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Tag: mike murillo

  • Chinatown Coalition brings expanded Lunar New Year celebrations to DC – WTOP News

    D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood is gearing up for an expanded lineup of events to welcome the Lunar New Year.

    A Liquid Gold Daiquiri from Mecha Noodle Bar’s Lunar New Year menu.
    (Credit Mecha Noodle Bar)

    Credit Mecha Noodle Bar

    Red Chili Wontons from Bar Chinois.
    (Credit Bar Chinois)

    Credit Bar Chinois

    A child enjoys noodles from Mecha Noodle Bar’s Lunar New Year menu.
    (Credit Mecha Noodle Bar)

    Credit Mecha Noodle Bar

    A dancing lion at Midnight Madness in 2025.
    (Credit Midnight Madness)

    Credit Midnight Madness

    D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood is gearing up for an expanded lineup of events to welcome the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse.

    It marks the first year that a new coalition of longtime Chinatown groups has come together to organize celebrations across the neighborhood.

    Tuesday, Feb. 17, marks the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

    The Lunar New Year marks the start of the new year on the lunar calendar and is celebrated as the coming of spring, bringing themes of renewal, prosperity and fresh beginnings.

    “It really means new beginnings. … The reason why we follow the lunar calendar is because we’re really celebrating the coming of spring,” said Hudson Tang, co-founder of the Chinatown Lunar New Year Coalition.

    He said this unified effort represents a milestone for organizations that historically operated independently.

    “This is the first time everyone’s been working together,” Tang said.

    One big event is Midnight Madness, where the Hung Ci Lion Dance Troupe will perform throughout Chinatown. That takes place Monday night.

    Also happening Monday is the Chinese Youth Club Culture Walk, featuring stations hosted by legacy Chinatown families.

    “It’s really these Chinese elders that are going to be talking to kids or young people about stories of Chinatown,” Tang said.

    Additional programs roll out during the week, including community arts activities on Saturday, Feb. 21.

    “The Save Chinatown Solidarity Network, they are doing art of the Fire Horse at the Chinese Community Church, whereby they will be hosting arts and crafts for families and younger people,” he said.

    All the events lead up to the Annual Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. in Chinatown.

    “It is massive. It’s a big part of the cultural fabric of D.C.,” he said.

    Other Lunar New Year events around the D.C. area include:

    Chang Chang and Ice Cream Jubilee
    Chef Peter Chang has teamed up with Ice Cream Jubilee for a limited‑release Lunar New Year ice cream PB Málà Swirl featuring red málà spice, salted caramel, and dark chocolate pretzels. The seasonal flavor is available at all Ice Cream Jubilee locations and at Chang Chang in D.C. from Feb. 6 through March.

    Reston Community Center — Lunar New Year Celebration
    Reston welcomes the Year of the Horse with a family‑friendly event featuring food, activities, and prize giveaways on Feb. 13.

    Mecha Noodle Bar — Union Market
    Mecha celebrates Lunar New Year by giving the first 100 guests an $11 gift card inside a traditional red li xi envelope. The restaurant will also be offering special menu items Feb. 17 through March 3. Founder Tony Pham will also offer three special meals, spicy chicken tan tan, yuzu-lime panna cotta and a Liquid Gold Daiquiri to mark the occasion.

    Bar Chinois — D.C. and Arlington, Virginia
    Bar Chinois will serve a $65 four‑course special menu featuring dumplings, noodles, salmon, duck and two dessert options.

    Karravaan — Union Market D.C.
    Karravaan launches its Lunar New Year specials with special à la carte menu including dishes symbolizing luck, longevity and abundance. Among them are long noodles, dumplings and a whole branzino. Guests dining on Feb. 17 or 21 also receive sticky rice balls on the house.

    Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
    The Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art will a massive Lunar New Year festival from noon to 6 p.m. on Feb. 21 featuring cultural performances, lion dances, a pop‑up market, curator talks, tours and other activities.

    Q by Peter Chang — Lunar New Year Temple Fair
    Q by Peter Chang will host a daytime temple fair celebrating the Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival on March 1 with Chinese street‑food stations, New Year desserts, calligraphy, paper‑cutting and live music.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Valentine’s rush has florists juggling last‑minute orders and rising costs – WTOP News

    Florists across the D.C. region are hustling as Valentine’s Day approaches this weekend, and many are feeling the pressure that comes with a surge of last‑minute orders.

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    Valentine’s Day business is ‘blooming’ despite rising costs

    Florists across the D.C. region are hustling as Valentine’s Day approaches this weekend, and many are feeling the pressure that comes with a surge of last‑minute orders.

    At Chevy Chase Florist in Chevy Chase, Maryland, owner Christine Topacio said during the week of Valentine’s Day, her team is prepared for some long days.

    “It’s been busy!” Topacio said.

    Valentine’s Day is the holiday of love, but it’s also a holiday where many people wait until the last second to order flowers. That means the Chevy Chase Florist staff are working overtime to prepare and deliver hundreds of bouquets.

    Topacio said orders typically spike right after the Super Bowl.

    “After the Super Bowl passes, those orders start rolling in, and people start remembering about it, and we will definitely have a lot of walk-in traffic in the next couple of days,” she said.

    Topacio said even as a smaller boutique shop, they expect to send out “anywhere upwards of 600 or more orders” leading up to the holiday.

    To meet that demand, she said the shop depends on both full‑time workers and additional seasonal employees.

    On top of designing bouquets, her team also has to navigate challenges that come with deliveries this time of year.

    “Delivering is always a crazy logistics thing, making sure that we have enough drivers to be able to make sure that everybody gets their flowers on time,” she said. “It’s been a little bit hectic, especially with the ice and the snow out there.”

    Keeping flowers fresh is also part of the job. Topacio shared tips for anyone wanting their bouquets to last longer.

    “The biggest thing, I think, is changing the water so making sure that the flowers have fresh water,” she said.

    She said people should refresh the water when the water in vases looks cloudy. When changing the water, she said give the stems a fresh cut, if possible.

    Tariffs and last-minute ordering

    The shop relies on thousands of imported stems each Valentine’s season, but Topacio said prices are being affected by tariffs.

    “A lot of our roses come from Ecuador and Colombia. A lot of other florals come from Holland, from Canada. All of these places that do have tariffs, every single one of our items has been impacted,” she said.

    Due to stepped up costs for ordering flowers, she said the business had to reassess pricing this year.

    “We want to make sure that we’re able to pay our bills and make sure that we have enough of the beautiful flowers that people are expecting,” she said.

    Still, customers continue to place orders and many of them don’t plan ahead. Topacio said walk‑ins surge right before the holiday, and last‑minute shoppers come armed with stories.

    “’Oh my God, I forgot! My wife is going to kill me,’” she said was something she often heard.

    Others show up trying to persuade the team to squeeze in an extra bouquet.

    “Our policy here is that we will help, if we can, whenever we can,” she said.

    Topacio said the emotional impact of flowers keeps the team motivated through the rush.

    “We sometimes forget how much impact flowers have in terms of people’s mood and joy,” she said. “People need joy nowadays.”

    For anyone still hoping to order flowers before the holiday, she has one reminder: “The sooner you can get those orders in, the better,” she said.

    Despite the long hours, Topacio said her team is focused on helping people share a little joy and keeping relationships in full bloom.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Maryland state’s attorney urges lawmakers to act to help stop scams before seniors lose everything – WTOP News

    There are countless stories of people, especially seniors, losing everything to scammers. Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy wants to change that.

