Solar power 鈥� it鈥檚 a topic that sparks the imagination of what鈥檚 possible in our energy future.

But the big question for many, is it really a better way to get the energy we all need?

In our latest interview on WTOP, meteorologist Wyatt Everhart, advisor for Solar Energy World, talks about some of the hottest topics surrounding solar for homeowners in 2026.

Q: Before we dive in too much on the topic at hand, Wyatt, give us just a little bit of background on yourself? How did you get into solar and why is it so important to you?

A: Well, I grew up in this area, closer to the beach in Fenwick Island, DE.聽 But, you know, after the Coast Guard, after college on the G.I. Bill, I ended up going into weather and working as a broadcast meteorologist, all over the country really, for about 20 years.聽 But, towards the end of that time, I was finishing up at my last station in Baltimore and thinking, what industry should I get into next?聽 And I just couldn鈥檛 get the idea out of my head that, solar power, harnessing the incredible power of the sun for our energy, just seemed like an idea whose time had come! So, I joined Solar Energy World, headquartered in Maryland, at that point, which was 2019, and have been there almost 8 years now, helping thousands of homeowners make the shift to cleaner, cheaper power!

Q: Earth Day is in April 鈥� and you know 鈥� there鈥檚 a thought out there I think, that most people just decide to look into solar for the environmental benefits, is that true?

A: 聽So the idea some may have of going solar 鈥渏ust to help the environment鈥� is kind of a misconception.聽 What really drives the solar option are the savings you can achieve versus just staying utility power. For example, I鈥檝e had solar on my own house for more than 5 years in Maryland, and it works great to cut back your power bill, let me tell you!聽 Sometimes, unfortunately, solar does get caught up in political debate, but despite that, we find that across the spectrum, remains huge!聽 So, to be sure, some are motivated by the idea that more solar means less coal, cleaner air and cleaner water.聽 But a cheaper power source motivates just about anyone who pays utility bills. Then there鈥檚 also the appeal of gaining some energy independence for your home, which is especially true if you add battery back-up to your system to get through power outrages.聽

Q: One other hot topic, artificial intelligence, love it or hate it, many experts agree we are just going to continue to see it grow more rapidly. How are all these new AI data centers 鈥� especially here in the DMV region 鈥� likely to affect our electric bills?

A: Look, no doubt that AI is truly the 鈥渘ew frontier鈥� 鈥� and some people love it, some people aren鈥檛 so comfortable with it!聽 But hey 鈥� like it or not 鈥� two things we know, (1) there are more power-hungry data centers than ever 鈥� especially here and along the central East Coast, and (2) there are many, many more being built.聽 And so, look, you must understand, the amount of power even a single AI Data center consumes is enormous!聽 Like, think of the equivalent of a smaller city鈥檚 power demand in some cases, and that鈥檚 for just one AI data center!聽 So, what鈥檚 that really mean? Well, that old economic law, 鈥淪upply and Demand鈥� 鈥� it cannot be avoided! So, more AI Data Centers equals more demand, which equals even higher prices for the same energy.聽 This is one key reason why many of the experts are projecting that our electricity prices and power bills are likely to keep climbing even higher into 2026 and beyond.聽 So bottom line, utility bills are already too high and why take a chance on them shooting even higher when you could shift to solar for your home, do it for literally for zero dollars up front, and ultimately pay less to produce your own clean energy.

Q: Lastly, there have been a lot of energy policy changes, particularly at the federal level in the past year. Did people out there, who haven鈥檛 gone solar yet, 鈥渕iss out鈥� on solar in some way because of that?聽 Or to put it another way, is solar 鈥渟till worth it鈥� in 2026?

