The inspection report, titled 鈥淥UC鈥檚 Risk Mitigation Infrastructure,” looked at whether the agency has effective risk mitigation strategies in place for the call center. The findings come from an examination that reviewed documents dated between fiscal year 2020 and the third quarter of fiscal 2025.

Findings revealed the OUC does not have proper framework in place 鈥渢o identify and address operational risks that could affect the continuum of call taking and dispatching for 911 emergency response services.鈥�

That lack of framework, according to the report, has contributed to issues like high levels of absenteeism, which strains 911 call center operations 鈥� an issue which has been mounting within the agency for years.

In 2024, Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau sent a letter to the city administrator and OUC, requesting daily staffing statistics, a list of agency mistakes, changes to correct systemic failures and a private briefing. It came after Nadeau said her constituents shared examples of their 911 calls being dropped or never answered.

The report also claims some supervisors within the center lack cross-training to handle both fire and emergency calls. This issue is also addressed in a bill being considered by the D.C. Council, which would require the medical director for the Fire and EMS Department to also serve as the medical director for OUC.

Many employees within the 911 call center are unaware of the agency鈥檚 continuity of operations plan, according to the report, meaning it could benefit from strengthening communications about emergency preparedness.

Despite the challenges, the report does credit OUC with progress in certain areas, including: reducing critical vacancies, investing in employee wellness programs and implementing comprehensive training programs for call takers and dispatchers.

The report lists six recommendations for the agency:

• Develop and implement an enterprise risk management framework.
• Implement strategies to reduce absenteeism and enforce supervisory oversight of time and
  attendance.
• Ensure all 911 call center supervisors receive cross-training in MPD and FEMS operations.
• Enhance quality assurance processes with trend analysis and internal/external reporting.
• Revise the Prohibited Items Policy to eliminate contradictory language and clarify enforcement.
• Educate personnel about COOP goals and implementation

In a written response to the findings, OUC Director Heather McGaffin said the agency 鈥渁grees with the recommendations and has already made progress toward achieving them.鈥�

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Those types of theft and break-ins typically spike when it gets hotter outside, . It鈥檚 a good thing to be aware of as we head into the warmer spring and summer months, and it鈥檚 precisely why Virginia State Police have a program in place to crack down on the issue.

The program is called HEAT, which stands for Help Eliminate Auto Theft. A shows that it is helping to yield significant results.

Last year in Virginia, over 10,500 vehicles were stolen, resulting in the loss of over $150 million for Virginia residents.

In that same year, state police say HEAT has resulted in 103 auto theft cases opened, 346 stolen vehicles recovered and 252 arrests. The program also assisted 17 agencies across the state with investigations.

The program provides financial support as well. Last year the program gave 124 law enforcement agencies across the state funds to buy equipment needed to fight auto theft and paid over $24,000 towards reward money for tips that lead to arrests.

State police say HEAT also helped them in the dismantling of a major auto theft ring and chop shop.

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Crumbs & Whiskers owner Zari Ruhi, also known as Kanchan Singh, opened the M Street location of her business in 2019. Ruhi also owns a location in Los Angeles and previously owned a location on O Street in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, which has since shut down.

鈥淚鈥檓 happy to have my employees have a voice in whichever way they choose, whether it鈥檚 directly talking to me, whether it’s to a union, whether it’s both,鈥� Ruhi said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e honored to be the first unionized cat cafe in the world.鈥�

But unionized employees at the cafe said their needs still aren鈥檛 being met by Ruhi and management.

Maddy Hanson is an assistant manager and union member at Crumbs & Whiskers. She said staff had originally pushed to unionize due to issues involving inconsistent work hours, pay and staff safety concerns among other things.

鈥淪ome weeks we were working, you know, open to close, 60 hours a week, and then the next week, we were only being scheduled for 12 hours, so there was no consistency there,鈥� Hanson said. 鈥淭here was a big push to cut down on the number of people that were working at the same time, which in our cafe, is a very unsafe thing.鈥�

Ruhi tells 海角精品黑料 the cafe has always offered competitive pay and additional raises to staff members. She also said she鈥檚 added additional team members to staff to help with employee work-life balance.

On Jan. 11, Hanson, along with six other employees, sent a letter to Ruhi requesting she voluntarily recognize the union. Ruhi said when she first received the letter, she was dealing with personal health issues, prompting her to ask for additional time.

According to , Ruhi was granted a two-week extension to make a decision on voluntarily recognizing the union. When employees still had not seen a response from Ruhi by Jan. 23, they chose to officially file a petition for an election with the National Labor Relations Board to be represented by Workers United.

