Maybe “The X-Files” was right: The truth is out there.

Now that the Pentagon has launched a new website on UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomenon, hundreds of files containing possible extraterrestrial life have been made available to the public.

The website features more than 160 files with videos, photographs and firsthand accounts of mysterious objects seen around the world.

NASA, along with the FBI, the State and Defense departments,聽provided images, including some taken by an astronaut on the moon during Apollo missions.

草莓传媒 showed tourists visiting the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in D.C. a few of the newly released videos to get their take.

鈥淎 big, black, blurry image with colorful dots鈥� is how 14-year-old Courtney Cox from Indiana described one video. 鈥淚 think there’s something up there.”

Heath from Chesterfield, Virginia, spotted something that looked familiar in one video.

鈥淟ike a little plane or something going across the sky,鈥� Heath said. 鈥淒efinitely not a bird, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�

Each person believes there is something out there. Anne from Michigan believes if beings from another world ever arrived on Earth, they would be 鈥渃autious.鈥�

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Institutionalized, locked up, hidden, punished, ignored and forgotten are some of the ways those battling mental health issues were treated during our first two centuries.

While mental health treatment had evolved over time, one of its champions, Rosalynn Carter, the wife of Jimmy Carter, the then-Democratic nominee for president, told a nationwide audience on a September 1976 appearance on Meet the Press that it was going to be on her agenda.

鈥淭he thing that I want to work with is the mental health program,鈥� Rosalynn Carter said. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked with that for a very long time. I鈥檓 very concerned about that.鈥�

“Rosalynn Carter always wanted to help people. She sought out causes and people to help, whether it related to her personally or not,鈥� said Andrew Och, author of .

as she often spoke about a conversation she had while campaigning for her husband鈥檚 failed race for governor of Georgia in 1966.

While talking to a woman outside of an Atlanta cotton mill, Rosalynn heard about her mentally ill daughter and how she and her husband couldn鈥檛 afford 鈥渢o have good help for her.鈥�

Hours later, Rosalynn asked her husband, 鈥淲hat will you do about mental health in Georgia?鈥�

Jimmy Carter answered, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have the best program in the country and I鈥檓 going to put you in charge of it.鈥�

Jimmy didn鈥檛 win that election, but four years later, it became a reality. Once Jimmy became the 76th governor of Georgia, he created the Governor’s Commission to Improve Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped.

One of the members of the commission was Rosalynn. Over a 10-month period, she made surprise visits to the state鈥檚 dozen community mental health centers along with hospitals in Augusta and Savannah.

One of the facilities Rosalynn visited had a very long past that she knew well.

Central State Hospital, which is nearly 100 miles outside of Atlanta, opened in 1842 as the . Horrifically, its first patient, Tilman Barnett, arrived chained to an ox cart and died six months later.

By the 1960s, the institution had 12,000 patients in 200 buildings, making it the .

Jimmy and Rosalynn visited his cousin Tommy Carter at Central State Hospital. Seeing his treatment and the conditions of the hospital influenced her to make permanent changes.

The commission鈥檚 report, “Helping Troubled Georgians Solve Their Problems,” advised the expansion of community mental-health centers, moved away from long-term institutions and improved coordination between agencies, which made it easier for people to get help without being hospitalized.

Thanks to those changes, Georgia saw a 30% drop in state hospital admissions.

, Rosalynn says her 鈥渨ork with the mentally ill,鈥� was the high point.

Two years after the Carters left the governor鈥檚 mansion, they were unpacking boxes in their new home at the White House.

Now that President Carter could make changes on a national scale, he followed the same approach that worked in Georgia.

As his budget director Bert Lance liked to say, 鈥淚f it ain鈥檛 broke, don鈥檛 fix it.鈥� So Jimmy did what he had done before: created a commission and put Rosalynn in a leadership role once again.

鈥淲ith mental health issues, President Carter saw Mrs. Carter as that caregiver,鈥� Och said. 鈥淎s that person that really genuinely cared about these people and wanted them to get better and put her in charge of it.鈥�

While she couldn鈥檛 make the same type of surprise visits to mental hospitals as she had as first lady of Georgia, Rosalynn did tour them, along with mental health centers, and met with patients and families.

During her time in the role, she advocated for caregivers and made an effort to reduce the stigma for those seeking help.

鈥淲e have to get the word out that mental illnesses can be diagnosed and treated, and almost everyone suffering from mental illness can live meaningful lives in their communities,鈥� Rosalynn said.

In 1979, Rosalynn became the first first lady to address a Senate panel since Eleanor Roosevelt.

鈥淭he mental health problems facing our country are the problems of all citizens,鈥� Rosalynn said. 鈥淭he people with these problems are ourselves, our families, our neighbors and our friends.鈥�

Just one year after Carter took office, the presidential commission on mental health delivered its final report to him.

The Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 was passed only a month before Carter lost a landslide election to Ronald Reagan. The sweeping changes that had been in the “Helping Troubled Georgians Solve Their Problems” report were never fully implemented.

For the next five decades, Rosalynn continued to champion programs through the Carter Center that reminded everyone that 鈥渕ental health is health.”

The next time you watch Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting or Frasier as he listens or even Tony鈥檚 session with Dr. Melfi on The Sopranos, think about Rosalynn Carter.

She started the public conversation on mental health in a way that had never been done before and in 2026, our country is better for it.

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The youth-led initiative was started in 2021 by Noah Sneed, thanks to a $500 youth-ambassador grant from the nonprofit It has since raised over $50,000 and supported over 1,000 mothers and babies around the D.C. area.

