Last week, Tommy joined the coaches and parents of the Watkins Hornets Pee Wee football team to celebrate their victory in the Regional Championships. As Champions, they’re headed to Florida to play for a National Championship in the Pee Wee Super Bowl!

The Watkins Hornets practice and call the Watkins Parks and Recreation Center home (13th and E Street, SE). The Pee Wee team is made up of boys ages 11-12, and they are representing not only DC, but the entire region.

On Sunday, December 6th, the Hornets crushed the Falcons of Southfield-Lathrup, Michigan 34-0. Today, they’re playing the Thunder of Arlington, TX. We’ll update the scores below during the game, and please enjoy the pictures from the big send off and celebration last week.

UPDATE [12:35 pm]:

1st Quarter
Watkins Hornets - 8
Arlington Thunder (TX) - 0

2nd Quarter
Watkins Hornets - 14
Arlington Thunder (TX) - 6

Half
Watkins Hornets - 20
Arlington Thunder (TX) - 14

End of the 3rd Quarter
Watkins Hornets - 26
Arlington Thunder (TX) - 14

Final
Watkins Hornets - 39
Arlington Thunder (TX) - 14

Watkins will play this Saturday in the Pee Wee Super Bowl!

Last night, PSA 102 hosted their monthly meeting and one important topic dealt with improving security on the H Street NE corridor.

An idea that had been floated previously was to create what’s called a “reimbursable detail”. The idea is to have businesses partner to hire off-duty MPD officers to add to the existing patrols. Reimbursable details have been used successfully in other areas of the city, and neighborhood volunteers with PSA 102 have worked with H Street business owners to start on one H Street.

Announced at the meeting last night, the H Street Reimbursable Detail will begin this weekend. The initial plans are for the detail to put officers working between 11th and 15th Street, NE, along the H Street NE corridor, on Friday and Saturday nights between 11:30 pm and 3:30 am.

A big thanks goes to our PSA 102 volunteer coordinators – Bobby Pittman and Brandon Bies. They’ve been working to realize this improvement for some time. Also, a big thanks to Joe Englert, who was instrumental in pulling many of the business owners together to support the detail. And finally, a big thanks to all of the ANC 6A Commissioners – in particular Joe Fengler and Raphael Marshall – for their support.

Tommy will continue to work with Commander Kamperin and our MPD officers to step up the police presence along the entire H Street NE corridor. In addition, the businesses and PSA 102 will review the results of the reimbursable detail and make adjustments as needed.

Last night, neighbors gathered at Eastern Market for Councilmember Tommy Wells’ 3rd Annual Livable, Walkable Community Awards.

“Across our neighborhoods, we’re working together to build great places to live. But creating a livable, walkable vision doesn’t happen without the neighbors, small businesses, civic groups and public servants that work day-in and day-out to create stronger communities,” stated Mr. Wells. He added, “Last night was opportunity to honor those people.”

The recipients were:

Livable, Walkable Neighbor Award – Ms. Elizabeth Nelson

Elizabeth Nelson has spent the better part of two decades working to improve her neighborhood and community. In reviewing the nominations, one neighbor wrote that Elizabeth “personifies the livable, walkable ideal of public service”. Another wrote of her as an “ambassador for the North Lincoln Park neighborhood”. Noted Councilmember Wells, “Elizabeth has helped lead Trees for Capitol Hill – an effort that adds more tree canopies and shaded walks every year.” He added, “Countless times we’ve seen her hauling water jugs to area parks in the summer to make sure young trees survive and thrive. Everyone who knows Elizabeth knows of her passion for preserving and creating great public spaces.” An active volunteer with the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, ANC 6A, the North Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association and the Maury Elementary School PTA, she is both dedicated to our community and our neighborhoods - not just her trees or her street, or her park, or her block, but her entire community.

