trends, commonalities, and other information that will aid in closing these cases.

2. The Second District is coordinating with other police districts to identify suspects and track statistics.

3. PSA Lieutenants will meet weekly to review plans and make adjustments in manpower allocations as needed.

4. Members of PSA 202 and 204 will walk door-to-door and disseminate information to residents and alert them of serious incidents that occur. This is also an opportunity for police to gather additional intelligence.

5. Officers will be focused on burglaries, stolen autos, and theft from auto incidents and suspicious individuals associated with those activities.

6. Officers will perform additional patrols in areas of particular interest to look for suspicious activity.

7. The Second District will deploy additional uniformed resources into PSA 202 and PSA 204.

8. Officers will conduct visual inspections of vehicles parked in targeted areas. When valuables are left in plain sight, officers will attempt to locate the owner and advise them of the increased potential for the theft of their property.