The Manhattan Project
Morning Roundup: Second Helpings Edition
Compromise Uncertain on Same-Sex Marriage Law
Fire at 17th and L NW Forces Evacuations
Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink Remains Closed
Good Morning, D.C. Remember the news we told you about back in August, about an investigation into a potential prostitution ring at D.C. firehouses? Well D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin acknowledged yesterday under fire from the D.C. Council that "sex for overtime" allegations in his department are "potentially true." The Council also expressed concern about the abnormally high rate of disciplinary action against African American firefighters in the department. African Americans were the subjects of 80 percent of the department's discipline cases in fiscal 2007, though they make up just over 50 percent of the total number of employees.
D.C. Auditor Was Suspicious in 2004 The Post reports that the D.C. auditor filed a report in 2004 that urged officials to "closely monitor" the city's real property tax revenue, after she noticed a spike in the amount of money refunded to property owners. CFO Natwar Gandhi said yesterday that he was aware of Nichols's report, but at the time when he spoke with tax office managers, they gave him assurances that nothing out of the ordinary was going on.
Lead in Water Still a Concern for D.C. Schools: The Examiner has the story of a Virginia Tech professor, Marc Edwards, who is in D.C. of his own volition to test for lead in the water of D.C.’s public schools. Testing in spring found that three-quarters of D.C. Schools' buildings still had problems with lead in the water, though since then new fountains and filters have been installed. Edwards told the paper he's still skeptical that the problem is under control.
Briefly Noted: Dentist sentenced in rape of patient ... Dulles rail construction to begin despite concerns over Federal funding ... Driver OK after crashing into building.
This Day in DCist: In 2006 we were getting excited about a free Sufjan Stevens show at the Kennedy Center, and taken aback by the huge salary being offered to Metro Chief John Catoe.
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"A 90-year-old woman is unharmed after backing her car through two windows into a building....The woman apparently overdid it and went right through two plate glass windows into a break room. Etter says he car ended up completely in the building....Etter says the Metropolitan Police Department will investigate the cause of the crash."
Umm, I hope they don't assign too many detectives on this one.
I love how they're using kid-gloves on this old woman, but it's not "overdoing" it to back-up completely through a plate-glass window. Overdoing it is when your bumber grinds against the curb. This is just plain reckless driving. It's pure luck that she didn't kill some poor schmuck on his lunch break.
Of course, when they floated the idea to make seniors take periodic tests back in March the gray-haired mafia flipped out. Damn it if the right to drive ocean-liners-on-wheels well into your tenth decade isn't a constitutional right.
I have wondered about the auditors. Only one noticed something unusual?!
Reid: Watch.. she'll get one of those attorneys who think "pedal error" isn't reckless, it's just an 'oops!' accident (see Santa Monica Farmer's Market, 2005).
CFO Natwar Gandhi said yesterday that he was aware of Nichols's report, but at the time when he spoke with tax office managers, they gave him assurances that nothing out of the ordinary was going on.
Well, if he talked to a MANAGER, and they said nothing's wrong, that's settles it for me. What's the likelihood of a manager who handles billions of dollars saying, "Well, golly, yeah, there IS a problem in this organization that might involve MILLIONS of dollars being swindled?" How long would THAT guy last?
Sounds like the tax office needs to implement some Deep Six Sigma initiatives that involve "rightsizing" peoples asses into the dumpster out back.
Geebus! All these f'n problems with DC government. Is everyone there a crack head like Marion?
No f'n way I'm settling down in this cesspool.