Good morning. Sunny and pleasant with a high of 65 today. A low of 48 overnight. The Wizards host Portland tonight. Pre-season testing for Formula 1 began this morning in Bahrain, and the first Grand Prix of 2025 will take place in just over two weeks. On Thursday, the National Park Service will announce its prediction for when the Tidal Basin cherry blossom trees will hit peak bloom, but the Capital Weather Gang is out with its prediction this morning. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address at the bottom of this post.
I can’t stop listening to:
Allen Toussaint, “Cast Your Fate to the Wind.” This slinky and funky version of Vince Guaraldi‘s 1962 instrumental hit—which got Guaraldi the job of scoring “Peanuts” films—allows you to imagine yourself starring in a ’70s sitcom (or to recall the movie “Hit Man,” where it played under the credits).
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
DOGE days of February: Where to begin? Let’s start with the administration saying Amy Gleason is in charge of Elon Musk‘s DOGE project. (Washington Examiner) Who’s that? The AP found some clues online. (AP) Musk “presides over DOGE from a command center in a room of the old secretary of war’s suite in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where rainbow-colored lights emanate from the tower and keyboard of the powerful gaming computer he uses to conduct government business.” (Washington Post) Twenty-one DOGE staffers resigned yesterday. (AP) The project deleted the five biggest “savings” it trumpeted after news outlets fact-checked them. (NYT) About a third of the federal workforce replied to Musk’s email. (Politico) DOGE’s cuts include programs that help veterans. (Washington Post) Musk will attend a cabinet meeting today. (CNN)
• The Merit Systems Protection Board has stayed the firings of six federal employees. The ruling creates “a pathway for tens of thousands of recently fired federal employees to regain their jobs.” (Government Executive)
• A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to cease its freeze of foreign aid funds. (NYT)
• Trump said he’d remove the security clearances of Covington & Burling attorneys representing Jack Smith. (NYT)
• The White House took over the press pool from the White House Correspondents’ Association. (Politico) The administration kicked Reuters and HuffPost out of the pool Wednesday. (HuffPost)
• Trump wants to offer a “‘gold card’ visa” to wealthy foreigners. (AP)
• The House passed a budget bill that calls for spending and tax cuts. (NYT) Republican leaders “are urging lawmakers to stop engaging” in town halls. (NBC News)
Make plans to see this exhibition, by Rob Brunner
“Uncanny” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• The story behind a DC doctor’s luxury handbag company.
• Updated for 2025: Where to find cheesy, crouton-y, caramelized-y French onion soup.
• The new scooters around town have an anti-DUI feature, but our reporter was unable to test it.
• This lawyer’s suit against DOGE claims that Musk’s project’s access to sensitive federal employee data violates the Privacy Act.
Local news links:
• There was a near-miss at National Airport Tuesday. (NYT)
• Eugene Daniels will leave Politico. (Politico) He’ll host a weekend show on MSNBC. (The Wrap, via MSN)
• Traffic around Washington Navy Yard remains challenging after Trump’s return to office mandate. (WUSA9)
• Area universities account for $15 billion in economic activity, according to a report from a coalition of area universities. (Washington Post)
• A memorial fund for Edward “Eddie” Zhou, an Arlington teen killed in last month’s air disaster, has reached nearly $10,000. (ARLnow)
• The International Pride Orchestra says the Kennedy Center disinvited it from performing at a Pride event. It will perform at Strathmore instead. (WUSA9) Rhiannon Giddens canceled her Kennedy Center show. (Rhiannon Giddens on Threads)
• The Commanders will allow Jonathan Allen to seek a trade. (NBC4 Washington)
• Alexandria news site ALXnow will reorganize under a new publisher. (ALXnow)
• Some fiend used counterfeit money to pay for Girl Scout Cookies in St. Mary’s County. (WUSA9)
Wednesday’s event picks, by Briana Thomas:
• The Go-Go Museum & Café will open at last.
• The Scenarios opens this week at Studio Theatre.
• Watch the premiere of Season 48 of “Survivor” at DC9.
See more of Briana’s picks here.
Did you miss our 100 Very Best Restaurants List? It’s here. If you love your workplace, now’s your chance to nominate it for Washingtonian’s next Great Places to Work contest. Register here to get the ball rolling.
We are halfway there.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
