Axios D.C.

July 29, 2022
TGIF! Any chance you spotted the meteor that lit up the sky last night?
🌧️ Today's weather: High of 89 with showers possible throughout the day.
📍 Situational awareness: Mayor Bowser has requested D.C. National Guard support in helping with the 4,000 migrants so far who've arrived in D.C. on buses, calling the situation a "humanitarian crisis."
Today's newsletter is 929 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Washingtonians talk monkeypox and stigma
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Some gay and bisexual men in D.C. who are facing the brunt of the monkeypox outbreak tell Axios they’re pleased so far with the city’s vaccine rollout, but have concerns about supply shortages and equity.
- Some say they’ve changed social behaviors and worry about increased stigma against gay men as the outbreak continues.
Why it matters: Officials have wrestled with how to frame public messaging amid concern that it could contribute to further stigma and falsely imply that monkeypox is limited to being spread among gay men.
- A majority of D.C.’s monkeypox cases as of mid-July were among white gay men in their 30s.
What they’re saying: Robb Dooling, 31, is feeling the pangs of early COVID-19 all over again as he retreats from some sexual behaviors to avoid transmission.
- “I had a partner complain to me at one point,” he told Axios. “Are you going to socialize at all? When are you going to feel safe socializing again?”
Another 24-year-old who asked to speak anonymously has spent every night scouring his body for signs of a rash, fearful of what an infection might mean for his partner who is HIV positive.
The worst part, though, he says is seeing homophobic social media posts about monkeypox. He worries that the broader public is seeing monkeypox as a disease spread only through gay sex.
sangam 'alopeke, 37, says D.C. has done a good job of threading the needle on messaging, emphasizing that men who have sex with men are at highest risk, but striking down false information that the disease is spread by gay sex.
- However, 'alopeke pointed out the lack of vaccine clinics east of the Anacostia River.
Between the lines: Limited resources have given way to inequities in testing, treatment, and vaccination.
In D.C. as of mid-July, 76% of vaccines went to white residents while 66% of cases were among white residents, the Washington Post reported.
- DC Health announced Wednesday that a Ward 8 vaccine clinic would be opening on Aug. 1, and previously said they’re looking to partner with more organizations to provide clinics to LGBTQ+ communities of color.
2. đź—ž Post probs
Photo: Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images
The Washington Post is pushing a strict three-day return-to-office policy and threatening disciplinary action against employees who don’t comply.
Why it matters: The Post is a D.C. institution and it’s joined the ranks of workplaces pushing employees to move away from remote work.
But the effort is getting major pushback, and limited compliance with the newsroom still “fairly empty” and below pre-pandemic levels, Metro Desk reporter and former Washington Post Guild chair Fredrick Kunkle tells Axios.Â
- “I think some of my colleagues view the publisher right now a little like Captain Queeg and they’re wondering when HR’s gonna be trying to figure out who stole the strawberries.”
Driving the news: Executive editor Sally Buzbee sent a memo on Monday to managers reiterating the three-day expectation, Politico reports.Â
- “If employees have concerns about office density, remind them that the office has fewer people on Mondays and Fridays,” Buzbee wrote.
Of note: Some employees such as those with health exemptions or with unvaccinated kids under 5 are exempt from the policy.
The Washington Post Guild, which is currently negotiating with newspaper management and included “fair and flexible remote work” on its list of bargaining items, has opposed the strict enforcement of the three-day policy.Â
3. ⚽️ Sports Capital: Waiting for Wayne
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
D.C. United fans are waiting to find out if Wayne Rooney will get his work visa between now and Sunday, when the team hosts Orlando.
The English striker sensation-turned-coach is already making his mark. Earlier this week, the club acquired defensive midfielder Victor Pálsson from German club Schalke.
Plus the Black and Red have reached an agreement to bring promising goalkeeper David Ochoa, 21, from Real Salt Lake, per the Washington Post.
D.C. United is currently at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, so fans are hopeful for some rebuilding once Rooney (any day now!) takes the reins.
⚾️ Soto intrigue: The 23-year-old is one of the top hitters in MLB, making him a “perfect storm of trade hype,” writes ESPN’s David Schoenfield.
The clock is running down on Tuesday’s 6pm trade deadline. Here’s where Soto could end up, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale’s reporting on teams that have actively opened trade talks with the Nats:
- Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and the New York Mets.
4. 👰🏻 Around the Beltway: A White House wedding
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
🍺 The Washington area's Snallygaster beer festival returns this fall, and ticket sales start Monday. (DCist)
💍 Naomi Biden, the eldest granddaughter of POTUS and FLOTUS, announced her wedding with fiancé Peter Neal will take place in November on the South Lawn of the White House. (People)
đź‘® After a two-year standoff, Mayor Bowser and the D.C. police union reached a labor agreement that includes raises totaling 10% over three years. (Washington Post)
🏗 Developers want to increase office-to-apartment conversions in D.C. and the suburbs. But transforming workspaces into homes can be tricky. (Washingtonian)
🚪 Dan Snyder testified before the House Oversight & Reform Committee for 11 hours in a closed-door deposition as the committee investigates the Commanders' alleged hostile workplace culture. (WUSA9)
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5. 🔥 Hot homes: D.C.-area homes for sale
Photo courtesy of Redfin
Axios' Maxwell Millington is back with another roundup of the D.C. area's hottest homes on the market.
35 Adams St. NW - $1.37 million
Why we love it: This home features an extra-large backyard ideal for children, pets, gardening, and barbecues.
- Neighborhood: Bloomingdale
- Specs: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, 2,621 square feet
- Listed by: Marshall Carey at Redfin
- Features: Exposed brick, solar panels, hardwood floors, covered back patio.
🎉 Axios D.C. is coming up on our one-year anniversary, and we’re exploring the idea of throwing a party with you (our subscribers)!
- Know of a big new restaurant, beer garden, or bar opening in D.C. by mid-September that would be interested in hosting us? Reply to this email and let us know.
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