On Feb. 19, the Conservation Fund is teaming up with the Washington Association of Black Journalists for an event called “Protecting Legacy Places: A Black History Month Conversation.”
Throughout February, WTOP is celebrating Black History Month. Join us on-air and online as we bring you the stories, people and places that make up our diverse community.
You can learn about history through books, videos or museums, but there is something significant about visiting the place where it happened.
“There’s a truthfulness when you go to these spaces that you can only experience when you’re there,” said Phillip Howard, director of the Legacy Places Initiative at the Conservation Fund. “I think there’s value in being able to touch history and being able to be in a space where history happens.”
Howard works specifically on preserving iconic civil rights sites across the country. The Conservation Fund helped protect Maryland’s historic Black beaches, where artists such as Duke Ellington, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin performed like at the famed Carr’s Beach.
The Elktonia-Carr’s Beach Heritage Park honors that cultural and musical history. The group has also protected land on Maryland’s Eastern Shore connected to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
“I get to work in spaces and work to preserve spaces that are important and tell important stories in American history,” he said. “If there is properties or spaces in Maryland, Virginia, D.C., that are in need of protection, that’s a conversation that we would love to have.”
On Feb. 19, the Conservation Fund is teaming up with the Washington Association of Black Journalists for an event called “Protecting Legacy Places: A Black History Month Conversation.” It will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage in Northwest D.C.
“This is an opportunity to raise those voices, uplift those spaces, really get the word out that this work is happening and that it needs to be bigger,” Howard said. “If we don’t do something, those spaces are going to be lost.”
The special guest at the event is Jannette Howard-Moore. She was 15 years old when she marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965 with her family, and was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge by police. She will talk about being part of a pivotal moment in history.
Howard said it’s a unique opportunity to hear directly from a Civil Rights foot soldier, while celebrating and honoring her.
“Hear from a person who was actually there at a moment that changed the world,” Howard said, calling it a “beautiful story of family, of sacrifice, love, strength, courage, of bravery.”
It’s the first time the Conservation Fund is partnering with the Washington Association of Black Journalists for this event, but Howard hopes it’s not the last.
“We’re all just trying to make sure that this history is not lost,” he said.
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The Teal Wand is an FDA-approved device for at-home cervical cancer screening. It works like a tampon, allowing women to collect their own sample with support from a virtual medical provider.
New federal recommendations have expanded testing options for HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, and bring them right to your front door.
Women can still choose to get a pelvic exam at the doctor’s office, or they can now use a self-collection kit. HPV testing is the preferred cervical cancer screening method for women ages 30 to 65.
“HPV is the cause of cervical cancer, and anywhere from 95 to 99% of cervical cancer,” said Dr. Ebony Hoskins, section director of gynecologic oncology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
On Monday, the Health Resources and Services Administration released the new cervical cancer screening guidelines. In an article published in JAMA, the administration said self-collection “is an important and innovative breakthrough in the fight against cervical cancer and has the potential to increase screening rates and save lives.”
The Teal Wand is an FDA-approved device for at-home cervical cancer screening. It works like a tampon, allowing women to collect their own sample and then turn it over to a laboratory for testing, with support from a virtual medical provider.
“The test is accurate. And with that test, patients who used it found it more satisfactory to have the test administered at home,” Hoskins said. “I felt more reassured that they have providers to help guide the patient on how to do it, what the results mean if they need any follow-up care.”
She recommended regular gynecological visits and talking to your physician, but said certain patients may benefit from an at-home test.
“There are some people who have anxiety about doing pelvic exams,” she said. “They have transportation issues that prohibit coming into the office.”
The Teal Wand costs $250, but insurance plans must cover the self‑collection kit starting Jan. 1, 2027.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 4,000 women die each year from cervical cancer in the U.S. and about 13,000 new cases are diagnosed. About 20% of cervical cancer occurs in women after the age of 65, an age when most women are no longer screened.
“It is very important to get tested and screened because cervical cancer is preventable,” Dr. Hoskins said.
There will be a Cervical Cancer Summit in D.C. at the end of January for patients, survivors, caregivers and advocates.
In a year-end interview, the Democrat and former Prince George’s County Executive told WTOP that Marylanders wanted her to concentrate on economic opportunity.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks made history in 2025 as the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland.
In a year-end interview, the Democrat and former Prince George’s County Executive told WTOP that Marylanders wanted her to concentrate on economic opportunity.
“They wanted me to focus on the cost of living. They wanted to be able to afford groceries and utilities and to buy homes and to really chase the American dream,” Alsobrooks said. “So that’s what my focus has been throughout the year.”
This year was a challenging one for Alsobrooks’ constituents, who were disproportionately affected by the longest government shutdown in history. She said she worked to protect federal workers.
“It was sad and it felt really heavy,” she said.
Alsobrooks hosted job fairs and sponsored legislation “to ensure that essential employees could file for unemployment, that they would have relief from paying student loan debt during that time.”‘
Alsobrooks said she fought back against President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to overhaul the Department of Health and Human Services. When she grilled Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a committee hearing in January, her questioning got millions of views online.
