WAMU: Local News

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News features from the Washington, DC Metro Area.

WAMU


    • Jun 23, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
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    • 4m AVG DURATION
    • 1,170 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from WAMU: Local News

    Capital Weather on their outlook for the summer, and becoming independent (again)!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2026 3:48


    Jason Samenow is the chief meteorologist and founder of Capital Weather. He joined WAMU host Natalie Yuravlivker to discuss the change and the outlook for the summer weather.

    Why deplorable conditions in one D.C. housing complex may lead to a tax break for owner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2026 4:05


    Conditions at an affordable housing complex in Eckington are so deplorable that District leaders are proposing a $21-million-dollar tax break to fix them. Residents (and others) say this isn't a fair solution.

    Get Out There: Home Rule Music Festival celebrates 5 years of honoring the history and music of Chocolate City

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2026 4:14


    Charvis Campbell, founder of HR Records and the Home Rule Music Festival, speaks to WAMU about the fifth anniversary of the Home Rule Music Festival this weekend and honoring the legacy of D.C. music.

    A Maryland businesswoman is spending millions to run for Congress. Lawsuits and her own backstory are complicating her campaign

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2026 4:03


    Quincy Bareebe has loaned her congressional campaign nearly $6 million and built it around a rags-to-riches biography. But court records and her family history complicate the picture.

    ‘We have to build national momentum': Robert White on his primary victory and vision for the D.C. Delegate to Congress

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2026 3:40


    Democratic nominee for D.C. Delegate to Congress Robert White speaks to WAMU about his victory, what voters wanted from a delegate and his own vision for the position.

    Caught between kids and aging parents: Caregiving and the ‘sandwich generation'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2026 3:58


    Squeezed between their young children and aging parents, the 'sandwich generation' needs help! Experts say embracing the role of caregiver can come with support and recognition that can make a difference in mental health.

    Early results show Lewis George poised to win Democratic primary for D.C. mayor

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2026 3:38


    Other results show that Robert White won the D.C. Democratic primary to succeed retiring House delegate Norton. Winners in down ballot races will take longer to determine, as ranked choice ballots come into play.

    WAMU's Week Ahead: D.C. primary elections, Juneteenth and Capital Pride

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2026 4:24


    This week WAMU will be covering the D.C. primary elections -- from several council races to huge elections for mayor and delegate to Congress -- and we'll be looking at ways area residents can celebrate Juneteenth and Pride this weekend.

    Get Out There: Streateries

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 4:04


    For this week's Get Out There, we're telling you how restaurants are keeping customers seats in the streets!

    The Politics Hour: The final countdown to the D.C. primary and Virginia lawmakers stall over the budget

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 48:57


    WAMU's Alex Koma and Washington Informer's Sam P.K. Collins get us ready for the D.C. primaries. Plus, Virginia Delegate Vivian Watts weighs in the data center tax breaks stalling budget negotiations.

    D.C.'s tick season could be worse this year. Here's how to stay safe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2026 4:00


    Summer in D.C. is a great time for ticks. This year, you may want to be especially vigilant about protecting yourself from the diseases they carry.

    The Trump administration's D.C. makeover is costing taxpayers millions with no-bid contracts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2026 7:21


    Tens of millions in taxpayer dollars have been spent overhauling parks and monuments across Washington, D.C. A New York Times investigation explores how expensive no-bid contracts are key to the Trump administration's restoration work.

    WAMU's week ahead: D.C. Council tackles a delayed budget, preventing ticks from biting into your summer and the politics of streateries

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2026 3:54


    This week WAMU will be checking in on the D.C. Council's first vote for the FY2027 budget, responses from health officials to increased tick bites across the D.C. region and the politics at play this summer around streateries.

    Barred in D.C. on mayoral candidates' views on tipped minimum wage, streateries, and favorite restaurants

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2026 3:49


    Popular local social media account Barred in D.C. got answers to the question everyone has been asking... what are the D.C. mayoral hopefuls favorite places to eat?

    Get Out There: Summertime for the D.C. region's jazz scene

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2026 4:01


    The summer in D.C. offers a great chance to get out and explore the city's jazz scene, whether you bask in the sounds of trumpets on a park blanket or enjoy a cool piano trio in an air-conditioned club.

    No boys allowed! Earlybirds Dance Parties run on feminine, gender-fluid energy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2026 3:35


    Earlybirds Dance Parties is a women-led nationwide movement to create a safe and inclusive space for women, transgender, and nonbinary people to enjoy a night out and still get home at a reasonable hour.

    Federal worker NDA plan sparks accountability concerns

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 4:00


    A proposal by the Office of Personnel Management to push federal workers to sign nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, is facing a fierce backlash. Max Stier joined us to discuss how this plan impacts federal workers – and everyone else.

    D.C. filmmakers celebrate 40th release of cult classic documentary ‘Heavy Metal Parking Lot'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 6:07


    WAMU speaks with documentary filmmaker Jeff Krulik about the 40th anniversary of his documentary "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" - which focuses on Judas Priest fans outside a concert at the Capitol Centre in 1986.

    WAMU's Week Ahead: Maryland's ballot mix-up, NDAs for federal employees, and summer jazz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 3:54


    This week, WAMU checks in on Maryland primaries following a significant mail-in ballot error, a memo seeks to have all federal employees sign NDAs and a look at jazz concerts to enjoy this summer.

    Get Out There: Petworth Porchfest

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2026 3:48


    If you missed this spring's porchfest in Adams Morgan or the one just over the city's border in Takoma Park, you're not out of luck - you've got a chance to catch another one this weekend in Petworth. 

