public SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Melbourne Police Department Honor Guard’s Officer McKinney and Officer Lopez attended the Annual Police Officer Memorial Week at the United States Capitol.

The honor guards attended the arrival of the Unity Bicycle Tour at the National Police Memorial.

They visited Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects and watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

They also attended the Annual Candle Light Vigil where they participated in the Cordon Team and escorted family members of fallen officers to the Candlelight Vigil.

Finally, they were so honored to be a part of the Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service where the keynote speaker was President Joe Biden.

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All aboard! A great way to take in the views of DC’s majestic monuments and landmarks is on a boat adventure. Here’s a list of fun water trips to add to your summer plans:

Go hydro biking

Potomac Ave., SE  and 710 Wharf St., SW

Boating in DC offers a unique experience: biking on the water while balancing on two floating rafts. The “hydro bikes” are stable pontoon bikes that can be rented at the Wharf Boathouse, and, starting on May 18, at Ballpark Boathouse in Navy Yard (Fri-Sun through October, $26+).

Picnic on a boat

970 Wharf St., SW

Sail across the Washington Channel—no boating license necessary—in a GoBoat you can rent at the Wharf. The electric boats travel at a speed of about three to four miles an hour, so you can do a leisurely cruise while sightseeing with friends. GoBoats carry up to eight passengers—including pets, for an additional fee. On this ride you are the captain, and are welcome to bring food and drinks (daily, $168+).

Explore on a paddleboard

Multiple locations in DC and Virginia

Test your balance and paddling skills on a standup paddleboard; you can find rentals throughout the area. Just south of Alexandria, paddlers can explore Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, the largest freshwater tidal wetlands near DC, with paddleboards rented from Belle Haven Marina. Boating in DC also rents boards in Georgetown, the Wharf, Alexandria, and Fletcher’s Cove (daily, $16+ for Boating in DC rentals, $30+ for Belle Haven Marina).

Sail on a historic ship

201 N. Union St., Alexandria

Travel back in time to the 18th century aboard the Tall Ship Providence, docked in Alexandria. History guides dressed in period garb talk about the life of sailors in the Revolutionary War. The floating classroom offers dockside tours, sunset cruises, and tasting journeys on the water ($55+ for daily sunset cruises, Wed-Mon; $24 for dockside tours; $76 select dates for tasting journeys).

Party with friends

Multiple locations in DC

Choose a starting point—DC’s Wharf, Georgetown, or Navy Yard—and invite some friends to pedal across DC waters on a Potomac Paddle Club pontoon. There are 10 cycling stations for guests to get active while passing by sites such as the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and Pentagon. Boats can accommodate between 16 to 20 people, and are equipped with coolers, USB charging stations, Bluetooth speakers, and a motor if you prefer not to pedal; you can bring your own beverages aboard, too (daily, $35+).

Go on a Classic DC Outing

1501 Maine Ave., SW

Prepare to move your feet on the Tidal Basin’s pedal-powered, four-passenger boats. Boating in DC offers one-hour rentals for this classic DC experience (daily, $38 on weekdays, $40 on weekends and holidays).

Take a culinary cruise

970 Wharf St., SW

Upgrade your boating experience this summer on a yacht. Nautiste— a woman-owned yacht-charter company—launched last year. It offers three options for a luxe water journey: two motor yachts, the 72-foot Patriot and the more intimate 42-foot Independence, as well as the Cru Classé, a 47-foot French sailing yacht. The fleet ports at the Wharf. There are options to add dining experiences such as champagne and oyster tastings, or charcuterie spreads, for an additional price (private bookings, prices vary).

Throw a tiki party

3100 K St., NW and 355 Water St., SE

If you’re looking for a booze cruise, Potomac Tiki Club has you covered. These Potomac River explorations feature a tiki bar where guests can purchase drinks; guests can also sip beverages they packed from home. There are two boats to choose from: a smaller boat that fits up to six people and leaves from Navy Yard, and a larger boat departing from Georgetown that fits eight to 18 people (daily, $45+ for Georgetown cruises, $350+ for Navy Yard).

