VOL. 53, NO. 33 • MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018
The Summer Season Has Arrived – Enjoy it Safely
Don’t miss the WI Bridge Center Section
Barry Summer Job Program Among Nation’s Best
Norton Bill Expedites D.C. Judge Confirmations
WI Staff Report
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) announced Tuesday she will introduce legislation to allow local D.C. court nominees to be seated after a 30day congressional review period unless a resolution of disapproval is enacted during that period. Norton said she plans to introduce the bill once Congress returns from its Memorial Day recess. Currently, nominees cannot be seated without affirmative Senate approval. The congressional review process for nominees would be the same one used for legisla-
JUDGES Page 17
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
district Residents make a splash 5 The District of Columbia kicks-off the opening of pools for the unofficial start of summer at Randle Recreation Center in Southeast on Friday, May 25 with Deputy Mayor Courtney Snowden, officials from the Department of Parks and Recreation, and a few area children making a splash. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter
Summer isn’t just a season of daily walks on the beach or picnics at the park, but for some people, especially young adults, the warmer months are a time to gain extra spending power or work experience. But whether you need or want a summer job, where you look for one will matter almost as much as what you do, according to the District-based personal finance website, WalletHub which took an in-depth look at 2018’s Best Places for Summer Jobs.
JOBS Page 32
Bowser Under Fire as Water Bills Rise By Tatyana Hopkins WI Staff Writer
DEMANDING TO BE HEARD: VOICES OF DC BLACK PRIDE
Jonathan Light, left, speaks to the audience at the “Using Black Political Power To End HIV,” part of this year’s DC Black Pride celebration, May 24 at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Northwest, sponsored by DC Black Pride, Impulse DC and the Human Rights Campaign. Also included in the photo: (L-R) the Rev. Karon Sadler, TV actor from the hit show ‘Star’ Lawrence ‘Miss Lawrence’ Washington and CNN political commentator Keith Boykin. Their conversation centered on ways to more effectively use Black political power as a vehicle for change and how members and allies of the LGBTQ community can collectively raise their voices in the goal of bringing more attention to the need to end HIV and include it among essential voting issues in this year’s midterm elections. /Photo by Demetrious Kinney
Weeks after religious leaders stormed a D.C. Council hearing to protest the effect of growing water bill fees on places of worship, they learned relief may not be coming to them anytime soon. Criticism is mounting of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed plan to provide relief for the city’s growing water bills that are the result of a federal mandate to clean up the city’s rivers and the fees used to support the cleanup. During a council hearing Tuesday, Jenny Reed, the mayor’s budget director, revealed details about Bowser’s proposed water bill hardship program to aid low- and mod-
erate-income residents, nonprofit organizations and cemeteries that showed that a majority of the fund will be dedicated to residents. According to Reed, the city hopes D.C. Water will match its $6 million investment into a fund from which $9 million will be used to help residents experiencing water bill hardship while $2 million would be used to assist nonprofits and $500,000 would be used to help cemeteries in the city cope with mounting water bills. Pastor George C. Gilbert of Holy Trinity United Baptist Church in Northeast said the church’s water bill averages about $1,100. “The monies that we have to spend could be better used to help
WATER Page 33
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