Jonathan Reed has been a medical cannabis patient for two years.

“It helped me get out of depression. I completely stopped drinking,” Reed told 91���� after making a purchase.

The Center is one of seven medical cannabis dispensaries in Washington DC serving over 6,000 registered patients, ��Medical patients from out-of-state can use their card at DC dispensaries as well.

On Tuesday, the DC Council passed concerning cannabis plant count limits. Cultivators, the companies that grow and produce cannabis products, are currently limited to growing 1000 plants at a time. The resolution still requires the mayor’s signature.

The legislation was initially introduced in November by Council members Vincent Gray and David Grosso.

“I am excited to move this piece of legislation forward today. The district’s medical marijuana industry needs to be able to grow,” Gray said.

The resolution indicates that plant counts were originally implemented to “protect the medical marijuana program from interference with the federal government” but language from the federal budget now prohibits interference from the Department of Justice. Removing the plant count will allow cultivators to grow according the market demand.

“Patients have asked us to get rid of this outdated plant count limit,” Grosso said. He said that many patients seek certain strains and that the plant count limit unnecessarily create shortages.

Michael Bobo, co-owner of National Holistic Center, told 91���� he couldn’t agree more. He said eliminating the plant count will allow them to have products on a more consistent basis.

“It gives them opportunity to do research and create innovative products,” Bobo said.

Roy Jones, an out-of-state patient from Maryland, said that prices are high in DC and that is because of the plant count limits for growers.

“In Maryland you can buy in bulk. Unlike DC, every other block has a dispensary. The competition is there and that also drives prices down,” Jones said.

However, not everyone agrees with eliminating plant count limits.

Norbert Pickett, owner of DC Holistic Wellness in Deanwood, said that eliminating plant counts only helps multi-state cultivators.

“These out-of-state cultivators are multi-state operators that own numerous facilities around the country and can get multiple licenses,” Pickett said. He argued that out-of-state cultivators dominate the market and make it difficult for local cultivators to compete.

Pickett said that when DC legalized cannabis, it limited the industry to seven dispensary licenses and 10 cultivator licenses, of which two remain unused.

According to Pickett, only two licenses belong to local cultivators in DC. The other six licenses belong to three out-of-state cultivators, with each cultivator having two licenses in DC locations.

“If there were more cultivators that would create competition,” Pickett said, who is lobbying the mayor for one of the two remaining cultivator licenses.

91���� reached out to DC Health to inquire about Pickett’s concerns. It said that the production of medical cannabis currently “far exceeds the demand” and that applications are not being accepted at this time.

DC Health indicated that it will “open the application period for cultivator centers registration when the demand is close to the production.”

The cannabis industry has proven to be lucrative. that the DC cannabis industry has raked in $17.7 million so far, which is a proportionally high considering the small size – 68 square miles – of the city compared to a large state like Minnesota, which has made $9.6 million.

Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level as a Schedule I Drug.

The post DC Council passes resolution eliminating cannabis plant count limits �� first appeared on 91����.

Metropolitan Police Officer, Roger Lowery, told 91���� on-scene two people were shot around 8:30 p.m.

According to the official police Twitter account there was “no usable lookout” which means they don’t have any specific descriptions of the still at-large shooting suspect or suspects.

Alert: Shooting, Connecticut Ave & Cathedral Ave NW, No usable lookout at this time.

— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept)

Initially, there was confusion that the shootings happened at the zoo itself, which was holding its annual Zoo Lights holiday event.

It was later determined by police that fireworks were set off at the zoo and then the actual shootings happened a few blocks from the Connecticut Avenue entrance.

Jess Falborn was attending Zoo Lights and said people threw fireworks around 7 p.m. and the zoo was completely shut down within the next hour-and-a-half.

“There were people running! Park police cars were telling us where to go. There was a shooting after that,” Falborn said.

Falborn’s friend, Liz Dyer, said she witnessed fights at the zoo and that it “looked like someone was arrested.”

