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: .

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The Wharf will host its tonight. Activities, including s’more building, ornament decorating and visits with Santa, start at 5 p.m.

The boat parade will begin at 7 p.m., followed by an 8 p.m. fireworks show. Over 60 boats are expected to sail down the Channel.

Mike Egan, managing partner of , said he’s very excited after participating in the boat parade last year.

The restaurant will be floating its Whitlows on Water 48-passenger tiki boat this year.

“We’ve got it decked out with some Christmas lights, and we’ll have our friends and family on there celebrating,” he said. “Last year, we won the most likely to capsize because we were getting after it out there.”

The restaurant is thrilled to have a bigger part in the celebration, Egan said. The restaurant first started displaying its holiday decorations Thanksgiving weekend.

Egan said he hopes for good cheer and great energy since Whitlows at The Wharf has a great vantage point for the fireworks show.

“I’m really excited to see all the customers come out in their best Christmas sweaters, and hats, and Buddy the Elf costumes,” he said. “Everyone kind of celebrates together to really get that Christmas spirit going.”

Mark Spicer, founder of said the donut trailer will be selling mini donuts that customers can decorate with various toppings.

Spicer said he is very confident his business will see increased demand because of its popularity at the Anthem Shop kiosk last year.

Capitol Dough’s trailer is open 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m excited to see all of the families down here,” Spicer said. “Just enjoying this beautiful place at The Wharf and seeing everybody in that holiday spirit.”

The Capitol Snow Christmas Tree Market sells tabletop trees, wreaths, eight-foot trees, lights, candles, and ornaments. It can be found facing The Wharf’s recreation pier.

The tree market opens at 9 a.m. and will close early at 6:30 p.m.

Virginia resident Sarah N’Guessan said it is important for The Wharf to host events like the parade since it brings the community together.

N’Guessan is staying at a hotel on The Wharf to easily attend the parade for what she describes as a staycation. The area is one of her favorite locations in the district, she said.

“I think it will be great,” she said. “I saw some signs for it at the hotel I’m staying at, so it looks like it’s going to be a popular event.”

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That’s why he created the annual concert series, Mozart in Jeans, which features an all-Mozart program in a casual setting.

Peled said he believes in a “dress down philosophy” in classical music.

“I really believe that we have to break the barriers between us performers, the music we play, and the audience,” Peled said.

Mount Vernon Virtuosi will bring its next D.C. performance to St. Ann Catholic Church in Tenleytown on Dec. 14, starting at 3:00 pm. The concert is free.

Peled said that he feels wearing a tuxedo creates more barriers and makes the audiences feel like they are in a museum. Peled said his group and other performers wear their “special shirts” that display the three pillars of which they perform upon: Concerts, Education, and Community.

Katherine Needleman, an oboe player and a member of the Baltimore Symphany Orchestra, will be joining Mozart in Jeans. This is Needleman’s first time working with Peled and Mount Vernon Virtuosi.

“I am also so happy that Amit has entertained my somewhat wild cadenza idea, which involves the orchestra, and can’t wait to explore that with everyone and see how it turns out,” Needleman said.

Peled said this program started years ago, wanting to make the musicians feel a little bit out of their comfort zones. Peled said the performers feel weird wearing jeans when performing Mozart on stage.

“It created this fun atmosphere with the audience,” Peled said. “I always tell the audience the concept before.”

Peled said this event brings more young people because it is such a casual event.

“You play the highest level, and you treat it the most serious way, the music, but you don’t have to create a barrier between you and the audience by wearing something that people wore 200 years ago,” Peled said.

Peled said he originally started his music career in Israel with a crush on a girl who was four years older than him.

Peled said his class only about six or seven students on average, so the relationships with the teachers were very personal. Peled said he chose the cello because that is what his crush played, but he had immediately fell in love with the cello.

Peled said he went to an art-type school in Tel Aviv, but his music career was slightly derailed. Peled was drafted to the army at 18 in Israel but was accepted into the only string quartet that represents the Israeli defense force.

“There are only four people who are lucky enough to win this position, and then for three years instead of fighting, you play music for soldiers and for the prime minister,” Peled said.

Peled said he could not really practice during his three years of service, but he was able to continue to play music. Once Peled completed his service, he received a full scholarship to Yale University. After Yale, he went to the New England Conservatory and finished his graduate studies in Berlin, Germany.

