Margaret Barthel

1 week ago | wamu.org | Chris Remington |Margaret Barthel |Esther Ciammachilli

Among the thousands of federal workers who’ve either lost their jobs or taken buyouts in recent months, veterans have taken a disproportionate brunt of the force. Approximately is made up of veterans or their spouses — and some local vets say they’re already feeling the effects of federal cuts. “With my generation of veterans, I feel like we’ve gotten the s*** kicked out of us for 20 years,” said Alison Jaslow, who leads Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

1 week ago | wamu.org | Margaret Barthel

Public meetings in Northern Virginia often start the same way these days: with dire-sounding presentations showing just how entangled the region is with the federal government — and therefore how vulnerable it is to the Trump administration’s ongoing cuts. The Virginia House Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions got its chance to take a look at the latest numbers at a meeting in Alexandria on Tuesday.

3 weeks ago | wamu.org | Margaret Barthel

There are more than 80 people at this Know Your Rights event in Arlington, one of the many opportunities for immigrant families to hear from legal experts about what to do if they encounter a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. But this one, hosted by the Arlington Schools Hispanic Parents’ Association, a support group for Latino families in the county, has something more.

1 month ago | wamu.org | Margaret Barthel |Natalie Yuravlivker

As the Trump administration continues to make drastic cuts to the federal workforce, leaders in our region are scrambling to assess and mitigate the impact on the local economy. Many are warning of a region-wide economic recession that could be worse than the COVID-19 slowdown. And this time, there would be no federal infusion to bolster local governments through a slump. One surprising challenge has been getting everyone on the same page about which metrics to use when tracking the impact.

1 month ago | wamu.org | Margaret Barthel

The Virginia General Assembly wrapped up its legislative session on Saturday, but the legislative wrangling isn’t over. Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, has until late March to sign, veto, or amend the bills passed by the General Assembly, which is narrowly controlled by Democrats. Then lawmakers return to Richmond to respond to his choices.