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The District has one of the highest rates of the virus in the country and we know from the spread of COVID, that it doesn't take long for a virus to cross state lines. In response, the D.C. Department of Health is shifting its strategy in addressing the outbreak. The department is now prioritizing giving out one dose of the limited monkeypox vaccines, instead of offering eligible residents a two d...

The heat index reached triple digits again on Monday after a week straight of temperatures in the 90-degree range. What is up with this extreme heat in the DMV? I talk to NBC4’s Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer about what this spate of hot temperatures means for our region. And I ask Doug whether climate change is to blame for this sweltering heat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy...

Local leaders from across the D.C. region met today regarding migrants arriving in the area. D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau chaired the meeting of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Region Forward Coalition as local aid groups struggle with dwindling resources to assist migrants bused into the District under Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s direction. Abe...

Metro’s Silver Line Pt. 2 received another $250 million in funding this week in order to complete the extension project once and for all. NBC Washington's Transportation Reporter Adam Tuss covers the beleaguered project and tells us why this extra money is needed and why the project is 4 years behind schedule. And we also go beyond the challenges and talk about how this extension – once complete –...

What happens to that bottle you toss in the blue bin at home or at the coffee shop? Are our efforts to reduce waste in the D.C. area actually doing anything? For answers I talk to a local recycling guru and sustainability manager for the American Institute of Architects Charlotte Dreizen. We talk about why recycling matters to us here in the D.C. region and what’s at stake if we don’t get waste ma...

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows D.C. leads the nation in the number of monkeypox cases per capita. Today, we hear from Dr. Tara Palmore – professor of infectious diseases at George Washington University – about the disease’s symptoms and spread, the local response, and the harmful stigma attached to monkeypox. And, as the District’s health system works to...

Maryland’s primary election is upon us and the race for the governor's mansion is neck and neck for both Democratic and Republican candidates vying to make it to the general election. WTOP’s Kate Ryan has covered the campaign for months. She tells us who the contenders are and where the governor's race stands. And in Howard County, a teenager made it on the ballot before being able to buy a cigare...

Days after a destructive storm swept through our region, the damage to property and infrastructure remains in some neighborhoods. In College Park, there are still residents without power. On today’s episode, we talk to College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn about the city’s path to recovery and its options to mitigate damage from future storms. We also hear from the DC Preservation League’s Rebecca Mil...

Your child’s favorite teacher may not be there when she returns from summer break. Our area is hemorrhaging educators as hundreds have turned in their notice saying they won’t be teaching in the fall and many are in the middle of their careers. Data from the National Education Association shows that 55 percent of educators across the country are considering leaving the field and jurisdictions near...

A DC woman spent her first of 30 nights in jail in Alexandria, Va., after she was convicted with another activist for trespassing inside an abortion clinic. She is the same woman who DC Police say had five fetuses inside her apartment near Capitol Hill when they raided it in March 2022. WTOP’s Neal Augenstein provides an update on the cases against Lauren Handy and what's next after her federal in...

Montgomery County leaders are seeking to limit where gun owners can take their firearms, even though Governor Hogan just made it easier to carry a concealed gun in Maryland following a Supreme Court ruling. WTOP’s Kate Ryan walks us through the new legislation introduced today. And have you seen those awe-inspiring images of the cosmos taken by the James Webb Space Telescope? We talk about how Mar...

Soccer legend Wayne Rooney is back at Audi Field, this time to coach D.C. United. The all-star player is the new manager of the District’s Major League Soccer team. WTOP Senior Sports Director, and the voice of D.C. United, Dave Johnson tells us Rooney’s return is a welcome surprise. He explains why. And then we turn to the stands and speak with WTOP’s José Umaña – who hosts the Bad Hombres FC pod...

It is a busy day on Capitol Hill and the Commanders are back in the news as owner Dan Snyder has offered to testify to a committee investigating sexual misconduct and workplace allegations within the team. WTOP’s Mitchell Miller tells us this comes after Snyder all but ignored a subpoena. And have you changed jobs lately? The latest jobs report finds America added more jobs than expected this mont...

