It’s now official: An initiative seeking to ban the sale and production of foie gras in D.C. will be on the November ballot. The elections board determined proponents of Initiative 86 collected enough signatures (from 5% of registered voters) to get on the ballot. 🦆

Irony: While Trump has been expressing frustration today with U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro for dropping the Reflecting Pool cases, today is also @freedcproject.bsky.social’s “Reject Pirro” day as part of the 11 days of action commemorating the Trump takeover last year.

Just a day in D.C.

It’s amazing how that DCPS “it’s almost time to go back to school” email can both spark joy and provoke dread, all at once.

Have you done anything to creatively protest the National Guard's presence in D.C. over the last year? Hit me up if you want to share! martinaustermuhle (at) notus (dot) com, or maustermuhle.09 on Signal.

One part of Trump's $22 billion makeover of Dulles that's been missed is his big, beautiful, world-record 32,000-spot parking garage. That's *way* more parking than recent estimates show the airport needs, and it would tower over the historic terminal: www.notus.org/metro/dulles...

Let’s Talk About the Massive Parking Garage Trump Wants to Build at Dulles

The 32,000-spot deck would surpass both existing parking capacity and what airport officials have said is needed.

notus.org

A Maryland woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly hitting and killing 61-year-old D.C. resident Dawn Ciccone as she crossed the street in a marked crosswalk in Foggy Bottom on April 18: mpdc.dc.gov/release/mpd-...

NEWS: Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Florida) has a new bill to require the U.S. flag be displayed in all D.C. school classrooms and mandate the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the day, though students could opt out. "We should be teaching kids why America is worth loving," she says.

NEWS: @chairmanmendelson.com has fired back at @mayorbowser.dc.gov after she returned the 2027 budget unsigned and criticized the D.C. Council for its spending decisions. "At a time when our government is under siege, it not constructive to take gratuitous pot shots at your co-equal branch."

D.C. is auctioning off a rare 1924 $20 gold coin; with less than a day to go, it's already at almost $3,000. The city often auctions off unclaimed property found in safe deposit boxes, after first trying to find the rightful owner. The auctioned items are often fascinating.

Interesting: The organizers of the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler are warning runners that the traditional route could be impacted in 2027 and beyond by construction on Trump's new arch and around East Potomac Park. They say the latter stretch "could be eliminated forever."

Metro has signed a pair of agreements with D.C. to start working on two Commanders stadium projects: the $300 million expansion of the Stadium-Armory station and initial planning for the Gold Line bus rapid transit line from Union Station to the stadium (along H and Benning).

It’s been quiet since @janeese4dc.bsky.social decisively won D.C.’s primary, but she’s been laying the groundwork for what will be a big shift in priorities and personnel if and when she becomes mayor. That includes meeting with business leaders and the police union: www.notus.org/metro/janees...

Janeese Lewis George Has Been Meeting With Her Critics

In recent days, the Democratic nominee for D.C. mayor met with a business organization and the D.C. Police Union.

notus.org

In a letter to the D.C. Council, Door Dash says its recent advocacy for a House GOP bill that restricts D.C.'s ability to determine taxes and fees reflected its opposition to a new 20-cent delivery tax in D.C., "not D.C.'s broader ability to... govern autonomously."

This gas station at Georgia Avenue and Farragut Street NW didn’t fare too well during the storm.

Well, whatever quasi-tornado just tore through my neighborhood in Northwest brought down a lot of trees and branches. That had 2012-derecho energy, for those of you who remember.

Interesting: MPD is spending $378k to buy Skydio drones. It has been using drones for two years; the department says it limits them to monitoring big gatherings, searching for missing people, and barricade situations. mpdc.dc.gov/uas

NEWS: @mayorbowser.dc.gov says she isn't signing the 2027 budget that was approved earlier this month by the D.C. Council. It still takes effect, but she protests some of the spending decisions and says the council is kicking the can down the road on "tough budget problems."

