Breakfast links: Montgomery County wants to make walking safe and pleasant
Walking in Silver Spring by Jordan Barab licensed under Creative Commons.
Montgomery County will map out “pedestrian comfort”
The county Planning Department will spend the next two years analyzing how pedestrian-friendly MoCo’s streets are. This study will help them develop a Pedestrian Master Plan to make walking safer and more comfortable. (Caitlynn Peetz / Bethesda Beat. Tip: Chester B.)
The Anacostia River suffered after the region’s wettest year on record
Sustained heavy rains have swept trash, waste, and dirt into the Anacostia River, causing new river grasses to die and bacteria levels to rise. The river got an “F” on its annual report card, but it is still healthier than in previous years. (Jacob Fenston / WAMU)
Amazon will donate to an affordable housing fund for Northern Virginia
Amazon will donate $3 million to the Arlington Community Foundation to build affordable housing near HQ2. Affordable housing in Arlington usually requires a $115,000 subsidy, so the Amazon donation could subsidize 26 houses. (Roberty McCartney / Post)
DC Councilmember Trayon White wants to stop displacement
Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White’s bill would create a fund for nonprofits and legal service providers to draw on to provide services like foreclosure prevention assistance, rent subsidies, and tenant advocacy. The fund would apply to “displacement risk zones” in wards 7 and 8. (Andrew Giambrone / Curbed)
Route 29 will partially close this summer
Northbound lanes on Route 29 will close in July for construction work to flatten out hills and improve sight lines. The hilly segment of Route 29 has seen at least 100 crashes since 2013. (Dave Dildine / WTOP)
Prince George’s County Schools will get a boost in funding
The county will get an extra $53 million from the state, which is raising county school budgets. Prince George’s plans to spend it on elementary school teacher raises, expanding pre-K access, mental health services, and digital literacy. (Dominique Maria Bonessi / WAMU)
Missing the Current newspaper? Try reading the Northwest Courier
The Northwest Courier launched online in late April, and plans to publish a print edition in June. The Courier covers community news stories from Northwest DC, filling the void after the Current filed for bankruptcy and liquidation. (Scott Nover / DC Line)
An outside news organization hired an ombudsman for the Washington Post
The Columbia Journalism Review hired Ana Marie Cox to serve as ombudsman for the Post. The position has been vacant since 2013. (Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian)
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