Metro Newsletter

New Name, Same Local Flavor

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman, Kendall Staton — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/new-name-same-local-flavor

What was once NOTUS is now The Washington Sun. (Mark Alfred/The Sun)

Good morning. This is The Washington Sun Metro newsletter for Sept. 9, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

What was once NOTUS is now The Washington Sun! While the name may have changed, what remains the same is our commitment to covering the District the way it deserves to be covered. That means sports stories from Northwest Stadium to high school gyms; local politics coverage from the streets of D.C. to the halls of the Wilson Building; food writing from Tom Sietsema; an eye on the sky from Capital Weather; and the kind of entertaining, illuminating coverage you can’t find anywhere else. We’re excited to have you along for the ride.

In today’s newsletter: A trip to D.C.’s lost and found, the best meals under $25 and Thomas Boswell on Jayden Daniels.

Today’s Daily Digit: 6/10. Some spots have a shot at 90 degrees. But September heat isn't as harsh as midsummer, and humidity is still relatively tame. Full forecast from Capital Weather.

THE LATEST

D.C. has its own municipal lost and found, and we got a peek inside. A D.C. office known as the Unclaimed Property Unit serves as the city’s official depository of people’s lost stuff, collecting everything from millions of dollars worth of misdelivered checks to family heirlooms left in forgotten safe-deposit boxes.

As The Sun’s Martin Austermuhle reports, the unit’s staff collects and catalogues what it can, auctioning off items such as rare coins and jewelry while endeavoring to reunite personal belongings with their owners. And yes, sometimes they find strange things: gold teeth, locks of hair, a diaper and even state secrets.

“We get teeth all the time,” one worker told us, sounding none too pleased.

DEEP DIVE

DC0A3355 copy.jpg (8192x5462, AR: 1.50)

It can be hard to find good food on a budget. Tom Sietsema, The Sun’s food correspondent, believes that the best values come from restaurants where “the experience exceeds what you’re paying.”

At a time when many locals have cut down on dining out, Sietsema shares his five favorite dinners in D.C. that go for $25 or less. The list includes a perfect plate of spaghetti and meatballs at Caruso’s Grocery in Hill East and some finger-lickin’ fried chicken at The Hitching Post in Petworth.

FROM THE DISTRICT

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch will retire at the end of this year, The Sun’s Torrie Herrington reports. His departure comes after months of criticism from the Trump administration, though he said the White House did not pressure him to leave.

Rise of the machines: Food delivery robots have become increasingly popular in the District, offering contactless delivery from some restaurants in Bloomingdale, Dupont Circle and Logan Circle, The Washington Post reports.

Should D.C. keep its public pools open after Labor Day? At-Large council member Elissa Silverman certainly thinks so. With steamy summer temperatures often extending deep into September, plenty of residents would probably agree. It wouldn’t be a first: Back in 2023, Mayor Muriel Bowser kept two pools and a number of spray parks open past Labor Day, largely due to high temperatures.

City officials say the challenge is both in funding and staffing. Many lifeguards are students who have already returned to school in September. At least our canine friends are set: The annual Doggie Day Swim will take place at four D.C. pools on Saturday.

FROM MARYLAND

Will Jawando, a Montgomery County Council member and the Democratic nominee for county executive, suffered a heart attack Saturday morning during his weekly pickup basketball game, his office said on social media. Jawando is expected to make a full recovery.

FROM VIRGINIA

The Trump administration removed language criticizing a Confederate monument that previously stood at Arlington National Cemetery, The Sun’s Kendall Staton reports. The statue is set to be reinstalled next year.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

Philadelphia Ballet (5053x2868, AR: 1.76)

For balletomanes: Philadelphia Ballet at Wolf Trap, Thursday.

For “Succession” fans: Brian Cox in “The Score” at Shakespeare Theatre, Friday through Oct. 25.

For something a little different: Adams Morgan Day, Sunday.

For more info on this weekend’s events, read our weekly culture calendar here.

SPORTS

It’s been a long time since Washington has had a franchise quarterback. The Sun’s Thomas Boswell estimates the drought has lasted more than 50 years. But Jayden Daniels has that kind of talent, Boswell writes. So the team’s main objective this season should be pretty simple: Protect him at all costs.

There is no doubt that Daniels is Washington’s most important player. The Sun’s Martenzie Johnson ranked the 10 Commanders who could swing this season, and Daniels was a shoo-in for No. 1. Others on the list: a rookie kicker, an expensive edge rusher and a much-discussed center.

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals at Padres, 4:10 p.m. (MLB.TV)

NFL opener: Patriots at Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@washsun.com.]]>

A Big Dig

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/a-big-dig

The Southeast Library in Eastern Market. (Courtesy of the D.C. Public Library System)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Sept. 8, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

When a century-old D.C. library is standing on nothing but stilts, it can make anyone nervous.

“One wrong move by one excavator could take the whole thing down, so the stakes were literally very high,” says Jaspreet Pahwa, the director of capital planning and construction for the D.C. Public Library system.

That was one of the pitfalls of the 2 ½-year renovation of the Southeast Library in Eastern Market, which wraps up this week ahead of the library’s reopening on Thursday.

It was built in 1922 as one of the city’s three Carnegie libraries — the others are in Takoma and Mount Pleasant — so library officials had to balance protecting the historical landmark with trying to expand one of the 10 busiest neighborhood libraries in the city.

That involved digging between 24 and 40 feet under and around the building, allowing for an expansion of the ground-floor level and the addition of a basement level that will now largely serve kids. With that, the Southeast Library will double in size but leave the original historic building largely intact.

“This was a really complex project, to say the least,” says Rich Reyes-Gavilan, DCPL’s executive director. “The need was there. It was just about finding the money and the ingenuity and the know-how.”

To ensure the new basement level didn’t feel like it’s underground, a new skylight was carved from the roof down the center of the building, drawing natural light all the way into the deepest recesses of the library. Reyes-Gavilan — who has overseen the modernization of dozens of libraries in his 13 years leading DCPL — says the skylight is the library’s “architectural marvel."

And there’s more: An extension was built in what used to be an alley behind the library, connecting it to a neighboring rowhouse and allowing for a new main entrance to be constructed along South Carolina Avenue.