A temporary closure

Around a month after the union formed, Ruhi made the decision to temporarily close the cafe in early February, citing the need to hire more management.

鈥淥ur current manager at the time resigned, and we scrambled to bring in new management, but because we had rushed the process, that didn’t work out,鈥� Ruhi said.

鈥淲ith the new managers not working out, and a couple things that happened internally with management, that’s when we were like, OK, we just need to close the store and find new management.鈥�

The cafe officially reopened on March 21 under new management and with the addition of a vet tech on staff, according to Ruhi. But Hanson said she and other employees were confused why the closure happened in the first place.

鈥淎t the time, we had three assistant store managers who were perfectly capable of running the store. We had an adequate number of employees,鈥� Hanson said.

鈥淭hese big decisions were being made by one person and none of the employees who have made this company successful and have helped find homes for 3,000 cats, their input was not being taken into consideration.鈥�

Current union efforts

Hanson said, due to some employees leaving, only four workers are currently unionized at the Georgetown location. She claims that since reopening, there are unfair labor practices being used to dissuade union members from moving forward with bargaining.

鈥淭he four employees, who are a part of Workers United, we have all lost a lot of our hours, and we feel as if those hours are being allocated elsewhere to the new hires who were not a part of the union and to the new management,鈥� Hanson said.

鈥淲e were told by some of management that this was done as a way to kind of scare us out of our jobs.鈥�

Hanson said she has not been in contact with Ruhi since the night before their union election on March 2, but remains 鈥渞eady to bargain in good faith and go to the table.鈥�

Ruhi told 海角精品黑料 that the M Street location has a new team lead who is versed in unions. They will start within the next week, saying she鈥檚 鈥渕aking progress toward being able to successfully and compliantly work with the union.鈥�

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Beginning Monday, residents may notice a slight change in the odor or taste of their tap water as chlorine is added to disinfect and clear away bacteria and natural biofilm buildup. Officials said the water remains safe to drink and the change shouldn鈥檛 last more than a week.

, D.C. Water said the Washington Aqueduct, which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, performs this annual disinfectant switch as part of routine maintenance to support overall water quality.

There are ways to mitigate the taste and smell of tap water if it becomes an issue. Faucet and pitcher filters can help. You can also leave an open container of water in the refrigerator for up to two hours before drinking it, which allows the chlorine to dissipate.

Crews will open fire hydrants across all three jurisdictions for short periods of time to help move fresh water through the system. The flushing process can result in discoloration or sediment buildup in tap water. said these conditions are not harmful and are typically short-lived.

While officials said that water remains safe to drink, they warn it could stain clothing if used for laundry.

, Virginia, officials said flushing will take place through May 4 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents are encouraged to plan ahead if they need to do laundry while the water is being treated.

Arlington residents can request a special detergent that removes stains caused by the water, by calling the county at 703-228-5000 for more details.

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Manassas City Council members had planned to choose a new name during a city council meeting on March 18, but the effort was halted when multiple council members cited concerns that community members haven鈥檛 had enough opportunity to weigh in on the decision.

As things stand now, the council is weighing two potential names presented by the airport commission: Manassas Regional Airport and Washington Manassas Airport.

A third option offered originally, Washington Manassas National Airport, has since been dropped from consideration due to its similarity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

鈥淎fter further research and discussion, we found that the city attorney had some concerns with the use of the word 鈥榥ational鈥� because there were some trademark implications there. We also got feedback from the FAA who also indicated that the use of the word 鈥榥ational鈥� could cause some confusion in the regional,鈥� Airport Director Juan Rivera said.

Although the airport commission held a public work session in January , council members said the meeting was not properly advertised to the community as a discussion on the name change.

鈥淚 would like a chance for our residents to sound in not at a public hearing necessarily, maybe at a survey,鈥� Council member Tom Osina said. 鈥淲e all live here, we all have our vested interest in our community and these kinds of things.鈥�

The council, along with the airport commission, agreed to put out a survey collecting public input and accept comments at a town hall scheduled for March 25. The council will formally consider the proposed name change at a meeting on April 13.

The airport鈥檚 logo and branding would remain the same regardless of a name change.

Rivera estimated the cost to change monument signs at and around the airport would come out to around $500,000, something he says would be covered by the airport鈥檚 fund.

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Hundreds of people gathered on the National Mall Sunday to usher in the start of spring with D.C.鈥檚 Tulip Day.

A whopping 150,000 tulips, bulbs and all, were displayed on the mall Sunday afternoon.

