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Last Seven Days

Question from WASHINGTON, District of Columbia, on Feb. 9, 2026

Last vs. past: Is it "Over the last 25 years" or "Over the past 25 years"?

Answer

There's no rule (now) against last v. past, but at once time, we did recommend past. As a copy editor who learned the "old" way, I still find myself changing it. But it's probably one of those rules that was OK to let fall by the wayside. 

Question from Indianapolis, Indiana, on Feb. 6, 2026

Since it has become a ubiquitous term over the past 6 months, particularly with the number of protests happening across the country, is it possible that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) as an acronym could move into first-reference acceptance when a story is clearly about immigration operations? It's an ongoing debate in the newsroom, where a lot of people believe most people now know what ICE is when they hear the term. Thanks!

Answer

I agree - I would be OK with ICE in a headline, or even the lead of a story. I'd want to see it spelled out in the next reference up high in the story. However, if things are different in six months or a year, I'd suggest revisiting. We allowed for DOGE in headlines during the busy weeks at the beginning of President Trump's term, when they were the topic of daily stories. Now, a year later, it might not work with a lot of audiences. It's a good reminder that language and style - and people's understanding of them - change and evolve. Thanks for the timely question!

Question from Plainfield, New Jersey, on Feb. 5, 2026

Hi. I know we now spell out states in the body of a story, but what about the District of Columbia? Would we identify a location as Washington, District of Columbia, or Washington, D.C.? Thanks!

Answer

We write Washington, D.C., with commas on either side of D.C.

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