The man behind the vibes at Banneker Pool

Happy Thursday everyone,

Our lead story this week is about Marcus Truman, a lifeguard who’s informally known as the emcee at one of D.C.’s buzziest summer hangouts.

And have you recently questioned why your Pepco bill has shot up? We've got answers. Plus, one month after WMATA overhauled its entire bus network, we report what some commuters, bus drivers, and Metro officials have to say about the rollout.

Scroll on for a harrowing story about a D.C. muralist's activism, ways to have fun and get civically engaged, and news you might have missed this week.

Happy reading,

Christina Sturdivant Sani

Meet Marcus, the emcee of 'Club Banneker'

Banneker Pool is the place to see and be seen in the summer, and Marcus, the pool manager, is a big part of the reason why. We sat down with him on the pool deck to talk about how he ended up at Banneker, what makes the pool special, and why people can’t stop coming back.

Why is your electricity bill so high?

A new auction just set the average Pepco customers’ monthly bill to $138 — the highest power price in nearly a decade. If you ask Pepco what’s behind the jump, they’ll point to tightening supply and rising demand from data centers and industrial facilities. But consumer advocates and energy experts say that doesn’t tell the whole story.

A month in, how's the new Metrobus overhaul?

WMATA revamped the entire bus network at the end of June, re-routing lines and changing bus stops in an effort to improve the system. So how’s it been going for riders? We heard from more than 30 of them.

This D.C. artist's pro-Palestine mural has been defaced six different times

Over the past year, local muralist Rose Jaffe has been dealing with persistent vandalism outside her Petworth studio. Each time her mural is defaced, she returns with her brushes to craft another message in solidarity with Palestine.

12 things to do around D.C. this weekend

Summer is not over (yet)! Keep this August weekend full with bike rides, Broccoli City, art openings, and a pickle swap.

Heat mapping: Your weekly Civics Roundup

Collect data on the hottest parts of the city, rally to save the Anacostia Community Museum, or make activism-themed zines.

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

• Trump again threatened to take over D.C., after his close ally and DOGE employee (inexplicably nicknamed “Big Balls”) was assaulted in Logan Circle. [Informer]
• Glenn Kessler, the longtime Washington Post fact checker, and at least 75 of his colleagues have left the newspaper. [WCP]
• The National Park Service plans to restore and reinstall a Confederate statue that was toppled and set on fire during a protest at Judiciary square in June 2020. [WAMU]
• Bowser's budget proposal would make cuts to a crisis response service for suicidal youth. [WCP]
• A night in the lives of people who stay up during the wee hours in D.C. [Washingtonian]
• These D.C. coders are building tools to take on the bots. [Technical.ly DC]
• Some of D.C.'s best restaurants are literally underground. [Eater]
• A report found 79% of families exit D.C.'s Rapid Rehousing program without increasing their income. [Street Sense]

That's all for this week. Take care!

Christina