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Things to Do Around the DMV to Celebrate

Juneteenth 2023

White House Celebrates with Star-Studded Concert

By Stacy M. Brown and Milaka Saddler WI Senior Correspondent and WI Contributing Writer

Juneteenth, a significant holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, holds even greater importance this year after President Biden signed it into law in 2021, designating June 19 as the Juneteenth National Independence Day.

The historical origins of Juneteenth trace back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce to enslaved individuals that they were finally free. This momentous event occurred two and a half years af-

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Worries Remain While Wildfire Smoke Moves On

By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Writer

As wildfire smoke from Canada engulfed the northeast U.S., the District of Columbia saw record-breaking levels of dangerous particle pollution in its air on June 7 and 8. Photos of D.C.’s famous monuments and landmarks shrouded in hazy smog circulated online as the city issued a Code Purple alert for “very unhealthy” air.

Most of the smoke has now moved out to the Atlantic, leaving D.C. with clear air. But wildfire smoke will likely become a more common experience for our region in the coming years as fossil fuel emissions continue to heat up the planet. And experts warn that even short-term exposure to toxic air can have long-lasting health impacts.

“What I try to tell people is that if you don't take air qual-

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