Washington D.C.

blue

Get smarter, faster on what matters in D.C. with Mimi Montgomery, Cuneyt Dil, and Anna Spiegel.

Axios D.C.

Standard

Axios D.C. Partners

Axios D.C. Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

A guide to fun things to do in D.C. this weekend.

Axios D.C. Weekender

Weekender

D.C. Alerts

Alert

Washington, DC Members

Membership

Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C.

"The Punisher" and "His & Hers" star is planting roots around his hometown.

News

Hollywood hotshot Jon Bernthal recently dropped $3.75 million on a home in Chevy Chase, D.C., real estate sources tell Axios — a sign &quot;The Punisher&quot; is planting roots back home.Why it matters: In a town where senators count as celebrity sightings, &quot;The Bear&quot; and &quot;Walking Dead&quot; star showing up at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wizards games" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/2013376385692123593" data-vars-content-id="2295a3de-c2ba-4f2e-9250-797a8bff49f7" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/2013376385692123593" target="_blank">Wizards games</a> and beloved <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="red-sauce joints" data-vars-click-url="https://www.popville.com/2026/01/dcs-own-spotted-jon-bernthal-filomena/" data-vars-content-id="2295a3de-c2ba-4f2e-9250-797a8bff49f7" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.popville.com/2026/01/dcs-own-spotted-jon-bernthal-filomena/" target="_blank">red-sauce joints</a> qualifies as actual star power.

Exclusive: D.C.'s snowstorm failures lead resident to run for mayor

Rini Sampath blasts the top candidates for mayor as political insiders

A D.C. resident fed up with the city&#x27;s snow response is running for mayor.Why it matters: Rini Sampath, 31, is entering the growing field as a political outsider, telling Axios she will focus on government efficiency.

Jesse Jackson's D.C. legacy

Jesse Jackson became the city's top statehood advocate in the 1990s

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jesse Jackson" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/17/jesse-jackson-dies-civil-rights-leader" data-vars-content-id="b1dd9a96-8568-4f90-a3f2-f61a2e5d6fda" data-vars-headline="Jesse Jackson&#x27;s D.C. legacy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/17/jesse-jackson-dies-civil-rights-leader" target="_self">Jesse Jackson</a> once considered running for D.C. mayor, before becoming the city&#x27;s first shadow senator in the 1990s, lending the statehood cause a national spotlight.Why it matters: Jackson, who died on Tuesday at 84, leaves a local legacy of activism.

Peak bloom may hit later due to our brutal winter

Plus: New saplings arrive at the Tidal Basin.

Peak <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cherry blossom" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/02/22/cherry-trees-plum-trees-dc" data-vars-content-id="1fb62a16-0fe9-4c55-b09f-fc3c6b06ea11" data-vars-headline="Peak bloom may hit later due to our brutal winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/02/22/cherry-trees-plum-trees-dc" target="_self">cherry blossom</a> bloom could arrive later than recent years thanks to D.C.&#x27;s record-breaking cold.Why it matters: It&#x27;s been a brutal winter — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="snowcrete" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/01/28/snow-emergency-extended-as-snowcrete-slows-dc-cleanup" data-vars-content-id="1fb62a16-0fe9-4c55-b09f-fc3c6b06ea11" data-vars-headline="Peak bloom may hit later due to our brutal winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/01/28/snow-emergency-extended-as-snowcrete-slows-dc-cleanup" target="_self">snowcrete</a>, the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sewage spill" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/13/sewage-spill-potomac-river-safety-fishing-swimming-future" data-vars-content-id="1fb62a16-0fe9-4c55-b09f-fc3c6b06ea11" data-vars-headline="Peak bloom may hit later due to our brutal winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/13/sewage-spill-potomac-river-safety-fishing-swimming-future" target="_self">sewage spill</a> — and the District could use some floral joy ASAP.

D.C. on the verge of lifting Potomac River recreation restrictions

It's an early sign the region may be turning a corner on what officials have called the worst sewage spill in U.S. history.

