Pepco Bills, Part 2: What can you do? 📈
Plus, seven fired federal workers share where they are now, and more.
Happy Thursday,
Yesterday, we published a story about why D.C. residents' Pepco bills have skyrocketed. Today, 51st contributor Sam Delgado followed up on her reporting with what you can do in the short term, info about financial assistance programs, energy audits, and how to avoid being scammed.
Sam's stories kick off our new series on affordability in D.C., where we’ll zoom in on your most burdensome bills and examine how they impact your daily life and long-term stability. Take this quick survey to tell us where your money is going.
Here's what else is on the docket today:
- 51st contributor Emily Blumberg spoke to seven fired federal workers about how their job losses affected them, what they’ve been up to since, and where they hope to go next.
- Senior reporter Martin Austermuhle fills us in on a proposed bill that would require D.C. police to release body-cam footage when they are on the scene with federal agents who fire their weapons.
- Robert Barton, co-founder of More Than Our Crimes, wrote an op-ed opposing two Congressional bills that "would functionally eliminate the ability of incarcerated D.C. residents to participate in the democratic process."
- And, as always, we've got roundups of things to do this weekend and ways to plug in to your community.
Enjoy,
Christina
What can be done about your expensive Pepco bill?
Financial assistance, energy audits, and taking care to avoid third-party suppliers can help.
One year later, seven fired federal workers share where they are now
The Trump administration fundamentally altered the trajectories of hundreds of thousands of lives.
New bill would require more transparency on federal agents operating in D.C.
MPD would have to share its body-camera footage and the names of federal agents in use-of-force incidents.
Campaign update (plus a free way to support!)
This week marks two years since DCist was shut down, and we decided to start The 51st — a people-powered, community-centered, local news outlet that D.C. residents deserve. Now, we’re working hard to expand our newsroom from one full-time editor and reporter to two editors and THREE reporters. Today, we’re 60% of the way toward our goal to raise $375,000. If you haven’t supported yet, or feel inclined to throw in a little extra, here’s some added incentive: the chair of our Board of Trustees, Viyas Sundaram, is offering an $80,000 match toward this effort. That’s on top of a donation match offer from our friend Russ on Bluesky (you have to tell him how much you gave).
This means any amount you give can be tripled! Thanks for building The 51st with us, we’re so glad you’re here.
More stories we published this week:
Sam Delgado
Martin Austermuhle
Opinion: The SAVE Act Would Disenfranchise Incarcerated Residents
For D.C. residents in prison, voting is one of the last connections we have to our communities, writes Robert Barton, co-founder of More Than Our Crimes.
16 things to do around D.C. this weekend
Black History celebrations, storytelling events, and creative outlets.
Where is your money going? We're gearing up for our series about the rising cost of living in D.C. If you haven't yet, please complete our brief survey to help direct our affordability coverage.
Chocolate City Experience: Your weekly Civics Roundup
Plus, a transportation forum with the candidates and more.
Here are some stories you may have missed this week:
- This year's edition of Washington City Paper's Answers Issue delves into parks and parking, trash cans and transportation, quirks, kinks, and more. [WCP]
- The failure of Elon Musk's high-speed subway from D.C. and Baltimore. [Washingtonian]
- Black people, neighborhoods, and institutions that have shaped the District. [Informer]
- How ranked-choice voting will affect the race for Anita Bonds' successor on the D.C. Council. [WAMU]
- February restaurant closures around D.C. [Eater]
- The latest openings at D.C. galleries and museums, plus art festivals, fairs, and more. [East City Art]
- A private equity firm acquired and closed Georgia Avenue Thrift, stripping Brightwood of a neighborhood gem. [Inequality.org]
Thanks for reading,
Christina
