🎃 Your Halloweekend guide

What's CITY Talking About?

Enrollment Is Up At D.C. Schools

D.C. reached its highest-ever enrollment in public and charter schools since they started collecting data in 2007. With more than 98,000 students, the District is outpacing pre-pandemic enrollment growth. This is especially impressive as everyone expected it to drop over the next five years. [Washington Post 🔒]

• Related: With enrollment so high, D.C. was able to open its first new neighborhood high school in decades. [City Cast DC 🎧]

Escaped Murder Suspect Caught

After a seven-week-long search, the murder suspect who escaped D.C. police custody has finally been captured in Maryland. The man escaped from George Washington University Hospital last month when police were attempting to change his handcuffs and failed to secure one of his arms to a gurney. [Washington Post 🔒]

$1 Billion Unaccounted For

The Maryland Department of Health has over $1 billion in unaccounted-for funds because they didn’t accurately track federal reimbursements during the pandemic. A public audit revealed they dealt with reimbursements haphazardly and failed to track payments. Maryland’s Secretary of Health says the report raises “grave concerns about the stewardship of taxpayer dollars.” [Washington Post 🔒]

Unity Health Care Wants To Unionize

In other health news, medical providers at D.C.’s largest community health center, Unity Health Care, are trying to form a union. The center serves tens of thousands of D.C.’s most vulnerable. Providers disagree with Unity’s new emphasis on seeing as many patients as possible, saying it inhibits their ability to adequately care for them. [DCist]

What To Do

💃🏾 Día de Los Muertos Block Party | Friday | 5 - 11 p.m.

Bryant St. Market is hosting this party with face painting, traditional altar displays, Mexican cuisine, dance, and music. [Free, Eckington]

🎨 Artloween Bash | Friday | 8 p.m.

This art-centric Halloween party will have a creepy art exhibit, a costume contest, a raffle, and a dance party. [$10, 14th Street Corridor]

🍎 AdMo Apple Festival | Saturday | 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Try slices at this annual pie-making contest, or just go for the heirloom apple tasting and fall activities. [Free, AdMo]

💀 Día de los Muertos Family Day | Saturday | 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This family event hosted by the National Museum of the American Latino includes performances, papel picado artist demonstrations, and kids story time. [Free, National Mall]

🛍️ Compass Rose Fall Market | Saturday | 12 p.m.

Local artists and businesses from potters to apothecaries are congregating at this market at Compass Rose. [$10, 14th Street Corridor]

🍁 Wangari Fall Festival | Saturday | 12 - 4 p.m.

Wangari Community Garden is hosting its annual fall fest with local live music, food, community workshops, and games. Costumes encouraged! [Free, Park View]

🎤 Library Jam Fest | Saturday | 2 p.m.

The Georgetown Library is hosting this free concert with DJ Wonder and three D.C. bands: Kinda Evil, Red Medicine, and Lucky So & Sos. [Free, Georgetown]

🎸 Squirrel Flower Concert | Saturday | 7 p.m.

Sway along to tunes from Squirrel Flower’s new indie rock album full of listless guitar-heavy bangers fawned over by critics. [$18, Shaw]

🍸 Bar Chinois Costume Contest | Saturday | 10 p.m.

Dress to impress because the winner gets a $100 gift card to Bar Chinois. But the $1 Titos and music from DJ Coco Spinelle means everyone's a winner really. [Free, Penn Quarter]

🎃 Pumpkin Carving Class | Sunday | 12 p.m.

Make all your neighbors jealous with your sick pumpkin carving skills after this carving class. [$35, Shaw]

DC Insider Trivia

Before we get to the trivia of the day, let’s answer last week’s question:

D.C. has lots of bone-chilling ghost stories but one of the most famous has been dubbed the Bunny Man. Who was the Bunny Man?

1. A man who transforms into an evil bunny during a full moon.
2. A serial killer from the 1700s who left a rabbit foot in the pockets of his victims.
3. A man wearing a rabbit costume who attacks people with an ax or hatchet at night.
4. Just a misunderstood guy who really likes rabbits.

Yep! This urban legend has many variations but they all include a man wearing a rabbit costume who attacks people with an ax or hatchet at Colchester Overpass, otherwise known as "Bunny Man Bridge.”

While the beginnings of the legend (including an insane asylum and several gutted teenagers) haven’t been verified, a guest confirmed on our podcast that there were two very real incidents of a man in a bunny suit throwing hatchets at people through windshields.

Nice work, Stacie R., Jessy B., and Yvette G. for being the first three to get the correct answer! Let’s see who can get this next one.

What is the name of the dish that is permanently on the Senate menu, as of 1907? Bonus points if you can tell me what’s in it!

1. Senate Bean Soup
2. Capitol Pudding
3. Senate Chowder
4. Dirkson Macaroni Salad

Today on City Cast

New Crime Bill, Zebra Saga Ends, and Leaf Collection Guide

We’re joined by Axios’ Cuynet Dil and City Cast contributor Dan Reed to talk through the mayor’s sweeping new anti-crime proposal, the latest twist in the story of the Beltway zebras, and leaf collection frustrations.