Six protesters were arrested by Capitol Police officers inside the Hart Senate Office Building this afternoon after attempting to unfurl a banner related to the Stop the Machine protest. more ›

As quietly as Bart Turner was arrested, his case was dismissed. Today in D.C. Superior Court, a single charge of "Unlawful Entry" against Turner -- a Ward 2 resident and former D.C. public school teacher who was arrested on April 18 during a one-man D.C. voting rights demonstration on the steps of the U.S. Capitol -- was dismissed by prosecutors. more ›

DCist readers who work in the area around the Capitol South Metro station tell us that a "huge cloud" of pepper spray was released there around 8:25 a.m. this morning. That cloud apparently wafted down the street and had some adverse affects on workers getting to their offices. more ›

You'd think after a year of White House gatecrashers and Pentagon shooters, congressional staffers would have a healthy amount of respect for the security process at the U.S. Capitol. But you'd of course be wrong. Jordy Yager over at The Hill newspaper reports that Capitol Police officers are sick and tired of being bullied by entitled staffers who insist the rules don't apply to them.

Several officers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Hill that without a written directive of the policy, they’re left to face bullying staffers and intimidating lawmakers who have been known to file complaints against the officers. The staffers have accused them of discourteous treatment after being stopped and directed to the magnetometers. more ›

WTOP was the first to take to Twitter with the news that the Capitol was put on lockdown following a report of a man carrying a gun on a bus heading down Independence Avenue. WTOP was also the first to report that the news was a false alarm and that the man on the bus was a Metropolitan Police Department officer. more ›

U.S. Capitol Police were called in to assist Metropolitan Police Department officials in the arrest of two suspects following an armed robbery near the Capitol. First District Commander David Kamperin posted to the 1-D listserv details of the arrest, which followed a foot pursuit. Capitol Police confirmed a tip to DCist that entrances to the Adams Building were closed temporarily this afternoon as police looked for the suspects. The two men -- both in MPD custody -- are said to have used a gun in a hold-up at the corner of 6th and A Street NE at around 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. Did you see a couple guys hauling ass from the Library of Congress like they were in some real trouble over late fees? more ›

The Senate side plaza of the U.S. Capitol is currently closed while U.S. Capitol Police investigate a suspicious vehicle in the area. Constitution Avenue between First Street NW and First Street NE is also closed. There were some early, unconfirmed reports that police may have found a dead body inside a vehicle, but we've since learned that the Capitol Police took the time to make an announcement over the press gallery loudspeakers that there has in fact not been a body a found. Police are still on the scene investigating, however.
more ›

President Barack Obama will be addressing a joint session of Congress tonight to make his big health care speech, so the usual security perimeter around the U.S. Capitol for such events will be in effect. The president's speech is set to begin at 8 p.m., but the Capitol Square will be restricted beginning at 6 p.m. The United States Capitol Police are also advising that the following streets will be closed beginning at 6:30 p.m. until the end of the speech. more ›

How about that first snow storm of the season, Washington? CapitalWeather.com says that "yesterday's clipper system actually significantly 'over-performed,'" which is why we ended up with 2-4" of snow for the region instead of the 1" we were originally expecting. The Examiner was concerned about your commute this morning thanks to overnight lows that were forecast to drop into the low 20s, allowing for ice to refreeze on the roads in time for this... more ›

Good morning, Washington. Yesterday afternoon Roll Call had the story of a potential suspect finally being identified in all those strange Senate bathroom fires from the last few months. Capitol Police Officer Karen Emory recently has been suspended in connection with the fires, although it still hasn't been confirmed whether she is definitely a suspect in the case. No charges have been filed, but color us a little disappointed if it turns out a... more ›

The Hill is reporting that the Senate Hart and Dirksen Office Buildings were evacuated due to a fire just after 1 p.m. more ›

>> Right there is the Laura Sessions Stepp Credo: Laura doesn't "get it" so the "social culture" is broken. [DCeiver] >> Don't miss the ABC News coverage of the 5-year anniversary of the D.C.-area sniper shooting spree. What do you think of Lee Boyd Malvo's apology? [ABC News] >> Oh c'mon, don't you get it? Kids can say they're going to "The Library" and not be lying! It's totally hilarious. [Free Ride] >> Regarding... more ›