Hmm: "To accelerate the timeline, the General Services Administration, or GSA, and the District of Columbia National Guard used an acquisition plan in which vendors delivered oral presentations in lieu of lengthy written proposals."

Martin Austermuhle@maustermuhle.bsky.social · 2w ago

Wow: The National Guard has signed a $292 million contract to house thousands of troops deployed to D.C. in 2,000 apartments in the city, instead of in hotels or other places where they've been put up. www.notus.org/defense/nati...

Wow: The National Guard has signed a $292 million contract to house thousands of troops deployed to D.C. in 2,000 apartments in the city, instead of in hotels or other places where they've been put up. www.notus.org/defense/nati...

National Guard Signs $292M Housing Contract for Troops in Washington, D.C.

The deal would provide 2,000 “apartment-style lodging units” for service members deployed in the city.

notus.org

"Their lobbying was outrageous," says @chairmanmendelson.com on Door Dash, which drew widespread condemnation in D.C. this week for supporting a Republican bill in the House that would restrict the city's ability to increase (or decrease) taxes or fees.

Tom Sietsema is joining NOTUS as our food correspondent. Welcome, @tomsietsema.bsky.social

☀️ Good morning, D.C. In today’s newsletter: Medicaid changes hit a D.C. hospital, the House advances a bill restricting home rule and @tomsietsema.bsky.social answers your dining questions.

Labor Pains

https://www.notus.org

notus.org

In their letter, DoorDash seems to be conflating the passive congressional review that all of our legislation undergoes with active approval. Suffice to say, those are not even close to the same thing.

Martin Austermuhle@maustermuhle.bsky.social · 2w ago

Interesting: DoorDash is supporting the GOP bill in Congress to limit D.C.'s ability to increase or decrease taxes and fees, largely in response to the D.C. Council's recent vote in impose a new 20-cent delivery fee to help fund food-access programs. www.notus.org/metro/uberea...

I got the DoorDash letter attacking DC home rule over a 20¢ fee. The letter, which dangerously misrepresents HR 9720 as only applying to tax and fee increases, was written by @lgbtqvictoryfund.bsky.social director John Horton. #freedc

The "Fee D.C." movement is born. (I'll see myself out now.) But for real, DoorDash can't be happy that Rep. James Comer publicly unveiled that the platform supported the Republican bill to restrict D.C.'s ability to increase taxes or fees. It's a PR challenge, to say the least.

Josh Jacobson@districtjosh.bsky.social · 2w ago

Fine to disagree on tax policy, but not fine to work with GOP to significantly limit DC home rule. If DoorDash thinks DC will accept them intervening in our tax code, they don't deserve our business. I've deleted my DoorDash account and encourage others to do the same.

Interesting: DoorDash is supporting the GOP bill in Congress to limit D.C.'s ability to increase or decrease taxes and fees, largely in response to the D.C. Council's recent vote in impose a new 20-cent delivery fee to help fund food-access programs. www.notus.org/metro/uberea...

That Food Delivery Is Soon Going To Cost You a Little More in D.C.

DoorDash unsuccessfully fought a 20-cent fee approved by the D.C. Council that will also affect UberEats deliveries.

notus.org

NEWS: @mayorbowser.dc.gov is speaking out against the Republican bill making its way through the House that would restrict D.C.'s ability to increase (or decrease) taxes and fees. She says Congress should instead make federal tax changes to help D.C.'s economy grow.

Interesting: An ongoing lawsuit over the constitutionality of D.C.'s ban on gun magazines that hold more than 10 bullets has been put on hold pending the outcome of two Supreme Court cases, both focusing on state bans of AR-15s (which D.C. also prohibits).

Trump's plans for East Potomac Park may be all about a new golf course, but for plenty of D.C. locals they're a threat to a haven for fishing, running, cycling, and picnics. From my colleague at @notus.com: www.notus.org/metro/east-p...

From Cycling to Fishing, Concerns About East Potomac’s Future Go Beyond Golf

President Donald Trump’s plan to renovate the island park’s golf course has created an uncertain future for the area’s other public spaces.

notus.org