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ON THE TOWN
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
Dyana White Hawk (Sicangu Lakota, b. 1976), untitled cross, 2024, acrylic on canvas, glass beads, museum purchase, 2014.
“Stretching the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting” at the American Indian Museum
“Stretching the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting” explores how Native artists challenged perceptions of what constituted Native art and what it should look like. Featuring more than 50 works by over 40 artists, this exhibition tells the story of how American Indian art expanded after World War I and Native painters began to advocate for themselves in a world that often ignored their talent. Artists such as Fred Kabotie, Tonita Pena and Stephen Mopope made space for painting at a time when Native art was often dismissed. Later generations embraced a wide range of approaches. “Stretching the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting” opens at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian on May 15. www.americanindian.si.edu
“How Sweet the Sound” Gospel Competition at The Anthem
On Saturday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.), at The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW, this event showcases the nation’s top gospel choirs, soloists, dance ensembles and spoken word artists. Featuring performances by award-winning artists, this one-night-only experience inspires and energizes audiences of all ages. www.theanthemdc.com
Anacostia River Festival
On Saturday, May 16, from 2 to 6 p.m., the 11th Street Bridge Park and the National Park Service present the 12th annual Anacostia River Festival. This free, family-friendly event at Anacostia Park, 1800 Anacostia Dr., features events such as: guided mindfulness and movement; bookmark making inspired by Alma Thomas; seed paper making and botany chat; fishing workshops; exploring Anacostia’s water world; pickleball; fun with Building Bridges farms; arts, crafts and games; food allergy games and safety fun; nature exploration activities; creek critter discovery; community flipbook art; hands-on STEAM lab; mindful art making and community chalk art. On the stage are the Washington Ballet, Union Temple Church Choir and Chief Rocka. Reservations and safety waivers must be completed before participating in water activities. Both can be obtained from the River Activities tent located on the festival grounds. All activities are free. www.buildingbridgesdc.org
“The Great Gatsby” at the National (The Party’s Roaring in Washington, DC!)
Based on the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Tony Awardwinning “Gatsby” is an unforgettable musical about love, wealth and tragedy. “The Great Gatsby” is at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, from May 12 to 24. Tickets start at $67. www. broadwayatthenational.com
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
“America’s
State Flowers: An America 250 Celebration” at the Botanic Garden
Through Oct. 12, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW, blooms with the flower each US state and territory has chosen as its official flower. Explore the display showing the state and territory flowers with living plants, artistic displays, botanical illustrations and herbarium specimens. For an interactive map showing where each state flower is showcased, visit www. usbg.gov/visit/exhibits/americas-state-flowers-america250celebration. Click the icon on the map’s top right (four corners of an open box) to make the map fullscreen and even more interactive. www.usbg.gov
The official flower of the District of Columbia, the American beauty rose. Commercial color lithograph (from the flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes), 1890.
NGA Jazz in the Garden Celebrates American Sounds
The National Gallery of Art’s Friday summer concert series returns with Jazz in the Garden: American Sounds. Kicking off on May 22, the series spotlights artists from across the country performing genres from indie, soulfunk, alternative bluegrass, salsa and jazz, to rhythm & blues, blues, Americana and brass band. Admission is free. The NGA offers registrations through a lottery system. It opens on Mondays at 10 a.m. and closes Fridays at noon at www.nga.gov/jazz. Lottery entrants are notified by email if they were selected on the Monday before each program. Limited passes will be available at all entrance gates starting at 5 p.m. On concert days, the Sculpture Garden closes from 4 to 5 p.m.; gates reopen at 5 p.m. and the concert begins at 6 p.m. The NGA Sculpture Garden is located on the north side of the National Mall. www.nga.gov
“Burnished: Pueblo Pottery” at NMWA
From May 8 to Sept. 27, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW, presents a new look at Pueblo pottery in this exhibition drawn from the museum’s collection. “Burnished” affirms the continuing impact of Pueblo women potters as well as NMWA’s longstanding commitment to collecting and exhibiting their work. NMWA is open daily, except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $16; adult 65+ and DC residents, $13. Free admission for 21 and under, visitors with disabilities and SNAP/EBT holders. www.nmwa.org
Marie Zieu Chino, seed jar, 1982, clay, 12 x 13 inches; National Museum of Women in the Arts, gift of Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay.
WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON
“Spain My Way: Live with Jose Andres” at the Lincoln
This spring, Jose Andres is taking his newest cookbook, “Spain My Way,” on the road, with an immersive experience that goes beyond the page. In his world, every dish has a story and every moment is meant to be shared. “Spain My Way: Live with Jose Andres” is at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW, on Thursday, May 28, at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.). Tickets are $56.70. www.thelincolndc.com
Annual Fellows Art Lectures at SAAM
“Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency
Era”
Displayed together for the first time since 1805, 14 paintings from the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London are on view through Aug. 2 at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. Created by leading artists of 18th-century England, the paintings depict scenes from Shakespeare’s plays. This exhibition offers the chance to consider both the stories Shakespeare created and the stories that were created about him. www.folger.edu
On May 20 to 22, the cohort of 2025-26 Smithsonian American Art Museum Fellows presents a series of talks spanning a range of topics, time periods, media and messages. This multi-afternoon program offers the opportunity to hear from a new generation of scholars delving into the Smithsonian’s collections and archives to uncover fresh perspectives on American art. The lectures are held in person in the McEvoy Auditorium, and online. Lectures are on Wednesday, May 20, from 1:00 to 2:45 p.m., and 3:15 to 5:00 p.m.; Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Registration is required and is free. SAAM is at Eighth and G streets NW. www.americanart.si.edu
Blessing of the Fleet at The Wharf
The Blessing of the Fleet tradition began centuries ago in Mediterranean fishing communities as a means to ensure a safe and bountiful season. The Blessing of the Fleet at the Wharf Waterfront is on Saturday, May 16, noon to 1 p.m., with guest speakers; and 1 to 2 p.m., with a boat procession. 30 to 50 boats will participate led by a DC fire boat with a water spray display. www.powyc.org noon p.m., with guest speakers; and 1
St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Spring Festival
St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Spring Festival, 2815 36th St. NW, brings the best of Greek food, drink and culture to the DC area. An annual tradition, the festival is on May 15 to 17: Friday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. A Greek band performs on Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m. Greek Language School children perform on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Byzantio Greek Folk dancers perform on Saturday at 6 p.m. The festival also offers Greek delicacies made fresh across the festival weekend. www. saintsophiadc.org/ministries/volunteer/greek-festival
“Romeo and Juliet,” Act V, scene 3, monument belonging to the Capulets: Romeo and Paris dead, Juliet and Friar Laurence. James Northcote.
Jose Andres in the Feeding the Planet Summit, 2013.
Get Down Tonight: Classic Funk at Signature
Go to “Higher Ground” as Isaac “Deacon Izzy” Bell and Shayla S. Simmons groove to classic funk. From May 5 to 17, they bring down the “Brick House” with songs such as “She’s a Bad Mama Jama,” “I Got You (I Feel Good),” “Shining Star” and more. Tickets are $53. Signature Theatre is at 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, Virginia. www.sigtheatre.org
The
R&B Lovers Tour: Keith Sweat, Joe, Dru Hill & Ginuwine
Keith Sweat is an American singer, producer and songwriter known for numerous hits and solo albums. He began his career as a member of a Harlem band, performing throughout the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area. Keith Sweat is at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW, on Saturday, May 9, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $135. www.dar.org
Fiesta Asia Street Fair (A Celebration of Heritage, Love & Life)
The annual Fiesta Asia Street Fair is on Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at 400 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The fair features over 1,000 performers, artisans, entrepreneurs, food vendors and organizations on stages representing more than 20 cultures. There will be live performances by musicians, vocalists, dancers and martial artists, a diverse array of PanAsian cuisine, a shopping bazaar, kid-friendly interactive activities, a talent competition, a cultural parade, street dancing and exhibits of traditional and contemporary Asian crafts. ww.fiestaasia.org
WMAL Free Speech Forum at the Birchmere
On Sunday, May 17, from 7 to 10 p.m., NewsTalk 105.9 FM WMAL brings an all-ages Free Speech Forum to the Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Virginia. WMAL’s personalities on stage debate the news of the day as determined by questions posed in writing from members of the audience. Personalities will include Larry O’Connor, Chris Plante, Vince Coglianese and afternoon show host Derek Hunter. $55. www.birchmere.com
Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, “Soul Divas” at the Lincoln
On Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 7, at 5 p.m., at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington is celebrating the music of soul divas like Tina, Aretha, Diana and many more. Complimentary tickets are available for schools, LGBTQ+ student groups and youth-based nonprofits, first responders, front-line workers and those with financial hardships. Tickets start at $26. www.thelincolndc.com
Photo: Michael Key
SATURDAY, JULY 4TH
Join us at Eastern Market
following the Capitol Hill 4th of July Parade for a festive day of community, dining, shopping, and celebration!
Free Pussy Presents Mommy’s Day at Transmission
On Sunday, May 10, from 5 to 10 p.m., Free Pussy celebrates mommies of all kinds as they deflower the rooftop at Transmission, 1353 H St. NE. Free Pussy will be two women many call mother: Kiernan Laveaux and Chelle. Mommy’s Day at Transmission is for age 21+. Transmission is a three-floor music venue with multiple levels of sound. Tickets are $18 in advance. www.transmissiondc.com
Formerly the Rock & Roll Hotel, Transmission is a three-floor music venue with multiple levels of sound.
Bilal at the Howard
On May 10, at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), at the Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW, Grammy Award-winning artist Bilal returns following the success of album releases in 2024. An immersive sonic experience defies genre conventions as Bilal refines his unique style. General admission is $74. www.unionstagepresents.com
“Purlie
Victorious” (A Non-Confederate Romp through the Cotton Patch)
Purlie is home on a mission to buy back his father’s church and liberate the sharecroppers from the brutal segregationist who runs their plantation. A madcap plot, survival techniques forged in the Jim Crow South and satiric targets feel as urgent as they did when the play premiered in 1961. The 2023 Broadway revival was nominated for six Tony awards. “Purlie Victorious” is at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW, from May 6 to June 14. Tickets start at $55. www.studiotheatre.org
“The Play That Goes Wrong” at the Keegan
The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is presenting its newest production, “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” but things quickly go from bad to disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show: an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). This Olivier Award-winning comedy is at the Keegan, 1742 Church St. NW, from June 6 to July 12. Tickets are $70; $60 for under 25, students and seniors 62+. www.keegantheatre.com
Theater Night
A Curated Review of Theater in the DMV
by Matthew McClure
In DC, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to great theater. Between the National Theatre, Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Signature Theatre and other big players we arguably rival Broadway when it comes to talent, diversity and sheer variety. However, between the glittering names and sparkling marquees, it can sometimes be easy to forget about the smaller but no less formidable playhouses keeping local actors employed and our minds engaged. Read on for our curated selection of three of these powerhouses and reviews of their current stage productions.
Don’t Miss
“Everything, Devoured,” Nu Sass Productions On now through May 10 www.nusass.com
The Playhouse. Nu Sass Productions – founded by Aubri O’Connor and Emily Todd in 2009 – distends the traditions of theater by throwing out gender conventions in both the casting and production of their plays. A welcoming space for experimentation and for anyone who’s ever experienced discrimination based on gender, race or body type, Nu Sass Productions is comprised of the Sirens of Sin, Pinky Swear Productions and Nu Sass itself, with the first focused on feminist-forward musicals and the last producing original, established plays.
The Play. A last-minute lease termination in March meant that Nu Sass’s world premiere production of Katherine Gwynn’s 2024 play “Everything, Devoured” was almost scuppered, but what O’Connor and directors Tracey Erbacher and Ileana Blustein have managed to salvage is obviously a labor of love. “Everything, Devoured” crams a lot of exposition into 90 minutes. Lovers Kore (June Dickson-Burke) and Julian’s (Tristin Evans) small apartment ‒ conjured up within a tiny room at the Sitar Arts Center in Meridian Hill ‒ is the setting of a supernatural evocation that’s both a psychological and an emotional reckoning. But what Kore and Julian summon (with the assistance of their friend Dante and overseen by a ghostly former resident) is more than what any of them could have expected.
What arises from the center of a pentagram marked out in salt and porcine blood on the apartment floor is Ronald Reagan, but not any version of the 40th president of the United States you’d recognize. O’Malley Steuerman, as a camply demonized
Reagan, lured from the flames of hell to do Kore’s bidding, is “snatched for the gods” in a sequined pinstripe suit paired with flame red heels and shoulder pads that’ll poke your eyes out. Steuerman’s Reagan is whip smart and razor sharp, with no regret for the over 20,000 gay men that died of HIV and AIDS during his administration. And this iteration of Ronald Reagan relishes chaos.
The main themes of “Everything, Devoured” are unapologetically heavy: sexual abuse, religion, the damage caused to marginalized communities and individuals through government neglect and the ways in which the Left’s tearing of flesh and gnashing of teeth can so easily poison both the body and the body politic. Despite this, the tight cast of Steuerman, Dickson-Burke, Evans, Selena Gill as Dante and Christian Harris as Michael the ghost shoulder the weight exceedingly well. It’s worth a watch. Bring your rosary.
On Right Now
“Dragon Play,” Rorschach Theatre
April 17-May 17
www.rorschachtheatre.com
The Playhouse. Rorschach Theatre –
borrowing its name from Hermann Rorschach’s 1921 psychological analysis test – was founded in 1999 by co-artistic directors Jenny McConnell Frederick and Randy Baker. “We wanted to create theater experiences that were more intimate and visceral than a lot of what was going on in DC at the time,” explains McConnell Frederick. “Our mission has evolved since then. We’ve become known for working in unconventional spaces and for transforming unusual locations.” Since fall last year, Rorschach Theatre has been producing and hosting plays in a repurposed retail outlet at The Stacks, a new mixed-use development in Southwest. “We embrace the idea that we’re itinerant not because we haven’t found a space. It’s part of creating work that embraces both the architecture and the community of the location,” says Baker. “That’s a big part of what we do.”
The Play. Jenny Connell Davis’s “Dragon Play” is all about big feelings. Perhaps that’s why it works so well staged within the yawning, double-volume retail space at The Stacks, where director Baker has assembled a cast that artfully fills the concrete void with oodles of angst and emotion.
Christian Harris, June Dickson-Burke, Tristina Evans, Selena Gill and O’Malley Steuerman in “Everything, Devoured.” Photo: Shutterbug’s Creations
COOKING CLASSES & TASTINGS
Kitchen 101: Knife Skills w/ Chef Wendi James
Monday, May 11 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Kitchen Basics: Intermediate Techniques with Chef Wendi James
Tuesday, May 12 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series: Mongolian Beef
Friday, May 15 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Master Chef Featuring Chef Scheyla Acosta: Five Delectable Soups
Saturday, May 16 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Date Night: French Bistro with Chef Wendi James
Saturday, May 16 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Kitchen 101: Knife Skills w/ Chef Wendi James
Monday, May 18 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series: Easy Indian Samosas
Thursday, May 28 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Bento: Lunch Box Japanese Style with Chef Wilma Consul
Friday, May 29 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Marianne Tshihamba’s Silk Road
Cooking Series: Venetian Antipasti and Bellinis
Saturday, May 30 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
CONCERTS
American Roots Concert Series:
Justin Golden & The Devil’s Coattails
Sunday, May 3 @ 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Ms. Niki In Concert
Friday, May 8 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Stone Room Concerts @ Hill Center
Featuring My Politic
Friday, May 15 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
American Roots Concert Series: Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie
Sunday, May 17 @ 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
STUDIO ARTS
Introduction to Block Printmaking Course with Christine Vineyard
Monday, May 4 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Basic Drawing Techniques: Drawing From an Image with Christine Vineyard
Tuesday, May 5 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Contemporary Watercolors Workshop with Christine Vineyard
Saturday, May 16 @ 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Introduction to Linocut Printmaking Workshop with Christine Vineyard
Saturday, May 16 @ 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
LECTURES & TALKS
DC Mayoral Candidate Forum
Tuesday, May 5 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
At Issue: The Campaign to Undermine the 2026 Midterm Elections
Wednesday, May 6 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
DC Ward 6 Council Candidate Forum
Monday, May 11 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
The State of Books & Letters: Ron Charles in Conversation with Kyle Dargan
Tuesday, May 12 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
SPECIAL EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
Hill Center Galleries / Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL) 2026 Juried Show –Opening Reception
Thursday, May 21 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
WELLNESS, SOCIAL & SKILLS
Mindful Movement Yoga with Anne Harrison
Thursday, May 7 @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Mahjong on The Hill
Thursday, May 7 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
American Mahjong with DC Mahj Collective
Wednesday, May 20 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Frontlines: Infant and Child CPR
Sunday, May 17 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Programmatic support provided by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.
Inspired set design and lighting by Sarah Beth Hall and Hailey LaRoe serve as the backdrop for two tales about love, loss and sacrifice. That these two stories (one focused on the dewy blush of teenage love and the other on very adult decisions about what we surrender to secure happiness) are connected is something the audience learns only gradually. That both stories feature dragons is equally slowly teased out, and it’s this incremental accrual of awareness that makes “Dragon Play” both a formidable and fascinating play to watch.
With her fiery red hair and smoldering gazes, Erin Denman as Woman deserves praise for fully embodying a disconsolate housewife with a secret who has scraped out an interpretation of happiness with her blue-collar husband (Erik Harrison) in rural Minnesota. Bri Houtman (Dragon Girl) and Ben Ribler (Loser Boy) capably carry their storyline of blossoming love, disillusionment and eventual propitiation alongside Denman, Harrison and leather-clad bad boy Jalen Wilson-Nelem.
Got something you want to let
go of? Bring it along when you come see “Dragon Play.” There’ll be a fire where you can burn it after the show.
Upcoming Attraction
“OR,” Constellation Theatre Company May 15-June 7 www.constellationtheatre.org
The Playhouse. It’s been exactly a year since Constellation Theatre Company departed Source Theatre on 14th Street after CulturalDC sold the space to a group of restaurateurs. Founded by artistic director Allison Arkell Stockman in 2007, the company now resides at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street, and that’s where you’ll be able to enjoy the second show of their 19th season. “The idea of ‘The Expanding Universe’ was tied to the fact that Constellation’s world was changing and transforming into something new,” says Stockman, explaining the title of their current season. “We want to create experiences that present a fun and joyful experience for the audience. There’s so much going on right now that’s challenging and painful and dark. We really doubled down on the idea of joy
Erin Denman, Jalen Wilson-Nelem and Ben Riber in “Dragon Play.”
Photo: DJ Corey Photography
and to give people a sense of community when they come to see a show.”
The Play. “OR,” by Liz Duffy Adams, is all about a world undergoing the kind of transformation Stockman is referring to. Aphra Behn (played by Constellation regular Veronica Del Cerro) is the first professional female playwright, poet and novelist in Restoration England, living in a society that’s been totally recast by the sybaritic King Charles II. Taking the throne of England, Ireland and Scotland in 1660, Charles rebelled against the puritanical values of his predecessor by supporting the arts, establishing a thriving theater company and (perhaps most importantly for protagonist Aphra Behn) giving women license to be professional playwrights for the first time in modern history. “OR” follows Behn’s misadventures over the course of one evening after she’s liberated from debtor’s prison. Between writing her first play and managing the amorous attentions of men like King Charles (played by Michael Kevin Darnall), Behn must also navigate the treacherous world of espionage and deal with the pressure of being a female in a world still ruled by males. The tight cast of three also features Constellation newcomer Irene Hamilton as Nell Gwynne, a woman as familiar to Restoration England’s acting world as Behn herself.
Under the capable direction of Stockman, “OR” makes deft use of the distinctive verbiage of Behn’s period along with liberal helpings of comedy to explore ideas of freedom, queerness, nonmonogamy and our society’s proximity to recent history. u
ACapitol Cuisine
by Celeste McCall
t last, the highly anticipated Boulangerie Saint Georges has debuted at 303 Seventh St. SE, across from Eastern Market. Customers hardly recognize the former Radici space. Folks are greeted by gleaming white counters and attractive tables and chairs. The bakery/cafe sports a large, pet-friendly sidewalk patio.
Here’s husband Peter: “Third time’s almost a charm,” he stated. “On two previous visits during week one, lines were too long and bread was practically gone; only salads were available.” By the following Friday at 11 a.m., long lines still awaited customers eager to sample the French chef’s chewy baguettes, croissants, quiches, pizza and eclairs. Plus coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
Worth the wait? Although our sandwich was tasty, the process of paying seemed cumbersome. We ordered ‒ and quickly received ‒ a prosciutto baguette at the front counter. But we had to wait at least 10 minutes in another line to pay. By the time I reached the cash register, I was informed there was no change for my $20 bill, so I used my AmEx card for a $9.50 purchase. I told the cashier this place “doesn’t have its act together yet” and wished him good luck!
Boulangerie Saint Georges serves breakfast, lunch and (early) dinner. Warning: Get there early. Closed Monday. No website yet.