    There are countless stories of people, especially senior citizens, losing everything to scammers. While some of the criminals operating overseas might never be caught, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy says state lawmakers can take action by making the punishment tougher for those who are captured in Maryland.

    McCarthy said Maryland’s sentencing guidelines do not reflect the seriousness of the crimes he is seeing. He points to cases where seniors have lost their entire life savings.

    “If you are a (first time) offender and you steal over $100,000, the guidelines — they’re not mandatory — are probation to six months,” McCarthy said.

    He said that recommendation does not match what prosecutors are confronting, calling the schemes “organized criminal, international activity.”

    McCarthy said the current guidelines make the crime worth the risk for scammers.

    “Crime shouldn’t pay. And quite candidly, the way the guidelines are now, crime pays,” McCarthy said.

    He said the emotional toll on victims can be crushing. He recalled a case involving a senior who was pushed to the brink after losing everything.

    “We had a victim here who thought about suicide as a result of having lost everything,” McCarthy said.

    McCarthy said some victims were pressured by scammers to convert their savings into gold bars before handing them over. That is why he wants lawmakers to create additional protections for consumers, including new requirements for gold bar dealers to identify and report suspicious transactions, similar to what is expected of banks.

    “I think you see patterns of activity that become obvious to you that it’s a scam,” McCarthy said.

    He also wants those dealers to notify authorities or warn customers when something appears wrong.

    “Alert the police, or at least call to the attention of the account holder that they’re being scammed,” McCarthy said.

    McCarthy believes these actions by lawmakers would help prevent more Maryland seniors from losing everything.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Laid‑off Washington Post staff rally outside DC headquarters after massive cuts – WTOP News

    One day after the Washington Post laid off roughly a third of its newsroom, former staff and supporters gathered outside the paper’s Downtown D.C. headquarters to protest the cuts.

    The rally is organized by the Post News Guild and the Post Tech Guild l unions. The crowd listens as journalists and tech workers describe the impact of losing hundreds of colleagues.
    a man speaks into a microphone in front of a group of people
    D.C. communities reporter Michael Brice-Saddler tells the rally the Metro section staff can no longer adequately serve the region.
    (WTOP/Mike Murillo )

    WTOP/Mike Murillo

    The rally is organized by the Post News Guild and the Post Tech Guild l unions.
    The rally is organized by the Post News Guild and the Post Tech Guild l unions. The crowd listens as journalists and tech workers describe the impact of losing hundreds of colleagues.
    Protesters outside of the Washington Post office demonstrate following a mass layoff, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
    Protesters outside of the Washington Post office demonstrate following a mass layoff, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington.
    (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

    AP Photo/Allison Robbert

    Protesters outside of the Washington Post office take flyers following a mass layoff, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
    Protesters outside of the Washington Post office take flyers following a mass layoff, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington.
    (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

    AP Photo/Allison Robbert

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    Laid‑off Washington Post staff rally outside DC headquarters after massive cuts

    One day after the Washington Post laid off roughly a third of its newsroom, former staff and supporters gathered outside the paper’s Downtown D.C. headquarters to protest the cuts.

    Former transportation reporter Rachel Weiner, who spent 15 years at the Post, told the large crowd she was struggling with the loss of her job and what it meant for the community.

    “Yeah, I’m sad about it obviously,” she said. “It is really disappointing having worked to cover as much as possible in this region because it’s also important. The Post has just decided it doesn’t matter to them.”

    Weiner said this round of cuts was handled differently from past layoffs.

    “They did something they haven’t done in previous layoffs and buyouts, which is you lock us out of the building and the systems immediately and not let us finish anything we were working on,” Weiner said.

    The rally was organized by the Post News Guild and the Post Tech Guild unions. The crowd listened as journalists and tech workers described the impact of losing hundreds of colleagues.

    D.C. communities reporter Michael Brice-Saddler told the rally the Metro section staff could no longer adequately serve the region.

    “How is the Metro desk supposed to earn the community’s trust if you keep taking resources away from the Metro section of this paper?” he said.

    The newspaper also eliminated its entire sports department.

    Speaking for her colleagues, former sports reporter Molly Hensley‑Clancy said the loss of the desk was both “heartbreaking” and “senseless.”

    “There’s nothing as riveting as sports, and there’s nothing that brings all of America together like sports,” she said.

    She continued, “There is simply is no Washington Post without sports.”

    Former enterprise reporter Marissa J. Lang, who was also laid off, said the full impact of losing so many journalists will ripple far beyond the newsroom.

    “I don’t think we know yet the impact of losing 300 journalists who hold power to account,” she told the crowd. “I know that the region and the country and the world is a worse place today for having lost all of these incredible reporters.”

    The rally also drew former staff who were not part of this week’s layoffs but came to support their colleagues. Among them was Kathryn Tolbert, who worked at the paper for 27 years before retiring a few years ago.

    “It’s heartbreaking the way the heart and soul of the paper are being torn apart,” Tolbert said. “This feels different in a really fundamental way.”

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Data center concerns flare at Prince William County town hall – WTOP News

    After data centers became a top issue for voters during the Virginia statewide elections, a town hall in Prince William County over the weekend brought out strong emotions over the industry’s rapid growth.

    After data centers became a top issue for voters during the statewide elections in Virginia that saw Democrats win every state office, a town hall led by Democratic lawmakers in Prince William County over the weekend brought out strong emotions over the industry’s rapid growth — with many residents saying they feel ignored and overwhelmed

    Hosted by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat who represents Virginia’s 10th District, the Saturday town hall focused on how the fast‑growing industry is affecting neighborhoods across the region.

    “When many data centers come to an area, we have to build a lot of power lines. They go through the communities, homes and schools and parks, and then we have to pay for them too, and it’s projected to double our energy bills over the next five to 10 years,” Subramanyam said.

    No data center companies or industry representatives spoke at the event.

    Locals in attendance voiced frustration about noise, energy costs and the long‑term impact the centers may have. A man from Gainesville said families are being pushed to the edge by the constant hum from nearby facilities.

    “Do we have to buy noise monitors in our backyard so we can report to somebody how much is really coming out?” he asked.

    He added: “I’m tired of feeling abused by the data centers and that they should approach it differently, so they don’t help us, not abuse us.”

    Another woman from Haymarket questioned whether elected officials are doing enough to protect communities, saying, “You are not doing enough. You are not demanding enough.”

    David from Bristow raised concerns about what would happen if data centers change shape and size down the road.

    “What’s going to happen… when these data centers become obsolete and they don’t need this much space,” he questioned.

    Other residents also expressed concerns about rising electricity bills, including Connor Pike, who lives outside Warrenton and blamed data center demand for pushing his family’s power costs higher.

    “Every month I’ve been looking at the mail we get from Dominion Energy, and it’s gone up and up. And even after the Christmas lights go on, it reached even $180 a month,” Pike said.

    Another man from Fauquier County urged lawmakers to rethink tax incentives for the industry.

    “Why don’t we end the tax breaks on data centers in Virginia, as well as implement a similar system here to help cover the rising cost of energy,” he said.

    State Sen. Danica Roem was among those attending the event that said rising energy costs need to be addressed.

    “We are giving your money to the data center industry, so your electric bills go up. That’s got to stop,” Roem said.

