Bezos and the bad opinions brigade

Hey there,

Yesterday, Jeff Bezos announced that The Post's opinion pages will no longer publish a diversity of thought. Instead, he's directed them to shill exclusively for two conservative idols: personal liberties and free markets.

The section's editor, David Shipley, resigned saying he didn't know what the future of the section held. Economics reporter Jeff Stein put it more bluntly: the new policy makes it clear that "dissenting views will not be published or tolerated.”

Fortuitously, we too have an announcement: We're ramping up our opinion section! And we believe that diverse perspectives are good, actually.

We won't pretend we can fill the gap left by the Post (at least not yet!). We are, after all, still six people all working part-time to make this newsroom happen (help us do it full-time?). But we are committed to publishing voices that are shut out of what Jeff probably calls “the marketplace of ideas,” and those that speak to The 51st’s guiding editorial belief: the District should be a more just and equitable place to live for everyone who calls it home. (In this newsroom, we're of D.C., for D.C.)

This week, we have an opinion piece about working conditions in the restaurant industry written by two workers at St. Anselm, which voted to unionize last week. (You can also read our last opinion piece on former Capital Pride board member Vince Micone's turn to DEI-decimating Trump appointee).

We also have story on a new pilot program to adjust traffic tickets based on income, a fact-check of the BOWSER bill, a round up of local resources for laid-off federal workers, and a dispatch from D.C.'s new Ghanaian restaurant. And, because everything sucks, we rounded up some fun plans for your weekend.

– Abigail Higgins

The fine line: Should low-income drivers pay less when they break the law?

Last fall, 51st contributor Martin Austermuhle got the dreaded envelope in the mail from the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. He didn’t even have to open it to know what it was: a ticket from one of the city’s many traffic cameras. For getting caught going 36 in a 25 mph zone (an anomaly – he's a great driver, he swears!), he had to cough up $100.

For him, it wasn't going to break the bank, but for someone else it might have, especially in a city with a dramatic racial wealth gap. In an attempt to address the disparity, the city is piloting a new program offering low-income drivers a 50 percent discount on the fines.

Opinion: Workers face harassment and low pay. D.C.'s restaurant industry needs more unions.

The toxic nature of restaurant industry work has grabbed headlines in recent years. Among them: food service workers seeing some of the highest death rates of the COVID-19 pandemic; celebrity chefs facing abuse allegations; even the hit TV show The Bear showcased the brutal nature of restaurant workplaces. Two St. Anselm workers, who successfully voted to unionize with UNITE HERE Local 25 last week, wrote about why they believe unions are the answer to their own toxic working conditions, and that of D.C.'s restaurant industry as a whole. (Spanish translation here)

Fact-checking the BOWSER Act, line-by-line

What happens when a DEI-plane-crash truther and an ex-Never-Trumper-turned-MAGA-sycophant try their hand at writing legislation? The BOWSER Act (sick burn, I guess?), 11 lines of text occupying less than a single page that aim to abolish home rule and take over D.C. You'll be shocked to learn it's slim on facts (or words at all?) and heavy on the same bloated, tired, and baseless assumptions about the city conservatives have been making for years.

Discounts and free services for impacted federal workers in D.C.

Thousands of federal employees have lost their jobs thanks to co-Presidents Trump and Elon. In response, many local businesses and individuals are offering support and relief. We've rounded up some deals and created a live spreadsheet for readers to submit more resources. Plus, we're joining in by offering a free year of membership to The 51st for impacted workers.

Eric Adjepong's Elmina brings Ghana’s beachfront cuisine to D.C.

Afrobeats, highlife, and jollof duck pots are the newest addition to the U Street corridor area thanks to celebrity chef Eric Adjepong (of Top Chef fame) and his new contemporary Ghanaian restaurant. 51st contributor Cornelia Poku visits the West African joint, and with it the sounds and tastes of her childhood.