Eventgoers were able to make a bundle of 10 tulips each to bring home. is partially funded by the European Union and the Dutch Embassy.

Kim Jenks had been looking forward to the event since tickets became available. She said for now, she鈥檚 picking the flowers for herself.

鈥淏ut I may gift some, because I save the bulbs and replant them in October,鈥� Jenks said.

Cymone Fabian visited with her 6-month-old baby boy JJ.

鈥淚 have a single family home. It’s our first home, so I’m really excited to put some really beautiful flowers out in the front,鈥� Fabian said.

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would allow for a casino to be included in a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development in Fairfax County if the county Board of Supervisors allows for a voter referendum and voters approve it.

This final version of the legislation emerged after both the House of Delegates and Senate passed different versions in recent weeks, causing it to go to a conference committee.

The agreed-upon version passed Saturday evening and limits the casino to be built only in the Tysons area. That鈥檚 a change from earlier language that would have allowed the development anywhere in Fairfax County.

The new measure also removed an earlier provision that would have allowed a temporary casino to operate for up to five years if approved by the state’s Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission.

Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who took office in January, has not indicated whether she would sign the bill into law.

The Washington Business Journal reports Spanberger had signaled willingness in the past to consider passing the bill if the General Assembly created a state gaming commission, which doesn鈥檛 exist under this final version.

Even if the bill makes it past the governor鈥檚 desk, the decision ultimately comes down to whether the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will allow for a voter referendum, something Chairman Jeff McKay said he doesn鈥檛 plan to do.

In December, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-4 to oppose the casino legislation unless requested by a majority of the board.

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Included in this year鈥檚 swag-bags given to the nominees will be various clothing items from the Northern Virginia apparel brand .

CEO and founder Stacy Flax said Bored Rebel is known for its signature-style graphic T-shirts with a vertical saying down the middle. She came up with the idea five years ago when she realized her husband didn鈥檛 have any “fun” undershirts to wear below dress shirts.

鈥淚 ended up creating this vertical saying down the middle, so the thick part of the fabric by the buttons covers it,鈥� Flax said. 鈥淚t’s the first graphic T-shirt that can be worn under a dress shirt without showing through.鈥�

Its making bags for 25 of the nominees this year, each of which will get two signature T-shirts sporting various sayings, a sweatshirt and a cashmere beanie. Flax said the T-shirts are customized to each nominee based on size and personality.

鈥淟eonardo DiCaprio got 鈥楳y Dog Thinks I’m Awesome.鈥� You know, when I can find out that they’re a dog lover, that’s something I think that they’ll love,鈥� Flax said.

鈥淜ate Hudson and Emma Stone got one of our really popular ones that say 鈥楥hampagne Will Fix It,鈥� so that seemed like an easy win for them.鈥�

Also included in each bag will be what Flax refers to as a 鈥渃heekier鈥� option.

It鈥檚 a T-shirt with the saying 鈥淚CE in Cocktails, Not in Streets,鈥� a reference to the recent anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement movement.

This is Bored Rebel鈥檚 fourth year getting a spot in the swag-bags. Flax recalls when she learned about the opportunity to get her apparel in what she calls “arguably the most famous gift bag in the world.鈥�

She said she reached out to the firm in charge of organizing the gift bags 鈥� 鈥� to get an application. After putting together her best pitch, Flax said she got word they were in.

鈥淭his feels really special this year, because I would never have guessed that we would have been in it for four years in a row,鈥� Flax said.

As for the ultimate goal, that would be seeing one of the celebrities photographed in her apparel.

“I mean, that would be a lottery ticket for sure,” Flax said.

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Robert M. Marzan, a 54-year-old chief warrant officer who was killed March 1 , grew up in Sacramento but had recently purchased a home in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, according to the.

Rep. Eugene Vindman, who represents the county, issued a statement lamenting Marzan’s death.

鈥淐hief Warrant Officer Marzan served our nation with courage and dedication, and his loss is deeply felt not only by his family and fellow service members, but by the entire Spotsylvania community,鈥� Vindman said.

The congressman was in attendance Saturday as families of six U.S. service members killed in hostilities gathered at the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for a dignified transfer of remains. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were also in attendance.

Virginia Sens. and , along with , also offered condolences and tributes to Marzan on social media.

In a , a woman identifying herself as Marzan鈥檚 niece, Irene, wrote that her uncle was just two months away from completing his last deployment after serving over 30 years in the Army.

Marzan is remembered by his wife Tina and children Justin and Felicia.

U.S. Central Command that a seventh service member had died Saturday after succumbing to injuries suffered during an airstrike toward U.S. military installations in Saudi Arabia on March 1. The individual has not yet been identified.