Now that Sneed is a sophomore at the Berklee College of Music, his younger brother Justice and his friend Halo Davis are continuing the tradition of giving.

鈥淥ur goal is to raise $5,000 for the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C.,鈥� Justice said. 鈥淎ll donations will go toward purchasing medical supplies and infant supplies like Pampers and formula.鈥�

Noah and Justice鈥檚 mom, Carlesa, told 草莓传媒 she could not be 鈥渕ore thrilled and more proud of them.鈥�

鈥淗e’s had a tremendous village of women to support him throughout his whole life,鈥� Carlesa said of Noah. 鈥淢yself, his grandmothers, my sister. 鈥� I think his passion for that came from his love for women who have loved him.鈥�

Carlesa said she鈥檚 close with her 鈥渆motionally intelligent鈥� sons and talks to them about the type of 鈥渢hings that impact women.鈥�

鈥淭he way I’ve been able to provide for them is not something that everyone has the ability to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e’ve always talked about 鈥� having a heart of gratitude, and from that gratitude, a heart of giving.鈥�

Justice said seeing the impact their work is having on families feels “absolutely amazing.”

鈥淚 believe that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world,鈥� Justice said. 鈥淟ittle by little, a little becomes a lot, and that me and my brother’s contributions can really help change the lives of others.鈥�

To help the BabyLove Project reach their goal, visit

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The nearly 30 million people who visit America鈥檚 front yard each year will have a dining choices upgrade thanks to overhaul of the eight redesigned kiosks that span the National Mall set to be finished by Memorial Day weekend.

Laura Comer, vice president of food and beverage operations with Taste of History, told 草莓传媒 the days of standard hot dogs and pretzels are over for the kiosks. There will also be 25 food carts around the Mall.

鈥淓veryone’s got their own identity,鈥� Comer said of the kiosks. 鈥淜ind of either tied to the museum they’re next to, or next to the monuments.鈥�

Near the Lincoln Memorial, you鈥檒l be able to munch on a Lincoln coin waffle, which is a waffle filled with mozzarella cheese.

If you鈥檙e adventurous and like to eat healthy, Comer recommends Nature鈥檚 Table.

Over near the Natural History Museum, visitors can eat custom-made quinoa bowls and acai bowls, but Comer said her favorite thing there were the chocolate-covered cricket chips.

If you are wondering 鈥� yes, it鈥檚 really crickets.

“It’s very high protein. Protein of the future,鈥� Comer said with a laugh.

If candy insects are not your bag, head over to Founders Fare by the Jefferson Memorial, which is the home of macaroni and cheese bowls.

鈥淭hey were actually created by (Thomas Jefferson’s) state,鈥� Comer said. 鈥淪o, we have a couple different varieties of a topped macaroni and cheese bowl for you.鈥�

There are also hot dogs at Founders Fare, including Chicago and Coney Island styles.

Head over to Liberty Bistro at Constitution Gardens for a more upscale experience with charcuterie and wine, or try the Melting Pot by the Museum of American History.

鈥淲e’ve got walking tacos from all different cuisines. So we have Korean, Tex-Mex and a Mediterranean,鈥� Comer added. 鈥淪o again, all the kiosks kind of reflect where their location is.鈥�

If you have your heart set on something sweet, Comer confirmed there will be soft-serve ice cream. By the carousel is World鈥檚 Fair, which features some food introduced at the 1903 World鈥檚 Fair in St. Louis, like cotton candy and corn dogs.

Not only has the quality of food been given an upgrade, the experience has been brought into the 21st century thanks to the option of mobile ordering. That will not only make it easier for tourists but also for those who work by the Mall.

鈥淧eople can order and then pop down from their office and grab lunch,鈥� Comer said. 鈥淲e’ve also got QR codes dispersed around so you can scan those with your phone, and you’ll be able to order online from there.鈥�

The stated goal from Frank Pikus, the CEO of Taste of History, is to 鈥渃reate something that feels both easy and enjoyable.”

鈥淲hether you鈥檙e here for a few hours or a few days, there鈥檚 something new to discover at each stop along the way,鈥� Pikus said in a news release.

As we celebrate America鈥檚 250th anniversary this summer, there will be fireworks, tourists from around the world and food options like never before.

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If you closed your eyes and just listened, the two debates may have sounded like a rerun. Over 75 minutes, candidates at both forums repeatedly returned to the same core themes: public safety, home rule, affordability and President Donald Trump.

At the delegate debate, D.C. Councilmembers Robert White and Brooke Pinto were joined by former Democratic National Committee finance chair Kinney Zalesne, former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission chair Greg Jaczko, and Trent Holbrook, who until recently worked for Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton.

At the mayoral debate, candidates included D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, former council members Vincent Orange and Kenyan McDuffie, federal contractor Reni Sampath, and real estate developer Gary Goodweather.

Affordability

White, the at-large councilmember running for D.C. delegate, said he was the only candidate who understood 鈥渞eal life experiences.鈥�

鈥淧eople who can’t afford to miss one paycheck, what happens when someone gets laid off? What happens when food programs get cut?鈥� White said. 鈥淲e need somebody in that seat who knows this, not just theoretically, but truly and in their soul.鈥�

Zalesne, also running for D.C. delegate, called for the expanding the federal Section 8 housing voucher program beyond its current scope.

鈥淪o there’s more money in it, and so that it’s more flexible,鈥� Zalesne said. 鈥淧eople can use it for first time mortgages and give people more access to our housing stock.鈥�

Pinto, during the delegate debate, encouraged voters to review her federal housing plan, which includes repealing the federal Height of Buildings Act.