From France to Belgium
There’s a reason why Belga Cafe, 514 Eighth St. SE, has been a Barracks Row fixture since 2004. (Recent renovations have enhanced the long, handsome bar.) On a soggy Easter Sunday, husband Peter and I arrived for our 1 p.m. reser-
vations. After parking our dripping umbrellas by the door, we were led to our table. I ordered a Bloody Mary, which arrived capped with what resembled guacamole. The topping was celery foam, quite tasty. Following the verdant theme, I decided on chef Vandaele’s “beruchte groene eieren” (famous green eggs). Perhaps inspired by the children’s book “Green Eggs and Ham”?
Arranged on two English muffins, the dish was composed of green-colored scrambled eggs, pesto, creamed spinach and Gruyere cheese, all crowned with a pair of crisp applewood smoked bacon strips. Delicious. Peter went for mussels mariniere, braised in white wine and shallots. Presented in a pot, the plump bivalves were accompanied by crunchy French fries to be dunked in mayo, Belgian style. The spuds retained their crunch throughout our meal. Brunch for two ‒ with a cocktail apiece ‒ came to about $80, pricy, but worth it. Service was excellent. Other Belga brunch menu options encompass “La quiche the three piggies,” concocted with puff pastry, Parisian ham,
A chef displays freshly baked croissants at Boulangerie Saint Georges, across from Eastern Market.
The recently arrived Boulangerie Saint Georges offers spacious, petfriendly sidewalk seating.
Belga Cafe, a Barracks Row mainstay for two decades, specializes in delicious mussels and fries.
Gruyere and bacon, served with mesclun salad. There’s also avocado toast, burgers and umpteen kinds of waffles. Dinner brings steak tartare, crispy sweetbreads, roasted duck and herb roasted chicken. For Belga Cafe hours and more information visit www.belgacafe.com.
More Barracks Row
We’ve also revisited Han Palace, the four-yearold Cantonese noodle and dim sum spot at 522 Eighth St. SE. In the narrow dining area, we perched at the crowded bar. Since it was unseasonably cold outside, we warmed up with a small sake, big enough for two. The drink arrived in an attractive, clear glass vessel and matching cup rather than the usual ceramic presentation.
Sipping this warming potable, we ordered congee (for two). The savory rice porridge is a popular Chinese breakfast. From the list of congee enhancements ‒ oysters, chicken, pork, beef, mixed seafood ‒ we chose lobster. The piping hot gruel arrived in a handsome vessel with a ladle and two bowls. Only problem: the tough lobster chunks had to be extracted from their shells.
From the lengthy dim sum menu, I decided on shrimp dumplings ‒ three to an order and served in traditional bamboo baskets. The sticky pinkish dumplings melted in my mouth. Ditto for the chicken and veggie versions.
You can also order such entrees as General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken, crispy beef, Singapore noodles, salt-and-pepper shrimp and Han style Peking duck. Next time.
Lunch for two, with one sake, came to about $60, including service charge. Han Palace operates sister restaurants on Wisconsin Avenue NW and in Woodley Park. For hours and more information visit www. hanpalacedc.com.
Watch This Space
Jersey Mike’s Subs, the nationwide sandwich chain, is coming to 209 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Assembled right in front of customers, the hefty subs are packed with freshly sliced meats, cheeses, lettuce and tomatoes and dressed with simple oil and vinegar. There’s another Jersey Mike’s in Union Station’s lowerlevel food court. For updates visit www.jerseymikes.com.
And...
Bar Nuestro, 1331 Yards Pl. SE, is expected to arrive this summer near Nationals Park. Created by Colada Shop owner Daniella Senior, the future Latino bistro will showcase downhome fare with innovative twists. Bar Nuestro (Our Bar) is inspired by Senior’s travels to Mexico, Colombia and Panama. Expect innovative seafood creations including prawns with salsa pacha and honey sauce, pasta dishes, burgers, root veggie fries, snazzy cocktails. Stay tuned.
Market Watch
After a decade-long reign at Fourth and M streets SW, Farmers Market SW has relocated to the District Wharf. You’ll nd the openair market at 608 Wharf St. SW (the Plaza at M Street Landing), in front of the Phillipe Chow and Fish Shop restaurants. O ering produce, seafoods, baked goods, spices and other victuals, the market will operate Saturdays through Nov. 21. Hours are 9 a.m. ‘til 1 p.m. For a list of vendors and more information visit www. marketswdc.com.
Gone?
Kaiju Ramen & Bar, Barracks Row’s Japanese noodle eatery at 525 Eighth St. SE, is “temporarily closed.” We’ve enjoyed the zesty cuisine, sassy cocktails and funky Godzilla monster vibe, especially the posters and other decorations. ◆
FRI. MAY 8: 1990s
THUR. JUNE 18: 2000s
THUR. JULY 16: 2010s
SAT. AUGUST 29: 60TH Anniversary Celebration
Barracks Row’s Han Palace, the Cantonese noodle spot, also serves melt-inyour mouth dumplings.
Art on the Hill Seeking Beauty in Modern Spaces
– Capitol Hill Crossing
by Rindy O’Brien
Along the edges of Capitol Hill, new buildings are rising everywhere you look. One area overlooked until now is the northwest corner off Massachusetts and Second and Third streets, near Georgetown Law School and the Hyatt Hotel.
But that’s about to change. Over the past year, an intriguing bright green wrap banner around three city blocks has been enfolding Capitol Crossing, an ambitious building featuring office space, residences and retail space.
Capitol Crossing’s million+ square feet of office space live in a sleek, ultra-modern design that has one of the highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ratings in the city. The
building has been designed for sustainability, with state-of-theart thermal efficiency and features like fancy glass in special cornices. Capitol Crossing sits over I-395, and entering it feels like walking from old DC into the 21st century.
The property manager has invested thought and effort into ensuring the space is not just glass, steel and neutral colors. The Capitol Crossing Gallery of Art features over 20 artists with local connections to the DMV area. Many of the artists have two or three pieces featured, each curated to complement the art it shares space with.
In a time when DC has seen a record number of art galleries closed, it is exhilarating to see a new gallery as special as this one come to life.
Curator Alexandra Foxworth-Hill
Alexandra Foxworth-Hill is senior property manager for the Capitol Crossing Advisors projects. A graduate of Georgetown University, she has been with Capitol Crossing for over three years and loves that her portfolio includes curating the gallery. Not an artist herself, she has a keen eye for design and color and has assembled stunning abstract art to warm the space. She is always looking for new work from local artists.
Aside from a few pieces in conference areas, the artwork hangs in public spaces, and the public is welcome to visit. “We commissioned Katherine Tzu-Lann Mann to create the flowing flower piece that is two floors high in the lobby,” says Foxworth-Hill. “We wanted something that everyone would find inviting and add color to the monochrome furniture in the lobby.”
In addition to being colorful, many pieces feature unique materials, like film to acrylic overlays to woven tires and leather. The artwork dimensions are 40 inches by 60 inches, and they often take an entire wall to display. You walk into the paintings, not just admire them on the wall. “I also love to spend time with the artists
Barbara Januszkiewicz, artist, and Alexandra Foxworth-Hill, gallery curator, stand in front of the artist’s acrylic pieces made for the Capitol Crossing Gallery. Photo: Rindy O’Brien
The green banner wrap with jungle animals peaking over the fence line has brought excitement to the construction site. “We get a lot of positive feedback on the banner,” says Alexandra Foxworth-Hill. Photo: Rindy O’Brien
The foyer at 250 Massachusetts Ave. NW is airy and ultra-modern. Capitol Crossing commissioned a large, four-panel piece for the foyer by Katherine Tzu-Lann Mann, an artist rooted in abstraction and the Chinese ink painting tradition. Photo: Rindy O’Brien
and work with them in the installation of their work in the space,” says Foxworth-Hill.
Barbara Januszkiewicz
One of the artists in the collection is Barbara Januszkiewicz, from Fairfax, Virginia, who is involved in many DMV art groups and recently juried a Capitol Hill Art League show. Her works have been described as “neo-Color Field abstractions.” She likes to say her work is infused with rhythm, tempo and musical cadence. She wants you to feel the energy in her pieces whether they are two-dimensional or a standing sculpture of color acrylic pieces. The process of producing the work in the large sizes that she shows here often involves several steps. She begins with watercolors, producing many from smaller paintings, photographed, resized, repainted with acrylic and then framed. In her Capitol Crossing pieces, the intensity of the color makes the space vibrate.
Januszkiewicz was mentored by Paul Reed, a member of the Washington Color School, and continues
to do historical research on this subject. Her respect for the work of historic DC artists shines through in her teaching and her interest in giving back to the art community. Alexandra Foxworth-Hill says Januszkiewicz “is amazing to work with.” She was drawn to her work because of its simplicity and the dramatic and dynamic colors.
The artist is “grateful for every opportunity to inspire and be inspired. Let’s keep creativity alive and thriving together.” She encourages artists to get out and see as much art as possible.
Capitol Crossing’s commitment to the arts is refreshing. As George Cantrell, president of Capitol Crossing notes, “we are extremely proud and honored to be able to showcase the amazing work of the area’s great local artists and show that DC doesn’t take a back seat to anyone when it comes to the gift of talent. The feedback we receive from our clients and tenants of our buildings clearly proves that we have made the right choices. Art in DC continues to make moves and local artists are making waves around the world.
Barbara Januszkiewicz’s second diptych is “Enchantment, and Let Him Fly, Patty Griffin.” Many of her pieces are inspired by musical favorites. Photo: Rindy O’Brien
APoetic Hill Amuchechukwu Nwafor
by Sandra Beasley
muchechukwu Nwafor was raised in Mount Rainier, MD, and lives in Brookland. She is a first-generation Black American whose poetry touches on the diaspora, sexual advocacy, mental health, and the female experience. Amuche considers her poems to be still life paintings of intimate experiences, emotions and observations. She has performed at many local venues and institutions including Busboys and Poets, Towson University, University of the District of Columbia, and the Kennedy Center. Her debut poetry collection, Salt Water Roots (2024) was published in collaboration with Day Eight and the DC Poet Project. Currently, she co-hosts and curates “Poetry Gallery” a monthly poetry open mic at Station 3510 in Mount Rainier. Through her writing she aspires to heal, grow and inspire people from all different walks of life. Find her on Instagram at @amuchethepoet.
Curry
My mother was a culinary artist. A local chef to the kids Who lived on my street. She decorated our kitchen table With curry goat Curry chicken Rice and peas
Split pea soup Stew oxtail Saltfish and provision
Smoked herring.
My brother and I ate the finest West Indian dishes, Laced with turmeric, curry and saffron; Sprinkled with habanero and Adobo.
My mother was a master multitasker. In between curry dashes and salt and pepper shakes She juggled dreams, a career, and two children. My mother never had time to teach me How to make food She only had time and patience to cook.
My West Indian-American Fusion dishes Are first-generation practice runs. I never got the recipe book. Still, I practice my culture daily. I substitute saltfish for canned tuna To make fish cakes.
I steep hibiscus flowers to make sorrel. My curry-stained countertop doubles as a cutting board For ginger root and carrots.
I wine around the kitchen on my two bare feet While my taste buds sail away to a culture overseas. You can find traces of my practice runs
On my curry-stained jeans, Curry-stained nails, Curry-stained countertops
And my curry-stained refrigerator door.
The hue of my soul and culture Is too bright
To ever bleach out.
We are fortunate to be in the middle of that phenomenon.”
Capitol Crossing is located at 200 and 250 Massachusetts Ave. NW, https://capitolcrossingdc.com/.
Rindy O’Brien writes about Capitol Hill’s art and cultural scene and can be contacted at rindyobrien@gmail.com. u
Artist Golie Miamee creates layer photographs printed on aluminum, often depicting iconic memorials, like this one with the Washington Monument. Her pieces are 40 x 60 inches.
Photo: Rindy O’Brien
Upcoming Exhibits
“Lifetime of Perspective 2026.” Bender Jewish Community Center, North Bethesda, on May 3, will host the opening reception for its 28th annual art exhibit in the Goldman Art Gallery. The show highlights artists over 65 years old from around the DMV, and many have exhibited for years in the exhibition. Open to the public, the show and reception run through May 27. The Bender CC is located at 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, Maryland.
“Capitol Hill Art League 2026 Juried Exhibition.” The Hill Center Galleries at the Old Navy Hospital, on May 21, will host a free public reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and announce the winners of this year’s show. The exhibition, juried by Anne Barnes and Nicky Cyrmot, highlights the work of the CHAL membership and is on display through Aug. 30. The Hill Center is located at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.
“Khadija Jahmila in Residence.” Capitol Hill Arts Workshop will host a weekend workshop and reception on May 23, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Khadija Jahmila is an Afro-Caribbean mixed-media artist and educator who also teaches at CHAW. Her work blends hand-cut paper and digital collage to explore Afrofuturistic themes. She began her residency on April 6 and concludes on May 30. CHAW is located at 545 Seventh St. SE.
Sandra Beasley is the curator of “Poetic Hill,” a resident of Southwest, and the author of four poetry collections. If you live in D.C. and you’re interested in being featured, you can reach her at sandrabeasley@earthlink.net for questions and submissions (1-5 poems). u
“Ken Bachman and Liming Tang Exhibition.” Spilsbury Members Gallery, Arts Club of Washington, will present their work May l-30 at the 2017 I St. NW venue and will host a reception on May 23, from 5-7 p.m.
Photo: @shotookit
LOCAL CALENDAR
Weekly Saturday Yoga Classes at SW Library. Chair yoga is from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.; mat yoga, 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mats. SW Library is at 900 Wesley Pl. SW. www.dclibrary.org
Tuesday Night Trivia at Wunder Garten (NEW). Every Tuesday, 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. (sign up from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.). Expect multiple rounds covering pop culture, history, science, sports and more, with prizes for top-finishing teams. It’s free to play, and teams of all sizes are welcome. Wunder Garten, 1101 First St. NW. www.wundergartendc.com
Washington Nationals May and June Home Schedules. May 1, 2 and 3 vs. Brewers; May 5, 6 and 7 vs. Twins; May 15, 16 and 17 vs. Orioles; May 18, 19, 20 and 21 vs. Mets; May 29, 30 and 31 vs. Padres; June 1, 2 and 3, vs. Marlins; June 12, 13 and 14 vs. Mariners; June 15, 16 and 17 vs. Royals; June 22, 23, 24 and 25 vs. Phillies. www.mlb.com/nationals/schedule/2026-05
NoMa’s CiNoMatic Outdoor Movies. Wednesday: May 6, “Pirates of the Caribbean”; May 13, “Jurassic Park”; May 20, “Top Gun”; May 27, “National Treasure”; June 3, “Night at the Museum”; June 10, “Princess Bride.” Bring the blankets and NoMa will provide the laughs and showstoppers for a season of musicals, comedies and feel-good movies under the stars at Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE. www.nomabid.org
Hill Center’s “At Issue: The Campaign to Undermine the 2026 Midterm Elections.” May 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. With David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, Democracy Docket senior reporter Matt Cohen and New York Times reporter Nick Corasaniti. $12. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. www. hillcenterdc.org
“The Motion” at Arena Stage. May 6 to June 14. What begins as a razorsharp debate spirals into a world-altering unraveling as four scholars are thrust into a kaleidoscopic odyssey through memory, identity and the fragile boundaries of belief. $72 to $93. www.arenastage.org
“Spirit of ’76” at the US Capitol. This new exhibit at the Capitol features artifacts, images and videos that illustrate how Congress and Americans have commemorated the Declaration of Independence on its milestone anniversaries. www.visitthecapitol.gov
The Folger Consort’s “An English Garden.” May 8 to 10. Folger Consort presents a program of Elizabethan songs and instrumental music interspersed with short readings of poems and gardening advice from contemporary authors. Tickets from $20. www.folger.edu
Used Book Sale at NE Library. May 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (second Saturday of the month). Shop a wide range of donated titles, most $1 to $2.
An Evening with Eric Weiner, Author of “Ben & Me.” June 4, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Weiner discusses his recent book, “Ben & Me: In Search of a Founder’s Formula for a Long and Useful Life.” Ben Franklin, one of only two non-presidents to appear on US currency, was a founder, statesman, scientist, inventor, diplomat, publisher, humorist and philosopher. Free admission; registration recommended. NE Library, 330 Seventh St. NE. www.dclibrary.org
At 330 Seventh St. NE. www.dclibrary.org
Adobo Day Party at Nats Park Plaza Stage. May 9, from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. Summer Kickoff features the biggest multicultural party in the DMV, with a DJ set by Pedro Night, for 21+. $34; VIP $63. www.unionstagepresents.com
The State of Books and Letters: Book Critic Ron Charles in Conversation with Poet/Editor Kyle Dargon. May 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. Increased federal intervention includes attempts to cut library funding and accelerate the removal of books on gender and diversity from school libraries. $12. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. www.hillcenterdc.org
Kitchen Garden Tasting Table at the Botanic Garden. May 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Experience the flavors of the season in the Kitchen Garden each month. Tasting Table programs feature produce harvested from the Garden as well as insights into what is planted in the space and why. Drop-in program. www.usbg.gov
DC United, Audi Field, May to July Schedules. May 13 vs. Chicago; May 16 vs. St. Louis; May 23 vs. Montreal; July 25 vs. Toronto. Tickets start at $27. www.dcunited.com
Constellation Theatre Company: “OR” at the Atlas. May 14 to June 7. Liz Duffy Adams’ “OR” is a fast-paced, witty comedy that blends history, feminism and espionage in 1660s England. $50.75 to $61.25. www.atlasarts.org
Hill Center Concerts. May 15, from 7 to 9 p.m., Stone Room Concerts @ Hill Center, featuring My Politic, an indie-folk duo created by Kaston Guffey and Nick Pankey, who grew up in the Ozarks, $23. On May 17, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Geno Delafose, a zydeco accordionist and sing-
Spargelzeit is here! White asparagus is in season and is now on the menu! Enjoy this German delicacy in our quaint biergarten or in our cozy dining rooms.
Open at Noon on Sunday, May 10th to celebrate Mother’s Day!
322-B Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002 www.cafeberlin-dc.com
National Treasure Hunt’s “Heist Night” at Congressional Cemetery. May 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Team up with friends to crack clues, solve ciphers and hack history in a race against foes to find the missing piece in a nearly 20-year-old treasure hunt. Test your skills in history, science, logic, trivia and more to solve escape-roomstyle puzzles in a character-driven quest. $52. www.congressionalcemetery.org
er, whose sound is rooted in Creole music with strong influences from Cajun, country and western, free admission. Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. www.hillcenterdc.org
Cajun Dance at St. Mark’s. May 5, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Lively music from southwestern Louisiana, sung in Cajun French. Two steps and waltzes for dancing. Music by Capitol Hill Cajun Orchestra. All ages welcome. Free admission. 301 A St. SE. stmarks.net
Wine & Crime Podcast: Unpinned and Unhinged at the Atlas. May 16, at 7 p.m. Join the Wine & Crime Gals with guest Ashwin Muthia of Unpinned Wine Club for a night of true crime, incredible wine and a good time. $45.75 to $76.25. www.atlasarts.org
Why Am I So Tired? The Change of Life Book Club. May 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. “Hot and Bothered: What No One Tells You about Menopause and How to Feel Like Yourself Again.” Too tired to read the book? Join the conversation anyway. SW Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. www.dclibrary.org
Sixth Annual Hero Dog Memorial 5k at Congressional Cemetery. May 16, from 8 a.m. to noon.
$40. Hero Dog Memorial 1k Fun Run. $40. www.congressionalcemetery. org
Mosaic Theater Company: “Precarious” at the Atlas. June 4 to 28. A new comedy about starting out, starting over and the love of family. Recently retired Violet is ready to chart a new path, but her daughter and a summer heatwave seemingly stand in her way. $62 to $79. www. atlasarts.org
Trail Running Film Festival at Miracle Theatre. June 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The Trail Running Film Festival celebrates the spirit, stories and culture of trail running. Featuring short films from around the world, the festival showcases the beauty of wild places, the resilience of the human spirit and the diverse voices that make up the trail and ultra community. $12. Miracle Theatre, 535 Eighth St. SE. www.themiracletheatre.com
Pride Run 5k at Congressional Cemetery. June 6, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. The race starts and ends at the Congressional Cemetery and passes through scenic Washington, along the Anacostia River trail and the fields at RFK campus. $55. www. congressionalcemetery.org ◆
Mayoral Candidates Clash Over Affordability
The District’s mayoral race has become a fight over how far government should go to make the city livable again ‒ and how long residents can afford to wait.
All candidates agree on the diagnosis: Washington is becoming unaffordable. Housing costs have soared. Federal job cuts have weakened the tax base. City finances are tightening. And an unpredictable White House and Congress continue to interfere in local affairs.
Where they diverge, sometimes sharply, is on what comes next. Eight candidates are vying to be mayor:
1. Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (janeesefordc.com);
2. former At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (kenyanmcduffie.com);
3. developer Gary Goodweather (goodweatherfordc.com);
4. civil rights attorney Yaida Ford (yaida4dc.com);
5. former At-Large Councilmember Vincent Orange (orangeformayor.com);
6. federal contractor Rini Sampath (riniformayor.com);
7. real estate broker Ernest Johnson (ernestformayor2026.com);
8. former federal agent Hope Solomon (hopefordc.com).
