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Washington, D.C
Controversial ride-hailing app Empower is now in Baltimore
Empower, a ride-hailing app that has generated controversy by bucking regulators in Washington, D.C., has expanded service to Baltimore as a state regulatory board has tried to stop it.
The company’s announcement came Friday, shortly before a D.C. judge forced the company to cease operations in the nation’s capital. That’s because the company, which markets itself as a cheaper alternative to Uber and Lyft, had not registered with a District of Columbia agency that oversees for-hire vehicles. D.C. requires companies to pay taxes and congestion fees, have insurance and conduct background checks, in addition to subjecting them to additional oversight. Empower has kept costs low by not complying with such requirements, officials said.
Empower CEO Joshua Sear rebuffed these claims earlier this year and told local media that every driver undergoes a background check. The company, which facilitates over 90,000 rides a week in the Washington metro area, contends that drivers who appear on the platform are not employees, but rather buyers of software that in turn helps them reach riders. Drivers pay for software access, then set their rates and keep their earnings.
If the app gains traction here, Empower could drive down prices for ride-hailing Baltimoreans. It could also bring some of the D.C.-area chaos that it ignited up to Charm City.
Empower has not yet engaged with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, Sear said. “We welcome the opportunity to work with them to improve the lives of drivers and help facilitate more transportation options for Baltimore Metro Area residents,” he added. “We intend to reach out after the holidays.”
Here in Maryland, the state’s Public Service Commission regulates ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft, issuing them “transportation network company,” or TNC, licenses.
Ride-hail drivers also have to apply for and obtain a specific license from the commission in order to operate — they do so through a specific operator, such as Uber or a taxi company. The license doesn’t cost the driver anything, but requires a fingerprint-supported criminal background check and compliance with all Maryland insurance and vehicle registration laws.
In April, the PSC filed a formal complaint against Yazam Inc., which it says has operated as a TNC under the name Empower in Maryland since at least 2021, and has done so without authorization.
The commission directed Empower to apply for authorization in January 2022, writing in a letter that it could face fines of up to $2,500 for every day it was out of compliance, as well as possible criminal consequences.
The company had not done so by the April filing, the commission wrote in its complaint. The company “continues to operate unlawfully in Maryland,” the complaint alleges.
A PSC spokesperson declined to comment on the matter and cited the pending case against the company. Officials at Baltimore’s transportation department, which has a rideshare coordinator on its staff, also did not respond to request for comment.
In its response in June, Empower argued that it is not a TNC because of the nuances that differentiate it from Uber and Lyft, and therefore it is not subject to Maryland’s regulation of ride-hailing companies. “Empower does not provide transportation anymore than OpenTable provides lunch or Expedia provides flights,” the company wrote.
The company response also argues that Empower isn’t harming Marylander consumers but rather providing additional competition that is helping them. It further alleges that the commission itself has even recognized that Empower does not fit Maryland’s definition of a TNC.
Empower, based in McLean, Virginia, has been marred by controversy since it launched in the District of Columbia in 2020. Earlier this year, a woman told police in Arlington, Virginia, that she was sexually assaulted by an Empower driver. The driver has since been suspended, The Washington Post reported.
Competitors Uber and Lyft also pushed back against regulation in Washington, D.C., during their infancy about a decade ago, but came to a resolution with the local government.
These scandals prompted D.C.’s attorney general to file a lawsuit against Empower in July. He accused the company of failing to maintain rider records and conduct background checks adequately.
Washington, D.C
Great American State Fair opens Thursday on National Mall. See hours and security info
The Great American State Fair, celebrating the United States’ 250th birthday, opens Thursday, bringing a Ferris wheel, special exhibits and road closures to the National Mall.
D.C. residents and visitors may have seen a Ferris wheel towering 110 feet over the fairgrounds. It’s free to ride, and it’s the first-ever Ferris wheel to be on the National Mall, a Talley Amusements spokesperson said on social media.