“I was the first senator to call for his firing or resignation. I didn’t care which came first,” she said. “But I have been just horrified by what I have seen in terms of targeting our public health system in our country.”
But Alsobrooks is proud of forming relationships with other lawmakers across the aisle, including Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. They worked on a small business investor bill to allow tax benefits for hair stylists, barbers and other small business owners. And her GENIUS Act became law, creating a regulatory framework for stablecoins cryptocurrency.
“It is my desire to create wealth and opportunity and to create generational wealth for so many who have not experienced it,” she said. “I want to open up markets so that everyone has the chance to participate safely.”
Looking ahead to next year, Alsobrooks said she is excited for the midterm elections.
“I’m going to be working hard to get Democrats elected all across the country. I’m looking forward to taking back the house and hopefully picking up a seat or two in the Senate.”
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Millions of Americans will hit the road for Thanksgiving but the worst time to drive to your destination is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Millions of Americans will hit the road for Thanksgiving but the worst time to drive to your destination is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Google tech expert Bailey Thompson said her team analyzed the engine’s “Search” and “Maps” data to uncover the best strategies for avoiding holiday traffic in the D.C. area.
“A lot of folks are leaving the city, but also a lot of people are having friends and family come visit,” Thompson said. “So understanding when the traffic is peak is really helpful.”
When to hit the road for Thanksgiving festivities
For Thanksgiving travel, Thompson advised leaving before 10 a.m. on Wednesday or waiting until after 8 p.m.
On Thanksgiving Day, expect heavy congestion between noon and 3 p.m. as last‑minute grocery runs spike.
If you plan on shopping on Black Friday, traffic picks up around noon. For your return trips on Saturday or Sunday, the busiest traffic window will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Thompson recommended using Google Maps for real‑time traffic updates and navigation tools powered by artificial intelligence to stay ahead of delays.
Post offices are very busy this time of year, with Saturdays often bringing the longest lines. Thompson said another busy window to avoid is around 2 p.m. on Mondays, when many people stop by during their lunch breaks.
Thompson recommended planning visits for Tuesday afternoons, which tend to be less crowded.
Google also analyzed local shopping trends and found last‑minute shoppers in the D.C. region prefer convenient, all‑in‑one destinations where they can pick up multiple gifts at once. Popular choices include shopping centers, sporting goods stores and festive Christmas markets.
“If they’re looking for a last minute gift, they’re not going to boutiques,” she said. “They’re going somewhere where they can try to knock out a bunch of things.”
The busiest shopping days fall on the Saturdays leading up to Christmas, with the final Saturday before the holiday drawing the heaviest crowds as people scramble for presents.
“We all have very good intentions to get our shopping done,” Thompson said. “Then life happens, and all of a sudden, we’re all behind the ball.”
Once the gifts are opened and you need to handle returns or exchanges, steer clear of the Monday after New Year’s Day.
With many people off work that week, post‑holiday crowds are especially heavy.
“If you need to go Monday, just manage expectations,” Thompson said. “Know that it’s going to be quite busy that day for returns.”
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Recovery efforts continue in Jamaica, over a week after Hurricane Melissa ravaged the island. Now a Montgomery County Council member is working to provide disaster relief.
Laurie-Anne Sayles on a call with her mother in Jamaica after she got power back following Hurricane Melissa.(Courtesy Laurie-Anne Sayles)
Laurie-Anne Sayles on a call with her mother in Jamaica after she got power back following Hurricane Melissa.(Courtesy Laurie-Anne Sayles)
Recovery efforts continue in Jamaica, over a week after Hurricane Melissa ravaged the island as a Category 5 storm. Now, a Montgomery County Council member — who’s the daughter of Jamaican immigrants — is working vigorously to provide disaster relief.
“Jamaicans understand hurricane season, but a Category 5 is not anything that they were prepared for,” said At-Large Council member Laurie-Anne Sayles.
Her mother, Hilda Williams-Sayles, had just returned to Jamaica in September after spending 25 years in Montgomery County working as a social worker. She planned to spend half the year in her home country, and Sayles was going to visit her over the holidays.
Then Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica as one of the island’s strongest storms on record.
“She’s running low on water,” Sayles said. “There’s no flights coming in or coming out of Montego Bay, so she’d have to get to Kingston. And it’s taking almost eight hours to get back and forth because of the devastation and the roads not being cleared away just yet.”
More than two dozen communities in Jamaica are still cut off by landslides and flooding. Roughly half the island remains without power. According to Prime Minister Andrew Holness, preliminary estimates show the Category 5 hurricane caused at least $6 billion in damage.
Because of the dire conditions, Sayles said she wants to bring her mother back to the U.S. as soon as possible.
“It’s hard because her heart’s there and she sees the devastation, she doesn’t want to leave. So many of us here wish we could be down there doing the hard work, helping to clean up, helping to clear roads, helping those in need,” she said through tears. “So I understand her struggle, that she doesn’t want to leave, but we’re so worried.”
In an effort to help, Sayles has partnered with Maryland Del. Jheanelle Wilkins and the Embassy of Jamaica in D.C. to collect much needed supplies for the island, including bottled water, nonperishable food, first aid kits, soap, diapers, blankets and towels.
