Sean Salai

Luck o’ the Irish: Cherry blossoms hit peak bloom early on St. Patrick’s Day in D.C.

The District of Columbia's iconic cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin unexpectedly hit peak bloom on St. Patrick's Day, six days earlier than predicted and before the start of this year's national festival.

March 18, 2024

U.S. marriage numbers rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2022

Marriages in the U.S. have rebounded to pre-COVID levels, passing 2 million for the first time since 2019.

March 15, 2024

D.C. braces for funding crisis as the downtown area struggles financially

Washington is facing difficult times, and its leaders are facing difficult choices amid a mounting funding crisis.

March 15, 2024

More U.S. counties reversed pandemic-era population losses in 2023

More U.S. counties reversed pandemic-era population losses last year as large counties grew larger and small counties got smaller, the Census Bureau reported Thursday.

March 14, 2024

Study finds confidence in the value of 2- and 4-year college degrees slipping

A new study finds the perceived value of a college degree slipped last year among young people, who expressed more confidence in on-the-job training and certifications.

March 14, 2024

Report finds 60% of D.C. high school students ‘chronically absent’ last year

Six out of 10 public high school students in Washington, D.C., were "chronically absent" in the 2022-23 school year as high levels of mental health complaints, disease fears, and safety concerns outlasted the end of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

March 8, 2024

CDC report flags unhealthy lifestyle, poverty as factors in infant mortality

Children of impoverished mothers who make unhealthy lifestyle choices are likelier than other babies to die before their first birthday, according to federal data released Tuesday.

March 5, 2024

Business trade groups demand ‘immediate action’ by D.C. officials to halt violent crime

Dozens of business trade groups have called on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council to crack down on violent crimes committed by repeat offenders in the nation's capital.

March 4, 2024

Screen time could stunt toddlers’ verbal development, study suggests

Evidence suggests screen time stunts toddlers' verbal development.

March 4, 2024

Study finds more older Americans struggling to afford food

American families today spend a bigger chunk of their income on groceries compared to the end of the last century, and a new study finds a rising percentage of U.S. families with older adults are finding it harder to afford enough to eat.

March 1, 2024

College presidents anxious about waning public trust in higher education

More Americans than ever are questioning the value of higher education, and college presidents are worried about that.

February 29, 2024

Officials in D.C. predict March 23-26 for cherry blossoms’ peak bloom

It's time for cherry blossoms again -- and officials expect large crowds to brave unpredictable weather for the Tidal Basin's brightest and pinkest day of the year.

February 29, 2024

Report finds transfers from community colleges to 4-year schools rebounding from pandemic

Transfers from community colleges to four-year schools have started recovering from the one-two punch of the pandemic and runaway inflation.

February 28, 2024

One-third of adults say the First Amendment ‘goes too far’

A new poll finds that many Americans want to limit the free speech of those who offend them.

February 28, 2024

Report finds 52% of recent college grads working in fast food, retail and other ‘underemployed’ jobs

Americans have long viewed a four-year college degree as essential to financial success, but a report finds most graduates can't find a job requiring one within a year of commencement.

February 28, 2024

More elite universities settle ‘price-fixing’ financial aid lawsuit

Dartmouth, Rice, Northwestern and Vanderbilt universities have settled a federal class-action lawsuit that accused them of fixing financial aid offers at the same low rates for students of humble means.

February 26, 2024

WAMU shutters local news site DCist, axes 15 staffers

Washington's National Public Radio affiliate WAMU shuttered its local news website DCist and laid off 15 employees Friday morning, citing a desire to shift away from digital journalism.

February 23, 2024

Study finds up to 134,395 cancer cases went undetected during COVID restrictions

Up to 134,395 cancer cases went undetected as COVID-19 restrictions kept older adults home during the first 10 months of the pandemic, according to an analysis of federal statistics published Thursday.

February 22, 2024

Pew surveys find teachers, adults and students uncomfortable with K-12 gender identity lessons

A new study from the Pew Research Center reveals that most teachers, students and adults agree that race is a more appropriate classroom topic than whether a boy can become a girl.

February 22, 2024

New book touts financial and emotional benefits of marriage

A new book on sociological matters has garnered widespread attention over its startling conclusion: Marriage is good.

February 20, 2024