photo by John Cochran
From the DC Office of the Attorney General:
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced today that he is encouraging District residents to report possible environmental violations directly to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) so that the office can investigate whether to take legal action against polluters and others who endanger DC residents and our natural resources. Residents can share tips about violations of DC environmental laws—like (more…)
photo by John Sonderman
From the Office of the DC Attorney General:
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, will pay $9.9 million to resolve allegations that it misled customers about ticket prices, charged deceptive fees, and used illegal pressure tactics to get fans to buy tickets for a decade.
Since the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) began its investigation, Live Nation has changed its practices to provide customers information about the total ticket cost up front, and it also now shares more information about the purpose of fees and how they are shared among the companies receiving them. Live Nation has agreed to maintain these changes, in addition to making a monetary settlement payment.
This settlement resolves a consumer protection investigation that is separate from OAG’s antitrust case against Live Nation for illegally monopolizing the live entertainment industry.
“For at least a decade, Live Nation and Ticketmaster boosted profits by charging predatory, hidden fees — taking advantage of DC residents buying tickets for their favorite artist or team and pricing others out entirely,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “With this settlement, we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of DC fans and ensuring that the price fans see when they first start shopping for tickets is the price they actually pay.”
An OAG investigation into Live Nation’s practices uncovered evidence that the company misled consumers in multiple ways, in violation of the District’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act, including evidence that Live Nation: (more…)
photo by Fritz Myer
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser presented her Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Budget, Grow DC. The FY27 budget prioritizes enhanced funding for education and public safety, preserving core city services, protecting robust health care for DC residents, and growing the District’s economy.
“For everything we love about our city—our great schools, parks, transportation, arts, culture, and restaurants—they require us to have robust revenues to make robust investments,” said Mayor Bowser. “For that, we need a pro-growth budget, which we are delivering with Grow DC.”
Education and Childcare (more…)
1197 20th Street, NW at M Street
Thanks to Matt for sending who reports the sign at Pho 54 was still up as of this Monday: (more…)
From the Mayor’s Office:
“On the first day of Earth Month, Mayor Muriel Bowser and District leaders highlighted the city’s spring cleaning and beautification services and invited community members to participate in the District’s 10th Annual Spring Cleanup events happening on Saturday, April 25—a yearly tradition where the community comes together to beautify neighborhoods. Residents were also encouraged to learn more about and utilize the Helping Hand program, which loans tools to residents organizing neighborhood cleanups.
“Washington, DC is a beautiful, clean city, but that doesn’t just happen — it’s because of the teams of public servants who keep our city clean and the many members of our community who make it a priority to take care of their neighborhoods,” said Mayor Bowser. “The 10th Annual Spring Cleanup is a celebration of that work, and I’m inviting every resident to grab a pair of gloves, get out there on April 25, and be part of it. And if you can’t join us on April 25, learn more about the Helping Hand program and organize a neighborhood cleanup that works for you and your neighbors.”
DPW Spring Services (more…)
Mayor Bowser writes yesterday:
“NEWS: We’re launching a new pilot program to fight rats in DC.
This spring, we’re combining baiting, tracking powder, & an innovative fertility suppressant to target the rodent population. (more…)
Mayor Bowser writes last night:
“I am deeply disappointed by the Council’s decision to allow the juvenile curfew zones to expire.
We all want our young people to be able to socialize in age-appropriate ways and in environments that are safe for themselves, for their peers, and for the entire community.
But as adults, we cannot abdicate our responsibility to respond to behaviors that put young people or our community at risk.
I urge the Council to reconsider.
My full statement: (more…)
“Dear PoPville (and DDOT),
I’ve lived here a very long time and I still don’t know what this means. When does “24 hours” start and end? Noon to noon? 24 hours on both days? I think an entire metro area of millions would like to know.”
Also apparently one/one’s building can’t just write themselves a free parking pass: (more…)
From the DC Council:
“In commemoration of the District’s 51st year of Home Rule government, the DC Council will convene a panel discussion of key figures from the critical eight years (1967-1975) when our local government transitioned twice between three entirely different forms of government. We are lucky enough to hear about our history from the people who made history through their work.
Questions to reflect on: What is it like to create a new form of government from scratch? How do you run a government in its infancy? How do you shut down a defunct form of government? And what lessons from those early days carry through to the unique challenges we are facing today?
Who: Open to the public, all are invited to attend
When: Thursday, March 26 at 5:30PM
Where: Council Chambers, 5th Floor, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Panelists (more…)
From the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton:
“After the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform (COGR) marked up and passed a bill introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) to repeal two D.C. traffic laws, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) highlighted the hypocrisy of Rep. Perry’s five year long quest to end D.C.’s use of the same traffic safety measures his home state uses extensively and vowed to fight to prevent the bill from advancing further.
“Today the Oversight Committee, for the third time this Congress, advanced a paternalistic, undemocratic, and frankly petty bill to overturn two traffic safety laws enacted by D.C.,” Norton said. “The hypocrisy behind this legislation is astounding. The bill’s sponsor represents a district in Pennsylvania, a state that uses automated traffic enforcement extensively to improve roadway safety for its own residents. Yet he has spent years attempting to deny the District the same tool his own constituents benefit from.
“D.C.’s elected officials enacted these measures to protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in our city. If D.C. residents disagree with those decisions, they can vote their local leaders out of office. That is how democracy works. What is undemocratic is members of Congress from distant states repeatedly trying to override local D.C. laws.
“Congress should focus on the many pressing challenges facing the nation, not continue this pattern of unnecessary and unjustified interference in the District’s local affairs. I’ll work to stop this bill from advancing further.”
From DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson: (more…)