Police Commander Duncan Bedlion told 91���� the first victim was found shortly after the zoo closed at the intersection between Connecticut and Cathedral Avenue. The other shooting victim was found on Calvert Street, also near the zoo exit.

Both victims were identified as young males and were transported to area hospitals.

Zoo Lights is an annual holiday tradition held at the National Zoo.�� The free event turns the zoo into a winter wonderland with 50,000 lights. There are also live music performances, shopping and holiday treats.

Zoo Lights is being held this year from November 29 through January 1, but is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.

91���� reached out to the zoo with questions about security, but we did not receive a response before publication.

Calls to the police department on Sunday were not returned.

The post Double shooting near National Zoo. Suspect(s) still at large. first appeared on 91����.

Gordon Sondland was front and center at Wednesday morning’s public impeachment hearing. His testimony connected President Trump directly to the Ukraine scheme, among other revelations.��

Sondland is a one-time Trump loyalist who donated $1 million to the president’s campaign, but Democrats are relying on Sondland’s testimony to that Trump used his power to pressure Ukraine to investigate his rivals.

Here are five things to know about Sondland:

1. He is a wealthy political appointee

Wealthy donor-turned-diplomat Sondland to the Trump campaign through his hotel companies, according to CNN. He has no foreign policy experience, unlike the other career professionals who testified publicly during hearings last week and on Tuesday, including former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, after her testimony Friday.

Sondland is a first-generation American who built his hotel fortune on his own.�� Sondland’s parents fled Nazi Germany.��

2. The president ordered Sondland and others to work with his personal attorney to carry out the pressure campaign on Zelenksy, according to Sondland’s testimony

Sondland on Wednesday said he had multiple conversations with Trump about pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.��

The move was spurred by Hunter’s relationship to the Ukrainian energy company, Burisma Holdings.��

Last week, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs George Kent testified the White House completely replaced foreign policy representatives with the so-called who were involved in a shadow foreign policy , The “amigos” were Sondland, Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker and Energy Secretary Rick Perry

In his opening statement, Sondland stated “he followed the president’s orders,” implicating Trump in the scheme. The orders came from the top, he said, and the president ordered the amigos to “talk to Rudy.”

Sondland said he and others did not want to work with Giuliani, but did because it was “at the express direction for the president of the United States.” Giuliani “spoke for the president,” he said.

“Mr. Giuliani was expressing the desires of the President of the United States, and we knew that these investigations were important to the president,” Sondland said.��

If the scheme had panned out, Zelensky on a CNN program. The appearance was canceled after the military aid was released Sept.11.

3. Sondland reversed his initial testimony, admitting a “quid pro quo” and saying that top officials knew

Sondland Wednesday also implicated numerous top officials when he said “everyone was in the loop. It was no secret,” referring to the pressure campaign on Zelensky.

“We all understood that these prerequisites for the White House call and White House meeting reflected President Trump’s desires and wishes,” Sondland said during his testimony.

Sondland testified there was a “quid pro quo” and that “a lot of people were aware of it” during his testimony Wednesday.��

“Mr. Guiliani’s requests were a quid pro quo for arranging a White House visit for President Zelenksy,” Sondland said. “Mr. Giuliani demanded that Ukraine make a public statement announcing investigations of the 2016 election, DNC server and Burisma.”

I came into this at Volker’s request. Sondland is speculating based on VERY little contact. I never met him and had very few calls with him, mostly with Volker.

Volker testified I answered their questions and described them as my opinions, NOT demands. I.E., no quid pro quo!

— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani)

Sondland said the same thing during his in October. Then, a attached to the transcript, Sondland said he told a Zelensky aide that hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid would not be released to the country unless officials made a “public anti-corruption statement” that had been under discussion “for many weeks.”��

5. Sondland said there were no plans to follow through with an investigation

During Wednesday’s public testimony, Sondland said he “presumed” the aid was tied to the investigations, but that Trump did not personally tell him that there were preconditions.