At 27, Peled had his Carnegie Hall debut recital. At this time, Peled had his first opportunity to teach a masterclass at Baltimore’s Peabody Institute. At 28, Peled then offered an official teaching position at Peabody.

“I got this opportunity to be myself, to be an artist, to be a teacher, and to get to know this area of the world, of America and to make it my own and to try to make a change in it,” Peled said.

In 2018, while teaching, Peled had noticed something that bothered him: extraordinary talents are brought here and the day they finish Peabody, they leave. Peled said he felt bad and wanted them to stay here.

“I wanted this area to be a cultivating ground for great artists to create a better environment,” Peled said.

Peled felt that students that leave universities are not ready for the professional world because they are trained in a classroom and are not truly trained to be performing artists. So, Peled said he created what he calls the “Cello Gang.”

In a professional setup, Peled does a program called Around the World in six cells. With current students and former students alike, they join together and get paid for it. Peled said the group started touring the world and making CDs.

“It promotes the ability to be on stage and not just to study with me in the classroom,” Peled said.

After seeing the success, Peled decided to transform the “Cello Gang” into a chamber orchestra. Peled wanted to expand his mission of keeping more musicians in the area and producing more concerts and professional opportunities for them. Peled also had another thought: keeping the concerts free.

“I don’t want these people to pay in order to hear this extraordinary young, talent,” Peled said.

Peled thought about equal opportunities for musicians but also equal opportunity for community members, especially underprivileged ones, to hear classical music. This was the start of the Mount Vernon Virtuosi.

“Everybody thought, and still thinks, I’m crazy, but I thought that if wealthy people in our area or in our world would actually know the mission,” Peled said, “you want this in your community for free.”

Peled said that now in its seventh year, they are able to maintain the group through donations. With 52 concerts a year throughout the D.C. area, the group plays nearly once a week. Peled said the goal is to spread the group and mission throughout the United States.

Needleman said the Mount Vernon Virtuosi’s involvement in the community combined with the opportunities for young musicians had caught her attention.

“I’m thrilled to share the stage with a curious artist who speaks out about the value of music and against the injustice,” Needleman said.

Peled said he is an actor when performing and that the script he plays is written in the language of music. Peled said music is the only language that forces you to listen while speaking.

“You cannot speak language of music without learning to listen to what happens while you’re speaking,” Peled said.

Peled said he is trying to be as approachable as possible. Peled wants people to have the opportunities that he was able to have because of his parents and upbringing.

“We are not the Beatles, and we don’t have thousands of followers and bodyguards,” Peled said, “I want to be there for the people.”

More events can be found at the Mount Vernon Virtuosi .

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“That wasn’t our plan, you know. Our plan was to just put a few flowers in [Kalorama Park]” said Speirn.

Mariposa Garden sits in the middle of Kalorama Park near the intersection of 19th Street NW and Belmont Road. Although a volunteer gardener originally named the garden Jardín de Mariposas, the volunteers later decided to change it’s name to Mariposa Garden due to the lack of Spanish-speakers in the neighborhood, according to Speirn.

When describing  Mariposa Garden, Speirn calls it a guerrilla garden because the couple began planting without approval from the district, yet it receives support from the Parks and Recreation Department, visitors, and D.C. residents.

“The fact of the matter is that the whole community loves the garden. And so when you do something that everybody appreciates and it’s for the community, it’s not for ourselves,” said Aviv.

Today, Mariposa Garden has around 60 to 70 volunteers who participate in Saturday volunteer days, tending to the 60 to 70 varieties of flowers in the Garden, according to the couple. 

Along with the large quantity of volunteers, the garden has made huge strides this year: it launched its first official website, hosted multiple fundraising events, and featured its first wedding.

“It’s not just about Sterling and Diana,” said Speirn. “We would not have Mariposa if it weren’t for all of these volunteers.”

How the park began to flourish

Initially, Speirn and Aviv said they were the only two residents running and funding Mariposa Garden.

Their responsibilities included seeding plants at home, deciding how to arrange the plants in the garden, purchasing necessary supplies, and watering the plants weekly.

The community began approaching Mariposa Garden with interest in volunteering not long after they initially started planting, according to Speirn and Aviv.

“I felt that it was affirming, what we had started to create, that people wanted it,” said Aviv. “It also tells me that people want to give. People want to give and they want to do, and it makes them feel a part of something.”

