iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Eric Falquero

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

New: The D.C. Housing Authority was already facing a budget crunch...then auditors discovered an apparent spreadsheet error that left $52M in expenses uncounted. DCHA is considering painful belt-tightening moves. For many, it's "Groundhog Day" at the long-suffering agency: 51st.news/dc-housing-a...

51st.news

D.C.'s public housing agency faces a budget crunch

The public housing agency is considering cost-cutting measures that could lead to major changes for the 20,000 residents it serves.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Jason D. Salvagni @salvagni.org · 01/10/2026

Great great great article, DC folks ⬇️

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The 51st @51st.news · 30/09/2026

NEW: Domo Wells’ women’s soccer merch designs have deep roots in D.C. culture. Read @samdelgado.bsky.social's profile of the creative wizard behind the apparel and design company Dead Dirt:

51st.news

Meet the local designer behind your favorite Washington Spirit merch

Domo Wells’ merch for the National Women's Soccer League has deep roots in D.C. culture.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The personal archive in this 🧵is a treasure trove. As is the lasting impact of the editor mentioned at the end. Seeing it really reinforces what Ernie wrote here for @tedium.co: tedium.co/2019/09/12/f...

tedium.co

Free Daily Newspaper History: A Model for Another Time

For decades, ad-supported free daily newspapers defined commuting. But the Washington Post Express’ demise shows the model is headed towards the history books.

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The 51st @51st.news · 30/09/2026

We expect this event to sell out — so get your RSVPs in today! Our newsletter list got an early heads up about this event 👀 Not yet getting our email updates? Subscribe today: www.51st.news/signup

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The 51st @51st.news · 22/09/2026

NEW: Looking to lend a hand? Each week, we round up ways to work with our neighbors to build a better D.C. Here's this week's list:

51st.news

13 ways to volunteer and organize in D.C. this week

Crafting in community, an organizing festival, and more.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The U.S. media has largely ignored this story, but the union activists, who read Payday Report, have crowdfunded nearly $20,000 to film this! Help us finish it and cover the Brazilian presidential election. Donate here: paydayreport.com/marielle-viv...

paydayreport.com

Trailer: "Marielle Vive! How an Assassination Changed Brasil & Inspired a Movement"

In 2018, a college classmate of mine, Marielle Franco, a socialist Rio city councilwoman, was assassinated.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

🧵 Shout-out to the DC Zero Waste workers making today's DPW hazardous waste dropoff go smoothly. 2 folks especially: The woman in reflective gear guiding car dropoffs and stopping traffic on Independence for pedestrians like me (sidewalk closed for road work 🤦🏼) www.eventbrite.com/e/dpw-specia...

eventbrite.com

DPW Special Waste Collection Event (Thur, Sep 24, 2026, at RFK Lot 8)

The DC Dept of Public Works free drop-off event for household hazardous waste, electronics recycling, and secure document shredding

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I don't do much for publication anymore. But I did make our rate card and sponsorship deck for these: ✨ a print newspaper ✨and our second birthday bash — both coming up fast next month! So, you could be magic supporter #51, of @51st.news; AND be a part of something really cool: 51st.news/advertise/

Photo of text that says "✨2 special opportunities

» We're publishing our first print newspaper in October!

» Our second birthday bash will double as the release party.

The People are excited — show up with us by advertising in the paper, sponsoring the event, or both! Download details below:"; followed by two file download links; and a button that says "Questions? Book time for answers"

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Elliot C. Williams @ecwilliams.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The team behind DC’s viral oxtail pizza spot doesn’t just make delicious slices — they aim to give back to a community they once “tore apart.” My story on 🍕 and redemption for @51st.news: 51st.news/oxtail-pizza...

51st.news

Behind the scenes at DC's viral oxtail pizza carryout

For the team at Today's Pizza, it's always been bigger than the pies.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

sam delgado @samdelgado.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

NEW: Food insecurity in the D.C. region hit a new high in the past year, according to a new report. The District had the third-highest food insecurity rate among seven nearby counties/cities surveyed. Read for more details in @51st.news: 51st.news/dc-food-inse...

