We tell a lot of stories over the course of a year, but they aren’t all created equal. Here are 22 of them that surprised, moved, enraged, and intrigued us—in no particular order.

(Photo by Rachel Sadon)

Two Years Later, The Lawnmower Man Is Still Fighting To Keep Memorials Open In a Shutdown

The curls have been shorn, the beard lost the scruff, the t-shirt replaced with a blue button-down. There’s nary a rake in sight. You’d never guess he is the Lawnmower Man, in fact, until he starts speaking. Then you’ll hear a familiar slight lisp, and the same seemingly limitless fervor that propelled him to keep the Mall spotless when the government couldn’t.

One of the most surprising sights of the 2013 government shutdown was a solitary man carrying a South Carolina flag and pushing a lawn mower around the Lincoln Memorial. But while most people wearily shook their head and went back to work after the sixteen day shutdown, Chris Cox didn’t return to his regular life. Two years later, Rachel Sadon profiled his one-man lobbying campaign to get a bill passed ensuring that national parks would stay open in the event of a future shutdown.

Photo via DC Central Kitchen.

With Class 100, DC Central Kitchen’s Job Training Program Hits a Milestone

It’s a balmy afternoon in May and the students of Class 100 are hard at work putting the final touches on their dishes. Divided into small teams, the 16 men and women have spent days preparing for today’s jambalaya cook-off. It’s the first chance for them to put the skills they’ve learned to use for an outside audience.”

D.C. has been heavily criticized for the dismal success rates of its workforce development programs, but DC Central Kitchen has always been a bright spot. On the occasion of its 100th class of trainees, Matt Cohen looked back on what they’ve been able to accomplish.

Brian Feldman with the author.

DCist Becomes #BFFs With Prolific Performance Artist Brian Feldman

““Is there anything you won’t do?” I ask Brian Feldman at the beginning of our two hours as best friends.
“Well, I’m not going to moon anyone,” he says as we walk through Chinatown. That’s odd, I tell him, because I saw his derriere less than 24 hours before.”

In a city that has an advocacy group exploring how to “make D.C. weird“—and is still struggling—Brian Feldman is a shining beacon of eccentricity. Shortly before she came on as DCist’s associate editor, Rachel Kurzius immersed herself in three of his performance pieces and reported back.

Photo by Jacob Dean.

Photos: Dispatches From The Obscene Line Outside Of Milk Bar

3:01 PM: The line behind me is now snaking even further down I street towards 9th. I hear the PR person say that the City Center building managers told them that if the line reaches Gucci, there’s going to be a problem (the line has almost reached Gucci). I am curious about how one tells people waiting in line for cookies that they’re causing a public disturbance.

This year, busy Washingtonians dropped everything and stood in place—for kolaches, for Rose’s Luxury, for Chick fil A, for marijuana seeds, for a bar filled with Christmas decorations. And then there was the surprise opening of Milk Bar, the NY-based sister bakery to Momofuku. We gave Jacob Dean the illustrious title of cookie correspondent and unwittingly sent him to wait two hours for their trendy confections.

Photo by Pablo Maurer.

Busted: A Presidential Park Lies Dormant Near Williamsburg, Va.

“Nature has crept up on the presidents. Grass and weeds grow thigh-high around them, and they’ve settled into the swampy ground they sit on. Wildlife, too, has taken up residence. Frogs serenade me as I wander the property, and when I brace myself against James Buchanan’s shoulder, one of them hops out of his collar and onto my arm.”

Between the polished busts, larger-than-life statues, and dramatic oil paintings surrounded by gilded frames, D.C. is filled with the visages of presidents past. But tucked behind a Days Inn in Williamsburg, Va. lies a unique sight—20-foot-high busts of 43 U.S. leaders in various states of disrepair. Pablo Maurer gained access to the private site and took this series of otherworldly photographs.

(Courtesy of the family photo)

As Taije Chambliss Recovers From Gunshot Wounds, Neighbors Rally

It could have been even worse. Taije moved immediately to shield another girl. “She was like 7 and she’s short and little and tiny,” she said. “If she would’ve been shot, she wouldn’t have been as strong as I was.”

The citywide crime story was one of a dramatic increase in homicides. But amid the depressing statistics, and increasing fears, was the inspiring story of one girl’s bravery and fortitude. Rachel Sadon spoke to 13-year-old Taije Chambliss as she recovered from gunshot wounds.

Photo by Pablo Iglesias Maurer

And The Animatronic Band Played On: The Troubled Afterlife Of The Rock-afire Explosion

Wounded animatrons are everywhere. A Rock-afire set done up as aliens is pegged against one wall, while the “Wolf Pack Five,” slumps along another, undergoing restoration for a new buyer. In the basement, things go from creepy to surreal. Piles of masks and molds line shelves and a Billy Bob has melted—literally melted—into the arms of father time, his latex mask melted onto the skull beneath it.

