DC to follow California controversial electric vehicle mandate

Eden Villalovas

January 04, 05:55 PM January 05, 09:45 AM

Washington, D.C., is on track to follow several states in implementing California's electric vehicle mandate to eliminate the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

On Friday, Washington Department of Energy and Environment officials said by adopting California’s vehicle standards under Section 177 of the federal Clean Air Act, the average cost of an EV will be "$400 to $4,000 less than a gasoline equivalent by 2032."

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"District residents are already accruing savings in refueling costs from electrification," DOEE officials said in a statement. "Electric vehicle prices continue to decrease over time and [the Environmental Protection Agency] projects that when considering all of the economic incentives available the average electric vehicle will cost $400 to $4,000 less than a gasoline equivalent by 2032. Even greater cost savings occur when the maintenance and fuel savings of approximately $10,000 that the average owner will save over eight years of ownership are considered."

Critics of the move said the action out of California is going about this the wrong way.

"The only way the electrification of the transportation sector and of home heating and cooling can work is if the utility sector continues to build natural gas-fired plants and looks to building nuclear plants and perhaps building new coal plants because the grid in these states that are pushing these policies is already overloaded," said Myron Ebell, the director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute's Center for Energy and Environment, per Fox news.

In March 2022, the EPA reinstated California's authority to establish its own emissions standard.

The California Air Resources Board proposed the Advanced Clean Cars II Act in August 2022. It "establishes a year-by-year road map so that by 2035 100% of new cars and light trucks sold in California will be zero-emission vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles." Since then, over a dozen states, including New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Washington, and Oregon, have adopted similar regulations.

In September 2023, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would prevent the EPA from allowing states to adopt independent stricter emission control standards, but the bill has yet to progress further.

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In April 2023, the EPA released new tailpipe emission standards for model year 2027 and later light-duty and medium-duty vehicles, setting an emissions limit on the number of new cars each automaker sells annually. DOEE officials said they are taking emissions reduction a step further by adopting "California’s more stringent vehicle emission standards." The House backed a bill to block the EPA's effort to reduce tailpipe pollution last month.

Washington offers a number of incentives to encourage residents to shop electric on top of the $7,500 federal tax credit for new, qualified plug-in electric vehicles for qualified purchases.

DC residents begin effort to recall Councilman Charles Allen over response to crime

Eden Villalovas

January 03, 01:54 PM January 04, 05:43 AM

Washington, D.C., Councilman Charles Allen is facing a recall effort led by a former government worker, who cited that the representative of Ward 6 should be more focused on curbing crime.

Jennifer Squires, an ex-government worker who voted for Allen, told Axios she formed a recall committee last month and hopes to start fundraising for the effort soon.

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Squires has lived on Capitol Hill since 2001 and called the recent rise in crime in D.C. shocking. The city saw a 39% increase in violent crime in 2023, according to data published by its Metropolitan Police this week. Ward 6 is the largest in the district, spanning the neighborhoods of Downtown, Penn Quarter, Gallery Place, and Chinatown — all areas with increased crime rates.

Allen, the former chairman of the council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, guided new crime laws that were blocked by the Senate in March, the first time in over three decades that Congress overturned local D.C. legislation.

He defended the council’s proposed revised criminal code during a congressional hearing before the legislation was blocked, answering questions from House Republicans about the recent increase in crime.

Squires said she thinks the reform bill backed by Allen was “going in the wrong direction.”

In 2020, Allen supported a controversial police reform bill that was widely opposed by the D.C. Police Union, which blamed local lawmakers for a declining police force amid high crime rates.

“Who’s to blame for this crime wave? D.C. Council members Charles Allen and Phil Mendelson,” a 2022 ad stated. “Their laws let criminals run free and prevent police from keeping us safe.”

D.C. Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton told the outlet the “executive board will consider [fundraising for the recall] if the effort progresses.”

The emergency police and justice reform bill was passed in the wake of George Floyd's murder and made permanent in December 2022. The bill banned the use of chokeholds by police officers and included improvements in access to police records.

House Republicans tried to overturn the bill but failed when President Joe Biden vetoed the effort.

