Construction is set to begin despite pushback from ANC commissioners who claim there was not enough opportunity for public input on the project, according to the .

ANCs voted to oppose permit approval from DDOT鈥檚 Public Space Committee (PSC) for the park project.

However, a spokeswoman from General Services wrote to 最新蜜桃影像 that the plan for the park included 鈥渆xtensive community outreach over a two-year period.鈥� The department conducted two public surveys on the project in the winter of 2018-2019 and in the spring of 2019. According to the spokeswoman, the surveys received more than 700 and 400 responses, respectively.

The image on the left demonstrates the 鈥渂are and unattractive鈥� state of the are outside Eastern Park Market currently, according to Hill鈥檚 Kitchen owner Leah Daniels. The image on the right is the District鈥檚 plan for the space, starting in Summer 2020.

New plan for traffic flow on Pennsylvania Avenue

Leah Daniels, owner of Hill鈥檚 Kitchen, a local kitchen goods store on the Eastern Market plaza, said that many representatives from the District government have talked to her about what she would like for the space, but they 鈥渄on鈥檛 necessarily listen,鈥� particularly when it comes to the plans for changes in the street layout.听

The plan to turn the street around at the major intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Barracks Row, or 8th Street SE, would 鈥渄ump more traffic into the neighborhood,鈥� Daniels said.

Thomas Luebke, secretary of the Commission of Fine Arts, is reviewing the park design from the Department of General Services. He said that in order to put more green space in the middle of the park, the new design tries to pull all the traffic outside of the square. But this puts more traffic near residents on the other side streets near the Pennsylvania Avenue and Barracks Row intersection.

The area around Eastern Market is already a park, but it is 鈥渓acking some coherence as a space,鈥� and the District government is 鈥渨ondering how it can be improved鈥� so that it feels like one park to the community, Luebke said.

The challenge is that it is intersected by Pennsylvania Avenue, with the metro line running underneath.

Luebke thinks the plan could use the alignment of trees, benches and programming spaces for the Southeast public library across the street to revitalize the space.

Turning a space into a place听

Daniels said representative for Ward 6 to the District Council Charles Allen said it best: 鈥溾�橶e want to make a space people walk to, not a space people walk through.鈥欌��

The new park will include a playground, a splash park and a nature room for kids.

The second phase of construction, projected for completion in October 2020, would include a new entrance to the metro station, a plaza for the library and added trees.

In response to the community feedback, a pavilion of about 20 to 25 feet in diameter has been added to the design of the park.

However, residents say a pavilion will only provide a sheltered space for people in the area without a house to gather for drug use.

Making it happen听

The park project has been in the works for over a decade, but the official plans and the summer deadline for construction were released in October. But at this point Daniels 鈥渏ust wants it to happen鈥� even if they don鈥檛 agree with every aspect of the design because they are 鈥渢ired of fighting.鈥�

But the number of stakeholders the Department of General Services needs to please with the park is high.

The park and plaza are set to be completed in the summer of 2020.

The Department of General Services will hold another community meeting about the park on Dec. 12 at Watkins Elementary School (420 12th Street SE) from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.听

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鈥淎mericans don鈥檛 realize the great influence they have,鈥� said Francesco Costa, an Italian journalist based in Milan who covers American news and foreign policy.

鈥淔or us, if you can understand the other country, you can better understand what is happening here,鈥� Costa said. He was referring to the Italian political leaders who have mirrored the actions, attitudes and policies of American political leaders in recent years.

Neo-nationalist Matteo Salvini became prime minister of Italy in 2018 with the slogan 鈥減rimi italiani,鈥� the Italian version of President Donald Trump鈥檚 鈥淎merica First鈥� slogan.

And in the same year that Barack Obama ran his presidential campaign with the slogan 鈥淵es we can,鈥� Rome鈥檚 mayor Walter Veltroni, the losing candidate, took on right-wing leader Silvio Berlusconi in Italy鈥檚 race for prime minister with the slogan 鈥淪i pu貌 fare,鈥� a direct translation of 鈥淵es we can.鈥�

Costa launched his American news multi-media project, (in English, Coast to Coast), for the Italian news outlet during Trump鈥檚 presidential campaign in 2015, and Italians took interest.