ANC Commissioner Chairman Peter Wood said he started volunteering in the garden sometime between 2020 and 2021. He recalled a moment while working in the garden where he realized that city life had kept him from connecting with nature.

“When you can kind of detach from that (city life), it’s nice to just get your hands dirty and be touching earth. That’s a really important thing, and we kind of overlook it,.” Wood said.

Wood said it’s important for the community to support projects like Mariposa Garden because people develop trust with one another when they have a “shared investment in something.”

“It’s collectively ours as opposed to any individuals,” he said, “that’s what public parks, in my mind, are supposed to be.”

Enthusiasm from the volunteers eventually allowed Aviv and Speirn to delegate tasks to “stewards,” or lead volunteers, such as coordinating Saturday volunteer days and watering the garden during the week. 

Despite planting in a park owned by the district, the D.C. Department of Parks and Rec has never interfered with Mariposa Garden, according to Speirn. 

He said the garden and the district have a “symbiotic relationship” — the district provides the water, and the volunteers do the rest.

“It’s like we take care of ourselves, but the city gives us water, which is essential,” said Speirn.

Wood said there are other community-led projects designed to take care of the park and support the community.

One volunteer group has taken over maintenance of city-installed plants near the plaza staircase, and another group has cultivated a community garden, according to Wood.

“I think it’s an example of how the city government doesn’t always provide the services that taxes are supposed to pay for, but also that people in neighborhoods often want to make the neighborhoods more beautiful,” said Wood.

The Department of Parks and Recreation did not respond to specific questions from 91����.

2025 – A year of firsts

This year has been the “year of first” for the Mariposa Garden, from fundraising, to volunteer involvement, to a new website, according to Speirn. He believes the garden will continue to have similar successes in the future.

From a fundraising perspective, this is the first year that Mariposa Garden gained a monthly donor and hosted events to raise money for the garden, said Speirn.

Speirn added that donations were generally healthy this year.

This is also the first year Mariposa Garden has its own , something that Speirn said he feels is a real game-changer for Mariposa Garden. The website features information about the Garden, a portal to contact Aviv and Speirn, and a donation tab.

“I think we’ve sort of hit a nice level of sustainability and dynamism now that we have a way for anyone to become a volunteer through the website,” said Speirn.

From a community gathering perspective, Speirn notes that 2025 is the first year Mariposa Garden hosted a wedding, and it’s the first year he has seen Marie Reed Elementary School bring students to the garden to learn about pollination.

Speirn added that Mariposa Garden has more volunteers and more sign-ups on the mailing list than in any other year. Aviv said she counted 100 volunteers who have worked in the garden at least once.

“We’ve just had such an explosion of interest this year,” said Speirn.

When thinking towards the future, both Speirn and Aviv said they see this year as a sign of continued success at Mariposa Garden for years to come.

“My hope is that the community feels more and more attached to it and cares for it. Maybe down the road somewhere, not for the next year or so, we can create a children’s garden if we can get enough volunteers to organize that,” said Aviv.

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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����.

Washington, D.C., area residents said Wednesday they are less interested in the political battles, and more focused on the potential loss of benefits and what that means for their families.��

SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a government-funded food assistance program designed to support low-income households with children, seniors and people with disabilities; it offsets the cost of nutritious food during economic hardship.��

Stress is palpable

More than a million people in the D.C. metro area suffer from food insecurity, according to the Capital Area Food Bank, the largest food distribution center in the region.����

Bernice Anderson, a D.C. resident, received her SNAP benefits on Nov. 1, but said the possibility of not receiving them kept her awake for several nights in a row.��

Anderson, who has been receiving SNAP benefits for the past six years, said she depends on that help to feed her three children.��

“Three kids, bills and all the things,” Anderson said. “We would have no food if we didn’t get stamps.”

Hillary Salmon, senior director of marketing and communications at Capital Area Food Bank, said 430,000 people in the DMV area rely on SNAP benefits, with monthly assistance averaging between $186 and $330 per household. Without the SNAP dollars, Salmon said 80 meals a month are “gone from families’ tables.