Sondland said the military aid was conditioned only on the announcement, but not the actual investigation.

“He had to announce the investigations. He didn’t actually have to do them, as I understand it,” Sondland said.

��Last week, that Sondland told him that “everything,” including $400 million in military aid appropriated by Congress and a White House visit, was dependent on Zelensky making a public statement about investigating the Bidens.

The post Who is Gordon Sondland? 5 things to know first appeared on 91����.

The Foggy Bottom West End Village offers a wide variety of programs and services to older adults. It has grown to 160 members in just six years.

“It’s like social insurance. It prevents us from becoming socially isolated,” C.B. Wooldridge, a founding and current board member, said.

According to , social isolation can lead to “adverse health consequences including depression, poor sleep quality, impaired executive function, accelerated cognitive decline, poor cardiovascular function and impaired immunity at every stage of life.”

A by the APA called social connection a “public health priority” as social isolation can lead to premature death.

Social isolation is the most important issues addressed by Foggy Bottom West End Village. The DC Office of Aging awarded the Foggy Bottom West End Village a $71,000 grant to address social isolation through its programs and services.

The 400+ programs offered in 2018 focused on education, health and wellness, arts, and social initiatives.�� Some of the are tai chi, gentle yoga, happy hour, coffee hour and a with Dr. Amitai Etzioni on his book “Reclaiming Patriotism.”

“This is something that all cities need,” said Pat Kellogg, secretary of the board. She has been a member since the beginning and joined the board this past summer.

Kellogg, a physician, said that she has seen how isolated people can become. The organization helps members get to know their neighbors and develop friendships.

“It’s the idea of fostering neighborhoods. There are people you can say hello to when you pass them on the street,” Kellogg said.

Earlier this month on November 3, the Foggy Bottom West End Village held its annual fundraiser that also honored one of their long-time members. Approximately 80 members attended the function.

Wooldridge said that the fundraiser allows the organization to increase its ability to offer reduced income memberships.

Kellogg said that although Foggy Bottom is an affluent neighborhood, approximately 15-20% of the members pay reduced fees. Yearly membership fees are $630 for a single household or $690 for a couple. A reduced membership can be as low as $25.

“A ride to the doctor can become a significant expense,” Kellogg explained.

Carl Vacketta was presented the Founders’ Torch Award for Community Spirit at the fundraiser.

Vacketta has lived in the Foggy Bottom for over 40 years and recently retired from a distinguished legal career at DLA Piper. He is a founding board member of the Foggy Bottom West End Village and since retiring, serves as an advisor to the board for financial and governance issues.

The Foggy Bottom West End Village “helps people age in place”, Vacketta said during his award acceptance speech at the fundraiser.

Anna Chisman, who attended the fundraiser, told 91���� that the group has “become an important part of her life.” She has been a member since the beginning.

“I know the people in my neighborhood. We have become friends,” Chisman said.

Myrna Fawcett is an elder law attorney and the president of Foggy Bottom West End Village. She said the effort to get the Village established took two years. She worked as part of a large group of neighbors interested in the “idea of living and staying in the community without having to move.”

“Many are interested in meeting other people in the community and want to be active. Others are older and need services,” Fawcett said.

Fawcett said that the Foggy Bottom West End Village is not age driven, meaning there is no age minimum or limit, but the members are mostly older retired residents looking for social activities. According to its , members range in age from 36-99.

The post Organization offers seniors a community to fight social isolation and foster neighborhood relationships first appeared on 91����.

According to Cedric Hendricks, chair of the Francis-Stevens Local School Advisory Team, the school is addressing the overcrowding issue by converting two balconies in a gym into two classrooms by early next year. Also, four portable classrooms�� are slated to be added for the 2020-2021 school year. These are temporary solutions before a complete modernization of the school, which is expected to take several years.

The school’s maximum capacity is 513 students. D.C. Public Schools is projecting 650 students by 2024. Short term fixes won’t be enough and a three-year modernization project with a $75 million price tag is on the horizon.

