By the late 1950s, America was moving faster than ever. Interstate highways were spreading across the country, jet aircraft were carrying passengers coast to coast in a matter of hours, and the railroads that once dominated long-distance travel were struggling to survive.

The passenger trains that moved millions of Americans in the first half of the 20th century 鈥� and carried troops across the nation during World War II 鈥� were rapidly losing riders.

By the late 1960s, the era of railroads dominating intercity passenger transportation was effectively over.

For more than a decade, nearly two dozen privately owned railroads struggled to maintain passenger service while losing millions of dollars annually.

鈥淭he railroads really gave it a good try after World War II. New equipment, faster trains, luxury accommodations,鈥� said DePaul University transportation professor Joe Schwieterman. 鈥淏ut it wasn鈥檛 enough.鈥�

Congress concluded that without federal intervention, passenger rail service in the United States would largely disappear.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the , creating a new federally supported corporation that would assume responsibility for most intercity passenger rail service. Amtrak began operations on May 1, 1971.

鈥�1972 is before us,鈥� Nixon said during his State of the Union Address. 鈥淚t holds precious time for us to accomplish good for the nation. We must not waste it.鈥�

The decision was far from universally popular within the administration. Office of Management and Budget Director George Shultz argued that passenger trains were proven money losers that would require tens of millions of dollars in federal subsidies to survive. Others, including free-market economists serving on the President鈥檚 Council of Economic Advisers, viewed the proposal as an inappropriate government intervention into the marketplace.

According to transportation historians and the Eno Center for Transportation, some administration officials believed Nixon should have allowed the private railroads to abandon passenger service altogether rather than support a federally backed railroad.

Instead, the government created the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak.

The new company immediately streamlined operations. Of the 366 passenger routes that previously existed, Amtrak retained only 184.

It also inherited significant challenges, including aging equipment, deteriorating stations and incompatible operating schedules.

With a streamlined route structure, a focus on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor, a smaller network of long-distance trains and increasing federal investment during the 1970s, Amtrak gradually stabilized.

New equipment was purchased. Tracks were repaired. Stations were modernized. And ridership slowly returned.

鈥淎mtrak really gave them that relief,鈥� Schwieterman said.

One of the company鈥檚 first priorities was addressing the condition of its railcar fleet.

In 1972, Amtrak evaluated approximately 3,000 passenger cars and removed 1,800 from service.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 run a good railroad without good railroad cars. So our first order of business was to take stock of our rolling stock,鈥� Amtrak wrote in a 1972 letter to passengers.

One of Amtrak鈥檚 most visible supporters would emerge from Delaware.

As a U.S. senator, Joe Biden frequently rode the train between Wilmington and Washington while raising his young family. The trips helped make him one of the railroad鈥檚 most recognizable advocates.

鈥淵ou get to know everybody, the folks. I used to have a Christmas party for Amtrak employees at my home, and it got so big we ended up having a summer party because family and retirees kept coming back,鈥� Biden said during an event in Philadelphia while serving as president. 鈥淎mtrak wasn鈥檛 just a way of getting home. It provided me, and I鈥檓 not joking, an entire other family. We shared milestones of my life.鈥�

Over the years, Biden repeatedly supported federal investment in passenger rail, including funding included in the , which provided billions of dollars for new equipment, station improvements and infrastructure upgrades.

During its 55-year history, Amtrak has faced repeated efforts to reform, restructure or even eliminate the national passenger rail system.

Today, supporters argue passenger rail is stronger than at any point in Amtrak鈥檚 history, with new trains, improving reliability and record ridership.

, Fiscal Year 2025 produced an all-time record of 34.5 million passenger trips, a 5.1% increase over the previous year. More than 15 million of those trips occurred on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston.

Jim Mathews, president and CEO of the Rail Passengers Association, believes the railroad鈥檚 future remains bright.

In a letter earlier this year discussing conversations with officials at the Federal Railroad Administration, Mathews wrote:

鈥淚鈥檓 more confident than before that what FRA is examining really isn鈥檛 a back-door attempt to dismantle the national passenger rail system, as some online rail supporters have feared,” he said. 鈥淚nstead, it appears to be an effort to think seriously about how Amtrak鈥檚 structure can better support the service expansion Congress has already directed it to deliver.鈥�

Created as a temporary solution to a transportation crisis, Amtrak has survived for more than half a century and remains one of the most enduring transportation experiments in American history.

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is calling it a new beginning for its longtime location on South Glebe Road near Route 50. It wasn’t always a Goodwill, in the 1950s and 1960s it was a Best & Co. store for children鈥檚 clothing, but the site is being demolished and replaced by a mixed-use development expected to open in 2028.

Just after 11 a.m., a large wrecking claw began tearing down the old Goodwill store as leaders from Goodwill, community organizations and local officials gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking.

Goodwill of Greater Washington CEO Catherine Meloy said the project could serve as a model for similar developments across the country.

