Google has teamed up with world-renowned preservation organizations to bring a museum about the founding of America directly to your smartphone or computer.

The 鈥� exhibit uses thousands of documents scanned from the National Archives and dozens more collections that can tell the founding of America in a more linear story. The museum can be viewed on the Google Arts and Culture app.

鈥淚t takes that history and culture and brings it to life using everything from 3D imaging, video,鈥� said Karan Bhatia, global head of government affairs and public policy at Google. 鈥淵ou really can feel like you’re doing a tour of American history brought to life for people who may be very distant.鈥�

You can scroll through the app-based exhibit and immediately learn the 鈥�10 Things You Never Knew About the American Revolution.鈥� A little further down, detailed histories of Founding Fathers and Founding Mothers.

鈥淚 loved the parts of the exhibit that focused on the first ladies,” Bhatia said. “I thought those were an extremely interesting element.”

Beyond reading facts and looking at scans of historical documents, artificial intelligence is also a component of the exhibit. Google is powering the exhibit with a research tool called NotebookLM.

According to Bhatia, NotebookLM enables these historic preservationists to upload documents, videos and sound recordings. Then it draws the information in those sources to allow users to do everything from create synopses and lesson plans, to create an AI podcast where two virtual people will have a discussion around the content selected.

鈥淚t’s going to take all that information, compile it and actually tell it in a story,” said Grace McCaffrey, acting executive of external affairs and communications at the National Archives. “Everyone learns differently. Everyone wants to learn facts differently. Not everyone is able to come here and actually see things in person.”

鈥淎nd one thing that we’ve been missing here at National Archives is a way to put everything together and tell it in a story,” she said.

McCaffrey said this new virtual exhibit, which launched Monday, is perfect for both novices first learning about the Revolution and seasoned history buffs looking at the more detailed accounts and obscure moments from the time period.

The launch of the online exhibit comes alongside the National Archives’ new exhibit 鈥淔ree and Independent,鈥� which details the writing of the Declaration of Independence and its impact over the course of American history.

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The Washington Regional Alcohol Program hopes its educational programming will prevent drunk driving.

鈥淏ut as good as those efforts might be, we realized that you need to have a safety valve for these high risk, high alcohol consumption periods. Of which absolutely, Cinco de Mayo is one of them,鈥� said Kurt Erickson, president of the nonprofit.

The group is giving away $15 rides through Lyft that will be available starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The offer lasts until 4 a.m. the following morning.

鈥淎nybody celebrating Cinco de Mayo with alcohol in the greater Washington area can afford themselves a free and safe ride home via WRAPS sober ride program,鈥� Erickson said.

Erickson said the holiday, which celebrates the Mexican victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, is in 鈥渢he annals of those drunk driving holidays.鈥�

鈥淚n fact it’s 36%, way more than a third, of all traffic deaths in this country, specifically on May 5, involve drunk drivers, meaning that they’re 100% preventable,鈥� he said

The code for that ride, which can be entered in the Lyft app, will be available starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday on .

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In the D.C. region, conversations often start with, 鈥淲hat do you do?鈥� 91欧美激情鈥檚 鈥�Working Capital鈥� series profiles the people whose jobs make the D.C. region run.

While not directly involved with billion-dollar business deals and government contracts, this company may have had a hand in bringing the parties together for a cold pint.

Both Alex Spencer, the head brewer, and Brandon Skall, the CEO and co-founder of , make sure you have a refreshing pilsner, IPA and even a spiked seltzer in your hand whenever you need it.

The Northeast D.C. brewery is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and over the years it has brewed a lot of beer, consistently pouring an alcoholic amber nectar.

鈥淒espite popular belief, we don’t just have a beer faucet here that we turn on and whatever we want comes out,鈥� Skall told 91欧美激情.

That D.C. Brau “Joint Resolution” you enjoy after a long day at work may only take 20 minutes to drink, but it takes three to four weeks to produce.

鈥淚t’s a full day’s worth of work on the brewhouse side, and then everything else is the yeast doing its job,鈥� said Spencer.

While most beer starts with malted barley, hops, water and yeast, they can yield wildly different beers, from the high gravity 鈥淥n the Wings of Armageddon鈥� to the crisp 鈥淏rau Pils.鈥�

鈥淵ou’ve got your four basic ingredients, but within those ingredients, there’s a lot of different variations,鈥� Spencer said. 鈥淚 couldn’t count how many different kinds of malt there are out there.鈥�

The many types of hops and yeast can also transform the taste and look of a beer.