鈥淏uild higher and denser, building more housing above transit, making sure that we’re making rent tax deductible,鈥� Pinto said.

At the mayoral forum, Lewis George said affordability benefits the entire city.

鈥淲hen people can afford childcare, and people can afford housing, and people can afford groceries and utilities 鈥� that means those people are going to patronize our businesses,鈥� Lewis George said

鈥淲e have to build more housing across incomes, including deeply affordable housing, and we have to do it faster,鈥� McDuffie said.

鈥淚t is also important that we build a city where that is affordable, that D.C. residents can work in, can live and send their kids to school in,鈥� Goodweather said.

鈥淭he way we’re going to fix our city is by putting a real administrator and operator in office in D.C.,鈥� Sampath said. 鈥淚t takes on average 13 months to fill one affordable housing unit.鈥�

Home rule

The issue that Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton is best known for came up repeatedly among candidates hoping to replace her.

鈥淢y plan, this time last year, was to run for mayor, but it became clear to me 鈥� we may not have a mayor or council much longer if we don’t have someone in Congress protecting our city and the little bit of home rule that we have,” White said.

鈥淚’ve also been the leader in Congress defending and advancing D.C. Home Rule,鈥� Holbrook said, adding: 鈥淒.C. is under greater attack now than at least since the 1990s and probably under greater attack than at any time since the Home Rule Act of 1973.鈥�

Holbrook said he believes the attacks are fueled by D.C.鈥檚 push for statehood.

On that issue, Zalesne said the District needs a national marketing campaign.

鈥淲e need signs on our airport walls, on the walls of Union Station, on the sides of our buses that say, 鈥榃elcome to D.C. We’re the last colony,鈥欌�� Zalesne said.

During the mayoral debate, Lewis George referenced home rule in her opening statement.

鈥淲ho do you trust to stand up to Trump in this administration and protect our home rule?鈥� Lewis George said.

McDuffie raised the issue during his opening statement and again in his closing remarks.

鈥淚’m running to be your mayor, to keep you safe. To invest in education and quality schools, and to make sure we transform the future of the District of Columbia in a way that protects our home rule,鈥� McDuffie said.

The Trump administration

鈥淭he DOGE cuts that have led to the reduction of a loss of 100,000 jobs for D.C. residents that we’ve been impacted by is an absolute travesty,” Pinto said.

Zalesne said one of D.C.’s “great triumphs” was “the creation of the Black middle class鈥� through federal employment.

鈥淭rump knows it. The DOGE program was not about efficiency,” Zalesne said. 鈥滻t was about destroying the Black middle class.鈥�

鈥淥ne of the programs that’s been severely decimated by the Trump administration, is an opportunity for alternative credit programs to allow people who may not have significant credit history to afford a home and to buy a home,鈥� Jaczko said.

鈥淭he last person who should control the National Guard when the next certification of the next president happens at the end of Donald Trump’s term is Donald Trump,鈥� White said.

First-time candidate, Goodweather said responsibility also lies with District leadership.

鈥淢y colleagues on council opened the door to allow Trump to take over our city,” Goodweather said. 鈥淭he best thing I’m going to do is create a city that lifts every D.C. resident up and ensures that our budget is strong.鈥�

鈥淲e will not fear to negotiate with President Trump and Congress, ” Orange said. 鈥淣on-negotiable is D.C. autonomy, and non-negotiable is the pursuit of statehood.鈥�

Both debates were sponsored by The Washington Informer, the D.C. Democratic Party, the Washington Association of Black Journalists, and the Greater Washington D.C. Black Chamber of Commerce.

The Democratic primary will be held June 16, with early voting beginning June 8.

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After nearly 10 months, the home of the half-smoke has once again opened its doors.

The grand reopening of Ben鈥檚 Chili Bowl transformed U Street NW into a block party Friday. There was go-go music, people dancing, and a famous person everywhere you looked.

Film director Spike Lee told the crowd he flew in from Atlanta to be in the District. Doug Williams, who won the MVP while leading the Burgundy and Gold to a Super Bowl win in 1988, was on stage with the founding family. Maryland鈥檚 first lady, Dawn Moore, introduced the eatery’s matriarch, Virginia Ali, to the stage.

Not far from Lee sat Sharon Pratt, D.C.鈥檚 first female mayor, and on the other side of the stage was former first lady of D.C., Cora Masters Barry.

Sage Ali, son of the Ben’s Chili Bowl founders, took note of the heavy hitters in the front row during his speech.

鈥淚 am emotional right now,鈥� Sage said. 鈥淚’m looking at Spike Lee. I’m looking at Donnie Simpson, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, my mom, Mayor Muriel Bowser. I’m honored.鈥�

Sage’s wife, Vida, told 草莓传媒 she knew their schedules were 鈥渧ery busy.鈥�

鈥淔or them to take the time to come here and celebrate with us means everything to the family,鈥� Vida said. 鈥淚t’s just been a truly, truly blessed day.鈥�

Bowser, who was smiling as she walked onto the stage, let everyone know that it was a special day.

鈥淚t is my honor today 鈥� to my friend, my neighbor, my teacher, our inspiration 鈥� to acknowledge May 1, 2026, as Ben’s Chili Bowl Day in the best city in the world,” she declared.

Bowser pointed out that at 92 years old, Virginia could still 鈥渢ell you stories.鈥�

And Virginia did just that.

After she had her first meal in the new Ben鈥檚 Chili Bowl, she spoke of the days when artists like Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Duke Ellington were regulars.

