March Downtowner
By • March 11, 2025 0 36
Unemployment Applications Hit 3-Month High
As of Feb. 22, applications for unemployment benefits have risen to nearly 250,000, a three-month high. The four-week average climbed by 8,500. Some analysts expect reports to show that the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, was responsible for some of the job losses. More layoffs are expected since government agencies were directed to submit plans for reductions in force by March 13.
Lower Traffic Camera Fines for Low-Income Drivers
Drivers who are eligible for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, can apply to have one D.C. traffic camera ticket reduced by 50 percent if the request is submitted within 30 days of the ticket being issued. Expected to launch this spring, the program will apply to vehicles registered in the District for fines of $100 or less.
Rep Flies in with Newborn Son for Budget Vote
On Feb. 25, Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Colorado Democrat, flew from the Centennial State to D.C. to vote on the budget bill. Under most circumstances, this would seem like an everyday occurrence for members of Congress. However, Pettersen had given birth to a son just four weeks before. She was unable to vote without being present because Congress has not reinstated proxy (that is, remote) voting for new parents.
Reagan Airport Understaffed Before Jan. 29 Crash
The air traffic control tower at Reagan National Airport was understaffed during the Jan. 29 crash, according to a government report which said that two people were handling the work of four (among other colleagues). The high volume of helicopter flights around the airport makes the job of air traffic controllers especially demanding. Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that air traffic will be halted for President Donald Trump’s Marine One trips.
Lights Out at Beloved E Street Cinema
Eight-screen indie movie theater Landmark’s E Street Cinema, a few blocks east of the White House, closed on March 2 — Oscars Night — after two decades in business. The theater, which opened in 2004, was one of D.C.’s top venues, not only for independent films but for documentaries, foreign films, classics, festivals and, around Halloween, screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