Costa鈥檚 newsletter has 15,000 subscribers, and his podcast has 20,000 listeners. While these numbers may seem small in an American market, in an Italian market they are significant, especially considering the content is international. La Stampa, a major Italitan news outlet, often refers to podcasts as an 鈥淎merican trend.鈥� There were about 2.7 million podcast listeners in Italy in 2018, according to data from .

Costa said he believes younger Italians are interested in his content because they are 鈥渞esidents of the world,鈥� and follow issues like Brexit and the student protests in Hong Kong.

And the impeachment inquiry into Trump, although still in the early stages, has worldwide consequences, he said.

鈥淲hen President Trump feels under attack, he becomes aggressive on tariffs, immigration,鈥� which impacts European trade and relations with the United States, Costa said, reflecting the views of political leaders and experts in Italy.

But if Trump is removed from office, Italy would benefit from a 鈥渕ore calm, more rational鈥� American administration. For example, Trump has suggested European countries were taking advantage of the U.S. and not paying their NATO contribution, CBS News .

Giorgio Fruscione, a researcher on Europe and global governance, said the relationship between Trump鈥檚 administration and Europe has been more strained than previous administrations. Other policy experts believe the impeachment process poses a problem for the 2020 presidential elections.

Franco Bruni, vice president of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, said Trump and his political opponents will continue to discuss impeachment throughout their campaigns, which is 鈥渕uch less interesting than discussion on health care systems, education.鈥�

Major Italian newspapers like , and , are providing Italian audiences with breaking news coverage of impeachment inquiry updates.

鈥淲e experience Trump fatigue,鈥� Costa said of the scandals pouring out of the United States and into his purview as a foreign policy journalist, though 鈥渨e are not an example of stability in government.鈥�

In the parliamentary system of Italy, the prime minister can be cast out with a single vote from the Italian parliament, as opposed to individual votes from the House of Representatives and the Senate 鈥� two bodies of Congress that are often opposed to each other based along party lines.

Impeachment is a 鈥渢raumatic thing that never really happens鈥� for the American people, said Costa. It is increasing polarization and encouraging right-wing radicalism, according to Costa.

People are 鈥渕ore angry, more intolerant,鈥� Costa said. And this attitude is spilling into European politics. Nationalism on the rise across the Atlantic, mirroring America鈥檚 era of Trump politics.

Trump鈥檚 removal from office would be a big story, even in a country run by two anti-establishment parties facing a struggling economy.

—–

Some interviews were translated from Italian to English by the author.

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Historic buildings need solar panels in order for the city to meet its clean energy goals, according to program director Yesenia Rivera of Solar United Neighbors.

We need to see 鈥渃limate preservation as historic preservation,鈥� because if climate change destroys our way of life, there won鈥檛 be anything left to preserve, Rivera said.

If we all do a little bit, no one has to do a whole lot.

Mayor Muriel Bowser released a proposed sustainability guide for older and historic buildings today after collaborating with the Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE). The goal is to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings while 鈥渞especting the importance of historic preservation,鈥� according to a press release issued today by the Office of Planning.听

Find out if you live in a historic building .

A consultant was hired by the DOEE to develop the first draft of the guide, and the Office of Planning and the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs worked to edit and update the document through several drafts since 2017.

The guide must be approved by the Historic Preservation Review Board, and they are set to discuss it during their meeting on December 19.

New guidelines could mean energy democratization

In the past, the Historic Preservation Review Board has disqualified many residents for solar panel eligibility in the District because their homes are designated as having historic value, especially those participating in the Solar for All program.

The Solar for All program through the Department of Energy and the Environment is working to provide solar electricity to 100,000 low-income households to reduce their energy bills by 50% by 2032.

鈥淚f we all do a little bit, no one has to do a whole lot鈥� to cut greenhouse gas emissions, said Pierre Nicholson, a resident of Ward 7 in the Solar for All program.

After receiving ANC approval, and spending months trying to obtain the permit, denial from the Preservation board is frustrating for residents who could be saving money on their electricity bill, or even generating income through the energy they produce for the city.

If the Preservation board does approve it, the requirements it sets on house owners makes the project no longer feasible for effective energy saving, Rivera said.

For example, the Preservation board can limit the number of solar panels on historic roofs to the point where there is no sense in even having them anymore, Rivera said.

In a recent case she handled with Solar United Neighbors, a house in Anacostia was disqualified because the District government was afraid it would impact the aesthetic of the area. But the houses surrounding the client were falling apart and vacant, Rivera said.