    Many who spoke at the meeting called on lawmakers to slow new approvals and increase protections for communities as data center growth continues.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Doctors warn frostbite risk rising as dangerous cold grips the DC region – WTOP News

    As extreme cold grips the D.C. region, doctors warn the risk of frostbite is rising.

    As extreme cold grips the D.C. region, doctors warn the risk of frostbite is rising.

    Frostbite is more than a skin injury. It affects blood flow and the body’s blood vessels, according to Dr. Adam Friedman, chair of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

    “(When) we think about frostbite, this is not just about skin, it’s about blood flow. It’s about our blood vessels,” he said.

    Friedman said the extreme cold can constrict blood vessels, reduce oxygen flow and allow ice crystals to form, damaging the skin and deeper tissues.

    What to do if frostbite is suspected

    Signs can develop quickly, sometimes during routine winter tasks such as scraping ice or shoveling for long periods of time.

    “Early on, patients may feel intense cold, tingling or burning that ultimately gives way to numbness,” Friedman said.

    People may also notice their fingers losing feeling or turning pale.

    “The skin may look red at first, but then it often turns maybe pale or white and has this kind of waxy or firm feel to it,” he said.

    If frostbite is suspected, rewarming should be done gently indoors.

    “Rapid rewarming is key, ideally in warm, not scalding hot water, because often when you lose sensation, you can burn yourself,” he said.

    Rewarming should usually last 20 to 30 minutes. He also said rubbing the area should be avoided.

    “Addressing it early is going to be essential to preventing long term damage,” he said.

    How to prevent frostbite

    Friedman said the most effective protection is limiting time in the cold.

    “Limit exposure, check skin sites often and rewarm early if numbness or pain sets in,” Friedman said.

    He advised dressing in layers, keeping your skin dry, blocking out the wind and avoiding tight clothing that can restrict circulation.

    “It’s all about preparation with respect to protecting as much as the exposed sites as possible, dressing in layers, making sure that you’re wearing clothing that maybe can wet wick or isn’t wet or damp to begin with, as that can lead to additional injury,” he said

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Young Snow Team Heroes dig out seniors trapped behind icy sidewalks in DC – WTOP News

    A group of young volunteers known as D.C.’s Snow Team Heroes is going door to door to help dig neighbors out.

    A group of “Snow Team Heroes” from Southeast D.C., shoveled snow from their neighbor’s steps.(WTOP/Mike Murillo)

    A stretch of Southeast D.C. remains frozen solid days after Sunday’s snowstorm, leaving many seniors unable to get out of their homes. But a group of young volunteers known as D.C.’s Snow Team Heroes is going door to door to help dig them out.

    Among them was 14‑year‑old Rodriguez Norman Jr., who said he’s spent the last few days doing whatever he can to help his neighbors.

    “I’ve just been outside, especially with some of my friends out here, just shoveling snow,” he said.

    The work is anything but easy. The storm left behind thick, stubborn layers of ice that require more than just a plastic shovel to break up.

    Trying to explain the challenge to younger volunteers, Rodriguez demonstrated how to tackle it:

    “You use a big shovel to help you break up the ice and all that, and use the big shovel to get everything that broke off away,” he said.

    His father, Rodriguez “Rodney” Norman Sr., supervised the group gathered on Brothers Place in Southeast D.C. and said the youth effort is intentional and necessary.

    “We’ve been empowering our young people to dig out the community, so to speak. We’re starting off with our elders, right? Because we do understand a lot of our elders don’t have the capacity to dig themselves out,” Rodney said.

    The Snow Team Heroes’ effort is happening across the city.

    Steve Walker, deputy chief of staff to Mayor Muriel Bowser, told WTOP the city has deployed over 500 Heroes so far with this recent storm.

    “We have people who are both dedicated to our community, to their neighbors,” Walker said. “Because it’s a neighbor-by-neighbor project, we try to match people with homes in their neighborhood relatively close that they can walk to.”

    For 37-year-old Rodney, helping this particular Southeast D.C. street holds personal meaning.

    “I was born and raised on this actual street, Brothers Place,” he said.

    As the young volunteers chip through the ice, they scoop away the loose chunks and then spread salt to keep the walkways safe. And, according to Rodney, the people they help don’t hide their appreciation.

    “It’s so much love. It’s so it’s so many hugs,” he said.

    And while the job is grueling, young Rodriguez said helping his neighbors who can’t do it themselves is worth it: “It feels good,” he said.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • Montgomery County crews prepare for major snowfall, long hours ahead for plow drivers – WTOP News

    From D.C. to Maryland and Virginia, officials are undertaking various measures to ensure response teams are fully prepared to handle what could be one of the region’s biggest snowfall in years.

    In Montgomery County, Maryland, road crews are getting ready for what could be one of the region’s biggest snowfall in years, with officials warning totals could reach double digits and possibly be record‑breaking.

    At the county’s salt barn in Gaithersburg, workers are already busy checking equipment and loading materials well before the first flakes fall.

    Danny King, chief of field operations with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, said a storm of this size requires extra attention.

    “With a bigger event like this, we definitely pay closer attention and go through all of our plow equipment and everything in fine detail and checking pins, and all of that kind of stuff, making sure everything’s operating properly and isn’t on the verge of breaking,” he said.

    Close to 70,000 tons of salt and about 100,000 gallons of brine are on hand ahead of the storm.

    “It takes a lot of work and dedication to really get everything squared away and prepared for the event,” King said.

    When it comes to plows, Montgomery County has hundreds ready to deploy.

    “We have about 275 plows at the ready. And then we can go up to 550 with some construction vehicles that we have standing by,” said Emily DeTitta, communications manager for the county’s Department of Transportation.

    Ahead of the snow, crews are focused on pretreating roads with brine.

    DeTitta said the county is also preparing to launch its Storm Operations Center. “We keep an eye on the weather before that to see when it’s coming. And that’s kind of our central hub for communications to react to the storm,” she said.

    Once the snow starts falling, the real challenge begins. Plow drivers often work around the clock, sometimes for days at a time.

    “Everybody loves the first couple hours in a plow truck, but then the reality sets in, and you realize you’re going to be here for several days,” King said.

    He said during heavy snowfall, the clean up is continuous.

    “It’s just a constant revolving operation of trying to keep the road clear and the snow is coming down,” King said.

    He said residents can help make their jobs safer and easier by moving cars off the street and giving plows plenty of room.

    “When you’re around any of the plow operators and the people out working, give them as much space as possible,” he said.

    And for those waiting on neighborhood plowing, crews will get there, but it may take time, especially if snow totals rise.

    In Montgomery County, residents can check plowing information and service updates on the county’s snow portal.

    DC prepares for snow

    Anthony Crispino, interim director of D.C.’s Department of Public Works, said his work preparing for the storm that’s expected to barrel through the D.C. area this weekend started days ago.

    First, he had to ensure the District would have enough plow operators.

    “You’ll have in excess of — for this storm — probably 300 dedicated employees. And that doesn’t include the contracted plows that we bring in as well,” he told WTOP.

    Crews already started distributing part of the recipe for successful snow removal: putting layers of brine on D.C. roadways.

    The brine, Crispino explained, “is the beet juice and salt mixture that goes down first.”

    Then, after the storm begins to approach the region, “We’ll switch over to salting just to get another layer down. And then once snowfall starts, and it hits a certain level of snow, we’ll go to all plowing,” he said.

    Crispino said the District appears to be on a “five-year cycle” of massive storms.