This analysis draws on candidate websites, campaign materials and two forums: the March 15 Free DC debate and the April 20 event hosted by The 51st News and Washington Informer.
Shocking Electric Bills
The sharpest confrontations so far have not been about crime or schools but electricity.
At the Free DC debate, McDuffie and Lewis George accused each other of being responsible for the spike in electricity bills. Lewis George pointed out that McDuffie had led the DC Council committee responsible for oversight of the Public Service Commission (PSC), which sets utility rates. McDuffie retorted that both candidates had voted to confirm the current appointees.
“Do not fall for the banana in the tailpipe. It’s about leadership,” McDuffie said, arguing the Dis-
trict’s elected officials shared responsibility for the soaring rates. The clash revealed a deeper split: whether the problem is regulatory failure, political failure or system design.
Their answers at the April 20 Martin Luther King Jr. Library forum, hosted by The 51st News and Washington Informer, showed overlap as well as conflict. Lewis George said she would expand community and government solar options, automatically enroll more residents in low-income utility programs and appoint commissioners who “put people first.” She also wanted to explore “public utility options.” McDuffie likewise backed automatic enrollment and called for a strong People’s Counsel and PSC that prioritize affordability, while also holding data centers responsible for increases.
Both candidates are arguing for a more consumer-protective city posture, though Lewis George’s campaign website goes further in making “affordable utilities for all” a named policy plank.
But Orange saw leverage. Utilities, he declared, always need something from the city. An effective mayor could use any ask as leverage to drive down rates, he argued at the MLK forum.
Goodweather proposes a technological solution in his Power DC plan. It involves expanding local electric production by installing solar panels on all public buildings, recovering sewer heat at DC Water’s sanitation plant, encouraging urban geothermal networks and creating community virtual powerplants. Regional partnerships could be used to lock in stable prices.
Sampath and Solomon each cast the issue as a transparency and governance failure. Sampath said that “Pepco will have to fight to continue to prove” that it should remain the sole utility provider, and criticized “backroom deals and closed door meetings.” Solomon, describing her own experience opening a utility bill “like three times the [usual] cost,” said residents need a mayor who will “figure out what the hell is going on in these backdoor conversations.” Neither campaign’s website offers a utility plan as fleshed out as Goodweather’s or Lewis George’s.
Johnson’s campaign site focuses far more on education, jobs and public safety than on power
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
costs. Where Johnson is specific, it is on broader service delivery and budget alignment rather than a utility strategy.
Making Childcare Affordable
Childcare reveals some of the clearest contrasts in how candidates approach affordability, particularly around cost, access and how to pay for it. Everyone agrees that the average childcare cost of $2,400 per month is excessive. But they disagree on approach.
Lewis George argues for childcare as a public good. Her Childcare for All plan would cap costs at 7% of household income by expanding the city’s subsidy program so that “everybody qualifies, no matter your ZIP Code.” Presenting childcare as a system to be guaranteed rather than supplemented, she said she could raise $500 million to pay for expansion in part by closing loopholes she says benefit Maryland and Virginia businesses.
McDuffie rejected building a new system and prefers the expansion of existing programs, such as the childcare subsidy and universal pre-K. He proposed reducing barriers to opening new providers, including in-home care and downtown facilities. Framing the issue as one of budget priorities, he called the city’s spending plan “a moral document” that should fund programs that already work.
Other candidates focused less on universal coverage and more on system constraints. Orange presented childcare as part of economic development, connecting childcare to both family stability and job creation. At the April 20 debate, he argued that the city should invest in childcare centers not only so parents can work, but also because those centers create jobs and prepare children for school.
At the same debate, Sampath claimed that “provider economics” are a major barrier, arguing that regulations such as limits on where childcare centers can be located make opening and expanding childcare difficult, and she criticized what she described as cuts to childcare funding in the mayor’s budget.
Goodweather took a different approach, linking childcare costs to broader household expenses. His proposal to make transit fare-free, he argued,
politicians who let
I’m Rini Sampath and I’m running for Mayor because DC government has failed us.
I’m an outside candidate who has spent my career fixing broken government systems. DC needs someone new. Don’t give a promotion to the same political insiders who broke the DC government.
As Mayor of DC, my priority will be to make sure our city lives up to its basic commitments to our residents. Fill the potholes and repair the broken sidewalks. Build more homes and protect our renters. Lower prices. Improve 911 wait times. Join
could return about $1,000 annually to residents, money families could redirect toward childcare, while also building a larger early childhood workforce through his Capital Corps program. Solomon warned that candidates were making promises without honestly explaining “how we’re going to pay for it.” Her answer, while not rejecting childcare funding, stressed budgeting and fiscal choices over a new named plan.
Soaring Housing Costs
Housing is the most fully developed issue across the race, but candidates disagree sharply on pace, scale and whether the city should act mainly as regulator, partner or builder. Lewis George wants to create 72,000 new units in five years through a Dignified Homes DC plan that would drive the increase through a publicly owned, mixed-income and permanent affordable-housing developer. To attain that goal, she wants to simplify permitting, relax height restrictions near Metro stations and generally reform the zoning code. Adding supply, she argues, would bring down rents and housing prices. “This crisis is too big and too serious not to be ambitious,” she declared.
McDuffie criticized Lewis George’s goal as unrealistic. His platform takes a more incremental approach. Using the Housing Trust Fund, he plans to expand housing production by 12,000 units. He also promises to preserve another 20,000 existing affordable apartments. Believing in the power of homeownership, McDuffie wants to fund programs to assist residents in accessing the housing market.
Goodweather sits between the two. He promises to audit DC housing agencies in the first 100 days of his administration. He also supports community land trusts, social housing and targeted tax relief. His Affordable DC plan promises 50,0000 new homes by 2032, 36,000 of them being “truly affordable” units that are legally restricted, voucher supported, part of a community land trust or, alternatively, market units that meet published affordability thresholds at move-in.
Beyond those three, the debate shifts again.
Orange emphasizes execution and experience, pointing to projects like Union Market and NoMa and proposing to use the $100 million Housing Trust Fund to build 1,000 smaller units for entry-level workers. Sampath focuses
on process failure. “It takes on average 13 months to fill an affordable housing unit,” she said. “That would never be acceptable in a high performing organization.” Solomon challenges the premise outright. “I’m not that candidate of the build, build, build” approach, she declared, and focuses instead on unlocking existing small-landlord units.
All agree that the District’s economy is not equitable, citing neighborhood disparities, barriers to employment and lack of effective workforce development to connect residents with well-paying employment.
Opportunity for All
While agreeing that DC’s economy does not distribute opportunity evenly, the candidates part ways on whether government should strengthen labor standards, build workforce pipelines, attract employers or do all three. In her platform’s Good Jobs for All, Lewis George proposes raising standards for workers, supporting unions and ensuring that economic growth translates into higher incomes for residents. Rather than focusing primarily on pipelines into business sectors, she emphasizes reshaping the terms of work itself through labor protection, benefits and governmentbacked investment in job creation. Her emphasis on economic opportunity as inseparable from affordability argues that higher wages and stronger worker protections are necessary to keep residents in the city.
Central to McDuffie’s platform are creating pathways into sectors like technology and expanding opportunities for small businesses, alongside wealth-building programs such as baby bonds. He proposes a Stay in DC fund to keep local shops open, and investment in tech and creative startups. At forums he often connects affordability to economic growth, and his campaign materials outside his site stress support for businesses that anchor neighborhoods.
Goodweather’s approach relies on structure and metrics. He promises to create a citywide service and workforce program, the Capital Corps, to clear pathways into employment, along with an advanced technical center in every ward. His proposed RISE Act would require employers to provide 90 days’ notice when technological changes affect jobs.
Others return to growth itself. Orange touts his role in the development of
Gary Goodweather
Rini Sampath
Kenyan McDuffie
Hope Solomon
Janeese Lewis George
Vincent Orange
Union Market and Brentwood. Job creation follows economic development, he argues.
Sampath ties opportunity to government performance. Arguing that permitting delays and service failures retard growth, she says, “We need to be a city that actually works.” Solomon echoes that from a business perspective, pointing to bureaucratic barriers. She emphasizes job access and stability as part of broader efforts to improve quality of life and public safety.
Johnson links long-term economic opportunity with educational performance and emphasizes the need for outcomes such as 95% third-grade reading proficiency, 90% math competency by sixth grade and 85% vocational certification completion, Despite the city’s straightened finances, candidates have made promises that may increase spending.
Expand Government? Reform Government? Or Both?
All the candidates agree that the District has failed to deliver services efficiently and cost-effectively. They differ on whether to expand government’s role, improve the systems, redesign how government operates or better enforce the current laws.
Lewis George‘s vision is the most radical. Government, she argues, is the primary tool for reducing inequality and lowering costs. The city’s affordability problems are caused by underinvestment and market failure. The solution is more direct public investment when private means fall short. Increased efficiencies in government programs can fund the expansion, she argues. “Working people should not shoulder the burden of balancing the budget,” she said.
For Goodweather, public investment is the solution. His proposal to make public transit free to DC residents could return more than $1,000 annually to regular riders, he argues. Much like Lewis George, he believes savings through increased government efficiency can cover the cost.
Orange takes the call for efficiency a step further. At the April 20 forum, he cited examples of funding he claims is misaligned, from police vacancies to paid family leave and traffic camera revenues, and called for a “revenue alignment commission” to find the money. He argues that the city’s problem is not lack of cash but management.
Taking a more measured approach, McDuffie
is not anti-spending but tends to frame programs as things government should scale up if they work rather than create entirely new systems. He pairs a proposal for targeted investments, such as baby bonds, with more effective governance.
Sampath, Solomon and Johnson offer their own versions of that critique. Sampath’s campaign proposes using performance metrics and public dashboards to improve agency functioning. She is particularly focused on 311 and 911 response, and her campaign has built a 311 app. Solomon talks about wanting “a real adult in here” and stresses honest discussion about what can be paid for. Johnson says DC government should work for residents rather than “special interests or outside commuters.”
In the background, the White House and Congress increasingly are interfering in the District’s affairs.
Defending DC
It is time to “stand up for all DC,” says Lewis George. That requires an “inside-outside strategy” that combines litigation, congressional engagement and grassroots organizing. Rather than relying solely on legal challenges or political negotiation, her approach assumes the city must do both. At the April 20 debate, she said that “complying in advance is not a strategy” and argued for using every legal lever with Attorney General Brian Schwalb, while also walking “the halls of Congress” herself and building a federal affairs office inside the executive branch. Her website names this agenda Stand Up for All DC and explicitly calls for rescinding the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) order that permits officers to work with federal immigration enforcement.
McDuffie also promises to terminate MPD cooperation with immigration enforcement, yet he remains open to working with federal partners on economic development and infrastructure. He is not, however, opposed to litigating to protect the District’s autonomy. “There’s no deal that I would ever cut … that will allow them to terrorize vulnerable residents,” he stated.
Super Home Rule is Goodweather’s initiative to expand the District’s authority over its own laws and budget. He says the city needs a standing system to respond to federal interference. At the April 20 debate, he also said sanctuary protections should be strengthened, that houses of worship and
schools should be off limits and that every resident should be protected regardless of status. Home rule is not just a legal principle, he argues, but something to be operationalized through policy, planning and institutional capacity.
Orange is the clearest accommodationist voice. At the April 20 forum, he said DC autonomy and statehood are “non-negotiable,” but also argued that the city must “at least have a dialog and to find the common ground.” His website similarly speaks of “Common Ground with the White House & Congress.” Orange is not afraid to lay a major part of the blame for the District’s subservient status on the Democrats.
Sampath and Solomon each push the discussion in their own direction. Sampath emphasizes protest rights and the need to audit data-sharing across agencies so residents know if cooperation with federal immigration enforcement extends farther than disclosed. Solomon emphasizes negotiation, arguing the city needs someone who can sit across from a hostile administration and protect local interests. Johnson’s site is much thinner here, his campaign gesturing toward resident-first self-government, but home rule is not developed nearly as fully as in the platforms of Lewis George, McDuffie or Goodweather.
Choices
The new mayor will take office at a pivotal moment that requires a balancing of government investments against fiscal constraints, cooperation with the federal overlords with protecting residents or making the most of private markets while choosing public alternatives. The candidates offer different ways forward. A voter’s choice is less about policy details than about direction, about how much change the city is willing to embrace. Build new systems, fix broken ones, enforce existing rules or try to do all three at once?
For more information on the candidates in the Democratic Primary scan QR code ; or attend the debate at the Hill Center at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE on May 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. or on May 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Transmission at 1353 H St. N. Visit www.hillrag.com/2026/04/27/ hear-the-candidates-attend-themay-debates for more details. u
At-Large Race Split on Safety, Housing and DC’s Future
All at-large Democratic candidates agree that the District faces rising costs, persistent public safety issues, budget pressure and a more hostile federal environment. They differ in how to respond. As presented at an April 9 forum and across campaign websites, the differences are not subtle.
Nine candidates are running in the June 16 primary. Kevin B. Chavous is former DC Council Committee and Policy Director and a current Democratic National Committeeman (https:// www.chavousfordc.com/). Dwight Davis is a longtime DC Public Schools educator and former Browne Education Campus principal (https:// dwight4dccouncil.com/). Dyana N.M. Forester is a former DC Housing Authority commissioner and ANC commissioner (www.dyanafordc. com/). Business owner Fred Hill is a former chair of the Board of Zoning Adjustment (www.fredhill4dc.com/). Greg Jackson is a former gun-violence-prevention advisor to the White House (gregjacksonfordc.com/). Entrepreneur Leniqua Dominique Jenkins is a former DC Council staffer (www.votejenkinsfordc.com/). Candace Tiana Nelson is a former council chief of staff (https:// www.candacefordc.com). Oye Owolewa is the shadow US Representative (https://www.vote4oye.com) and a pharmacist. And Lisa Raymond is a former State Board of Education member (https://lisaraymondfordc.com).
Public safety reveals real fault lines between candidates, who see safety as a problem of strategy, systems, opportunity or trust.
Public Safety and Curfews
At the forums, Jackson drew on his experience with federally funded violence reduction programs to argue for targeted enforcement paired with large-scale intervention. He emphasized data and measurable outcomes. His website presents a focus on gun-violence intervention and the scaling of proven programs, though it offers fewer specifics on police staffing or detention policy.
Owolewa rejects enforcement-heavy approaches and prefers youth opportunity, mentor-
ship and engagement as the primary tools of prevention. His website reinforces that framing by focusing on economic opportunity and cost-of-living issues rather than policing or curfew policy, and treats safety as a function of income and stability.
Raymond and Davis sit between those poles. Raymond emphasized schools, families and workforce systems as stabilizing forces, with her web-
site adding support for a “well-trained, adequately staffed police force” alongside prevention. Davis framed safety as relational. “Our city moves at the speed of trust,” he said, pointing to sustained engagement between families, schools and agencies.
Curfews sharpened differences. Owolewa and Jenkins opposed them outright, calling for youth spaces and structured programming. Raymond and Davis declined to endorse curfews, emphasizing schools, families and trust. Jackson also declined to back a citywide curfew, favoring targeted, neighborhood-based interventions.
Chavous did not foreground curfews but rather emphasized governance capacity and implementation. Nelson, Jenkins and Forester similarly framed safety through stability, pointing to housing, health and economic supports as preventative tools, while Hill’s broader focus on regulatory and economic structure positioned safety as linked to development and opportunity.
The issues relating to the provision of affordable housing drew shaper divergence.
Housing
Candidates differ widely on whether affordability is driven by market supply, regulation or income.
Hill argued at the forum that easing regulatory barriers and facilitating development is key. Drawing on his zoning experience, he said the city should facilitate projects by balancing competing interests and allowing mixed-income development to move forward, even if that means accepting a lower proportion of affordable setasides to make projects financially viable.
Raymond supports building more, “with safeguards.” At the forum she emphasized removing barriers while preventing displacement, while her website sets specific goals, including 72,000 new units at 30% affordability, and calls for increased density as key to making homes accessible.
In contrast, Forester takes an affordabilityfirst approach. Drawing on her experience with the DC Housing Authority, she argued development must maximize affordability and protect residents. Skeptical of deals that prioritize market-
Oye Owolewa
Lisa Raymond
Leniqua’dominique Jenkins
KevinChavous
Greg Jackson Fred Hill
Dyana Forester
Candance Nelson
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
Gloria Nauden has called Ward 6 home for more than 30 years and is raising her two daughters here. She has spent her career strengthening communities every day— as an ANC Commissioner, city official, and executive in small business finance, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. She is known for bringing people together, cutting through bureaucracy, and getting things done. Thousands of residents feel ignored and have petitioned for change. Gloria is running on listening, being collaborative, and delivering results — focusing on innovative solutions for long term public safety.
rate units or trade reductions in affordability for scale, she emphasizes the enforcement of affordability requirements.
Jenkins and Nelson emphasize process and access. Nelson supports rent stabilization, expansion of funding for the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, along with transparency and community input. Calling housing a human right, Jenkins supports equitable distribution, down-payment assistance and communitybased lending.
For Owolewa and Jackson, the focus on production misses the point. Owolewa framed housing as part of a broader income problem, arguing that wages drive affordability. Jackson emphasized homeownership, complaining that the city has “overlooked homeowners.” Meanwhile, Chavous and Davis did not emphasize detailed housing policy at the forum. Chavous focused on governance and oversight, while Davis tied housing stability to education and community outcomes.
The District’s tight finances will constrain councilmembers from expanding programs and assistance. Candidates also disagreed on how to respond to those limits.
The Tightening Finances
At the forum, Chavous framed the challenge as fiscal discipline. The city must scrutinize contracts and assert DC Council authority over agencies. His campaign materials stress fiscal management and accountability rather than new spending.
Jackson argued the opposite at the forum, calling for continued investment in public safety, housing and jobs. He argued this is essential to avoid long-term costs. Nelson, Jenkins and Raymond also held that view. They identified education, healthcare and housing as priorities, with Raymond emphasizing strategic planning and execution.
Owolewa and Hill pointed to a need to spur economic growth. Increasing employment and expanding the tax base, they argued, would relieve budget pressure. Their websites reinforce that framing. Owolewa’s highlights job creation and income growth as the foundation of fiscal health, while Hill’s emphasizes business development and expanding the city’s economic base.
At the forum, Davis focused on outcomes, arguing that investment in youth and education functions as a long-term fiscal policy. His campaign materials stress education and community stability over immediate budget cuts.
Forester introduced another dimension at the forum with a focus on the impact of federal workforce cuts. The city has not adequately responded, she said, adding that affected residents “feel alone. They feel like nobody knows, nobody cares.”
Dealing With the Orange Elephant
Candidates agree the White House plays a central role in the District’s fiscal outlook but differ on whether the response should prioritize discipline, sustained investment or economic expansion. Jackson called the Trump administration “vindictive,” arguing leaders must confront federal actions directly. Forester focused on local impact, saying DC needs to do more to support laid-off federal workers.
Pointing to their experience as council staffers, Chavous emphasized defending DC’s autonomy within legal constraints, while Raymond pledged to “fight congressional interference in our local laws.”
Owolewa and Hill emphasized economic resilience over confrontation. Nelson and Jenkins stressed equity and responsiveness to vulnerable residents. Davis emphasized local trust and engagement as essential elements of federal impacts to schools and families.
Chavous’ and Raymond’s emphasis on legislative experience raises the broader question of whether voters should choose an insider or an outsider.
Should Voters Pick an Outsider Or an Insider?
“Experience really matters,” Raymond said, arguing governance requires preparation and execution. Chavous similarly stressed readiness “on day one,” noting his experience as a committee director.
Davis emphasized experience through his decades in DC Public Schools, while Forester pointed to her service at the DC Housing Authority and on the ANC as grounding her candi-
dacy in community-level governance.
Despite his current office, Owolewa has hoisted the flag of change. “We have never had a doctor of pharmacy, a healthcare worker or a doctor on the council,” he said. “You deserve something different!”
Meanwhile, Hill casts himself as an outsider. Private-sector experience provides him with a unique perspective on government regulations, he argued. The DC Council, he said, is too internally focused.
Jenkins touts her background as an entrepreneur and doctoral student. Equity and failed government, especially east of the Anacostia River, are her rallying cries.
Embracing change, Nelson adopts a softer version of the same tone. Echoing Marion Barry’s oft-quoted line, she says that residents often feel “left behind, left out and unheard.” She advocates for more governmental responsiveness and community-centered leadership.
Jackson places a foot in each camp. He cites his role in a $17-billion anti-violence federal program while nothing that he is an outsider to District government. He promises to champion new ideas regarding gun violence and unemployment.
The Choice
At-large members shape policy citywide. As the race enters its final stretch, voters face a choice, not between goals but between approaches: enforcement or prevention, growth or regulation, discipline or investment, experience or change.
