Good morning. Sunny with a high around 82. A low near 59 overnight. The Commanders will play Green Bay tonight at Lambeau Field. The Nationals will face the Marlins in Miami. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
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I can’t stop listening to:
Street Eaters, “Tempers.” Some very nice punk rock flavored with a touch of ’80s new wave from this Oakland, California, group, which will play the Quarry House Tavern tonight with DC’s Sensor Ghost and Vampyres from Africa.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I’ve made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of my daily music recommendations this year.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
Kirk shooting latest: Authorities continue to search for the person who shot and killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an appearance at Utah Valley University Wednesday. Two people taken into custody were released. (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the shooting an “assassination” and said state officials were working with the feds to find Kirk’s killer. (Deseret News) Authorities are “searching for a new person of interest.” (AP) The reaction: President Trump, who was close to Kirk, blamed “radical left” rhetoric for Kirk’s death in a video. He decried “radical-left political violence” but said nothing the killings of Democratic politicians in Minnesota in June. (NYT) MSNBC fired commentator Matthew Dowd after he said Kirk was “constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech” and that “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” (Variety) An X account that masquerades as a Reno, Nevada, TV station and Elon Musk‘s AI chatbot Grok falsely identified a 77-year-old Canadian man as a suspect; Michael Mallinson was in Toronto at the time of the shooting and is now handling the fallout from thousands of angry posts and messages. (NYT) Conservative commentators called for the US to wage war on the left. (Mother Jones) Reactions from Republicans and Democrats “suggested that Kirk’s death likely will only deepen America’s yawning political divide – as two assassination attempts on Trump did last year.” (Reuters)
Epstein, Epstein, Epstein: Newly sworn-in Democratic US Representative James Walkinshaw of Virginia signed a petition by Republican US Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky that would force the House to vote on whether to compel the release of documents regarding federal investigations into the crimes of deceased, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. (Politico) In the Senate, Republicans blocked a similar attempt by US Senator Chuck Schumer of New York. (NYT) The UK government fired Peter Mandelson, its ambassador to the US, after professions of his friendship with Epstein became public. (CNN) Mandelson was among Epstein’s many correspondents, per a cache of thousands of previously unreleased emails. (Bloomberg)
Administration perambulation: A lawsuit filed by fired FBI officials contends that bureau has “become thoroughly politicized” under this administration. (NYT) The boat Trump ordered destroyed in the Caribbean had apparently turned around before the US military struck it. (NYT) The military fired on survivors, officials said. (The Intercept) South Koreans detained in an immigration raid in Georgia returned home. (WSJ) In court yesterday, the administration “backed off claims Wednesday that hundreds of Guatemalan children it attempted to send to the country last month — before a judge blocked the abrupt weekend deportations — had been requested to return by their parents.” (Politico) Larry Ellison was the richest person in the world for a spell yesterday, but former Trump pal Elon Musk returned to the top spot later in the day. (CNBC)
Hidden Eats, by Ike Allen:
San Bartolo Teontepec, a village of around 6,000 people in the Mexican heartland state of Puebla, has its own embassy on Georgia Avenue in Brightwood: Plaza Teontepec, a true hole-in-the-wall that deftly prepares the specialties of a region known for its cooking. There’s barbacoa, cemitas (Puebla-style sandwiches on seeded rolls), and on weekends, mole poblano. I loved the simple memelas—stout, thick tortillas spread with refried beans and slathered with fresh-blended salsa—which can be topped with carne asada or chorizo, or kept simple and vegetarian. Plaza Teontepec is a spartan place that mainly functions as a carryout, but there’s a friendly ambiance and a few seats along the counter if you’d prefer to eat in. (6214 Georgia Avenue, Northwest.)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• How did Code Pink protesters get into Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab when Trump dined there Tuesday? They heard a rumor the President was headed there—and made a reservation.
• Our Fall Getaways issue is now online, and it includes:
🍁 A guide to small towns in Pennsylvania where you can see fabulous foliage.
🍁 Where to stay, eat, and play when you hike in Shenandoah National Park.
🍁 Our guide to visiting Charlottesville.
🍁 Or maybe you’d prefer a trip to Middleburg?
🍁 These towns in Western Maryland make a great trip.
🍁 Some out-of-the-ordinary leaf-peeping ideas.
🍁 Appalachian Trail hikes that aren’t far from our area.
🍁 Vintage and antique markets you can visit.
🍁 Or perhaps a cozy winery is more your speed?
Local news links:
• A House committee marked up bills that aim to tighten federal control over DC yesterday as President Trump’s crime-emergency declaration expired. (Politico) DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, 88, “sat mostly silent” during the hearing and “read haltingly from a script that it appeared she sometimes did not understand.” (NYT)
• An AP analysis of arrests during Trump’s takeover found that more than 40 percent of arrests during the past month were related to immigration. (AP) Daytime foot traffic in downtown DC is up over last year, but bars and restaurants have been much quieter. (WBJ)
• Washingtonian Today was on hand Wednesday when Sean Dunn, aka Sandwich Guy, was arraigned in federal court in DC on a misdemeanor count of assault after he allegedly winged a hoagie at a federal law enforcement officer at the beginning of the takeover. Dunn pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial, to which the government had no objection. The trial will likely begin November 3.
• Fairfax has appealed the dismissal of its lawsuit against the Department of Education. (WTOP)
• The family of Ana Mena Membreno, who was killed late last month in Falls Church in what police say was an act of domestic violence, say she didn’t seek help because she was worried about her immigration status. (NBC4 Washington)
• Workers fleeing an ICE raid in Langley yesterday scaled a fence that surrounds CIA headquarters, prompting the agency to temporarily end access to the complex. (NYT)
• A large transformer caught fire on Benning Road. (NBC4 Washington)
• Krop’s Crop, a popular produce stand in Great Falls, burned down. (WUSA9)
• The Alexandria Times has become a nonprofit. (Alexandria Times)
• State wildlife officials were unable to confirm a report of a bear sighting in Fort Washington. (WTOP)
Thursday’s event picks:
• Nia Akilah Robinson‘s “The Great Privation” opens at Woolly Mammoth.
• The Charles County Fair opens today and runs through Sunday.
• The local dating and romance TV show “Metro Ties” debuts at Metrobar.
See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
Know a local hero? Nominate them to join our next class of Washingtonians of the Year. We’re looking for anyone who makes our area a better place. Nominations are due by September 30.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