The latest round of military escalation started on Feb. 28, when U.S.-Israeli airstrikes were launched against Iran after nuclear talks fell apart earlier that week.

Trump has warned that as the military campaign continues, more U.S. troops may be killed in the conflict.

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鈥淚t’s not a great day weather wise, but it’s a wonderful celebration,鈥� spectator Jeanette Preniczky said. 鈥淚 mean to see all the festivities, the dragons. I’m a sucker for pomp and circumstance.鈥�

Spectators lined the streets surrounding the D.C. Chinatown arch with umbrellas in hand, waving to and cheering on parade marchers and performers.

Lily Moy participated in the parade with the Moy Family Association, an organization that provides education and assistance to primarily Chinese individuals and families. Marching alongside a bright yellow banner reading 鈥淵ear of the Horse,鈥� Moy performed a traditional fan dance.

鈥淲e hope to showcase our culture and our dance and bring everyone together,鈥� Moy said. 鈥淚t means a lot. It means that we’re one community, and even though we have diverse backgrounds, we celebrate diversity and we celebrate each other.鈥�

Lion dancers of all ages moved through the procession to the music of drums and cymbals. Traditionally they鈥檙e meant to bring good luck, happiness and prosperity for the year ahead.

Denise Yan, who won second runner-up in the 2023 Pacific Miss Asian American Pageant, rode in the back of a white horse-drawn carriage wearing her sash and crown.

鈥淚’m going to be having a fun time on this horse carriage, waving to the people of D.C., spreading culture, spreading luck,鈥� Yan said. 鈥淭he young kids in D.C., they鈥檙e very excited when we wave to them. It’s very heart warming.鈥�

Autumn Nachman has lived in the D.C. area for two years and came to watch the parade with her sister. Nachman said despite the rainy weather, it鈥檚 important for community members to show up for each other.

鈥淚 figured like, if you want a good community, you’ve got to have a good community,” Nachman said. “You’ve got to show up. Even when it’s tricky and it’s hard and it’s cold and wet and rainy. So we’re here because that’s just how you build that village,鈥� Nachman said.

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The Eden Center is a bustling Vietnamese shopping center that鈥檚 home to over 120 family-owned restaurants and shops. Sitting atop the center is an exact replica of a clock tower that can be found in downtown Saigon.

There was plenty of culture to immerse yourself in. Organizers held a traditional Vietnamese flag-raising ceremony under a banner reading 鈥淐h煤c m峄玭g n膬m m峄沬,鈥� which translates to 鈥淗appy Lunar New Year.鈥�

Community members watched in glee at traditional lion dance performances and firecracker displays. Children were offered l矛 x矛, or 鈥渓ucky money,鈥� in small red envelopes. Many children then fed that money to the dancing lions for good luck.

鈥淔or kids who are born in the United States or overseas, events like this at the community centers to celebrate Lunar New Year is really important because that’s how they are able to learn about the culture,鈥� Thuylan Phan said.

Phan attended the event with her family, including her two young children and her father, who she said immigrated to the United States after the end of the Vietnam War.

鈥�(This) is what my dad grew up with when he was back in Vietnam. And now we live here, and this is our home now, and it’s very nice to be able to witness and understand how my dad used to celebrate his Lunar New Year,鈥� Phan said.

Many of the lion dancers helping to celebrate the first day of the Year of the Horse were local high-schoolers.

Minh Pham, an organizer with the Eden Center and a Falls Church community member, said involving youth with the event is a great way to help immerse them in Vietnamese culture.

Kenneth Tang, 17, is a drummer and lead coordinator for his lion dance troupe. Speaking just moments after completing a dance performed over firecrackers, drums and cymbals, Tang was filled with excitement and said his ears were ringing.

鈥淚t’s very tiring, but I believe it is very important for our culture, and it’s really fun,鈥� Tang said. 鈥淲e want to spread this culture throughout years, and I just hope that everybody gets to enjoy this tradition for years to come.鈥�

In addition to performances, community members had the opportunity to peruse the shops and restaurants that make up the Eden Center. Many came dressed in traditional Vietnamese garments called 谩o d脿i, or 鈥渓ong dress.鈥�

Calvin Dao, who was walking around with a group of friends, said his Vietnamese-American family has lived in the Falls Church area since before he was born.

鈥淭o be able to be back in this area and celebrate my culture with my friends and my family, it’s an amazing experience, and it’s very dear to my heart,鈥� Dao said.

Pham said the Eden Center is planning an event for May that will highlight store and restaurant owners in the Year of the Horse.