For more information on the candidates in the Democratic Primary for an At-Large seat on the DC Council, scan QR code; or attend the debate at St. Coleta’s of Greater Washington at 1901 Independence Ave. SE, on May 17 from noon to 2 p.m. or on Visit www.hillrag.com/2026/04/27/hear-the-candidates-attend-the-may-debates for more details. u
The At-Large Special Election The Race To Replace McDuffie
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
The June 16 special election to replace Kenyan McDuffie has drawn a compact but ideologically distinct field. Five candidates have qualified for the ballot.
Interim At-Large Councilmember Doni Crawford (www.donicrawford.com), formerly with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI), was a McDuffie staffer. Former At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman (www.elissafordc.com) was also a DCFPI analyst. Jacque Patterson is the DC State Board of Education atlarge representative. Douglass Sloan (dougsloan4dc.com) is a political strategist and former vice president of the DC NAACP. Khalil Lee (www.lee4dc.com) is a community activist.
The winner serves the remainder of McDuffie’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2026, and must compete in the November general election to serve another term.
On paper, the candidates appear similar. All focus on affordability, schools and public safety. All promise more efficient, effective government. However, they are deeply divided over the proper role of the DC Council. Whether it’s affordable housing or improving education, how can government improve things? Who is best trusted to reform it?
Each candidate places affordability at the center of the campaign.
Affordability
Silverman frames her campaign in explicit, measurable terms related to wages, childcare and housing costs. DC should be “a community where people can afford to raise a family.” Silverman coauthored the District’s family leave law, which provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave, and emphasizes expanding worker supports and job training tied to “living-wage careers.” Silverman is not afraid of getting her hands dirty. While overseeing the Department of Employment Services (DOES), she sat in the agency’s call center answering the phone to assess the challenges during the height of the COVID crisis. She also took calls at the Unified Communications Center (UCC), which handles 311 and 911.
Crawford looks at affordability from a fiscal management perspective that focuses on preserving services in a tightening budget environment. Patterson and community advocate Lee frame affordability as a question of equity and access. A Ward 8 resident, Patterson is particularly concerned with disparities east of the river. Sloan sits somewhere between, leaning on advocacy experience and civil rights framing but with less detailed policy architecture.
As the candidates move from how families afford to live in the District to how they are educated, the same divisions of outcomes, equity and implementation carry into their approaches to schools.
Education
All five candidates frame education as essential to long-term opportunity and, in many cases, to public safety. They differ in their focus on the specifics and elements of the education system.
Silverman offers the most detailed policies. Her platform highlights con-
Doni Crawford
Elissa Silverman
JacquePatterson
crete issues such as chronic absenteeism and the need to expand universal pre-K to include childcare and aftercare so the school works for working parents. That reflects her general approach to problem-solving: identify measurable problems and then scale or refine programs to improve outcomes. Schools, she argues, are part of a larger ecosystem tied to family stability, childcare and economic security.
Patterson, a former charter school leader with KIPP DC, emphasizes equity in resources, student outcomes and representation, particularly for communities east of the river. Drawing on his role overseeing education policy at the state board level, he is less about introducing a single new program and more about ensuring the system serves all students effectively.
Crawford discusses education in broader terms related to affordability and economic opportunity rather than outlining a standalone schools agenda. Her framing emphasizes investment in teachers, mental health support and modern classrooms. Schools appear in her platform as part of a larger set of services that must be funded and managed effectively rather than as a policy arena with specific reforms.
Sloan and Lee are less specific in their public materials. Sloan’s campaign references education as part of a broader public safety and opportunity framework, without laying out detailed proposals, while Lee emphasizes community voice and responsiveness, suggesting a focus on how families and neighborhoods interact with schools rather than on specific policy levers.
The differences in emphasis between systems, services and lived experience become even more pronounced when the candidates turn to public safety.
Public Safety
Public safety is a big issue. All five agree that it is not simply a matter of policing. They relate it to housing stability, school quality, economic opportunity and youth programming. They diverge, however, on how much weight to give enforcement, specifically whether the youth curfew is a meaningful tool.
Silverman is the most skeptical about curfews. She wants to see investments with measurable outcomes in wages, childcare, housing and youth pro-
grams. She argues that the District’s paid family leave law, her signature legislation, is designed to stabilize families. Curfews, she believes, raise questions. Do they measurably reduce crime? Are their impacts racially disparate? Could the resources be better directed elsewhere?
Patterson accepts curfews as part of a broader public safety response. Short-term interventions like curfews, he argues, can help stabilize conditions but must be paired with investments in schools, engagement and community resources, particularly east of the river.
Sloan is open to targeted enforcement tools but wants them balanced with broader policy responses. His campaign calls for expanding youth programming and workforce opportunities as part of a prevention strategy. Arguing that public safety requires more than policing alone, he emphasizes better coordination between agencies, including police, schools and social services, to respond to youth crime and repeat incidents. At the same time, Sloan supports focused enforcement in high-risk areas, while cautioning that such measures must be paired with services and applied equitably, a stance that reflects both his platform and his background as a former vice president of the DC NAACP.
Crawford has moved from a limited role in the curfew debate to a more active one as current legislation has evolved. She did not vote on an earlier committee action advancing a permanent curfew bill, but she helped shape a compromise measure after the council failed to extend the existing law and Mayor Muriel Bowser imposed a temporary emergency curfew. The revised bill, which the council advanced on an initial vote in April, allows the police chief to designate curfew zones but adds guardrails, including requirements for advance notice and mandates the provision of alternative youth programming during curfew hours. Crawford has supported those changes, framing her approach around how the policy is implemented rather than treating curfews as a standalone solution.
Lee, by contrast, has offered fewer detailed policy prescriptions but frames public safety through community experience and responsiveness. He emphasizes his experience as a DC native and the need for stronger relationships between institutions and residents rather than relying primarily on enforcement tools.
The result is not a simple split between sup-
porters and opponents but a layered debate over whether curfews are necessary tools, marginal interventions or symptoms of a deeper mismatch between policy and the communities it is meant to serve.
Candidates’ views of the District’s roughly $22 billion DC budget offer another key differentiator.
The Role of the Council and the Budget
Silverman declares that the DC Council must ensure the budget “delivers programs that work” and produce measurable results. She grounds her candidacy in spending oversight, improved performance and holding agencies accountable.
Crawford’s approach is different. Her career has centered on shaping budgets from within, particularly through equity-focused fiscal policy. Her months as interim councilmember have also been shaped by such debates. While oversight is important, she remains focused on budget design and implementation.
Aligning more closely with Crawford, Sloan touts his business experience, which he believes gives him an advantage in navigating political systems. Patterson and Lee shift the conversation. Declaring that budgeting cannot be separated from representation, they promise to be at the table when the funds are handed out.
Who to Trust?
In a race where candidates largely agree on the problems, the choice may come down less to policy specifics than to which governing philosophy is the most trusted. Should the DC Council prioritize execution or oversight? Is the problem how government works, or who it represents? Does experience inside the system matter more than independence from it? The answers to those questions, rather than talking points about affordability or schools, may determine the outcome on June 16.
For more information on the candidates for in the Special Election to elect a DC councilmember finish the term of At-Large Councilmember Kenyon McDuffie (I), scan the QR code. u
The Delegate Race Winning Influence, Leading the Resistance or Both?
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
The race to succeed Eleanor Holmes Norton as Washington’s delegate to the US House of Representatives has evolved into the most dramatic contest in the primary election.
At the center are two members of the DC Council: Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D) (brookepintoforcongress. com/) and At-Large Councilmember Robert White (D) (joinrobertwhite.com). Three others have thrown their hats into the ring: Democratic strategist and business leader Kinney Zalesne (kinneyfordc.com), former Eleanor Holmes Norton staffer Trent Holbrook (trentholbrook.com) and former Nuclear Regulatory Commission chair Gregory Jaczko (gojaczko4dc.com).
All candidates agree on the importance of statehood and the defense of home rule against federal interference. However, they offer sharply different strategies to accomplishing these tasks.
Winning Influence, Leading Resistance
Experience inside the delegate’s office and familiarity with congressional procedure, Holbrook argues, are the most relevant qualifications. His focus is on advancing statehood legislation, protecting federal workers and working within channels to secure incremental gains.
Pinto frames the delegate as a defender of DC against rising congressional intervention in local affairs. A former assistant attorney general under Karl Racine, she centers her campaign on legal expertise, governance and the ability to anticipate and counter federal threats. She argues that the District needs someone who can push back with legislative and legal tools. As chair of the DC Council’s public safety committee, she led passage of the sweeping Secure DC omnibus, a package advanced on an emer-
gency basis to address rising crime and improve public safety across the District.
Other candidates believe the delegate should lead the resistance. Zalesne says the District is “on the front lines” of federal overreach. This, she says, calls for a louder, more aggressive voice in Congress and coalition-building beyond the city. Her ideas include regional economic coordination and a commuter tax. The delegate should operate not just within Congress but across jurisdictions to strengthen the District’s leverage, she argues.
Jaczko is more of a technocrat. In addition to leading the NRC, he was a congressional staffer with expertise in science and energy, and positions himself as someone who understands how federal policy is made. This, he argues, will help him navigate Congress. Rather than focusing on local political networks, he can use his subject-matter expertise to build influence within Congress.
White bridges these two visions. Like Zalesne, he sees the delegate as an advocate capable of building relationships and exerting influence within Congress. His prior experience as a congressional staffer, he argues, gives insider knowledge and coalition-building expertise. White believes the delegate is not just a representative in Congress but a conduit for securing broader opportunity, and can also play a role in workforce development and economic mobility.
Name Recognition and War Chests
Name recognition distinguishes the council incumbents, White and Pinto. This gives them an edge in fundraising. Having competed citywide several times, White holds the clear edge in this regard.
Pinto has made up for her more limited citywide exposure with strong funding. She has more than $800,000 in the bank
compared to White’s roughly $230,000. Zalesne approaches Pinto’s haul, having raised $600,000. Money doesn’t win elections but it helps.
The candidates agree on statehood, autonomy and the delegate’s role as a District defender. The differences are more about how change should happen, whether influence should be built through legal precision and institutional knowledge or through relationships and coalition-building. Some want the delegate to focus narrowly on defending DC; others visualize a role in national policy and regional dynamics. There is also the question of the extent to which the role should be judged by legislative progress versus tangible improvements in residents’ lives.
Choosing a Vision and a Look
Those questions define the contours of the race. In a city without a vote in Congress, the delegate’s power depends almost entirely on strategy and approach. The candidates are offering different visions of both. Voters are deciding not just who will represent the District, but how that representation will look. Especially given the tenure of our previous delegate, that could define DC in Congress for decades to come.
For more information on the candidates for DC delegate to the US House of Representatives, scan QR code; or attend the debate at St. Coleta’s of Greater Washington at 1901 Independence Ave. SE, May 10 from noon to 2 p.m. or on Visit www.hillrag.com/2026/04/27/hearthe-candidates-attend-the-may-debates for more details. u
Trent Holbrook
Kinney Zalesne
Greg Jaczko
Robert White
Brooke Pinto
This June The District of Columbia Holds Its Democratic Primary and a Special At-Large Election.
The Hill Rag, The Ward 6 Democrats, The Ward 2 Democrats, The DC Democrats, Stonewall Democrats and Spotlight DC are jointly holding election forums to help citizens make their ballots matter.
DATES:
Mayoral Race – Hill Center: Tuesday, May 5 / 7 to 9 p.m.
Mayoral & Attorney General Races –Transmission: Saturday, May 9 / 11 a.m. 1 p.m. (M) / 1 to 2 p.m. (AG)
Congressional Delegate Race –St. Coletta PCS: Sunday, May 10 / noon to 2 p.m.
Ward 6 Race – Hill Center: Monday, May 11 / 7 to 9 p.m.
At Large Race – St. Coletta PCS: Sunday, May 17 / noon to 2 p.m.
The Hill Center, Transmission, and St. Coletta PCS are graciously hosting the forums.
The Ward 6 Council Race A Study in Contrasts
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
The DC Council’s Ward 6 Democratic primary is coming into clearer focus as the challengers to incumbent Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen (D) roll out platforms to draw sharper contrasts on public safety, housing and economic development.
First elected in 2014, Allen (www.charlesallen2026.com) is running on a well-established legislative record. However, unlike his unopposed run in 2022, he now faces lawyer Michael Murphy (www.murphyforward6.com) and Philanthropy DMV CEO and former ANC 6A02 commissioner Gloria Nauden (www.gloriaforward6.com), who hold differing views on public safety, affordable housing, economic development and quality of life.
Public Safety
Unsurprisingly, all three candidates place public safety at the core of the campaign. There is no talk of defunding the police. All three suggest tweaks to the current criminal justice system. Murphy offers a direct critique of Allen’s record, arguing the DC Council has failed on transparency, oversight and public safety, while Nauden’s less confrontational approach emphasizes rising costs, uneven neighborhood conditions and the need for more effective day-to-day governance.
The current public safety regime, Allen argues in contrast, is producing results such as the 29% drop in violent crime in 2025. Allen’s public safety record combines enforcement, prevention and oversight. He voted for the council’s 2024 Secure DC omnibus bill, which expanded detention and other enforcement tools, while also backing legislation focused on violence prevention and intervention. As a longtime member and former chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, Allen has helped shape policies on policing and criminal law, including measures to increase transparency around police use of force. He has also sponsored targeted legislation such as the STEER Act that addresses dangerous driving, and supported laws aimed at illegal firearms and victim protections. His approach pairs traditional law enforcement with in-
vestments in prevention and accountability.
Murphy argues that there has been a failure of governmental systems and transparency. Pointing to purported discrepancies between Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) data and federal crime reporting, he calls for aligning reporting systems, rebuilding police staffing levels and increasing sentences for violent offenses. Murphy also supports overhauling provisions of the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) and expanding MPD’s public surveillance using cameras and DNA collection.
Less specific in her proposals, Nauden supports increased police staffing. However, she pairs that with the adoption of more effective prevention strategies such as community policing, youth programming and mentorship. These are the key tools for reducing crime and strengthening trust between residents and law enforcement, she claims, and will lead to visible improvements in neighborhood conditions and day-to-day safety.
Charles Allen
Gloria Ann Nauden
Each candidate links youth policy to public safety and economic stability but proposes di erent mechanisms for achieving the outcomes.
Youth Crime
The chaotic gatherings of youth at the Navy Yard and The Wharf are on the minds of all three candidates. Allen emphasizes prevention and diversion, supporting violence interruption programs, youth services and reentry initiatives. As Judiciary Committee chair, he backed funding for after-school and summer employment programs and has supported the Youth Rehabilitation Act alongside e orts to address truancy and youth engagement. His campaign highlights these e orts as part of an integrated approach to supporting families and reducing crime.
Murphy calls for a “structured intervention model” tied to workforce development. Citing large numbers of uninvestigated truancy
cases, he wants to establish a citywide early-warning system to better identify and assist at-risk youth. A DC Service & Career Corps should be created, he argues, to connect young residents to apprenticeships, paid service opportunities and career pathways.
Nauden, characterizing education as a continuum to ensuring youth are well behaved, emphasizes the need to provide access to early childhood education and good neighborhood high schools. These are essential to family stability and keeping families in Ward 6.
Beyond public safety, the candidates diverge on how the city should manage growth and a ordability.
Housing and Affordability
Ward 6 leads the city in new marketrate and income-restricted housing, claims Allen. As the center of the District’s development boom over the past decade, Ward 6 has added
AN EXPERIENCED LEADER READY TO CONTINUE SERVING DC
PRIORITIES
• Defend DC self-government
• Support students at every stage
• Make housing more affordable
• Build safer communities
• Support small businesses
• Build a sustainable DC
Michael Murphy
roughly 30,000 residents and thousands of new housing units.
Increasing housing supply is the key to a ordability, according to Allen. He suggests that zoning changes to create “gentle density” through easier home construction should be paired with a ordability requirements and tenant protections. Historic preservation and housing growth are not mutually exclusive, but he draws the line at weakening historic district designations. Instead he proposes modifying how preservation rules around issues such as height and scale are applied, while continuing to concentrate new housing in transit-accessible areas.
According to Murphy, zoning and regulatory barriers are preventing the city from fully using its land. Density should be increased “where it makes sense,” such as near Metro stations. He suggests easing barriers to redevelopment of underused properties and updating regulations governing alleys, parking and residential conversions. The key, he argues, is more e cient permitting. He also wants estate-law reforms to preserve generational homeownership, protections for minors in eviction lings and tax-deferral mechanisms for seniors. In sum, Murphy treats a ordability as both a supply problem and a legal one.
Nauden views housing through a cost-of-living lens. Rising rents, utility costs and nancial pressure fall on both renters and homeowners, she says. DC should adopt policies that stabilize household finances with an eye to preventing displacement.
Those differences carry through each candidate’s views on the role of government in supporting local businesses and the ward’s economy.
Economic Development and Small Business
All three candidates recognize the unique role small businesses and retail corridors play in the life of Ward 6. They di er on government’s role in supporting them.
Allen has supported commercial corridors through legislation creating grants, regulatory adjustments and pandemic-era relief programs. For example, he helped pass the Small Retailer Property Tax Credit, create the security-camera grant program and introduce the RESALE act to prevent entertainment ticket markups at resale. The DC Council must make broader legislative and budgetary e orts for sustaining neighborhood retail and supporting small businesses, he argues. Constituent services are a core function of his o ce, while his work on regulation tends to come through targeted legislative adjustments and small business support rather than a broader push for deregulation or systemwide “regulatory relief.”
Nauden places small businesses at the center of her campaign and claims she has worked with more than a thousand enterprises. The city should adopt policies supporting Main Street retail, tourism and local entrepreneurship, she says, linking economic development directly to neighborhood stability, public safety and quality of life.
Murphy focuses on improving how government interacts with businesses. He claims that overly complex and outdated bureaucratic systems hinder both residents and entrepreneurs, pointing to challenges in licensing, inspections and access to services. His platform calls for streamlining these processes and improving responsiveness across agencies.
The same contrast in approach
appears in how candidates think about infrastructure and the public realm.
Transportation, Infrastructure and Quality of Life
On infrastructure, the candidates largely align on the importance of transit and public space, though with di erent emphases.
Allen, a bicycle commuter and Metro rider, consistently advocates increased public transit funding and multimodal infrastructure. He chairs the DC Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment, which oversees DC Department of Transportation (DDOT), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), DC Water and related agencies. Allen previously chaired the council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. He is a strong supporter of WMATA, expanded transit access and safer street design, including the STEER Act targeting dangerous driving.
Nauden proposes quality-oflife improvements to transit, bike lanes and accessible parks, focusing on day-to-day experience. Her campaign calls for cleaner, safer, more reliable transit, better-maintained stations and stronger connections between neighborhoods and commercial corridors. She also emphasizes connected bike infrastructure that reduces traffic conflicts and well-maintained public spaces that support recreation and neighborhood livability.
Murphy does not foreground transportation as a standalone issue but incorporates it into a broader land-use agenda, including support for increased density near Metro
stations. His platform also emphasizes improving how infrastructure projects are delivered, framing transportation in terms of government e ciency rather than specific transit or street design proposals.
These differences point to a broader question about the direction of the ward and the city.
It’s All about Direction
The Ward 6 contest debate is less over goals than over how well current systems are working and what kind of leadership is needed. Allen makes the case for continuity by pointing to progress achieved and arguing that existing policies can be re ned and expanded. Murphy is de ned by his demand for reform, contending that structural problems in governance, transparency and policy design require a di erent approach. Nauden emphasizes stability and economic vitality, focusing on how policy translates into day-to-day conditions for residents and businesses.
Those di erences, in a threeway Democratic primary conducted under ranked-choice voting, may shape how voters evaluate not only their rst choice, but their second and third as well.
For more information on the candidates for the Ward 6 council seat in the Democratic Primary, visit www. hillrag.com/2026/04/26/who-isrunning-for-ward-6-council/; or attend the debate at the Hill Center at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE on May 11 from 7 to 9 p.m. Visit www.hillrag.com/2026/04/27/hear-the-candidates-attendthe-may-debates for more details.
Your Vote is Your Powermake
Ranked Choice Voting
• Ranked Choice Voting will be introduced for the first time in D.C. in 2026
• Step 1: Vote for your favorite candidate 1st
• Step 2: Rank your backup choices (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th). Only rank candidates you support!
• Step 3: Your vote stays with your 1st choice. If they lose (come in last place), then your vote moves to your next choice.
• This process repeats until one candidate wins over 50% of the vote
• Try not to skip any rankings. But you are not required to rank everyone.
When you’re done filling out your ballot, it should look like this: each choice is in a different column and a different row.
HOW TO VOTE
1) VOTE AT HOME
• Review your candidate choices at Vote411.org
2026D.C.Primary Election: June16th
• Fill out your ballot and sign the envelope
• Submit it in a secure drop box, a US mailbox, or at a voting center (any time between 11am on May 22 until 8pm on Election Day - June 16 )
(2) VOTE EARLY (6/8 - 6/14)
• Review your candidate choices at Vote411.org
• Where? When? Vote411 has all the information you need!
All 18+ year old D.C. citizens are eligible to vote in this election. D.C. resident non-citizens can vote for local (municipal) officials. D.C. residents who are in jail or prison or have returned are allowed and encouraged to register and vote.
