Sad news from WAMU today with the announcement that the public radio station's longtime bluegrass DJ, Jerry Gray, died Thursday at his home in Virginia. In an obituary, the City Paper reports that Gray, whose real name was Gerald Poulsen, died of complications from a heart transplant operation he underwent in 1989. He was 78. more ›

WAMU insists that McPherson Square be pronounced Mc-fur-son. We delve way too deeply into why that's a mistake. more ›

Sometimes we like to give the folks over at WAMU a little friendly stick, but let's be honest: it's a very rare day when we aren't given a shot in the arm via the fine programming that comes out of Tenleytown. more ›

It's that time again! WAMU, home to many a local broadcasting treasure, is again asking its listeners for cash. As we did last time around, we thought we'd grade the crop of gifts offered to particularly generous donators. more ›

UPDATE: NPR spokesperson Anna Christopher Bross contacted us this afternoon to clarify that NPR did not have a direct role in any decision to remove Simeone from the hosting duties of Soundprint. more ›

On "The Kojo Nnamdi Show" this afternoon, Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) defended the D.C. Council's decision to meet privately yesterday, while at the same time laying out her vision for ethics reform and criticizing a colleague facing legal troubles. more ›

A banner panel on The Kojo Nnamdi Show (@kojoshow) this afternoon, including DCist senior editor Martin Austermuhle. more ›

The District's NPR outlet, WAMU, is currently asking its listeners for money -- and given the frequency with which the station uses its airwaves to solicit donations, you may be considering tossing some cash their way. While helping to keep hard-working reporters at work and Diane Rehm's voice on the Washington airwaves is arguably its own reward, we were curious about this year's gifts -- you know, the knicknacks that the station hands out. Do they stand up next to the PBS golf umbrella, the unanimous champion of the pledge drive giveaway? Let's find out! more ›

I'm here, live from the Newseum, for what may be the final mayoral debate before the September 14 Democratic primary. Co-hosted by the Washington Post, NBC4 and WAMU 88.5 FM, the debate is a one-on-one match-up between Mayor Adrian Fenty and D.C. Council Chair Vince Gray. The Post's Eugene Robinson will moderate, while the Post's Nikita Stewart, NBC 4's Tom Sherwood and WAMU's Patrick Madden will pose questions to the candidates. If my live-blogging isn't exciting enough, you can stream the debate live here; it will also be re-broadcast on WAMU later today, and on NBC4 tomorrow at noon. more ›

As promised, real estate mogul Don Peebles appeared on The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi this afternoon, but he declined to make an announcement on whether or not he will enter the 2010 mayoral race. more ›

Between the DCPS contract and ensuing is there or isn't there a surplus drama, the long-awaited testimony of Sinclair Skinner, the resurrection of the D.C. voting rights bill, and the mayoral campaign shifting into high gear, it's been a busy week for local politics. So busy, in fact, that one man who may yet still be about to step into the 2010 election fray has been almost forgotten: R. Donahue Peebles. more ›

Our intrepid Editor-in-Chief, Sommer Mathis, is making her way from DCist HQ up to Tenleytown right now to sit down with Kojo Nnamdi at noon today. They'll discuss the "digging out" efforts going on around town to recover from the weekend's snow dump and how to prepare for the additional five inches we'll be getting Tuesday. She'll be joined by DDOT Director Gabe Klein, Pepco President Thomas Graham, and Isiah Leggett from Montgomery County. Tune into 88.5 FM or listen online. more ›

No commentary needed. more ›

Tune in to WAMU 88.5 FM (or listen online) today and catch DCist Editor-in-Chief Sommer Mathis as a guest on The Kojo Nnamdi Show. Sommer will bring you her expertise on everything to do this weekend in and around D.C. for those souls sticking around for the holiday. Her segment begins around 12:30 p.m. more ›

WAMU's Diane Rehm wasn't behind the microphone for her regular 2-hour Friday slot of The Diane Rehm Show today, because she was reportedly injured in one of those bizarre accidents that seem like only happen on TV sitcoms. Filling in for the host, Susan Page of USA Today reported that Rehm was running across the street on Thursday when her heel got caught in the leg of her pants. As a result, Rehm tripped, and she managed to break her pelvis during the fall. Talk about bad luck. She'll now be out for at least a few weeks while she recuperates. We wish her a speedy recovery. more ›

For those of you who weren't able to tune in to The Politics Hour on WAMU earlier (you can download the audio if you'd still like to listen), you missed House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in his first appearance ever on the program. Hoyer called in half way through the show to discuss the most recent developments on the D.C. House Voting Rights act, expressing his regret that he couldn't get the bill scheduled for a vote next week. more ›

Tune to 88.5 WAMU at noon today to hear DCist Editor-in-Chief Sommer Mathis, who will appear alongside NBC4's Tom Sherwood on The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi. They'll be discussing the current state of the D.C. voting rights movement, the decision to let bars serve alcohol until 5 a.m. during the inauguration, and much more! more ›

Regular D.C. area Morning Edition listeners will soon have a new local host at WAMU. Bill Redlin, who has hosted the program for WAMU since 1985, announced today on the air (through a scratchy voice that sounded like he has a cold) that he will move to middays, while regular substitute Matt McCleskey will take the reins of the morning slot. more ›

Fishbowl DC reports that Jonetta Rose Barras, longtime political analyst for WAMU's Friday program, The Politics Hour With Kojo and Jonetta, is leaving the show. City Desk has more, citing differences between Barras and WAMU Program Director Mark McDonald and calling the move a firing. Barras told the Washington City Paper that she felt there was a large disparity in her salary, especially since the program expanded its coverage in January to include Maryland and Virginia (that's when the "D.C." was dropped from the show's title). more ›