Sophie Kaplan

Maryland has 1st case of community transmission of COVID-19

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the first case of community transmission of the coronavirus in the state on Thursday.

March 12, 2020

Muriel Bowser, D.C. mayor, declares health emergency amid virus threat

Local officials struggled again Wednesday to get ahead of the rolling coronavirus crisis, with new cases reported, schools, entertainment venues and other groups curtailing or canceling activities, and the fate of the District's signature Cherry Blossom Festival now in serious question.

March 11, 2020

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library’s overhauled flagship set for fall reopening

Libraries are long past the age when they were just a place to check out books. And when the newly restored Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial library opens this fall, says D.C. Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan, that shift in meaning and mission will become even more apparent.

March 10, 2020

D.C. colleges go online, SEC teleworks in face of coronavirus outbreak

As the number of COVID-19 cases in Maryland, Virginia and the District continued to mount, government officials, employers, schools -- and even the storied Gridiron Club -- were ducking and covering Tuesday in an effort to slow the spread and limit the toll of the epidemic.

March 10, 2020

Muriel Bowser, D.C. mayor, calls for self-quarantine for hundreds after rector gets coronavirus

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday became the latest regional leader to suggest residents consider self-quarantine and to raise the prospect of closing schools, following the emergence of the District's first confirmed cases of the disease caused by coronavirus over the weekend.

March 9, 2020

Marc Elrich, Montgomery county executive, says not to panic as three residents get coronavirus

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on Friday told his residents not to panic and to use common-sense precautions after the Washington suburb recorded its first coronaviruses cases.

March 6, 2020

D.C. facility for homeless women refurbished by female veterans

The Mission Continues, an organization that matches former members of the U.S. armed services with leadership and service opportunities across the country, brought about 100 enthusiastic women veterans, including Ms. Edwards, to Calvary in Anacostia to refurbish the facility.

March 5, 2020

D.C. area Chinese restaurant owners pin slowdown on virus fears

Owners of local Chinese restaurants say they are nervous about making rent and holding onto staff as they endure a sizable slowdown in business that they attribute to fears about the coronavirus.

March 4, 2020

D.C. attorney general warns of coronavirus scams

D.C. officials on Tuesday warned consumers of scammers who may take advantage of the growing concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.

March 3, 2020

Restaurateur Ashish Alfred holds alcohol-free events at George’s Chophouse, Duck Duck Goose

Bethesda restaurateur Ashish Alfred has not let his sobriety keep him from going out with his friends and having a good time.

March 2, 2020

Charles Allen, D.C. Council member, to introduce bill to give Metro riders $100 a month

D.C. Council member Charles Allen is proposing legislation to give city residents $100 a month on their SmarTrip cards to promote transit equity.

March 2, 2020

Muriel Bowser, D.C. mayor, announces legislation to combat illegal ‘ghost guns’

Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday announced emergency legislation to combat illegal firearms in the District.

February 28, 2020

Metro riders speak out against route cuts, fare hikes

The Metro Board of Directors heard directly from riders and their advocates Thursday about the transit agency's plan to cut bus routes and increase fares as part of the fiscal 2021 budget.

February 27, 2020

Muriel Bowser pushes for late-night Metro to boost D.C. economy

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is pushing for late-night Metro service as a new study on the city's nightlife industry shows that the subway's hours of operation greatly affect businesses.

February 26, 2020

Montgomery County lawmakers strategize collection of census data

Montgomery County lawmakers on Tuesday discussed strategies to collect the most accurate census data in a jurisdiction with a variety of immigrant communities that might be fearful of sharing information with the government.

February 25, 2020

Mild winter in D.C., Virginia, Maryland results in fewer potholes

As the weather warms this spring, trees will grow green leaves and cherry blossoms will bloom — but potholes will be few and far between thanks to a mild winter, transportation officials say.

February 20, 2020

D.C. Council aims to remove barriers for housing vouchers

D.C. Council held a hearing Thursday on bills that would give housing voucher recipients money for rental application fees and prohibit landlords from denying rental applications from people who pay in part with vouchers.

February 20, 2020

D.C. Council questions Metro police’s use of force against minors, arrest game

D.C. Council members on Wednesday questioned Metro Transit Police Chief Ronald Pavlik Jr. about his department's use-of-force policies after officers last week handcuffed a 13-year-old at a station and the agency confirmed that some officers had competed to see who could make the most arrests and issue the most citations.

February 19, 2020

Greenbelt police investigate dating app robberies

The Greenbelt Police Department is advising people not to meet strangers from dating apps following a string of armed robberies in which victims were lured by the applications.

February 17, 2020

D.C. Council mulls bill that would ban cashless businesses

The D.C. Council on Thursday considered legislation that would ban cashless, brick-and-mortar businesses in an effort to make the city less vulnerable to cyberattacks and more friendly to residents without banking or credit cards.

February 13, 2020