NEWS: The D.C. Board of Elections has published its new website with information on ranked-choice voting and a interactive sample ballot where you get to rank five of your favorite singers. (Aretha, no contest. No Mariah on there? Sad.) Check it out here: vr.dcboe.org/253434754272...

Another proposed ballot initiative in D.C.: This one would push D.C. to use city-owned land to build housing that would then be sold to low-income residents with the goal of keeping monthly payments to $700.

Reporters with @nytimes.com challenged Trump on his recent claims that there's been no homicides in D.C. in recent months, but he pleaded ignorance on homicides that are regularly reported by the press and MPD.

I suppose there's only so many ways to cleverly come up with a bill name that's also an acronym spelling out the intended target of the legislation, in this case rats.

You’ve probably noticed that your electric and gas bills have been getting more and more expensive recently... well, now your water bill might do the same. In our latest D.C. Explained, @maustermuhle.bsky.social breaks down what's going on at D.C. Water. 51st.news/your-dc-wate...

Interesting: Former At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie has officially changed his voter registration to Democratic, a step towards launching his expected D.C. mayoral campaign. A tipster also tells me he was seen recently with a camera crew, likely filming a campaign launch video.

It was big news when Trump took over the Kennedy Center. But for some Black Washingtonians, it's even bigger news that he's taking over D.C.'s public golf courses – including the Langston Golf Course in Northeast, a historic course for Black golfers. In @51st.news: 51st.news/trump-take-o...

Interesting detail: In the 100 weed shops that have been closed, D.C. has seized 710 pounds of cannabis, 6,300 pounds of edibles, 144 pounds of magic mushrooms and mushroom edibles, and 12 guns. All told, 56 people have been arrested.

Asked about her reaction to what happened in Minneapolis yesterday, @mayorbowser.dc.gov says it was "completely avoidable." "You have people unaccustomed to urban policing trying to police in an urban environment. What I saw was completely avoidable and a woman died," she says.

NEWS: In a report detailing an October public hearing on MPD's cooperation with ICE, @brianneknadeau.bsky.social says that @mayorbowser.dc.gov should rescind the mayoral order that allows local police to work with federal agencies and the D.C. Council should strengthen the sanctuary-city law.

D.C. has been aggressively closing down illicit weed shops for more than a year now, so much so that today @mayorbowser.dc.gov is celebrating the 100th such closure.

An additional note on police shooting at cars: Back in the mid-1990s D.C. police shot at people in cars for alleged vehicular attacks 54 times, leading to deaths, lawsuits, and a change in department policy to largely require that officers not shoot at fleeing drivers.

Regarding today’s shooting in Minneapolis, recall that in mid-October a federal agent shot and almost killed D.C. driver Phillip Brown under similar circumstances. The agent claimed Brown was driving towards him as he tried to flee from a police stop.

Fascinating: A mid-December report from @dcpolicycenter.bsky.social shows how the number of births has been dropping in D.C. in recent years, which will have significant impacts for the city's child care, pre-K, and school systems. (Read the report here: www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications...)

Update: Mendelson says he know has a list of 30 people who could fill McDuffie's former seat on an interim basis. (Through the special election in June.) But other councilmembers sound unhappy that he's centralizing the process in his office, and keeping the list to himself.

Interesting: In its annual report, the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability says the D.C. Council's move in early 2025 to allow it to conduct more business behind closed doors is a "notable departure from the prevailing national trajectory of transparency reform."

A hiccup for a vote on the D.C. tipped wage: A legal assessment from @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social says that a proposed ballot initiative that would increase the minimum wage to $25 and phase out the tipped wage (again) can't get on the ballot because it would cover D.C. government employees.

On Interim D.C. Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll, @chmnmendelson.bsky.social says @mayorbowser.dc.gov "needs to make a selection and submit that to the council for approval." Under D.C. law, agency heads can only act in an interim capacity for 6 months without being nominated for council confirmation.

Interesting: @chmnmendelson.bsky.social says that he has gotten interest from 29 individuals who want the interim appointment to fill McDuffie's now-empty seat until the June special election. He says he intends for a council vote on an interim replacement to happen this month.

The D.C. Council is down to 12 members: Kenyan McDuffie's resignation takes effect today. That sets up a somewhat convoluted process to appoint an interim at-large councilmember, who will serve until the special election in June. (Whoever wins that serves through January 2027.)

Why D.C.'s mayor doesn't have an official residence is a very D.C. story that involved fights over the location, local and federal concerns, and more: dcist.com/story/12/04/...

A DC Water policy change this year left renters without access to water at home for weeks due to their landlords' inaction. Four days after we published this story from @maustermuhle.bsky.social, the D.C. Council amended the municipal regulations. Help us make more impact in 2026? 51st.news/signup

Interesting: An administrative judge in D.C. has reversed MPD's firing of an officer who in late 2023 drove his department-issued vehicle while under the influence to try and interfere with D.C. police who had stopped his fiancée for allegedly driving under the influence.

Subscribe to @51st.news, damn it! That’s a direct order from your favorite former DCist editor.

This Petworth home wins the holiday season.

NEWS: The Trump administration has canceled the 50-year lease given to the National Links Trust to manage the D.C. golf courses at East Potomac Park, Rock Creek, and Langston. The group won the leases five years ago, and had started work renovating the Rock Creek course.

