WAMU: Local News

This week on Get Out There, we cool down from the summer heat with a dip in the pool, a swim in the bay, a lick of ice cream, and a swing at indoor putt putt.

Massive cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs will create gaps already strained state and local governments say they won't be able to cover. Meanwhile, some higher-income residents will see tax breaks.

The July 15 special election was prompted by White's expulsion from the D.C. Council. Although he hasn't made much of a public case for why he deserves another chance, he's still the frontrunner.

Mayor Muriel Bowser is proposing to only fund these raises for one more year, arguing that declining revenues have forced her hand. That could have big consequences for the city's daycare system.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Montgomery County parents who sued for the right to remove their children from elementary school lessons featuring LGBTQ+ books, overturning the district's policy that had eliminated those opt-out provisions. The landmark decision divided the progressive Maryland suburb and raised concerns about broader implications for curriculum decisions in public schools nationwide.

Stories WAMU is following this week include the D.C. council's final conference on the 2026 budget, the first full-ticket rally by statewide Republican candidates in the 2025 election and a change in Montgomery County's RideOn bus.

Nothing is a bigger bummer than having a mechanical issue derail a bike ride. These organizations help you learn to fix your own wheels.

At The Well, a community farm in Ward 8, people have access to fresh produce and green space. Volunteers say being at the farm – growing food and new friendships – is helping them live healthier lives.

Amid a gloomy economic outlook, local leaders are trying to find a sustainable way to fund Metro.

Stories WAMU is following this week include the major reorganization of Metrobus routes coming Sunday, the firehouse primary to find Gerry Connolly's successor and DIY bike repair in D.C.

Temperatures in the D.C.-region are expected to break 100 degrees this week as a heat dome traps humidity and intense warmth in the atmosphere. The Capital Weather Gang's Jason Samenow shares his forecast.

The Home Rule Festival and Positive Force's 40th Anniversary celebrations will allow music fans to explore the past, present and budding future of homegrown music in the D.C.-region.

Stories WAMU is following this week include Virginia's primary election on Tuesday, a protest against D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's proposed environmental rollbacks and a Juneteenth concerts preview.

An immersive theater experience exploring love in the nation's capital comes to the Folger Shakespeare Theater, and is the subject of this week's "Get Out There."

Stories WAMU is following this week include the potential impact on President Trump's new travel ban on Afghan refugees staying in and seeking to come to the U.S., the emerging details on Trump's military parade and a new immersive theater experience.

This week on Get Out There, we learn about Peter Doyle, Leonard Matlovich, and D.C.'s gay history at Congressional Cemetery.

Mayor Muriel Bowser says her plan would speed up the replacement of the troubled jail. But some are concerned about possible tradeoffs with such a deal.

Beverly Smith created the nonprofit Momma's Safe Haven to give youth a place to learn, play, and heal. “It's okay to laugh, it's okay to have fun. This is a safe space,” Smith says. “I think our youth are so busy. They have been traumatized. They've lost friends and family members and they're living through some tough times.”

Georgetown history professor Maurice Jackson discusses Marian Anderson's Lincoln Memorial concert and other episodes of the fight for Civil Rights in Washington made by musicians and athletes.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger on why he came out of retirement in 2019 to lead the U.S. Capitol police, how the agency is far better prepared than in 2021, and in what ways policing has evolved over the last five decades.

The widespread impact of federal layoffs have forced D.C. officials to consider painful cuts to social services. A long fight is just beginning over how much to trim these programs.

Thousands of federal workers have left their positions through a mix of layoffs and buyouts. Federal health workers also took a big hit, and are now facing an uncertain future.  

Democratic voters have choices to consider in the June primary, while Republicans already have their presumptive nominees--plus a write-in candidate.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser looks to be planning a bid for a fourth term, while At-Large Councilmember Robert White may challenge her a second time.

Priests and parishioners gathered at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in downtown D.C. the afternoon of the announcement of Pope Leo XIV.

Stories WAMU is following this week include a facelift to the Roosevelt Bridge, the REAL ID coming online at airports and Arlington National Cemetery, an emergency renting bill at the D.C. council and the EU open house weekend.

WAMU spoke to local environmentalist and author Mike Tidwell about his new book, "The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue: A Story of Climate and Hope on One American Street."

This week on Get Out There, we help you plan your perfect D.C. day, minute by minute.

Bethesda Today reporter Ginny Bixby talks about Montgomery County's recent health report and the disparities faced by Black and Hispanic residents.

A new investigation by the New York Times takes a closer look at the events that led up to the deadly collision on January 29th.

A federal judge gave the Trump administration another week to answer detailed questions about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man whose illegal deportation has raised concerns about due process.

At the center of the case is the school system in Montgomery County, Md., the most religiously diverse county in the U.S., with 160,000 students of almost all faiths.

At issue is whether school systems are required to allow parents to opt their kids out of classes because of religious objections to classroom materials.

Stories WAMU is following this week include a lawsuit by Montgomery County parents at the Supreme Court, the D.C. council considering big budget items and the return of the D.C. Film Festival.

Dermott Foley won C-SPAN's StudentCam competition with his film Teens, Social Media, and the Fentanyl Overdose Crisis.

Metro General Manager Randy Clarke discussed Metro's future, ridership, federal oversight, and overhauling the bus system. Plus, NBC 4 Washington reporter Mark Segraves breaks down the reported deal between D.C. and the Washington Commanders to build a new stadium at the RFK site.

The hearing is the first about Abrego Garcia's case since El Salvador's president told reporters he is not going to "smuggle a terrorist into the United States."

Prince George's County congressman Glenn Ivey talks about the latest developments in the case of his resident who was mistaken deported by the Trump administration.

This week WAMU will look at the opening of the new Cedar Hill Hospital in Southeast D.C. and a key financial deadline for the Virginia statewide elections.

The former Ward 8 councilmember may be facing federal bribery charges, but he's still the heavy favorite to win the seat he was just expelled from on the Council.

Stopgap measures like rent and mortgage assistance could be on the table, but a good deal depends on whether the commonwealth has the ability to pay for them.