City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
⌛ Why won’t the House pass DC’s budget fix?
April 2, 2025 · 💌 Kaela
Hey, neighbor. Welcome to the final round of our D.C. cafe March Madness. It’s Big Bear Cafe in Bloomingdale vs. The Coffee Bar in Shaw. Vote for your favorite cafe to work from! 👇
What's CITY Talking About?
DC Council Wants More Privacy
Amid an increasingly overbearing Congress, DC Council is looking to pass emergency legislation to make it easier to hold secret meetings. Open government advocates fear this could cut the public from the council's decision making processes. [Axios]
ICE Mistakenly Deported Local With Legal Status
The Trump administration admitted that ICE mistakenly deported a Marylander with legal status to a “Terrorism Confinement Center” in El Salvador. A statement blames “administrative error” but claims they have no jurisdiction to bring him back. [The Atlantic 🔒]
DOGE Tries To Gift Itself United States Institute of Peace
Court documents revealed that DOGE is trying to transfer the United States Institute of Peace’s headquarters to the government at no cost. DOGE fired almost all the staff at the Congressionally-funded, independent think tank a few days ago. Now, its new Trump-affiliated president is trying to gift the building to GSA. [Wired]
DC Anxiously Waiting on House Budget Fix
Despite President Trump signaling his support for the bill, House speaker Mike Johnson hasn’t put D.C.’s budget fix bill up for a vote. $1B in local dollars are at stake. If the bill doesn’t go through, D.C. could see major cuts to service. [City Cast DC 🎧]
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District Bridges: Helping Ward 1 Neighbors
Encampment clearings are in the news—but where do displaced individuals go next? District Bridges' Community Navigation program helps Ward 1 neighbors access housing, vital documents, medical care, and employment support. In February alone, they worked on 68 cases. Follow @DistrictBridges to get involved and support your community.
What To Do
Wednesday, April 2
- 💌 Romance Book Release Party | 5 p.m. | Free | Alexandria
- 😵💫 Severance: Season 2 Discussion | 4:45 p.m. | Free | Anacostia Library
- ✍️ DCPL Haiku Contest (Opens) | Any Time | Free | Online
- 📚 Book Talk: “Dear Writer” | 7 p.m. | Free | MLK Library
- 🪡 Upcycled Quilts Workshop | 7 p.m. | $45 | Alexandria
Thursday, April 3
- 📜 DC History Conference (Starts) | All Day | Free | Mt. Vernon
- 🎵 Cherry Blossom Jamboree | 5 p.m. | $20 | Phillips Collection
- 📚 Book Talk: “Early Thirties” | 7 p.m. | Free | Capitol Hill
- 🤠 Local Tunes: Heaven Forbid (Country) | 5 p.m. | Free | Crystal City
- 🧑🎨 Artist Talk: Adam Pendleton | 6:30 p.m. | Free | Hirshhorn
WMATA Gondola Coming 2026
Metro won the competition for best D.C. April fool’s joke with this tweet, I dare say.
Free · 5 days a week