The glory days of Rock-afire Explosive are long gone—but the animatronic band lives on at Billy Bob’s Pizza Wonderland in Barboursville, West Virginia, and in creator Aaron Fechter’s Orlando workshop. Pablo Maurer made pilgrimages to both places to recount the surprisingly, well, explosive recent history of the onetime Showbiz Pizza performers.

14-Year-Old DJ Beauty And The Beatz Mixes Hits With Homework

Earlier this year, I took my 7-year-old son to see a Step Afrika performance at the Deanwood Recreation Center. While the steppers shook the gymnasium with hand and foot coordination, I was much more intrigued by the rhythm of the DJ who played during breaks. Behind a laptop, headphones on, stood a bright-eyed female appeasing both the parents with old school hits and the children with the latest hip hop tracks.

Sierra Roundtree may be only 14, but she’s already performed for the president. Christina Sturdivant spoke to the teenage prodigy about being an in-demand DJ—and keeping up with her homework.

Via Shutterstock.

This Is Why You Don’t Pitch Us Your Marriage Proposal

But when you’re pitching news outlets to write about your proposal that hasn’t even happened yet, then something is seriously wrong. It becomes about the spectacle and prospect of going viral rather than a celebration of love. (“So pretty pretty please come do a story on it and post in on the blog” is an actual quote from the email we received).

Matt and Rachel got cranky, but it seems people got the message.

Inside Date Lab: Five Things I Learned When The Post Sent Me on a Date

On a bitterly cold and rainy night last month, I walked into an upscale bistro on L Street NW, gave my name to the maitre d’, and was ceremoniously handed a plain manila envelope with my name on it. The contents: two disposable cameras and typed marching orders from The Washington Post. That moment was almost certainly the closest I will ever come to feeling like a spy, but the cameras were essentially there for me to spy on myself.

Theater editor Riley Croghan tells the tale of his Date Lab experience with good humor and many lessons for those who would find themselves in the same position.

Photo by Farragutful (via Wikipedia)

After Public Process, Activists Want Answers About The Future of Columbia Heights’ Hebrew Home

Inside Petworth’s year-old Pitch Tavern earlier this month, the third-floor bar buzzed with the chatter of more than 100 people attending a “young professionals happy hour” sponsored by Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd. Outside, about 15 sign-wielding young professionals tried to draw their attention to the future of a property at the very edge of Todd’s purview: the one-time Hebrew Home for the Aged. “Who are we for? Just the rich, or also the poor?” they chanted.

The last headlines, more than a year ago, were about how the city wanted to build 90 percent affordable housing on the site of a former eldercare facility in Columbia Heights. And then residents heard nothing. Rachel Sadon dug into what has happened since—and what hasn’t.

Freelance yoga instructor Jess Whittington practices her poses. She says many employers use “coded language and obfuscation” to discriminate against transgender people during the hiring process. (Photo courtesy of Jess Whittington)

‘I Don’t Think You’d Be A Good Fit’: Experiences Of Transgender Employment Discrimination

“People know they can’t come out and say, ‘We don’t want to hire people like you,'” says Jess Whittington, a freelance yoga instructor in the D.C. area. “It’s a lot more coded language and obfuscation. They won’t come out and say it, but you’ll get the looks of loathing, disgust, fear, or a combination of that. Their tactic is ‘let’s gaslight them,’ basically.”

After a D.C. report documented a striking discrimination rate against transgender people during the hiring process, Rachel Kurzius heard locals’ firsthand experiences.

Photo by erin m.

The District’s Best And Worst Coffee Shops To Turn Into Your Temporary Office

When I walk into a coffee shop, my eyes dart past the baristas, baked goods and selection of brews etched in chalk. Instead, I survey the room for open seats, sturdy tables, unused electrical outlets, a local wi-fi password and, if not asking too much, a little ambience and personal space. A coffee snob I am not, but I am picky about where I put down my laptop.

Many Washingtonians who work remotely like a change of scenery from their mundane home offices. Elia Powers explored dozens of D.C.’s indie coffee shops to give readers a comprehensive list based on whether you like working alone or communally, if you require a couch to sink into or prefer to stand, and more.

Courtesy of “Find My First Love.”

How One Arlington Woman Found Love On Reality TV

Kenworthy knew immediately that she wanted to find was Benjamin, a Frenchman she’d met during a gap year between high school and college. But, burned out and worn down from working two jobs, her first thought was more “free trip to France” than “Must Find This Man Now.” So she applied to take a break from reality, on reality TV.

After a local went on Find My First Love to track down a long-lost boyfriend, Rachel Sadon told the story behind the reality TV romance.