    “When you’re starting to get up over a foot of snow, it becomes a little bit difficult because we run out of places in the District to put the snow that we plow,” he said.

    In order to make the snow removal process smoother, Crispino said there are things that residents can do.

    “If an emergency declaration is declared by the mayor’s office, we would ask that residents who live on snow-clearing routes, they move their vehicles well in advance of our operations,” he said.

    “We want to be able to push the snow from curb to curb so that we can get the entire roadway open for our fire, EMS and other essential services as quickly as possible.”

    Crispino said the weather outlook — with continued frigid temperatures — also complicates matters.

    “I would just ask residents to be patient with us, because there will be cascading effects,” he said.

    He noted many trash collection routes include alleyways: “Those are harder to clear. I am taking precautions this time around where we are contracting smaller plows to try to hit the areas of alleyways that have trash routes so that we can get collections back to normal.”

    Virginia hunkers down (indoors)

    Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger declared a state of emergency in advance of the winter storm, allowing the Commonwealth to prepare for any impacts.

    “Our top priority is the safety of every Virginian. State agencies are mobilized, and we are working closely with local governments and utility partners,” Spanberger said in a news release.

    “Everyone should stay informed, avoid travel when possible, and take precautions to protect themselves and their families as this storm moves through our Commonwealth.”

    She also told residents to prepare for days without power, or the ability to leave their neighborhoods.

    The Virginia Department of Transportation is pretreating bridges and roadways, and are asking motorists to give crews and plows room to work.

    WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Kate Ryan

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  • How Trump reshaped DC’s relationship with the federal government – WTOP News

    The federal government has long been able to get involved in D.C.’s governance, but legal experts said over the past year, those powers have been used more visibly and frequently since Inauguration Day.

    Only one year into President Donald Trump’s second term, the relationship between Washington, D.C. and the federal government has been tested in new ways, as a series of legal challenges have put fresh attention on the limits of home rule and who ultimately controls policing, public safety and governance in the nation’s capital.

    The tension seen between the White House and the Wilson Building has centered on the federal government’s ability to step into local affairs. The federal government has long been able to get involved in D.C.’s governance, but legal experts said over the past year, those powers have been used more visibly and frequently since Inauguration Day.

    The Trump administration has argued that its actions fall within a long-standing federal authority over the District, noting that limits on home rule were established decades ago and not created during the current term.

    Supporters say the federal involvement was driven by public safety and security concerns, while critics argue the frequency and visibility of those actions raise new questions about precedent and local control.

    2025 federal law enforcement surge

    One flashpoint that received national attention was in August when the president announced a public safety emergency in D.C., which allowed the White House to take temporary control over D.C.’s police force.

    Julius Hobson, a longtime D.C. political analyst, said that moment made the city’s limited autonomy clear.

    “The home rule charter says the president could do that for 30 days, but it didn’t say anything about renewing. And he could have done that, but it started off really bad. Fortunately, the police chief and the U.S. attorney were able to negotiate some of that out and to get them out of the day to day,” Hobson said.

    Home rule is fragile, he said, and that became apparent during those actions.

    “It underscores the very limits of home rule that were always there, and most people didn’t realize or come to grips with the fact that home rule really is limited,” Hobson said.

    Another decision that saw legal challenges was the increased presence of D.C. National Guard troops. In Washington, the president and secretary of defense have authority over the guard, the city does not.

    Meryl Chertoff, an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, said the presence of the guard during the president’s crime emergency and beyond has been one of the most notable changes residents have seen.

    “The most obvious, visually, to people living in the District is the presence of federal law enforcement agents and the National Guard,” she said. “Because of D.C.’s limited home rule and particular provisions in the D.C. charter, it has been somewhat difficult to challenge the legal basis for having those National Guard troops in D.C., if they are federalized troops.”

    Legal challenges by the D.C. attorney general and others have focused not just on the guard’s presence but, according to Chertoff, also on how they have been deployed.

    “One of the things that has been particularly disturbing has been the presence, not of D.C. National Guard doing federal missions, but the presence of National Guard troops from other jurisdictions — from West Virginia, Ohio, and places like that — that have been sent into the District,” Chertoff said.

    She said D.C.’s status as a federal city, not a state, makes these deployments harder to challenge.

    Congress steps in the way

    It wasn’t only the executive actions that got attention. There were also moves by Congress, which Chertoff said she’s watching closely.

    “My biggest concern in terms of what we are seeing now is actually not coming from the executive branch, but it’s coming from the Hill,” she said.

    The House has been debating roughly a dozen bills that, if approved, would give Congress greater control over aspects of D.C.’s governance, and that is a dynamic Chertoff described as part of the broader legal challenges to home rule that have been seen.

    While some bills have passed the House, none have been passed by the Senate.

    With the court challenges, both Hobson and Chertoff said D.C.’s unique status limits how far lawsuits can go.

    “The courts have been somewhat constrained by this peculiar position that D.C. is in, that it is the federal district and that there are limitations on what the courts have done. But more, there’s been a problem for the mayor. Unlike states where there is a governor standing between the mayor and the federal government, there is no layer between D.C. and the federal government,” Chertoff said.

    Hobson believes the actions taken last year could also shape what future presidents decide to do.

    “It sets a political and legal precedent with regard to the District of Columbia that future presidents can do the same thing anytime they want,” he said.

    Chertoff said home rule ultimately determines how much control D.C. residents have over everyday decisions.

    “Home rule in the District means that D.C. residents get to have the same say as the people in any other state over local matters — the matters that affect their lives every day, whether that’s transportation, policing (or) schools,” she said. “When the federal government comes in and bigfoots, that takes that control — that people across the rest of the United States have over their day to day lives — on questions like education, on questions of do you feel safe walking the streets of your own city?”

    Chertoff warned that federal intervention can shift that balance.

    “In the last year, home rule is very shaky. It’s always been on shaky ground, but it’s on greater shaky ground than ever before,” he said.

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  • Digital and DNA evidence take center stage on day 3 of au pair affair murder trial – WTOP News

    During the third day of the Brendan Banfield trial in Northern Virginia on Thursday, jurors saw photos showing major changes inside the Banfield home in the months after the killings.

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    Brazilian au pair testifies against former employer and lover in double homicide case

    During the third day of the murder trial of Brendan Banfield, who’s accused of carrying out an elaborate plot to kill his wife and another man so he could be with his au pair, jurors in the Fairfax County courtroom saw photos showing major changes inside the Banfield home in the months after the killings.

    Photos showed that clothes and pictures of the au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, had been moved into the home’s master bedroom.

    “They had gotten new flooring, new bedroom furniture. And pictures that had once featured Brendan and Christine had been taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together,” Sgt. Kenner Fortner with Fairfax County Police Department said during trial Thursday.

    Fortner took crime scene photos on the day of the killings, and compared those to photos taken when he returned months later.

    The prosecution appeared to use the photos to point to a relationship at the center of the case — an alleged affair between Brendan and Magalhães that they say began before the killings. Prosecutors say Brendan Banfield and Magalhães plotted to kill his wife Christine, along with Joseph Ryan.

    Ryan was allegedly lured to the home through a fetish website account created in Christine’s name.

    Banfield faces aggravated murder charges.

    Also testifying was the window salesman who sold the Banfields’ new windows a few months before the killings.

    The salesman told jurors his company installed triple-pane windows months before the murders, and that an order of double-pane windows was changed to triple pane before the install. The defense pressed him on whether noise was ever discussed and whether the sound from Dulles International Airport or a nearby firehouse may have been the motive behind the upgrade.