The renovation wasn’t cheap. The $40 million price tag is roughly double what was originally contemplated, because of both increasing construction costs and a need to comply with historic preservation rules. But library officials say they were able to leverage federal COVID recovery funds to pay for it.

The next projects for the library system include a brand-new facility in Congress Heights and another in Eckington/Edgewood. Future renovations include libraries in Chevy Chase and Shepherd Park. To Reyes-Gavilan’s relief, none of these projects is expected to be as complicated as the Southeast Library makeover.

FROM THE DISTRICT

A federal planning commission has approved the transfer of the D.C. Armory, the headquarters of the District’s National Guard, to local control, NOTUS’ Kendall Staton reports. The transfer still has to be approved by D.C.’s mayor, the D.C. Council and Congress.

D.C.’s Department of Public Works is testing rat-proof trash bins in high-traffic areas of the city, WUSA9 reports.

President Donald Trump has become obsessed with “architectural immortality” — building monuments around D.C. that will outlast him, New York Magazine reports.

Former Kennedy Center chair David Rubenstein has purchased the large sculpture that was removed from the grounds of the venue last week, The New York Times reports. Rubenstein, a billionaire philanthropist who owns the Orioles, sat as chair from 2010 to 2025, when he was ousted as part of Trump’s takeover of the center’s board. Rubenstein reportedly paid more than $2 million for the abstract sculpture, titled “Blue.”

The grieving tree: D.C. residents have been leaving condolence messages on a large tree in Dupont Circle that was severed by last week’s wild storm.

FROM MARYLAND

All aboard! The stretch of the Red Line between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights reopened Monday after nine weeks of construction work. The project finished “on time and on budget,” Metro said in a news release.

D.C. TRIVIA

Where did the first D.C. Public Library branch open in 1911?

Anacostia
Capitol Hill
Takoma

Email us the answer — the first reader who gets it right gets a shout-out. The answer will be at the end of the newsletter tomorrow.

SPORTS

Jayden Daniels camp AP - 26238573512493 (3872x2581, AR: 1.50)

The Commanders should have plenty of bulletin board material this season. In a roundup of preseason coverage and power rankings, NOTUS’ Alex Schiffer reports that many national analysts and pundits are down on Washington ahead of a pivotal year for GM Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn.

“Skinny quarterback who got hurt last year combined with nobody who can block?” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said on a recent podcast. “I’m out.”

High school football season is fully underway, with Maryland public schools kicking off this past weekend. NOTUS’ Noah Ferguson highlights five standouts from around the area in our Players of the Week column; this week’s group includes a Quince Orchard DB who nabbed three interceptions and a Gonzaga running back who scored four touchdowns.

DMV native Frances Tiafoe has advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. The 28-year-old Tiafoe, currently ranked the No. 12 men’s tennis player in the world, will face 22-year-old American Alex Michelsen today at 1 p.m. Tiafoe is chasing his first Grand Slam title.

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals at Padres, 9:40 p.m. (MLB.TV)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Library photo courtesy of the D.C. Public Library system. Commanders photo by Stephanie Scarbrough/AP.]]>

Crashing the Party

Martin Austermuhle, Shamira Muhammad, Zara Norman — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/crashing-the-party

Autonomous vehicles could be permitted to operate in D.C. this fall. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Sept. 4, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

A happy birthday to D.C.’s Department of For-Hire Vehicles, which celebrated turning 10 yesterday with a celebration at MLK Memorial Library. It was a joyful occasion, celebrating D.C.’s taxicab drivers with a live band, canapés and an awards ceremony.

But the party masked a sober reality. The industry faces a watershed moment, as autonomous vehicles could be permitted to operate in the city this fall.

“Hell no, Waymo!” chanted one attendee, disability advocate Heidi Case, as DFHV Director Jonathan Rogers took the stage for a speech.

“We’ll talk about Waymo, Heidi,” Rogers replied. “Because that’s one of the themes: We’ve had a lot of change over the past 10 years, and there’s a lot more coming. We’ll handle it together.”

DFHV was created to meet a specific moment, Rogers said. Ten years ago, the agency was charged with modernizing the city’s taxicabs and regulating rideshare services Uber and Lyft, which had recently made their entry into D.C. with few guardrails. The decade since has seen the number of active cabs on the street drop from 8,000-10,000 to around 1,400, Rogers previously told NOTUS.

“We’re in another one of those moments, where a lot is changing again because technology is not slowing down,” Rogers said.

Drivers are anxious about their livelihoods. Abeba Berhe, who’s been driving a wheelchair-accessible cab in D.C. and Virginia for 20 years, told NOTUS she thinks the entry of autonomous vehicles would be a “disaster” for her industry.

“Driver jobs are getting disappeared. … Our job income [has] shrunk,” Berhe said, adding that she already has trouble making credit card payments every month.

There will always be a role for the “human element” of for-hire vehicles, Rogers told NOTUS. The D.C. Council, including Janeese Lewis George, has expressed concern about workforce impacts and accessibility, he said.

“There’s always been disruption and new competition,” Rogers said. “There are things that humans are able to do as a driver, as an assistant in a vehicle, that AVs are not likely to do any time in the near future.”

DEEP DIVE

An update on East Potomac Park: At a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes emphasized that she is “not the Lorax”: She does not, in fact, speak for the trees.

About 150 of them have come down at East Potomac in recent days, a removal campaign that the government called “routine maintenance” but that raised alarm with the public. NOTUS’ Shamira Muhammad reports that Reyes said Thursday she has received several angry calls, including one advocating for her disbarment if she did not stop the tree removal.

Although she previously asked the government to notify her before cutting down more than 10 trees, Reyes said that did not apply to maintenance and she had no issues with last week’s work.

An amended complaint is expected to be filed by the plaintiffs — preservationists seeking to block the park’s renovation — by Sept. 12. Reyes declined to rule on the DOJ’s recent motion to dismiss the case until she receives that complaint.

FROM THE DISTRICT

Trump arch AP - 26185088891653 (6755x4503, AR: 1.50)

President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a 250-foot arch in D.C. will move forward, with excavation work starting in the next two weeks, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced Thursday. NOTUS’ Jenna Monnin reports that the project, which was displayed in miniature at the Great American State Fair this summer, will be located near Arlington National Cemetery. A lawsuit challenging its construction is still pending in the U.S. District Court for D.C.

