The Weekly Feed: Experimentation Edition
Morning Roundup: Change Edition
Former Blade Staffers Launch 'DC Agenda'
D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
Controversy Over Rhee Now to Include Sex, Congress
Good morning, Washington. Here's hoping you had a pleasant holiday weekend — I certainly did, ultimately finding a spot that didn't have a good sight-line for the national fireworks, but which provided a first-class view of the smaller-scale pyrotechnics rising from seemingly every residential block in the city. Where did you go to watch the fireworks?
Barry to Address Media: As you might recall, the mayor-for-life's busy churchgoing schedule has so far prevented him from publicly addressing his weekend arrest for stalking a former girlfriend. The Post has a good account of what's known about the incident, although the article doesn't contain any surprises other than the arresting officer not knowing who Barry was. Barry is expected to hold a press conference with his lawyer at 10 a.m., at which time we'll presumably hear more about his side of the story. Check back with us later this morning to see whether the Ward 8 councilmember feels that yet another woman has set him up.
More Escapes at New Beginnings: The District's new youth detention facility continues to suffer from breakouts. The Post reports that six youths escaped on Sunday. They were quickly found and taken back into custody, but the incident is another black mark on the security of the intentionally un-prison-like facility, which experienced an escape as soon as it opened. Guards are apparently complaining that various design and construction practices make New Beginnings insecure; officials managing the facility continue to make improvements.
Break-in Apparently Foiled in Mt. Pleasant: Details are still sketchy, but last night we began receiving a few tweets indicating that Mt. Pleasant was playing host to a police helicopter and a conspicuous arrest. The early, unconfirmed word is that a break-in attempt by a group of men was foiled, but that not all of the suspects were immediately apprehended. We'll update as we hear more.
Briefly Noted: At least four shot in Southeast on Sunday, including a 10 year-old girl... Higher tolls are leading to less Dulles Toll Road traffic, but higher revenues... 13 year-old boy missing after going to watch fireworks on the Mall... Post examines personal history of accused Holocaust Museum shooter...
This Day In DCist: One year ago it was a weekend day and not much was happening. But two years ago Bloomingdale's Big Bear Cafe opened, and the city suffered another panda pseudopregnancy.
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bloomingdale had some amazing fireworks. the corners of 1st and W and 2nd and seaton were home to the best, in my opinion...
I am definitely interested in hearing how that breakin was foiled. Not the easiest thing in the world to do, but I salute whomever pulled it off.
If Marion is "found guilty" of stalking;
and it violates his parole;
and it means more jail time.
Maybe he can ask to be locked up at New Beginnings.
Looking forward to Barry pulling out that old DC politician chestnut about how they "got him like Jesus." That never gets tiresome. Jesus had stalkers, too, y'know? Them 12 Jewish guys what was always following him around? Stalkers. Mary Magdalene? Stalker. Then you got the Pharisees, who'd been stalking him since day one. Then you got the Romans. Yup. Jesus had his fair share of stalkers, too. And Barry will have his Last Supper at the buffet bar at Golden Palace and he'll tell his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood to be reborn into new worlds where his flesh is their key. And then Pilate is gonna wash his hands and send Barry off to be crucified for violating his parole. But after three days, he'll be back! Oh, yeah! They'll roll open his cell door and HE'LL BE GONE! And his Holy Spirit will descend upon Ward 8 in the form of a glowing crack smoke halo and throughout the land there shall be a great setting up of bitches and rubbing of parts!
(drinks strychnine, rolls on floor)
Nothing will happen to Barry.
Remember the park police planted crack and marijuana in his car, they ticketed him for driving too slowly, and now they arrest him because some ex girl friend keeps driving in front of him, making it appear as if he is stalking her.
Clearly they are out to get him!
This is just another example of the harassment this fine man has to endure in order to continue to serve his community.
I had a fifth on the fourth.
I got lucky!
I stalked...I mean, I got stalked.
Just wondering about the article placement about a “Possible Break-in, Maybe!” right before "At least four shot in Southeast on Sunday".
Good question. Although we do sometimes use the ordering of the stories in the morning roundup to convey priority (or just to order what we think will interest our readers), often an item gets a full paragraph simply because it requires more text to provide some explanation or nuance -- as in the case of this story, where I needed to convey that the details of the incident may be subject to change.
Awesome picture! Except for the Klansman in the foreground.
Glad I'm not the only one who went there...
Sorry I didn't read your comment before posting.
I prefer to think of it as the symbol for Space Ghost. It's a lot cheerier.
Interesting that the Washington Monument looks somewhat like a Ku Klux Klansman with "fire in his eyes"
Ain't That America?
About the Thorny Rose Detention Center. Didn't they get those damned bushes planted yet?
Probably not. They're still trying to figure out what the purpose of that facility is. Tom's article uses the appropriate language - "officials managing the facility continue to make improvements". By way of improvements, are we seeking to improve our ability to keep the kids in? Or are we seeking to improve the kids environment? I don't see a lot of hard thinking going into this, as these concepts are basically being treated as mutually exclusive.
There's no way Barry's arrest gets papered. Absolutely no way. And how in the hell the Park Police managed to shoehorn a traffic stop into a stalking arrest outside of Ms. Watts-Brighthaupt completely running her mouth is beyond me.
In Barry's (limited) defense, the Park Police are looking for shit to occupy their time.
Yeah, Barry won't be hurt by this. Just read the woman's account on the City Paper Web site. "He does not stalk. He does what I allow him to do." Oh boy.
Would love to know more about Mt P last night. The copter was somewhat scary.
Would love to know more about Mt P last night. The copter was somewhat scary.
Hey, that's my Twitter pic!
Looked like they had a couple of guys in cuffs and were keeping them separated from each other. Cops were also checking out a 90's-era Buick Roadmaster sedan that a lot of onlookers had dubbed the "get-away car."
The house they were allegedly "breaking into" was really rundown... Who breaks into a crappy house on a busy street at 9:00 on a Sunday night, anyway?
Mistook it for a Crack House?
What street was it on?
What street was it on?
What street was it on?
What street was it on?
What street was it on?
What street was it on?