DMV Download from WTOP News

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<p>DMV Download is a weekly news podcast created for Washingtonians. Every Wednesday, host Luke Garrett takes listeners up close and personal to the biggest stories, ideas and names impacting the D.C. region.</p>

Early Release: The I-95 Nightmare Report

Three months after hundreds of drivers sat stranded on I-95 for 24-hours, Virginia transportation officials released a report on what went wrong and what public transit authorities can do to make sure it never happens again. WTOP’s Dave Dildine talks about the unprecedented situation and details the report's findings. WTOP's Luke Lukert explains what actions politicians want to take from the report’s recommendations.

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Special Release: Depp v. Heard Trial Starts in Fairfax

A jury in Fairfax County heard the opening statements in Johnny Depp’s $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife – Amber Heard – on Tuesday. She called herself a survivor of domestic and sexual abuse in a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece. WTOP’s Michelle Murillo talks about the gruesome details laid out during lawyers' first address to Virginia jurors. Entertainment and arts attorney Kirk Schroder then breaks down the legal strategies within the case and what precedent it may set for future defamation cases in the Commonwealth. Additionally, WTOP’s John Domen shares his exclusive reporting on why a construction project on Maryland Route 210 is four years behind schedule.

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Metro Sheds Mask Mandate & Mormon Temple Tour

Masks are now optional on Metro after a federal judge in Florida ended the nationwide mask mandate for mass transit. WTOP’s Luke Lukert rode Metro this morning and talked to riders about the rule change and whether they’re ready to drop the mask on the train. Then, WTOP’s John Domen takes us inside the Church of Latter-day Saints in Kensington, Maryland before it opens to the public. He shares what to expect and the meaning behind the design of the Mormon temple.

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‘Intruder’ killed at the Peruvian ambassador’s home

A man surprised the Peruvian ambassador's family when he tried to break into their residence in Northwest, D.C. U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Police officers eventually shot the man they say had a metal stake. WTOP’s Luke Lukert talks about what we know so far about the break-in at one of the District’s largest private properties. And then, WTOP’s Senior Sports Director Dave Johnson tells the reasons behind D.C. United's decision to fire its head coach.

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How Md. 210 became Piscataway Hwy

In what Governor Larry Hogan calls the “best session yet after eight years,” he signed more than one hundred bills into law, including those that address first responders’ mental health, cat’s claws and the name of a controversial highway. We speak with the matriarch of the Piscataway Indian Nation about their fight for this law. And a dog in Virginia was set to be euthanized seven years ago but thanks to his owners' attorney he’s still kicking. WTOP’s Neal Augenstein talks about the years-long fight to free Niko.

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'Electrify DC': Earth Day starts in protest

Earth Day kicked off in downtown D.C. with a protest by a group known for disrupting everyday life in the city. The group's demands are specific and they went to great heights to get their message across. WTOP’s Alejandro Alvarez tells us what they want and why they’re willing to be arrested for it. And Metro is the region’s biggest consumer of energy - we talk to its Director of Sustainability Rachel Healy about what Metro is doing to reduce its carbon footprint and how much greener it really is to take public transportation.

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Tracing the Van Ness sniper’s digital trail

D.C. Police are scanning the digital footprint of the man they say injured four people while shooting indiscriminately from the window of his apartment near the Van Ness Metro station Friday. WTOP’s Luke Lukert spoke to the police chief on where the investigation stands into the deceased shooter. And a controversy is heating up in Chevy Chase, Maryland over whether to include affordable housing in the project to renovate a beloved community library. WTOP’s Kate Ryan gives us the background on the issue and shares her interview with Montgomery County’s Council president, Gabe Albornoz.

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All eyes on the battle over who gets into Thomas Jefferson High School

A legal fight over race and equity in an elite high school’s admission practices is garnering the attention of schools across the country. The Supreme Court weighed in on the battle over who gets into Alexandria’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. WTOP’s Mike Murillo catches us up on where the case stands and where it leaves students. And with covid numbers declining, some cities are rethinking how many pandemic-related changes to keep in place. We talk to an urban planner about the impact of streeteries and why covid may have changed how outdoor spaces are designed in the future.

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Pentagon fails to track cyberbullying of women in the military

Sexual harassment, crude jabs, and doxxing bombard female service members everyday on the internet. That’s according to Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione. In his years of reporting on cyberbullying, he found the military isn’t tracking these cases, making it difficult to enforce an executive order that assigns punishment to service members who harass colleagues online. And then WTOP’s Kyle Cooper tells us about plans to redo the most iconic street in the U.S. — Pennsylvania Avenue.

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Fairfax Schools rethink cell phone use in the classroom

The Fairfax County Schools board is considering updating its cell phone use policy to ban social media if it isn't related to academics and define when kids can use their phones. WTOP’s Scott Gelman tells us there’s pushback after years of virtual learning when students relied on social media to connect. Then, WTOP’s Mike Murillo gives the upshot from a D.C. Mayoral forum Wednesday night where the mayor and most of her opponents faced off on the issues that will determine the race — crime, education and housing.

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