A: Assuming your property has good access to the sun, yes, solar is still definitely 鈥渨orth it鈥� in 2026!聽 Also, people who haven鈥檛 gone solar yet certainly didn鈥檛 鈥渕iss the boat,鈥� we鈥檒l just be charting a slightly different course for them to save the most in some cases.聽

Consider the following in 2026: 1) There are still a significant number of state & local incentives available to homeowners, depending on their specific county and state.聽 2) the federal commercial solar tax credit continues this year, and you can still capture that benefit, even on a private residential home, through one of our very popular 鈥渮ero up front cost鈥� Solar Energy World saving programs.聽 This is where we build the exact same high quality system for you as if you bought it outright (including our premium aesthetics), but the program underwriter, who qualifies for that federal commercial tax credit, they effectively pass that savings on to you with that zero up front cost plus lowered monthly electricity payments vs what you are currently paying for utility power.

So you definitely did not miss the boat, in fact, never a better time to shift to solar power! 聽But of course, one caveat, you always want to look into this with reputable, top-ranked solar installer like Solar Energy World, and be sure to go with a company who provides both an industry leading warranty and the financial stability to ensure your system produces the power and the savings you expect it to, year after year!

For more information, give Solar Energy World a quick call at 855-SOLAR-FM or visit for your utility power savings estimate, along with a free custom solar design for your property!

Be sure to follow our new series on WTOP, Powered Up by Solar Energy World!

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Two decades ago, he patrolled the streets as an officer. Years later, he worked as a midnight supervisor.

In 2024, he was named commander of the department鈥檚 Third District and was tasked with addressing crime, including in downtown Silver Spring, often perceived as one of the most crime-ridden areas of Montgomery County.

鈥淚f you were to ask me if I would go to dinner in [downtown] Silver Spring in 2021, 2022, I鈥檇 say probably not,鈥� Cokinos said. 鈥淏ut in 2026, I actually would go out to dinner in Silver Spring. It鈥檚 night and day compared to what it was back then.鈥�

• • This story continues. Read the rest at The Banner Montgomery:

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How special is Dutchess? According to her foster caregiver, Dutchess is the reason she picked up extra volunteer dog-walking shifts at the shelter.

“Just because I missed her, I realized I needed to foster this good girl,” the caregiver said. “She has truly been a dream.”

Dutchess is patient, loving and has impeccable manners.聽She is wonderfully tolerant and easygoing around both people and other dogs. She currently lives with a resident senior dog who can be reactive and set in his ways, but Dutchess has been respectful of his boundaries.

She is potty-trained and excellent at communicating when she needs to go outside. On walks, she passes people, dogs and squirrels with little concern. She typically walks on a loose leash at one’s side and stops only for the most important sniffs.

She prefers quieter residential streets and is still getting comfortable with city noises, but continues to decompress and improve.

Dutchess loves all kinds of toys, squishy, squeaky, bouncy, you name it. When it is playtime, she transforms into a joyful mix of leapfrog and roly-poly, hopping and bouncing around her play space in short bursts of energy. Later, she often relaxes on her back, chewing on her toys, sometimes rolling right off the couch or bed because of her enthusiasm.

According to her foster caregiver, “Her playful spirit keeps us smiling. She loves her people and has become my little shadow around the house. While I am at work, she settles in comfortably with my husband, curling up under his desk to keep his feet warm. She entertains herself well with her toys and nap times.”

Dutchess would thrive in a home that appreciates both her gentle, affectionate nature and her silly, playful side.

If you are looking for a loyal companion who is just as happy going for a walk or playing fetch as she is snuggling on the couch, Dutchess may be the perfect match.

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She is a stunning kitty with a wispy, fluffy coat and bright, sparkling eyes.

This beauty has a sweet ‘purr-sonality’, making her an absolute delight.

She is more than ready to bring joy, warmth and a little flair to her new family.

If you are ready for this fabulous fluff ball to join your home, adopt this pretty kitty today. Coco Cabana is waiting to dance her way into your life.

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You can call W. Kamau Bell a stand-up comedian, a podcast and radio host, an author. He鈥檚 all of those things plus the reigning Celebrity Jeopardy! champ. But what sets Bell apart from most multi-hyphenate entertainers is his social activism. He doesn鈥檛 just joke about how messed up things are right now; he actively tries to make change.

