Metro is relaunching Next Bus on Wednesday, July 1. The service originally debuted about two years ago, but WMATA wasn't happy with its accuracy, which it said was only about 80 percent, so they shut down the pilot program in October 2007. After spending almost two years making upgrades, Next Bus is back, and we want to hear from bus riders as they try out the improved real-time Metrobus locating system.
We mentioned the rumor in today's Nats Roundup, but now it's official: the Nationals just put the finishing touches on a trade, sending once-promising outfielder Lastings Milledge and out-of-sorts reliever Joel Hanrahan to Pittsburgh in exchange for utility outfielder Nyjer Morgan and middle reliever Sean Burnett. Milledge, who had been toiling in Triple-A Syracuse for most of the year, will likely be remembered by Nationals fans as potential lost -- after all, there was a contingency who believed that Milledge was the Nationals' centerfielder of the future no fewer than three months ago. The team did get good value with the trade, though: both Morgan (.277, 27 RBI, 18 SB) and Burnett (3.06 ERA, 23 Ks in 32.1 IP) are serviceable players who are upgrades over what the team gave up. The move begs the question though -- if the much-discussed prank to vote a demoted Milledge into the All-Star Game as Washington's representative had actually worked and he was traded, what would have happened? Now the world will never know.
Head over to City Desk if you'd like to download a pdf copy of Judge Judith Retchin's Superior Court decision from earlier today, in which she ruled against the request of petitioners Bishop Harry Jackson et al. to put a halt to the D.C. Council's same sex marriage recognition law. Not only did Retchin rule that stopping the clock on the legislation, which is set to take effect next week, was not warranted, she went so far as to rule more broadly that the landmark 1995 Dean v. District decision does not apply to this case. Here's the key passage: "The Court in Dean did not consider whether the government could refuse to recognize the legal right of persons to remain married solely because of their sexual orientation. In fact, the Court in Dean could not have addressed this issue because when Dean was decided in 1995, no state had legalized same-sex marriage." We expect Jackson and his anti-gay marriage crusaders to head straight over to the D.C. Court of Appeals.
Comedian, radio talk show host, and now it seems after all this time, United States Senator. The Minnesota Supreme Court today declared Democrat Al Franken the winner of his U.S. Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman.
Earlier this morning WMATA put out an alert that customers should expect delays in both directions on the Green Line due to a report of an unauthorized person on the track bed at Southern Ave. Now the Examiner reports that the person was actually a man in a wheelchair who had fallen onto the tracks. It's not totally clear how the man fell, but he reportedly sustained head injuries and has since been transported to a local hospital. It's certainly been a rough week for Metro. Just yesterday, a man died after he jumped in front of a Red Line train at Forest Glen, and that was only two days after Metro reopened the Red Line for the first time last week's crash, which killed nine people.
Is someone stealing dogs in Logan Circle?
Harriette Walters, the ringleader behind a massive, two-decade-long, $50 million embezzlement scheme run from the inside of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, has been sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison today.
After winning four straight, including two out of three against the Yankees and the Blue Jays, the Nationals returned to Fenway South last week to face the Red Sox, who promptly extinguished any hope the dozens of Nationals fans may have had that the season would turn around. The team went 2-5 over the last week, and are in the middle of a series against the Marlins. The Nats are 0-7 against Florida this year, and 29-49 against the Marlins since coming to the District, so don't expect things to get better any time soon. Overall, the team is 22-52, but importantly are on pace for around 46 wins, which would avoid 120 losses or more.
That didn't take long. Bill Myers reports in the Examiner that Ivey Epps and her mother, Bernea Bell, filed a $100 million lawsuit against Metro on Monday. The two women are seeking damages based on "severe and painful injuries" resulting from last week's deadly Red Line crash, and claim Metro officials are at fault for not inspecting the system's brakes and not replacing the 1000 Series cars. Note the description included of their attorney: "The suit was brought by Florida attorney Willie Gary, whom the Wall Street Journal once dubbed "flamboyant" for his private jet, posh offices and luxury cars. He won a $240 million verdict in an infringement case against Walt Disney Corp. In litigation against communications company Motorola, Gary once asked for $93 million in fees -- about $11,000 an hour. "This is a very sad and unfortunate occurrence," Gary said in a news release." UPDATE: A reader points out in comments that this is not the first lawsuit to be filed.
Coup in Honduras? Check. Michael Jackson? Check. Health care reform? Check. The D.C. license plate? Wait; this again?
Even when the news is bad, it's at least reassuring to read that what you've anecdotally observed is in fact part of a larger trend. The Post today says that hospitals are reporting a sharp rise in summer flu cases across the region, something we've certainly noticed seems to be true based on the number of friends and colleagues who have come down with nasty bugs in the last month. The main culprit does appear to be the H1N1 virus, aka Swine Flu, which explains why there are so many new flu cases at a time of year when there are typically zero. The really special part? "The federal authorities said it's too early to tell whether those who contract H1N1 now will be immune in fall when the flu season kicks into high gear." So those of you who've been sick for the last two weeks may get to do this all over again in December. Think about investing in Campbell's chicken noodle soup.
Good morning, Washington. It's something of a themed Tuesday here at the Morning Roundup, as it turns out a couple of crooked criminals are getting their just desserts. Like everyone else, we spent yesterday afternoon pondering Bernie Madoff, mulling over 150 years in prison, and wondering whether anything about this guy's story will cause anything to change. Over at the Examiner, Leah Fabel checked in with some of his local victims, most of whom, understandably, just wanted to be left alone.
A man was struck and killed by a Red Line train at the Forest Glen station at just after 4:15 p.m. today. The man was struck by an eight-car train heading in the direction of Shady Grove. Preliminary reports indicate that the individual intentionally put himself on the track. Trains are currently single tracking between Forest Glen and Silver Spring. Given this incident's timing with the rush hour and the continued slowdown on the Red Line in the wake of last week's deadly crash, customers are being told to expect lengthy delays. That seems like an understatement.
"Over the past six months we have filtered out those businesses that want to be good neighbors and those that did not wish to operate legitimate businesses," Fenty said today.
U Street boutique moojoo ken is shutting its doors for good on July 12, and the store has been liquidating its stock since late May. DCist stopped by the other week and was able to score some designer duds for about 80 percent off the original retail price. The store is heavy on shoes and handbags that bear the logo of the in-house label, but they also have an array of scarves and jewelry and a small selection of women's clothing. Stop by before July 12 for clearance deals before the store disappears forever. 1512 U Street NW.
A White House spokesperson has issued a statement repudiating a report from Time magazine published online today that said President Obama had decided to make the Evergreen Chapel at Camp David his primary place of worship, in order to facilitate more privacy. "The President and First Family continue to look for a church home. They have enjoyed worshipping at Camp David and several other congregations over the months, and will choose a church at the time that is best for their family," is the word from Deputy White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki (via the Christian Science Monitor).
The Red Line may be running its entire route in both directions now, but the ongoing NTSB investigation continues to affect service near the crash site. Metro has announced that the Takoma Metro station will close at 10 p.m. tonight, Tuesday and Wednesday, and possibly more days later this week, to allow investigators access to the area. The station will reopen at 5 a.m. every morning, at its regular time. While the Takoma station is closed between 10 p.m. and midnight, the Red Line will run only from Glenmont to Silver Spring and then from Fort Totten to Shady Grove. Shuttle buses will take riders around the closed station.
The Obamas have finally ended the speculation about which D.C. church they would join - by picking none of them, Amy Sullivan reports in Time magazine. Instead, President Obama has reportedly decided to make the same choice as George W. Bush, and worship at Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David.
Good morning, Washington. Metro put the Red Line back in full service this morning, with trains traveling between the Fort Totten and Takoma stations in both directions for the first time since last week's fatal crash. Things aren't totally back to normal, of course. Peak trains are only operating every 12 minutes, for one, leaving rush hour trains packed to the limit. All Red Line trains are also restricted to a maximum speed of 35 mph, and even slower through the crash site area.
Word has it that chef and District maestro José Andrés extended an invitation to film director James L. Brooks and Lakers fan in chief Jack Nicholson for an exclusive early dinner today at Minibar. The two are in town filming a romantic comedy in which Nicholson plays the blue-blood father of a character played by Paul Rudd. No clue whether Rudd, Owen Wilson, and Reese Witherspoon will be joining them, but that would be, what, every seat in the 'bar? Minibar is closed on Sundays, but Andrés is bringing in his full complement of chefs to treat Brooks and Nicholson. Picture Jack and José snacking on Pop Rocks or whatever. Picture the sound of that coming together.
We'd imagine it'd be a lot like what's happening this week. Residents of the Old Dominion will be subject to a bulk supply of new laws come this Wednesday -- some important, some, uh, not so much. (Don't get me wrong: I'm sure that Virginia residents are all very concerned about the new prohibition restricting "stores from selling novelty cigarette lighters to those under 18," but we're going to skip over that one for the time being.)
The Washington Post reports that Antonio Jones, a Largo-based consultant and Maryland alumnus, will fill the seat on the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission recently vacated by Juanita Miller, pending confirmation. That's about the long and short of PG County Executive Jack Johnson's appointment -- though both the Post and Gazette suggest that a bucket of lukewarm water would be a more productive commish than Miller. If you're just catching up, see the Gazette's long view on the issues facing new WSSC head Jerry Johnson and DCist's posts here.
Obviously, Tim Kaine wasn't wooed by the state GOP's plentiful YouTube skills -- representatives from the office of the Virginia Governor have denied the FOIA request made by the Republicans seeking details of his recent schedule, including travel he takes as head of the Democratic National Committee. According to Kaine's communications director, the "governor's working papers" are not included under the purview of the Freedom of Information Act. Stilted, the Republicans have changed course, now using the strategy of comparing Kaine to disgraced South Carolina governor Mark Sanford -- because obviously, traveling publicly as the head of a major party's committee is on par with fleeing the country for a week to meet your mistress.
