See you in an hour! If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, don’t worry — it’s not too late to join us for free pizza and good conversation!

ICYMI ⬇️

Come for the love for local news, stay for the free pizza 🍕 On 12/11, SpotlightDC will be celebrating the people who bring important local stories to life: reporters, editors, and funders.

When DCist was shut down, it had 70,000+ subscribers. The 51st is proud to carry forward the spirit with which DCist served our city. But we can’t stop thinking about how most of those subscribers — our neighbors and friends — are just no longer receiving the kind of local news they signed up for.

When federal agents shoot people in D.C., there are few details — and little accountability. @maustermuhle.bsky.social reports, with support from @spotlightdc.bsky.social:

We’re excited to announce the latest SpotlightDC-funded project: Dream City, a new independent podcast that will explore the inner workings of D.C.’s political and business worlds.

The latest Spotlight-funded story is a collaboration between @streetsensedc.bsky.social and @51st.news: New data shows that D.C. is experiencing record eviction levels. Reporters James Jarvis and Taylor Nichols explain how our city got here ⬇️ streetsensemedia.org/article/d-c-...

D.C. police officers are feeding information to the Justice Department as it probes accusations of manipulated crime data, according to the D.C. Police Union, and as public safety in the nation's capital continues to capture the president’s attention.

Tomorrow is the start of D.C.'s Homeless Crisis Reporting Project week! Follow Street Sense and other local outlets to stay updated and read everything throughout the week, or go to bit.ly/DCHCRP to see articles as they are posted.

Since 2021, DCPS has become D.C.'s leading sponsor of H1-B visas for its employees. But some 200 teachers who took jobs under the expectation that the school system would sponsor a green card are now facing uncertain futures, @maustermuhle.bsky.social reports. 51st.news/dc-green-car...

D.C. is failing to collect critical income data for participants in one of its key homelessness intervention programs, raising concerns about whether the program is meeting its goals, according to a new alert from the Office of the D.C. Auditor. https://bit.ly/3KB4gpC

The documentary "Cracked Shells" is "a tool against the erasure" of D.C. natives' rich culture, history, and capacity for resilience, its director tells @christurdisani.bsky.social. Learn more about the film — including when you can catch a free screening next weekend:

“What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to afford it? I can’t.” The first round of cuts to the DC Health Care Alliance go into effect this week. Advocates say the plan will have disastrous consequences over the next few years.

ICYMI: "In Trump's D.C. surge, helicopters hovered and surveilled day and night" www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

After the Council declined activists' push to protect the heritage trees around the RFK stadium site, the Commanders pledged to save some of the towering oaks and elms. Full story from @holaculturadc.bsky.social:

Tenants in Columbia Heights were promised 20% ownership of their apartment community by two affordable housing developers. Three years later, they’re facing mold, rodents, disrepair, and drastically reduced equity. “He love-bombed us,” one resident says. Full story:

D.C. has one of the lowest rates of uninsured residents across the U.S. Looming cuts to a city-funded healthcare program could change that — with disastrous consequences, advocates say. What’s behind the decision, and what are the alternatives?

ICYMI ⬇️ From @19thnews.org, how increased ICE presence is affecting child care workers in DC.

"...[DC local police] MPD is cooperating with ICE, frequently turning routine traffic stops into detention and other immigration enforcement actions." new investigation by @51st.news @evidentmedia.org and @bellingcat.com 51st.news/dc-police-wo...

Share our takeover coverage, now translated into Spanish. We've received messages of gratitude about our coverage of the federal encroachment on D.C., and we want that same level of information to be available to as many people as possible. 51st.news/tag/en-espan...

Some D.C. tenants were relocated during demolitions with a promise they could return to the new buildings. Now they’re facing eviction notices for units that no longer exist. Contributor Suzie Amanuel investigates:

Now through this weekend, I'll donate $1 to @51st.news for each: - person who reposts this post - new follower @51st.news ws gets - new follower @maustermuhle.bsky.social gets - new follower @christurdisani.bsky.social gets - new follower I get And tag/DM me your donation = I'll match it 1:1.

