With the 16-day National Cherry Blossom Festival set to kick off tomorrow, the National Park Service is reporting that the economic recession may well increase visits to the Tidal Basin and the festival’s many events. The Post writes that park service officials have seen an increase in visits to their website and that almost all of the close to 9,000 $17 bleacher seats for the April 4 parade have sold out.

Metro to Hold Hearings on Service Cuts: The cherry blossoms might be recession-proof, but Metro isn’t. The Examiner writes that the transit agency has agreed to host a number of public hearings to discuss service cuts, primarily in Prince George’s County, to help close a budget gap. Up to 40 bus lines around the region are likely to be affected, while fare increases have all but been taken off the table.

Virginia Dems Agree to Five Debates: The Washington Times reports that the three Democratic candidates for Virginia’s governorship have agreed to participate in five public debates leading up to the June primary. The hotly contested race has already drawn national attention as Democrats seek to keep Virginia a shade of blue, continuing what has been a troubling trend for Republicans in the Old Dominion. Former Bill Clinton confidante Terry McAuliffe is vying for the seat, as is State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds and former State Del. Brian Moran.

Briefly Noted: PG County to close eight schools … Odd deal to see D.C. firetruck and ambulance sent to the Dominican Republic … Two dead in Maryland stabbing … Virginia teens serve as gang recruiters.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2008, we saw the Arlington Cinema ‘n’ Drafthouse expand to Maryland. (Sadly, it’s didn’t last long.) In 2007, the District paid $150,000 to develop a new catch-phrase and we verified what has long been known — the Inn at Little Washington rules.

Picture snapped by gbubbles