Good morning. Mostly cloudy and breezy with gusts possible. A high of 61 today and a low of 50 overnight. 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:
R.E.M., “Life and How to Live It.” I’ve been geezing pretty hard in this space lately, but today I have an excuse to talk about “Fables of the Reconstruction,” the album this song comes from, because Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy will perform it live at 9:30 tonight. This was one of the first “serious” albums I got into when I was an unbearable teen and then I moved on from the band when I became an even more unbearable young adult. But if you’re lucky, time buffs off some of your worst tendencies, and last year I fell back in love with R.E.M.—and this album soon followed. Maybe there’s something you can forgive yourself for today?
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
President Trump will give a joint address to Congress tonight at 9 PM. (Fox News)
The shutdown clock is ticking: The government will run out of funding in ten days. (Punchbowl News) A deal between Republicans and Democrats does not currently look especially likely. (Washington Post)
New tariffs in town: The administration imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada and increased tariffs on China yesterday. (AP) Stocks tanked after President Trump’s announcement yesterday. (WSJ) Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province will cut electricity exports to the US, a task he says he will perform “with a smile on my face.” (Toronto Sun)
• The US Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as the secretary of education yesterday. (NPR)
Doge days of March: Two buildings crucial to NOAA’s weather forecasts are on the list for lease cancellation due to Elon Musk‘s DOGE project. (Axios) Musk’s imposition of a $1 spending limit on government credit cards is wreaking havoc at agencies. (Wired) DOGE may not poll well, but cutting government spending does. (Politico)
How to support independent cinema around town, by Daniella Byck
Disappointed that E Street Cinema has closed? Then it’s time to hone your cinephile street cred and spread the love to other theaters around town screening independent films, documentaries, and foreign titles. AFI Silver in Silver Spring has a few series and festivals running in March and April, including anime showings, the New African Film Festival, and Art Deco classics. Catch foreign flicks at Suns Cinema in Mount Pleasant; this month, a collection of Japanese and Chinese films will hit the big screen. In Chevy Chase, the Avalon will soon be showing documentaries dedicated to Liza Minnelli and to hummingbird conservator Terry Masear.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• New York magazine and Vulture film critic Bilge Ebiri talks about the movie theaters he loved when he grew up in DC.
• We chatted with US Senator Andy Kim.
• The history of the Senate’s candy desk.
Local news links:
Stormy weather ahead: DC’s CFO has lowered the city’s revenue forecast because of Trump’s slashing of the federal government, and budget cuts are likely. (Washington Post) The region’s chances of a recession are “north of 80%,” says one economist, and many business leaders agree. (WBJ) Government contractors are losing their jobs as well. (WTOP)
• Aircraft landing at National Airport received false alarms from their collision-warning systems on Saturday. The FAA is investigating. (CBS News)
• Wild story: Court documents allege that a local lobbying firm was involved in “hacking into the email accounts of Exxon’s enemies,” the Wall Street Journal reports, naming lobbyist Justin Peterson as the leader of the supposed operation. (WSJ)
• The DC police officers pardoned by Trump have returned to duty. (Washington Post)
• A profile of MSNBC’s Eugene Daniels, whose unpaid role as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association has brought him into conflict with the administration. (NYT)
• “Now we know that Bezos is no Katharine Graham”: Former Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron torches the paper’s owner’s leadership in the second Trump era. (The Atlantic)
• Horses escaped from stables at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall yesterday, injuring several people. (ARLnow)
• DC has dropped its suit against the Proud Boys. (WUSA9)
• A security guard at a Hyattsville McDonald’s has been charged with murder after police say he fatally shot a man who refused to leave the restaurant. (NBC4 Washington)
• The Nationals will finally be able to sell their broadcast rights after this coming season. Monumental Sports Network is an early favorite. (Washington Post)
• City Paper “Loose Lips” columnist Alex Koma signs off. He’s headed to WAMU. (WCP)
Tuesday’s event picks:
• A Room in the Castle opens at Folger Theatre.
• Grand Scheme plays Haydee’s.
• The Mardi Pardi at Bayou Bakery.
See more picks from our Things to Do writer, Briana Thomas, here.
Did you miss our 100 Very Best Restaurants List? It’s here.
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.