    Will new legislation help attract more sit-down restaurants in Prince George's County?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 3:55


    Hau Chu, Prince George's County food and culture reporter for The Baltimore Banner, speaks to WAMU about why there are so few independent sit-down restaurants in Prince George's County and how residents are hoping that changes.

    Get Out There: Perfect, quirky, short summer road trips

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 3:57


    This week on Get Out There, we hit the road for quirky, short summer day trips!

    One year after the Capital Jewish Museum killings, incidents of antisemitism are persistent but decreasing in the D.C. area

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2026 3:38


    WAMU speaks to the Antidefamation League's Tali Cohen on the anniversary of the shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum about the current state of antisemitism in the D.C. region.

    Voices of Wards 7 and 8: What D.C. youth have to say about teen curfews

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 4:09


    City lawmakers have been debating whether to implement more stringent youth curfews in D.C., following so-called “teen takeovers” that have prompted concerns about public safety. Some young people feel proponents are missing the bigger picture. 

    Opioid overdoses have fallen dramatically in Virginia. Medicaid cuts could threaten treatment access

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 3:55


    Virginia recorded one of the steepest declines in overdose deaths nationwide over the past year. But spending reductions in Medicaid, one of the largest payers for addiction and mental health treatment in the U.S., could significantly disrupt substance use treatment programs nationwide.

    Maryland lawmakers eye new development opportunities along the Purple Line

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 3:43


    Montgomery County Delegate Marc Korman speaks to WAMU about a recent milestone for the construction of the Purple Line and how a soon-to-be law in Maryland will help spur development around the light rail's stations.

    Get Out There: The state of D.C.'s restaurants and five new places to try

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 3:58


    WAMU arts and culture reporter Darryl C. Murphy tried five of the year's new restaurants - ones that are helping to keep D.C.'s dining scene alive. 

    Maryland acknowledges a painful history as the state reckons with the graves of over 200 Black youth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 3:54


    Researcher Crystal Foretia joins WAMU to discuss her work looking into the abuse at the House of Reformation and Instruction in Prince George's County and shares thoughts on how the state can work through this dark legacy.

    As ICE arrests surge, new state laws prevent kids from landing in foster care

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 3:42


    ICE arrests in the D.C. region have quadrupled since the Biden administration. For families with children, that surge is raising urgent questions about what happens when a parent gets picked up.

    Get Out There: Exploring D.C.'s neighborhoods with Austin Graff

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 4:00


    This week for Get Out There, we're exploring D.C.'s best spots for kids with Austin Graff.

    Washington Mystics enter new WNBA era betting on rookies and a front office shakeup

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 3:57


    The Mystics start 2026 with a crop of fresh players, two of whom are current NCAA champions. But the team is also without a permanent GM.

    ‘Animals teach us lessons': Scott Simon on his new book and a lifetime of pets

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 4:05


    Weekend Edition host Scott Simon is a lover of all pets. In his new book, "Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I've Known" Simon shares the stories and lessons learned from his pet friends.

    Guidance under the Vax Act aims to keep the cost of vaccines low for Maryland families

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 3:36


    Maryland Secretary of Health Meena Seshamani explains changes to Maryland's vaccine policies under the recently adopted Vax Act.

    WAMU Week Ahead: D.C.'s mayoral race in Ward 3, a crowded field for Maryland's fifth district and the Mystics' season begins

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 3:56


    This week WAMU will be checking in on the state of a couple of primary elections in the D.C.-region: The race for Mayor in D.C. and the push to succeed retiring Congressman Steny Hoyer in Maryland's fifth District. Plus we look ahead at the opening weekend for the Washington Mystics.

    Get Out There: Finders Keepers makes treasures out of trash

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2026 3:48


    A new exhibition in Southeast D.C. features artwork made with found objects. Plastic bags, buried debris, or almost any discarded item is fair game for creativity at Finders Keepers, currently on display at the Eye Street Gallery. 

    Spike Lee on his ties to D.C., as he brings the go-go fueled ‘School Daze' to the Lincoln Theatre.

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2026 3:50


    Just blocks away from Howard University, Oscar-award winning filmmaker Spike Lee will screen his 1988 HBCU inspired film School Daze at the Lincoln Theatre this Friday. He spoke to WAMU about the film's relevance, and his ties to the District.

    Trump administration seeks access to medical records of millions of federal workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2026 4:00


    The Trump administration is seeking unprecedented access to the health records of federal workers — including their prescriptions, diagnoses, and doctor visits — raising alarms among legal experts and health executives about privacy and HIPAA compliance.

    WAMU reporters on attending Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner: ‘Is there someone in this ballroom who's going to hurt us?'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 3:52


    WAMU's Maryland reporter Jenny Abamu and visuals editor Tyrone Turner recall what it was like to be in the ballroom when chaos erupted during the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

    Get Out There: Riot! D.C.

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 3:53


    Mac N' Toss, part of a new era of feminist punk known as riot grrrl (which has roots in D.C.) says they organized the festival to be a place for women and queer people to have the freedom to express their feelings about the trauma of sexual violence.

    Maryland passes legislation banning retailers from using personal data to set prices. Does it do enough?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 3:56


    Montgomery County Delegate Lorig Charkoudian joined WAMU to discuss a new bill to limit dynamic pricing in Maryland and how it fits into state Democrats' political concerns for the future.

    Montgomery County native, ‘Jazz Detective' Zev Feldman's love of vinyl and influence on record store day

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 5:31


    Montgomery County-based record producer Zev Feldman, the "Jazz Detective," speaks to WAMU about his local roots in the record industry and some of the albums he is putting out for Record Store Day, 2026.

    Get Out There: Young musical artists get their chance to shine at District Sounds festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 3:53


    District Sounds is a family friendly event where students perform with established recording artists from multiple music genres. 

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