It is also frustrating because solar panels would lower the client鈥檚 electricity bill by $500-$600 per year.

And through Solar United Neighbors, residents own the installed solar panels and stand to make $12,000 to $13,000 in federal tax credit for energy production after five years.

Nicholson installed 36 solar panels on his roof with Rivera鈥檚 help in October 2018. He said he loves helping to save the earth, as well as the credit he has with Pepco.

鈥淚 continually make more energy than I use, so I can鈥檛 imagine ever getting a bill,鈥� Nicholson told 最新蜜桃影像.

He uses a website called to track how much energy, crude oil and gasoline he is saving by switching to solar. To date, he has saved 8.2 tons of emissions.

District resident LaToya Smith鈥檚 electricity bill is $15 per month now that she has solar panels. After she made the transition, two of her neighbors and her godmother followed suit.

鈥淚t makes life easier, and I鈥檓 contributing to so many things like protecting the environment,鈥� Smith said.

With the Solar for All program, residents have their panels installed for free and reap the economic benefits.

鈥淚t鈥檚 how to democratize clean energy, since solar panels are a luxury,鈥� Smith said. Her panels produce pollution-free energy for her and the surrounding buildings, since they are part of the power network.

Benefits of solar panels

Beyond economic benefits, solar panels also have health benefits for the community. Solar energy does not create pollution, which means better respiratory health.

Solar panel installation and maintenance also creates jobs in the local community.

But some residents have complained that they don鈥檛 want to be able to see the solar panels from the street, or even alleyways. If the panels are a couple of inches visible, the homeowner can be fined from $4,000 to $5,000.

The new guide proposed by the mayor鈥檚 office would allow for solar panels on front facing, sloped roofs if they are 鈥渃ompatibly designed with low-profile panels set flush with and in a complementary color with the roof,鈥� according to the press release.

The Office of Planning confirmed with 最新蜜桃影像 that the typical black solar panels would be considered complementary in color to a black shingled roof under the proposed guide.

Federal buildings in Capitol Hill run into even more difficulties, as they have to go through another government agency for approval, and the guidelines are even more strict.

But historic buildings , affecting all income levels.

For a non-historic building, it takes about three weeks to get permission for solar panels. For historic buildings, getting approval can take months. The ANC of the ward needs to approve it along with the Preservation board.

The solar panel itself takes half a day to two days to install, according to Rivera.

Next steps

Solar United Neighbors and other groups in the DC Climate Coalition, an alliance of the District鈥檚 leading environmental organizations, are advocating for the D.C. Council to get involved.

Lara Levison, a volunteer for the Sierra Club, said the Clean Energy DC Act, passed last year, is one of the most progressive laws in the country. It calls for 100% renewable electricity by 2032.

Energy efficiency is the 鈥渂est climate policy you鈥檝e never heard of,鈥� Levison said, because it has incredible potential to curb climate change.

With about 75% of the District鈥檚 energy use in buildings, solar panels on more homes could have a major impact.

鈥淭he number of roofs in D.C. is limited, and the number of roofs in good condition is even more limited,鈥� Rivera said.

In order to meet the 10% solar energy requirement, Rivera said the District needs to use every roof it can. Her strategy is to build a strong coalition to urge the D.C. Council to take action, and she encourages other residents to do so as well.听

But residents in the District have other options for clean energy if their roof is inaccessible for solar panels, or if they can鈥檛 afford the installation. Companies like CleanChoice Energy source clean energy from nearby solar farms and deliver it to people鈥檚 homes, to help them cut their emissions.

Their community solar program utilizes space on the top of commercial buildings, and residents can subscribe to these solar power sources, making clean energy easier to access. Subscribers also save on their energy bill through credits with the utility company.听

John Olivieri, director of public relations and community relations at CleanChoice Energy, said that since the District is already behind its goal for clean energy this year, 鈥渢he simpler and easier we make it for folks, the better.鈥�

First environmental advocacy meeting with District attorney general

Later this month, environmental advocates like Rivera and Levison will meet with DC Attorney General Karl Racine, after he met with the Sierra Club a few weeks ago.

Levinson said the Sierra Club would like to see the attorney general and the mayor more involved in the issue, especially since the federal tax credits for solar will decrease from 30% next year after Republicans in Congress worked to ramp it down.听

鈥淭hey can influence the agencies more effectively, and I don鈥檛 see them weighing in the way they could,鈥� Levison said.

