August 14, 2007
Morning Roundup: Unseasonably Pleasant Edition

Good morning, Washington. It's just a gorgeous day outside right now, with temperatures currently in the 70s and only predicted to reach the upper 80s later this afternoon, which is about the best we can hope for in mid-August. Please make plans to eat your lunch outside accordingly, as this surely won't last through the week. Need a good story to gab about with your officemates as you head out into the sunshine? A federal judge has ordered five journalists to identify the government officials who leaked them details about a scientist under scrutiny in the 2001 anthrax attacks -- we're guessing those reporters probably won't be taking leisurely lunch breaks along with rest of you this afternoon.
D.C. Schools Misused Migrant Grants: The Examiner reports that District of Columbia Public Schools officials "misused" federal grants designed to help the children of migrant workers -- children which the city had claimed on the rolls since the 1980s, but in fact appear never to have existed. The D.C. attorney general says the city will now cooperate with an ongoing federal investigation, but the admission of guilt could end up costing the District millions if the Federal government makes good on its threat to file a fraud suit. Interestingly, apparently Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee only learned about the federal investigation recently.
Contracting Office Official Suspended: Also in the Examiner, Karen Hester, a commodity manager in the city's often controversial Office of Contracting and Procurement, was suspended last week, though no one from the office has yet to comment officially. Hester supervises millions in contracts for the city libraries and police department -- two areas of government oversight which have been roundly criticized in recent years.
Briefly Noted: A D.C. synagogue found three swastikas painted on the wall of its parking lot ... All lanes on Outerloop open after overturned tractor trailer crash cleared ... 'Mahogany tide' algae blooms in Va. rivers ... D.C. cop blames bad advice from colleagues for tax-evasion charges.
This Day in DCist: Last year we took a closer look at the food carts of Mt. Pleasant and noted the MPD couldn't catch a break from the local media.
Photo by lifeinthedistrict

How about an update on the Hell's Kitchen winner? Wasn't he a local guy?
I glanced at some Dept of Ed reports on the Migrant Education program, and DC participation is not as far-fetched as it first appears. The program is also meant for children of migrant families who have "settled-out" of the seasonal migrant work stream of agriculture and fishing. DC looks better than MD on paper, but it seems that those paper claims are the real issue here.
Thank you for posting the swastikas incident. It is heartbreaking and even though non-violent, shouldn't go unmentioned. It's amazing how many hate crimes go unnoticed (against ALL minorities).
There is an article in today's Post about Shiloh Baptist Church:
D.C. Church Dissenters Attempt to Oust Pastor
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/13/AR2007081301088.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Is it just me, or do tractor trailers seem to quite often overturn/jackknife/explode on that one stretch of 495 between Bethesda and College Park?
This is probably the fourth time in the past year I've heard of or been stuck behind this type of incident in that region. I never see this phenomenon in the areas of 495 between Bethesda and Northern Virginia.
I wonder if the swastikas in Cleveland Park have any connection to the rental of the Uptown Theater by the McLean Bible Church, who are connected with the Jews for Jesus movement in some way? Just a coincidence? Hmmm.
It's "Jews for Jesus", not "Jews for Nazis". Christ, take your conspiracies elsewhere.
Whoa wait a minute, Jesus wasn't a nazi ?
I understand that the federal goverment would like to hold cities and school districts accountable for things like fraud, but whouldn't they go after those who actually comitted the fraud - like the THEN school board and superintendents? Not current tax payers and students?
jgbrc
I'm sure the Dept of Ed Inspector General will have a nice talk with the people who were directly involved and this could lead to civil fines or even criminal penalties. But, in the end, the school district as an entity committed the fraud and the district as an entity must pay. It does suck for the current students, but in DC, having students pay for the incompetence of administrators is a long-standing tradition.