Washington Informer | Community News & Local Events

**FILE** D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb says employers are expected to adhere to the District's new bump in minimum wage or risk getting punished for wage theft. Residents across the DMV are adjusting to a slate of new laws that affect everything from wage increases to emerging technologies and public safety. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Wave of New Laws Takes Effect in D.C., Maryland and Virginia

by Stacy M. Brown July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

The proposed D.C. Archives Building on the campus of the University of the District of Columbia is being defunded by the Bowser administration. (Courtesy of Gilbane)

Residents Question Bowser’s Priorities After Proposal to Defund D.C. Archives Building

by James Wright Jr. July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

**FILE** The D.C. Council will conduct its first vote on the fiscal 2026 budget on July 14. (WI photo)

The Collins Council Report: A Council Period 26 Rules Change and the Scramble to Save Government-Funded Programs

by Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. July 2, 2025December 11, 2025

**FILE** Mike Austin, an attorney and Ward 8 Council candidate, speaks at a special election forum held at Sycamore & Oak in May. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Ward 8 Special Election Profile: Mike Austin

by Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

DC Ward 8 Special Election Voters Guide July 2025

by WI Web Staff July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

Christopher E. Donald is the director of the D.C. Housing Finance Agency. (Courtesy of D.C. Housing Finance Agency)

D.C. Homeownership is Possible, Experts Say

by James Wright Jr. July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

Amazonia’s Pisco Sour cocktail drink is one of its most popular beverages. The company is a 2025 RAMMYS nominee for Cocktail Program (Courtesy of Amazonia via Instagram)

Amazonia Flows With RAMMY-Nominated Cocktail Program

by James Wright Jr. July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

**FILE** The House-passed "One Big Beautiful Bill" promises a generous tax reprieve for high earners but low- and middle-income people will see less relief, particularly in Washington, D.C., where there are deep disparities. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

Trump’s ‘Beautiful Bill’ Widens the Divide in D.C.

by Stacy M. Brown July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce 2025 Art of Black Business awardees Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, B. Doyle Mitchell, Chefs Mac McAlister and Pinkey Reddick, and Yusef Henriques. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)

Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce Hosts ‘The Art of Black Business,’ Awards Local Leaders

by James Wright Jr. July 1, 2025July 2, 2025

For the first time in the program’s history, Open Streets DC made its Capitol Hill debut on June 28, immersing residents of the DMV region into a communal hub of engagement, health and wellness, and celebration of Southeast culture. (Jada Ingleton/The Washington Informer)

Open Streets Capitol Hill Presents Alternative Routes to a Healthier Nation’s Capital

by Jada Ingleton June 30, 2025June 30, 2025