“We are trying to fill the gap,” Salmon said. “For every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. That can get you a sense of how broad the issue is.”��

Salmon said Mayor Muriel Bowser’s announcement that the city will fund SNAP through November brought relief. But she said the food bank is still planning for potential impacts from possible delays. In November, Capital Area Food Bank is ramping up to provide a million more meals than previously projected, a 25% increase from the same time last year.��

Although residents in the Washington, D.C.,�� area will still receive benefits this month, Salmon said the community’s stress is palpable. Phone calls to the organization’s Hunger Lifeline, which assists those looking for emergency food aid, have tripled over the past three weeks.��

In September, the Capital Area Food Bank’s Hunger Report found 36% of residents in the DMV area don’t know where their next meal will come from. Salmon said she suspects the numbers will get worse following recent federal layoffs and the government shutdown.��

“We are dealing with many forces acting upon each other,” Salmon said. “A lot of these folks are really experiencing economic strain and a lot of anxiety about what’s going to happen.”

Mixed messages from the feds

Conflicting messages from the federal government on SNAP funding have led some to question whether they will get their benefits in November.

In October, the website said SNAP benefits would not continue in November.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 1,” the Food and Nutrition web page said at the time.

On Oct 30, Bowser announced that the District will use its own money to cover the cost of food benefits received by Washingtonians under SNAP through November.��

On Oct. 31, federal judges ordered the Trump administration to use emergency federal funds to sustain SNAP benefits through the shutdown.��

Then, Trump said on a Nov. 4 Truth Social post,�� SNAP benefits would be held.

On the same day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the Trump administration is distributing SNAP benefits.

“The administration is fully complying with the court order,” Leavitt said.

‘Frustration’ and confusion��

Behind the shutdown, political banter, confusion and court orders, residents are worried.��

Mike, who received food from Bread for the City, an assistance center, and who requested not to use his full name for privacy reasons, said he welcomed Bowser’s decision to authorize the use of local funds to support SNAP.

“Without that help,”�� Mike said, “I would lose my benefits.”

For Katrina Sanders, a Washington, D.C., resident, the possibility of not receiving her SNAP benefits in November is unimaginable.

Sanders, a mom of four, said a foot injury has kept her from working, and the benefits provide peace of mind for her and her four children.��

Scheduled to receive her SNAP benefits on Nov. 8, Sanders said she is relying on different community outreach programs, such as Martha’s Table, a nonprofit service organization, to have access to fresh produce.��

“I am going to have to make due with what I have,” Sanders said. “You rely on all these things put in place, and to hear they may not continue to be in place is so frustrating.”��

��World Central Kitchen helps federal workers

The NGO World Central Kitchen is helping people in need in Washington, mostly federal employees and their families. The government shutdown has affected not only SNAP recipients but also the food security of many federal workers.

“We are feeding people working without pay,” said Laura Hayes, senior manager of the Chef Corps for World Central Kitchen. “They are coming into the office, and we are making sure to take care of them.”

By helping federal workers overcome food insecurity, they are also supporting local restaurants, which have been struggling as fewer federal employees eat out.

Hayes said the group has provided more than 36,000 meals and all of them are purchased from local restaurants.

“We are buying the meals from the local restaurants and then sharing them with furloughed workers,” Hayes said. “So everybody is supported a little bit.”

Salmon said concerns and caution are rampant in the community. But with support from community networks, there is some ease to the tumultuous environment.

“We know there was an existing high level of need in our community even before anything related to the shutdown, and we are working to step in and help provide even more food out into the community,” Salmon said.��

The post Anxiety, concern seize community over SNAP benefits 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����.

With rallies and events planned until the end of the year, organizers��are building stronger coalitions��and amping up urgency in��D.C.’s fight for��self-governance.  ��

Just as��Free DC, a grassroots movement that supports local self-determination,��mobilized residents��for the��“Pack the Court” demonstration��at the Oct. 24 hearing,��the group’s leaders��are training, protesting,��building��resistance movements and��strategic coalitions across state lines to underscore the urgency of local autonomy��and D.C.’s tumultuous road��to self-governance. ��

Free DC��Executive Director Keya Chatterjee��said��the increasing consolidation of power and systemic erosion of democratic norms��has the country making a democratic U-turn.��

“The U.S. is��a��backsliding democracy transitioning to a competitive authoritarian state,”��Chatterjee��said.��

With a��five-year campaign��strategy��for self-rule, Chatterjee said��the goal is to be strategic in every cycle of attack from this administration.����

She characterized economic attacks, mass firings, National Guard deployment, local funding freezes, and legislative attacks as some examples of irreparable harm the federal government is causing residents. ����

Chatterjee said,��with every attack on rights and freedoms,��Free DC��gets stronger—growing��at double the speed than��in��years past—to��build unity,����

“Every effective movement is unified,”��Chatterjee said.��

Admitting she is clear-eyed about the challenges, Chatterjee said they have a 7.5% chance of success relying on the traditional electoral process, but by building a unified civil resistance movement, organizers believe they can increase the odds to about 50/50.��

“Our end goal is to have equal representation under the law for the people of D.C.,” she said.