鈥淟ike with any form of art, subtle changes can have really big impacts,” Skall said. “And a lot of that is intuitive. You can go to school to learn brewing, but once you’re out there, really working in the industry, building up years of experience, those changes and that knowledge comes naturally.鈥�

鈥淚 think it’s similar to being a chef in a lot of ways, in that there’s a lot of different techniques and ingredients you can apply to really make something that is distinctly yours,鈥� Spencer added.

Creating a new tasting experience is one of the best parts of the job, they said. The brewery, in its early days, would produce anything they wanted to brew.

Over the years, there have also been happy mistakes in their beer lab.

鈥淲e had a batch of Corruption IPA years ago that somebody accidentally put the Belgian yeast in there instead and created a Belgian IPA that was enough of a fan favorite, we ended up bringing it back once a couple of years ago for just a one-time batch,鈥� Spencer said.

But Skall said the pandemic made them more strategic and intentional. They study market trends to see what might work here.

鈥淎nd, of course, passion, which one of those are we passionate about? Where is there a hole missing in the market that we can fill?鈥� Skall said.

They have produced lower ABV beverages and developed hard seltzers that became a huge portion of their portfolio.

For their anniversary, they created 鈥淏aby Wings,鈥� a redux of their popular 鈥淥n the Wings of Armageddon鈥� but with a lower alcohol content. Another new brew is called 鈥淒eclaration,鈥� in honor of D.C. Brau’s anniversary and the United States’ 250th birthday.

The names and labels of their core beers are very D.C. politics-centric, including 鈥淭he Public,鈥� 鈥淛oint Resolution,鈥� and 鈥淭he Corruption.鈥�

鈥淭hen we had brands like on the 鈥榃ings of Armageddon鈥� or 鈥楽pace Reaper,鈥� that were more speaking to that culture here in D.C. that exists outside of politics. The people that live here, work here, run businesses here, and that creativity, we hope, really translated to people seeing that there’s two sides to the city,鈥� Skall said.

You can buy D.C. Brau by the can or the pint at your local grocery store, bar or liquor store, and at , open Thursday through Sunday.

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It has been one week since President Donald Trump said the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool bottom will be colored to become 鈥淎merican flag blue” and crews have been working on changing the hue.

While announcing the project last week, Trump said the pool 鈥渓eaked like a sieve鈥� for years and that he’d decided to lay down “industrial grade pool” surface rather than spend hundreds of millions and several years to replace the granite floor.

On Wednesday afternoon, a small portion of the pool floor was colored with the dark blue pigment.

鈥淚 hope that they can revert it maybe later,鈥� said one visitor from Delaware. 鈥淚f they’re doing it just for the festivities, sure, but I really hope that they can keep it traditional.鈥�

According to the Department of the Interior, 鈥淭he light-blue base coat visible over the weekend is a standard step in the multilayer process and serves as the foundation for the final finish.鈥�

鈥淚 do ride my bike past here almost every day, so I see the progress incrementally day by day,鈥� said David Gorlitz, a D.C. resident. 鈥淚鈥檝e noticed the color has changed a couple times from a lighter blue to a darker blue. That was a little puzzling.鈥�

He continued, 鈥淚t’s a historical architectural feature on this mall and they’re covering it with, what I’ve heard through the news, is a commercial-grade swimming pool covering. So I’m not sure if that’s actually the right stuff that you should be using for this particular purpose.鈥�

Gorlitz was not impressed with the progress and said it looked terrible.

Another visitor from California told 91欧美激情, 鈥淚 think it’s going to be difficult to see any color underneath the water. I think it’s probably just going to look like it did before. Maybe if you see it directly from above, you’ll see the color. Maybe it’ll look a little bluer than normal, but it just kind of feels like a waste of time to do that.鈥�

The Department of the Interior said in a statement, 鈥淲ork remains on track for completion by the end of May. The last major renovation of the Reflecting Pool was completed in 2012.鈥�

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Three years after a fire damaged a historic church in Arlington, Virginia, Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church is set to officially reopen Saturday following massive renovations to its offices.

Senior Pastor Sara Porter Keeling had been at for just three months before Oct. 14, 2022, when a devastating electrical fire broke out in the church鈥檚 attic.

鈥淚 got a knock on the door by the fire chief,” she told 91欧美激情. “Some of the first words I heard at like 3 in the morning were church and fire.鈥�

Keeling said the cause was old and faulty wiring in the attic and while that was damaging, the water needed to put out the fires was more so.

鈥淚t was like being on the Titanic or something like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat level of water everywhere coming through the light fixtures. Just incredible.鈥�

Luckily the fire did not spread to the main sanctuary and preschool next door, but they were required to hold services outside for a few weeks until everything was deemed safe.

