Bariatric surgeon Dr. Katelin Mirkin is among the medical doctors who warn that these medications are not without risk, and relying on them for a quick fix to weight loss could come with significant consequences.

“We’ve noticed a lot of really impressive rebound weight gain after these drugs are stopped, particularly when they’re stopped abruptly,” Mirkin said.

Medications like Wegovy and Ozempic were originally designed to treat diabetes, but they’ve become increasingly popular among people using them for weight loss. As more and more Americans turn to GLP-1s, doctors are learning more about what happens when patients discontinue use of the drugs, including weight regain.

Many people tolerate GLP-1 drugs well, but like any medication, they carry side effects. The most common include nausea, vomiting, constipation and slowed digestion. These effects occur because the drugs are working as intended by slowing gastrointestinal transit and suppressing appetite.

鈥淭here are also concerns for more serious problems like pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, sarcopenia, which is a fancy word for muscle loss 鈥� and some rare thyroid cancer risks,鈥� Mirkin said.

For the most part, Mirkin said the medications are “pretty well tolerated” by most patients. But studies suggest that most people stop taking these drugs within a year and many quickly regain weight.

“That negative feedback of that nausea that you felt from the medication isn’t there, and so you just kind of go back into old habits,” Mirkin said. “The drugs themselves slow how your GI system processes food, and so once that’s gone, you’re not going to feel a lot of those side effects.”

Exactly why the weight returns after stopping GLP-1s is still being studied. Experts have said it鈥檚 likely a combination of factors.

“I see patients that describe voracious hunger and appetite after stopping these medications. Or they try them for a while, have some success, but then can’t afford the financial burden of them or can’t tolerate the side effects,” she said.

Doctors agree that for many patients, especially those who are obese or have diabetes, GLP-1 drugs may need to be taken indefinitely.

Mirkin said the medications shouldn’t be considered a jump-start to lose weight or a quick fix that can be applied in the short term.

While patients are advised to pair the drugs with lifestyle changes like increased protein intake, strength training and mindful eating, some rely solely on the medication.

鈥淪ome of these weight regains is even in people that have made these lifestyle changes,” Mirkin said. “But certainly your overall health is going to be better if you can kind of commit to healthier habits in general.”

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Now, a federal rule that would have required cosmetic companies to test talc-based makeup products for asbestos contamination has been withdrawn , a move doctors say shifts the burden of safety back onto consumers.

Talc is a widely used mineral found in hygiene and beauty products, often occurring naturally together with asbestos, a known carcinogen.

鈥淎sbestos can cause dangerous things like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer,” Dr. Katelin Mirkin, board-certified general and bariatric surgeon based out of St. Louis, Missouri, said.

Internal documents show cosmetic companies were aware of the risks as far back as the 1950s, although the public wasn鈥檛 broadly informed until the 1970s, she added. In fact, didn’t discontinue talc in their popular baby powder formula until 2020, after facing billions of dollars in lawsuits.

The FDA eventually implemented routine testing requirements to prevent asbestos contamination. However, with the rule now withdrawn, 鈥渢he onus is really becoming more on the consumer to protect themselves,鈥� Mirkin said.

Mirkin said cosmetic talc itself is not considered dangerous unless it contains asbestos, and that most dangers come from inhalation.

鈥淭he best thing would be to go for a talc-free makeup product,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any need for mass hysteria or throwing out all of your makeup. If you are worried about it, opt for talc-free products.鈥�

Mirkin recommended consumers to be aware of symptoms, get age-appropriate medical screenings, and talk with their doctors about any 鈥渞espiratory鈥� concerns.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no need for mass hysteria, but this is more evidence that the consumer needs to be savvy and know that these companies aren鈥檛 necessarily looking out for us. We have to look out for ourselves,鈥� she said.

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Standing three stories tall, the mural depicts Ginsburg in her judicial robe with her hands open as a flock of birds flies above her. It鈥檚 an image that has become a staple of D.C.鈥檚 public art scene, even being an included stop on city tours.