What a week, eh, Washington? It was fitting that it ended with an nearly-Biblical brand of storm, washing away the last few days so we can start fresh again this morning.
It was on this day last year that the District's longstanding and long controversial ban on handguns was upended, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that such blanket prohibitions were an unconstitutional infringement of the Second Amendment. More broadly, though, what had been the country's strictest regulations of a specific type of gun gave the majority of the court the chance to rule that the Second Amendment granted an individual, not collective right to gun ownership. And it was all because of a District resident whose name now graces the case file: Dick Heller.
Via Dr. Gridlock, we've learned that the Key Bridge's far right inbound lane will be closed beginning at 6:45 p.m. this evening for filming on the Paul Rudd/Reese Witherspoon movie that's been taking up prominent space in Adams Morgan and parts of downtown for much of this week. Those coming into the District are advised to avoid the bridge, if possible, and given that the 14th Street Bridge is under construction, entering the District from Virginia by car tonight should be interesting. The Key Bridge lane will reopen at 2 a.m.
If you've get questions you'd like Metro General Manager John Catoe to answer about Monday's fatal Red Line crash, head over to his live chat, which started at 2:30 p.m. and lasts for an hour. Submit questions here.
While Metrobus users have been eagerly awaiting the official July re-launch of NextBus, DDOT and Mayor Adrian Fenty announced today that Circulator riders now have a mobile application, dubbed "Where's My Bus?", that allows smartphone users to track Circulator buses in real time. All you have to do is go to http://circulator.dc.gov/ from any mobile device (the url works in any browser, really), select the Circulator route and bus stop, and it'll tell you where the closest bus is.
A lot of teams use the annual NBA Draft how it's supposed to be used: a way to spruce up rosters by selecting talented young players from various universities and overseas. As a result, teams usually end up with a younger lineup than they had before.
D.C. Wire is reporting that Yusuf Acar, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer employee who was arrested by the FBI in March for allegedly running an elaborate kickback and bribery scheme, is in talks with prosecutors about a potential plea deal. An Aug. 3 hearing is now set on the progress of the plea agreement for Acar. Another city employee, Farruk Awan, was also arrested in the case, along with businessman Sushil Bansal.
At the beginning of the month, WMATA scheduled some pretty heavy track maintenance along two points on the Red Line for this weekend. But as you might imagine, Monday's accident means all weekend track work on the Red Line has been cancelled. The work will be rescheduled sometime later, but in the meantime, Red Line trains continue to single track between Takoma and Fort Totten during rush hour today, with plans about Red Line access along that stretch still yet to be announced for the weekend.
If you get goosebumps watching Ovechkin vs. Crosby, LeBron vs. Kobe, or Tiger Woods vs. everyone else, give this matchup a try: Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury vs. Alana Beard of the Washington Mystics, both first round picks in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi’s Mercury - the highest scoring team in the WNBA - held on in the final seconds of the fourth quarter Thursday to win over the Mystics, 93-87.
It was two years ago that a fire gutted the inside of Eastern Market's South Hall, leaving its many vendors with nowhere to sell their wares and the District without one of its most loved weekend destinations. The city was quick to erect a temporary structure across the street for vendors, but today the long wait comes to an end as the new and improved South Hall will be re-opened to the public. (We got a sneak-peek at renovations earlier this month.) The Post reports that the ribbon-cutting will take place at 10:30 a.m., and we're sure half the District will head down to the market this weekend to enjoy what has been a long wait for a loved local institution.
There had been some speculation about whether Jeanice McMillan, the Metro operator who lost her life in Monday's Red Line crash, had been using her cell phone at the time of the collision, but Metro says she wasn't, WTOP reports. "We know where her cell phone was -- it was not on her. It was in a backpack," Metro General Manager John Catoe said. Investigators have also reportedly found evidence on the rails at the crash site that the brakes were activated several hundred feet before impact.
From Metro: "A second cracked rail was discovered at 1:50 p.m., outside the Medical Center Metrorail station on the Red Line in the direction of Glenmont. While Metro crews make repairs, Red Line trains will share one track between the Grosvenor-Strathmore and Friendship Heights Metrorail station. Riders may experience delays up to 30 minutes. Shuttle bus service will be established between the Grosvenor-Strathmore and Friendship Heights Metrorail stations." Given that the Red Line is already sharing the same track between Fort Totten and Takoma on the other arm of the line, looks like no joy this evening once again for Red Line commuters.
Metro's terrible week just got a little bit worse. Crews discovered a cracked rail at 1 p.m. near the West Hyattsville station, which is causing Green Line delays while trains share the same track between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza. Metro says it hopes to complete repairs to the rail by this afternoon, but it's best to plan on there being delays through rush hour.
Several sections of ceiling tile on the 3rd floor of the Cannon House Office Building fell down this morning, injuring a U.S. Capitol Police officer, The Hill is reporting. The ceiling pieces, which The Hill describes as "a few" tiles but The Post says was a 15-foot section, fell at about 10 a.m., sending FEMS responders to the scene. The officer was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The building is over 100 years old, and overdue for major renovations.
The news coming out of this morning's Metro Board meeting is that WMATA agreed to move all the older model, 1000-series rail cars to the middle of its trains. General Manager John Catoe announced the change, in addition to reiterating that all trains will continue operating manually until all of the system's track sensors are inspected. The board today also made a big show of declaring the total replacement of all the 1000-series rail cars as a "top priority." The passengers who died on Monday were riding in a 1000-series car that struck a newer model car from behind at a high rate of speed. The NTSB has already pointed the finger at Metro for the 1000-series car being responsible for making this crash more deadly than it might otherwise have been.
Good morning, Washington. The Red Line is inching toward being back to normal today, as trains are now able to single-track between Fort Totten and Takoma during rush hour. If you hope to try to take it all the way home this evening, know that rail access between the two stations won't be back until between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., and that trains will be taking turns sharing the Glenmont track, so it will be slow going. Shuttle buses will continue to be available today between the Shady Grove and Fort Totten stations.
Well this is the most disturbing thing I've run across today, and I watched that entire Mark Sanford press conference debacle. WTOP reports that the family of Ana Fernandez, one of the victims of Monday's fatal Metro crash, has been getting hate-filled phone calls from people questioning whether she and her family are legal immigrants. No one has ever questioned Fernandez's immigration status, and a family member has already told the media that all six of her now motherless children were born in the United States and full U.S. citizens, but still, the sort of people who watch Lou Dobbs are calling their home and harassing them, just because their last name is Hispanic. Here's hoping the people making those calls never have to deal with a terrible family tragedy. Jackals.
D.C. Public Schools will release its summer reading list for students Friday, and some local librarians have alleged that gay titles under early consideration were removed.
Lots of reports came in yesterday that one half of the heralded "green" arm of the city's Summer Youth Jobs Program, the Mayor's Conservation Corps, had hit the streets around town to pass out paper fliers that are designed to hang on people's doors, except that many of them just ended up as trash on the street. Head over to Scott's Take for the best coverage we've seen so far.
The Post's Reliable Source reported yesterday that WTOP Political Analyst and longtime voting rights agitator Mark Plotkin cornered Obama advisor David Axelrod at the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner last Friday and pressed for the president to put the "Taxation Without Representation" tags on the presidential limousine. Axelrod didn't seem to think much of the personal appeal, telling Plotkin, "That's your thing." Plotkin also found RNC Chair Michael Steele and followed up on the former Maryland Lt. Governor's promise to put the protest plates on his car.
We'd heard the rumors and speculated ourselves, and today the folks behind the Virgin Mobile Festival announced that its shortened schedule and new venue this year will have one pretty great thing going for it: it's going to be totally free.
Good morning, Washington. As you might imagine, the investigation into Monday's deadly Metro crash continues to dominate the headlines. Of course, there's the human angle: today you can take your pick of horribly sad biographical sketches of the victims. But the more technical details surrounding how the accident happened are still far from certain. Fingers are still being pointed toward the older Series 1000 rail cars and Metro's failure to upgrade them to meet NTSB's recommendations. But there's now some indication that, in addition to structural deficiencies, part of the problem may have involved failed automation systems. WJLA, WTOP and the Post all have worthwhile pieces this morning. Among the most interesting new details: some passengers in the striking train are reporting that the train stopped and the conductor made an announcement about allowing the train ahead of them to clear, immediately before the acceleration that led to the accident; NTSB says that the emergency brake "mushroom" was activated prior to impact (though some survivors' accounts indicate that the train did not slow before impact); and the train was set to operate in automatic mode, which is normal for rush hour and which should have made a collision impossible (all Metro trains are currently operating under manual control as the investigation continues). Dulles Toll Road Charges Likely To Double: The Post provides the details on the likely shape of the inevitable: toll increases on the Dulles Toll Road. The culprit is the Silver Line Metro extension to Dulles, the funding plans for which call for half of the necessary money to be raise through tolls, making the rate hike not a question of if, but when. The proposal from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority that's currently under consideration would gradually raise the toll rates until 2012, at which point the main toll would be $1.50 and the ramp toll would be seventy-five cents. First Swine Flu Death In Maryland: The H1N1 virus is fading from headlines, but it's still a threat to vulnerable members of the population. WJLA brings word that the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has announced the first death in the state attributable to the virus. Details are scarce, but it sounds like the victim was elderly and suffered from other medical problems that may have made him or her susceptible to the flu. Relatedly, Montgomery County says it's expecting a reemergence of swine flu this fall. Briefly Noted: Frederick County incinerator project back on track... Many area charities running low on operating reserves... Disruptive passenger arrested at National... Kaine announces new air quality monitoring initiative targeting older coal plants... This Day In DCist: One year ago we were pleased to learn that the Obama campaign wasn't disrespecting D.C. Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user * Toshio *
UPDATE: Dr. Gridlock has the names of two more victims: Major General David F. Wherley Jr., former commanding general, Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard, and his wife Ann Wherley, a mortgage banker, both 62.