An account on X, formerly known as Twitter, self-described as “the official Charles Allen Recall handle” has gathered around 900 followers since it was formed in February 2023.

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Organizers need to file a recall petition that includes 10% of the registered qualified electors of the ward of the elected official, according to the D.C. code. If enough signatures are gathered, the Board of Elections will hold a special election to determine if the official should be removed from office.

Allen, who chairs the Transportation and Environment Committee, said he does not “take the support of my neighbors for granted, but I also know I share their values and provide leadership they're proud of.” He added that he “always puts constituent services and finding ways to build community first.”

2023 Review: Carjackings surge in the Washington area

Heather Hunter

December 29, 05:30 AM December 29, 07:15 AM

In 2023, vehicle theft became an epidemic in the Washington, D.C., area as the rate soared, with more than 6,000 cars stolen this year in the capital city.

High-profile carjackings included Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), whose vehicle was stolen at gunpoint outside his apartment building.

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A Secret Service agent was forced to protect President Joe Biden's granddaughter by opening fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in Washington, D.C.

By November, Uber set out plans to improve driver safety by verifying a rider's identity amid a national carjacking surge and targeting rideshare drivers.

Some of the most brazen vehicle thefts of 2023 involved a man accused of stealing a University of District of Columbia Police cruiser, multiple stolen Amazon delivery vans, UPS and FedEx trucks, and even an ambulance was stolen.

Only one type of car seemed to foil the carjackings: cars with a manual transmission. Numerous incidents of carjackers struggling to figure out how to drive the vehicles spread from Arlington, Virginia, to Washington to Maryland.

Carjacking offenses continued to soar into the last month of the year.

The car thefts became more brazen as a suspect decided to steal a Salvation Army van that helped feed warm meals to the homeless every day for the past 40 years. Eventually, the van was recovered, and the suspect was arrested.

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Robbery has increased by 69%, violence crime by 40%, and motor vehicle theft by 89% in 2023, according to data from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Many political leaders, such as Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, speculated that the crime wave in the nation’s capital had a factor in the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards deciding to enter negotiations with Virginia leaders for new arena locations.

DC's crime leads to more restaurants closing in 2023 than the previous year

Heather Hunter

December 26, 06:49 PM December 27, 06:57 AM

Dozens of beloved Washington restaurants closed this year, more than in 2022, according to the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.

Last year, 48 D.C. restaurants shut down while in 2023, 52 restaurants went out of business.

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RAMW President Shawn Townsend attributes the closures to challenges of restaurant ownership, including the higher cost of goods, fewer patrons eating out, and, specifically, the city's rising crime problem and Initiative 82, which will phase out the tipped minimum wage.

Townsend is hoping that "things will get back to some type of new normal," he said.

Biergarten Haus, a longtime beer garden, struggled during the pandemic and found that many regulars stopped coming due to the crime problem in the District. Owner Aaron McGovern was also the owner of Russia House, a D.C. mainstay known for its wide selection of vodkas and caviar, which closed earlier in 2023.

McGovern reportedly lost tens of thousands of dollars to burglaries of his businesses and experienced his employees getting assaulted.

"Why am I paying for more police presence when I pay it in taxes, and I pay a lot?" he reportedly said.

Chinatown's Bar Deco, known for its bottomless brunch, closed due to the crime problem and lack of foot traffic.

The security budgets for nightclubs and restaurants have increased the operational budget for doing business in the District. Even Dupont Circle's Surfside taco window began to need to pay for hired guards to keep patrons safe.

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D.C. restaurateur Bo Blair said he spends $4,000 a week on hired guards for his businesses.

Blair reportedly said that he "cannot continue to pay what we're paying for security."

Lincoln Memorial steps defaced with 'Free Gaza' red paint

Eden Villalovas

December 20, 01:33 PM December 20, 01:33 PM

The steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial were vandalized with a message that read “Free Gaza” in red paint.

The National Park Service said conservators started removing the paint Wednesday morning in multiple areas, including the Lincoln Memorial steps and the Reflecting Pool. The United States Park Police told the Washington Examiner it could “take multiple treatments over several days” to remove the graffiti, and the steps on the west side of the Reflecting Pool will be closed to visitors during the conservation work.