鈥淧eople know the building because it is the RBG building,鈥� said owner Lisa Wise, who commissioned the artwork in 2019, one year before the justice鈥檚 death.

The building鈥檚 owner said she knew instantly what she wanted the mural to be.

鈥淲hen we drove up and I saw the wall, I just thought that needs to be a mural of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and I would like her to be releasing a flock of birds.鈥�

After Ginsburg died in 2020, the spot became an impromptu memorial, with neighbors leaving notes, flowers and candles at the base of the mural. Wise said that moment reinforced how much the artwork meant to the city.

鈥淲omen whose power is embraced have the most to contribute,鈥� Wise said. 鈥淎nd I believe that Ruth Bader Ginsburg really was that. Her releasing that flock of birds is really a statement about anything being possible for women.鈥�

The building, at 1508 U St. NW, will be offered through a commercial auction from Dec. 9 to 11. Wise, the founder of property management companies Nest D.C. and Roost D.C., recently consolidated her businesses and said the time was right for the property to enter its next chapter.

She said she also planned ahead, and she and the artist, Rose Jaffe, designed the mural so that it could be moved.

鈥淚 did want to be able to move the mural. I鈥檓 always planning for what happens next,鈥� Wise said.

鈥淚 like looking at art that represents people, and Rose was aligned from a values perspective,鈥� Wise said on picking the muralist. 鈥淚 wanted to support a female artist who was in D.C. proper.鈥�

Jaffe and Wise traded designs over email for days before settling on the final concept.

鈥淎nd the nature of a mural in general is that it changes over time. It鈥檚 not a fixed piece of art,鈥� Wise said. 鈥淪o we can move those elements and reinstall.鈥�

Additionally, painting onto the building鈥檚 brick would have compromised the detail that made the portrait so striking.

鈥淭he brick would just break up all of your ability to have a finer detail. And we really wanted her face to be detailed 鈥� her dissent collar to be detailed 鈥� and her engagement ring was really important for us to have featured.鈥�

Only Ginsburg鈥檚 black judicial robe is painted onto the building itself. Everything else, the justice鈥檚 face, the collar, the birds, can be lifted off and reinstalled elsewhere.

No matter who buys the property, Wise said she plans to donate the mural to an organization or community group that can preserve it.

鈥淚鈥檓 a really big fan of the arts. I always have been,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it adds character to the city. It鈥檚 an investment in who we are.鈥�

She said she hopes the mural stays in the District.

鈥淚t would be awesome if she stays in D.C. We have a lot of great buildings and a lot of great spaces where she can live,鈥� Wise said. 鈥淚 want her to have a permanent home.鈥�

Wise said if the eventual buyer wants to keep and maintain the mural where it is, that鈥檚 also an option.

鈥淚f we have a buyer that says, 鈥榃e can care for it, we鈥檇 like to have it stay here,鈥� that鈥檚 totally fine,鈥� she said. 鈥淗owever, she does need to be tended to.鈥�

After the auction, the mural鈥檚 future depends on both the buyer of the property and the community partners willing to host it.

鈥淚 want what鈥檚 best for the city,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he mural is an investment in creating landmarks and helping to define and make neighborhoods more special.鈥�

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That old adage about stepping outside and catching a cold does not tell the whole story. What does matter is that winter pushes people indoors and into closer contact, making it easier for viruses to spread.

Children鈥檚 National Hospital infectious disease physician Dr. Alexandra Yonts told 草莓传媒 that this year鈥檚 flu season may arrive later than usual, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be mild.

She warned flu cases could start climbing 鈥渁fter Christmas and New Year鈥檚,鈥� when people travel and families gather.

“Last year, almost 300 children died from influenza, and most of (them) were previously healthy,鈥� Yonts said.

She said one reason the flu shot remains essential is for protecting people with respiratory illnesses, existing health conditions or weakened immune systems.

And no, the flu shot cannot give you the flu.