Pack the Court��Protest��

Free DC organizers��say they have��a sense of urgency, not seen before,��as they describe a democracy that is slipping away to authoritarian rule. ��

Packing the U.S. District Courthouse with D.C. residents was just one of the many protests Free DC said they have planned to express the importance of the moment and the commitment to sustained activism. 

The courthouse protest started as a short walk from Constitution Avenue and rallied in front of the U.S. District Court, where they sang songs, chanted and eventually lined up to enter the court hearing.��

Capitol Hill resident Randy Martin said Washingtonians are not accepting this situation, calling it “crazy” and adding that people will continue to show up. ��

Katie Henke, a Hill East resident who works in international development, said she has worked in authoritarian countries in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe and the military presence on D.C. streets reminded her of those regimes. ��

 “I don’t want to see that in our country, and so I want to stand up for my neighbors,” Henke said. ��

The legal battle in the courthouse ��

Inside the courtroom,��in��,��D.C.��Attorney General Brian Schwalb�� that��the deployment��of the National Guard��undermined the District’s right to self-govern. He equated the deployment to an illegal occupation that is harmful to the city and its residents.  ��

Schwalb said that the troops were not trained to do the job of law enforcement and made residents less safe. ��

“Today we again made clear: the U.S. military should not be policing American citizens on American soil,” Schwalb said after the hearing. “It does not make us safer to have out-of-state military—many of whom are not from here and do not know our communities—policing our streets, driving military vehicles, armed with rifles and carrying handcuffs.” ��

Linda Alexander, a protester who sat through the hearings, said she wanted to be fair and hear both sides.  Alexander said even though she felt safer in Ward 7 since the deployment of troops, she recognized that it’s time for them to go home and spend time with their family. ��

Eric Hamilton, an attorney representing the Trump administration, argued that the case should be dismissed since the president has broad authorities. ��

D.C. is a municipal corporation with limited��authority,��Hamilton��said,��criticizing��the��attorney general��for not aligning with the president’s position.����

Accusing Schwalb of political posturing, Hamilton said, “D.C. is not a state, however much the attorney general wants to pretend it is, and he is doing damage to the District.” ��

��Judge Jia��M.��Cobb��is expected to make a ruling��later this year.��

��The voices of the movement ��

��Law student Byron Brooks said he came to the hearing to see how the process unfolds. ��

“We’re in an unprecedented time of democracy, or dictatorship, depending how it’s viewed.  So, today’s case will definitely set the precedence on where we are headed as a nation,” Brooks said.��

Matt Gordon said he saw the issue as a constitutional crisis. He said, as a veteran who has served his country, he sees the deployment as an illegal abuse of power.  ��

Henke described the impact on her neighbors: “Poor kids are going to and from school, passing these guards with rifles bigger than their torsos. It’s disgusting. This is what you see in authoritarian countries, and I don’t want to see that in ours.” ��

“This is a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act,” said Gordon, a self-described angry veteran. “It’s one step closer towards an authoritarian takeover of this country.”  ��

The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits the use of military for domestic law enforcement, with a few exceptions, such as protecting federal property and quelling domestic violence. ��

After the hearing 

At a press briefing following the hearing, Schwalb said, “When this lawsuit was filed several weeks ago, I said it was D.C. today. It was going to be other cities shortly. In fact, that is exactly what has happened. This is fundamentally un-American.” ��

During the press briefing, Henke chanted and heckled Hamilton while holding a Free DC sign prominently in the backdrop. Chants echoed off the courthouse to disrupt Hamilton’s briefing, as he referred to protestors as a “woke mob.”