For over three years, staff had to come up with workarounds to continue the church’s day-to-day operations.

鈥淎 good byproduct of COVID 鈥� We already had things in place. We already use Microsoft Teams and text messaging and zoom and those kinds of things,鈥� Keeling said.

They had an added priority to their plate of rebuilding and renovating this particular building all while keeping its history intact.

鈥淢ount Olivet is the oldest continually in use church in Arlington. We were founded in 1854 so that’s obviously right before the Civil War. Our property was used as a hospital during the Civil War by the union,鈥� said Keeling, adding the original building was torn down and used for firewood as Union soldiers went through winter.

To make sure recent renovations were done correctly, they developed the 鈥淧hoenix Team鈥� of staff members and volunteers to help design and improve the building after its destruction.

Named after the mythical bird that rises from the ashes of its own destruction, the team handled insurance claims, architectural work and liaising with contractors.

The HVAC, electrical and plumbing has all been replaced but they also redesigned offices and multipurpose rooms that will house choir practices, church meetings, Sunday school and adult bible study.

For the past three years, adult bible study has been held in the preschool 鈥渕eaning they’ve been sitting in teeny, tiny chairs,鈥� according to Keeling.

鈥淣ow they can joke on Sunday mornings of like ‘It’s not going to be the same when we’re not in our little chairs.’鈥�

Versatility was in mind during the reconstruction.

鈥淢aking use of the space in ways that are more efficient. We have a multipurpose room upstairs now that can be used for small events or lectures or community association meetings,鈥� she said.

Keeling described that for the past three and a half years she has heard many questions of concern about whether they had fully recovered from the fire, but the church is holding their grand reopening, , on Saturday.

鈥淲e really wanted to have this be a larger community celebration,鈥� Keeling said. 鈥淲hen the fire happened, there was so much beautiful concern and care from the Arlington community around us, around making sure that we were OK.鈥�

鈥淲e want to really be able to say thank you to the community, to our nonprofit partners, to the first responders, to everybody that’s worked with us on the rebuilding process,鈥� she concluded. 鈥淐ome and see all that Mt. Olivet is, all that we’re doing in the community.鈥�

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A new exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army in Fairfax County, Virginia, hopes to immerse visitors into the American Revolution through augmented reality.

鈥淎merican Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition鈥� is now open to all visitors and takes them to the vital moments in the war from The Battle of Bunker Hill to the Siege of Yorktown.

French technology company, Histovery, produced the exhibit that allows visitors to walk around with a tablet scanning various portals that are labeled throughout.

Once scanned, the tablet takes viewers to that pivotal moment in Revolutionary history, with a 360-degree view, allowing them to hear from key figures that were present and learn details behind the soldiers鈥� lives. It also has a built-in 鈥淭ime Portal鈥� that shows that area in modern times.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just not about Washington and Hamilton and the notable figures we all know about,” Museum Director Paul Morando told 91欧美激情. “It gets into the everyday soldiers who served, and that’s important because it captures the mission of this museum, which focuses on the American soldier and their experience.”

One depicted in detail is the Noble Train of Artillery, where Gen. Henry Knox and teams of soldiers faced a logistical challenge of moving heavy cannon from Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York all the way to Boston in the winter of 1775-76.

鈥淚 think it’s a story that a lot of people don’t know about,” Morando said. “Coming to experience that, they’ll come away with learning more about the Revolutionary War and about the soldiers involved.鈥�

While the exhibit looks at the triumphs of the Continental Army at Boston and Trenton, it also allows visitors to plunge into the defeats and blunders made during the war.

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鈥淵ou start with the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was a defeat, although significant for the soldiers at that time, because it proved to the British that we were ready to fight and we were going to be a tough opponent,鈥� Morando said. 鈥淎nd then you go to the Battle of Long Island, where the entire army could have been lost and, in fact, the Revolution could have been lost.鈥�

Morando shared more about Gen. George Washington at the Battle of New York, 鈥淗e was outmanned, outmaneuvered, and just basically, out 鈥榞eneraled鈥�. So, instead of staying and fighting, knowing that he would lose, he figured out a way to escape.”

Morando said these immersive technology exhibits pair well with the artifact-driven exhibits at the museum.

鈥淚t gives visitors another way to learn about the Revolutionary War in an interactive and fun way, but it’s also extremely educational. Lot of research content development was put into this experience,鈥� Morando said.