鈥淲hen they come in here, they get to learn a little bit about the history, and then also they know what to eat. So we’ll share some recommendations from each of the stores,鈥� Pham said.

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Officials in Prince William County, which currently , have unveiled an interactive map to do just that.

The 聽allows residents, property owners, county staff and other stakeholders to track data center projects at various stages of development. It tracks everything from pending land use applications to projects under construction and completed facilities. Users can also see the locations of substations and high-voltage transmission lines using the map.

But not everyone is excited about the roll out. Executive Director for the Elena Schlossberg said that while she appreciates the map showing where the majority of the industrialization is happening, it doesn鈥檛 tell the whole story.

鈥淚 don’t think it does an appropriate environmental impact,鈥� Schlossberg said. 鈥淚’m looking at it now and I can’t see all the streams. I can’t see all the watersheds.鈥�

Schlossberg said the map doesn鈥檛 include certain substations and lacks information on plans for up to seven new transmission lines through the western end of the county. One main element also not included on the map is the amount of diesel generators and diesel generator permits on each data center campus.

Those diesel generators, Schlossberg said, are put in place to provide backup power to the centers in case of emergencies. But they often produce significant .

鈥淲e have 21st Century technology that is supposed to cure cancer, but it’s running on 19th century diesel fuel. Is this for real, or am I in some kind of nightmare,鈥� Schlossberg said.

She said if you鈥檙e looking to research data center development in the county, the Gainesville District Supervisor’s website provides a 聽of the Prince William Digital Gateway, a massive data center campus development project.

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In an update on Monday, D.C. police identified Christopher Cherry as the man who allegedly made threats to the nightclub’s security and drove toward its entrance before officers fired at him. He was seriously injured.

The 28-year-old allegedly became involved in a dispute over an entrance fee with security at a nightclub in the 1800 block of New York Avenue around 1:30 a.m., according to a release issued by the department.

Although he eventually left the scene, police said Cherry threatened to return to the club with a gun.

It was while police interviewed club security that Cherry eventually returned in a car and drove toward the club’s entrance, all in the direction of officers and club security, according to police.

He suddenly drove in reverse and fled the location, prompting police to begin a search of the area.

A short time later, police said, Cherry returned.

Despite officers’ orders for the individual to exit his vehicle, he drove in the direction of the club鈥檚 entrance and pedestrians before reversing in the direction of a D.C. police officer.

At that time, another officer at the side of the vehicle fired toward the man multiple times, police said. While Cherry managed to drive away from the scene, he crashed his vehicle in the 3400 block of New York Avenue in Northeast D.C.

He was taken to a hospital conscious and breathing, but suffering from multiple gunshot injuries, police said. No one else was hurt during the incident.

Cherry has been charged with felony assault on a police officer, assault with a dangerous weapon, threat to kidnap or injure a person, reckless driving and leaving after colliding, according to the Monday news release from police.

The officers involved in the case have been placed on administrative leave, in line with the department’s policy.

The shooting will be investigated by the Internal Affairs Bureau鈥檚 Force Investigations Team. The case will also be independently reviewed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Those with information about the shooting are asked to call D.C. police at 202-727-9099.

Below is a map of the area where the shooting took place:

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Martin Luther King Jr. III and his wife, Arndrea Waters King, laid a wreath at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall before speaking to and taking pictures with a small crowd.

鈥淚 would like to be able to say that we had achieved the dream that my father envisioned and shared for the nation. My father, I should say, and mother. Unfortunately, that is just not true,鈥� King said.

Standing at the base of a nearly 30-foot statue of Dr. King, his son and daughter-in-law said, while the nation remains polarized, their family is an example that endurance overcomes.

鈥淥ut of the mountain of despair, you got to find a stone of hope, so that we can lift people,鈥� he said.

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Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on Constitution Avenue in front of the Capitol Building in D.C. on Sunday demanding a stop to federal immigration enforcement operations.

The protests, which occurred nationwide over the weekend, come in the wake of last week鈥檚 deadly shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother in Minnesota, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, and the shooting of two people in Portland, Oregon, by a federal Border Patrol agent.

Organized by , , and , protesters gathered at the George Gordon Meade Memorial holding signs reading 鈥淚CE out鈥� and 鈥淛ustice for Renee Good.鈥� Some held American flags turned upside down: a signal of extreme distress.

Organizers gave speeches demanding an end to immigration enforcement operations, and some also shared safety tips for participating in large demonstrations.

Protesters ultimately marched to the ICE headquarters located in downtown D.C.

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