WJLA brings us positive news today in the fight for District voting rights — D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams has announced that three groups will receive grants to launch outreach campaigns for voting representation for the city in Congress. D.C. Vote is set to receive $500,000, Our Nation’s Capital some $300,000, and the League of Women Voters $200,000. The city is forbidden by law from using taxpayer funds to directly lobby Congress for voting rights, so this is the next best thing. As we reported recently, statehood for D.C. may not be a popular proposition nationwide, but the more the American people hear of our second class status, the more they support full voting representation and budget autonomy.

Two Students Shot Outside School: Two high school students were shot yesterday outside Roosevelt Senior High School in Northwest Washington, sending one to the hospital, reports the Post. Shots were fired at 9:15 a.m., hitting a 19-year-old student who was sent to the hospital and grazing an 18-year-old student who was treated by the school nurse. Police are searching for a gray or silver Cadillac in relation to the incident.

Cheney to Throw First Pitch at Nats Game: Vice President Dick Cheney is set to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ home opener on April 11, writes NBC 4. He’ll probably hit a fan in the face, refuse to talk about it for a week and then retire to the safety of a Fox News studio to call it “the worst day of his life.” Yes, we had to go there.

School Closings Set for June: District school officials yesterday stated that by the end of June they would know exactly which schools they would be closing or consolidating, part of a citywide plan to trim 1 million square feet of excess space in the school system, notes the Post. The closing of certain schools has been promoted as a way to save money on salaries, utilities and maintenance associated with school buildings, but some opponents fear that the move will not allow affected schools to prepare for the upcoming academic year.

Briefly Noted: MS-13 members arrested in Maryland … Anacostia economic development forum attracts heavyweights … Terrapins to attend ceremony at White House … Food Lion goes upscale.

This Day in DCist: On this day last year there was still plenty to bitch about on the Nationals, we savored our homemade huevos rancheros and we pimped an online tool to find indie coffee shops.

Picture snapped by maxedaperture.