Two schools merged with the prestigious D.C. magnet high school, School Without Walls, to become School Without Walls at Francis-Stevens School in 2013 after the schools were scheduled for closure due to low enrollment.

School Without Walls at Francis-Stevens serves pre-K through eighth grade and has essentially become a victim of its own success.

Patrick Kennedy, the commissioner of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2A, attributes the success to retention, high test scores and parent survey satisfaction. Many families have moved to Ward 2 for the sole reason to send their kids to Francis-Stevens.

Kennedy said there are 800 kids on the waiting list for Francis-Stevens.

Hendricks said that last year there were 474 enrolled students. This year enrollment swelled to 540 students, which was higher than both the D.C. Public Schools estimate of 495 students and the LSAT estimate of 505 students.

“We have a high performing school and that has certainly contributed to growth. Being overcrowded will undermine that success,” Hendricks said.

Kennedy said that over the course of the process of saving the school, the community itself became more invested. Neighborhood leaders, parents and faculty came together and now the school is the gem of the community.

Six years later, that same committed group of community members is fighting for upgraded facilities and a larger campus.

Julian Wright, 7, is a second grader at Francis-Stevens that loves going to school but his father told 91����, “middle school classes are bursting at the seams.”

Both of Julian’s parents are very involved with the school. Julian Wright Sr. is a member of the LSAT and chancellor advisory board. He also coaches lacrosse and cross country. His wife Adria is a soccer coach.

Adria said that the bathrooms are in major disrepair and that the toilets regularly overflow and stink up the halls.

The playground needs to be renovated. Adria said she had to rescue a child that got stuck in a playground obstacle. Also, two children have suffered broken arms this year.

Adria also said that the cafeteria, which is staffed by SodexoMAGIC, could really use an additional staff member.

“They look tired,” she said.

Ross Elementary and Thomson Elementary are two feeder schools contributing to overcrowding. ��On top of that, the fourth grade also expanded but had to be put in small rooms, because the larger middle school classes needed the bigger rooms.

“Renovations are definitely needed. This building is old,” said Monica Stephenson, a second-grade teacher at Francis-Stevens.

Stephenson’s classroom barely has room for students to hang up their coats. There are no cubbies and the students are packed tightly in the classroom.

She said that she loves the culture at Francis-Stevens, but the students deserve better facilities.

“For the 21^st century, we should have a 21^st century building. This is archaic,” Stephenson said.

The modernization project is expected to take three years and is currently slated to begin in 2022. The first year is dedicated to planning while the other two years are for construction.

According to Kennedy, the planning phase, which includes preliminary engineering, is expected to cost $5 million. The construction phase would bring the total project cost to approximately $75 million.

Julian said that the project desperately needs to be moved up to address the overcrowding and facility needs.

Two weeks ago, Julian went to an ANC meeting where the mayor was in attendance and the main topic was the overcrowding at Francis-Stevens. The mayor told him about a special projects budget.

“We want to be that special project. It’s not a vanity play, it’s a necessity,” Julian said.

He said that the next steps are to meet with the city council, which ultimately controls the budget.

The post School seeks $75 million to keep up with student population growth first appeared on 91����.

With only a month left, the Committee to Recall Jack Evans has collected 85% of the signatures required by the DC Board of Elections. As of October 10, the Committee had collected 4,270 out of 5,024 needed signatures.

Titled the Ward 2 Citizens Recall, the petition seeks to remove Evans from his position through a special election. In order to accomplish this, the Committee must collect 10% of Ward 2 resident signatures by November 18.

Passionate volunteers have been diligently trying to collect signatures all throughout Ward 2, setting up tables around grocery stores and at the Dupont Circle farmers’ market every Sunday.

Kris Furnish is one of those avid volunteers and explained why she got involved with the Committee.

“By doing the petition, it gives the voters a voice, especially in DC where there is taxation without representation. I’m just tired of seeing money run politics, and people get left behind,” she said.

