American University School of International Service students and survivor advocacy group NoMore-AU staged a protest Wednesday afternoon in response to the university’s response to Professor Earl Anthony Wayne’s name appearing in the Epstein Files, a recently-released trove of more than 3 million documents related to the Justice Department investigation into billionaire human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The files include an email exchange between someone identified as ‘Ken Turner’ and an NYPD Detective, Walter Harkins. In the 2019 messages, Turner suggests Wayne should be questioned in relation to his involvement with an underage girl. The documents do not indicate Wayne was accused of any crime by law enforcement.

Wayne, the Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer and former US Ambassador to Mexico from 2011-15, who teaches two spring classes in U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy, told 91���� he had reviewed the documents and described the claim as “baseless” and “fabricated”.

Said Wayne: “It appears to originate from a disjointed email chain that makes outlandish claims regarding international conspiracies and events that demonstrably never occurred as they would have been matters of public record or reported in the media at the time they occurred, and they were not.”

We don’t know what’s going on, and that makes us feel unsafe.

Students unsatisfied with the university’s response to the unverified allegations protested Wednesday, calling for a transparent investigation. The AU chapter of NoMore, a national organization that advocates for ending sexual and domestic violence and empowering survivors, organized the walk-out after news of the professor’s name in the files spread on YikYak, an anonymous campus-based message board.

“We don’t know what’s going on, and that makes us feel unsafe,” said Adah Nordin, one of the student protestors who helped organize the walk-out. “As someone going to class and getting a diploma from SIS, we deserve to know.”

The documents are being released as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed late last year, which requires the government to release all its investigatory files concerning the late sex offender and financier.

Students have developed a list of demands for the university in response to the allegations.

“We want the university to push for a criminal investigation, for him to be suspended without pay while it goes on, transparency on the process, and a statement from SIS administration and AU addressing these allegations,” said Tanishka Khanna, a senior who also helped organize the walk-out. “Survivors need to feel safe on campus.”

As of Thursday morning, there had been no official statement from the university addressing the allegation.

“Knowing someone with these allegations is teaching here…this can’t be a safe place for survivors without transparency,” said Emily Kershner, Vice President of NoMore-AU. “Whether the allegations prove true or false, we need transparency.”

In the email exchange, Turner writes: “You may want to question the Ex US Ambassador to Mexico; Mr. Earl Anthony Wayne about his involvement with an underage girl when he attended and was arrested by the Federal Police.”

He goes on to allege Wayne fathered a child with an 11-year-old child in Mexico and that another man is incarcerated there for Wayne’s crime.

Wayne said he sent a statement to each of his classes describing the allegations in the file as “online misinformation.”

“I stated unequivocally that the allegations about me are false,” he wrote.

Wayne also said that he never heard from law enforcement about the matter, and that he does not know who Ken Turner is.

Update: Following news of the allegations, the American Academy of Diplomacy released a statement. It reads, in part;

Upon reviewing the available facts, the Academy believes allegations in recently released Epstein files concerning Ambassador (ret.) Earl Anthony Wayne are false and malicious.

The allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor reference a party in 2014 and a supposed trial in Mexico in 2017. Any allegations as serious as those described against a United States Ambassador would at least have been reported to the Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security. We have checked with the relevant incumbent at the time and there was no such report.

You can read the full statement here: .

The post Students stage walk-out in protest after SIS professor appears in Epstein Files first appeared on 91����.

During the ceremony, President Donald Trump acknowledged the shooting of the two guardsmen the day before Thanksgiving. “I want to pay my highest respects to those two great guardsmen, you know who I’m talking about,” Trump said.

“They paid, in one case, the ultimate, and the other, Andrew, is getting better. Sarah, unfortunately, is watching from a high, watching from heaven,” he said, referring to Andrew Wolfe and Sarah Beckstrom.

The National Guard continues to be in the District as the Trump administration continues to challenge orders for their removal in court.

Despite the news of the shooting, guests still attended from around the country.

“I think this part of D.C. especially, is pretty secure,” said Michael Armitage, a 911 director and former mayor of Charlotte, Michigan. “You know, just being kind of in the center of all the national monuments and buildings. I knew they’d have increased police presence.”

Armitage attended the ceremony with his wife, Colleen, and their two children. The two said the trip was worth the short planning window afforded by the ticket lottery. “You only get a few weeks to make your plans,” she said. 

Both said that they were not worried about safety during the visit as well. “We constantly see the police present, we feel secure and safe. We’ve always kind of felt that every time we come to D.C.,” Colleen Armitage said.

The event features a ticket lottery for a chance to attend the festivities, which this year included performances from the Beach Boys, Christian singer Matthew West, and country artists Gabby Barrett, Jon Pardi, and Alana Springsteen, among others. 

Annette Vasquez, a secretary from Artesia, New Mexico, also attended the ceremony with her daughter, Felicity, and staff from Central Elementary in Artesia. Felicity’s class was chosen to make ornaments for the New Mexico tree. 

“We made our way this way from New Mexico, to watch and see it. We’ll come tomorrow and see the trees,” Annette Vasquez said. She also said that safety was not an issue in the decision to attend. 

“That didn’t even cross my mind,”  she said. “We feel very safe. It was amazing. I would come back.”