13 things to do around D.C. this weekend

This weekend you can revel in an anti-eviction canvas, a glitter dance party, and boobs (for a good cause), making it clear that, through it all, D.C. hasn't lost its shine.

Send us your Overheards!

Did you hear? Overheards are back. So get to snooping this weekend, and send us your juiciest, most entertaining tidbits at overheards@51st.news.

Goodbye, E Street Cinema 

You are probably still processing the news that the D.C. institution, E Street Cinema, will close its curtains in March. We're devastated too. But memory is the heart's way of keeping a thing alive once its physical form leaves us. So in that spirit, we're collecting special E Street moments. From the profound (first date with your spouse?) to the mundane (solo-dates with yourself and a tall soda?), let us know what memories you'll carry with you long after the credits at E Street have stopped rolling. 

We'd love to hear from you. Submit your thoughts here.

Here's more news you may have missed this week:

• Old Bay ... on ice cream?? If Wes Moore says so. [Eater]
• D.C. is home to one of two U.S. banks where incarcerated people can open savings and retirement accounts. [Next City]
• D.C. is hosting World Pride this year. Do you have an idea for event? Apply for a grant!
• Love it or hate it, Brutalism is once again under attack as Trump takes aim at downtown D.C.'s signature architecture. [NYT]
• The Wizards are, sigh, one of the worst teams in NBA history. While losing may be an unconventional victory strategy – it just might work? [The Post]
• With book bans and diversity in the arts under attack, this D.C. literary critic recommends four local authors from marginalized communities for your next read. [WCP]
• Metro always seems to be in a funding crisis. Should commercial landowners cough up the funds to help fill the gap? [GGWash]
• All eyes on a scandal at D.C.'s U.S. Attorney's Office (and no, not that one, it's another scandal). [TPM]
• Bowser calls for statehood, while continuing to play nice with President Trump. [Bloomberg]
• It's been 10 years of promises to end pedestrian deaths. Instead of improvements, walking in the D.C. area got twice as deadly. [The Post]
• USAID workers get 15 minutes to clear their desks. [AP]

Your Civics Download

You’ll find this handy guide to public meetings at the bottom of every edition of The 51st. We’ll refine and improve along the way, so if you think we’re missing resources, please let us know!

• It’s that time of year! Budget season is kicking off with a series of mayoral forums where you can let Mayor Bowser know what you think about spending priorities and values. According to Bowser’s website, during the forums, participants will receive an overview of the budget process, hear from other residents about their priorities, and break out into small groups for discussion. So actual face-time with the mayor seems up in the air – but if you have thoughts on the city’s spending, this is one way to (maybe) get them heard. The first series kicks off at the Rosedale Recreation Center tonight at 5:30 p.m. You can register here. There will be another forum on Saturday, March 1 at 11:30 a.m. at the Kennedy Recreation Center. RSVP here. You can also fill out an online form, telling the executive how you would allocate $100 to balance the budget.  
• On Saturday, March 1, there will be a Transgender Unity Rally downtown as part of a nationwide action. Crowds will gather at the Capitol and march down Constitution Avenue, ending at the Ellipse. Speakers include Kayden Coleman and Dr. Chloe Schwenke. The event starts at 9:30 a.m., with the march expected to kick off at 12:30 p.m. You can RSVP to attend here or watch virtually. 
• Also on Saturday, March 1, the D.C. Abortion Fund is hosting a launch party to kick off its annual My Body My Festival. Your $38.63 ticket goes directly toward DCAF — a group that helps people in D.C. and across the U.S. access safe abortions. The party is at Songbyrd; doors open at 7 p.m. 
• On Sunday, March 1, FREE DC is holding a mobilizing meeting for Ward 1 residents. (If you’re new to FREE DC, you’re encouraged to attend a campaign orientation before joining a ward meeting; the next training is on March 11, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.) Sunday’s Ward 1 meeting will be held at 1640 Columbia Road NW, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Register here.

That's everything! See you next week.

– Abigail