While the District may have hit its own 50-year low in term of homicides, so did Arlington County -- it had none for the entirety of 2011, writes WJLA. more ›

We've already got an At-large member of the D.C. Council named Michael A. Brown and a Shadow Senator named Michael D. Brown. But ARLnow reminds us that there's now a third Michael Brown in the local politics sphere: Michael B. Brown, the new Arlington County Manager, participated in his first county board meeting Saturday morning. more ›

CNN.com's Money Magazine has a new ranking out that lists the top U.S. cities or towns in which to snag a wealthy significant other, and Arlington, Va. is in the #2 spot. With 41.6 percent of Arlington's population listed as single and a median family income of $108,815, the Northern Virginia county is second only to Hermosa Beach, CA, where the median income is $137,941 and 47.2 percent of the population is single. Now, given that fewer than 20,000 people live in Hermosa, while Arlington has about 200,000, we might quibble with Money's ranking just a smidge. But Hermosa Beach is also billed as the sexier option: there you'll find "sun-kissed singles roller-blading along the Strand bike path or surfing," where as in Arlington, "scientific geniuses and government types dominate." Fair enough. Herndon, Va. also makes the list, coming in at number 8, with 33.2 percent of population single and a median income of $109,217. Seems fair to say that the only place we can think of in the metro area that's less sexy than Arlington is Herndon. more ›

You probably read the cute story in the Post on Monday about a woman who returned an overdue library book to Arlington County, 31 years later. Sarah McKee, who is now retired and living in Massachusetts, found the book while cleaning out her basement and mailed it back to the library, along with a check for $25. Well today the PR savvy Arlington Public Library announced it has created a little display of the book, along with a printout of the WaPo story, at their Central Library branch on North Quincy Street. more ›

Tricycle? ? What, pray tell, is the problem that tricycles solve, Arlington County? Two wheels on a bike aren't redundant enough? Can't feel the wind in your hair on a Segway? Bethesda nab all the pogo sticks? I'd like to tell you that no one is judging you. You county employees who have registered in this trike share program are cutting down on emissions and proving that the suburbs can develop sufficiently dense commercial/residential corridors where you don't need a car to survive. But I would ultimately be lying to you. If you are an adult riding a tricycle, it is the privilege -- no, the obligation -- of every one of your fellow human beings to point and snicker. Snidely, and with abandon. I urge you to save the planet and your dignity. Barring that, please promise that you will never, ever attempt to ride a tricycle in the District. The kids here greet adults riding bicycles by throwing rocks at them. There is no telling what they would do to a grownup on a trike. more ›

Although it often comes second or third in the news listings of current major world crises, the global food crisis has had profound effects on the way that we eat. The nation's corn crop has been diverted from livestock feed (and human food) toward ethanol production. Wheat from the nation's breadbasket — an important symbol for America, and once a source of food for the entire world — has been largely replaced by soy bound for China, forcing production costs for simple staples to soar. more ›

Temperatures are expected to remain well below freezing again overnight, which can mean danger for the District's homeless population. The city has put out a reminder to call their Hypothermia Shelter Hotline should you spot anyone trying to sleep outside when it's this cold. more ›

Good morning, Washington. We hope not too many of you were making your way into the city from Montgomery County this morning, as two separate water main breaks forced road closures in Takoma Park and kids to get the day off from school in Germantown. We'll admit it -- we're pretty envious of the students at Fox Chapel Elementary School, who get to spend the day doing whatever they please while we had to show up and actually do work. Isn't it supposed to be Christmas break already? more ›

The Metro board didn't spend their entire day on the fare hike issue Thursday. They also voted to spend $450,000 to develop a proposal to add an eastern entrance to the Rosslyn station. more ›