Federal prosecutors are accusing Ward 8 council member Trayon White of jury tampering in the wake of a video posted on Instagram this week where he spoke about his upcoming trial on federal bribery charges and addressed the jury selection process, NOTUS’ Martin Austermuhle reports. Prosecutors have asked a judge to admonish White, while White’s defense team says he “expressed nothing unlawful.”

A pied-à-terre tax for D.C.? Council Chair Phil Mendelson has scheduled an Oct. 16 public hearing where lawmakers will hear testimony and debate possible revenue-raising options, ranging from a hike in capital gains taxes to new levies on second homes. With D.C.’s economy souring in the wake of sweeping federal layoffs, city revenue has dried up and lawmakers are facing a large budget deficit in the year to come.

Not a state, but still quite fair. The D.C. State Fair returns Sunday with “art, agriculture, and the culinary arts.” It’ll take place at Anthem Row (800 K St. NW) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

FROM VIRGINIA

Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam has learned his phone calls with state Sen. Louise Lucas were monitored by the FBI and DOJ as part of a broader investigation into Lucas, Subramanyam said in a statement Thursday. Lucas’s calls with two journalists were also monitored, Virginia Scope reports.

FROM MARYLAND

Maryland has lost more than $800 million by failing to collect tolls and penalties that drivers owed, The Washington Post reports.

A budding dispute: The University of Maryland is threatening legal action against a cannabis company in Colorado over its name: “Terps USA,” WTOP reports.

METRO MOMENTS

E2991D8B-876B-42BA-9FA7-653A931C333F copy.jpg (3703x2468, AR: 1.50)

Raising her son in D.C., Kainaz Amaria — NOTUS’ senior editor of visual storytelling — didn’t get a sense that kids are growing up with a shared story. Many schools have specialized curriculums these days, so there is little that is universal about how and what our kids learn. But since 2016, her son and nearly 100,000 other children across the District have had something in common: a gift in the mail every month from “The Book Lady,” Dolly Parton, Kainaz writes in NOTUS Perspectives.

We want to hear from you: Have an image from around D.C. you want to share? A question for our reporters? An “only in D.C.” moment? Tell us about it.

SPORTS

In recent years, Thomas Boswell has found the Nationals to be almost unwatchable. So, Boswell writes, it is a testament to Washington’s new regime that the team is still entertaining at this point in the season. As long as there are some ups with the downs, the Nats retain their power to please.

Meanwhile, outfielder Daylen Lile is in the middle of a loud, elongated “up” of an up-and-down season for the Nationals. NOTUS' Jesse Dougherty writes that his recent stretch is a reason to believe Lile could be a key part of the next winning core in Washington. But, as with many baseball players, that will come down to whether Lile, an unforgiving perfectionist, can quiet the negative thoughts in his head.

What to Watch This Weekend

Friday

MLB: Nationals at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. (MLB.TV)

Saturday

MLS: D.C. United at FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. (Apple TV)

NCAAF: Maryland vs. Hampton, 8 p.m. (Big Ten Network)

MLB: Nationals at Dodgers, 9:10 p.m. (MLB.TV)

Sunday

NWSL: Spirit at Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (WUSA9)

MLB: Nationals at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. (MLB.TV)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Arch photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP. Books photo by Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS.]]>

Ballot Blues

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/ballot-blues

President Donald Trump’s push to make voting by mail harder has injected fresh uncertainty into November’s elections. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Sept. 3, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Are you going to get a ballot in the mail for November’s D.C. elections?

Under normal circumstances, the answer would be simple: Yes. Since the pandemic, the D.C. Board of Elections has been mailing every registered voter a ballot ahead of every election, and voters seem to have embraced voting from home. In the June primary, 63% of voters opted to use a mail ballot instead of heading to a polling place.

But President Donald Trump’s push to make voting by mail harder has injected fresh uncertainty into November’s elections. He’s ordered the U.S. Postal Service to increase its scrutiny and handling of mail ballots, prompting warnings and litigation from some groups that say the plan will create chaos — and potentially disenfranchise many voters.

“Until we hear otherwise, we’re proceeding as we otherwise would,” says Monica Evans, the director of the D.C. elections board. She tells NOTUS that continued uncertainty as to whether Trump’s plan will come to fruition won’t interrupt the work her office has to do to mail out more than 450,000 ballots to D.C. voters at the end of September.

“Being in elections, we’re used to being flexible,” she adds. “Sadly, it’s one of the things the powers that be don’t understand: There’s lead time to anything, so you can’t waive a magic wand and do something. There are some processes you can’t just undo.” Evans says D.C. has already paid a vendor to handle mail ballots for November; should Trump upend those plans, the city cannot recoup that money.

The main concern from some quarters is that USPS just wouldn’t be able to do what it’s been charged with, including creating master lists of voters who are permitted to get mail ballots. Evans shares that worry. “I have no earthly idea how USPS is equipped with maintaining accurate registration data that is real-time and current,” she says.

For now, all Evans can hope for is a final answer on how November’s elections will be conducted. “Things are changing almost daily,” she says. “Every morning I am checking my email to see where we are.”

FROM THE DISTRICT

Kennedy Center statue removal AP - 26245517002624 (6000x4000, AR: 1.50)

The Kennedy Center has removed a famous outdoor sculpture from its grounds, the latest in a series of changes made as part of Trump’s takeover of the storied arts institution, NOTUS’ Avani Kalra reports.

Ward 8 council member Trayon White is speaking out ahead of his upcoming trial on federal bribery charges. “I feel really good and encouraged about my trial. I’m in good spirits. … I trust my legal team,” he said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

White also encouraged D.C. residents to answer jury summonses, arguing that while the District is plurality Black, those numbers aren’t reflected on city juries. “I can’t do this without getting the opportunity to have a jury of my peers. I’m not going to say that all Black people support me, all non-Black people do or don’t,” he said. “I want to make sure those in my community ... take this very seriously.”

