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A spectacular three-alarm fire broke out Friday night in a vacant former D.C. firehouse that was undergoing renovation, the fire department said. An adjacent building was also damaged, officials said.

Firefighters were sent about 7:20 p.m. to quell the blaze in the historic 19th century building in the 1600 block of N. Capitol Street NE.

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As of about 11 p.m. they had apparently extinguished all visible fire but were still streaming water into the building, fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo said.

He said firefighters would probably remain at the scene all night.

It appeared that a gas line may have fueled the fire at first, and the blaze was well along by the time firefighters arrived, Maggiolo said.

At first, it appeared that a firefighter had become trapped inside while combating the flames. However, the department said the situation had been “resolved” without apparent injury.

Firefighters already in the building were ordered to evacuate.

Flames leaped into the air from the roof of the ornate brick structure in the Dutch Revival style, as firefighters sought to quell the blaze with water streamed from portable towers stationed outside.

At the peak of firefighting operations, authorities sent seven towers to the scene, along with about 20 other pieces of equipment and 125 firefighters.

City officials issued an alert telling residents of the surrounding neighborhood, near both North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue NE, that they might see or smell smoke.

Residents were asked to close doors and windows and remain indoors.

Several nearby houses were evacuated as a precaution, the fire department said.

The onetime firehouse appeared to be connected to one or more other structures that formed part of a new development, Maggiolo said.

It appeared that the blaze had spread to an adjacent four-story building that was part of the development, Maggiolo said.

No estimate of damage was available, but “some of the buildings in the development” appeared “very heavily damaged,” Maggiolo said.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

The former firehouse, in the Eckington neighborhood, dates to the last decade of the 19th century and was a District historic landmark. It had once housed Engine Co. No. 12. It was vacated by the fire department in 1987, according to a website on historic D.C. buildings.

Since then, it had been repurposed at least twice and had once housed a restaurant.

Law professor Catherine Sharkey explains how artificial intelligence is being used to tackle the arduous work of keeping our federal agencies in check

The sweeping executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) signed by President Biden on October 30, 2023, emphasizes risk reduction, rigorous testing of AI systems, and safety issues. Less well known is that it also pledges to promote AI innovation in government.

For years, this issue has been a research focus for Catherine Sharkey, Segal Family Professor of Regulatory Law and Policy. An expert in administrative law who has written extensively about government agencies’ use of artificial intelligence, Sharkey has been specifically examining the use of AI for reassessing the effectiveness of existing regulations, otherwise known as “retrospective review” The process involves Federal interagency communication about potentially repetitive, or conflicting regulations. Agencies also issue requests for public comment on how existing regulations can be modified, streamlined, expanded, or repealed.

In May, Sharkey produced a report for the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) that assessed government agencies’ past, current, and future use of AI in retrospective review, drawing on extensive research, supplemented with interviews with dozens of federal government employees and other professionals with interest in governmental use of AI. Prior to this ACUS study, there was limited information available regarding how agencies employed algorithms to aid in retrospective review, and Sharkey’s report is the basis for ACUS’s official recommendation, “Using Algorithmic Tools in Retrospective Review of Agency Rules.”

NYU News spoke to Sharkey about the evolving intersection of technology and government regulation, and how executive agencies can integrate AI into rulemaking processes.

What are the risks presented by government agencies’ use of AI for retrospective review? And what’s the upside?

Machine learning AI technologies are an apt tool for retrospective review, which is extremely important for good governance. It is how agencies make sure existing regulations are not inconsistent, conflicting, or outmoded, and a process that the Administrative Conference of the United States has urged federal agencies to do for decades. But it’s a process that is extremely labor-intensive, and typically low priority for any agency, which would instead prefer to devote its scarce resources to its agenda to protect health and safety, the environment, or the like. These technologies could assist by automating the tasks that retrospective review entails. That’s the main advantage.

A disadvantage is that these technologies require a machine-readable data infrastructure. So the startup costs for an individual agency to start using these technologies could be prohibitive.

But a way forward—and one actually very consistent with the thrust of President Biden’s new executive order on AI—is to start thinking about coordination across federal agencies. I think this is an area where each agency doesn’t necessarily have to go at this alone. An agency in the vanguard—for example, Health and Human Services, or the Department of Defense, which already has a strong internal AI strategy office—could be a leader, and possibly develop technologies that could be shared across other agencies, including agencies that are less well-resourced or have fewer employees with the requisite technological expertise.

How would AI in retrospective review fit into the rule-making process?