The display features one national and 59 additional trees to represent each of the states and territories. First Lady Melania Trump, also in attendance, lit the tree at last night’s ceremony. 

The president took the opportunity to praise the peace deals he has helped broker this year and offered a rosy view of his accomplishments this year in office. 

“On this holiday season, our border is secure. Our spirit is restored,” he said. “Our economy is thriving. Inflation has stopped. Our nation is strong, and America is back, bigger and better, stronger, better than ever before.”

The post Hundreds turn out for National Christmas Tree lighting despite recent violence first appeared on 91����.

Now complete, the Highway Safety Office is hoping to expand the pilot driver education program for the future. Evaluations are still ongoing, but so far, the response is promising.

Jules Kontchou, one of the driving instructors for the course, praised the program, the students, and the curriculum.

“Going through the course, as a teacher, I never had a teaching document like that one,” he said.

According to Kontchou, the curriculum, designed by AAA for the course, was a great benefit to students and instructors.

“Students told me after class that they were using the skills they learned in class on the road immediately,” he said.

Kontchou also said that other instructors were impressed with the curriculum as well.

“All of the students want the program to continue for others, and they want it to be longer,” Kontchou said. “If I could convince the government to keep the program going, I definitely would.”

According to the Department of Transportation, the program focused on a few main goals, the first of which included increasing the number of students who can obtain a driver’s license safely and affordably.

“In D.C., we have a unique transportation environment, and navigating our multi-modal city safely requires awareness and respect for everyone using our streets,” said Mayor Bowser at the launch of the initiative. “This program will give our young people the skills to become confident, responsible drivers who keep themselves and their community members safe.”

According to a press release from the mayor’s office, data shows that traffic fatalities in D.C. are at a 12-year low. As of August, the data showed a decrease of 57% in traffic fatalities compared to the same time in 2024.

“Safety is at the core of everything we do at DDOT, and it is imperative that we work together as a community to help keep every traveler on our roads safe,” DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum said in a press release. “This progress shows the impact of smart engineering and strategic road improvements and reinforces why we must continue building on this momentum.”

Now that the program has ended, the Highway Safety Office is in the post-pilot phase and working on evaluating its success. HSO is determining the feasibility of continuing the program and its funding options to do so.

Initial results are promising: 90% of students reported learning behaviors that will keep them safer on roadways through a survey provided at the end of the six-week pilot, DDOT said.

“Traffic safety education is critical to continuing our progress in reducing roadway injuries and fatalities in DC,” Acting Director of the Highway Safety Office Melissa Shear said via email. “This pilot program will empower young drivers with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate our roads safely.”

The pilot was paid for with local funds from the Office of Vision Zero whose goal is to eliminate traffic fatalities in D.C. by 2030. The $70,000 cost of the pilot covered instructor training, course materials for students and instructors and instruction fees at no cost to students.

The partnership brought together D.C. Public Schools, Dexterity Driving School, the D.C. Highway Safety Office, and Vision Zero. The driving school provided certified instructors who followed data-informed AAA curriculum to deliver in-person training, and HSO offered strategic oversight, funding support, and alignment with the city’s broader traffic safety goals.

DCPS�� was able to integrate driver education into the student experience, ensuring equity and access for young learners.

According to DDOT, the four high schools, Jackson-Reed, Coolidge, Phelps, and Eastern all have robust Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which allows students to benefit from a driver’s license to remain competitive in their field of study post-graduation.

Students were selected in consultation with school counselors, with preference given to those currently enrolled in CTE courses, such as automotive technology, where driving knowledge may support future career paths, the department said.

Even before final evaluations are done, DDOT has already seen measurable impacts from the pilot. According to the department, early successes include students gaining classroom knowledge of D.C. roadway laws and safety behaviors, and families benefiting from no costs and streamlined access to training.

The post District eyes additional resources to equip teen drivers first appeared on 91����.

What began as a single restaurant and bar next to the Howard Theater on U Street has now grown into an operation that oversees production and distribution in Delaware and all over the DMV.����

Still, the company says its focus is on bringing value to D.C. neighborhoods and making high quality “beer flavored beer.”

“It’s kind of like a Cheers situation,” said Bri DeOrsey, a bartender at Right Proper’s Brookland bar and production facility.����

DeOrsey has worked at the bar for eight years, one of the only employees who has been on staff since before the pandemic. In addition to bartending, DeOrsey also handles event coordination and other responsibilities for the company. ��

She said that, even with the company’s expansions,��it’s��still a neighborhood spot, with a neighborhood feel.����

“This was an old autobody shop,” she said, referring to the Brookland location. “There are neighbors who still remember it as that.” ��

While the company strives to keep the vibe local, customers like Bob Woodward and Jocelyn Nieva make the journey, regardless of the distance.��

“There are no great breweries near our house,” said Nieva. The two, who live near American University, routinely bike the seven miles to enjoy a drink at the Brookland location.����

“We’ve been coming here for years, and we love it.” Upon hearing the news that a new location is opening in��Eckington, they both agreed it would be “one more place to drink.”��

The new location in Eckington will be the largest of the company’s three locations, though it will be similar to the Shaw location. The overall focus will be to bring value to the community.��

“They don’t really have a restaurant over there,” said Thor Cheston. He and his wife Leah Cheston co-own the business. “We’re looking forward to being of service to the community,” he said.����

According to Thor Cheston,��construction at��the��Eckington��facility started��two weeks ago, but��there’s��no official opening date yet.����

“We would love to have an official date,” he said. “As of right now,��Maypril.”��

While the brand is successful, the focus��remains��on making high-quality products. “We could sell more than we’re actually producing,” said Chris Broome, head��brewer��and production manager for the company.����

Broome has been with Right Proper for about two years but has been a brewer for��10.����

He said that while other breweries are focused on new and unique, Right Proper is leaning into four core beers, keeping things simple with a focus on the details.����

The choice to keep a limited product line reinforces the company’s overall goal of reducing cost and increasing quality, he said. ��

“When you think of D.C. craft beer, we want you to think of Right Proper,” Broome said. “We��aren’t��trying to re-invent the wheel.��We’re��making beer flavored beer at the highest quality possible.”��

At current capacity, Right Proper brews and distributes about 5,000 barrels of beer per year. Current plans to expand capacity in the next six to 12 months are underway, with a goal of 6,500 barrels per year.����

Going beyond that, however, would be a challenge.����

“The more tanks you have, the more space you need for raw materials,” Broome said.����

Since raw materials for beer making attract rodents, the production facility also employs Prima, to help combat pests.����

“Prima is a working cat,” Broome says. “Lots of breweries have them.”

Prima is just one of several ways the Right Proper has been able to innovate through the volatility of recent years. Partnerships such as Zeke’s Coffee, which��operates��inside the Brookland location, allow the shop to offer something that otherwise��wouldn’t��be on the menu.����

“Zeke’s is very good at making and serving coffee, and we are really bad at it,” said Thor Cheston. “We’re��not going to pretend we know what��we’re��doing, so��we’re��going to get people who��do. We make��very good��beer and��we’re��going to stick to what we know.”��

For Leah Cheston, it’s also about being able to pivot.  ��

“Sometimes it still feels like we’re surviving the pandemic,” she said. “You just keep going.”  ��

She said she and her husband both worked in the restaurant industry and started Right Proper because they saw a need for more places in D.C. where you could get a relaxed, comfortable environment and good affordable food.  ��

Over the years, she learned it doesn’t necessarily get easier.����

“There’s no destination really,” she said. “You just get better at flexing.” ��

Like her husband, Leah Cheston expressed excitement about becoming a part of the Eckington community.  ��

“We identified Eckington as a place that needed more amenities,” she said.  ��

The 5,500 square foot location will seat 180, and will feature a full kitchen, but smaller brewing capacity. While there will unfortunately be no brew cat because of the restaurant, she said the kitchen is sure to be its own draw.  ��

“People forget we have really good food,” Leah Cheston said.  �� ��

The new facility will be��located��at 1625 Eckington Place, NW.  ��

The post After 12 years, Right Proper is still getting it right first appeared on 91����.

Still, both parties are refusing to take the blame for the reasons behind the 36-day shutdown. Democratic leaders say the election day victories are a sign to hold their ground. Republicans say blue wins in blue states are not a reason to cave.

House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said at a press conference Wednesday that he hopes the elections are a “wake-up call” for Republicans. Schumer said Democrats may have won the battle, but they have to keep fighting to win the war. 

“Americans have been feeling the real-world repercussions of Trump’s policies for months,” said Schumer, who Wednesday sent a letter asking President Trump to meet with party leaders.

Voters “know that Democrats are fighting for them and Republicans are doing nothing … Last night, Republicans felt the political repercussions.”

Bipartisan Stalemate

The shutdown has persisted because Democrats and Republicans cannot find a middle ground on health care tax credits, which makes insurance cheaper for millions of Americans. Those subsidies are set to expire Dec. 31.

Democrats have refused to reopen the government until Republicans agree to extend the tax credits.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans have always been willing to talk about making health care more affordable, but have been reluctant to do so during the shutdown because they want to reopen the government before negotiating.  

Republicans have been reluctant to do so during the shutdown because they want to reopen the government before dialogue continues, he said.

“It was in no way necessary or appropriate to shut down the government in order to have bipartisan discussions about the subsidies,” Johnson said.

Mayoral Milestone in New York

In New York City, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani beat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor-elect, and its youngest in over a century. 

Mamdani, who calls himself a democratic socialist, started his campaign relatively unknown last year before surging to victory Tuesday against Cuomo. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,called Mamdani’s win “one of the greatest political upsets in modern American history.” 

Sanders said Mamdani not only took on oligarchs, President Trump and Republicans in the election, but also the Democratic establishment.  

“If you have an agenda that speaks for the working class in this country, if you are prepared to take on the oligarchs — explain to people that it’s unacceptable that the very rich become much richer while working families can’t even afford groceries or their rent — and if you put together a grassroots movement you can in fact win,” Sanders said.

Speaker Johnson called Mamdani an “avowed, openly proclaimed Socialist” at a press conference Wednesday. He said Mamdani’s win signifies a shift toward socialism in the Democratic Party.

“Mamdani is without a doubt the biggest win for socialism in the history of the country, and it is the biggest loss for the American people,” Johnson said.

Alejandro Medina, a marketer who splits his time between New York and Virginia, said he feels more comfortable living in Virginia now because of the election results, which flipped the governorship to Democrat.