Visitors will also find exhibits representing all 56 states and territories, fair organizers Freedom 250 said, although some states decided not to sponsor programming, several media outlets reported. Metro will showcase its newest and oldest railcars at the fair.
Expect road closures and Metrobus detours into July.
Great American State Fair hours
The Great American State Fair is free and opens to the public at 10 a.m. Thursday. It runs daily through July 10. Each day has a theme, including Make America Health Again (MAHA) Mondays and Military & Veterans Appreciation Day on Sunday, June 28.
Fair hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.
Fairgrounds will be open 10 a.m. to midnight on July 4, when President Donald Trump promised “the largest pyrotechnics display in the history of the world.”
Great American State Fair security: bag policy and prohibited items
Visitors must go through security at the gates on either 12th or 7th street.
“To enhance security screening and expedite entry into the event venue, all attendees will be required to follow the Clear Bag Policy,” the event’s website says. Bags are subject to inspection.
Bag policy: Each guest may bring one clear, see-through bag that does not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″. A small clutch purse not exceeding 10″ x 6″ x 2″ is also permitted. Anyone accompanying a child 6 or under can bring one diaper bag.
Prohibited items: Aerosols (including bug spray and sunscreen), animals, backpacks, food, water bottles, umbrellas, balls, drink tumblers, drones, glass and metal containers, packages, selfie sticks, sign supports, toy guns and weapons of any kind, including firearms, are among prohibited items. See a full list on the event’s website.
Driving and walking anywhere near the National Mall is drastically different as it’s being transformed for the state fair. News4’s Mauricio Casillas reports.
How to get to the Great American State Fair
Organizers recommend you take public transit or ride share. Nearby Metro stations include Federal Triangle and Smithsonian on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines; Archives on the Green and Yellow Lines; and Gallery Places on the Green, Yellow and Red lines.
You can use Metro’s Trip Planner tool or apps like Google Maps to get directions.
“All ride-share services (Uber, Lyft, taxi, etc.) must use the designated Ride-Share Pick-Up & Drop-Off areas. Locations will be updated and communicated at a later time,” the event’s website said on Thursday morning.
President Trump kicked off fair after artists dropped out
Trump formally kicked off the celebrations on Wednesday night with a rally that included a series of flyovers by stealth bombers, military bands and Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA.”
“There has never been anything like the United States of America, and together we are making it bigger and better and stronger and far more exceptional than ever before,” Trump said.
Trump announced he would headline the event after several musicians pulled out of the event’s concert series. Some artists have said they were misled about the event’s theme and want to avoid political controversy.
The event is organized by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership created by Trump that labels itself as a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, NBC News reported.
The fair is just the latest event drawing crowds downtown, prompting extra security and road closures. It follows the UFC fight, problems with the Reflecting Pool and the debut of a FIFA World Cup fan zone.
In August, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will send cars speeding at 190 mph through D.C.
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Donald Trump kicked off what was intended to be a “spectacular birthday party” for American’s 250th year of independence with a political rally touting his presidency.
“I am thrilled to declare that America is back,” Trump said at the opening ceremony for the Great American State Fair in Washington DC, held on the National Mall. “As you know very well, a short time ago we were a dead country. We were dead. Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world. We’re respected by everybody. Nobody’s laughing at us any more.”
He rattled off a list of what he described as victories, including a preliminary deal to end the conflict with Iran, a crackdown on immigration and a tax bill. “In the American Revolution, they had a saying no tax on tea. But with the Great Big Beautiful Bill we did even better,” he said, harkening back to the event’s purpose.
He also boasted about projects he has spearheaded around Washington to beautify the city ahead of its independence anniversary, including his project to make the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool “American flag blue” for the celebrations. The revamp has cost about $14.1m, as the pool has faced setbacks including an algae bloom and peeling polyurethane liner.
Trump repeated a claim, that the administration has offered no evidence of, that the peel was caused by vandals: “Thugs, bad people.”