It’s interesting to think about how emerging technologies like machine learning and AI will affect the entire lifecycle of a federal regulation. Retrospective review really is at the end of the lifecycle; it’s a look-back, after a regulation has been promulgated, to see whether an agency’s rules are conflicting or overlapping.

But “retrospective” as it may be, retrospective review also plays a role in the setting of a future regulatory agenda. It can help agency officials identify areas that are over-regulated, and areas in need of additional regulation.

If agencies start using these technologies, they may become more accustomed to performing regulatory review on a regular basis, which could lead to more structured rulemaking going forward. We have already seen the integration of sophisticated technology into agency work; the use of natural language processing models that use very sophisticated methods for ordering text-based documents, group classifications, etc. But maybe that isn’t the right starting point. Maybe if we started with a more structured format of rules that would be more easily leveraged by some of these technologies, it would be even more efficient.

You note that AI tools for retrospective review must be open source and able to operate in synergy with other government technology initiatives. Why are these two aspects so important?

With regard to open source, that’s really to prevent a vendor lock-in. Some federal agencies are developing these tools in-house, and some are contracting out for these tools. I think it’s very important that one vendor isn’t locked in for the whole future. That could potentially have anti-competitive effects. I don’t think we want to have any federal agency beholden to one particular private contractor, especially when it comes to thinking about transparency and the particular rules coming from the federal government.

In terms of making it interoperable with other initiatives, this goes back to the idea that machine learning and AI technologies are going to really push in the direction of coordination across federal agencies. They are going to require massive amounts of infrastructure investments and investments in expert personnel.

At the moment, there are shared internet technology [IT] services in the federal government. For example, the General Services Administration is involved in piloting new AI technologies and thinking about sharing these across the federal government. But the new executive order pushes even further, calling for a kind of interagency council and each agency having a specific person identified with some AI expertise. And so I do think that it will make sense to think about how some of these technologies will potentially be akin to what today are the shared IT services in terms of the next generation of federal government rulemaking.

What do you forecast for the future of this intersection between AI and government regulation?

Everyone should be paying attention to the fact that on October 30, President Biden issued one of the longest executive orders ever on the safe, secure, trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence. It covers enormous ground. But in Section 10, it specifically identifies advancing federal government use of AI. The Office of Management Budget has just put out preliminary guidelines called Advancing Governance, Innovation and Risk Management for Agency Use of Artificial Intelligence for public review and comment.

The executive order emphasizes and encourages agency experimentation, and urges agencies to coordinate and share promising cases within the federal government that can serve as models.

Writ large, there is a lot that we can learn by appreciating federal government uses of AI, in particular as agencies start using these technologies in public rulemaking. Their proposed rules are always circulated for public notice and comment. Once federal agencies promulgate a rule, they can be challenged in court down the road. Because of that, I think that the uses of these technologies will put a premium on things like transparency and explainability—being able to defend the reasons and the process before judges. These are all critical concerns that you hear about in the public debate: worries about AI being an opaque black box, etc. So I do think that by shining a light on these federal government uses, we’ll learn a lot.

Additionally, I think everyone is recognizing that this is a transformative moment in terms of how federal agencies will regulate these technologies. For instance, the Food and Drug Administration is approving medical devices that incorporate AI, so it must build internal capacity to understand these technologies. Studying government agencies’ internal use of AI in the regulatory decision process, as well as rulemaking, will shed enormous light on the right way to regulate these technologies out in the world.

The Washington Wizards and Capitals have called Washington, D.C., home since December 1997, but a move to Northern Virginia may be on the horizon.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, a press conference is scheduled to take place Wednesday regarding plans for a new arena and entertainment district for the two teams.

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn

As the <a href="https://twitter.com/WBJonline?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WBJonline</a> reports, a deal is close for the Wizards and Capitals to move the franchises out of downtown DC and into Northern Virginia.

Washington D.C. is not giving up the teams without a fight, however, with Mayor Muriel Bowser introducing a $500 million plan for legislation on Tuesday night:

Cuneyt Dil @cuneytdil

D.C. releases late hour $500 million counter offer to Virginia's plan for new Wizards and Capitals arena <a href="https://t.co/6dZyLQq4ZV">pic.twitter.com/6dZyLQq4ZV</a>

Wojnarowski notably cited a report from Tristan Navera and Ana Lucía Murillo of the Washington Business Journal, who wrote the following on Tuesday regarding a "big step" that took place for a move to occur.