Medina is an immigrant from Mexico who cannot vote because he is not a U.S. citizen.

“I have to allow people to vote on my behalf,” he said.

Electoral sweep in Virginia

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said Democrats are “playing politics” with the lives of Americans during the shutdown. Republicans currently have a majority in both the House and Senate, as well as control of the White House. 

The Democratic sweep of Tuesday’s elections presents a new mainstream for the party, he said. 

“From a Communist mayor in New York City to a Virginia Attorney General who said he wanted to murder his political opponent. Pro-terrorist Marxist radicals are now the left’s mainstream,” Emmer said.

In Virginia, Democrats won the races for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General in one fell swoop. 

D.C. Tour Guide Lori Cohen, said she wasn’t surprised that Democrats won the state elections, with the exception of Attorney General-elect Jay Jones. 

On the campaign trail, Jones sent text messages about shooting his political rival, then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, to a Republican state delegate. Jones had apologized but stayed in the race.

Cohen said she wasn’t too pleased with the messages.

“I almost didn’t vote for him, but I didn’t want to continue Trump policies for attorney general, so I voted for him, and I kind of held my nose while doing it,” she said.

She said she voted Democrat because she disapproved of the shutdown and recent policy decisions by Trump. She said that she believes other democrats voted for similar reasons.

“There’s no end to the things to hate about Donald Trump,” she said.

Eric, a federal employee and Republican, who did not want his full name used, also said he was surprised by the election of Jones.

Jones “wanted to shoot his opponent twice and murder his children. I find that kind of extreme,” Eric said.

Eric is a Maryland resident, but he says he would have voted for Winsome Earle-Spears if he could have participated in the Virginia elections.

“I’m a Republican and she’s a Republican. I kind of go for the underdog,” he said.

Blue voted blue

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, said the recent elections do not represent most Americans’ view of Republicans’ performance during the shutdown. Many of the states that saw Democratic wins Tuesday voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

“Is it any surprise that last night, blue states voted blue? We’re talking Virginia, New Jersey, New York,” Scalise said. “By the way, none of those were swing states.”

Pam Henkins, a retired federal employee who voted in the Virginia election, said that the federal shutdown was one of many factors that motivated her decision. 

Her husband is one of the federal employees furloughed as part of the shutdown, though he still works for the DOJ. The government has furloughed about 670,000 employees, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

“I feel like this president is lawless,” Henkins said, “and I relied on the Supreme Court to institute the structure and uphold Congress’s authority and that’s just gone dead.”

Scalise said Republicans have worked with President Trump to deliver results on issues, like lowering taxes and securing the southern border.

But Ed Markey, D-Mass., said the elections are a clear call from voters for Republicans to come to the table and negotiate to end the shutdown. He said Trump has given himself “king-like power” and enacted economic policy that is illegal and destructive. 

“President Trump is taxing food, and toys, and clothing and even tea … the last time there was a tax on tea there was a revolution in Boston,” Markey said. 

The post Democratic wins deepen divisions on shutdown first appeared on 91����.

From new buildings, upgrades to existing facilities, and neighborhood expansion, the university has seen drastic changes, and officials expect more to come.  

“Bethune used to be a parking lot,” said Robert Mitchell, class of 1980.  “Anything past Bethune was the hood. You had to catch the shuttle unless you were from D.C. or a track runner,” he said.  

According to the university’s Real Estate Development and Capital Asset Management page, at least 10 facilities on the campus have received updates ranging from computer labs and conference rooms to new furniture and laundry facilities.  

One of the newest additions to the campus is The Oliver, a mixed-use facility on Georgia Avenue that is both a dorm for some students and offices for faculty and staff.  

“This is the only building where that’s allowed,” said Jenelle Howard, director of development, institutional giving, business and law. Howard is one of the administrators with an office housed in the new building.   

Directly behind The Oliver, Howard Manor’s revitalization delivered “80 permanently affordable homes capped at 60 percent of area median income for 99 years,” according to the development website. Units in Howard Manor are open to alumni and other community members. 

In addition, the university has entered ground-lease agreements with buildings such as Meridian, Slowe, and Carver Halls. According to the development website, these agreements allow the university to retain ownership of the land, while creating affordable housing options for the neighborhood that generate revenue for the school to fund scholarships and operations.

Earlier this year, the Miner Building reopened after a major renovation. Miner houses the School of Education and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science PCS. 

Also new this semester is Innovation Hub, a makerspace located inside Founders Library.

“There’s not a lot of traffic because people don’t know about it yet,” said Selah Allen, a junior who works at The Hub.  

Allen said that, at times, it’s better than the library for getting work done. “It’s another space for students to have on campus, which I think is very much needed.” 

Students still see issues.

Despite the progress, current students still see issues that the university needs to tackle. Access to healthy food options remains a continuing struggle for students, and choices are increasingly limited.  

“Eating on campus is hard, and they made it inaccessible,” said Steve Texas, a senior at the university. “The only things to eat are the dining hall, McDonalds, and Chick-fil-A.” He said that while progress has been made on campus in general, it’s not enough.  

 “It feels stagnant,” he said.  

 Other students, such as senior Aniyah Genama, said that off-campus options are shrinking as well.  