鈥淚n common vocabulary, we throw around the term 鈥榝lu鈥� to mean any sort of viral illness that gives us a fever. But there are hosts of other viruses that are not covered by the influenza vaccine that can still make you sick,鈥� she said. “Protecting you against influenza specifically is still a priority.”

Yonts added that getting vaccinated is especially important before visiting young children, elderly relatives or immunocompromised family members during the holidays.

鈥淭hink of it as doing it for those people, if you aren鈥檛 interested in doing it just for yourself,鈥� she said.

If you鈥檙e behind, Yonts said getting both the flu shot and the updated COVID booster at the same visit is completely safe: 鈥淭hat has been studied, and it shows there鈥檚 no major difference in the side effects. If anything, you鈥檙e getting them both out of the way at once.鈥�

Flu shots are recommended for those 6 months old and older, and doctors say it takes about two weeks to build full immunity.

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The Nysmith School in Herndon will also pay the family nearly $150,000 to cover attorneys fees and other costs associated with the incident as part of a settlement.

The settlement, announced Tuesday by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, follows a discrimination complaint alleging the Nysmith School ignored escalating harassment, and then removed the victims from the school entirely.

Jeffrey Lang with the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, oversaw the case.

Lang said the family’s ordeal began when one of their sixth-grade daughters, age 11, became the target of a group of students who he said repeatedly harassed the girl because she is Jewish.

“She was being called a baby-killer,” Lang said. “She was told that Jews and Israelis are all baby-killers, that they were glad about what happened on Oct. 7. Just really awful things.”

The student was too afraid to tell anyone, until, according to Lang, a classmate became so disturbed by the bullying that he reported it to the girl’s parents.

In February, the parents met with the head of the Nysmith School and asked for an intervention. The headmaster promised to “investigate and take action, but nothing happened,” Lang told 草莓传媒.

Over the next three weeks, the harassment reportedly escalated. The parents met with the headmaster again for help, and this time, he allegedly told the parents that their daughter “needed to toughen up.”

Two days later, all three siblings, two sixth-grade twins and their 8-year-old brother, were expelled from the school.

“Not only was that daughter expelled,” Lang said, “but their other two children, who had no idea what was even going on, were also expelled that same day.”

The family had attended Nysmith for four years.

“It was their world,” Lang said. “And in a day, it was taken away.”

A statement from the Brandeis Center said “The school fostered an environment that allowed anti-Semitic harassment.”

Earlier this year and before the alleged bullying, the daughter’s teacher asked the class to work together on a drawing depicting what makes “strong historical leaders.”

“The students produced a picture that featured the portrait of Adolf Hitler, and the Nysmith School posted a photo of the children showing off their drawing to the school community,” the Brandeis Center said.

In addition to name-calling, Lang said there was a group that launched a campaign to isolate the middle-school student socially.

“They were shunning her and saying, ‘We hate you.’ For an 11-year old in sixth grade, it was just crushing,” Lang said.

Kenneth L. Marcus, the chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center, wrote in a statement, “Justice has been served” for the family.

As part of the settlement agreement, the Nysmith School will “adopt new nondiscrimination polices,” including clearly defining what antisemitism means, establishing a committee to investigate discrimination complaints, hiring an independent monitor and providing antisemitism training to administrators.

The school will also reimburse the family for expenses incurred because of the expulsion, and the school’s headmaster, Ken Nysmith, will also issue a public statement, expressing “regret for expelling the children,” the Brandeis statement said.

“These steps are critical as antisemitism in K-12 education continues to rise,” Marcus said.

The family will not be returning to the Nysmith School.

草莓传媒 has reached out to the school for comment.

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The District’s Cleveland Park neighborhood lives and breathes around the Smithsonian National Zoo and its pandas.

But for the past 40-odd days, businesses around the zoo have faced a diminishing wave of customers due to the zoo’s closure during the federal government shutdown.

In recent years, new shops along Connecticut Avenue have leaned into the panda theme, hoping to capture some of the millions of people who normally visit the D.C. zoo each year.

One longtime neighborhood staple is Baked by Yael, a nut-free, kosher bakery that specializes in bagels and 鈥淧anda Pops.”