鈥淲e are looking forward to having this be a model for possibilities for future projects just like this. And we will learn from it,鈥� Meloy said.

鈥淗aving a home is the basis for truly to be able to have economic stability in life and for your family.鈥�

Goodwill is partnering with the nonprofit Affordable Homes & Communities on the project.

鈥淭his new multi-purpose facility reflects our commitment to meeting people where they are 鈥� bringing together affordable family housing and quality childcare services with a state-of-the-art retail store and donation center,鈥� Meloy said.

鈥淲hile we are proud of what this represents today, we are even more inspired by the possibilities it creates for the individuals and families we walk alongside. This new space will not just be a destination, but a foundation for opportunity, stability, and growth.鈥�

Mary Claire Davis, vice president of real estate development for Affordable Homes & Communities, said the project will create 128 new homes in Arlington.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here to bring the whole building to life and create 128 new homes,鈥� Davis said.

In addition to the housing, the new retail store is expected to create 30 additional jobs.

The project is expected to cost more than $80 million. Among the organizations helping fund the development is Amazon鈥檚 Housing Equity Fund, which contributed nearly $13 million.

Senthil Sankaran, managing principal of Amazon鈥檚 Housing Equity Fund, said the project鈥檚 location and community partnerships made it an easy investment.

鈥淩ight off Route 50 and in conjunction with a partner like Goodwill, which will be delivering childcare and retail services, this is a no-brainer,鈥� he said.

According to Goodwill and its partners, the development will include 94 family-sized two- and three-bedroom apartments, seven permanent supportive housing units and homes affordable to households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income.

鈥淭his transformative partnership with Goodwill of Greater Washington shows how bold collaboration can reimagine what affordable housing can be,鈥� Affordable Homes & Communities President and CEO Paul Bernard said in a statement.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a powerful example of the partnerships and sustained commitment needed to meet today鈥檚 housing challenges and build pathways for families to thrive.鈥�

The redevelopment plans received support from the Arlington County Board, area residents, local nonprofits and regional affordable housing organizations in 2024. Goodwill of Greater Washington鈥檚 flagship store and donation center closed last fall to prepare the site for redevelopment.

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A catastrophic midair collision over the Grand Canyon in 1956 that killed 128 people aboard two commercial airliners transformed aviation safety in America and helped lead to the creation of today鈥檚 Federal Aviation Administration.

The collision, between a United Airlines DC-7 and a TWA Lockheed Super Constellation, shocked the nation, and underscored the need for greater federal oversight as commercial aviation entered the jet age.

鈥淭he American public is shocked by this terrible tragedy,鈥� Arkansas Rep. Oren Harris said in a Movietone 草莓传媒 interview following the disaster.

Two years later, , signed by President Dwight Eisenhower, creating a stronger federal role in aviation oversight and safety.

DePaul University transportation expert Joseph Schwieterman said the changes came as commercial aviation entered the jet age and passenger traffic expanded rapidly.

鈥淵ou look at our tolerance for accidents a century ago, even 80 years ago, and unfortunately there were risks,鈥� Schwieterman said. 鈥淚t was viewed as a fact of life.鈥�

While the federal government already played a limited role in aviation through the Civil Aeronautics Authority, airlines largely managed safety on their own.

The CAA had begun building air traffic control infrastructure as the U.S. entered World War II, but the nation lacked a comprehensive radar-based system to manage the rapidly growing number of commercial flights.

The FAA鈥檚 first administrator was retired Air Force Gen. Elwood 鈥淧ete鈥� Quesada, a close adviser to Eisenhower who pushed to modernize the nation鈥檚 air traffic control network.

During his four years leading the agency, Quesada accelerated development of a nationwide radar system and strengthened coordination between civilian aviation and the military.

An FAA film from the era highlighted the transformation.

鈥淭he plane, with the assistance of radar, is guided to a point where the plane is passed en route to an air traffic en route center,鈥� a narrator explained.

Today, an estimated 14,000 certified air traffic controllers and trainees separate planes safely through more than 20 air route traffic control centers and hundreds of airport towers nationwide.

But aviation safety challenges persisted.

During the Kennedy administration, the FAA had no centralized headquarters in Washington, D.C., and employees worked in temporary buildings scattered across the capital.

On Nov. 22, 1963, as President John F. Kennedy rode in a motorcade in Dallas, FAA employees were moving into their new headquarters at 800 Independence Ave. SW. Excitement over the state-of-the-art building quickly turned to shock as word spread that the president had been assassinated.

The FAA underwent another major transformation in 1967 when President Lyndon Johnson signed 聽The Federal Aviation Agency became the Federal Aviation Administration, while Congress also established the National Transportation Safety Board as an independent agency dedicated to investigating accidents and improving safety.

By the 1970s and early 1980s, labor tensions involving air traffic controllers emerged as a major issue.