D.C. is aiming to lift its restrictions on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Potomac River" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/13/sewage-spill-potomac-river-safety-fishing-swimming-future" data-vars-content-id="6c022735-497c-4c20-8ad3-0e1621adaeec" data-vars-headline="D.C. on the verge of lifting Potomac River recreation restrictions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/13/sewage-spill-potomac-river-safety-fishing-swimming-future" target="_self">Potomac River</a> recreation on March 2 — three weeks after the last sewage surge was reported (<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Superbowl Sunday&#x27;s &quot;wipegate&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wusa9.com/article/tech/science/environment/non-flushable-wipes-more-sew[…]tomac-river-super-bowl/65-bbe1af6c-6dd0-4aad-bb99-1fcb16a2c650" data-vars-content-id="6c022735-497c-4c20-8ad3-0e1621adaeec" data-vars-headline="D.C. on the verge of lifting Potomac River recreation restrictions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/tech/science/environment/non-flushable-wipes-more-sew[…]tomac-river-super-bowl/65-bbe1af6c-6dd0-4aad-bb99-1fcb16a2c650" target="_blank">Superbowl Sunday&#x27;s &quot;wipegate&quot;</a>) and six weeks after the initial spill.Why it matters: It&#x27;s an early sign the region may be turning a corner on what officials have called the worst sewage spill in U.S. history — and a test of public trust in the river.

Potomac River still not safe for fishing or swimming

The Potomac gets a "B" health grade from leading environmental nonprofit.

The Potomac River is holding steady at a &quot;B&quot; grade for water quality, but progress has flatlined, according to the latest river <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report card" data-vars-click-url="https://potomac.org/clean-water-campaign" data-vars-content-id="dcc9703f-63bb-471d-885a-355d13f765f1" data-vars-headline="Potomac River still not safe for fishing or swimming" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://potomac.org/clean-water-campaign" target="_blank">report card</a> released Wednesday by the nonprofit Potomac Conservancy.Why it matters: The river that flows through the nation&#x27;s capital and provides drinking water to 5 million people isn&#x27;t reliably safe for swimming or fishing.

Gourd riddance: How to compost and donate pumpkins around D.C.

The only thing scarier than jack-o-lanterns is waste.

Environment

Don&#x27;t trash your pumpkins — compost or recycle them instead.Why it matters: Decomposing gourds in landfills release <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="harmful methane" data-vars-click-url="https://www.neefusa.org/story/sustainability/dont-send-your-pumpkins-graveyard" data-vars-content-id="1d3c916e-565b-4be8-ad2f-bdf368f31620" data-vars-headline="Gourd riddance: How to compost and donate pumpkins around D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.neefusa.org/story/sustainability/dont-send-your-pumpkins-graveyard" target="_blank">harmful methane</a>, whereas turning them into compost or feed cuts waste.

How the National Aquarium gets new sharks for its jaws-packed exhibit

Pandas fly the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Panda FedEx Express" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/10/26/pandas-leaving-dc-national-zoo" data-vars-content-id="383109fc-6312-4eb9-bffd-911ec0f7172d" data-vars-headline="How the National Aquarium gets new sharks for its jaws-packed exhibit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/10/26/pandas-leaving-dc-national-zoo" target="_self">Panda FedEx Express</a>. Zebras get an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="airlift" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/runaway-pet-zebra-captured-tennessee-rcna211725" data-vars-content-id="383109fc-6312-4eb9-bffd-911ec0f7172d" data-vars-headline="How the National Aquarium gets new sharks for its jaws-packed exhibit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/runaway-pet-zebra-captured-tennessee-rcna211725" target="_blank">airlift</a>. But when Baltimore&#x27;s National Aquarium needs a new shark, it&#x27;s a great-white-size task.Why it matters: It&#x27;s Shark Week, but don&#x27;t bask by the TV — there&#x27;s an apex experience at the aquarium&#x27;s &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Shark Alley" data-vars-click-url="https://aqua.org/explore/exhibits/shark-alley" data-vars-content-id="383109fc-6312-4eb9-bffd-911ec0f7172d" data-vars-headline="How the National Aquarium gets new sharks for its jaws-packed exhibit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://aqua.org/explore/exhibits/shark-alley" target="_blank">Shark Alley</a>,&quot; where seven species cruise for your views.

Chesapeake Bay blue crab population plunges near record low

It's the second-lowest level recorded since the '90s.

The Chesapeake Bay&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="blue crab population" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/05/22/blue-crab-population-decline-winter-dredge-survey" data-vars-content-id="c160795b-3d1e-48e6-ab85-38df637584cc" data-vars-headline="Chesapeake Bay blue crab population plunges near record low" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/05/22/blue-crab-population-decline-winter-dredge-survey" target="_self">blue crab population</a> has dropped to record, &quot;distressing&quot; lows, according to the annual <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Winter Dredge Survey" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/05/22/blue-crab-population-decline-winter-dredge-survey" data-vars-content-id="c160795b-3d1e-48e6-ab85-38df637584cc" data-vars-headline="Chesapeake Bay blue crab population plunges near record low" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/05/22/blue-crab-population-decline-winter-dredge-survey" target="_self">Winter Dredge Survey</a>.Why it matters: The yearly &quot;crab count&quot; measures the abundance and health of the population — and by virtue, the Bay — and this year&#x27;s report is among the most dire in decades.

