By Caitlin Rogger (Interim Executive Director) • January 7, 2021
Are all Americans “real Americans”, or are some of us in a different category? It’s nothing new to hear national politicians question the “realness” of the residents of Washington, DC. And though the drumbeat of alarming, often conspiracy theory-driven events has escalated, yesterday’s events made it clear as day that fictionalizing a real place where people live and work as a “swamp” whose only purpose is nefarious has a profound cost.
By Nick Sementelli (Board of Directors, Advocacy Committee) • January 7, 2021
Ward 3 neighborhood Colony Hill’s nondescript historic district application will test the Historic Preservation Review Board’s minimum standards and raise further questions about preservation’s relationship to the history of racial segregation.
By Wyatt Gordon (The Virginia Mercury) • January 7, 2021
Though it didn’t garner as much attention as other police reform measures during the special legislative session that ended this fall, a provision to decriminalize jaywalking in a pretextual policing bill from Delegate Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, means that come March 1, police will no longer be able to stop folks for the act of crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk.
DC residents have been spotting insurrectionists and white supremacists staying in Airbnbs in their neighborhoods after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol Wednesday. The company says it has cancelled some reservations, citing policies against domestic terrorism and violent hate group members. (Ruth Tam / DCist, Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian)
After the Capitol was breached Wednesday, officials are putting up a “non-scalable” fence seven feet tall around the perimeter for at least the next 30 days, cutting off a public space DC residents use for commuting, running, bicycling, or meeting up with friends. (Jordan Pascale / DCist)
Coronavirus cases continue to rise, setting records in DC, Maryland, and Virginia as vaccines begin rolling out across the region. (Rachel Chason and Jenna Portnoy / Post)
Another layer of “emergency” is in place in DC through the presidential inauguration after a mob stormed the Capitol Wednesday, allowing for business closures and curfews at a few hours’ notice. Mayor Muriel Bowser encouraged residents to sign up for the emergency alert system. (Amanda Michelle Gomez / City Paper, Jane Recker / Washingtonian, Alex Koma / Business Journal)
Alexandrians have a three-day window to submit an application for public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers from January 11 to 13. (Vernon Miles / ALXNow)
Gov. Larry Hogan said in a press conference that he needed Department of Defense authorization to send the Maryland National Guard to assist the Capitol Police on Wednesday because the Capitol is federal property, but that the approval was delayed for 90 minutes. (Heather Mongilio / Baltimore Sun, Laura Wainman / WUSA9)
Lisa Chopin, who oversaw the widening plans for the Beltway and I-270 at the Maryland Department of Transportation, retired December 31 in the middle of the procurement process. (Katherine Shaver / Post)