The Going Out Gurus had the skinny yesterday on why popular downtown lunch spot The Breadline got temporarily shut down by the D.C. Dept. of Health at the end of last week:
"Operating without a valid license, operating with incorrect hot and cold holding temps for potentially hazardous foods that do not comply with the food code and could not be corrected at the time of the inspection. Failing to minimize the presence of vermin on the premises and operating a food establishment with circumstances that may endanger the public health."Not exactly minor violations, so it's no wonder they were shut down.
The Washington Times reports that D.C. Fire/EMS and WMATA aren't happy with each other in terms of how the two agencies communicated the details of yesterday's crash:
Fire officials stated bluntly Monday night that Metro's original description of the accident understated its magnitude, and it was only when the first rescuers arrived at the scene that the sort of help needed was finally summoned.Continue reading "FEMS, Metro Trade Barbs on Crash Communication"
Sources tell DCist that the death toll has risen back up to nine, after two more bodies were discovered in the wreckage this morning. The total number of bodies still trapped in trains before 10 a.m. was therefore five, but the Post is reporting that all of them have since been removed. Four other bodies were already in the morgue.
We didn't get this quote down during this morning's press conference, but City Desk provides:
NTSB’s Debbie Hersman this morning confirms that the the striking train was a 1000-series car and that the struck train was a mix of 3000- and 5000-series. She notes that the NTSB has "long been on record" about the crashworthiness of the 1000 series. "We recommended to WMATA to either retrofit those cars or phase them out of service," she says. "Those concerns were not addressed."Pretty damning. The NTSB has not determined nor even speculated at this point what caused Tuesday's crash, but as far as its degree of deadliness, they are rather clearly blaming Metro's inaction on its recommendations.
Many D.C. commuters subscribe to METRO eAlerts, emailed notifications of Metrorail disruptions that can help steer Metro riders around trouble areas. Over the last 16 hours, the eAlerts system has sent out numerous updates about the deadly crash at Fort Totten, but the automatically generated language used by the system has proved to be grossly inadequate in describing the situation. More than one update also indicated the incident had been "cleared," even though the Red Line is still shut down around the crash site. Here are the crash-related METRO eAlerts updates we've received since Tuesday evening, emphasis ours.
We linked to a DC Kaleidoscope account of last night's shooting in the Park View neighborhood in the Morning Roundup, but here's the MPD's statement on the incident, sent to neighborhood email lists last night by Third District Inspector Jacob Kishter.
A shooting occurred at Park Ave and Quebec. One adult female was struck in the leg and was transported to an area hospital. A second adult male was also struck in the upper torso and attempted to drive away in his vehicle causing him to crash near Quebec and Warder Streets. He was transported to an area hospital in serious condition. The matter is currently being investigated by the Third District Detectives.Also see Prince of Petworth. There are varying reports of between 15 and 60 shots having been fired.
The White House released this statement from President Obama late last night: "Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in Northeast Washington D.C. today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. I want to thank the brave first responders who arrived immediately to save lives. My staff has been in touch with Mayor Fenty's office and will continue to monitor the situation."
Good morning, Washington. The city is reeling from yesterday's horrific Metro crash at Fort Totten. Nine people had been reported to have died in the collision, but Mayor Adrian Fenty only confirmed seven people dead this morning, and news outlets have since begun reporting the smaller number. Not much other new information was available from this morning's press conference. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier did say that the city has not yet begun to notify the next of kin of those who died, as they are still determining identities in some cases. The only victim who has been identified so far is Jeanice McMillan, 42, of Springfield, the Metrorail operator who died in the crash.
UPDATE: City officials are sticking to seven confirmed dead, despite earlier news reports that nine people died. The two additional reported deaths may or may not have been due to confusion about the two critical patients -- we'll continue to monitor reports.
Word coming in that a Red Line train derailed while approaching the Ft. Totten Metro station at just after 5 p.m. Metro doesn't have many details yet, but trains are turning back at Brookland and Takoma due the derailment. Fire crews have reportedly responded to the scene but we have no information yet on whether there are injuries. Stay tuned.
After dropping a game for the first time this season Friday against Atlanta, the Washington Mystics pulled out an 81-72 win Saturday over visiting conference rival Chicago Sky. The Mystics’ win improves their record to 4-1 and keeps them in first place in the Eastern Conference.
Two suburban Metrobus lines will begin charging express fares this Sunday, June 28. In Montgomery County, the J7/J9 I-270 Express line will see the fare increase, while in Prince George’s County, the W19 Indian Head Express line will also be affected. Starting June 28, the two express lines will cost $3 with a SmarTrip card or $3.10 with cash. In other Metro money news, WMATA is expected, at long last, to pass its $2.14 billion budget on Thursday.
Are you a Redskins suite holder? (Hah, OK, you're more than likely not, but bear with us here.) Then you might have been surprised when you got a letter in the mail from the team letting you know that tailgating will only be allowed in the last few rows of each parking lot at FedEx Field this upcoming season. Dan Steinberg reports that the team, in an effort to ostensibly suck as much fun out of the game-day experience as possible, would really prefer it if you could keep the tailgating riff-raff as far away from the stadium as possible, please. Why? Who knows, although we'd imagine that Snyder would like it if you purchased food and drink inside of the stadium instead of bringing your own. Tailgating is one of the few things that keep 'Skins games entertaining anymore, and is a vital reason why many people put up with the exorbitant parking charges at the Field -- there's also a strong sense of community in the lots: folks who know exactly where their friends are and can tell stories about tailgates of years gone by. Steinberg thinks that "we should withhold judgment until we hear exactly why this is happening," but it's hard to imagine that hardcore tailgaters will see it so diplomatically.
When DC Water and Sewer Authority General Manager Jerry Johnson left the agency in April, WASAWatch hailed the news as an end to a "culture of deception, secrecy, and disregard for public health." Perhaps true for the District proper -- but in the broader Washington metropolitan area, deception, secrecy, and disregard for public health are never far from hand. Johnson has been selected by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission to serve as its general manager, according to reports.
Good morning, Washington, and welcome to the first Monday of summer. The sweet season officially began yesterday, and as our reward for sticking out nearly an entire month of weird June gloom and rain, we're getting three full days of sunshine and highs in the 80s! Make your sittin' in the park eating your lunch plans for the week accordingly. Toward the end of the week we could see some more brutal humidity and afternoon thunderstorms, but we're trying not to think about that too much just yet. Make sure to enjoy the beginning of this week while you can.
Cute, right? Wrong. Efficient. This photo by LaTur captures a model transit system at work. Well done, WMATA.
If there's one complaint that I've heard more than any other about the Real World's imminent arrival in town this week, it's this: where are the alcoholic safe houses going to be for all of us that don't care about the true stories of seven strangers living together, preferring our own stories which don't involve having jobs handed to us and living in a Dupont Circle mansion?
For all the hubbub about Virginia being one of the keystones of the new Democratic revolution, it's still important to remember that the states still boasts a fairly wide conservative base. A fairly wide conservative base whose leadership has obviously mastered the art of using iMovie to splice together a montage of Tim Kaine speeches, postcards, "I've Been Everywhere," and huge text overlays. Take that, lefties!
Remember when that 75-foot-wide river that washed Bethesda away after that water main break? That wasn't Juanita Miller's fault. But almost everything else is.
Thinking about driving around the Mall tomorrow? Uh, I'd think real, real hard about that one: tomorrow is the D.C. stop on the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series tour. (Try saying that five times fast.) There's a boatload of closures around the race course in the downtown area, including many major entrances into and exits out of D.C., such as the Whitehurst Freeway, Clara Barton Parkway, Rock Creek Parkway, and Maine Avenue off the Southeast and Southwest Freeways.
Good morning, Washington. Obviously, it was going to be difficult to top headlines about the suspect in Thursday's Columbia Heights shooting working in Jim Graham's office -- but leave it to a different kind of story about guns to do just that. Yesterday, the District made emergency changes to allow nearly 1,000 additional models of handguns to be possessed by citizens of the District. Weapons that are legal in the states of California, Massachusetts, and Maryland are now allowed in the District. The new regulations are available for reading here.
Well, this situation just keeps getting worse and worse, now doesn't it? It was awful enough that Thursday's shooting at the Columbia Heights Metro station stemmed from an orientation for the District's Summer Jobs Program, but news broke earlier this evening that the main suspect in the crime is a nineteen-year-old who had been interning in, of all people, Councilman Jim Graham's office.
Michael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and current chairman of the Republican National Committee, today chided President Barack Obama for not putting "Taxation Without Representation" license plates on the presidential limousine. Steele made his remarks during WTOP's "Politics Program With Mark Plotkin."
DCist witnessed D.C. Police escorting the production trailers for the Untitled James L. Brooks Project out of Adams Morgan last night, and we've since heard stars Jack Nicholson, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd have moved on to other locations, including spots along the 14th Street NW corridor (trucks are lined up today from at least R Street up to T Street), while other scenes will be filmed inside the lobby and outside of the office building at 875 15th Street NW, aka The Bowen Building, for big chunks of the weekend -- a security notice sent to workers in the McPherson Square-adjacent building says they'll be there pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday, and then again overnight at the end of next week.
The District of Columbia's May unemployment rate was 10.7 percent, the D.C. Department of Employment Services announced today. That figure is up 0.8 percent from the April rate, and 4.1 percent higher than the same month in 2008. This is the first time D.C.'s unemployment rate has gone above the 10 percent mark since the recession began. It was holding at 9.9 percent or below for the last couple of months. Nationally, things also look bleak: the U.S. unemployment rate for May was 9.4 percent, up 0.5 percent from April, and 3.9 percent higher than in May 2008. The news comes paired with Labor Department data that shows that for the first time in months, the number of people collecting unemployment benefits from the government actually fell compared to the previous week. There is at least some indication that the drop in benefits rolls may be because more unemployed people are exhausting their benefits.