鈥淒uring the days of segregation, that was just normal,鈥� Virginia said. 鈥淎ll those celebrities that were performing in the city, they were here after their show.”

Sage pointed out that sometimes the artists were not permitted to eat at the places they performed, so they would come to Ben鈥檚 Chili Bowl instead.

Virginia said the restaurant would stay open until 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. during the early days.

The new Chili Bowl

It鈥檚 hard not to smile when you watch the video of Virginia walking inside the restaurant for the first time since it closed its doors last July.

鈥淚 have been here 67 and a half years,鈥� Virginia said. 鈥淲hen I walked in here, I saw my Chili Bowl. It was just fresher and cleaner and new. I’m very happy.鈥�

Virginia had made it clear to her three sons and daughters-in-law, who all help run the business, that she wanted them to fix some of the issues a 117-year-old building naturally develops, without changing the restaurant’s character.

鈥淲e have an HVAC that works; we have grills that work,鈥� Vida said.

The drop ceiling is gone, and now, the original tin tiles from 1910 are shining white, as are the half-moon windows above the grill that now let the sunlight in.

鈥淚 think she loves that we accomplish what we wanted to accomplish in keeping it old while bringing it up to code,鈥� Vida said.

As Virginia sat in the back, eating a piece of red velvet cake in the shape of the restaurant she and her husband poured their hearts into, she looked pleased being back in her Chili Bowl.

Almost as happy were the people lining up down the street, waiting to get their hands on a half-smoke.

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President Jimmy Carter created the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 47 years ago, which merged 100 different programs and five different agencies into one office to handle emergency management.

Now FEMA is under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, but its roots date back to the first federal lifeline, the .

It started at 4 a.m. 鈥� the day after Christmas on a Sunday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. A single wooden house on Court Street near Market Square went up in flames and the winter winds spread through the seaport city.

By the time the fire was extinguished, the fire had destroyed an estimated 114 buildings, including homes, businesses and the St. John Church (formerly Queen鈥檚 Chapel).

As first reported by a newspaper in Portsmouth and later reprinted in a Lancaster, Pennsylvania newspaper, the townspeople came together to fight the fire.

鈥淟et it be recorded,鈥� the paper read. 鈥淭o the honor of a great number of Females,鈥� that after being burned out of their own homes, they did not flee in despair. Instead, the accounts said, they joined the bucket brigades alongside men, handing water until they were 鈥渁t the point of fainting-dying.鈥�

, which, for context, is $6,172,205 in today鈥檚 dollars.

That may not sound like the kind of eye-popping number often attached to modern disaster relief. Keep in mind, just one year later, in 1803, the United States completed the Louisiana Purchase, shelling out $15 million to acquire 828,000 square miles of territory, land that would eventually double the size of the nation.

The incredible loss was not fully realized by leaders in Washington, D.C. until John Langdon, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate, alerted federal officials.

Langdon, leading a part of a five-person local relief committee, knew a plea for sympathy wouldn’t be enough. He took a harder line with Congress, arguing they needed to help the port city because it was a direct threat to the nation鈥檚 commerce.

That led President Thomas Jefferson to make history by signing the Congressional Act of 1803, the first legislative act of federal disaster relief in U.S. history.

Unlike today, the relief was not in the form of money. It suspended bond payments for several months.

The town鈥檚 merchants owed money to the federal government in the form of customs bonds.

These were guarantees tied to import duties, essentially, promises that merchants would pay taxes on goods coming through the port.

It may seem surprising that delaying payments rather than providing cash was a lifeline. This extra time prevented bankruptcies and legal penalties, giving business owners the breathing room they needed to rebuild.

Not only did leaders in Washington, D.C. help, but so did average Americans.

In almost a GoFundMe of its day, donations poured in from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Trenton, New Jersey, and more than 1,000 miles away in Savannah, Georgia, totaling $45,000, which is $1,315,007 in today鈥檚 dollars.

Sadly, Portsmouth would have a total of three horrific fires around Christmas over 11 years.

Today, relief efforts for a fire like Portsmouth鈥檚 would be different than they did in 1803. Instead of just pausing tax bills, we have a system built for speed.

FEMA would coordinate the federal response, sending in teams to assess damage, support first responders and provide aid after a presidential disaster declaration.

Survivors could receive help with housing, repairs and essential needs, while communities get funding to rebuild and recover.

Now, 250 years after our country鈥檚 founding, help arrives after a disaster quickly and continues long after the emergency ends, just as the bucket brigade wouldn鈥檛 let Portsmouth go dark in 1802.

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Former D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie and Ward 4 Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George squared off in a mayoral Democratic primary debate aired Wednesday night from WUSA9.

Moderator Lorenzo Hall started the debate by telling viewers and the dozens of Ward 7 residents in the studio that out of the seven candidates running for D.C. mayor, only Lewis George and McDuffie qualified to participate.

The hourlong debate took place at the WUSA9 studio in Ward 3.

The debate had Lewis George arguing leadership means “showing up,鈥� while McDuffie maintained what he has “delivered” to D.C. is more important than his opponent’s campaign promises.

From housing, affordability, public safety, the RFK stadium project to President Donald Trump, the two candidates pointed out they had “shown up,” (said 12 times by Lewis George), or “delivered” (said 32 times by McDuffie).

Lewis was the first to speak. She shared part of her backstory, noting that she’s a third-generation Washingtonian, graduated from D.C. Public Schools and the Howard University School of Law and has experience as an organizer and prosecutor.

