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“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void. For this reason, the congressional district maps issued by this Court in 2021 pursuant to Article II, Section 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia remain the governing maps for the upcoming 2026 congressional elections.”

“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void. For this reason, the congressional district maps issued by this Court in 2021 pursuant to Article II, Section 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia remain the governing maps for the upcoming 2026 congressional elections.”

The Star launches in June with dramatically expanded coverage of Washington politics and policy — and new coverage of D.C. itself. The District isn’t just the place where politics happens. It’s home to the people who pull the levers of power. It’s where they live and work and commute and eat and vote and navigate the unique intersection of politics and real life. The Star will cover all of it, from Donald Trump’s stamp on the District to the ambitions of its first new mayor in more than a decade. Who’s wielding power in D.C.? What’s driving them? What impact are they having on housing, schools, transportation and the District’s neighborhoods? What’s next for Home Rule? For statehood? And will the Nationals ever be good again? We’ll do it with the same rigor we bring to our coverage of national politics and policy, and we’ll do it with the best local reporting team in D.C. We’re excited to announce the start of that team today — veteran journalists you know and trust, plus newcomers who will bring fresh eyes to the vibrant and sometimes vexing place we all call home.

The director of the Office of Planning is testifying that they chose to propose to eliminate the Office of Food Policy and the Food Policy Council after TEN YEARS because food policy isn’t core to their work. 🙄

PorchFest. Madams Organ views. Photo: DJ Hector Ramirez

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) announces she has been working with foreign countries to supply oil to Cuba, in defiance of President Trump. She says Trump's economic sanctions against the Communist regime are equivalent to illegally bombing the nation's infrastructure.

These two renderings of a potential "reimagined" East Potomac Park appear in a fundraising document distributed by the new "National Garden of American Heroes Foundation." It's unclear to what degree these (very AI-looking) images represent Tom Fazio's actual plans for the golf course, but I think they reveal some important things about the Trump administration's intentions at East Potomac: 1) The new "championship" golf course would take up most of the island. This would mean losing the perimeter road and bike path, the open space at the southern tip of the island, and perhaps even the famous cherry blossom trees, which feature prominently in an annual festival. These non-golf resources at East Potomac Park are used heavily by D.C. residents. 2) Building a bigger course would also mean reducing the number of available golf holes at the facility, likely from 36 to 18, as well as eliminating a historic, recently restored mini-golf course. Inevitably, this would make golf in D.C. less accessible, especially to beginning golfers. 3) Green fees for East Potomac's Blue Course currently top out at $48. There's no way the number would stay there post-reno. 4) The whole nouveau-riche, water-feature-centric aesthetic shown in the renderings is very much in line with Fazio's past work, but not at all representative of East Potomac's historical character and purpose. 5) The administration and the President himself have been open about their hopes to bring a major championship or Ryder Cup to the renovated East Potomac. I think it would be tremendously difficult to stage a tournament of that scale on this island, even after the reno. It does not appear to me that there's enough room.