WAMU: Local News

“We may not have the book you want, but we will have a book you need,” says one of the founders of Bol bookstore in Brookland.

A sewage spill has contaminated the Potomac River. Each year, nearly three times as much wastewater flows into the river from D.C.'s pipes.

February is Black History Month – which, for many longtime Black D.C. residents, is every month, and inextricable from D.C. history. In an already rapidly changing city now facing growing, unprecedented challenges to its local communities, economy, and autonomy, this year's Black History Month has new weight for some residents.

12 years after opening its first location, Compass Coffee shops around the region are closing. Here's what led to the demise of the brand.

In an email about student audition registration obtained by NOTUS, the ballet did not allude to the changing politics of the venue.

Besides putting on a great Mardi Gras ball, The Krewe of Pyros, centered in Washington, D.C., also does community outreach, gives out scholarships and does other types of charitable giving.

The race is shaping up to be a bruising contest between Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and former At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie. And ranked choice voting is an unknown factor in the race.

Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day, fulfilling a desire to catch a flick, or following a curiosity about the off-camera workings of the film industry, the DCIFF annual forum ought to be a worthwhile option for weekend plans..

In the latest installment of the WAMU series Hidden City, we play a round of putt-putt and discover what's next for the country's oldest continuously operated mini golf course.

Political appointments are intended to quickly fill vacancies in the final year of a term. But some say the process favors insiders and needs to change.

D.C. is still covered with layers of snow and ice after a major snow storm hit the region in late January. It's made it difficult for everyone to move around. For some people with disabilities, it's been near impossible.

As interest in cassettes grows, a D.C. resident wants to help local musicians get in on the action with a small-run duplication service called Punch Tab Tapes. 

WAMU will be reporting on how residents with disabilities are navigating the District after the winter storm, how a mini-golf course is at the center of a fight over local sovereignty with the Trump administration and resurgent cassette-tape culture amid area musicians.

Veteran Washington Post sports reporter Steven Goff talks about what the cuts to the paper's sports coverage means for the D.C. region and for the future of sports journalism.

Malinin gained the nickname “the Quad God” after he became the first person to land a quadruple axel in competition - a jump that requires a skater to spin four and half times in mid-air.

This week WAMU will be checking in on the push for mid-decade redistricting in Maryland and Virginia, concerns about a recent appointment to the Prince George's County Council and a look at a local athlete headed to Milan.

This week on Get Out There, we get you ready for the Winter Olympics by teaching you how to curl and speed skate...and where to do it!

Kenyan McDuffie's resignation to pursue a mayoral bid has kicked off a chaotic, compressed race for the at-large seat.

To mark a year since the tragedy over the Potomac occured, WAMU spoke with some of those who lost loved ones in the crash - partners, family members and children. 

In Wards 7 and 8, most students go to public school - but a small number have the opportunity to attend the Washington School for Girls, an independent catholic school that offers full scholarships to its students. This year, with a new campus at the heart of the Southeast community, the girls are looking forward to the start of a new chapter.

Norton's campaign raised just $2,520 during the last three months of 2025. Her campaign hasn't yet announced a formal decision on her future.

"We're really wanting to trouble, in many ways, that narrative of our founding," says The 1619 Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones.

A single mom with serious health challenges saw her benefits drop after federal cuts. She and her 10-year-old son recently went grocery shopping, aiming to stretch their shrinking monthly food budget.

Healthcare worker shortages are straining hospitals and clinics nationwide, including in the D.C. region. A local student health conference with middle and high school students is focused on getting early exposure to careers that could help fill those gaps.

This week on Get Out There, we preview three concerts from local artists you will not want to miss this winter.

D.C. is set to receive more than 80 million dollars in opioid settlement money over the coming years. Survivors and their families say it's difficult to follow how it is actually spent.

This week WAMU will be previewing the start of the legislative sessions in the Virginia and Maryland General Assemblies, plus we're taking a look at some not to miss concerts by D.C. area artists this winter.

Legislative session begin in both Maryland and Virginia this week, and lawmakers are tackling a big budget shortfall in Maryland and a slew of constitutional amendments in Virginia.

In 1985, D.C. punks sought to reset the politics and music of the D.C. punk scene. 40 years later, punks carry Revolution Summer into middle age.

WAMU arts and culture reporter Darryl C. Murphy paid a visit to some of the region's top record stores to find out what new albums from 2025 topped their favorites list, as well as some local acts to look out for in 2026. 

WAMU's arts and culture reporter Darryl C. Murphy searched the region for some of the finest chocolatey sips, and put together a short list of the best!

In WAMU's series Hidden City, we uncover the stories behind the history, people, and places in our region.

Dr. Glenn Wortmann, Medical Director of Infection Prevention at the MedStar Institute of Quality and Safety, joins WAMU to discuss how to prepare for the upcoming flu season, which he and other medical experts warn will be a "tough one."

This week on Get Out There, we're getting out on the ice.

This week WAMU will be taking a region-wide look at critical issues surrounding data centers, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will be our guest on The Politics Hour, and a guide to top ice skating spots this winter.

This week on Get Out There, we celebrate the season with a holiday theater preview.

Hundreds of people live in D.C. without shelter, despite available beds. As winter sets in, the city's bridge housing programs may be critical to keeping homeless people safe and indoors, but they have limited capacity.

The local chapter of a socialist party has drawn hundreds of people to protests and meetings opposing data centers, sparking action by the county council.

This week on Get Out There, we're getting ready for Thanksgiving with some of the best places to enjoy a meal away from home.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser faces the difficult task of appeasing the interests of a President her city voted overwhelmingly against. Washington Post investigative reporter Jonathan O'Connell shares how she has she fared one year into his term.

Stories WAMU is following this week include a data center project in Montgomery County generating controversy, a vote on Metro funding, and The Politics Hour hitting the road.

City agencies overspent their budgets by more than $300 million last year. Strong revenue in past years helped blunt the impact, but recently it's becoming more difficult for lawmakers to cover the gaps.