According to Levison, the District can face the climate crisis in a way that is respectful of historic building preservation, but the priority should be on clean energy.

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Empower DC and the DC Grassroots Planning Coalition, two community organizations, have been working to educate citizens about how the many small and obscure language amendments to the plan will negatively impact public and affordable housing, the height limit on buildings in the District and small businesses.

But the task is a challenging one when most people don鈥檛 even know what the is, and only have 60 days to comment on the proposed changes before they go to city council for a vote.

Made with

What is the DC Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Plan is an outline for future development that lawmakers in the District put together in 2006 to guide the next 20 years of planning. It addresses economic developments and new businesses, affordable and public housing, parks and transportation.

But given the number of rapidly growing developments, the plan was updated in 2011. Another call for amendments went out in 2016. The plan will also be rewritten in 2026 once it expires.

The plan requires feedback and consultation with residents, community organizations and local leaders like Advisory Neighbor Commissions (ANCs) that represent community concerns and interests. ANCs have until Jan. 31, 2020 to suggest further changes or reject proposed amendments from the District government, before city council votes to confirm the new DC Comprehensive Plan later in the year.

According to Jillian Burford of Empower DC, this kind of input is crucial right now, since Mayor Muriel Bower鈥檚 goals for the amended plan include allowing a higher density of housing, something many longtime residents of the District don鈥檛 want.

Maurice Cook, founder and executive director of Serve Your City, said that informational resources on the plan provided by the Office of Planning鈥檚 website are 鈥渧ery often difficult to navigate.鈥�

鈥淚f you don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 happening, you can鈥檛 really stop it,鈥� he said at an Empower DC informational meeting on the Comprehensive Plan.

Burford said she agrees that city council needs to be more accessible, because people don鈥檛 understand that they have a voice.

Capitol Hill resident YaaNsia Curry attended Empower DC鈥檚 information meeting on the DC Comprehensive Plan, because it is 鈥渘ot public knowledge for the average city resident,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e used to have to vote for things, but they鈥檝e given everything away,鈥� Curry said about the commercial developments cropping up where public schools used to be. 鈥淣ow, you鈥檝e got to get in where you fit in,鈥� she said.

Height limit on buildings and park green space

To allow higher density in housing, and encourage commercial development, Bowser has suggested getting rid of the city鈥檚 Height Act, which prohibits buildings from being taller than the width of the street they are on. In business districts, however, buildings have a maximum height of 130 feet, or 11 stories, under the Height Act.

If buildings are taller, they can hold more residents, which will help the mayor鈥檚 office achieve their goal of one million residents in the District by 2045. And if there are more people in the District, there are more people paying taxes.

Taller buildings also means more property taxes on the businesses that fill those spaces, and more people to contribute to the local economy.

鈥淟ow buildings make D.C. great, make D.C. unique,鈥� Burford said. But it has slowed development and angered builders, despite the 鈥渧ery historic鈥� quality it adds to Capitol Hill, Burford said.

Other residents who have lived in the Capitol Hill area for many years agree. Jim Toole, previous owner of Capitol Hill Books and resident of D.C. for 37 years, told 最新蜜桃影像 Monday that 鈥渢he beauty of the city is in the height limit.鈥�

鈥淭o hide the Library of Congress and the Capitol building would be a travesty,鈥� he said.

While of District law states that the purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to 鈥渕aintain and enhance the natural and architectural assets of the of the District,鈥� or in other words, maintain green space, proposed amendments to the framework put these assets, like the height limit, in jeopardy.

鈥淢ore concrete from development means more flooding,鈥� Burford said, creating environmental impacts that need to be accurately assessed as part of the zoning process, in addition to the impact on rising property taxes, rising rent prices and displacement of surrounding communities.

But according to Jessica Carroll, Interim Communications Officer of the Office of Planning, parks and other green spaces probably won鈥檛 be affected by new developments.

鈥淭hey may be reconfigured over time for new pathways and features, but aren’t anticipated to be going away,鈥� she told 最新蜜桃影像 today.

Affordable housing

The Comprehensive Plan defines affordable housing as units that are both income and cost restricted, according to Carroll.

The Office of Planning is tasked with building 36,000 new units of housing by 2025 in the District, and the Comprehensive Plan claims that affordable housing should grow at one-third of this rate, but with a different deadline of 2050.