In 1981, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, or PATCO, clashed with President Ronald Reagan during a bitter labor dispute. Reagan ordered striking controllers back to work,

When most refused to return within 48 hours, Reagan fired more than 11,000 controllers, straining the nation鈥檚 aviation system.

Airlines cut flights, military controllers were brought in to help manage traffic, and it took nearly a decade to rebuild the workforce.

Ironically, some of the reforms PATCO had advocated 鈥� including improvements to controller working conditions and modernization efforts 鈥� were later adopted.

In 1987, a new union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, or NATCA, was formed. Yet many of the staffing and structural concerns raised decades ago remain unresolved.

After the Jan. 29, 2025, midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people, the National Transportation Safety Board again identified controller staffing and airspace concerns as contributing issues.

Today, even as the air traffic control system undergoes a much needed multibillion-dollar modernization effort, aviation experts say the system is dramatically safer than it was nearly 70 years ago, when fatal airline crashes occurred with troubling frequency.

鈥淎viation can be unforgiving, but we鈥檝e learned so much since the 1950s and even before that,鈥� Schwieterman said. 鈥淔lying is safer because of the vision of President Eisenhower, Elwood Quesada, the work of the FAA, the NTSB and the commitment of airlines to make it that way.”

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Crude oil prices fell sharply Monday as the U.S. and Iran showed signs of progress toward an agreement that could end the three-month war and reopen the strait, a key shipping route for global energy supplies.

International benchmark Brent crude futures fell about 7% to close at $96.14 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. benchmark, dropped more than 6% to $90.30 a barrel.

President Donald Trump said Monday that negotiations with Iran were 鈥減roceeding nicely,鈥� while cautioning the U.S. could return to military action if talks break down.

AAA said Monday the national average price for unleaded regular gasoline dipped only by one penny to $4.50 a gallon.

Oil industry analyst Phil Flynn, with Price Futures Group in Chicago, said he is cautiously optimistic the worst of the recent gasoline price spike may be over.

鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that the Memorial Day weekend might have been the peak,鈥� Flynn said. 鈥淚鈥檓 optimistic that the worst of the price spikes may be behind us. There are two holidays where gasoline prices traditionally peak during the year. It鈥檚 either Memorial Day or the Fourth of July.鈥�

Flynn said the U.S. is in a stronger position than parts of Europe and Asia, where fuel shortages have become a concern. U.S. oil production is near record levels at about 13.5 million barrels a day, while refineries are operating at roughly 92% capacity.

He said U.S. producers have helped stabilize global markets by exporting record amounts of gasoline.

鈥淭he only reason other parts of the world are not really shutting down their economies is because of U.S. producers,鈥� Flynn said. 鈥淭he amazing thing is that with this price spike, demand has stayed strong.鈥�

Flynn said the key question now is whether diplomacy succeeds and shipping resumes through the Strait of Hormuz.

鈥淚f we indeed reopen the Strait of Hormuz, we may have paid the highest price of the summer and prices will eventually go back down,鈥� Flynn said. 鈥淪upplies are more than adequate. Our refineries are refining at an incredible rate. A lot is going to depend on the ceasefire.鈥�

Higher fuel prices do not appear to be slowing travel demand. AAA forecast more than 39 million people will travel by car over the Memorial Day weekend, slightly above the record set in 2025.

The U.S. Travel Association expects travel spending to grow 1% this year, driven in part by domestic leisure travel, even as the FIFA World Cup draws international visitors to the U.S.

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The Smithsonian Castle, the oldest building in the Smithsonian Institution鈥檚 museum complex, is open to visitors this summer during an extensive renovation project.

The 171-year-old building on the National Mall, built before the Civil War, reopened to the public for a limited time over Memorial Day weekend after being closed for much of a multiyear restoration.

The reopening is temporary. The castle will remain open through Sept. 7 as part of preparations tied to the nation鈥檚 upcoming America 250 celebrations, before closing again until 2027 as construction crews continue repairs and renovations.

Abigail Clarke and her boyfriend, Baylor Barnett, moved to D.C. from Oklahoma last year to begin their careers. This Memorial Day weekend marked their first visit to the castle.

鈥淚 like right now seeing the in-between of the renovations,鈥� Clarke said, pointing to the exposed brick ceiling and newly cleaned marble columns.

Next month, the Castle will host the 鈥溾�� exhibit, featuring historical artifacts including President Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 desk and a flight suit worn by Amelia Earhart.

Barnett said he was struck by the building鈥檚 architecture.

鈥淚 love these columns. I think it is marble or granite. It鈥檚 a really cool look,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he fact that this building is this old and is so immaculately maintained is so impressive.鈥�

Clarke said the Castle will become a regular stop when the couple spends time sightseeing in D.C.

鈥淚 wish I could see a little more than this hall area, but I鈥檒l be excitedly waiting for 2027, when I can see it all,鈥� she said.

Lee Fehrenbacher, his wife and their three sons 鈥� ages 8, 6 and 1 鈥� drove from southern Indiana to visit the castle and other Smithsonian museums over Memorial Day weekend.

