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THE COVER:

D.C. is a different kind of city if you’ve been indoors. 

Haven’t seen what the U Street Corridor looks like since we’ve been asked to stay at home? Maybe you are curious about Adams Morgan? City Paper’s photographer Darrow Montgomery captures the fixtures of these neighborhoods, along with others, that you may be missing for this week’s cover story: their stores. 

Find high top chairs flipped upside down on top of tables and neon storefront signs turned off. For 56 days, they’ve been like this. The city’s sandwich shops, nightclubs, and candy stores—all desolate. 

These photos document the moment, the closings. But there will be a phased reopening. D.C. is very close to meeting key metrics to begin gradually reopening its economy. This includes its stores. —Amanda Michelle Gomez (tips? agomez@washingtoncitypaper.com)

CITY DESK LINKS, by Amanda Michelle Gomez (tips? agomez@washingtoncitypaper.com) 

  • At Thursday’s press conference, Mayor Muriel Bowser releases her advisory group’s recommendations for phased reopening. The general report, along with recommendations by sector, can be viewed online. Phase 1, or Stage 1, could mean gatherings of up to 10 people (including places of worship), restaurants open for outdoor seating with social distancing requirements in place, and hair salons and barbershops open by appointment only. If trends continue, Bowser could announce a change to her stay-at-home order next week, with phased reopening beginning Friday, May 29. [Twitter, Twitter] 

  • D.C. reported five additional deaths, meaning 412 residents have died due to COVID-19. As of May 20, 7,788 of the 41,756 individuals tested for COVID-19 turned up positive results. D.C. is now releasing data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on residents who died of COVID-19 outside of the hospital and tested positive postmortem. Racial disparities are evident: 69 percent of the 26 people who died outside of the hospital were black residents. [EOM] 

  • An illustrated guide to understanding D.C.’s mask requirements. [WCP]

  • Beauty supply stores and barbershops, along with educational retail shops, can now apply to reopen for curbside service. Politics and Prose, for example, applied. [Twitter] 

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Mitch Ryals (tips? mryals@washingtoncitypaper.com) 

  • A lawsuit is trying to prevent Virginians from voting with absentee ballots. [VPM]

  • Meanwhile, absentee voting is thriving there. [WAMU]

  • U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Blake tossed out a lawsuit challenging Gov. Larry Hogan’s stay home order. [WTOP]

  • There will be no “wiping the slate clean” if Jack Evans is elected, Chairman Phil Mendelson says. [Twitter]

  • Ward 2 candidate Jordan Grossmandid a Reddit AMA. [Reddit]

  • Some D.C. councilmembers ask for D.C. inmates held in federal facilities to be sent home. [Twitter]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Laura Hayes (tips? lhayes@washingtoncitypaper.com) 

  • Delivering food has always been a tough job. Then a pandemic made it potentially dangerous. [WCP]

  • Denizens Brewing Company rolls out its own hard seltzer brand. [Washingtonian]

  • Help might finally be on the way for restaurants in a couple of new House bills. [Post]

  • Why it’s problematic when white cooking personalities introduce Americans to the global pantry. [Eater]

ARTS LINKS, by Kayla Randall (tips? krandall@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • A new reggae album from local group The Archives celebrates the work of beloved musicians Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson. [WCP]

  • Artomatic looks to put on its first digital-only event this summer. [WCP]

  • The National Building Museum is cutting two-thirds of its staff, citing pandemic-caused revenue loss. [DCist]

SPORTS LINKS, by Kelyn Soong (tips? ksoong@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • For many black runners, the story of Ahmaud Arbery feels all too familiar. “Seeing the video of Ahmaud Arbery took me back to the moment I had,” says Frank Tramble, a running group leader in D.C. “I find that every one of these stories takes me back, speaking as a black man, to a moment that I had that worked out in my favor. But that’s not a given for everyone, or every time.” [WCP]

  • Maryland freshman Ayana Akli was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year for women’s tennis. Michigan sophomore Andrew Fenty, son of former Mayor Adrian Fenty, was selected as the conference’s men’s tennis Player of the Year. [Big Ten, MGoBlue.com]

  • Rookie wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden tested positive for COVID-19 in March—the first positive test among Washington NFL players. Gandy-Golden said in a statement that his symptoms were mild and he has been cleared since April 7. [NBC Sports Washington] 

CITY LIGHTS, by Emma Sarappo (Love this section? Get the full newsletter here. Tips? esarappo@washingtoncitypaper.com)

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