Visit a local bar on a boat

3100 K St., NW and 1492 4th St., SE

The local bar Whitlow’s recently launched a 48-passenger tiki boat cruise in collaboration with Sea Suite Cruises. Whitlow’s on Water— which has televisions, music, and an open-air bar mixing up summery drinks—sails the Potomac River. The boat is also available for private charters (daily, $40+, Georgetown, Navy Yard). (Here’s more.)

Paddle the Anacostia River

4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg

Spend some time exploring a quiet stretch of the Anacostia River by yourself in a single kayak, or take a serene canoe trip. Rentals can be booked from Bladensburg Waterfront Park through October (daily, $25+ for Prince George’s and Montgomery County residents, $33+ for non-residents).

Enjoy sunset views

3000 K St., NW and 580 Water St., SW

Capitol River Cruises and City Cruises are great boat options for sunset tours, date-night dining, and monument sightseeing around DC. On City Cruises, you can have a three-course meal and dance to a live DJ while overlooking the Potomac; on special occasions there are firework shows, too. Capitol River Cruises ship out around 8 PM for 45-minute journeys past the Kennedy Center, the Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol, and the Lincoln Memorial (daily, $25+ for Capitol River Cruises; daily, $52+ for City Cruises).

Voyage to Mount Vernon

145 National Plaza, National Harbor; 0 Cameron St., Alexandria

Tickets will be available soon for this experience that includes spending time at historic Mount Vernon. First, patrons cruise to George Washington’s former estate by way of a water taxi, which departs from Alexandria and National Harbor. On-board guides provide narration as guests pass sites such as Fort Washington. After the boat ride, passengers have three hours to tour Mount Vernon before the boat ride back (schedule TBA, $56+).

Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.

A House Republican-led bill aimed at overhauling Washington, D.C.’s criminal policies passed with the support of 18 Democrats on Wednesday evening.

It is a sign that crime in the nation’s capital has been an increasingly urgent issue for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Rep. Byron Donalds’ D.C. Criminal Reform to Immediately Make Everyone Safer (DC CRIMES) Act would impose specific changes targeting how juveniles and young adults are prosecuted.

The bill passed the House by a 225 to 181 vote, with only Democratic lawmakers opposed.

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Democrats who supported the bill include Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Pat Ryan, D-N.Y.; Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas; Jared Golden, D-Maine; Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio; Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.; and Angie Craig, D-Minn.; among others.

Donalds, R-Fla., said in a statement after its passage, “Our nation’s capital is experiencing a historic crime wave as a result of progressive, soft-on-crime policy. This man-made public safety crisis is unacceptable. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to oversee the District of Columbia and it is imperative that we act quickly to assert our control when local government fails to do its job. The American people deserve a safe capital city and I will not stand idly-by as it descends into chaos.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., similarly blamed Democratic policies for fueling the city’s crime issues.

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Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., introduced the DC CRIMES Act, which passed on Wednesday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies have significantly changed policing across the country – and some of the worst consequences can been seen in our nation’s capital,” Johnson’s statement read. “Congress has a responsibility to act in the interest of the District of Columbia.”

It is not the first time since the beginning of 2023 that Congress has stepped in to exercise its authority over the capital to crack down on crime.

Last March, both the House and Senate passed a GOP-led resolution overturning the city council’s proposed overhaul of the Washington, D.C., criminal code that would have drastically reduced minimum sentences for armed carjackings and expanded the right to jury trials, which critics say would have caused unnecessary delays.

Donalds’ bill would lower the age classifying “youths” from under 25 to under 18. The classification gives Washington, D.C., courts more flexibility in issuing sentences for crimes committed.

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Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., is one of the 18 Democrats who voted for the bill. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

It would prevent the courts from handing down sentences under the minimum statutory requirements for youth offenders, and stop Washington, D.C.’s progressive city council from changing what those requirements are.

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The bill would also require the Washington, D.C., attorney general to keep the public better informed on youth and juvenile crime rates by creating a public website where statistics are readily available. 

According to a year-to-date crime comparison provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, homicides in the nation’s capital rose 35% from 2022 to 2023, with the overall rate of violent crime climbing 39%. Robberies increased by 67%, while instances of motor vehicle theft have climbed 82%.