"That potential move took a big step toward reality Monday when a panel of Virginia lawmakers unanimously approved a plan to lure the Monumental Sports & Entertainment-owned teams to Northern Virginia. State and Alexandria officials are planning a media event Wednesday morning at the Potomac Yard Metro station, where tents have been erected."

Leonsis is the founder, chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals and Washington Mystics.

The Wizards and Capitals currently play downtown in Capital One Arena and have done so since 1997, when it opened as the MCI Center. Previously, the two franchises called Landover, Maryland, home beginning in the mid-1970s.

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The Mystics, who play at Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southeast D.C., are not reported to be part of the potential move to Northern Virginia.

On the D.C. side, there's obvious concern about the financial impact of losing both teams. The Washington Business Journal explained more:

"D.C. officials know both the financial and symbolic impact of losing the teams and are negotiating with Leonsis to provide a financial package that would convince him to stay at Gallery Place, where Monumental owns the arena and the city owns the land. The company could get out of the land lease with certain maneuvering as soon as 2027."

Per the Monumental website, the arena has generated "nearly $800 million in tax revenue for the District since opening its doors."

Leonsis' Monumental & Sports Entertainment group wants $600 million in public funding from Washington D.C. to stick in the District, per the Washington Business Journal. for an "$800 million revival" of Capital One Arena.

D.C. wants to keep those two teams, per a statement provided from Mayor Muriel Bowser's office to NBC 4 Washington.

"Mayor Bowser and [D.C. Council] Chairman [Phil] Mendelson have worked together closely, and in lockstep, to put forward a strong proposal to Monumental Sports, and after several months of negotiations, we are committed to seeing this through as a vital component of D.C.'s comeback."

Per NBC 4 Washington, Leonsis and Monumental can get out of their lease at the arena in 2027 if they pays off a roughly $36 million bond.

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Popular local Taco Bamba finally returns to D.C. on Dec. 21 with the opening of a location in Upper Northwest — their biggest yet.

Why it matters: The District has been Bamba-less since owner Victor Albisu closed his fast-casual Chinatown shop in the pandemic —though he's planning to reopen there, too.

What's happening: Albisu's big Bamba in the new City Ridge development spans 3,100 square feet and boasts a huge patio and a full bar.

What's new: A ton of fun, new taco creations, like a riff on a chicken Caesar wrap — a viral sensation in the making — or another stuffed with "mambo bacon" and slaw. Also, a luxe lobster and buttered corn creation. "We've been waiting to drop it in a fancy area," Albisu tells Axios.

In your glass: Lots of tequila and mezcal cocktails, as well as pours of its own private label mezcal made in collaboration with a Oaxacan distillery.

What's next: Bamba has expanded to a dozen locations in the past decade, and is opening in markets further afield like Richmond and Nashville. Albisu tells Axios he just signed a new spot at the Cascades Marketplace in Sterling.

And of course, there's the one coming near Capital One Arena — yes, even if the Caps and Wizards head out.

What they're saying: "The loss of the teams is a blow to all the people who believe in the city," says Albisu, who got his start in D.C. at downtown's BLT Steak. "The whole idea of going into Chinatown for me was to inject belief and energy in the city — to me, it's an incredibly important place."

Of note: The first 100 people in line at 9am at the City Ridge location will get a free collectible mug and a "golden taco ticket" for prizes like a year of free tacos.

One of the more powerful winter storms in years is set to develop along the East Coast this weekend, bringing heavy, wind-driven rain to the Washington region Sunday afternoon and especially Sunday night. It could produce record-challenging amounts of rain for the time of year and cause flooding in some areas.

It would be a good idea to clear storm drains and gutters Saturday ahead of the storm.

Winds could gust over 30 mph throughout much of the area Sunday night and over 40 mph near the Chesapeake Bay. Widespread power outages are not expected, but isolated outages are not out of the question.

The storm — which will develop in the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Saturday — probably will track from the Florida Peninsula on Sunday morning to Virginia Beach on Monday morning before bolting up the coast to southern New England on Monday afternoon.

Powerful storm to lash East Coast with wind-swept rain this weekend

Areas of light rain are expected to break out Sunday morning in the Washington region, progressing from south to north. Steadier rain should hold off until the afternoon and could turn quite heavy Sunday evening while winds begin to crank up. The rain should taper off Monday morning.

Storm totals are expected to reach at least 2 inches in many locations, with some perhaps around 3 inches. The storm will have little cold air from which to draw, so rain is not expected to change to snow as it did last Sunday night, which brought the area its first coating of snow for the season. However, a few snow showers or flurries are possible in the wake of the storm Monday night.

