Ever since January, when Baltimore Circuit Court Judge M. Brooke Murdock ruled that Maryland's law banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory and unconstitutional, the state has been a major battle ground for same-sex marriage advocates around the country. Today, Maryland's Court of Appeals put an effective end to this chapter of the struggle's future in the state, ruling that the ban does not violate Maryland's state constitution. The Associated Press via WTOP has more on the......

There's a scene in the action/horror film Blade: Trinity in which a resurrected Dracula, played with a considerable lack of energy by Prison Break's Dominic Purcell, wanders into a store that sells vampire-themed novelty items. For a second — just before Dracula kills everyone around and the movie switches back to another techno-saturated fight scene — it's amusing. Where did vampire lore begin and how did it result in countless terrible movies, action figures and......

Virginia’s love for wine is no secret. It dates back centuries with Thomas Jefferson’s personal endorsement of wine as a suitable beverage. However, when you mention “Virginia Wines” to anyone, you are met with one of two reactions: an overwhelming expression of excitement and testament to how fabulous they are or an exasperated eye roll that says it all. Whichever one you fall under is fine with us, but as avid wine drinkers we feel......

>> The Black Cat's backstage will be a bit twangy tonight, as The Starlingtons stop by to play some of their alt-bluegrass with Portland Oregon’s folksy Casey Neill. 9 p.m., $7. >> One of the weeks few interesting author appearances is tonight at Olsson's in Dupont Circle, when Pushcart Prize-winning writer Katherine Taylor stops by to read from and sign copies of her debut novel, Rules for Saying Goodbye. 7 p.m. >> It's possible......

Monday >> The Starlingtons may not seem like your typical Black Cat band, but they are breaking the boundaries of traditional country/bluegrass. Tonight they’ll be on the back stage with Portland Oregon’s Casey Neill and his own folk/punk rock fusion. 9 p.m., $7. >> In the mood to try something new? Chicago’s post-punk New Harbour has been around for a few years now, but just moved to the District. They’re playing their first show tonight......

At a hearing before the Public Services and Consumer Affairs Committee yesterday, the D.C. Council heard testimony both for and against the so-called payday loan industry, which has often been criticized for predatory lending practices. The businesses market themselves as a way for lower income individuals who don't qualify for credit or a bank loan to get emergency cash. The industry's opponents charge that payday loans prey on our society's most vulnerable people by charging......

The United States Botanic Garden is a favorite summer destination, and the list of reasons to visit has gotten longer. In a recently opened exhibit, Celebrating America’s Public Gardens, the nation's most important public gardens have sponsored mini-displays in two sections called Green Today, Growing Tomorrows (in the National Garden, at the Mall end of the grounds) and A Sense of Place (on the Conservatory Terrace, facing Capitol Hill). In the latter exhibit, each garden's......

We may not have voting rights, much less a state to call our own, but we do have a Miss District of Columbia Pageant. And you -- yes you -- have a shot at the crown. Today we received an email today from the pageant's organizers, who are pleading for contestants. The original deadline was March 17 for the talent auditions and interviews, but they apparently haven't had much luck finding any willing takers. It......

>>It's 5:00 and already time to set our Snowpocalypse meters to "high." Some schools are closing early with the mere mention of precipitation. [NBC] >> In reality, this whole event looks like a dud to us. NWS has moved the winter weather advisory up to end at 5 a.m. tomorrow and place accumulation of 1 inch as an outside chance at the best. All we can really expect at this point is a "light wintry......

It isn't easy being the District. While we District residents pride ourselves on living in a city that is diverse and dynamic, the rest of the country tends to lump us together with the federal government that shares our geographic space. Call it guilt by association -- Congress wastes money and the president lies, and suddenly everyone who lives within the city limits has something to do with federal excesses and excuses. This couldn't be......

By DCist contributor Amy Monroe How do you know what’s naughty or nice -- in wine, that is? After much swirling and sipping, DCist offers up the following options for all the wine enthusiasts on your holiday gift list. Each selection is truly one of our taste-tested favorites. And if after trying anything listed below you disagree, don’t write. Just bring us the remainder of the unfinished bottle and we’ll happily toast you before we......

Monday >> Milwaukee-based indie pop quartet Maritime will be bringing their brand of sweet melodies to the Rock and Roll Hotel accompanied by the Swervedriver-inspired rock of Kansas City's The Life and Times. We rarely get to make a Swervedriver reference, so enjoy it while you can. 8 p.m. >> Drive-By Truckers' frontman Patterson Hood drops by the area for a show at the Birchmere in Alexandria. If you're not familiar with the live stylings......