VOTE411.org is the League of Women Voters’ nonpartisan “one-stop-shop” for all the election-related information you need See what’s on your ballot, register to vote, or check your registration at vote411.org VOTE411’s D.C. Voter Guide provides information on the candidates running for every office and where they stand on key issues, which is especially important in this election, as voters will be ranking candidates on the ballot according to their preference.
School Enrichment Programs Get a Big Boost
Capitol Hill Community Foundation Grants Support Academic Excellence
by Barbara Wells
Many of Capitol Hill’s public schools strive to deliver more than a standard curriculum to nurture their students’ curiosity, creativity, and personal discipline. This year, the Capitol Hill Community Foundation recognizes two of the Hill’s most ambitious programs: the Eastern High School International Baccalaureate (IB) Program and the Stuart-Hobson Middle School DramaPlayers.
“Through our Spring and Fall Grants, the Foundation consistently supports the extraordinary work of our teachers and schools,” said Grants Committee Chair Mark Weinheimer. “But with these two $25,000 grants, we can do even more to not only acknowledge exemplary efforts but also fuel their continued success with a major financial investment.”
Eastern High’s IB Program
Eastern High School’s IB program will receive the Foundation’s Arnold F. Keller Jr. Grant, created to fund new initiatives or expand existing pro-
grams. The highly acclaimed IB methodology and curriculum is recognized worldwide for increasing students’ preparation for academic rigor— along with their college acceptance rates—and enabling them to earn college credit in high school by achieving passing scores on IB assessments. The program emphasizes experiential learning, research skills, independent thinking, and global citizenship.
Eastern’s IB program already has grown significantly since the 2022-2023 school year—from seven students seeking the IB Diploma to 25 students today, and from 50 seniors taking IB course exams to 94 this year. The class of 2025 had Eastern’s best IB test scores yet: 33 students attained at least one passing score—an increase of more than 20 students from the year before. The Keller grant can help Eastern sustain this growth and reach its five-year goal of having a total of 50 students in the 11th and 12th grades pursuing the IB Diploma.
At Eastern, the IB program includes two parts: The IB Middle Years Programme, for students in grades 9 and 10, focuses on critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and international mindedness, pushing students to connect classroom learning with the world around them. It includes collaborative interdisciplinary projects, communi-
ty service events, and a personal project—ranging from designing shoes to creating anime and including writing papers detailing their research and development process.
In the second part, 11th and 12th grade students may continue taking a selection of IB courses or choose to pursue the prestigious and highly demanding IB Diploma. That requires taking all six IB subject classes and a Theory of Knowledge course, plus completing a research-based extended essay and engaging in creativity, activity, and service experiences.
As IB Diploma Program Coordinator Danielle Josephson explains, Eastern uses a holistic approach to select IB students. Middle Years students complete an application that includes writing samples, teacher recommendations, and test
Some class of 2025 IB Diploma Program students on their college decision day.
Photo: Eastern IB Diploma Program
A class of 2026 IB Diploma Program scholar presenting her Theory of Knowledge exhibition. Photo: Eastern IB Diploma Program
scores. However, if a student is strong in one area, that may compensate for some weakness another. For the IB Diploma Programme, students complete an eligibility form, and the IB team discusses their academic readiness with the students and their families and teachers.
Josephson also works with students to overcome specific barriers to acceptance and success in the program, such as difficulties with organization or meeting deadlines. In addition, she helps create ways to help public school students access the IB Diploma Programme, which is more commonly offered in private and charter schools. For example, because some public school students have not taken Algebra II before 11th grade as the IB Programme
requires, Eastern has offered summer and online Algebra II classes so they can catch up and qualify.
Beyond rigorous academics, student leadership is a hallmark of Eastern’s IB program. An IB Student Board of five juniors and seniors meets with Josephson biweekly and is instrumental in celebrating IB students’ hard work. The result: superlatives for students and teachers, a catered friendsgiving lunch at the end of the first term, and a t-shirt design and tie-dye party at the end of junior year.
One of Josephson’s greatest challenges is raising awareness of the IB program’s advantages. With the Keller grant, Eastern will continue organizing meetings between IB students and
younger students, host open houses for middle school students, and begin connecting with elementary schools as well.
In addition, the grant will help fund more college tours, Smithsonian museum workshops, and academic research trips, including excursions to locations farther from DC. It will be used to purchase additional materials to support students’ assessments, IB-specific science experiments, and work on their 4,000-word research papers. And funds will support professional development opportunities for teachers, such as the IB MidAtlantic Association’s “Boot Camps” on proven subject-specific teaching strategies to augment the standard IB Diploma training.
“The IB Middle Years and Diploma Programmes help prepare students both academically and socio-emotionally for life after high school,” said Josephson. “The Keller grant supports our mission at Eastern to keep making them more accessible for all interested students.”
DramaPlayers Program Earns National Awards and Local Support
The Stuart-Hobson DramaPlayers program is receiving the Foundation’s Franzén Award for the Arts, dedicated to cultivating arts initiatives on Capitol Hill. The program has already demonstrated excellence, earning the All-Festival Performance Award—the highest honor—at the 2026 Junior Theater Festival (JTF) held in Atlanta last January. JTF 2026 brought together more than 141 student musical theater troupes—representing more than 8,000 students and educators from across the country—that each performed a Broadway number for adjudication.
In addition to helping to stabilize and sustain the DramaPlayers program, the Franzén grant will support the students’ participation in another performance opportunity in 2027. “Coming on
7th and 8th grade DramaPlayers in “Seussical the Musical”. Photo: Stuart-Hobson DramaPlayers
Dreams meet dedication – and history is made with the JTF All-Festival win. Photo: Stuart-Hobson DramaPlayers
That “JTF moment”... locked-in and unstoppable. Theater magic. Photo: Stuart-Hobson DramaPlayers
the heels of our recent JTF recognition, this award feels like a beautiful reminder that when students are believed in, they rise,” said DramaPlayers Director Tori Pergerson. “This support does more than fund a trip or a program. It opens doors that many of our students have never walked through before. ... I watched students press their faces to airplane windows, clutch boarding passes with disbelief, and quietly realize, ‘I get to do this. I belong here.’”
Since Pergerson stepped in as the DramaPlayers director in 2016, the program has grown steadily, producing 16 musicals and increasing middle school participation from 15 students to more than 100. “What began as a small after-school activity has evolved into a vibrant studentled theater community where young people explore creativity, collaboration, leadership, and confidence through the performing arts,” she said.
A collaborative team of educators, artists, and volunteers brings specialized expertise to help students experience the many artistic disciplines involved in producing a musical—from performance and choreography to visual design and technical production. The training emphasizes ensemble work, creative expression, and community engagement, helping students develop technical, social, and time management skills as well as a team mentality. Every student has an opportunity to voice ideas and develop personal leadership attributes.
Students participate in theater instruction daily as part of their performing arts coursework as well as through extracurricular opportunities before and after school and at Saturday rehearsals. They practice improvisation, ensemble-building activities, scene study and rehears-
al, vocal and movement training, and student-led creative work. Students serve as directors or choreography captains, provide peer feedback, and participate in “show and tell” days where they present work and receive constructive critique.
Beyond the classroom, DramaPlayers takes students on an annual theater trip to New York and to local professional and community theater performances and technology workshops. They also join in ash mobs and outreach performances and work with alumni mentors. As Pergerson noted, “These experiences help students understand that theater is not only an art form but also a community-building and career pathway opportunity.”
A portion of the Franzén Award will help the DramaPlayers program manage its growth by creating an inventory system for students to more easily manage and access costumes, props, and production materials for their productions. Funds will also be invested in wireless microphones and sound equipment so that audiences may fully experience the students’ voices. And of course, a portion of the funding will support student participation in experiences like the JTF.
“What made that journey especially meaningful was witnessing who our students became along the way—supporting one another backstage, encouraging peers from other schools, standing taller with each performance, and returning home changed,” Pergerson said. “They did not just compete; they represented Capitol Hill with pride, integrity, and excellence.”
To learn more about the grantees, visit easternhighschooldcps.org, instagram. com/stuarthobsondramaplayers, and youtube.com/@stuarthobsonmiddleschool6054. For
dation, visit
tion.org.
ANC 6A REPORT
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
Wlosses
Allen tional
Allen Warns of Budget Shortfall
Commissioners unanimously elected Scott Burger (6A01) to serve as interim secretary.
Special Election For 6A06
ard 6 Councilmember Charles Allen (D) told Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A that the District faces a roughly $1 billion budget shortfall as federal job losses and economic uncertainty hurt local revenues.
Allen said District unemployment has risen above the national average for the rst time in decades, driven in part by federal workforce reductions. He warned the budget process will require di cult decisions but argued against relying only on cuts to housing or healthcare. The DC Council will consider both spending reductions and possible revenue increases, with hearings expected in the coming weeks.
Planning continues along the H Street and Benning Road corridor, including a transit study following the end of DC Streetcar service. It has been nearly 20 years since the city undertook corridor planning, Allen said, adding residents have called for transit improvements such as dedicated bus infrastructure. He said the e ort builds on recent public input and will inform future planning and zoning decisions.
Allen also cited rising utility costs as a major concern, pointing to recent rate increases and “sticker shock” on bills. He outlined legislation to expand energy assistance by automatically enrolling eligible residents in programs tied to SNAP and TANF, and noted that about 80% of eligible residents are not enrolled. Other proposals would streamline solar permitting and expand access to plug-in solar for renters. He said oversight of the Public Service Commission has intensi ed after a court decision overturning a recent rate increase raised questions about possible refunds or credits.
Commissioners raised concerns about delays in spending
roughly $4 million for Sherwood Recreation Center improvements, unsafe e-bike and scooter activity on sidewalks and persistent vacant storefronts on H Street. Allen said that agencies are expected to engage the community on Sherwood planning, that future regulations and technology may help address sidewalk riding and that the city is exploring policy changes to address partially vacant mixed-use properties.
There were no related votes.
New Member and New Officer
The commission welcomed newly swornin Commissioner Morgan Conley (6A05), who said she plans to focus on transportation, pedestrian safety and neighborhood representation. Conley said she has lived in the neighborhood for about eight years and recently stepped forward to ll the vacant seat to ensure her community remained represented. Conley, who is also involved in a local community garden, said she is getting up to speed but looks forward to engaging with neighbors and addressing constituent concerns.
ANC 6A devoted a signi cant portion of its April 9 meeting to hearing from candidates seeking to ll the vacant 6A06 seat ahead of a special election scheduled for April 11. Both candidates discussed the future of the H Street corridor, citing vacancies, turnover in retail and the need to attract businesses that generate sustained foot tra c. Each emphasized working with businesses while maintaining standards through settlement agreements.
Candidate Daniel Aboagye emphasized data-driven decision-making and the need to address persistent issues along the 15th Street corridor, including gun violence, overdoses and long-standing quality-of-life concerns such as trash collection and rodent control. He said the role of commissioner requires balancing those concerns with broader equity issues across Ward 6 and neighboring communities.
Candidate Ben Hammer focused on neighborhood-level problem-solving, highlighting pedestrian and cyclist safety, parking concerns and support for local businesses. He pointed to his experience in community organizations and prior ANC committee work, and suggested expanding public safety engagement and strengthening ties with local advisory bodies.
50 people voted at the April 11 elec-
tion. Ben Hammer was elected by a vote of 28-22. The results are not official until certified, after which he must be sworn in by Councilmember Allen. The June meeting is expected to be Hammer’s first as a commissioner.
In Other Business
Commissioners voted unanimously to protest a medical cannabis retailer license application for Hit at 712 15th St. NE, unless a measurement is taken by the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) that confirms the establishment is located greater than 400 feet from Miner Elementary School, as required by DC regulations. If this measurement confirms that the establishment is greater than 400 feet away, ANC 6A shall protest the application unless a settlement agreement is reached. The letter will also request a remeasurement of the distance and ask for an explanation of how the measurement should be taken according to regulation.
An application for a substantial change to a license for Allure Lounge at 711 H St. NE sought to add three sports wagering betting kiosks inside premises on the main floor and in the bar area, in pursuit of a settlement agreement. The ANC was prepared to discuss the application, but no representative of the applicant appeared at the April 9 meeting.
Commissioners voted to:
• support an application fr om DC Public Schools and the Department of General Services (DGS) for an after-hours permit to install the playground equipment and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) at Goding Elementary School located at 920 F St. NE, if needed, on Sunday April 12. and April 19, within the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.;
• to oppose Federal attempts to remove protected bicycle lanes in DC.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A met April 9 with Commissioners Scott Burger (6A01), Kimberly Butler (6A02), Roberta Shapiro (6A03, treasurer), Amber Gove (6A04, chair), Megan Connelly and Steve Kolb (6A07, vice chair) present. Ben Hammer is commissionerelect for 6A06.
The commission is scheduled to meet online at 7 p.m. on May 14. Details on how to join the meeting and upcoming committee sessions are posted at www. anc6a.org. u
Neighbors Object to Fast Food on Barracks Row
ANC 6B REPORT
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
Franchisee Emerald Wings (aka Wingstop) filed a Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) application to operate a fast-food (heavy-delivery) chicken restaurant at 406 Eighth St. SE. The address is in a commercial zone that requires a zoning exception for fast food uses, but the exception conveys with the address, meaning any subsequent occupant could open a different restaurant. The application has been discussed at every meeting of the ANC Planning and Zoning Committee since January, commissioners said.
The ANC and neighbors are focusing on odor, trash and rats, delivery traffic and impacts on safety and fire access. There is strong opposi-
Serving the Near Northeast, North Lincoln Park, and H Street communities
The next meeting is Thursday, May 14, 2026 (2nd Thursday), 7:00 pm ALL ARE WELCOME
ANC 6A generally meets the second Thursday of the month, virtually on Zoom.
May 13 I 7pm
tion and growing skepticism about the applicant’s willingness to meet robust conditions. Wingstop’s original BZA application requested an exemption from DC trash-storage rules, which alarmed neighbors. Negotiations have pushed the applicant toward indoor, refrigerated trash storage, but it remains unclear whether the applicant will commit to this in its BZA filing or only if the ANC signs a settlement agreement.
The captain of the Eighth Street Firehouse formally protested the project, warning that delivery vehicles will block equipment movement and slow response times. Residents also raised concerns about late-night activity spilling into nearby residential blocks, describing gatherings after bars close, with loud music, traffic congestion and difficulty securing police response.
As of April 14, 209 residents had signed a petition opposing the application and raising broader concerns about fast food proliferation on the row, including the possibility of a broader fastfood moratorium or zoning changes.
Commissioners acknowledged the concerns but said such measures would require legislative action beyond the ANC’s authority, which is limited to legally relevant criteria including odor, traffic, safety and noise.
The ANC will not vote on the application until at least May, extending negotiations between the applicant, neighbors and the ANC’s Planning and Zoning Committee before the June 17 BZA hearing. Commissioners said they may pursue a formal protest in June if negotiations fail. There was no vote.
Curfews
The ANC discussed the District’s juvenile curfew debate and recent large youth gatherings. Representatives from Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen’s office said the councilmember supports safe and welcoming public spaces but remains concerned that the city has not expanded programming for young people as a condition for extending curfew measures. Commissioners and residents emphasized the need for youth engagement, mentorship opportunities and safe gathering spaces, pointing to existing informal community sites as positive examples.
The ANC Public Safety Committee voted at its April meeting to create a subcommittee on the
youth curfew. The group will study the curfew, its effects and alternatives, and will meet virtually to make recommendations by the June meeting. There was no vote.
In Other Business
ANC 6B is developing a single recommended name for the new traffic circle where 15th Street intersects with Potomac and Pennsylvania avenues SE. The ANC’s Transportation Committee will review candidate names and bring one forward for a full ANC vote before transmitting a recommendation to the DC Council, which by law must give the ANC’s position “great weight.”
At its April meeting, the ANC’s Alcohol, Beverage, and Cannabis (ABC) Committee recommended sending a letter to the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration regarding the owners of Tobacco King, who have been arrested and charged with drug-related offenses in Fairfax County. The full ANC discussed the issue and will review a draft letter at a future meeting before taking final action.
The ANC voted to:
• write to mayoral candidates about PAC houses, residential homes used for fundraising or lobbying in violation of DC Code, citing weak enforcement under Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Buildings and requesting stronger enforcement commitments;
• write to Mayor Bowser, Attorney General Brian Schwab, DC Councilmembers and federal officials opposing the Indy-style race around the National Mall, citing risks to pedestrians and cyclists and damage to infrastructure.
The ANC also supported a separate letter to the DC Department of Energy and the Environment requesting information on fuel use, air quality and environmental impacts;
• oppose the removal of the 15th Street NW protected bike lane on National Park Service land, which had been planned for March before being blocked by litigation from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.
At the close of the meeting, commissioners noted that Edward Ryder (6B08) stepped down as ANC 6B commissioner, effective immediately. A special election will be held to fill the vacancy.
met in a hybrid format on Tuesday, April 14, at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE and via Zoom. Present were Samuel Pastore (6B05, vice chair), Anna Krebs (6B06, treasurer), David Sobelsohn (6B03, secretary), Tyler Wolanin (6B01), Gerald “Jerry” Sroufe (6B02), Brian Gorman (6B04), Vince Mareino (6B07) and Karen Hughes (6B09).
ANC 6B generally meets at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month in person and online via Zoom. The next regular meeting will be held Tuesday, May 12. Details are available at www.anc6b.org. u
National Guard Activity and Immigration Enforcement Questions Remain Unanswered
ANC 6C REPORT
by Sarah Payne
Commission secretary Andrew Hayes briefed commissioners on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted to Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) regarding National Guard activity and immigration enforcement in the District.
The process began last fall following President Donald Trump’s declaration of a crime emergency in the city. In September, the commission voted to submit 12 FOIA requests to inquire about the guidance Bowser was providing to law enforcement during the federal surge. In February, the commission reported that Bowser’s office “failed to provide a substantive response” to the commission’s requests. The commission has since appealed the “effective denial” of the FOIA requests sent to the mayor and has not yet received a response.
According to Hayes, National Guard presence in the city has been extended through the end of the year with discussions of an extension through 2029. “I saw recently that we’ve passed 20,000 immigration arrests in the DC area, with the majority of those folks not having a criminal record,” Hayes
reported. “What we’re asking about is relevant and important, and I hope we’ll get some answers in response to our appeals.”
The commission anticipates a response about its appeals prior to the May commission meeting and plans to discuss next steps. If the appeals go unanswered, the commission could “start pushing publicly” on the issue, Hayes proposed. “If we don’t get responses, then the city is not doing what it should be doing and we can advocate around that,” he added.
The commission took no vote on this matter.
Other Matters
The commission protested the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) application for a substantial change request at The Consortium (201 Massachusetts Ave. NE) to add an entertainment endorsement for live music and extend hours from closure at 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 3 a.m., Friday through Saturday, until a settlement agreement is reached. The commission seeks a settlement agreement to ensure a quiet street, a mandate that the venue have a sta member onsite for all events and a requirement for the establishment’s hours of operation and service to match those of existing establishments.
The commission voted to:
• support the addition of two “No Through Trucks Over 1¼ Ton Capacity” signs along the 1200 block of Fourth Street NE to notify drivers of truck restrictions;
• support the $5,114 grant application request of the Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School (659 G St. NE) garden project to supply construction materials and soil mix to grow vegetables.
Commissioners Jeremiah Foxwell (6C01), Karen Wirt (6C02, chair), Jay Adelstein (6C03, treasurer), Mark Eckenwiler (6C04, vice chair), Daniela McInerney (6C05), Andrew Hayes (6C06, secretary) and Tony Goodman (6C07) attended the ANC 6C meeting on Wednesday, April 8.
ANC 6C will meet next on Wednesday, May 13, at 7 p.m. via Webex. Learn more about the commission and register to attend at www.anc6c.org. Sarah Payne is a reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com. ◆
Councilmember Allen Visits
ANC 6D REPORT
by Andrew Lightman
Councilmember Charles Allen (D) paid a visit to the commission to report on events at the DC Council. The pressures on DC’s budget are signi cant, he said. Nevertheless, Allen remains committed to defending environmental and social programs. Funding is in place to begin planning for Amidon School’s modernization in 2030 and then construction in 2031-32, he said.
Allen’s committee just assumed responsibility for the Public Service Commission as a result of the reshu e following Kevin McDuie’s resignation from the DC Council. He promised vigorous oversight aimed at controlling residential energy costs.
Allen told the commission that long-promised safety improvements to the intersection of Sixth and M streets SW are coming soon.
What are the mayor’s plans for using tax abatements for buildings in the Southwest federal district to fund development downtown? asked Commissioner Gail Fast. Allen is skeptical generally of the idea, awaiting the details from the mayor. However, the redevelopment of the area provides enormous opportunities, he pointed out. A central downtown is an artifact of the 1970s, and DC is better thought of as a set of downtowns such as The Wharf, the Navy Yard and NOMA, he argued.
Citing the recent hot weather, commissioners asked about the housing regulations surrounding the heating and cooling of multifamily dwellings. Allen told commissioners that the council is working on changing them to better grapple with the realities of global warming.