The Emmy and Peabody Award winner will be appearing Friday night at Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda, Maryland, riffing on current events as part of his 鈥淲ho鈥檚 With Me?鈥� tour.

“I’m terminally online. I’m an information junkie. I keep up with the state of the news,” Bell said. “I’ve been on stage and had my phone go off as news broke, and been like, ‘Did everybody else see this?'”

He said not all his jokes are derived from current events, but it is an essential component of his shows.

“I’ve developed a style and an act and a point of view and a brand that if I don’t talk about the news, people are gonna be like, ‘What happened to Kamau? Did he have a stroke?'”

Bell’s last trip to the D.C.-area was quite memorable.

“The funny thing is, I was in D.C. proper, at a place formerly known as the Kennedy Center last year, the day after Trump announced he was taking it over,” he said. “The new tenants hadn’t moved in yet, but everybody was preparing for it. And so I was, when I was there, the thing that was so interesting about that show is a lot of people were wondering if I was going to cancel it. And I did it because I was on the plane as I found out he was taking it over. And also, as a comedian, we’re in the best position to do the show in the place like that, because we can talk directly to what’s going on.”

This time around, Bell said his performance should be a more joyful occasion.

“I remember the looks on people’s faces as I left, because people were like, they were mourning for what they weren’t going to have with the Kennedy Center going away,” Bell said. “I’m happy to see those people again in a new location where we can have a good time without feeling scared about the state of that specific building.”

Bell gained widespread popularity and critical acclaim for his original series “United Shades of America,” which ran for seven seasons on CNN beginning in 2016. Bell wanted to start the series off with a bang, so he chose to meet with the Ku Klux Klan for his first episode.

“The episode where I hung out with several members of the KKK, which, let’s be clear, we shot that in 2014, it was. Donald Trump had said he was running for president, but nobody took him seriously at that point,” Bell said. “It aired in like, spring of 2016, so the election hadn’t happened yet, and at the time, people were like, ‘Why would you spend so much time talking to the Klan? Like, this is not real?’ And at the time, I was like, ‘No, it’s real.’ And then we find out how real that force is in America through everything that’s going on now.”

Fans can expect Bell鈥檚 鈥渉it songs鈥� and lots of other jokes too.

“It’s either funny or it’s interesting or shocking, or it’s compelling or it’s nothing,鈥� Bell said.

When it comes to his audiences, Bell said he has a certain 鈥渢ype鈥� he prefers.

“Every comedian is different. So you know, Sebastian Maniscalco is going to want a different crowd than I want, and I think that’s fine,” Bell said. “I live in the Bay Area. The Bay Area is very ethnically, racially, socioeconomically mixed. I like crowds like that because then less groupthink develops, right? And people can just sit down and laugh.”

Bell said he knows his role is to make people laugh and think and to allow them to take a break from the world.

“I would invite people who feel that the world is like attacking them from all sides, or feel like the news attacking them from all sides and feel like everybody’s yelling at them,” he said. “This is a good place. I find a lot of times people come there and they laugh, and then afterwards they just sort of hang out in the halls and hang out in the lobby and just talk to each other.”

Tickets for W. Kamau Bell at Strathmore on Friday at 7:30 p.m. are available at and .

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Monday night capped a whirlwind few weeks for Kiki Rice and her UCLA teammates.

On April 5, UCLA’s senior-laden team beat South Carolina to win the school’s first ever NCAA Championship. Then on Monday, a record six UCLA players were selected in the first round of the WNBA draft.

Rice was taken by expansion team Toronto Tempo with the sixth overall pick.

“I had a great conversation with (Toronto) before the draft,鈥� Rice told reporters while attending the draft in New York. “I feel like they’ve been able to really appreciate a lot of things I do in my game. I can tell they’ve studied me a lot and they know the player they鈥檙e getting in me and that鈥檚 something that I really appreciate.鈥�

Rice, a 5-foot 11-inch guard from Bethesda, Maryland, ranked second on a very talented UCLA squad in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. She was named a third-team All-American. And in 2022, she was the All-Met player of the year at Sidwell Friends.

