Reading archive 2025-08-20

‘The city is dead’: D.C. restaurant reservations drop amid federal crackdown: Local restaurant owners hope for a Restaurant Week boost, but the heavy law enforcement presence in the city is keeping some diners away.

These states could redistrict before the 2026 midterms: As Trump pushes for a more Republican-friendly House map, more than half a dozen states are potential targets for mid-decade tweaks to congressional boundaries.

The future of home-building is here. And we’re behind.: The Trump administration cut grants for materials development that could reduce construction costs. - "The productivity crisis in construction labor compounds these material challenges. Construction worker productivity has been steadily dropping for nearly 50 years while other industries have seen dramatic gains through automation and improved processes. The construction industry’s resistance to technological adoption, fragmented structure and reliance on traditional methods has put us well behind China and the European Union in construction labor productivity."

Avoid these 5 food additives that may harm your health: Studies suggest these ingredients might be linked to increased risks for your gut, heart and even fertility. [ed. note: carboxymethyl cellulose (cellulose gum, sodium CMC, E466), polysorbate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl paraben (E216 or propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate)]

Justice Department investigating D.C. police over alleged fake crime data: D.C. officials have repeatedly cited police stats showing drops in violent crime to push back on the need for a federal takeover of law enforcement.