Treasurer Fredrica (Rikki) Kramer and secretary Rhonda Hamilton both complained of the dangers posed by e-scooters and e-bikes to pedestrians. The new generation of e-bikes and e-scooters, Allen said, will be able to distinguish between sidewalks, bike lanes and streets, allowing them to automatically throttle their speeds on sidewalks. This technological fix is the key, he argued.
Several commissioners expressed frustration with recent teen takeovers, especially near the Waterfront Metro. “There’s no magic wand,” stated Allen. “We need to use all the tools in the toolbox.” The keys, said Allen, are “consistent conversations and planning.” One solution is to open city recreation centers on weekends and in evenings, he suggested.
Commissioners thanked the councilmember for his time and expressed their satisfaction with his leadership of the ward.
Plans For 375 & 425 M Street
Transwestern Development is working on initial plans for its vacant parcels at 375 and 425 M St. SW, said Toby Millman. He brief the commission on the high-level concepts by mid-May. More detailed plans will be presented as completed. Transwestern is expecting to start construction within a year.
If there is some form of regular activation on the site, the risk management team has agreed there would be no need for a fence, said Millman in response to commissioners’ queries. Those activities must be regularly scheduled and subject to an agreement. Their organizers would have to insure the parcels. Absent that, they are mobilizing the fence contractor, Millman said.
The project will move forward with by-right development, Millman stated in response to a question from Commissioner Fast. The goal is to develop both sites as rapidly as possible. No decision on has been made on retail, since leasing remains a challenge, Millman said.
“There is some question whether all the retail envisioned by the PUD would be supportable,” Millman said.
300 K Street
Bernstein Companies senior vice president of development Greg Rooney asked for the commission to support another two-year extension for their
plans to develop 300 K St. SW. The site is a parking lot behind the Southwest Library, adjacent to a rental apartment building. The project has already received two extensions.
“We want to build tomorrow if we could,” said Rooney. Another extension will not be necessary, he stated. The commission voted to support Bernstein’s extension.
Public Safety
Paul Hrebenak of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) First District briefed the commission on public safety. In the last 30 days, compared to the same period last year, crime was down, but there was an increase of crimes with dangerous weapons, he said. These incidents mostly involved domestic disputes. There were also three robberies, which were quickly closed.
On Friday and Saturday nights, large groups of juveniles have gathered at the Navy Yard and secondarily at Waterfront Metro, Hrebenak said. Under the mayor’s emergency order, MPD can enforce curfew zones that start at 8 p.m. MPD has created dedicated teams to address the crowds. Officers take a zero-tolerance approach to fighting, cannabis use or other misbehaviors, giving juveniles a verbal warning before dispersing them. Violators are kept on a “holding” charge and their parents are required to get them. “There is not one magic bullet to fight this,” Hrebenak said.
The Waterfront Metro needs added enforcement zones along with The Wharf and the Navy Yard, suggested vice chair Bruce Levine. Hrebenak agreed. Anecdotally, the teen meetups tend to consist of Maryland and Virginia adolescents, compared to the Department of Parks and Recreation events, which are attended mainly by DC youth, he said.
Commissioner Gail Fast suggested using Metro fare data to track the movements of the kids. The problem cannot be solved by policing alone, she emphasized.
Other Matters
The commission voted to table discussion of plans by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) for safety improvements to the intersections at Fourth and M streets as well as Sixth and M streets SW. The agency has issued a notification of intent for the project. Commissioners directed the
chair to invite the agency to the next administrative meeting and request the agency extend its deadline for comments.
Commissioners approved the FY26 Q2 report and authorized the DC Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to direct-deposit the commission’s allotments.
The commission supported the 51st Marine Corp Marathon and a reserved handicapped parking spot for a resident.
The commission voted to protest the application for a Class B License of Exotic of the River Liquors at 1800 Half St. SW on the grounds of parking and vehicular and pedestrian safety as well as peace, order and quiet. The commission voted to authorize treasurer Kramer or ABC committee member Anthony Chase to testify at the hearing.
The commission approved appointments to two vacant single-member district and two at-large positions on the its Alcohol Cannabis Committee.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D met on April 20 via Zoom. Commissioners Gottlieb Simon (6D02, chair), Gail Fast (6D03), Bruce Levine (6D06, vice chair), Fredrica (Rikki) Kramer (6D07, treasurer) and Rhonda Hamilton (6D08, secretary) were in attendance. Marquell Washington (6DO1), Andrea Pawley (6D04) and Chearie Phelps-El (6D05) were absent.
ANC 6D meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month. The next meeting is on May 18 via Zoom. For more information visit www.anc6d.org. u
Stadium Parking and Transportation
ANC 7D REPORT by Sarah
Payne
Commissioners discussed updates to the RFK campus redevelopment project and the importance of community feedback. Ongoing concerns about the implementation of parking garages and redesign of surrounding roads dominated discussion.
“I continue to hear concerns from residents
about the redesign of the transportation network, including many of the roadways that will be local to our communities on the RFK campus,” Commissioner Alcorn said, noting the commission’s commitment to amplify community concerns.
The redevelopment also plans 11-story garages in lots six and eight around the stadium, Commissioner Payne reported. This spring, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) hosted several meetings and intends to review plans for parking decks at a future meeting.
There is “a lot of skepticism” about the preliminary plans for these parking spaces, Payne said, noting that community members are interested in how the city plans to cover the structures and wants to see them reduced in height. She encouraged residents to register to testify and submit written comments online highlighting their concerns.
The District hosted several community engagement events this spring, including in-person site walks for residents and community members, to learn more about the redevelopment and share feedback about the project as a whole. Commissioners encouraged residents to stay involved as the process continues.
“This is an ongoing conversation and a very important opportunity for community input,” Alcorn said. “We urge our constituents to remain engaged, ask questions and talk to their commissioners, but also be present at the various engagements the city is offering.”
The commission took no vote on this matter.
Other Matters
George Jordan of The 51st briefed commissioners on the newspaper’s community connector program. The program aims to close the gap between the outlet’s reporting and the District’s communities. “We think there’s a great need to make sure that we have diverse news and that we are covering more news from as many different voices as we can,” Jordan said.
The commission voted to designate the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (OANC) as an agent related to District Integrated Financial System (DIFS) and Procurement Automated Support System (PASS) Accounting System Maintenance.
Commissioners Artilie Wright (7D03), Ebony Payne (7D05), Brian Alcorn (7D08, chair), Ashley Schapitl (7D09) and Dev Myers (7D10) attended the ANC 7D meeting on Tuesday, April 14. Commissioners Joshua Taborn (7D01, vice chair), Katie Murphy (7D04), Dominic Pacheco (7D06, secretary) and Brett Astmann (7D07, treasurer) were absent. 7D02 remains vacant.
ANC 7D will meet next on Tuesday, May 12, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. You can learn more about the commission and register to attend at www.7d0761.wixsite.com/anc7d-1. Sarah Payne is a reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com. u
ANC Notes Problems I-695 Ramp Project
ANC 6/8F REPORT
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
At the April 28 ANC meeting, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) presented on the “D4 Ramp Project,” targeting safety and traffic operations around the eastbound I-695 ramps to 11th Street SE, 11th Street between I and O streets SE, an area near Virginia Avenue Park and a segment of DC-295 near the Pennsylvania Avenue SE exit. Project manager Dhvani Patel and engineer Ravindra Gamir said the project is about 65% designed, with final design expected by mid-June, bidding in the fall and construction in spring 2027.
DDOT aims to reduce crashes and confusion at the ramps while improving pedestrian and bicycle safety along 11th Street. Planned changes include reconfiguring I-695 ramps for safer queuing, refining signals, increasing pedestrian crossing times and adding a raised refuge island. The project also extends the shared-use path near Virginia Avenue Park to connect Garfield Park and 11th Street, with added lighting. On DC-295, DDOT proposes lengthening the merge area near Pennsylvania Avenue and upgrading signage.
Along 11th Street, DDOT proposes a two-way protected cycle track on the west side between I and O Streets, separated by a buffer. Intersection up-
grades at I, M, N and O streets would add protected signal phases for pedestrians and cyclists, restrict left turns to protected-only movements and shorten crossings. At O Street, the facility would connect to the future 11th Street Bridge Park.
Commissioners focused on continuity north of I-695. The existing bike lane north of the freeway runs on the east side, while the proposed track south is on the west, raising concerns about how cyclists, including children, would transition safely. DDOT said the project scope ends near I Street and includes a marked crossing and planned transition, but acknowledged a continuous facility north to Pennsylvania Avenue has not been finalized. Commissioners also noted a potential conflict with previously proposed Eighth Street bus lanes. Commissioners also raised concerns about how the O Street and 11th Street design would interact with heavy, irregular Navy Yard gate traffic, requesting coordination with Navy leadership.
DDOT said projects are prioritized based on safety, mobility, community impact and equity. Officials framed the project as part of a broader push toward walking, biking and transit, noting the challenge of shifting away from car use. They cited M Street and NoMa cycle tracks as comparable examples and said they would incorporate ANC feedback as design advances.
Humane Rescue Alliance
The ANC heard a presentation from Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) Director of Public Affairs Kelly Whittier, invited in response to complaints about off-leash dogs and waste in the neighborhood.
Whittier said that as of early 2025, animal control services are handled by Brandywine Valley SPCA, which responds to stray animals, bites and dangerous dog investigations. HRA retains Humane Law Enforcement authority, focusing on animal cruelty and neglect, including pets abandoned in vacant units. She said HRA is seeing more animals left behind in apartments, reflecting housing instability.
HRA distinguishes between intentional cruelty and lack of resources. In severe cases, they work with the US Attorney’s Office to pursue criminal charges and remove animals. In other cases, such as seniors or low-income owners unable to provide grooming or veterinary care, HRA prioritizes keeping pets with their families by of-
Update on Krughoff Pickleball Center At Garfield Park
by Ann Goodwin
The paving is complete; asphalt is curing; equipment is on order. Stay tuned to the Hill Rag Daily (visit https://www.hillrag.com to subscribe) for announcements regarding the opening date for our ve new courts!
The Pickleball project actually started in July 2018 when a group of mostly seniors from Capitol Hill began playing pickleball on a regular basis on two courts constructed on an abandoned, dead-end roadway just south of Gar eld Park (between the Interstate 695 overpass and New Jersey Avenue, adjacent to the CSX railroad tracks). Robert Krugho and Margaret Crenshaw were the driving force behind the development of these courts.
While players enjoyed an untold number of hours of recreation and socializing - winter and summer, from July 2018 throughout the pandemic and until August 2025 - the courts were rough and not very safe. Working with the Navy Yard BID, an application was made to the DC Public Space Committee for a permit to designate this section of Virginia Avenue for public use and construct ve state-of-the-art pickleball courts. On July 24, 2025, the application was approved. The pickleball courts will be fully integrated into the Gar eld Park/Canal Connector Project and other sports amenities planned for the site.
An Advisory Committee, consisting of representatives from all major stakeholders - Gar eld players, Washington DC Pickleball, Navy Yard BID, DC Pickleball League, Friends and Neighbors of Gar eld Park, Capitol Hill Village, Councilmember Allen’s o ce, ANC 6B and ANC 8F - was established to provide community input.
The fundraising campaign for the Krugho Center kicked o in October 2025 with an initial goal of raising $75,000 by March 2026 to cover the cost of court surfacing, semi-permanent nets, net covers, barriers, and a storage container as well as ongoing maintenance. To date we have raised in excess of $115,500. Thank you to all our Founding Donors!
The Krugho Pickleball Center - named in memory of Robert - will be the only outdoor courts on Capitol Hill available all year round and will ensure access to safe, free play for individuals and community groups from Capitol Hill and beyond.
For more information contact Ann Goodwin at 202-669-1290 or by email at manngoodwin@gmail.com. ◆
fering support, including eld grooming and connections to lowcost veterinary services.
Whittier highlighted a new HRA clinic on MLK Avenue in Anacostia, located in the former Whitman-Walker building. The clinic o ers a ordable vaccines and basic care, with surgeries handled at HRA’s Oglethorpe facility. She said the site addresses a lack of veterinary services east of the river and may expand to include grooming, training and pet supplies.
Commissioners raised concerns about o -leash enforcement, which HRA said is primarily handled by animal control and MPD, though HRA supports education and outreach. Questions also addressed limited care options for non-traditional pets and the need for greater outreach, including presence in dog parks. Whittier said residents can report concerns anonymously, including by text. There was no vote.
Extension in Yards
The ANC voted to approve a time extension of the approved design review in a Zoning Case at 110 N St SE. Developer Brook eld representative David Avitabile of Goulston & Storrs briefed the ANC on the project. The site already has Zoning Commission approval for a commercial o ce building supported by the ANC about four years ago, but Brook eld has been unable to proceed due to a weak o ce market, di culty securing a tenant and increased construction costs. Apple said a prior two-year extension was granted and those conditions remain. Brook eld is now seeking another two-year extension to preserve approvals while it seeks a tenant and nancial viability.
The ANC resisted supporting an extension, citing concern about inde nite delay. The attorney said the project needs to weather economic conditions and agreed to return in one year with an update.
In Other Business
The ANC voted to:
• oppose a DDOT Notice Of Intent (NOI) to convert 25 feet of regulated parking to 40 feet of no parking or standing anytime at 50-55 M St SE,
• oppose DDOT NOI to change a Pick Up and Drop Off (PUDO) zone to No Parking on the 1100 block of New Jersey Avenue SE.
• reschedule the June meeting from June 23 to a virtual meeting on June 30.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6/8F met in person and online. On the dais were Commissioners Nic Wilson (6/8F01), Vice Chair Markita Bryant (6/8F02), Chair Brian Strege (6/8F03), Secretary Edward Daniels (6/8F04) and Treasurer Dayan Reynolds (6/8F05).
The next meeting of ANC 6/8F will be held on Zoom and in person at DDOT Headquarters, 250 M St SE, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 26. Details are available at anc8f.org. ◆
Pickleball enthusiasts on the old courts off Garfield Park in the shadow of the freeway.
Bulletin Board
Community Gathering: Supporting Our Unhoused Neighbors
On Sunday, May 31, from 1 to 3 p.m., at St. Mark’s Church, 201 A St. SE, join Everyone Home DC and St. Mark’s to learn about the history and causes of homelessness in DC. Hear neighborhood experts explain how to support unhoused neighbors year-round and advocate to provide everyone with a safe, affordable and comfortable home.
The Capitol Hill Classic Run
The Capitol Hill Classic, on Sunday, May 17, raises funds that help the Capitol Hill Cluster School, a DC public school, to pay for field trips, art supplies, classroom projects, professional development for teachers and other needs The event consists of a 10k, a 3k
and a Kids Fun Run. All races start and finish in front of Peabody Primary School, 425 C St. NE. The 10k starts at 8:30 a.m. ($55); the 3k after the 10k ($45); and the Kids Fun Run around the park, at about 11 a.m. ($20). Fees are higher on race day. www.capitolhillclassic.com/info
City Dogs & City Kitties Rescue Comedy Night
On Saturday, May 9, from 7 to 10 p.m., at Gallery O on H, 1354 H St. NE, enjoy a night of laughs and life-saving with three locally acclaimed comedians, a cash bar sponsored by Go Further Tours, yard games, a pet-a-pup area sponsored by Behavior United and more. Tickets are $25 (standing) to $35 (seated). www.citydogsrescuedc.org/event
Pups in the Park Returns
Pups in the Park is a unique opportunity for residents to bring their dog to a Nationals game. Special ticket buyers and their dogs are invited to participate in a postgame parade on the warning track. Remaining Pups in the Park dates this year are: May 5, at 6:45 p.m., vs. Twins; May 20, at 6:45 p.m., vs. Mets; June 23, at 3:45 p.m., vs. Phillies; Aug. 25, at 6:45 p.m., vs. Rockies; Aug. 29, at 4:05 p.m., vs. Marlins; Sept. 27, at 3:05 p.m., vs. Mets. Owners must purchase separate seats for themselves and their pups. All proceeds from the dog ticket sales will be donated to the Humane Rescue Alliance. www.mlb.com/ nationals/tickets/specials/animal-days
DC Election Debates in May
The Hill Rag, the Ward 6 Democrats, the Ward 2 Democrats, the DC Democrats, the Stonewall Democrats and Spotlight DC are jointly holding election debates to help voters make their ballots matter. Here are the details. The Mayoral Debates are on Tuesday, May 5, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Hill Center, and Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Transmission. A Congressional Delegate Debate is on Sunday, May 10, noon to 2 p.m., at St. Colletta school. A Ward 6 Councilmember Debate is on Monday, May 11, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Hill Center. The Democratic At-Large Debates are Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Transmission, and Sunday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Colletta. The Chairperson’s Debate is on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Transmission. The Hill Center, Transmission and St. Colletta of Greater Washington DC PCS have offered the use of their facilities for the events. The Hill Center is at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Transmission is at 1353 H St. NE. St. Colletta of Greater Washington DC PCS is at 1901 Independence Ave. SE. Questions for the candidates should be sent to the moderators at debate@hillrag.com.
10AM - 3PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 13
Memorial Day Concert and Dress Rehearsal
The Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol is on Sunday, May 24, at 8 p.m. The grounds open at 5 p.m. Checkpoints are set up for the inspection of all bags and parcels. Guests must enter through a metal detector. The gates are located at the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds. There are viewing areas for guests with disabilities. The dress rehearsal on the Saturday before the concert is also open to the public. General admission gates typically open at 5 p.m., with the same safety procedures and admission policies applying. www.pbs. org/national-memorial-day-concert
Pride Run 5k at Congressional Cemetery
On Saturday, June 6, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., the DC Front Runners Pride Run Foundation hosts its 14th annual Pride Run 5k at Congressional Cemetery. Join over 1,200 runners as they begin Pride Weekend 2026 with a running start. Register at www.congressionalcemetery.org/event/pride-run5k-2026.
Potomac Water Taxi Returns for the Season
The Potomac Water Taxi has resumed service connecting The Wharf and Old Town Alexandria. Departures from The Wharf’s Transit Pier, 950 Wharf St. SW, begin at 11:45 a.m., with boats running every 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the day. Rides start at $21. Schedules and tickets are avail-
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able at www.cityexperiences.com/washington-dc or at ticket booths at each port.
The Great Brookland Yard Sale
The annual Great Brookland Yard Sale is Saturday, June 6 (rain date, June 13), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sales are in individual yards, businesses and churches around the neighborhood. An interactive map will be available closer to the event date. On sale day, printed maps will be available at Yard Sale Central, 12th and Newton in front of the BNCA Kiosk, at Brookland Farmers Market or at 12th Street Cleaners. www.brooklandcivic.org/gbys
Ward 6 Budget Town Hall
Join Charles Allen for the Ward 6 FY27 Budget Town Hall on Wednesday, May 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Pl. SW. dclibrary.org.
Free DC Ward 6 Meeting
On Thursday, May 7, 7 to 8:30 p.m. the Ward 6 Free DC May meeting is at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 E. Capitol St. NE. It is open to all Ward 6 residents, in person or online. freedcproject.org/event-list/ward-6-meeting-hybrid-m7jrc.
Washington Area Community Investment Fund Virtual Small Business Sessions
On Tuesday, May 5, noon to 1 p.m., Are You Capital Ready? The ability to access capital can mean success or failure for a small business. This virtual workshop, hosted by Grace Butler, Director of Credit & Risk from WACIF and United Bank, explores underwriting practices, credit score standards, and loan options that will help you increase capital for your business. Register at Eventbrite: Are You Capital Ready? Understanding the Lending process & 5 C’s of Credit. On Wednesday, May 6, noon to 1 p.m., Unlocking Opportunities with WACIF. Learn how WACIF supports entrepreneurs with education, advising, and lending. wacif.org.
DC Pop-Up Brings Local Designers Together Through October, on Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., The Stacks has partnered with neighborsdc.com to launch Creative Collective Retail, a rotating pop-up featuring a curated mix of DC-based designers and vintage sellers. At 101 V St. SW, visitors can browse one-of-a-kind pieces and meet the makers behind them, with rotating vendors throughout the season.
NGA Sculpture Garden Tours Resume
Tours of the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden are offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 3 p.m., through June 14. They explore modern and contemporary sculpture in a landscape setting. The tours meet in front of the Pavilion Cafe on the west side of the fountain. Tours may be canceled due to excessive heat or rain. Free, no registration needed. www.nga.gov
Southwest Nights and Pay Your Age Tickets at Arena Stage
Arena Stage patrons who reside or work in Southwest DC can buy discounted tickets for specially designated performances of each production. Tickets are $29 for plays and $39 for musicals. Proof of residency or employment for each member of the party must be presented at the time of ticket pickup. Tickets are based on availability. Pay Your Age tickets are for the 35 and under crowd. Age determines the price. Tickets become available approximately two months before each production’s first performance. Proof of age for will be required at the time of
The national Memorial Day Concert is held every year on the West Lawn of the US Capitol and is broadcast worldwide.
ticket pickup. No children under five permitted in the theater. www. arenastage.org/tickets/savings-programs
DC Dragon Boat Festival
The 23rd annual DC Dragon Boat Festival is on Saturday, May 16 (rain date, June 13), 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Georgetown Waterfront Park and Thompson Boat Center. The festival includes eye-dotting ceremonies, lion dances and other cultural demonstrations. Dragon boating is based on the legend of Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and statesman who in an act of protest committed suicide in the Mei Lo river around 278 B.C. Local fishermen who witnessed the act quickly paddled their boats to the river and thrashed the water in order to scare the fish away from eating his body. www.dcdragonboatfestival.com
DC Art Bank Opens
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities celebrates 40 years of the Art Bank program, a public collection that highlights the creativity and vision of DC’s artists. The FY 2027 Art Bank grant cycle is open through May 18. Selected pieces will join the District’s public art collection and be exhibited in government buildings and community spaces across the city. Information regarding eligibility and more is included in the request for applications at www.tinyurl.com/ArtBank2026.
