You may soon notice new murals in D.C., as part of the District’s DC250 Mural Project.

“Public art is a fantastic way to celebrate our country’s semi-quincentennial — through art, we can share our stories, celebrate our shared values, and inspire future generations,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a news release announcing the project.

Coordinated by the city’s Department of Public Works, eight D.C.-based artists will create one new mural for each of the eight wards of the city over the next few weeks, with each mural reflecting the history and character of the neighborhood it appears in.

At least two of the murals have been completed, one in Ward 4 and artist Luis Del Valle’s mural in Ward 7.

“To me, it just means that we’re celebrating the successes that happened, even when happening with the civil rights movement, we’re not where we want to be, but we have moved further (across) the line,” Del Valle said about the 250th anniversary celebratory murals.

“So 250 anniversaries means that we get to celebrate some of the accomplishments, but we also get to acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do,” he said.

Del Valle’s Ward 7 mural is located near the Shrimp Boat Plaza at 4510 East Capitol Street in Southeast D.C. It features images of children, with bright colors and more.

“On the right-hand side here, I have a eagle that is fishing. The eagle is the symbol of the United States. And as you move through the mural in the middle, we have a little young girl that kind of represents the future and hope. And as we move toward the far left, we have a little boy that’s fishing, so that is the little boy that was taught how to fish,” Del Valle said.

Del Valle wanted to ensure that the images would bring a smile to people’s faces.

“Each of the colors here are actually very uplifting. So when people see them, it brings them joy and happiness, and sometimes they don’t really know why. But in the subconscious, the colors really affect you, and when you mix that with the little children, especially children, always attract people and always bring happiness to them,” he said.

Here is the list of murals in the project and where to find them:

• Ward 1: Ben’s Chili Bowl, by Aniekan Udofia. Work begins in August.
• Ward 2: Blagden Alley entrance, 1312 9th Street, NW, by Julia Kagan. Work begins next week.
• Ward 3: Macomb Recreation Center, 3409 Macomb Street, NW, by Demont Pinder. Work begins next week.
• Ward 4: 5816 Georgia Avenue, NW, by Federico Frum. Complete.
• Ward 5: Metropolitan Branch Trail, 2000 5th Street, NE, by artist Asad Walker. Work begins next week.
• Ward 6: Henceforth restaurant, 1335 H Street, NE, by Mia Duvall. Work completed this week.
• Ward 7: Shrimp Boat Plaza, 4510 East Capitol Street, SE, by Luis Del Valle. Complete.
• Ward 8: Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, 701 Mississippi Avenue, SE, by Nabi Bilal and Candace Taylor. Work begins in August.

������Ƶapp’s Diane Morris contributed to this report.

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In a TikTok video with more than 377,000 views, Isabella Williams said she received the email, crying as she described the situation.

“We had a remaining balance, and they said that there was really no other avenue for us. And if we wanted to, we could transfer in as a transfer student at a later notice. And they gave us a few links if we wanted to get scholarship reimbursement if anything had already been sent,” Williams said.

The university told ������Ƶapp the email was sent out to 502 students who had not satisfied the payment requirement for enrollment at the prestigious historically Black university in D.C.

“What we did was created a communication, which I think has been disseminated quite broadly, sharing that we respected that they no longer wish to continue their educational journey at Howard,” Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success Keyana Scales said.

The university set a July 10 deadline for payments and certain financial aid documentation, but incoming freshmen said the process was not clear.

“It was kind of confusing for all of us, for the majority of us, at least of the hundreds of students that I talked to at this point. All of us had either pending external scholarships, loans that were given to us by Howard University or military stipends,” Williams said.

Since sending the email, Scales said the university has heard back from many students who intended to enroll but were having difficulty with the process. She said the university is going through each student’s inquiry one by one and will restore enrollment “if needed.”

At last count, Scales said, 46 students had been reenrolled, including a student who drove from North Carolina on Friday to restore her status.

Williams drove from Alabama on Friday to clarify her status as well.