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb is suing a prominent and well-connected local developer over what he says are “shocking” conditions at a residential building in Northeast. Schwalb is asking a court to order the developer, Buwa Binitie, to make immediate repairs at Delta Pearl on Florida Avenue Northwest and offer restitution to residents.

A sports-centric game plan: In a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Destination D.C. — the city’s official marketing organization — said they expect a crowded slate of major sporting events will breathe new life into the District over the next year, NOTUS’ Shamira Muhammad reports. The city will host the NFL draft in April, and officials expect around 1 million visitors. The District will also host the National Women’s Soccer League final in November and men’s college hockey Frozen Four in the spring.

The hope is that these events will create business and jobs. Bowser said expecting a one-for-one return of federal jobs was “foolhardy.” “So all of our focus in attracting jobs is on the private sector, be it sports, hospitality, tech, across higher ed, hospitals, across all industries,” she said. “We’re recruiting.”

FROM VIRGINIA

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia’s new limits on local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities until a legal challenge is settled, WTOP reports.

FROM MARYLAND

Are you fur real? The Maryland Renaissance Festival has banned furries from attendance this year, City Cast D.C. reports. The anthropomorphic costumes were making people uncomfortable, organizers said — and they're ahistorical anyways.

TALK TO TOM

Omakase @ Barracks Row (7225x4817, AR: 1.50)

Tom Sietsema is back answering your questions about the D.C. dining scene. Submit your questions here.

My husband and I are going out to celebrate our 10th anniversary — without our two kids, for the first time in ages. Can you recommend some grown-up restaurants?

High on your list should be empire builder Stephen Starr’s tribute to old-school fine dining, the dashing, multistory Occidental near the White House, where servers in white jackets navigate the dining rooms, ferrying elegant pigs in a blanket, playful crab-stuffed avocado, fine steaks, and such oldies but goodies as ham with pineapple rings and pheasant under glass. Dessert is practically mandatory, especially anything prepared table-side and featuring fire.

For Italian, look into the bustling L’Ardente, home to such whimsical dishes as the 40-layer lasagna and a menu that hews to owner David Deshaies’ “simple but elegant” mantra; for French, I adore the tiny Lutèce in Georgetown, which uses the old name for Paris and offers some of the most artful cooking this side of The Inn at Little Washington. If you want something that puts you on a trip to Tokyo, Omakase @ Barracks Row seats guests at a long marble counter, behind which the star of the show, chef Ricky Wang, creates wonders from raw fish while a service director narrates the performance.

In the full Q&A: Eating invasive species, planning a high school reunion and finding caviar that won’t break the bank.

SPORTS

The Commanders have finally found some relief from the injury bug. Starters K'Lavon Chaisson, Nick Allegretti and Bill Croskey-Merritt all returned to practice this week after extended absences. Linebacker Odafe Oweh will return to practice next week, which means every presumed starter will be back in the fold ahead of a Week 1 meeting with the Eagles.

“I’m excited for the group to get together,” coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. "It's challenging, for sure, because there's timing that goes with it. There's movements, but it's nice to see that.”

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Kennedy Center photo by Mark Schiefelbein/AP. Talk to Tom photo by Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS.]]>

Taking Aim

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/taking-aim

There have been legal challenges to D.C.’s ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, and to the law prohibiting people with felony convictions from possessing guns. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Sept. 2, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

D.C.’s restrictive gun laws have come under legal assault over the past 18 months, leaving local officials concerned that the city’s persistent gun violence could get worse.

There have been legal challenges to D.C.’s ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, and to the law prohibiting people with felony convictions from possessing guns, NOTUS’ Martin Austermuhle reports.

Many of those challenges stem from a 2022 Supreme Court decision that made it harder for jurisdictions like D.C. to justify their restrictions on guns. The Bruen ruling, as it’s known, says limits on gun possession must have some equivalent in American history or tradition. If not, they’re unconstitutional.

D.C.’s ban on high-capacity magazines has been litigated, and this year a panel of judges on the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that it was unconstitutional. (That ruling is on hold pending a further appeal.)

The Trump administration has been leading the charge against some of D.C.’s gun laws. It backed the challenge to the high-capacity magazine ban, and separately sued the city over its prohibition on AR-15 assault rifles.

Defense attorneys are now fighting to overturn D.C.’s felon-in-possession law, saying it's unconstitutional. The office of U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro, which prosecutes most violent crime in the city, told NOTUS that she will “always fight to keep illegal firearms out of the hands of dangerous felons.”

Some of these new legal challenges are already making their way to the Supreme Court. Later this year, the justices will consider whether outright bans on assault weapons are unconstitutional.

“The weakening of our gun laws is only going to make public safety more difficult,” D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson told NOTUS.

DEEP DIVE

Janeese Lewis George made Anacostia’s Union Temple Baptist Church the first stop of her campaign's citywide listening tour on Tuesday night, signaling a shift from winning votes to gathering community feedback. NOTUS’ Michael Brice-Saddler reports that Lewis George said starting in Ward 8 was an intentional effort to prioritize a historically marginalized part of the city.

The packed crowd — which included Ward 8 council member Trayon White — split into breakout groups to discuss localized issues ranging from homeownership to public safety and education.

Lewis George said she plans to use these ward-by-ward meetings to build a focused administration agenda, setting the tone for her transition by asking the room: “How do we get from words to plans to actions to accountability? That’s what this is about.”

FROM THE DISTRICT

East Potomac golf course (7008x4672, AR: 1.50)

All’s quiet at East Potomac Park. Months ago, President Donald Trump declared that major renovations of the island park’s golf course would begin on Sept. 1. But NOTUS’ Shamira Muhammad reports that it was a sleepy Tuesday at East Potomac. On the day some locals had long dreaded, the area was mostly quiet. A few people fished. A pack of cyclists zipped through bike lanes. A couple enjoyed a mini-golf date.

A few backhoes were staged in a parking lot, but nobody was there to operate them. After a few days of tree removal last week, a Maryland-based tree care company was seen driving around the perimeter of the park. Otherwise, life went on as normal.

There are now fewer National Guard troops in D.C., reports WUSA9. As of Monday, the count stood at 3,865, down 663 from the week before. That decrease is probably linked to the end of summer events for America’s 250th anniversary. Though there are fewer troops, their presence is expected to continue into 2029. As NOTUS recently reported, D.C. residents are conflicted about the Guard’s presence.