James Fallows addresses ANC3D. (Photo by Rachel Kurzius)

Don’t Blow It: Anti-Leaf Blower Group Wins First Political Victory

James Fallows, Atlantic writer and former presidential speechwriter, is among the leaders of the crew, and has been blogging about the process. Headlines include “History’s Greatest Monster,” and “What the Devil Does in His Spare Time.” “There’s a reason to look at this anew,” Fallows said at the meeting. “The times are in our favor.”

One ANC meeting really had it all: a local celebrity, overblown (sorry, not sorry) rhetoric, dramatic leaf pins, a composer of very, very quiet music. Rachel Kurzius reported back from the front lines of the anti-leaf blower movement in tony Wesley Heights.

Ryan Honick and his service dog, Pico. (Courtesy of Ryan Honick)

After Advocacy, Metro Reverses Course On Emergency Gates For Riders With Service Dogs

It is a testament to one rider’s persistence, and the power of social media to amplify his voice, that exactly one week after he was furiously tweeting about his experiences at Eisenhower station, Honick received a letter stating that he would never have to go through that again.

The rare bright spot in Metro news: after a rider advocated for change, he got it. Rachel Sadon shared the happy conclusion to one man’s frustrating experience at the faregates.

Image courtesy of Aaditya Shah.

Painting Company Tells Customer Who Canceled “Death To Muslims”

“I told them I didn’t have time to wait around, and they told me to leave the door open or the key under the mat,” Shah says. He declined and said he would hire another crew instead. That’s when “the guy started losing it,” Shah said.

Amid an increase in Islamaphobia in recent months, Rachel Kurzius told the story of one man’s experience trying to get his house painted and the frightening escalation that followed.

418-L-3-4 – “Unknown Patient Ward” (Courtesy of the National Archives at College Park, Maryland)

St. Elizabeths Stories: Turning the Lights Back On With Long-Forgotten Images

Gently, one by one, I pull the images out of their jackets. This one shows a billiards table in the center building, a goliath, multi-level structure now undergoing renovation on the west campus. The next slide shows a sign on a wall at the hospital: “Things to be remembered.” The last item on the list: “The law of kindness has no exceptions here.”

Ahead of St. Elizabeths planned transformation, DCist contributor and relentless explorer Pablo Maurer dug into the archives to learn more about its time as a federally-run mental hospital. These “magic lantern” slides offer compelling snapshots of life at the facility.

Vegan Options And Potential Liquor License Spice Up Florida Avenue Grill

Last year, the Florida Avenue Grill celebrated 70 years of serving Miss Bertha’s Breakfast Special. For those unfamiliar with the historic diner in Shaw, Miss Bertha’s special gets you two hotcakes or french toast topped with cinnamon and sugar, two eggs any style, bacon, sausage, or scrapple, and apples, home fries, or grits. In other words, enough food to put you in a soul food-induced coma.

Florida Avenue Grill owner Imar Hutchins shared with Christina Sturdivant his mission to advance one of the oldest soul-food restaurants in the city. Like the neighborhood around it, the Grill is in a state of transition.

Recipe For Disaster: How Damaged City Became A Hub For International Hardcore

In the US, there is a tendency for music scenes to become insular, to only care about bands from certain cities and certain scenes. “It kind of sucks,” Candela says. “There’s good hardcore all over the world.”

Damaged City has become one of the country’s premiere hardcore punk festivals. DCist contributor Ron Knox tells the story of how bands that rarely, if ever, play in the U.S. wind up on the St. Stephen’s stage.

Via Shutterstock.

D.C. Makes Strides In Protecting Pregnant Workers

Although some of the modifications that the law requires seem really minor to implement—say, letting a cashier sit on a stool—advocates say they still see case after case where pregnant women are denied small changes that would make a big difference in their ability to work.

“I’ve gotten over saying ‘this really still happens?'” says McNett, whose non-profit provides free services to women making $22 and hour or less. “In the industries they are working in, pregnancy discrimination and issues with childcare responsibilities or leave are just rampant.”

D.C. passed and quietly implemented one of the strongest laws in the country protecting pregnant women and those who have recently given birth. Rachel Sadon spoke to advocates and politicians about the importance of the bill.

Brewing While Female: Meet the Women Behind D.C.’s Craft Beer Industry

When I walked in the door of Denizens Brewing Company in Silver Spring, Md. every employee I encountered—the person who greets me at the door, the person who pours my beer and the person who helpfully points me in the direction of the restroom—was a woman. That’s no coincidence.

Since Denizens opened its doors in July 2014, the brewery has become something of a magnet for women hoping to launch beer businesses of their own. DCist contributor Juana Summers explores how the traditionally male-dominated craft beer industry has had to make room for a whole crop of women brewers.