“It felt like it was almost life or death. And I know it’s not, and I know that I will do great things regardless of that. But this was something that I’ve been looking forward to for so long. I’m literally supposed to move in on Saturday. I just got word that I’m still able to,” Williams said.

������Ƶapp’s Thomas Robertson contributed to this report.

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The Council on Criminal Justice released , stating that, in 2026, data collected from 30 American cities showed the homicide rate is down 18% compared with the first half of 2025, translating to about 215 fewer homicides this year.

Should the trend continue, the nonpartisan council states the national homicide rate will drop to its lowest levels since at least 1990. The report classifies a homicide as the unlawful killing of a person by another, which is then labeled as murder or non-negligent manslaughter.

For D.C., homicides are down about 37% so far this year, according to the latest statistics.

Ernesto Lopez, the council’s senior research specialist, told ������Ƶapp that once all the official FBI data is released, it will show that D.C.’s decline is “steeper” compared to other parts of the country.

“It’ll be very likely that the homicide rate will be the lowest since 1900,” Lopez said. “And what we’re seeing is a continuation of that trend in the first half of 2026.”

According to D.C.’s , robbery has seen an 18% decrease while sexual abuse crimes saw a 5% drop this year.

Researchers say several factors are contributing to the reduction.

“It is a combination of different factors, from large demographic social shifts, such as the aging population, to perhaps even police technology, being able to respond quicker, identify people a little bit better,” Lopez said.

Percent Change in Violent Offenses, 2019–2026

What existing research has not found is a link between the reduction in violent crime in D.C. to the deployment of the National Guard, he said.

“Cities that didn’t see National Guard deployments saw large declines in homicide as well,” Lopez said, citing other research.

“There’s some evidence base suggesting that the guard did not have a significant impact on homicide, it’s time to take a longer look, and so that’s something that I think would be the next step,” he said.

“I don’t want to suggest that the Guard can never be effective,” Lopez said, noting that the Guard is typically called in for situations local police can’t handle alone, such as natural disasters and massive protests. “I think this use of it is relatively novel.”

“While numbers are going down in many cities, homicide still is too high. You have many jurisdictions that are well above the national average, and … there are plenty of homicide victims,” Lopez said.

He said more research is needed to determine what leads to violence in communities.

“That way if we do have another increase, we can turn back to strategies that have proven to be effective,” Lopez said.

“Aggravated assault is high, has gone up recently in D.C., and so those are people who you know generally suffered serious injuries, and so there’s still a lot of you know work to be done when it comes to overall violence in the U.S.”

Percent Change in Property Offenses, 2019–2026

������Ƶapp’s Tracy Johnke and José Umaña and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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“That may seem early. From our point of view, that’s the perfect time for families to be thinking about back to school,” Dr. Anne Gaddy, deputy director of the Alexandria Health Department, told ������Ƶapp.

She said that by scheduling appointments and gathering required paperwork now, students can start the school year without delays.

“The ages where most vaccines are usually given are before kindergarten, before seventh grade, and before 12th grade,” Gaddy said. “Those are the most common ages to get vaccinations, and families can certainly check with their schools about school requirements and with their doctors’ offices to see what’s recommended specifically for their child and when.”

Most students in Alexandria begin the first day of class on Aug. 24.

Gaddy said that while vaccination rates in Alexandria are still high, she acknowledged that some families have questions about vaccines.

“We really encourage those families to have conversations with their provider. It’s through those conversations that they can be sure that they have all of the information that they need in order to make vaccination decisions for their child,” she said.

She encouraged families to be aware of health-related current events.

“Measles is resurging in general in the country, and because we have a lot of people who travel through here in the DMV area, we know that that’s something that we could easily see here. Also, COVID has not completely gone away,” Gaddy said.

Gaddy said that by being mindful of others, parents can make a difference: “The little things that you do, like hand washing your hands, staying home when sick, those are the things that can help keep your child and the other children around them safe.”

A list of required school immunizations and related documents is available from the .