鈥淲ho do you trust to show up and fight for all of our residents in all eight wards, including Ward 7?鈥� Lewis George said. 鈥淲ho do you trust to address this affordability crisis where housing and utilities and childcare are too expensive?鈥�

As McDuffie introduced himself to the viewers, he pointed out he was a fourth-generation Washingtonian, describing how he worked for the United States Postal Service after high school before graduating from the University of the District of Columbia and Howard University, then went on to work for D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the Justice Department during the Barack Obama administration and for former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray.

鈥淟eadership isn’t measured by what you say. It’s measured by what you do,鈥� McDuffie said. 鈥淚’ve spent 13-and-a-half years at the council, fighting and delivering for residents and I plan to do that as the next mayor of the District of Columbia.鈥�

On housing

On the topic of affordable housing, McDuffie said Lewis George鈥檚 five-year housing goal was unrealistic, compared to his plan of 12,000 units by 2030.

鈥淵ou’re never going to get 72,000 units of housing. It is rhetoric. It is not reality. I’m delivering reality,鈥� McDuffie declared.

Lewis George believes the housing crisis dictates the need for an ambitious mayor, unlike McDuffie鈥檚 plan that does not meet the crisis.

鈥淲hen Marion Barry said that he was going to make sure that all 鈥� youth in this city were going to have summer youth jobs, people said it was rhetoric; it was impossible and he made it happen.鈥� Lewis George said.

On public safety, youth crime

Public safety was another point of contention during the debate.

McDuffie once again voiced his support for juvenile curfews as a 鈥渢emporary means鈥� to stop 鈥渉emorrhaging.鈥�

鈥淒oing nothing allows hundreds of kids to descend on areas like the Navy Yard where they risk their own safety and they put others at risk as well,鈥� McDuffie said. 鈥淚’m not going to wait for a tragedy to happen in the Navy Yard or the Wharf or U Street 鈥� anywhere else.鈥�

Lewis George acknowledged she 鈥渧oted for the curfew tool” before D.C. was 鈥渇ederally occupied.鈥�

鈥淯sing these tools when we have ICE in our city, when we have federal law enforcement troops in our city,鈥� Lewis George said. 鈥淲e are creating a very real risk of harm to our Black youth in this city and to all of our families in this city.鈥�

Both candidates called for more expanded youth services and programming and pointed out the role of the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation in providing safe and accessible spaces for young people across all eight wards.

McDuffie said he would provide funds for the Metropolitan Police Department to have 1,000 new officers and 鈥渂oost morale by decreasing overtime,鈥� which he said would save the city money while helping with officer burnout.

“Way too many of them are leaving because of burnout, and that’s a problem. We don’t need to collaborate with ICE or (Homeland Security) and we don’t need the National Guard here,” McDuffie said.

Lewis George said as mayor, she would make sure “officers are not doing the jobs that they don鈥檛 need to be doing.”

“Empowering our crisis responders to respond to mental health crimes, and allowing DPW and DDOT to handle traffic enforcement and traffic safety. It means making sure 鈥� we have an accredited crime lab that actually works, and that when a crime happens, the 911 call center works and can get people there dispatched quickly,” she said.

The candidates both answered questions directly from Ward 7 voters on specifics, including economic growth and the benefits that their proposed policies would bring to the ward.

The primary election will be held on June 16, with early voting opening on June 8. Five other candidates will appear on the ballot.

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Hard moments can tear families apart or reveal how strong they are.

When Bobby Mork was diagnosed with cancer at 9 years old, the world of the adults who loved him changed instantly.

What followed was not only a grueling medical ordeal, but an unexpected story of unity, resilience, empathy and grace.

Bobby’s illness started out with headaches and fatigue. Following weeks of doctor visits and tests, a late-night call changed everything.

A chest X-ray revealed a mass, and Bobby was rushed to Children’s National Hospital in D.C. It was at 2 a.m. when his parents heard words no one with a child wants to hear: Bobby had cancer, later diagnosed as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an aggressive, fast-growing blood cancer.

The treatment was expected to last for three and a half years.

For Bobby鈥檚 mom, Kirsten Sutton, the moment demanded instant strength. She didn鈥檛 have the 鈥渓uxury to cry or be upset in front of her son,” she told 草莓传媒.

鈥淭hat was the beginning of my brave face, nine months of absolute hell for my baby,鈥� Sutton said. 鈥淲hen I’m away from him, I’m in the bathroom crying, thinking ‘Lord, please, please do not take this child.’鈥�

Only eight months earlier, Bobby鈥檚 father, David Mork, married his wife, Bretton Mork. The diagnosis meant the newlyweds were learning how to parent together under an incredible amount of pressure within a children鈥檚 hospital.

鈥淚 think I became a parent in the pediatric intensive care unit,鈥� Bretton Mork said. 鈥淚 was advocating for Bobby and taking care of him, and that鈥檚 when I really grew into that role.鈥�

Sutton said she was happy when David got engaged to Bretton, adding that it was just “one more person who loves my son.”

鈥淒avid wouldn’t have married her if she hadn’t, but that’s one more person in (Bobby’s) corner and fighting for him and loving him, and I view that as such a positive thing,” Sutton said.

Bobby’s wish

When Bobby, now 11, was told he was being granted a wish from Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, it didn鈥檛 take him long to decide.

鈥淲hen I was little, my dad鈥檚 side of the family always used to go to Disney World,鈥� Bobby said. 鈥淚 really wanted to go again, because it had been almost six years.鈥�

During a Make-A-Wish open house at 草莓传媒, Bobby sat in one of the studios in the Glass Enclosed Nerve Center, while his mom, dad and stepmother watched from outside in the newsroom.