Interesting: Here's the solicitation put out by the D.C. Board of Elections earlier this month for a consultant to help implement ranked-choice voting for 2026. "This is a significant undertaking, and a RCV expert can help make this transition to RCV voting smoother," it says.

Per the D.C. CFO, the impact of the federal government layoffs may finally be hitting the city's revenues. He says in a new revenue estimate that sales/withholding tax collections for October were down, potentially reflecting the layoffs taking effect.

What. A. Year. It. Has. Been. Locals have lost jobs because of the slashing of the federal workforce. D.C.'s local laws and budget have been targeted by the GOP. And Trump flooded the streets with federal troops. I can't imagine a more important time for independent media.

There's been another setback for the @dcaffordability.bsky.social ballot initiative that would impose a two-year rent freeze in D.C., among other provisions. A legal assessment from @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social says a provision changing how D.C. spends money on affordable housing is unlawful.

Interesting: @brianneknadeau.bsky.social has a new bill that would require that D.C.'s mayor set five-year goals for housing construction (affordable and market) and give them additional authority to propose ways to reduce barriers to construction in places that don't meet the goals.

NEWS: D.C.'s CFO comes bearing gifts today. He's told the D.C. Council that there's $51 million in additional money from the last fiscal year (which ended Sept. 30), and that it will be used to pay for programs and items on the council's contingency list.

Gotta give big props to the Downtown D.C. Holiday Market. In the last few years it has gotten *way* better, and proves that people will absolutely come out for well-planned car-free spaces and events. More of this, D.C.!

We knew it was coming, but @mayorbowser.dc.gov has formally created the RFK Stadium Project Management Office, which will take the lead on coordinating and facilitating all the work to build a new Commanders stadium and the related residential and retail development at RFK.

NEWS: The Department of Justice has sued D.C., claiming that the city's elections board did not turn over extensive amounts of voter information, including driver's license and partial Social Security numbers. DOJ has sued 22 states for not turning over all that information.

OK, I need some help: For anyone who's got a 12-year-old kid, what books are they reading and really loving? Looking for ideas of books to get my daughter. (If you're reading this, kiddo, get off of social media.)

NEWS: D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto, joined by her 12 colleagues, has sent a letter to Chief Pamela Smith asking for answers on MPD's cooperation with federal agents on law enforcement/immigration enforcement. She says answers would help "ensure accountability & bolster public trust."

Interesting: Trump may just have legalized recreational weed sales in D.C. A congressional rider has banned those sales in D.C. since 2015. But it specifically references Schedule I drugs, which weed was. With Trump rescheduling marijuana, the rider may no longer apply.

At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie announced this week he’s stepping down from @councilofdc.bsky.social after 13 years in office. Given his open musings about running for mayor, the news isn't a surprise, @maustermuhle.bsky.social reports — but it's setting off an unprecedented chain of events.

For you football-loving drivers: A new bill from soon-to-depart Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie would create a Washington Commanders specialty license plate in D.C., with the tag fees going to a fund for youth sports in the city. The Nats, Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics have their own tags.

Interesting point here: In response to recent accusations from House Republicans and U.S. Attorney for D.C. that MPD officials were fudging crime numbers, Carroll says he's going to establish a dedicated team to audit crime data and ensure it's accurate.

Today @mayorbowser.dc.gov is appointing 21-year MPD veteran Jeffrey Carroll as interim police chief in the wake of Pamela Smith’s resignation at the end of the year.

In testimony to D.C. Council, Metro General Manager Randy Clarke says a key to getting people to and from the new Commanders stadium at RFK will be bus rapid transit from Union Station. "It's critical... we need to be able to get a lot of people on the Red Line and take BRT to the site," he says.

Inbox: @mayorbowser.dc.gov will be announcing her interim chief of police today at 1:30. Current Chief Pamela Smith departs on December 31.

"Public service is much like seasons. I know when it’s time to step forward into a new season," says McDuffie in his final comments from the D.C. Council dais. "I am not done serving the residents," he adds, hinting to his upcoming mayoral run.

The D.C. Council is now starting to debate the emergency bill from Councilmember Anita Bonds that would delay the rollout of ranked-choice voting beyond next year. "Does the city have adequate time to educate and demonstrate?" asks Bonds, a longtime skeptic of ranked-choice voting.

Interesting: @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social has introduced a bill that would significantly restrict when D.C. can assist in federal immigration enforcement in the city. Unless there was a judicial warrant, D.C. couldn't help transport immigration agents or conduct surveillance.

Interesting: @mayorbowser.dc.gov says she is “concerned about the [election board’s] ability to implement a glitch-free election” with ranked-choice voting in 2026. She’s siding with Bonds on delaying the rollout of RCV.

NEWS: At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie says he will be resigning from the D.C. Council on January 5, 2026. That's in preparation for his run for mayor, since he will be changing his party affiliation to Democrat and he's currently in an At-Large seat reserved for non-Democrats.

Later today the D.C. Council will vote on an emergency bill that would delay ranked-choice voting. Councilmember Anita Bonds, who introduced the bill, says she worries that the D.C. Board of Elections isn't ready to educate voters ahead of the 2026 elections. But...