 “Chipotle, Subway, and Negril are all gone,’ she said.  

 For junior Janeen Louis, the lack of progress isn’t just limited to food.  

“I don’t like the new bookstore vendor because we have less books,” she said. “We used to have study spaces, I don’t see that anymore.” 

The university has added a café to the undergraduate library and upgraded kitchen facilities in some of the dorms. Overall, however, dining options are limited. “The food vendors are hit or miss,” Louis said.  

Even with these challenges, this week, the focus is on homecoming. 

“With everything going on in the world, HBCU homecomings are important,” Howard said. “Howard alum love coming back and pouring into the students,’ she said. 

H. Clay Smith, III, is one of those alum. Smith graduated from Howard in 1981, and from Howard’s law school in 1984. He stood on Fourth Street with three of his classmates reminiscing about his time at Howard.

“One thing about Howard, you can come back even 45 years later and still see someone you know,” he said.

The post At Howard’s homecoming, students and alumni note progress, continued struggles first appeared on 91����.

While the rest of the country focuses on national policy debates centered on affordable healthcare, people in Washington, D.C., feel the weight of the shutdown each day.

Here’s how the federal government halt is playing out on the streets of the District:

Museums everywhere – but they’re closed

George Washington Law School student Bradley Suarez often brings his dog Maple to play fetch on the lawn of the National Mall. The Florida native said his mom tagged along a few weeks ago. It was unusually barren – no local artisans or food trucks set up outside.

Suarez said that’s not the only thing that’s changed. He had to find a new place to take study breaks, since the Smithsonian Institution museums closed.

He used to “pick one museum a day” to walk around between class work. Now, because of the shutdown, the doors are locked.

“I don’t like it,” Suarez said.

By Isabel Del Mastro

New normal

Rachel Callahan moved to D.C. two months ago, eager to start college at George Washington University and explore the city. Federal layoffs and a government shutdown welcomed her to the District.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Callahan said her parents are eager to visit for family weekend. But, since TSA is “all messed up” from the shutdown, she said they may not make the trip.

As the National Guard troops walk by the Foggy Bottom Metro, Callahan said she has only known a D.C. in shutdown.

“It’s just like normal for me at this point — it would be different if I was here before,” she said.

By Ellen Tannor

Empty city, empty restaurants 

Kevin Gonzales, a manager at Carvings, a casual American restaurant in Foggy Bottom, said he wonders how long the government’s pause will affect business.

“We are down to about 25% of our business’s revenue because federal employees stop coming to our establishment,” he said. The restaurant serves everything from quesadillas to Reuben sandwiches to chicken tenders.

The restaurant has been empty Wednesday, with only spurts of customers straggling in. Gonzales said the business may have to lay off morning staff if the shutdown continues.

By Lynn Howard

‘Disappointing’ trip

Rachel Jennische and Robert Muilenberg, both journalism professors at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, flew with four undergraduate students to D.C. for MediaFest25, an annual conference for student journalists.

Jennische said she is disappointed, but not surprised, that the federal shutdown ruined their plans.

She wanted to take her students to visit the Smithsonian Institution museums, but the federal shutdown paused its funding. All 21 Smithsonian facilities closed their doors Sunday.

“I do mostly feel bad for our students because they don’t get the chance to travel much,” Jennische said. “That is disappointing.”

Instead, the group visited replicas of well-known D.C. sites, like The People’s House: A White House Experience.

By Isabel Del Mastro

No dinosaurs in D.C.

Matt, a French traveler who didn’t give his last name due to privacy concerns, is just in D.C. for two days as a part of a 60-day solo excursion throughout the United States. His trip started in New York and will end in Portland, Oregon.

He said he didn’t care about the federal shutdown at first. Then, it messed up his plans to visit the Smithsonian.

“Now, since I can’t go to see the dinosaurs, I’m kind of sad,” Matt said.

By Isabel Del Mastro

‘National gardeners’

Hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers are going without pay during the shutdown. The military, including National Guard members, could be the next to miss paychecks.

Protesting outside Union Station, veterans Matt Gordon and Blake Heinz said the National Guard should not have been deployed in D.C.

Gordon called the deployment “an embarrassment.” The guard has no clear orders, he said, and low morale. Guards assigned to beautification of the National Mall, have earned the nickname “National Gardeners,” Gordon said.

By Terrance Williams

Future ‘to be determined’

The shutdown is making it harder for Elizabeth Riekse, a senior international relations major at American University, to finish her capstone.

She planned to write about Thomas Jefferson’s Quran. Visiting the Library of Congress was essential to Riekse’s research. Now that it’s closed, the future of her project is “to be determined,” she said.

It’s not the first time the government changes have impacted Riekse. This summer, she interned at the US Department of Agriculture. Her job was cut during DOGE.

By Anastasia Menchyk

Democracy’s future

A group called For Liberation and Resistance Everywhere, a left-wing organization protesting Donald Trump’s presidency, has been on the lawn outside Union Station for months. Randy Kindle, a board member for the organization, said Trump’s presidency is a “multi-generational traumatic event.”

“If we don’t get Trump out by the end of the year, we won’t be a democracy for a long, long time,” he said.

