Category: Washington D.C. News

A sweeping ethics bill has cleared the D.C. Council in a 12-to-1 vote ending six months of wrangling amid a series of investigations over financial and ethical improprieties that have plagued city government, but critics said the new law still isn’t tough enough. The measure was sent Dec. 20 to Mayor Vincent Gray, who the […]

Several civil rights attorneys have banned together to address a growing problem that targets young Black males in the District because of race, age and gender. At a press conference on Dec. 19, victims of barring notices on public housing properties and their legal counsel spoke about the trend that in many cases keeps them […]

A $1.4 million scheduled capital improvement project for the Lincoln Theatre was announced by DC Mayor Vincent Gray on Dec. 20. This follows several other major changes including dismantling its community-based board. In October, it was announced that the theatre was strapped for revenue, the city refused to put money into the existing design and […]

The DC Department of Employment Services Division of Unemployment Compensation (DOES) kicked off a pilot project on Dec. 19 to begin its total paperless payment program. Two thousand unemployment compensation recipients volunteered to participate in the debit card program to safeguard their payments. According to David Thompson, public information officer for DOES, there are 10,819 […]

Human rights activist Dick Gregory met with members of the Occupy D.C. movement on Dec. 17, to aid those fasting for full democracy and push for residents’ demands for D.C. statehood. On Dec. 8, Sam Jewler, Adrian Parsons, Kelly Mears and Joe Gray from Occupy D.C. began a fast refusing food and consuming only water […]

Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray on Dec. 16 accused congressional negotiators of coming to an agreement on a crucial spending bill at the expense of the District’s autonomy. A House-Senate committee agreed Dec. 15 to a $1 trillion spending agreement for 2012, barely averting a federal government shutdown which could have also forced the closure […]

The D.C. Taxicab Commission has approved a measure that will increase taxi fees and introduce a credit card payment option by next fall. Under the plan approved Dec. 13, the base fare for a taxi ride would remain $3, but the per-mile rate would increase from $1.50 to $2.16. Additional charges, including the emergency fuel […]

In 2008, community activist and sports commentator Harold Bell and his wife, Hattie, announced they would bring their annual Toy Party for Kids to a close after 40 years. Three years later, that may finally happen, but the Bells have found a new way to give. The couple is the founders of Kids In Trouble, […]

D.C. Council member Marion Barry is in trouble with the IRS – again. The Internal Revenue Service on Sept. 9 filled a lien against the home Barry owns on Orange Street SE, claiming unpaid 2010 income taxes of $3,267.29, according to The Washington Post. It is but the latest in a more than decade long […]

Israel Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church changed its community room into a Christmas carnival for children of incarcerated parents who will not be with them this season. Celebrating its 14th Annual Angel Tree Program, 53 families with loved ones incarcerated and 50 families from the community received gestures of love and good cheer from the […]

Eighth graders at Hart Middle School in southeast Washington eagerly came into the library, quickly picked a headset, a laptop and sat quietly at a table. The guidance counselor was teaching a class about developing ideas for careers. “I love to do my work in this library,” said 13-year old, Niya Williams. “It’s beautiful.” Although […]