In case you missed it in the briefly noted in this morning's news round-up, someone has been setting garbage can fires in Senate bathrooms for a few days now. On Wednesday there were four such fires between 10:45 a.m. and 2 p.m., thankfully quickly extinguished. Police say Wednesdays' fires are connected (duh). And it turns out that similar fires were lit last week. From (subscription-only) Roll Call:Three of the fires set Wednesday took place in... more ›

Good morning, D.C. If by any chance you're a contractor with the city, you may be in for a rude awakening this morning, as City Manager Dan "The Man" Tangherlini and Chief Technology Officer Vivek Kundra have ordered your cell phone to be returned. Apparently some non-employee contractors have been getting a pretty sweet deal from the District for some time in the form of free cell phones, the end of which will save the... more ›

Those of you who watched the Joint Hearing of the House Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committee know that the hearing itself was disrupted several times, both by technical issues and by protesters in the room. You may not have been aware that there was a ruckus in the hallway outside the hearing as well. This video shows U.S. Capitol Police speaking with Hip Hop Caucus President Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Jr. on Monday after... more ›

Good morning, Washington. It's hot again out there today, with highs expected in the upper 90s, and folks in the city are understandably getting a little hot under the collar. Take Duane Stillions, who ABC7 reports was attacked by a pit bull on July 4 while walking his two small dogs. One of his dogs, Molly, a ten-pound Bichon Frise, is hospitalized in intensive care at a cost of $1,000 a day, and Stillions is... more ›

People around the country have long complained that politicians are full of it. Now their workplace is too. The story, apparently broken by Roll Call, is that on Wednesday, workers found at least three piles of poo (yes, actual poo) in the hall on the Senate side of the building, and possibly some more in a gallery overlooking the Senate chamber. more ›

Good day, Washington. Are you getting tired of this gorgeous weather yet? Yeah, us neither. As you work out the kinks in your upcoming Memorial Day Weekend plans, we wish you good luck and delight in describing the rest of this week and weekend ahead as forecast to be sunny and hot enough to give you that sunburn you've been hoping for. We're also putting together a few ideas for last-minute day trips for those... more ›

>> The United States Postal Service increased postage rates today. First class letters now cost $0.41 (first ounce) and $0.17 for each additional ounce. New rates and fees for all classes of mail went up today except Periodicals, which is delayed until July 15. You can apparently find a handy chart of all the new rates in a pdf here, though we're having a little trouble downloading it in Firefox. One more reason to... more ›

>> The video above gives a pretty great perspective of last night's bedlam in G-town. This UCLA alumna is more than a little dismayed at the bandwagon fans she's encountered all over D.C. today. At least we can all agree it's unacceptable to root for Florida or Ohio State. Go Bruins! [Deadspin] >> Don't think we're ignoring the call for a new slogan for D.C. that went out over the weekend. On the contrary,... more ›

The Associated Press has the early word on scheduling for President Gerald Ford's state funeral and public viewing, though they have yet to be approved by the Ford family and therefore are not final. Officials were preparing tentative plans for President Gerald Ford's body to lie in state this weekend and expected a funeral service after New Year's at National Cathedral capping days of mourning in the capital. U.S. Capitol Police officers said they were... more ›

