DowntownerDC

Ben’s Chili Bowl on U St. Closes for 4 Months 
The original Ben’s Chili Bowl, 1213 U St. NW, founded in 1958 by Virginia Ali and her late husband Ben, closed on July 14 (just temporarily!) for repairs. The building that houses Ben’s, originally a silent-movie house, dates to 1910. Renovations were last carried out in the 1950s. This round of repairs will focus on the wiring, plumbing and air conditioning. U Street’s Historic Home of the Half-Smoke is due to reopen in November.   

Trump Administration Keeping FBI HQ in D.C. 

The Ronald Reagan Building is to house the FBI. Wikipedia photo. 

Superseding plans to relocate the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Greenbelt, Maryland, the FBI is to move from the J. Edgar Hoover Building to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Once the home of the now-defunct U.S. Agency for International Development, the Reagan Building currently houses Customs and Border Protection. More information about timing and security were not available at press time.  

 Congressional Intern Killed Near Convention Center 

Congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was shot and killed near the Convention Center on June 30. LinkedIn photo. 
 

Rising University of Massachusetts senior Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, an intern for U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, Republican of Kansas City, was killed on 7th Street NW near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on June 30 when a group of people got out of a car and opened fire on another group. A woman, also a bystander, and a teen, described by MPD Chief Pamela Smith as “kind of engaged as part of the group,” were injured in the shooting.  

Summer Curfew for D.C. Youth Now an Hour Earlier 
After almost two dozen young people were arrested in D.C. for launching fireworks and being disorderly over Fourth of July weekend, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed an expanded curfew law requiring those aged 17 and younger to be home by 11 p.m. through the month of August. Previously, the curfew was midnight. Police are also designating special curfew zones, one being the Navy Yard, where the curfew starts at 8 p.m. 

Nationals Fire GM Rizzo, Manager Martinez 

Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo (shown) and Manager Dave Martinez have been fired. Wikipedia photo.

Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner fired GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, who oversaw the team’s 2019 World Series win. Their interim replacements are assistant GM Mike DeBartolo and bench coach Miguel Cairo. At the time of the July 6 announcement, the team was at the bottom of the National League East with a 37-53 win-loss record. Since 2019, the Nats have not finished higher than fourth in the division.   

Federal Hiring Freeze Extended to Oct. 15 
On July 7, the Trump administration extended a hiring freeze for federal agencies that was supposed to be lifted on July 15. It will now continue until Oct. 15. Empty positions can’t be filled and new positions can’t be created during this period unless leadership makes an exception. Current exceptions to the freeze will continue, including civilian positions involving public safety, national security and immigration enforcement.