“We cannot thank the community enough, because the response has been overwhelming,” Sayles said.
There are two drop-off locations: The Silver Spring Civic Building on Veterans Plaza and the Montgomery College Bioscience Education Center in Germantown. They’re accepting donations through Nov. 17. You can also volunteer to help sort the supplies or donate money online.
“This is Jamaica’s Hurricane Katrina,” she said. “It’s devastating. It’s heartbreaking. But we just appreciate all the love and support that we’ve received so far.”
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Millions of Americans could lose SNAP benefits Saturday because of the government shutdown. A Montgomery County food bank is bracing for the impact.
Millions of Americans could lose SNAP benefits Saturday because of the government shutdown. A Montgomery County, Maryland, food bank is bracing for the impact.
So What Else in North Bethesda provides emergency food support and free out-of-school programming, serving about 40,000 families weekly in Maryland and D.C.
Deputy Director May Nash said the current situation is dire and worse than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Inflation, tariffs, the federal cuts, and now coming is the loss of SNAP,” Nash said. “It’s just created this perfect storm.”
She said the need has skyrocketed. The food bank is now open two extra days a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, just for federal workers.
“The face of hunger has also changed. We’re seeing parents, neighbors, teachers, federal workers, people who never thought that they’d be in this position,” Nash said. “In times like this, it can just be anybody.”
The food bank has seen a significant drop in donations, from more than a million pounds of food in August to about half a million in October. With its annual Thanksgiving fundraiser underway, Nash said they need help from the community.
“We’re already pretty much stretched thin,” Nash said. “But we’re not going to stop. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure no one goes hungry in our area.”
So What Else aims to provide Thanksgiving dinners for at least 30,000 families, which is a bigger goal than last year, when they got a surge of help from WTOP listeners.
The food bank is asking for volunteers or donations. Nash said $24 covers dinner for a family of four. Find out more on its website.
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Federal retirements have surged this year, largely due to policies of the Trump administration and its “Department of Government Efficiency,” tasked with slashing spending.
Federal retirements have surged significantly this year, largely due to policies of President Donald Trump’s administration and its Department of Government Efficiency, which is tasked with slashing government spending.
The Office of Personnel Management is working through a backlog of retirement claims, which are taking much longer to process. OPM said the average processing time was 76 days in September, up from 70 days in August and 59 days in July.
It’s leaving retirees in limbo as they wait for their pension checks to arrive.
WTOP spoke to one federal worker who retired June 30. They did not want to be identified but said there were multiple hints there would be downsizing and restructuring at their former agency.
“My role there wasn’t a good fit in the new structure of the organization,” they said. “I took it as an opportunity to move forward in my life and move closer to family.”
They sold their house and moved to a different state, but nearly four months later, they have not received a single pension check. They’ve contacted OPM numerous times and say it’s been “frustrating” and “difficult.”
“There’s not enough people to process the influx of all the folks that are saying, ‘I’m done with this. I’m putting in my papers,’” they said. “The only answer that I’m getting is, ‘please be patient with us. Please be patient with us.’ Because, honestly, for the longest time, they couldn’t even confirm that they had my paperwork.”
The person was counting on that pension when they decided to retire. Now, their family is living on one income and struggling with the rising costs.
OPM told them to expect an “interim” check in mid-November or early December, but it won’t be the full pension amount. Federal employees who accepted the Deferred Resignation Program got paid until Sept. 30 but now go to the back of the claims line, meaning they likely won’t get their pension checks until February or March.
“I’m in the pipeline. It’s just the pipeline is flooded,” they said. “It’s moving at snail’s pace.”
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D.C.’s Department of Transportation has installed temporary pedestrian fencing on the Taft Bridge to increase safety and prevent suicide attempts.
Chelsea Van Thof (right) with her partner, Peter Tripp .
(left)
left
Tripp (left) died by suicide in 2022. In her grief, Von Thof has advocated for safety barriers on the Taft Bridge in D.C.
(Courtesy Chelsea Van Thof)
Courtesy Chelsea Van Thof
Thanks in part to Von Thof’s advocacy, DDOT will build safety barriers on the Taft Bridge.
(Courtesy Chelsea Van Thof)
Courtesy Chelsea Van Thof
The Taft Bridge along Connecticut Avenue Northwest has been the site of multiple suicides. D.C.’s Department of Transportation has now installed temporary pedestrian fencing on the bridge, as part of a project to increase safety and prevent suicide attempts.
Chelsea Van Thof’s partner, Peter Tripp, died by suicide on the Taft Bridge in 2022. The veterinarians were living in Woodley Park at the time.
“He was gentle and kind,” she said. “He was just always looking to help others.”
Van Thof said she used advocacy as a coping mechanism while she grieved. She poured herself into efforts to get protective barriers installed on the bridge and believes the barriers would have saved Tripp’s life.
“For me, it was like, if I don’t do this, no one’s going to do this, and more people will die,” she said. “And I can’t let that happen.”
Between Jan. 1, 2010 and Jan. 1, 2022, there were 26 bridge-related deaths in D.C., and half happened on the Taft Bridge. Van Thof said it’s a huge relief to see the temporary fencing up now.
