Local NPR station WETA-FM recently completely reversed course a second time, switching back to a classical format after two unsatisfactory years as a news station. With the "New Classical" WETA came all kinds of questions about programming, complicated by the fact that WETA was also absorbing the area's last commercial classical station, WGMS. Would WETA return to its former identity before the change to news? Would it become a version of the classical lite WGMS?... more ›

> > Totally uninformed theory: Wonderland robbery actually masterminded by the mild-mannered members of Norfolk & Western? Just putting it out there... > > Xmas In Washington play to feature Marion Shepilov Barry playing a heroic angel who sings "Stormy Weather" (WTFx10?!?) and comes to the rescue of Katrina evacuees separated from their children. Gloria Hightower says Barry's star turn comes from a desire to make the character "realistic"--which can only mean the following... more ›

Can you stand all the excitement that comes along with sifting through so many election results, race by race, this morning Washington? For political junkies like us, and we're sure, like many of you, last night was an up way past our bedtimes, whiskey-infused, edge of our seats, shouting about the relative quality of cable news commentators' hair dye jobs kind of time. And it's not totally over yet. But before we get to the... more ›

And so ends the suspense -- Adrian Fenty is the Post's pick for mayor. Though Fenty has held a comfortable lead in recent weeks, the Post's endorsement was seen as Linda Cropp's final chance in what has become a hard-fought campaign. Today's endorsement is sure to give Fenty the win next Tuesday, with the Post recognizing his "can-do quality" and his "vision of the city that challenges the best in people." And maybe to add... more ›

In case you hadn't heard, it's really hot out today. This photo is from the archives, taken by Flickr user Burnt Pixel back in May of 2005. The EXIF data can be found here. more ›

A day late, a buck short. If it had run when it was supposed to, Transit on Thursday would have brought you big praise for Mr. Customer Service, talk of toll lanes on I-95, some trouble on the Wilson Bridge, and an official insult to D.C.'s drivin' skillz. Photo by Burnt Pixel... more ›

Good morning, D.C. Seeing as we're in the midst of the annual summer spike in crime, you might be feeling a little vulnerable right now. Well, good news! It turns out that we can at least stop worrying quite so much about terrorist attacks — according to DHS, anyway. In order to justify the recent cuts to anti-terror funding for the District, the agency has begun explaining that we simply aren't that likely to be a target. Doesn't that make you feel better? Sniper Receives Six Life Terms: John Allen Muhammed received six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole in Manassas Maryland yesterday, the Post reports. Muhammed had previously received a capital sentence in Virginia, where he is now imprisoned on death row. The sniper's prosecution may not yet be over: he could still face trial in Louisiana and Alabama. Post Cuts Its Rolls: Fishbowl reports on the latest news from 15th Street. Apparently the Washington Post is trying to trim its fat in the face of declining circulation. Despite our occasional complaining about the venerable paper, we're sorry to see the cornerstone of D.C. media paring itself down (we wish we could say we aren't part of the problem, but we stopped subscribing when our paper started getting stolen every morning). All told, seventy reporters, photographers and administrators have accepted early retirement offers — head over to Fishbowl for the set of names. You might be surprised to see who is (or isn't) on the list. Stadium Gets Commission's OK: WJLA brings word that the National Capital Planning Commission has approved the first phase of the Nationals' new stadium. Some board members expressed reservations related to the building's potential for blocking views of the Capitol, but the final vote was unanimous. This Day In DCist: One year ago today we focused on organizations that do good and took a second stab at guessing who would jump into the mayoral race. Briefly Noted: Alleged weekend carjackers arrested... BGE rate hike still being argued over... "Ursprache" is winning word at Scripps Spelling Bee... More delays at Wilson Bridge... Water restrictions coming for Howard & Anne Arundel counties... Times thinks yesterday's traffic jam was one of the worst of all time, presumably because it happened near their offices... Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user Burnt Pixel more ›

If you didn't know, today is National High-Five Day. And as weird as that may sound, there is something mildly satisfying in giving strangers on the street the surprise high-five. And best of all, there is a local tie-in here -- it was a group of students at the University of Virginia that kicked off the celebration five years ago. more ›

We're all so accustomed to it that we hardly notice it. It has become part of the daily routine for the hundreds of thousands of area commuters that rely on Metrorail to get to and from work and play. Yes, we're talking about the computer-generated voice that announces the impending closure of the doors on Metro's rail-cars. more ›

The region's first snow hit yesterday, and, as expected, the morning news was chock full of weather analyses and human interest reports on snowmen and troubled commutes. We suppose it is big news, and we should expect that local newscasters will wax poetic about the "winter wonderland." Of course, the novelty of snow on the ground may soon fade, with residents realizing that we still have four months of this weather remaining. And as much... more ›

DCist was pleased to hear last week that WMATA has finally agreed, some ten years late, to create a Riders Advisory Council, where regular commuters can offer their experiences and suggestions to the troubled transit agency. Given WMATA's experience in dealing with crowding, broken escalators, and other such difficulties, an injection of real-world opinion may do wonders for the agency's performance. Who better to judge Metro than those who use it most often? more ›

We hope you had a nice weekend. This photo, posted by the Post's Keith Jenkins in DCist Photos, shows motorcyclists with a dog in the sidecar and U.S. and Marine Corps flags. Many of the memorials and monuments on both sides of the Potomac were packed with people honoring those who have fallen in current and past wars. For a transcript of President Bush's Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery, click here. Now on... more ›

Yes, we're already hungry for lunch. This photo of some Shanghai noodle soup and sushi, snapped by The Washington Post's Keith Jenkins aka Burnt Pixel, was posted in DCist Photos via Flickr. The weather today? Highs in the low 70s with clouds, according to Capital Weather. Now on to this morning's news ... Tourists Trapped in Washington Monument: The Post reports that 25 people got stuck in the Washington Monument's elevator yesterday, about 470... more ›

Good morning, Washington. We start with this photo on Flickr of L Street posted by Burnt Pixel, aka Keith Jenkins, the photo editor of The Washington Post Magazine. From the streetscape, we think that it was taken outside the Post's main office. Speaking of the Post, congrats to Steve Coll, who was the only person from the news organization to score a Pulitzer yesterday. As FishbowlDC puts it, the Post "got shut out" although Coll's book "got a nod" for best general nonfiction for "Ghost Wars." Although those in the newsroom may be peeved over the lack of wins this year, a Pulitzer is a Pulitzer, and congratulations are due to Mr. Coll. more ›