D.C.'s new medical marijuana rules are being tested with the proliferation of new shops, including one in the Palisades neighborhood.

Why it matters: The shop, which wants to create a "higher-end safe retail space" for medical marijuana, is the latest proposed cannabis business to face backlash due to its proximity to schools.

🥊 State of play: Many residents in the upscale neighborhood are fighting Green Theory from opening at 4828 MacArthur Blvd NW.

• It would be on a quaint strip of small businesses — but also within 1,000 feet of five private schools, starting with Little Ivies DC preschool a couple of storefronts down and The Lab School nearby
• Critics are worried about children walking by a marijuana establishment, and also concerned about traffic and crime.

Zoom in: Since this is the Palisades, the opponents have some Washington firepower, including a neighbor who worked for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and architects who scrutinized the applicant's filing for a medical cannabis license.

• A group calling itself the "1,000 Feet" group is formally protesting Green Theory's application to the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration.
• They draw their name from the federal drug-free school zone law, which makes it illegal to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of public or private schools.
• The group filed a public records request to acquire Green Theory's original business plan submitted to the city last December, which envisioned an outdoor marijuana smoking area and "a vibe similar to the world-famous Amsterdam Coffee Shops."

📣 What they're saying: It "sounds like an awesome business, just not in a corridor of so many young children," Jackie Puente, whose day job is in government affairs and helped establish 1,000 Feet, told Axios.

The other side: Since that filing, Green Theory co-founder Robert Martin said they are not pursuing plans for onsite marijuana use. If someone begins smoking outside after exiting the shop, "a member of staff would personally confront them," Martin said, addressing public criticism at an advisory neighborhood commission meeting on March 6. "We would also immediately call MPD."

• Only patrons 21 and older with D.C. medical cannabis cards will be allowed in.

Zoom out: A similar fight is being waged downtown in Penn Quarter, where a medical dispensary wants to open about 250 feet from the charter school BASIS DC.

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The Nationals' 2024 season kicks off April 1, and there are a bunch of new fan-friendly features, fun events, and discounts at the stadium.

Why it matters: Nationals Park is finally back in full swing after pandemic years — though it's still facing declining ticket sales — so expect more enticements than ever (even if you're not a baseball fan).

What's new: More tech, swag, and food.

➡️ Speedy entry

• The Nats just launched four MLB Go-Ahead Entry lanes, which allow registered fans to walk (briskly!) through using facial authentication technology — an estimated 68% faster rate than traditional lanes. People can register on the ballpark app.

💰 Deeper discounts

• Cheap $5 tickets for D.C. residents have been a thing since 2008, but the team is making them more widely available via the District Tickets program — offered to anyone with proof of residency.
• On Tuesdays, all tickets start at $9 and parking is only $10.

🌭 Fresh food and drink vendors

• New super-sized options include "beer bats" and lifesize helmets loaded with nachos.

More deals and music

D.C.'s average air quality last year had particle pollution levels two to three times higher than what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends, says a new report.

The big picture: Last year, D.C. saw the worst recorded air quality levels in years due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, causing the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to declare a rare Code Purple advisory.

• After decades of progress, air quality in the U.S. is expected to steadily deteriorate over the coming decades as climate change causes more large wildfires, heatwaves, and drought, writes Axios' Jacob Knutson.

By the numbers: D.C.'s average concentration of fine particulate pollution was 11.7 micrograms per cubic meter last year, up from 9.8 in 2022 and 9.1 in 2021.

How it works

🚨 Voters in Prince George's and Montgomery counties say crime is the biggest issue facing Maryland, per a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll.

• The number has jumped since 2019 — Prince George's was up from 9% to 33% this year, and Montgomery County was up from 3% to 27% in that period. (Washington Post)

💧The Washington Aqueduct, which serves D.C., Arlington County, and parts of Fairfax County, is undergoing its annual purification process through May 6. If you live in one of the affected areas, your water could taste different until then, but it's still safe. (WTOP)

⛸️ Fairfax County figure skater Ilia Malinin won the men's singles at the world figure skating championship last weekend. His performance, set to the "Succession" soundtrack, earned him a world record free program score. (NBC Washington)

💼 Check out who's hiring on our Job Board.

1. Creative Director, Brand Management at Arnold Ventures.
2. Temporary Staff- Political & Public Affairs at PoliTemps.
3. Digital Media Director at National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA)/Dworbell, Inc.
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5. Coordinator, External & State Affairs at CTIA - The Wireless Association.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

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Michelin-starred tasting room Reverie is rising from the ashes today, reopening in Georgetown more than a year after an electrical fire.

Why it matters: Not every chef is as doggedly passionate as Johnny Spero, who kept his upscale restaurant on life support through the pandemic by cooking burgers and pizza — so we're excited to taste what's next.

⭐ Catch up quick: Spero, a former head chef at José Andrés' Minibar, earned Reverie's first Michelin star three months before the fire, while it was transitioning to a prix-fixe tasting room.

Zoom in: The Bar Spero chef/owner is now barreling down on tastings and whimsical dishes in Georgetown like scallops in edible shells with yuzu koshō or grilled lobster brushed in Korean rice honey.

• An evolving, seasonal tasting menu ($225 per person) is built on techniques Spero gleaned from a global pop-up tour he did in Kyoto, Seoul, and beyond.

The vibe