Check out my @spotlightdc.bsky.social -funded investigation @wcp.bsky.social into allegations Pepco misspent $94 million promised for infrastructure upgrades the company collected from hiking your bill -- following by DC awarding them another bill hike washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7686...

Martin’s hard at work today reporting on the council’s second budget vote — happening now! Help us reach $50,000 by tonight (only a little more than $6k away!) to ensure we can hire Martin full-time, and continue delivering you this unbeatable budget coverage. givebutter.com/SsQ8CG

A new racial equity report says Mayor Bowser’s RENTAL Act will deepen housing inequality and disproportionately harm Black D.C. residents. Contributor Suzie Amanuel breaks it down:

Per usual, Congress is interfering in local affairs. This time, a new congressional rider could prevent D.C. from suing oil companies over climate change. 51st.news/dc-lawsuit-o...

The 51st recently hired our first salaried employee (!) by bringing Christina on full-time as Executive Editor. Now, we need to hire Martin as our full-time reporter!!! You can help us get there by tossing a few dollars (or more...) to our fundraiser. 🥳 51st.news/help-us-hire...

All of this is detailed in a new story for @51st.news, with valuable assistance from @spotlightdc.bsky.social. Clearly DC Water should be paid, but advocates say tenants with no control over the bills shouldn't be victims when it doesn't happen. 51st.news/dc-building-...

Mayor Bowser wants to roll back tenant rights for 34,000 renters in newer D.C. buildings, saying they rarely use them. We spoke to tenants who have seen TOPA’s benefits. Here are their stories.

Exciting news from SpotlightDC: we have a new website! 🎉 It's never been easier to read some of the best accountability journalism happening in the District. You can look through all 30+ SpotlightDC-funded stories on topics like housing, climate, substance use, and more at spotlightdc.org/stories/

A 🧵 of the latest SpotlightDC-funded stories (because there have been so many!) Today: @alexkoma.bsky.social writes a deep-dive on DC businessman Emmanuel Irono as he enters the hospitality industry — despite his past controversial businesses practices. washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7664...

"One particularly distressing complaint describes a family with a wheelchair-bound consumer and four sick children whose electricity was disconnected—a common consequence of the exorbitant third-party bills."

Great local accountability journalism by @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

🟡 Spotlight-funded story 🟡 For @wcp.bsky.social, @holaculturadc.bsky.social dug deep into DC's tree canopy landscape and found large tree removals across the city — with Ward 8 losing more healthy trees to development projects than any other ward. washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7649...

Last month, a Spotlight-funded story by Washington City Paper contributor Suzie Amanuel uncovered emails that indicated some Brookfield tenants were being overcharged. Now, @wcp.bsky.social has an update. This is why local accountability journalism matters. ⬇️

A big thanks to all the journalists and editors who joined us last night at Sonny's Pizza!

#aboutlastnight I had a wonderful time meeting and networking with DC’s finest local journalists at Hacks/No Flacks! @spotlightdc.bsky.social is ready to fund our investigations. And I’m ready to investigate some sh*t. Let’s go!!! #journolife #investigativereporting #supportlocalmedia

Happening now! Local journalists, come join us at Sonny’s Pizza — we will be here with pizza until 8pm!

Calling all local DC journalists! Do you want to: 🟡 Meet other local journalists? 🟡 Learn how to get your accountability reporting funded? 🟡 Eat pizza and grab a drink? Then come join us this Thursday, May 15 at Sonny’s Pizza on Georgia Ave from 6-8pm!

Thank you to @spotlightdc.bsky.social for supporting this crucial local reporting. To support us continuing to report on important local stories, become a member today: 51st.news/signup

Last year, SpotlightDC funded a @51st.news story on how the opioid crisis impacts older Black men in DC, in contribution to a larger reporting series by @thebaltimorebanner.com and @nytimes.com on Baltimore's drug overdose epidemic. This week, that local reporting project won a Pulitzer Prize.

We're witnessing an alarming decline of local reporting in Washington, DC. That's where Spotlight DC has stepped in. 🧵