It was just yesterday that a brazen daytime shooting outside of the Columbia Heights Metro station (linked to the District's Summer Youth Jobs Program, no less) left two men injured, one on the run and area residents peeved with the persistent gun violence that has plagued the redeveloped area. I wandered over to the scene last night; all seemed normal spare the many TV trucks and reporters trying to get on-the-street reactions. But today is a new day, and we're in for some likely political grandstanding from the city's elected leaders. The shooting comes the very same week that the D.C. Council voted on a crime bill that had been the subject of heated debate for months. The version that passed, sponsored by Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), did not include a controversial provision that would have made it easier for police to target suspected gang-members and that was supported by Mayor Adrian Fenty. We're hoping it doesn't happen, but we wouldn't be surprised to hear someone try to use yesterday's shooting as some sort of justification for why the gang provision should have been included in the final legislation.
WJLA culls this remarkable detail from today's double shooting in Columbia Heights: the argument between two youths that precipitated the shooting began at an orientation for the mayor's Summer Youth Jobs Program. Ward 1's Jim Graham confirmed that police confiscated a revolver and a set of brass knuckles at the orientation, attended by some 2,500 summer jobbers, at the Washington Convention Center earlier today, and that this incident appears to have stemmed from that earlier scuffle.
Two people were shot at about 3:15 p.m. outside the Columbia Heights Metro station. At least one male is reported to have been shot three times and in critical condition, though FOX 5 is reporting that both victims were shot in the legs. The shooting is reported to have taken place near the corner of 14th & Irving Streets NW, though the incident may have begun slightly south of the Metro station, in the 3000 block of 14th Street NW. Many rounds appear to have been fired in the shooting, and details are still scant. Police have blocked off 14th Street and Irving Street in both directions, and the south entrance to the Metro station is currently closed. Avoid the area for the time being if at all possible.
Today the Post ran a story about how D.C. United has sent an online poll to their fans, asking them to rank, in order of preference, where they'd like to see a new stadium built. The three options are the Dulles Corridor, Lower Montgomery County, or the District of Columbia. If you didn't get the survey via email from the team, you can click here to share your thoughts. Along with asking how many games you think you'd be able to attend depending on where the stadium is built, the second question is perhaps most telling: "Assuming there is not a new stadium option for D.C. United within the District of Columbia, please rank each of the following two possible stadium locations based on your preference: Dulles Corridor/Dulles Airport or Lower Montgomery County." The survey will remain online through the end of the week.
Ward 6 D.C. Council member Tommy Wells is first out of the gate with a statement admonishing his colleagues for considering diverting funding away from longstanding projects in order to fund the construction of a new Convention Center Hotel. Word of such discussions, which would involve taking away dedicated subsidies from projects like the Southwest waterfront, the Capitol Riverfront, the Skyland Shopping Center and the O Street Market, first surfaced earlier this week.
"Yeah Energy and Commerce!”
Word spread through the local music community yesterday that Clark Sabine, singer for the local band Statehood, had finally succumbed to his long battle with cancer. Sabine, 33, died Tuesday night at a hospice facility in Arlington. His bandmates posted this message to their website overnight:
We are deeply saddened to tell you that Clark passed away on Tuesday evening at a hospice in Arlington, VA. He was first diagnosed with melanoma in February of 2008, and after a series of surgeries and treatments, we thought he was in the clear. In the fall the cancer returned and spread to other parts of his body. Experimental treatments were in the works, but we needed chemotherapy to shrink some of the tumors before beginning this treatment. In May, we found out that the chemo was not working and that the condition was terminal. Clark was 33 years old.Continue reading "Clark Sabine, of Local Band Statehood, Dies at 33"
Good morning, Washington. Looks like those Blue and Yellow Line problems from yesterday evening continued through to this morning, as a problem with a communication cable forced trains to share the same track between the Braddock Road and National Airport, creating 20 to 30 minute delays. Good luck out there.
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board voted unanimously today to add the Purple Line to its long-range transportation plan, a key approval in the lengthy process to build the new line. Whether the proposed 16-mile line connecting Bethesda to New Carrollton will be light rail or bus rapid transit is still an open question, but a decision on that could happen as early as the end of the summer, assuming the next step, an environmental review process, doesn't drag on and on.
We heard from several readers that the film crew for the James L. Brooks-helmed Owen Wilson/Reese Witherspoon/Paul Rudd flick were camped along 7th Street NW in Penn Quarter today, and word from DDOT is that they'll be in Adams Morgan tomorrow. Several road closures will be in effect in the post-rush hour morning due to the filming. From the release!
Due to production activities tomorrow, Thursday, June 18, in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, Adams Mill Road, NW between Calvert Street and Columbia Road will be closed between 9:30am and 1:30pm. Also, there will be intermittent traffic control (temporary short closures) of Columbia Road at Adams Mill Road and 18th Street during filming.Continue reading "Streets to Close as Film Crew Heads to Adams Morgan Thursday"
The Washington Post's Paul Duggan has a story up detailing new improvements to the Metropolitan Police Department's Sex Offender Registry. The main addition is a new map that allows users find registered sex offenders within either a .25 or .50 mile radius of any address in the city. Previously, users could only search by PSA, or police service area. The map can be found at sexoffender.dc.gov.
An extra-marital affair involving a Washington politico isn't anything surprising these days. But when it involves the possible blackmail of a Promise Keeper senator who is no friend of the District, it's hard for us not to feel just the tiniest bit smug. Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) admitted yesterday in a hastily arranged press conference that he had cheated on his wife with a campaign staffer, jumping to admit to the infidelity over fears that the staffer's husband -- who worked as an aide to Ensign -- was seeking to blackmail him. In the wake of the news Ensign today resigned his position as Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.
The Washington Business Journal's Jonathan O'Connell follows up on the ongoing Washington Convention Center Hotel saga to report that city officials are discussing taking roughly $700 million in subsidies that have already been passed for other projects and diverting them to the hotel. The argument goes that a number of high profile development projects, including the Southwest waterfront, the Capitol Riverfront, the Skyland Shopping Center and the O Street Market, have long been stalled by the collapse of the lending market, so those allocated subsidies are sitting dormant in the meantime. But such a course of action would of course be very tricky for D.C. Council members who represent the neighborhoods that would then lose their public funding for those projects. The scheme could pose particular problems for Ward 2's Jack Evans, who would be forced to weigh the hotel, which is in his Ward, against longstanding promises to make the O Street Market project a priority. In May, Evans pushed through a $1 million grant to the developers of the O Street Market in Shaw.
We knew to expect it, and now D.C. Wire is reporting that Bishop Harry Jackson, Rev. Walter Fauntroy, and their collective of gay marriage opponents did indeed file papers at D.C. Superior Court this morning to appeal the recent BOEE ruling that a city-wide referendum on same sex marriage recognition would violate the Human Rights Act, and is therefore not allowed. 'In a statement, Fauntroy called the election board's decision, ''an insult to every voter in the District of Columbia and must be legally challenged as we are doing today.''' Unless the court intervenes, the marriage recognition law recently passed by the D.C. Council will become law in July.
John Hinckley, the man who shot President Reagan outside the Washington Hilton Hotel in 1981, has been granted the right to obtain a D.C. driver's license in order to drive to visit his mother in Williamsburg. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman issued the ruling Tuesday that gives Hinckley more freedom and permission to spend more time away from St. Elizabeths Hospital, the Southeast D.C. mental hospital where he lives. Fingers crossed that Hinckley's upcoming visit to the D.C. DMV goes smoothly!
AP File Photo/Ira Schwartz
Yesterday evening, we received a tip from a DCPS high school teacher that nearly 20 teachers at their school received termination letters from their principal that afternoon, including the union building representative. This morning, Candi Peterson, a Washington Teachers' Union board member, has letters from two teachers on her blog, and while the exact number of teachers fired has not yet been announced, D.C. Wire reports that four types of school employees were terminated around the district:
Paraprofessionals who work with students, but did not attain the "highly qualified" standard required by federal law under the No Child Left Behind Act.Continue reading "End of the School Year Brings Teacher Firings"
Good morning, Washington. It's not a local story exactly, but since it surely affects a lot of people in this town we might as well mention this morning's big non-Iranian news: President Obama is expected to announce the extension of benefits to federal employees' same-sex partners. No word yet on whether those with partners of the opposite sex will be allowed to write off the diminished value of their marriages on this year's taxes.
Va. Is Last To Ask For Roads Stimulus: Given all of the attention paid to traffic congestion in Northern Virginia, you'd think that the state might be a little speedier to apply for free government money for transportation projects. That's not the case, though; as the Post reports, Virginia was dead last in line for stimulus money. Apparently the state's insistence on collecting feedback from local governments and its threadbare, cash-strapped projects pipeline combined to delay the compilation of a list of things in need of funding. It doesn't seem as though this will cost the state any money, although the work — and its economy-stimulating effects — will be delayed.
Fined For Flashing Lights: The Post brings a mostly-if-not-only-in-D.C. sort of story: Mark Zaid was fined $50 for flashing his headlights to thank a driver for doing the same in order to warn him of a speed trap. This bugged Zaid, so he challenged the fine. The ticketing officer didn't show up, so the ticket was dismissed — but Zaid, a lawyer, isn't satisfied, and is demanding an apology and says that if he doesn't get one he'll sue.
Briefly Noted: Water main break in Alexandria on Quaker Lane... Fatal shooting in Trinidad... D.C. Council asks feds to charge Holocaust Museum shooter (who apparently had some pretty creepy art in his home) with hate crime... Woodbridge bus driver charged in connection to killing of roommate, fellow bus driver... Councilman Harry Thomas, Jr. wants cameras on all MPD officers' guns (like Doom!) (video)... Two decomposed bodies discovered near church, school in Hyattsville thanks to informant's tip...