He drove a 10-foot-tall homemade guillotine around the U.S. Capitol in the bed of his pickup truck, but Philan Le didn’t expect to get criminally charged for the stunt, The Washington Post reports.

Check, please. Washingtonian magazine resurrected its guide to the D.C. area’s “Best Cheap Eats” for the first time since 2019, listing 60 selections available for under $25.

FROM VIRGINIA

Some Northern Virginia homeowners, sick of living in the data center capital of the world, are moving elsewhere, Axios D.C. reports.

FROM MARYLAND

A deadly wrong-way crash in Montgomery County last weekend has put county police on the defensive about disbanding their impaired driving enforcement unit, WJLA reports.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

For quiz masters: Live! At the Library featuring Ken Jennings at the Library of Congress, Thursday.

For jazz enthusiasts: DC JazzFest at Arena Stage and The Wharf, Saturday and Sunday.

For people who like free things: The National Symphony’s free Labor Day Concert at DAR Constitution Hall, Sunday.

For more info on this weekend’s events, read our weekly culture calendar here.

SPORTS

Commanders training camp has come to a close and suddenly Week 1 is around the corner. NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson looks back on everything we learned about this year’s team since camp opened July 29. From the much-needed arrival of Stefon Diggs to the recent spate of injuries, there was no shortage of drama in Ashburn.

D.C.’s new Major League Volleyball team officially has a name: D.C. Flight. The Washington Business Journal reports that the women’s indoor volleyball franchise will begin its inaugural season in January, with plans to play home games at a “major performing arts venue in D.C.”

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals vs. Braves, 1:05 p.m. (MLB.TV)

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The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Lillian Bautista/NOTUS.]]>

The Road to RFK

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/the-road-to-rfk

WMATA estimates it would cost $1 billion to build a second Metro station at the new Commanders stadium, and it wouldn’t even be ready in time for the team's projected move in 2030. (D.C. Office of Planning)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Sept. 1, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

A new Commanders stadium is coming, that much we know. But no one can agree on how anybody will get there.

At an open house hosted by Metro last week, some Ward 7 residents clashed with officials who’ve said building a second rail station is an impossibility at the old RFK site where a new stadium is being built, NOTUS’ Zara Norman reports.

“It's just not feasible, and it's not just about numbers,” Randy Clarke, the general manager of WMATA, told NOTUS. “It’d be this big station in the sky, on a curb no one could get to, and it doesn't actually help with capacity. … There's just no there there.”

Metro estimates it would cost $1 billion to build a second station, and it wouldn’t even be ready in time for the team’s projected move in 2030. A new rapid-transit bus line — dubbed “the Gold Line” — as well as improvements at the Stadium-Armory Metro station will do the trick, Clarke said. Not everyone is convinced.

“I don't really trust the numbers and the evaluation they did,” Ward 6 council member Charles Allen told NOTUS. “The option to build that new station has got to remain on the table, because it really is about if we want to see this as a growth opportunity in this part of the city or not.”

For residents, part of the skepticism stems from the failure of D.C.’s streetcar, which ran into trouble along the exact H Street corridor Metro is proposing for the Gold Line.

“The RFK campus needs a durable transit solution if the city is going to see a return on its billion-dollar investment,” Hill East resident David Wyman told NOTUS. “The streetcar hasn't worked. Metro stations are forever.”

When the political winds change in January, it’s possible that new leadership might revisit adding a second station. Though a spokesperson for Janeese Lewis George declined to give her thoughts on transit options supplying the area, Allen told NOTUS he has a “hunch” that “she’ll at least be much more open-minded.”

FROM THE DISTRICT

Construction on the controversial White House ballroom can continue, per a 5-4 ruling that came down Monday afternoon from the Supreme Court, NOTUS’ Ben T.N. Mause reports. A majority of the justices ruled that historic preservationists lacked standing to sue.

A D.C. police officer died Monday morning after sustaining a gunshot wound inside the Second District police station in Northwest, NOTUS’ Martin Austermuhle reports. City officials say there was no indication that anyone else was involved, but did not share further details on what occurred. This is the second line-of-duty death for the Metropolitan Police Department this year, and one of only seven that have taken place since 2000.

Chronic understaffing at D.C.’s Department of Behavioral Health means the city’s suicide and crisis lifeline, 988, has one of the nation’s lowest pickup rates, City Cast D.C. reports.

A historic D.C. building near the White House, Hamilton Square, sold for $126 million at a steep loss: The seller acquired it for $198 million in 2012, the Washington Business Journal reports.

Rush, the U Street gay club seized by U.S. marshals last month, was plagued by problems from conception to launch and finally to eviction, City Cast D.C. reports.

FROM VIRGINIA

Ready for takeoff. Washington Manassas Airport is now certified for commercial passenger flights, WJLA reports. The airport, which will launch its commercial service next year, might benefit from rising enplanement costs at Dulles, the Washington Business Journal reports.

FROM YOUR FEED

Soon after President Donald Trump announced he would change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, many locals, including NOTUS’ Martin Austermuhle, began noodling on the implications for the District. PoPville reports that someone took matters into their own hands Monday, plastering “America” over a street sign for Ontario Place Northwest.

https://x.com/PoPville/status/2094418845050015815?s=20

SPORTS

High school football season has arrived and we are on the lookout for the DMV’s top talents. NOTUS’ Noah Ferguson will be covering all the action across the District and its suburbs this fall, highlighting what makes this area one of the country’s most respected high school sports hotbeds.

Each week, Noah will highlight five local football players who stood out over the weekend. Our very first group includes a freshman from Bullis who rushed for more than 150 yards and an Oakton senior who turned heads with a 99-yard touchdown run.

Mystics Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were called up to Team USA on Monday ahead of the FIBA World Cup. NOTUS’ Alex Schiffer reports that Washington’s young duo will replace Kelsey Plum and A’Ja Wilson, who stepped back because of injury concerns. The international tournament runs Friday to Sept. 13 in Berlin.

