Washington, D.C
DC restaurants, chefs named James Beard finalists; see the list
Restaurants of the Year celebrates standout dining across US for 2026
USA TODAY’s Restaurants of the Year spotlights top dining destinations across America for 2026, from roadside gems to chef-driven hotspots. See the list Feb. 11.
Several restaurants and chefs in Washington DC were named finalists for the coveted James Beard Awards, given annually to the top names shaping the nation’s dining scene.
Finalists were announced Tuesday, March 31, with winners to be revealed June 15 at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony in Chicago.
Here’s which DMV restaurants are in the running for awards.
James Beard Best New Restaurant
Maison Bar à Vins, a French-inspired wine bar that opened in September, is one of 10 destinations up for Best New Restaurant.
“This recognition belongs to every single person who pours themselves into this place: the chefs who obsess over every detail before a plate ever leaves the kitchen, the front of house who make every guest feel like they’re coming home, and the dishwashers, prep cooks, and managers who hold it all together behind the scenes,” the restaurant said in a social media post. “Maison isn’t a concept. It’s a feeling, and that feeling is built by people.”
Maison Bar à Vins, located in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of DC, is “more than a great wine bar,” according to a Washington Post review, which referred to the restaurant “dazzling dinner destination.”
James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Susan Bae, executive pastry chef and partner of Moon Rabbit in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of DC, is up for the title of Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker for the third straight year.
Bae was named North America’s Best Pastry Chef in a separate award last year.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have her leading our pastry program at Moon Rabbit—this recognition is so well deserved,” the restaurant said in an Instagram post. “Honored, grateful, and cheering her on every step of the way.”
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
Brent Kroll, owner of the Maxwell Park wine bar in DC, is one of five finalists for the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service award.
Park, who opened the Shaw District business in 2017, was blown away by the honor.
“At a loss for words this morning, with extreme gratitude,” he said in an Instagram Story. “Nine years into doing what I love at @maxwellpark_shaw. I never expected something like this to happen.”
James Beard Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Tapori chef Suresh Sundas was named one of five finalists for Best Mid-Atlantic Chef after opening the H Street restaurant in 2025.
Tapori was named by Eater as one of the 15 Best New Restaurants in America, and Sundas’s honor is a testament to his tenacious work, the restaurant said.
“We are proud of him in a way that is hard to put into words. What he carries from his mother’s kitchen, what he has built here, what he is building for the next generation of cooks who come from somewhere people didn’t expect them to come from — that is the work,” Tapori said on Instagram. “The nomination is just proof that other people see it too.”
James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award
The James Beard Awards announced California chef Nancy Silverton — who opened Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza in Washington DC in 2024 — has won its coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.
A 2014 James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Chef and 1991 winner for Pastry Chef of the Year, Silverton has “mentored countless chefs, bakers, and restaurateurs” during her career spanning more than four decades, according to the James Beard Foundation.
“Of all the ways the @beardfoundation has generously honored me over the years (decades!), the lifetime achievement award means the most because I have not lived this professional life alone. So far from it,” she said on Instagram. “I cannot wait to share this moment with the hundreds of chefs, servers, managers, dishwashers, valet attendants, and everyone who’s clocked in with me for the last 45 years.” Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners. It’s an honor to continue to cook beside you.”
Washington, D.C
How to find towed car in DC; What to do if the city tows my car
Trump declares victory on crime in Washington, DC, residents protest
President Donald Trump said troops were “going to stay here awhile” when he visited law enforcement officials in the capital.
Few moments are more jarring for drivers than returning to an empty parking spot — only to realize their car may have been towed.
In Washington DC, strict parking rules and frequent enforcement mean it’s a situation many drivers know all too well.
Here’s what to know — and what to do next — if the city has towed your car in DC.
How can you find your towed vehicle in Washington DC?
If you believe your vehicle has been towed, you should call DC’s Towing Control Dispatch Center at 202-541-6083. You can also contact them via email at dpw@dc.gov.
“If it has been towed, (Department of Public Works) staff will be able to tell you where your vehicle is located,” officials said.
Impound lots are located at 5001 Shepherd Parkway SW and 2115 Bryant St. NE. Both locations are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
There is a $100 fee to retrieve your towed vehicle, plus $20 per day if it is not retrieved after 24 hours. Until those fees are paid, owners may only remove essential items such as cash, a checkbook, a driver’s license, perishable goods, medication and tools needed for work.
Car owners should be prepared to bring proof of ownership and a valid driver’s license.
“A vehicle may be towed by DPW or the Metropolitan Police Department if it is parked so as to create a traffic or safety hazard,” the Department of Motor Vehicles said.
Impounded vehicles that are unclaimed after 28 days following notification are sold through a public auction or scrapped.
Washington, D.C
Lawton veteran returns from Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight to Washington
LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – A Lawton veteran returned home after visiting Washington, D.C., as part of the Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight.
Dr. Don Sullivan, a Cold War and Vietnam veteran, was chosen for the honor flight and said the experience “turned out to be wonderful.”