This Day In DCist: One year ago Olsson's Penn Quarter store shut down and Fort Reno's arsenic scare ended.
Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user cacophony76
Before getting started on crime bill debate, the D.C. Council went ahead and passed the Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act on a second reading earlier today, sending the legislation to Mayor Fenty for his signature. The first vote took place just two weeks ago; both votes were unanimous. The key feature of the law is a new 5 cent fee on consumers per paper or plastic carryout bag taken from District retailers. If all goes according to plan, and there's no reason at this point to think it won't, the five cent fees would be in place by January, 2010, so you've got roughly six months to get used to carrying around your own reusable bags.
Metro formally announced today that SmarTrip users can add value to their cards at select CVS and Giant Food stores. Last year, WMATA made SmarTrip cards more widely available for sale at CVS and Giant, but now customers can also choose to add money to their cards at both chains while they check out.
Writing in the Examiner, Hayley Peterson reports on a resurrected bill from D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton that would allow private companies to take over running the District’s three public golf courses in order to finance much needed improvements. The plan, presumably, would mean access to the historically cheap public courses would become more expensive.
Progressive radio network Air America will finally debut in the D.C. market tonight at midnight, broadcasting as WZAA 1050 AM. The daily schedule will include such well known personalities as Rachel Maddow, Ron Reagan, Ana Marie Cox, Montel Williams, Lionel, Arianna Huffington and Carlos Watson. Special guests will also appear on the station tomorrow to mark the D.C. launch, including Helen Thomas, Chris Matthews, and Sen. Bernie Sanders. “We plan to utilize our new Washington, D.C. broadcast facilities to originate nationwide programming with our talent,” said Bill Hess, senior vice president of programming of Air America Media. “Now that we’re in our new D.C. home on Idaho Avenue, we’re also producing regularly-scheduled local programming.”
Ideally, this column is scheduled to run on Mondays. We held it until today because after this report by Fox Sports, and the Nationals subsequent non-denials, we were certain that Manny Acta was going to be fired yesterday. Well, he wasn't. It still seems likely that he will be, it is more a matter of when at this point. If it happens before Sunday, you can expect Bethesda Big Train Baseball's Nationals Night with Manny Acta bobblehead dolls to be the hot ticket of the season.
Reuters (via MSNBC) has a story about an annual driver survey that now ranks New York City drivers at the top when it comes to overly aggressive driving. Miami had been number one for the last few years, but New Yorkers have since taken their rightful place as the rudest Americans (behind the wheel). So how does D.C. stack up? Washington was actually ranked fifth on the list of least courteous driving cities last year, but has since fallen out of the top five. So have we really become nicer drivers? Umm... not so much:
Most people, 43 percent, reacted to bad driving by honking the horn. But 36 percent resorted to cursing, 13 percent waved their fists or arms and 10 percent made an obscene gesture.Continue reading "D.C Drivers Admit to Bad Road Rage Behavior "
Good morning, Washington. The D.C. Council today is set to consider the two (or three?) big crime bills before them, with the more comprehensive one created by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. The Post runs down a new provision that's been tacked on to that bill, which would allow authorities to target alleged gang members in civil proceedings, a tactic that has been credited with reducing gang activity in a few other cities to varying degrees. The ACLU protested the provision yesterday. Of course, as NBC4's Tom Sherwood notes, the Council could just as likely decide not to do anything at all.
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics ruled today that a District-wide referendum on whether or not the city should recognize same sex marriages performed elsewhere is not allowed, City Desk is reporting. The decision appears to have been based on whether or not such a referendum would violate the Human Rights Act by permitting discrimination based on sexual orientation. "Because the Referendum would authorize discrimination prohibited by the HRA, it is not a proper subject for referendum, and may not be accepted by the Board," is the quote from the ruling.
After legislation that would grant the District a voting seat in the House was shelved last week, we called on President Obama to lend a hand and expressed concern that the proposal may be dead for the year, if not dead for good. Regardless, the cause soldiers on. Below is a rundown of the latest voting rights news.
The yearly ridiculousness that is the World Naked Bike Ride happened over the weekend, and while the event may have been overshadowed by Pride festivities here in D.C., photographic evidence shows a healthy number of participants still came, um, out for the ride. On the one hand, we appreciate Flickr contributor M.V. Jantzen being able to snag the more or less safe for work image above from the event. On the other, do we have to call BS on all these folks not really being naked? Or should we just be thanking them for covering up? Many more shots, with varying degrees of NSFW-yness, available here.
Sunday's heavenly sunshine and cool breezes may have helped push last week's endless thunderstorms into the backs of our minds, but WTOP's Kristi King reminds us that this spring's increased rainfall will have lasting effects in form of incessant mosquitoes. King quotes Mosquito Control Program Manager for the Maryland Department of Agriculture Mike Cantwell as noting that the D.C. metro area is in store for increased mosquito activity this season in the evenings, nights and early mornings, and even more fun, later in the summer we should get even more of those annoying daytime tiger mosquitoes. Highly unscientific anecdotal evidence gathered at DCist HQ shows that the number of mosquito bites received by staffers thus far in the month of June far exceeds the same period last year. How pesky are you finding the city's skeeters this year?
Good morning, Washington. It's one of those days when it's tough to be a local news watcher, with such serious and disturbing stories coming out of Iran. Just makes it feel a little insincere to get worked up about the ongoing Krispy Kreme v. Fairfax County lawsuit when people are being beaten by police for disputing the results of an election.
The Red Line has been a mess since about 1 p.m. due to another death on the rails. The Post reports that an unidentified woman was struck and killed by an oncoming train after she "intentionally placed herself on the tracks" at Bethesda. The station was completely closed for about 20 minutes after the incident, and Red Line trains have been sharing one track for most of the afternoon. Officials are warning that ramifications from the investigation into the woman's death could last quite some time into the evening. This is the second such incident this weekend -- yesterday, a man was struck by a train at the Potomac Avenue station.
Concluding a more than four-year rollercoaster without inclines which supplied City Paper sports writer Dave McKenna with endless amounts of material, the Daniel Snyder-controlled Six Flags chain of amusement parks is officially bankrupt. Filing yesterday, the company finally admitted that their $2.4 billion debt mountain was unclimbable, even after selling off properties to gain capital and attempting to restructure agreements with creditors. Six Flags' stock offering was recently kicked off the New York Stock Exchange and downgraded to "junk" status. It's reported that Snyder and his Redskins buddies who went in on the company lost over $130 million on their initial investment; I wonder how many flags losing that kind of scratch registers on the fun-o-meter?
On the surface, there wasn't much separating D.C. United and the Chicago Fire heading into their match at RFK Stadium last night. Both teams had scored and allowed the exact same number of goals -- 20 for, 17 against. Both held large margins in the way they score, namely, from the run of play -- United had scored 70% of goals in open play, the Fire, 65%. United had not lost at home, while Chicago boasted a spotless record on the road.
Ken Rosenthal at FOXsports.com had the scoop that beleaguered Nationals manager Manny Acta will be relieved of his duties at some point this week, replaced by current bench coach and former major league manager Jim Riggleman. The forty-year-old Acta, the youngest active manager in the bigs when he was hired in 2007, has accumulated a 148-235 record in his two-plus seasons with the team -- but has seen a steady negative decline since his inaugural campaign in 2007, when the Nats won 73 games. It was seemingly a matter of time before Acta was let go; at 16-44, there's not much else to do but can the guy in charge.
Whoa, nellie -- it's a bit backed up on some of the tracks today. In addition to some planned maintenance work on the Red Line (between Dupont Circle and Van Ness-UDC) and Blue Line (between Braddock Street Road and Van Dorn Street), a man was struck earlier this morning at the Potomac Avenue station, causing backups in both directions. The unidentified man, who was struck around 11:45 a.m., died after he was transported to the hospital. Blue and Orange Line trains were single-tracking after the incident, but now are experiencing residual delays. Plan your subterranean travels accordingly.
"For anyone who wants to vote, I want it to be a smooth, efficient operation."
Old folks looking for their daily dose of The Wheel aren't the only people in the District wondering where Pat Sajak, Vanna White, and all the other television personalities who help to usher the way through this lonely life have all gone off to. ABC 7 reports that some 80,000 people were unprepared for the digital flip: They turned on, but it was the television that tuned out. It's kind of unthinkable that a conscious person could have missed all the discussion about the digital transition, but hey, they still field fair and unbiased juries for Michael Jackson. In any case, DCist understands the need to step away from the computer to go sit in front of another screen. Seniors may consult an initiative by the D.C. Office on Aging that has been sending DTV experts to do at-home consultations. ABC 7 has a number people can call until 3 p.m. today (703-236-9321) for assistance with setup, and the Geek Squad is stationed at Best Buy to help people with questions. For all this trouble, what did the government get out of the deal? Just a lousy $19.6 billion.
"My father's beliefs have been a constant source of verbal and mental abuse my family has had to suffer with for many years." Those words introduce a statement by Erik von Brunn, son of Holocaust Memorial Museum shooter James von Brunn, released to ABC News. Erik and his family will no doubt always be marked by the shameful beliefs and actions of his father. The younger von Brunn's statement reveals courage, addressing with great remorse the family of museum security guard Stephen Johns and with great clarity the radical extremists who view the elder von Brunn's actions as heroic. Erik writes, "I realize there is nothing positive to be taken from this incident. It is empowering, however, to know our country's resistance and intolerance for such acts of hatred has been bolstered in the face of this tragedy." Empowering, indeed: knowing that James von Brunn's unfounded hatred was not passed down to the next generation.
