Posts from April 2019
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Alfonso Lopez and Julius Spain vie to represent the Columbia Pike area
Most of the state legislative primary battles in Northern Virginia are in the state Senate, which hasn't been on the ballot for four years. There's one House of Delegates primary in our region, for the 49th District, where veteran and Arlington NAACP President Julius “JD” Spain is challenging sitting Delegate Alfonso Lopez in the Democratic primary. Keep reading…
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It’s morel season! Here’s how to find edible plants and mushrooms in urban places
Since morel season is upon us—amidst a warm spell and blooming dogwoods and lilacs—I set out to learn more about this elusive mushroom. It is one of the few edible mushrooms that grow in the spring, and believe it or not, it's possible to find them in an urban environment. Keep reading…
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Why “people biking need to follow the law more” is bad safety advice
When issues of bicycle and pedestrian safety come up, it's common for many people, including well-meaning ones, to suggest those road users ought to “follow the law” more. Some of those comments arose again after the deaths of Dave Salovesh and Abdul Seck, even though both were innocent bystanders while their killers were evidently breaking laws themselves. Keep reading…
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A former ANC commissioner is fighting bus shelters in Georgetown
A former ANC commissioner is attempting to wage a war against the installation of a bus shelter in Georgetown. Grace Bateman, who served as Chair of the commission in the early 90s, is attempting to thwart the installation of a new bus shelter on 35th Street, across from Dent Place. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: After a deadly crash in Anacostia, residents paint their own crosswalk
Following the death of a pedestrian, Anacostia residents took road safety into their own hands. This Metrobus driver is definitely a Game of Thrones fan. Neglecting the region's bus system may hurt the local economy. Keep reading…
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Watch this timelapse of 28 years of Virginia sprawl
The most striking change is vast land development in Loudoun County, but that’s not the only visible growth. What else do you notice in this time lapse of 28 years of Virginia sprawl? Keep reading…
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Events: Join your GGWash Neighbors at a regional rail talk or a trolley play date
Join fellow GGWash Neighbors at a regional rail talk or a trolley turnaround play date, walk in the spirit of Jane Jacobs in Arlington, learn about fair housing in DC, and more in urbanist events this week. Keep reading…
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The saga of Waldo Schmitt, the crustacean biologist obsessed with building a commuter rail subway in DC
Prior to World War II, there were even more commuter rail lines leading into DC than there are now. Most of them ended at Union Station, just like they do today. But in the 1940s a man named Waldo Schmitt proposed a commuter rail subway to bring workers closer to the center of downtown, and to connect rail lines from the east and west. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: The FTA releases final reports as it hands oversight to Metro
The Federal Transit Administration files final reports as it winds down its oversight role for Metro. The Montgomery County Council is calling for an additional $5 million for its affordable housing fund. Many residents are concerned about plans to widen the Beltway and I-270. Keep reading…
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Hundreds “die” on Pennsylvania Avenue for streets that don’t kill
A few hundred people rallied in front of the John A. Wilson Building at noon on Friday to demand “streets that don’t kill people” in the District. Protesters laid down on Pennsylvania Avenue and blocked the street for about eight minutes, a nod to the eight road deaths that have occured in the District so far this year. Keep reading…