Good morning, Washington. Getting going on a Monday is normally difficult enough, but we were having a few technological difficulties this morning as well, so thanks for your patience and bear with this truncated Morning Roundup while we get up to speed. Tax Scandal Triggers Reviews in Counties: Neighboring jurisdictions are apparently taking D.C.'s tax office scandal to heart and initiating big reviews of their agencies. Property tax revenues are slated to be scrutinized in... more ›

>> Anacostia is in the running for an award from HGTV to come in and help the community complete revitalization projects. [Free Ride] >> Well, The Scott is back to gitcha now, boys! [Wonkette] >> Arlington County Police are saying they believe the person responsible for two recent gropings at the Rosslyn Metro station could be the same man who committed four plastic bag attacks earlier this year. [WTOP] >> I-95 was closed in... more ›

From DCist Contributor Oscar Bunoan It's often said that bad luck comes in threes. In Vietnam, for example, a photo of three people represents bad luck. However, Vietnam is a restless, 22-hour flight away and Greg Cahill (owner of the successful Whitlow’s on Wilson) and Jonathan Williams (Whitlow’s general manager) are not superstitious men who rest their beliefs in ancient folklore. No self-respecting restaurateur, especially these two locally respected entrepreneurs, would conceive their restaurant on... more ›

Good morning, Washington. The city is still reeling from the news that the U.S. Attorney's Office has indicted two employees from the District's Office of Tax and Revenue on charges of embezzling over $16 million. It's a staggering sum, and the Post cites officials who are calling it the largest theft ever uncovered in local government in the Washington area. The two women, Harriette Walters and Diane Gustus, are said to have used the money... more ›

Mark your calendars: WMATA put out a release earlier today announcing the dates of a series of six public meetings at which you can voice your opinions about the proposed Metro fare hikes, which would go into effect in January. The full set of proposed increases is here, but the basics include raising the base fare of Metrorail from $1.35 to $1.65, keep bus fares the same as long as you use SmarTrip cards (add... more ›

Imagine this -- the District could have hybrid taxicabs before it even resolves its long-running dispute between meters and the zone system. Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) yesterday introduced legislation that would offer a one-time tax credit to encourage the purchase of hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles for use as taxicabs. The legislation would also establish a set of goals for converting the city's taxicab fleet to hybrid vehicles -- 5 percent by 2009 and... more ›

Good morning, Washington. More news today on the Virginia abusive driver's fees front, this time even closer to home. Arlington residents will be cheered to hear that an Arlington County General District Court judge has ruled that Virginia's abusive-driver fees are unconstitutional. Judge Dorothy H. Clarke is the fourth District Court judge in Virginia to make such a ruling, but the first one in Northern Virginia. Naturally, the state will appeal the decision, and this... more ›

MONDAY: The Beauty Myth author Naomi Wolf will be at the Arlington County Public Library in Shirlington to read from her new book, The End of America: A Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot, in which Wolf outlines how events of the last six years parallel steps taken in the early years of the 20th century's worst dictatorships such as Germany, Russia, China, and Chile. 5 p.m., free. TUESDAY: Erudite actor Alan Alda will... more ›

Clockwise from top left: Comet Ping Pong, Red Rocks, 2 Amys, Bebo There are many factors that affect a pizza. The type of flour used for the dough. The temperature of the oven. The quality of the toppings. The skill and hands of the maker of the dough. The vigilance of the pizzaiolo (the person manning the oven). D.C. may not be known as much of a pizza town, but a few of the... more ›

Former Editor-in-Chief Ryan Avent writes a weekly column about neighborhood and development issues. Things used to be clearer for Fairfax County. It used to be known as the epitome of upper-middle class suburbanity, even earning name-checks in popular novels and songs as such. With acres and acres of rolling hills covered in leafy suburbs and landscaped office parks, it was a quiet complement to the quirky inner suburbs of Northern Virginia and the dense chaos... more ›

