June 27, 2006
Morning Roundup: More Rain Edition
Good morning, Washington. And the rain, it continues, though today looks as if it will be better than yesterday. As Maryland State Highway Administration spokesman David Buck was quoted as saying in an AP article on cnn.com, "It's going to be a challenging week." Challenging indeed -- time to order some rain boots. WaPo tells us all about the rain, and though WJLA says crews are still pumping water out of Constitution Avenue, the traffic situation thus far is better than yesterday. Metrorail is expected to be resuming normal service today, and if you're driving in, check out WTOP's traffic report before hitting the road. Now time for some non weather-related news:
Williams Asks for Approval of Stadium Parking Plan: While the rain pitter-pattered outside our windows last night, the D.C. Council listened to the details of D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams' plan for parking at the new Nationals stadium. The Post tells us that the plan involves both underground parking with "above ground spaces wrapped inside 13-story towers, along with shops, restaurants, condominiums and a hotel." As for money issues, the tab that D.C. will pick up for the garage project is $21 million, with the California Public Employees' Retirement System financing the $300 million project. We'll see what the council decides.
District Hears HIV Numbers, Launches New Program: In what is the first public estimate in regards to the number of people in the District infected with HIV, officials stated that as many as 25,000 people in the District may have HIV, which is more than four percent of all residents. The statistics were presented to the Mayor's Task Force on HIV/AIDS, which is organizing a city-wide effort that starts today to urge all District residents between 18 and 84 to get tested. What the Post calls the "centerpiece" of the plan is an oral swab that gives results in 20 minutes with 99.8 percent accuracy. D.C. is outpacing other major cities in regards to the numbers of those with the HIV infection as well as the number of diagnosed AIDS cases.
Ten Commandments Will Stay Up in front of U.S. Supreme Court: Looks like a monument of the Ten Commandments that a Christian group decided to display on public space without any sort of a permit in May has been granted a stay of execution. WTOP tells us that the DDOT considers the issue to be regarding the First Amendment and freedom of speech issue, thus it will be allowed to stay on public space without having been placed there legally.
This Day in DCist: We did a mock NBA draft, interviewed Pat McGee, and expounded on the wonders of dollar sushi.
Briefly Noted: Nats get their top choice ... Fireworks spark trouble for VA firm... After a shooting, crowd tries to push its way into a Columbia, MD triage ... Fenty starts going door to door ... Tom DeLay lives and breathes VA.
Photo snapped by IntangibleArts
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I love the Fenty piece. "Vote for me, I walk fast..."
Perhaps he should spend less time door knocking and more time actually attending budget meetings.
I'm predicting a 2 hour delay on my flight to BWI Thursday night. Because that's how Southwest rolls.
CalPERS involvement is a good thing. They have a really strong track record. (And are a strong advocate for transparency in investing.)
Does anyone know where I could get numbers on the HIV infection rate for the greater DC metropolitian area? I know that it is and has been high for DC; I am wondering how much that affects the suburbs, too.
I thought CDC might have the HIV/AIDS info, but their web site sent me to the Kaiser Foundation. But I can't find any metro area info. Just state data.
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/cgi-bin/healthfacts.cgi
Do the Evangelicals not have any of their own property?
I know that the WTOP article uses the unclear phrase "on public space" a couple of times, but I was under the impression this particular 10 Commandments statue was on private property across the street from the Supreme Court. The government might claim the right to regulate based on the aesthetics/historical preservation laws that cover the area around the Mall, but I'm pretty sure that these Evangelicals are using their own property.
If this is the first estimate of DC HIV infection, where did the previous 1 in 20(5%)that you see in the Metro come from? Was the previous number fabricated or exagerated? Should the headline read 20% drop in HIV infections?
katmere -
one place might be the CDC's behavioral risk factor surveillance system (http://www.cdc.gov/BRFSS/index.htm). i know they do have data by metropolital statistical area.
one thing to note is that the data is based on phone survey of individuals, so keep that in mind when assessing the accuracy and quality of the data.
Nate,
Due to the screwy nature of the L'Enfant plan, a lot of private front yard on the hill is actually "public space" and is thus regulated by DDOT.
As I understand it, DDOTs oversight of this is on rather shakey legal ground and thus they are backing off dealing with this issue.
1 in 20 v. 4%... possibly they used "people aged 14-84".. plus 1 in 25 sounds almost too exact??
Ten Commandments Issue
This is NOT private space. It's public space. The city owns it. It's primary function is to allow sewer and gas lines to go from the street to individual residences.
That's why residents are supposed to get permits before permanently altering these areas. That way the city can determine if the alteration will block access to sewer lines, will possibly rupture gas lines, etc.
There isn't anything 'shaky' about this. It's been the law and practice in DC for decades.
So since this group can put up a granite monument weighing several tons (and permanently embedded in concrete), does this mean the rest of us actual Hill residents can put up anything we want? I'd like to add a nice huge concrete slab for my motorcycle. Should I get to do that? How about a massive billboard, so I can make some quick cash?
These zoning and public space laws exist for a reason.
By the way, this group is NOT from DC. They are on a religious mission. They bought this residential townhouse, then promptly opened a lobbyists office in it, despite the fact that this property isn't zoned for that.
And they apparently feel they are above DC law.
It'll be a damn shame if the DC government gives in on this. And it'll set a rather astonishing precedent that every neighborhood property owner will be sure to cite for the next 20 years.