City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
NPS to remove popular bike lane
March 23, 2026 · — Natalia Aldana
Hey DC friend! Natalia Aldana here, filling in for Kaela. 🌸 And I’m so happy to announce that you can now see cherry blossoms at the National Arboretum! At this beautiful northeast spot, you’ll find the most diverse collection of cherry trees without the crowds.
But if you’re a Tidal Basin loyalist, 🫡 you’ll get your chance to see them there soon enough. The Yoshino cherry trees are expected to hit peak bloom this week.
What's CITY Talking About
Until When Will the National Guard Remain in DC?
The Pentagon plans to keep the National Guard in D.C. through 2029, citing crime concerns. Local authorities say this move is an overreach, as local data shows crime has been decreasing. The deployment was initially set to end this year, as about 2,500 National Guard members have patrolled D.C. since August of last year. The plan is now with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and awaiting his signature. [7News]
Virginia, Maryland Demand Refunds from ‘Illegal’ Trump Tariffs
Over a dozen states, including Virginia and Maryland, are demanding that Congress refund $166 billion in Trump-era tariffs after the Supreme Court ruled them illegal in February. State attorneys general signed a letter to lawmakers saying the tariffs hurt consumers and businesses, and they’re calling for automatic reimbursements, plus interest. [WTOP]
Trump Admin Sets Its Sights on DC Bike Lanes
The National Park Service is removing a popular section of the 15th Street NW protected bike lane near the National Mall, saying that it will cause more traffic during cherry blossom season and the America 250 celebration. The weekend saw a protest ride to protect the bike lane and Brooke Pinto posted that she was "working on alternatives" to protect it, but the removal work is expected to start today. [The 51st/X]
Julia Child's Unexpected Connection to DC
Julia Child is more associated with Paris, or maybe Cambridge, Massachusetts, than with D.C. But the legendary cook and writer actually spent some of her most important years in a little house in Georgetown, scrounging for ingredients in the much less foodie city of the 1950s. Her Washington years are the subject of a story in the new issue of Edible DC, and the magazine’s editor, James Whitman, is here to tell us all about it. [City Cast DC 🎧]
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What To Do
Monday, March 23
- 📵 Profs & Pints: Digital Device Detox at Penn Social (Penn Quarter)
- 🧘 Spring Equinox Community Yoga at Josephine Butler Center (Columbia Heights)
- 🎤 Lady Gaga: The MAYHEM Ball at the Capital One Arena (Chinatown)
- 📚 Book Talk: “Dirty Metal” by Allison LaMothe at Lost City Books (Adams Morgan)
- 🎞️ DCEFF Screening: “Big Medicine: York Outdoors” at MLK Library (Downtown)
- 🥃 Mexico in a Bottle Tasting at the Mexican Cultural Institute (Columbia Heights)
Tuesday, March 24
- 🔮 Grief In Process: A Tarot Workshop at Femme Fatale (Cleveland Park)
- 🎵 Tunes: Clover County (Folk) at DC9 (Shaw)
- 🙋 Ask A D.C. Native, Live! with The 51st (Lincoln Heights)
- 📘 Senator Cory Booker “Stand” at Sixth & I (Chinatown)
- 🌊 Pulitzer Center Film Shorts: Changing Tides at the MLK Library (Downtown)
- 🎲 Profs & Pints: Understanding the Sports Betting Industry at Penn Social (Penn Quarter)
- 📙 Book Talk: “Indian Country” at Solid State Books (H St. NE)
📽️ Have you seen a film from the Environmental Film Festival yet!? If not, don’t fret! The festival runs through March 28, focusing on climate action with a lineup of over 70 films at various locations around D.C. Here’s where you can get tickets.
Free · 5 days a week