Midnight madness has come and gone, and area NCAA men's cagers are back at it. Georgetown looks to be the area's top team this year, starting the season ranked in the top 10, while Mason hopes to keep up the momentum from their Final Four run, GW tries to make their third straight NCAA tourney after losing 4 key players, Maryland hopes not to make a third straight NIT, and the rest hope to compete......

No matter how good you are, you're always at the mercy of the sound system. Two very good bands, The Joggers and Georgie James worked a capacity crowd at the Black Cat backstage last night. Unfortunately both performances suffered from technical difficulties and, in the case of the Joggers, a bonus hangover. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the Joggers make a broken bottleneck meets deliverance kind of rock. In 2003, the band released their debut LP,......

We're always one to celebrate when the District is good at something. But today's news is bittersweet. We're really good, it seems, at having really bad air, or so reports the Washington Times. According to an updated EPA report, air quality in the District is the fourth worst in the country, ranking behind New York, California and Oregon based on tests for 177 air toxins, including lead and benzene. We can try and take solace......

The District has an official flower (American Beauty Rose), tree (Scarlet Oak), and bird (Wood Thrush). But oversight of oversights, we don't have an official fruit. WJLA is reporting that the D.C. Council will consider a measure tomorrow to name an official fruit for the District, placing us alongside 26 other states with similar designations. Word has it that local elementary school students pointed out the omission to members of the council, who, recognizing future......

Rogue If You Want To, Rogue Around the World Rogue is one of DCist's favorite breweries. Growing up in the part of the country where Rogue is brewed, taking jet boat rides in the brew's namesake river, and searching for agates along the beach where the river meets the Pacific endears the beer to this DCist even more. This is why we're psyched to learn that Tallula is pairing six of the Oregon beers with......

Eat it, Delaware. It may only be for one week, but District officials have found a way to remind our coastal neighbor to the northeast who's boss -- tax-free shopping. The District has proudly announced that the usual 5.75 percent sales tax will be waived on all items under $100 from August 6-14. Though the initiative is supposed to benefit parents who get an early start on back to school shopping (is summer really almost......

In national news with local relevance, the Supreme Court ruled today that the federal government has the power to prosecute medical users of marijuana, even in states who have passed laws allowing the use of the drug under certain circumstances. Eleven states currently allow the use of marijuana if prescribed by a doctor -- among those Montana, Oregon, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii and five others -- a state of affairs that the 9th U.S. Circuit......

District drivers, this DCist included, often claim that drivers from Maryland and Virginia are responsible for the city's traffic woes. All too often a D.C. driver stuck behind someone driving too slowly or not willing to run a yellow light will look for clues in the offenders license plate -- anything bearing the words "Virginia" or "Maryland" will provoke an irate "Well they just don't know how to drive in the city!" Is there something......

Coyotes, which have been spotted in the northern reaches of the District in Rock Creek Park near Oregon Avenue have migrated past Klingle Road, past the National Zoo, past Adams Morgan and now have been spotted near Massachusetts Avenue. This map from RestonPaths.com gives you a good sense as to the area where coyotes have been exploring. The Post's headline on the matter, "Coyote Sightings in Park Spread Toward Embassies," indicates that coyotes could threaten......

A federal contractor was taken to the hospital yesterday with non-life threatening stab wounds after some sort of confrontation with another employee. The USDA complex at Independence Avenue and 14th Street SW was put on lockdown as the situation was brought under control. But the details behind the stabbing are still quite sketchy, the Post reports. Like many federal departments and agencies, security at Agriculture is farmed out to private security contractors, but is overseen......

Warning to Dog Walkers: Coyotes have been spotted in the northern part of Rock Creek Park near Oregon Avenue. The Post notes that a few dogs have been thought to have been attacked by coyotes. The Post interviewed Kathi Kolbe, whose two King Charles spaniels were the victims of a "brutal and gruesome" attack in August when she let them run off-leash. She noted that when she heard her dogs scream in agony, that she......

Grab your electoral maps political junkies and keep tabs on when each state will be called. We've compiled a list of when each state closes its polls. For more detailed info, check here. 6 p.m. EST. Polls close in Kentucky and Indiana. 7 p.m. EST. Polls close in Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. 7:30 p.m. EST. Polls close in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia. 8 p.m. EST. Polls close......

We came across this image from some sort of University of Oregon research page on urban heat islands. While a political pundit may try to say that Congress or the White House is full of hot air, it may in fact be the Pentagon. Examining this undated map, here are some locations in near the center of the city that produce a lot of heat. - the Pentagon - Department of Agriculture - Department of......