Washington, D.C

New organization rallies in support of the RFK Stadium deal – WTOP News

Published

3 months ago

July 16, 2025

New organization rallies in support of the RFK Stadium deal – WTOP News

A new grassroots campaign has been formed in support of plans to bring the Washington Commanders back to D.C. with a new stadium at the RFK site.

A new grassroots campaign has been formed in support of plans to bring the Washington Commanders back to the nation’s capital. The group is called “RFK Now!” and co-chair Tiffany Tate said their hope is to encourage the D.C. Council to green light the project.

“We needed that vote yesterday,” Tate said.

Tate, who’s a small-business owner in D.C., said she believes the project is a big economic development opportunity for the city and a way to bring in more jobs, affordable housing and the beautification of public areas.

She said the campaign, which is part of the advocacy group Opportunity D.C., includes business owners, nonprofits and their employees, and residents of D.C.

“That is what is so powerful about our group. It is really a snapshot into D.C.,” Tate said.

The $3.7 billion deal to bring the Commanders back to town could cost taxpayers more than $1 billion for the infrastructure of the stadium and the building of parking garages.

Some critics of the plan have raised concerns over the use of taxpayer dollars for the project. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration argued a large portion of the money for the deal, $500 million, would come from a ballpark fund, which was originally used to pay for Nationals Park, being redirected to the RFK Stadium site redevelopment.

Tax revenue for that fund comes from businesses that make $5 million or more each year in income.

Tate said she believes the project is the best way to bring housing, including affordable housing and jobs, to Southeast D.C.

“Right now, there’s nothing out there. There’s no renting, there’s no homes for purchase. There is absolutely nothing,” Tate said.

Tate said the members of the RFK Now campaign have been going door-to-door, hoping to drum up support for the project. She said the reaction to the project has been mixed, with some 100% on board and others believing this deal is about one thing only — bringing the Commanders back to D.C.

The D.C. Council added the funding for the project into its 2026 budget, which will receive a final vote on July 28. While the funding is in the budget, the terms of the deal aren’t, meaning there will be a separate hearing on the stadium, with the first hearing scheduled for July 29 and a vote expected in the fall.

Tate said her fear is that if the council waits too long, the team could look elsewhere.

“If Virginia or Maryland calls the Commanders back to their areas, we lose out on that, and who knows what that area will become in another 30, 40, 50 years,” she said.

Some of the council’s vocal critics of the project, among them Council member Charles Allen, argued that mixed-use development and affordable housing could be brought to the RFK Campus without the stadium as an anchor.

“You don’t need a stadium to be an anchor, but you need an anchor. And right now, we have a huge opportunity of billions of dollars to invest in revitalizing that area that is nothing now,” Tate said.

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Washington, D.C

Hit-and-run driver crashes into a birthday party, killing a woman and injuring 8 kids in Maryland

Published

9 hours ago

October 19, 2025

Press Room

Hit-and-run driver crashes into a birthday party, killing a woman and injuring 8 kids in Maryland

A hit-and-run driver slammed into an outdoor birthday party in suburban Washington, D.C., killing a woman and injuring eight kids on Saturday evening, police said.

Thirteen people were hurt in the the crash in Bladensburg, Maryland, according to statements from the city’s police department and the Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department.

The children ranged in age from 1 to 17 years old, Bladensburg Police said in a statement.

Video and photos of the scene posted on social media showed a sedan inside a white tent on a lawn outside a home.

The driver, who got out of the vehicle and ran away, later turned himself into police. The 66-year-old man has been interviewed by investigators who are consulting with prosecutors about what criminal charges to file.

The woman killed was identified as Ashley Hernandez Gutierrez, 31, of Washington. At least three adults and one child remained in the hospital Sunday, police said.

Police initially said nine children were injured and their ages ranged from 2 to 9 years old.

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Washington, D.C

Photos: ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump administration return nationwide

Published

1 day ago

October 19, 2025

Press Room

Photos: ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump administration return nationwide

In Washington D.C., Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Chris Murphy of Connecticut spoke. Bill Nye, the beloved children’s show host, also gave a speech slamming Trump and his cabinet for failing to accept “basic scientific facts.”

