Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner: Most of the D.C.-based national media, as well as some D.C.-based national political operatives, elected officials, and other folks who are in charge of the country, will spend the weekend gussying up for the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton. Having attended this event a few times, we can confirm that it is just as gross as critics say it is. The good news: For most of us, it will be very easy to avoid the whole thing (you could probably even take the 42 bus right past the Hilton and not notice it, because guests like Kim Kardashian and dinner entertainment Jimmy Kimmel will not be arriving by public transit). The bad news: It will still happen, whether you notice it or not. -2

Unoccupy D.C.: Now that dozens of protesters are no longer living round-the-clock in McPherson Square, the National Park Service has decided to spruce the place up and put new grass and flowers in. The total cost? $7,000. Which isn’t as apocalyptic a figure as the ones critics were bandying about when Occupy was in full bloom last fall, but it’s still a fair amount to have to spend fixing up a park that just had $400,000 worth of improvements. -2

School’s In: Once upon a time, schools let out in the early or mid-afternoon so kids could go help out on the farm after learning their three Rs. These days, ‘rithmatic has been replaced by graphing calculators, and despite attempts to bring about urban farming on a small scale, there’s not much in the way of agricultural labor going on among the D.C. Public Schools student body. So Mayor Vince Gray wants to extend school days to 4:30 or 5 p.m., saying it would help get beyond the old ways. If it means we don’t have to pay for aftercare for our kid when she’s old enough for school, we’re all for it. Though we will miss being able to put her to work weeding the garden every afternoon. +1

RGIII: Virtually every winter since Dan Snyder bought the team, the Washington Redskins have won the offseason. So we’re tempted to take the hype of Robert Griffin III with a grain or two of salt, just because other heralded arrivals have, in the past, failed to make a noticeable difference on the team’s record once actual football games start being played. That said, man, is everyone excited! Pity the sports talk radio hosts, though, who will be unable to talk about anything else from now until September. +3

Yesterday’s Needle rating: 48 Today’s score: 0 Friday bonus: +2 Today’s Needle rating: 50