鈥淭he zoo has the cute animals. They go see the animals, and then they come across the street to us. And if the zoo is closed, they’re not coming,” said Yael Krigman, the owner and president of Baked by Yael.

She’s no stranger to navigating uncertain times. Last year,聽her business took a hit聽when D.C.鈥檚 pandas temporarily left the area.

鈥淲e’ve been making Panda Pops throughout the entire shutdown, because everybody needs a little joy, even during a government shutdown,鈥� Krigman added.

Even with strong community support, the impact was clear.

鈥淲e’ve been very lucky that we have the support of a community around us, and so we’ve definitely had some foot traffic,鈥� Krigman said.

But Krigman said the bakery missed out on potential business from the missing zoo visitors. Last year,聽聽checked out the National Zoo.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a huge difference,” Krigman said. “We pay rent to be across the street from the National Zoo. When the zoo is closed, our sales go down significantly. There鈥檚 no walk-in traffic.鈥�

And this is not the first government shutdown her bake shop has had to weather.

鈥淪adly, this is not our first government shutdown, so we are accustomed to pivoting and hustling,” Krigman said. “We stay in business no matter what the government is doing. Whether they’re at work or not, we are at work.”

During this latest shutdown 鈥� just as in 2019 鈥� Baked by Yael offered free meals to zookeepers and treats and bagels to federal workers.

“We’re really happy that the government is open and that the zoo is going to be open, and that is a huge relief for all of us,” Krigman told 草莓传媒. “But we work non-stop no matter what.”

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The verdict, which was reached this week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, found Magassouba鈥檚 2021 termination was 鈥渞etaliatory鈥� and 鈥渧iolated his civil rights.鈥�

His attorney, Jordan “JD” Howlette, wrote the 鈥渧erdict confirms what the evidence has shown all along 鈥� the targeted retaliation that Officer Mohamed Magassouba suffered at the hands of Prince George鈥檚 County was unlawful.鈥�

According to , Magassouba, who served for over a decade on the force, was removed from patrol duties and later fired after refusing to alter his account of a 2019 arrest involving a white officer who used force on a Black woman in front of her son. The incident, which was recorded and circulated widely on social media, drew public criticism at the time.

Howlette said Magassouba faced years of retaliation, including unwarranted discipline and reassignment under a supervisor who allegedly made discriminatory remarks about his African heritage.

In a statement from Howlette, he said the incident should never have happened, but “it stands as proof that justice can prevail. We need more officers like Officer Magassouba, who put their oath to protect citizens above institutional loyalty.鈥�

鈥淭his verdict sends a message that the days of protecting wrongdoers and punishing those who tell the truth are over,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淎ccountability is no longer optional.鈥�

Civil rights leaders from the local branches of the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference praised the outcome during a virtual news conference Friday, calling it a 鈥渧ictory for justice鈥� and a step toward accountability in one of Maryland鈥檚 largest police departments.

鈥淲e love our law enforcement,鈥� said Josephine Mourning, president of the Prince George鈥檚 County SCLC. 鈥淏ut we want them to show integrity in their job, as all of us have to show integrity in ours.鈥�

The case follows years of scrutiny of the Prince George鈥檚 County Police Department, which in 2021 agreed to pay $25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by Black and Latino officers who alleged systemic racism and retaliation within the department.

Magassouba, who joined the department in 2009, has since gone on to lead in other local law enforcement roles. He was named Capitol Heights Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2024 and appointed as the chief of police there in May of this year.

鈥淭he department had to create a false illusion about my personality, of who I am as a person. So they were basically saying that I was arrested for armed robbery or attempted sexual assault. And everything was false, and that鈥檚 not who I am. And it did create a conflict in my household, and me and my wife had to have marital counseling,鈥� Magassouba said.

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The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Eastern District of Virginia, names four plaintiffs who came to the U.S. after being abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents. All have obtained or applied for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a legal designation Congress created nearly 40 years ago to provide a pathway to citizenship for children who cannot safely return to their home countries.