The exhibit, which opened last weekend, now pairs with the museum’s other temporary exhibit, 鈥淐all to Arms: The Soldier and the Revolutionary War,鈥� which features stunning artifacts including a leopard-skinned saddle from a New Hampshire officer, a French cannon from the Siege of Yorktown as well as the sword surrendered by British Gen. Charles Cornwallis 鈥� something that has never before been displayed in the U.S.

鈥淚t’s a once in a lifetime, you know, artifact that probably won’t be on display in the United States ever again,鈥� Morando said.

Wednesday is the last day to see Cornwallis’ sword.聽

鈥溾�� is free with admission to the museum and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.

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The carousel at the National Mall has finally returned from being refurbished. After nearly three years away, it will welcome visitors back beginning Friday morning.

“The carousel was in quite disrepair, and we took the step to have it fully refurbished, sent it out to a wonderful company in Ohio called Carousels and Carvings, and they spent many years restoring this beautiful carousel, and it has just been reinstalled on the Mall,” Denise Elliott, acting president of Smithsonian Enterprises, told 91欧美激情.

The goal was to return the carousel before America鈥檚 250th birthday celebrations in the nation鈥檚 capital.

They held a grand reopening of the carousel Thursday morning, during which kids and adults alike got a chance to ride the nearly 80-year-old merry-go-round.

鈥淚 first rode on a regular horse, then he rode on a blue horse,鈥� 8-year-old Vivian Wolly told 91欧美激情.

When asked how many times she would be taking a spin, she said, 鈥渁s many times as I’m allowed.鈥�

鈥淚 thought it was cool. It was worth the wait,” said 12-year-old Jackson Hayle. “I rode a normal horse, but I wanted to ride the seahorse one. It was the coolest one.鈥�

The carousel was removed from the National Mall in November of 2023 for refurbishment, but Elliott said they were careful to restore, rather than change anything.

鈥淲e restored it back to how it was. We didn’t add anything new to it. Smithsonian’s a historical organization. We weren’t going to modify the history of the carousel,鈥� Elliott said.

Riders got a chance to hop on horses that represent different U.S. states (not all 50, however, are on the carousel, according to Elliott), as well as a vibrant 鈥淪ea Dragon鈥� and even a tusked pig.

鈥淚 do think my personal favorite is the pig that has the boar tusks,鈥� Elliott said.

This particular carousel was built in 1947 by the Allan Herschell Company and installed in Gwynn Oak Park near Baltimore, Maryland. It was then relocated in 1981 to the National Mall, replacing a previous carousel.

The Smithsonian purchased the carousel in 2022 from its previous owner.

The carousel is located in front of the Smithsonian鈥檚 Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall.

It is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Tickets are $6.

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The roughly 6,000 feet of sea wall between the Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials has been fenced off for nearly two years. Crews began working on the Tidal Basin sea wall restoration project in the summer of 2024, raising those walls to prevent the frequent flooding.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.

In a statement, Burgum said, 鈥渢his historic area is stronger, safer, and ready to welcome record visitors for America鈥檚 250th anniversary and the generations to follow.鈥�

Runners, school groups and even fishing enthusiasts have now been able to walk along that end of the water. Lucas Ball was casting his line Thursday morning.

鈥淚鈥檇 say it鈥檚 actually nice looking to me. It’s appealing. I like what they’re doing, repairing stuff, making it a lot nicer and safer for everybody. I would say they didn’t do that bad of a job on it,鈥� he said between casts.

John Morris was enjoying a morning walk and told 91欧美激情, 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to walking along the water again near the Jefferson Memorial.鈥�

鈥淚t’s been a bummer that it’s been closed off, but it was also a bummer when areas were flooded before then and you can’t walk there anyway,鈥� he continued.

When visitors walk along the Tidal Basin, they will notice the change in elevation and the new pathway just after the FDR Memorial.

The National Park Service also planted 546 new trees, 353 of them are cherry trees, around the Tidal Basin and along sections of the Potomac River.

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The D.C. area has been waiting two and a half months to see her, and on Wednesday, they finally were able to meet the Smithsonian National Zoo’s newest Asian elephant calf.

Visitors lined up early Wednesday morning to be some of the first to get a glimpse at 2-month-old Linh Mai, the cutest quarter ton thing you鈥檒l probably ever see.

鈥淲e’ve been big Linh Mai enthusiasts ever since she was born, and we’ve been tracking her progress,” said D.C. resident Benji Gering. “We’re excited to finally get to come and say hello.”

The bundle of joy now weighs in at nearly 500 pounds, and is able to chug a half gallon of formula in about three minutes. Visitors got to see one of these bottle feedings as soon as the doors opened.

鈥淚 find elephants to be so majestic. I’ve loved elephants since I was little,鈥� said Thomas Cole, who drove to the zoo at 4 a.m. up from Norfolk, Virginia.