鈥淲e鈥檙e huge history buffs, all of us,鈥� Fehrenbacher said. 鈥淲e just like reading books about famous people from the past.鈥�

Rowan Vance, 21, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a criminal justice major at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. He also made his first visit to the Castle and will begin a congressional internship this summer.

鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to coming down here when I鈥檓 up here for my internship and checking it all out again,鈥� Vance said.

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Britain鈥檚 Sir Frank Whittle is the forgotten co-founder of the jet engine.

A Royal Air Force officer in the 1920s, Whittle wrote a thesis for his graduation from flight school. His topic was on future ways to fly faster, higher and safer.

In 1930, Whittle designed and sought a patent on his first jet engine.

His idea languished and failed to gain traction during the turbulent times of the Great Depression and pre-World War II political uncertainty in Europe. The timing wasn鈥檛 right and the engine needed more research and development, but the idea was sound and technically feasible.

But as Whittle explained in this 1990s documentary, before he died in 1996, he believed if aviation was to expand and become the societal game changer he and others wanted it to be, planes would have to fly higher and faster, to be able to avoid weather and ultimately be safer than those powered by piston engines and propellers.

鈥淚f you wanted to go very fast and far, you would have to go very high, as high as 50,000 feet. Where the piston wouldn鈥檛 work and the propeller wouldn鈥檛 work,鈥� he said.

Years before, a French inventor had filed a patent in that country for a jet engine, but it was technically not possible at the time and was never developed.

In the 1930s, German engineers were also working on their own jet engine prototypes.

A brilliant pilot and engineer, Whittle was accepted to Cambridge and he and others kept refining and improving his original idea.

It wasn鈥檛 until 1939, while almost running out of money, that the world changed.

The engine showed promise. With Europe now in an expanding war, Whittle鈥檚 ideas were getting the attention of military leaders in Britain, especially as Germany was far ahead on numerous technology issues relating to war fighting.

With the U.S. now on the cusp of entering World War II and just two months before Pearl Harbor, the newly developed British engine was introduced in secret to American military leaders at an event in Boston, as disclosed in a newsreel film.

鈥淭he jet story began the night of Oct. 4, 1941, with the arrival of the highly secret engine assembly at a Boston airport,鈥� the narrator said.

More refinements were done in the U.S. by America’s civilian and military engineers.

During World War II, jet engines revolutionized aviation as planes flew higher and faster and were more lethal.

These combat jets laid the groundwork, just a few years later, for what would take place in commercial aviation when jet travel in the 1950s made it possible to fly around the world in hours, rather than days.

Professor Joe Schwietterman, a transportation and aviation expert and teaches transportation studies at DePaul University of Chicago, said, 鈥淲hen the 707 came online, that just made air travel, fast, elegant and reliable.鈥�

The narrow-body Boeing 707 revolutionized passenger aviation in the 1950s. Today, its impact is felt with newer jets that use some of that original design from more than 60 years ago.

As for Frank Whittle, his post military career was distinguished. He received numerous military and civilian awards for the creation of the jet engine and military jets are widely recognized as one of the key factors why the U.S., England, France and Russia were victorious in World War II.

In the 1970s, Whittle moved to the U.S. and was an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

He and his German rival, Hans von Ohain, eventually became friends after von Ohain himself moved to Dayton, Ohio and worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as its Chief Scientist. The two engineers gave lectures around the country about their work.

It was during one discussion that von Ohain volunteered that if Germany鈥檚 leaders had been aware of Whittle鈥檚 work in the late 1930s, World War II might have never started.

鈥淚f Hitler or Goering had heard that there is a man in England who flies 500 mph in a small experimental plane and that it is coming into development, it is likely that World War II would not have come into being,鈥� von Ohain said in a book written by historian Margaret Conner, called Hans von Ohain, Elegance in Flight.

Whittle died in Maryland in 1996 at age 89. His cremated remains were returned to England and he was given a funeral with full military honors at Westminster Abbey and he was interred at St Michael’s Church at Royal Air Force Cranwell, in what is the spiritual home of the Royal Air Force and a beloved aviation memorial.

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The name Malcolm McLean may not mean much to most Americans, but nearly every package delivered to a home or store today traces back in some way to his idea.

When McLean died in 2002, Forbes Magazine described him as 鈥渙ne of the few men who changed the world.鈥�

鈥淢cLean was a pioneer. He put the first container on the ship,鈥� said maritime historian and American Journal of Transportation editor Stas Margaronis. 鈥淗e saw the idea.鈥�

In 1935, McLean owned a North Carolina trucking company, but he grew frustrated with the time it took to load and unload freight moving between trucks, warehouses and ships.

At the time, cargo handling was cumbersome and inefficient.

鈥淭here were boxes that would come on. You would unload them, take them to a warehouse, ship them all together and then somehow put the pallets onto a truck,鈥� Margaronis said.