Kindle said he has noticed fewer tourists since the shutdown started two weeks ago. He said he thinks Republicans and Democrats will reach a deal after the ‘No Kings’ protest Oct. 20.

By Terrance Williams

Federal workers ‘in panic’

Once a week Astor Archer stands around D.C. and spreads the word of God. He’s a Jehovah’s Witness, and said many of his friends and fellow parishioners who were furloughed are facing economic hardships.

Positioned in the heart of Foggy Bottom, across from Circa restaurant where federal workers pass by on their way to work, Archer said it seems like people are “in panic” at times.

Archer said he talks to everyone — doctors, nurses, federal workers and the general public. He looks through the pages of his bible for solutions for problems people are facing.

“It helps us see that there’s something better for mankind,” he said. “I’m here to give information, spread love and give hope.”

By Ellen Tannor

Nothing to see here

American University teaching assistant Jonah Gutterman, a 22-year-old junior from Philadelphia, usually escorts his intro-level government class on trips to federal buildings throughout the semester.

The shutdown cut those visits. “We were supposed to do a lot of really fun, exciting trips,” Gutterman said.

The class was scheduled to visit the Washington Monument and the Pentagon, he said, but the visit had to be cancelled. Gutterman said he doesn’t think the shutdown is close to ending.

“To be honest with you we haven’t covered it a whole lot in my congress class,” he said.

By Anastasia Menchyk

Life in limbo

Chris Ravenwind has been unhoused for four months. The path that led him there is tangled with the ripple effect of federal layoffs.

Originally from California, Ravenwind said he worked for a security company in Virginia — until he was abruptly laid off. He said he believed the layoffs were tied to the instability of the federal government.

Now, he said he spends his days submitting job applications and trying to find permanent housing, which is harder to nail down right now. Ravenwind said he is on a 5- to 8-year waiting list for government-assisted housing. For now, his next steps are simple: find food, get rest, keep trying.

“After I manage to get one responsible thing done, it’s about sleep and getting enough spare change to cope,” he said.

By Ellen Tannor

Staying optimistic

Fall is usually the busy season at Central Michel Richard, a French-American bistro near the Federal Triangle, said Ebony Miller, assistant general manager.

The restaurant’s main clientele are senators, lawyer groups and federal workers, she said.

The restaurant has seen a decrease in business since August, Miller said, but the federal shutdown has made it worse. She said her team is trying to stay optimistic.

“I’ve been trying to find creative ways just to make sure we put ourselves out there,” Miller said.

By Isabel Del Mastro

New business plan

Anuradha Mehra has sold handcrafted goods at Capital Harvest on the Plaza, a vendor market, for two years. But since the federal shutdown, she said her business has been suffering.

Mehra has 30 artisans crafting bags, scarves, and home goods in New Delhi, India, for her business IndiBlossom. She moved to D.C. 15 years ago and has been selling art for the past 10 years.

She said she only sells her goods in popup shops but, since the federal shutdown, she might create an online shop to help supplement business.

“I think in some ways I feel compelled to start my online space because, you know, with the way things are. But the shutdown is really just impacting people’s ability to shop,” said Mehra.

By Isabel Del Mastro

The post ‘Disappointing’ D.C.: Locals are worried, visitors feel shut out first appeared on 91����.

 The gala will be held Thursday, Oct. 23rd, from 6-10 pm at the Blackburn Center on campus. This first of a kind homecoming event, along with other major university changes, is part of an effort to support the university’s military-connected community, an effort spearheaded by Paris Adon, director of student services. 

Howard offers Army, Air Force, and Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs—students who participate train, study, and graduate to become officers in their respective military branches.  

The military-connected community, however, includes student veterans and military dependents using their benefits to attend school.  

Adon said, “80% of the students who use our services are dependents.”  

Adon heads six university offices, including the Office of Military and Veteran Services (OMVS), Advocacy and Support, Student Accessibility, Bison Intervention, the Pantry, and the Office of Interpersonal Violence Prevention (IVPP). Since he came to the university, there have been several renovations, the most recent being the Veterans Resource Center.  

Armed with a grant from the Department of Education and significant investment from the university, Adon has overseen major changes. The grant allowed for renovations to create the Veterans Resource Center, and the university added staff to help support the military-connected population, which has grown to nearly 700 students since Adon arrived.  

The success of the VRC is in large part due to the community being built within the space, Adon said. He said he takes pride in the fact that it’s a popular destination, even with students who have off-campus housing. 

“The students come down here to enjoy themselves,” Adon said. “The SVA meetings are packed.” 

The SVA is the Student Veterans of America, a student organization that uses the space for meetings and is made up of mainly military-connected students. Restarting the chapter was another win for Adon.  

Mentorship from the Ohio State University SVA chapter helped make the Gala possible. 

The Ohio State chapter suggested Adon pitch the idea to the school’s development office.

“Why don’t we do it during homecoming?” the development office asked Adon. 

The gala will honor Brigadier General Ronald Sullivan, an Army judge advocate general (JAG), graduate of Howard’s ROTC program, and the School of Business. There will be additional awards for cadets and SVA members. 

“A lot of campus partners don’t realize how connected this community is,” Adon said.  

For the students, the community is a huge draw.  

“If you come down here often enough, you’ll know everybody,’ said Xavier Rodriguez, a junior.  “It’s a chill place where a lot can go on, and nothing can go on.”  