Good morning, Washington. Did you realize that there are 30,000 Iranians in the Washington metropolitan area? Well, there are -- and the Post has a profile of their experiences at the polls yesterday -- many at the Iranian embassy on Wisconsin Avenue, but also in places like Potomac, Manassas and Tysons Corner.
The latest detail to emerge in the aftermath of Wednesday's fatal shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Museum is that one of the two surviving security guards who returned fire at the alleged gunman was a recently retired Metropolitan Police Department officer. Harry Weeks retired from the MPD in February after 27 years as a D.C. police officer. The second guard, Jason "Mac" McCuiston, is a former Marine who had worked as a police officer outside Atlanta. Weeks and McCuiston both opened fire on James von Brunn after the suspect shot security officer Stephen Johns. The two surviving guards had only been working at the museum for a few weeks.
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), who famously crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol three years ago while under the influence of prescription drugs, has checked into a rehabilitation facility, the Associated Press is reporting. "I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery," Kennedy said in a statement today. His office isn't giving out any more information about exactly what he's being treated for, but the congressman has previously sought treatment for bipolar disorder, alcohol and prescription drug abuse.
The DTV-pocalypse is finally here, and as broadcasters nationwide officially turn off their analog signals today and boost their digital ones, the local DTV channel line-up could be in flux for a while. A few months ago we rounded up the digital TV channels that have been widely available in the D.C. metro area for some time, but all the advice we're reading suggests you should rescan for possibly new or different available channels at least once a week for the next little while, as things may change or shuffle around. The Post's excellent tech guy, Rob Pegoraro, answered a bunch of questions about the transition in a live chat today, so check that out, too.
So, Madrid's bringing in Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, eh? In that case, it looks like D.C. United lucked out in nailing down Real Madrid for their August 9th friendly at FedEx Field. The European football world is all upside down with possibilities due to the second wave of galacticos at Madrid; but regardless of the dominoes that are yet to fall across the pond, soccer fans here will be able to see two of world's consensus top five players (unless, of course, Madrid adds another -- hey, you never know) when Los Merengues roll into town later this summer. And hey, right on cue, individual tickets just went on sale at 10 a.m. -- well played, United. You can get yours here -- we wouldn't recommend procrastinating for too long.
Good morning, Washington. WTOP is carrying an interesting story on Metro today, writing about a report that analyzes Metro's less-than-stellar reputation with area commuters. According to the report, Metro suffers from a "reputation deficit" that makes it harder for the transit agency to promote and advance transit solution for the region. The report also finds that Metro's real traffic-saver is the bus, not the train; that Metro should be commended for its role in promoting economic development and that infrastructure problems will dog the system no matter how much it works on improving quality and personnel training. If Metro overcomes these challenges, writes the report, it will be able to serve as a model for mass transit across the country. That's quite an "if," but nice to think about nonetheless.
Roll Call is reporting (subscription only) that Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) -- NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Ward 8 D.C. Council member and former mayor Marion Barry -- grossly understated the value of his Capitol Hill rowhouse on his annual financial disclosure forms.
In May, Berry filed a financial disclosure form reporting the value of the house at between $250,000 and $500,000, the same value that he has listed on his disclosure forms each year.Continue reading "Congressman Underreports Value of His D.C. Home"
Oh yeah, there's another severe thunderstorm watch from the National Weather Service in effect, this time until 8 p.m. There's also another flash flood watch that will last until the wee hours of the morning on Friday. But you knew that already. Because these storms won't ever. effing. stop.
The long, long saga of the empty warehouse space at 14th and T Streets NW has come to an end. Upscale furniture retailer Room & Board has finally gone ahead and bought the building, after dropping out of negotiations for a while and then eventually coming back and making another offer, Housing Complex reports. The building at one time had been targeted as a comedy club/yoga studio/lounge combo, but all those pipe dreams have at last gone up in smoke. From the press release:
Room & Board, a 29-year-old company offering handcrafted, American-made home furnishings, announced today it will open a new store in Washington, D.C., in the early spring of 2010. The store, located in the historic Taylor Motors Building at 14th and T, will be Room & Board’s second store on the east coast and eleventh store in the U.S.Continue reading "Room & Board Finally Buys the 14th & T Building"
In a city where the HIV/AIDS infection rate has reached epidemic proportions, is it OK for drug stores to keep their condoms under lock and key, theoretically discouraging skittish shoppers, especially teens, from purchasing them?
Tragedies offer both moments of reflection and political posturing. Yesterday's shooting at the Holocaust Museum has already produced some of the latter with regards to the District's gun laws.
In the wake of yesterday's fatal shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and the InterFairth Conference of Metropolitan Washington have planned a Holocaust Prayer Vigil this afternoon for 2 p.m.. Area residents are encouraged to attend the event, which will take place directly in front of the museum, located at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, near Independence Ave. and 14th Street SW. The event will serve to honor Stephen Johns, the security guard who was shot and killed in the line of duty, as well as an opportunity to reflect on the motivations behind the tragedy.
All we can say after reading this Washington Post story about Bethesda physician Eric C. Greenberg, 42, whose office was raided by a team of federal and local narcotics agents in April, is ewwwwww. Not only did officials discover Greenberg at his place of business with fresh, bleeding track marks all over his body, but consider this patient description from 2004: "The patient described respondent [Greenberg] as very disheveled looking with sores on his hands and face, dried blood under his nose, unshaven, and hair 'flaky.' His clothes were not pressed, he did not have socks on, his shoes were 'ratty,' his medical coat was dirty and it had what appeared to her to be dried, splattered blood all over the shoulder. The patient further stated that respondent stuttered and mumbled and was very difficult to understand." And it took five more years to shut this guy down? Cripes.
GA Cleaners, also known as Georgia Avenue Cleaners and commonly referred to as Q Street Cleaners, located at the corner of 14th and Q Streets NW, will close for good this Saturday.
Good morning, Washington. Well, alright, that's not quite right: it's a terrible morning. The news is filled with shootings, homicidal arsons, hardships for the disabled community and, perhaps most astoundingly, the revelation that the Virginia DMV is trying to forbid customers from smiling. I expect to get a press release announcing the cancellation of this year's Christmas any minute. Oh yeah, and it's never going to stop raining. It's all pretty terrible. Here's hoping that tomorrow proves to be a spectacularly great Friday. More On Holocaust Museum Shooting: As you might imagine, today's news is filled with continued attempts to discover what happened during yesterday's fatal Holocaust Museum shooting, and why it happened. The Post does a good job recounting the specific events that led to the death of security guard Stephen Johns. Via WTOP, the AP focuses more on the accused shooter, reiterating and adding to what we know of James von Brunn's personal history by detailing his lack of success as an artist, recounting his odd attempt to menace the Federal Reserve Board, and briefly mentioning that he spent time in Idaho, potentially in the company of a hate group. The Post's piece on von Brunn has quotes from the man's ex-wife, neighbors and fellow white supremacists. It's still not known exactly how von Brunn, a convicted felon, was able to obtain the .22 caliber rifle used in the shooting. There've been no reports of a change in von Brunn's medical condition since yesterday when he was in critical condition, although the Post reporting adds the detail that von Brunn was shot in the head. Va. Primary Analysis: The Post has a thorough followup to yesterday's Virginia election results, including separate articles on what doomed McAuliffe, why Moran floundered and what's ahead for candidate Deeds. WMATA Tries To Rein In MetroAccess Costs: The Examiner reports on Metro's efforts to control the rapidly-growing costs of providing service to the disabled. Among the ideas on the table: reducing the area serviced to the minimum required by law; raising fares; and placing further restrictions on who can use the service and under what conditions they can use it. Briefly Noted: Tysons somehow manages to become even more objectionable... Man, three teens charged in misdirected revenge arson... Loudoun police ticket cyclists on charity ride... Apparent inmate suicide in Frederick... Fatal shooting in Columbia Heights, despite police presence... This Day In DCist: One year ago Fatburger announced its plans to come to D.C.. Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user Funkstein
Two people were shot just south of New York Avenue Park earlier this evening. Details are still trickling in, but the shooting took place just before 5 p.m. at 1st and M Streets NW. No word on the condition of the two victims or whether any suspects are in custody. Today's incident comes on the heels of multiple shootings about eight blocks north in Bloomingdale just a couple weeks ago. We'll update when we have more details.
The U.S. Holocaust Museum has released a statement on the death of security guard Stephen Tyrone Johns, who died this afternoon after being shot at the museum by a suspect who has been identified as James Wenneker von Brunn.
Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns died heroically in the line of duty today. There are no words to express our grief and shock over these events. He served on the Museum's security staff for six years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Johns' family.Continue reading "Stephen Tyrone Johns, 39, Dies in Holocaust Museum Shooting"
We've already had numerous looks at the Real World D.C. house, but MTV just today got around to actually confirming that an upcoming season of the long running reality show will in fact be based in Washington in the house in Dupont Circle.
Two people have been shot at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in downtown D.C., CNN is reporting. So far, no motive has been reported and details are still sketchy. It looks like a security guard and the gunman are the two people who were shot. Two men have reportedly been transported to local hospitals.
The United Nations must be a fan of the D.C. Council's intention to impose a 5 cent fee on consumers for every disposable bag -- the international body's environmental chief this week called for a worldwide ban on single-use plastic bags. Via McClatchy:
"Single use plastic bags which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere. There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere," said Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme. His office advises U.N. member states on environmental policies.Continue reading "UN Calls for Global Ban on Plastic Bags"
HBO dancers, get those moneymakers ready for shaking. Reports of the demise of Screen on the Green have been greatly exaggerated, and the outdoor film series has officially been brought back from the brink of extinction. HBO has just announced that Screen on the Green on the green WILL RETURN this summer.
Here's a list of street closures from Alert DC you should keep in mind due to the ongoing investigation into the shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Museum. This information is subject to change.
