Photo by JeffreyBo

Good morning, Washington. The sun is shining, spring is in the air, and to top it all off, today’s the day when National Park Service Chief Horticulturist Rob DeFeo is expected to make his prediction about this year’s peak cherry blossom bloom. DeFeo will announce the specific dates at 10 a.m. this morning, but in the meantime, the Post has a little preview, which notes that thanks to this winter’s extra wallop, Washington’s famous blossoms will likely turn up a little later this year. The National Cherry Blossom Festival has been set for March 27 through April 11, and most people seem to think DeFeo’s going to predict peak bloom will start toward the end of that period. Stay tuned.

Conservatives Are Bummed Out About D.C. Gay Marriage: The Washington Times covers yesterday’s start of legal same-sex marriages from the conservative point of view, and amusingly, Congressional Republicans who care about this stuff are pointing fingers at each other. Utah’s Rep. Jason Chaffetz called his own party’s efforts to halt the law “weak and uncoordinated.” ‘Mr. Chaffetz, a member of a House subcommittee that oversees the District’s operations, was congressional Republicans’ de facto spokesman on attempts to overturn the law. He said that the D.C. Defense of Marriage Act (H.R. 2608), which was introduced in May after the D.C. Council voted to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere, should have received more than 63 co-sponsors. “It’s a little disappointing,” he added, “that more wasn’t done.”‘

EMS Response Under Review After Death of Toddler: A 2-year-old D.C. girl who was having breathing problems died last month after being treated by EMTs, and now the case in under review by D.C. Fire/EMS, the Post reports. “Emergency responders went to the 800 block of Southern Avenue SE shortly before 5 a.m. on Feb. 10, department spokesman Pete Piringer said. Paramedics arrived minutes later, and the toddler was evaluated but not taken to a hospital, Piringer said. About nine hours later, a 911 call was received from the same address for a child with breathing problems. The child was taken to Children’s National Medical Center, where she died the next day.”

Briefly Noted: Eight more employees fired from Washington Hospital Center for failing to show during the blizzard … John Kelly digs into this winter’s dog poo problem … In addition to deferments, one H Street developer is getting a $5 million tax break from the D.C. Council … Total same-sex marriage license applications on Wednesday: about 150.

This Day in DCist: In 2009, the National Rifle Association had managed to derail a vote in the House on D.C. voting rights, and in 2008, we were already talking about the possibility of dedicated bus lanes on K Street.