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Deborah Simmons

dsimmons@washingtontimes.com

Deborah Simmons was a senior correspondent who reported on City Hall and wrote about education, culture, sports and family-related topics.

Articles by Deborah Simmons

Deborah Simmons

The D.C. tipped-wage initiative

The initiative, approved 55 percent to 45 percent by voters nearly three months ago, calls for the city to mandate that the D.C. minimum wage is applied to all hourly workers, including waitresses, barkeeps and table bussers.

September 13, 2018
This photo provided by NASA shows Hurricane Florence from the International Space Station on Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, as it threatens the U.S. East Coast. Forecasters said Florence could become an extremely dangerous major hurricane sometime Monday and remain that way for days. (NASA via AP)

Hurricane Florence preparations

Ladies rule. Hurricane Florence is projected to do what Tropical Storm Gordon did not when he rolled onto the Gulf Coast last week.

September 10, 2018
Cigarettes are displayed on a shelf, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in New York. Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign legislation raising the legal minimum price for a pack of cigarettes to $13. The hike from $10.50 further cements the city's claim on having among the most expensive cigarettes in the country. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Federal government giveth, D.C. government taketh away

Wouldn't you know? Just as low-income and middle-class residents began breathing the slightest sighs of relief thanks to federal tax cuts, the District's progressive pickpockets are raising taxes.

September 6, 2018
Deborah Simmons

Donna Brazile has something to teach the GOP

A true strategist, she spent decades inside and alongside the Democratic Party, and Miss Brazile took the reins of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) as the battle for the White House heated up in the summer of 2016, when the burning question was, can Hillary Clinton take out Donald Trump, or will Donald Trump take out Hillary Clinton?

September 3, 2018
File- This July 31, 2018, file photo shows Washington Redskins defensive back Josh Norman (24) covering wide receiver Paul Richardson (10) during the morning session at NFL football training camp in Richmond, Va. Norman is going into the third year of a $75 million contract with just three interceptions for the Redskins and none last season. His abilities as a cover cornerback are unquestioned and mean he gets fewer opportunities, but Norman also dropped a handful of potential interceptions in 2017 and is being counted on, and paid, to make that kind of a difference in a young secondary. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Bring the Redskins home

The D.C. government is working on plans to get rid of the biggest elephant under the city's redevelopment tent and return the Washington Redskins to the nation's capital.

August 30, 2018
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, joined by from left, District of Columbia Police Chief Peter Newsham, District of Columbia Council member Charles Allen, District of Columbia Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine, speaks at One Judiciary Square in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. District of Columbia officials say they won't appeal a court ruling against a strict city gun law, setting the stage for it to become easier for gun owners to get concealed carry permits in the city. City officials announced their decision not to take the case to the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) **FILE**

What does Mayor Bowser want for Miranda Bowser?

Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted a most intriguing question on Monday: "What qualities do want in your @dcpublicschools Chancellor? Let us know at tomorrow's @OurSchoolsDC Chancellor Search Engagement Forum."

August 27, 2018
Deborah Simmons

Back-to-school blues

The first day of the 2018-19 school year in Prince George's County isn't until Sept. 4, and for parents, there's good news and bad news.

August 16, 2018
The Most Rev. Ronald Gainer, the Roman Catholic bishop of the diocese of Harrisburg, Pa., discusses child sexual abuse by clergy and a decision by the diocese to remove names of bishops going back to the 1940s after concluding they did not respond adequately to abuse allegations, during a Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018, news conference in Harrisburg, Pa. The bishop apologized to victims and said the diocese is posting an online list of 71 priests and others in the church accused of the abuse. Following the Erie, Pa., diocese, the Harrisburg diocese is the second Pennsylvania diocese to get ahead of a roughly 900-page grand jury report that could be made public in August 2018, which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said found more than 300 "predator priests" in six of the state's eight dioceses. (AP Photo/Mark Scolforo)

The Roman Catholic Church is in trouble

"We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated," the Pennsylvania grand jurors wrote. "This report is our only recourse."

August 15, 2018
Deborah Simmons

Who’s minding NCAA student-athletes?

It's darn near impossible for a college or university head coach to know what his coaches and players are up to 24/7. That hardly offers a break, however, to University of Maryland football coach DJ Durkin.

August 13, 2018
Deborah Simmons

Dueling protests set for D.C.

Nobody is saying how many people are expected to show up between Friday and Monday. The best official estimates, or at least those given to the National Park Police, are 400 for the Unite the Righters and 1,000 for the Un-Haters.

August 9, 2018
Deborah Simmons

Washington’s Redskins head home

The Redskins are off to Boston to help Bill, Tom and the Patriots kick off the second week of the NFL's preseason on Thursday night.

August 6, 2018
Deborah Simmons

Bad guys winning the drug war

Local and federal law enforcers must take the lead, wield their hammers like Thor and help Americans to avenge the scourge of the drug trade.

July 19, 2018
In this photo taken March 12, 2015, passengers wait on the platform before boarding a train at the U Street Metro Station in Washington. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Tuesday, May 10, 2016, he seriously considered ordering a shutdown of the entire Washington Metro subway system last week and may still do that if local officials don't follow a Transportation Department safety directive. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Strike D.C. Metro where it hurts

Wise roosters know better than to fall prey to little transit chicks, such as Cocky Locky, Henny Penny or whatever that bird is called in this age of smartphones.

July 16, 2018