“Samplers,
Students, and Sailmakers: A Portrait of Federal-Era Capitol Hill”
Federal-era Capitol Hill has left few markers on the cityscape. A group of embroidered samplers made by girls (often invisible in records and histories) offers the best jumping-off point for imagining early 19th-century Navy Yard and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. The textiles were made by daughters of Navy Yard workers attending the school run by progressive abolitionist educator John McLeod and his wife Rebecca. The samplers are the subject of the Overbeck Capitol Hill History Lecture to be offered on Monday, May 4, at 7 p.m., at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Alden O’Brien, recently retired curator of costumes and textiles at the DAR Museum, will discuss the makers’ families and through them the demographics of early residential Capitol Hill. Admission is free. Reservations requested. Seating begins at 6:30 p.m. www.hillcenterdc.org
Love & Diapers: Inaugural Mother’s Day Diaper Drive
On Saturday, May 9 (rain or shine), 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the New Samaritan Baptist Church and Capital Community News are conducting a Mother’s Day Diaper Drive at the New Samaritan Baptist Church (drive-through or walkup), 1100 Florida Ave. NE. They are asking for donations of diapers, pullups and wipes. The donations are tax-deductible. It costs an average of $1,200 to diaper a metro-area baby for one year. Diapers keep babies clean, healthy and dry, allowing caregivers to send their children to daycare so they can go to work or school. The donated diapers go to the Greater DC Diaper Bank, which delivers diapers to over 40,000 vulnerable families in the metro area per year through a network of 80+ social service partners. www.greaterdcdiaperbank.org
Capitol Riverfront
BID Rebrands as Navy
Yard BID
The Navy Yard Business Improvement District delivers comprehensive place management services that help ensure the neighborhood is clean, safe, accessible, distinctive, welcoming and vibrant. Through active collaboration and strategic partnerships, the BID works to cultivate a thriving waterfront community along the banks of the Anacostia River. www.navyyarddc.org/navy-yard-bid
Capitol Hill Art League’s Pop-up Art Sale
On Sunday May 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Capitol Hill Art league is holding an art sale outside Wine and Butter, 11th and E. Capitol Street. caphillartleague.org.
Folger Consort 2026-27 Season of Early Music
Folger Consort, the early music ensemble-in-residence at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE, has announced its 2026-27 concert series: “Monteverdi’s Legacy,” Sept. 11 to 13; “An English Christmas for the Ages,” Dec. 11 to 20; “Folktales and Storied Traditions: Troubadours, Griots, and Hakawatis,” Feb. 12 to 14; and “Folger Consort’s Golden Jubilee,” May
7 to 9. The season marks 50 years of Folger Consort under founding directors Robert Eisenstein and Christopher Kendall. www.folger.edu
First Fridays at Community Forklift
Community Forklift’s popular First Friday events, from 5 to 8 p.m., return with themed evenings celebrating reuse and local partnerships. Each event features live music, food trucks, drinks and special discounts in the reuse warehouse. Themes include: May 1, “River & Reuse,” celebrating the Anacostia; June 6, “River Salvage & Cycle,” highlighting cycling and sustainable transportation; Sept. 4, “Old Homes,” honoring historic preservation and architectural salvage; and Oct. 2, “Horkus Forkus!”, a Halloween-themed night of reuse and community fun. Community Forklift is at 4671 Tanglewood Dr., Edmonston, Maryland. www.communityforklift. org
Folger Theatre Plays for 2026-27
Season
Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE, has announced its 2026-27 season with three titles by William Shakespeare: “Measure for Measure,” Sept. 22 to Oct. 25; “Hamlet,” March 2 to April 4; a comedy, title to be announced, May and June 2027. www. folger.edu
The Armed Forces Cycling Classic
The Armed Forces Cycling Classic takes place on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, and is open to cycling enthusiasts of all abilities. The 12-mile Challenge Ride course will include both Arlington and DC, with the start and finish in front of the US Capitol. The ride offers a car-free, closed course for up to three hours. Finishing medals await participants, with gold, silver and bronze awarded based on distance completed. Enjoy at a casual pace (stay to the right) or challenge yourself (pass on the left). Read more and register at www.cyclingclassic.org.
Golden Gears: E Bike and Scooter Rides
AARP DC, in partnership with Vision Zero, hosts Golden Gears: E Bike and Scooter Rides, a beginner friendly way to explore DC’s trails on two wheels. Designed for adults 50+, the rides are open to riders of all experience levels. Collaborators Lime and Capital Bikeshare will give free access to shared e bikes and scooters. There is an upcoming ride on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m., on the Anacostia Trail and Anacostia Park (www.tinyurl. com/May 16VZride). Advance registration is required and space is limited. Address questions to renee.moore@dc.gov.
Do you have a notice for the Bulletin Board? The Hill Rag Bulletin Board includes event notices, volunteer opportunities and other community news. Send your notice to bulletinboard@ hillrag.com. u
CHRS House & Garden Tour
Tickets Now on Sale for May 9 and 10
by Fynnette Eaton, Jackie Krieger and Angie Schmidt
Tickets are now on sale on Eventbrite for the Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s May 9 and 10 annual House & Garden Tour. This popular event on Mother’s Day weekend sells out every year. The advance price is $40, increasing to $50 on the weekend of the tour.
This year’s tour highlights the southeast side of Capitol Hill, with its lovely parks and older homes. There are eight homes on the tour, three semi-public buildings and a newly installed native-plant garden. Some of the homes have been on the tour, but anyone with a
long history of attending the tour probably wouldn’t recognize their interiors due to fresh and interesting updates in decor.
Refreshments from local DC vendors will be available in the lobby of 507 Eighth St. SE, on Barracks Row, which will also operate as tour headquarters. The 507, as it is known, is an event venue as well as the office of Taoti Creative.
The Historic Shotgun House. Photo CHRS Staff
A homeowners TV room. Photo CHRS Staff
Roof Repair & Installation Services
Both parts of the building will be available for tourgoers to see. The building itself has been many things over the years – some more reputable than others ‒ and the society is pleased to o er more information and to introduce this space to those who have not seen it recently.
The homes on the tour feature both historic and more modern layouts and interiors. A few are on lightly used streets, and some are ones that you might have wondered about due to their unusual shape or paint colors. There are standalones, corner lots, clapboards and former boarding houses. And there is an infamous alley, an infamous business and one with some interesting collections.
The tour features stately and well-behaved stops, such as the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church and the Hill Center. Both of them have graciously volunteered their locations as rest stops and will also o er tours of their buildings. The church is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture with impressive stained glass windows, and the Hill Center has made a few interesting changes to its outdoor garden.
The tour as always is foot-friendly. This year’s map will lead tourgoers through beautiful parks south of Pennsylvania Avenue, and CHRS will provide information about them in the tour catalog.
In the Weeds
by Dare Johnson Wenzler
I’m busy! What are some impactful garden projects I can knock out in a weekend this month?
By May, Capitol Hill gardens are waking up in earnest. The azaleas have mostly had their moment, window boxes are starting to fill in and suddenly every patch of outdoor space ‒ no matter how small ‒ feels full of possibility. This is when a few focused weekend projects can make an outsized difference, setting your garden up for a full season of color and enjoyment.
Here are five manageable projects that deliver immediate impact.
1. Build (or Refresh) a Raised Bed
Raised beds are one of the fastest ways to turn an underperforming patch of ground into a productive garden. Whether you’re working with a narrow backyard or a side yard that never quite drains properly, a simple wood-framed bed filled with fresh soil creates ideal growing conditions immediately.
In Capitol Hill’s compact spaces, even a four-by-eight-foot bed can yield an impressive amount. Think tomatoes, peppers, basil and lettuces all within arm’s reach. If you already have
beds, May is the time to top them off with compost and turn the soil before planting.
2. Install a Trellis (and Think Vertically)
When space is tight, the only direction to go is up. Adding a trellis, obelisk or even a simple wire panel can instantly expand your planting area without taking up additional square footage.
Climbing plants like pole beans, cucumbers and clematis not only maximize space but also add height and structure ‒ something many small gardens lack. A wellplaced trellis can also create a sense of enclosure or define an outdoor “room,” which makes even the smallest yard feel more intentional.
3. Refresh Your Containers
Containers are the quickest way to inject color and personality into a space, especially in neighborhoods like ours where front stoops and patios often double as gardens.
Swap out tired earlyspring plantings for warmseason combinations that will carry you through summer. A classic “thriller, filler, spiller” approach works beautifully: a bold centerpiece plant, softer mid-level blooms and something trailing over the edge. Consistent watering and a slow-release fertilizer will keep them looking fresh well into July.
4. Edge and Mulch Your Beds
This may not be the most glamorous project, but it’s
one of the most transformative. Clean, defined edges between lawn and planting beds instantly make a garden look more polished and wellcared for.
Follow that up with a fresh layer of mulch (don’t over mulch, two to three inches is ideal) and you’ll not only improve the appearance but also help retain moisture and suppress weeds as temperatures rise.
5. Add a Pollinator Patch
Carve out even a small area for pollinatorfriendly plants. Incorporating species like Echinacea purpurea, Pycnanthemum muticum or Asclepias tuberosa brings movement and life into the garden while supporting bees and butterflies. The beauty of a pollinator patch is that it doesn’t need to be large or formal. A few thoughtfully chosen plants tucked into an existing bed or even a large container can make a meaningful difference.
Gardening advice, information and commentary from the Capitol Hill Garden Club. Send your questions to capitolhillgardenclub@gmail.com.
Want to learn more about gardening or spend time with people who like plants? The next Capitol Hill Garden Club meeting is on Tuesday, April 14, at 6:30 p.m., at the Northeast Library, 330 Seventh St. NE, and is open to all. Visit www.capitolhillgardenclub.org for more information. u
Raised beds create structure, improve soil and make even small urban gardens highly productive. Photo: David Lang
Containers are the fastest way to add color and personality to patios, stoops and small city spaces. Photo: Jan Canty
Changing Hands
Changing Hands is a list of residential sales in Capitol Hill and contiguous neighborhoods from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, Associate Broker at Coldwell Banker Realty on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.
647 E St NE 4BR/3.5BA/Parking
Prancing Around Lincoln Park
by Pattie Cinelli
That burst of lime, hot pink and orange neon blurry in your field of vision as you drive around the Hill is not an early morning half-awake illusion or even the remnants of one too many gummies the night before. You are witnessing a group of adult women who gather every Friday morning at 6:30 to prance around Lincoln Park, donning 90s neon garb and blasting a 90s music playlist that all can dance, sing and exercise to for one glorious hour each week.
“We dance with joy for fitness, fun and to create community,” said Sarah Hanks, founder of Fridays We Prance. “It’s the best free cardio workout in the DMV.” Hanks and her group have been prancing around Lincoln Park since May 2024. Her group evolved from Hanks’ love of dancing and de-
sire to exercise. “I’m not a runner but I will dance all day long,” she said.
About a year before Fridays We Prance officially became a group, Hanks would dance by herself from Lincoln Park to the Capitol and back and often took videos. When her dad watched one he commented that she looked like she was “prancing.” He said, “I bet it would be more fun if you could get some friends to join you.” Hanks posted a request on social media. She got commitments from five friends to try it once.
“We needed to be in neon to be seen,” she said. So, I thrifted six neon sweaters and cut off the arms for leg warmers. Fridays was the best day for all of us. I had one speaker playing aloud and had the same play list available for anyone with earbuds. We pranced around Lincoln Park. Afterwards, walking
home together, one of the women said the phrase, Fridays We Prance, created an Instagram page and the rest is history.”
They have never missed a Friday morning prance and will be celebrating their two-year Pranceaversary on May 29.
The organization’s What’s App chat has grown to about 180. Hanks takes no attendance and the group exerts no pressure on fellow prancers to show up each week. A few women live out of town and only prance when they are back in DC. Women in all stages of their lives make up the group. Even well-behaved dogs are welcome.
Liz Ogorek, a journalist with the Hill Rag who lives eight minutes from Lincoln Park, was one of the original five prancers (a member of the Prance Council). She likes the Friday morning meeting
Cherry Blossom Prance 2026.
time. “It’s a good time because it’s before school (if you have kids) and before work and too early to have to be anywhere. For me, it’s hard to get anywhere to work out but prancing is a great way to start my day.”
Last year, Hanks’ documentation of the group’s activities on Instagram caught the eye of New Yorker Stephanie Mitchell, a fitness instructor who lives off Central Park. She came to Capitol Hill a few times to prance. She loved it so much she started a Fridays We Prance in NYC. Hanks wrote up a franchise agreement and she and prancers from Capitol Hill joined Mitchell for the inaugural prance in Central Park last April.
More Than Prancers
If you think Fridays We Prance is just a silly exercise class for women you would be missing the heart of the group. Not only do these wom-
en dance, exercise and have fun, but they also rally to support community causes. The spontaneous advocacy for causes that a prancer feels passionate about blossoms when the group gathers for a cool down at Wine and Butter, a cafe on Lincoln Park. When the February blizzard wiped out the café’s awnings, Fridays We Prance collected money to purchase new awnings.
“When women dance together and create community every single week. We care about each other and our community,” Hanks said. “We rise up together to support each other.” For example, a prancer was going through treatment for breast cancer. Insurance wouldn’t cover payment of a cold cap to allow her to keep her hair during treatment. “It was the best feeling in the world to be able to transfer money to her account. We raised 100 percent of the amount needed within a few days.”
Last year, because of the government shutdown, the Marine Band could not makes its annual appearance at Congressional Cemetery to celebrate John Phillip Sousa’s birthday. When prancer Kerry Lupher, learned that the annual event would not take place, she rallied Hanks, who is a violinist for the Capital City Symphony and a violin teacher at CHAW (Capitol Hill Arts Workshop), who brought six members from the Symphony to honor Sousa’s birthday. She said she was proud of the
Capital City Symphony and of Fridays We Prance for collaborating to ensure Sousa’s birthday did not go uncelebrated.
Last month Lupher, a social worker, helped organize a recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Prancers donned signs around the Park as they pranced to bring awareness to the impact of crime, honor survivors and renew commitments to strengthen victims’ rights and services. They also created a 5K run (about six loops around Lincoln Park) in honor of the week.
The Prancers will be out in full regalia prancing in the Capitol Hill Fourth of July parade. In the meantime, if you want to have some fun, be silly and meet some cool neighbors, find your neon colors, sequins and tutus, get yourself to Lincoln Park at the Mary Bethune statue any Friday morning, and be ready to prance.
For more information: FridaysWePrance@ gmail.com or check out the website at: www.Fridaysweprance.com.
Pattie Cinelli, a prancer at heart, may be found prancing at Lewes Beach with her pups. To contact her with comments or story ideas: fitmiss44@aol.com. u
Lauren Bomba, Sarah Hanks and Liz O’Gorek prancing in World Pride 2026.
You can join the Prancers every friday morning around Lincoln Park.
DC native John Harrod considered himself to be an athlete. Yet in the late 1970s, when he realized that visual and performance arts could excite and inspire young people as much as football, John created Market 5, a vibrant venue showcasing the arts in Eastern Market’s North Hall. He also helped lay the ground work for the outdoor flea markets that attract crowds to this day. Learn more about John by reading his oral history at CapitolHillHistory.org. Keep Capitol Hill history alive by becoming a volunteer.
Pattie Cinelli is a writer and holistic fitness professional who focuses on how to get and stay well and thrive.
Photo by Elizabeth Dranitzke
The District Vet
How Often Should You Feed Your Dog?
by Dan Teich, DVM
The question of how often to feed dogs— once daily versus twice daily—has gained renewed attention in light of emerging research and “professionals” on instagram. While many dog parents assume there is a definitive answer to the question, the reality is more nuanced and uncertain. Current scientific evidence, combined with guidance from board-certified veterinary nutritionists (Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, ACVN), suggests that feeding frequency is flexible and should be tailored to the individual dog rather than dictated by a universal rule. Sounds familiar, eh?
Historically, feeding adult dogs twice daily has been the most common recommendation. This practice is widely used in clinical settings and is supported by veterinary organizations and teaching hospitals. ACVN-aligned guidance notes that, “for most pet dogs, feeding once or twice per day is recommended,” reflecting a practical approach rather than a strict physiological requirement. Importantly, this recommendation is not based on definitive comparative trials demonstrating superiority of twice-daily feeding, but rather on clinical experience, consistency, and ease of portion control.
A large observational study from the Dog Aging Project, published in GeroScience in 2022 (Bray et al.), has challenged this convention. In a cohort of over 10,000 dogs, those fed once daily were found to have lower odds of several health conditions, including gastrointestinal, dental, orthopedic, kidney, and liver disorders, as well as better cognitive scores. While these findings are compelling, the study was cross-sectional and relied on owner-reported data, which can be unreliable. As such, it cannot establish causation, but does pique curiosity. The authors themselves emphasize the need for more controlled studies before drawing firm conclusions about feeding frequency and health outcomes.
This distinction is central to how ACVN diplomates (and all scientists / professionals) interpret the findings. Veterinary nutritionists are trained to priori-
tize evidence from controlled feeding trials and to be cautious with observational data, particularly when multiple confounding factors—such as calorie intake, body condition score, and lifestyle—are not tightly controlled. From this perspective, the Dog Aging Project provides an important jumping off point, but not a basis for changing clinical recommendations. As a result, ACVN guidance continues to emphasize that total caloric intake and maintenance of an ideal body condition score are more important than feeding frequency alone.
However, there are definite situations where feeding frequency is clinically important. Puppies require multiple meals per day to support growth and maintain stable energy levels. Similarly, smallbreed dogs may benefit from more frequent feeding due to their higher metabolic rates and increased risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) - this is frequently seen in Chihuahuas and teacup Yorkies. In dogs with diabetes mellitus, feeding schedules are often closely tied to insulin administration, making consistent meal timing—typically twice daily—essential for controlling blood sugar levels.
Elderly dogs may also benefit from more frequent, smaller meals, particularly if they have reduced appetite, bilious vomiting, gastrointestinal sensitivity, or concurrent medical conditions. In clinical contexts such as cancer or chronic illness, veterinary nutrition protocols often recommend feeding two to four times daily to improve caloric
intake and tolerance. These recommendations are based on individual therapeutic needs rather than general health optimization.
Feeding timing can also be important. In large and giant breed dogs (Great Danes, Rottweilers, etc.), especially those predisposed to gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), it is usually advised to avoid feeding immediately before or after vigorous exercise. While the exact relationship between feeding practices and GDV risk has not been definitively proven, managing meal timing around activity is a widely accepted precaution in veterinary practice. This should probably be applied to all dogs (aka don’t eat before you swim).
Despite growing interest in once-daily feeding and its potential metabolic effects, there is currently no consensus that it is superior to twice-daily feeding for most dogs. ACVN diplomates consistently emphasize individualized feeding plans based on the dog’s age, size, health status, and lifestyle. They also note the absence of randomized controlled trials directly comparing feeding frequencies under controlled conditions. Until more rigorous studies are available, veterinary nutrition experts recommend focusing on well-established factors—appropriate caloric intake, diet quality, and body condition all while adjusting feeding frequency to meet the specific needs of each dog. In other words: if we are overweight, reduce calories.
Dan Teich, DVM, is the Founder of District Veterinary Hospitals u
TRAINER SPOTLIGHT
S chool N otes
edited by Elizabeth O’Gorek
Watkins Goes to Zimbabwe
On Monday, April 20, a group of Watkins Elementary 5th graders stepped out of the classroom and into the Embassy of Zimbabwe as part of the Embassy Adoption Program. Bringing their studies to life, the students shook hands with His Excellency Tadeous Tafirenyika Chifamba, the Zimbabwean Ambassador to the United States, greeting him with a mixture of confidence and awe. The young diplomats proudly shared what they had learned about the African nation, and the Embassy staff came away impressed with the students’ knowledge of Zimbabwean culture, history and geography.
