🐼 Farewell to pandas

What's CITY Talking About?

COVID-19 Vaccine Not Required

D.C. students will no longer need to be vaccinated against COVID. City council repealed the mandate that had been added to the city’s list of required immunizations in 2021. It faced harsh criticism when it passed and was not well enforced. The measure was reversed unanimously by D.C. City Council without any debate. [Washington Post 🔒]

Rockville Voters Oppose Lowering Voting Age

Voters in Rockville decided to not lower the voting age to 16. The issue was on the ballot as an advisory question, meaning the outcome wouldn’t automatically change the law unless city council decided to do so. Unofficial results show that 8,593 opposed lowering the voting age and 3,542 voted for it. [DCist]

• Related: Despite the decision, many students are still passionate about fighting for their right to vote. [City Cast DC 🎧]

Introducing Free Social Work Degrees

D.C. City Council passed a bill that will create a free master’s in social work program at the University of the District of Columbia. Graduates will be required to work for at least two years at a D.C. school, health provider, or nonprofit. This bill is meant to address the city’s severe social worker shortage. [DCist, City Cast DC 🎧]

Metro Inspector General Resigns

Metro’s inspector general resigned Tuesday, one day after his office released an audit criticizing the Metro board for not giving him and his staff more autonomy. This is the second inspector general to not have his contract renewed in the past two years. [Washington Post 🔒]

What To Do

🚗 The Rise of Uber and the Fall D.C. | Thursday | 4 p.m.

D.C. was the first city to oppose Uber and the first to be defeated. Learn about how D.C. became the blueprint for Uber conquering cities and what it means now. [Free, Georgetown]

🎞️ Kindred Spirits Film Screening | Thursday | 7 p.m.

Watch and discuss this film about two unsung Black women artists/Washingtonians who worked during the era of segregation. [Free, Downtown]

🍷 Fall Wine Tasting | Friday | 3 - 7 p.m.

Kick off the weekend with a selection of Maryland wines, food trucks, and music at National Harbor. [National Harbor, $20]

🍩 Hard Cider & Doughnut Fest | Saturday | 2 - 8 p.m.

Hop around local Arlington bars accompanied by 1,000 free doughnuts and lots of specials. [$25, Arlington]

Today on City Cast

There Was Almost a Black Chevy Chase. What Happened?

Have you heard of the Belmont Syndicate? Most haven’t. It was a planned Black suburb in what’s now Chevy Chase, but was pushed out by racist white landowners in the early 1900s. Historians Kim Bender and Neil Flanagan argue this was a turning point in D.C. land ownership and racial segregation.