How many ballot initiatives is too many?

Happy Thursday, readers,

Winter is here weather-wise, and I’m writing to you from under a blanket with this week’s news. 

The 2026 election is still almost a year away, but there’s already a battle over what we’ll get to vote on, Martin reports. A bill before the Council would put more limits on ballot initiatives, which have increased in number over the last 12 years. (Think ranked-choice voting, tipped minimum wage, and magic mushrooms, to name a few recent examples.)

Then, we have two interviews with D.C. natives: Christina spoke to Kamal “Ben” Ali, second-generation owner of Ben’s Chili Bowl, about the restaurant’s lasting local popularity. And contributor Emma Akpan has a feature on Lindsay Adams, a rising star in the painting world whose art explores Black American migration, past and present.

It may be cold outside, but the city is still buzzing — don’t miss our recommendations for what to do this weekend, and how to get involved around the city. Do you think I can bring my blanket to the maker’s market?

Warmly,

—Gracie

There’s been a surge in citizen-led initiatives on D.C.’s ballots. Are they going too far?

For some it’s people-powered democracy. For others, it’s just too much.

Ask A D.C. Native: Why does D.C. love Ben's Chili Bowl so much?

We asked a man on the inside.

Lindsay Adams is making art about Black migration and her D.C. roots

The painter’s first institutional show runs at the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery through March 2026.

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Cocktails and Courtwatch: Your weekly Civics Roundup

Plus, poetry, comedy, and wine fundraisers — and more!

15 things to do around D.C. this weekend

Hunting for gifts and community — or a good story to tell your family later this month? We’ve got you covered.

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

• Ward 7’s Fort Dupont Ice Rink reopened this week after a close to $40 million renovation — and months of delays, as Martin reported earlier this year. [WTOP, The 51st]
• Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith is stepping down at the end of the year. Mayor Bowser says she didn’t request the resignation, and will name an interim chief this month. Meanwhile, at a marathon public safety hearing last Thursday, hundreds of residents testified before the Council on the department’s collaboration with federal agents, as well as reducing gun violence, the youth curfew, and more. [The Post, Washington Informer]
• D.C.’s 2026 election was already looking potentially chaotic. Now, the news that Anita Bonds won’t run again means another Council seat is up for grabs. [The 51st, City Paper]
• Four Democratic senators are calling for D.C.’s Park Police to pause a campaign to double in size. [The Post]
• Local complaints continue about the response to 911 calls by D.C.’s Office of Unified Communications, and the agency’s refusal to investigate complaints. [Petworth News]
• At their sold-out 930 Club show last night, your newsletter writer heard The Beths remark that D.C. has an impressive number of traffic circles. Why is that? [City Cast]
• A shift in federal funding away from permanent housing programs could mean even more evictions in D.C. — when we’re already seeing the effects of a reduction in housing vouchers. [Street Sense, The 51st]
• As the restaurant industry pushes back on a new potential ballot measure raising the minimum wage, three Eastern Market restaurants just voted to unionize. Democratic lawmakers are supportive. Their existing boycott over unionization efforts includes St. Anselm, where restaurateur Stephen Starr now faces charges from the NLRB over alleged union-busting. [Washington Business Journal, Axios, Philadelphia Inquirer]

If you read this far into our newsletter you should definitely join our referral challenge,

Gracie