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The Smithsonian's museums and zoo are now closed due to the government shut down. Tours of historic Washington, D.C. sites have been suspended and the National Gallery of Art is also closed.

Catch this award-winning guitarist, singer-songwriter, Roni Lee, a true rock trailblazer, live for a night of raw power, rebellious spirit, and high-octane music. From the wild glam and punk scenes of the '70s to today’s rock stages around the world, Roni Lee has been breaking barriers for over 40 years. She got her start at just 17 as lead guitarist in the cult punk band Venus and the Razorblades, and soon after co-wrote gold records with The Runaways, including the iconic “I Want To Be Where The Boys Are.” Her career has spanned writing, performing, producing, and inspiring a new generation of female guitarists—all while sharing stages with legends like Van Halen and The Ramones. Drawing from influences like Jeff Beck, Suzi Quatro, and Blondie, Roni’s sound blends classic and pop rock with unapologetic grit and flair. Now fronting her own solo project, Roni brings decades of rock history and fearless energy to the stage. With her signature edge and a catalog of hits and new releases, this is more than a concert—it’s a celebration of rock’s untamed spirit. Opening for Roni, teen rockers Sugar Fix bring their high-energy sound and fearless attitude to the stage! Don’t miss this powerhouse pairing of rising talent and rock royalty. Roni Lee on Facebook / Instagram

Enjoy a beautiful summer evening at San Diego Botanic Garden during Summer Nights every Thursday in July featuring live music and extended hours. This week, join Billy Lee and the Gulf Coasters for an evening of lively music! These longtime local favorites are known for their “gumbo jazz” and “vintage swing” music, entertaining audiences around the world. This high-energy show is perfect for all ages, so bring your friends and family to enjoy a fun night of dancing and music! A bar with craft beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and light snacks will be available each night. Guests are also welcome to bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks. Pack a picnic, get cozy, and make the most of your evening in the Garden! Tickets for Summer Nights can be purchased online and include after-hours admission to the Garden, with last admission at 6:45 p.m. Visit: Gumbo Jazz Night with Billy Lee and the Gulf Coasters at San Diego Botanic Garden San Diego Botanic Garden on Instagram and Facebook

Scientists are increasingly concerned that the planet is headed for massive, irreversible changes due to global warming. In some cases, those changes have already begun.

Superstar cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia returns to open our season with a dreamy duo program of French sonatas, unique transcriptions, and Stravinsky’s "Suite Italienne" (adapted from his ballet "Pulcinella"). Cañón-Valencia is a BBC Next Generation Artist and Tchaikovsky Competition silver medalist; his skill is hailed by The Strad as “technically flawless … totally under the skin of the composers’ idioms.” Program: Henri Duparc (1848–1933) - Lamento from "Melodies" Claude Debussy (1862–1918) - Cello Sonata Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) - “Posthume” Sonata Francis Poulenc (1899–1963) - "Suite Française" - "Pause" - "Ravel" - "Pavane pour une infante défunte" - "Pièce en forme de Habanera" Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) - "Suite Italienne" Colombian cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia is a prolific soloist, composer, commissioner, recording artist, painter, and photographer. A 2022 BBC New Generation Artist, he was born in Bogotá in 1995 and made his debut with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá at age six before going on to win the Silver Medal at the 2019 XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition, the 2018 Starker Foundation Award, third prize at the 2017 Queen Elisabeth International Competition, and first prize at the Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition, among many other accolades. During the 2025–2026 season, Cañón-Valencia takes on an international schedule, including solo recitals in Spain and Portugal, a performance with the Macedonian Philharmonic, and a seat on the jury for the Budapest International Cello Competition. In the United States, he performs with the Kansas City Symphony, Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, and Camerata Pacifica. He also appears in recitals with pianist Victor Asuncion at Stanford and in La Jolla. His Latin American schedule takes him to the Puerto Rico Symphony, the Festival de Música de Morelia in Mexico, and the Cartagena Music Festival in Colombia. Cañón-Valencia’s solo career has taken him worldwide, with multiple world and regional premieres. In 2025–2026, he premieres Amparo Angel’s Cello Concerto at the Morelia Festival in Mexico. Previously, he performed World premieres, including Carlos Andrés Mejía’s cello concerto “Aurora” at Colombia’s Pereira Music Fest, Jorge Pinzón’s cello concerto “Rapsodia a los 4 Elementos” at the Cartagena International Music Festival, and Carlos Izcaray's commissioned cello concerto Stringmaster with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. In 2024, Cañón-Valencia released his debut single on Deutsche Grammophon, a recording of Arvo Pärt’s Fratres with pianist Naoko Sonoda. Two additional singles will follow. He has recorded four additional complete albums, the most recent being "Ascenso on Sono Luminus" (2022). Cañón-Valencia has been sponsored by the Mayra & Edmundo Esquenazi Scholarship through the Salvi Foundation since 2011. Learn more at www.santiagocanonvalencia.com. Hailed by the Washington Post for his “poised and imaginative playing,” Filipino American pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion has appeared in concert halls in Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain, Turkey, and the United States as a recitalist and concerto soloist. He made his orchestral debut at age 18 with the Manila Chamber Orchestra and his New York recital debut in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in 1999. In addition, he has worked with conductors including Sergio Esmilla, Enrique Batiz, Mei Ann Chen, Zeev Dorman, Arthur Weisberg, Corrick Brown, David Loebel, Leon Fleisher, Michael Stern, Jordan Tang, and Bobby McFerrin. A chamber music enthusiast, he has performed with artists such as Lynn Harrell, Zuill Bailey, Andres Diaz, James Dunham, Antonio Meneses, Joshua Roman, Cho-Liang Lin, Giora Schmidt, and the Dover, Emerson, Serafin, Sao Paulo, and Vega String Quartets. He was a member of the chamber music faculty of the Aspen Music Festival, and the Garth Newel Summer Music Festival. He was also the pianist for the Garth Newel Piano Quartet for three seasons. Festival appearances include the Amelia Island, Highland-Cashiers, Music in the Vineyards, and Santa Fe. His recordings include the complete Beethoven Sonatas with cellist Tobias Werner, Sonatas by Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff with cellist Joseph Johnson, the Rachmaninoff Sonata with cellist Evan Drachman, and the Chopin and Grieg Sonatas, also with cellist Evan Drachman. He is featured on the award-winning recording "Songs My Father Taught Me" with Lynn Harrell, produced by Louise Frank and WFMT-Chicago. Asuncion is the founder and artistic and board director of FilAm Music Foundation, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to promoting Filipino classical musicians through scholarship and performance. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts in 2007 from the University of Maryland at College Park under the tutelage of Rita Sloan. He is a Steinway artist. All concerts are preceded by a pre-concert talk at 6:45 p.m. and are followed by a reception with the artists in the Sharon & Joel Labovitz Entry Hall. Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on Facebook / Instagram

President Trump and several others now high up in his second administration have been talking about using the National Guard to help with mass deportations — and possibly invoking the Insurrection Act — for years. Now, those plans might be playing out.

Water treatment workers are grappling with how to protect against a new threat: hackers burrowing into the system and wreaking havoc.

Chess Jakobs' new play "The American Five" tells the story of how Martin Luther King Jr. and his closest allies planned the March on Washington. NPR speaks with Jakobs and Ro Boddie, who plays King.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention will scrutinize the childhood vaccine schedule and may start to upend it.

The proposal before the council is to increase water rates by 63% through 2029 and wastewater rates by 31% in the same period.