Happy 2022! In case you missed it, it snowed! On Monday, we woke up to a beautiful, heavy snowfall– perfect for making snowmen and snow angels. It was, however, not such a great snowfall for sledding down Capitol Hill. While many families got a couple of runs in, people were turned away because tree limbs were so heavy with snow, there was a high risk that many would snap. The District saw many downed branches and trees, as well as some downed power lines, but the suburbs saw the worst of the storm: between a fatal crash involving a snowplow (WUSA-9) and a 24+ hour traffic snarl on I-95 (WaPo), we can consider ourselves very lucky. Plowing took a little bit due to smaller crews, but it’s getting there.
What’s been going on?
Tomorrow will be January 6. For many of us, it’s a surreal feeling and a day we’d rather forget. It was an honor to have my voice added to reminiscences on DCist and The Washington Post. How about you all? If you want to share a memory from a year ago, shoot us an email at info@thehillishome.com and we may include it in a future post.
In incredibly sad news, ABC Pony, Erik Bruner-Yang’s Italian-Asian fusion restaurant inside Novel South Capitol, is officially closing. Friends, if you love a restaurant, you need to support it. If there is a lesson to be learned from this pandemic is that restaurants are incredibly vulnerable businesses that need your steady patronage.
As You Are Bar is opening in the old Banana Cafe space (yay!) but not before some hurdles are cleared (boo). There is a special ANC 6B Alcohol Board meeting tomorrow, January 6, at 7 p.m. It seems some neighbors may protest AYA’s liquor license. If you would like As You Are to be able to fully open, they are asking for community support via email and at the meeting (link here). As You are Bar would be one of only 21 lesbian-owned bars in the entire country and for a small business that’s on the verge of opening, every month unable to draw an income can be detrimental.
Did you like Beuchert’s Saloon’s sandwich spin-off Fight Club? It now has a permanent home (with a larger menu) in the former Hank’s on the Hill Space. WCP
Yes, the homicide rate has increased dramatically in DC– but sadly, we are not alone. On the bright side, it’s nothing like it was 30 years ago, by a long shot. The Washington Post takes a look.
Need to take a close look at the new Ward boundaries? Take a look at this very, very zoomable map (h/t ANC commissioner Edward Ryder).
DCPS had to push their school opening one day due to the snow. Parents and guardians were encouraged to test their children so school populations could all start with negative tests this school year.
On an incredibly sweet note. Joe Lowry, who does emergency preparedness for the United States Congress (and whom you should follow on Twitter), tweeted out a photo of a ring he found after the January 6 events. And POLITICO reporter Sarah Ferris replied with, “IT’S MINE!” and it was a very good internet moment indeed.
Finally, mail is still at the forefront of our woes. A reader tweeted at us and we posed the question. It’s not looking good out there, folks. To read the replies, click through to the original Tweet and then hit the speech bubble.