51st.news

Food insecurity in the DC area hits a new high

Cuts to SNAP, surging costs, and federal layoffs are making it difficult for District residents to put food on the table.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Alex Koma @alexkoma.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Undercover videos shown at Trayon White's trial displayed two sides to the councilmember: A public official making plans to help the incarcerated/school kids...but also one lamenting the cost of his lavish vacations/real estate deals. My take on the trial's first day: 51st.news/trayon-white...

51st.news

At trial, two sides of Trayon White emerge

Undercover videos show the Ward 8 councilmember both deeply involved in the community and taking wads of cash from a businessman.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 18/09/2026

Are you worried about the future of the Kennedy Center? Tonight, @kcunions.bsky.social, Hands Off the Arts, @tarahoot.bsky.social, and more supporters are gathering at the closed arts complex for a protest. More details in @ecwilliams.bsky.social's reporting:

51st.news

How to support DC arts amid the Kennedy Center drama

Patronize theaters, join a protest, and other ways to get involved.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

MK @youarespring.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Great read regarding eviction and discussion of @brian-goldstone.bsky.social's book There Is No Place for Us from @dissentmag.bsky.social (cc @evictionlab.bsky.social). I am really looking forward to reading the research on mutual aid funds! dissentmagazine.org/article/afte...

dissentmagazine.org

After Eviction - Dissent Magazine

Brian Goldstone’s There Is No Place for Us challenges the widespread public perception of homelessness as a reflection of individual choices, but it also looks beyond the assumption that soaring home ...

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The 51st @51st.news · 18/09/2026

The end of summer is upon us. But festival season is in full swing with a plethora of celebrations, cultural events, and fairs. What are you up to this weekend?

51st.news

15 things to do in D.C. this weekend

Explore the globe right from our hometown at an Oktoberfest gathering, an international street festival, or an Ethiopian New Year’s party.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 07/09/2026

A better world is possible. Take five minutes to help us build our independent newsroom by and for D.C.: www.51st.news/2026survey

The two guys on a bus meme

One side reads: Local news is dead
The other reads: Shaping the future of local news in D.C. by taking The 51st's 5-minute reader survey

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Elliot C. Williams @ecwilliams.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

How do Smithsonian employees around DC feel about this? DMs open / Signal: ecwilliams.30

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Gregory Pratt @royalpratt.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Immigration enforcement including Midway Blitz cost Cook County more tha $1 billion, the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago found, and we first reported over the weekend www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/06/c...

chicagotribune.com

Operation Midway Blitz, one year later: A changed Chicago forges on after the resistance

For 64 days, the federal government carried out a militarized immigration enforcement operation under the guise of making Chicago safer. A year later, why do people still feel so unsafe?

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 02/09/2026

"Yes, D.C. has to do a better job with public safety," Dr. Kevin Beckford writes in an opinion piece for The 51st. "But this curfew does nothing to make neighborhoods like Navy Yard any safer."

51st.news

Opinion: D.C.'s Black teens deserve better than curfews

Policing in Navy Yard is already out of control, and criminalization is likely to only make things worse.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Amanda Katz @katzish.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I finally got my hands on some pawpaws last summer but am not totally sure what I think about them. They seemed to be one of those fruits that skip from not-quite-ripe to treacly/borderline-alcoholic overnight without much of a pause in the middle. Advice welcome

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

BREAKING: After the Washington Post fired me last year for speaking the truth in the wake of the Charlie Kirk killing, I fought back. And I'm happy to announce: I won my case against the Washington Post. They have been ordered to reinstate me immediately. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/b...

nytimes.com

Washington Post Ordered to Rehire Fired Columnist Karen Attiah

An arbitrator ordered the newspaper to reinstate Karen Attiah, who was fired after posting about “white men who espouse hatred and violence” following Charlie Kirk’s killing.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 25/08/2026

NEW: Looking to lend a hand? Each week, we round up ways to work with our neighbors to build a better D.C. Here's this week's list:

51st.news

20 ways to volunteer and organize around D.C. this week

Fundraiser happy hours, collective bike rides, neighborhood cleanups, educational trainings, and more ways to get involved around the city.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

The year of unmasked testimony, via @404media.co: "This was a thought out plan that was exacted only after cumulative frustration from hundreds of people being ignored and months and months and months of trying things quote unquote the right way and it not working." www.404media.co/darth-vader-...