If you live in Virginia and take public transportation into Washington every day, WMATA is looking for you. Metro’s Riders’ Advisory Council needs commuters from Virginia to fill three vacant positions on the Council, two from Fairfax County and one from Arlington County. To be eligible for the positions, you need to live in either Fairfax or Arlington counties, ride bus, rail and/or MetroAccess, and not be a Metro employee, contractor or elected official. You... more ›

>> Tragedy strikes the best little bar in Arlington! According to a MySpace bulletin, some miscreant has run off with Galaxy Hut's kareoke equipment, effectively squashing DCist Amanda's favorite way to spend a Thursday night. Why would someone do such a thing? Especially since wherever they take it is sure to have an inferior beer selection to the equipment's original home. Do your part and go spend some money at G Hut so they can... more ›

>> Arlington County Police are urging women to be extremely cautious while walking, especially late at night, after a fourth woman was attacked by a man who tried to place a plastic bag over her head. The attacks are believed to be attempted abductions, and at least one of the victims was groped. [WTOP] >> Ten Reasons WashingtonPost.com is Poorly Designed. [Goodspeed Update] >> If you go to the National Gallery on a holiday,... more ›

We don't enjoy wallowing over desperately ironic turns of events in the Metro region here at Transit on Thursday. OK, that's a lie. But we do sympathize with the folks who it turns out may have gotten duped by the Great Virginia Commuter Compromise of 2006-2007. Also this week, new lanes approved for the Beltway, 95, and 66, while Maryland comes up a little short on its own transportation funds. Photo by el swifterino... more ›

While thousands of District residents braved wind and rain on Monday to demand that Congress pass legislation granting the city a voting representative, one congressman went a step further and introduced legislation that would similarly give the District two senators. Well, kind of. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) -- yes, that Louie Gohmert -- calls for the retrocession of all District lands not containing a federal building or monument to Maryland. In... more ›

>> Is the Rock and Roll Hotel haunted? While John Edward (not Edwards) or a similarly qualified expert has yet to confirm it, the staff says they've seen and heard a few eerie things. The owner explains that the club stands on the site of an old funeral home. Maybe they couldn't get prime Indian burial ground real estate. [via Wonkette] >> The D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission hosts a community meeting tonight to discuss... more ›

If it seems as though the saga surrounding the fate of Arlington pool hall and taphouse Dr. Dremo's has been dragging out for years, it's probably because it has. From a concentrated effort by Arlington County to shut the bar down due to (admittedly) leaky roofs, to the ongoing efforts by Elm Street Development to get the County to approve the sale of the site (along with next-door Taco Bell) for condominiums, Dremo's has been... more ›

The debate over voting rights for the District's delegate in Congress is bubbling up at the very beginning of the 110th Congress. Under the newly minted Democratic-controlled Congress, it seems we here in Washington are closer than ever to obtaining full-fledged representation in the House of Representatives. This morning at the ceremonial swearing-in of the Congressional Black Caucus, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi specifically mentioned D.C. voting rights in her remarks, prompting a standing... more ›

We start off this Monday morning with the very sad news that Star Foster, a co-editor of sister site Phillyist, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday morning. Phillyist will be going dark for a few days out of respect for Foster, who was with the site since its inception. Here at DCist, and across the -ist network, we offer our condolences and thoughts for her friends and family. more ›

Jim Webb and George Allen might be stuck in a tight battle for the Virginia Senate seat, but no such contest existed for a constitutional amendment forbidding same-sex marriage or civil unions. As the Post is reporting, the amendment — one of eight across the country — was approved by an overwhelming 57 percent of Virginia voters, somewhat proving the power of the commonwealth's social conservative tendencies. And even though Northern Virginia has tended towards... more ›

The news coming out of Transit on Thursday has not been good over the last few weeks. We've lost our man Dan at Metro, Virginia balked (again) on fixing its transportation mess and Maryland might be selling its transportation future to old political cronies. This week, however, we are excited to offer you a few crispy nuggets of good news. Metro goes express and gets the first batch of new rail cars, some unexpected... more ›