鈥淪he seemed very playful, very curious. Just like a big puppy. We want to bring her home! Security might have to check in with us before we leave. If it looks like I’ve gained about 400 pounds, you might want to check in,鈥� Cole added.

Nora Wagner came from Boston, Massachusetts, with her mother to see the calf.

鈥淚t’s a baby elephant. What’s not to like? It’s a baby, it’s an elephant. It’s a baby elephant!鈥� Wagner emphasized.

You can catch Linh Mai at the National Zoo in D.C.’s Woodley Park neighborhood or online at the

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There are few greater gifts someone can give another than themselves, but that is just what one woman did for a Virginia Navy friend that she hadn’t seen in four decades. The two reconnected on Facebook and just months later both went under the knife.

鈥淜idney disease has been in my family for at least five generations that we know of. And before that, I think they were just undiagnosed,鈥� Debbie Winkfield, who lives in the northern Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, told 91欧美激情. 鈥淚 found out about 20 years ago that I would need a transplant.鈥�

Now, in April, which is National Donate Life Month, Winkfield decided to share her story to help others because her donor match turned out to be quite a surprise. And not only that, her surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital marked a milestone use of new technology at the hospital.

‘A true hero’

Winkfield said she was doing well until last spring, when doctors told her that they’d need to conduct a serious search to find her a kidney, whether it be through a family member or friend or someone on the transplant list.

Last March, she started a new Facebook group, updating friends and loved ones about her situation and asking for help to find a new kidney. Only 19 people were linked to the page.

鈥淚 reached out to some folks that I knew may qualify and may be willing to donate, and I really didn’t know if anyone would be willing or even consider it. It was just a chance I took,鈥� Winkfield said.

Last May, MedStar Georgetown contacted her to say someone had come forward offering their kidney.

鈥淚 was very humbled and a little bit in shock because I wasn’t sure that anyone would be willing to do that,鈥� Winkfield said.

The donor, however, was kept anonymous at first as the volunteer underwent a month of tests to see if they were a qualified match. Winkfield was not sure who was making the sacrifice to save her life.

After four weeks of testing, the anonymous donor turned out to be a match.

MedStar Georgetown’s transplant coordinator told Winkfield the donor would contact soon.

An old friend from her Navy days, Lora Booher, called her just two days later.

鈥淭he true hero in this story is Lora,” Winkfield said. “Lora did something that she didn’t have to do.鈥�

Groundbreaking female sailors

Booher and Winkfield both served aboard the U.S.S. Sierra 鈥� in 1984 they were among some of the first female sailors let aboard ships, and, according to Booher, 鈥渁pparently both of us were a little crazy, because we’re like, ‘send me.’鈥�

Both said they developed a personal bond on that ship.

鈥淭here were several situations, and Debbie and I had each other’s back, and that was a big bond between us, that we took care of each other,鈥� Booher said.

After Booher, a Dayton, Ohio, native, left the ship after a year, the two lost contact until they became Facebook friends years later, keeping an eye on each other from afar, Booher in Ohio and Winkfield in Virginia. Then one day, Booher stumbled upon Winfield鈥檚 kidney donation page.

鈥淚 think this is meant for me. I got to do this, to help out my shipmate here,鈥� Booher said.

While undergoing tests to make sure her kidney would match, Booher said she was frustrated that she couldn鈥檛 talk to her friend just a few states away.

鈥淚t was just amazing to me, how it all just worked out perfectly, and I don’t know what made me do it,鈥� Booher said. 鈥淚’ve been doing some soul searching, and I haven’t said this out loud, but it was kind of like a reason to live for a while.鈥�

She and Winfield met in D.C. on the night before the surgery and had dinner. Their conversation flowed like they had just seen each other just days ago instead of 40 years ago.

Dr. Talal Al-Qaoud was the surgeon at MedStar Georgetown who completed the kidney transplant surgery last September.

鈥淚 believe this is the only field in medicine where it really takes one human being to cure another human being,鈥� Dr. Al-Qaoud told 91欧美激情.

Minimally invasive surgery

Winkfield’s surgery was the first kidney transplant performed at that hospital using a surgical robot.

鈥淭he whole point of this was really to kind of benefit Debbie from the recovery standpoint,鈥� Al-Qaoud said.

Usually, a kidney transplant requires a large incision in the back, but with the robot, it’s a much more minimally invasive procedure, according to Al-Qaoud, and Winkfield said she had relatively no pain due to the small incision.

Months later, both women are healthy and are encouraging others to look into becoming organ donors this National Donate Life Month.