“I didn’t want anyone to experience the same kind of pain and heartache that me and Peter’s loved ones and friends and family have experienced since losing him,” she said.
Construction of the permanent barriers is set to be completed by fall 2026.
Van Thof recently moved to Vermont but will return to D.C. when the barriers are finished. She hopes others who have lost loved ones on the bridge will join her, and she’s proud to help “change the history of the bridge.”
“Peter deserved to be honored in this way by having this be his legacy,” she said. “I really feel like it’s my responsibility to continue doing the good that he would have gotten done had he lived.”
Editor’s note: If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.
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Prince George’s County officials have launched a new law enforcement partnership to improve responses to domestic violence calls. With a signed memorandum of understanding, police and sheriff departments will collaborate to provide faster, more effective support for victims.
Sheriff John Carr speaks at a news conference on Tuesday about the county’s extended domestic violence prevention program.(Credit Prince George’s County Police)
Sheriff John Carr speaks at a news conference on Tuesday about the county’s extended domestic violence prevention program.(Credit Prince George’s County Police)
A law enforcement partnership hopes to strengthen the response to domestic violence calls in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and get residents the help they need.
County Executive Aisha Braveboy, Police Chief George Nader and Sheriff John Carr signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday, allowing the Sheriff’s Department to assist with domestic violence calls in certain districts.
“We want every victim to feel empowered here in Prince George’s County,” Braveboy said.
Nader said he’s grateful for the partnership, which will allow police officers to respond to calls faster, keep more officers out in the streets doing proactive patrols and create a streamline of services for domestic violence victims.
“When you’re in a volatile relationship, it typically is not going to get better without some kind of intervention. We have that intervention in Prince George’s County,” Nader said. “We have people that can assist you. You just need to reach out to us and let us know.”
Domestic violence is often driven by mental health issues or drug addiction, among other issues, according to Braveboy, and the Sheriff’s Office will soon be able to respond to calls differently.
“(Officers) can spend more time with the family,” she said. “They can follow these cases through the court system and really be a stronger partner with the victim and with the family.”
That includes utilizing the Family Justice Center and providing access to numerous nonprofit organizations.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Carr said cases typically increase as we enter the holiday season, with more people feeling the stress of financial pressures.
“What we’re trying to do is be more proactive and respond from the beginning,” Carr said. “How can we be more efficient and effective serving you, going out and educating … providing those resources?”
Law enforcement officials also shared new crime statistics showing that since the beginning of the year, Prince George’s County has seen an overall reduction in violent crime of 22%. That includes a 57% reduction in carjackings and a 32% reduction in homicides. Robberies are down 49% and property crime is down 14%.
“That is significant,” Braveboy said. “We are using technology. We’re using intelligence. We are in really good shape when it comes to fighting crime here in Prince George’s County.”
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A ransomware group claims it hacked the Maryland Department of Transportation and is now selling sensitive, personal data on the dark web.
A ransomware group claims it hacked the Maryland Department of Transportation and is now selling sensitive, personal data on the dark web.
The website Daily Dark Web first reported the auction. The Rhysida ransomware group claims it has the full names, birth dates and home addresses of transportation agency employees. It shared images of a Maryland driver’s license, passport, Social Security card and other sensitive documents.
Part of the text reads, “Open your wallets and be ready to buy exclusive data.”
The auction for the data ends in less than a week and the starting price is 30 Bitcoin, which is worth more than $3 million.
In a statement to WTOP, Maryland Transit Administration spokesperson Veronica Battisti said, “The Maryland Transit Administration can confirm incident-related data loss at this point in our investigation.”
“At this time we are unable to disclose specific or additional details regarding what data has been lost because of the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. If it is found that personal information has been taken, the affected individuals will be notified by the State in accordance with State law and we will take appropriate actions and provide guidance on recommended actions,” Battisti said in a statement to WTOP.
The state’s information technology department is working with third-party cyber experts to investigate the breach.
According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Rhysida has been targeting the education, health care, manufacturing, information technology and government sectors since 2023.
Editor’s Note: The article has been updated to clarify that the investigation is ongoing as to whether personal information has been taken.
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Two suspects are in custody after a deadly shooting Friday night at a Silver Spring, Maryland, park.
Two suspects are in custody after a deadly shooting Friday night at a Silver Spring, Maryland, park.
According to Montgomery County Police, the shooting happened at the Long Branch Local Park on Langley Drive, where officers found two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.
One person, who died at the scene, was identified as 17-year-old Charly Blayner Vail Lucas, of Silver Spring.
The second person, a 21-year-old man, was transported to an area hospital and remains in critical condition.
Detectives said the shooting could be connected to an Aug. 18 homicide that killed 17-year-old Jaril Verde Murillo on University Boulevard East.
Officials made the connection after firearms, among other evidence, were uncovered during the SWAT-assisted search of 20-year-old Jhony Steve Rosales Castillo’s Silver Spring home on Saturday.
Both Rosales Castillo and 18-year-old Juan Carlos Gutierrez-Hernandez were arrested in that case following the search. They face multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder of a minor victim and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.