Sullivan was stationed in the D.C. area years ago and had seen the memorials before, but this visit was different.
“It gives you the opportunity to see things, even if you’ve been there before, gives you the opportunity to see things in a different light,” Sullivan said.
One-day tour of memorials
During the one-day trip to Washington, Sullivan and 66 other veterans visited the major war memorials, key national monuments and attended the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.
“The memorials are wonderful. They’re just awesome and to see all of them in one day, it truly is overwhelming,” Sullivan said.
For this April Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, his son accompanied him as his guardian.
“I didn’t particularly need a guardian, but I wanted him to have the experience,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan served with the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam.
“I served in what was called MAC-V, the military assistance command Vietnam. All of my team survived,” Sullivan said.
Emotional visit to the wall
Though he had seen the wall before, the impact was just as vast.
“I never failed to tear up,” Sullivan said. “Though I know not a name on there, you cannot go to the Vietnam memorial and not become emotional or even thinking of it, you know.”
There was one memorial he had not been to: the Military Women’s Memorial.
“If they want to be hugged, they have a hug from me because I know what they went through, and I was pleased to see that memorial, which does depict a nurse tending to a soldier,” Sullivan said.
The trip made him appreciate the support Oklahoma shows for its veterans.
“One thing that I really got out of this is how fortunate we are here as veterans to be living in Lawton, Oklahoma and to be in Oklahoma,” Sullivan said. “In Lawton, you walk through the park you see memorials.”
Welcome home
When he got off the flight after the day-long tour, he received the welcome home he and other Vietnam veterans deserved decades ago.
“Whooping and hollering and clapping and saying thank you thank you thank you. For some of us who came home from Vietnam to San Francisco or whatever, and literally were just ignored and denigrated, that was a terrific homecoming experience,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said he looks forward to seeing the Gulf War Memorial that is currently under construction in Washington.
The Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight is every October and April. All veterans are eligible to apply. Selection priority is given to those who have served in previous conflicts and those who are terminally ill.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Washington, D.C
City of Kingman Officials Advocate Local Priorities in Washington DC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2026
City of Kingman Officials Travel to Washington D.C. to Advocate for Local Priorities
Kingman, AZ – Mayor Ken Watkins, Vice Mayor Cherish Sammeli, City Manager Tim Walsh, and Assistant City Manager Tina Moline recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress and federal agency officials to advocate for key City of Kingman priorities. Discussions focused on advancing the proposed release of land at the Kingman Airport to support future industrial development, as well as securing federal funding for critical capital improvement projects such as water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
During the visit, the city delegation met with the offices of U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, and U.S. Representatives Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, and Greg Stanton.
A central focus of the trip was the City’s request for the release of land at the Kingman Airport. While the City owns the land, it comes with federal deed restrictions that limit its use to airport-related purposes. In order to use the land for industrial or commercial development, the City must receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to release those restrictions. This step is essential to making the land available for future development that could support job creation and long-term economic growth in the region.
To further these discussions, the delegation met directly with FAA Deputy Associate Administrator for Airports Jess Sypniewski to review the land release request and next steps in the process. Discussions also included congressionally directed spending requests for specific Kingman projects, including upgrades to water service lines throughout the City. This process allows members of Congress to request federal funding in the budget for clearly defined local projects that address community needs.
City Manager Tim Walsh described the visit as a valuable opportunity to continue moving key priorities forward.
“These conversations are important in making sure Kingman’s needs are clearly understood at the federal level,” said Walsh. “From the airport land release to infrastructure funding, we are focused on positioning our community for responsible growth and future opportunity.”
The City of Kingman will continue working closely with federal agencies and Congressional representatives to advocate for projects and investments that support the community’s future.
About Kingman
Founded in 1882 and incorporated in 1952, Kingman is the county seat of Mohave County located in northwest Arizona along Interstate 40, U.S. 93, and the historically famous Route 66. The city’s population is 32,689, and approximately 60,000 including neighboring communities. Kingman is a general law city that operates under a council/city manager form of government with a mayor and six councilmembers elected at large. City government provides a wide range of municipal services that include administration, development services, engineering, public works, parks and recreation, water, sewer and sanitation services, and fire and police.
-
Health4 minutes agoRiley Gaines shares 5 wellness tips she swears by as a new mom: ‘Really powerful’
-
Sports10 minutes agoChiefs and Browns make first trade of 2026 draft and both eventually fill needs
-
Technology16 minutes agoHow Florida retiree lost $200K in fake PayPal refund scam
-
Business22 minutes agoSenate committee kills bill mandating insurance coverage for wildfire safe homes
-
Entertainment28 minutes agoFormer Live Nation executive says he was fired after raising ‘financial misconduct’ concerns
-
Lifestyle34 minutes agoThey set out to elevate karaoke in L.A. — and opened a glamorous lounge that pulls out all the stops
-
Politics40 minutes agoHouse Oversight chair says some members support a Ghislaine Maxwell pardon
-
Sports52 minutes agoDefending champion UCLA women’s basketball lands top transfer, continues roster overhaul