Vaccines are available through pediatricians, some pharmacies and the , which is offering extended hours ahead of the new school year.

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“Mark Felt, second in command at the FBI, met Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward here in this parking garage to discuss the Watergate scandal,” says a historical marker at the garage at 1401 Key Blvd. in Rosslyn. “Felt provided Woodward information that exposed the Nixon administration’s obstruction of the FBI’s Watergate investigation. He chose this garage as an anonymous secure location.”

Arlington County Board member Julius Spain Sr. was among those voting in support of redevelopment plan, which includes apartments and a grocery store.

“Eight hundred and thirty one units — studios, one-bedrooms and three-bedroom units,” he said. “It’s going to be a win to have a grocery store.”

He told ������Ƶapp the historical marker will remain part of the area for many years, despite the construction.

“It’s only going to come down temporarily. It’s going to come back up,” he said.

The project’s start date has not been disclosed.

Watch the Arlington County Board meeting on the topic below.

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Speaking with Greater Washington Board of Trade President and CEO Jack McDougle during the group’s “Regional Energy Outlook” event last week, Moore said Maryland should pursue a diverse energy strategy rather than relying on a single source.

The governor said he’s exploring a range of energy options, including nuclear power, while remaining “remarkably bullish on things like solar and wind and battery storage and transmission.”

His comments come as residents across the D.C. region voice frustration over higher utility bills, with some questioning whether growing energy demand from data centers is contributing to higher costs.

Moore said one of the biggest challenges is the pace of approving new energy projects. He said regional grid operators need to speed up project approvals and coordinate with governors on the types of generation and infrastructure their states need most.

He also argued policymakers need to modernize energy regulations written for a different era.

“We have rules and regulations that, frankly, were not made for a moment like this,” Moore said. “We’re still having guidelines that were built in a century that we no longer exist in.”

While Moore said he’s optimistic about the potential benefits of artificial intelligence, he believes more bipartisan cooperation is needed to address energy challenges.

“I think that when you think about the prospects of things like AI, I think this could revolutionize healthcare. I think it could revolutionize education. I think it could revolutionize public safety. I think that there is a whole lot that can be generated from a powerful, productive future around AI,” he said.

“And stop making it so that every time there’s a change in administration, it also means there’s a change in energy policy,” he added.

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“, there was one scheduled to be built,” ANC Commissioner Salim Adofo told the protesters.

Adofo told ������Ƶapp the community is still waiting for more details on the facility, .

“We haven’t found any information since then, saying that it would not be built,” he said.

Plans for the St. Elizabeths redevelopment include a high‑security Department of Homeland Security campus designed to unify its operations, according to . Clark Construction said is scheduled for completion in 2027.

Editors note: ������Ƶapp contacted the Department of Homeland Security, the General Services Administration, and the office of Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton for updates on the plans but did not receive a response before publication.

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That means farmers like Nicole Reese, the founder of in Beltsville, Maryland, are seeing more customers.

“When you know where your food comes from, then you don’t have to worry,” Reese told ������Ƶapp. “When it comes to the parasite, if you get your food local, then you don’t have to worry.”

The microscopic parasite can cause cyclosporiasis, which commonly causes watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea.

A record number of cases have been reported in more than 30 states, some hit harder than others.

In five states — Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia — the outbreak has been traced to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell. The Food and Drug Administration is working with the supplier to determine if more potentially contaminated lettuce remains on the market, the CDC said.

Food safety experts, in the meantime, have been encouraging shoppers to get their produce from farmers markets and through other locally focused vendors.

“There are so many resources in this area that you don’t really have to go to the grocery store,” Reese said.

Kinship Gardens sells food directly to customers. It also works with , which delivers food grown in the D.C. area to customers’ homes and sells produce at area farmers markets.

Its owner, Brandon Starkes, said the business has also had a lot of orders this week.

“Because we work with small, local and regional farms, it’s just not a concern of ours,” Starkes said of cyclospora. “We know the farmers, we know how they handle food.”