Friends Community School, 5901 Westchester Park Dr, College Park, MD; friendscommunityschool.org
Jefferson
Middle School Academy
Jefferson hosted Caregiver Conversations: Wellness Wonderland, an evening dedicated to rest, restoration and connection for fam-
Capitol Hill Cluster School, Peabody; Watkins; Stuart-Hobson; capitolhillclusterschool.org
DFCS Barters For Fun
Friends Community School 1st and 2nd grade students recently hosted a “Barter Bonanza”, a simulation designed to mimic market trading and bring key economic concepts to life. Through “bartering”, students developed an understanding of community, relationships, and systems, while also building critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. These young entrepreneurs considered wants and needs, fairness, value, and thoughtful decision-making as they worked to make successful trades with FCS peers, Middle Schoolers and adults!
ilies. Caregivers enjoyed a variety of engaging wellness experiences, including yoga, mini massages, aromatherapy, mocktails and creative activities—all designed to uplift and support their well-being. Led by Connected Schools Manager, Sharon Fitzgerald, Wellness Wonderland reflected our belief that when caregivers are supported, our scholars thrive. Thanks go to the APA Foundation and the other sponsors for making this possible! Photo Credit: Sharon Fitzgerald.
Maury Masters their Universe!
Maury 5th grade students in Think Tank created terrariums, their own personal worlds-ina-jar. Each is a closed system - like Earth - containing the geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The water is billions of years old, the exact same water that the dinosaurs drank.
DC Prep, in partnership with JPMorgan Chase, is hosting a free financial wellness workshop for Spanishspeaking families on May 6 at 2:30 PM at 701 Edgewood St NE. This community session will help participants take control of their finances by learning how to set clear financial goals, build a budget that works, and start saving with confidence. The workshop will be offered entirely in Spanish
Jefferson Middle School, 801 Seventh St. SW, jeffersonmsacademy.org
Watkins Elementary
Friends Community School
Jefferson Middle School
Maury Elementary
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and is open to families interested in strengthening their financial future. To register, visit: https://shorturl.at/ HHB4R
DC Prep, 2330 Pomeroy Rd SE, dcprep.org
Mundo Verde Finishing Up New Building
Mundo Verde is in the final stretch of construction for their early childhood building at its Calle Ocho campus! They can’t wait to welcome our youngest learners to this beautiful new space.
J.F. Cook Campus, 30 P Street NW; Calle Ocho Campus, 4401 8th Street NE, mundoverdepcs.org
NE Montessori Learns All About
Butterflies
In April, students learned all about butterflies! They discovered that in Spanish, a butterfly is called a mariposa and explored the first stage in a butterfly’s life cycle—the egg usually laid on a leaf. The egg hatches into a caterpillar (larva), which eats and grows. The caterpillar forms a chrysalis (sometimes called a pupa), where it undergoes an incredible transformation. The butterfly slowly emerges from the chrysalis with soft, crumpled wings. The wings dry and harden, and the butterfly is ready to fly! There is now a butterfly observation kit in a classroom. Over the next three weeks, students will get to watch real butterflies go through their amazing life cycle.
Richard Wright Schools welcomed Officer Boone from the 1st District Community Outreach Unit and V7 Candle & Soap Company to engage and uplift the outstanding Lady Spartans. Students created their own personalized shea butter while learning to blend scents and colors. The experience also highlighted the importance of self-care, self-love and overall wellness. The community is grateful for this meaningful opportunity and thank our partners for
pouring into and inspiring the young women.
Richard Wright Public Charter School, 475 School St. SW, richardwrightpcs. org
SPS Student of the Month: Ryan Gotthold!
Saint Peter School’s Student of the Month Award for March’s virtue of honesty is Ryan Gotthold (8th Grade). Ryan was nominated because he approaches all situations with honesty at the forefront, entering conversations and interactions with an honest heart and always looking for ways to share the truth—even if he must admit fault. He knows that the truth is more important than a spotless reputation and puts honesty first.
St. Peter School
Capitol Hill, 422 Third St. SE, stpeterschooldc.org
Templeton Meets Creator of Character
Barbara Friedlander, the first woman to create an original character for DC
Comics, spoke to high schoolers in Visual Storytelling to discuss how comics are made, the process of crafting stories and her experience in the comics industry.
Templeton Academy, 406 Seventh St. SE, templetonacademy.org/ dc u
Mundo Verde
Northeast Stars
Richard Wright
Saint Peter School
Templeton
Kids & Family
Children’s Business Fair of Washington, DC
The annual Acton Children’s Business Fair of Washington, DC, is on Saturday, May 9 (rain date May 16), 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Dupont Circle neighborhood at 1521 20th St. NW. North America’s largest entrepreneurship event for children gives children the opportunity to showcase their own businesses. Children aged six to 14 are invited to create a product or service and sell to customers. Prizes will be given for the best businesses by age and category. Past businesses have included handmade greeting cards, a pet-sitting service for exotic birds, a photobomb booth and a lemonade stand that donated a percentage of profits to protect honeybees. Join the mailing list at www.dcchildrensbusinessfair.org/email-updates.
DC DPR Outdoor Pools Open for the Season
DC Department of Parks and Recreation outdoor pools will open for the season on Memorial Day weekend and remain open, for weekends only, until school lets out. At DC’s outdoor pools, 15-minute safety breaks occur on the 45th minute of every hour. All children and guardians must exit the pool during safety breaks to lessen the risk of spreading water illnesses. Additionally, poolgoers can hydrate, use restrooms, reapply sunscreen and seek shade. During periods of excessive heat and peak utilization, DPR may require patrons to leave the water, regardless of age. Find a pool and read the rules at www.dpr.dc.gov/page/outdoor-pools.
Semper Fred 5k
The Semper Fred 5k, on Saturday, May 16, is a family-friendly, all-ages event in historic Fredericksburg on the day before the Marine Corps Historic Half. $56. Register for this 3.1-mile experience at www.marinemarathon.com/event/semper-fred-5k.
Capitol Hill Classic Kids’ Fun Run
The National Capital Bank Capitol Hill Classic, on May 17, is an annual 10k, 3k and Fun Run ‒ the only race run exclusively on the roads of Capitol Hill. Funds raised through the event benefit the Capitol Hill Cluster School, a DC
Chiarina’s Family Concert: Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”
On Sunday, May 17, at 2:30 p.m., at St. Mark’s Church, 301 A St. SE, in an original adaptation by musicologist and children’s book author Anna Harwell Celenza, Chiarina presents the story of Antonio Vivaldi’s concerti, “The Four Seasons,” and the pupils in Venice who first performed the work. The program features soloist Audrey Wright and includes narration and visuals. It is best enjoyed by audience members ages five and up. Tickets are $23.18; free for ages 18 and under. www.chiarina.org
public school serving over 1,100 students. Now in its 45th year, the 10k is the oldest and biggest in DC. The 10k ($55) starts in front of Peabody Primary School, a few blocks from the US Capitol. Runners traverse Capitol Hill, passing Stanton Park, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Park, the RFK stadium campus and the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. The 3k ($45) course also begins at Peabody Primary School. Runners head to East Capitol Street and trek to Lincoln Park and back. The Fun Run ($20) is a single lap around Stanton Park (approximately a third of a mile). www.capitolhillclassic.com
Ms. Niki In Concert
Nicole “Ms. Niki” Addison is a classically trained singer/songwriter from Washington, DC. Described as a New Age cross between Mary Poppins and Ms. Frizzle, she will lead audiences of all ages on a colorful adventure through upbeat original songs and classics with a twist. Ms. Niki is at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, on Friday, May 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. $10 admission. www.hillcenterdc.org
Anacostia Park Skating
Skate anytime at Anacostia Park Skat-
ing Pavilion ‒ the National Park Service’s only roller-skating rink. Free skate rental is available from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Sundays to Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursdays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last skate rentals are distributed 30 minutes before closing. Rentals are free with a government-issued ID. Socks are required to rent skates. www.nps.gov/anac
Girls on the Run Spring 2026 Celebratory 5k
The Girls on the Run Spring 2026 Celebratory 5k is at Anacostia Park on Sunday, May 17, at 8 a.m. (prerace fun, 7 a.m.). This non-competitive, inclusive gathering welcomes participants of all ages and fitness levels for a supportive atmosphere and scenic trails while helping a meaningful cause. Registration is $45, and dayof is $55. Registration is now open at www.gotrdc.org/5k.
Library of Congress
Experiential Gallery for Children and Teens
The Library of Congress will open an experiential gallery in May for children and teens with families and school groups. The Source: Where
Explore the outdoors with exciting nature hikes, treasure hunts, field trips, and creative challenges.
Create masterpieces in art, science, theater, dance, and crafts while discovering new talents.
This summer, let your child unleash their imagination, explore new adventures, and create unforgettable memories! At Polite Piggy’s, we believe that fun is not just an activity — it’s an experience, and it starts with you!
Be…The Fun! Embrace your inner adventurer, make new friends, and enjoy endless laughter through games, performances, music, and wacky competitions!
Curiosity Sparks Discovery is spearheading a shift toward participatory, youthcentered learning in one of the nation’s most historic spaces. Created especially for visitors ages eight to 15, the gallery encourages engagement in creative, personalized ways. At interactive stations youth can investigate items from image, film, sound and text collections through guided exploration and open-ended discovery. www.loc.gov
123 Andres at National Theatre’s Saturday Morning Live
On Saturday, May 9 and 23, at 10 a.m., in the National Theatre’s Helen Hayes Gallery, 123 Andres give concerts in Spanish and English. Andres and Christina perform on stages across the US and Latin America and are co-hosts of the awardwinning PBS podcast “Jamming on the Job.” Pre-registration is now live. Free admission. The new schedule for Saturday Morning Live! has one 10 a.m. performance on the second Saturday of the
Love & Diapers: Inaugural Mother’s Day Diaper Drive
Meet America’s National Mammal: “Bison Standing Strong” (Opens May 7)
Explore a remarkable exhibition about the American bison at the Natural History Museum. This iconic animal once shaped North American landscapes and Indigenous lifeways but was pushed to the brink of extinction. Today, it stands as an enduring symbol of survival and resilience. Explore a full-sized bison specimen, an immersive soundscape, cutting-edge scientific research and Native objects and stories shared in collaboration with community members. www.naturalhistory.si.edu
The Source: Where Curiosity Sparks Discovery Free Family Day at LOC
On May 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., take part in a full day of free family-friendly fun and performances. Enjoy activities highlighting Library materials and staff specialists,
Family-Friendly NoMa Outdoor Movie Nights
On Wednesday evenings, May 6 to June 10, NoMa BID presents CiNoMatic, an outdoor movie series at Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE. Here’s the lineup: May 6, “Pirates of the Caribbean”; May 13, “Jurassic Park”; May 20, “Top Gun”; May 27, “National Treasure”; June 3, “Night at the Museum”; June 10, “The Princess Bride.” Movies begin at sunset, with lawn seating opening one hour prior to showtime. Guests are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is first-come, first-served, and to bring their own blankets, chairs and picnic dinners. NoMa restaurants are open for takeout; food and drink will also be on sale from food truck partners. On-leash dogs are welcome. For more information and weather-related schedule updates, visit www.cinomatic.org.
On Saturday, May 9 (rain or shine), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the New Samaritan Baptist Church and Capital Community News are conducting a Mother’s Day Diaper Drive at the New Samaritan Baptist Church (drive-through or walkup), 1100 Florida Ave. NE. They’re asking for donations of diapers, pullups and wipes. Donations are tax-deductible. It costs an average of $1,200 to diaper a metro-area baby for one year. Diapers are more than just a basic need, they’re a lifeline. They keep babies clean, healthy and dry. They allow caregivers to send their children to daycare so they can go to work or school. The recipient of the donated diapers, pullups and wipes, the Greater DC Diaper Bank, delivers diapers to over 40,000 vulnerable families in the metro area per year through a network of 80+ social service partners. www.greaterdcdiaperbank.org
and performances. Join an author talk with bestselling co creators Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud as they discuss their middle grade graphic novel, “The Cartoonists Club.” The program is being held on the ground, first and second floors of the Library’s Jefferson Building. The event is free but tickets are required for the Jefferson Building. Register at loc. gov/visit.
The Speedwell Conservation Carousel at the Zoo
Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting, the Speedwell Foundation Conservation Carousel offers a one-of-a-kind experience, where you can ride a naked mole rat, panda or armadillo. Located across from Lemur Island at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the carousel features carved and handpainted animals under a brightly colored open-air pavilion. $4 tickets can be purchased at the carousel. Riders under 42 inches must be accompanied by an adult. All proceeds support the zoo’s animal care and conservation science initiatives. Wheelchair accessible. www.nationalzoo.si.edu
Hill Family Biking: Tiny Streets 4 Ride
On Sunday, May 17, from 4 to 6 p.m., join Hill Family Biking for a four-mile ride on some of the most picturesque one-block streets on the Hill, followed by free ice cream at the Capital Candy Jar. Marshals will ensure participants stay together as a group. A bike team from the Metropolitan Police Department will join the ride to connect officers with the community. Riders with bikes needing attention should come 15 minutes early for tools or advice from experienced amateur bike mechanics. Meet at Maury Elementary parking lot on 12th Place NE. Participation is free. www.hillfamilybiking.org
“Under the Baobab Tree” at Discovery Theater
At Discovery Theater, on Wednesday through Friday, June 3 to 5, at 10:15 and 11:30 a.m., “Iya” Bashea Imana and her troupe of Kuumba Kids perform traditional songs, dances and stories. Their
Photo: Courtesy NoMa BID
interactive show features puppets, movement and motivational music. Recommended for ages three to eight. All seating is general admission. Adult tickets are $8; kids, $7; and under 2, $3. www.discoverytheater.org
Family Workshop: An Ode to the Gardens at the Folger
On Saturday, May 16, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE, families can connect with nature in Shakespeare’s plays and throughout the Folger itself. In the gardens, participants will be invited to compose an “Ode to the Folger Gardens,” using lines from Shakespeare and Rita Dove’s poetry. Attendance is free with a recommended $3 donation. Two sessions are available with these recommended ages: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., ages ve to seven; and 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., ages eight to 11. www. folger.edu
Botanic Garden Family Program: Sorting and Shaping Seeds
On Wednesday, May 13, from 2 to 4 p.m., the Botanic Garden o ers a close look to learn about different strategies that plants have evolved for seed dispersal. Sort seeds into categories based on their shapes and structures to predict their primary mode of dispersal, then engineer your own seed to conquer the challenges of dispersal via water and/ or animal. A drop-in program, no registration is needed. www. usbg.gov ◆
CROSSWORD
by Myles Mellor
Across:
1. Transportation
4. Habit
7. ___ Claire, PA.
10. Writer known for her detective stories
16. Russian tennis star, first name
18. Road runner
19. Long skirts
21. Corrupt practices
22. Alice Walker’s classic
25. Start of a Beatles’ hit
26. Land in South America
27. Everglades grass
28. Campaigned for political office
30. Site of three World War I battles
31. “The heat ___!”
32. Nova follower
36. Small ammo
39. “Naughty!”
41. Opposite of a Federalist
44. Crushing
48. Tres y tres
50. Most likely to win
51. South American mammal
53. Pixel density
55. Directional abbreviation
56. Sean Connery starred in it
63. Title character in Shakespeare
64. Top performers
65. Like sandals
66. Young fish
70. Corporation type
71. Scholarship criterion
72. Lost
75. Swords
78. ____ Dhabi
81. Childrens’ book
87. Half of D
88. Danson of “CSI”
89. It may be used with wireless devices
90. Lodge
94. Festive celebration
97. Runs
98. It may be trimmed in a haircut
100. Attention getters
101. Afrique du ___
102. Expositions
104. Rivals of the Cougars of BYU
107. Send
112. Ruby of “American Gangster”
113. Grooms’ attire
115. Put
116. Film starring Rachel McAdams
121. Yule time classic
124. Intro
125. Desert, green spots
126. Doubtful points
127. Achilles, e.g.
128. Rays
129. The ultimate degree
130. How fast
131. Job application ID
Down:
1. Crackers
2. Like a nerd
3. Sarcasm
4. Five-time winner of the Rose Bowl
5. ___ Paulo
6. Wanders
7. Cost
8. Be ill
9. Subscribers
10. Refuse
11. Notable 1860s nickname
12. Deborah’s “The King and I” co-star
13. Immigrant’s course, abbr.
14. Classic car
15. Storm heading, abbr.
17. Patch of land
19. Wet soils
20. Specialized vocabularies
23. “Grey’s Anatomy” locales, for short
24. Canadian province with red sand, for short
29. Temperature controls, briefly
33. Wee bit
34. __ be nice if ...
35. Grocery sections
36. Google cofounder Sergey
37. Sprinter Usain
38. Drug type
40. Cruel pirate
42. Hang-glides
43. Demolitionist’s supply
44. Black cat, maybe
45. “Bad idea”
46. E-mail address ending
47. Dirty coat
49. Detect
51. “Legal Eagles” fig.
52. Density symbol
54. Effigy
57. Found a new tenant for
58. “Breaker of the internet” in film
59. Host
60. Kind of time
61. Bullring cheer
62. Fourposter, e.g.
66. Letter after chi
67. Paul Fusco TV role
68. British fliers
69. Donnybrook
72. Enterprise medical officer
73. “Maybe”
74. Liquid remnant
76. Subsides
77. Delta deposits
78. Fusses
79. Droid cousin
80. Disgust
82. 6-Jun-44
83. Buddhist spiritual instructor
84. Epitome of thinness
85. Arrival time
86. Monk title
87. Mandy’s “Evita” role
91. Atlanta-based channel
92. Hospital rooms
93. Construction site machines
95. Boorish
96. On the ball
99. Fork-in-the-road shape
103. Attach, in a way
105. Previous partners
106. Short time segment, abbr.
107. Trains to the Loop
108. Strip of wood
109. Tops
110. Rips
111. Pelé’s real first name
114. Mason’s wedge
115. Word of contempt
116. Neighbor of Bulg.
117. Environmental controllers, abbr.
118. Study
119. Kind of Dr. 120. Indeed
122. It may be tipped
123. Vendor request
Reach DC voters in the final weeks before the primary!
In Memory of
Dr. John R. Wennersten
Dr. John R. Wennersten, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Maryland, passed away suddenly from heart failure in Berkeley Springs, WV on March 28, 2026, in the company of friends. Full of life to the end, his last adventure ended prematurely after three days at his “Summer Palace” in Coolfont, enjoying the countryside and a daily cocktail hour by the fire.
John Raymond Wennersten, known as Jack, was born on July 22, 1941, in Pittsburgh, PA to John Elmer Wennersten and Mildred Mize. A wandering scholar, he carried McKee’s Rocks in his heart around the globe, first with the University of Maryland Global Campus in Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Ethiopia, followed by long tenure at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in Princess Anne, MD. With his Brooklyn-born wife, Ruth Ellen Wennersten (nee Schwadron), Jack settled in Salisbury, MD in 1972, commuting to UMES from the nearest town with more than one stoplight. Despite being city-bred Northerners, he and RE integrated into the Eastern Shore and made lifelong friends, periodically slipping away on sabbaticals, Fulbright fellowships, and teaching contracts to the University of Cambridge, the National University of Singapore, Hong Kong University, and Ibaraki University and Tokiwa University in Japan. After this continent-spanning career, Jack retired with RE to 408 A St NE in Washington, DC, where they enjoyed the warm support of the vibrant Capitol Hill community for over twenty years, and the companionship of their two sons’ families, Stewart, Maria and their children Anthony and Sofia in Tenleytown and Matthew and Malathi in Columbia Heights, along with frequent trips abroad, of course.
Dr. Wennersten published thirteen books (twelve scholarly, plus a novel, with a fourteenth book, A Capitol Environment, forthcoming from Georgetown University Press, along with countless magazine articles, book reviews and other scholarly publications. An avid environmentalist, he served for many years on the board of the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS). With Ruth Ellen, he volunteered at the National Building Museum, the Shakespeare Theatre, and the Friends of the Southeast Library (FOSEL). Keen cultural aficionados, Jack and RE could often be found at the Kennedy Center, the Phillips Collection, Wolftrap, and other arts venues, not to mention the E St movie theatre. But even more than his scholarly contributions and support of worthy causes, Jack was known for being “hail fellow well met”, always willing to lay out a grand spread and hoist a glass of wine. The Wennerstens welcomed a diverse cast of characters into their homes, from CLR James and Stokely Carmichael in Salisbury to Team India in DC, Jack’s affectionate nickname for his daughterin-law Malathi’s family.
Post-retirement, Jack and RE bought a house in Coolfont in West Virginia, and enjoyed many visits “to the country”, where he characteristically made many new friends and served on the HOA board. Intellectually curious, mentally vibrant, and open to new experiences, he continued to journey to the UK, Costa Rica, Mexico, and many domestic destinations, typically accompanied by friends of long standing.
A celebration of his life will be held at District Winery on May 2 from 11:30am to 3:30pm. In lieu of flowers, Jack would no doubt be delighted by a donation in his memory to AWS or the National Building Museum.
630 13th Street NE
Got it all: 3BR/3BA, high ceilings, spacious lr/dr, pkg!
ACTIVE: $949,000
Listing Agent: Don Denton (202) 256-1353
1323 Massachusetts Ave SE
Spectacular Victorian
SOLD: $1.550M
Selling Agent: Don Denton (202) 256-1353
110 6th Street SE
2BR/2BA Flooded with light
SOLD: $850,000
Listing Agent: Don Denton (202) 256-1353
101 North Carolina Ave SE #G
Perfect studio for son/daughter starting new career on the Hill!