鈥淚 don’t think there’s any more gratification you can get out of any gift you can give to somebody. It’s priceless,鈥� Al-Qaoud said.

“People are always amazed or thankful or just in awe that I would do something like that, and I’m like, ‘You too, can do this.’ Help somebody out. You never know,鈥� Booher said.

鈥淚t’s hard to describe the feeling, because there really are no words for someone to think enough of me, care enough for me, and to sacrifice themselves to go through this surgery,” Winkfield said with emotion in her voice. “To offer an organ is just a feeling you can’t describe. I just don’t have the words. I thank her so much.鈥�

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They started in Leonardtown, Maryland, and finished in Baltimore, stopping at MedStar locations along the way. The 170-mile journey wasn鈥檛 made by car, bus or cycle.

Two MedStar employees and a professional ultramarathon runner completed the trek on foot over four days last week, aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle through running and movement.

鈥淭he more you can move your body, the better you’re going to feel, the more you’re going to want to do it,鈥� professional ultramarathoner Michael Wardian told 91欧美激情. “It’s like a virtuous cycle.”

He was joined by Chris Wilde, lead physician assistant at MedStar Harbor Hospital’s emergency department and Chris Heydrick, a physical therapist and running program specialist for MedStar’s northern region.

The group set out for MedStar St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital last Monday, logging dozens of miles each day.

While all three have previous experience with long-distance running, the challenge still evoked comparisons to Pheidippides, the legendary messenger known for covering great distances in ancient Greece to deliver a message. Along the route, that message was simple: movement is medicine.

鈥淢y first question was, 鈥業s this a stage race or 200 straight? Because I don鈥檛 want to do 200 straight,鈥欌�� Wilde joked.

The runners made stops at 10 hospitals across the MedStar system, including MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center in D.C. The four-day run ended Thursday at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.

Wilde said the effort mirrored the kind of problem-solving he does on the job.

“Running 200 miles isn鈥檛 that complicated. It’s about problem鈥憇olving along the way,鈥� he told 91欧美激情.

For Heydrick, the challenge was a natural extension of his career working in running medicine and supporting races across the D.C. region.

鈥淚 really am grateful to have running as part of what I do for work every day, and when your company puts on an event like this, it’s really hard to say no to that,鈥� Heydrick told 91欧美激情. 鈥淎nd I love a route with a why.”

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At each stop, the group encouraged patients and staff to move more, emphasizing that the effort does not need to be extreme.

鈥淚t doesn’t need to be 200 miles by any means,鈥� Heydrick said.

He suggested simple options like walking around the neighborhood, yoga or even table tennis.

鈥淔ind something that jives and stick with it,鈥� he said.

Wilde said regular movement can bring broader health benefits, “With movement comes weight loss. With weight loss comes decreased stresses on the body. And statistics show that when you do some behavior modifications 鈥� you start getting off high blood pressure medicine. Not in every case, but there’s a good chance.鈥�

Heydrick added that prioritizing movement earlier in life can help preserve independence later on.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not very glamorous, but being able to get off the toilet is a huge virtue,鈥� he said.

The runners said even a small impact would make the challenge worthwhile.

鈥淚f one or two people change their lives because of it, that鈥檚 a win,鈥� Heydrick said. 鈥淭hen they might show friends, and you start to see that butterfly effect.鈥�

鈥淚f we can make it small and make it make it meaningful, that’s all we need,鈥� he said.

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For the past three years, the Fairfax County Police Department has been running a first of its kind recruiting and training program to immerse new recruits into the lifestyle of being a law enforcement officer before they enter the academy.

91欧美激情 was invited to get a behind the scenes look.

The Pre-Academy Recruit Program, or PARS, is up to 12 weeks long, giving recruits preparation that they need to succeed while building resilience and the 鈥渕ental and physical grit that it takes to do the job,鈥� Capt. Dean Tran said.

Rachel Scott, a recruit for Fairfax County police, has been flowing through the program.

On Wednesday afternoon she hustled through a physical training gauntlet. She ran to do burpees after doing farmer鈥檚 carries and battle ropes. She completed the workout gauntlet with dozens of teammates at her side.

鈥淥nce you’re thrown into the academy, it’s a lot of go, go, go, and you don’t really get time to get to know the people around you. They have developed this program to really get to know the people that are going to be your academy classmates,鈥� Scott told 91欧美激情.

Scott is one of 39 in this rotation for PARS. She and the others will be going into the academy Friday.

During her days as a PARS recruit, she is getting physically prepared with strength and conditioning training daily.

鈥淚t’s more like a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) program, where it really focuses on every single body part,鈥� Scott said.