McLean鈥檚 solution was to create a standardized metal cargo container that could be stacked aboard ships and transferred directly between ships, trucks and trains.

The containers, known today as TEUs, or twenty-foot equivalent units, revolutionized global trade.

The containers could be secured to truck chassis, allowing freight to move quickly between ports, warehouses and stores. At some point in the supply chain, more than 70% of freight in the U.S. travels by truck.

At ports, containers could be unloaded directly from ships onto waiting truck chassis or rail cars, dramatically speeding up shipping operations.

But Margaronis said McLean鈥檚 concept did not fully take off until the 1960s, when rising imports and the Vietnam War accelerated demand for faster cargo movement.

鈥淚t really didn鈥檛 take off until the war in Vietnam during the ’60s, when we really needed to expedite war materials and supplies to support the Vietnam War,鈥� Margaronis said.

There was also resistance from powerful dockworker unions, especially at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

鈥淭he International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association agreed in 1960 in the Mechanization and Modernization Agreement to allow for labor-saving devices and provide severance pay for workers who wanted to retire,鈥� Margaronis said. 鈥淪o there was an agreement to reduce the workforce and increase the use of labor-saving devices.鈥�

That agreement helped clear the way for widespread container shipping operations at American ports.

Today, U.S. ports handle an estimated 40 million shipping containers annually, while globally, more than 190 million containers move through ports each year.

From a small trucking company founded during the Great Depression, McLean went on to build Sea-Land Industries, one of the world鈥檚 largest shipping companies. The company later became part of Danish shipping giant Maersk.

By the 1980s, McLean had become a multimillionaire. He also remains the only person credited with founding three companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and two on the Nasdaq.

Today, massive container ships operated by Maersk and other carriers can transport more than 20,000 containers on a single voyage.

鈥淢cLean saw the idea, but it really took the Vietnam War and the ILWU acceptance of labor-saving equipment to move that process forward,鈥� Margaronis said.

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Few domestic projects have reshaped the United States as profoundly as the Interstate Highway System 鈥� a network championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower that transformed how Americans live, work and move.

鈥淐ommerce crowds our rivers, our rails, our skies, our highways,鈥� Eisenhower said in his 1957 inaugural address after winning reelection the year before 鈥� a signal of the growing strain on the nation鈥檚 transportation network.

While many point to Eisenhower鈥檚 exposure to Germany鈥檚 Autobahn during World War II, his push for a modern highway system began decades earlier.

In 1919, as a young Army officer, . The cross-country trip took 62 days over rutted, often impassable roads 鈥� an experience he later said left a lasting impression about the need for reliable national infrastructure.

Highways were 鈥渁s necessary to defense as they are to our national economy and personal safety,鈥� Eisenhower said when he signed the .

The impact was immediate and far-reaching.

CBS 草莓传媒 anchor Walter Cronkite later said Eisenhower 鈥渃hanged the entire face of America.鈥�

A 1956 promotional film by Ford Motor Company captured the optimism of the era: 鈥淭his is the American dream of freedom on wheels 鈥� an automotive age traveling on superhighways.鈥�

The new highways fueled suburban expansion, making it easier for families to move beyond city centers to places like Des Plaines, Illinois, near Chicago, and Richardson, Texas, near Dallas. Sun Belt states saw rapid population growth as the network spread.

But the system also came at a cost.

Local governments used eminent domain to build highways through established communities, displacing an estimated 475,000 households between 1957 and 1977. Critics say some routes deepened racial and economic divides, while the rise of car travel contributed to the decline of public transportation.

The Interstate system itself reflects a carefully designed grid. The numbering plan, developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, assigns even numbers to east-west routes and odd numbers to north-south highways. Major corridors like Interstate 95 carry one- or two-digit numbers, while auxiliary routes 鈥� such as the Capital Beltway, Interstate 495 鈥� use three digits. Some regions include split routes, like I-35E and I-35W in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Today, the system spans nearly 49,000 miles. It took about 36 years to complete and cost the equivalent of roughly $634 billion in today鈥檚 dollars 鈥� less than half of the Pentagon鈥檚 proposed budget for next year.

Now, decades later, the challenge is maintaining what Eisenhower built.

鈥淲e鈥檙e living off the legacy of past investments,鈥� said DePaul University transportation professor Joe Schwieterman. 鈥淏ridges need repair, and parts of the system need to be expanded.鈥�

, financed by taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. But those tax rates have not been raised since 1993, and the Congressional Budget Office warns the fund could fall short of meeting its obligations by 2028 without changes.

Efforts to add tolls to existing Interstates face additional hurdles. Restrictions in the original 1956 law make widespread tolling difficult, though some regions have added express lanes, including on Interstate 495 in the Washington area.

Even so, the system remains central to daily life. More than a quarter of all miles driven in the U.S. take place on Interstates.