My local political prayers are being answered. It was just last week that I got giddy thinking of the potential mayoral match-up of Council member Kwame Brown (D-At Large), Council member Michael A. Brown (I-At Large) and Mayor Adrian Fenty. Well, it may just have gotten even more Brown-y. D.C. Wire is reporting that former Fenty campaign staffer Sulaimon Brown has officially announced he'll be challenging the mayor in 2010. If everything comes together as we all hope it does, we're looking not at one Brown, not two -- but three of them taking on Fenty. What are the chances of that? And which of the candidates is already regretting printing thousands of generic "Brown for Mayor!" campaign signs now?
After yesterday's announcement that House leaders were shelving legislation that would grant the District a single vote in Congress, the measure appeared to be all but dead. Activists and proponents of the legislation disagreed with that assessment, though, arguing that it wasn't the proposal that was at fault -- it was merely the timing. They'd get the legislation, which would also grant Utah an additional seat in the House (at least until the next Census), back on the floor soon enough.
The Ward 1 Democrats met to take their own temperature on the same-sex marriage issue last night and voted overwhelmingly in favor of marriage equality, in a vote of 137 in favor to 4 against. The outcome isn't a big surprise, considering Ward 1's D.C. Council member, Jim Graham, is one of two gay representatives on the council. The Democratic committees of Wards 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 have also voted in favor of supporting such legislation, while Ward 5 voted against it amid heated debate.
Good morning, Washington. Or at least, good morning those of you who have electricity this morning after last night's storm, which knocked out power to around 90,000 people in the metro area. Pepco's outage map does now show that the worst of the problems have been resolved, with only a few lingering pockets of trouble, mostly in upper Northwest. WJLA did a special story just on downed trees resulting from the storm.
Some more planned fighter jet training exercises will take place over D.C.'s restricted airspace on Wednesday. NORAD has scheduled two Civil Air Patrol Cessnas, two Air Force F-16s and a Coast Guard helicopter to train between midnight and 6 a.m. overnight, plus a second daytime exercise between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, which will include one Lear jet, one Cessna and one F-16. The exercises are designed to simulate various situations in which aircraft enter restricted air space.
Looks like someone took it upon themselves to re-post all those interior shots of the D.C. Real World house on Picasa. We're not sure who did it and the labels indicating what each room will be used for are gone, but go ahead and check 'em out in case you missed the chance after they were pulled down yesterday.
President Obama has a way with words. Unlike the somewhat elementary formulations of his predecessor, Obama has tackled a number of complex issues -- torture and Guantanamo Bay, relations with the Muslim world -- in recent speeches. He is keenly aware of the power his words hold, and he doesn't act like the American people are children lacking the capacity to understand and digest tough issues. It's time he stepped up and used his oratory for the sake of District voting rights.
Looks like we've got round two of this morning's crazy storms heading our way. The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m., along with a flash flood watch until 11 p.m. for the D.C. metro area. The current estimate is that this storm activity will get going in full force by about 5 p.m., so hold on to your hats on those evening commutes, and seriously, don't attempt to drive through flooded roadways. Also watch out for potentially pretty sizable hail.
New Hampshire Ave NW between Shepherd and Taylor this morning
MORE 2:28 p.m.: D.C. Vote Executive Director Ilir Zherka just returned our call, and takes issue with our characterization that the D.C. House Voting Rights Act is "dead."
Grim news on the long-delayed D.C. House Voting Rights Act. Roll Call reports (subscription only) from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's regular Tuesday press conference that the congressman is pulling the bill from consideration for the foreseeable future.
So sayeth City Paper's Jason Cherkis, who first broke this now kinda funny story on Sunday. From the D.C. FEMS press release:
The District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department met with the Washington Nationals to identify additional measures to ensure spectator safety during pyrotechnic activities at Nationals Park. These new measures will be put in place to serve as an additional layer of protection to reduce debris when fireworks are used during the National Anthem, when the team takes the field, and during the Nationals’ homeruns and victories. Normal pyrotechnic activities will resume for the next home game.That sure was fast! Or could it be that Chief Rubin's freakout was just a little over the top?
Resident Jeff Davis shared the news with the Cleveland Park listserve this morning that the years-long battle to allow Giant Food to remodel its store at Wisconsin & Newark appears to have finally come to an end. The project dates as far back at 1998, though it was revived in its current form in 2006 before being derailed once again by NIMBY concerns over traffic and parking. You'll recall that more recently, the Cleveland Park Citizens Association experienced a coup/meltdown in the wake of the impending Giant plan approval.
A new study out today by Education Week researchers has found that the on-time graduation rate for D.C. public school students fell to an appalling 48.8 percent in 2006, a drop of more than eight percentage points from the previous year. In other words, in 2006, more D.C. students had dropped out of high school than graduated.
Good morning, Washington. If our Twitter inboxes are any indication, most everyone in town was woken up by the powerful thunder and lightning that visited our fair city this morning. Keep that in mind as you deal with your fellow commuters and co-workers today. Apply coffee and gentle understanding as needed.
A man was shot and killed this morning after a confrontation with D.C. police on the 600 block of M Street SE, The Post is reporting. The man was reportedly being sought by police in connection with a killing that took place May 31. There's still some confusion over whether the gunshot that killed the man came from police or was self-inflicted.
You may have noticed that DCist has a brand new mobile version, working as of this weekend on the iPhone, the BlackBerry (or if you're like me, the really old, crappy Sidekick), and most every other mobile device. All you have to do is access DCist.com from your mobile device and you'll be redirected (or you can go straight to mobile.dcist.com). There you'll find a tinier and tidier version of DCist that's optimized for your smaller screen. Let us know how it's working in the comments.
Quick, click over to this photo gallery full of interior shots of the D.C. Real World house at 2000 S Street NW/1734 20th Street NW (the corner building does appear to be two addresses fused together) before it gets taken down. An alert tipster found it by merely Google image searching for "2000 S. Street" and sent it in to DCist.
The answer is no. No you cannot.
Heads up, local George Washington University alumni: D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray now represents you in more ways than one. The university's Alumni Association announced that they have selected Chairman Gray to receive one of the University’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards. According to Gray's office, he won't receive the award until an October 1, 2009 ceremony during GWU’s Alumni Weekend.
It is the week of the baseball draft, and in what looks like a yearly tradition, it is time to see what the Nationals organization does with the first pick. Everyone expects them to draft pitcher Steven Strasburg. Strasburg is a talent so great that only a team as incompetent as the Nationals would fail to draft and sign him. It should be an interesting Tuesday. Strasburg is represented by hated agent Scott Boras, so the team is a long way away from introducing the next Ben McDonald to the world.
In case you missed it over the weekend, yesterday City Desk reported the bizarre news that D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin went to the Nats game and subsequently shut down the ballpark's long-running fireworks display for the foreseeable future. The ballpark reportedly has the correct permits and nothing unusual happened at Sunday's game, so what's the deal? Apparently, some bits of debris fell on the chief himself:
Fire Department spokesperson Alan Etter confirmed the basic account via e-mail.
Continue reading "Fire Chief Cancels Nationals Park Fireworks"
The Washington Mystics may keep D.C. from falling into a serious sports depression this year. The team is off to their best start in franchise history at 2-0, and in a town that currently houses the worst teams in the NBA and MLB, this group of 11 ladies are a welcome exception. The Mystics won their season opener 82-70 Saturday on the road in Connecticut (against a team that finished second in the East Conference last year) and their home opener Sunday against the Atlanta Dream. The final score was 77-71.
Good morning, Washington. We hope you enjoyed plenty of the sunshine and breezes the city offered up this weekend, and that you were neither pecked to death by your urban chickens nor stung into submission by your urban beehive. What's next exactly for our tiny D.C. rowhouse backyards? Urban llamas?
An unauthorized passenger was detained at Dulles International Airport after he was found in the baggage hold of an Ethiopian Airlines jet. ABC 7 reports that authorities say that he is not a terrorist, but just a guy with a dream to come to America, which makes him sound like Fievel the mouse. I feel him -- it's notoriously difficult to immigrate to the U.S. by legal means. Our stowaway will very likely face the same fate that greets those who try to immigrate by more conventional routes -- deportation.
As you know, officials opened a new biking and walking trail on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge yesterday. Funny that ABC 7 should describe the trail as part of an effort "aimed at relieving a major bottleneck." People traveling on two feet (or two tires) aren't usually cited as cause for major traffic delays. But this weekend, there might be something to that: Yesterday, the Race for the Cure prompted street closures near the National Mall, while the Unifest Celebration closed streets in Southeast. Note that those streets in Anacostia remain closed. Note too that Unifest's relationship with traffic is particularly fraught. This year marks the return of the African American cultural parade after taking a year off following a 2007 incident in which a woman high on crack cocaine hurt dozens of people by plowing through the festival with her car. Progressive pedestrians celebrating black culture and raising money for cancer research? Good traffic! Cracked-out demolition derby? Bad, bad traffic.
Councilman Jim Graham made the electronic rounds yesterday to tell residents of Ward 1 that a straw poll on same sex marriage measures will occur on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Second Floor Conference Room of the Reeves Center. The poll, which will be accompanied by a panel discussion on the issue, probably won't be as contentious as recent official votes in Ward 8 (where it passed with a fair majority) and Ward 5 (where it rather controversially did not). Wards 2 and 4 have also given the thumbs up to equality measures. While we'd be rather surprised if the District's most densely populated ward didn't vote in favor of equality, the turnout and margins -- and any potential disruptions like at the Ward 5 meeting -- will be of particular interest.
Look, I know what you're thinking: just when are Virginians going to be able to wear clothing plastered with Terry McAuliffe, Bob McDonnell, or other state candidates or messages to polls, without the fear of being expelled? When will the brutish reign which condemns them to wear but lackluster cloth ever end? For the love of all things tacky, let them free! Well, my friends to the south, I bring you good news: the Commonwealth now says go for it. [Ed. note: Alas, not until July 1st. Thanks aaronw79!] Virginia had banned wearing campaign-related clothes at polling places as a "political act" last fall, but now obviously wants to free up the market for cheap, iron-on decal shirts. (Now to await the McD/McA paraphernalia cottage industry with baited breath.) D.C.'s ban? Still in effect. Baby steps, I guess.
