Patch Morning Briefing: Trump To Speak At CPAC; Marijuana Laws; A White House Patch!

Good morning! It's finally Friday. Relax into the weekend, and get up to date today's news.

President Trump To Speak At CPAC

Trump will take the stage Friday at 10 a.m. at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual meeting for politicians, activists and the press. His administration has been featured heavily at the event so far, with appearances by Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus, Kellyanne Conway, Betsy DeVos and Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday. Richard Spencer, a white supremacist and alt-right leader, also showed up to CPAC and was escorted out of the building. (Patch)

Recreational Marijuana Laws May Face Rocky Future

The Justice Department is considering a crackdown on states that have passed recreational marijuana laws, according to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. He indicated that the administration intends to continue to look the other way on medical marijuana laws, but it will be revising President Obama's policy of essentially giving states free reign on legalization. The DOJ refused to comment on the matter. (Patch)

Welcome To The White House Patch!

We are excited to announce the creation of the White House Patch, a new page for our coverage of national politics, including the actions of the Trump administration, federal agencies and Congress. Our purpose is to present national political news without bias, to provide the latest information on your government in a way that is both fair and accurate (which are not always the same thing). We hope you'll sign up for the free White House Patch newsletter, which will arrive in your email inbox each morning, and for Breaking News Alerts. (Patch)

Quick Hits

Beyoncé Cancels Coachella 2017 Performance, Will Headline 2018 Festival (Patch)

Town Hall Attendees Weren't From My District, Blackburn Says; Yes, They Were, Says Fairview Mayor (Patch)

LAPD Officer Could Face Charges For Off-Duty Scrum With Teens (Patch)

Paul Manafort Sends Cleanup Crew To His Vacant Carroll Gardens Brownstone (Patch)

Something To Think About

Jeff Sessions Rolls Back Plan To Reduce Use Of Private Prisons

The federal government will not be reducing its reliance on private prisons, according to a memo released from Attorney General Jeff Sessions. This marks a shift in policy from the Obama administration, which had signaled a deliberate turn away from private facilities and indicated its intention to reduce the prison population going forward. Sessions' memo suggested that he does not expect a future with fewer incarcerated Americans. (Patch)

Trump Tower Security Costs: NYC Spending $150K Per Day To Protect Melania And Barron

City taxpayers are spending around $150,000 per day on a personal NYPD and FDNY security detail for First Lady Melania Trump and her 10-year-old son, Barron, at their gilded penthouse in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, according to updated figures released by city officials this week. (Patch)

Town Halls Continue To Try Lawmakers

Making It Harder To 'Outsmart' Concussion Tests

A new study points the way to reducing football players' ability to undermine the accuracy of concussion tests in an effort to stay in the game. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

And You Think You Work Hard

Immigration Ban Affected Nearly 750 People After Court Blocked It

The Trump administration has confirmed that its immigration ban detained or processed 746 travelers after a federal judge partially blocked the executive order. (The Hill)

Meanwhile, In China...

This Day In History

1920 — The German Nazi party was founded. Twenty-five years later, it would be dissolved.

Famous Birthdays

1965 — Kristen Davis, an actress best known for her role as Charlotte in "Sex and the City"

1977 — Floyd Mayweather, an American boxer

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty News Images/Getty Images