Officer Caitlin Rodriguez, a recent graduate of both the PARS program and police academy, said about the importance of physical training for the job, 鈥淚t鈥檚 so physically demanding. I want to put the best version of myself out on the streets for other people, because you’re meeting people at the worst stage in their life, or at some incident where you want to be able to physically be able to handle whatever’s thrown at you.鈥�

Travis Lipscomb is the strength and conditioning coach for the Fairfax County Police Department and said they do similar physical training four times a week.

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鈥淥ur goal is to prepare them physically for the academy and then the career they’re going to be going into afterward,鈥� Lipscomb said.

鈥淭he movements will develop skills, and that will be very useful in the job and injury preventive.鈥�

His favorite exercise to put the recruits through: 鈥淚 will say I enjoy loading up a front squat and seeing what these guys and gals can do.鈥�

Strength and conditioning are not the only preparation these recruits are getting; recruits, officer and senior command agreed that it was a time to change your mindset and develop the mental grit that it takes to do the job.

Scott told 91欧美激情 that they also go through very basic law enforcement course such as search warrant exceptions, arrest procedures and court systems.

Different specialties such as crime scene investigation, homicide detective, fugitive squad and even SWAT make presentations to the new recruits, showing their options after they get experience on patrol.

鈥淚 want to take my time in patrol, because you really need to get that experience and the only way you can get that experience is by doing it and being out on the streets,” Scott said. “But eventually I would like to do supplemental search and rescue, as well as I want to be a detective and crime scene and Major Crimes bureau.鈥�

She was drawn to join the department because of her desire to help others.

Scott said, 鈥淭hat’s the cliche, but it is true.鈥�

She thought about joining the military, but decided to join Fairfax County police because it was a little closer to her parents.

Fairfax County now puts every new recruit through PARS before they head to the academy with an emphasis on comradery with their fellow classmates.

Scott described one bonding exercise: 鈥淓very week we have different partners that we’re assigned to that we have to talk about the writing prompt. That makes it so that there’s no, cliques forming and you get to talk to everyone, and it’s just really a big team environment.鈥�

鈥淓very time I see them at the jail, it’s kind of like a little family reunion,鈥� Rodriguez agreed. 鈥淚t’s one community and it’s one family. I feel that way with my academy class.鈥�

Scott鈥檚 class is the ninth to go through PARS since it started in 2023.

鈥淭he program is the first of its kind in this metropolitan area, and I would argue, on this side of the country, and we’re proud of it,鈥� Tran said.

鈥淚t has changed our hiring system for the better. We’ve seen drastic results in the ability to go after the most viable recruits.鈥�

Tran also said 41% of this class are women.

鈥淭hat is astronomical in the field of law enforcement,鈥� Tran said where she said female officers are underrepresented.

They are recruiting for their next cohort which begins in August.

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One of the newest additions to the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Zoo is about to make her public debut next week. 91欧美激情 got a sneak peek of the cutest 464 pounds you鈥檝e ever seen.

Linh Mai, the latest Asian elephant calf born at the National Zoo in D.C., is a very punctual young lady, demanding her bottle every two hours.

鈥淪he’ll start to bellow and roar as that time approaches if she hasn’t gotten the bottle yet, and then she’s quickly satiated and then goes into play time,鈥� said Tony Barthel, the director of animal care at the National Zoo.

After some initial scares with her digestive system that required a fecal transplant, Barthel said she has been leading an extremely healthy life.

Robbie Clark, the acting curator and elephant manager, said Linh Mai is currently gaining 25 to 30 pounds per week and could reach 1,000 pounds by her first birthday.

鈥淪he’s already participating in the beginning stages of our training program here at the zoo, so she recognizes her name,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淪he’s stationing and targeting, which allows us to move her throughout the facility, make her stand still and hang out with us.鈥�

91欧美激情 observed her running around her indoor habitat playing with large balls, inflatable buoys and darting around exploring the area often looking for her bottle.

When she did finally get that formula from a staff member, she downed a half gallon in under five minutes.

One of her absolute favorite things right now is bath time, according to Clark. Her beauty regiment is enviable.

鈥淓very day she gets a chance to interact in a baby pool with different hoses. She spends about an hour a day doing self-care in the water,鈥� Clark said.

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Linh Mai鈥檚 mother, Nhi Linh, has not been very maternal, and staff thought she may actually be a danger to the young calf. But she has connected with an older female, Swarna.