Adon said he has tried to attend the commissioning ceremonies for the programs the university offers. His constant effort to make more connections across the campus is evident whenever he steps outside of his office.  

“We’ve done so much under his leadership,’ said Senior Vice President of Student Affairs Cynthia Evers. “They’re doing amazing things, and now others call on them.” 

Adon said he is most proud of what the students are doing with the space that he has helped create.  Not only is it a place for them to hang out, it’s a place for them to get answers, he added.  

“Any resource that Howard has, someone here knows about it,” said Joshua Gaither, a sophomore.  

Armani Bostic is a third-year law student at Howard who visits the VRC often.  

Bostic said she completed a work study program with the Veterans Administration and has found both community, and mentorship opportunities.  

“I go to school on west campus,” she said. “This is a great way to interact with the main campus.”

Adon said the staff he has built in and around the center is just as focused on creating those positive outcomes.

“We want to be the number one Student Veterans of America chapter,” Adon said. 

Keshala Fluker, one of the VRC case managers said for her, it’s about helping the students when they’re navigating hard times.  

“Sometimes you don’t know you need something until you experience it,’’ she said. 

She also said, there are more great things to come.

 “I think the more traction the VRC gets, the more positive outcomes we’ll see,” she said.  

Tickets for the event, which start at $100, are still available, and can be purchased online.

The post Red, White, and Bison Gala is another Howard military community win first appeared on 91����.

If you didn’t, you are not alone. It’s been 50 years since the first ANC elections, but D.C. residents are unaware that these neighborhood commissions administer community grants.������

While a lot of confusion remains about the role and power of ANCs in the District, the community grant program can have visible impact, if you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that offers them.����

��According to the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions FY 2025 , the role of the ANCs is “to advise the District government on matters of public policy,” which range from planning and social service programs to health, safety, and sanitation.����

The ANCs provide advice and recommendations to the D.C. Council, the mayor, and various agencies, boards, and commissions of government. Some ANCs also award grants to help their communities.��

“ANCs do a tremendous amount of work,” says Executive Director, Kent Boese. “We are in a much better city because of them.”��

The OANC oversees each of the District’s individual neighborhood commissions. When it comes to grants, both the OANC and the ANC receive the applications.����

The OANC reviews the grant for fiscal compliance and makes a recommendation on if they feel it would be an appropriate expense. The ANC can then decide if it still wants to support it, Boese said. ��

For community members who want to apply for a grant, there are rules, of course. Grants can be as much as $3,000 and are available to organizations, not individuals, based on D.C.����

Organizations can’t receive more than one grant in a year.��

Can’t duplicate a city service.��

Also, for a group to receive a grant, it can’t be for a program that duplicates a city service. Boese said that line is clear, but there is nuance.����

“For example, the city has a program where you can ask for free tools during the fall for community clean-up. However, the city doesn’t operate a program for that during the winter,” he said. A grant for a winter program would be allowed, but the ANC would need to retain ownership of the tools, he said.��

Additionally, grants can’t be used for things such as food, must benefit the community (not a person or organization), and must be for a future event, Boese said. ��

Ward 1 resident Wendy Singleton, a board member and logistics coordinator for , has helped her organization get an ANC grant for the past five years. The organization, founded by Ransom Miller III, has used the money to support their annual Thanksgiving food distribution. This event, celebrating its 30th year, helps Project Giveback support over 5,000 families with bulk food distribution throughout the city.

“It’s not a hard process,” she said. “You have to get in early. The ANCs want to make sure their constituents are being served.”��

��Not all commissioners offer grants.��

Since the ANC’s have final say if an organization or event gets funded, single member district representatives can sponsor a proposal for an organization that is based outside of their ANC. This is important because not all ANCs offer grants.����

For example, Anna Krebs, commissioner and treasurer of ANC 6B06, represents one of those districts.����

“6B does not currently have grants available, but it is something that we are actively working on,” she said. ��

She said her neighborhood commission is working with the OANC to see what kinds of grants have been approved for other neighborhoods.����

Before becoming an ANC commissioner, Krebs said she hadn’t heard of the grants either. However, she added that she does see the value of them.

��“Part of why we want to bring back grants is so we can put money back into the community,” she said.����

So who decides if an ANC will offer grants or not? According to Boese, that’s up to the ANCs as well.��

��“It is important when reading the Code to pay attention to the words ‘may’ and ‘shall.’ ‘May’ means that a Commission is allowed, but not required, to do something. ‘Shall’ means that a Commission must so something,” Boese said.��

Boese is referring to section 1–309.13(l)(1) of the D.C. Code, which says “Expenditures may be in the form of grants by the Commission for public purposes within the Commission.”��

Some commissions have elected to start creating programs themselves, rather than issue reimbursements to organizations, Boese said.��

According to the OANC Annual Report for FY24, ANCs receive an approved allotment in the D.C. budget by the mayor. For the last two years, that amount was $915,688, which comes to $1.327 per District resident based on the 2020 census.����

The OANC can also recommend that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer withhold a portion of an ANC’s allocation if that commission has spent money for something that is not allowed (e.g. a committee luncheon) or is not in accordance with the procedures for spending money (e.g. the expenditure is not recorded in the minutes, or the check does not have two signatures). It is the OCFO that makes the quarterly allotments to the ANCs.��

ANC budgets are restricted to two main uses: administration and community support. Admin can be office supplies, business cards, signs, advertising, or rent for office space or community meetings. The commissioners themselves are not paid, however.��

A common theme is a lack of awareness. “Even if people don’t get involved, they should know we exist,” Krebs said.����

Singleton said she found out about the grants from a member of her church.����

“They don’t publicize,” she said. “You need to be active in the ANC, and you need to go to meetings.”����

Boese said his office is working to fix the lack of awareness of the grant program. In addition to improving individual websites, his office is working on an initiative in conjunction with local libraries to bring more attention to the commissions, and the work they do, before next year’s election.����

The post ANC community grants: An underpublicized feature not uniformly offered first appeared on 91����.

“I never wanted to be an activist,” Widakuswara said Friday at American University. She and Jessica Jerreat, Press Freedom editor at the VOA, are two of the plaintiffs in the case seeking to keep the VOA’s funding.

On Friday the two spoke about press freedom, censorship, and their ongoing case against the Trump administration at American University as part of the Centennial Speaker Series, hosted by The Eagle. The School of Communication’s Associate Journalism Division Director, Terry Bryant, moderated the discussion. The lawsuit, Widakuswara v. Lake, is awaiting further action from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Judge Royce Lamberth issued an injunction to restore employees and contractors to their positions, which the government is fighting.

The lawsuit is being brought by Widakuswara and six other journalists, as well as Reporters Without Borders, and a group of unions representing federal workers. A second suit by the director of the VOA was filed five days later. Both challenge the authority of the executive to unilaterally fire all the agencies’ workers and contractors without approval of the U.S. Agency for Global Media Board of Directors. The board had been previously disbanded by the president. So far, the courts have issued injunctions, delaying administration actions, stating that the government failed to ‘provide a single sentence of explanation for the colossal changes that have occurred at USAGM since March 15, 2025’.

The US Agency for Global Media is the parent company of not just VOA, but also Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Middle East Broadcasting Network, and the Open Technology Fund. The networks boast a combined reach of 427 million listeners worldwide in 64 languages.

That was in February. Today, the agency has gone from over 3700 articles and almost 2400 broadcast hours per week down to just 108 articles and 7.5 broadcast hours in 4 languages.

Friday’s conversation was a plea for support. As the September 30 deadline approaches, there is no clear answer on what happens next, and the stakes are high. Numerous diplomats and former VOA employees say that the loss of the broadcaster is a win for America’s adversaries. The Trump administration describes the broadcaster as a propaganda arm of the Democratic party.

The VOA is a unique organization within the federal government. It began as a CIA project to project American ideals throughout the world. It was later transferred to the State Department, which is where the Trump administration intends for it to return. The VOA charter, which was established in the 1994 International Broadcasting Act, ensures by law that the organization remains neutral in the context of American politics, and stands immune to coercion by any party or politician. It’s this ‘firewall’ that Widakuswara and Jerreat are trying to uphold.

According to the Trump administration, the VOA has strayed from that mission.

Widakuswara, the former White House Bureau chief for the VOA, pressed the Prime Minister of Ireland in a March 13 press conference about the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. President Trump responded by asking, “Who are you with?” Soon after, VOA advocates say the administration launched a targeted campaign against the agency. Through the combined efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency, the CEO of USAGM, Kathy Lake, VOA’s parent company, and a March 15 Executive Order, the agency has been hollowed out.

In an article released by the White House the following day, titled ‘The Voice of Radical America’, the administration highlighted . The order, the statement said, ensures ‘that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda’.

The agency has faced accusations of bias and pressure from other administrations and news outlets in the past. In 2001, the agency received pushback from the Bush administration over their intent to broadcast a phone call from a known terrorist after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative leaning think tank responsible for ‘Project 2025’, a conservative playbook for Trump’s second term, wrote in 2020 that ‘New leadership is exactly what Voice of America needs’. The article also accused the organization of liberal bias.

During the Biden administration, The National Review made claims of pro-Islamic bias when VOA journalists were instructed not to call Hamas a terrorist group unless quoting statements. In 2022, the agency was also sued by the conservative American Accountability Foundation for what they called, ‘Pro-Islamic bias in its’ Persian reporting’.

Jerreat and Widakuswara rejected accusations of bias in Friday’s conversation.

“Our journalism stands for itself,” Jerreat said. “We know the parameters of our beats, we’re not critical. We’re factual, and try to keep the stronger emotions out of our work.”

Jerreat said images of Tiananmen Square drove her to be a journalist with a focus on press freedom. She believes Trump is exhibiting the same authoritarian tactics she has studied for years. “I have the privilege to stand up and do this for my colleagues who don’t have that space,” she said.

“I don’t think about it,” Widakuswara said, when asked about the future. “I just try to take it one day at a time. I still have to feed my family.”

Instead, she thinks about the employees they are fighting to protect, many of whom may be forced to return to oppressive regimes if they are not able to keep their visas. She also thinks about her son, a high school senior.

“I want my son to live in a democracy. This is me doing my part to defend that,” she said.

The post Ahead of looming shutdown, VOA fights to be heard first appeared on 91����.