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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 12 March 2022
Cherry Blossom Festival marks DC’s pandemic comeback

By ASHRAF KHALIL 1912 gift of 3,000 Japanese
Associated Press cherry trees from the mayor
WASHINGTON (AP) — The of Tokyo. Japan’s govern-
National Cherry Blossom ment remains heavily in-
Festival is returning with all volved in the festival and
its pageantry, hailed as regularly replaces about 90
Washington’s unofficial re- trees per year.
emergence from two years At the event announcing
of pandemic limits and clo- this year’s festival schedule,
sures. Ryo Kuroishi, public affairs
“This year, more than ever, counselor for the Japanese
you really understand why Embassy, joked that, “It
the festival is so important,” feels a little strange to have
said Festival President Di- all these people right in
ana Mayhew. “We recog- front of me instead of little
nize that it’s more than just Zoom squares.”
a festival. It’s about spring Festival president Mayhew
and renewal and a sense said this year’s events will
of new beginnings.” incorporate a hybrid of the
This year’s cherry blossom traditional and pandemic
trees will reach peak bloom innovations that were de-
between March 22 and 25, veloped over the past two
according to National Park years for those who are still
Service estimates. The fes- On an unusually warm March day the Cherry Blossom Trees buds frame the Washington Monument, leery of attending large
tival kicks off with a March Monday, March 7, 2022, along the tidal basin in Washington. Associated Press public gatherings or flying
20 opening ceremony and in for the event.
runs through April 17, with happened in 2017, when the face of spring for the spent the month frantically Activities like Petal Porch-
concerts and other events, a late frost killed about half nation. Let me say, without coming up with safe long- es — where residents are
including a big parade on the blossoms. equivocation, that D.C. is distance ways for residents encouraged to decorate
Saturday April 9. But Litterst said, “They’re still open!” and visitors to enjoy the an- their own porches in cherry
The weather isn’t exactly tightly in their buds. The ar- A similar event two years nual rite of spring, include a blossom themes and post
cooperating at the mo- mor of the buds is protect- ago was dominated by live Bloom Cam and virtual the pictures online — will be
ment. Snow and freez- ing the blossoms. Another questions about whether video tours. continued. And the popu-
ing rain are expected week or so down the road, the festival would happen Local officials resorted to lar Bloom Cam will be back.
this weekend. But that if this were to happen, at all in the face of the closing down streets and The March 26 kite flying fes-
shouldn’t hurt develop- we’d have some major steadily advancing COV- shutting Metro stations in tival on the grounds of the
ment of the trees, said Mike concerns. I think we’ll be ID-19 virus. order to keep crowds from Washington Monument will
Litterst, Park Service spokes- OK this time.” Sure enough, within days, gathering at the Tidal Ba- take place as usual, but
man for the National Mall. During a recent even an- Bowser declared a pub- sin to observe the pinkish residents will also be en-
Temperatures below 27 nouncing this year’s plans, lic health emergency and blooms. couraged to hold their own
degrees can damage the D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser banned all mass gather- This year marks the 110th smaller kite flying events in
blooms — something that said, “We want D.C. to be ings. Festival organizers anniversary of the original featured area parks.q

Judge: Trump delays on rape accuser’s

claims in ‘bad faith’

U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Habba, responded to a credibility and motivations.
Kaplan said. message seeking com- Judge Kaplan wrote of
In a written ruling dated ment with an email saying, litigation delays, say-
Thursday but publicly filed “While we are disappoint- ing Trump “attempted to
Friday, Kaplan cited delays ed with the Court’s deci- evade” delivery of a copy
caused by Trump’s legal sion today, we eagerly look of the lawsuit to his Man-
tactics as he rejected the forward to litigating this hattan residence or at the
former president’s attempt action and proving at trial White House after it was
to countersue Carroll un- that the plaintiff’s claims originally filed in New York
der a law sometimes used have absolutely no basis in state court in November
to challenge defamation law or in fact.” 2019. It was later moved to
lawsuits that unfairly make Roberta Kaplan, a law- federal court.
E. Jean Carroll listen as she meets with reporters outside a claims. yer for Carroll, said of the Trump then used “frivolous”
courthouse in New York, on March 4, 2020.
Associated Press A countersuit could have judge’s decision: “My client legal challenges to de-
been filed 14 months ago, E. Jean Carroll and I could lay progress of the lawsuit,
By LARRY NEUMEISTER ing, a judge said in a deci- Kaplan wrote. not agree more.” the judge wrote, includ-
Associated Press sion released Friday as he “The record convinces this Carroll, a longtime advice ing claiming that the state
NEW YORK (AP) — Former rejected an attempt by Court that the defendant’s columnist for Elle maga- court lacked jurisdiction
President Donald Trump’s Trump to countersue. litigation tactics, whatever zine, wrote in a June 2019 over him and that the law-
legal moves aimed at de- E. Jean Carroll’s single their intent, have delayed book that Trump raped her suit could not proceed until
laying a rape accuser’s claim of defamation the case to an extent that in the mid-1990s in an up- an appeal in another wom-
defamation claims from “could have been tried readily could have been scale Manhattan depart- an’s lawsuit alleging sexual
reaching trial are in bad and decided — one way far less,” the judge wrote. ment store. Trump denied misconduct by Trump was
faith and, so far, succeed- or the other — long ago,” Trump’s attorney, Alina it and questioned Carroll’s resolved.q