404media.co

The Man Behind the Anti-Flock Darth Vader Mask Wants to Know: 'When Will This End?'

Anthony Ralphs has been speaking against Flock at San Diego City Council meetings for almost a year straight. When he showed up as Darth Vader, the world started watching.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

sam delgado @samdelgado.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

D.C.’s presumptive congressional delegate Robert White has launched a new project: Defend DC. The initiative has several local political groups as partners. They’re asking residents to pack a bag, travel to key House districts, & canvass for pro-statehood candidates. 51st.news/defend-dc-mi...

51st.news

In the midterms, Defend DC is fighting for statehood

Robert White, Free DC, and other partners are deploying residents to campaign for Democrats in key House races as part of a new political initiative.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Elliot C. Williams @ecwilliams.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Anyone here a fan of harvesting pawpaw fruit in and around DC? Where do you find them? And are there restaurants, shops, or pop-ups where you can find them on menus? Let me know!

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

"About 4.9% of households in the DMV include...a "shadow buyer" — an employed adult between ages 25 and 39 who's living in their parents' home ... Buyers need an income of $181,000 to buy a median-priced home here — but the median wage of shadow buyers is $41,000." www.axios.com/local/washin...

axios.com

Why young Washington workers can't afford to move out

Prince George's has the mid-Atlantic's most "shadow buyers."

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services implemented a new policy on August 5, 2026, granting officers the discretion to deny immigration benefit applications without first issuing requests for evidence or notices of intent to deny." documentedny.com/2026/08/17/u...

documentedny.com

New USCIS Rule: What It Means for Your Pending Application

A new USCIS policy lets officers deny immigration benefit requests immediately if the required evidence was not filed.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

"Most damning: the government never seriously disputed that what the district court found inside Adelanto — including inconsistent access to potable water and adequate medical care — was unconstitutional." via @migrantinsider.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/migranti...

open.substack.com

BREAKING: DHS Loses Bid to Dodge Blame for Dangerous Conditions at Adelanto

A three-judge panel unanimously rejected the government’s bid to pause a court order over dangerous conditions at Adelanto — and taxpayers, not GEO, are the ones on the hook for what happens next.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

A reader donated $13,000 to Payday Report - we've now fundraised to replace 2/3 of a grant we lost due to Trump cuts. Donate to help us replace the rest & keep labor reporting alive! paydayreport.com/reader-donat...

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Elliot C. Williams @ecwilliams.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

As a father now, this conversation I had with the D.C.’s Episcopal bishop really stuck with me. We live among heroes across the city…

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 19/08/2026

Two years ago, The 51st was just an idea. Now, we're an independent, worker-led local newsroom with a full-time staff of six — and growing! Where should we go next? Help us decide by taking our five-minute audience survey: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

docs.google.com

Help shape the future of The 51st!

Two years ago, The 51st was just an idea. Now, we're an independent, worker-led local newsroom with a full-time staff of six — and growing! — thanks to the thousands of D.C. residents who have…

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 20/08/2026

Some news app news: Our reporting is now available on Apple News! If you use the app (or have the widget on your homescreen), follow us here: apple.news/TylOT36VOQwa...

A screenshot of Apple News on desktop, showing six recent stories from The 51st

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Dhruv Mehrotra @dmehro.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

For this story, we obtained hundreds of files from Flock’s login pages. Those files contained code for screens and functionality that ordinarily sit behind a police login. @dell.bsky.social and I used the code to rebuild parts of the system. We adapted/embedded it so readers can see how it works.

public.flourish.studio

OS Investigate v2

A Flourish data visualization by Dhruv

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The 51st @51st.news · 10/08/2026

Are you a D.C. native? Want to test your hometown knowledge in front of a live audience? We're looking for contestants for "Ask A D.C. Native, Live!" — our trivia game show presented in partnership with Black.Native.Creative. More info + how to apply:

docs.google.com

Ask A D.C. Native, Live! is a trivia game show presented by The 51st and Black.Native.Creative. Hosted by Dwayne Lawson-Brown, two teams of D.C. natives go head-to-head in five rounds, testing their…

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 12/08/2026

Birth control, poison, and calls for a more peaceful coexistence... Is the District finally winning the rat race?

