GOP targets D.C. (again). Here’s what to know.
Plus, a spotlight on local winemakers, a new book on D.C.'s best walks, and attacks on tenants’ rights.
Hey there,
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
Cosplaying as D.C. Council, House Republicans advance 12+ bills targeting city they don’t represent
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.
Spinning Wheel Wines is putting Mid-Atlantic fruit front and center
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.
These local authors walk you through D.C. history
"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.
Opinion: The RENTAL Act Guts Tenant Protections in D.C.
In an open letter, several local tenant associations argue the RENTAL Act gives more power to landlords and undermines tenants' rights.
Live in Ward 7? 🍦🍨
ICYMI: Coverage of the Trump Takeover, earlier this week
Martin Austermuhle
Martin Austermuhle
14 Things to do around D.C. this weekend
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.
Freeing DC: Your weekly Civics Roundup
Plus, a tenant summit and a reminder to keep recording.
Here's some news you may have missed this week:
- 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]
- Stephen Miller is orchestrating the law enforcement surge terrorizing D.C.? That tracks. [The Post]
- Bitcoin ATMs are raking in money from scams targeting elderly residents, according to D.C.’s Attorney General. [Informer]
- Are all of these masked agents even legal? [Axios]
- Big birding news! The rare, and fancy, pigeon that made a home at Alexandria’s Union Station. [WTOP]
- Federal grand juries almost always indict (99.9% of the time!) – except, that is, in D.C. right now. Must be embarrassing for Jeanine Pirro. [Slate]
- D.C. residents have always had to watch their backs, but the psychological impact of this military occupation is unprecedented. [WCP]
That's all for now.
Abby
