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D.C. pauses homeless encampment clearing
A homeless encampment clearing was paused and the chair of the D.C. Council’s committee that oversees housing is asking for a pilot program to be re-evaluated after an unhoused resident was taken for medical care when a bulldozer used by the city lifted him while he was still in a tent.
D.C. Council member mum on vaccination status
D.C. Council members are debating a vaccine mandate for themselves and their staffers, and one lawmaker is mum on whether he received a shot.
- The new proposed mandate would require all council employees to receive a vaccine by the end of the month or face unpaid leave and potential termination.
- The policy says council members who don't get vaccinated would be subject to "appropriate discipline."
- The rule allows for medical or religious exemptions but would still mandate regular COVID-19 tests.
Yes, but: Ward 8 council member Trayon White has pushed back against any proposed reprimands for the unvaccinated, Axios' Cuneyt Dil reports.
Challenger jumps into D.C. Council chair race
A local leader and lawyer has thrown her hat in the ring for chair of the D.C. Council.
Democrat Erin Palmer, 40, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Takoma, announced on Sept. 25 that she is challenging chair Phil Mendelson for his seat.
- Palmer tells Axios' Chelsea Cirruzzo that her campaign expects to announce today that they've met the requirements to be certified as a participating candidate under D.C.'s Fair Elections Program.
Where you can get a COVID-19 test in D.C.
When I first needed a COVID-19 test last June, she waited three hours outside a firehouse testing site. Now, testing options across the city are more numerous, so where should patients go if they need one?
Why it matters: Testing is paramount to identifying COVID-19 infections and stopping the spread, even in fully vaccinated people.
The DMV music industry's pandemic pivot
Small music venues and up-and-coming artists have faced numerous challenges since the start of the pandemic. However, jam-packed concerts and music festivals are slowly returning with COVID-19 precautions in mind.
Why it matters: COVID-19 has created long-term changes in the music industry, and D.C.'s artists will have fewer opportunities in the interim to perform as a number of popular music venues closed permanently due to pandemic setbacks.
Making friends in D.C. just got easier
When ten young D.C. residents who'd become friends over TikTok decided to organize a casual meet-up at the National Mall in July, more than 200 people showed up. Now, months later, they are the founders of DMV Besties, a community of young adult friendship-seekers more than 700 strong.
Why it matters: When COVID-19 sent the globe into lockdown, millions of people were forced to reconfigure friendships and community building in a largely virtual environment. DMV Besties helps to fill that void in a city that has seen a decade of population growth and is also recovering from the ongoing pandemic.
What we can learn from D.C.'s breakthrough data
When Columbia Heights resident Sarah Nesbit, 25, lost her sense of smell, she joined more than 4,000 D.C. residents who have contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.
Driving the news: D.C.'s publicly reported data on breakthrough cases offers a unique window into how the pandemic continues to impact vaccinated people, Axios' Chelsea Cirruzzo reports.
D.C. homebuyers beware: High prices ahead
Recent housing data shows the D.C. market is still wild, Axios' Paige Hopkins reports.
Why it matters: Even with a slight increase in inventory, the market still hasn't settled back down to pre-pandemic levels, which makes it harder for homebuyers with tighter budgets who can't afford to offer above asking price or pay in cash.