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President Donald Trump’s administration has paused the “Combined Federal Campaign,” an annual fundraising effort that’s contributed billions of dollars to charitable organizations worldwide since it was established more than 60 years ago.
President Donald Trump’s administration has paused the Combined Federal Campaign, an annual fundraising effort that’s contributed billions of dollars to charitable organizations worldwide since it was established more than 60 years ago.
In a statement to WTOP, the Office of Personnel Management said it “is asking agencies to pause all CFC support activities while the administration decides whether to continue the program.”
The CFC typically kicks off in September.
Members of the federal community — including employees, retirees and contractors — donate money or volunteer their time. But the 2025 campaign is now on hold and the program’s future is uncertain.
“The thought of it ceasing could be extremely detrimental, where families will not have access to services that are so greatly needed,” said Rosie Allen-Herring, president and CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area. “We are deeply concerned that we will simply not be able to serve the masses that need us at this time.”
United Way NCA is one of many organizations that relies on the CFC, and the lack of funding would have a significant impact on their budget. It provides health, education, and economic opportunity programs for families across D.C., Virginia and Maryland.
Allen-Herring described a segment of the population they call ALICE, which is an acronym for “asset limited, income constrained, but employed.” These families work every day but still struggle with the high cost of living.
“All it takes is one emergency that then they’ll find themselves in crisis. And then we find ourselves with an even greater population that we have to try and serve,” she said. “This is a group that is literally treading water and teetering on the edge.”
The need in the D.C. area has remained high since the pandemic. Federal workforce cuts now present even more challenges.
“Many former donors who were or are federal workers could now find themselves in need,” she said. “What do you do when your donor becomes your client?”
It’s still unclear why the CFC is being paused. OPM said “no final decision has been made on the program.”
“We are resilient. And we will simply do the best that we can to serve those who need us the most,” Allen-Herring said.
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The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a staggering $1.3 billion after no one matched all the winning numbers Monday night.
A $1.3 million lottery ticket sold in Sherman Oaks, California, but Powerball jackpot is still up for grabs
Tenley Market Liquor store in Tenleytown D.C. sells lottery tickets.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
Lottery tickets for sale at a liquor store in Northwest DC.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
The current prize for the Powerball lottery stands at a staggering $1.3 billion after no one matched all the winning numbers Monday night.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a staggering $1.3 billion after no one matched all the winning numbers Monday night.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
A Powerball lottery ticket. Will it have the lucky numbers?
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a staggering $1.3 billion after no one matched all the winning numbers Monday night.
This is the fifth largest prize in Powerball history. The lump sum payment is about $589 million before taxes.
At Tenley Market Liquor on Wisconsin Avenue, Powerball players told WTOP how they would spend the money if they won.
Plenty of people were dreaming about big-ticket items, including cars, houses and vacations. But most said they’d be generous and use the money to support their families, neighborhoods and nonprofit organizations.
Robin Champion of Northwest D.C. said she’s won the lottery before and she’s ready to do it again.
“I won $50,000. So once you have a feeling that you can win … I have that feeling again,” Champion said. “I am going to affirm that I’m going to be the next billionaire.”
Another man in the store told WTOP he’d “probably buy a new car, a house and travel.”
With her winnings, Champion plans to buy a condominium, help her family and give money to charity.
“I play because I want to be a winner,” Champion said. “Buy a $2, $3 ticket, put it under your pillow, and dream. Because someone’s going to win it.”
The odds of matching all six numbers is about 1 in 292 million. You’re more likely to get struck by lightning.
The next drawing is Powerball drawing is on Wednesday night.
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The glass ceiling remains unbroken when it comes to the United States’ highest office. One expert explains to WTOP why that is.
Listen live to 103.5 FM for WTOP’s team coverage of national and local race results and visit WTOP’s Election 2024 page for comprehensive coverage. Click here for more on Virginia’s election results.
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Vice President Harris delivers concession speech at Howard
The glass ceiling remains intact when it comes to the United States’ highest office. Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election and Donald Trump will return to the White House. But data shows most voters see gender as less important to a politician’s standing than other factors.
In the summer of 2023, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey about women in leadership. At the time, there was not a specific female candidate on the presidential ballot. Biden was running for reelection, and although Nikki Haley was in the race, the conversation was mostly following Trump.
“We really wanted people to just react to the notion of having a female president and what that means to them,” said Juliana Horowitz, the senior associate director for social trends research at the Pew Research Center.
They asked voters whether a woman would be better at handling certain policy areas than a male president. For the most part, Americans said they don’t think the gender of the candidate matters.
“People do tend to say that it’s really not about the candidate’s gender, that it’s more about the different things they stand for,” she said. “We don’t see a lot of evidence in our work that being a woman or that being a man, for that matter, is necessarily what’s driving people’s decisions.”
Horowitz said 46% of respondents overall said many Americans are not ready to elect a woman to such a high office. Only a quarter of Americans said it’s extremely or very likely they’ll see a female president in their lifetime.
“One of the things that we found is that most Americans did not think it was important to them, personally, for the United States to elect a woman president in their lifetime,” she said.
Early data from the 2024 election does show a gender gap, with women voting primarily for Harris at higher rates than men did. But Horowitz said the gender gap is not wider than what they’ve seen in previous elections.