“They do not promote the progress of science. They suppress it, to the detriment of our health, well being, and international competitiveness,” he said. “It is a formula for failure.”

Fired U.S. Agency for International Development workers also joined the No Kings rally at the capital, including Amanda Nature.

Nature, 41, of Washington told NBC News: “The common adage is that 50% of the country voted for this. But 50% of the country didn’t vote for a government shutdown and the dismantlement of the government and services that people rely on.”

In Santa Monica, California, former second gentleman Doug Emhoff shared a photo of himself with his son Cole at the No Kings protest.

Image: Second Round Of No Kings Protests Sweep The U.S. — Protesters march at a No Kings protest on Saturday in Chicago. Scott Olson / Getty Images

US Protests Las Vegas — People take part in a No Kings protest in Las Vegas on Saturday.Ty ONeil / AP

In Chicago — where high-profile clashes between residents and federal immigration authorities have unfolded in recent weeks — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker shared a defiant speech.

He called out Trump and Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller for “coming for the immigrants, and for Black and brown people, and for LGBTQ people and for their political opponents.”

“History will judge us by where we choose to stand right now, today. Future generations will ask: ‘What did we do when fellow human beings faced persecution? When our rights were being abridged? When our Constitution was under attack?’” Pritzker asked. “They’ll want to know whether we stood up or we stayed silent.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren addressed thousands at the Boston Common, saying: “Standing up to a wannabe dictator? That is patriotism. Peacefully protesting to protect our democracy? That is patriotism!”

Overall, the protests have been peaceful, though some leaders, including in Texas, have said they would mobilize the National Guard to monitor for potential unrest.

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Washington, D.C

How to watch ‘No Kings’ protests in DC on Saturday

Published

2 days ago

October 18, 2025

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How to watch ‘No Kings’ protests in DC on Saturday

WASHINGTON – Millions of people are expected to take to the streets on Saturday as part of thousands of “No Kings” protests across the country, including dozens in the DMV.

When is the “No Kings” protest in Washington, D.C.?

What we know:

The flagship “No Kings” protest in Washington, D.C., on Saturday will be on the National Mall, at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 3rd Street NW. The event is scheduled from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a march down the mall starting at the Smithsonian Metro Station starting at 10:30 a.m.

Organizers of the event expect anywhere between 100,000 and 200,000 people to attend.

Several other events in the area, including marches around several bridges between Virginia and D.C., are scheduled throughout the morning.

“No Kings” protests scheduled around Washington, D.C., on Oct. 18, 2025.

What are the “No Kings” Protests?

The backstory:

Saturday’s demonstrations are follow ups to “No Kings” held back on June 14 in nearly 2,000 cities across the country. Those protests were scheduled to coincide with President Donald Trump’s scheduled birthday military parade.

The phrase “No Kings” was first coined by the 50501 Movement, a grassroots organization that pushes back against what they call “the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies.”

“No Kings” movement plans weekend rallies in DC, across US

RELATED – Organizers of the “No Kings” movement, aimed at protesting President Trump’s policies, are planning another round of marches and gatherings nationwide on Saturday — even as Republicans like Speaker Mike Johnson deride them as “Hate America” rallies. Brandon Wolf of the Human Rights Campaign explains why his organization is taking part on “The Final 5.”

How to watch Saturday’s “No Kings” protests

What you can do:

How to watch “No Kings” protests

FOX 5 DC will be livestreaming “No Kings” events throughout the city on Saturday, starting early Saturday morning. Our coverage will start at 7:30 a.m. You can watch the demonstrations live in the FOX Local app, on the FOX 5 DC YouTube channel, and even the FOX 5 DC TikTok account.

The Source: Information in this story is from Indivisible, the group organizing Saturday’s “No Kings” protests, the 50501 Movement, and previous FOX 5 DC reports.

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