鈥淭hese children have every right to pursue SIJS,鈥� said Sophia Gregg, ACLU senior immigrants鈥� rights attorney. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement is 鈥渞ecategorizing and reconsidering the entire federal regulations 鈥� and their justification really doesn鈥檛 hold any water.鈥�

The four plaintiffs are currently being held at the Farmville and Caroline detention facilities in Virginia. According to the ACLU, their detention is part of a broader Trump administration strategy to classify immigrant youth with SIJS as 鈥渁rriving noncitizens,鈥� subject to mandatory detention and ineligible for bond hearings.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing this across the country for all individuals. Millions of people, potentially, are in immigration detention who would otherwise not have been a few months ago,鈥� Gregg told 草莓传媒. 鈥淭hose unaccompanied minors are protected under the many federal laws and anti-trafficking laws that are specifically intended to protect children.鈥�

Under the SIJS process, immigrant children must first be released to a sponsor, placed under custody orders from a state judge, and then they can apply for status. Visa availability can take years, but the protections Congress established were designed to prevent children from being detained while they wait.

Instead, the ACLU lawsuit argues, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is keeping children locked up and cutting them off from the ability to pursue their cases and effectively pressuring them to abandon their rights.

Gregg called the policy part of 鈥渁 mass deportation agenda,鈥� adding these are kids 鈥淐ongress intended to protect 鈥� and identified as being the most vulnerable and in need of protection.鈥�

鈥淭he immigration courts are now taking the position, as is the rest of the Trump administration, that nobody, including this specifically vulnerable group, is entitled to hearings for the release under bond pending their immigration cases,” Gregg said.

The case, , was filed with co-counsel Tanishka Cruz of Cruz Law, and Patrice Kopistansky. The ACLU is seeking the immediate release of the named plaintiffs, as well as a ruling that would guarantee bond hearings for similarly situated minors nationwide.

Violation of the Hatch Act

On Friday, the watchdog group Public Citizen filed 11 complaints against major agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Treasury, Department of Justice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration and the White House.

The of tampering with webpages and automatic out-of-office emails to blame Democrats for the government shutdown.

As of Friday afternoon, HUD’s website featured a banner and a pop-up message blaming the “Radical Left” for the current federal government shutdown.

Ethics experts argue the edits violate the Hatch Act, which bars political activity in federal workplaces and protects employees from partisan pressure. They warn the coordinated changes not only misrepresent federal workers but also use government resources to sway voters.

鈥淭his is unique. 鈥� These agencies are the biggest agencies in the federal government. You鈥檝e got a coordinated effort coming from the White House to get the entire federal government and all the different agencies working together to try to influence the electoral mood of the American public to support Donald Trump and oppose Democrats. I鈥檝e never seen this type of scope of violation of the Hatch Act before in my life,鈥� government affairs lobbyist Craig Holman said.聽

Holman, who filed the complaints with Public Citizen, added, 鈥淭his ought to be enough to actually make the Office of Special Counsel do something, or if they don鈥檛 do something, it gives me grounds for litigation.鈥�

草莓传媒’s Michelle Murillo contributed to this report.

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The vigil, held at Four Mile Run Park Plaza, was organized by Tenants and Workers United, Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) and Community Lodgings. Participants prayed, held candles, sang and stood together as a demonstration of solidarity.

The event was sparked by recent enforcement actions, including construction workers arrested on the first day of school and an individual detained at a local bus stop. Residents of the Chirilagua neighborhood have also reported repeated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

For immigrant families, the anxiety is real.

David Lagos, a sophomore at Alexandria City High School, who has worked with for five years, said Tuesday night, 鈥淥f course I鈥檓 scared. I鈥檓 scared they鈥檒l go after my family. I know I鈥檓 OK, but I don鈥檛 want my family getting hurt.鈥�

Evelin Urrutia, the executive director with TWU, said the gathering was about courage and action as much as it was prayer.