And here in the Washington region, one of the system鈥檚 final major projects 鈥� the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River, completed in 2009 鈥� stands as a reminder that Eisenhower鈥檚 vision is not just history.

It is infrastructure the country is still relying on 鈥� and still struggling to sustain.

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Crowds marched along the National Mall before converging on a labor-focused rally at Franklin Park. Organizers said the demonstrations built on recent 鈥淣o Kings鈥� protests held in the District and across the country.

鈥淲e teach in schools. We start small businesses. We clean buildings, we build homes, we harvest food, and we keep entire industries moving forward,鈥� one speaker told the crowd, pointing to National Education Association members gathered near the stage. 鈥淏ut we are saying no more. We are moving from stolen labor to collective people power.鈥�

Among the speakers was Jennifer Vasquez Sura, the wife of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose immigration case has drawn national attention.

Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March 2025 and spent months in a maximum-security prison before being returned to the United States last summer.

Since returning to the U.S., Abrego Garcia has been indicted on federal charges in Tennessee. A federal judge has ruled the government cannot re-detain or deport him while the case proceeds through the courts.

鈥淚 stood (here on) May Day last year, fighting for my husband,鈥� Vasquez Sura said. 鈥淎 message from my husband Kilmar: 鈥� ‘Because of that fight, I am now home with my family, my wife and an ability to continue fighting in courts for my due process.’鈥�

Later Friday, a separate pro-labor event focused on D.C. statehood drew hundreds to 16th Street near the former Black Lives Matter Plaza, not far from the headquarters of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.

Attendees listened to live music and discussed organizing efforts to make D.C. the 51st state.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 do what we need for our communities unless we have autonomy 鈥� control over our laws and our budget,鈥� said D.C. resident Katharine Landfield.

Alex Dodds, co-founder of the advocacy group , said the movement is gaining momentum despite opposition from the Trump administration and congressional Republicans.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be the 51st state,鈥� Dodds said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e pushing back against policies that harm our communities and taking that fight forward.鈥�

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If there is one name tied to the birth of the nation鈥檚 air traffic control system, it鈥檚 Archie League.

In the late 1920s, at what is now Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, League stood on the airfield directing planes with flags 鈥� red for stop, a checkered flag for go. In winter, he wore a padded suit to fight the cold.

By the early 1930s, a control tower had been built. League became the airport鈥檚 first radio-based controller.

He would go on to push for stronger aviation safety standards and later served in senior federal roles tied to what became the FAA. Today, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association names its highest honor after him 鈥� the Archie League Medal of Safety.

In aviation鈥檚 early years, safety systems were basic.

Airlines ran many of their own towers. Flights were tracked with paper strips. Controllers relied on pilot reports and rough calculations to keep planes apart.

Radar, developed during World War II, didn鈥檛 become widely used for civilian air traffic until the 1950s.

Then came a disaster that changed everything.

On June 30, 1956, two airliners collided over the Grand Canyon, killing all 128 people on board.

Trans World Airlines Flight 2 and United Airlines Flight 718 had departed Los Angeles minutes apart 鈥� one headed to Chicago, the other to Kansas City. They were flying in uncontrolled airspace, where pilots were responsible for maintaining separation.

They never saw each other.

Both aircraft broke apart and fell into the canyon from about 21,000 feet.

The crash stunned the country and exposed serious gaps in the nation鈥檚 air traffic control system.

鈥淭he American public is shocked by this terrible tragedy,鈥� then-Rep. Oren Harris, of Arkansas, said at the time. 鈥淲e are ready to act to find out what caused it and prevent it from happening again.鈥�

Stephen Creamer, president and CEO of the Air Traffic Control Association, said the moment forced a broader shift in how aviation was managed.

鈥淭he federal government expanded after the (Great) Depression and World War II to take on a larger role in developing industries,鈥� Creamer said. 鈥淎viation was part of that evolution.鈥�

Within months, Congress boosted funding to modernize the system 鈥� hiring and training more controllers and installing radar, much of it adapted from military technology.

In 1958, Congress passed the Federal Aviation Act, creating a unified, federally-managed air traffic control system and establishing what became the Federal Aviation Administration.

鈥淭he techniques had been refined during World War II,鈥� Creamer said. 鈥淭hat helped transition to a unified, national system and really drove the political momentum.鈥�

It took years to fully build out. By 1973, the 48 contiguous states were connected by radar, with computers helping manage aircraft in the air and on the ground.

More than 50 years later, aviation leaders say the system is again under pressure.

After years of delays and incremental upgrades, a deadly midair collision on Jan. 29, 2025, over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport 鈥� involving an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people 鈥� has renewed calls for a multibillion-dollar overhaul.

Creamer said history suggests tragedy can force progress.

鈥淎 good day is when nobody knows you鈥檝e done the job,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ontrollers go to work, solve the problem, and go home without making the news. That鈥檚 the goal.鈥�

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As World War I was coming to an end in 1918, airplanes had proven their value in combat. The next question: Could they deliver the mail?