    “When someone goes to a triple pane, that’s another level, and that is a type of level where they’re trying to do more than just protect the house from the sun,” Matthew Niederriter said.

    Magalhães told the court in testimony earlier this week that Brendan changed the windows in the home to make it more soundproof in preparation for the killings.

    Others heard from an employee at a shooting range who said Brendan Banfield bought a gun from the range in the months before the killings, and that he and Magalhães were listed as visiting the shooting range in late 2022.

    Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan were killed in February 2023.

    Virginia Department of Forensic Science forensic expert Cara McCarthy testified that two Glock handguns that were seized from the home were in working order.

    A DNA expert followed, saying Christine Banfield’s DNA was found on Brendan’s jeans and Juliana’s shoes, and Joseph Ryan’s blood was on the carpet and wall.

    While the prosecution did most of the questioning, the defense asked several questions that focused on how evidence was collected and whether procedures were followed correctly in evidence collection.

    Magalhães admitted earlier this week that she helped plan the attack and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. She’ll be sentenced after the conclusion of the trial.

    The trial will resume Tuesday.

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  • Regional theaters see boost amid Kennedy Center changes – WTOP News

    Regional venues, such as Olney Theatre and Signature Theatre, report surging ticket sales, increased donations and growing interest from performers seeking alternatives to the Kennedy Center.

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    As the Kennedy Center faces controversy, local theaters get more support

    The Kennedy Center has faced a turbulent year that has included leadership shake-ups, artist boycotts, falling subscriptions and even a name change adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building.

    As controversies continue to surround D.C.’s iconic performance venue, other theaters in the region are seeing more interest and, in some cases, fielding inquiries from performers and groups who may have worked at the Kennedy Center and are seeking new venues.

    “We have been notified by our donors. About $50,000 worth of donations have come our way from people who would have put that money toward the Kennedy Center but have since decided to invest in us,” said Debbie Ellinghaus, executive director of the Olney Theatre Center in Olney, Maryland.

    Ellinghaus said ticket sales were strong during the holidays, but said it’s hard to know if that’s tied to the ongoing situation at the Kennedy Center. She said there is also a renewed interest in regional theaters and community-driven productions as many look for venues other than the Kennedy Center, which is a major touring house in the region.

    “There’s an opportunity for us to remind our community, and perhaps in many instances, maybe share for the first time what a nonprofit regional theater is, and why we are so integral and important in our community,” Ellinghaus said.

    In Arlington, Maggie Boland, managing director of Signature Theatre, said the theater is in a period of “really strong” ticket sales with its two musicals — “Fiddler on the Roof” and “In Clay” — completely sold out.

    Boland said she can’t speculate on why audiences are choosing Signature, but noted that regardless of the reason, the theater is selling more tickets.

    “Whether it has anything to do with the current conditions or not, I am really pleased to say we are selling more tickets and bringing in more revenue right now than we have in prior years,” Boland said.

    She also said December was a strong month for fundraising, noting that successful productions often drive donations.

    While Signature focuses on its own productions, Olney Theater does bring in other performances and hopes to do more as it nears completion of a $37 million expansion. Ellinghaus said over the past few weeks her “phone rings frequently for rentals or collaborations,” as performers and groups look for alternative venues.

    ‘The arts community is really rich and varied’

    At D.C.’s Arena Stage, Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif said there isn’t data yet to show a trend, but what may be connected to the Kennedy Center situation is what they’re hearing from theatergoers.

    “We’ve heard from patrons who were really excited about us staying on mission with our work, staying invested in community engagement, staying true to our 75-year-old roots and what we’ve seen is an influx of support that was directly related to our clarity of mission and focus,” Sharif said.

    At Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, president and CEO Monica Jeffries Hazangeles said there has been a slight shift of shows to the venue, but nothing big enough to be considered a real trend yet.

    “Most of those decisions, though, are based on really technical production requirements and seating capacity and date inventory,” Hazangeles said.

    Sharif said while it has been “heartbreaking” to see some big performers not choose to come to D.C., the theater community has been stepping in where it can.

    “I’m watching my peers across the board fill in gaps of areas where the Kennedy Center was really helping support the ecosystem,” Sharif said.

    She said the theater community is also close-knit when it comes to staff and performers impacted by the changes.

    “As soon as there started to be shifts happening at Kennedy Center, I think that the response from the rest of the peers was one of real support. Understanding that those are our colleagues. These are people that we’ve worked with in different capacities for many years across projects,” Sharif said.

    Beyond the headlines surrounding the Kennedy Center, Boland said it’s important to note that the arts are alive and well in the D.C. area, and theaters work together to thrive.

    “So, a success at Arena Stage or Shakespeare Theater is good news for Signature and vice versa,” Boland said.

    Hazangeles said she believes the arts community in the region right now is rich, diverse and overall healthy.

    “Each of our nonprofit venues serves artists and audiences in different ways, and so our whole ecosystem, if you will, depends on multiple thriving institutions,” Hazangeles said.

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  • Housing shortage and rising rents pose growing economic risk for greater DC region, report says – WTOP News

    Both a housing shortage and rising rents in the greater D.C. region are becoming problems that present a long-term economic risk, a new report indicates.

    Both a housing shortage and rising rents in the greater D.C. region are becoming problems that present a long-term economic risk, a new report indicates.

    From Baltimore through D.C. and down to Richmond, rising housing costs are deterring job seekers and pushing workers to leave for more affordable areas, according to a new report from the Greater Washington Partnership.

    Kathy Hollinger, CEO of the Greater Washington Partnership, said the ability to find and afford homes has become a critical issue.

    “It has become one of the most material constraints on talent recruitment, retention and long-term economic competitiveness,” Hollinger said.

    The group’s housing playbook found that the region is short roughly 390,000 housing units.

    Of that shortage, D.C. accounts for the largest share, followed by Baltimore and Richmond. The report said vacancy rates are at historic lows, and about half of all renters in the region are feeling pressed.

    “Half of renters are cost burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of income on housing,” Hollinger said.

    Employers are feeling the effects when it comes to hiring, especially for entry and mid-level positions. One way it shows up is when people turn down job offers after doing the math.

    “Candidates are declining offers after running basic cost of living numbers,” she said.

    To bring about change, the housing playbook calls for zoning reform, which would allow more housing to be built near job centers and transit. It also calls for faster and more predictable permitting to speed up development.

    “Plans don’t move housing, but approvals do,” Hollinger said.

    The report also stressed the importance of preserving existing affordable housing, which it said can often be done more quickly and at a lower cost than building new housing.

    The playbook encourages not just local governments, but also employers, to invest in solutions. Hollinger said some major corporations, including JPMorgan Chase and Amazon, have already invested in the region.

    Hollinger said companies aren’t treating housing investments as charity, but as a practical way to support their workforce and keep their businesses running.

    “This is not philanthropy on the part of private sector. For private sector, it’s workforce infrastructure,” she said.

    Without action, Hollinger warned the region risks losing more than just workers.

    “If we are not thinking about how we collaboratively address this issue, we are at risk for losing more talent; not only talent, but families,” she said.

    She said that would also mean the greater D.C. region risks losing its future leadership pipeline.

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  • Man killed, 2 wounded in series of random shootings in Upper Marlboro – WTOP News

    A person of interest is in custody after a series of shootings on Sunday in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, that left one man dead and two other people injured.

