Morning Roundup: Don't Expect a Bonus Edition

Good morning, Washington. It's only the end of September, but if drug store candy aisles are any indication, many of you are probably already thinking ahead just a little bit to the holiday season. What will you be for Halloween? Will you stay in town for Thanksgiving? What kind of Christmas bonus will you be getting this year? For some D.C. government employees, the answer to that last question is now up in the air. The Washington Times reports that City Administrator Dan Tangherlini has almost completely frozen the bonus system for the fourth quarter of this year, as his office attempts to get a grip on what's been described as the city's out-of-control cash bonus award system. The administration now plans to redefine how, or whether, such awards will be given in the future.

Georgetown Student Arrested In Possible Hate Crime: Coming directly on the heels of the Senate's move to extend hate crime legislation to gays and lesbians yesterday, NBC4 has the word that 19-year-old Phillip Anderton Cooney, a Georgetown University student from Texas, has been arrested in what could be a hate crime investigation. Cooney was found using Facebook by a man who was attacked on Sept. 9 by a group of men who may be Georgetown students. The victim was beaten up while the group yelled homophobic slurs at him.

Lew Wants Maintenance Powers: The head of the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization, Allen Lew, has asked the D.C. Council for the power to take over school buildings maintenance, saying he can't get the buildings up to standards while maintenance tasks are still under the control of the school system's central office. Deputy mayor for education Victor Reinoso also told the Council for the first time that he intends to close some schools next year, though he didn't say which ones or how many.

Briefly Noted: Large warehouse fire in Northeast ... Staph infection found in school ... Metro sells garage for $69.3 million ... Letter in failed hospital bid may have been faked.

This Day in DCist: In 2006 we wondered whether women in D.C. were being poured weaker drinks by bartenders than men get, in 2005 we noted a growing popped-collar backlash, and in 2004 we were waiting for the final word on the decision to bring major league baseball back to town.

Photo by Bullneck