鈥淥ur goal is to have 15% of all housing affordable in both new developments and existing developments,鈥� Carroll said.

But the definition of 鈥渁ffordable鈥� is important in this context, Cook said. The way Empower DC and the DC Grassroots Planning Commission see it, there issue is not the amount of housing but the affordability of housing.

鈥淟anguage is everything,鈥� because the mayor鈥檚 office can interpret them in a way that meets their interests or the interests of developers, Cook said.

The District government on the median income of the metro area, including Fairfax, as a whole, instead of average income of the District. In other words, $121,300 for a household of four.

鈥淭hey have goals for affordability, but affordable for who?鈥� Maurice posited during the Empower DC informational meeting.

Public Housing

Under Section 18 of the DC Comprehensive Plan, Demolition and Disposition, public housing properties such as Greenleaf Gardens and Additions, Garfield Terrace and Richardson Dwellings will be removed from the public housing program and demolished or sold.

Others will be privatized or transformed into mixed-income buildings that include both subsidized and market-rate units. According to Carroll, this change in the system could 鈥減otentially increase the overall number of subsidized units in Capitol Hill.鈥�

But Federal law requires that public housing authorities such as the DC Housing Authority develop relocation plans when public housing is closed. This entity is separate from the DC government putting together the DC Comprehensive Plan.

The residents 鈥渢ypically receive a voucher that will subsidize the rent of a market rate unit unless other public housing units are available,鈥� Carroll said.

Burford and Cook said this is devastating.

鈥淲hat is happening with public housing in this country is horrible, and D.C. is no stranger to that,鈥� Cook said. Since the Housing Authority is separate from those putting the Comprehensive Plan forward, there is 鈥渘o solid plan to maintain every single person,鈥� Cook said.

鈥淧ublic housing is the last stop before homelessness, because it is the only affordable housing left in D.C.,鈥� Cook told 最新蜜桃影像.

Ari Theresa, an attorney suing the government for the damaging impacts of gentrification, said that the Comprehensive Plan as a broad framework won鈥檛 change anything in the city, because laws aren鈥檛 followed anyway when it comes to the treatment of black neighborhoods and the, which is supposed to prevent discrimination against people buying or renting a home.听听

鈥淭he only way they are effective is if you are caught red-handed,鈥� Theresa said.

What鈥檚 next?

The Office of Planning is for a town hall on the Comprehensive Plan throughout November and December. Residents have until Dec. 20, 2019 to submit a comment with their opinion on the plan. The amendments will be revised based on public opinion, and put forward to city council in January 2020. City council will hold hearings around the plan and then pass or vote down the changes later in the year.

Reach out to and the DC Grassroots Planning Coalition to find out more information, follow what happens next and encourage them to share how the Comprehensive Plan will affect your ward with your neighbors.

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We asked so-called fans how Bryce Harper played this season for the Nats (he didn’t), who their favorite player is and who pitched the last game they watched. Even though the answers varied, support for the Nats didn’t!

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The Roost is owned by the (NRG), a collection of independent food and beverage businesses in the District and Virginia.

Michael Babin, the founder of NRG, pulled in chef Matt Adler to create a classic sit-down Italian American restaurant to warm up the atmosphere of The Roost.

It is the kind of place where you can expect to find handmade pastas like rigatoni alla vodka, ravioli and chicken parmigiana on the menu.

The idea for the restaurant section of was inspired by the restaurant Adler鈥檚 father ran in upstate New York, called Scoozi. The title Caruso鈥檚 Grocery is a tribute to Babin鈥檚 grandmother鈥檚 Italian market in Louisiana.

Babin and Adler traveled to Brooklyn and Manhattan to visit 100-year-old Italian American restaurants and bring back the same food, atmosphere and service to the District.

They want Caruso鈥檚 Grocery to be 鈥渁s much a restaurant as a community gathering place.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 where people would celebrate birthdays and anniversaries but also unwind after a long day over a glass of wine,鈥� Adler said. His vision is a 鈥渇un, unpretentious鈥� restaurant offering delicious but affordable food and wine, Adler said.

Adler also plans on hosting cooking classes on the weekends and charity events to support the community.

The Roost itself will be a unique hangout space with food and along the perimeter, with seating in the center. Babin is coordinating with small, independent businesses to bring their cuisine and beverages to The Roost.

In the space above The Roost, there will be 167 apartment units.