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals vs. Braves, 6:45 p.m. (MLB.TV)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Finally, yesterday’s trivia answer was B) Ulysses S. Grant. He was arrested for speeding in a horse-drawn carriage in 1872. A special shout-out to Willie Wynn, who answered first.]]>

Prime Real Estate

Martin Austermuhle, Shamira Muhammad, Zara Norman — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/prime-real-estate

Arlington Community High School opened a 30,000-square-foot campus across two floors of Amazon’s Arlington headquarters on Friday. (John Nacion/STAR MAX)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Aug. 31, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Amazon wants to do it all. The tech giant is at once an online shopping mall, a streaming service, a cloud computing business, a grocer, a pharmacist and now … a local landlord?

Arlington Community High School, an alternative high school for county residents age 16 and over, opened a 30,000-square-foot campus across two floors of Amazon’s Arlington headquarters on Friday.

NOTUS reporter Zara Norman’s experience at the grand opening started the way many Amazon deliveries end up: late and at the wrong address. Eventually, the event got on its way next door to the school (which has a separate entrance) in a cavernous auditorium where parents and educators mingled with Amazon employees, snacked on sliders, sipped on smoothies, sat through a DJ set blasting censored pop hits and heard from local officials and tech executives on the nature of this unique partnership.

“We’re really just a facilities partner and obviously a community partner, and then Arlington Public Schools runs all the school and educational programming,” Andrea Fava, Amazon’s vice president of U.S. public policy, told NOTUS.

Amazon employees will do “a lot of volunteer events” at the school, a spokesperson told NOTUS, but Fava said the tech giant isn’t trying to move into education. Rather, the partnership is part of the company’s efforts to be a good community partner. Amazon also increased Arlington’s affordable housing stock by 23% as part of that commitment, with a $1.3 billion investment.

Though a speaker at Friday’s event graduated from ACHS last year and now works at Amazon, Fava told NOTUS that the company isn’t running any kind of employment scheme. She was “sure,” however, that there’d be “organic opportunities” for employment with the company.

School officials spoke glowingly of the partnership, which has allowed ACHS to find a permanent home at no cost after decades without a dedicated campus. The school signed a 30-year lease through which it gets the space for no cost other than those for routine maintenance and repairs (estimated at $25,000 per year, according to ARLNow).

“This new permanent home represents much more than a new space,” Francisco Durán, superintendent of Arlington Public Schools, said in a speech. “It represents opportunity, belonging and our community’s commitment to helping every student succeed. We are incredibly grateful to Amazon for its partnership and investment.”

DEEP DIVE

Tensions continue to rise at East Potomac Park. Cyclists, anglers, joggers and bird-watchers showed up to a rally at the island park Saturday ahead of President Donald Trump’s proposed start date on Tuesday for the construction of a new golf course.

With plenty of uncertainty still surrounding plans for the course and the widespread effect the changes could have on nearby recreational areas, protestors highlighted all the activities and communities that could be at stake. NOTUS’ Shamira Muhammad spoke to one cyclist who rode 30 miles down from Montgomery County to join the rally.

“When I got here, I saw people on their bikes, running, walking,” she said. “We should be encouraging that instead of taking away safe places where people can do it.”

The event occurred after days of tree removal across the island raised alarm. In a statement, the Interior Department called the work “routine maintenance” to remove “hazard trees.” But Saturday’s attendees were not convinced.

“[This is] the beginning of them tearing this entire space out,” one said, “and building it to be something that is not for the public.”

FROM THE DISTRICT

March on Washington AP - 26240709536451 (5000x3333, AR: 1.50)

Thousands gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Friday for the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington, with this year’s event centered on “defending the vote.” National leaders, including Al Sharpton, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Martin Luther King III, spoke out against red-state redistricting efforts and what they see as threats against voting rights.

Local leaders used the event as an opportunity to elevate the District’s fight for statehood. At-Large council member Robert White said the country has to “end second-class citizenship in the capital of the United States.” Janeese Lewis George highlighted the region’s inability to push for change without a vote in Congress. “This isn’t an oversight, my people,” she said. “This is disenfranchisement.”

Patients spend more time in the emergency department in D.C. than anywhere else in the country, Axios D.C. reports. Limited access to urgent and preventive care has pushed the average waiting time here to more than five hours, nearly twice the nationwide median. In the first year the city’s newest hospital, Cedar Hill, was in operation, about 80% of its more than 45,000 emergency room visits were for “low-acuity” conditions that could have been handled at urgent care, the hospital said.

The National Park Service released a report Friday in support of Trump’s proposed arch, though the agency acknowledged the adverse effects it could have on the District’s most iconic memorials and landmarks, NOTUS’ Marissa Martinez reports.

A federal grand jury indicted Melissa Farris, who live-streamed herself vandalizing D.C.’s World War II Memorial earlier this month, on Friday, City Cast D.C. reports.

Have you ever fired off an angry tweet to Metro, complaining of a late bus or sweltering train car? The Washington Post profiled the 11-person team tasked with responding in real time to hundreds of such comments per week, with a goal to reply to each within 15 minutes.

FROM MARYLAND

State regulators approved less than half of the rate increase Pepco requested, meaning the average resident will see an increase of about $3.94 a month instead of the proposed $10.24, WUSA9 reports.

D.C. TRIVIA

Which U.S. president was once arrested for speeding through D.C. on his horse and carriage?

Abraham Lincoln
Ulysses S. Grant
Rutherford B. Hayes

Email us the answer — the first reader who gets it right gets a shout-out. The answer will be at the end of the newsletter tomorrow.

SPORTS

The Commanders are one step closer to the regular season after trimming their roster to 53 players this weekend. In his breakdown of the moves, NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson reports that — to the surprise of no one — the offensive line remains the team’s biggest question mark.

The Spirit earned a much-needed win over Bay FC on Sunday, the team’s first victory in more than a month. NOTUS’ Alex Schiffer reports that the win ends a four-game slide that saw Washington post three losses and a tie, and keeps the Spirit in second place in the NWSL.

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals vs. Marlins, 6:45 p.m. (FS1)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Francis Chung/Politico/AP.]]>

What the Flock?

