By Libby Solomon (Writer and Editor) • December 9, 2020
In DC, Slow Streets barricades have been spotted hauled off to the side or onto the sidewalk. In Baltimore, a Slow Street I frequent near Riverside Park is lined with signs that are knocked over or completely smashed, scattered across the concrete as cars roll by without a care. “Why does everyone treat these closures like the kool aid man?!?!” one Baltimore resident asked on Twitter last week.
Baltimore’s new mayor, Brandon Scott, ordered both indoor and outdoor dining to close in Baltimore starting Friday to slow the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich proposed closing indoor dining starting on Tuesday, a move subject to approval by the County Council. (Emily Opilo and Christina Tkacic / Baltimore Sun, Briana Adhikusuma / Bethesda Beat)
The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance has rated the transportation network in the Baltimore region a “D” for the third time in a row. The rating does not reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Colin Campbell / Baltimore Sun)
DC’s small landlords say they are struggling to pay their mortgages during the District’s eviction moratorium put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyle Swenson / Post)
Dulles Toll Road will move to electronic-only tolling and eliminate cash in 2021. The road temporarily stopped manual cash exchange in the spring because of the pandemic, and officials now say tollbooth change baskets will be removed. (Fatimah Waseem / RestonNow)
DoorDash planned to raise commission fees for restaurants on its premium service DashPass, until DC’s Office of the Attorney General sent a cease and desist letter warning them that charging commissions over 15% would violate DC law. (Laura Hayes / City Paper)
Efforts at Johns Hopkins University to examine its institutional history led to the discovery that its namesake and benefactor Johns Hopkins, widely admired as an abolitionist, enslaved at least four people before the Civil War. (Post)
Local nonprofits that provide services to residents experiencing homelessness could lose some of their funding if the District finalizes its plan to reduce the city’s budget due to the pandemic. (Andrew Giambrone / DCist)