Livable, Walkable Community Organization Award – Moms on the Hill

Moms on the Hill has become a vital link for parents and families across the Ward. It’s moved well beyond finding the latest information on elementary school test scores and now boasts thousands of members that don’t shy away from sharing the diversity of opinions, priorities and advice from within our neighborhood. Besides becoming a font of information, Moms on the Hill has developed a reputation for true grassroots advocacy for many of the principles and values that create livable, walkable communities. Stated Wells, “From pushing for challenging and high performing neighborhood schools, to supporting strategies to slow traffic commuting on our streets, to embracing public parks and green space, MoTH creates a forum for thoughtful debate that doesn’t pull any punches.” In handing out the award, Wells noted that there is no one voice for Moms on the Hill, but accepting the award on the group’s behalf were many of the women that serve as moderators for the group.

Livable, Walkable Business Award – The Channel Inn

In Southwest DC, retail and restaurants can be scarce. Hundreds of millions of dollars of redevelopment are in the pipeline, creating new housing and office space, and renewed commercial retail options for neighbors. But for right now, neighbors have a hard time finding a cup of coffee, let alone a meal. Despite it all, Manny Fernandez and the Channel Inn have kept their doors open, creating community space where residents can gather, discuss, or simply socialize. “In a neighborhood that too often feels isolated, the Channel Inn is steps from the Circulator bus, two blocks from the Waterfront Metro station, accommodates walking, biking and wheelchairs, and opens its doors onto the river walk of the Washington Channel with boat docks and slips just a stone’s throw away -- it’s just about the most transit friendly restaurant in the city,” commented Wells. Manny Fernandez, the owner of The Channel Inn, accepted the award on behalf of his business and all the Channel Inn employees.

Livable, Walkable Public Service Award – Barry Margeson, Dept. of Real Estate Services

Earlier this year, the community reopened Eastern Market to much excitement – welcoming back the merchants and vendors into their homes. “Shortly after the fire, one man had the unenviable position of serving as the District’s go-to guy – and with every challenge we put before him, he answered the call,” stated Wells. Barry Margeson worked with all the stakeholders – merchants, vendors, neighbors, and elected officials, to find compromise and common ground, be it during streetscape construction, improving daily maintenance, or ensuring our local merchants and vendors have what they need to be successful. Added Wells, “Eastern Market is a special and revered place in the hearts of our community – it’s practically the definition of ‘livable, walkable.’ Barry Margeson has bent over backwards to preserve that for us and I’m proud to recognize that public service on behalf of all of us.”

Livable, Walkable Honorary Award – Miles Groves

“Miles Groves became a resident leader in Penn Quarter almost before there was a Penn Quarter neighborhood,” stated Wells. As the city created a new vision for our downtown, Miles played a pivotal role in turning an area that emptied out at 6 pm, into a vibrant community with retail, restaurants and nightlife, but also supported the new residential neighborhood that emerged. From fighting for better sidewalks, better lighting, stepped up police presence, neighborhood based retail, and most recently, supporting two-wheel alternatives as personal vehicles, he’s been a champion of the revitalization of our downtown. Miles also helped form and lead the Downtown Neighborhood Association, bringing a voice to City Hall for thousands of his neighbors, and became a mentor to dozens of leaders in the communities around him. Miles was unable to attend the event last night, but Councilmember Wells will present him with his award at an upcoming Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting.

Great News! The H Street NE shuttle has been saved!

Councilmember Wells shared today that he has successfully worked with the Department of Transportation and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, to secure funding to continue the H Street NE Shuttle.

The shuttle is critical to providing alternative transportation options to the H Street corridor during the disruptive streetscape construction project.

The shuttle provides free express service between Chinatown and the Minnesota Ave Metro Stations and began service in March of 2009. After the first two months (which had partial operation as the shuttle got up and running), they averaged over 5,500 riders per month. They’ve had a total of 25,000 riders in the last 6 months; and based on the current estimates will be providing 67,000 shuttle rides per year. The businesses report to us that its been a great help to support the economic development on the corridor, and keeps a lot of cars of the roads and side streets with alternative transportation.

More information about the schedule is available by Clicking Here.