Breakfast links: COVID-19 case counts are back to spring levels
COVID testing sign at the Cleveland Park Library by angela n. licensed under Creative Commons.
Some COVID-19 metrics reach pre-vaccination levels
COVID-19 case numbers, hospitalizations, and positivity rates in the Washington region are reaching highs not seen since April, when vaccines were not yet widely available. However, hospital capacity remains stable, and the current surge has not caused a large increase in deaths. (Colleen Grablick / DCist)
DC homeownership program participants face structural failures
Some participants in a DC program for first-time homebuyers are being forced to evacuate after a brand new subsidized condominium building in Anacostia began showing signs of structural failure and engineers deemed it unsafe. (Post)
Baltimore bus driver’s death prompts calls to improve transit workers’ safety
Three transit workers have been killed in Baltimore so far this year, the most recent being a bus driver who was shot while waiting at a station. The incidents are prompting union leaders to call for more security on buses and at stations. (Justin George / Post)
Arlington’s red hot real estate market is cooling
Compared to July 2020, the median price of a home sold in Arlington County has declined by 9%, while the average time a home is available on the market has increased 35%. Experts aren’t sure if the reduced activity is a temporary lull or signs of a more permanent change. (Jeff Clabaugh / WTOP)
College Park Metro station still closed as students return to campus
With the College Park Metro station closed until September 7, students returning to the University of Maryland, College Park this week will have to make do with free shuttle bus service to the Fort Totten, Greenbelt, Prince George’s Plaza, and West Hyattsville stations. (Emily Williams / The Diamondback)
Washington Monument reopens two weeks after lightning strike
The Washington Monument reopened to the public on August 29 after an August 15 lightning strike damaged the monument’s electronic access system. Work crews spent much of the past two weeks waiting for replacement parts. (Margaret Barthel / DCist)
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