Where to See Cherry Blossoms in DC, Maryland and Virginia

NBC DC (Local) 3/19 5:56A Sophia Barnes

Sign up for The Weekend Scene newsletter to get our full guide to cherry blossom season on Wednesday. Did you know there s a special word in Japanese just to describe cherry blossom viewing? It s...

DC’s cherry blossoms enter ‘puffy white’ stage, approaching peak bloom

WTOP News 3/18 11:00A Tadiwos Abedje

With the cherry blossom festival underway in D.C., the cherry blossoms have now entered the puffy white stage, which is the last stage before peak bloom, the National Park Service said. The blossoms...

Man fatally shot by US Park Police officer in Northeast DC after fleeing stop for stolen car

WTOP News 3/18 10:42A Valerie Bonk

A man was fatally shot by a U.S. Park Police officer in Northeast D.C. Saturday after he dragged another officer with a stolen car while fleeing the scene, authorities said. According to U.S. Park Police spokesman Thomas Twiname, around 8:50 a.m.,...

DC man sentenced for Adams Morgan home invasion sexual assaults

WTOP News 3/18 6:21A Valerie Bonk

A D.C. man will serve two consecutive life sentences for breaking into women s homes and sexually assaulting them in 2007 and 2010, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced Friday . Ronald P. Berton, Jr., 48, of D.C., was sentenced Friday in two...

DC cherry blossom season could be spoiled by wind, freezing temps

WTOP News 3/18 3:33A Luke Lukert

D.C. s National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off on Saturday and while the trees are expected to bloom early this year, cold temperatures over the weekend could spoil the fun. “The critical temperature we re looking at is about 27 [degrees] for...

DC Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio leaves Bowser’s office without explanation

WTOP News 3/18 12:34A Ciara Wells

One of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser s closest confidants throughout her political career is leaving the mayor s office in a major shake-up. On Friday, the office announced that John Falcicchio , the mayor s right-hand man as chief of staff and deputy...

Vince Gray files discrimination complaint against DC Council after losing health committee post

WTOP News 3/17 11:24A Cheyenne Corin

D.C. Council member Vincent C. Gray, who represents Ward 7, filed a discrimination complaint against the council on Friday. Gray, 80, claims the council discriminated against him based on his age and medical status, and is in violation of the...

DC ranks in top 10 destinations for cheap flights

WTOP News 3/17 11:02A Gigi Barnett

D.C. was just ranked among cities with the best low airfare nationwide, and travel experts say now is the time to book to get the best summer travel deals. The city was recently ranked seventh on a top 10 list of U.S. destinations from Going.com,...

DC schools’ teacher retention rate falls for second year in a row

WTOP News 3/17 10:17A Scott Gelman

Thirty-percent of D.C. teachers left their schools last year, according to recently-released city data, prompting education leaders to double down on investments in staff well-being. The latest data from the city superintendent s office reveals...

????Weekend Cherry Blossom Update: Some Blooms at the Tidal Basin????

Washingtonian Things To Do 3/17 8:53A Daniella Byck

Peak bloom is predicted for next week, but some cherry trees around the Tidal Basin are already blossoming. According to NPS spokesperson Mike Litterst, those trees account for less than 25 percent of the Tidal Basin s cherry blossoms. Still,...

National Cherry Blossom Festival opens this weekend, pacing well for local tourism

WTOP News 3/17 6:43A Neal Augenstein

The cherry trees bloom every year, including during the pandemic, but this year s National Cherry Blossom Festival will be celebrated by both visitors and the Washington, D.C.-area tourism industry. The cherry blossom festival opens Saturday,...

Metro Red Line construction, Rock ‘n’ Roll run cause detoured routes, restricted service

WTOP News 3/17 6:34A Valerie Bonk

Metrobuses and rail Red Line service will see restricted service and detours this weekend for track work and road closures for the Rock n Roll run this weekend. There will be detours on 24 Metrobus routes and restricted MetroAccess service in the...

5 Films to See at the DC Environmental Film Festival

Washingtonian Things To Do 3/17 5:52A Julia Rosenberg

The DC Environmental Film Festival is screening documentaries about the planet and ecological issues until March 26. Tickets are currently on sale for in-person and free virtual showings of 131 films. Some screenings are already sold out, such as...

You Can See DC’s Rediscovered Last Supper Sculpture in April

Washingtonian Things To Do 3/17 5:05A Andrew Beaujon

Studio Acting Conservatory discovered a massive African American Last Supper sculpture behind drywall in its Columbia Heights building back in 2019. The theater school originally hoped to find a new home for the work by DC artist Akili Ron...

Audit suggests DC’s program of eliminating traffic deaths is not working

WTOP News 3/17 2:39A Kyle Cooper

A new audit of D.C’s Vision Zero program , which aims to eliminate fatal and serious traffic deaths by 2024, suggests it’s not working. The D.C. auditor’s report says the program is suffering from not enough funding as well as not enough staffing...