In addition to its weekly deliveries to subscribers, The People’s Market sells local produce at area farmers markets. On Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., it will be at the Black + Forth market at 2201 Channing Street in Northeast D.C.

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Brandon Sloane filed notice Friday that he will be filing an appeal.

Banfield is serving a life prison sentence in connection with the 2023 stabbing death of his wife, Christine, and the deadly shooting of a stranger named Joseph Ryan in the Banfields’ Ashburn home.

Prosecutors said Banfield was romantically involved with the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, and that the duo plotted to lure Ryan to the house and kill Christine in an elaborate catfishing scheme that would enable Brendan to be with Magalhães without the complications of a divorce.

“Brendan and Juliana went into the house, leaving the daughter in the basement, and confronted Mr. Ryan and Christine in the bedroom. Brendan, a law enforcement agent with the IRS, shot Mr. Ryan in the head with his service weapon. Juliana also shot Mr. Ryan in the chest with another pistol,” .

Banfield has called the allegations against him “absolutely crazy.” In his telling, Ryan stabbed Christine, and Magalhães shot Ryan in self-defense.

The high-profile case captured the attention of people worldwide. Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and Banfield was convicted on murder and child-endangerment charges after a three-week trial.

Prior to his June sentencing, Banfield’s attorneys tried to have the verdict tossed, arguing prosecutors violated his due-process rights when they mentioned his refusal to speak to police after the murders.

They also said Magalhães, who testified against Banfield as part of her plea deal, lied when she said she didn’t know the answers to questions raised during her cross-examination.

But Fairfax County Circuit Court chief judge Penney Azarcate rejected those arguments, letting the verdict stand.

Court documents detailing Banfield’s latest arguments for overturning his conviction and sentence will be released at a later date.

Banfield’s attorney has not responded to ������Ƶapp’s request for comment.

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Benjamin Banneker High School alum Yasmine Arrington Brooks said it was a milestone for the organization since it was its largest class of scholars.

“Since its founding in 2012, has invested more than $700,000 to support over 120 students, providing scholarships, mentoring, mental health resources, emergency assistance, technology, and career development – helping young people impacted by parental incarceration,” according to the organization.

“Part of my story is that my dad has been in and out of jail and prison my whole life,” said Brooks.

The students will receive financial assistance to help offset the cost of their education.

“$1,750 a semester,” Brooks said.

Lola Washington, a college freshman and D.C. native, is a recipient.

Her dad went to prison when she was a toddler.

“I hope that I’ll just have more of a support system that I can lean on in college, people who have experienced the same challenges I did growing up,” she said.

“It’s a source of encouragement,” Brooks said.

Click to apply for the next cohort of students.

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In Alexandria, Virginia, a fitness studio is using special equipment that incorporates artificial intelligence to deliver fitness results.

Victoria Azor and co-founder Brian Bell use ARX at their fitness studio . ARX stands for Adaptive Resistance Exercise. A sign outside touts the gym’s as “AI-powered strength training.

Started in Austin, ARX automatically adjusts resistance in real time by matching a user’s effort.

“Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform complex tasks normally done by human-reasoning, decision making, creating, etc. There is no single, simple definition of artificial intelligence because AI tools are capable of a wide range of tasks and outputs,”

The ARX machines basically pool data about a user’s personal capabilities rapidly, including how much weight they are able to resist, which is helpful for the trainer at the end of each session.

“When people are so afraid that we’re all getting replaced by machines, I don’t view it this way. For me, this gave me the tool to get as strong myself and get my clients strong. I’m working with the machine; I’m working with the technology,” Azor said. “In the very beginning, when this technology was first getting developed, they worked with ARX to help NASA to help astronauts,” she said.

The equipment is also being used to help those who are in need of rehabilitation services, following injuries, and those who are in need of weight training for longevity.

“Personally, my father, who turns 88 this month, he has Parkinson’s. I’ve brought him in here … so he can really get that resistance training that you can’t get any other way,” Bell said.