Before the remarks, attendees gathered on the national mall waved star-spangled flags as the US marine band drummed up energy.
Popular musical acts including the Commodores, Martina McBride and Young MC had been announced as headliners for the opening ceremony, but they and other performers backed out of the event, citing its political undertone. Some states also opted out of participating in the Great American State Fair over similar concerns.
Opera singer Christopher Macchio and country musician Lee Greenwood, whose 1984 single God Bless the USA has soundtracked Maga rallies for years, took the stage instead.
Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of the FBI director, Kash Patel, sang the national anthem. Wilkins, who announced her performance in a Tuesday social media post, had rebuffed online speculation about nepotism factoring into her appearance. “I was invited to sing this anthem on my own accord,” she wrote on X.
Trump has spoken of America’s 250th birthday as an inflection point, a time for the nation to recommit itself to patriotism and faith. But while the events were initially touted as nonpartisan and nonpolitical, many of the scheduled celebrations have morphed into Maga-themed occasions. Those programs include Make America Healthy Again Mondays and an Independence Day celebration that will feature a campaign-style rally hosted by Trump.
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The National Mall was also the backdrop for another event celebrating America’s 250th year of independence, a UFC fight that drew ethics concerns over the optics of a for-profit company commandeering a public space.
Freedom 250 is also slated to host another sporting event dubbed the Patriot Games. High school students will compete in physical and mental challenges. Scholarship funding of $125,000 will be awarded to one male and one female champion.
The celebrations come as the Trump administration fields criticism that it has promoted “revisionist” history. Early into his second term, the president signed an executive order to purge the nation’s public monuments of “ideological indoctrination”. Materials referencing slavery, Indigenous people and the climate crisis were removed from parks, although a judge recently ordered the administration to reinstate them.
Washington, D.C
AAPI Data Releases 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, Highlighting the Growing Influence of AAPI Communities Across All 50 States and Washington, D.C. – AAPI Data
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amanda Ong
press@aapidata.com
AAPI Data Releases 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, Highlighting the Growing Influence of AAPI Communities Across All 50 States and Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC – Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and AAPI Data today released the 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, a comprehensive set of demographic and voter data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Updated every two years, the fact sheets provide policymakers, advocates, researchers, journalists, campaigns, and community organizations with essential data on the nation’s fastest-growing racial demographic and voter bloc.
“AAPI voters are shaping elections nationwide, yet our communities are still too often overlooked or misunderstood,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. “These fact sheets give organizers, policymakers, media, and advocates the context they need to build more informed, effective, and inclusive engagement strategies and to better understand AAPI communities’ growing impact on American democracy.”
“Our communities are growing rapidly in places well beyond the Northeast and the Pacific West,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, Founder and Executive Director of AAPI Data. “It is critical for news media, funders, and civic engagement organizations to use these updated findings to ensure accuracy and efficacy in their work.”
The 2026 State Fact Sheets include state-specific information on:
- AAPI population and eligible voters
- Population growth trends
- Citizenship and immigration data
- Language access and English proficiency
- Economic indicators, including poverty and health insurance coverage
- Geographic concentrations by county
- Voter demographics and civic engagement
The fact sheets are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and include both monoracial and multiracial AAPI populations. Together, these data provide a more complete picture of AAPI communities and equip decision-makers with the information needed to better serve and engage one of the country’s fastest-growing populations.
The 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets are available for free and may be downloaded individually by state or as a combined report at: https://apiavote.org/policy-and-research/aapi-demographics-by-state/. The factsheets can also be found on the AAPI Data website: https://aapidata.com/demographics/2026-aapi-voter-state-fact-sheets
About AAPI Data
AAPI Data is a national research and policy organization producing accurate data to support community narratives that drive action toward enduring solutions for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Learn more at aapidata.com.
About APIAVote
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen and sustain a culture of civic engagement. See our website for more information at https://www.apiavote.org/
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