KENSINGTON, Maryland — After a four-and-a-half-year renovation challenge — together with delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic — President Russell M. Nelson will rededicate the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Aug. 14.
With its six golden spires reaching heavenward above the Capital Beltway, the Washington D.C. Temple has stood as an iconic landmark on this space for nearly 50 years. Hundreds of thousands have seen the distinguished and commanding edifice, situated simply 10 miles from america Capitol within the District of Columbia. The temple, the Church’s sixteenth in operation and the primary constructed within the Jap United States, closed in 2018 to replace mechanical and electrical techniques, refresh finishes and furnishings, and enhance the grounds.
In honor of the rededication, the Church Information seems again and chronicles the historic occasions related to the renovation and rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple.
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Church President Spencer W. Kimball shares scriptures and books with U.S. President Gerald and Betty Ford in Salt Lake Metropolis a number of months after Betty Ford toured the Washington D.C. Temple with President Kimball.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The 1974 dedication
The Washington Temple, because it was initially known as, wasdevoted because the Church’s sixteenth working temple by President Spencer W. Kimball on Nov. 19, 1974, in 10 classes.
“We hope the Lord is happy and that He’ll enter right here and make this His abode,” stated President Kimball. “The folks on this space have waited lengthy and longingly for this temple. It has been 144 years because the Church was restored. Now we have now a temple right here, exquisitely stunning, pleasingly adorned, adequately organized, to hold ahead the work of Lord.”
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Many efforts and occasions led as much as the 1974 dedication of the Washington Temple.
As well as, a number of senior Church leaders have a connection to the historic edifice.
Closed for renovation
The First Presidency introduced on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, that two landmark Latter-day Saint Temples would shut for renovations — the Oakland California Temple and the Washington D.C. Temple. Then-President John D. Jackson of the Annapolis Maryland Stake stated the closure would influence the members of his stake and all through the greater-capital metropolis area. “The Washington D.C. Temple has turn out to be such an necessary landmark within the D.C. space — we [are going to] miss it,” he stated on the time.
COVID-19
The open home and rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple had been postponed due to the consequences of COVID-19, the Church introduced Wednesday, June 17, 2020.
Quotation
Maryland Secretary of State John C. Wobensmith was working for the Nationwide Safety Company in 1974 when he attended a public open home for the Washington D.C. Temple. Virtually a half-century later he returned to the location, hoping to point out his assist for the newly renovated temple and for Latter-day Saint efforts locally. Taking part in a media occasion within the temple guests’ heart on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Wobensmith offered a quotation signed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in recognition of the renovated temple. The framed quotation honors the “distinctive alternative for folks from around the globe to view this stunning and sacred landmark.”
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Attendees walks the grounds touring The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Washington D.C. Temple in Kensington, Maryland, on Friday, April 22, 2022.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Renovation
Crews took the temple right down to the studs and put it again to the best way the temple was designed — “mid-century fashionable, solely extra fashionable,” stated Dan Holt, the Church’s challenge supervisor for the Washington D.C. Temple renovation. “There wasn’t an area we didn’t contact, inside or exterior.”
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The temple additionally had a profound influence on those that participated within the renovation. An artisan engaged on the temple, Vidal Boyacá positioned the marble for the inside temple molding. As he did, he realized why his work in Latter-day Saint temples needed to be one of the best commonplace he might provide. “I do all the things with care and religion,” he stated. “I belief that God will assist me. I would like it to be finished completely.” Quickly he might see one thing comparable occurring within himself. He was baptized in August 2019.
Public response
With sturdy early response to the Washington D.C. Temple open home, the First Presidency prolonged the open-house interval and rescheduled the temple’s rededication. As a result of practically 50% of the out there parking for the preliminary open home was scheduled within the first two weeks after the announcement of reservations was made, the First Presidency permitted the extension of the open home and rescheduled the rededication to Aug. 14. “Our objective is to ask all to hitch us to expertise the peace, magnificence and connection that may be felt within the temple, and to make sure that all who need to come back have a welcoming, protected and orderly expertise on this sacred place,” the assertion stated.
Open home
As lots of of native and nationwide journalists gathered on the grounds of the Washington D.C. Temple on Monday, April 18, Church leaders launched the primary pictures of the renovated edifice.
Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Gerrit W. Gong, each of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, participated in a media occasion on Monday, April 18. “We hope that what you’ll be taught right now isn’t just about this constructing, the way it was constructed and the way it was renovated,” Elder Bendar instructed the media representatives. “For us, what’s most necessary is how our hearts are modified as we study God and Jesus Christ, really feel their love, and serve our brothers and sisters.”
After main the tour, each Elder Bednar and Elder Gong spoke about temples — and peace. “We’ve had the chance to go to with scores of media folks from everywhere in the world,” Elder Bednar stated. “They’re interested by studying concerning the temple and what we do. So that they’ve been very receptive, and it’s been joyful.” Elder Bednar and Elder Gong additionally praised the efforts of the youth volunteering on the temple open home.
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Members of the media cowl a press convention at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Washington D.C. Temple in Kensington, Maryland, on Monday, April 18, 2022.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Media
1000’s shared the story of the Washington D.C. Temple open home via social media — collectively inviting hundreds of thousands to #ComeAndSee the #DCTemple. It’s superb what can occur when a medium elevates as an alternative of divides,” stated Aaron Sherinian, director of press and digital media for the open home committee. “It’s a reminder that, at its finest, social media was designed to attach folks and issues that matter.”
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Response
As Church leaders provided VIP excursions to invited company, many shared their emotions about getting into the temple. The Church Information recorded a sampling of a few of the issues they stated concerning the temple. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan stated, for instance, he was grateful to take part within the “fantastic celebration of religion, group and fellowship.”
And G. Alexander Bryant, president of the Seventh-day Adventists’ North American Division, stated the temple tour was informative and broadened his understanding of the Church — together with the Church’s concentrate on ancestry.
Op-ed on the temple
Elder Bednar wrote in an op-ed revealed on Medium that hearts are modified by the truths realized in Latter-day Saint temples about God and Jesus Christ — and by guarantees made to like and serve. The op-ed was featured on the web platform as lots of walked via the newly restored Washington D.C. Temple throughout the media and VIP classes of the open home. “We focus much less on what we wish and extra on aligning our will with God’s,” wrote Elder Bednar.
Worldwide Non secular Freedom Roundtable members tour The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Washington D.C. Temple in Kensington, Maryland, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
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Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Reverse open home
To arrange for the temple open home, small teams of Latter-day Saints and their pals visited the sacred websites of different faiths, hoping to be taught and foster interreligious relationships. The visits had been a part of the Reverse Open Home Sequence, headed by Diana Brown, a Latter-day Saint and Georgetown College’s assistant director for interreligious engagement. Beginning in November 2021, the Reverse Open Home Sequence took small teams to sacred locations all through the D.C. space for dialogues and numerous occasions — from touring a Catholic basilica to learning the Torah at an orthodox Jewish synagogue, and from sharing a meal with a Sikh congregation to ending a quick with the Bahá’í group.
Digital tour
On Might 24, the Church launched a digital tour of the Washington D.C. Temple, providing 360-degree views inside and out of doors of the sacred constructing. Posted on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the YouTube video contains the welcome desk, walkway bridge, dressing rooms, baptistry, bride’s room, a sealing room, stair instances, initiatory space, an endowment room and the celestial room.
Unique preview/temple lighting
Because the Church ready for the open home of the Washington D.C. Temple, Elder Bednar and Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave Ed O’Keefe of CBS Information an unique preview of the renovated edifice. The interview, which additionally included Sister Susan Bednar and Sister Kathy Christofferson, aired on Easter on the community’s “Sunday Morning” program on April 17.
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Crews filming O’Keefe’s tour of the temple didn’t want synthetic lighting “as a result of the lighting within the temple appears to permeate all the things,” stated Elder Bednar. “And one of many technicians simply held up his hand, and he stated, ‘Look, there’s no shadow wherever.’”
Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks on the Nationwide Press Membership in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Might 26, 2022.
Joshua Roberts, for the Deseret Information
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Nationwide Press Membership
Chatting with 135 media representatives on Thursday, Might 26, Elder Bednar talked concerning the renovated temple and addressed “a Latter-day Work.”
The essential function of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to assist folks be taught concerning the nature and attributes of God — to like God, to turn out to be disciples of His Son Jesus Christ and to like and serve God’s kids, he stated on the Nationwide Press Membership.
