Washington DC news stories on Newser

Clean Sweep: Romney Wins Wisconsin, DC, Maryland

John Johnson — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:27:51 CDT

Another big night for Mitt Romney: He won the night's primaries in Wisconsin, Maryland, and Washington, DC, reports CNN and AP , a trifecta that should push him past the halfway point in the race for the magic number of 1,144 delegates. Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul finished well back...

Nuke Blast Wouldn't Destroy DC, But...

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:54:55 CDT

This is good news, we guess: The US government has determined that, should terrorists blow up a 10-kiloton nuclear device just north of the White House, it would not destroy Washington, DC. Of course, the study found that the blast would devastate the area, crumbling buildings and killing most everyone...

Eisenhower Grandkid Rips 'Commie' Monument

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:49:00 CDT

The granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower is seeing red over a Washington proposal by renowned architect Frank Gehry to honor the late commander in chief. Susan Eisenhower testified before a congressional subcommittee that large metal tapestries depicting the 34th president's home reminded her of Communist-era monuments that honored "Marx, Engels,...

Washington Monument a Bit Shorter After Quake

John Johnson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:54:09 CDT

The earthquake that rattled DC last summer may have caused the Washington Monument to shrink by a smidge. Surveyors say the land around the monument is down 2 millimeters since August, or about 1 millimeter more than it should be, reports the Washington Post . And while that's just a fraction...

America's Biggest Boozers?

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:01:00 CDT

Instead of the Beltway, we should call it the Booze Belt. That's because DC singles are the heaviest drinkers in America, according to a new survey. A hefty 34% of Washington singles surveyed classify themselves as frequent or very frequent drinkers—the highest percentage in the nation. Nipping at their...

Cell Phone Vigilante Jams Calls on Philly Buses

Kevin Spak — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:40:05 CST

Riders of Philadelphia's No. 44 bus have been complaining a lot lately of lost cell phone calls, and NBC 10 found out why: A man, whom they identify only as "Eric," is jamming them. Reporters tracked Eric down after an NBC employee saw him using a handheld jamming device on...

Feds Watched Would-Be DC Bomber for a Year

Mark Russell — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:42:26 CST

The FBI is keeping quiet about the 29-year-old Moroccan-born man who tried to bomb Washington on Friday, but details about Amine El Khalifi and his plan are beginning to seep out, reports the AP . The FBI believes El Khalifi was acting alone and was not affiliated with al-Qaeda. He came...

Cops: Remote Shutdowns Would Curb Phone Thefts

Mark Russell — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:16:30 CST

With smartphone robberies soaring, frustrated police are calling for regulators and service providers to shut down stolen phones remotely to reduce their value, reports the Washington Post . About 40% of robberies in Washington in 2011 involved smartphones, iPods, or tablets, while in New York City the figure was nearly 50%....

Occupy DC Stays Put Despite 'Eviction'

Kevin Spak — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:37:42 CST

Their eviction deadline came and went, but the Occupy camps in two Washington parks look pretty much unchanged today—indeed, in McPherson Square the atmosphere was downright festive early this morning, CNN reports. "We're just having a great party," one occupier said. "It's a lot like any other night." Police...