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/what-the-flock

D.C. has 67 Flock cameras, capable of scanning some 400,000 license plates every day. (Sam Corum/Sipa USA via AP)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Aug. 28, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Flock has its eyes on D.C., but we know surprisingly little about how the powerful license plate readers are used.

The cameras have drawn plenty of national attention recently, with reports of police officers using them and the data they store to track their former lovers and commit other abuses. Civil liberties groups have also raised concerns of mass surveillance of otherwise law-abiding motorists.

But proponents hail Flock as a powerful tool to fight crime, especially because — unlike past iterations of license plate readers — it allows police in one jurisdiction to search the databases for license plates scanned in others. Police officials say this allows for almost real-time tracking of vehicles and suspects — including as they cross county or state lines.

D.C. has 67 Flock cameras, capable of scanning some 400,000 license plates every day — data that is then kept for 90 days. Police officials say the cameras have helped solve crimes, including at least two homicides last year. The footage also gives the Metropolitan Police Department the ability to track suspects if they flee the city.

Little else is known about how the massive amount of data has been used. NOTUS’ Martin Austermuhle and Jenny Gathright report that MPD set up some guardrails for its system this year, but it went almost a full year with no such limits in place. Additionally, MPD has rejected open-records requests — including one from NOTUS — for data on who has been searching the city’s database, and why.

D.C. lawmakers have largely been quiet on Flock, though At-Large council member Christina Henderson has sought answers from MPD. She says that her views on the technology have evolved over the past few months, and that she thinks MPD is using it appropriately. Still, she understands why some residents may have concerns.

“I think we have to figure out what the balance is, and I think that’s the conversation that we should be having as policymakers,” she says. “Not necessarily to completely discard a system, but to ensure there are protocols and guardrails in place, and also periodic audits to make sure that those who have been ensured with this system are using it appropriately.”

FROM THE DISTRICT

A special grand jury empaneled by U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro has been looking into truancy and graduation rates in D.C. Public Schools, The Washington Post reports. The rarely used tool allows prosecutors to investigate but not necessarily file charges for wrongdoing — the grand jury can instead issue a report on its investigation.

Pirro has raised concerns about oversight of D.C. teenagers over the past year, threatening to prosecute parents for allowing their children out past curfew and pushing to change city law to give her office authority to prosecute more teens as adults.

What will D.C. do with its Meta millions? Henderson suggested Thursday on X that the District could “finally” fund a youth psychiatric treatment facility in the city with the settlement money from the social media giant.

The tribe has spoken. A federal prosecutor living in D.C. is among the castaways set to compete on the 51st season of “Survivor,” People magazine reports.

Hyperlocal politics can get physical, it seems. An advisory neighborhood commissioner in Ward 5 has been charged with simple assault after authorities said she shoved a woman at a public meeting. The dispute stemmed from a disagreement over a proposed bike lane in the Bloomingdale neighborhood. Karla Lewis, the accused commissioner, has raised concerns over the bike lane that could run along R Street Northwest.

FROM MARYLAND

The University of Maryland’s flagship campus in College Park is predicting a 30% decline in new graduate student enrollment this fall due to President Donald Trump’s new visa restrictions, The Banner reports.

METRO MOMENTS

Natty Nationals dog extra (1938x1280, AR: 1.51)

Last month, we sent photographer Jared Soares out to Nats Park to take some pictures of Natty, the much-loved team dog. Our story on Natty came out earlier this week, and we would highly recommend checking it out. But there were just too many good photos to choose from. So, here’s a favorite from the cutting room floor.

SPORTS

The Nats are no longer in the playoff hunt, but that doesn’t mean this season has lost all meaning. In fact, NOTUS’ Jesse Dougherty argues that the idea of no-stakes baseball is a myth. Every game means a whole lot to somebody, whether it’s a captivated fan in Section 226 or a recent call-up on the mound.

Fire away, Commanders fans: NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson will be doing an AMA at noon today over on r/Commanders.

What to Watch This Weekend

Friday

NFL preseason: Commanders at Ravens, 6 p.m. (WUSA9)

MLB: Nationals vs. Marlins, 6:45 p.m. (Fox5)

WNBA: Mystics at Sparks, 10 p.m. (Ion)

Saturday

MLB: Nationals vs. Marlins, 4:05 p.m. (MLB.TV)

MLS: D.C. United vs. LAFC, 7:30 p.m. (Apple TV)

Sunday

MLB: Nationals vs. Marlins, 12:15 (Peacock)

NWSL: Spirit vs. Bay FC, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Jared Soares for NOTUS.]]>

Meta Millions

Martin Austermuhle, Jenny Gathright, Zara Norman — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/meta-millions

Meta has agreed to stricter protections for teenage users of Facebook and Instagram as part of a settlement with D.C. and dozens of states and U.S. territories. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Aug. 27, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Big tech is set to pay D.C. some big bucks. Meta will pay the District between $90 million and $130 million over the next decade to resolve a large, multistate lawsuit that accused the company of knowingly endangering children’s mental health.

The settlement is among the largest consumer-protection payouts in the city’s history, NOTUS’ Jenny Gathright reports. The tech giant will fork over up to $17 billion to dozens of states and U.S. territories. It’s a massive sum, but one that amounts to just 1% of the company’s stock value.

In addition to the money — and maybe more significantly — Meta agreed to stricter protections for teenage users of Facebook and Instagram, including hard time limits, limits on night usage and better controls over potentially harmful content.

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who sued the company in 2023, said those safeguards will “fundamentally and immediately change how young people use Instagram and Facebook.”

So how will D.C. spend its share of the settlement? That’s unclear, but at least half must go toward mental health support or enrichment for young people. That investment could include boosting funds for the 988 crisis hotline, funding more outdoors and sports programs for teens, or adding digital literacy counselors to schools.

In the wake of Wednesday’s agreement, Meta is aggressively encouraging competitors TikTok and YouTube to establish similar protective measures for teens. That PR push involves full-page print ads in The New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times,according to The New York Times’ Mike Issac.

FROM THE DISTRICT

A D.C. man was arrested for filming federal immigration agents as they detained someone behind his home in Northwest, reports WUSA9. The man said he was not interfering and was knocked over by a D.C. police officer, who later arrested him. He spent the night in jail, though his charges were later dropped.