Good morning, Washington, and welcome to another beautiful fall day. Let's start it with a question for the group — which of the following better exemplifies the proud tradition of local news: WTTG's repeated pre-commercial teases last night warning that "this teddy bear is responsible for the deaths of thousands"? Or this snippet of audio from The Simpsons? Richmond Nixes Transportation Funding: The Virginia Legislature's special session is off to an unproductive start, as the Post reports. The session was called with one purpose: to figure out a means of funding a solution to Northern Virginia's traffic woes. But the Republican-controlled House is staunchly opposed to levying new taxes; Tuesday's decisive vote signalled an unwillingness to compromise. Looks like the governor's alleged optimism may not have been justified. Capitol Security Bosses Were On Leave During Breach: WUSA brings word that a number of top Capitol Police officials were taking lengthy breaks from the job last week, when an armed gunman broke through security and wandered the Capitol until being subdued by civilians. The officials were using up comp time that a recent policy change had forced them to utilize or forfeit. There doesn't seem to be a clear indication that a lack of oversight enabled the security breach — but it sure doesn't look good. BREAKING! Kids These Days Are Out Of Control!: The Post profiles an alarming new development: area students' fondness for t-shirts with provocative slogans printed on them. Astoundingly, the kids are somehow gaming the system, using double entendres and subtle turns of phrase to stymy school administrators' enforcement efforts. It's almost like they're deliberately trying to alarm their elders! More on this important story as it develops. Briefly Noted: D.C. charter schools' poor performance matches that of public schools... Wilson Bridge begins new life as Wilson Reef... Maryland MVA employee faces charges of selling fake IDs... Nats literally off-track... Va. receives millions in new homeland security grants... Md. senatorial race becomes suddenly puppy-centric... Suspect arrested for 15 year-old's murder... This Day In DCist: One year ago we covered an anti-war march and visited Colorado Kitchen. Two years ago we were spotting Segways. Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user iceman882 more ›

As more and more details leak out concerning an ambitious terrorist plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes leaving London, District Police Chief Charles Ramsey isn't taking any chances. Yesterday Ramsey announced a series of measures police would enact in response to the threat, among them the following: Activated its Joint Operations Command Center, including the network of 19 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the downtown area. Notified MPDC personnel of the situation and encouraged... more ›

After a weekend as gorgeous as the one we had, we could only expect that something would come and sully it up -- rain. Our friends at Capital Weather tell us that today might see some humidity and rain, though the rest of the week is set to be beautiful. Virginia Gays Moving Away: Color us shocked. According to the Post, gay Virginians are fleeing the Old Dominion for more liberal states, fearing the effect... more ›

Maryland Lt. Governor and candidate for the U.S. Senate Michael Steele must be red in the face these days -- after calling an association with the Republican Party and President George W. Bush "a scarlet letter" in an anonymous interview with the Post's Dana Milbank, Steele is now trying to limit the damage of his surprisingly honest comments. "I'm not trying to dis the president," he was quoted as saying by the Washington Times.... more ›

Good morning, Washington. We know that the news hasn't been particularly uplifting since the crime emergency began. And, to be honest, today's stories don't really represent a change from that precedent. But we have good news! That's right: Geraldo is coming to town to save us all. Now admittedly, this DCist's Powerbook wasn't able to coax any sound out of Fox 5's new, impossibly Flash-heavy website, so it's difficult to know the exact planks of... more ›

NBC 4 is reporting today that police are investigating a mugging which took place last week in Lower Senate Park on Capitol Hill. The victim of the crime was the son of Capitol Police Chief Christopher McGaffin, and the incident took place at 5:30 p.m., in broad daylight. According to NBC 4:

Police said McGaffin was jumped from behind by a group of eight to 10 teenagers. He was not hurt, but after the attack, he noticed that his Blackberry was missing.

Police Officer Killed at Station Shooting in Virginia: The local news is leading with this story that DCist brought you yesterday: WTOP and the Washington Post are reporting that, in the 66-year history of the Fairfax County Police Department, this is the first time an officer has been killed by an assailant. Detective Vicky O. Armel was shot at the Sully District Police Station when 18-year old Michael Kennedy, in a stolen van after an unsuccessful carjacking, and in possession of multiple weapons, opened fire on a group of officers. Two other officers were wounded. CNN mentions the story this morning. more ›

Though they left us with a good deal of thunder and lightning, the storms that hit our area yesterday cut a deadly path through other parts of the country, particularly Tennessee. We're not in the clear yet, though -- there is a wind advisory for the District and surrounding areas in effect until 1 p.m. today. D.C. Smoking Ban Really Goes Into Effect Today: Ahhhh, government efficiency. There has been some confusion to date... more ›