‘Will there ever be a woman president?’
Imani Cheers is an associate professor of mass communications and media studies at George Washington University in D.C. Cheers said America has always grappled with dichotomies, and the country can be progressive in some ways but traditional in others.
“America has a racism and a patriarchy problem,” she said. “Will there ever be a woman president? I think so. I’m just not sure when.”
Harris could not maintain the support in battleground states that President Joe Biden earned in 2020. Cheers said she believes the economy and religious views influenced many female voters to support Trump.
Harris and other Democrats campaigned on protecting abortion rights following the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. In Cheers’ opinion, she said it was “incredibly disheartening” to not see backlash to the court’s decision.
Cheers talked about “moments of joy” on election night, such as Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks being elected as Maryland’s first Black senator.
Cheers said noted the Harris campaign was put together in 100 days, while Trump had campaigned for reelection for years.
When it comes to electing the next president in 2028, she said, whether it’s a woman or a man elected, remember, “We are currently setting up for ramifications (that are) going to last generations.”
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Four years ago, during the pandemic, Leyla Ghorbani started listing her backyard pool in Potomac, Maryland, on a website called Swimply. She says the experience has completely changed her life.
Four years ago, during the pandemic, Leyla Ghorbani started listing her backyard pool in Potomac, Maryland, on a website called Swimply.(Courtesy Leyla Ghorbani)
Four years ago, during the pandemic, Leyla Ghorbani started listing her backyard pool in Potomac, Maryland, on a website called Swimply.(Courtesy Leyla Ghorbani)
Most pools close after Labor Day weekend, but there are plenty of options around the area if you need a place to swim.
Four years ago during the pandemic, Leyla Ghorbani started listing her backyard pool in Potomac, Maryland, on a website called Swimply. The site lets you search for private pools near you, and then rent them by the hour.
“I found that families were really excited to be able to have the privacy of an outdoor space they could enjoy, without the worries of potentially catching COVID,” she said.
Since then, she’s had some very memorable guests.
“I’ve had a dating show for the OWN Network filmed here. That was really entertaining to watch,” she said. “I have hosted a first birthday for a dog, and that was quite elaborate.”
The listing on Swimply is called “The Modern Meadow House,” and it has a 5-star rating with almost 200 reviews. Since May, almost every weekend at her pool has been booked. Because Ghorbani has a heater, she can keep her pool open through October.
“Sometimes, even Halloween is very warm and muggy,” she said. “The benefit is that I can be flexible, since it’s my own pool, in terms of opening and closing.”
The price for her pool starts at $95 an hour for a group of five. Ghorbani has a full-time job in information technology as a program manager, and the extra money helps cover the maintenance and management of the pool and backyard.
“It is a nice additional source of income on the side for life’s incidentals and surprises,” she said.
Ghorbani said the best part of renting out her pool is meeting new people. She has dozens of repeat customers, and some have become close friends. She loves hosting hallmark occasions: everything from birthdays to bridal showers, photo shoots, graduations or anniversaries.
“There have been some guests that have insisted I joined them. And I’m like, ‘No, no, this is your party. Thank you,’” she said. “It’s honestly wonderful, and I find it gratifying. I’ll keep doing it for as long as I feel like people are happy and having a positive experience.”
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There were numerous fireworks-related incidents in Montgomery County, Maryland, during the Fourth of July holiday, including two house fires.
An Aspen Hill, Maryland, home sustained more than $500,000 in damage due to the fire and displaced the homeowner.
(Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer)
Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer
The fire damaged the structure, a car, and the neighbor’s shed.
(Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer)
Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer
Another fire occurred about an hour later on Medway Street near Claridge Road and Glenmont Forest.
(Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer)
Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer
There were numerous fireworks-related incidents in Montgomery County, Maryland, during the Fourth of July holiday, including two house fires.
In the most serious case, an Aspen Hill home sustained more than $500,000 in damage and displaced the homeowner, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer. The fire happened around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday in the 14400 block of Brad Drive.
Piringer said that investigators believe aerial fireworks landed on the roof of the carport and flames spread to the attic. The fire damaged the structure, a car, and the neighbor’s shed.
“The homeowner was there sleeping. The smoke alarm activated for smoke in the house. About that time, a neighbor called saying the roof of the house was on fire,” Piringer said. “Fire investigators believe this was caused by some aerial fireworks that apparently landed around the house on the roof and burned on the roof.”
Another fire occurred about an hour later on Medway Street near Claridge Road and Glenmont Forest. Piringer said discarded fireworks were left against the side of a house.
“Some people had discharged some of these fireworks earlier in the day, discarded them, left them, and they smoldered and erupted into flames later,” he said.
The fire was only on the exterior of the house and no one was hurt.
Early Thursday morning, multiple packages of fireworks were seized after two vehicles crashed on Interstate 270 near Montrose Road in Rockville. One of those vehicles collided with a wall and burst into flames. Piringer said the other vehicle involved had a fairly large quantity of fireworks that were strewn across the road.
Fire investigators confiscated thousands of dollars worth of fireworks during Independence Day. They also responded to dumpster fires and brush fires. Piringer said people typically continue setting off fireworks after July 4 and urges you to turn any unused fireworks in to avoid fires.
