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'It's A Good Day:' President Biden Signs Bill Granting DC Control Of RFK Stadium Site 'It's A Good Day:' President Biden Signs Bill Granting DC Control Of RFK Stadium Site
'It's A Good Day:' President Biden Signs Bill Granting DC Control Of RFK Stadium Site President Joe Biden made it official on Monday afternoon, signing the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, giving DC long-term control of the federally-owned campus.  Under the bill, the District will have a 99-year lease at the site, allowing for retail, housing, and recreational developments, though it wasn't alway smooth sailing for lawmakers. "This moment is the result of years of tireless and strategic advocacy, extraordinary collaboration, and bipartisan leadership," DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said.  "We extend our gratitude to President Biden, Rep…

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by Zak Failla
News
Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds
Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds A demonstration at Union Station in DC turned fiery when a protester set an American flag ablaze, leading to federal charges, authorities announced. Michael Snow Jr., 24, of Durham, North Carolina, is accused of torching the flag during a July 24 protest in Columbus Circle that spiraled into chaos. Court documents allege Snow destroyed the flag as a crowd surrounded him, chanting “Burn that sh--!” moments after the flag was torn down by others.  The protest reportedly involved pulling down flags, burning objects, spraying graffiti on statues and structures, and obstructing law enforce…

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by Zak Failla
News
Virginia Protester Who Painted 'HAMAS IS COMING' On Statue Outside Union Station Charged: Feds Virginia Protester Who Painted 'HAMAS IS COMING' On Statue Outside Union Station Charged: Feds
Virginia Protester Who Painted 'Hamas IS Coming' On Statue Outside Union Station Charged: Feds A Virginia man who defaced federal property at Columbus Circle with spray paint outside Union Station in Northeast DC during a pro-Gaza demonstration has been arrested, federal authorities announced. Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, was the latest to be charged on Friday for allegedly spray-painting the monument in July. Department of Justice According to court documents, on Wednesday, July 24, an organization was granted a permit to demonstrate in the area of Columbus Circle in Northeast DC, directly in front of Union Station. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that afternoon, demonstrators i…

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by Zak Failla
News
Serial Rapist From Ohio Linked By FBI To 1996 Double Murder In Shenandoah National Park Serial Rapist From Ohio Linked By FBI To 1996 Double Murder In Shenandoah National Park
Walter Leo Jackson Connected To 1996 Double Murder A man who died in prison six years ago has been linked to a double murder at Shenandoah National Park that has been under investigation since 1996. Walter Leo Jackson, Sr., who lived to the age of 70, has been identified as a suspect in the murders of Laura "Lollie" Winans, and Julianne "Julie" Williams, who were found at a Virginia campsite near the Skyland Resort in May 1996, and their bodies were located a week later after family members alerted National Park Service personnel that they had not returned home. In 2021, investigators reviewing the case "reassessed hundreds of leads and int…

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by Zak Failla
News
RFK Stadium Cleared To Be Demolished After Falling Into 'State Of Disrepair' In DC RFK Stadium Cleared To Be Demolished After Falling Into 'State Of Disrepair' In DC
RFK Stadium Cleared To Be Demolished After Falling Into 'State Of Disrepair' In DC After five years of sitting idle in Northeast DC, officials have given the all-clear to demolish RFK Stadium following an environmental asssesment. On Thursday, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium can be demolished, though the process is still in its infancy. The announcement came after the agency evaluated the potential effects on the natural, cultural, and human environment. "In addition to the permit, the NPS and the District will sign an agreement that confirms the District’s continued use and demolition of the property will follow the …

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by Zak Failla
News
Lincoln Memorial Steps Vandalized By 'Free Gaza' Graffiti In DC Lincoln Memorial Steps Vandalized By 'Free Gaza' Graffiti In DC
Lincoln Memorial Steps Vandalized By 'Free Gaza' Graffiti In DC Crews are working to remove graffiti at the Lincoln Memorial and red paint off the monument's steps after the area was tagged with the words "Free Gaza" that could be seen in photos and video shared online. National Park Service crews are now working to remove the paint while the incident is investigated by police in DC on Wednesday, Dec. 20.  Pro-Hamas vandals have desecrated the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with graffiti. They are truly disturbed and disgusting people. pic.twitter.com/cETGZ8pSfM — Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) December 20, 2023 Cleanup efforts are expected to imp…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Shenandoah National Park Still Smoldering Days After Lightning Strike In Virginia (PHOTOS) Shenandoah National Park Still Smoldering Days After Lightning Strike In Virginia (PHOTOS)
Shenandoah National Park Still Smoldering Days After Lightning Strike In Virginia (Photos) Firefighters in Virginia are still working to contain a tricky brush fire that broke out days ago at the Shenandoah National Park due to a lightning strike. Officials say that as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, a 2.5-acre fire was still smoldering at the park, specifically in some tricky terrain that crews have struggled to navigate, though they were able to establish a fire line to help contain any flare-ups.  On Tuesday afternoon, authorities said that that the fire is 50 percent contained, up 20 percent from the previous day. Wildland Fire Update: Eleven firefighters from the Nation…

