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The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: the latest on state department cuts, the key bridge, and the Commanders stadium push.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's top news stories: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is challenging a preliminary report on U-S strikes in Iran. The DC Council has a new approach to getting the Washington Commanders' stadium built. The weeks-long sex-trafficking trial of Sean Diddy Combs heads for closing argumentsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's top news stories: Expect more heat and humidity today with feel-like temps above 100. Kilmar Abrego Garcia is expected to be released from jail today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.President Trump says a ceasefire is now in effect after initially being violated by Israel and Iran.Our region is now under an extreme heat warning.. when will we see some relief?We take a look at how the rollout of Elon Musk's RoboTaxi is going.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's top news stories: Yesterday's storms left widespread damage and power outages across the region. A heat wave is on the horizon this weekend with temperatures reaching the upper 90s. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
There are few sure things nowadays, but one thing we can guarantee is that today somewhere in the Mountain State this song is being sung, whistled, hummed or at least thought of about every 15 minutes.The truth is that The Flood has avoided doing ”Take Me Home, Country Roads” for about a half century now. It's not that the guys don't like it; on the contrary, just the opening line (Al-most heeeeaven, West Virginnnnia….) will always tease out a smile in our band room.But, well, gee, it just seemed almost like a cliché, you know? A bunch of West Virginians singing it was kind of like the boys down in San Antone doing “Home on the Range” or “Deep in the Heart of Texas” or a Crescent City crew doing “Saints Go Marching In.”That all changed, though, earlier this year. When everybody watched a stadium full of people at the Super Bowl in New Orleans spontaneously joining in on “Country Roads” following that Rocket Mortgage commercial, band manager Pamela Bowen looked at Charlie and said, “It might be time….”It is. The instrumentation is right nowadays. Jack Nuckols has dusted off his fiddle. Bowen has learned enough banjo to contribute something. Randy Hamilton has just the right voice for the lead. Danny Cox and Sam St. Clair grew up knowing that harmony. It was just a matter of getting it together in time for today. Happy West Virginia Day, y'all!About The Song“Take Me Home, Country Roads” was born, not in West Virginia, but in neighboring Maryland. Its first public performance was on New Year's weekend 1970 at the tiny Cellar Door coffeehouse in the Georgetown section of Washington, DC.The idea for tune started a few weeks earlier when songwriters Bill Danoff and his girlfriend Taffy Nivert — who performed together as “Fat City” — were driving to a family reunion in Massachusetts, Neal Augenstein writes in Washington's WTOP.com. (Incidentally, if Danoff and Nivert's names are familiar it might be because they later renamed their group “Starland Vocal Band,” known for the 1976 hit “Afternoon Delight.”)For the “Country Roads” debut, Len Jaffe, a D.C. area singer/songwriter, was at the Cellar Door and later told Augenstein, “The road they were actually on was Clopper Road, in Gaithersburg, a little two-lane blacktop” at the time, but now an exit off Interstate 270.“When they got to the ‘Almost heaven …' part,” Jaffe added, “at first it was going to be ‘Massachusetts,' because that's where Bill was from. But they didn't like the vibe, so they used 'West Virginia.' They had never been to West Virginia.”That was the same weekend that John Denver would hear the song which would become his first platinum single. On Dec. 29, 1970, Denver played the first of a string of solo shows at the Cellar Door, where Danoff and Nivert were the opening act. Later that evening in the couple's Georgetown home, Denver asked if they had any new songs he could hear.“Get out that song you're writing for Johnny Cash,” Taffy said, and Danoff pulled out what at that point consisted of only the chorus and a single verse. Denver loved it immediately and helped Danoff and Nivert complete the lyrics and arrangement overnight. Then that very evening, Denver played the new song at the coffeehouse.“We just finished a brand new song,” Denver said on stage, “and I haven't even learned the words yet.” He taped the lyrics to the mic stand and, as an encore, the three of them did the song cold.“It was a five-minute standing ovation,” Jaffe told Augenstein. “The walls were vibrating. I thought the club was going to implode.”The following month in New York, as part of his Poems, Prayers & Promises album, Denver recorded the song with Danoff and Nivert doing the harmony vocals.West Virginia ConnectionsOkay, now, wait a minute. So the song debuted in D.C. after being written in Maryland by folks whose minds were set traveling to New England. Where the heck does West Virginia come into this story? Actually, Danoff says that from the start there were Mountain State connections to “Country Roads.” The portion of the lyric's bridge says “the radio reminds me of my home far away," a line he says is quintessentially West Virginian. That's because it is an allusion to his Springfield, Mass., childhood when he grew up in the ‘50s listening to “Saturday Night Jamboree” broadcasts each week from Wheeling's WWVA.“It was a powerful station,” he said, “and we got it clearly in Springfield at nighttime.”Danoff also had other West Virginia associations to draw from. For instance, he was a good friend of actor Chris Sarandon, a Beckley native who was once married to actress Susan Sarandon. But even more than that, Danoff recalled a group of hippies from a West Virginia commune who used to sit in the front row of the little clubs in which his and Taffy's band used to play.