鈥淲hat we are telling people is just to be careful. Get to know your neighbors. Coordinate when you鈥檙e doing something so everyone knows what is happening. Join organizations. Join your neighbors. Get to know who lives next to you, just be more informed and more aware,鈥� Urrutia advised.

Organizers said the work continues, with faith groups and civic organizations pledging to push for stronger protections for immigrant families in Alexandria and across the region. Additionally, TWU is advising residents to alert them to any increased ICE activity in the area.

鈥淟ook around and support each other. We are living in difficult times where the community has had to come together and create a safe space for all of us,鈥� Urrutia said.

鈥淲e should be together as a community, and we should speak up for what is right,鈥� Lagos added.

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鈥淏efore I got close, I thought it was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers,鈥� one visitor, Don said with a laugh. 鈥淭hen I realized it was Trump.鈥�

The 12-foot, bronze-colored sculpture depicting President Donald Trump and the late disgraced financier and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein hand-in-hand was installed by an anonymous art collective calling itself 鈥淭he Secret Handshake.鈥� It is constructed from wood, foam and resin, finished to look like a traditional monument.

The group said it is a statement of free speech.

The pair are shown mid-dance, and a plaque below references the president鈥檚 and the convicted sex trafficker鈥檚 past association, including quotes from the birthday message Trump reportedly wrote Epstein.

“The Secret Handshake” arrived the week after another statue depicting Trump showed up on the Mall. That statue featured the president holding a giant Bitcoin, which was mounted by a group of crypto investors who hoped 鈥渢o ignite conversation about the future of government-issued currency.鈥�

Reactions ranged from amused to uneasy, with some predicting the statue will not stay in place for long. Still, the unexpected artwork had already become a pop-up attraction, drawing steady foot traffic.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad we got to see it, I don鈥檛 think it will be here much longer,鈥� joked Julie, who was visiting from Germany.

The group behind the latest statue filed a permit with the National Park Service to put their statue up until the end of the month, with the purpose to 鈥渄emonstrate freedom of speech and artistic expression using political imagery.鈥�

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The Montgomery County Little League’s Upper County Division, affectionately known as the “Wolfpack,” is gearing up for the biggest stage of their season: the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut.

A win there would punch their ticket to the Little League World Series.

The team secured its spot after clinching the Maryland state title on Friday.

鈥淲e had really good energy,鈥� said catcher and third baseman Grayson Greenbaum.

Since then, it鈥檚 been a whirlwind of planning, rest and preparation.

“We gave the team a few days off … to spend time with family,” said first manager Adam Weber. “This is our first practice since … and we鈥檝e started scouting on the other teams.”

The Wolfpack will face off against the Glenmoore Eagle Little League from Pennsylvania in Sunday鈥檚 opening round. If they win, they鈥檒l play again on Tuesday.

A loss would bump them to the elimination bracket for a must-win game Monday. It鈥檚 a modified double-elimination format featuring teams from Maryland, Delaware, D.C. and Pennsylvania. D.C. will be represented by the .

鈥淭his is the first time that Upper County has gone (to the Mid Atlantic regional tournament),鈥� Weber said, noting that the Lower County team has reached this level twice. “We gave ourselves the nickname of ‘the Wolfpack’ three years ago just to have a team name.”

鈥淓very time we break a huddle, we howl,鈥� Greenbaum explained.

When they win, player Landon Hodges said they鈥檒l 鈥渏ump up and dogpile each other.鈥�

Weber, who has coached Little League and travel baseball for nearly a decade, said the focus is on staying grounded.

He said he’s telling his team to “take it one pitch, one out, one inning at a time 鈥� just like they have all tournament. And not get distracted by all the other stuff that’s going on.”

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e just trying to win our first game,鈥� said player Colton Jamieson.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very energetic and (there鈥檚 a lot of) talking, motivating each other,鈥� third baseman Maddox Schiano told 草莓传媒 of what the team is like on the field.

The stakes are high: The winner of the regional tournament advances to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Weber鈥檚 own 12-year-old son, Blake, is one of the team鈥檚 players.