Think your kids are awesome? Think awesome? Talk to the white-naped crane that was just born at the Smithsonian National Zoo. As We Love DC notes, the Zoo is calling this little chickee "the most genetically important hatchling in the North American White-Naped Crane Species Survival Program." Boo-ya. An endangered species now, owing to the destruction of wetlands in northeast China -- this bird's native habitat -- the birth of a female white-naped crane in captivity is a major boon to efforts to keep this animal's gene pool strong and diverse.
So what exactly caused all those phantom votes in last September's D.C. primaries? Well, thanks to Sequoia Voting Systems, city officials will soon be able to fully investigate that very question. The Post reports this morning that the manufacturer of the District's voting machines -- which, for some reason, created thousands of of extra write-in votes out of thin air last fall in City Council and Shadow Senator races -- has agreed to give the Council sensitive information about how the machines tabulate votes including source code, in order to avoid a lawsuit. It's a relatively big concession for the manufacturer and potentially sets a precedent for similar voting mishaps around the country; in addition to the District, seventeen states also use Sequoia machines. The Council says that its findings will be made public, even though Sequoia has had a long history of fighting such inquiries into its "trade secrets" -- here's hoping.
The Washington Mystics open their regular season in Connecticut today against The Sun, and play their home opener at the Verizon Center on Sunday at 4 p.m. against the Atlanta Dream.
Good morning, D.C. Here's the question of the day: are your neighbors spies? I'm sure some people are asking themselves that very question this morning after reading about Walter Kendall Myers and his wife, Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers, who apparently had been spying for Cuba over the last thirty years from their residence in Northwest. The two septuagenarians, who lived in The Westchester at 4000 Cathedral Ave NW, had the full compliment of crazy spy things: code names, encrypted emails, over 200 confidential State Department documents, a practice of passing covert information via shortwave radio and in local grocery stores, and even a personal meeting with Fidel Castro. Myers, who had worked for the State Department and Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies while spying, blew the whole thing after spilling the beans to an undercover State Department operative posing as a Cuban intelligence officer.
Fun little tidbit to close out the week. The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum today acquired an 8-foot-high lighted star from New York's Coney Island’s now closed space-age theme park, Astroland. They sent over the above image of them receiving the actual star this afternoon, which shows Curator Margaret Weitekamp and Exhibit Designer Rebekah Brokway supervising their staff as they measure the Star. The Astroland Star will be on display at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in 2011. You can see the sign where the star used to be on Coney Island here.
I would bet a pretty large sum of money that Deadspin's Tommy Cragg has never set foot inside Nationals Park, despite having attempted to tear it apart in a feature he's started called "Why Your Stadium Sucks." Not that there aren't plenty of legit reasons to complain about Nationals Park, but Cragg bases his entire post on stuff other people have written about it or the team, and fails to talk about the most crushingly obvious complaint anyone who's ever actually attended a game there would mention: the horrible, horrible service you get at the concession stands. The long, slow lines and rude service haven't really gotten better this year with the new caterer, Levy Catering, either. Now of course, not every single concession worker at the stadium is terrible. You can luck into a short line or a competent cashier every once in a while, and the staff at the Red Porch Restaurant is actually top notch when it comes to service with a smile. But go to virtually any other ballpark in the country and you (gasp!) don't have to wait 20 minutes to buy a hot dog and aren't treated to disdain and/or total incompetence at the majority of snack counters.
It's hard to get too interested in the MPD's "no one really knows what good this does" All Hands on Deck weekends anymore, but just in case you start to wonder why there appear to be more cops around today and Saturday, be aware that the latest AHOD actually started early this morning. It'll last through to 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 7. Part of this weekend's effort will include four MPD-sponsored community clean-ups on Saturday: at Florida Avenue Park (1st and Florida Avenue NW); in the 4300-4400 blocks of Livingston Place SE; at Parkview Community Center (693 Otis Place NW); and Benning Stoddert Community Center (100 Stoddert Place SE). The clean-ups will be taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the second two events, happening at community centers, will also offer services such as job training and referrals, information about permanent supportive housing, substance abuse treatment and managing diabetes.
We were definitely just as surprised as City Desk to hear that D.C. is at the top of the country (by a pretty big margin) in cocaine use. Having lived in Los Angeles for about the same amount of time that I've now lived here, it certainly doesn't seem like there's nearly as much cocaine around as in that city, let alone as say, New York. D.C.'s full of square federal employees with security clearances to worry over, isn't it? But take a closer look at the full study. First of all, it's another one of those ones that compares D.C., an entirely urban district, with states, which are made up of both cities and large swaths of suburban and rural areas. Second, there's no separate category in this survey for crack (or any other illicit drug besides marijuana, for that matter), so it appears that is included under the "cocaine" banner. My bet is that strict cocaine use in D.C. is nowhere near as rampant as this study makes it out to be when compared to other large metropolitan areas.
The barely six-month old Capitol Visitor Center experienced a drainage system failure last night thanks to several days of strong storms, leading to a flooded hallway, the Post reports. The incident is described as not having caused significant damage, but it's not exactly a great sign that storm drain equipment is already failing in the massive (and massively overbudget) $621 million underground facility. The center is open as normal today, as the flooding occurred in an area of the structure that is not part of the visitor tour.
Say what you will about United's performance this season on the whole, but even the most pessimistic of supporters would have a difficult time arguing that this year's encounters with our rivals to the north, New York, have been anything but enjoyable. In the first two matches -- one, a thrilling, last-minute, two-goal comeback at Giants Stadium, and the other a game in which United led by four after 30 minutes in the Open Cup -- D.C. has earned positive results amid an ocean of mediocre draws. As they should: the league's runner-up last season, the Red Bulls currently wallow in dead last at an anemic 2-7-3, having only managed to score more than two goals in a game once this year.
Good morning, Washington. It's not bound to be a particularly good day when words like "soaking," "relentless rain," "flooding" and "monsoon of Biblical proportions that will drown all but our souls" makes it into every weather forecast. OK, so maybe that last one was made up, but it's what I'm feeling right now after waking up to water coming through the ceiling into my room. Awesome. At least there's no mold. Oh wait, there is. Awesome. Thankfully that one prized framed picture of mine isn't wet. Oh hey, it is. AWESOME. Is it too early for coffee and a drink?
There was supposed to be a big press conference for the new D.C. Trapeze School this afternoon, complete with an appearance from the mayor, but the rain kinda put a damper on that parade. Perhaps you've already read about the school being put together in the Washington Post, but when we went by the old convention center site today, it did indeed look like they're ready to start classes this weekend. Check out the D.C. Trapeze School web site for information on classes and schedules. The first classes start this Saturday, and each 2-hour class runs about $55.
Mayor Fenty, Chief Lanier and Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham today showed off the new Closed Circuit Television camera that's been installed at Kalorama Road and Champlain Street NW. The intersection has been the site of several recent violent crimes, including an officer involved shooting in which a suspect was fatally shot and two police officers were injured. "This technology is instrumental to our work as we continue to fight crime, and make our neighborhoods safe," Mayor Fenty said in a statement. Does the camera make you feel safer at that corner/in that tunnel, Adams Morgan residents?
Looks like there's something afoot with MPD's officials in the Third District Substation. A couple days ago, there was a message on the Substation email list welcoming a new commander, Inspector Jacob Kishter. The message had no mention of very popular Inspector Edward Delgado, and shortly afterward a couple of people asked what happened to him.
DDOT and the MPD have announced the following roads will be closed for part of this weekend while two big events are underway: the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and UNIFEST.
Susie Cambria reports that amid Tuesday's busy legislative session, the D.C. Council voted to confirm the appointment of Roque Gerald, who up until then had been serving as interim director of the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency. Gerald replaced Sharlynn Bobo after she resigned in the wake of the Banita Jacks case. Previously, Gerald served as CFSA deputy director.
Just a little straight up feel good PR from grocer Giant Food. The company sent out word today that it donated the $100,000 commission it received from the D.C. Lottery as a result of selling that winning $144 million Powerball jackpot ticket to the Capital Area Food Bank. The winning ticket came from the relatively new Giant on Alabama Avenue in Southeast. The Food Bank plans to use the money to support the renovation and construction of a new, bigger food distribution center.
Pretty great news for those of you who regularly travel between D.C. and Baltimore: transportation officials say they've reached an agreement that will allow SmarTrip users to use the cards seamlessly on the Maryland Transit Administration system in and around Baltimore, WTOP reports.
Good morning, Washington. If you're reading this, congratulations on snagging a spot on whatever ark presumably allowed you to survive last night's seeming typhoon. We've received reports of hail, trees crushing cars, flooded roadways rushing with water, and hurricane-style winds. Scary stuff. The upside? It's cooled off by at least 20 degrees out there, and the rain and clouds are expected to clear out just in time for another stunning weekend.
As an addendum to our earlier post looking at how today's Live Nation "no service fee" promotion actually played out, check out the screencap below, provided by DCist reader Damon. As you can see, tickets to the June 13 George Strait concert also include a $4.75 per ticket "venue fee" in addition to a parking fee. We were not charged the "venue fee" for tickets to the July 28 Depeche Mode concert (though our parking fee was higher, at $6 per ticket), but it does appear some Nissan Pavilion concerts in this promotion do carry such a fee.
Controversy Over Rhee Now to Include Sex, Congress
Report: CCDC Split From UDC Is "Critical To Success"
D.C. United Icon Ben Olsen To Retire
The Manhattan Project
Increased Urban Walkability For The Win
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