D.C. ranks #1 in the country for public parks

For the fifth year in a row, according to ParkScore.

D.C. boasts the country&#x27;s<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" best big city park system" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/30/best-worst-cities-public-parks-us" data-vars-content-id="89eaa8aa-76fd-4ed5-8872-8a5d66cd84bd" data-vars-headline="D.C. ranks #1 in the country for public parks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/30/best-worst-cities-public-parks-us" target="_self"> best big city park system</a>, a new ranking finds — our fifth year in a row at #1.Why it matters: The District tops a list of 100 most populous U.S. cities when it comes to park acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity — the five main categories used in the<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" 2025 ParkScore index" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tpl.org/parkscore" data-vars-content-id="89eaa8aa-76fd-4ed5-8872-8a5d66cd84bd" data-vars-headline="D.C. ranks #1 in the country for public parks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tpl.org/parkscore" target="_blank"> 2025 ParkScore index</a>.<ul><li>Arlington, Virginia clocked in at #7.</li></ul>

D.C. area gets an "F" on air quality metric

The region's air quality is worsening, per the American Lung Association.

The D.C. area&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="air quality" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/air-quality-climate-change" data-vars-content-id="27d61a5b-1c03-4230-a2c3-e7888d9df0c0" data-vars-headline="D.C. area gets an &quot;F&quot; on air quality metric" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/air-quality-climate-change" target="_self">air quality</a> is worsening, per the American Lung Association, which gave the region an &quot;F&quot; grade on a key metric.Why it matters: Air pollution threatens everyone&#x27;s health — especially children, older people and people with asthma or heart and lung conditions.

How Coca-Cola Consolidated is driving local sustainability in D.C.

Coca-Cola Consolidated teams up with local sports teams and arenas to make recycling even easier.

Partners

Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S., is making recycling and sustainability efforts more effective in Washington, D.C.Why it&#x27;s important: Recycling plays a crucial role in reducing waste, conserving resources and fostering healthier communities.

What Trump's EV charger freeze could mean for DMV electric drivers

Thousands of DMV electric car drivers may be impacted.

The Trump administration&#x27;s decision to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="halt" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/nevi/resources/state-plan-approval-suspension.pdf" data-vars-content-id="6c10fa0a-0d93-4fb2-a8db-3daf300c0fd1" data-vars-headline="What Trump&#x27;s EV charger freeze could mean for DMV electric drivers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/nevi/resources/state-plan-approval-suspension.pdf" target="_blank">halt</a> a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$5 billion program" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/02/07/trump-vehicle-charger-funds-freeze-is-first-move-to-unwind-ev-policy" data-vars-content-id="6c10fa0a-0d93-4fb2-a8db-3daf300c0fd1" data-vars-headline="What Trump&#x27;s EV charger freeze could mean for DMV electric drivers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/02/07/trump-vehicle-charger-funds-freeze-is-first-move-to-unwind-ev-policy" target="_self">$5 billion program</a> for expanding EV charging stations on highways nationwide could impact tens of thousands of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="electric vehicle" data-vars-click-url="https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10962" data-vars-content-id="6c10fa0a-0d93-4fb2-a8db-3daf300c0fd1" data-vars-headline="What Trump&#x27;s EV charger freeze could mean for DMV electric drivers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10962" target="_blank">electric vehicle</a> owners in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.The big picture: The number of public electric vehicle chargers has more than doubled in the past four years, driven by a combination of increased private investment and a surge in government funding under former President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Biden" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/joe-biden" data-vars-content-id="6c10fa0a-0d93-4fb2-a8db-3daf300c0fd1" data-vars-headline="What Trump&#x27;s EV charger freeze could mean for DMV electric drivers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/joe-biden" target="_self">Biden</a>.<ul><li>But the U.S. is still far short of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="1.2 million public chargers estimated" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/85654.pdf" data-vars-content-id="6c10fa0a-0d93-4fb2-a8db-3daf300c0fd1" data-vars-headline="What Trump&#x27;s EV charger freeze could mean for DMV electric drivers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/85654.pdf" target="_blank">1.2 million public chargers estimated</a> to be needed by 2030 to support anticipated EV sales.</li></ul>