Hamilton sparred with disruptive protestors but was ultimately drowned out by chanting and walked away. ��

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The intensity and frequency of��Free DC��activities��have��surged, partnering with Virginia and Maryland affiliates to build local momentum for self-governance.  ��

Chatterjee��said that, since��D.C.��lacks��representation,��Free DC��must reach out to states to build political pressure and create a network of resistance.��

Chatterjee said she wants the local D.C. government to stop complying with federal demands and legitimizing illegal actions that harm D.C. residents. ��She said D.C. local government must be on “Team Democracy” and prioritize protecting the community over appeasing the regime.��

“When you give an authoritarian regime what they want, they just take more,”��Chatterjee said.��

With events planned in each ward, every month until the end of the year, organizers are conducting extensive and sustained training programs and building coalitions for mass non-cooperation strategies to fundamentally reimagine democracy in the nation’s capital.��

“Whether it takes ten months or ten years, we must be absolutely resolute in our fight,” said Rig, who used the moniker U.S. Army Overlord.

“As the government wants to escalate its attacks against the District of Columbia, we will clearly have to take more measures to withhold our support,” Henke said.

The resistance continues and prioritizes joy, community resilience, non-violent strategies, and alternative support systems as the way forward, Chatterjee said. ��

“There’s no oppressed people in the history of the world that have ever succeeded without joy,”��she said.��

“Justice looks like the military being off our streets and one step closer toward statehood,” Gordon said.��

The post Beyond ‘Packing the Courthouse’: D.C.’s long road to self-governance  first appeared on 91����.

In October, the company announced a seven-year deal with Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc., making the pharmaceutical a major sponsor at the arena. Under the agreement, Vanda received naming rights to the arena’s new in-house production facilities, now called Vanda Pharmaceuticals Studios. 

In a joint statement with Vanda, MSE CEO Ted Leonsis said the partnership reflects a shared ambition to tell “bigger stories, reach wider audiences and uplift the D.C. community.”

The announcement came as phase one of the Capital One Arena redevelopment is nearing completion and phase two, which focused on locker rooms, lounges and premium fan areas, also is ending. 

Vanda is the project’s second founding partner, following a multiyear deal with United Airlines. The United deal includes branding and integration opportunities with the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena and Monumental Sports Network.

MSE is looking to secure as many as 10 founding partners, which would involve team-controlled media, community outreach programs and advertising.

MSE did not respond to requests for comment. 

Community impact minimal so far

Chinatown ANC Commissioner Thomas Lee said phase one brought little disruption to the surrounding Chinatown community.

The initial stage of construction mainly focused on interior upgrades, with minimal work on the building’s exterior. Aside from temporary fencing, a few dumpsters on Sixth Street and the short-term closure of the Metro stop entrances over the summer, Lee said most nearby businesses have been unaffected. 

Lee said the next phases will include exterior improvements and expanded work zones and will likely be more visible to the community. However, he said, for now, he sees the light footprint of phase one as a positive sign that the redevelopment has been well-managed. 

While the first stage caused little neighborhood disruption, Lee said he hopes the city will use this moment to address lingering issues with the surrounding streetscape and public spaces. 

He said his constituents have complained about cracked brick sidewalks, lights not working and overflowing trash bins, adding that those need attention. 

 As the project develops, the commissioner said he would like for the city to combine the “immense investment” in the arena with improvements to downtown infrastructure and public safety. 

“If we were to combine all three, we will then see a huge return to when people were attracted to downtown,” Lee said. 

Winston Lord, co-leader of the new phase of Chinatown’s Task Force, said the community has expressed “historical skepticism” about whether the redevelopment and renovations can work.  Some of those concerns, Lord said, are related to possible gentrification in the area and wanting to make sure the amount of money invested in the project is proportional to its changes.

However, Lord said MSE has been engaged with the Chinatown community to address concerns and fears about gentrification and loss of local culture. 

“It’s still early, but all the key players, as far as I can tell, are all rowing in the same direction, which is hugely optimistic,” Lord said. 

Lord, founder of Lord Advisory, a strategic advisory firm in D.C., is one of the co-leaders for the successor to the Gallery-Place Chinatown Task Force, an 18-month task force created by Mayor Muriel Bowser to address the future of Capitol One Arena and its neighboring areas. 

Lord and Tim Ma, a restaurant owner in D.C., who do not have governmental authority, were asked earlier this year to continue the task force’s work. The D.C. Council approved $250,000 as part of Bowser’s fiscal 2026 growth agenda to implement ideas seeded by the task force. 

Lord, the son of a Chinese immigrant and a D.C. native, said Monumental has shown interest in finding ways to be good neighbors to the Chinatown area. 

“They are eager and already have shown ways that they want to help celebrate Chinatown,” Lord said. “There’s an interest to keep that culture alive and make it thrive.”

The deputy mayor’s office for planning and economic development and the DowntownBID did not respond to requests for comment.