“I play both ends, I take pride in my defense, I compete at a high level and I work really hard,鈥� Rice told WTOP.

The highlight of the night was “the moment I go to share with my family, to embrace and hug them when I heard my name being called,” she said.

“It鈥檚 super exciting that Kiki gets to be part of a new WNBA team,” Andrea Rice, Kiki鈥檚 mother, told WTOP. “She鈥檒l have the opportunity to learn from the veterans who were selected in the expansion draft and a great veteran coach (Sandy Brondello).”

The WNBA added Toronto and Portland as expansion teams for the league鈥檚 30th season.

“She will forever be the first college draft pick ever for the Toronto Tempo,鈥� Andrea said.

The Tempo’s inaugural regular season game will be played May 8 in Toronto against the Washington Mystics, which drafted two of Rice鈥檚 UCLA teammates 鈥� center Lauren Betts and forward Angela Dugali膰.

The Tempo will face the Mystics in D.C. on June 12 and August 19.

Rice was one of two D.C.-area natives selected in the first round of Monday鈥檚 WNBA draft.

Azzi Fudd of Arlington, Virginia, became the first player from the region to be selected first overall. The UConn guard is going to the Dallas Wings.

Fudd, Rice and the other 2026 WNBA draft picks will be the beneficiaries of the new collective bargaining agreement 鈥� unanimously ratified last month 鈥� which will greatly increase rookie salaries. Fudd is getting a $500,000 paycheck.

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In the shelter, Patty was completely shut down: quiet, withdrawn, easy to overlook.聽But that wasn鈥檛 the full picture of who she is. The moment she stepped into a foster home, everything changed.

Now? Patty is a tiny, sun-loving queen with opinions, personality and a soft spot for her people.

This terrier mix has found her groove: lounging in warm patches of sunlight, enjoying calm companionship and occasionally breaking out into joyful little zoomies.

She鈥檚 low energy, dog-friendly and not much of a barker (unless meals are delayed 鈥� she has standards).

While she may take a moment to warm up, once she trusts you, she鈥檚 loyal, sweet and serves just the right amount of sass.

Patty is the perfect reminder that some dogs just need a little time and the right environment to show you who they truly are.

Want to meet her? Email her foster caregiver.

Because sometimes the dog you almost walk past just needs a couch, a home and a chance.

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This 1-year-old sweetheart is the kind of dog who seems to fit just about anywhere. She鈥檚 gentle, affectionate and wonderfully social 鈥� always happy to be near her people and check in with a soft, loving presence.

Despite her young age, she鈥檚 not mouthy and has a calm, easygoing demeanor that makes her especially lovely to be around.

Doodle Bug walks beautifully on leash, staying close and connected. She brings just the right amount of energy to her day.

She enjoys playtime and interaction, but she鈥檚 equally content soaking up pets and attention from her favorite humans. She鈥檚 the kind of dog staff and volunteers can鈥檛 stop talking about 鈥� sweet, adaptable and truly a joy to spend time with.

Whether you鈥檙e heading out for a walk or settling in at home, Doodle Bug is ready to be right there with you.

She鈥檚 a total catch, and we know the moment you meet her, you鈥檒l understand why.

Come meet Doodle Bug. Your “very good girl” is waiting.

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In 2026, the United States commemorates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. During this Semiquincentennial year, discover two and a half centuries of the American experience as you traverse the Historic National Road in the , through portions of Maryland’s Carroll, Frederick and Washington counties. Follow in the footsteps of early settlers while learning about the history of the region and enjoying modern culture in National Pike towns.

With construction beginning in 1811, the Historic National Road was the first major U.S. highway built by the federal government. Start your journey on this iconic pathway in . A town that flourished in proximity to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Mount Airy is rich with history and small town charm.

