Head for the fountains

First Up

The cascading fountains in Malcolm X Park are back on after nearly a decade, and everyone seems thrilled. Neighbors enthused about the site on social media; D.C. outlets covered the neighborhood park’s re-opening like a grand municipal event. Even city pols got in on the act, despite the fact that the restoration push was a Donald Trump initiative. Councilmember Zachary Parker posted pictures of his dog visiting the park — and he doesn’t even represent the area.

This is ordinarily the type of story that surfaces grievances. According to Trump’s boosters, Washington was a trash-ridden Democratic hellscape before the president imposed a clean-up. In fact, residents have long fumed about shabby management of the large chunks of local D.C. controlled by the feds. If the Park Service had to answer to local voters, the fountains wouldn’t have been allowed to languish.

True enough. But it’s also clear that Trump — with his singular focus on the capital’s grandeur and his obsession with the looming semiquincentennial — lit a fire under the federal bureaucracy that his predecessors didn’t. Sure, the results may turn out to be terrible in places like East Potomac Park or the Arc de Trump site. D.C. should still see the newly functional fountains as a win.

None of it, though, changes the fact that having Uncle Sam in charge of a bunch of ballfields and picnic grounds in local Washington is a lousy way to run a city. As Trump’s attention moves on after July 4 — if the federal budget shrinks and layoffs keep hitting experienced feds — it’s a good bet the fountains will be back on the fritz eventually. And the folks in charge of the repairs will still answer to presidents rather than neighbors. 

What D.C.'s Talking About

More “Trump Effect” Data. Federal employment in the DMV fell by 14 percent during Trump’s first year, while overall employment fell by over 3 percent, compared to a drop of just 0.4 percent nationally. That’s according to a study from the Economic Policy Institute. And while the numbers are in line with other grim recent statistics, the research also notes an aspect that hasn’t gotten as much attention: The impact on Black Washingtonians was much more severe than on others.

White Nationals-ism. Former January 6 rioter Jake Lang claimed credit for the racist conspiracy banner that was unfurled at Nats Park during Sunday afternoon’s game. The banner steered people to a website called WhiteReplacement.org and called for deporting 100 million people. According to The Athletic, the Nats have banned the people behind the banner from the stadium.

Rumble at Chipotle. An absolutely bonkers brawl broke out at a Chipotle in Navy Yard. Police said two groups of juveniles were fighting but fled when they learned cops were coming. The entire thing was caught on tape and amplified on right-wing social media, where U.S. Sen. Mike Lee called for the repeal of home rule. Sure enough, U.S. Attorney Pirro displayed images of the fracas at yet another press conference where she flayed the Council over dragging its feet about teen curfews in the area and said she was having the FBI investigate the fight.

JLG Campaigns With Trayon. Mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George campaigned alongside D.C. Councilmember Trayon White, who she voted to expel last year after his federal corruption indictment. When White was re-elected anyway, Lewis George swore him in. “I see the way he has shown up for Ward 8,” she said at the weekend appearance, calling White a “mentor.” Expect Congressional D.C.-haters to highlight Lewis George’s support when White goes to trial in September. Also this week, a judge denied White’s request to dismiss the charges, though he will be allowed to argue that the videos of him taking money were entrapment.

Bowser is Lukewarm on Arresting Parents. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who had earlier linked arms with Pirro to assail D.C. Council inaction on youth curfews, sounded a lot less enthusiastic about the U.S. Attorney’s threat to prosecute parents of misbehaved teens. “I don’t know that MPD has those types of resources to do that,” she told reporters.

Finally: Keep cool! The Capital Weather Gang forecasts near-record highs through Wednesday. Bowser announced a heat alert. It’ll turn colder and damper during the second half of the week.

City Cast Pro Tips: Getaways That Won’t Break the Bank

On today’s pod, Tim Ebner lists a slew of D.C. getaways that don’t require super deep pockets. Three favorites:

Rocky Gap Resort, Flintstone, Md.

• The basics: Hotel on a beautiful lake with golf and a casino.
• The distance: 129 miles from the Washington Monument.
• The setting: Flintstone is a scenic, Appalachian town in far western Maryland, just south of the Pennsylvania border.
• The bargain: Room rates as low as $122 in June.

Marriott Ranch Bed & Breakfast, Hume, Va.

• The basics: 4,200-cattle working ranch with horseback riding.
• The distance: 61 miles from the Washington Monument.
• The setting: Hume is an agritourism hub in Fauquier County.
• The bargain: Room rates start at $152 in June.

The Sitio, Virginia Beach, Va.

• The basics: Brand-new 20-room boutique hotel with a moody surfer vibe.
• The distance: 207 miles from the Washington Monument.
• The setting: Virginia Beach is a boisterous Navy town with all the usual beach fare. The Sitio is in Atlantic Park, a more exclusive surf area.
• The bargain: Rates start at $330 this summer.

What To Do