    A person of interest is in custody after a series of shootings on Sunday in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, that left one man dead and two other people injured.

    Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader said it began shortly after 7 a.m., when officers were called to Watkins Park Plaza for a report of an unresponsive man. They found 65-year-old Joseph Holt III, of Upper Marlboro, dead inside his car from a gunshot wound.

    Nearly 13 hours later, around 8:10 p.m., officers were called to the 12000 block of Darlenen Street for reports of a shooting and found a man shot inside his vehicle.

    As police investigated, they found a second victim, a woman, inside her vehicle on Cambleton Drive. She had been shot in the stomach, according to Nader.

    Both the man and woman were taken to the hospital. Police described the man as being in stable condition and woman as being in critical, but stable, condition.

    A third person in the area had been shot at while in their vehicle, but was not struck, police said in a news release.

    Police quickly canvassed the area and found a person of interest on Cambleton Drive. A rifle was recovered and has been linked to Holt’s killing earlier in the day.

    “We have the person we believe responsible, person of interest, in custody,” Nader said.

    Police do not believe the shooter knew any of the victims.

    “We don’t think it was a D.C. Sniper type incident, but we do believe one individual was responsible for all of those shootings,” Nader said.

    He added that there is no ongoing threat to the community. As for a motive, Nader said it remains under investigation.

    “There may be robberies, but there may be some other significance that comes up with this individual as we explore a little bit more into their history,” he said.

    Nader also commended the bravery of the officers who took the person of interest into custody.

    “If they had not acted as fast as they did … this individual would not have been apprehended as fast as they were, and we don’t know what the other outcomes could be from that,” he said.

    Anyone with information is asked to call Prince George’s County Police’s Homicide Unit at 301-516-2512.

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  • NASA says historic materials will be preserved as Goddard research library shuts down – WTOP News

    The library at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, home to thousands of books and documents chronicling America’s space history, is closing in the coming months, raising concerns that rare records could be lost.

    The library at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, home to thousands of books and documents chronicling America’s space history, is closing in the coming months, raising concerns that rare records could be lost.

    NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said on X that every item will be reviewed before the closure as part of a facilities consolidation plan approved in 2022 under the Joe Biden administration.

    “The physical library space at Goddard is closing as part of a long-planned facilities consolidation,” Isaacman said. He added that the goal is to digitize materials, transfer them to other libraries, or preserve them for historical purposes.

    Isaacman pushed back on reports suggesting NASA might discard documents, calling that characterization misleading. Critics have warned that historic and technical records could disappear.

    “At no point is NASA ‘tossing out’ important scientific or historical materials, and that framing has led to several other misleading headlines,” Isaacman wrote.

    He said preserving history is important, but NASA’s focus remains on future missions, including sending astronauts farther into space and returning to the moon to stay. Researchers will continue to have access to the resources they need, he said.

    The library’s closure is part of a broader plan that includes shutting down more than a dozen buildings and labs at the center.

    According to the New York Times, the closure will mark the eighth NASA library to close its door across the country since 2022. Libraries expected to remain open include those at the Ames Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, both in California. Also staying open is the library at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

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  • Budgeting for 2026: Do’s, don’ts and lessons from a financially tough year – WTOP News

    Budgets aren’t just for businesses and governments — families need them too. But in 2025, keeping one was no easy task. Here are financial tips for 2026.

    Budgets aren’t just for businesses and governments — families need them too. But in 2025, keeping one was no easy task. From furloughs to inflation, many personal budgets were pushed to the brink, Harrine Freeman, CEO of H.E. Freeman Enterprises, told WTOP.

    “A lot of things have happened this year to kind of throw people off their square and it makes it difficult to stay on track with your budget,” Freeman, leader of the D.C.-based financial planning company, said.

    She said many families faced reduced income, medical issues and new caregiving responsibilities, which made budgeting even harder. Some had to cut holiday costs by asking relatives to bring food or stay in rental houses instead of hosting for a week.

    For those who went off track, Freeman said the priority now is getting back on track and learning from mistakes.

    Start by deciding why you want a budget, she said. Do you want to manage spending, recover from a financial crisis or save for something big?

    “It’s easier to create a budget or stick to it when you have a goal associated with it,” Freeman said.

    Goals should be realistic and tied to something tangible, such as saving for a vacation or a down payment on a home.

    Once you’re ready, she suggested beginning with a clear account of how much money your family brings in and spends.

    “Start with how much money you make after taxes, and then look at all of your monthly expenses, and then any other expenses you have,” Freeman said.

    Include utilities, rent or mortgage and subscriptions. Check for automatic price increases and cancel “ghost charges” or subscriptions you no longer use.

    “If you have any of those, you definitely want to cancel those immediately and make sure that they’re actually canceled,” Freeman said.

    Go line by line and cut what you can. Reducing coffee shop visits, for example, frees up money for savings.

    Don’t make your budget too confining.

    “You don’t want to make it too restrictive, because you want to allow to have some fun with your money,” she said.

    Always include savings. Freeman recommended automating deposits into accounts you can’t easily access.

    “You want to have at least three to six months’ worth of savings in your budget. And the best way to do that is to make it automatic,” she said.

    Plan for inflation by assuming expenses will rise 5% to 10% next year.

    Freeman also said reviewing your budget regularly is critical.

    “Review it at least every two weeks … so you can catch any areas where you need to adjust,” she said.

    If you’re tackling debt, choose a method that motivates you: Pay off the smallest balances first for quick wins, or start with high-interest accounts to save money long-term.

    And don’t treat credit cards as extra cash, she advised.

    Freeman said budgeting can feel overwhelming but remember: Changes are temporary and mistakes happen.

    “Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake. Don’t beat yourself up if you overspend, learn from your mistakes, grow from them, and set up a plan so you don’t make those same mistakes again,” she said.

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  • Looking back: How the Commanders’ RFK stadium deal came together in 2025 – WTOP News

    The Washington Commanders and D.C. teamed up in 2025 to finalize a plan to construct a new stadium for the team at the old RFK Stadium site. Here’s how it happened.

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    How the Commanders’ $3.7B RFK Stadium deal came together

    This story is part of WTOP’s series “Five stories that defined the DC-area in 2025.” You can hear it on air all this week and read it online.

    This year brought a touchdown for Washington Commanders fans hoping to see the team return to the nation’s capital.

    The scoring drive began in January, when President Joe Biden signed a bill transferring control of the 180-acre RFK Stadium campus to D.C. After the signing, deal-making continued behind the scenes between D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration and the Commanders.

    Then, on April 28, the plan to construct a new stadium for the team at the site was revealed to D.C. and the wider sports world.

    “We want to bring the Commanders home with our new RFK,” team owner Josh Harris said.

    On the table was a $3.7 billion redevelopment plan that would bring a 65,000-seat stadium with a roof, mixed retail, entertainment and housing to the RFK site. Under the plan, the team would invest $2.7 billion, and the city pledged about $1.1 billion for stadium infrastructure and surrounding redevelopment, with its opening set for 2030.

    Officials said the project would be a good deal for D.C., but residents and the D.C. Council needed to be on board to make the ambitious plan a reality.

    Early challenges and missed deadlines

    The mayor and team set a mid-July deadline for the council to pass the deal, but out of the starting gate, it was clear it didn’t have the votes.

    Among those initially critical of the project due to its price tag was D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson.