“They brought their dogs and were a very colorful group of folks; that's how West Virginia began creeping into the song,” he said.Mountain Mama's ReceptionIn the Mountain State, "Take Me Home, Country Roads” has, of course, received an enthusiastic response for more than 50 years now.In 2017, the state's tourism office announced it had obtained the rights to use the song in its marketing efforts. "'Country Roads' has become synonymous with West Virginia all over the world," said tourism commissioner Chelsea Ruby. "It highlights everything we love about our state: scenic beauty, majestic mountains, a timeless way of life, and most of all, the warmth of a place that feels like home whether you've lived here forever or are just coming to visit." The opening "Almost heaven" phrase became a primary tourism slogan.The song is the theme song of West Virginia University. Since 1972 it has been performed during every home football pregame show. It also is played after every home victory when fans are encouraged to stay in the stands and sing along with the team.On Sept. 6, 1980, at the invitation of then-Gov. Jay Rockefeller, Danoff, Nivert and Denver performed it to a sold-out crowd of Mountaineer fans at the dedication of WVU's Mountaineer Field.In 2014, the state legislature adopted it one of four official state songs (along with "West Virginia Hills," "This Is My West Virginia" and "West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”).But About That GeographyFrom the start, however, some West Virginians have groused about the lyrics' sketchy geography. Blue Ridge Mountains? Shenandoah River? To local folks, that sounded a bit more like western East Virginia than their home turf.Some, with a grin, even propose a little judicious editing, maybe something like: Almost heaven, West Virginia, Snowshoe Mountain, Monongahela River….In the end, though, most mountaineers choose to love the song anyway, and, if anyone asked, they just say the song cleverly refers to the state's historical rather than contemporary geography.Still, those dicey directions always supply an easy punchline for smart-alecky Virginians: “Why, son, that's why West Virginia is just almost heaven.…”More Tunes for Mountain Mama Day?Finally, if you need more extensive soundtrack for today's West Virginia Day celebrations, remember the “Special Blends” section of the free Radio Floodango music streaming service includes a selection of Flood-centric Mountain State tunes. Click below for details: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 1937flood.substack.com
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's top news stories: Today is Juneteenth, and there are celebrations along with schedule changes happening today due to the federal holiday. Family members of a woman who was deported are now considering leaving the United States. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's top news stories: The latest on Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, Virginia primary results, Pedestrian struck by truck carrying one of the tanks featured in the Army parade.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's stories include: President Trump's return to the White House after leaving the G-7 Summit early, as the conflict grows between Israel and Iran. Also, it's Primary Day in Virginia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.Today's stories include: exclusive report on DC airline prices under President Trump's so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' and the latest on Virginia's primary election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.Today's stories include: The continued road closures in D.C. ahead of Saturday's Army parade, Kilmar Abrego Garcia scheduled to appear in court today, and Prince George's County Schools Superintendent resigning. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Beltsville man mistakenly deported to El Salvador goes before on judge in Tennessee on federal criminal charges, and we've got more on Saturday's big military parade on the National Mall. In the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate. We talk about it with Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: DMV's hottest day of the year so far while under a code orange air quality alert, A body found in a Tysons has been identified as a missing college student and there may be some possible delays with the Commanders Stadium in DC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: A U.S. marshal shoots a man near the D.C. convention center, and we've got the latest on what you need to know about this Saturday's big military parade. Meanwhile, a U.S. senator is forcibly removed and handcuffed during a press conference being held by the homeland security secretary amid the immigration protests in Los Angeles. We talk about it with CBS News' Major Garrett.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: the music world and countless amounts of fans mourn the loss of the creative genius behind the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson. Meanwhile, preparations are underway on the National Mall for this weekend's military parade, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pushes back against council members dragging their feet on approving a deal to build a new Commanders stadium in the District.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: the latest on road closures for this weekend's big military parade and the U.S. House passes two bills impacting D.C.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest local news impacting D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Today's stories include: A man was shot and killed in Howard County, experts say the new DC Commanders stadium could generate thousands of jobs and protests continue in Los Angeles over immigration policies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Much of the President's agenda and actions to support it has been implemented so far through temporary measures like Executive Orders. The reconciliation bill currently making its way through the House is the first opportunity to codify those changes into law. Here with insights into what's in and what's out of this important legislation, WTOP's Capitol Hill Correspondent, Mitchell Miller.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The latest news for the DC region.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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