Hit-and-run on I-295 leaves pedestrian dead; police search for green SUV

WTOP News 7/13 5:31A LaDawn Black

A woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Interstate 295 in Southeast D.C. early Monday, and police are searching for the driver who allegedly fled the scene. Officers responded at about 3:30 a.m. to a report of a crash involving a vehicle and...

Trump’s DC beautification push navigates troubled waters

WTOP News 7/13 1:43A WTOP Staff

(CNN) — At a ceremony in front of the iconic cascading fountain at Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC, earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top US officials touted President Donald Trump’s efforts to make the city “safe and...

Future of driverless vehicles, robotaxis to be debated by DC Council

WTOP News 7/13 1:38A Neal Augenstein

D.C. could take a step toward allowing autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis, to operate on city streets. The D.C. Council s Committee on Transportation and the Environment will hold a public hearing Monday that could lay the groundwork for...

For 1 CEO, building a better workplace means embracing AI and dad jokes

WTOP News 7/13 12:10A Valerie Bonk

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Building a better workplace with AI Editor’s note: WTOP recently named over 300 companies as  Top Workplaces  in...

Teen dead in shooting in Northeast DC

WTOP News 7/12 7:23A Valerie Bonk

A 13-year-old boy is dead after a shooting in Northeast D.C. Saturday and police are looking for a suspect. Related stories From fatal crashes to shootings, DC region s deadly weekend Bowie teen...

‘Smithsonian Dreams’ AI art installation coming to Smithsonian Castle on National Mall

WTOP News 7/12 4:43A Valerie Bonk

The Smithsonian will debut "Smithsonian Dreams" by Refik Anadol on the National Mall. (Courtesy The Smithsonian Institution) The Smithsonian will debut "Smithsonian Dreams" by Refik Anadol on the...

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens offers a blooming escape in the heart of DC

WTOP News 7/12 12:42A Jimmy Alexander

Even though the annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival is a week away, the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Northeast D.C. was packed with people who got an early look at the gardens on Saturday, July 11,...

New Library of Congress exhibit features rare draft of Declaration of Independence

WTOP News 7/12 12:09A WTOP Staff

Watch Video: Exhibit looks at how the Declaration of Independence evolved Washington  — They are words etched into America s conscience: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Visitors to the Library of Congress can rediscover those...

US Sen. Lindsey Graham has died after a brief and unexpected illness, his office says

WTOP News 7/11 11:53P WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham , one of President Donald Trump s closest allies in Congress who traveled the globe to advocate for a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy, died Saturday evening after a “brief and sudden illness,” his...

More than two dozen students impacted by incarceration receive scholarships

WTOP News 7/11 3:10A Anna-Lysa Gayle

D.C. native Yasmine Arrington Brooks addresses the 2026 cohort of ScholarCHIPS, July 9, 2026.(WTOP/Anna-Lysa Gayle) D.C. native Yasmine Arrington Brooks addresses the 2026 cohort of ScholarCHIPS, July...

Tense debate over DC’s so-called bottle bill continues at a public roundtable

WTOP News 7/11 2:03A Alan Etter

Members of the D.C. Council heard from supporters and opponents of a plan to charge 10-cent deposits for each beverage container sold in the District. Under the bill, known as the Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025 , the...

Road closures from Moore Equity in Mental Health 5K hits DC Saturday

WTOP News 7/11 1:24A Diane Morris

The Moore Equity in Mental Health 5K takes place in D.C. on Saturday, leading to road closures and parking restrictions. The Metropolitan Police Department said that from 4 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 11, these streets will be posted as...

Kids and screens: How to reset your family’s digital habits this summer

WTOP News 7/10 10:25P John Domen

Between the heat and the frequent storms, D.C.-area kids may have found themselves spending more time inside this summer — and more time glued to screens. It s not easy when it s either really hot or it s really rainy, or anything in between, to...

Where are DC’s rats? New dashboard maps rodent reports across the city

WTOP News 7/10 10:24P Steve Karesh

D.C. has dashboards for tracking snowplows and leaf collection crews. Now there s a dashboard tracking the District s response to its rat problem. The Rodent Control Dashboard is a “centralized, public tracking tool built to monitor the District...

National Mall visitors frustrated by detours and fencing obscuring Reflecting Pool

WTOP News 7/10 10:04P Jimmy Alexander

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Black fencing around Reflecting Pool frustrates National Mall visitors The two and a half mile distance between the...