As Bobby was being interviewed about his time at Disney, he didn鈥檛 say the rides, pool or even the fun food were his favorite parts of his wish. He said it was spending time with the three of them all together.

Bobby also said he knew everything was going to be OK, because his family loved him and would take care of him.

After the interview, when Bobby was recording a message in another studio, his mom, dad and stepmom stood side by side and were told what Bobby had said. All three had tears streaming down their faces.

鈥淚 think the biggest takeaway each of us had from it was just how much he reveled in having everybody around him together,鈥� David Mork said of the trip.

While some divorced families are unwilling or unable to spend time together, Bobby鈥檚 three parents did more than make the best out of what could be an uncomfortable situation.

The way Bobby spoke about his parents when he knew they were not listening would be a dream for any mom, dad or stepmother, because thanks to them, his wish did come true.

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One year after the death of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, hundreds of people gathered to honor her life and legacy at the Butterfly Vigil, named for her love of butterflies. Those in attendance included family members, survivors, supporters and a member of Congress.

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin told 草莓传媒 that Giuffre, a prominent survivor of Jeffrey Epstein鈥檚 sex鈥憈rafficking operation, carried 鈥渁 lot of pain and a lot of anguish鈥� throughout her life.

鈥淪he grew up with just unspeakable abuse,鈥� Raskin said. 鈥淗er name will not be forgotten, and the names of a lot of her abusers and victimizers, the people who took advantage, will go down in history as villains, and she will be a hero.鈥�

Speakers on stage called for accountability for sexual abuse by powerful figures and spoke about Giuffre鈥檚 courage and how it inspired others to come forward.

鈥淰irginia means everything to the survivor community,鈥� said Dani Bensky, an Epstein survivor. 鈥淣ot just Epstein and Maxwell survivors, survivors as a whole. She is the reason I came forward.鈥�

Bensky said watching both Giuffre and fellow survivor Maria Farmer helped reshape how she viewed herself.

鈥淭hey changed the word 鈥榲ictim鈥� for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 felt a sense of community, even without knowing them yet. And when I stepped out of that courthouse, I said my name. It was almost like I felt her spirit with me, pushing us along.鈥�

Near the end of the ceremony, Giuffre鈥檚 brothers and sisters鈥慽n鈥憀aw addressed the crowd, many of whom held butterflies in their hands.

鈥淚 want you to know you changed the world, Sis, you really did,鈥� her brother Sky Roberts said from the stage. 鈥淵ou continue to teach the world that it鈥檚 OK to wear your scars with pride, to show that the ugly people and ugly things that exist don鈥檛 define who you are. You do.鈥�

After the vigil, Giuffre鈥檚 older brother, Daniel Wilson told 草莓传媒 the family didn鈥檛 have time to grieve when she died by suicide in Australia, more than 10,000 miles away.

He said the gathering marked an important step in the family’s healing.

鈥淭he women standing up there with us today, we鈥檝e gotten really close,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淭hey call it trauma bonding, and it鈥檚 easy to love people who hold her in the same regard that I do.鈥�

Along with family members, survivor sisters and organizers, people from across the region came to honor the memory of the mother of three.

Linda, who traveled from North Beach, Maryland, stood near the stage, choking back tears.
Julie, from Gambrills, Maryland, said Giuffre paved the way by telling her story again and again, even when people didn鈥檛 believe her.

鈥淭hey threatened her life and her family,鈥� Julie said. 鈥淪he was so courageous. She endured so much. She deserves to be honored and remembered 鈥� and she鈥檚 an example of how to fight for what鈥檚 right, no matter what.鈥�

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The event held at Ballou High School in Southeast D.C. was hosted by Moss鈥� 89 Ways to Give Foundation in partnership with Health Services for Children with Special Needs.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got a bunch of kids out here going through drills,鈥� Moss said. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to make sure they have a great time.鈥�

Between stations, Moss stopped to shake hands, pose for selfies and talk with participants and their families.

鈥淵ou can come out and make a difference. Make an impact with just your presence,鈥� he said.

Organizers said the clinic was designed to give children a chance to learn the basics, build confidence and have fun in a supportive environment.

Ashley Young, who helped plan the event, said creating opportunities for children with disabilities is personal to her.

鈥淓ven though my child doesn鈥檛 have a disability, being able to work with kids who do and put on events like this means a lot to me,鈥� Young said.

Moss said the clinic was about more than football fundamentals. He said he wants kids to leave believing they can succeed well beyond the field.

鈥淚 always tell them, if you can touch me, you can be me,鈥� Moss said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily about being a football player it鈥檚 about being successful in life.鈥�

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On Friday, fans of decorated artist Michael Jackson rolled into a skate party being hosted by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.

Along with sequined gloves and fedoras, the “Michael Jackson Skate Party” included the participation of kids who were born just years after the “Thriller” musician died. Eventgoers enjoyed hot dogs, popcorn, and, of course, sampled some of the biggest hits in recorded music history.

Many parents seemed as excited about the free party as their little ones.

鈥淚 was a little bit surprised that they was having an MJ party,鈥� said Myeisha, who attended the event with her daughter Kior. 鈥淢ichael Jackson music transcends through generations and generations, and you could tell by just stepping inside that gym.”

In addition to the skating, the party included a modern photo booth where guests could take a picture with Jackson.

Danielle Hunter, chief of the , acknowledged with a smile that some of the skaters were 鈥渂etter than others,鈥� but that trainers were on scene to help anyone who took a tumble.