D.C. is home to the world’s only liberal arts university dedicated to the deaf community: Gallaudet University. But not every student shows up knowing American Sign Language. A three-week bootcamp at the start of the school year helps them learn, The Washington Post reports.

Return to sender: A growing number of working, would-be homebuyers in D.C. are living with their parents while they save up for their own place, Axios D.C. reports.

D.C.’s only cookbook store, Bold Fork Books in Mount Pleasant, announced it will close next month, citing economic pressures, City Cast D.C. reports.

The food hall startup Wonder is planning to have 30 locations in the DMV by the end of the year, making the region one of the food tech company’s fastest-growing markets, Axios D.C. reports.

TALK TO TOM

DC0A8329 copy.jpg (10898x7812, AR: 1.40)

Tom Sietsema is back answering your questions about the D.C. dining scene. Submit your questions here.

I’m looking for a solid restaurant with a view in the city.

Look no further than Limani, the dashing, three-floor Greek oasis whose picture windows capture boats, water and more at The Wharf in Southwest D.C. The airy white interior with accents of blue makes me feel cooler just walking in, and I appreciate the consistency of the cooking. When opening executive chef Lonnie Zoeller died unexpectedly last year, his sous chef, Antonio Contreras, ably slipped into his place in the kitchen.

A meal this month reminded me of my first visit to Limani. Fried in a kettle of olive oil, the signature stack of thin, hand-cut eggplant and zucchini arrives glossy but greaseless — also hot, crisp and cooled with a dip of tzatziki. (Move over, potato chips.) Bite into the supple grilled squid and out rushes a river of tangy cheese. Loup de mer is cooked head-on, then simply brightened with capers and lemon. A trio of lamb chops is as succulent as I remember, too, and don’t be surprised when a server in a white jacket delivers a gratis gift to the table. (My party received a strawberry pavlova to share.)

In the full Q&A: Server etiquette, well-designed menus and a new spot for a good but casual meal.

SPORTS

Training camp update: The Commanders made the short trip to Baltimore on Wednesday for a joint practice with the Ravens, and NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson reports that it did not go well.

Washington has injuries on both sides of the ball right now, but it was the offense that looked especially bad in Baltimore. Jayden Daniels was pressured and running backs were stuffed as the team struggled to move the ball. It was an ominous performance with less than three weeks remaining before Week 1.

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals vs. Rockies, 1:05 p.m. (MLB.TV)

WNBA: Mystics at Mercury, 10 p.m. (Amazon Prime)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS.]]>

Dolly’s D.C. Legacy

Martin Austermuhle, Zara Norman — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:31:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter/dollys-d-c-legacy

Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday, was the driving force behind D.C.’s Books from Birth program. (Mark Humphrey/AP)

Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Aug. 26, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

If you raised a child in D.C. over the past decade, you may have a closer connection to Dolly Parton than you think.

The beloved country music star, who died Tuesday, was the driving force behind D.C.’s Books from Birth program, which sends free books to District kids every month through their fifth birthday. The program is part of Parton’s Imagination Library, which she created in 1995 to spur interest in reading and has mailed out more than 300 million books.

More than 4 million books have been sent to almost 100,000 kids in D.C. over the past decade. Roughly 77% of kids under the age of 5 in D.C. have enrolled in the city’s program — among the highest rates of all the areas that Imagination Library serves.

“We are profoundly indebted to her,” Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the executive director of the D.C. Public Library, said in a statement posted to social media, “not only for her timeless music and cultural influence, but for her unwavering belief that every child deserves access to books and the opportunities they create. … We will always love Dolly Parton.”

Parton’s Imagination Library is also available in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, and there are efforts to bring it to Northern Virginia.

FROM THE DISTRICT

Kennedy Center demolition? The conflict between preservationists and the Trump administration over the fate of the iconic performing arts center is heating up, with administration lawyers telling a federal judge that the venue may have to be demolished if President Donald Trump’s renovation plans — and the proposed two-year closure to complete them — are blocked, NOTUS’ Jenna Monnin reports. Were that to happen, the attorneys added, the Kennedy Center could be replaced by an outdoor amphitheater.

D.C.’s housing market could use a little fuel, but maybe not this literally. The Washington Business Journal reports that a former Sunoco gas station at 15th and U streets Northwest is likely to become just another gas station, after plans to convert the site to housing fell through. A developer worried that they couldn’t make the economics work, a stark indicator of the headwinds the city’s housing market is facing due to a slowing economy and complaints about local regulations and bureaucracy.

The long-awaited, $92 million 11th Street Bridge Park project may soon accept contractor bids, City Cast D.C. reports. The park’s director expects to break ground by the end of the year.

FROM VIRGINIA

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors member Juli Briskman told WTOP that she’s running for chair next year with a focus on “stopping data centers.”

Amtrak will have a nine-day service outage in October affecting routes south of D.C.’s Union Station, NBC4 reports. A key rail part that helps trains switch tracks needs to be replaced. During the disruption, buses will help commuters get to or from places like Alexandria, Richmond and Roanoke.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

Peirce Mill Square Dance (2304x1536, AR: 1.50)

For cat lovers: CatVideoFest 2026 at AFI Silver, Thursday.

For folksy folks: Summer Square Dance at Peirce Mill, Saturday.

For old friends: “Merrily We Roll Along” at Signature Theatre, ongoing.

For more info on this weekend’s events, read our weekly culture calendar here.

SPORTS

Is this training camp or Training Day? NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson reports that new Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has turned to a unique source of inspiration this summer: Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington. Jones, a big Denzel fan, often tells his defensive players to put their “Denzel Washington caps on,” meaning they need to disguise their intentions before a play.

“We want to make every [coverage] look the same,” Jones said. “That requires putting on our best acting hat.”

The Big Ten will pass a rule prohibiting its members from using the much-discussed eligibility loopholes that have allowed some football players to move from the professional game back down to college, according to ESPN. Sorry, Terps — no boomerang additions for you.

What to Watch Today

MLB: Nationals vs. Rockies, 6:45 p.m. (MLB.TV)

Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.

The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo courtesy of Bill Mills. One last thing: that $1.5 million house we showed you yesterday is located in Virginia.]]>