51st.news

DC's war on rats reaches new heights

Birth control, poison, and calls for a more peaceful coexistence. Is the District finally winning the rat race?

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"Ppl are focusing on airports because the airport arrests are being recorded by bystanders and posted to social media...But most arrests are happening with ICE showing up at someone’s home and arresting them there...no one outside the front door sees anything at all. documentedny.com/2026/08/07/i...

documentedny.com

ICE and TSA Collaborate on Airport Immigration Arrests

Details are murky, but the administration seems to be targeting travelers who have applied for legal status and are waiting for decisions.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"Delaware now joins New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado, Minnesota, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, Oregon, Washington, and California in enacting a state Voting Rights Act." capitalbnews.org/delaware-vot...

capitalbnews.org

Delaware Gives Black Voters New Protections Against Election Discrimination

Amid recent attacks on voting rights, Delaware’s model could offer a path forward for Black voters elsewhere, advocates say.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It's ticking up, but more people are needed! (I don't benefit from this in any way, but I donated and I will give *you* free graphic design services if you donate a large amount.) 👇🏼🧵

"Help us pay our award-winning journalists
$3,175
raised towards $10,000 goal

26
Supporters

5
Days Left"

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

This is the best journalism internship in town. Please help more students take advantage of the experience — and coverage of poverty affecting our community. Donate if you can, spread the word regardless! streetsensemedia.networkforgood.com/projects/302...

streetsensemedia.networkforgood.com

Help us pay our award-winning journalists

We need your support to ensure young reporters from all walks of life can participate in our internship program. If you’ve ever bought a Street Sense paper, read one of our articles online, or s...

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

WHRO Public Media @whropublicmedia.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

We visited a farm in Loudoun County that’s the first of its kind in Virginia – planting rows of vegetables alongside rows of solar panels. The pilot project so far has shown that crops and solar arrays can share good land, produce energy and healthy food – and slash energy bills.

whro.org

Crops and solar power? Virginia farms are ripe for the combo

A new Virginia law encourages farmers to mix solar generation with crops and cattle. A rural pilot program shows promise.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Sam did a helluva job with this one.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

Zara Norman @zaraleinorman.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

D.C. landlords owe the city millions for unabated housing violations. The worst offender? DCHA, which owes $2.2 million+ for 2,500+ unresolved violations across its properties. NEW in @notusmetro.bsky.social on why, and why DOB can't collect: www.notus.org/metro/dc-hou...

notus.org

D.C.’s Worst Landlord Is Its Housing Authority

The Department of Buildings fines the city’s bad landlords. None owe more than the DCHA.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The 51st @51st.news · 30/07/2026

NEW: This month, the D.C. Public Library began enforcing rules banning people from sleeping outside of downtown's MLK Library. Advocates worry it will simply move people elsewhere, making it harder to connect them with housing and services. In partnership with @streetsensedc.bsky.social:

51st.news

Why has DC's MLK Library banned sleeping outside?

New enforcement includes rope barriers and police to keep homeless people from sleeping under the library's overhang.

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Reposted by Eric Falquero

The Lever @levernews.com · 30/07/2026

ICE contracts are proving lucrative for those hired to carry out the Trump administration’s deportation and detainment efforts — and for President Trump himself. The details: www.levernews.com/a-detention-...

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The 51st @51st.news · 28/07/2026

At just 16 years old, Robert Barton made a drastic decision that derailed his life. But a D.C. law that allowed Barton to redefine himself. It's now under threat by federal elected officials, he writes in an opinion piece:

51st.news

Congress shouldn't overturn D.C.'s second chance laws. I'm proof

At just 16 years old, I made a drastic decision that derailed my life. But I'm the beneficiary of a law that allowed me to redefine myself.

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Grateful for the sustained attention to this situation from worker-run @thesouthlander.com:

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Eric Falquero @ericfalquero.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

That's a quote from my colleague @maddiepoore.bsky.social. We heard *directly* from so many people who relied on our election coverage this primary. We knew it mattered. But it was wild to hear that our performance stood out in our industry, too.

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