National Guard member killed in DC remembered as someone who ‘liked to laugh’

WTOP News 11/29 8:30A WTOP Staff

Watch Video: National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom dies after D.C. attack, officials say Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, the 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member who was shot and killed in an...

DC police issue 2 juvenile curfew zones to deter large gatherings of kids and teens

WTOP News 11/29 8:29A Valerie Bonk

D.C. police are adding more dates for two juvenile curfew zones in Navy Yard and U Street that will be in effect to deter large gatherings of kids and teens. Related stories Over a dozen stopped by DC...

‘Redefining what ice cream can be’: Upcoming Hyattsville shop wants to put city on the culinary map

WTOP News 11/28 10:40P Ciara Wells

Unlike the commonplace flavors of vanilla and chocolate and longstanding toppings like rainbow sprinkles, Snow Crane — a new ice cream shop set to open in the spring in Hyattsville, Maryland — plans...

Bustling DC retail district in shock after shooting of National Guard members

WTOP News 11/28 10:00P WTOP Staff

Washington (CNN) Fasil Regassa wipes away tears when he talks about Sarah Beckstrom , the 20-year-old National Guard member who was shot Wednesday just a few feet away from his store. “I cried when I heard she died,” Regassa told CNN. For nine...

Things to do in the DC area: Winter Wonderfest at Nationals Park, film festival … and more!

WTOP News 11/27 4:50A Michelle Goldchain

Tubing at Winter Wonderfest at Nationals Park.(Courtesy of Magic Ice) Tubing at Winter Wonderfest at Nationals Park.(Courtesy of Magic Ice) Those looking for a holiday paradise should keep an eye on...

Afghan national charged in Guard ambush shooting drove across US to carry out attack, officials say

WTOP News 11/27 4:15A WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Afghan national who worked for the CIA in his native country and arrived in the U.S. in 2021 drove across the country from Washington state to shoot two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House,...

What we do and don’t know about the shooting of 2 National Guard members in DC

WTOP News 11/27 3:32A WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON (AP) — The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation s capital by a man authorities identified as an Afghan national has raised multiple questions. Officials have released the names of the suspect, who is in...

Thanksgiving travelers at DC’s Union Station on why rail rules

WTOP News 11/25 9:17P Kate Ryan

For holiday travelers, there are a number of choices, but at D.C. s Union Station, rail riders made the case for hopping all aboard an Amtrak train. For Tamyshia Curry and her dog Sevyn, traveling by train to New York for the Thanksgiving holiday...

‘An absolute farce’: As DOGE closes down, civil servant group gives agency a failing grade

WTOP News 11/24 9:46P Dan Ronan

The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is officially out of business. With more than eight months left on its charter, the director of the Office of Personnel Management told Reuters , “that doesn’t exist anymore.” Related stories...

Hundreds line up at Nationals Park for free Thanksgiving meals

WTOP News 11/24 8:58P Dan Ronan

The Washington Nationals are feeding thousands of people just in time for Thanksgiving. Over the next several days, thousands of people in the D.C. area will get free turkeys, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce and other sides, courtesy of the...

A large ‘charismatic’ animal is about to be born at DC’s National Zoo — an Asian elephant

WTOP News 11/24 12:58A Jessica Kronzer

The Smithsonian National Zoo in D.C. is preparing for the birth of a large charismatic and charming animal: an Asian elephant calf. Zoo officials announced Monday morning that an Asian elephant is...

How to Ride DC’s First Mechanical Bull

Washingtonian Things To Do 11/23 10:00P Jessica Sidman

The country-western bar and live-music venue Desert 5 Spot (400 Morse St., NE) recently made its debut in Union Market, bringing with it the city’s only mechanical bull. If it’s your first rodeo, here’s what to expect. Just how wild is this bull?...

Man who threatened to kill family on a Metrobus sentenced to 5 years in prison

WTOP News 11/20 11:19P Ciara Wells

A D.C. man who pulled out a Uzi-style pistol on a Metrobus and threatened a family has been sentenced to five years in prison. (Credit U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro Office) A D.C. man who pulled out a...

National Cherry Blossom Festival plans for larger crowd, unveils official artwork

WTOP News 11/20 10:33P Scott Gelman

For months, artist Tim Yanke grappled with how to make his work stand out. After learning he had been selected to create the official artwork for the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C., he...

Neighborhood Guide: Where to Eat, Shop, and Play in Georgetown

Washingtonian Things To Do 11/20 10:00P Kate Corliss

Your insider guide for both trendy and classic spots to eat, shop, and play in the DC area. Read More Here. Once a tobacco-trading hub and now home to cobblestone streets and historic rowhouses,...