That idea helped launch one of the most important early uses of aviation in the United States.

The U.S. Postal Service, backed by Congress, began expanding experimental airmail routes. Many of the pilots flying those early missions had already been pushing the limits of flight in the 1910s 鈥� and would soon bring that experience into military service.

鈥淎nd in the nation鈥檚 capital, U.S. mail heads for its first trip by air. President (Woodrow) Wilson is on hand and delivers a letter for the airplane,鈥� a newsreel narrator said at the time.

Flying conditions were primitive. Pilots often navigated by following railroad tracks. There were no modern instruments, and in poor weather, they were essentially flying blind.

It was also dangerous work. Between 1919 and 1927, 34 pilots were killed.

College Park Airport in Maryland 鈥� the nation鈥檚 oldest, still operating today 鈥� became a key hub for East Coast airmail operations.

DePaul University transportation professor Joe Schwieterman said it quickly became clear improvements were needed.

鈥淎ny kind of urban use of airplanes required something better than a compass and a pilot with a good set of eyes or binoculars,鈥� he said.

Progress came fast.

By 1924, the Postal Service had established regular coast-to-coast airmail service. Night flying soon followed. By the mid-1920s, relay teams of pilots could move mail from San Francisco to New York in just over 33 hours.

Safety improved as technology advanced. Lighted beacons were installed across the country to help guide pilots. A growing network of airports 鈥� some just 25 miles apart 鈥� gave crews more options in an emergency.

Eventually, the Postal Service turned to private airlines to carry the mail, helping fuel the growth of the commercial aviation industry.

For decades, it was common to see bags of mail loaded onto aircraft for delivery across the country.

At its peak, the system was massive.

鈥淭he U.S. Postal Service uses over 15,000 airplanes to handle your priority mail,鈥� a narrator said in a mid-1980s television commercial.

Today, that era has largely passed.

More than 95% of U.S. mail now moves by truck, as the Postal Service has reduced air operations in an effort to cut costs amid ongoing financial challenges.

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Diesel fuel the backbone of the trucking and freight rail industries remains elevated, averaging about $5.60 a gallon nationwide.

That matters because higher diesel costs drive up shipping rates. Transportation companies pass those costs along to retailers, and retailers, in turn, pass them on to consumers.

The result: Higher prices at the checkout line and for home deliveries.

Rising diesel prices are especially impacting perishable goods, including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry and dairy. Recent Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index reports show inflation in those categories continuing to climb.

Even though the conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran began months ago, analysts say the effects are only now showing up in grocery prices.

鈥淲hen diesel prices spike as significantly as they have, it amplifies the impact on those types of items,鈥� said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. 鈥淚t may take weeks or even months to see those prices come down.鈥�

De Haan said there is often a lag between falling fuel costs and lower prices on store shelves.

鈥淕rocery store prices and shipping costs take time to filter through the system,鈥� he said.

Some regions are feeling the impact more than others.

In parts of California鈥檚 agricultural regions, diesel prices are approaching $8 a gallon. The state produces a significant share of the nation鈥檚 dairy, almonds, grapes, lettuce and other crops.

鈥淥nly a couple of areas are close to $8 a gallon, but the national average is within about 25 cents of a record,鈥� De Haan said.

Seasonal demand is also playing a role. Diesel use typically rises in the Midwest and South as farmers move from planting to maintaining crops like corn, soybeans and wheat.

Closer to home, diesel prices are running slightly above the national average 鈥� about $5.84 a gallon in D.C., $5.81 in Maryland and $5.71 in Virginia. That鈥檚 more than $2 higher than a year ago in all three areas.

Even if oil prices begin to fall, De Haan said consumers will need to be patient.

鈥淕ive it time to filter down,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven when diesel prices decline, it takes a while for retailers to adjust and pass those savings.”

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Fairfax, a dentist and the wife of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, died early Thursday after police say he shot her and then killed himself.

Longtime patients described her as kind, compassionate and deeply caring.

Dottie Shields was among several people who stopped by to leave flowers outside the closed office. Fighting back tears, she paused for a moment.

鈥淚鈥檝e been a patient of hers for about 13 years,鈥� Shields said. 鈥淪he sat and chatted with me at my last appointment just two weeks ago. We talked about the weather, how nice it was getting. She was just a good, kind person.鈥�

鈥淪he was the nicest person, so kind,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 brokenhearted for her children. I just wanted to leave flowers so she knows how much she was loved.鈥�

Next door, employees at a hair salon also remembered Fairfax as more than just a dentist.

鈥淟ovely, compassionate 鈥� a wonderful dentist and a wonderful person,鈥� said stylist Arlean Gabbert. 鈥淵ou get a friendship going. I loved her.鈥�

Gabbert said Fairfax often shared stories about her life outside the office.

鈥淪he loved chickens. She loved to farm. That was really cute,鈥� she said.

Both women said they occasionally saw Fairfax鈥檚 two children at the office, but never met her husband or discussed his political career.