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by Zak Failla
News
Virginia Hiker Dies Attempting 24-Mile Grand Canyon Trek Virginia Hiker Dies Attempting 24-Mile Grand Canyon Trek
Virginia Hiker Dies Attempting 24-Mile Grand Canyon Trek A 55-year-old Virginia man died during an attempt to hike across the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Ranjith Varma of Manassas, set out on Saturday, Sept. 9 to make the 24-mile "Rim-To-Rim" trek in a single day, the National Park Service said. Around 1:55 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received an emergency call of a hiker in distress on the North Kaibab Trail approximately one mile south of Cottonwood Campground — that's a nearly 4,000-foot elevation. Soon thereafter, Varma became unresponsive and bystanders initiated CPR. National Park Service (NPS) search and …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
DC Woman Drowns In Rough Surf In Outer Banks On Labor Day: Officials DC Woman Drowns In Rough Surf In Outer Banks On Labor Day: Officials
DC Woman Drowns In Rough Surf In Outer Banks On Labor Day: Officials A 28-year-old DC woman died on Labor Day in a "water-related incident" while swimming in rough surf in North Carolina's Outer Banks, authorities announced. National Park Service spokespeople say that the woman from the District died on Monday, Sept. 4 in front of the village of Avon at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  The incident was reported at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday when an unresponsive person was found in the ocean after a witness said she was overtaken by strong waves and vanished into the surf. She was later found face-down in what were described as "rough ocean cond…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Storm Damage Shuts GW Parkway Storm Damage Shuts GW Parkway
Storm Damage Shuts GW Parkway A seven-mile stretch of the George Washington Parkway was closed Monday, July 31 due to storm damage. Downed trees were strewn across the roadway, which was shut around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, and remained closed Monday. According to the National Park Service, the highway was closed from Spout Run Parkway to I-495, with the exception of the northbound lanes from Route 123 to I-495. The southbound lanes of the Spout Run Parkway were also closed as tree crews work to remove trees from the roadway. Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incid…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Avalanche Kills DC Man Skiing At National Park Where He Worked Avalanche Kills DC Man Skiing At National Park Where He Worked
Avalanche Kills DC Man Skiing At National Park Where He Worked A 32-year-old Washington DC native was killed by an avalanche while skiing at the national park he was working at in Alaska. Eric Walter, who was alone, was believed to have triggered the avalanche on a southern slope of Jenny Creek, around 1 p.m. on May 4, the National Park Service confirmed. It is with a heavy heart that we share that Denali National Park and Preserve employee Eric Walter was killed in an... Posted by Denali National Park and Preserve on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 A park ranger used a spotting scope to look for survivors in the area where the avalanche occurred, when he…

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by Cecilia Levine
Traffic
Here's How $161M GW Parkway Project Will Impact Traffic In DC Area Here's How $161M GW Parkway Project Will Impact Traffic In DC Area
Here's How $161M GW Parkway Project Will Impact Traffic In DC Area A $161 million construction project along the George Washington Parkway is under way, which means delays are to be expected in the DC area. The National Park Service announced a new traffic pattern that went into effect Saturday, April 22. It will last until 2025, when the project is expected to conclude. A minimum of one lane of traffic in each direction will remain open at all times.  The first phase of the project is road widening of the median along the northbound lanes and on two bridges between Route 123 and Spout Run. Bridge work is independent of road work as s…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Spotsylvania Husband Hitchhiked To Avoid Drug Charges, Wife Arrested: Police Spotsylvania Husband Hitchhiked To Avoid Drug Charges, Wife Arrested: Police
Spotsylvania Husband Hitchhiked To Avoid Drug Charges, Wife Arrested: Police A couple from Spotsylvania went to great lengths to avoid charges for their drug crimes, police said. In the middle of the day on Oct. 5, an officer tried to pull over 24-year-old Sydney Woodyard and 25-year-old John Woodyard, who were both wanted by police, but the couple refused to stop their car, according to the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office.  The husband and wife abandoned their vehicle near the National Park Service on Brock Road and someone passing by gave John a ride away from the wooded area, officials said.  Once the citizen returned from dropping off the hitchhiker, th…

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by AJ Goldbloom
Police & Fire
Support Surges For Family Of Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Support Surges For Family Of Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash
Support Surges For Family Of Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash The Fairfax community is rallying for the family of a motorcyclist who died in a crash last month. Ui "Will" Kyung Kim, 42, was speeding down the Blue Ridge Parkway on June 18 when he lost control of his bike and veered off the two-lane road, Roanoke.com said citing the National Park Service. A GoFundMe launched for his wife and kids had raised more than $65,000 as of July 5. "Will was many things to many people but above all else he was a devoted husband and exceptional father for his beloved family," the page reads. "In support of Ellyn, Vale (3), and Alice (1) who will have unimag…

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by AJ Goldbloom
Police & Fire
Fairfax Man Dies After Driving Off Mountain Road: Police Fairfax Man Dies After Driving Off Mountain Road: Police
Fairfax Man Dies After Driving Off Mountain Road: Police A 42-year-old Fairfax man died over the weekend after crashing his motorcycle on a mountain road, reports said.  Ui Kyung Kim crashed Saturday afternoon, June 18, while driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Bedford County, The Roanoke Times reported.  The National Park Service said Kim was speeding south near milepost 77, not far from the Apple Orchard Mountain overlook, and couldn't navigate a curve. He lost control of the bike and went off of the two-lane road, the report said.  No other cars were involved in the crash. 

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Speeding Virginia Motorcyclist Tumbles Into Sign, Ejected, Killed In Fredericksburg: Police Speeding Virginia Motorcyclist Tumbles Into Sign, Ejected, Killed In Fredericksburg: Police
Speeding Virginia Motorcyclist Tumbles Into Sign, Ejected, Killed In Fredericksburg: Police One person has died in an overnight motorcycle crash in Stafford County, authorities said.  Police responded to the incident in the 1300 block of Lafayette Boulevard around 1 a.m. on Thursday, May 12, according to Fredericksburg Police.  Officers determined a motorcyclist crashed into another vehicle while they were speeding northbound on Lafayette Boulevard. The motorcyclist then drove around the car and fell down a nearby hill "at a high rate of speed," according to police.  He afterwards lost control and went off the road before hitting the National Park Se…

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by David Cifarelli