April Downtowner
By • April 14, 2025 0 164
Pinto Proposes New Public Safety Plan
District Council member Brooke Pinto has a plan to improve public safety. A key proposal: combine two seven-year-old violence interruption programs created by Mayor Muriel Bowser and then-Attorney General Karl Racine. Also in the plan: expand pretrial detention for those charged with violent crimes, tighten supervision for youths charged with crimes and increase job opportunities for adults transitioning out of the prison system.
A Retired Circulator Bus Can Be Yours
At the end of last year, DC Circulator buses were discontinued after two decades of service. If you miss the cheerful, bright red buses, you now have a chance to own one. The buses have popped up on the website govdeals.com, a government surplus auction site. Both diesel and electric buses are available, with starting prices between $1,000 and $5,000. Who knows, maybe you can channel your inner hippie and buy one to tour the country.
Is D.C. Ready for Self-Driving Taxis?
Autonomous ride-hailing service Waymo One may launch in Washington, D.C., in 2026. The company, owned by Google parent Alphabet, is in getting-to-know-you mode, working with emergency responders and policymakers to put the needed regulations in place. Would-be riders use an app to request a ride. The driverless vehicles currently operate in Austin, Phoenix, L.A. and San Francisco, with Atlanta and Miami on the way(mo).
Ford’s Theatre Opens Leadership Center
On March 27, Ford’s Theatre held a grand opening for a new center that completes the Ford’s Theatre’s campus on 10th Street NW. The Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership is a dedicated space for connection, conversation, learning and civic engagement. Frances Lindner, a member of the board of trustees, and Craig Lindner, co-CEO of American Financial Group, made a $10-million commitment to Ford’s Theatre’s Campaign for the Future.
Reagan Airport Air Traffic Controller Arrested
Following a fight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, air traffic controller Damon Marsalis Gaines, 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was arrested, charged with assault and battery and placed on administrative leave. At press time, the details of the incident were unclear. The airport has been under increased scrutiny following the Jan. 29 collision that killed 67. Since then, there have been multiple close calls, including a recent near-miss of a Delta flight and an Air Force jet.
