About Washingtonian Today
Washingtonian Today is not just another political news roundup. Instead, this daily morning brief provides local context on national news, catches you up on what’s happening at Washingtonian, points you toward super duper awesome things to do around town, and lets you in on some special events going on in-house. Sign up here to receive Washingtonian Today in your inbox every morning.
President stump: Loudoun County says President Trump‘s Virginia golf course violated the law by cutting down trees, Jacob Fenston reports for WAMU. Trump National Golf Club did not seek county approval for alterations to the floodplain adjacent to the Potomac River. Local kayaker Steven Mckone spotted the downed trees late last month and alerted authorities, who have responded with a fine of…”at least $600,” Patricia Sullivan reports for the Post. This isn’t the first time the President’s Virginia course has found itself beefing with kayakers. Last fall, a group of paddlers sued the Coast Guard and Homeland Security for shutting down parts of the Potomac without notice due to President Trump’s multiple golf outings.
Hit the road, Jack: Twenty-three DC Democratic party officials are calling for Jack Evans to resign from party leadership. In an open letter to Evans, the committee members write, “We are concerned that the clouds growing over your alleged activities complicate efforts to win D.C. Statehood, determine D.C.’s position in the primary calendar, and restore the faith of D.C. voters that their local Democratic Party leadership puts their interests first.” His response? According to the Post‘s Fenit Nirappil, Evans said he was sorry and asked people “for their understanding in this very difficult situation.”
I’m your author, Brittany Shepherd. Email me at bshepherd@washingtonian.com and follow me on Twitter. Subscribe to the newsletter and I promise to never entangle you in a messy ethics investigation.
Should Donald Trump still be serving fast food at the White House? Ask our food critic Ann Limpert this Friday at 11 during her weekly online chat. Leave your questions now!
What’s on my mind: Yesterday there was a conversation on Twitter about journalism school after the director of fellowships at the New York Times tweeted out a “ranking” of what schools provide the most “productive” candidates. While I could go on for a while about the pitfalls of ushering even more people from elite schools into the press corps, I feel like I have to say that a piece of paper does not a Pulitzer Prize winner make. Chronicle of Higher Education reporter Sarah Brown puts it nicely here:
But in their applications and interviews, they show curiosity, tenacity, passion, drive. They show through their clips how they made the best of the opportunities they had. They show how much they want to work here. And they show how much they want to learn.
— Sarah Brown (@Brown_e_Points) March 6, 2019
What we have cooking at Washingtonian:
- Peak bloom will arrive between April 3 and 6, the National Park Service announced yesterday, which means you have plenty of time to read our ultimate guide to DC’s cherry blossoms.
- The Smithsonian has finally opened some of its facilities for “personal social events.” Air and Space Museum weddings for everyone!
- Feel uncomfortable at an Arlington bar? These code words can get you feeling safe.
- Finally, a bar after my own washed up collegiate heart: Tallboy is opening in Shaw with late night grilled cheese.
- Let’s sneak into one of the five best-looking open houses this weekend. Who knows, maybe we can get married at a Smithsonian after.
Our pick for things to do around town:
DISCUSSION WeWork Dupont kicks off International Women’s Day a day early with a panel discussion on what it means to be a woman in business. The discussion will feature Anastasia Dellaccio of WeWork, Almila Kakinc-Dodd of The Thirlby, Angelina Klouthis of VFF USA, Gloria Cid Gerlach of La Caixa Foundation, Kimberly Smith of Marjani Beauty, and Elisabeth Huijskens of Trades of Hope. Come early for cocktails and a women-led business pop-up market. Free (with RSVP), 5 PM.
Good reads:
• What does Ivanka Trump even do? Betsy Klein tries to patch it all together. (CNN)
• Freshman congresspeople are trying to stick it to Wall Street. How? By turning to small-dollar donors, Aída Chávez reports. (The Intercept)
Big events from Washingtonian:
Do you really love the Sedgwick pizza from All Purpose? Love the colorists at Immortal Beloved? Our annual readers poll is now live–take it and let us know your favorite things in Washington. You could win two tickets to our fabulous Best of Washington party in June.
Brittany Shepherd covers the societal and cultural scene in political Washington. Before joining Washingtonian as a staff writer in 2018, Brittany was a White House Correspondent for Independent Journal Review. While she has lived in DC for a number of years now, she still yearns for the fresh Long Island bagels of home. Find her on Twitter, often prattling on about Frasier.