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The vandalism of the national memorial is part of a wave of protests and other graffiti incidents in support of Palestinians since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7. Thousands of demonstrators have called for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. aid to Israel, urging lawmakers to take action as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens.

Last month, Sen. Martin Heinrich’s (D-NM) Santa Fe office was vandalized with red paint, displaying messages such as “Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire Now.” Ahead of the March for Israel event, graffiti was spotted along the National Mall in Washington on trash bins and electrical boxes, reading “Free Gaza” and “Gaza will win,” according to 7News.

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A pro-Palestinian rally last month left areas near the White House smeared in red paint. Protesters left red handprints outside the gates, and “Free Palestine” was painted on the statue of Marquis de Lafayette.

The U.S. Park Police are asking anyone with information to contact the tip line or email their service regarding the vandalism reported Wednesday.

British Embassy in Washington donates over 2,000 Paddington books to DC-area schools

Asher Notheis

December 16, 06:00 AM December 16, 06:00 AM

The British Embassy in Washington donated 2,500 Paddington books to schools based in Washington, D.C., just in time for Christmas.

The donation of the books was done for the 65th anniversary of the publishing of A Bear Called Paddington, a British children's book. The 2,500 books were donated to schoolchildren between 3 and 9, all of whom attended one of 10 schools in the Washington area, according to a press release from the British Embassy.

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"It was a pleasure to join Mayor Bowser, Chancellor Ferebee, and Principal Preston to read Paddington Bear to students at Dorothy I. Height Elementary School," British Ambassador to the United States Karen Pierce said. "Paddington’s lessons of kindness and resilience remain an inspiration to children around the world as we mark the book’s 65th anniversary this year. The British Embassy is delighted to donate Paddington books to over 2,000 students at 10 public schools around D.C., in partnership with HarperCollins, so that a whole new generation of students can enjoy this iconic British story."

As part of the donation, Pierce read a copy of Paddington to 150 students at Dorothy I. Height Elementary School on Monday. Pierce was joined by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser.

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The character Paddington was created by Michael Bond, who was a former BBC cameraman and Royal Air Force veteran who served in World War II. Since the character's creation in 1958, a total of 28 books have been written.

Paddington has also received the big-screen treatment, getting a live-action movie in 2015 and a sequel in 2018. A third Paddington film is scheduled to release in January 2025.

Stolen Salvation Army truck that fed homeless found in DC with suspect apprehended

Heather Hunter

December 13, 08:34 PM December 13, 08:34 PM

Washington, D.C., police have arrested a suspect after recovering a stolen Salvation Army van used year-round every night to feed the homeless.

Salvation Army reported their "Grate Patrol Canteen" van being stolen late Saturday.

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"It saddens our hearts that someone would get to a point where they felt the need to do that, but we want to make sure we are maintaining hope and joy for people in need," Salvation Army's Major Todd Mason reportedly said. "So, whether it’s through our Angel Tree program that we are doing for Christmas or replacing our Grate Patrol vehicle to be able to feed people each evening, we are going to keep that spirit of hope and joy."

Shortly after Fox 5, a local television news station, reported on Monday about the stolen van, a viewer called the news outlet with the tip that it was located near 1st Street and L Street NE in the district. The news organization then contacted the Metropolitan Police Department.

Officers responded and located the stolen van on Monday. The thief was not in the van upon arrival. Later, when the suspect "walked up and unlocked the van," the police intervened and questioned the suspect, according to the police press release.

Michael Peete, 58, was arrested and charged with "receiving stolen property."

The police department thanked the "eagle-eyed residents" for their help in keeping "our city safe."

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The theft happened during one of Salvation Army's busiest times of year and as the Grate Patrol has been responsible for feeding warm meals to the homeless even while the temperatures continue to drop to this week below freezing.

According to district police, motor vehicle thefts increased by 89% in 2023.

Study finds DC least festive in the US

Jenny Goldsberry

December 10, 12:43 PM December 10, 01:50 PM

The nation's capital Washington, D.C., is the least festive of the United States, according to a study.