Impact on Hill East

The 12,500-square-foot development is a 20-minute walk from the deserted Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

On Friday, District Mayor Muriel Bowser at the Washington Business Journal that she is still trying to bring the Washington NFL team back to the RFK Stadium area, despite the fact that D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen that residents would rather have affordable living spaces, more local businesses and parks.

Local business owner Nick Dee is also concerned about the impact large businesses like the Washington NFL team stadium or The Roost will have on the Hill East community.

His shop, New York Pizza and Grill Kabob, is across the street from where The Roost will be, and where his business once was for 20 years.

Dee tried to retain his original location with a lawyer, but that got too expensive as well, he said.听He had to move his business across the street in 2017, when the property tax was raised.听听

While The Roost may bring more business to Hill East, Dee said it might take business away from the two bars that have been across the street on Pennsylvania Avenue for about 10 years, and 鈥渢hese two businesses are already slow.鈥�

There are 鈥渁lready only a few customers, and this area is not for dining at all,鈥� Dee said.

Dee is also concerned that once The Roost opens it will be 鈥渧ery hard鈥� for his customers to find parking, since it is already hard now, he said.

鈥淏ut maybe if more people move into those apartments, then there will be more business,鈥� Dee said.

Katie Purr, an employee of New York Pizza and Grill Kabob said they used to provide birthday parties for kids in the space across the street, and would help families set up without charging extra fees.

They even dressed up for a princess and pirate party, Purr said.

鈥淲e used to watch the kids in this community grow up, but it is less of a community now. There are not as many parks, less greenery鈥� Purr said.

Debra Holmes, a Hill East resident, said she hopes The Roost hires people in the surrounding community, and that they hire 鈥済ood security,鈥� because 鈥渧andalism is common in the area.鈥�

But Holmes said she worries about the impact of gentrification on people living in cheap housing in the area, even though new developments near Hill East 鈥渉aven鈥檛 been too much of a problem.鈥澨�

鈥淪ome people are ready for change, for things to get better,鈥� Holmes said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not about color or race, some people are ready to sit, eat nice food, and meet new people,鈥� Holmes said.

Supporting the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District

However, property tax on The Roost will provide more income to the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District鈥檚 Clean, Safe and Beautiful program, President Patty Brosmer said.

This means new light poles, increased trash can maintenance and flower boxes in Hill East, Brosmer said.

鈥淭heir block has been cornered off for some time,鈥� Brosmer said. 鈥淏ut having a business open and lively will awaken the whole block.鈥�

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A report of the Trump call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was released last week, revealing that Trump asked Zelensky to investigate political rivals.

News organizations varied on whether to refer to the call as a transcript or a rough transcript, since it is not a verbatim script of the call but notes from White House aides and other officials listening in.

CNN referred to the unclassified report of the Trump-Zelensky call as a 鈥渢ranscript鈥� in early breaking news stories. Other major media outlets like 最新蜜桃影像ington Post, NPR and PBS refer to the released documents as a 鈥�.鈥�

Brian Westley, the senior counsel of Standards & Practices at PBS, said it is important to be careful with language. Most people think the word 鈥渢ranscript鈥� means 鈥渧erbatim,鈥� when this document wasn鈥檛, Westley said.

Gregg Re, a lawyer and editor for Fox News, includes a disclaimer in his digital coverage of the Trump-Zelensky call that the transcript is compiled by people listening into the call and writing down notes.

While he provides context of how the transcript came to be, Re also said in a phone call the word transcript 鈥渄oes not imply that it is flawless,鈥� and 鈥渄oes not imply word-for-word accuracy.鈥�

“I need you to do us a favor, though鈥�”

Emily Horne, a communications expert and adjunct professor in the School of Communication at American University, told 最新蜜桃影像 that it is 鈥渢elling that in a moment where there is breaking news, people are quibbling over the meaning of individual words.鈥澨�

For example, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused CBS reporter Scott Pelley of adding the word 鈥渢hough鈥� to a sentence spoken by Trump in his call with Zelensky: 鈥淚 would like you to do us a favor, though 鈥�;鈥� referring to Trump鈥檚 request that Zelensky investigate presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.听 But Pelley cited the sentence directly from the 鈥渢ranscript,鈥� or unclassified memorandum.

on Sunday to give a Republican response to the largely Democrat-led impeachment inquiry.

