We broke ground on Capitol Crossing, which is expected to create 4,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent jobs, all while improving our infrastructure.  Capitol Crossing will deliver almost 70,000 square feet of retail space, over 1,100 parking spaces, and 440 bicycle parking spaces.

I joined the DC Office on Aging for the 4th Annual Mayor’s Senior Symposium. The event offered a variety of workshops to help District seniors maintain a high quality of life. It is important to me, as we carve out pathways to the middle class, that my Administration continues to work towards building an age-friendly city where all District residents continue to do the things they love while they age-in-place in their city.

May 16, 2015 | Volume 1, Issue 16

Dear friends,

Did you know that by 2018 nearly 75 percent of jobs in the District of Columbia will require some form of postsecondary education? With this statistic in mind, my Administration is investing in programming that gives students the tools they need to succeed in a highly competitive workforce.

On Wednesday, DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Police Chief Cathy Lanier, private sector partners and I announced two new “career academies” for high school students in DC Public Schools. Like the District’s new LEAP Academy, the career academies will connect residents with good-paying jobs and prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers through real-life, work-based learning experiences.

The District has partnered with leaders in the public and private sectors to ensure our students are gaining the knowledge and experience they need to create their own pathways to the middle class.

Read more about the new initiative HERE and visit dcps.dc.gov for more information about the District’s many programs for high school students.

Sincerely,

Mayor Bowser

The Passing of Lieutenant Kevin McRae

Yesterday, thousands of residents, firefighters and friends from around the country attended the funeral of Kevin McRae, a DC Fire and EMS Lieutenant who passed away last week in the line of duty. Lt. McRae began his career as a DC firefighter right after he graduated Ballou High School in 1989. He was a father, son, brother and hero. We share our deepest sympathies and prayers with the McRaes and the entire DC Fire and EMS family.

You can support the McRae family by donating here:

DC Fire and EMS Foundation
c/o Kevin McRae Survivor Fund
439 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001

A Stand for Investment in Transportation

On Wednesday, I stood with mayors from across the country to urge Congress to pass long-term transportation funding before funding expires on May 31. Investment in our transportation system creates economic opportunity, supports our utilities, information, and freight networks, and manages congestion that will increase as our cities and economies grow.  An affordable and reliable transit system gets our people to work and back home to their families. Without a fix for the federal Highway Trust Fund, we risk even more of a significant strain on local resources and our capacity to complete and start transportation projects.

It’s time for Congress to pass long-term transportation funding now.

Nurture a Child. Support Your Community. Become a Foster Parent

May is National #FosterCareMonth and the DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) is working to raise citywide awareness to encourage more District residents to be foster parents. Currently, more than 50 percent of the District’s children and teens in foster care are placed outside the city, mostly in Maryland. However, children develop best and have the easiest transition into a foster home when they remain close to their birth family, friends, schools, and the community in which they were raised. Call (202) 671-LOVE (5683) or visit fosterdckids.org to learn how you can help District kids and teens.

Save the Date: DHCD Housing Fair

Attention #All8Wards! Mark your calendars for the DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Seventh Annual DC Housing Expo and Home Show, themed “We Are Housing…We Are Community” to be held Saturday, June 27 from 11 am to 5 pm at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Pl., NW. Come and learn more about assistance for renters, home buyers and owners, ways to make your money go further, new affordable housing developments in the District, and incentives for cutting your energy use. For additional information, please call DHCD at (202) 442-7200 or visit www.dhcd.dc.gov

Stay in contact with me and my Administration online. Like us on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter @MayorBowser to follow our progress. Follow my team, @TeamMuriel, for the latest news and information from the John A. Wilson Building and District government agencies. Follow me on Instagram @Mayor_Bowser for even more updates on what's happening around town.  Lastly, find our online picture albums on Flickr.