Good morning. Much nicer and less muggy today: highs reach the mid 80s and skies look clear.
Sports this weekend: The Mystics host the Minnesota Lynx at CareFirst Arena this evening and visit the Portland Fire Sunday. The Nationals visit Miami today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Loudoun United hosts New Mexico United at Segra Field Saturday evening. The Commanders visit Detroit Saturday for a preseason game. The Washington Spirit host the Orlando Pride Sunday at Audi Field. D.C. United visits Charlotte FC Sunday.
🌎 How well do you know the District? Play our new geography game and test your local knowledge. 📫 Ike Allen here, filling in for Andrew. You can find my food coverage on Instagram and there’s a link to my email address below. This roundup is available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here.
I can’t stop listening to:
Chuck Brown, “Wind Me Up Chuck/Hoochie Coochie Man,” an archetypal 2001 live performance at the 9:30 Club by the Godfather of Go-Go. Saturday is the 12th annual Chuck Brown Day at Fort Dupont Park. More on that below.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
The war: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US will impose the “toughest sanctions in history” on Iran. (CNBC) The USS Abraham Lincoln and its crew of 5,000 sailors are headed home to San Diego after 272 days at sea plagued by shortages, water contamination, and deteriorating mental health. (NYT) Another aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, arrived in the Middle East to relieve the ship. (The Hill)
Life in the fast lane: In case you’re having trouble imagining where on the Mall open-wheel formula race cars will be speeding around for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix this Sunday, here’s a handy visualization. (NYT) The race’s five 90-degree turns could lead to a “little bit of carnage,” according to IndyCar president Doug Boles— yikes. (The Hill) Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will wave the green flags, and the president will take an honorary lap around the course in his limousine beforehand. (NBC4) You may have seen a promotional Indy Car hitched to the top of a train riding around the Metro system yesterday. (WUSA9) Council member Charles Allen says the race will be both a “huge, huge headache for the District” and “kind of fun.” (The Athletic)
Administration perambulation: Instead of naming a new aircraft carrier after Doris Miller, a Black sailor recognized for heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor, as planned, the US Navy may name it after Trump— a first for a sitting president. (CNN) The Department of Homeland Security claimed that 16,000 people voted illegally in Nevada, but now can’t offer proof. (NYT) An undercover ICE agent accidentally dropped a recording device inside a Minneapolis church, revealing a surveillance operation; religious groups now want a federal judge to hold the agency in contempt. (Politico) The FBI raided former California Rep. Eric Swalwell’s DC home as part of an investigation into the sexual assault claims that led him to resign and drop his gubernatorial bid. (CNN) JD Vance raised more than $5 million from donors in their 20s and 30s at a Hamptons event ahead of his possible 2028 presidential campaign. (Axios) A memo signed by Trump could drastically boost commercial space launches, a potential boon for Elon Musk’s SpaceX. (Reuters) Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s new road trip YouTube series is rife with product placement for its corporate sponsors, such as Toyota and Boeing. (Politico)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Here’s where to find the best hands-on workshops and creative classes in DC this month.
• A realtor describes her perfect day in Bethesda to fashion and weddings editor Amy Moeller.
Local news links:
• Go-go legend Chuck Brown’s family has pulled support from this weekend’s Chuck Brown Day celebration, saying it was marginalized in the planning process. (Washington Post)
• A former White House journalist is searching for Obama’s infamous tan suit. Got any tips? (City Cast DC)
• A Wisconsin man who falsely claimed to own Ivanka Trump’s former home in Kalorama broke into a house next door—just steps from Obama’s residence—and attacked a teenager. (City Cast DC)
• Wealth is increasingly shifting away from the District and into the suburbs. (Washington Business Journal)
• Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has spent 1 in 5 days of his term in other states around the country, though he says he’s not running for president in 2028. (The Banner)
• The DC Commission on Poverty is in dire straits after unsuccessfully lobbying the council to restore its funding. (The 51st)
Weekend event picks:
Friday: Sylver Logan Sharp and the Groovement ALL Stars headline the second of three special nights of shows at Carter Barron Amphitheater.
Saturday: The National Book Festival takes over the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Sunday: The Washington Folk Festival livens up Glen Echo Park.
See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
Ike Allen covers politics, food, culture, and transportation in DC and writes the monthly Hidden Eats column for the magazine. He grew up in DC.