Word parsing by politicians

Claims of attacking the messenger and changing the subject is a common defense in political communications, Horne said. This goes beyond journalists and word usage to politicians.

Trump鈥檚 personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on Sunday. When anchor Maria Bartiromo asked him what he will do about the impeachment inquiry Giuliani deflected the question by saying he was just 鈥渢he messenger鈥� and that most people don鈥檛 understand the process.

Giuliani also noted that attention should be on Biden鈥檚 son rather than on Trump.

These diversion tactics are not unprecedented, Horne said. Former President during his own impeachment testimony, in response to a question on whether he had been truthful in affirming that 鈥渢here is absolutely no sex of any kind鈥� with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, 鈥渋t depends on the meaning of what the word 鈥榠s鈥� is.鈥�

Parsing individual words can be a 鈥渟ign that the messenger is not confident in their broader message,鈥� Horne said.

Journalists鈥� job 鈥榯o be careful鈥�

Mark Memmott, NPR鈥檚 supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices, said that 鈥渕any things are familiar鈥� from covering the Clinton impeachment inquiry. However, the people at the center of this story, like Trump, have new ways to get their own information out on social media, Memmott said.

Journalists are 鈥渨orking harder to keep up with what is happening, because it is part of our job to be careful,鈥� he said.

That means the deputy managing editor at NPR sends guidelines to everyone working on impeachment inquiry stories, to make sure all of the reporters are on the same page, according to Memmott.

These days, most people get their news from places that tell them what they want to hear, but 鈥渨e give them the facts as they are,鈥� Memmott said.

But the public may not see it the same way.

District of Columbia resident Kathleen McMough said she doesn鈥檛 follow news on the impeachment, because news stations are too biased one way or the other.

鈥淧eople don鈥檛 read enough into the news and don鈥檛 take it all with a grain of salt,鈥� McMough said. While she tries to keep an open mind, she sees media outlets as framing the story based on their political leanings, instead of a report of truth, she said.

For LaRaine DuPuy, a Waco, Texas, resident, language and wording on the Trump impeachment inquiry is more important than the Clinton impeachment.听

鈥淐linton鈥檚 impeachment was over a personal affair, but Trump鈥檚 offenses are a threat to our national security, since he was working with foreign affairs,鈥� DuPuy told 最新蜜桃影像 today.

The word 鈥榳histleblower鈥�

An individual word can add legitimacy to a news story, or take it away, Horne said. The amount of legitimacy that journalists give the impeachment inquiry will shape the American people鈥檚 interpretation of what is happening, Horne said.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said last week that the whistleblower on the call between Trump and Zelensky is not a whistleblower, according to news. The following day, Trump that the whistleblower 鈥渋sn鈥檛 a whistleblower at all,鈥� because the person was not on the call with Zelensky.

Trump on Sunday that he deserves to meet his 鈥渁ccuser.鈥澨� By using the word 鈥渁ccuser鈥� instead of the word 鈥渨histleblower,鈥� it changes the framing of the call with the Ukraine president from a 鈥渞easonable thing鈥� to a 鈥渃onspiracy theory,鈥� Horne said.

Re of Fox News said that the term whistleblower accurately captures the situation.

鈥淭he term 鈥榳histleblower鈥� doesn鈥檛 imply that the allegations are true, but it carries legal meaning,鈥� such as protection for the person, Re said. The legal process behind the term carries more weight than how politicians want to frame the story around the impeachment, he said.

Complicated, but important

Daniela Altimari, a politics reporter for the Hartford Courant, said Trump is an 鈥渆xtremely polarizing figure,鈥� with a big presence in political and cultural life.听

鈥淒espite the complexity of the story, people are following it, are interested, and have an opinion, even if they don鈥檛 understand all of the complexities,鈥� she told 最新蜜桃影像 today.

Altimari can鈥檛 foresee this story disappearing from the front page anytime soon, she said.

Emily Horne teaches the U.S. Foreign Policy in the Press course at American University, in which the author of the article is currently enrolled.

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The strike happened days before world leaders met for the UN Climate Summit in New York, where Thunberg gave an emotional speech. She pleaded with policymakers to change their priorities from 鈥渇airytales of economic growth鈥� to the fact that 鈥渨e are in the beginning of a mass extinction.鈥�

Abbie La Porta, a member of the student-led environmental justice organization , said there is a lot of significance in how Thunberg sailed to the United States for her UN appearance instead of flying on an airplane, to cut the carbon emissions of her trip.