    “The deal that the mayor submitted to the council was one that had very little revenue actually coming to the city’s general coffers. Revenues that would be generated from taxes and fees related to the stadium were either going to go back to the stadium or actually were sort of being waived. And that gave members a lot of pause,” Mendelson told WTOP.

    When mid-July came around, the council had missed the deadline tied to an exclusive negotiation window. The council scheduled public hearings to gather more input on the deal and its costs. Lawmakers said they needed more time to review the term sheet and funding commitments before a final vote.

    The deadline also came as the council awaited 2026’s budget and an updated current-year budget after Congress withheld $1 billion in funding collected from D.C. taxpayers.

    A revised deal and new momentum

    On July 24, Mendelson announced a reworked agreement that increased expected city benefits.

    The revisions outlined $414 million in revenue over 30 years, $260 million from non-stadium event parking, and a $20 million-a-year transportation fund for Metro and road work. The package also detailed housing and parkland across the RFK campus and set the first and second votes for Aug. 1 and Sept. 17.

    With a voting schedule in place, negotiations intensified behind the scenes. Mendelson and At-Large Council member Kenyan McDuffie led talks for the council.

    “The chairman and I put in a lot of hours. I had a lot of early mornings and late nights. But it was ultimately because I am an optimist. I believe in the future of Washington, D.C., and I believe that this project is going to help transform an area of Washington, D.C., that’s remained dormant for quite some time,” McDuffie said.

    Looming over it all was the threat of President Donald Trump’s involvement, after he posted on social media calling on the team to revert to its old name.

    Public hearings and first vote

    Heading into the first vote, marathon hearings drew hundreds of speakers. Many residents voiced worries about traffic congestion and parking impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, and some argued the deal favored billionaires instead of addressing pressing needs, such as housing and social services.

    The council also heard from team President Mark Clouse.

    “This is a historic moment and one of extraordinary opportunity. Together, we can deliver the fastest and surest transformation of the RFK site into something that brings people together, drives growth and shows what’s possible when public purpose and private commitment align,” Clouse said in July.

    Mayor Bowser called the project a “BFD,” short for “big f—ing deal,” during her testimony.

    On Aug. 1, the council voted 9-3 to move the legislation forward, citing added transit investment, environmental standards and clearer protections in the timeline.

    Final vote and last-minute drama

    The members who opposed the deal were At-Large Council member Robert White, Ward 1’s Brianne Nadeau and Ward 3’s Matthew Frumin. They pointed to concerns about housing safeguards and public subsidies.

    The vote sent the measure to a final reading in September, with additional tweaks discussed in the days that followed.

    The council returned Sept. 17 for a meeting that saw lengthy negotiations behind closed doors and a scathing letter from Clouse, who claimed the team was presented with “unworkable and impractical” last-minute additions.

    Despite the drama, the votes to pass the deal were there, with some final amendments, and the legislation cleared its second and final hurdle.

    Some of those amendments added new taxes on parking and merchandise revenue, as well as penalties for missed deadlines on delivering housing, including affordable units.

    What’s next for RFK

    “It’s pretty amazing that we were able to get it to the council as quickly as we did. We had our first vote in less than 60 days from when we’d gotten the proposal,” Chairman Mendelson said.

    But he said work with the team led to a deal that got more votes of support than expected, passing with an 11-2 vote, when, Mendelson admitted, he expected a final vote of 10-3.

    “The Commanders deal is a big deal in sending a signal to the larger business community that the District is a good place to do business,” Mendelson said.

    McDuffie agreed, telling WTOP the project also delivers for the city and its residents.

    “Despite some of the challenges that we’re seeing from the Commanders on the field this year, Washington, D.C., residents are winning. We’ve scored a touchdown by getting the Commanders to move back to the District of Columbia and make the largest private investment in D.C.’s history in rebuilding a stadium that’s going to exist on the old RFK campus,” McDuffie said.

    “This was always about more than just a stadium. This was about a win for Washington, D.C., residents and Washington, D.C., small businesses,” he said, adding that revisions increased value for taxpayers.

    He said the additional $779 million will accrue for D.C. taxpayers “as a result of the revisions that we made,” noting the $50 million community benefits agreement and higher local contracting goals.

    McDuffie said engagement with neighbors is ongoing.

    “Their input can be seen in every aspect of this deal,” he said. “Those conversations continue almost daily.”

    Construction timeline

    Looking ahead, he said a venue with a roof will bring events beyond football.

    “We’re talking about all types of world-class events happening at a facility that will have a roof,” McDuffie said.

    He also emphasized limits on the city’s exposure.

    “The cost overruns are going to be on the team, not Washington, D.C. We have limited the amount of money that the District of Columbia is going to be responsible for,” McDuffie said.

    Demolition of the iconic RFK Stadium continues, with thousands of tons of steel, brick and plastic being removed from the site. The goal is to turn the current stadium into a lot of sand by fall 2026 so construction can begin.

    Mendelson said his biggest concern now is the possibility of delays in the completion of some portions of the redevelopment plan.

    “I’m not so worried that the stadium will be delayed, but the overall development could take longer than folks want. I don’t think at this point it’s going to fall apart. I just don’t think that’s going to happen,” Mendelson said. “But there could be a lot of unforeseen obstacles that pop up that will need to be addressed.”

    The stadium is expected to be complete by 2030, but other development will follow as plans go through federal approval and D.C. zoning requirements.

    As for the latest sign of progress, the Commanders recently named HKS as the lead architect for the new RFK stadium, a firm known for designing iconic venues, such as SoFi Stadium and AT&T Stadium, which is a clear signal the project is moving from plans to reality.

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  • Prince George’s police warn holiday shoppers to stay alert for online marketplace deals and gift card scams – WTOP News

    Authorities also recommend never going alone to meet a stranger. Bringing a friend or family member adds an extra layer of safety and can help spot red flags.

    Police in Prince George’s County, Maryland, are urging residents to slow down and take extra precautions when buying or selling items online during this holiday season, particularly through platforms like Facebook Marketplace, where scams and risky meetups can quickly turn dangerous.

    Officer Chaudlier Shepherd says one of the most important steps is verifying who you’re dealing with before agreeing to a transaction. That includes checking for a legitimate profile photo, reviewing the seller’s account history and, if possible, calling a listed phone number to confirm the person is real.

    Authorities also recommend never going alone to meet a stranger. Bringing a friend or family member adds an extra layer of safety and can help spot red flags. Above all, police say residents should trust their instincts — especially when a deal sounds too good to be true.

    “If someone is offering a $1,000 TV for a dollar, that should raise immediate concern,” Shepherd said, noting that unrealistic prices are often tied to scams or setups meant to lure victims into unsafe situations.

    To reduce risk, officials encourage completing online transactions at police stations. Many departments allow residents to meet in parking lots or even inside station lobbies. In some cases, officers may be available to stand nearby during an exchange, providing an “extra security blanket.”

    Police are also reminding shoppers to stay vigilant when purchasing gift cards, a popular target for scammers. While Prince George’s County Police say they have not seen a recent spike in gift card tampering, residents are urged to examine cards closely before buying them.

    If a gift card appears scratched, altered, or otherwise damaged, police recommend returning it immediately and requesting a refund or replacement. Scammers can sometimes drain gift cards before they’re purchased by tampering with the packaging.

    Authorities say most scams still originate through phone calls, emails, texts or online messages, and they encourage residents to pause, verify information and report suspicious activity.

    For more safety tips or to report a scam, residents can contact the Prince George’s County Police Department.