������Ƶapp found only two other locations in Northern Virginia using ARX machines. Due to their effectiveness, Azor recommended using them only once or twice a week for about 30 minutes.

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On Sunday, fans got one more reason to be excited after FIFA announced that they have lifted a one-game suspension for forward Folarin Balogun, who received a red card for stepping on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović, of Bosnia-Herzegovina, in a 2-0 round of 32 win on Wednesday.

“He’s been our best player this World Cup, so it’s really super beneficial to have that striker presence back,” said Everett Aden.

The FIFA announcement also followed President Donald Trump’s intervention on behalf of Balogun.

Balogun will play in Monday night’s match against Belgium, which begins at 8 p.m.

“I really think we have a good chance to win,” Aden said.

The FIFA fan zone on the National Mall will open at 2 p.m. to accommodate fans who want to watch the game.

“It’s really awesome that D.C. has this fan zone. It’s great for the culture,” Michael Yang said. “You get to meet a lot of different fans from all over.”

Aden and Yang said that they have been enjoying the World Cup.

“Every World Cup that I watch, I’m like, ‘Oh, this is the best one yet.’ But this one has been super explosive. All the good players are playing super well, playing to the standards they’ve set for themselves,” Aden said. “It’s been really fun to watch.”

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Fairfax County, Virginia, first responders said they had to move quickly Sunday after a car went into a pond in Chantilly.

The rescuers, including Fairfax Police Battalion Chief Randy Bittinger, formed a human chain to pull a woman from the car as the vehicle continued to sink.

“Just so thankful that we were all able to work together. And it was truly a thing. We were at the right place at the right time,” Bittinger said.

Officer Mohammed Suleiman said he happened to have a sharp object that pierced the glass on the driver’s side and cut the seat belt.

“It’s one of the best feelings in the world, just having that driver out, and after being there trying to get her out,” Suleiman said.

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The Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit organization that tracks how the federal government can be more effective, recently surveyed Americans to get their opinions on government spending and changes made by federal officials.

“The Partnership for Public Service finds that 52% of the public oppose the administration’s changes to the federal government compared with only 39% who are in support. Far more people say the changes have made their lives or communities worse (51%) than say they have made things better (28%),” the organization .

People cited several factors for their negative perception when the survey was conducted between March 31 and April 5.

“At the time of the survey, there was also a partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, so TSA lines were a concern,” said Paul Hitlin, senior manager at the Partnership for Public Service. “It’s a wide range of areas where people were noticing impacts on their lives or the people around them.”

Government spending was also an area of concern.

“Last year, 61% of the country said the government was wasteful,” Hitlin said. “This year, 75% said it’s wasteful. So there could be a lot of reasons for that. But what we do know is that the Trump administration does not seem to be convincing people that they’ve actually made the government more efficient.”

While the Americans surveyed expressed concerns, some supporters say they are remaining optimistic.

“Seventy-five percent of the people who support the Trump administration’s changes say they believe that the American taxpayer is going to see some savings, whether it’s a refund or a tax cut,” Hitlin said.

The margin of error among the 1,000 Americans polled was +/- 3.1 percentage points.

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The NFL franchise the move will help “meet greater demand for suites while expanding the franchise’s footprint in the state of Maryland.”

The change is expected early next year.

Alexander City High School’s Assistant Director of Athletics, and Commanders fan, Felix Trammell says it’s a sign the team is going in the right direction, despite a season with ups and downs.

“It shows that there is money actually coming into the franchise again,” Trammell said. “I think (with) the end of the Snyder regime with all the allegations, and the name change, businesses stepped away and now businesses are coming back.”

The new offices will be on the fourth floor of the building located on the 4600 block of River Road in Riverdale Park, just outside of College Park. The Commanders will be next to other tenants like Capital One and Adobe.

The move comes months after Josh Harris, and his ownership group, acquired the team. The Commanders in August of this year.

“Good organizations start with solid money in their front offices,” Trammell said.

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