Giant '8647' Numbers Marked on National Mall Grass Large numbers resembling "8647" appeared on the grass of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., sparking an investigation by U.S. Park Police. The markings, which emerged as brown spots contrasting with the surrounding green grass, were first reported by NBC4’s Joseph Olmo. The numbers, associated with opposition to former President Donald Trump, have drawn attention from federal authorities. The U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Mall and U.S. Park Police, condemned the act as "deranged vandalism" in a statement to NBC News. The agency emphasized that threats against the president are taken seriously, with Park Police committed to investigating the incident and holding those responsible accountable. The markings, which were discovered on Thursday, remain under scrutiny. Park Police stated that the cause of the discoloration has not been determined, though grass samples have been collected for analysis. The investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear whether the markings were created by an individual or a group. The phrase "8647" has been used by some Trump opponents to protest his second term. The number "86" is commonly associated with the hospitality industry’s practice of removing items, while "47" refers to Trump’s position as the 47th U.S. president. However, the exact intent behind the markings on the National Mall remains unknown. The Trump administration has previously labeled the numbers as a threat, though no formal charges have been filed. If the case proceeds, it would fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The office declined to comment on the matter on Thursday.#donald_trump #national_mall #d_c #us_park_police #us_department_of_the_interior
DC Officials Outline Legislation to Protect Domestic Violence Survivors, Crack Down on Abusers D.C. officials are advancing a new legislative package aimed at enhancing protections for domestic violence survivors and imposing stricter penalties on perpetrators. The proposed legislation, known as the Protecting Victims Act of 2026, was announced by Mayor Muriel Bowser alongside U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro. The bill seeks to strengthen enforcement of court orders, increase pretrial detention for domestic violence offenders, improve accountability for abusers, and safeguard the privacy of victims and survivors. Key provisions of the act include classifying repeat violations of temporary and civil protection orders as felonies. It also grants courts greater authority to detain individuals charged with domestic violence offenses and designates unlawful entry into a home to commit assault as a felony. A new crime will be created for offenses committed in the presence of a child, a measure Pirro emphasized as critical to addressing the long-term trauma inflicted on children exposed to domestic violence. Pirro highlighted the absence of a specific charge for domestic violence cases involving children, stating, “We’ve got to make that a crime, because there is no question that the consequences are long-term in terms of that child learning that violence is the only way to resolve conflict in their lives based upon what they are seeing between their parents or intimate partners.” She also called for enhanced sentencing for offenders who strangle their partners, noting that her office has filed 90 felony strangulation cases so far in 2026 and expects to file 360 by year’s end. Pirro pointed out that while strangulation was reclassified as a felony under the Secure D.C.#jeanine_pirro #d_c #muriel_bowser #protecting_victims_act_2026 #d_c_safe
D.C. Mayor Declares Emergency to Extend Expired Juvenile Curfew Rule D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a 15-day public emergency Thursday to reinstate and extend the District’s limited juvenile curfew, which had expired on April 15. The order prevents a gap in the curfew’s enforcement until April 21, when the D.C. Council is set to vote on a potential permanent extension of the law. The curfew, which applies to all individuals under 18 between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., was reinstated to address disorderly behavior, prevent violence, and protect public safety, according to Bowser’s office. The emergency declaration also grants D.C.’s interim police chief, Jeffery W. Carroll, the authority to establish juvenile curfew zones at any time if police determine that more than eight minors plan to gather after 8 p.m. and that the safety of youth, residents, or the public is at risk. This provision supports existing curfew zones in areas like the Navy Yard and the U Street corridor, which have been in place for several months. Carroll emphasized the importance of curfew zones and a citywide 11 p.m. curfew in safeguarding young people, stating, “The safety of our young people is the most important thing to me as Chief of Police and members of the Metropolitan Police Department.” The current order extends actions taken by the Council and the mayor in 2025, when the Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act modified a 1995 law. The 2025 legislation allowed curfew rules to apply to 17-year-olds and to be enforced on weekends, not just weekdays. However, the 2025 law expired on Wednesday, creating a potential lapse in enforcement. Bowser’s emergency order fills this gap until the Council’s next vote on an extension. The Council’s decision remains uncertain, but Bowser’s office has left room for potential changes.#d_c #muriel_bowser #jeffery_w_carroll #pan_african_community_action_group #navy_yard
NOTUS to Rebrand as ‘The Star’ in Expansion to Local, Sports News NOTUS, the Washington-based political news site backed by Politico co-founder Robert Allbritton, will rebrand as “The Star” in June as part of a strategic shift to expand its coverage of local and sports journalism. The decision was confirmed by the publication’s editor in chief, who spoke to the New York Times about the rebranding, which follows the Washington Post’s recent layoffs and reduced focus on local and sports reporting. The rebranding comes after NOTUS hired several journalists following the Post’s decision to cut hundreds of staff, end most of its sports coverage, and scale back its local focus. Tim Grieve, NOTUS’s top editor, emphasized the need for a publication that bridges the gap between political Washington and “normal” Washington, as the Post retreats from covering broader community and regional issues. The rebranding will be supported by a $30 million investment from Allbritton, a billionaire whose father once owned the Washington Star in the 1970s. This funding will also enable the launch of subscriptions later this year, alongside reliance on advertising revenue. The investment reflects Allbritton’s long-term vision for the nonprofit Allbritton Journalism Institute, which he initially funded with a $20 million grant to train young journalists by pairing them with experienced D.C. correspondents. NOTUS’s expansion plans include hiring several former Washington Post reporters, such as congressional correspondents Paul Kane and Kadia Goba, as well as economics reporter Jeff Stein. The publication currently employs 45 staffers in its newsroom but expects to more than double its workforce to 95 journalists by the end of the year.#washington_post #the_star #notus #robert_allbritton #d_c