While in Mount Airy, make sure to visit the located on Main Street in the historic train station. In celebration of the nation鈥檚 250th, the Historical Society of Mount Airy has created a special exhibit detailing the town鈥檚 role in the Civil War. Learn about the history of Maryland鈥檚 divided past and the people who called Mount Airy home.

After exploring Mount Airy, continue your road trip west to . Nestled in the sweeping Middletown Valley and located near Frederick, Middletown is the perfect place to refuel during your travels. Stop by the town鈥檚 to familiarize yourself with the area and learn about the nearby restaurants favored by the locals.

Secure your tickets for the , offering exclusive access to unique properties in Middletown, Frederick, and New Market, on June 13, 2026. Loosely following the National Road through Frederick County, this allows visitors to explore historic homes and gardens that reflect the region’s agricultural prosperity, industrial, and Civil War legacy.

From Middletown, head further west to to explore the . Experience the museum鈥檚 engaging exhibits and learn more about the road you have traveled so far. While in the area, take a short hike on the Appalachian Trail to see the first completed monument to the memory of George Washington at the .

Located near , , Boonsboro is a must-visit for all Civil War enthusiasts. On April 30, 2026, visit the located in Boonsboro for 鈥淗istory Distilled: Alcohol and the Civil War Era.鈥� During this storytelling event, treat yourself to a signature Pathfinder cocktail while three local historians explore the fascinating connections between alcohol and the American Civil War.

With exciting happening every month across the three counties, a warm welcome awaits visitors sojourning along the Historic National Road in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area.

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It was a dramatic grand finale to a 10-day mission that revealed not only swaths of the lunar far side never seen before by human eyes, but a total solar eclipse and a parade of planets, most notably our own shimmering Earth against the endless black void of space.

With their flight now complete, the four astronauts have set NASA up for a moon landing by another crew in just two years and a full-blown moon base within the decade.

The triumphant moon-farers 鈥� commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada鈥檚 Jeremy Hansen 鈥� emerged from their bobbing capsule into the sunlight off the coast of San Diego.

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It was a dramatic聽grand finale to a mission聽that revealed not only swaths of the lunar far side never seen before by human eyes, but a total solar eclipse and a parade of planets, most notably our own shimmering Earth against the endless black void of space.

With their flight now complete, the four astronauts have set NASA up for a moon landing by another crew in just two years and a full-blown moon base within the decade.

The triumphant moon-farers 鈥� commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada鈥檚 Jeremy Hansen 鈥� emerged from their bobbing capsule into the sunlight off the coast of San Diego.

Launched from Florida on April 1, the astronauts racked up one win after another on a 10-day mission as they navigated NASA鈥檚 long-awaited lunar comeback, marking the first major step in establishing a sustainable moon base.

NASA has planned out a carefully timed reentry process the crew will undergo before landing, with a targeted splashdown time of 8:07 p.m., according to WTOP’s Greg Redfern.

“They go through the time frame in which the plasma cloud that surrounds them, the spacecraft will be out of radio communication,” Redfern said. “And we wait for that reentry and then the call to integrity. And hopefully we see those beautiful mains that pop out and recovery crew ready to get them.”

A livestream of the Artemis II finale is below:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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This sweet, waggy little guy is full-grown and a great size for apartment living, making him an easy fit for many homes. Marvin is attentive, affectionate and loves connecting with people.

He’s also deaf, and the Humane Rescue Alliance is ready to provide resources and guidance for any prospective adopters interested in making him part of their family.

He鈥檒l benefit from adopters who can use patient, positive training 鈥� like hand signals and consistency 鈥� to help him continue building confidence and communication.

Marvin is currently being treated for heartworm, which means he鈥檒l need a calm environment and crate rest while he heals. The good news is that the Humane Rescue Alliance will cover the cost of his treatment at no charge to his adopter.

With a cozy place to relax, gentle routines, and lots of care, he鈥檒l be on the path to feeling his best.

This 2-year-old, 27-pound pup enjoys sniffing around the yard, soaking up pets, and spending time with his people.

Marvin is a truly special dog who will thrive in a supportive, loving home.

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