This was a hell of a summer to be in local journalism and go on maternity leave. I enjoyed my time "off" (you know, just keeping a tiny human alive!), but I'm happy to be back at it.
On one of my last days of leave, I woke up to at least a dozen cops outside my house – some local, some federal, most armed with rifles aimed at our neighbor's door. Many more were in the back alley. They wore a combination of scopes, shields, and helmets at a scale I’ve rarely seen outside of actual war zones. One masked agent sported sunglasses and a camouflage vest with nothing more than the word "police" written in what looked like a sharpie across the front for identification.
I'm still figuring out what it means to be a parent as scenes like this play out across our city, but I can say that it clarifies the stakes. So it was a relief to see thousands of residents take to the streets over the weekend, and it’s a relief to be back at a place that can cover this occupation independently (support our work, if you can).
This week you can read about the Republicans' bills targeting a slew of local issues, from charging kids as adults to turning right on red. And because everyone needs a break, we have a local winemaker profile, walks to decompress, and your weekend plans. We also have an op-ed from tenants associations and, of course, ways to get civically engaged.
Stay safe, Abby
Capitol Hill resident Jason Loughnane sent in this photo taken by his wife of armed national guardsmen patrolling Providence Park during their son's 7th birthday party. (Carolyn Nash)
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday passed 14 bills targeting D.C., ranging from a measure that would allow President Trump to appoint the city’s attorney general (who is now elected by residents) to a proposal prohibiting the city from using its traffic cameras to ticket motorists.
Now on their fourth vintage, these local winemakers have focused on making low-intervention wine from grapes and other fruit grown exclusively in Maryland and Virginia. They emphasize hybrid varieties, which are created by crossing two grapevine species, and coferments, or drinks made by allowing different fruit — apples, berries, cherries, multiple grapes — to ferment alongside each other.
"22 Walks in Washington That You Must Not Miss" highlights hidden and not-so-hidden secrets across the District’s neighborhoods. Authors Andrea Singer and Paige Muller, together with local photographer Shedrick Pelt (whose work is all over our website!), put in hundreds of thousands of steps – and several days in the D.C. Public Library archives – to narrate the District’s weird, fascinating, and disturbing stories via physical walking routes.
Join The 51st on Saturday, September 20 for a FREE ICE CREAM SOCIAL! Swing by Benning/Dorothy Height Library 12-3 p.m. (Illustration by George Kevin Jordan)
ICYMI: Coverage of the Trump Takeover, earlier this week
Soak up the sun's rays while you can at festivals, walking tours, and the sidelines of a half marathon. Grab a jacket in case it gets chilly during late nights filled with salsa dancing and art shows.
D.C.’s Night Patrols are protecting residents from false arrests and abductions – or at the very least, they’re ensuring they don’t go undocumented. [The Nation]
The D.C. deployment is pushing some soldiers “to their breaking points,” one guardsman says. Among other things, they’re tired of raking leaves and protecting Krispy Kremes. [Mother Jones]
There’s a real estate boom on the Chesapeake, driven partially by wealthy D.C. residents, and it’s displacing low-income locals and worsening ecological damage. [Prism]
With your help, we pursue stories that hold leaders to account, demystify opaque city and civic processes, and celebrate the idiosyncrasies that make us proud to call D.C. home. Put simply, our mission is to make it easier — and more fun — to live in the District. Our members help keep local news free and independent for all:
Martin Austermuhle
Martin Austermuhle