We sit down with outgoing D.C. Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt who saw the District through nearly 8 years, and navigated the city through the pandemic. A day after the city announced her departure, Nesbitt tells us what it was like as a health director in the midst of a health emergency. And buying weed legally in D.C. is a complex process, but it just got a little easier after Mayor Muriel...

A tornado dropped down into Bowie Tuesday evening – ripping trees from the ground dredging up heaps of sod. So what is up with all these tornadoes? To figure this out, we talk to meteorologist Howard Bernstein. And the beloved Tidal Basin is at risk – it’s literally sinking. Mike Litterst of the National Park Service joins us to talk about how the NPS plans to save this historic landmark and the c...

There is a new directive in Maryland when it comes to carrying a gun. Governor Larry Hogan issued a directive for the Maryland State Police to essentially ignore a law on the books that restricts ‘concealed carry’ in the state. We talk to Dr. Cassandra Crifasi, the Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, about what this means for Maryland. And, 14 climat...

Four local gun-rights advocates filed a suit against D.C. saying Metro’s ban on concealed handguns on public transportation is unlawful. That lawsuit comes a week after the U.S. the Supreme Court upheld the right to carry a gun outside of the home. WTOP’s Valerie Bonk , who has a law degree, breaks down the suit and tells us what’s at stake. And we are learning more about a horrific murder of a fa...

We spend the whole episode with Fairfax County Public School Superintendent Scott Brabrand who leaves his post today after 5 tumultuous years leading Virginia’s largest school system. During our wide-ranging and exclusive interview, he shares his regrets from early in the pandemic, his defense of the new admission policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, and his thoughts...

We’re looking ahead to the race to become Maryland’s next governor. WTOP’s Kate Ryan joins us to share what issues a poll found voters care about - and how it’ll be hard to predict who might win given the timing of the primary and the fact that a majority of voters said they could change their minds. Then, we talk with Hirshhorn Museum Curator Evelyn Hankins about the life and legacy of Sam Gillia...

Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County Steve Descano spends the entire episode with us discussing the state of justice in Northern Virginia, including what he thinks is a likelihood that Virginia will soon implement an abortion ban following the Supreme Court’s ruling. Descano discusses how he’d navigate that from a prosecutorial standpoint and provides insight into the investigation into Bija...

A Catholic church in Reston, Virginia became a target after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Parishioners found their community church defaced by graffiti and learned it was also set on fire. We talked to a spokesman with the Archdiocese of Arlington who urges peaceful dialogue during such a tense political time. And July 4th is right around the corner. Mike Litterst with the National Par...

The Supreme Court overturned almost 50 years of precedent Friday morning when it delivered its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The Supreme Court voted to knock down the legal protections for abortion guaranteed by the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. In this episode, we talk whether the right to an abortion is at risk in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. with WTOP's Neal Auge...

The Supreme Court handed down a major expansion to gun rights this morning as the Senate moved to pass the first bi-partisan gun restrictions in decades. We talk to WTOP’s Kate Ryan about how the high court’s ruling could affect Maryland’s gun laws and to Professor Daniel Webster from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health about what the decision means for safety in our communities. W...

The Commanders Football Team is the topic of discussion on Capitol Hill as the House Oversight Committee delves into allegations of sexual harassment, a toxic workplace, and financial impropriety inside the team. Learning of owner Dan Snyder’s absence, the committee chair said she’ll issue a subpoena for him to testify in a future hearing. WTOP’s Congressional Correspondent Mitchell Miller tells u...

It’s a big day for parents who’ve waited for their children under 5-years-old to get vaccinated. We hear from parents who were first in line at a District clinic and talk with an infectious disease expert about the differences between the two vaccines that are FDA-approved for young kids. Plus, a new University of Maryland clinic is launching with the goal to help all runners improve. WTOP’s Krist...