Many of the petition signatories echoed Furnish’s frustrations and blamed Evans for not hearing them.

“Jack Evans does not listen to the people, he does not hold events, he’s not accountable, he’s just interested in protecting his developer cronies, he has stayed in the way of affordable housing. With him out of the way, a lot more can get done in the city and make the city work best for everyone,” said Chris McCoy, a Ward 2 voter.

Andrea Levy said she signed the petition because of Evans’ actions.

“I just don’t like the behavior of Jack Evans, plain and simple,” she said.

, Evans was in hot water for using his political power to lobby for his own consulting firm, NSE Consulting. The DC Board of Ethics and Accountability slapped Evans in August.

“This is an issue fraught with strong feelings on both sides,” Denise Snyder, executive president of Foggy Bottom West End Village, wrote in an email to 91����.

Barbara Kahlow, secretary-treasurer of West End Citizens Association, said that she was not aware of any members that had signed the petition.

“Jack Evans is and has been a wonderful councilmember for the city as a whole and for Ward 2, including Foggy Bottom-West End,” Kahlow said.

If the Committee meets their goal, the question will be put on the ballot. If it passes, Evans is at risk of being recalled and removed from the upcoming June primary, where he has at least six challengers.

One of his challengers is Patrick Kennedy, commissioner of Advisory Neighborhood Council 2A. He has been involved with the ANC since his college days at George Washington University over seven years ago.

He said although he has a good working relationship with Evans, the recent scandal has really “jeopardized trust.”

“People are ready to move on for something new. Jack is an institution; he’s been here for a long time. Even the people who support him want to move on. My hope is that he will not seek re-election,” Kennedy said.

The Committee to Hold Jack Evans Accountable, led by Adam Eidinger, filed the recall statement to the DC Board of Elections on April 12.

The DC Board of Elections is an independent agency that is responsible for voter registration, ballot access and administration of elections. The Board issued the official recall petition on May 20.

The Office of Councilmember Jack Evans sent an email to��91���� writing “the councilmember declines to comment and the office is not releasing a statement.”

The post Activists nearing goal to trigger special election of embattled councilmember first appeared on 91����.

Patricia Guadalupe, a foreign correspondent at NBC Latino and journalism instructor at American University, said that impeachment is a “very popular” story for her Latin America audience.��

But she thought it was a challenge for some international media to explain the intricate process of the congressional inquiry. Even terms like “congressional recess” need to be contextualized.

“They don’t understand recess doesn’t mean vacation,” Guadalupe said of international audiences.

Journalists writing for an international audience often focus on both global and localized impact.

“I’ve been following the international news and I see that the impeachment story is a lot in the headlines of international media agenda with most media trying to interpret what this current situation means for the stability of the country and the economy,” Thanos Dimadis wrote in an email to 91����.

Dimadis is a journalist from Greece and president of the Association of Foreign Correspondents in the USA, which represents the interests of foreign media in the United States. The Association has approximately 180 members.

He said in his email that other stories are surfacing, for example, a focus on more polarization in the U.S.��

But while the coverage in Washington, D.C., remains breathless more than a week after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry, the interest may be fading for some international audiences, especially when there is not an immediate impact in their nations.

Andrew Finkel, a correspondent based in Turkey, said that there would be more interest in the impeachment inquiry if it were to impact Turkey’s economy or U.S.-Turkish foreign relations.��

Instead coverage in Turkey has been dominated by the one-year anniversary of the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, killed in October 2018 in the Saudi embassy in Turkey. It has been widely concluded by United States intelligence that the murder was ordered by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.

“We don’t even have a word for ‘impeachment’” Finkel said. Turkish citizens “would never dream of doing something like that.” Turkey is currently governed by the increasingly autocratic regime of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

But in Ukraine, the news may be limited for other reasons.

posted by NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engels, Ukraine’s news outlets have limited coverage of the Trump impeachment inquiry, but it’s not because it is unimportant.

