Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

ANC Discusses Storm Clean Up, Cancer Center

hoya7The impact of last week’s torrential storms and the Lombardi Cancer Center’s need for new radiation technology dominated discussion at Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E’s monthly meeting Monday.

According to Betsy Emes, chair of Trees for Georgetown, the District of Columbia has received 1,400 work orders related to Friday’s storm. Twenty of these orders were from the Georgetown neighborhood; seven tree removals have now been scheduled, including the large fallen tree on the corner of Prospect and 35th Streets.

Emes said that overworked crews have had to prioritize removing trees that block streets or pose a threat to public safety.

“[The crews] are getting to everything as fast as they can … but they just can’t keep up. They’ve got the heat to contend with. They’ve got trucks that are full to overflowing that have to be taken back to the yard to be emptied,” Emes said. “They have not been able to get to much in Georgetown yet.”

Emes said she was hopeful that the work would be completed early this week.

According to Emes, no wires were damaged with the storm, but the large tree on Prospect Street did damage a parking meter. Pepco was able to restore power but was unable to remove the tree.

Emes urged residents to submit their work orders online to ensure all the trees would be removed.

“We have over 3,000 tree boxes in Georgetown, and so it’s very easy to miss something,” she said. “If you see something … write it in.”

Later in the meeting, M. Joy Drass, an executive vice president for MedStar Health, asked the ANC to support MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in obtaining a certificate of need for proton therapy capability. While the hospital will have to obtain approval from the D.C. government and undergo zoning processes, Drass wanted to secure the support of the community in demonstrating the center’s need for this new therapy.

According to Drass, the new therapy reflects new developments in radiation treatment that do less damage to the tissue surrounding tumors.

The proposal was unanimously approved.

“We are committed to supporting the hospital,” Commissioner Ed Solomon said.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that M. Joy Drass was a doctor at the Georgetown University Hospital. She is actually the MedStar Health’s executive vice president of operations for the Washington region. The corrected version was posted at 8:06 a.m. on July 19.

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