Innerbody Research analyzed online search data to see from where the most festive searches were coming. While others searched for "ugly Christmas sweaters" and inspiration for "secret Santa gift exchanges," DC had the fewest searches surrounding the holidays.

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Last year, Washington, D.C., was ranked the 18th most festive state. The White House opened public tours for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2022. The White House is notorious for its exceptional Christmas decor within its walls.

Among D.C. searches, the No. 1 holiday-related search surrounded Christmas trees. This could have something to do with the 2023 Capitol Christmas tree, a 63-foot Norway spruce decorated with over 5,000 ornaments and roughly 5,000 LED lights. Nationwide, Christmas trees did not make the top five list of most-searched phrases.

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Notably, Washington, D.C., received the Capitol Christmas tree from the Greenbrier Ranger District within the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, which was found to be the most festive state, according to this study. The tree skirts surrounding the spruce were made by West Virginians.

This was the second year Innerbody Research named West Virginia the most festive state.

Who cares if cheaper Empower is unregulated in DC? Uber and Lyft did the same

Tom Rogan

December 07, 04:46 PM December 07, 04:46 PM

Why are Washingtonians using the Empower ride-sharing app?

I used Empower today because it connected me with a driver who charged $10.32 for the ride I needed to make. Lyft's cheapest 15-minute "wait and save" offer for that same ride was $10.99. Riding with Uber would have cost me $8.93, but only because Uber is offering me a temporary promotion that would have reduced the ride's list price from $12.54 (I will save that promotion to use on a more expensive ride). I haven't used the Alto ride-sharing firm. Put simply, Empower has disrupted the market by often offering cheaper rides than its competitors while also offering drivers higher earnings.

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Empower charges drivers a range of subscription fees to use its app. Drivers then make 100% of earnings on a ride and, guided by price recommendations from the app, are able to set their own prices for tender to prospective customers.

I've been using Empower since this summer and have found its rides are approximately 15%+ cheaper than Uber/Lyft offers about 85% of the time. Hence why Uber, Lyft, and Alto fear Empower. A ride service offering cheaper rides and higher-earning drivers can dominate both ends of the supply-demand equation. Those firms are thus hypocritically getting public relations firms to point out that Empower is unregulated in D.C.

NBC 4 reported on this concern on Wednesday, noting that the D.C. had sent a cease and desist order to Empower. But I'd argue that this regulation concern should be utterly irrelevant. Uber operated in an unregulated fashion in France, Italy, and certain United States locations in its formative days. Lyft did the same.

But what makes Empower distinct to these firms is that Empower drivers are making 100% of the earnings for each ride. In contrast, Uber and Lyft take hefty cuts of each ride's earnings. Top line: the D.C. Department for Hire Vehicles wants to regulate Empower so that it can tax its riders and drivers to pay more for the city's generally useless public services. Uber, Lyft, and Alto want Empower regulated so that the D.C. tax burden makes it more expensive for riders and thus less competitive.

Still, the top line is that many D.C. riders and drivers like Empower, something born out by an interviewee in NBC 4's report. The firm's CEO, Joshua Sear, told me he's open to regulatory engagements with D.C. that reflect Empower's different model to Uber and Lyft. He said, "Using Empower's software and support services, over 10,000 drivers have provided over 4,000,000 rides to over 200,000 riders in the DC metro area. They have earned over $65,000,000." He added that, "Empower’s business model has resulted in an increase in access to affordable transportation in historically underserved communities, particularly in South East DC."

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This is good stuff. It's also good for riders that Uber and Lyft are sometimes cheaper than Empower. So riders should keep using Empower if they like the drivers it connects them to. Drivers should keep using Empower if they find themselves making more money for their families. If riders prefer Uber, Lyft, or Alto, they should use those services instead.

This is not complicated stuff. Or at least it shouldn't be.

Tuberville softens on military holds and will pivot to 'woke' Biden nominees

Samantha-Jo Roth

Emily Jacobs

November 30, 07:57 PM November 30, 07:57 PM

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) signaled Thursday he may be ready to drop his nearly 10-month blockade of military promotions as soon as next week as many Senate Republicans have attempted to find an off-ramp for months, and patience is wearing thin.