“Fireworks are dangerous. They explode. They catch on fire,” he said. “Do what’s right, do not ignite. All fireworks are illegal, prohibited in Montgomery County for good reason.”
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Jose Padilla Espinosa was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for his role in a deadly crash.
The driver of a black Nissan Altima was traveling south on Route 28 when he crashed into the semi, causing it to overturn, and then crashed into a Toyota Prius, the sheriff’s office said. (Courtesy Loudoun County Fire and Rescue)
The driver of a black Nissan Altima was traveling south on Route 28 when he crashed into the semi, causing it to overturn, and then crashed into a Toyota Prius, the sheriff’s office said. (Courtesy Loudoun County Fire and Rescue)
An 18-year-old driver who authorities said rear-ended a semitruck in September 2023, causing a fiery deadly crash, has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, according to local media reports.
Cesar Yepez was driving a semitruck carrying food products southbound on Route 28 near Sterling Boulevard, when a speeding Nissan Altima driven by Jose Padilla Espinosa hit him from behind, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The truck overturned and caught on fire. Bystanders rushed in to pull Yepez from the flames.
But two weeks later, the 33-year-old father from Centreville, Virginia, died from his injuries.
According to NBC Washington, Padilla Espinosa was driving as fast as 111 mph before initially hitting the semitruck.
In court Thursday, Padilla Espinosa asked Yepez’s family for forgiveness, according to NBC Washington, which also spoke to Yepez’s widow Brianna about her 3-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter.
“The kids are good. They’re good. They know about daddy not being here, but they’re strong, and we’ll get through it,” she told NBC Washington.
After the crash last September, WTOP spoke to one of the good Samaritans who tried to rescue Yepez.
“I heard the driver yelling for help,” Mark Pembleton said. “He was screaming, ‘I have kids, please help me.’”
Pembleton sustained serious burns to his arms and head.
“I looked down on my arms and saw how burned they were. The skin looked like it was melted off,” Pembleton said. “If it was any hotter, I don’t think I could have done it, because it was right at the point of where I thought I would instantly burst into flames.”
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Along the main route in D.C., Tim Chambers, a retired Marine veteran who refers to himself as the “Saluting Marine,” said that Memorial Day events like Rolling to Remember began as a demonstration to remind people of those soldiers who went missing in action, those who succumbed to their injuries, PTSD and other tragic outcomes from their service to the nation.
“We need to mourn a little bit more as a society, because there’s a lot of families that are hurting, there’s a lot of families that were destroyed, there’s a lot of families that don’t know what happened to their loved one, and we didn’t get them the accountability or closure that they deserve,” Chambers said. “Veteran suicide, that’s still happening. It’s so out of sight out of mind, and then you need to be reminded that it’s happening.”
April Lamie, who came up from North Carolina with a group called TAPS (Tragedy Assistant Programs for Survivors), lost her husband nine years ago. This is the sixth year she has been coming to D.C. for Memorial Day.
“It’s just in the sound of the bikes. It’s very inspiring,” Lamie said. “It has such depth and meaning and you can literally feel the vibrations of the caring and the thoughtfulness and the support as they as they roll by you.”
Asked what she wanted people to remember about the holiday, she said, “Their lives are not to be mourn but to be celebrated because they are all someone we loved.”
Tom Kreutzer’s uncle was killed in World War II. He’s an employee with the Department of State and has worked with military commands in the past. He said this ride is a small way to show his appreciation for the people who sacrifice their lives.
“There’s usually a really good community, especially with Harley riders,” Kreutzer said. “Generally, when I’ve been with Harley guys, they’re a certain kind of person and I respect that. So, they’re good to hang around with.”
John De Pasquale has been riding in the event for about 20 years. He said this year in particular is special for him because it’s the first year his son Mike is riding alongside. Mike, the grandson of a World War II veteran, says he’s most excited “to actually be in it, not standing on the side of the road waving at everybody.”
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Pro-Palestinian student protests on and near George Washington University’s University Yard entered their third day on Saturday with no sign of slowing down.
Students protest the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Protests and encampments have sprung up on college and university campuses across the country to protest the war.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University sit in a tent to avoid the rain in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Protests and encampments have sprung up on college and university campuses across the country to protest the war.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
George Washington University students, who declined to provide their names, hug during a protest of the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. The student at left is inside the fence of the school’s University Yard, unable to leave because he would not be allowed back in.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
George Washington University students protest the Israel-Hamas war at the university in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. President Joe Biden is set to deliver an election-year roast at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday, April 27, 2024, before a large crowd of journalists, celebrities and politicians against the backdrop of growing protests over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
Chalk street graffiti on the campus of George Washington University that reads “Welcome to The DMV People’s University for Gaza,” as students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
George Washington University police officers are seen scanning tents and signs as students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
George Washington University students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
Tents pitched on George Washington University’s campus as students demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
George Washington University students demonstrate on the street after police close the student plaza during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
George Washington University police close a student encampment as students demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
A statue of George Washington draped in a Palestinian flag and a kaffiyeh is seen at George Washington University as students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The Hatchet, the GW University student newspaper, reported that about 200 demonstrators were outside the yard around 8 p.m.