鈥淭his is fun, especially because it鈥檚 only like once in a lifetime. Next year, it鈥檚 not going to be as much baseball, so I鈥檓 just hoping to make the most of it,鈥� Blake told 草莓传媒.

鈥淲e team won the state at 10U and 11U, so we have a lot of experience behind us,鈥� Weber added. “Remain calm and draw from the prior experience that all the coaches have to go out and execute.”

The regional tournament takes place at the East Regional Little League headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, located just outside the ESPN campus.

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Little did she know that her attendance would turn into one of the most emotional and talked about moments of the season.

In a surprise twist orchestrated by her mom, the Gaithersburg resident was called up from the audience to perform an audition song.

“I had absolutely no clue!” Wilson told 草莓传媒.

Initially, Wilson, 21, was told that she was a VIP guest in attendance to watched taped auditions.

“My mom, being how awesome and great she is, said that a part of the VIP experience was getting my hair and makeup done,” she said.

Once hair and makeup were complete, Wilson and her “momager” headed to the auditorium.

“And then the audio guys came up to me and they were like, ‘You’re a VIP audience member, we want to hear the ad-libs and the oohs and the ahs in the audience, so can we mic you up?’ and I was like, ‘Sure, whatever,'” Wilson recalled.

Back at home on the East Coast, Wilson is an active singer, with upcoming performances around the D.C. area and a

Wilson’s mom later shared with her daughter that producers from “America’s Got Talent” reached out to her after a video of her singing went viral.

“About a year ago, my mom made a very mom-like TikTok video of me, posted it on her TikTok. And it was me singing karaoke when I was 16 years old,” she said. “And they found it, one of the producers, because it kind of blew up a little bit. It had almost a million views.”

Back in the crowded California auditorium, Wilson’s mom sneaked away to “the bathroom,” and when聽she was told she was not allowed to go check on her mom, “I thought the next act was coming out, and it happened to be my mom.”

When she looked up, her mom was on stage with a microphone in her hands.

“I’m actually here surprising my daughter. She thinks we’re here for a VIP experience in the audience. But I nominated Anna to audition today,” Wilson’s mother explained to the judges before asking them to let her daughter sing.

“I was just going through so many emotions at that point. I thought my mom was in the restroom. 鈥� I was happy to be there, but shocked,” Wilson said.

The feel-good moment has since gone viral, with thousands sharing the video of Wilson’s raw, unexpected performance and the touching story behind it.

“I trust her because she’s my mom. I don’t think she would steer me down the wrong path,” she said. “Not only does this show that I’m a good singer, but I’m also a professional and I can be put on the spot and just be unfazed. So I think that was actually, honestly, a blessing.”

Spoiler alert: Wilson made it through to the live shows, which begin airing in mid-August.

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The deadline marked the end of an exclusivity window with the Commanders, who are seeking to return to D.C. The deal would let the NFL franchise build a new stadium, team offices and parking garages at the old RFK Stadium site.

While the council gave preliminary approval to the fiscal year 2026 budget Monday, including $1 billion set aside for the football stadium, it left out language that would have made the term sheet legally binding. A separate bill formalizing the deal is scheduled for public hearings later this month.

Council chair Phil Mendelson said over the weekend that he had held 鈥渁 number of meetings鈥� with team representatives, and described those meetings as 鈥渧ery productive, pleasant and constructive.鈥�

鈥淲e’re working well together. The council is trying to move toward a positive vote on the stadium,鈥� said Mendelson, who called the budget proposal a fair compromise.

Mendelson is among those critical of the 鈥渙verspending鈥� allocated in the budget. Council members said they need more time to review the deal and the spending commitment it would entail.

The council said it 鈥渞ecognizes the once-in-a-generation opportunity the District has to redevelop the RFK campus and bring the Commanders back to their rightful home in the District. However, the committee also recognizes that the Council needs more time to consider the proposed deal, which would commit the District to spending well above $1 billion over the coming decade.鈥�

Council members said in the past they are critical of the quick timeline to pass the deal. Mendelson has made it clear the council does not plan to reconvene during August recess, meaning a final vote may not happen until September.

