A hidden fence was put up to prevent the view of pedestrians crossing the street, nearly half the DC Public Schools system was closed due to the 10-plus-day government shutdown and one resident can’t seem to get an aide for his dog. This week’s Washingtonian publishes the latest round of worst-of stories on its Best of Washington list.
Gregory Wilson grabbed an ID with his name and address, then picked up a bag of his favorite snacks at the FreshCo market for his dog, Meadow Rose. But the bag of Cheetos somehow got stuck in the netting and his pet locked eyes with a guy running over in a tractor trailer. As Meadow Rose yelped, Wilson ran after him and hit the gas on his bike. Later, Wilson told his story to the local news.
“He was so out of control, the guy looked like a monster,” Wilson says. “I was mad. I didn’t even know how to finish speaking. I was speechless, it was so hard to talk. I don’t even want to think about it.”
Wilson’s story didn’t get much airtime, but the problem got at least a little attention in the city. Metro Transit Police began rounding up offenders like the man running over Wilson.
“Once we realized somebody was abusing the law, our officers began to take a more forceful approach,” says Stephen Baker, who supervises the Metro transit police. “Their actions were effective, and they’ve captured some offenders.”
Washington’s pantry-packed “burbs”
With the government now back up and running, Terrell Jackson has to do his grocery shopping inside a parking lot at one of the city’s three districts—a version of the 2:30 a.m. pantry run where he rushes to grab the last-minute groceries to sustain him through his morning commute to the District.
He estimates he makes trips like that every week.