Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Aug. 17, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!
THE LATEST
It’s off to the races this weekend as the Freedom 250 Grand Prix roars into D.C., the final stop in a long summer of local disruptions around the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations.
The disturbances include a host of road closures near the racecourse — which loops around the National Mall — that are already diverting bus routes and will modify access to courts and museums.
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Thirteen bus routes will be detoured by the race. Some are scheduled to be affected until Sept. 15, more than three weeks after the race is over, though that could change if roads reopen sooner. D.C.’s Department of Transportation didn’t respond to a request for comment there.
D.C. Courts will remain open this week, but Bankruptcy Court hearings will be remote. Anyone coming to court in person is advised to factor in additional time for commuting and prepare for security checkpoints related to the race.
Access to three Smithsonian museums will be restricted. On Friday, anyone can visit the Air and Space, American Indian and Natural History museums — though you’ll need to get a pass, and will need to go through metal detectors at the Grand Prix entrances. Over the weekend, though, only visitors with Grand Prix tickets will be able to get into those museums.
Want a ticket? Free general admission tickets are no longer available. Premium tickets are still available through the “Freedom 250 Grand Champions Club.” But the weekend package, which offers all-inclusive food and drinks, costs just over $5,000. Single-day Champions Club tickets can be had on Ticketmaster for closer to $3,500 as of Sunday.
DEEP DIVE
Faith Ngwa is one of hundreds of thousands of college freshmen who will move into their first dorm room this month. But the Hagerstown native will begin college coming off a summer full of uncertainty and panic. Only a few weeks ago, she wasn’t sure if she’d make it to move-in day. That’s because she was one of about 500 incoming Howard University students who were unenrolled in July over payment issues.
After her account was reexamined, Ngwa was reenrolled. But the whirlwind, weeklong experience left her with mixed emotions. NOTUS’ Shamira Muhammad joined Ngwa and her family on campus as they got settled. The teenager felt proud to be a new Bison, but also cautious about the future. More than anything, she is determined to make the most of the next four years.
“I do want to run for a lot of things, join a lot of organizations,” she said. “Because hey, if Howard has already stressed me out this much, I might as well take full advantage.”
FROM THE DISTRICT
A woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial in D.C. last week is facing two felony charges of depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials. Prosecutors allege that Melissa Farris of Kentucky spray painted the memorial and filled a fountain with dishwasher detergent. “Defacing the World War II Memorial is a disgusting act and an insult to the Americans who fought and died for our country,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro wrote in a social media post.
Changes at Reagan National Airport in the wake of the deadly January 2025 crash between a commercial airliner and a military helicopter have been slow in coming, reports The Washington Post. Of 52 recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board to prevent future crashes, 51 remain open.
A Michelin-starred restaurant in Shaw is facing eviction over more than $183,000 in unpaid rent dating back to March, the Washington Business Journal reports. Mita, a Latin American restaurant in Northwest D.C., was sued last month by an affiliate of JBG Smith, its landlord.
JBG Smith — a real estate investment trust with a massive footprint in the DMV — is in financial trouble of its own, with about $2.6 billion in debt and a reported 12 straight quarters of losses. NOTUS previously reported on abysmal conditions at another property it co-owns: The Gale Eckington.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to greenlight the president’s $400 million White House ballroom project, arguing in part that the safety of the president is at stake, NOTUS’ Ben T.N. Mause reports.
How do you like them apples? About 1,000 people gathered at Malcolm X Park on Saturday to eat an apple together, The Post reports.
D.C. TRIVIA
Where was the last place car racing was held in D.C.?
- RFK Stadium
- East Potomac Park
- Audi Field
Email us the answer — the first reader who gets it right gets a shout-out. The answer will be at the end of the newsletter tomorrow.
SPORTS
The Commanders are 1-0. Well, 1-0 in the preseason. Washington beat Miami on Friday in the first of its three preseason games, a 20-7 victory that served as a showcase of the team’s depth. NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson reports that the game’s standouts included an undrafted running back and a former Terp on the defensive line.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota is expected to miss the rest of the preseason after he hobbled off with an injury midway through the first quarter Friday night. ESPN reports that the veteran backup has a sprained MCL.
Mystics legends Chamique Holdsclaw and Elena Delle Donne were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame over the weekend. Delle Donne played in Washington for six years, leading the Mystics to a WNBA title in 2019. The franchise took Holdsclaw No. 1 overall in 1999, and she also spent six seasons in D.C.
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The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Lillian Bautista/NOTUS.
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