Although the western part of the region is still experiencing a drought, the upcoming storm — which is linked to the effects of the strong El Niño climate pattern — is part of a shift toward wetter conditions that could soon end the drought.

A Friday-morning outlook from the National Weather Service’sWeather Prediction Center placed the region under a Level 2 of 4 risk for excessive rainfall Sunday into Monday in this moisture-laden storm.

“The heavy rain is likely to fall in an 8-12 hour period for any given location, sometime Sunday afternoon into Sunday night,” wrote the Weather Service office in Sterling, Va. “This could result in minor flooding of urban, poor drainage, and low-lying areas.”

The storm will draw abundant moisture from the Atlantic Ocean that will bombard the Mid-Atlantic, not unlike an atmospheric river on the West Coast.

As the storm climbs northward along the Southeast coast Sunday, rain will increase in coverage and intensity through the day. The heaviest rain is likely Sunday evening and overnight when some spots could receive an inch or more of rain in just a few hours. As of now, models project the heaviest rain during the first half of the night. Winds will increase Sunday night as well.

Precipitation should come to an end early Monday as winds out of the northwest stay gusty. Unlike last Sunday into Monday, it will be too warm for snow in most places. The only spots that might see a little are the highest mountain peaks of West Virginia. A more widespread accumulating snow is likely for the West Virginia mountains Monday night into Tuesday, with only the chance of a flurry or snow shower in the D.C. area.

While much of the area’s soils still have capacity to absorb some water because of a dry fall and below-average rainfall for the year to date, some localized flooding is possible during and shortly after the heaviest rain Sunday night, especially in areas of poor drainage and near streams and creeks. It would not be surprising if the Weather Service issues a flood watch.

Weather models forecast the storm’s atmospheric pressure to drop to near or below 980 millibars — comparable to some hurricanes. Depending on the exact storm track, some record low-pressure readings for December are possible in the Mid-Atlantic.

Winds probably gust around 15-20 mph for much of the daytime Sunday. Gusts pick up Sunday evening and by midnight should be in the 20-30 mph range, increasing to 30-40 mph by sunrise Monday. Strong winds gusting to near 40 or 45 mph persist into Monday afternoon before diminishing late in the day.

A gale watch has been issued for the Chesapeake Bay northward along the coast of Calvert County, and for the Tidal Potomac along St. Mary’s County shorelines. Wind-whipped waves of 2-5 feet are possible along with quickly shifting winds as the storm passes.

Coming off a new moon in recent days, tidal levels may run elevated during high tides as the storm moves by. Given the current track forecast near or just off the coast, significant coastal flooding isn’t likely on this (west) side of the Chesapeake Bay. However, beach erosion and shoreline flooding are possible at the Maryland, Virginia and Delaware beaches, where onshore winds could gust to 50-60 mph Sunday night into early Monday.

Just a few weeks ago, drought was still a major concern across the area. And although November finished slightly drier than usual, plenty of rain fell during the final stretch of the month, and significant rainfall has continued in December. With 2.66 inches of precipitation since Dec. 1, about an inch above normal for the month to date, this next storm could push Washington well above the 3.41 inch average for the entire month.

If this storm produces at least 2 inches, it would push Washington’s rain total to about 7 inches for the period Nov. 20-Dec. 18. That amount would make for the second-wettest stretch on record dating back to 1872, with only 1993 producing a little more.

Jason Samenow contributed to this report.

The Capitals and Wizards time in the nation’s capital may be coming to an end.

Ted Leonsis, who owns the NHL and NBA teams, is expected to be at an event on Wednesday announcing a plan to move both clubs to the Potomac Yard area, according to 7News.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin will be in attendance at the news conference in Arlington.

The project would include building a sports district that has a new venue that both teams would play in, along with a 3,000-seat music venue, hotels and headquarters for Monumental Sports and Entertainment – the parent company that controls both teams.

Virginia state lawmakers voted to approve the project on Monday, but that was merely a first step in the process.

The full General Assembly and Alexandria City Council still need to give the green light, according to 7News.

If the proper approvals are secured, ground could be broken by 2025 and the Wizards and Capitals could move into their new home in Northern Virginia in 2028.

Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C. has been home to both teams since 1997 and the teams will continue to play there until they solve their arena situation going forward.

The WNBA’s Washington Mystics – also owned by Leonsis and Monumental Sports and Entertainment – would remain in Washington D.C.