鈥淚t’s always a good time on Seventh Street with the Roving leaders,” she said.

The Roving Leaders is a youth outreach program that uses leisure activities to address anti-social or aggressive behavior. They often host events similar to the skate party, which attendee Myeisha said was 鈥渁mazing.鈥�

鈥淭hey’re always free, and they always have so much stuff for the kids to do. They always have food, games,鈥� Myeisha said. 鈥淚 love it. I bring my daughter to every event that DPR has, no matter what it is.鈥�

Like a lot of the kids at the skate party, Myeisha loves Jackson鈥檚 dancing, especially the moonwalk.

It’s a sentiment that was echoed by Sharrif Scott, who told 草莓传媒 that he liked Jackson’s 鈥渜uick and fast” dance moves “and the way that he made dancing very popular.鈥�

While the 10-year-old admitted he didn鈥檛 quite have the same abilities as Jackson, he liked coming to the skate parties because he got 鈥渢o meet new people鈥� and have fun.

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A Republican member of Congress is raising some eyebrows in Northern Virginia with his push to make Arlington and Alexandria a part of D.C., taking 400,000 residents’ votes away from the more politically competitive Virginia and lumping them in with the already deep-blue District.

Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick introduced the on the heels of Virginia’s special election Tuesday on a gerrymandered map that could give Democrats a 10-1 seat advantage in the House of Representatives and potentially tip the balance of power in the congressional chamber.

Voters approved the new map by about 100,000 votes, with 98% of the total vote counted as of Friday evening. However, a judge blocked Virginia from certifying those results and enacting the new congressional map.

McCormick’s bill would return the two Virginia jurisdictions back to D.C., as it was until the 1840s.

Until then, President George Washington had designed D.C. to be a near perfect 10-mile square.

McCormick said his bill would put an end to the redistricting debate in the commonwealth.

鈥淭hat has warped the system since then. If you think about it, that’s what’s caused all this consternation,鈥� McCormick said in a social media video. 鈥淕ive back Virginia exactly what it should have, give D.C. what it should have, and get this thing right.鈥�

草莓传媒 asked some residents who were enjoying a beautiful late Thursday afternoon at the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria about the plan, which caused many to scratch their heads.

鈥淣o, no, no, no, that’s not fair,鈥� Amanda Tucker said. 鈥淗e only wants to because it didn’t go the way that he wanted to go. So my vote, of course, no.鈥�

Tucker’s significant other, Terrence Augustus, admitted he was caught off guard.

鈥淚 had to think about that. I really don’t know,鈥� Augustus said. 鈥淲hen we were talking about Maryland, I would say no.鈥�

As the two talked it over, Augustus pointed out D.C. and Virginia have 鈥渁 logical separation.鈥�

鈥淭he bridge and everything else in the Potomac River, leave it in Virginia and not back in D.C.,” Augustus said.

As the couple enjoyed the rest of the evening at Waterfront Park, people were having dinner outside at nearby restaurants. Others were playing with their kids and walking their dogs, including Terri, who was with her 130-pound Great Pyrenees.

鈥淚 lived in D.C. for three years prior, and you seem to have the same demographic here that is in D.C. 鈥� which is not a pro, that鈥檚 not a con, that鈥檚 just a neutral statement,鈥� Terri said.

Terri, who was aware Arlington and Alexandria were once part of the District, didn鈥檛 think she could answer if they should return.

鈥淚 don’t know how long I’m going to be staying here,鈥� Terri said. 鈥淚 do like it here. 鈥� It’s great, and it’s a very dog-friendly community.鈥�

Walking from where the water taxi dropped and picked people up was Carla Thomas, who said on this topic, she had 鈥渟kin in the game.鈥�

鈥淢y family 鈥� has been here since there was a D.C.,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淚ndentured people came to St. Mary’s, married African American freed women.鈥�

Thomas said she has lived all around the D.C. region 鈥� from being born in D.C., growing up in Montgomery County, Maryland, and now calling Alexandria home.

鈥淚’m a liberal Democrat, and I think that this is an important pocket in Northern Virginia that I wouldn’t like to see ceded back to D.C., because it would dilute the political strength of Democrats in this commonwealth,鈥� Thomas said.

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Little did Emma Lazarus know that her poem written to fund Lady Liberty鈥檚 stone pedestal would become an anthem for generations of those seeking a new beginning.

As we honor the many contributions that citizens have made to our nation over its 250 years, we must also celebrate the immigrants who arrived seeking the American Dream and in turn helped elevate our country to new heights.

Only seven years after Orville and Wilbur Wright piloted the first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in New Zealand, Elizabeth Pickering gave birth to a baby on Christmas Eve that would grow up to be an .

鈥淢ore than any other individual, Bill Pickering was responsible for America鈥檚 success in exploring the planets 鈥� an endeavor that demanded vision, courage, dedication, expertise and the ability to inspire two generations of scientists and engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,” Thomas Everhart, president emeritus of California Institute of Technology, once said.

Before Elton John, and President Donald Trump鈥檚 pen pal Kim Jong Un, the original Rocketman was Sir William Pickering.

In “Rocketman,” the 2004 documentary on Pickering, he tells of his mother dying before he was six years old.

鈥淢y grandparents brought me up; they lived in Havelock,鈥� Pickering said. 鈥淚t was a little village way out in the countryside of New Zealand.”

During his childhood, Pickering witnessed in real time the change the second industrial revolution brought to that little village, from electricity, telephones, and the first automobile.