鈥淚t shows just how dependent our society has become on fossil fuels,鈥� La Porta said.

Students marching on Capitol Hill also have the unique opportunity to influence lawmakers at the national level.

Jonah Gottlieb, 17, executive director of the , traveled from Northern California to Washington, D.C., for the global Climate Strike.

His organization is one of the sponsors, and Gottlieb himself spent the past week testifying in front of Congress and meeting with lawmakers to present the strikers鈥� demands.

鈥淚 should be at home working on my college applications right now,鈥� Gottlieb said. But after wildfires raced across his home state of California, destroying communities, Gottlieb said he decided to do something bigger.

Student leaders from organizations across the country met in person to discuss the transition to a sustainable and equitable economy at a in Idaho at the end of July. They resolved to bring all the groups together in some way for a stronger national influence.

For these students, there is no time to lose.

鈥淲e need to stop playing into the fossil fuel industry narrative that we have time,鈥� Gottlieb said. 鈥淭he climate crisis,鈥� he testified earlier this week, 鈥渋s already happening now.鈥�

Jenna Dawson, 17, skipped class at her high school in Maryland because climate change is an issue that does not discriminate along political party lines, and so there should be swift bipartisan action, she said.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be the generation that failed, I want to be the generation that succeeded,鈥� Dawson said.

Kelsey Juliana, 23, one of the young people suing the federal government over the climate crisis, expressed the same sense of urgency.

鈥淭hey want us to just sit in school and learn for a future that might not exist,鈥� she said to the crowd.

Some representatives from Congress attended the strike, including Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., Rep. Ra煤l Grijalva, D-Ariz., Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. But Gottlieb said most members of Congress don鈥檛 actually listen to what they are demanding and why they are demanding it.

鈥淲e understand they are scared of losing their seats and their money, but we are scared of losing our lives,鈥� Gottlieb said.

There are approximately 74 million people under the age of 18 in the United States, according to the last official . Since they can鈥檛 vote, striking is a way to make their voice heard when they will be the ones affected the most by climate change, Gottlieb said.

done by the National Children鈥檚 Campaign shows that the majority of Americans support children鈥檚 initiatives. A campaign of thousands of students telling their parents, teachers and coaches to vote to protect the planet, therefore, could work, Gottlieb said.

Demands of the Climate Strike

The strikers have a clear set of five demands that they are proposing to lawmakers, including:

• Pass the , legislation introduced by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
• Restore and protect biodiversity.
• Implement sustainable agriculture.
• Respect indigenous peoples and lands.
• Pursue environmental justice by advocating for communities on the frontlines of poverty and pollution.

Climate Change and Race

The last two demands were addressed in depth at the Climate Strike in front of the U.S. Capitol building.

The climate crisis is different from every other crisis because it affects all people, regardless of skin color or class, said Wendy Gao, 17, at the strike.

However, it affects low-income communities and people of color first, said Khadija Khokhar, an organizer for , Thunberg鈥檚 strike organization.

鈥淚n D.C., for example, all of our toxic waste and trash travels across the Anacostia River into landfills that are systematically placed in communities of color,鈥� Khokhar said.

Tokata Iron Eyes, 16, is from the Standing Rock Nation in North Dakota and has been advocating for policy actions to halt climate change since she was nine years old.

鈥淎nd our ancestors have been fighting for this since before we knew what the climate crisis was,鈥� Iron Eyes said.

The land that the Capitol sits on used to be native land, and the genocide of American Indians is tied to greed for natural resources, Iron Eyes said. The issue of climate change is also a race issue and a feminism issue, Iron Eyes said.

Jerome Foster II, 16, founder and executive director of and a Washington, D.C., native, urged everyone to strike on Fridays to make sure that the momentum from the global Climate Strike doesn鈥檛 die, and that real change will come from their actions.

鈥淎fter this, you can鈥檛 just go back to your schools. We will pause the earth every single week,鈥� he said to the crowd.听

The U.S. federal government continues to roll back environmental protections like the . But young people involved in the climate strike wait to see if other world leaders involved in the UN Climate Summit will take action on their global demands, and ramp up their plans to address climate change.

High school students Priscilla Wilson-Gay, 17, and Jenna Dawson, 17, explain why they skipped school to attend the Climate Strike at the U.S. Capitol.

鈥� 最新蜜桃影像 (@authewash)

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