“We consider God can change our hearts and make extra of us from the within out than we are able to ever make of ourselves,” stated Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “And we additionally consider that change many occasions is required from the skin in.”
Learn extra protection of the Washington D.C. Temple
The Trump Organization is engaged in preliminary discussions to reclaim the lease on its former hotel in Washington, D.C., reports the Wall Street Journal.
The hotel is currently operating as a Waldorf Astoria.
The Wall Street Journal said Trump Organization executive vice president Eric Trump met with an executive from BDT & MSD Partners at Mar-a-Lago earlier this week to discuss purchasing the lease rights to the former Trump International Hotel Washington D.C.
BDT & MSD Partners currently controls the property’s lease, following a 2023 default and subsequent foreclosure by previous leaseholder CGI Merchant Group. The Trump Organization sold the hotel’s lease to CGI in 2022, and the hotel was reflagged as a Waldorf Astoria.
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The 263-room hotel, which occupies the Old Post Office building, opened as a Trump hotel in 2016.
During President Donald Trump’s first presidency, the hotel was a prominent gathering spot for Republican lawmakers, lobbyists and others with business involving the administration. The property came under intense scrutiny because of ethical and legal concerns.
The hotel has some of the largest guestrooms in the city. Top-tier accommodations include the 4,000-square-foot Presidential One Bedroom Suite and 6,300-square-foot Waldorf Townhouse Two Bedroom Bi-Level Suite.
The hotel is home to restaurants The Bazaar by Jose Andres and the Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa, plus 38,000 square feet of event space and a 10,000-square-foot Waldorf Astoria Spa.
‘Pizzagate’ gunman killed by police in North Carolina
Edgar Maddison Welch, the ‘Pizzagate’ suspect who stormed Comet Pizza in D.C. in 2016, was shot and killed by police in North Carolina last week.
Fox – 5 DC
The man who stormed into a Washington D.C. restaurant with loaded weapons during an incident widely known as “Pizzagate” is now dead after North Carolina police shot him during a traffic stop.
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Edgar Maddison Welch, 36, was shot just after 10 p.m. last Saturday, Kannapolis Fire and Police wrote in a news release this week.
Welch is the same Salisbury, North Carolina man who in December 2016, showed up to Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in Washington DC., with loaded weapons to investigate “unfounded rumors concerning a child sex-trafficking ring” that was allegedly operating out of the restaurant, federal prosecutors said.
He pleaded guilty in March 2017 to a federal charge of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, as well as a District of Columbia charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.
Three months later, he was sentenced to four years in prison.
More news: It was a dispute over a $2.50 bus fare. Now a bus driver is dead and 3 teens are charged.
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What is ‘Pizzagate’? What happened at Comet Ping Pong?
Welch’s initial reason for making headlines in 2016 stemmed from rumors of a child sex trafficking ring allegedly operating out of the pizza restaurant he stormed into, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia.
Rumors began circulating online that the restaurant was part of a trafficking ring operated by then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton – a fake news campaign targeting Clinton during the general election.
Welch allegedly tried to recruit people to participate in the storming of the restaurant leading up to Dec. 4. He’d texted someone saying he was “raiding a pedo ring” and sacrificing “the lives of a few for the lives of many.”
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Prosecutors said Welch traveled from North Carolina to Washington D.C. with three loaded firearms, including a 9mm AR-15 assault rifle loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, a fully-loaded, six-shot, .38-caliber revolver and a loaded shotgun with additional shotgun shells.
Welch parked his car and around 3 p.m., walked into the restaurant, where multiple employees and customers were present, including children, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia said in a news release.
“He was carrying the AR-15 openly, with one hand on the pistol grip, and the other hand on the hand guard around the barrel, such that anyone with an unobstructed view could see the gun,” the office wrote in the news release.
Once customers and employees saw Welch, they fled the building. Welch was also accused of trying to get into a locked room by forcing the door open, first with a butter knife and then shooting his assault rifle multiple times into the door.
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Shortly after he walked into the restaurant, an employee who had no idea what was going on walked in carrying pizza dough, federal prosecutors said. When Welch saw the employee, he turned toward the worker with the assault rifle, which made the employee think he was going to shoot them. The employee then ran out, leaving Welch alone in the restaurant.