While many protesters have abandoned the encampment on the yard, WTOP’s Linh Bui saw 15 tents in the new H Street encampment and over 50 protesters waking up on the street Saturday morning.
Most protesters, mix of students and nonstudents, had moved onto the street and surrounding area Friday afternoon — taking their bags and tents with them — after university workers put up metal fencing around University Yard. The student news source reported that there were far less demonstrators in the original encampment as of Saturday morning.
“We’re here to remind people of what’s going on in Gaza, to say that we’re here in solidarity with Gaza and to remind of the fact that there’s still a genocide going on,” Moataz Salim, a GW University graduate student, told WTOP.
As for the encampment itself, GW University had wanted it cleared by 7 p.m. Thursday, and requested D.C. police assistance, but according to reporting Friday by The Washington Post, officials rejected the request.
Police had gathered at the site around 3 a.m. Friday morning and were ready to go in, according to the Post, but were told to stand down.
In a statement to WTOP, D.C. police said the department “has stood in support of the George Washington University Police department as they lead the response to first amendment demonstrations occurring on George Washington University grounds.”
D.C. police said it will continue to monitor the activity both on-and-off the university’s property and that so far, “This activity has remained peaceful.”
Student protesters suspended
The university announced that multiple students will face disciplinary action.
In a statement Friday night, the university said demonstrators “violated several university policies and were trespassing” and several students have been temporarily suspended for participating in the protest.
“The university also said that any student who remains in University Yard may be placed on temporary suspension and administratively barred from campus. Several students have already been notified of their suspensions.”
In an Instagram post, the Student Coalition for Palestine said that seven students “currently face 9 charges of misconduct and are being evicted from their homes.”
“Administrators are actively working to punish students for speaking up against the oppression of Palestinians,” they wrote in the post.
Salim told WTOP seven of the students in the encampment on Friday received suspensions from the university. “And that’s exactly the kind of thing we don’t want, because they’re just here peacefully protesting in solidarity with Gaza, and they’re being punished in a really despicable manner, honestly, by the university.”
A statement from a GW University spokesperson on Saturday said “The university does not comment on individual student conduct cases or ongoing conduct cases, including whether or not such a case exists.”
Salim said the university, the George Washington University Police department and the D.C. police have been “intimidating” them.
‘We’re staying until the demands are met’
Salim told WTOP that protesters have “a list of demands.”
He said they want GW University to be open about “any sort of donor money that they receive, endowments, to disclose all their investments, to have full transparency. And then building on that, to divest from any investments they have in any sort of Israeli tech companies or Israeli weapons manufacturing or weapons technologies companies.”
Salim said protesters also want the university to “end any academic partnerships they have with Israeli institutions.”
He said protesters are also calling on the university “to do a lot more to protect their Black and brown students, especially those who are aligned with our movement and who are pro-Palestinian, like myself.”
“We’re staying until the demands are met. Otherwise they’re gonna have to drag us out of here,” Salim said.
Those demonstrations stretch from the University of Southern California — which canceled its main stage graduation ceremony set for May 10 after its campus was roiled by protests — to Northwestern University in Illinois and the University of Florida.
WTOP’s Linh Bui, Emily Venezky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Some of the world’s greatest chefs are competing in the Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions,” including Maryland’s own Tobias Dorzon.
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Chef Tobias Dorzon from The Food Network discusses food, community and more
Some of the world’s greatest chefs are competing in the Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions,” including Maryland’s own Tobias Dorzon. He’s in the quarterfinals, or Great 8, and is one step closer to winning $150,000. He says the competition is beyond intense.
“Outside of the 100 cameras that’s overtop of you, they probably got five or six of them that are watching you close up. Then you look up and you actually see people in the crowd,” Dorzon said. “It’s fun. I love the thrill of pushing myself to the limit. I love it.”
He said you have to think on the fly while competing in the arena, and that’s building his confidence.
“I look at myself as a phenomenal chef,” he aid. “When I leave this earth, I plan on being one of the best that people talk about.”
Dorzon’s father is a West African chef who had a West African restaurant, so Dorzon said he grew up in the kitchen. After playing in the NFL, he decided to go to culinary school. He opened his Hyattsville restaurant Huncho House during the pandemic, and it’s become extremely popular. Dorzon still jumps into the kitchen a couple of days a week.
“Regardless of where I am, I’m always going to have that urge to want to cook and want to push out food,” he said. “I was in my restaurant yesterday. A lot of people couldn’t believe that I was in there because it was the first day we were open since the show aired on Sunday.”
In April, Dorzon is opening a new restaurant in the D.C. area serving West African-Asian fusion. It’s called 1123, which is his birthday.
“We’re just trying to get ready to open up for the for the summer, and bring this new dining experience where you can be able to get good music, good food, and amazing atmosphere,” he said.
Dorzon is also about to drop a knife collection and his own line of seasonings in May.
“The best decision I have made for my life was turning into a chef full time. That was like the best decision I could have ever made. It’s something that I wake up and do every day. It’s my getaway, it’s my peace, and it’s helped me be able to provide for my family.”
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