鈥淪warna showed us behavior that says ‘Hey I know what that is. I want to hang out with her.’ And that was an indication to open the door, and Swarna immediately went into a maternal role,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淪he’s been nothing but patient and resilient with Linh Mai. One of my favorite things is when Linh decides to sleep and Swarna is tired, she’ll go lay down and if she wakes up and realizes Linh hasn’t moved, she’ll get up, walk over to check on her and then go lay back down herself.鈥�

Clark said Swarna is teaching Linh Mai how to be an elephant and to not rely on zoo staff for everything.

Linh Mai is the first Asian elephant calf in D.C. in 25 years, and Clark has called it a big win for the team.

鈥淔or the greater Asian elephant population here in North America, every baby elephant counts, and so we’re really excited for our herd to grow,鈥� Clark said.

Linh Mai will be out in the large elephant habitat for the first time on Apr. 22.

鈥淪he’ll start to realize that there’s a great big world out there. There’s a lot of exciting things outside and should be a lot of fun,鈥� Clark said.

The National Zoo will also turn the elephant cam back on next Wednesday so you can watch her from home.

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As the weather improves and your family (dogs included) start to go outside for long walks and hikes, Alexandria Health Department officials said they want you to check yourself for common parasites that can cling to your body and transmit serious diseases.

Since 2020, Alexandria has seen an increase in Lyme disease, according to the local health department. The bacterial infection is transmitted through the bite of a blacklegged deer tick. Lyme disease can cause fever, fatigue, a characteristic 鈥渂ullseye鈥� shaped rash, joint stiffness and muscle aches. If left untreated, it can cause irregular heartbeats and pains in joints and muscles.

Amanda Coletti, environmental health specialist with the Alexandria Health Department, said these ticks in their 鈥渘ymph鈥� stage of the life cycle usually start to appear in the early summer months.

Alpha-gal syndrome, which is transmitted by lone star ticks and can cause an allergy to red meat, is now also a reportable disease in Virginia.

Ticks attach themselves by 鈥渜uesting,鈥� or clinging onto you as you walk by tall grass, small trees or even dead leaves.

The Alexandria Health Department has launched its 鈥淒on’t Let Ticks Stick” campaign this month to educate the public about the risks associated with the arachnids.

鈥淧art of our campaign is we want people to have the confidence and the security to go out and still enjoy beautiful Virginia,鈥� Coletti told 91欧美激情.

Alexandria will have numerous signs at its parks encouraging visitors to complete tick checks after they leave.

鈥淚t literally takes less than five minutes,鈥� Coletti said. 鈥淵ou just check around, feel around, make sure, visually check and use your fingers to check anything.鈥�

Common spots where the little bugs can hide are your belt line, hairline, armpits, behind the knee and other 鈥渘ooks and crannies.鈥�

But look closely, some of the smaller nymphs are tiny, appearing almost like a black sesame seed.

While it can take up to 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease, Coletti said to remove the tick as quickly as possible. The Alexandria Health Department is even offering a free, credit card-sized tool to help with tick removal.

Coletti said a QR code on that card also lets you send in a 鈥渢ick pic” to experts to help identify and track tick activity in the area.

The free tools are available for pickup at the Alexandria Health Department. They will also be available at educational events across the city.

These 鈥渢ick talks,鈥� hosted by Coletti and other self-described 鈥渢ick chicks,鈥� will be spread across the city:

• Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at William Ramsay Recreation Center
• April 25, 9 a.m. to noon at the 鈥淎nimals in the Park鈥� event in Windmill Hill Park
• May 30, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center
• June 27, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center

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On Saturday, the name of the individual responsible for the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, was found spray-painted on a campus fence.

The Sandy Hook shooting claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults.

Crews removed the graffiti over the weekend, and officials turned over surveillance video to police, who are investigating.

In a letter to Bradley Hills Elementary parents, Montgomery County Public Schools Chief of Schools Peter Moran said the graffiti “can only be interpreted as an act intended to intimidate and cause fear within the Bradley Hills School community, and the broader neighborhood and community, too.”

Calling it a “despicable act,” Moran added that it “will be met with a substantial and uniform response from multiple divisions of MCPS and the Montgomery County Police Department.鈥�

The graffiti incident follows a separate case of vandalism last week, when an outdoor storage shed on school grounds was intentionally set on fire. Officials said it is not yet clear whether the two incidents are connected.

Police cruisers were seen circling Bradley Hills Elementary School as parents and school buses dropped off students Monday morning, and Montgomery County Public Schools said additional security measures are in place as students return.

Anyone with information related to the vandalism is asked to contact the Montgomery County police non-emergency line at 301-279-8000. Tips also can be submitted anonymously through the Maryland Safe Schools Tip Line at 1-833-632-7233 or .

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