WASHINGTON – Ahead of the January inauguration, D.C. leaders say they are committed to the peaceful transfer of power and the security measures they have been tasked to handle.

At a briefing Tuesday, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said her team and other partners have been planning for the January 20 inauguration since mid-summer. 

Agencies across the country have been intentional about supporting D.C. law enforcement, Chief Smith said.

“We hope we can get to 4,000 police officers to assist us in this process. We are close to that number. We do have other agencies who are continuing to reach out to us. As they reach out, we will accept their request to provide mutual aid support for the District of Columbia during the inauguration process,” Smith said Tuesday.

Along with the January 20 inauguration, the 2025 Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes has been set for January 6.

“Certainly, working with the D.C. government agencies [including] fire and EMS, OUC, which are the parameters and nerve center here for the District of Columbia, we continue to prepare with our internal agencies on a regular basis,” Smith said. “With our federal partners, we have been meeting on a bi-weekly basis. Sometimes, a weekly basis to determine what intelligence information that may arise, not just in D.C. but across the U.S.”

Smith added Tuesday, that the department is also tracking other potentially large-scale events.

“Currently, we’re tracking I think four major…if you want to call it…major events as it relates to First Amendment activity. As you know, this is nothing new to the MPD. We handle large protests and demonstrations, not just coming on the heels of a January 6th certification of the elections and inauguration, but we do this year-round,” she said. “We signed up for this job. We understand the risks are and what’s associated with this, and as with any protests and demonstrations, we will be prepared to address what comes with that.”

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the oath of office, there are questions surrounding what a second Trump term could look like for the district. D.C. Mayor Muriel said her office has requested a meeting with the president-elect.

“We have been discussing and planning for many months in the case that the District has to defend itself and its values on all regards. In terms of what we should know is that we’re still a country of laws and the district has home rule and the congress could change it, they could. It is possible. That is probably, as you mentioned, not a likely occurrence,” Mayor Bowser said. “What I think is important for all DC residents to recognize, we’re not in a new place. We’ve been in this place before. What we have done, is we have followed the law and we defended ourselves and that would be our approach in any further occurrence.”

‘Home rule’  refers to the law signed in 1973 by President Richard Nixon, which created a local government for Washington, D.C. It granted DC residents the ability to elect a mayor and council, but Congress retained the power to overrule local legislation and D.C. residents remained without a vote in Congress. 

Trump has also been vocal on the intention to overhaul federal departments and agencies by firing “corrupt actors in [the] National Security and Intelligence apparatus” and moving as many as 100,000 government positions out of D.C.

Bowser said some of those are not in D.C. proper and would welcome a meeting on the federal workforce.

“There is a lot that our region offers to attract and retain and have a productive federal workforce, so we’re going to make our pitch,” she said Tuesday.

On inauguration safety, a spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service released the following statement to FOX 5 on Tuesday:

“We continue to work closely with our law enforcement and public safety partners as we plan for the 2025 Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes on Jan. 6, and the 2025 Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, both of which have been designated National Special Security Events. More details, including the security perimeter and road closures, will be released a few weeks prior to each event.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – To help support caregivers of veterans, the VA Augusta Health Care System will host a veteran caregiver resource fair from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday at its uptown campus.

Titled “Caregiving: Refresh and Renew,” the resource fair will offer those who attend an opportunity to:

• Discuss caregiving with VA Augusta caregiver support staff.
• Gain resources from VA Augusta and other veteran-advocate agencies.
• Connect with other Veteran caregivers.

The event will be in Room 3B-125 at the uptown campus, 1 Freedom Way.

To learn more about the VA Caregiver Support Program visit www.caregiver.va.gov.

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Later this week, VA Augusta Health Care System will host a Stand Down for Veterans experiencing homelessness from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday in the second-floor gymnasium of the uptown campus.

Veterans can get life-essential items like toiletries and blankets, as well as a boxed lunch, a VA eligibility screening, the opportunity to register for VA health care, local community agency information, and HUD-VASH and other veteran housing information.

Veterans can also contact sabrina.faircloth@va.gov for help.

Homeless veteran programs housed nearly 48,000 veterans across the U.S. in Fiscal Year 2024, surpassing the annual goal by 16.9%. Locally, VA Augusta exceeded its annual goal by 245.7%, which leads VA facilities across the nation.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUSTIN, Texas – The flames burned a bit brighter at three Austin barbecue restaurants after a big win.

The Michelin Guide Texas was officially released at a ceremony in Houston on Monday, Nov. 11. The announcement came with an image of a familiar looking plate of food that seemed to acknowledge just how big BBQ is in Texas. 

Austin’s one-star BBQ recipients include:

• InterStellar BBQ
• la Barbecue
• LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue

Texas Michelin Guide: Central Texas restaurant winners announced

Cole Parkman, the pitmaster for LeRoy and Lewis, provided FOX 7 with a tour of their restaurant.

“We’ve got quite a bit on today. We’ve got briskets back there. And then there are pieces of shoulder right here,” said Parkman.

With the award, Tuesday’s prep work certainly had a different feel.

“It’s fabulous. And it’s a wonderful company to be a part of. I’m just a little humble kid from Pasadena, Texas. Never thought I’d be working at a place with all of these Michelin-star chefs. It’s a wonderful place to be,” said Parkman.

The award wraps up a big year for LeRoy and Lewis. Earlier this year, they opened a South Austin location after working the past seven years out of a food trailer.

“Well, you know, a shock is really an understatement,” said Parkman. 

The smoke coming from the pits at InterStellar’s Northwest Austin location was preparing meat for Wednesday’s customers. The owner of Interstellar, John Bates, was in Houston for the ceremony. 

FOX 7 spoke with Chef de Cuisine Sinjin Tiger, who said he was at home when the award was announced.

“I was trying to relax. I was hanging out at home with my wife and the dogs and trying to pay attention to her, trying not to pay any attention to it. And then all of a sudden, I just started getting a bunch of phone calls and text messages, and it just kind of blew me away,” said Tiger.

Sinjin thinks their pork bellies, served with a peach tea coating, contributed to the win.

“It means the absolute world. I know this is something that Jon has been working for, you know, pretty much his whole life, and I feel like we’re just incredibly blessed to have the team that we have to work towards this goal and allow us to accomplish this goal,” said Tiger.

The owners of la Barbecue were not available for comment, but the staff said they’re also excited about receiving a star. The four other Austin restaurants awarded with One MICHELIN Star include:

• Barley Swine
• Craft Omakase
• Hestia
• Olamaie

“To be a Michelin Star restaurant is a big deal. And it is mostly fine dining and is really with the intention of doing this and being a Michelin Star restaurant. And somebody mentioned to me, well, why come to Texas if you’re not going to pick a barbecue place? I thought, well, you know. You’re right,” said Parkman.

The famous guidebook uses anonymous inspectors to judge locations and typically visit more than once. Officials with the guide say they were impressed by what they found on the menu in Texas. And now Central Texas BBQ is in the guide.

“And it’s nothing short of ecstatic for them. And I love to see what they’re doing and where they’re going to go after this,” said Tiger.

A little more than a dozen Austin area restaurants were also recognized for having great food at great value. 

The full Michelin Guide Texas totals 117 Texas restaurants offering 26 types of food. They’re located in Austin, DFW, Houston, and San Antonio.