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Year after year, kids get bigger. But their clothes don’t. That makes things expensive for parents, especially during winter. D.C.-area parents are trying to change that. Through a Facebook group established in Northwest D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood, parents can swap kids’ clothing they no longer need. “It’s just another way to be connected to the neighborhood and area moms,” said Alexandra Simbana, a D.C. mom and one of the administrators of the Facebook group. Sometimes items are for sale, but they’re usually given away for free. News4 Rundown Jan 20 Winter storm could bring weekend snow: The News4 Rundown Money Jan 20 4 tips to cut your energy bill and save $$ this winter If parents in the group are looking to donate, they’ll post their item with the acronym “F.F.P.P.U” or “Free for Porch Pickup.” “It’s actually just been helpful to try and push out things for my home,” Simbana said. “Just trying to make sure that things that they either didn’t use very much or never got to use at all get another life with another family, another kid,” she said. Items range from jackets and snow boots to toys and snow suits. D.C. nonprofit hosts free clothing room If parents need winter clothing for themselves or their children, Bread for the City, a D.C.-based nonprofit, is another option. “We want to be here for community members living on lower incomes, so they can stay warm just like the rest of us. And often times, they have to go out to work or their kids have to go to school, so it’s important for us to support community members in need,” Bread for the City CEO George Jones said. The nonprofit hosts a free clothing room at their Southeast D.C. location. In light of the government shutdown and temporary freeze on SNAP benefits, the organization says they’ve seen a spike in visits over the past few months. With an incoming snowstorm expected to hit the D.C. area this weekend, Bread for the City says they need all the donations they can get. “Even if we could see folks tomorrow or friday, that would be great. Anybody that’s got clothes they want to donate, particularly warm clothes for kids and their parents, we’d be happy to take ’em,” Jones said. Donators can visit Bread for the City’s website, or stop by their Southeast location to make a clothing donation.

With D.C.’s mayoral primary coming in June, one of the leading candidates, Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, outlined her positions on politics, federal involvement in the District, child care and taxes in an interview with News4. “I also am standing up in this moment because we need leadership that’s going to have more clarity and the courage to fight in this moment against federal intrusion and protect all of D.C.’s neighbors,” she said. “And I’m really excited to be able to do that work in protecting all the D.C. residents.” Federal involvement and political views Lewis George said she believes the Bowser administration has not pushed back strongly enough against federal intrusion and emphasized that she would prioritize building and leveraging stronger relationships with Congress. “I can tell you I’ve gone to Congress and talked to both members of the House and of the Senate, and when I talk to them, they say this is the first time that they’ve heard from D.C. elected officials since they’ve been in elected office in Congress,” Lewis George said. She also noted her ability to work with Govs. Wes Moore and Abigail Spanberger and mayors across the country, such as Brandon Johnson in Chicago, underscoring the importance of strong regional and national partnerships. “I think it’s so critical, but I think most importantly, people want in this moment leadership that is going to say, listen, I will work with anyone who’s going to protect D.C. residents, but I also will stand up against Trump and anyone else who is going to bring harm to all of our residents,” Lewis George said. Even though in original campaigns she used the words “progressive” and “socialist” to describe herself, she now describes herself as “a daughter of the District, true and true.” “I just say I’m a longtime Democrat and I’m also a member of Metro DSA (Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America), who has helped me organize with our fight for, you know, sporting tenants. They have been on the ground with me, and so I don’t shy away from any of it,” she proudly said. Lewis George described Metro DC DSA as her political home but stressed her agenda for the District is not radical, pointing to priorities like universal childcare and affordable housing Universal childcare Lewis George also discussed expanding the Pre‑K Enhancement and Expansion Program (PKEEP), which offers free childcare for eligible 3- and 4‑year‑olds in D.C. She said she wants to continue increasing funding until the program becomes universal for all residents. “Remember, in my first year, Pay Equity Fund, I funded a dedicated revenue source that pulled, but we had the funding there,” she said about the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, a program designed to ensure early childhood educators are paid on par with D.C. Public Schools teachers with similar education and roles. “And so the way I am going to prioritize as mayor, making child care affordable, is by expanding our child care subsidy,” Lewis George said. Taxes As for the possibility of raising taxes to expand such programs, “Before we talk about raising taxes, I think it’s a moment to look at this city’s budget and figure out where we can find true savings?” Lewis George said. “Where can we close loopholes?” Lewis George said she doesn’t want to make the “city more unaffordable for its everyday people” but didn’t commit to not raising taxes.

What to KnowBrendan Banfield, a former IRS officer, is accused of killing his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, at the Banfields’ home in Fairfax County, Virginia.Prosecutors say the killings were part of a calculated plan so Brendan could get Christine out of the picture and start a new life with his family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães.Peres Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter for her role and agreed to cooperate with investigators. She said Brendan created a fake profile for Christine on a sex fetish website to lure a stranger to the home and pin his wife’s murder on him.The defense has argued the digital forensic evidence doesn’t back up the au pair’s claims and that investigators pursued their “catfish theory” without proof. But a detective who investigated the digital evidence said that although the “zeroes and ones” don’t change, he had to take the au pair’s story into account.That same detective testified yesterday that he was re-assigned against his will. “It was related to my work in the Banfield case,” he said.Brendan has pleaded not guilty to all charges.Watch a livestream of the trial in the video player above and follow here for live updates. Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of the trial disturbing. Discretion is advised. The defense continues its case today in the trial of Brendan Banfield, the Fairfax County man accused of killing his wife and a stranger as part of a calculated plot to start a new life with the family’s au pair. Follow live updates below.

California battles historic drought with cutting-edge desalination and recycling, transforming seawater and wastewater into vital resources. The post California’s Bold Water Solutions: Desalination and Advanced Recycling Tackle Drought first appeared on Appel Aura Ecologie.

The New York Mets have acquired center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox, sending infielder Luisangel Acuña and right-handed pitching prospect Truman Pauley to Chicago. Robert, 28, debuted with Chicago in 2020, winning a The post New York Mets acquire outfielder Luis Robert Jr. in trade with Chicago White Sox appeared first on KLBJ-AM - Austin, TX.