Back-to-school checklist aims to make first day easier for DC families

WTOP News 8/6 10:30P Jimmy Alexander

The countdown to the first day of school comes with a long to-do list, so D.C. schools are trying to make the transition easier with a new back‑to‑school checklist. Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn said the guide is meant to help parents...

Why women in their 80s are making noise on a DC street corner every night

WTOP News 8/6 10:16P Kyle Cooper

Sue HartDegen, left, and some of her Northwest D.C. neighbors go out for a few minutes almost every night to protest the National Guard deployment in the District. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper) Sue HartDegen,...

How DC is helping rising 6th and 9th graders adjust to their new schools

WTOP News 8/6 2:23A Scott Gelman

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. How DC is helping incoming high schoolers get to know their new schools In front of a crowd of about 100 at Duke...

Local chefs work to bring the DC area together, one pop-up at a time

WTOP News 8/6 12:06A Matt Kaufax

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Local chefs work to bring the DC area together, one pop-up at a time Follow WTOP’s Matt Kaufax as he explores...

A foie gras ban will be on the DC ballot in November

WTOP News 8/5 11:41P Jimmy Alexander

A measure to ban foie gras produced through force-feeding has qualified for the November ballot, the D.C. Board of Elections said Wednesday. Known as Initiative 86 or the Prohibiting Force-Feeding of Birds Act of 2026, the proposal would prohibit...

WATCH: Panda Bao Li celebrates his 5th birthday, 2nd at DC’s National Zoo

WTOP News 8/5 4:37A Tadiwos Abedje

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Giant panda at DC zoo celebrates fifth birthday with shark-themed party One of the National Zoo s giant pandas...

‘You can replace stuff’: Mother describes escape from Southeast DC apartment blaze

WTOP News 8/4 10:04P Jimmy Alexander

Danielle Mitchell, a resident who had to flee her unit in the three-story apartment building in Southeast, watched as D.C. firefighters battled the fire on Aug. 4, 2026. (WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)...

Firefighters battle blaze at 3-story apartment building in DC

WTOP News 8/4 12:16P Valerie Bonk

A fire seen from miles away tore through a three-story apartment building in D.C. Tuesday afternoon, displacing people from two dozen units. D.C. Fire and EMS said the fire filled the building on the...

Trump’s arch could disrupt the historical significance of many of Washington’s sites, report says

WTOP News 8/4 10:58A WTOP Staff

Visitors take photos at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, with the ferris wheel and a model of the triumphal arch in the background, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP...

Guard deployment to Washington into 2029 will cost roughly $1.4B, estimate shows

WTOP News 8/4 9:46A WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON (AP) — The extension of the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. until January 2029 will cost roughly $1.4 billion, according to a Defense Department estimate provided to Congress. The figure offers a glimpse of how much...

Clergy, civic groups hold SAVE Act protest and get-out-the-vote rally in DC

WTOP News 8/4 8:33A Kyle Cooper

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Clergy, civic groups hold SAVE Act protest and get-out-the-vote rally in DC Hundreds marched through the streets of...

New rankings show DC region has deep bench of top hospitals

WTOP News 8/3 11:49P Mike Murillo

Patients across the D.C and Baltimore area have no shortage of highly rated hospitals close to home, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. A dozen hospitals in the D.C. area earned the magazine s Best Regional Hospital...

An exclusive first look at the National Zoo’s new baby bat-eared foxes!

WTOP News 8/3 10:07P Matt Kaufax

The National Zoo has two new baby bat-eared foxes that no one except the staff has seen up close, until now. In Tuesday’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP s Matt Kaufax gives you a sneak peek at these furry cuties, a fitting conclusion to MAT s...

Recent rain in DC region ‘didn’t do much to dent the drought’ of drinking water supply, expert says

WTOP News 8/3 6:39A Neal Augenstein

Despite the recent torrential rain and flash flooding in portions of the D.C. region, the flow of the Potomac River is so low that local water suppliers are beginning to monitor for a drought. Related stories Heavy storms could bring flash...

‘A beautiful art form’: DC-area resident shares her love of cigars with others

WTOP News 8/3 1:47A Tadiwos Abedje

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Arlington educator teaches the 'art form' of cigars Mechelle...