The Alabama senator has insisted he will not be lifting his hold on every nominee and would be still enforcing holds on Biden nominees he deems “woke.” Tuberville has been blocking the nominations since early March in protest of the Defense Department's new abortion policy and has delayed more than 300 top military nominees.

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“Now, we’re working towards getting, which I’ve been very much for getting the promotions over with, we need to get them promoted,” Tuberville said, speaking with reporters on Thursday afternoon. “We are going through all the people that are up for promotion. We will promote people in the very near future. I don’t know how many people at one time. I’d like to get it done here in the next week or so.”

At the center of the dispute is the Pentagon's decision to pay for the travel expenses of service members who go out of state to obtain an abortion because of restrictions where they live. Tuberville believes the policy, put into place in response to the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade last year, is a violation of a federal law that limits federal funding of abortions to cases of rape, incest, or threats to the life of the mother. He has vowed to hold up the nominations of general and flag officers until the Pentagon drops the policy.

The former football coach's comments come as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has threatened to bring a resolution to the floor that could allow the consideration of 350 nonpolitical military promotions at one time, bypassing Tuberville’s blockade.

The plan would allow senators to change procedure temporarily without making a permanent rule change and could allow most of the stalled promotions to be considered on the floor in large batches. Major promotions of military leaders, such as those on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, would require individual votes.

“We’re willing to let the Republicans solve this on their own,” Schumer said during a floor speech on Thursday. “Let me be clear: If Republicans are not able to get Sen. Tuberville to stand down quickly, we are going to hold a vote on our resolution to confirm these nominees before we leave this year.”

The backlog of Pentagon nominees, which could grow to as large as 650 by the end of the year, is typically approved without objection, usually in batches. Tuberville lacks the power to block the promotions entirely — Schumer can and has previously put some individual nominations up for a vote, but the hold would require him to advance every nomination one by one, eating up valuable floor time.

At one time, Republican lawmakers considered filing a lawsuit against the Pentagon to strike down the policy that provides reimbursements for military personnel traveling out of the state for reproductive care. They also weighed including provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act to invalidate the policy, but that couldn't pass the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Before the Thanksgiving break, a group of Republican senators, many of whom serve on the Armed Services Committee, attempted to advance nominees via unanimous consent, and Tuberville blocked every attempt.

After all Republicans on the Senate Rules Committee voted against the measure a couple of weeks ago, some in the party are beginning to signal they would vote for the resolution as a last resort.

“The standing order is not my personal preference, but at the end of the day, this is having a really, really negative impact on readiness and morale during a very dangerous time,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who sits on the Armed Services Committee.

“The time is now. Most senators are like, ‘This has gone on too long,’” he said.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) also said he’d support the resolution if no solution is reached by the beginning of the new year.

Tuberville argued he doesn’t believe Schumer has the votes to temporarily change the Senate rules and overcome his holds. To move forward with this method, 60 votes will be needed, meaning votes from nine Republicans to join with all Democrats.

“I don’t think he’s got the votes,” Tuberville said.

While many Republicans have made it clear they agree with Tuberville’s stance on the Pentagon policy, they are now publicly admitting the blockade could ultimately affect military readiness worldwide.

“There are hundreds of officers whose nominations are being held up and virtually all of them. Those officers have no role in deciding on this policy or even, for most of them, implementing this policy,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). “Sen. Tuberville has committed to finding a resolution that will allow the vast majority of those nominations to go forward because it’s not fair to punish officers who have spent their lives defending our nation.”

“The mechanism in which Tommy chooses an exit ramp, we will let him determine that. That’s the prerogative of every senator. I’m working with him to try to help facilitate that,” Cruz added.

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Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a former member of Senate leadership, said while the exact route in which Tuberville’s holds will be dropped is unknown, he’s fairly confident the standoff will end soon.

“There’s nothing like a deadline to get us to act. Sen. Schumer is going to put the standing rule vote on the floor soon, so I think that’s what is precipitating this action,” Cornyn said.