“They want it to go away,” he says in the video about Ukrainian reaction. “Many government officials have gone silent.” He reported that Ukrainians “are afraid of this, they are aware it happened, trying their best not to get dragged into a political fight.”

The Kyiv Post, an English-language media outlet in Ukraine, covered the impeachment in a story last week, including a detailed to the key players in the United States and Ukraine.

In an op-ed on the site, former Minnesota journalist Brian Bonner, the chief editor of the Kyiv Post, described Trump as the “foe of the week.” He said that Ukrainian president “stood his ground” on the phone call between the presidents.

This week, however, impeachment news has faded from the front page. There were no impeachment-related stories on the Tuesday evening homepage of Kyiv Post.

The post Is impeachment still front-page news around the world? Depends on where you live. first appeared on 91����.

by Shabnam Danesh

Imagine listening to outdoor reggae music on a warm evening accompanied by a magnificent sunset on the Potomac River. That was the scene at the closing event of the REACH Festival, a 16-day celebration that drew huge numbers of visitors.

Rachel Stambaugh, public relations coordinator at the Kennedy Center, told 91���� that more than 100,000 people attended the grand opening of the $250 million, 4.6-acre expansion of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

According to Billy Andrews, marketing manager at the Kennedy Center, the opening celebration was a great success, with many of the 500+ events having lines out the door.

Andrews said that residents are “intrigued” about the new campus and that it’s a huge draw for the city.

“It’s about bringing community into the Kennedy Center, rather than people come in, see a show, and leave immediately,” Andrews said. “Even if you’re not coming for a specific activity… you can hang out on the lawn, have a coffee, or a meeting on the water.”

Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the REACH expansion is the first of its kind since the Kennedy Center opened in 1971. It took six years to complete.

The REACH features 11 dynamic spaces across three pavilions with floor-to-ceiling windows, an outdoor stage for concerts and films and 130,000 square feet of outdoor space.

The spaces will be used for performances, workshops, art creation, classes and events. They are named in relation to President Kennedy and his legacy.

There is also casual arts café for guests to hang out, with lots of food and drink options. Food trucks are also on-site, adding to the variety.

The festival commenced on September 7 and ended on September 22, featuring over 500 unique events. Culture, art and community are truly at the heart of the REACH.

Marc Bamuthi Joseph, vice president and artistic director of social impact at the Kennedy Center, describes REACH as a “culture park on the river.”

“REACH brings culture at the scale of our common humanity and the opportunity to have real feelings together while watching great art together,” said Joseph, who is also a .

Most of the programming at the REACH is free and open to the public.

There is something for everyone at the REACH. Ruth Herman, a Foggy Bottom resident and usher at the Kennedy Center for the past 19 years, highly recommended the Moonshot Studio, which features various interactive workshops.

“It is hands on and strikes me as a great place for grandparents to bring their grand kids,” Herman said. She also recommended the Justice Forum for its “cutting edge” films.

Aside from the Justice Forum, which has fixed seating, Joseph says that the spaces at REACH are designed to be flexible with multipurpose uses.

“You can transition a space from a dance studio to a concert hall in 15 minutes,” Joseph said.

From October 7 – November 15, the REACH is featuring an art exhibit that is sure to draw large crowds. Entitled , the exhibit features a collection of 66 oil portraits painted by former President George W. Bush.

“It is his way to pay tribute to them and the sacrifices they made,” Stambaugh said. Like most free events at the REACH, timed-entry tickets to the Portraits of Courage exhibit need to be procured online beforehand.

The Center also has plans for a Culture Caucus consisting of over 20 different organizations and individuals representing all of DC. Joseph calls them the “first culture makers in residence.”

“It’s a creative ecosystem. They do more than make art, they make culture,” Joseph said.

One thing is for sure – it will be a culture that is uniquely DC.

The post “Culture park on the river” at the Kennedy Center draws crowds to Foggy Bottom first appeared on 91����.