Always a good student, Pickering had a passion for science. After spending a year at The University of Canterbury, his life and the history of humanity would soon never be the same.

Thanks to his uncle, who married an American, Pickering made his way in 1928 from Down Under to the United States to attend The California Institute of Technology.

By 1936, he had earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, a master’s degree, and a PhD in Physics. Half decade later, he made the decision to become a naturalized citizen of the United States of America.

During World War II, he conducted research on the absorption properties of cosmic rays with the Nobel Winning physicist Dr. Robert A. Millikan along with investigating Japanese balloon warfare techniques for the .

A decade after coming on board of the Caltech-operated Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1944, he was named its Director and stayed in the position until the Nation鈥檚 bicentennial year.

鈥淚 said I would like to do the deep space program, and they gave it to me and I was delighted, ” Pickering said in “Rocketman.” 鈥淚 was sitting there with a contract that said go out and explore the solar system, and that was a wonderful contract to have.鈥�

The space race started in 1957 with the news that the Soviet Union had launched Sputnik, the first satellite into space.

83 days later, with the pride of the nation resting on his shoulders, Pickering led the effort to build Explorer I, America鈥檚 first satellite into space, which would launch only four months after Sputnik.

Later that year, JPL would be under the umbrella of the new civilian space agency, NASA.

The world got to see pictures of what Mars, Venus and the Moon really looked like, thanks to missions led by Pickering and his staff at JPL. They pioneered the electronic telemetering techniques that were a precursor to our smartphones.

Known as “Mr. JPL,” he appeared on the cover of Time Magazine twice, and while another immigrant, Wernher von Braun was known as the person who built the rockets, Pickering鈥檚 team was the brains and eyes of the missions.

鈥淎ll of us who knew those early pioneers, look with great respect on anyone that we recognize, and right up there at the very top, in the scientific robotic space craft is Bill Pickering,鈥� Buzz Aldrin said in “Rocketman.”

Before Neil Armstrong could take a giant leap for humanity, NASA had to make sure the Moon was solid enough to land on. The fear was that the Moon was covered in a layer of swallowing dust, and any craft would sink and disappear in it.

Thanks to Pickering鈥檚 Ranger and Surveyor missions, it was confirmed that the surface of the moon was solid enough to land on.

The 22 years Pickering spent leading JPL spanned the Space Race. From the beginning, overseeing the launch of Explorer I, America鈥檚 first satellite launched into space, and by the end of his tenure the U.S. had successfully landed on the moon 11 times, five robotic, (Surveyors 1, 3, 5, 6, 7,) and six manned crews, (Apollos 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17.)

As we celebrate the achievements of our great nation over the last 250 years, remember the next time you look up into space, don鈥檛 forget there is an American Flag planted into the surface on the moon, thanks in part to immigrants.

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Teddy bears normally bring smiles to faces old and young, but on the National Mall on Thursday, there was a display of 20,000 bears that had a heartbreaking message.

On several chain link fences stretching 230 feet, the tiny, white and brown teddy bears were used as a canvas with red teddy bears spelling out, 鈥淧utin abducted 20,000 Ukrainian children. Bring kids back.鈥�

Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy nonprofit, was behind the display.

Daryna Lesniak from the group said they 鈥渄idn鈥檛 want a metaphor.鈥�

鈥淲e wanted the sign to scream,鈥� Lesniak said. 鈥淭hese kids are taken to camps. 鈥� They are indoctrinated. They are forced to forget their Ukrainian heritage.鈥�

Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Lesniak said Russia has taken children as young as toddlers; some have been adopted into Russian families, while others are sent to militarization camps when they turn 16 and 17 years old.

鈥淭hey are even drafted into the Russian army and sent back to fight against their own people,鈥� Lesniak said.

There was a news conference by the wall of teddy bears. Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Texas Rep. and House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul were all in attendance and pledged their support to the effort of returning the kids to their parents.

The event brought not only locals, but visitors from hundreds of miles away to the National Mall.

鈥淚 feel, as a woman 鈥� children kidnapped, killed, it hurts,” Marusia Durbak said.

Durbak traveled from New Jersey along with her husband, Ivan, to see the teddy bears with their daughter, Katrina, who lives in the D.C. area.

Ivan, who carried giant American and Ukrainian flags, said he still has 鈥�42 cousins, nephews and nieces鈥� living in Ukraine.

鈥淲hen I was infantry in Vietnam, over 50 years ago, we were taught by the U.S. Army, properly avoid civilian casualties,鈥� Ivan said. 鈥淩ussia, the opposite, deliberately targets Ukrainian civilians, murders women and children on purpose, and that’s what bothers me the most.鈥�

鈥淭he issue of abducted children has to be part of any peace negotiation, and that’s why we’re here,鈥� Katrina said.

For nearly a week, 120 volunteers worked in a local church basement to put the display together.

鈥淪ince my dad is serving on the front line, for me, it is important to do everything I can as a civilian,鈥� volunteer Mariia Hlytem said. 鈥淭o make sure that people understand the scale of the tragedy of this war crime, which Russia keeps doing.鈥�

Hlytem, who lives and works in D.C., said these 20,000 kids are 鈥渘ot bargaining chips in negotiations.鈥�

鈥淲e tend to forget about children, and children cannot speak for themselves. They cannot protect themselves,鈥� Hlytem said. 鈥淭hat’s why we have to make sure we talk about it.鈥�

草莓传媒/Jimmy Alexander

草莓传媒/Jimmy Alexander

草莓传媒/Jimmy Alexander

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