Welch spent more than 20 minutes inside the restaurant, then walked out, leaving his firearms inside. Officials then arrested him.
When Welch was sentenced to four years in prison, he was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, during which he’d have to get a mental health assessment.
He was also ordered to stay away from the Comet Ping Pong restaurant while released and to pay $5,744 in restitution for property damage.
What happened leading up to the Welch’s death?
The deadly traffic stop happened the night of Jan. 4, said Kannapolis Chief of Police Terry L. Spry in a news release.
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Around 10 p.m., a Kannapolis Police Officer patrolling North Cannon Boulevard spotted a gray 2001 GMC Yukon. The officer recognized the vehicle because he’d previously arrested someone who frequently drove the vehicle, Welch. He also knew Welch had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, police said.
The officer stopped the vehicle and recognized the front seat passenger as Welch, who had an outstanding arrest warrant for felony probation violation, police said. While the officer was speaking with Welch, two additional officers showed up to help.
As the officer who made the traffic stop approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the front passenger door to arrest the individual, the passenger pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the officer.
The initial officer and a second officer who was standing at the rear passenger side of the Yukon ordered the man to drop the gun. After the passenger failed to lower his gun, both officers fired at him, hitting him.
Officials called for medical assistance for Welch who was taken to a hospital for treatment. He was later taken to another hospital, where he died from his injuries two days after the shooting.
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None of the officers at the traffic stop were hurt and neither were the driver and back seat passenger in the vehicle with Welch.
The officers involved who fired their weapons were Officer Brooks Jones and Officer Caleb Tate. The third officer at the scene did not fire his weapon, police said.
District Attorney will decide next steps in traffic stop shooting death
An outside law enforcement agency has been requested to investigate the shooting.
“This practice ensures there is no bias during the investigation and the findings of the investigation are presented to the District Attorney without any influence by a member of the department,” the police chief wrote in the news release.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is still investigating the shooting and the two officers who fired their weapons are on administrative leave, which the police said is standard protocol.
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Cabarrus County District Attorney Ashlie Shanley will decide what the next steps are, police said.
Contributing: Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
Viewers and media industry professionals alike are sharing tributes to Derrick Ward, a longtime Washington, D.C., television journalist who died Tuesday at age 62.
Ward’s death followed complications from a recent cardiac arrest and was confirmed Wednesday by NBC 4 Washington (WRC-TV), where he’d been employed since 2006.
“Derrick has been an inspiration and cherished member of our family and his hometown community,” Ward’s family told the outlet in a statement that was shared during Wednesday’s broadcast. “As a distinguished journalist, Derrick’s storytelling, prolific writing, warmth and humor touched countless lives. Our children and our entire family will miss him dearly.”
As of Thursday afternoon, news of Ward’s passing had drawn an outpouring of condolences online.
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“Stunned to hear of his passing. Watched that great man for over two decades tell some riveting stories all with class, respect, and precision,” podcaster Lee Sanders wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Well diverse and extremely talented man. Thoughts to his friends, family and colleagues. Not a good start to 2025.”
Watch an NBC 4 report on Derrick Ward’s death below.
Fox 5 DC journalist Tom Fitzgerald felt similarly, describing Ward as “one of the most pleasant people I’ve ever spent time with.”
“I’ll miss the graciousness, professionalism, kindness and glowing smile of this true gentleman,” he wrote on X. “Peace to his family, friends & NBC 4 colleagues.”
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A Washington, D.C., native, Ward began his journalism career in radio, where he covered the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the D.C. sniper shootings of 2003, among other major stories. He then transitioned to television reporting when he landed a gig at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.
Appearing on the “Architecture Is Political” podcast in 2020, Ward recalled how his love of storytelling inspired him to pursue a career in journalism.
“I want to tell the stories of this town that I grew up in,” he said. “I like doing things that can resonate with somebody ― if you can say something or write something somewhere and it just gets someone’s attention or whatever point you’re trying to make gets off and they can say, ‘Hmmm’ or ‘Uh huh.’ It’s the same reason that people do music and other things, I guess, is to look for that resonance.”
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In addition to his professional background, Ward was known as an avid golfer and guitar player. He is survived by his three children: Derrick Jr., Ian and Marisa.
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