Several more phases are planned through 2027, with construction eventually shifting toward major exterior upgrades, including a new F Street entrance, upgraded concession areas and a redesigned facade. 

The post Capital One Arena set to wrap up Phase 1 of renovation first appeared on 91����.

Fiesta DC and the Mexican Cultural Institute assisted organizers but left planning for possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to The Wharf, despite concerns over mass arrests of participants by organizers of other festivals nationwide.

Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated Nov. 1 and 2 to honor deceased loved ones through altar and cemetery gatherings. Officials across the United States feared that those celebrating the holiday would be intentionally targeted by immigration enforcement.

As a result, some cities decided to cancel their Dia de los Muertos festivals, finding that the expansion of immigration enforcement could trigger mass arrests at the large gatherings.

Increased arrests recently in Long Beach, California, Decatur, Georgia and Santa Barbara, California caused officials to call off their Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Celebrations in the California cities of Senoma and Half Moon Bay were limited.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker pleaded in an October letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to pause immigration enforcement operations during Halloween weekend.

Noem, responding to Pritzker’s letter, declined.

“No, we’re absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe,” Noem said during a press conference.

Noem said operations would continue to bring “criminals” to justice, ensuring the safety of children during the holiday season.

The Wharf hosted the Dia de los Muertos celebration in partnership with Modelo, Fiesta DC, Giant, and the Mexican Cultural Institute. Fundación Elena and De Colores, nonprofits that work to improve the quality of life in Latino communities, also collaborated with The Wharf in organizing.

Services provided by the Mexican Cultural Institute included face painting, sugar skull decorating, and live music. Latin Celtic band La Unica, Sol y Rumba, DJ Danny, and singer Roberto Aparicio performed as residents enjoyed Mexican festivities.

Concerns over ICE attending the Saturday celebration had stemmed from extensive immigration enforcement operations in businesses, restaurants and bars across the D.C. metro area. Community churches and organizations have also had an uptick in their members or employees detained by ICE.

Organizations’ concern

In D.C., Daniela Madrid, event logistics member at the Mexican Cultural Institute, said that she did not hear any concerns about possible ICE arrests before planning the Saturday celebration.

She told 91���� the institution’s responsibilities included supplying traditional references from other Mexican festivals, highlighting that they were not the main planners for event specifics, such as security.

Madrid said that event planning was left up to The Wharf.

Wharf organizers did not respond to requests for comment.

Fiesta DC president Maria Patricia Corrales said that the structure of the event was directed by The Wharf, while her organization contributed altars and the locations of musicians. The organization also provided catrinas, the skeletal figures that have become a symbol of Día de Muertos celebrations.

Corrales told 91���� that despite public fears, the celebration was a success.

“The public might have expressed concerns,” Corrales said. “We did not come out with any issues.”

Corrales said that organizations cannot always wage the continuation of celebrations due to the presence of law enforcement.

“You can never expect something unexpected,” Corrales said. “We announce and hope people come. People want to come out and enjoy themselves.”

Participant safety

Waterfront resident Andrew Braner said that he felt safe attending the celebration as a regular. He said that he did think about the possibility of immigration enforcement coming to the event while attending.

“I live here and I feel safe all the time,” Braner said. “I was actually wondering if ICE would show up.”

Braner, who has celebrated past Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, said that though the D.C. celebration was “small beans” compared to those in the Latin country, it is still essential to curate in a diverse space.

“The world is [in D.C.] and there’s a lot of cultures here,” Braner said. “So, when you can celebrate Dia de los Muertos as a tradition, it just encourages the community to come together.”

Alex McKenna, an attendee at the Dia de Los Muertos celebration, said it’s important to continue cultural celebrations around the U.S. to avoid negative stereotyping.

He told 91���� this was his first time attending a Dia de los Muertos celebration.

“I think it shares with people something that’s important to them,” McKenna said. “And it’s important that we see other people for what’s important to them and understand that about others before we say something negative about it ourselves.”

McKenna said though he could not comment on the concerns of ICE conducting arrests at Dia de los Muertos celebrations, he felt safe when attending Saturday. He said he felt safe because of the celebration’s security presence.

“It’s amazing,” McKenna said. “I mean, the night is alive, and they’ve done such a great job, I think, of bringing everyone together and showing their culture.”

The post Organizations planned Dia de los Muertos celebration without concern for ICE first appeared on 91����.