🏈 Virginia arena deal falling apart

What's CITY Talking About?

RIP Arena Deal?

Lawmakers in Virginia removed funding for a new Potomac Yard sports arena from their proposed budget. With the legislative session ending on Saturday, it’s Governor Glenn Youngkin’s last immediate chance to bring the Capitals and Wizards to Alexandria. [Washington Post]

Fairfax Student Sues Over Trans Policies

A Fairfax County high school senior is suing the school district for allowing students to use facilities that match their gender identity and requiring the use of students’ chosen pronouns and names. The lawsuit, filed by the conservative group America First Legal, says the policies are “at odds” with the Roman Catholic student’s religious beliefs and violate the state constitution. [Washington Post 🔒]

Casa Ruby Founder Charged With Fraud

The founder of Casa Ruby – a local non-profit for homeless LGBTQ kids – was charged with laundering $150,000 of pandemic relief funds. Ruby Corado fled the U.S. and closed Casa Ruby after financial mismanagement at the non-profit was made public in 2022. She was arrested Wednesday after an unexpected return to the area. [Washington Post 🔒, City Cast DC 🎧]

What To Do

DC Insider Trivia

Let’s Start With Last Week’s Question:

Who came up with the plan to bring Cherry Blossoms to the Tidal Basin?

1. The Japanese Consul General Kokichi Mizuno
2. Journalist Eliza Scidmore ⭐
3. President William Howard Taft
4. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Okay, I admit, this was a bit of a trick question. Many of these people were involved in planting the cherry blossoms in D.C., but the original push came from Eliza Scidmore.

As a member of National Geographic, Scidmore traveled to Japan and came back with the idea to plant cherry trees along the Potomac. Her proposal to the Army fell on deaf ears, but 20 years later, she brought her proposal to First Lady Helen Taft. Taft then helped negotiate the donation of 2,000 cherry trees in 1910 from Japan with the help of Japanese Consul General Kokichi Mizuno.

🏆 Nice work to Hey DC readers Abby R., Sarah S., and Joan L. for answering correctly first!!

Now Onto This Week’s Question:

D.C. is divided into four quadrants, where do they meet?

1. The National Mall
2. The Capitol
3. Union Station
4. The White House

Bonus points if you can tell me what four streets divide the quadrants.

Today on City Cast

Crime Bill Passes, Service Fee Cap, and Office-to-Art Conversion

D.C. Council passed two major bills this week — one that’s supposed to fight crime, and another that deals, yet again, with restaurant service charges. Emily Davies of the Post and Anna Spiegel of Axios are here to explain. Plus, the Artomatic show opens today, transforming an empty office building downtown.