With , leaders from both D.C. and Maryland are weighing in.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore commented on the ongoing deal, not acknowledging if his state is out of the running, but saying he’s focused on using the designated space in his state for another future project.

鈥淚 am not involved in what’s happening between the Commanders and Washington, D.C.,” Moore said. “My commitment is to making sure this area is going to be better than what it is right now.鈥�

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser saying, in part, 鈥淚 am optimistic that we can work together to pass a final budget that lives up to our D.C. values, grows our economy and does both without adding any additional burdens on taxpayers and business.鈥�

In a news conference Monday, she stressed her commitment to bringing business and industry to the District, and added that 鈥渨ithout the terms of the deal, there is no deal.鈥�

Bowser said there has been no talk of an extension to the deadline.

草莓传媒 has reached out to the Washington Commanders for comment.

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鈥淟ast winter was relatively benign,鈥� said Michael Raupp, also known as the 鈥淏ug Guy,” who’s an entomologist and professor at the University of Maryland. 鈥淭he temperatures weren鈥檛 all that cold, and there was ample rainfall. What this means is high survival rates, not just for firefly larvae, but for the prey they feed on.鈥�

鈥淔irefly larvae are predators,鈥� he added. 鈥淚f snails, slugs, and other insects survive in higher numbers, it boosts firefly populations the following year.鈥�

And that鈥檚 exactly what we鈥檙e seeing.

Beyond weather patterns, location plays a huge role in whether you鈥檒l be treated to this nightly light show.

鈥淲here there鈥檚 been little development, where pesticides haven鈥檛 been used for long periods of time, and where there鈥檚 little light pollution 鈥� these are places we can expect to see lots and lots of fireflies,” Raupp said.

Just last year, it was reported that fireflies could soon be listed as an endangered species, with light pollution listed as a top threat to their existence.

To many of us, fireflies are more than just bugs:

鈥淭hey鈥檙e Mother Nature鈥檚 fireworks,鈥� Raupp said with a smile. 鈥淚 think for millions of kids who grew up in the U.S., especially here in the DMV, we remember catching them in jars, watching them glow, and letting them go. What could be more special to witness?鈥�

This year鈥檚 abundance is offering that wonder all over again.

鈥淭his has been a really good year for fireflies,鈥� he said.

Here鈥檚 how to make your yard more firefly-friendly:

• Reduce or eliminate outdoor lights at night
• Avoid pesticides
• Leave some leaf litter or moisture-rich areas where larvae can thrive
• Keep part of your lawn unmowed or plant native grasses and shrubs

And when you see them, take a moment and let yourself feel like a kid again.

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Summer weather in the D.C. area is falling into a familiar pattern that’s increasingly dangerous, according to Allison Reilly, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Reilly researches identifying areas of risk and enabling resilient infrastructure, specifically in coastal communities vulnerable to sea level rise.

She said the shift in storm behavior is especially noticeable in the mid-Atlantic region, where heat and humidity build throughout the day, creating the perfect conditions for afternoon blowups.

“As things get hotter, more moisture is able to be held in the air,” Reilly said. “Because it’s been hotter, there’s more capacity in the air to hold water vapor. So we are seeing heavier rainfall.”

Reilly said unpredictable storms can cause localized destruction with little warning.

“We do see, over time, the intensity of a lot of these climate driven hazards are getting worse,” Reilly said.

Reilly told 草莓传媒 that recovery is harder than ever.

“With fewer FEMA staff available to help recover, it certainly makes everything look more challenging,” Reilly said.

The takeaway: don’t let calm skies lull you into a false sense of security. Be prepared for not just the forecast, but the worst case scenario.

“Have your emergency alerts on your phone, or have a NOAA radio that tells you what to do,” Reilly said. “Have backup water in your home should you need to shelter in place. Don’t drive in flooded water. Have an emergency plan in action and a plan in place.”

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