Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Batter up! Tuesday marked the beginning of baseball season in our household—and on Wednesday, our ballplayer got to watch US Sen. Mark Warner throw the first pitch at the Salem Red Sox’s Education Day game. 

When I finished interviewing the senator, my seven-year-old chose to put on his junior reporter hat, asking: “What’s your favorite Pokémon?” I mean, really, isn’t that the burning question we all have? Rather diplomatically, Sen. Warner asked Colton what his favorite Pokémon was (Pikachu), and went with that. We overheard later that he also likes Charizard. Solid choices. 

Now for some extra news: I’m taking time off this month to do a little (by which I mean a lot of) spring cleaning. Fear not, your newsletters will continue as usual; I just won’t be responding to emails until May. Does that mean you can’t reach our to me? Nope, I LOVE hearing from y’all—it’ll just take a while for me to get back to you.   See you on the flip side, and I’m so glad you’re here.

Here’s what you need to know: As spring breathes new life into Virginia, Alexandria’s streets prepare to showcase their historic beauty in one of the season’s most enchanting events—the 92nd Annual Historic Garden Week Old Town Alexandria Tour on April 26. 

Plan your visit:

• This celebrated walking tour, part of the larger Historic Garden Week in Virginia, offers rare access to private townhomes and their meticulously maintained gardens nestled along the tree-lined streets of Old Town. 

• Founded in 1749, the area’s layered history is visible in the city’s well-preserved architecture, which Alexandria has protected since 1946 when it became just the third city in America to establish a historic district.

• Tour participants receive a bonus: Their ticket includes admission to two Garden Club of Virginia restoration projects located a short drive from the main tour area—the Gardens at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and the delightful Green Spring Garden.

Ready to explore? Tours begin next week—learn what you need to know before you go at our link below. 

Question of the Week: As you might’ve guessed, Easter is a special time in our home. We love to celebrate our faith—and let’s be honest here, we also enjoy whatever the Easter Bunny brought, along with a breakfast of chocolate and peeps! What is your favorite Easter tradition? Tell me all about it at amie@couriernewsroom.com. 

Since becoming the first southern state to legalize the consumption of marijuana in 2021, a number of dispensaries have been opening up shop around Virginia. As we approach 4/20, we’re highlighting four local places catering to medical marijuana users.

RISE Cannabis sells a range of high and low-potency THC and CBD products, including flower, vapes, and edibles from brands like RHYTHM and Good Green. A medication card is needed for all patients. 

Beyond Hello Cannabis Dispensary sells good like cannabis flower, concentrates, cartridges, tinctures, topicals, capsules, pulls, and other ancillary items. Customers need to present a written certification from a qualified practitioner in order to shop at the dispensaries. 

gLeaf is a dispensary that sells flower, pre-rolls, vapes, extract, edibles, tinctures, and topicals. New patients need a certification for medical cannabis to pre-register with gLeaf, and then have a consultation with an in-store pharmacist before their first purchase. 

Cannabist offers a wide array of goods, including Hedy cannabis-infused edibles and Classix flower, pre-rolls, and vapes. Patients must bring a medication certification and a Virginia driver’s license or photo ID along with proof of a Virginia residency. 

• The ACLU recently sued the Department of Defense in Virginia court over alleged censorship in military schools. In addition to book removals, the lawsuit highlighted the abrupt cancellation of cultural events such as Black History Month and Women’s History Month in several schools (READ MORE HERE).

• Eppington Plantation in Chesterfield will host a commemoration of the day the news of the Battle of Lexington and Concord reached Virginia. The “shot heard ‘round the world” signified the start of the Revolutionary War. Dramatizations of that time period will take place at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 26 (READ MORE HERE).

• Virginia universities have recently joined the expanding roster of American educational institutions where the Trump administration has revoked visas from international students. According to The Associated Press, colleges nationwide have seen international students experiencing abrupt and unexpected visa revocations in recent weeks (READ MORE HERE).

You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.

Our mailing address is:
Courier Newsroom
611 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC 20003-4303