Festival

Blue Angels courtesy National Park Service

From a press release:

“The U.S. Department of the Interior announced new details about Salute to America including a flight demonstration by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and a generous donation of additional fireworks. Salute to America, a part of this year’s annual Independence Day celebration on the National Mall, will feature remarks by President Donald J. Trump to honor America’s armed forces.

“This is going to be a fantastic Fourth of July with increased access across the National Mall for the public to enjoy music, flyovers, a spectacular fireworks display, and an address by our Commander-in-Chief,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. “We received an extraordinary donation for a phenomenal fireworks display, and our colleagues from the Department of Defense will be providing a one-of-a-kind music and air power experience including a flight demonstration from the Blue Angels.”

Salute to America will honor each of the nation’s five service branches with music, military demonstrations, multiple flyovers including a flight demonstration by the Blue Angels and much more. Participants include the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the U.S. Army Band (“Pershing’s Own”), the Armed Forces Chorus, the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Team, and many others.

This year’s fireworks will run approximately 35 minutes thanks to a donation from Phantom Fireworks and Fireworks by Grucci to light up the night sky and celebrate America. The donation to the National Park Service is valued at $750,000.

Additionally, this year for the first time in recent memory, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the World War II Memorial and Constitution Gardens will each be accessible and available as a location from which to view the fireworks. These prime viewing areas are now outside of the fireworks safety zone due to the fireworks launch site being moved from the Reflecting Pool to West Potomac Park and behind the Lincoln Memorial. The change of locations also means that the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial will be accessible to the public on Independence Day. These had been closed due to the previous fireworks safety zone. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown

From Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office:

“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that today she introduced the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act of 2019, which would permit the use of marijuana in federally assisted housing, including public housing and Section 8 housing, in compliance with the marijuana laws of the state where the property is located. Under current federal law, the users of drugs that are illegal under federal law, including marijuana, are prohibited from being admitted into federally assisted housing. Federal law also allows landlords to evict residents of federally assisted housing for drug use. Norton says that individuals living in federally assisted housing should not be denied admission, or fear eviction, for using a product legal in their state. Both adult use and medical use of marijuana is currently legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia and over 90 percent of Americans support legalized medical marijuana. (more…)