Since news of Leonsis’ plans have become public, D.C. officials have scrambled to try and keep the major league teams inside the city limits.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser announced plans to offer $500 million in financing for “a complete renovation and modernization” of Capital One Arena.

“Downtown DC is the District’s economic engine that provides revenue resources to support important programs in the city. Mr. Leonsis and Monumental Sports have been critical partners in keeping our downtown thriving, especially after the pandemic. The modernization of the Capital One Arena will be an invaluable investment for continued success and our future prosperity,” Mayor Bowser said in a statement on Tuesday.

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“This proposal represents our best and final offer and is the next step in partnering with Monumental Sports to breathe new life and vibrancy into the neighborhood and to keep the Washington Wizards and the Washington Capitals where they belong – in Washington, DC.”

If the Caps and Wizards do move, it would leave just the Mystics and Nationals as the lone teams that call D.C. home and play in the city limits.

Washingtonians should gear up for crowded travel over the holidays and New Year's.

Driving the news: 115 million people will travel throughout the U.S. during the end of December, says AAA — a 2.2% jump from last year and the second-highest prediction since AAA began tracking this data.

By the numbers: AAA forecasts road and air travel will be up over the holidays. Airports in particular will be busier than ever, with an expected 7.5 million passengers — breaking 2019's 7.3 million record.

Zoom in: The worst traffic days during the holiday period — which AAA defines as the stretch between Dec. 23 and Jan. 1 — will likely be Dec. 23 and Dec. 28, according to INRIX, a transportation data group.

And DMV drivers can expect almost double the usual traffic delays this holiday season, says INRIX.

Be smart: There are steps locals can take to stay safe and avoid the worst of the congestion this holiday season.

If flying, get to the airport two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights, says the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

If driving, Maryland travelers can get updates on traffic and weather-related closures via the Maryland Department of Transportation's (MDOT) live dashboard.

Virginia drivers can check out anticipated congestion periods via VDOT's interactive travel trends map, and its 511 app has more info on traffic and construction.

For nearly 110 years, the Hotel Harrington has stood as perhaps one of the most famous (and infamous) hotels in D.C., just blocks from the White House.

But the hotel closed its doors Tuesday. We spoke with their last customer as he checked out, and he did not leave empty handed.

The hotel at the corner of 11th and E streets NW opened in 1914 and would later boast of being the first hotel in the nation’s capital to have air conditioning. The Harrington was far from chic like the newer, far more expensive hotels in the neighborhood. Instead, it was a spot the average person could afford, popular amongst tourists and schools groups wanting to visit D.C. on a budget -- people like Robert Whitfield, who's stayed at the Harrington whenever he's in town on business.

"I always try to find a faded glory hotel," he said. "And this just fit the time capsule segment. So it's always been fun coming here because it's like stepping back in time, but it's very well maintained and very clean, so it felt very comfortable here."

Whitfield's been visiting the Harrington for the past 20 years, but on Tuesday, he became its final guest. He wasn’t in town on business, though — he came to say goodbye to his home away from home.

"I found out about three months ago that they were closing today," he said. "So I made the reservation. So I wanted to be the very last guest here at the hotel, which I was.I just checked out, so that'll be my only claim to fame, to be the last guest at the Hotel Harrington."

The building is being sold after the death of its owner.

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Inside the Harrington, relics of the past are still on display.

While not as old as the hotel itself, Ollie's Trolley on the ground level has been serving up Ollie burgers and fries for more than 33 years. With the sale of the building, Ollie's is also closing. Denizens of downtown lined up for one last Ollie burger.

"It kind of seems like a throwback to an older Washington that, admittedly, I was not around for. But I also appreciate the fries. They got a nice spice blend on those. And, yeah, it just kind of feels like a little bit of a different scene than the kind of fancy, glitzy, newer Washington."

"A little sad. I wish the workers and wish the management and ownership well. And it's a little piece of Washington, kind of an older era of Washington that is coming to an end, sadly," Tushar Kasal said.

As for Whitfield, he’ll miss his favorite D.C. hotel, but he’ll have something to remember all the nights he spent there. Whitfield asked the hotel manager’s permission to take something from his room.

"'I would love to have a souvenir here because I've stayed here so long. Is there any way I can have the phone in my room?' And I said, 'I'll pay you for it.' She says, 'Honey, why don't you just take it with you?' So in my bag, I've got the phone from my room right by my bed," Whitfield said.

The phone displays the name of the hotel and the room number.

"I mean, this will go in the Smithsonian one day," he said.

The Harrington gained national attention in 2020 when hundreds of member of the Proud Boys stayed at the hotel.