According to her biography on the practice鈥檚 website, Fairfax earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree from Duke University in 1999 and her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Virginia Commonwealth University鈥檚 School of Dentistry in 2005, graduating magna cum laude.

She later completed a residency in advanced general dentistry at VCU and was recognized by the university鈥檚 alumni association as an Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade. She was also a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon 鈥� a national dental honor society.

According to her biography, outside the office, Fairfax enjoyed reading, running trails with her dogs, practicing yoga and traveling. She was also active in community outreach, volunteering and supporting local charities.

Her family released a statement Friday through Fairfax County police’s Victim Service Division.

“This is an unimaginably difficult moment for the family, and our attention is on supporting one another. We respectfully ask for privacy and space as we navigate the days ahead.”

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Before automobiles rolled off assembly lines by the thousands, they were rare, expensive machines built by hand and out of reach for most Americans.

That began to change in the early 20th century.

Oldsmobile introduced an early assembly-line process in 1901. But Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Co., transformed the concept into a system that would redefine manufacturing and reshape American life.

WWJ Detroit automotive reporter Jeff Gilbert has covered the auto industry for 45 years.

鈥淭he automobile was something really special. It was hand-built, and only wealthy people could own it,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淲hat Ford did was bring automobiles to the masses.鈥�

Ford did not invent the assembly line. He refined it.

鈥淗enry Ford looked at how watches were made and said, 鈥業 can translate that into automobiles,鈥欌�� Gilbert said. 鈥淚f you go back to the 1980s, people who wanted to spend a lot of money on a hobby had a computer. Now, if you include your phone and tablet, you might have four or five devices in your home. That鈥檚 what happened in the early 20th century with the automobile and with the companies that followed Ford鈥檚 lead.鈥�

Ford had been working in the auto industry since his 20s. In 1903, he founded Ford Motor Co.

A decade later came the breakthrough.

On Oct. 7, 1913, the first mass-produced Model T rolled off the assembly line at Ford鈥檚 Highland Park plant in Michigan.

Using continuously moving conveyor belts, Ford cut the time required to build a car to about 93 minutes, dividing production into 45 steps.

Cars could be built faster. Quality improved. Designs became standardized.

Ford summed up the efficiency of the process with a famous line: 鈥淎ny customer can have a car painted any color he wants, so long as it is black.鈥� Black paint dried faster, helping speed production.

By 1918, the Model T accounted for about half of all cars in the United States.

But the impact of the assembly line extended far beyond the factory floor.

Ford introduced higher wages, shorter workdays, bonus pay for overnight shifts and a five-day workweek 鈥� changes that helped workers become customers.

鈥淣ot only were vehicles less expensive, but workers earned enough to afford them 鈥� and it made Henry Ford very wealthy in the process,鈥� Gilbert said.

Before mass production, a new car in 1908 cost about $825. By 1925, the price of a Model T had dropped to $260.

Gilbert said the parallels to today鈥檚 tech industry are striking.

鈥淗enry Ford had his quirks,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd like a lot of people today in tech, you can be a genius in one area and think you鈥檙e a genius in another.鈥�

More than a century later, the assembly line continues to evolve.

鈥淔ord鈥檚 assembly line is still used today, but in the 1960s and 鈥�70s, Toyota studied it and improved it,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 manufacturing combines Ford鈥檚 assembly line with Toyota鈥檚 just-in-time system. And with artificial intelligence and new technologies, you鈥檙e going to see even more improvements in the years ahead.鈥�

From factory floors in Detroit to high-tech production lines around the world, the system Ford refined more than a century ago remains the backbone of modern manufacturing a breakthrough that transformed not only how products are made, but who can afford them.

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The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial sits on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland, a facility operated by the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Without the funding from the DHS, the center is closed and聽organizers are scrambling to find a workaround.

For 45 years, families and friends have gathered each May to honor fallen firefighters. The status of this year鈥檚

Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the , said the group is urging the White House, Congress and DHS to allow access to the site for the memorial.

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e asking for is the opportunity to open the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial,鈥� Stagnaro said.

He said they hope to carve out a moment to honor the 204 fallen firefighters from 43 states.

Stagnaro said the ceremony is deeply meaningful for families, offering a place of remembrance despite their loss.

“We want to be able to tell them where their firefighter will be enshrined, where their name 鈥� will be on a bronze plaque, as long as there’s a memorial for them to be able to see it,” he said.

If the site remains closed, the foundation is working with nearby Mount St. Mary鈥檚 University to host an alternative ceremony on May 2 and 3.

鈥淚f we knew by April 20 that it is open and we’re ready to go, it would save us hundreds of thousands of dollars,鈥� Stagnaro said.

The foundation, created by an act of Congress in 1992, is committed to honoring fallen firefighters regardless of the shutdown.

鈥淲e will keep our promise, and honor those firefighters and support those families,鈥� Stagnaro said.

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