    And, by the way, don’t leave any gifts in your car, either.

    WTOP’s Mike Murillo contributed to this report. 

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  • DC leaders outline priorities for next police chief after Pamela Smith’s retirement – WTOP News

    Once a nomination for a new police chief is made by Mayor Muriel Bowser, the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety will hold confirmation hearings before the full council gets a vote.

    Once a nomination for a new police chief is made by Mayor Muriel Bowser, the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety will hold confirmation hearings before the full council gets a vote.

    Among those on that committee is Ward 6 Council member Charles Allen, who said he’s looking for a chief who can handle several priorities at once.

    “Certainly, working to have trust in the community, and after what we have seen this last year, a chief that’s prioritizing rebuilding trust with the community and those that do not like to see MPD alongside federal enforcement, alongside ICE officers,” Allen told WTOP.

    Earlier this year, outgoing Chief Pamela Smith and D.C. Police received criticism for working alongside federal officers during President Donald Trump’s administration’s federal law enforcement surge. Many said that move conflicted with D.C.’s Sanctuary Values law and eroded community trust.

    Allen said that trust element is crucial because, despite efforts in recent years to build relationships between police and residents, those ties were strained by the federal surge.

    “There’s no escaping the fact that the decisions made by the chief to have them collaborate and work with ICE and federal law enforcement, I think, has strained the trust for a lot of folks in our city,” Allen said.

    Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto, who chairs the committee, said the next chief has a big role to fill ahead. She wants someone who can rebuild the department’s ranks, strengthen trust with the community and keep federal interference out of local policing.

    “It is critical that the next Chief of Police is committed to honoring the letter and the spirit of our Sanctuary Values law to protect every single resident of our city and to ensure the policy is implemented fairly and with fidelity,” Pinto said in a statement.

    Pinto also stressed the need to recruit and retain officers while maintaining integrity and accountability within the department.

    Allen also believes the next chief must build trust within the department itself.

    “They’ve got to have the trust of the men and women in the department — that’s both the patrol officer as well as the white shirts, that leadership that you see up in the ranks — and that’s a tricky thing, and they’ve got to be able to have that,” he said.

    Allen is also looking for someone who goes beyond the data and takes the time to truly get to know all the communities the department serves.

    “The downside, or the risk you have to being solely data driven, is that you end up over-policing some parts of our city, rather than really focusing on safety and justice and being fair and building community,” Allen said.

    He also believes Mayor Bowser and the D.C. police department must decide if the search is about finding just an interim chief, so the next mayor can choose a permanent leader, because both will need to work closely together.

    “Regardless of who it is, you want that mayor to have somebody that they trust in that position and somebody that we trust,” Allen said.

    When it comes to who is chosen, Allen believes the next leader could come from within the department.

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  • From placement to privacy: What to know before installing home security cameras – WTOP News

    Security cameras have become commonplace in and around homes, as people use them to keep tabs on their property and help police solve crimes.

    Security cameras have become commonplace in and around homes, as people use them to keep tabs on their property and help police solve crimes.

    But selecting the right camera system, setting it up correctly and maintaining the cameras is critical for them to be effective.

    “It’s a very efficient way of investigating crimes,” said Maj. James Curry with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.

    With Black Friday and Cyber Monday around the corner, one popular buy is camera systems. Curry said it’s important to choose the right system for your home.

    Many cameras send video wirelessly through hubs or the internet, but for outdoor cameras, you’ll need to decide whether you want battery-powered cameras or cameras wired to power.

    “In these critical moments, if we have the ability to reach out to as many people as possible, look through your surveillance footage, tell us what you saw, it puts us on the right track,” he said.

    For wired cameras, getting electricity to them safely may require an electrician, though some companies offer floodlight replacements or power-over-ethernet options that use a single cable for both power and video.

    Other decisions include whether you want a system that saves video locally or to pay a monthly fee for cloud storage.

    “Night vision is huge. The storage you can go through hard wired, or you can certainly look at cloud storages. There’s so many different opportunities,” Curry said.

    Curry stressed that saving video is key and recommended factoring in subscription costs.

    “Some of the things that we often see is people put a lot of time and effort into purchasing these cameras, but then don’t pay for any subscriptions for the surveillance footage, whether it’s cloud-based or elsewhere,” he said.

    Once a system is chosen, placement is critical. Curry suggested walking around your home and thinking like a criminal.

    “Take a full 360 around the house,” Curry said. “We want to look for the blind spots. We want to cover the entryways. We want to consider the windows and certainly your backyards.”

    He advised against placing cameras behind glass because reflections can ruin the image.

    “Unfortunately, if you have a light source outside, it’s going to interfere … with the window and that camera,” he said.

    Mount cameras high enough to prevent tampering. And if you choose battery-powered cameras, maintenance is key.

    “The biggest thing we run into is the battery issue. A lot of folks forget to replace their batteries, and their cameras are dead,” Curry said. “So they’re pretty much useless.”

    Curry also recommended keeping neighbors’ privacy in mind and talking with them about placement concerns.

    “We always have to make sure that we’re keeping in mind our own privacy,” he said.

    Many cameras come with detection features that can alert you to people or even sounds. Curry said those can be helpful for security.

    In Fairfax County, residents can register their cameras with police, so detectives can reach out if a crime or missing person’s case happens nearby. Doing so does not give the department live access to your cameras.

    “This is simply letting us know that this exists in the community. We can reach out to you, and rather than having a detective or an officer knock on your door, we can just do things more efficiently and hopefully help solve whatever crime that might be, or help find whatever missing person you might be looking for,” he said.

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  • Constant earbud use can create a ‘hot tub for inflammation’ – WTOP News

    If you wear earbuds for hours at a time, your ears could be taking in more than your favorite tunes. Dermatologists say constant earbud use creates the perfect environment for irritation and even a germ party in your ears.

    If you wear earbuds for hours at a time, your ears could be taking in more than your favorite tunes. Dermatologists say constant earbud use creates the perfect environment for irritation and even a germ party in your ears.

    “Wearing them for hours creates occlusion that can trap sweat, dead skin cells and bacteria under the skin,” said Dr. Adam Friedman, chair of dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

    “When you plug the ear canal for long stretches, you create a warm, moist microenvironment — basically almost a hot tub for inflammation,” he said.

    That cozy space can lead to clogged pores and pimples called “acne mechanica,” along with allergic reactions and bacterial or fungal infections, Friedman said.

    Sweat can even erode protective coatings on earbuds, exposing skin to irritants.

    “The longer the earbud is in, the sweat can erode away the protective coating, allowing for those potential allergens or irritants to get out and irritate the skin in your ear canal,” Friedman said.

    Earbuds made of plastic, rubber or metal can also trigger allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to those materials, especially if they have eczema. And while buying from reputable brands with quality assurance can help, Friedman said the bigger issue is chronic use.

    “That irritation, pain, itching is your skin telling you it needs that break,” he said.

    So what can you do? Friedman’s advice is simple.

    The first tip is to give your ears a five-minute break every hour to let your skin breathe. Second, clean your earbuds daily with alcohol or soap and water to remove sweat, oil and bacteria.

    “If you are not cleaning them regularly, you are reintroducing that junk right back onto the skin,” Friedman said.

    Mixing up your listening gear can help, too. Over-the-ear headphones or alternating between styles can reduce friction. And if you notice pain, itching or irritation, that’s the cue that it is time to take a break.

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